Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 Attenuates Allergy Development in a Pig Model

HN001 (HN001) supplementation decreased the prevalence of eczema and IgE associated eczema. However, the influence of HN001 on the incidence of wheeze, asthma, and/or other allergic manifestations has yet to be reported.This study was conducted to determine the effects of the probiotic HN001 on the development of allergic lung disease in a pig model. allergen (ASA) during a six week time frame in post-weanling pigs supplemented daily with HN001, or without supplementation. One week following final sensitization intradermal skin tests and respiratory challenges were conducted.In response to intradermal and respiratory challenges, ASA-sensitized pigs fed HN001 had less severe skin flare reactions, smaller increases in pleural pressure, and trends towards lower changes in arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressure levels compared to control pigs. The frequency of ASA-specific IFN-γ-secreting peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as well as the amount of IL-10 produced by ASA-specific cells, was of greater magnitude in probiotic-fed pigs compared to control animals. These observations suggest that differences in clinical responses to the allergen challenges may be related to probiotic-induced modulation of Th1 (IFN-γ) and regulatory (IL-10) cytokine expression.Probiotic supplementation decreased the severity of allergic skin and lung responses in allergen-sensitized pigs with a corresponding increase in IFN-γ expression. A similar correlation between certain allergic responses and increased IFN-γ expression has been reported in human clinical studies of allergy; this pig model of allergy may be indicative of potential probiotic modulation of allergic lung disease in humans

Extended Interferon-Alpha Therapy Accelerates Telomere Length Loss in Human Peripheral Blood T Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: Type I interferons have pleiotropic effects on host cells, including inhibiting telomerase in lymphocytes and antiviral activity. We tested the hypothesis that long-term interferon treatment would result in significant reduction in average telomere length in peripheral blood T lymphocytes. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using a flow cytometry-based telomere length assay on peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples from the Hepatitis-C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) study, we measured T cell telomere lengths at screening and at months 21 and 45 in 29 Hepatitis-C virus infected subjects. These subjects had failed to achieve a sustained virologic response following 24 weeks of pegylated-interferon-alpha plus ribavirin treatment and were subsequently randomized to either a no additional therapy group or a maintenance dose pegylated-IFNalpha group for an additional 3.5 years. Significant telomere loss in naive T cells occurred in the first 21 months in the interferon-alpha group. Telomere losses were similar in both groups during the final two years. Expansion of CD8(+)CD45RA(+)CD57(+) memory T cells and an inverse correlation of alanine aminotransferase levels with naive CD8(+) T cell telomere loss were observed in the control group but not in the interferon-alpha group. Telomere length at screening inversely correlated with Hepatitis-C viral load and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Sustained interferon-alpha treatment increased telomere loss in naive T cells, and inhibited the accumulation of T cell memory expansions. The durability of this effect and consequences for immune senescence need to be defined

LINC-anchored actin cap connects the extracellular milieu to the nucleus for ultrafast mechanotransduction

PMC3548190Cells continuously sense and respond to external mechanical forces through their cytoskeleton. Here we show that only a small subset of actin fibers, those forming the perinuclear actin cap that wraps around the nucleus, form in response to low physiological mechanical stresses in adherent fibroblasts. While conventional basal stress fibers form only past a threshold shear stress of 0.5 dyn/cm(2), actin-cap fibers are formed at shear stresses 50 times lower and orders-of-magnitude faster than biochemical stimulation. This fast differential response is uniquely mediated by focal adhesion protein zyxin at low shear stress and actomyosin fibers of the actin cap. We identify additional roles for lamin A/C of the nuclear lamina and linkers of nucleus to cytoskeleton (LINC) molecules nesprin2giant and nesprin3, which anchor actin cap fibers to the nucleus. These results suggest an interconnected physical pathway for mechanotransduction, from the extracellular milieu to the nucleus.JH Libraries Open Access Fun

Characterization of the chlorosome antenna of the filamentous anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Chloronema sp strain UdG9001

The absorption and fluorescence properties of chlorosomes of the filamentous anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Chloronema sp. strain UdG9001 were analyzed. The chlorosome antenna of Chloronema consists of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) d and BChl c together with γ-carotene as the main carotenoid. HPLC analysis combined with APCI LC-MS/MS showed that the chlorosomal BChls comprise a highly diverse array of homologues that differ in both the degree of alkylation of the macrocycle at C-8 and/or C-12 and the alcohol moiety esterified to the propionic acid group at C-17. BChl c and BChl d from Chloronema were mainly esterified with geranylgeraniol (33% of the total), heptadecanol (24%), octadecenol (19%), octadecanol (14%), and hexadecenol (9%). Despite this pigment heterogeneity, fluorescence emission of the chlorosomes showed a single peak centered at 765 nm upon excitation at wavelengths ranging from 710 to 740 nm. This single emission, assigned to BChl c, indicates an energy transfer from BChl d to BChl c within the same chlorosome. Likewise, incubation of chlorosomes under reducing conditions caused a weak increase in fluorescence emission, which indicates a small redox-dependent fluorescence. Finally, protein analysis of Chloronema chlorosomes using SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF-MS revealed the presence of a chlorosomal polypeptide with a molecular mass of 5.7 kDa, resembling the CsmA protein found in Chloroflexus aurantiacus and Chlorobium tepidum chlorosomes. Several minor polypeptides were also detected but not identified. These results indicate that, compared with other members of filamentous anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria and green sulfur bacteria, Chloronema possesses an antenna system with novel features that may be of interest for further investigations

Membrane Potential Determined by Flow Cytometry Predicts Fertilizing Ability of Human Sperm

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Occurrence et devenir des polluants émergents (antibiotiques) dans un aquifère alluvial et leur influence sur les bactéries multi-résistantes (Bas-Fluvià, Catalogne)

Les polluants émergents (EOCs, et parmi eux des antibiotiques vétérinaires) par rapport à l'utilisation de fumier dans les activités agricoles sont de grande préoccupation sur la qualité des eaux. Ils sont ainsi responsables des changements dans les communautés microbiologiques existants dans les aquifères qui, à son tour, peuvent supposer un risque pour la santé humaine. Ce travail vise à étudier le comportement des antibiotiques dans les eaux et leur influence sur la capacité des communautés microbiennes à résister à leur présence. Le site d'étude est localisé dans l'aquifère alluvial du Fluvià à l'Empordà (NE Catalogne, Espagne). Les échantillons correspondent à des eaux souterraines (47), des eaux de surface (7) et des effluents de stations de traitement d'eaux usées (2). Tous les échantillons ont été analysés pour les paramètres hydrochimiques, isotopiques, des EOCs et des gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques. 11 antibiotiques distincts ont été trouvés (concentrations à l'ordre de ng/L) dans des échantillons d'eaux souterraines, correspondant à 4 groupes chimiques : fluoroquinilones (ciprofloxacine, danofloxacine, enrofloxacine, norfloxacine, ofloxacine, orbifloxacine), les macrolides (azithromycine), les quinolones (fluméquine, acide oxolinique, acide pipémidique) et les sulfamides (sulfaméthoxazole). Dans les échantillons d'eaux de surface, 5 antibiotiques différents ont été quantifiés à partir de 2 groupes chimiques : fluoroquinilones (ciprofloxacine, enrofloxacine, norfloxacine, orbifloxacine) et les sulfamides (sulfaméthoxazole). La résistance des communautés microbiennes a également été testé positive. Ce cas d'étude souligne les multiples aspects de la pollution aux antibiotiques qui peut influencer la qualité des eaux souterraines

Occurrence et devenir des polluants émergents (antibiotiques) dans un aquifère alluvial et leur influence sur les bactéries multi-résistantes (Bas-Fluvià, Catalogne)

Les polluants émergents (EOCs, et parmi eux des antibiotiques vétérinaires) par rapport à l'utilisation de fumier dans les activités agricoles sont de grande préoccupation sur la qualité des eaux. Ils sont ainsi responsables des changements dans les communautés microbiologiques existants dans les aquifères qui, à son tour, peuvent supposer un risque pour la santé humaine. Ce travail vise à étudier le comportement des antibiotiques dans les eaux et leur influence sur la capacité des communautés microbiennes à résister à leur présence. Le site d'étude est localisé dans l'aquifère alluvial du Fluvià à l'Empordà (NE Catalogne, Espagne). Les échantillons correspondent à des eaux souterraines (47), des eaux de surface (7) et des effluents de stations de traitement d'eaux usées (2). Tous les échantillons ont été analysés pour les paramètres hydrochimiques, isotopiques, des EOCs et des gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques. 11 antibiotiques distincts ont été trouvés (concentrations à l'ordre de ng/L) dans des échantillons d'eaux souterraines, correspondant à 4 groupes chimiques : fluoroquinilones (ciprofloxacine, danofloxacine, enrofloxacine, norfloxacine, ofloxacine, orbifloxacine), les macrolides (azithromycine), les quinolones (fluméquine, acide oxolinique, acide pipémidique) et les sulfamides (sulfaméthoxazole). Dans les échantillons d'eaux de surface, 5 antibiotiques différents ont été quantifiés à partir de 2 groupes chimiques : fluoroquinilones (ciprofloxacine, enrofloxacine, norfloxacine, orbifloxacine) et les sulfamides (sulfaméthoxazole). La résistance des communautés microbiennes a également été testé positive. Ce cas d'étude souligne les multiples aspects de la pollution aux antibiotiques qui peut influencer la qualité des eaux souterraines