Budesonide and fluticasone propionate differentially affect the airway epithelial barrier

BACKGROUND

COPD patients have a higher risk of pneumonia when treated with fluticasone propionate (FP) than with placebo, and a lower risk with budesonide (BUD). We hypothesized that BUD and FP differentially affect the mucosal barrier in response to viral infection and/or cigarette smoke.

METHODS

We assessed protective effects of equivalent concentrations of BUD and FP on cytokine production and barrier function (electrical resistance) in human bronchial epithelial 16HBE cells and primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs) upon exposure to viral mimetic poly-(I:C) and/or cigarette smoke extract (CSE) or epidermal growth factor (EGF).

RESULTS

BUD and FP were equally effective in suppressing poly-(I:C)- and/or CSE-induced IL-8 secretion in 16HBE and PBECs. Poly-(I:C) substantially decreased electrical resistance in 16HBE cells and both BUD and FP fully counteracted this effect. However, FP hardly affected 16HBE barrier dysfunction induced by CSE with/without poly-(I:C), whereas BUD (16 nM) provided full protection, an effect likely mediated by affecting EGFR-downstream target GSK-3β. Similarly, BUD, but not FP, significantly improved CSE-induced barrier dysfunction in PBECs. Finally, BUD, but not FP, exerted a modest but significant protective effect against Streptococcus Pneumoniae-induced barrier dysfunction, and BUD, but not FP, prevented cellular adhesion and/or internalization of these bacteria induced by poly-(I:C) in 16HBE.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, both BUD and FP efficiently control epithelial pro-inflammatory responses and barrier function upon mimicry of viral infection. Of potential clinical relevance, BUD more effectively counteracted CSE-induced barrier dysfunction, reinforcing the epithelial barrier and potentially limiting access of pathogens upon smoking in vivo.

Zeolite Nanoparticles for Selective Sorption of Plasma Proteins

The affinity of zeolite nanoparticles (diameter of 8-12 nm) possessing high surface area and high pore volume towards human plasma proteins has been investigated. The protein composition (corona) of zeolite nanoparticles has been shown to be more dependent on the plasma protein concentrations and the type of zeolites than zeolite nanoparticles concentration. The number of proteins present in the corona of zeolite nanoparticles at 100% plasma (in vivo state) is less than with 10% plasma exposure. This could be due to a competition between the proteins to occupy the corona of the zeolite nanoparticles. Moreover, a high selective adsorption for apolipoprotein C-III (APOC-III) and fibrinogen on the zeolite nanoparticles at high plasma concentration (100%) was observed. While the zeolite nanoparticles exposed to low plasma concentration (10%) exhibited a high selective adsorption for immunoglobulin gamma (i.e. IGHG1, IGHG2 and IGHG4) proteins. The zeolite nanoparticles can potentially be used for selectively capture of APOC-III in order to reduce the activation of lipoprotein lipase inhibition during hypertriglyceridemia treatment. The zeolite nanoparticles can be adapted to hemophilic patients (hemophilia A (F-VIII deficient) and hemophilia B (F-IX deficient)) with a risk of bleeding, and thus might be potentially used in combination with the existing therapy.

Pim1 kinase activity preserves airway epithelial integrity upon house dust mite exposure

Most patients with allergic asthma are sensitized to house dust mite (HDM). The allergenicity of HDM largely depends on disruption of the integrity and proinflammatory activation of the airway epithelium. In this study, we hypothesized that Pim1 kinase activity attenuates HDM-induced asthma by preserving airway epithelial integrity. The effects of Pim1 kinase activity on barrier function and release of the proinflammatory mediators IL-1α and CCL20 were studied in vitro in 16HBE and primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs). Pim1-proficient and -deficient mice were exposed to a HDM-driven model of allergic asthma, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) was measured upon methacholine challenge. Airway inflammation and proinflammatory mediators in lung tissue and BAL fluid were determined. We observed that inhibition of Pim1 kinase prolongs the HDM-induced loss of barrier function in 16HBE cells and sensitizes PBECs to HDM-induced barrier dysfunction. Additionally, inhibition of Pim1 kinase increased the HDM-induced proinflammatory activity of 16HBE cells as measured by IL-1α secretion. In line herewith, HDM exposure induced an enhanced production of the proinflammatory chemokines CCL17 and CCL20 in Pim1-deficient mice compared with wild-type controls. While we observed a marked increase in eosinophilic and neutrophilic granulocytes as well as mucus cell metaplasia and AHR to methacholine in mice exposed to HDM, these parameters were independent of Pim1 kinase activity. In contrast, levels of the Th2-cytokines IL-5 and IL-10 were significantly augmented in HDM-treated Pim1-deficient mice. Taken together, our study shows that Pim1 kinase activity maintains airway epithelial integrity and protects against HDM-induced proinflammatory activation of the airway epithelium.

Alternaria section Alternaria: Species, formae speciales or pathotypes?

The cosmopolitan fungal genus Alternaria consists of multiple saprophytic and pathogenic species. Based on phylogenetic and morphological studies, the genus is currently divided into 26 sections. Alternaria sect. Alternaria contains most of the small-spored Alternaria species with concatenated conidia, including important plant, human and postharvest pathogens. Species within sect. Alternaria have been mostly described based on morphology and / or host-specificity, yet molecular variation between them is minimal. To investigate whether the described morphospecies within sect. Alternaria are supported by molecular data, whole-genome sequencing of nine Alternaria morphospecies supplemented with transcriptome sequencing of 12 Alternaria morphospecies as well as multi-gene sequencing of 168 Alternaria isolates was performed. The assembled genomes ranged in size from 33.3-35.2 Mb within sect. Alternaria and from 32.0-39.1 Mb for all Alternaria genomes. The number of repetitive sequences differed significantly between the different Alternaria genomes; ranging from 1.4-16.5 %. The repeat content within sect. Alternaria was relatively low with only 1.4-2.7 % of repeats. Whole-genome alignments revealed 96.7-98.2 % genome identity between sect. Alternaria isolates, compared to 85.1-89.3 % genome identity for isolates from other sections to the A. alternata reference genome. Similarly, 1.4-2.8 % and 0.8-1.8 % single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were observed in genomic and transcriptomic sequences, respectively, between isolates from sect. Alternaria, while the percentage of SNPs found in isolates from different sections compared to the A. alternata reference genome was considerably higher; 8.0-10.3 % and 6.1-8.5 %. The topology of a phylogenetic tree based on the whole-genome and transcriptome reads was congruent with multi-gene phylogenies based on commonly used gene regions. Based on the genome and transcriptome data, a set of core proteins was extracted, and primers were designed on two gene regions with a relatively low degree of conservation within sect. Alternaria (96.8 and 97.3 % conservation). Their potential discriminatory power within sect. Alternaria was tested next to nine commonly used gene regions in sect. Alternaria, namely the SSU, LSU, ITS, gapdh, rpb2, tef1, Alt a 1, endoPG and OPA10-2 gene regions. The phylogenies from the two gene regions with a relatively low conservation, KOG1058 and KOG1077, could not distinguish the described morphospecies within sect. Alternaria more effectively than the phylogenies based on the commonly used gene regions for Alternaria. Based on genome and transcriptome comparisons and molecular phylogenies, Alternaria sect. Alternaria consists of only 11 phylogenetic species and one species complex. Thirty-five morphospecies, which cannot be distinguished based on the multi-gene phylogeny, are synonymised under A. alternata. By providing guidelines for the naming and identification of phylogenetic species in Alternaria sect. Alternaria, this manuscript provides a clear and stable species classification in this section.

A mutation study of sperm head shape and motility in the mouse: lessons for the clinic

Mouse mutants that show effects on sperm head shape, the sperm tail (flagellum), and motility were analysed in a systematic way. This was achieved by grouping mutations in the following classes: manchette, acrosome, Sertoli cell contact, chromatin remodelling, and mutations involved in complex regulations such as protein (de)phosphorylation and RNA stability, and flagellum/motility mutations. For all mutant phenotypes, flagellum function (motility) was affected. Head shape, including the nucleus, was also affected in spermatozoa of most mouse models, though with considerable variation. For the mutants that were categorized in the flagellum/motility group, generally normal head shapes were found, even when the flagellum did not develop or only poorly so. Most mutants are sterile, an occasional one semi-sterile. For completeness, the influence of the sex chromosomes on sperm phenotype is included. Functionally, the genes involved can be categorized as regulators of spermiogenesis. When extrapolating these data to human sperm samples, in vivo selection for motility would be the tool for weeding out the products of suboptimal spermiogenesis and epididymal sperm maturation. The striking dependency of motility on proper sperm head development is not easy to understand, but likely is of evolutionary benefit. Also, sperm competition after mating can never act against the long-term multi-generation interest of genetic integrity. Hence, it is plausible to suggest that short-term haplophase fitness i.e., motility, is developmentally integrated with proper nucleus maturation, including genetic integrity to protect multi-generation fitness. We hypothesize that, when the prime defect is in flagellum formation, apparently a feedback loop was not necessary as head morphogenesis in these mutants is mostly normal. Extrapolating to human-assisted reproductive techniques practice, this analysis would supply the arguments for the development of tools to select for motility as a continuous (non-discrete) parameter.

Housing and management factors associated with indicators of dairy cattle welfare

Knowledge of potential synergies and trade-offs between housing and management factors for different aspects of animal welfare is essential for farmers who aim to improve the level of welfare in their herds. The aim of this research was to identify and compare housing and management factors associated with prevalence of lameness, prevalence of lesions or swellings, prevalence of dirty hindquarters, and frequency of displacements (social behavior) in dairy herds in free-stall housing. Seven observers collected data regarding housing and management characteristics of 179 Dutch dairy herds (herd size: 22-211 cows) in free-stall housing during winter. Lame cows, cows with lesions or swellings, and cows with dirty hindquarters were counted and occurrence of displacements was recorded during 120 min of observation. For each of the four welfare indicators, housing and management factors associated with the welfare indicator were selected in a succession of logistic or log-linear regression analyses. Prevalence of lameness was associated with surface of the lying area, summer pasturing, herd biosecurity status, and far-off and close-up dry cow groups (P<0.05). Prevalence of lesions or swellings was associated with surface of the lying area, summer pasturing, light intensity in the barn, and days in milk when the maximum amount of concentrates was fed (P<0.05). Prevalence of dirty hindquarters was associated with surface of the lying area, proportion of stalls with fecal contamination, head lunge impediments in stalls, and number of roughage types (P<0.05). Average frequency of displacements was associated with the time of introducing heifers in the lactating group, the use of cow brushes, continuous availability of roughage, floor scraping frequency, herd size, and the proportion cows to stalls (P<0.05). Prevalences of lameness and of lesions or swellings were lower in herds with soft mats or mattresses (odd ratio (OR)=0.66 and 0.58, confidence interval (CI)=0.48-0.91 and 0.39-0.85) or deep bedding (OR=0.48 and 0.48, CI=0.32-0.71 and 0.30-0.77) in stalls, compared with concrete, and in herds with summer pasturing (OR=0.68 and 0.41, CI=0.51-0.90 and 0.27-0.61), compared with zero-grazing. Deep bedding in stalls was negatively associated with prevalence of dirty hindquarters (OR=0.50, CI=0.29-0.86), compared with hard mats. It was concluded that some aspects of housing and management are common protective factors for prevalence of lameness, lesions or swellings, and dirty hindquarters, but not for frequency of displacements.

Pim1 kinase protects airway epithelial cells from cigarette smoke-induced damage and airway inflammation

Exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) is the main risk factor for developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and can induce airway epithelial cell damage, innate immune responses, and airway inflammation. We hypothesized that cell survival factors might decrease the sensitivity of airway epithelial cells to CS-induced damage, thereby protecting the airways against inflammation upon CS exposure. Here, we tested whether Pim survival kinases could protect from CS-induced inflammation. We determined expression of Pim kinases in lung tissue, airway inflammation, and levels of keratinocyte-derived cytokine (KC) and several damage-associated molecular patterns in bronchoalveolar lavage in mice exposed to CS or air. Human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells were treated with CS extract (CSE) in the presence or absence of Pim1 inhibitor and assessed for loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, induction of cell death, and release of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). We observed increased expression of Pim1, but not of Pim2 and Pim3, in lung tissue after exposure to CS. Pim1-deficient mice displayed a strongly enhanced neutrophilic airway inflammation upon CS exposure compared with wild-type controls. Inhibition of Pim1 activity in BEAS-2B cells increased the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced cell viability upon CSE treatment, whereas release of HSP70 was enhanced. Interestingly, we observed release of S100A8 but not of double-strand DNA or HSP70 in Pim1-deficient mice compared with wild-type controls upon CS exposure. In conclusion, we show that expression of Pim1 protects against CS-induced cell death in vitro and neutrophilic airway inflammation in vivo. Our data suggest that the underlying mechanism involves CS-induced release of S100A8 and KC.

Alpha-fetoprotein, a fascinating protein and biomarker in neurology

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is present in fetal serum in concentrations up to 5,000,000 μg/l. After birth, AFP gene expression is turned down with a subsequent fall of the serum concentrations of this albumin-like protein to 'adult values' of circa 0.5-15 μg/l from the age of 2 years onwards. Irrespective of its assumed important functions, individuals with AFP deficiency appear fully healthy. The other way around, the presence of AFP in the circulation after the first years of life doesn't seem to harm, since individuals with 'hereditary persistence of AFP' are also without clinical abnormalities. During pregnancy, AFP (in maternal serum) has long been recognized as a marker for congenital anomalies of the fetus. Equally well known is AFP as biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma and some other malignancies. There are at least four neurodegenerative disorders, all inherited as autosomal recessive traits and characterized by the presence of cerebellar ataxia, abnormal ocular movements, and neuropathy, for which an elevated concentration of serum AFP is an important diagnostic biomarker. The availability of a reliable biomarker is not only important during screening or diagnostic processes, but is also relevant for objective follow-up during (future) therapeutic interventions.