Localization and Activity of iNOS in Normal Human Lung Tissue and Lung Cancer Tissue

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is one of three enzymes generating nitric oxide (NO) from the amino acid L-arginine. iNOS-derived NO plays an important role in several physiological and pathophysiological conditions. NO is a free radical which produces many reactive intermediates that account for its bioactivity. In the human lung, the alveolar macrophage is an important producer of cytokines and this production may be modified by NO. Moreover, high concentrations of NO have been shown to increase nuclear factor KB (NF-kB) activation. Recent investigations of NO expression in tumor tissue indicated that, at least for certain tumors, NO may mediate one or more roles during the growth of human cancer. We have studied iNOS in two tissue groups: normal human lung tissue and human lung cancer tissue. We localized iNOS in these tissues by immunohistochemistry and tested the mRNA expression by RT-PCR, the protein level by Western blot, and the protein activity by radiometric analysis. The results demonstrate different expression, localization and activity of iNOS in normal versus tumor tissue. This is suggestive of a role for NO production from iNOS in human lung cancer because high concentrations of this short molecule may transform to highly reactive compounds such as peroxynitrite (ONOO-); moreover, through the upregulator NF-kB, they can induce a chronic inflammatory state representing an elevated risk for cell transformation to cancer.

Neuroendocrine Immunophenotype as Predictor of Clinical Recurrence in 110 Patients with Prostate Cancer

We evaluated the relationship between NE expression and well-known prognostic factors and assessed whether tumor relapse after radical surgery correlates with the extent of NE differentiation. Radical prostatectomy specimens from 110 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were assessed. Patients were followed up every three months for the first two years after surgery and six monthly for 5 additional years until failure, or for a mean of 48 months from the time of surgery for those who did not experience failure. The percentage of cells showing CgA immunoreactivity was evaluated using a visual quantitative method. Tumor staining was categorized as positive if >10% and negative if <10% of tumor cells were stained, to ensure that only cases with significant positivity were included in the positive group. The median follow-up was 5.4 years (range 1.8 to 7.2). The median time to clinical recurrence was 7.5 years and the median time to biochemical recurrence was 2.8 years. Of 31 patients (28%) who experienced a PSA recurrence, 15 developed a clinical recurrence. The mean preoperative PSA level was 9 ng/ml (range 2.7 to 25). Most cases were well differentiated (Gleason score <7), intraprostatic (≤pT2) tumors. Immunoreactivity in ≥10% of the cells was seen in 17.2% (n=19) of the tumor specimens. The preoperative PSA level, Gleason score, use of neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy, lymphnode positivity were not statistically associated with NE expression. Only the primary pathologic stage appeared to be associated with CgA staining in the primary tumor (p=0.001). On the univariate analysis NE expression did not predict biochemical recurrence free survival, whereas it was associated with clinical recurrence. NE differentiation in clinically localized prostate cancer can be associated with failure after definitive surgical treatment, even if no conclusions can be drawn regarding its value as an independent prognostic factor.

IL-13 from Th2-type cells suppresses induction of antigen-specific Th1 immunity in a T-cell lymphoma

Dalton's lymphoma (DL) is a transplantable T-cell lymphoma of spontaneous origin, characterized by highly invasive and immunosuppressive property. Progression of DL cells results into an imbalance of T helper type 1 (T(h)1)/T helper type 2 (T(h)2)-type cytokine in the host, which is partly responsible for DL-induced severe immunosuppression and DL cell progression. In this study, we have shown the role of IL-13 in the regulation of T(h)1 immunity in both normal healthy and DL-bearing host. IL-13 pre-treatment inhibits the induction of 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in antigen-challenged mice, which have been confirmed by neutralizing IL-13 by systemic delivery of non-signaling decoy receptor IL-13Ralpha2. Furthermore, IL-13 neutralization enhances the splenocyte proliferation, which has been inhibited by IL-13 administration. Adoptive transfer of splenocyte from IL-13-pre-treated mice and macrophages incubated with IL-13 and pulsed with antigens suppresses the DTH as well in antigen-challenged recipient mice. In addition, it also suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine and C-C chemokine in DTH footpad. Furthermore, IL-13 neutralization not only enhances the DTH reaction but also increases longevity and survival of DL-bearing host, which suggests that blocking/inactivating systemic IL-13 enhances T(h)1 immunity, and therefore, effects to diminish IL-13 production may have therapeutic value in a host bearing T-cell lymphoma.

Autism and immunity: revisited study

Autism spectrum disorder is of interest neurochemically because it represents a relatively homogeneous disorder with regard to disease development, abnormal cognitive development and intellectual development disturbance. A consistent finding in autistic children is a high number of mast cells and a high level of serotonin which is also found at elevated concentrations in the urine of autistic patients. In addition, a dysfunction of clinical conditions, such as gastrointestinal and immunological symptoms, is frequently noted in autistic children, however, IgE does not appear to be prevalent in these children but probably an increase of cytokines/chemokines produced by mast cells at an early age may play an important role. Therefore an immune hypothesis, involving also autoimmunity, is one possible pathogenetic mechanism in autism. In conclusion, mast cell activation could contribute to immune and neuroinflammatory abnormalities that are evident in patients with autism spectrum disorders.

Effects of Rich-in-Fat Diets and Highly Selective COX-2 Inhibitors on 7,12-Dimethylbenz-(A)-Anthracene-Induced Tumor Growth

The effects of diet, of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or of their combination on carcinogenesis continue to be a case for controversy. Diets that are high in fat have been linked to increased risk of various tumors. At the same time there is substantial, but not conclusive, evidence that the risk of breast and colon cancer correlates with total fat intake rather than a specific type of fat. On the other hand, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been studied extensively because they appear to delay or inhibit the development of malignant and pre-malignant lesions. 7,12-Dimethylbenz-(a)-anthracene (DMBA) has been used for a long time to induce carcinogenesis in a number of rat animal models. The present study attempts to identify the effects on DMBA-induced tumor growth (a) of diets rich in fat and (b) of the highly selective COX-2 inhibitor Celecoxib, which has been claimed to offer substantial protection against carcinogenesis.

Biology of neurotensin: revisited study

The tridecapeptide neurotensin (NT) acts in the mammalian brain as a primary neurotransmitter or neuromodulator of classical neurotransmitters. Morphological and functional in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the existence of close interactions between NT and dopamine both in limbic and in striatal brain regions. Additionally, biochemical and neurochemical evidence indicates that in these brain regions NT also plays a crucial role in the regulation of the aminoacidergic signalling. Immune cells, such as lymphocytes, macrophages and mast cells are reported to be activated by neuropeptides, such as neurotensin; this activation leads to cytokine and immunoglobulin production. In addition, neurotensin increases calcium level and the production of nitric oxide. Therefore neurotensin is deeply involved in immunity and inflammation but its real function still remains to be elucidated.

Interleukin-13 neutralization modulates interleukin-13 induced suppression of reactive oxygen species production in peritoneal macrophages in a murine T-cell lymphoma

IL-13 is a Th2 cytokine that regulates the effector functions and alters the phenotype and function of normal macrophages switching to alternatively activated or type II polarized macrophages. The type II polarized macrophages differ from normal macrophages greatly in terms of receptor expression, NO and other cytokine production. It produces chemokines that preferentially attract Th2 cells, which increases the local concentration of Th2 cytokines including IL-13. As a result, normal macrophage population gets polarized as type II macrophages at the site of the tumor-microenvironment. In the present investigation, we have determined the IL-13 serum level in DL-bearing host and the effect of IL-13 on peritoneal macrophages harvested from normal healthy, control DL-bearing, and treated DL-bearing mice with respect to reactive oxygen intermediate production. It has been observed that IL-13 significantly inhibits the ROI generation in all macrophage types while by neutralizing with invivo administration of IL-13R*2 and/or potentiation with Th1 cytokine, the production of reactive oxygen intermediate increases, which indicates that IL-13R*2 and/or potentiation with Th1 cytokine could restore the cytotoxic ability of macrophage in a murine T-cell lymphoma.

Substance P: An Inflammatory Peptide

Substance P (SP) is involved in neurogenic inflammation and in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases, demonstrating that there is a narrow interrelationship between the nervous system and immunity. Macrophage functions are altered in stress, therefore, since SP is a macrophage activator, its biological effect has been intimately linked to stress. In fact, SP enhances LPS-induced macrophage TNFα production from stressed animals and stimulates the production of IL-8 CXC chemokine response in a mast cell line in vitro. The stress-induced cytokines from macrophage also alter and contribute to inflammation. Understanding the pathophysiology of inflammation and the role of the chemical mediator SP may improve inflammation management.

Eosinophil recruiting chemokines are down-regulated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of allergic patients treated with deflazacort or desloratadine

Chemokines are cytokines with chemotactic properties on leukocyte subsets whose modulation plays a key role in allergic inflammatory processes. To better understand the possible anti-inflammatory effects of histamine-1 receptor antagonists in allergic asthma, we studied the mRNA expression of a set of chemokines known to be involved in the eosinophils-basophils activation as well as recruitment and T-cell signaling events, before and after corticosteroid or antihistamine treatment in PBMCs from allergic-asthmatic patients ex vivo. Twelve patients were enrolled, all of whom were allergic to Parietaria judaica and suffering for mild persistent asthma: six were treated with desloratadine (10 mg/day), and six with deflazacort (12 mg/day). Before and after the treatment, PBMC samples were collected from each patient and analyzed for the expression of encoding mRNAs for several chemokines, I-309 (CCL1), MCP-1 (CCL2), MIP1-alpha (CCL3), MIP1-beta (CCL4), RANTES (CCL5), IL-8 (CXCL8), IP-10 (CXCL10), Lymphotactin (XCL1). Clinical and functional improvements were seen after 3 weeks of therapy; this was associated with a reduced expression in the mRNA levels for the chemokines RANTES, MIP1-alpha and MIP1-beta with either the corticosteroid or the antihistamine, compared to the pre-treatment levels. Chemokine downregulation was statistically significant in both groups of patients. These findings suggest that certain antihistamines may act as down-modulators of allergic inflammation, possibly through a negative regulation of the chemokines involved in activation and attraction of eosinophils. Our results suggest that clinical trials with long follow-ups may be useful in evaluating histamine-1 receptor antagonists as add-on therapy to steroids in the treatment of asthma.

Experimental Study of the Effects of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis on Platelet Functional Activity

The hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis exert various effects in organism, but their influence on the functional activity of platelets is relatively unknown. To establish the effect of the hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis on the functional activity of platelets by means of determining the plasma level of beta-thromboglobulin (β-TG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) a study was conducted on 40 white male rats of the “Wistar” breed. The necessary blood volume was obtained under ether narcosis by cardiac puncture in CTAD-test-tubes. Using Diagnostica Stago (France) tests, by means of enzyme-immune test, the level of two of the most informative platelet secretion markers was determined. The hormones: Thyreotropin releasing hormone (0.06 mg/kg bw), Thyroid stimulating hormone (1 MU/kg bw), Trijodthyroninum (0.08 mg/kg bw), Thyroxin (0.08 mg/kg bw), applied s.c. on three consecutive days strongly reduce the plasma level of β-TG (p<0.001) and PF 4 (p < 0.001). The reduced level of β-TG and PF 4 in the plasma is an indicator of their reduced functional activity, which is one of the determinants for the development of hemocoagulation. The functional activity of platelets in rats, determined by the level of β-TG and PF 4, is significantly suppressed by all hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis.

RANTES (CCL5) potentiates calcium ionophore in the production of LTB4 in rat adherent macrophages from granuloma induced by KMnO4: inhibiton by NDGA

The activation of monocytes/macrophages by several stimuli is an initial event in the inflammatory response. To ascertain the importance of LTB(4) and 5-lypoxigenase in the inflammatory site, we isolated and stimulated rat adherent granuloma macrophages (RAGMs) with calcium ionophore in the presence or absence of regulated on activation, normal T expressed and secreted (RANTES) [CCL5] at different concentrations. We tested the hypothesis that RANTES may influence the production of LTB(4) stimulated by calcium ionophore A23187 (2.5 microM/ml) in rat adherent granuloma macrophages derived from granuloma induced by potassium permanganate diluted 1:40 saturated solution. To test this hypothesis, we measured LTB(4) production, in rat granuloma macrophages stimulated with A23187 (2.5 microM) alone and in combination with RANTES at different concentrations. In these studies, the cell-free supernatant of stimulated RAGMs with the ionophore A23187, resulted in a drastic increase of LTB(4). However, when the cells were treated with the combination RANTES plus A23187 the stimulatory effect was more pronounced than A23187 alone. LTB(4) production was quantitated. The calcium ionophore A23187 directly induced LTB(4) in macrophages, this production was markedly enhanced when the cells were pretreated with RANTES. However, the addition of RANTES in the absence of calcium ionophore A23187 did not directly induce LTB(4) release, nor was lypoxigenase expression augmented. Preincubation of RAGMs with NDGA (nordihydroguiaretic acid) (10(-5)M) completely abolished the production of LTB4 on RAGMSs challenged with A23187 in combination with RANTES or A23187 alone in the supernatants. Similar effects were obtained when the cells were pretreated with dexamethasone. These data suggest, for the first time, that RANTES may stimulate the release of LTB(4), only when it is associated to other stimuli and for this reason we conclude that RANTES modulates inflammatory diseases, and may require other stimuli to be effective in amplifying its spectrum of action(s).

The Effect of Porcine Orexin a on C-Peptide Plasma Concentrations in Pigs

The hypothalamus and the neuropeptides that are produced and act within its neuronal circuits constitute an area of extensive laboratory research. In 1998, the neuropeptide, Orexin A, was discovered and isolated from the hypothalamus of the rat. An i.c.v. injection of Orexin A into the lateral ventricle of the rat's brain causes an increase in the consumption of food, and, apart from appetite, it also seems to be regulating many other normal functions of the organism, whose regulatory and metabolic mechanisms remain unknown to date. The neuropeptide is produced by a small cluster located in and round the lateral hypothalamic area. It has been known for decades that this area is involved in the regulation of feeding and energy homeostasis in mammals. The intravenous, subcutaneous, or i.c.v. injection of Orexin A causes changes in insulin and glucagon concentrations. The same effect is also seen under in vitro experimental conditions. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of i.c.v. administration of porcine Orexin A on c-peptide concentrations in the peripheral blood of pigs, and tested whether these changes are associated with the potential effect of the neuropeptide on the function of the pancreas.

Hypertonic Saline Solution in Children with Adenoidal Hyperytrophy: Preliminary Evidence

Adenoidal hypertrophy (AH) is a frequent problem in children. A preliminary study evidenced that intranasal hypertonic solutions may exert an anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of intranasal hypertonic or isotonic solutions in children affected with AH. For this purpose, 78 children with AH were evaluated in a randomised and controlled study. Inclusion criteria for the study required that each patient had to have a III or IV degree of AH on the initial endoscopic examination. Children were treated with intranasal hypertonic or isotonic saline solution for 8 weeks. After treatment, endoscopy was performed to evaluate AH degree. Hypertonic treatment was associated with significant (p<0.05) reduction of AH degree. There was a consistent reduction of children with III degree of AH. No adverse events were reported. This preliminary study demonstrates that an 8-week treatment with intranasal hypertonic solution is associated with significant reduction of AH. Therefore, this study evidences that hypertonic solution may exert an anti-inflammatory activity and is safe.

Expression and secretion of CXCL8 (IL-8), release of tryptase and transcription of histidine decarboxylase mRNA by anti-IgE-activated human umbilical cord blood-derived cultured mast cells

Activation of cytokine receptors and alterations in cytokines are thought to play important roles in neuronal dysfunction and in the pathogenesis of the nervous system diseases. CXCL8 (IL-8) is a CXC chemokine with chemotactic and inflammatory properties. Chemokines control mast cell infiltration in several inflammatory diseases, including stress and neurological dysfunctions. Using isolated human umbilical cord blood-derived cultured mast cells (HUCMC) from hematopoietic stem cells CD34+, mast cells were immunologically activated with anti-IgE at concentrations of 1, 5, 10 and 20 microg/ml leading to the dose-dependent production of IL-8 (p < 0.05). The increase in IL-8 mRNA expression was also noted when the cells were treated with anti-IgE at 10 microg/ml for 6 h. Immunologically activated HUCMC provoked the generation of tryptase in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also found increased histidine decarboxylase (HDC) expression in activated HUCMC after 6 h of incubation, a rate-limiting enzyme responsible for the generation of histamine from histidine. Taken together, these results confirm that anti-IgE-activated mast cells release inflammatory mediators including CXCL8, a CXC chemokine which regulates several biological effects of mast cells, e.g. chemoattraction, and possibly causes cell arrest.