P-MAPA and interleukin-12 reduce cell migration/invasion and attenuate the toll-like receptor-mediated inflammatory response in ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells : a preliminary study

Immunotherapies have emerged as promising complementary treatments for ovarian cancer (OC), but its effective and direct role on OC cells is unclear. This study examined the combinatory effects of the protein aggregate magnesium–ammonium phospholinoleate–palmitoleate anhydride, known as P-MAPA, and the human recombinant interleukin-12 (hrIL-12) on cell migration/invasion, apoptosis, toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated inflammation, and cytokine/chemokine profile in human OC cell line SKOV-3. P-MAPA and IL-12 showed cancer cell toxicity under low doses after 48 h. Although apoptosis/necrosis and the cell cycle were unchanged by the treatments, P-MAPA enhanced the sensitivity to paclitaxel (PTX) and P-MAPA associated with IL-12 significantly reduced the migratory potential and invasion capacity of SKOV-3 cells. P-MAPA therapy reduced TLR2 immunostaining and the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), but not the TLR4 levels. Moreover, the combination of P-MAPA with IL-12 attenuated the levels of MyD88, interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB p65). The IL-12 levels were increased and P-MAPA stimulated the secretion of cytokines IL-3, IL-9, IL-10, and chemokines MDC/CCL22 and, regulated on activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES)/CCL5. Conversely, combination therapy reduced the levels of IL-3, IL-9, IL-10, MDC/CCL22, and RANTES/CCL5. Collectively, P-MAPA and IL-12 reduce cell dynamics and effectively target the TLR-related downstream molecules, eliciting a protective effect against chemoresistance. P-MAPA also stimulates the secretion of anti-inflammatory molecules, possibly having an immune response in the OC microenvironment2515CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP401040/2016-00708/20182019/00906-6; 2016/03993-9We would like to give a special thanks to Farmabrasilis-Brazil, FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, grant numbers: 2019/00906-6 and 2016/03993-9), CAPES (grant number: 0708/2018), and CNPq (grant number: 401040/2016-0) by providing financial suppor

Dendritic cells-derived exosomes as natural adjuvants in antitumor responses.

Exossomos (Exo) originados de células dendríticas (DCs) carregam moléculas associadas à apresentação antigênica. Neste trabalho procurou-se estabelecer se Exo de DCs seriam capazes de conferir imunogenicidade às células tumorais. Os Exo isolados de culturas de DCs expressavam as moléculas HLA-ABC, HLA-DR, CD86, CD11c, CD81, CD54 e CD18. Estes foram então adicionados às células da linhagem humana de adenocarcinoma mamário, SK-BR-3, as quais passaram a expressar as moléculas HLA-DR, CD86 e CD11c. As células tumorais modificadas pelos Exo induziram a produção de IL-6 e IL-10, detectados no sobrenadante das co-culturas destas com linfócitos T. Estas células tumorais também induziram aumento do número de linfócitos produtores de IFN-g, pré-sensibilizados contra antígenos tumorais, e aumento da expressão de SOCS3 nestes. Em conclusão, nossos resultados mostram que, Exo de DCs alteram o fenótipo de células tumorais, modificando sua interação com linfócitos T, sem induzir nas mesmas capacidade de ativar respostas proliferativas ou citotóxicas de linfócitos T in vitro.Exosomes (Exo) originated from dendritic cells (DCs) contain molecules involved in antigen presentation. The present work sought to determine if Exo from DCs would be able to transfer immunogenicity to tumor cells. Exo isolated from DCs cultures carried HLA-ABC, HLA-DR, CD86, CD11c, CD81, CD54 and CD18. These Exo were added to cultures of the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line, SK-BR-3, which gained expression of HLA-DR, CD86 and CD11c. Tumor cells modified by Exo induced IL-6 and IL-10 production, detected in the supernatant of their co-cultures with T lymphocytes. These tumor cells also induced an increase in the frequency of IFN-g-producing T lymphocytes, pre-sensitized against tumor antigens, and an increased expression of SOCS3. In conclusion, our results show that, Exo from DCs affect the phenotype of tumor cells, modifying their interaction with T lymphocytes, without inducing the ability to activate cytotoxic or T cell proliferative responses in vitro

Fatores de crescimento e citocinas envolvidos na angiogênese de melanoma em animais selecionados pela intensidade da resposta inflamatória aguda

Camundongos AIRmax e AIRmin selecionados de acordo com a intensidade da resposta inflamatoria aguda apresentam variacoes na suscetibilidade ou resistencia ao desenvolvimento de tumores. Considerando a importancia da resposta inflamatoria no desenvolvimento tumoral e que mediadores desta resposta influenciam a angiogenese, o presente trabalho avaliou os perfis de expressao no baco de mRNA de VEGF, FGF-2 e TGF-ß pela tecnica da PCR em tempo real e o numero de celulas produtoras das citocinas IL-6, TNF-alfa, IL-10, IL-2, IL-12 e IFN-y pela tecnica de ELISpot envolvidas na neovascularizacao nos animais AIRmax e AIRmin. Para tanto, estes animais foram implantados com celulas de melanomas murino B16F10 e S91 e avaliados quanto ao crescimento tumoral, presenca de metastases e expressao dos mediadores citados aos 7, 14 e 30 dias apos inoculo subcutaneo. Nossos resultados demonstraram que os animais AIRmin tiveram maior capacidade de conter o crescimento de melanoma B16F10 do que os animais AIRmax, embora diferencas significativas em relacao ao fatores envolvidos na angiogenese nao tenham sido encontradas. Os animais AIRmin implantados com melanoma S91 tambem apresentaram menor frequencia de crescimento tumoral, ainda que esses animais tenham apresentado mais fatores envolvidos na angiogenese, como maior expressao de mRNA de VEGF e maior numero de celulas produtoras de IL-6 e TNF-alfa. Assim, e possivel que o melhor controle do crescimento tumoral em animais AIRmin seja decorrente de sua capacidade de gerar maior numero de celulas produtoras de IFN-y e menor numero daquelas produtoras de IL-10.Not available.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Enhanced natural killer activity and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in mice selected for high acute inflammatory response (AIRmax)

Strains of mice with maximal and minimal acute inflammatory responsiveness (AIRmax and AIRmin, respectively) were developed through selective breeding based on their high- or low-acute inflammatory responsiveness. Previous reports have shown that AIRmax mice are more resistant to the development of a variety of tumours than AIRmin mice, including spontaneous metastasis of murine melanoma. Natural killer activity is involved in immunosurveillance against tumour development, so we analysed the number and activity of natural killer cells (CD49b+), T-lymphocyte subsets and in vitro cytokine production by spleen cells of normal AIRmax and AIRmin mice. Analysis of lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry showed that AIRmax mice had a higher relative number of CD49b+ cells than AIRmin mice, as well as cytolytic activity against Yac.1 target cells. The number of CD3+ CD8+ cells was also higher in AIRmax mice. These findings were associated with the ability of spleen cells from AIRmax mice in vitro to produce higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-12p40 and interferon-γ but not the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10. Taken together, our data suggest that the selective breeding to achieve the AIRmax and AIRmin strains was able to polarize the genes associated with cytotoxic activity, which can be responsible for the antitumour resistance observed in AIRmax mice

Dendritic cell-derived exosomes may be a tool for cancer immunotherapy by converting tumor cells into immunogenic targets

Dendritic cells (DCs) have been attracting attention in cancer immunotherapy because of their role in inducing and modulating effective immune responses. Besides the direct contact with other cell types and the secretion of cytokines, it is becoming clear that nanovesicles, such as exosomes (Exo), secreted by DCs also have a role in their function. Conversely, tumor-derived Exo carry antigens and have been used as a source of specific stimulus for the immune response against tumors. At the same time, several works have shown that different cells types incorporate DC-derived Exo (DC-Exo) resulting in modifications of their phenotype and function. Since DC-Exo carry many of the immune function-associated molecules of DCs, their incorporation by tumor cells could turn tumor cells into immunogenic targets. We have, therefore, treated human breast adenocarcinoma cells (SK-BR-3) with DCs-Exo and used these to stimulate previously SK-BR-3-primed CD3+ T cells. Sensitized T cells cultured with DC-Exo-treated tumor cells showed a significantly higher percentage of IFN-gamma-secreting cells (as measured by ELISPOT), when compared to the frequency of cells responding to non-DC-Exo-treated cells. These data show that the incorporation of DC-Exo by the tumor cells increased their ability to activate T cells for a possibly more effective response, thus showing that DC-Exo may become another tool in cancer immunotherap

Silibinin Downregulates the NF-κB Pathway and NLRP1/NLRP3 Inflammasomes in Monocytes from Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is a human pregnancy-specific syndrome with abnormal activation of cells from the innate immune system. The present study evaluated whether silibinin (SB) treatment of monocytes from preeclamptic women could modulate NLRP1 and NLRP3 inflammasomes as well as TLR4/NF-κB pathway activation. Peripheral blood monocytes from 20 preeclamptic and 20 normotensive (NT) pregnant women, as well as the THP-1 cell line, were cultured with or without monosodium urate (MSU) or SB. NLRP1, NLRP3, Caspase-1, TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α and IL-10 gene expression by monocytes was analysed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), while inflammatory cytokine production and p65NF-κB activity were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and NLRP1/NLRP3 inflammasomes pathways in THP-1 cells were evaluated by flow cytometry and western blot respectively. Compared with NT women, monocytes from preeclamptic women showed The Ethics Committee of the Botucatu Medical School approved the study (protocol number 2.333.216)higher endogenous activation of NLRP1/NLRP3 inflammasomes and the TLR4/NF-κB pathway as well as higher gene and protein expression of IL-1β, IL-18 and TNF-α, and lower expression of IL-10. Monocyte stimulation with MSU increased inflammation-related genes as well as NF-κB activity. In vitro, SB treatment of monocytes from preeclamptic women reduced the basal activation of these cells by decreasing NLRP1/NLRP3 inflammasomes and p65NF-κB activity. THP-1 cells exhibited a similar immunological response profile to monocytes from preeclamptic women when cultured with or without MSU or SB. These results suggest uric acid participates in the systemic inflammatory response characteristic of preeclampsia and that in vitro SB treatment can modulate the sterile inflammation established in monocytes from preeclamptic women

Where Is Europe? The contribution of the portuguese TV to the coverage of the 2019 elections to the European Parliament

A pesar del impacto y la importancia legislativa de la gobernanza de la UE en nuestras vidas, un importante cuerpo de investigación ha argumentado que hasta ahora no ha habido una agenda de noticias europea comprometida y centrada en fomentar la participación ciudadana en los asuntos de la UE para construir un sentido de europeidad o una esfera pública discursiva europeizada. El objetivo principal de nuestro estudio fue evaluar el papel de la televisión portuguesa a la hora de informar al público y contextualizar los problemas planteados por las elecciones al PE y el proceso subyacente de la construcción europea. En Portugal, la televisión sigue siendo un medio privilegiado para que los ciudadanos accedan a la información. Dado que los noticieros televisivos en horario de máxima audiencia logran alcanzar los índices de audiencia más altos, nuestro objetivo era analizar los noticieros de RTP1, SIC y TVI entre el 13 y 26 de mayo, período de la campaña electoral. Un análisis crítico del discurso (combinando métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos) se realizó para evaluar el interés periodístico de Europa. ¿Dónde está Europa? - y la interconexión entre los sistemas de representación, construcción de identidad y ciudadanía participativa.Projeto de investigação desenvolvido com o apoio do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, no âmbito do Concurso IDI&CA - ref. IPL/2019/NVE-CEPE_ESCSinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio