The role of helminth treatment in autoimmune diseases is growing constantly. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi‐system autoimmune disease with challenging treatment options. Tuftsin–phosphorylcholine (TPC) is a novel helminth‐based compound that modulates the host immune network. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential value of TPC in ameliorating lupus nephritis in a murine model and specifically to compare the efficacy of TPC to the existing first‐line therapy for SLE: corticosteroids (methylprednisolone). Lupus‐prone NZBxW/F1mice were treated with TPC (5 µg/mouse), methylprednisolone (MP; 5 mg/body weight) or phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) (control) three times per week once glomerulonephritis, defined as proteinuria of grade > 100 mg/dl, was established. Levels of anti‐dsDNA autoantibodies were evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), splenic cytokines were measured in vitro and the kidney microscopy was analysed following staining. TPC and MP treatments improved lupus nephritis significantly and prolonged survival in NZBxW/F1 mice. TPC‐treated mice showed a significantly decreased level of proteinuria (P < 0·001) and anti‐dsDNA antibodies (P < 0·001) compared to PBS‐treated mice. Moreover, TPC and MP inhibited the production of the proinflammatory cytokines interferon IFN‐γ, interleukin IL‐1β and IL‐6 (P < 0·001) and enhanced expression of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 (P < 0·001). Finally, microscopy analysis of the kidneys demonstrated that TPC‐treated mice maintained normal structure equally to MP‐treated mice. These data indicate that the small molecule named TPC hinders lupus development in genetically lupus‐prone mice equally to methylprednisolone in most of the cases. Hence, TCP may be employed as a therapeutic potential for lupus nephritis. 相似文献
The self‐assembly and structure formation in binary blends of asymmetric polystyrene‐block‐poly(4‐vinylpyridine) diblock copolymers in different solvent systems and the bulk morphology of the blend films are studied by using dynamic light scattering, small‐angle X‐ray scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. In dilute solutions, the chains of pure diblock copolymers or binary blends of diblock copolymers having similar or different molecular weights remain as unimers, form common micelles in selective solvents or form unimers in coexistence with micelles in slightly selective solvents or solvent mixtures. The blends show mixing of the chemically similar blocks in the blend films and solutions at high concentrations. A single‐phase with common spherical morphology is formed in the blend films similar with the morphology of the individual components in the pure state. The characteristic length scale of the blends depends on the number average molecular weight following the typical scaling behavior of a strongly segregated block copolymer.
In this work, the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the self‐assembly of nanocomposite materials made of cylinder‐forming polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene‐butylene)‐block‐polystyrene (SEBS) is studied. CNTs are modified with polystyrene (PS) brushes by surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization to facilitate both their dispersion and the orientation of neighboring PS domains of the block copolymer (BCP) along modified CNT‐PS. Dynamic rheology is utilized to probe the viscoelastic and thermal response of the nanoscopic structure of BCP nanocomposites. The results indicate that nonmodified CNTs increase the BCP microphase separation temperature because of BCP segmental confinement in the existing 3D network formed between CNTs, while the opposite holds for the samples filled with modified CNT‐PS. This is explained by severely retarded segmental motion of the matrix chains due to their preferential interactions with the PS chains of the CNT‐PS. Moreover, transient viscoelastic analysis reveals that modified CNT‐PS have a more pronounced effect on flow‐induced BCP structural orientation with much lower structural recovery rate. It is demonstrated that dynamic‐mechanical thermal analysis can provide valuable insights in understanding the role of CNT incorporation on the microstructure of BCP nanocomposite samples. Accordingly, the presence of CNT has a significant promoting effect on microstructural development, comparable to that of annealing. 相似文献
Here, the periodically grafted linear–hyperbranched copolymers (LHGCs) based on polyethylene (PE) and hyperbranched polyglycidol is synthesized via acyclic diene metathesis polymerization and anionic ring‐opening multibranching polymerization. The chemical composition of LHGCs can be controlled by changing the amount of the initial monomer. For the first time this allows to control the architecture (composition and sequence distribution), in which the run length between adjacent hyperbranched pendants is exact along PE backbone. By comparing with aperiodically grafted analogues, the results clearly show the composition and the sequence distribution of LHGCs is identified as the major factor to influence the thermal stability, crystallinity as well as hydrophilicity. 相似文献
ES-62 is a phosphorylcholine (PC)-containing glycoprotein which is secreted by the rodent filarial nematode Acanthocheilonema viteae. A homologue exists in the human filarial nematode Brugia malayi and indeed PC is found attached to glycoproteins of many, if not all, filarial species. At concentrations equivalent to those found for PC-containing molecules in the bloodstream of parasitized humans, ES-62 is able to polyclonally activate certain protein tyrosine kinase and mitogen-activating protein kinase signal-transduction elements in B and T lymphocytes following in-vitro exposure. Although this interaction is insufficient to cause lymphocyte proliferation per se, it serves to desensitize the cells to subsequent activation of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase, protein kinase C and Ras mitogen-activating protein kinase pathways and hence also to proliferation via the antigen receptors. The active component of ES-62 appears to be PC, as the results obtained with ES-62 are broadly mimicked by PC conjugated to BSA or PC alone. Although PC can also be shown to desensitize B cells following in-vivo administration, not all cells are affected, as it is still possible to generate an antibody response. Dissection of this response indicates that it is of the Th2 type. 相似文献
Lu2O3:Eu3+ transparent, high density, and optical quality thin films were prepared using the sol-gel dip-coating technique, starting with lutetium and europium nitrates as precursors and followed by hydrolysis in an ethanol-ethylene glycol solution. Acetic acid and acetylacetonate were incorporated in order to adjust pH and as a sol stabilizer. In order to increment the thickness of the films and orient the structure, F127 Pluronic acid was incorporated during the sol formation. Structural, morphological, and optical properties of the films were investigated for different F127/Lu molar ratios (0–5) in order to obtain high optical quality films with enhanced thickness compared with the traditional method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the films present a highly oriented cubic structure <111> beyond 1073 K for a 3-layer film, on silica glass substrates. The thickness, density, porosity, and refractive index evolution of the films were investigated by means of m-lines microscopy along with the morphology by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and luminescent properties. 相似文献