Cardiovascular Risks of Ketogenic Diet for Glut-1 Deficiency

Investigators from Children's Hospitals of Aschaffenburg-Alzenau, Germany, and Essen University, Germany reported on long-term cardiovascular risks of ketogenic diet (KD) treatment for Glut1 Deficiency syndrome (GLUT1-DS).</span

Antibacterial activity of Tuscan Artemisia annua essential oil and its major components against some foodborne pathogens

Recently, the attention of researchers regarding Artemisia annua has been focused on the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil. This oil, rich in mono- and sesquiterpenes, has a strong activity against some Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The aim of our study is to further contribute to the knowledge of the antibacterial activity of an Artemisia annua essential oil collected in Tuscany and its three most represented compounds (artemisia ketone, 1,8-cineole and camphor). The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation gave a yield of 0.37% (w/w fresh plant material). The composition of the essential oil extracted from flowering aerial parts was determined by gas chromatography (GC/FID and GC/MS). The essential oil and compounds were tested for activity against Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhi, Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes, all of which have great significance in foodborne infections. The antibacterial activity was tested using disk diffusion method and broth microdilution assay. The microorganisms tested were all sensitive to the A. annua essential oil in toto and to all its components, which often have lower activity than oil in toto

Autophagy and rheumatoid arthritis: Current knowledges and future perspectives

Autophagy is a degradation mechanism by which cells recycle cytoplasmic components to generate energy. By influencing lymphocyte development, survival, and proliferation, autophagy regulates the immune responses against self and non-self antigens. Deregulation of autophagic pathway has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Indeed, autophagy seems to be involved in the generation of citrullinated peptides, and also in apoptosis resistance in RA. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of autophagy in RA and discuss the possibility of a clinical application of autophagy modulation in this disease

Low expression of estrogen receptor β in T lymphocytes and high serum levels of anti-estrogen receptor α antibodies impact disease activity in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND: Current evidence indicates that estrogens, in particular 17β-estradiol (E2), play a crucial role in the gender bias of autoimmune diseases although the underlying molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. Immune cells have estrogen receptors (ERs), i.e., ERα and ERβ, that play pro- and anti-inflammatory functions, respectively, and the presence of one estrogen receptor (ER) subtype over the other might change estrogen effects, promoting or dampening inflammation. In this study, we contributed to define the influences of E2 on T cells from female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a representative autoimmune disease characterized by a higher prevalence in women than in men (female/male ratio 9:1). Particularly, our aim was to evaluate whether alterations of ERα and ERβ expression in T cells from female SLE patients may impact lymphocyte sensitivity to E2 and anti-ERα antibody (anti-ERα Ab) stimulation interfering with cell signaling and display a direct clinical effect. METHODS: Sixty-one premenopausal female patients with SLE and 40 age-matched healthy donors were recruited. Patients were divided into two groups based on the SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) (i.e., <6 and ≥6). ER expression was evaluated in T lymphocytes by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and Western blot analyses. Serum anti-ERα Ab levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ER-dependent signaling pathways were measured by a phosphoprotein detection kit. RESULTS: Intracellular ERβ expression was significantly lower in T cells from patients with SLEDAI-2K ≥6 as compared with healthy donors and patients with SLEDAI-2K <6 and negatively correlated with disease activity. The expression of intracellular and membrane-associated-ERα was similar in SLE and control T cells. ER-dependent signaling pathways were activated in T cells from SLE patients with SLEDAI-2K ≥6, but not with SLEDAI-2K <6, when both membrane and intracellular ERs were stimulated by co-treatment with E2 and anti-ERα Abs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate an altered ER profile in SLE patients, possibly contributing to SLE pathogenesis and interfering with clinical activity, and highlight the potential exploitation of T cell-associated ERβ as a biomarker of disease activity

The role of dietary sodium intake on the modulation of T helper 17 cells and regulatory T cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus

We aimed at investigating whether the frequency and function of T helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) are affected by a restriction of dietary sodium intake in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We enrolled RA and SLE patients not receiving drugs known to increase urinary sodium excretion. Patients underwent a dietary regimen starting with a restricted daily sodium intake followed by a normal-sodium daily intake. The timepoints were identified at baseline (T0), after 3 weeks of low-sodium dietary regimen (T3), after 2 weeks of normal-sodium dietary regimen (T5). On these visits, we measured the 24-hour urinary sodium excretion, the frequency and function of Th17 and Treg cells in the peripheral blood, the serum levels of cytokines. Analysis of urinary sodium excretion confirmed adherence to the dietary regimen. In RA patients, a trend toward a reduction in the frequencies of Th17 cells over the low-sodium dietary regimen followed by an increase at T5 was observed, while Treg cells exhibited the opposite trend. SLE patients showed a progressive reduction in the percentage of Th17 cells that reached a significance at T5 compared to T0 (p = 0.01) and an increase in the percentage of Treg cells following the low-sodium dietary regimen at both T1 and T3 compared to T0 (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). No significant apoptosis or proliferation modulation was found. In RA patients, we found a reduction at T5 compared to T0 in serum levels of both TGFβ (p = 0.0016) and IL-9 (p = 0.0007); serum IL-9 levels were also reduced in SLE patients at T5 with respect to T0 (p = 0.03). This is the first study investigating the effects of dietary sodium intake on adaptive immunity. Based on the results, we hypothesize that a restricted sodium dietary intake may dampen the inflammatory response in RA and SLE patients

Occurrence of POPs in sediments and tissues of European eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) from two Italian lagoons: Varano and Orbetello

Total levels of persistent organic pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides,and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in sediments and edible tissues (muscle and liver) from a fish species of great local commercial interest (Anguilla anguilla L., yellow phase) were determined in Varano and Orbetello lagoons, Italy. The aim of this study was to improve knowledge on relationships occurring among levels of chemicals in sediments and fish tissues relating them reciprocally and to different intensities of human pressure. Studied ecosystems were selected due to the notable scientific knowledge acquired by previous detailed research on meteorology, geomorphology, hydrodynamics, types and distribution of local factors linked to different sources of human-made pollution. Samplings were performed in July 2009 according to a logic model based on a priori defined factors of interest and obtained results were statistically analysed in order to evaluate the significance of observed data segregation related to the selected factors. Concerning levels measured in sediments, significant differences were observed between lagoons in terms of &#425;PAHs and &#425;OCPs. According to National and international recognised sediment quality guidelines, results evidenced the occurrence of non-critical POPs values in sediments. Results on sediments are associated to very high levels in eel\u27s tissues. Concerning eels, Orbetello lagoon is characterized by significant higher values of &#425;OCPs than Varano, evidencing the presence of an important OCPs local source. Different human pressure levels produce significant differences in both sediments and eel\u27s tissues in Varano and Orbetello lagoons

CCL16/LEC powerfully triggers effector and antigen-presenting functions of macrophages and enhances T cell cytotoxicity

AbstractThe huan CC chemokine CCL16, a liver-expressed chemokine, enhances the killing activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages by triggering their expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and Fas ligand. Macrophages also respond to CCL16 by enhancing their production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, regulated on activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted chemokines, and interleukin (IL)-1β, TNF-α, and IL-12. The effect of CCL16 is almost as strong as that of lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ, two of the best macrophage activators. Moreover, CCL16-activated macrophages overexpress membrane CD80, CD86, and CD40 costimulatory molecules and extensively phagocytose tumor cell debris. On exposure to such debris, they activate a strong, tumor-specific, cytolytic response in virgin T cells. Furthermore, cytolytic T cells generated in the presence of CCL16 display a higher cytotoxicity and activate caspase-8 in tumor target cells. This ability to activate caspase-8 depends on their overexpression of TNF-α and Fas ligand induced by CCL16. These data reveal a new function for CCL16 in the immune-response scenario. CCL16 significantly enhances the effector and the antigen-presenting function of macrophages and augments T cell lytic activity

Atomically precise rhodium nanoclusters: synthesis and characterization of the heterometallic [Rh18Sn3Cl2(CO)33]4- and Rh7Sn4Cl10(CO)14]5- carbonyl compounds

This paper presents a deepening on the investigation of the Rh-Sn system of heterometallic carbonyl clusters. More specifically, we herein report the synthesis and isolation of the new [Rh7Sn4Cl10(CO)14]5− (1) compound and the atomically precise [Rh18Sn3Cl2(CO)33]4− (2) nanocluster. Cluster 1 can be obtained by reacting the [Rh7(CO)16]3− homometallic cluster with hydrated Sn(II) chloride, in acetone; conversely, cluster 2 derives from the previously known [Rh12Sn(CO)23Cl2]4− precursor after controlled addition of diluted sulphuric acid. Notably, only 2 has retained the recurrent Sn-centred icosahedral structural feature, while 1 shows a molecular structure based on two Rh4 tetrahedra joint by one vertex and stabilized by SnCl2 and [SnCl3]− fragments. Both species have been characterized by infrared (IR) analysis in solution, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS)

Pollutants monitoring and air quality evaluation in a confined environment: The ‘Majesty’ of Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the St. Augustine Church in Siena (Italy)

A monitoring campaign of the levels of some organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), perfluoro alkylated substances (PFASs), chlorinated pesticides (4 isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane, hexachlorobenzene, 6 isomers and metabolites of DDT and dieldrin), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in different matrices (dust taken from the floor and under a wall painting and fragments of the 'Majesty' wall painting by Ambrogio Lorenzetti), was conducted in the historical museum of St. Augustine's church in Siena (Italy). Instrumental analyses were made by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The results showed the presence of some organic pollutants (PAHs and PBDEs), whose interaction with the surfaces of works of art are not yet fully elucidated. The study was complemented by monitoring the air quality inside and outside the church for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); all the results showed low levels of air pollution. Copyright (C)2016 Turkish National Committee for Air Pollution Research and Control

TNFα expressed on the surface of microparticles modulates endothelial cell fate in rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a high prevalence of atherosclerosis. Recently increased levels of microparticles (MPs) have been reported in patients with RA. MPs could represent a link between autoimmunity and endothelial dysfunction by expressing tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), a key cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of RA, altering endothelial apoptosis and autophagy. The aim of this study was to investigate TNFα expression on MPs and its relationship with endothelial cell fate. Methods: MPs were purified from peripheral blood from 20 healthy controls (HC) and from 20 patients with RA, before (time (T)0) and after (T4) 4-month treatment with etanercept (ETA). Surface expression of TNFα was performed by flow cytometry analysis. EA.hy926 cells, an immortalized endothelial cell line, were treated with RA-MPs purified at T0 and at T4 and also, with RA-MPs in vitro treated with ETA. Apoptosis and autophagy were then evaluated. Results: RA-MPs purified at T0 expressed TNFα on their surface and this expression significantly decreased at T4. Moreover, at T0 RA-MPs, significantly increased both apoptosis and autophagy levels on endothelial cells, in a dose-dependent manner. RA-MPs did not significantly change these parameters after 4 months of in vivo treatment with ETA. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that MPs isolated from patients with RA exert a pathological effect on endothelial cells by TNFα expressed on their surface. In vivo and in vitro treatment with ETA modulates this effect, suggesting anti-TNF therapy protects against endothelial damage in patients with RA