ILB® resolves inflammatory scarring and promotes functional tissue repair

Stop codon variant in EFEMP1 is associated with primary open-angle glaucoma due to impaired regulation of aqueous humor outflow

It is known that the actin cytoskeleton and its associated cellular interactions in the trabecular meshwork (TM) and juxtacanalicular tissues mainly contribute to the formation of resistance to aqueous outflow of the eye. Fibulin-3, encoded by EFEMP1 gene, has a role in extracellular matrix (ECM) modulation, and interacts with enzymatic ECM regulators, but the effects of fibulin-3 on TM cells has not been explored. Here, we report a stop codon variant (c.T1480C, p.X494Q) of EFEMP1 that co-segregates with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) in a Chinese pedigree. In the human TM cells, overexpression of wild-type fibulin-3 reduced intracellular actin stress fibers formation and the extracellular fibronectin levels by inhibiting Rho/ROCK signaling. TGFβ1 up-regulated fibulin-3 protein levels in human TM cells by activating Rho/ROCK signaling. In rat eyes, overexpression of wild-type fibulin-3 decreased the intraocular pressure and the fibronectin expression of TM, however, overexpression of mutant fibulin-3 (c.T1480C, p.X494Q) showed opposite effects in cells and rat eyes. Taken together, the EFEMP1 variant may impair the regulatory capacity of fibulin-3 which has a role for modulating the cell contractile activity and ECM synthesis in TM cells, and in turn may maintain normal resistance of aqueous humor outflow. This study contributes to the understanding of the important role of fibulin-3 in TM pathophysiology and provides a new possible POAG therapeutic approach.

Dextran-shelled oxygen-loaded nanodroplets modulate macrophages killing and inflammatory response to Enterococcus faecalis

Chronic wounds are associated with inflammation, infections, and hypoxic environment. Macrophages play a crucial role in wound healing removing bacteria and secreting signal molecules to coordinate tissue repair. Recently, dextran-shelled Oxygen-Loaded NanoDroplets (OLNDs) have been proposed as new tools to counteract hypoxia in chronic wounds. Here we investigated the effects of OLNDs on Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) killing and the secretion of inflammatory and angiogenic factors by murine (BMDM) and human (dTHP-1, differentiated THP-1) macrophages, in normoxia and hypoxia. Both OLNDs and Oxygen-Free NanoDroplets (OFNDs) significantly increased reactive oxygen species production by BMDM in normoxia (4.1 and 4 fold increase by 10% OLNDs and OFNDs, respectively, after 120 min) and hypoxia (3.8 and 4 fold increase by 10% OLNDs and OFNDs respectively) but not by dTHP-1. Moreover, only OLNDs induced nitric oxide secretion by BMDM in normoxia. Consequently, both nanodroplets improved E. faecalis killing by BMDM in normoxia (% of killing OLNDs = 44.2%; p < 0.01; OFNDs = 41.4%; p < 0.05) and hypoxia (% of killing OLNDs = 43.1%; p < 0.01; OFNDs = 37.7%; p < 0.05), while dTHP-1-mediated killing was not affected. The secretion of the inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β) induced by E. faecalis infection in dTHP-1 was reduced by both types of nanodroplets, suggesting a novel anti-inflammatory activity of the dextran shell. Instead, the increase of VEGF induced by hypoxia was reduced only by OLNDs. These data provide new knowledge on the effects of OLNDs as innovative adjuvant in chronic wounds healing promoting bacterial killing and reducing inflammation.