The effect of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the anti-inflammatory activity of Vitis vinifera L. leaves

Botanicals are widely consumed all over the world for health purposes, with increased usage in the general population, in many different types of products, including foods and plant food supplements. Several reports support for the beneficial effects of botanicals against gastrointestinal inflammation. However, no studies regarding the anti-inflammatory activity in the gastrointestinal tract of red vine leaves have been reported so far. The present work investigates the biological activity of Vitis vinifera L. water extract (VVWE) from dried leaves in two in vitro models of gastric and intestinal inflammation. The extract was characterized by a validated HPLC-DAD method, and tested on human epithelial gastric (AGS) and intestinal (Caco-2) cells with the aim to investigate the inhibitory effect on IL-8 secretion and promoter activity, before and after in vitro gastric or gastrointestinal digestion. Our results show that the water extract from red vine leaves inhibits TNFα-induced IL-8 secretion and expression in human gastric epithelial cells; the effect should be maintained, although to a lesser extent, after gastric digestion. In contrast, the effect after intestinal digestion is dramatically decreased since degradation of the active components in the gut does not allow the extract to efficiently counteract TNFα or IL-1β induced IL-8 expression and the NF-κB pathway. The main molecular target of VVWE at the gastric level includes TNFα-induced activation of NF-κB and occurs at concentrations easily reachable after PFS consumption based on red vine leaf water extract as the ingredient. Our findings suggest that PFS containing water extracts from Vitis vinifera L. leaves could be useful to inhibit/attenuate gastric inflammation inhibiting IL-8 secretion and expression through impairment of the NF-κB pathway.

Conversion from clinically isolated syndrome to multiple sclerosis: A large multicentre study

Background and objective:

We explored which clinical and biochemical variables predict conversion from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS) in a large international cohort.

Methods:

Thirty-three centres provided serum samples from 1047 CIS cases with at least two years’ follow-up. Age, sex, clinical presentation, T2-hyperintense lesions, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) oligoclonal bands (OCBs), CSF IgG index, CSF cell count, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D), cotinine and IgG titres against Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) and cytomegalovirus were tested for association with risk of CDMS.

Results:

At median follow-up of 4.31 years, 623 CIS cases converted to CDMS. Predictors of conversion in multivariable analyses were OCB (HR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.71–2.77, p < 0.001), number of T2 lesions (two to nine lesions vs 0/1 lesions: HR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.52–2.55, p < 0.001; >9 lesions vs 0/1 lesions: HR = 2.74, 95% CI = 2.04–3.68, p < 0.001) and age at CIS (HR per year inversely increase = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.98–0.99, p < 0.001). Lower 25-OH-D levels were associated with CDMS in univariable analysis, but this was attenuated in the multivariable model. OCB positivity was associated with higher EBNA-1 IgG titres.

Conclusions:

We validated MRI lesion load, OCB and age at CIS as the strongest independent predictors of conversion to CDMS in this multicentre setting. A role for vitamin D is suggested but requires further investigation.

Differences in clinicopathological features and distribution of risk factors in Italian melanoma patients

BACKGROUND

No studies are available in the literature on the distribution of different melanoma features and risk factors in the Italian geographical areas.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the differences in clinical-pathological features of melanoma, the distribution of risk factors and sun exposure in various Italian macro-areas.

METHODS

Multicentric-observational study involving 1,472 melanoma cases (713 north, 345 centre, 414 south) from 26 referral centres belonging to the Italian Multidisciplinary Group for Melanoma.

RESULTS

Melanoma patients in northern regions are younger, with thinner melanoma, multiple primaries, lower-intermediate phototype and higher counts of naevi with respect to southern patients; detection of a primary was mostly connected with a physician examination, while relatives were more involved in the south. Northern patients reported a more frequent use of sunbeds and occurrence of sunburns before melanoma despite sunscreen use and a lower sun exposure during the central hours of the day.

CONCLUSIONS

The understanding of differences in risk factors distribution could represent the basis for tailored prevention programmes.

Effects of sex hormones on inflammatory response in male and female vascular endothelial cells

PURPOSE

Gender-related differences in sex hormones might have a key role in the development of atherosclerosis though direct vascular effects of sex hormones are not yet well understood. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to compare the effects of sex hormones on inflammatory response in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) obtained from both male and female donors.

METHODS

We analyzed the expression of receptors and enzymes relevant to the action of androgens (AR, 5α-reductase 1 and 5α-reductase 2) and estrogens (ERα, ERβ, and aromatase) in male and female HUVECs. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of testosterone (T), 17β-estradiol (E2), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and several androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) on VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin gene expression and on adhesion of U937 cells to TNF-α-stimulated male and female HUVECs.

RESULTS

Our results reveal that in HUVECs, regardless of gender, the components involved in the androgen action pathway are predominant as compared to those of estrogen action pathway. In both HUVEC genders, the inflammatory effect of TNF-α was amplified by co-administration of T or DHT and several AAS frequently used in doping, while E2 had no effect.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study analyzing, under identical culture conditions, the key components of sex hormone response in male and female HUVECs and the possible role of sex hormones in regulating the endothelial inflammatory response. The data obtained in our experimental system showed a pro-inflammatory effect of androgens, while conclusively excluding any protective effect for all the tested hormones.

Comparison of biomethane production and digestate characterization for selected agricultural substrates in Italy

Starting from (but not limited to) their importance in the Italian context, three agricultural substrates, two of fruit origin (grape seeds and plum stones) and one of herbaceous origin (woad), were comparatively tested for both biomethane production and digestate characterization. The anaerobic digestion tests showed that grape seeds had the highest net methane production of 253.0 NmL g volatile solids (VS)(-1), followed by plum stones, whose best resulting net methane production was 174.7 NmL gVS(-1), and finally by woad with a net methane production of 153.1 NmL gVS(-1). Interestingly, the best methane productions of the fruit substrates were obtained with different substrate to inoculum ratios (on a VS basis), 1:1 for grape seeds but 2:1 for plum stones. On the other hand, a three-month ageing of woad caused a limited reduction of methane production. The estimation of obtained degrees of conversion, carried out on a chemical oxygen demand (COD) basis for the specific tests achieving the respective best methane productions, gave values of 48%, 31%, and 33% for grape seeds, plum stones, and woad, respectively. The estimated degrees of conversion were evaluated along with the respective methane productions and substrate COD/VS ratios. The comparison of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and differential thermal analysis (DTA) profiles, carried out for selected digestates in pairs, revealed some distinctive differences in the relative intensities or presence and absence of particular peaks in the FT-IR spectra and in the relative intensities of the exothermic peaks or horizontal curve shifting of the DTA profiles.

Skewed B cell differentiation affects lymphoid organogenesis but not T cell-mediated autoimmunity

B cell receptor (BCR) signalling determines B cell differentiation and may potentially alter T cell-mediated immune responses. In this study we used two transgenic strains of BCR-deficient mice expressing Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein (LMP)2A in B cells, where either follicular and marginal zone differentiation (D(H)LMP2A mice) or B-1 cell development (V(H)LMP2A mice) were supported, and evaluated the effects of skewed B lymphocyte differentiation on lymphoid organogenesis and T cell responses in vivo. Compared to wild-type animals, both transgenic strains displayed alterations in the composition of lymphoid organs and in the dynamics of distinct immune cell subsets following immunization with the self-antigen PLP₁₈₅₋₂₀₆. However, ex-vivo T cell proliferation to PLP₁₈₅₋₂₀₆ peptide measured in immunized D(H)LMP2A and V(H)LMP2A mice was similar to that detected in immunized control mice. Further, clinical expression of experimental autoimmune encephalitis in both LMP2A strains was identical to that of wild-type mice. In conclusion, mice with skewed B cell differentiation driven by LMP2A expression in BCR-negative B cells do not show changes in the development of a T cell mediated disease model of autoimmunity, suggesting that compensatory mechanisms support the generation of T cell responses.

Intestinal tuberculosis: a diagnostically-challenging case misdiagnosed as Crohn's disease at colorectal biopsy

The clinical presentation of two different digestive diseases such as Crohn's disease and intestinal tuberculosis may be so similar to induce a delay in correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment (immune suppression versus antibiotic therapy). Herein, we describe the case of a young man from Eastern Europe who came to our observation complaining of clinical symptoms initially misdiagnosed as an inflammatory bowel disease. It is important to keep in mind the possibility of an active tubercular disease, particularly in patients coming from countries endemic for the disease. Morphological findings of sarcoid-like granulomas at biopsy is not enough for a conclusive diagnosis of Crohn's disease, and tuberculosis should be ruled out on the basis of clinical information, laboratory tests and radiological imaging.

Clinical series of patients with cutaneous melanoma followed-up at the Novara Melanoma Centre from 1983 to 2009: description of the cohort and prognostic factors

AIM

The aim of this study was to review our experience with regards to patients with cutaneous melanoma diagnosed from 1983 to 2009, followed-up in our Dermatological Department of Novara.

METHODS

A retrospective study of 762 patients diagnosed with cutaneous melanoma in the Dermatological Department of Novara between 1983 and 2009 was conducted. Information was extracted from our melanoma patient database. The database included demographical, clinical and pathological variables of the patient. Clinical and pathological factors predicting survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier curves and the Log-Rank Test (univariate analysis).

RESULTS

Staging (American Joint Committee on Cancer 2001) of patients (P=0.000), Breslow thickness (P=0.000), primary ulceration and regression of the lesion (P=0.000), type of first (P<0.039) and second recurrence (P<0.011) were strongly correlated with overall and disease free survival. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was not correlated with disease free survival (P=0.153), it influences only overall survival (P=0.007) CONCLUSION: Our results confirms that sentinel node biopsy, Breslow thickness, ulceration, regression, staging, first and second recurrence are important variable for overall survival and disease free survival, sentinel lymph node status influence only overall survival instead.

Functional regulation of the apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 by nucleophosmin: impact on tumor biology

Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) is a nucleolar protein involved in ribosome biogenesis, stress responses and maintaining genome stability. One-third of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) are associated with aberrant localization of NPM1 to the cytoplasm (NPM1c+). This mutation is critical during leukemogenesis and constitutes a good prognostic factor for chemotherapy. At present, there is no clear molecular basis for the role of NPM1 in DNA repair and the tumorigenic process. We found that the nuclear apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), a core enzyme in base excision DNA repair (BER) of DNA lesions, specifically interacts with NPM1 within nucleoli and the nucleoplasm. Cytoplasmic accumulation of APE1 is associated with cancers including, as we show, NPM1c+ AML. Here we show that NPM1 stimulates APE1 BER activity in cells. We provide evidence that expression of the NPM1c+ variant causes cytoplasmic accumulation of APE1 in: (i) a heterologous cell system (HeLa cells); (ii) the myeloid cell line OCI/AML3 stably expressing NPM1c+; and (iii) primary lymphoblasts of NPM1c+ AML patients. Consistent with impaired APE1 localization, OCI/AML3 cells and blasts of AML patients have impaired BER activity. Cytoplasmic APE1 in NPM1c+ myeloid cells is truncated due to proteolysis. Thus, the good prognostic response of NPM1c+ AML to chemotherapy may result from the cytoplasmic relocalization of APE1 and the consequent BER deficiency. NPM1 thus has an indirect but significant role in BER in vivo that may also be important for NPM1c+ tumorigenesis.

Gaze alternation in dogs and toddlers in an unsolvable task: evidence of an audience effect

Dogs have been shown to use human-directed gazing behaviour and gaze alternation in numerous contexts; however, it is still unclear whether this behaviour can be considered an intentional and referential communicative act. In the current study, adult dogs and preverbal toddlers were tested using the classic unsolvable task paradigm, but varying the attentional stance of the participating audience (the experimenter and the caregiver). The aims were to assess (1) whether dogs and toddlers would use gaze alternation behaviour in similar manners when the task became unsolvable, and (2) whether both dogs and toddlers would take into account the attentional stance of the audience when initiating a communicative interaction. Results indicated that both toddlers and dogs increased their gaze alternation behaviour between the apparatus and caregiver when the task became unsolvable, and toddlers also showed an increase in pointing behaviour. Furthermore, both species showed a capacity to take into account the attentional stance of the audience when manifesting gaze alternation behaviours towards them. Taken together, these results suggest that gaze alternation is both an intentional and referential communicative act and that both species can take into account the need for audience attention when communicating with them.

Non pigmented melanocytic nevus of the oral cavity: a case report with emphasis on the surgical excision procedures

We report a case of a 37-year-old caucasian woman presenting a 1 cm pinkish nodular asymptomatic lesion of the hard palate, slowly growing in the last years. The lesion underwent to biopsy. Histological analysis showed the nevus tissue layered under a continuous squamous epithelium. The stroma contained nests of medium-sized round cells, with regular monomorphous nuclei. The nevus cells were immunohistochemically positive for S-100 protein, while melanin, visualized by Masson-Fontana silver staining, was absent. Therefore a diagnosis of non pigmented melanocytic nevus was formulated. Because of its rarity and to avoid any risk of malignant transformation, a surgical treatment with wide excision was chosen; the surgical wound was previously covered with a membrane of fibrin and autologous platelets, and subsequently sutured, resulting in a total heal. This procedure seems to be the most reliable to approach melanocytic lesions of the oral cavity. Clinical diagnosis of non-pigmented nevi, either flat or protruding, is difficult, because the nevus shows a pinkish colour that is indistinguishable from that of the surrounding mucosa. Moreover, attention is required when similar clinical evidence occurs, because the localization inside the oral cavity may offer several problems of differential diagnosis.

Lack of activation of peripheral blood dendritic cells in human pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction

INTRODUCTION

The state of activation of dendritic cells (DCs) at the feto-maternal interface critically contributes to optimal decidual immune responses needed to support fetal-placental development. We recently demonstrated that during healthy pregnancy also peripheral blood DCs (PBDCs), which are easily accessible, are activated as well. In this study, to investigate a possible involvement of DCs in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), we evaluated whether PBDCs in pregnancy complicated by IUGR may be altered compared with PBDCs in healthy pregnancy.

METHODS

PBDCs from 12 pregnant women with primary IUGR, 21 healthy pregnant and 19 nonpregnant women were analyzed by flow cytometric analysis of whole-blood samples collected at a single time point.

RESULTS

The number of plasmacytoid PBDCs was significantly reduced in women with IUGR pregnancy. Myeloid and plasmacytoid PBDCs in IUGR lacked the state of activation (assessed as CD80, CD86, CD40 expression) and the shift to a proinflammatory pattern of cytokine production occurring during healthy pregnancy.

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the state of PBDC activation in IUGR pregnancy. Our results are in accordance with a previous study reporting a lower expression of activation and maturation markers by decidual DCs in IUGR placentas.

CONCLUSIONS

The reduced activation of PBDCs in IUGR pregnancy may possibly reflect a reduced activation of decidual DCs. If confirmed at the feto-maternal interface, the alterations of DCs described in IUGR pregnancy have the potential to negatively impact on vascular development during gestation. These observations may therefore broaden our understanding of IUGR pathogenesis.

The neurotrophin receptor p75NTR is induced on mature myofibres in inflammatory myopathies and promotes myotube survival to inflammatory stress

AIMS

Recent studies propose the neurotrophin receptor p75NTR as a marker for muscle satellite cells and a key regulator of regenerative processes after injury. Here, we investigated the contribution of cellular compartments other than satellite cells and regenerating myofibres to p75NTR signal in diseased skeletal muscle.

METHODS

We checked regulation of p75NTR expression in muscle biopsies from patients with inflammatory myopathies (polymyositis, dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis), or Becker muscular dystrophy, and in nonmyopathic tissues. Quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence or electron microscopy were used. RNA interference approaches were applied to myotubes to explore p75NTR function.

RESULTS

We found p75NTR transcript and protein upregulation in all inflammatory myopathies but not in dystrophic muscle, suggesting a role for inflammatory mediators in induction of p75NTR expression. In inflamed muscle p75NTR was localized on distinct cell types, including immune cells and mature myofibres. In vitro assays on human myotubes confirmed that inflammatory factors such as IL-1 could induce p75NTR. Finally, RNA interference experiments in differentiated cells showed that, in the absence of p75NTR, myotubes were more susceptible to apoptosis when exposed to inflammatory stimuli.

CONCLUSIONS

Our observations that p75NTR is upregulated on skeletal myofibres in inflammatory myopathies in vivo and promotes resistance to inflammatory mediators in vitro suggest that neurotrophin signalling through p75NTR may mediate a tissue-protective response to inflammation in skeletal myofibres.