Inhibition of Melanoma Growth by Subcutaneous Administration of hTERTC27 Viral Cocktail in C57BL/6 Mice

hTERTC27 is a 27 kDa C-terminal polypeptide of human telomerase reverse transcriptase that has previously been shown to reduce tumorigenicity of HeLa cells and suppress growth of xenografted glioblastoma in nude mice. Although ectopic expression of hTERTC27 upregulated genes that are involved in apoptosis, cell cycle, and immune response, the mechanism for hTERTC27-induced tumor suppression has not been completely elucidated. Since hTERT was identified as a universal tumor-associated antigen, we hypothesize that hTERTC27 inhibits tumor growth in vivo through activation of anti-tumor immune response. Immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice were used for mouse B16 melanoma model. Mice bearing B16 melanoma were administered rAAV-/rAdv viral cocktail expressing hTERTC27, and tumor growth was monitored after viral cocktail treatment. Blood and splenocytes were used to determine the level of cytokines and the activity of immune cells, respectively. B16 tumor growth was significantly inhibited by subcutaneous administration of a single dose of 1.5×10(11) vg rAAV-hTERTC27 and 2.5×10(9) pfu rAdv-hTERTC27 viral cocktail (rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27). The population and cytotoxicity of NK cells in the mice were significantly augmented by rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27 treatment, and selective depletion of the NK cell population in mice by intraperitoneal injection of anti-GM1 antibody abrogated the growth suppression of melanoma induced by rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27 administration. Activation of NK cells by administration of rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27 is critical for growth suppression of melanoma in mouse model.published_or_final_versio

Importance of bacterial endotoxin (LPS) in endodontics A importância da endotoxina bacteriana (LPS) na endodontia atual

New knowledge of the structure and biological activity of endotoxins (LPS) has revolutionized concepts concerning their mechanisms of action and forms of inactivation. Since the 1980's, technological advances in microbiological culture and identification have shown that anaerobic microorganisms, especially Gram-negative, predominate in root canals of teeth with pulp necrosis and radiographically visible chronic periapical lesions. Gram-negative bacteria not only have different factors of virulence and generate sub-products that are toxic to apical and periapical tissues, as also contain endotoxin (LPS) on their cell wall. This is especially important because endotoxin is released during multiplication or bacterial death, causing a series of biological effects that lead to an inflammatory reaction and resorption of mineralized tissues. Thus, due to the role of endotoxin in the pathogenesis of periapical lesions, we reviewed the literature concerning the biological activity of endotoxin and the relevance of its inactivation during treatment of teeth with pulp necrosis and chronic periapical lesion.<br>O conhecimento mais aprofundado sobre a estrutura e atividade biológica das endotoxinas (LPS) revolucionou os conceitos sobre seu mecanismo de ação e formas de inativação. A partir da década de 80, os avanços tecnológicos na cultura e identificação microbiológica demonstraram que, em canais radiculares de dentes portadores de necrose pulpar e lesão periapical crônica, visível radiograficamente, predominam microrganismos anaeróbios, particularmente os gram-negativos. Como se sabe, os microrganismos gram-negativos, além de possuírem diferentes fatores de virulência e gerarem produtos e sub-produtos tóxicos aos tecidos apicais e periapicais, contêm endotoxina em sua parede celular. Esse conhecimento é particularmente importante, uma vez que a endotoxina é liberada durante a multiplicação ou morte bacteriana, exercendo uma série de efeitos biológicos relevantes, que conduzem a uma reação inflamatória e à reabsorção dos tecidos mineralizados. Tendo em vista o papel da endotoxina na patogênese das lesões periapicais, os autores realizaram uma revisão da literatura específica, abordando suas atividades biológicas e a importância de sua inativação durante o tratamento de dentes portadores de necrose pulpar e lesão periapical