Mast cell-dependent IL-33/ST2 signaling is protective against the development of airway hyperresponsiveness in a house dust mite mouse model of asthma

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) and its receptor ST2 have been influentially associated with the pathophysiology of asthma. Due to the divergent roles of IL-33 in regulating mast cell functions, there is a need to further characterize IL-33/ST2-dependent mast cell responses and their significance in the context of asthma. This study aimed to investigate how IL-33/ST2-dependent mast cell responses contribute to the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and airway inflammation in a mouse model of house dust mite (HDM)-induced asthma. Mast cell-deficient C57BL/6-Kit^W-sh (Wsh) mice engrafted with either wild-type (Wsh + MC-WT) or ST2-deficient bone marrow-derived mast cells (Wsh + MC-ST2KO) were exposed to HDM delivered intranasally. An exacerbated development of AHR in response to HDM was seen in Wsh + MC-ST2KO compared with Wsh + MC-WT mice. The contribution of this IL-33/ST2-dependent mast cell response to AHR seems to reside within the smaller airways in the peripheral parts of the lung, as suggested by the isolated yet marked effect on tissue resistance. Considering the absence of a parallel increase in cellular inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung, the aggravated AHR in Wsh + MC-ST2KO mice seems to be independent of cellular inflammation. We observed an association between the elevated AHR and reduced PGE₂ levels in BALF_. Due to the protective properties of PGE₂ in airway responses, it is conceivable that IL-33/ST2-dependent mast cell induction of PGE₂ could be responsible for the dampening effect on AHR. In conclusion, we reveal that IL-33/ST2-dependent mast cell responses can have a protective, rather than causative role, in the development of AHR.

[The progress of studies on aqueous humor dynamics abnormality induced by trabecular meshwork and Schlemm canal endothelial cell senescence and its relation with glaucoma]

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world next to cataract. Aging is a strong risk factor leading to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). IOP is associated with aqueous humor circulation. Trabecular meshwork cells and Schlemm canal endothelial cells, which form the conventional outflow pathway, play an important role in maintaining the IOP. Cell senescence induces abnormalities of the aqueous humor dynamics, leading to elevated IOP. Trabecular meshwork cells cause increased intrinsic stiffness, autophagy dysfunction, abnormal expression of microRNA and mitochondrial dysfunction with senescence. The senescence of Schlemm canal endothelial cells decreases cell permeability and mechanotransduction and disrupts the endothelial nitric oxide synthase signaling pathway. The changes will increase aqueous humor outflow resistance and elevate IOP. This review discusses how cell senescence induces aqueous humor dynamics abnormalities and the relation with glaucoma. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 868-873).

Inhibition of Gli1-mediated prostate cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting the mTOR/S6K1 signaling pathway

Ectopic activation of the canonical Hedgehog signaling pathway is involved in the development and progression of prostate cancer, which is one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality in males worldwide. However, the role of the non-canonical Hedgehog signaling pathway in prostate cancer remains generally unexplored. In the present study, it was identified that Gli (glioma-associated oncogene)1 and Gli2 were highly expressed at the protein level in the androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and DU145, but not in the androgen-dependent cancer cell line LNCaP. Silencing of Gli1 using small interfering RNA markedly decreased PC3 cell viability and liquid colony formation in vitro. The Gli1/2-specific inhibitor GANT61 markedly decreased cell viability by inducing cell apoptosis in PC3 and DU145 cells. GANT61 also alleviated liquid colony formation efficiency in PC3 and DU145 cells, suggesting that the activity of Gli1 is required for prostate cancer cell survival. To explore further the upstream signaling pathway involved in the regulation of Gli1 expression, it was identified that tumor necrosis factor α-triggered mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) activation was required for Gli1 expression. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of S6K1 activation markedly decreased Gli1 and its downstream target gene mRNA expression. In addition, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 markedly decreased in vitro PC3 cell proliferation. The results of the present study indicate that the non-canonical Hedgehog pathway (mTOR/S6K1/Gli1) contributes to the development and progression of prostate cancer and that Gli1 is a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of prostate cancer.

p53 inhibits the upregulation of sirtuin 1 expression induced by c-Myc

Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), a conserved NAD⁺ dependent deacetylase, is a mediator of life span by calorie restriction. However, Sirt1 may paradoxically increase the risk of cancer. Accordingly, the expression level of Sirt1 is selectively elevated in numerous types of cancer cell; however, the mechanisms underlying the differential regulation remain largely unknown. The present study demonstrated that oncoprotein c-Myc was a direct regulator of Sirt1, which accounts for the upregulation of Sirt1 expression only in the cells without functional p53. In p53 deficient cells, the overexpression of c-Myc increased Sirt1 mRNA and protein expression levels as well as its promoter activity, whereas the inhibitor of c-Myc, 10058-F4, induced decreased Sirt1 basal mRNA and protein expression levels. Deletion/mutation mapping analyses revealed that c-Myc bound to the conserved E-box[-189 to -183 base pair (bp)] of the Sirt1 promoter. In addition, p53 and c-Myc shared at least response element and the presence of p53 may block the binding of c-Myc to the Sirt1 promoter, thus inhibit the c-Myc mediated upregulation of Sirt1 promoter activity. The present study indicated that the expression level of Sirt1 was tightly regulated by oncoprotein c-Myc and tumor suppressor p53, which aids an improved understanding of its expression regulation and tumor promoter role in certain conditions.

Improvement of wound healing by regulated oxygen-enriched negative pressure-assisted wound therapy in a rabbit model

BACKGROUND

Development of drug therapies and other techniques for wound care have resulted in significant improvement of the cure rate and shortening of the healing time for wounds. A modified technique of regulated oxygen-enriched negative pressure-assisted wound therapy (RO-NPT) has been reported.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and impact of RO-NPT on wound recovery and inflammation.

METHODS

Infected wounds were established on 40 adult female white rabbits, which were then randomized to one of four groups: O₂ group, regulated negative pressure-assisted wound therapy (RNPT) group, regulated oxygen-enriched negative pressure-assisted wound therapy (RO-NPT) group and healthy control (HC) group. Each day, the O₂ group was treated with a constant oxygen supply (1 L/min) to the wound, while the RNPT group was treated with continuous regulated negative pressure (70 ± 5 mmHg) and the RNPT + O₂ group was treated with both. The HC group was treated with gauze dressing alone, which was changed every day. Leucocyte count, colony count and wound-healing rate were calculated. Levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8 were evaluated by ELISA.

RESULTS

RO-RNPT significantly decreased bacterial count and TNF-α level, and increased the wound-healing rate. IL-1β, IL-8 and leucocyte count had a tendency to increase in the early phase of inflammation and a tendency to decrease in the later phase of inflammation in the RO-RNPT group.

CONCLUSIONS

RO-NPT therapy assisted wound recovery and inflammation control compared with the RNPT and oxygen-enriched therapies. RO-NPT therapy also increased levels of IL-1β and IL-8 and attenuated expression of TNF-α in the early phase of inflammation.

Progesterone-induced miR-133a inhibits the proliferation of endometrial epithelial cells

AIM

This study aimed to understand the role of miR-133a in progesterone actions, explore the regulative mechanism of the progesterone receptor, and investigate the effects of miR-133a on the progesterone-inhibited proliferation of mouse endometrial epithelial cells.

METHODS

The expression of miR-133a induced by progesterone was detected by quantitative real-time PCR both in vivo and in vitro. Ishikawa subcell lines stably transfected with progesterone receptor subtypes were used to determine the receptor mechanism of progesterone inducing miR-133a. Specific miR-133a mimics or inhibitors were transfected into mouse uteri and primary cultured endometrial epithelial cells to overexpress or downregulate the miR-133a. The roles of miR-133a in the cell cycle and proliferation of endometrial epithelial cells were analysed by flow cytometry and Edu incorporation analysis. The protein levels of cyclinD2 in uterine tissue sections and primary cultured endometrial epithelial cells were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Progesterone could induce miR-133a expression in a PRB-dependent manner in endometrial epithelial cells. miR-133a inhibited endometrial epithelial cell proliferation by arresting cell cycle at the G₁ -S transition. Moreover, miR-133a acted as an inhibitor in downregulating cyclinD2 in endometrial epithelial cells.

CONCLUSION

We showed for the first time that progesterone-induced miR-133a inhibited the proliferation of endometrial epithelial cells by downregulating cyclinD2. Our research indicated an important mechanism for progesterone inhibiting the proliferation of endometrial epithelial cells by inducing special miRNAs to inhibit positive regulatory proteins in the cell cycle.

Toll-like receptor 4 ablation rescues against paraquat-triggered myocardial dysfunction: Role of ER stress and apoptosis

Paraquat is a nitrogen herbicide imposing severe organ toxicity in human leading to acute lung injury and heart failure. The present study was designed to examine the impact of ablation of the innate proinflammatory mediator toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in paraquat-induced cardiac contractile dysfunction and the underlying mechanisms involved with a focus on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis. Adult male wild-type (WT) and TLR4 knockout (TLR4^-/- ) mice were challenged with paraquat (45 mg/kg, i.p.) for 48 h prior to the assessment of myocardial and cardiomyocyte sarcomere function, ER stress, apoptosis and inflammation. Acute paraquat challenge exerted myocardial functional and geometric alterations including enlarged left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD), reduced fractional shortening, decreased sarcomere shortening, maximal velocities of sarcomere shortening and relengthening associated with unchanged LV posterior wall thickness, septal thickness, LV end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), heart rate, sarcomere length, time-to-peak shortening and time-to-90% relengthening. Although TLR4 ablation did not affect mechanical properties in the heart, it significantly attenuated or ablated paraquat-induced cardiac contractile anomalies. Moreover, paraquat imposed overt ER stress, apoptosis and inflammation as evidenced by upregulation of Bip, CHOP, Caspase-3, -9, Bax, Bad, and IL-1β, phosphorylation of PERK, eIF2α and IΚB, as well as activation of the stress molecules ERK and p38, with unchanged Caspase-8, Bcl2, TNF-α, p53, HMGB1, MyD88 and phosphorylation of Akt, GSK3β and JNK, the effects of which were attenuated or negated by TLR4 knockout. Taken together, our results suggested that TLR4 ablation alleviated paraquat-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction possibly through attenuation of ER stress, apoptosis and inflammation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 656-668, 2017.

Low voltage driven surface micro-flow by Joule heating

We report a low voltage driven surface microfluidic system simply by Joule heating.

Ultra-fast preparation of high-performance thermoelectric bulk TiNiSb0.05Sn0.95 by microwave synthesis

The antimony-doped half-Heusler thermoelectric bulk TiNiSb_0.05Sn_0.95 with power factor of 4042 μW m⁻¹ K⁻² was prepared via ultra-fast 4.5 min microwave synthesis, cold-press forming and 20 min microwave pressureless sintering.

Inhibitory effects of resveratrol on the adhesion, migration and invasion of human bladder cancer cells

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound, which has been revealed to induce apoptosis in numerous human cancer cells; however, the effects of resveratrol on the migration and invasion of human bladder cancer cells have not been reported. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti‑metastatic potential of resveratrol against bladder cancer and its mechanism of action. The results indicated that resveratrol inhibits the adhesion, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells in a dose‑dependent manner. Resveratrol was shown to significantly inhibit the expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑2 and MMP‑9 in bladder cancer cells. Furthermore, resveratrol suppressed the phosphorylation of c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase and extracellular signal‑regulated protein kinase. In conclusion, the present study is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to demonstrate that resveratrol may be considered a novel anticancer agent for the treatment of bladder cancer via the inhibition of migration and invasion.

The interleukin-33 receptor ST2 is important for the development of peripheral airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a house dust mite mouse model of asthma

BACKGROUND

Several clinical and experimental studies have implicated IL-33 and its receptor ST2 in the development of asthma. However, the effect of IL-33/ST2 signalling on airway responses and inflammation in allergic asthma is not well established.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of IL-33/ST2 signalling in promoting allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway inflammation, antigen-specific IgE production and mast cell activity in a mouse model of asthma.

METHODS

ST2-deficient (ST2(-/-)) mice and control BALB/c mice were given house dust mite (HDM) extract over a 6-week period. Forty-eight hours after the final HDM administration, lung function and airway inflammation were evaluated. Airway responsiveness was determined in the central airways and peripheral lung. Cellular infiltration and mast cell protease mMCP-1 levels were quantified in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Recruitment of inflammatory cells and inflammatory cytokine profiles were assessed in pulmonary tissue, and HDM-specific IgE was measured in serum.

RESULTS

ST2 deficiency diminished HDM-induced AHR in the peripheral lung, while AHR in the central airways was unaffected. Inflammatory responses to HDM were also reduced in ST2(-/-) mice as reflected by the lower induction of HDM-specific serum IgE, inhibition of HDM-induced eosinophilia and reduced macrophage count in BALF, and a diminished influx of inflammatory cells and reduced goblet cell hyperplasia around the peripheral airways. Furthermore, the levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-5, IL-13, IL-33, GM-CSF, thymic stromal lymphopoietin and mast cell protease mMCP-1 were reduced in HDM-treated ST2(-/-) mice compared with wild-type controls.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to promoting Th2 inflammation, we now suggest a role for the IL-33/ST2 pathway for the induction of peripheral inflammation and mucus production that causes AHR in the peripheral lung. This mechanism for inducing AHR at distal parts of the lung may be of specific importance as asthma is considered as a small airway disease.

Ultrasonic guided percutaneous ethanol injection with or without combined radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinomas

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate whether radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) improves treatment outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively included 66 HCC patients who received RFA or RFA plus PEI from February 2011 to January 2014 in Jingmen No. 1 People's Hospital. Moreover, 31 cases received RFA plus PEI as the experiment group and 35 subjects treated with RFA aloe as the control group. The overall survival and treatment related complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

For RFA group, the 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rate were 82.0%, 69.3%, and 30.7%, respectively, with the median survival time of 27.1 months. For RFA plus PEI group, the 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rate were 97.1%, 73.9%, and 37.5%, respectively, with the median survival time of 33.6 months. The overall survival of the two groups was not statistical different with the hazard ratio of 1.48 (P > 0.05); three cases of treatment associated complications were found in RFA group with 1 abscess, 1 pleural effusion, and 1 portal vein thrombosis. Moreover, 2 cases of complication were recorded in RFA plus PEI group with 1 pleural effusion and 1 portal vein thrombosis. The complicated incidence rate was not statistical different between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The combination treatment of HCC was safe and had a slightly higher primary effectiveness rate than RFA alone.

[Clinical effects of different modes of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser used in combination on the treatment of hypertrophic scar on face and neck]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical effects of ultra pulse mode of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser combined with Deep FX mode or Scaar FX mode on the treatment of patients with hypertrophic scars on face and neck.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty-eight patients with hypertrophic scars on face and neck who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2012 to January 2015. Firstly, the scar areas were cleaned and given compound lidocaine cream for surface anesthesia. Then the scar areas were treated with ultra pulse mode of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser, with energy from 150 to 175 mJ, frequency of 40 Hz, hole to hole distance of 4 mm or 5 mm, and the treatment time of each hole of 2 s or 3 s. For mild scar, Deep FX mode was added for treatment with energy from 30 to 50 mJ, frequency of 300 Hz, and density of 5%; for moderate and severe scar, Scaar FX mode was additionally used for therapy, with energy from 80 to 150 mJ, frequency of 300 Hz, and density of 3%. The above-mentioned treatments were performed per three months, totally for 3 times, 10-15 min per treatment. After each treatment, wounds were moisturized and given sun protection. Before the first treatment and 6 months after treatment of 3 times, the curative effect was assessed by Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and University of North Carolina Scar Scale. Six months after treatment of 3 times, satisfaction degree of patient and loss of working time were recorded. The adverse effects of whole treatment course were recorded. Data were processed with t test.

RESULTS

(1) Six months after treatment of 3 times, VSS score of patients was (3.1±1.0) points, which was significantly lower than that before the first treatment [(9.4±1.8) points, t=53.096, P<0.05]; University of North Carolina Scar Scale score of patients was (1.6±0.7) points, which was significantly lower than that before the first treatment[(8.0±1.4) points, t=63.730, P<0.05]. (2) Six months after treatment of 3 times, 150 patients were very satisfied with the curative effect, 6 patients were satisfied, and 2 patients were relatively satisfied. The loss of working time of patients was 10-15 (10.5±0.3) d. (3) During the treatment, mild erythema appeared in 5 patients which disappeared without treatment; pigmentation appeared in 6 patients 2 weeks after the first treatment, and pruritus and rash appeared in 2 patients 3 days after the first treatment, which were all improved with pharmaceutical therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultra pulse mode of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser combined with Deep FX mode or Scaar FX mode has definitely clinical effect on patients with hypertrophic scars on face and neck with few adverse effects, which is worth to popularize and apply for clinic.