Histamine increases the level of IFNγ produced by HIV-1 specific CTLs and this production depends on total IgE level

Formononetin ameliorates IL‑13‑induced inflammation and mucus formation in human nasal epithelial cells by activating the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway

Formononetin has proven to be anti‑inflammatory and able to alleviate symptoms of certain allergic diseases. The present study aimed to determine and elucidate the potential effects of formononetin in allergic rhinitis. JME/CF15 cells were pretreated with formononetin at different doses, followed by stimulation with IL‑13. Cell Counting Kit‑8 assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity of formononetin. The expression levels of inflammation‑related proteins, histamine, IgE, TNF‑α, IL‑1β, IL‑6, granulocyte‑macrophage colony‑stimulating factor and eotaxin in IL‑13‑stimulated JME/CF15 cells were detected using ELISAs. The expression levels of phosphorylated‑NF‑κB p65, NF‑κB p65 and cyclooxygenase‑2 (Cox‑2) were analyzed using western blotting. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to measure the levels of mucin 5AC oligomeric mucus/gel‑forming. Expression levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and nuclear erythroid factor 2‑related factor 2 (Nrf2) proteins were also measured using western blotting. The results of the present study revealed that formononetin exerted no cytotoxic effect on the viability of JME/CF15 cells. Following stimulation of JME/CF15 cells with IL‑13, formononetin suppressed the upregulated expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines. IL‑13‑induced formation of mucus was also attenuated by formononetin treatment. Furthermore, it was found that the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway was activated in formononetin‑treated JME/CF15 cells, whereas treatment with the SIRT1 inhibitor, EX527, reversed the effects of formononetin on IL‑13‑induced inflammation and mucus formation in JME/CF15 cells. In conclusion, the findings of the current study indicated that formononetin may activate the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting IL‑13‑induced inflammation and mucus formation in JME/CF15 cells. These results suggested that formononetin may represent a promising agent for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Chronic Δ(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol Administration Reduces IgE(+)B Cells but Unlikely Enhances Pathogenic SIVmac251 Infection in Male Rhesus Macaques of Chinese Origin

Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) is the major psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. Δ(9)-THC has been used in the active ingredient of Marinol as an appetite stimulant for AIDS patients. Its impact on progression of HIV-1 infection, however, remains debatable. Previous studies indicated that Δ(9)-THC administration enhanced HIV-1 infection in huPBL-SCID mice but seemingly decreased early mortality in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infected male Indian-derived rhesus macaques. Here, we determine the chronic effect of Δ(9)-THC administration using 0.32 mg/kg or placebo (PBO), i.m., twice daily for 428 days on SIVmac251 infected male Chinese-derived rhesus macaques. Sixteen animals were divided into four study groups: Δ(9)-THC(+)SIV(+), Δ(9)-THC(+)SIV(-), PBO/SIV(+) and PBO/SIV(-) (n = 4/group). One-month after daily Δ(9)-THC or PBO administrations, macaques in groups one and three were challenged intravenously with pathogenic SIVmac251/CNS, which was isolated from the brain of a Chinese macaque with end-staged neuroAIDS. No significant differences in peak and steady state plasma viral loads were seen between Δ(9)-THC(+)SIV(+) and PBO/SIV(+) macaques. Regardless of Δ(9)-THC, all infected macaques displayed significant drop of CD4/CD8 T cell ratio, loss of CD4(+) T cells and higher persistent levels of Ki67(+)CD8(+) T cells compared with uninfected animals. Moreover, long-term Δ(9)-THC treatment reduced significantly the frequency of circulating IgE(+)B cells. Only one Δ(9)-THC(+)SIV(+) macaque died of simian AIDS with paralyzed limbs compared with two deaths in the PBO/SIV(+) group during the study period. These findings indicate that chronic Δ(9)-THC administration resulted in reduction of IgE(+)B cells, yet it unlikely enhanced pathogenic SIVmac251/CNS infection in male Rhesus macaques of Chinese origin.

Finding of IFNγ gene enhancers and their core sequences

DNA segmentation methods were used to study which fragments of the human IFNγ gene possess enhancer activity. The human IFNγ gene was divided into 240-bp fragments, which were inserted between the GFP gene and the Alu tandem sequence to determine whether the inserted sequences eliminate the inhibition induced by the Alu tandem sequence. We found that five different 240-bp fragments (FUIFN3F3R, IFN4F4R, IFN6F6R, IFN21F21R, and IFN22F22R) and two 60-bp core sequences (IFN6-2F2R and IFN21-3-4F3-4R) derived from the IFNγ gene contain enhancers that can activate the GFP reporter gene. These enhancers may be targets of IFNγ gene expression regulation.