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Vitro Observations (vitro + observation)
Selected AbstractsGenetic immunity and influenza pandemicsFEMS IMMUNOLOGY & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006Sergey N. Rumyantsev Abstract In addition to the great number of publications focused on the leading role of virus mutations and reassortment in the origin of pandemic influenza, general opinion emphasizes the victim side of the epidemic process. Based on the analysis and integration of relevant ecological, epidemiological, clinical, genetic and experimental data, the present article is focused on the evolution of ,virus , victim' ecological systems resulting in the formation of innate (i.e. genetic, constitutional) immunity in the involved species and populations. This kind of immunity functions today as the greatest natural barrier to the pandemic spread of influenza among humans and ecologically related kinds of animals. Global influenza pandemics can arise when the worldwide population contains at least a minimum number of people susceptible to a known or mutant influenza virus. Special attention is paid in this article to individual tests for the presence of this barrier, including the implications of specific findings for public health policy. Such tests could be based on in vitro observation of the action of relevant virus strains on primary cell cultures or on their cellular or molecular components extracted from individuals. The resources of the Human Genome Project should also be utilized. [source] ORIGINAL RESEARCH,BASIC SCIENCE: Enhancement of Both EDHF and NO/cGMP Pathways Is Necessary to Reverse Erectile Dysfunction in Diabetic RatsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2005Javier Angulo PhD ABSTRACT Aims and Methods., Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are less effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in diabetic men than in nondiabetic patients. We have evaluated the effects of sildenafil, a PDE5 inhibitor that enhances the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP pathway, calcium dobesilate (DOBE), which potentiates endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-mediated responses and the combination of both on erectile responses elicited by cavernosal nerve electrical stimulation (CNES) in a rat model of ED after 8 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Results., After 8 weeks of diabetes, erectile responses to CNES were significantly decreased in diabetic animals compared with nondiabetic time controls. While intravenous administration of sildenafil (0.3 mg/kg) or DOBE (10 mg/kg), individually, enhanced erectile responses in nondiabetic rats (214.7 ± 34.1% and 268.5 ± 30.1% of control response at 1 Hz, respectively), each failed to significantly enhance erectile responses in diabetic rats. Only when administered in combination did DOBE and sildenafil markedly potentiate erectile responses in these animals (380.1 ± 88.6% of control response at 1 Hz), completely restoring erectile function. Conclusions., These findings emphasize the importance of NO/cGMP and EDHF pathways for normal erectile function. They also give support to the in vitro observation that diabetes impairs NO and EDHF-dependent responses, precluding the complete recovery of erectile function with PDE5 inhibitors and explaining the relatively poor clinical response of diabetic men with ED to PDE5 inhibition. Finally, our study suggests that a pharmacological approach that combines enhancement of NO/cGMP and EDHF pathways could be necessary to treat ED in many diabetic men. [source] Enhanced IFN, production in adenosine-treated CHOCells: A mechanistic studyBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 3 2009William P. K. Chong Abstract Adenosine causes growth arrest in recombinant mammalian cell cultures, which results in enhanced productivity of the recombinant protein. Adenosine is also known to increase intracellular ATP level when added to mammalian cells. As a cell's energy level affects its protein expression capacity, we investigated the factors that contribute to the increase in recombinant protein productivity. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing human interferon-gamma (IFN,) were treated with 1 mM adenosine on Day 2 of culture. The growth arrest resulted in 60% reduction in integral viable cell density when compared with control. However, IFN, titer improved 1.4-fold alongside a 2.5-fold increase in average specific productivity. The adenosine-treated cells also experienced a two-fold increase in ATP level that sustained for 3 days. Western blot studies revealed a relatively short-lived but strong activation of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in adenosine-treated cells. Activation of AMPK was probably due to adenosine being temporarily converted to AMP. Activated AMPK should have down-regulated protein translation by preventing mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) from phosphorylating and inactivating 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), a key repressor of protein translation initiation. However, Western blots showed increased phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 on Day 2 that lasted 3 days. This implied that a high concentration of ATP could keep 4E-BP1 inhibited, probably by directly modulating mTOR. This corroborated with an earlier in vitro observation (Dennis et al., Science. 2001;294:1102-1105). Inhibition of translation initiation repression is thus likely to contribute in part to the improvement in IFN,-specific productivity and titer. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009 [source] Effect of sodium phytate supplementation on fat digestion and cholesterol metabolism in female ratsJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 11-12 2005C. Yuangklang Summary The effects of sodium phytate supplementation on fat digestion and cholesterol metabolism were investigated in female rats. On the basis of an in vitro experiment showing that phytate raised the solubility of bile acids, it was predicted that phytate feeding would depress faecal bile acid excretion, raise apparent fat digestibility and elevate serum cholesterol concentrations. The experimental diets with or without sodium phytate were either cholesterol-free or cholesterol-rich and had a normal calcium concentration. Rats fed on the cholesterol-rich diet with sodium phytate showed enhanced faecal bile acid excretion, but there was no effect on fat digestibility. In rats fed the cholesterol-free diets, phytate did neither affect fat digestion nor bile acid excretion. Sodium phytate inclusion in the cholesterol-rich diet raised serum cholesterol concentrations, but reduced liver cholesterol concentration. Thus, the in vivo data do not agree with the in vitro observations. Both phytate and cholesterol feeding influenced mineral and trace element metabolism. Liver zinc concentrations were raised by phytate feeding. Cholesterol consumption reduced hepatic concentrations of copper, iron and zinc. Both phytate and cholesterol feeding reduced the apparent absorption of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. [source] Infection with the Intracellular Bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, Overrides Established Tolerance in a Mouse Cardiac Allograft ModelAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 7 2010T. Wang Infections and TLR signals at the time of transplantation have been shown to prevent the induction of tolerance, but their effect on allografts after tolerance has been established is unclear. We here report that infection with Listeria monocytogenes precipitated the loss of tolerance and the MyD88- and T cell-dependent rejection of accepted cardiac allografts in mice. This loss of tolerance was associated with increases in the numbers of graft-infiltrating macrophages and dendritic cells, as well as CD4+FoxP3, and CD8+ T cells. Rejection was also associated with increased numbers of graft-infiltrating alloreactive as well as Listeria-reactive IFN,-producing T cells. Rejection of the established grafts required both IL-6 and IFNß, cytokines produced during acute Listeria infection. However, IL-6 and IFNß alone, even when present at higher concentrations than during Listeria infection, were insufficient to break tolerance, while the combination of IL-6 and IFNß was sufficient to break tolerance. These and in vitro observations that IL-6 but not IFNß enhanced T cell proliferation while IFNß but not IL-6 enhanced IFN, production support a hypothesis that these cytokines play nonredundant roles. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that the proinflammatory effects of infections can induce the loss of tolerance and acute rejection of accepted allografts. [source] Exacerbation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis after withdrawal of phenytoin and carbamazepineANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2007Joel A. Black PhD Objective In vitro observations and studies in murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) have shown protective effects of sodium channel blockers on central nervous system axons and improved clinical status when treatment is continued throughout the period of observation. Several clinical studies of sodium channel blockers are under way in patients with multiple sclerosis. Here we asked whether a protective effect would persist after withdrawal of a sodium channel blocker. Methods We studied a mouse model of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein,induced EAE treated with phenytoin or carbamazepine. Results Both phenytoin and carbamazepine significantly improved the clinical course of the disease. Withdrawal of phenytoin resulted in acute exacerbation, accompanied by a significantly increased inflammatory infiltrate within the central nervous system and the death of nearly 60% of EAE mice. There were no clinical worsening or deaths in control mice after withdrawal of phenytoin. Withdrawal of carbamazepine led to acute worsening of EAE symptoms, increased inflammatory infiltrate, and was associated with the death of 8% of mice. Interpretation These results, together with results showing effects of sodium channel blockers in immune cells, raise questions about the long-term effects of sodium channel blockers in neuroinflammatory disorders, and suggest that clinical studies of sodium channel blockers in these disorders should be planned carefully. Ann Neurol 2007 [source] Enhancement of in vitro and in vivo microdialysis recovery of SB-265123 using Intralipid® and Encapsin® as perfusatesBIOPHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DISPOSITION, Issue 1 2003Keith W. Ward Abstract This study was conducted to compare the ability of two potential microdialysis perfusates to enhance the recovery of SB-265123, a lipophilic, highly protein-bound compound, both in vitro and in vivo. Initial in vitro experiments established that the recovery of SB-265123 by microdialysis using normal saline as a perfusate was poor (1.7%). Different concentrations of Intralipid® and Encapsin® also were evaluated in an identical in vitro setting, to determine enhancement of recovery. In vitro recovery was enhanced to approximately 24 and 65% with 5 and 20% Intralipid®, and to approximately 59 and 62% with 5 and 20% Encapsin®, respectively. A rat in vivo study was conducted with 20% Encapsin® to confirm the in vitro observations. In the in vivo study, 75,80% recovery of free SB-265123 was achieved using 20% Encapsin® as a perfusate. The results from this study indicate that for SB-265123, a lipophilic, highly protein-bound molecule, Encapsin® is an efficient recovery enhancer in vitro. The results from this investigation further demonstrate that a recovery enhancer may be useful for in vivo applications, even with a compound that is highly bound to plasma protein. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pathogenesis and mechanism of disease progression from hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis to Epstein,Barr virus-associated T-cell lymphoma: Nuclear factor-,B pathway as a potential therapeutic targetCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 9 2007Huai-Chia Chuang Epstein,Barr virus (EBV) can infect T lymphocytes and manifests as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a distinct entity of hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) characterized by fever, hepatosplenomegaly, cytopenia, hypercytokinemia, and systemic macrophage activation with hemophagocytosis. In a substantial percentage of HLH patients, the disease may relapse or progress to T-cell lymphoma in months to years. In the present review, the authors summarize the previous studies on the pathogenesis of HLH and the potential mechanism for the progression of disease from HLH to T-cell lymphoma. The infection of T cells by EBV could activate T cells to secrete proinflammatory cytokines, particularly tumor necrosis factor-, (TNF-,), which subsequently activate macrophages. EBV latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) is the viral product responsible for the activation of the TNF receptor (TNFR) associated factors/nuclear factor-,B (NF-,B)/ERK pathway to enhance cytokine secretion mediated through the suppression of the SAP/SH2D1A gene. The activation of NF-,B will confer resistance to TNF-,-induced apoptosis on EBV-infected T cells through the down-regulation of TNFR-1. Consistent with in vitro observations, EBV-associated T or natural killer/T-cell lymphoma showed constitutive activation of NF-,B, explaining its drug resistance, hypercytokinemia, and poor prognosis. Therefore, similar to other inflammation-associated cancers, HLH provides a unique model to study the mechanism of disease progression from a benign virus-infected disorder (HLH) to T-cell lymphoma. Inhibition of the NF-,B signal pathway should provide a potential target for the treatment of HLH and EBV-associated T-cell lymphoma. (Cancer Sci 2007; 98: 1281,1287) [source] | |||||||||||||