Aging diminishes the resistance of AO rats to EAE: putative role of enhanced generation of GM-CSF Expressing CD4+T cells in aged rats

Background: Aging influences immune response and susceptibility to EAE in a strain specific manner. The study was designed to examine influence of aging on EAE induction in Albino Oxford (AO) rats. Results: Differently from 3-month-old (young) rats, which were resistant to EAE induction, the majority of aged (24-26-month-old) rats developed mild chronic form of EAE. On 16th day post-immunization, when in aged rats the neurological deficit reached plateau, more mononuclear cells, including CD4+ T lymphocytes was retrieved from spinal cord of aged than young rats. The frequencies of IL-17+ and GM-CSF+ cells within spinal cord infiltrating CD4+ lymphocytes were greater in aged rats. To their increased frequency contributed the expansion of GM-CSF + IL-17 + IFN-gamma+ cells, which are highly pathogenic in mice. The expression of the cytokines (IL-1 beta and IL-23/p19) driving GM-CSF + IL-17 + IFN-gamma + cell differentiation in mice was also augmented in aged rat spinal cord mononuclear cells. Additionally, in aged rat spinal cord the expansion of GM-CSF + IL-17-IFN-gamma- CD4+ T lymphocytes was found. Consistently, the expression of mRNAs for IL-3, the cytokine exhibiting the same expression pattern as GM-CSF, and IL-7, the cytokine driving differentiation of GM-CSF + IL-17-IFN-gamma- CD4 + lymphocytes in mice, was upregulated in aged rat spinal cord mononuclear cells, and the tissue, respectively. This was in accordance with the enhanced generation of the brain antigen-specific GM-CSF+ CD4+ lymphocytes in aged rat draining lymph nodes, as suggested by (i) the higher frequency of GM-CSF+ cells (reflecting the expansion of IL-17-IFN-gamma- cells) within their CD4+ lymphocytes and (ii) the upregulated GM-CSF and IL-3 mRNA expression in fresh CD4+ lymphocytes and MBP-stimulated draining lymph node cells and IL-7 mRNA in lymph node tissue from aged rats. In agreement with the upregulated GM-CSF expression in aged rats, strikingly more CD11b + CD45(int) (activated microglia) and CD45(hi) (mainly proinflammatory dendritic cells and macrophages) cells was retrieved from aged than young rat spinal cord. Besides, expression of mRNA for SOCS1, a negative regulator of proinflammatory cytokine expression in innate immunity cells, was downregulated in aged rat spinal cord mononuclear cells. Conclusions: The study revealed that aging may overcome genetic resistance to EAE, and indicated the cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to this phenomenon in AO rats

Impact of the CCB and ACQ – type preservatieves on the soil environment

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań emisji składników preparatów grzybobójczych do gleb. Doświadczenia przeprowadzono na zróżnicowanych pod względem właściwości chemicznych i fizycznych profilach glebowych pochodzących z Północneji Środkowej Polski (gleby brunatnoziemne, czarnoziemne, napływowe mady, gleby bielicowe, torfowe – grunty rolne i leśne). Badano doświadczalne preparaty miedziowo-amoniowe, miedziowo-borowo-amoniowe typu ACQ oraz miedziowo-chromowo-borowe (CCB). Określono zawartość w glebach jonów metali: miedzii chromu oraz kationów bliźniaczych i monoamoniowych cieczy jonowych, poekspozycji nasyconego drewna w teście ziemno-klockowym.The article presents the results of experiments on copper-chromium-borate (CCB) agents, copper-ammonium and copper-borate-ammonium agents of ACQ-type (ammonium copper quats) from the side of their influence on the soil environment. The aim of the experiments was to determine the contamination of soils with ions of copper and chromium as well as cations of ionic liquids, which were found in the formulas of fungicidal agents used in the experiments. The contamination was determined based on multi-week exposure of impregnated pine wood Pinus sylvestris L. in direct contact with the soil. The assessment of ionic liquids adsorption to and desorption from soils was carried out in accordance with the guidelines of OECD no. 106 (2000) concerning tests of chemical substances in the soil environment. Six types of soils (brown soil, black soil, alluvial soil, peat soil, podzolic soils and lessivé soils) of diverse structures of the sorption complex (the content of changeable cations and organic matter, and pH) were used in the experiments. Chemical and physical characteristics of the soils from agricultural and forest lands from Central and Northern Poland were prepared. The tests of the emissions of the tested fungicidal agents’ components to the soils were performed using soil-block tests based on the procedure under the PN-ENV 807 standard. The tests were performed on pine wood Pinus sylvestris L., a wood species most often used in construction in the form of impregnated sawnwood, garden accessories, acoustic screens etc. The exposure of impregnated wood in direct contact with the soil was carried on for 12 and 32 weeks. After this time the emissions of copper, chromium, and the “gemini” ammonium cation of ionic liquid to the soils were determined. The degree of the soil contamination with metals was diverse depending on the soil profile type, the type of agent, water solubility of the agent’s chemical components, soil pH, as well as on the ability to bind with wood tissue. The leaching of the chromium compounds in the copper-chromium-borate (CCB) agent from the impregnated wood to the soils was the least, which confirms their well bonding with wood. Copper used in the form of CuO, as well as in the form of amine-copper complexes, was leached from the impregnated wood even to 15–14% in the conditions of the experiment. Cations of ammonium ionic liquids were adsorbed on loamy soils, where the reversibility of the process was minimum; whereas they were not sorbed on forest soils, i.e. on soil component with little content of changeable cations. The content of the tested ionic liquids in the soil, after 32-week exposure of impregnated wood, was ranging from 8.4 to 12.5 mg/kg of the soil. The degree of contamination with these compounds was approximately two times lower than in the case of copper ions. The presence of soil mould fungi facilitates decomposition of ammonium ionic liquids, which contributes to the reduction of environmental pollution with these organic compounds. Metal ions, which are components of wood preservatives with permission to use, will be accumulated in the environment as a result of the emission from impregnated wood to the soils

Z badań nad wykorzystaniem chiralnych cieczy jonowych z podstawnikiem pochodzenia naturalnego do ochrony drewna

From research on the use of chiral ionic liquids with a natural origin substituenl for wood proteclion. Antifungal activities of chiral ionic liquids - menthoxymethylimidazolium derivates against brown-rot decay fungus (Coniophora puteana), white-rot decay fungus (Trametes versicolor) and blue-stain fungus (Sclerophoma pithyophila) were determined using screening agar-plate and agar-block methods. Results from antifungal tests revealed that 1-hexyl-3-[(1R,2S,5R)-(-)menthoxymethyl]imidazolium chloride exhibited the strongest antifungal activity against wood decay fungi (basidomycetes) compared with the commercial didecyldimethylammonium chloride. Whereas compound with twelve carbons alkyl substituent has a weak antifungal activity. The infrared spectral analysis (FTIR ATR) confirmed that chiral imidazolium ionic liquids were built into the structure of the treated wood.Z badań nad wykorzystaniem chiralnych cieczy jonowych z podstawnikiem pochodzenia naturalnego do ochrony drewna. Badano metodą agarowo-płytkową i agarowo-klockową aktywność przeciwgrzybową chiralnych cieczy jonowych, pochodnych mentoksymetyloimidazolu, wobec grzybów rozkładu brunatnego, białego oraz wywołującego siniznę drewna. Chlorek 1-heksylo-3- [(1R,2S,5R)-(-) -mentoksymetylo]imidazoliowy wykazał najsilniejsze działanie przeciwgrzybowe wobec basidiomycetes, porównywalne do komercyjnego chlorku didecylodimetyloamoniowego. Analiza spektralna FTIR ATR potwierdziła wbudowanie chiralnych cieczy jonowych w strukturę nasyconego drewna sosny Pinus sylvestris L

Aktywność nowych amoniowych cieczy jonowych wobec grzybów wywołujących pleśnienie drewna

The results of the tests of the effectiveness of the action of new, not yet described in the literature group of biocidal ionic liquids were synthesised and presented. Those ionic liquids are derivatives of the leading structure, i.e. didecyldimethylammonium nitrate, and demonstrate strong action against mould fungi. Natural quaternary ammonium salts, mainly extracts from coconut and soybean, and from vegetable fats, were the basis for syntheses. Mycological tests were carried out on the wood of pine Pinus sylvestris L. (sapwood) in accordance with the method assumed binding for the assessment of biocide efficacy.Drewno użytkowane w warunkach wysokiej wilgotności ulega deprecjacji i procesom destrukcji biologicznej wywołanej działaniem mikroorganizmów. Szczególnie jest podatne na atak grzybów pleśniowych, wywołujących powierzchniowe przebarwienia, co pogarsza estetykę drewna oraz obniża jego konkurencyjność w stosunku do innych materiałów technicznych. Różnorodność gatunkowa oraz oporność grzybów pleśniowych na preparaty chemiczne jest problemem przy opracowaniu struktur skutecznych substancji czynnych, zwalczających tę grupę grzybów niedoskonałych. Zsyntezowano nową, nieopisaną w literaturze, grupę biobójczych cieczy jonowych, pochodnych struktury wiodącej – azotanu didecylodimetyloamoniowego, wykazujących silne działanie w stosunku do grzybów-pleśni. Bazą dla syntez były czwartorzędowe sole amoniowe pochodzenia naturalnego, głównie ekstrakty z kokosa, soi oraz tłuszczów roślinnych. Badania mikologiczne wykonano na drewnie sosny Pinus sylvestris L.(biel), zgodnie z metodą przyjętą jako obowiązującą w ocenie skuteczności działania biocydów. Opracowane ciecze jonowe wykazały aktywność wobec gatunku Chaetomium globosum, oraz mieszaniny: Aspergillus niger, Penicillium funiculosum, Alternaria alternata, Paecylomyces varioti, Trichoderma viride. Jako najsilniej działające ciecze jonowe wymienić należy związki o kationach: didecylodimetyloamoniowym, benzalkoniowym, dodecylotrimetyloamoniowym i cocotrimetyloamoniowym oraz szeregu anionów organicznych i nieorganicznych (również o właściwościach herbicydowych)