A new tool to test active ingredient using lactic acid in vitro,a help to understand cellular mechanism involved in stinging test: An example using a bacterial polysaccharide (Fucogel®)

The stinging test is an in vivo protocol that evaluates sensitive skin using lactic acid (LA). A soothing sensation of cosmetics or ingredients can be also appreciated through a decrease in stinging score. To predict the soothing sensation of a product before in vivo testing, we developed a model based on an LA test and substance P (SP) release using a co‐culture of human keratinocytes and NGF‐differentiated PC12 cells. A bacterial fucose‐rich polysaccharide present in Fucogel^® was evaluated as the soothing molecule in the in vivo stinging test and our in vitro model. Excluding toxic concentrations, the release of SP was significant from 0.2% of lactic acid for the PC12 cells and from 0.1% of lactic acid for the keratinocytes. When the pH was adjusted to approximately 7.4, LA did not provoke SP release. At these concentrations of LA, 0.1% of polysaccharide showed a significant decrease in SP release from the two cellular types and in co‐cultures without modifying the pH of the medium. In vivo, a stinging test using the polysaccharide showed a 30% decrease in prickling intensity vs the placebo in 19 women between the ages of 21 and 69. Our in vitro model is ethically interesting and is adapted for cosmetic ingredients screening because it does not use animal experimentation and limits human volunteers. Moreover, Fucogel^® reduced prickling sensation as revealed by the in vivo stinging test and inhibits the neurogenic inflammation as showed by our new in vitro stinging test based on SP release.     

IL-12/23抑制剂乌司奴单抗在银屑病治疗中的应用

银屑病是一种免疫紊乱介导的以皮肤慢性炎症性改变为主的系统性疾病,临床表现为皮肤红斑鳞屑,可累及指(趾)甲及关节。IL-12和IL-23是参与银屑病发病的重要细胞因子,乌司奴单抗是靶向抑制IL-12和IL-23共有亚基p40的全人源单克隆抗体制剂,多项国内外随机对照临床试验结果表明,乌司奴单抗应用于中重度斑块型银屑病和关节病型银屑病的治疗可显著改善病情,提高患者生活质量,具有良好的有效性、长期稳定性和安全性。     

谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶1高表达对β淀粉样蛋白介导PC12细胞损伤的保护作用

目的探讨β淀粉样蛋白(Aβ)所致阿尔茨海默病发病的分子机制,以及谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶1(GPX1)高表达时对其所致细胞损伤的保护作用。方法将PC12细胞转染合人GPX1基因的plncx质粒及空载体plncx质粒,对PCl2、GPXl-PCl2、plncx-PCl2 3组细胞,分别给予Aβ_(25-35)和亚硒酸钠+Aβ_(25-35)2种干预方式,MTT法检测细胞的存活情况,免疫细胞化学法观察磷酸化环磷酸腺苷反应元件结合蛋白(pCREB)的表达情况。结果 PCl2组与plncx-PCl2组细胞存活率比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);GPXl-PC12组较plncx-PCl2组细胞存活率明显增高(P<0.01);Aβ_(25-35)干预后,plncx-PC12组和GPX1-PC12组pCREB蛋白阳性率明显下降,plncx-PC12组较GPX1-PCl2组下降更明显(P<0.05)。亚硒酸钠+Aβ_(25-35)干预后,plncx-PC12组和GPX1-PC12组pCREB蛋白阳性率明显上升,GPX1-PC12组较plncx-PC12组增高更明显(P<0.01)。结论 GPX1基因高表达对Aβ_(25-35)所介导的PCl2细胞损伤有明显保护作用;Aβ_(25-35)可下调pCREB在PCl2细胞中表达,而GPXl与pCREB共同参与保护PCl2细胞,减少Aβ_(25-35)所引起的细胞损伤。     

环孢菌素A抑制内质网应激减轻β淀粉样蛋白_(25-35)对PC12细胞凋亡的研究

目的探讨环孢菌素A对β淀粉样蛋白_(25-35)(Aβ_(25-35))诱导PC12细胞凋亡的保护机制。方法 PC12细胞传代培养,分为对照组、Aβ_(25-35)组、Aβ_(25-35)+环孢菌素A组(环孢菌素A组)。Aβ_(25-35) 10μmol/L,环孢菌素A 20 -μmol/L。药物作用24 h后,采用流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率,Western blot检测内质网应激蛋白钙网蛋白、半胱天冬氨酸酶12(caspase 12)活化片断的蛋白表达。结果与对照组细胞凋亡率(2.0±0.2)%比较,Aβ_(25-35)组细胞凋亡率(45.0±3.7)%明显升高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);而环孢菌素A组细胞凋亡率为(27.0±2.4)%,较Aβ_(25-35)组明显下降,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。Western blot显示,与对照组比较,Aβ25 35组钙网蛋白、caspase-12活化片断表达明显增加,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);与Aβ_(25-35)组比较,环孢菌素A组钙网蛋白、caspase 12活化片断表达明显减少,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论环孢菌素A可通过抑制内质网应激相关蛋白表达,来减轻Aβ_(25-35)对PC12细胞的凋亡作用。     

Trace elements, heavy metals and vitamin levels in patients with coronary artery disease

Aim: In the present study, we aimed to assess serum concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), vitamins A (retinol), D (cholecalciferol) and E (α-tocopherol) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and to compare with healthy controls.Methods: A total of 30 CAD patients and 20 healthy subjects were included in this study. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (UNICAM-929) was used to measure heavy metal and trace element concentrations. Serum α-tocopherol, retinol and cholecalciferol were measured simultaneously by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results: Demographic and baseline clinical characteristics were not statistically different between the groups. Serum concentrations of retinol (0.3521±0.1319 vs. 0.4313±0.0465 mmol/I, p=0.013), tocopherol (3.8630±1.3117 vs. 6.9124±1.0577 mmol/I, p<0.001), cholecalciferol (0.0209±0.0089 vs. 0.0304±0.0059 mmol/I, p<0.001) and Fe (0.5664±0.2360 vs. 1.0689±0,4452 µg/dI, p<0.001) were significantly lower in CAD patients. In addition, while not statistically significant serum Cu (1.0164±0.2672 vs. 1.1934±0.4164 µg/dI, p=0.073) concentrations were tended to be lower in patients with CAD, whereas serum lead (0.1449±0.0886 vs. 0.1019±0.0644 µg/dI, p=0.069) concentrations tended to be higher.Conclusions: Serum level of trace elements and vitamins may be changed in patients with CAD. In this relatively small study we found that serum levels of retinol, tocopherol, cholecalciferol, iron and copper may be lower whereas serum lead concentrations may be increased in patients with CAD.     

Effect of multiple activation stimuli on the generation of Th1-polarizing dendritic cells

It was originally reported that only a small fraction of total matured dendritic cells (DCs) produced interleukin (IL)-12, but it has never been determined whether different combinations of activating signals now shown to maximize secreted IL-12 do so through increasing output by the same IL-12 producers, or by recruiting additional cytokine-secreting cells. We therefore tested all combinations of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (TLR4 ligand), R848 (TLR8 ligand), interferon (IFN)-γ, and CD40L for activating human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC), and determined by intracellular flow cytometry that enhanced IL-12 secretion was accomplished in large part by markedly increasing the proportion of cells producing IL-12, with the triple and quadruple combinations recruiting the most DC. This optimization requirement for multiple signals was not reflected in differential Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression by the cells. Interestingly, DCs activated with single TLR ligands plus IFN-γ were capable of responding with a second burst of IL-12 upon later CD40L stimulation, whereas DCs activated with R848 plus LPS were not, despite the trend of the latter for superior polarization of naive T cells toward IFN-γ-secreting Th1. These results have implications for the biology of IL-12-secreting DCs and choice of activation regimen for prospective use in DC-based immunotherapy.     

Vitamin D3 correlates inversely with systemic dendritic cell numbers and bone erosion in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis

Vitamin D₃ (VD₃) is a steroid hormone that regulates bone health and numerous aspects of immune function and may play a role in respiratory health. We hypothesized that T helper type 2 (Th2) disorders, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) would have VD₃ deficiencies, resulting in increased mature dendritic cells (DCs) and bone erosion. We conducted a retrospective study examining VD₃ levels in patients with AFRS (n = 14), CRSwNP (n = 9), chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) (n = 20) and cerebrospinal fluid leak repair (non‐diseased controls) (n = 14) at time of surgery. Circulating immune cell levels were determined by immunostaining and flow cytometric analysis. Plasma VD₃ and immune regulatory factors (granulocyte–macrophage colony‐stimulating factor and prostaglandin E₂) were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. It was observed that CRSwNP and AFRS demonstrated increased circulating DCs, while chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps displayed increased circulating macrophages. CRSwNP and AFRS were to found to have insufficient levels of VD₃ which correlated inversely with circulating numbers of mature DCs, DC regulatory factors and bone erosion. CRSsNP displayed no change in circulating DC numbers or VD₃ status compared to control, but did display increased numbers of circulating macrophages that was independent of VD₃ status. Lastly, VD₃ deficiency was associated with more severe bone erosion. Taken together, these results suggest support a role for VD₃ as a key player in the immunopathology of CRSwNP and AFRS.