Currently, it is accepted that brain injury promotes endogenous neurogenesis in mammals, primarily in the subventricular zone (SVZ), and newborn cells can migrate to the injured area. We examined the pattern of endogenous neurogenesis in adult rats after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) that was caused by intrastrial administration of collagenase type ...

We used ultraviolet (UV)-induced fin damage in zebrafish as a system for evaluating the chemopreventive potential of flavonoids. Chemopreventive effects of each compound, including flavone, flavanone, and chalcone, on fin development were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results showed that 1) flavone has the highest capacity ...

Opioids have been shown to affect both innate and adaptive immunity. We previously showed that morphine affect the macrophage production of pro-inflammatory cytokines after LPS in a NFkB dependent manner. Toll like receptors (TLRs) play a crucial role in the signaling pathways which leads to NFkB activation. TLR4 is considered ...

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated cytokines and chemokine in different regions of the rat brain at different time points following Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. DESIGN: Twelve-day-old Wistar rats were infected by intracerebral inoculation of 3 × 10(6) plaque-forming units of JEV 78668A strain. Expression of cytokines and chemokine was assayed using cytokine ...

Microglia are the resident immune cells within the brain and their production of immune molecules such as cytokines and chemokines is critical for the processes of normal brain development including neurogenesis, axonal migration, synapse formation, and programmed cell death. Notably, sex differences exist in many of these processes throughout brain ...

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is composed of tightly bound endothelial cells (ECs) and perivascular astrocytes that regulate central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. We showed that astrocytes secrete Sonic hedgehog and that BBB ECs express Hedgehog (Hh) receptors, which together promote BBB formation and integrity during embryonic development and adulthood. Using ...

Neutrophils play a major role in acute inflammation by generating reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. Opioid peptides, including enkephalins, are present at inflammation sites. Neutrophils contribute to protect against inflammatory pain by releasing opioid peptides. In this investigation, the ability of human polymorphonuclear cells to induce oxidative and nitrative modifications of Leu-enkephalin ...

Although radiation related research has been conducted extensively, the molecular toxicology and cellular mechanisms affected by proton radiation remain poorly understood. We recently reported that the high energy protons induce cell death through activation of apoptotic signaling genes; caspase 3 and 8 (Baluchamy et al. J Biol Chem 285:24769-24774, 2010). ...

HS1-associated protein X1 (HAX-1) is a mitochondrial protein which interacts with a diverse group of molecules such as inflammatory cytokines; interleukin-1, hematopoietic lineage specific protein-1 and vimentin. It has been reported that HAX-1 may act as antiapoptotic protein in HeLa- and Jurkat cells after Fas-treatment, irradiation or serum deprivation. This ...

Macrophages are viewed as amplifiers of ischemic brain injury, but the origin of injury-producing macrophages is poorly defined. The role of resident brain macrophages-microglial cells-in stroke remains controversial. To determine whether microglial cells exert injurious effects after neonatal focal stroke, we selectively depleted these cells with intracerebral injection of liposome-encapsulated ...

It is becoming increasingly evident that peripheral organ centered inflammatory diseases, including chronic inflammatory liver diseases, are associated with changes in central neural transmission that result in alterations in behavior. These behavioral changes include sickness behaviors such as fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, mood disorders, and sleep disturbances. While such behaviors have ...

It is increasingly evident that neuroinflammatory mechanisms are implicated in the pathogenesis of the central nervous system (CNS) complications (intracranial hypertension, brain herniation) of acute liver failure (ALF). Neuroinflammation in ALF is characterized by microglial activation and arterio-venous difference studies as well as studies of gene expression confirm local brain ...

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used as a plasticizer in plastics. Its reproductive toxicity and teratogenic effects are well known. DEHP can cause liver damage and peroxisome proliferation, as well as carcinogenesis. Animal study has shown that DEHP causes neurodegeneration in rat brain. Prenatal exposure to DEHP disrupts brain development ...

Inflammation is a complex vascular response that has evolved to eliminate infection and to repair injured tissue. It is subject to tight regulatory control of its initiation and resolution. Failure of an inflammatory response to resolve has become recognised as a major contributor to the pathology of diverse diseases (including ...

Homeostasis of the brain is dependent on the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This barrier tightly regulates the exchange of essential nutrients and limits the free flow of immune cells into the central nervous system (CNS). Perturbations of BBB function and the loss its immune quiescence are hallmarks of a variety of ...

The inflammatory response following traumatic injury to the central nervous system (CNS) includes the infiltration of large numbers of macrophages. This response has been implicated in both ongoing tissue damage as well as recovery following CNS injury. We investigated the role of invading macrophages on one important aspect of tissue ...

We have reported previously that millimeter waves (MMWs) protect T-cell functions from the toxic side effects of cyclophosphamide (CPA), an anticancer drug. Since the effect of MMWs has been reported to be mediated by endogenous opioids, the present study was undertaken to investigate the role of endogenous opioids in protection ...

There is a significant literature showing that morphine and other opioids modulate immune responses. The literature supports many mechanisms by which this may occur. In vitro experiments provide evidence for direct actions of opioids on immune cells using a variety of functional end-points. When these drugs are given in vivo, ...

This study was carried out to investigate the protective role of taurine (2-aminoethanesulphonicacid) against morphine-induced neurotoxicity in C6 cells. It was found that taurine significantly increased the viability of C6 cells treated by morphine, showing the neuroprotective role against morphine-induced neurotoxicity. However, such neuroprotective effect of taurine could not be ...

Glucocorticoids are used to treat respiratory dysfunction associated with premature birth but have been shown to cause neurodevelopmental deficits when used therapeutically. Recently, we established that acute glucocorticoid exposure at clinically relevant doses produces neural progenitor cell apoptosis in the external granule layer of the developing mouse cerebellum and permanent ...

In this study, we describe the presence of apoptosis, associated with a mitochondrial dysfunction in the hippocampus of animals in an experimental model defined as minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). This experimental model was studied after 10 days of induced portal vein calibrated stricture, leading to portal hypertension and to a moderate ...

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1-α (PGC1α) is a transcriptional coactivator able to up-regulate mitochondrial biogenesis, respiratory capacity, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid β-oxidation with the final aim of providing a more efficient pathway for aerobic energy production. In the continuously renewed intestinal epithelium, proliferative cells in the crypts migrate along ...

Increasing awareness of the role of intestinal commensal bacteria in the development and modulation of the immune system has led to great interest in the therapeutic potential of probiotics and other bacteria-based strategies for a range of immune-related disorders. Studies in animal models have identified strong immunomodulatory effects of many ...

We have previously shown that deletion of GOA1 (growth and oxidant adaptation) of Candida albicans results in a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP synthesis, increased sensitivity to oxidants and killing by human neutrophils, and avirulence in a systemic model of candidiasis. We established that translocation of Goa1p to mitochondria ...

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a secreted member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily that binds to the ligand for receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANKL) and inhibits bone resorption. OPG can also bind and inhibit the activity of the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL), raising the possibility that the ...

This review critically evaluates the existing biological evidence regarding the immediate and short-term respiratory consequences of secondhand smoke (SHS). A 1-h exposure to SHS at bar/restaurant levels generates a marked inflammatory reaction and significant decrements on lung function. These deleterious effects of SHS are exacerbated when physical activity follows the ...

Oral Diseases (2011) 17, 129-142 Osteoclasts are cells essential for physiologic remodeling of bone and also play important physiologic and pathologic roles in the dentofacial complex. Osteoclasts and odontoclasts are necessary for tooth eruption yet result in dental compromise when associated with permanent tooth internal or external resorption. The determinants ...

Endogenous opioid peptides comprise a group of bioregulatory factors involved in regulation of functional activity of various physiological systems of an organism. One of most important functions of endogenous opioids is their involvement in the interaction between cells of the nervous and immune systems. Summary data on the effects of ...

In this study, we demonstrated a new airway Ag sampling site by analyzing tissue sections of the murine nasal passages. We revealed the presence of respiratory M cells, which had the ability to take up OVA and recombinant Salmonella typhimurium expressing GFP, in the turbinates covered with single-layer epithelium. These ...

The molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation of innate and adaptive proallergic Th2-type responses in the airways are not well understood. IL-33 is a new member of the IL-1 family of molecules that is implicated in Th2-type responses. Airway exposure of naive mice to a common environmental aeroallergen, the fungus Alternaria ...

Macrolide antibiotics inhibit the secretion of Th1 cytokines while their effects on the release of Th2 cytokines are variable. We investigated molecular and cellular markers of Th1- and Th2-mediated inflammatory mechanisms and the anti-inflammatory activity of azithromycin and clarithromycin in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and oxazolone (OXA)-induced skin inflammation. Dexamethasone ...

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), caused by influenza A virus H5N1 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), supposedly depend on activation of the oxidative-stress machinery that is coupled with innate immunity, resulting in a strong proinflammatory host response. Inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 1β ...

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the commonest genetically inherited diseases in the world. It is characterized by recurrent respiratory tract infections eventually leading to respiratory failure. One of the hallmarks of this disease is a persistent and predominantly neutrophil driven inflammation. Neutrophils provide the first line of defence by ...

In this study, we determined the effects of norepinephrine (NE) on immunity and the pathway of its function in the freshwater giant prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The total hemocyte count (THC), differential hemocyte count (DHC), phenoloxidase activity, respiratory bursts, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, phagocytic activity, and clearance efficiency in response to ...

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is associated with bisphosphonate (BP) therapy. BPs alter osteoblast production of mediators of osteoclastogenesis, including interleukin (IL)-6, RANKL and osteoprotegerin (OPG), a RANKL antagonist. This can inhibit bone turnover and lead to necrosis. There is little information on the contribution of gingival fibroblasts, near bone-resorption ...

Human parvovirus B19 (B19) has been, for decades, the only parvovirus known to be pathogenic in humans. Another pathogenic human parvovirus, human bocavirus (HBoV), was recently identified in respiratory samples from children with acute lower respiratory tract symptoms. Both B19 and HBoV are transmitted by the respiratory route. The vast ...

Plastoquinone, a very effective electron carrier and antioxidant of chloroplasts, was conjugated with decyltriphenylphosphonium to obtain a cation easily penetrating through membranes. This cation, called SkQ1, is specifically targeted to mitochondria by electrophoresis in the electric field formed by the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The respiratory chain also regenerates reduced SkQ1H2 ...

Mechanical ventilation with hyperoxia is a necessary treatment for patients with respiratory distress. However, patients on mechanical ventilation have increased susceptibility to infection. Studies including ours have shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated by exposure to prolonged hyperoxia, can cause a decrease in the phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages. ...

We previously found that ginsenoside Rd (Rd), one of the major active ingredients in Panax ginseng, protects neuronal cells from hydrogen peroxide and oxygen-glucose deprivation, an in vitro model of cerebral ischemia. In this study, we examined the protective effects of Rd in an animal model of focal cerebral ischemia. ...

Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing multinucleated cells derived from the monocyte-macrophage lineage. Bone-forming osteoblasts play a role in the formation of osteoclasts. Osteoblasts/stromal cells express two cytokines essential for osteoclastogenesis: receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). Using RANKL and M-CSF, osteoclasts can be induced from ...

Dilute ethanol (EtOH) is a widely used agent to remove the corneal epithelium during the modern refractive surgery. The application of EtOH may cause the underlying corneal fibroblasts to undergo apoptosis. This study was designed to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of the respiratory chain coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)), ...

Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) present with severe airway destruction and extensive bronchiectasis. It has been assumed that these structural airway changes have occurred secondary to infection and inflammation, but recent studies suggest that glycosaminoglycan (GAG) remodelling may be an important independent parallel process. Evidence is accumulating that not only ...

The developing brain is susceptible to hypoxic damage because of its high oxygen and energy requirements. Hypoxia-induced inflammatory response has been recognized as one of the main culprits in the development of hypoxic brain injury. In this regard, a hallmark feature is microglial activation which results in overproduction of inflammatory ...

The contribution of neuroinflammation and specifically brain lymphocyte invasion is increasingly recognised as a substantial pathophysiological mechanism after stroke. FTY720 is a potent treatment for primary neuroinflammatory diseases by inhibiting lymphocyte circulation and brain immigration. Previous studies using transient focal ischemia models showed a protective effect of FTY720 but did ...

Bacterial endotoxin, long recognized as a potent pro-inflammatory mediator in acute infectious processes, has more recently been identified as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. When endotoxin enters the bloodstream, one of the first cells activated is the circulating monocyte, which exhibits a wide range of pro-inflammatory ...

The airway epithelium acts as a frontline defense against respiratory viruses, not only as a physical barrier and through the mucociliary apparatus but also through its immunological functions. It initiates multiple innate and adaptive immune mechanisms which are crucial for efficient antiviral responses. The interaction between respiratory viruses and airway ...

Neutrophils play a central role in the innate immune response and a critical role in bacterial killing. Most studies of neutrophil function have been conducted under conditions of ambient oxygen, but inflamed sites where neutrophils operate may be extremely hypoxic. Previous studies indicate that neutrophils sense and respond to hypoxia ...

Bone destruction associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is mainly attributed to the abnormal activation of osteoclasts, which are terminally differentiated cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage that resorb bone matrix. Studies on the immune regulation of osteoclasts in RA have promoted the new research field of "osteoimmunology", which investigates the interplay of ...

Periprosthetic osteolysis can lead to aseptic loosening of components, massive bone loss that renders revision surgery substantially more complex. Recent researches had been demonstrated the biological cascade of events that was initiated by particulate debris and involved in proinflammatory cytokine production and osteoclastogenesis, finally resulted in periprosthetic bone loss. Recent ...

Recently, inflammation has been implicated in the progression of cerebral ischemic injury. Especially, T lymphocytes have been shown to infiltrate into the ischemic brain 24 hours after the onset, however, the function and specific subpopulation of these infiltrated T lymphocytes have not been fully understood. By using cytokine-deficient mice with ...