Overexpression of suppressor of cytokine signalling-5 augments eosinophilic airway inflammation in mice

BACKGROUND: Enhanced expression of the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS)-5 might be of therapeutic benefit for T-helper type 2 (Th2) dominant diseases, as its expression is reported to result in a reduction of Th2 differentiation in vitro due to the inhibition of IL-4 signalling. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory role of SOCS-5 in vivo, we explored the phenotype of an experimental asthma model developed in SOCS-5 transgenic (Tg) mice. METHODS: The SOCS-5 Tg mice or wild-type (WT) mice were sensitized and repeatedly challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). We examined bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung specimens, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine. RESULTS: The production of IFN-gamma by CD4(+) T cells from unprimed SOCS-5 Tg mice was significantly increased in comparison with unprimed wild-type mice, indicating that SOCS-5 Tg mice have a Th1-polarizing condition under natural conditions. However, in an asthma model, significantly more eosinophils in the airways and higher levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF were observed in the SOCS-5 Tg than the wild-type mice. AHR in the asthma model of SOCS-5 Tg was also more enhanced than that of wild-type mice. OVA-stimulated CD4(+) T cells from the primed SOCS-5 Tg mice produced significantly more IL-5 and IL-13 than CD4(+) T cells from wild-type mice. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the overexpression of SOCS-5 does not inhibit Th2 response, but rather augments the phenotype of the asthma model in vivo. This finding throws into question the therapeutic utility of using enhancement of SOCS-5 expression for Th2-dominant disease.     

Synapses of cone horizontal cell axons in goldfish retina

The axon terminals of cone horizontal cells in the goldfish retina form typical chemical synaptic contacts in the middle of the inner nuclear layer. Approximately 60% of the identified postsynaptic elements were perikarya, axons and dendrites of bipolar cells. The other identified postsynaptic elements were perikarya and processes of interplexiform cells. We propose that the horizontal cell axon terminal contribute to the antagonistic surround responses of the bipolar cells and that they modulate inputs to the outer plexiform layer conveyed by interplexiform cells. Output synapses from horizontal cell axons to unidentified neuronal processes as well as occasional input synapses to the axons from interplexiform cell processes and unidentified perikarya were also observed in the same region of the inner nuclear layer.     

乳猪肝细胞的分离、培养及功能检测

目的 为构建生物人工肝进行肝细胞的准备。方法 采用胶原酶半原位灌流法分离单个乳猪肝细胞,并对其活力及单层和聚集培养后的白蛋白、尿素合成功能进行检测。结果 采用本方法从每头乳猪中分离到的单个肝细胞数为(3.1±1.5)×10~(10),活性超过95％。在加入激素和生长因子的培养基中单层培养时,肝细胞功能良好,可维持2周左右。而在未加入激素和生长因子的培养中肝细胞虽能存活1周,但功能于24h后即丧失。球形聚集培养可实现肝细胞的大量培养,且生物学活性较单层培养显著提高。结论 采用胶原酶半原位灌注法所得单个乳猪肝细胞基本能满足构建生物人工肝对肝细胞数量的要求。聚集培养接种密度大,细胞生物学活性高,可用于构建生物人工肝。     

Bleeding from foveolar hyperplasia developing on a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach

A 52‐year‐old Japanese woman who presented with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding underwent a proximal gastrectomy for a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with a foveolar hyperplasia at the apex of the tumor, 4.5 cm in size, located in the upper body of the stomach. Although GIST are often asymptomatic and are found only incidentally, clinical symptoms such as bleeding, abdominal pain, or obstruction, occasionally lead to a premorbid diagnosis. When submucosal tumors present GI bleeding, the source of the bleeding usually is an ulceration of the mucosa over the tumor. However, in the present study, it was thought that the bleeding originated from the region of foveolar hyperplasia.     

Why study transport of peptides and proteins at the neurovascular interface

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is an immense neurovascular interface. In neurodegenerative, ischemic, and traumatic disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), the BBB may hinder the delivery of many therapeutic peptides and proteins to the brain and spinal cord. Fortunately, the mistaken dogma that peptides and proteins do not cross the BBB has been corrected during the past two decades by the accumulating evidence that peptides and proteins in the periphery exert potent effects in the CNS. Not only can peptides and proteins serve as carriers for selective therapeutic agents, but they themselves may directly cross the BBB after delivery into the bloodstream. Their passage may be mediated by simple diffusion or specific transport, both of which can be affected by interactions in the blood compartment (outside the BBB) and within the endothelial cells (at the BBB level). Although the majority of current delivery strategies focuses on modification of the molecule to be delivered, understanding the mechanisms of transport will eventually facilitate regulation of the BBB directly. We review the different aspects of interactions and discuss recent advances in the cell biology of peptide/protein transport across the BBB. Better understanding of the nature and regulation of the transport systems at the BBB will provide a new direction to enhance the interactions of peripheral peptides and proteins with the CNS.     

原发性肝癌患者肝切除术前、后免疫细胞表型分析

目的研究原发性肝癌(PrimaryLiverCarcinoma,PLC)患者肝切除术前、后免疫细胞表型的变化。方法采用直接免疫荧光标记,流量血细胞计数法(FlowCytometry,FCM)检测方法,动态观察120例PLC患者肝切除术前后外周血T淋巴细胞亚群、NK细胞和HLA鄄DR含量变化。结果肝切除术前肝功能Child鄄PughB级、OGTTL型和术前施行肝动脉栓塞化疗患者外周血CD8+T细胞含量明显低于正常人组,CD4+/CD8+比值则较高(P<0郾05)。全部肝癌患者肝切除术前、后CD3+CD4+T细胞和NK细胞(CD3-CD16+CD56+)含量无明显差异。术后第1天、第3天、第7天和第2周外周血淋巴细胞CD3+CD8+含量明显低于肝切除术前和术后第3周(P<0.01);而CD4+/CD8+比值则显著高于肝切除术前和术后第3周(P<0郾01)。结论PLC合并肝硬变肝储备功能不足、术前肝动脉栓塞化疗和肝切除术可导致机体细胞免疫功能低下,PLC患者肝切除术前行肝动脉栓塞化疗的价值有待深入研究。     

Inhaled allergen-driven CD1c up-regulation and enhanced antigen uptake by activated human respiratory-tract dendritic cells in atopic asthma

Background Dendritic cells (DC) mediate inflammation in rodent models of allergic airway disease, but the role played by human respiratory‐tract DC (hRTDC) in atopic asthma remains poorly defined. Recent data suggest that CD1 antigen presentation by hRTDC may contribute to asthma pathogenesis. Objective To investigate the influence of hRTDC on the balance between atopy and allergic asthma in human subjects and to determine whether CD1 expression by hRTDC is modulated during asthmatic inflammation. Methods Sputum cells were induced from steroid‐naïve, allergen‐challenged and allergen‐naïve subjects (atopic asthmatics, atopic non‐asthmatics and non‐atopic controls). hRTDC were identified using monoclonal antibody labelling and analysis by flow cytometry. Results hRTDC stained HLA‐DR⁺ (negative for markers of other cell lineages) were predominantly myeloid and comprised ∼0.5% of viable sputum cells. Sputum cells were potent stimulators of allogeneic CD4⁺ naïve T cells and enrichment/depletion experiments correlated stimulatory potency with DC numbers. Sputum contained cells that exhibited typical dendritic morphology when analysed by electron microscopy. Myeloid hRTDC were endocytically active, but uptake of FITC‐dextran was enhanced in cells from asthmatics (P<0.001). Despite their increased endocytic capacity, asthmatic myeloid hRTDC appeared mature and expressed increased levels of maturation markers (P<0.05–P<0.001), CD1c, CD1d and langerin (P<0.05). CD1c expression by asthmatic myeloid hRTDC was enhanced upon in vivo allergen challenge (three to ninefold within 24 h; P<0.05). CD11c⁻CD123^high hRTDC were only detected in asthmatic sputum and were increased in number following allergen challenge. Conclusion Despite limited cell numbers, it proved possible to analyse human RTDC in induced sputum, providing evidence that increased antigen uptake and enhanced CD1 presentation by activated hRTDC may contribute to allergic airway disease. CD1 presentation by hRTDC in atopic asthma may therefore constitute a novel target for future intervention strategies.     

In vivo anti-melanoma activities of the Melan-A/MART-1101–115 T CD4+ cell peptide

Malignant melanoma causes significant health problems. The identification of tumour-associated antigens has led to novel approaches to increase T cell mediated anti-tumour immune response. Melan-A/MART-1 has been use as target antigen for several T cell based immunotherapeutic treatments. More recently, the critical role of CD4+ T cells in inducing and maintaining anti-tumour immunity has been increasingly recognized. In order to optimize tumour immunotherapy, greater efforts have been concentrated on the identification of tumour antigens presented by MHC class II molecules to CD4+ T cells. In a publication, Tiwari et al. (2004) [1] have identified by a computational approach the 15-mer amino-acid sequence 101–115 (PPAYEKLSAEQSPPP) of the Melan-A/MART-1 as a good target for a vigorous and safe immunotherapy. Therefore, we have investigated the in vivo anti-tumour activity of this peptide in a murine melanoma model. For the prophylactic treatment, 20 μg or 50 μg peptide was subcutaneously injected in mice once a week during 3 weeks before tumour induction. Treatment with 50 μg peptide significantly affected tumour development. Thus, our preliminary data demonstrate potential in vivo prophylactic activity of the 101–115 peptide-based vaccine to control melanoma growth.     

Acute Cellular Rejection with CD20-Positive Lymphoid Clusters in Kidney Transplant Patients Following Lymphocyte Depletion

Lymphoid clusters (LC) containing CD20-positive B cells in kidney allografts undergoing acute cellular rejection (ACR) have been identified in small studies as a prognostic factor for glucocorticoid resistance and graft loss. Allograft biopsies obtained during the first episode of ACR in 120 recipients were evaluated for LC, immunostained with CD20 antibody, and correlated with conventional histopathologic criteria, response to treatment and outcome. LC were found in 71 (59%) of the 120 biopsies. All contained CD20 positive B cells that accounted for 5-90% of the LC leukocyte content. The incidence of LC was highest in the patients who had no lymphoid depletion or had been treated with Thymoglobulin preconditioning (79% vs. 75%, respectively) compared to 37% in patients pretreated with Campath (p = 0.0001). Banff 1a/1b ACR were more frequent in the LC-positive than the LC-negative group (96% vs. 80%, respectively; p = 0.0051). With a posttransplant follow-up of 953 +/- 430 days, no significant differences were detected between LC-postitive and LC-negative groups in time to ACR, steroid resistance, serum creatinine and graft loss. CD20+LC did not portend glucocorticoid resistance or worse short to medium term outcomes. CD20+LC may represent a heterogenous collection in which there may be a small still to be fully defined unfavorable subgroup.     

The effect of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench extract on experimental prostate hyperplasia

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L. Moench) on the prostate gland of rats using an experimental model of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The animals were administered 50 mg/kg of extract preparation for 4 and 8 weeks and the prostate mass and structural degenerative changes were evaluated in the course of the experiment. The administration of E. purpurea extract to rats with hyperplasia for 4 and 8 weeks gradually and significantly reduced the prostate mass and reversed the degenerative changes in the structure of the prostate gland. The present investigation suggests extract of purple coneflower prevents the development of BPH. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.