De evolutie van het kwikgehalte in tong (<i>Solea solea</i> L.) uit de Noordzee en de Ierse Zee

The mercury content of sole from the North Sea and the Irish Sea was followed during a 5 yr period (1973-1977). With the exception for the first 2 yr, no significant difference was found between the 2 areas, nor was there a clear trend in the evolution of the mercury concentrations in time. The average mercury content varied between 0.19 and 0.31 mg/kg (North Sea) and 0.21 and 0.41 mg/kg (Irish Sea)

Osteocytic oxygen sensing controls bone mass through epigenetic regulation of sclerostin

Preservation of bone mass is crucial for healthy ageing and largely depends on adequate responses of matrix-embedded osteocytes. These cells control bone formation and resorption concurrently by secreting the WNT/-catenin antagonist sclerostin (SOST). Osteocytes reside within a low oxygen microenvironment, but whether and how oxygen sensing regulates their function remains elusive. Here, we show that conditional deletion of the oxygen sensor prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) 2 in osteocytes results in a high bone mass phenotype, which is caused by increased bone formation and decreased resorption. Mechanistically, enhanced HIF-1 signalling increases Sirtuin 1-dependent deacetylation of the Sost promoter, resulting in decreased sclerostin expression and enhanced WNT/-catenin signalling. Additionally, genetic ablation of PHD2 in osteocytes blunts osteoporotic bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency or mechanical unloading. Thus, oxygen sensing by PHD2 in osteocytes negatively regulates bone mass through epigenetic regulation of sclerostin and targeting PHD2 elicits an osteo-anabolic response in osteoporotic models.Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO: G.0A72.13, G.096414 and G0A4216N) and P.C. from long-term structural funding – Methusalem Funding by the Flemish Government

Local and systemic cellular inflammation and cytokine release in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

peer reviewedBACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic airway inflammatory disease caused by repeated exposure to noxious gases or particles. It is now recognized that the disease also features systemic inflammation. The purpose of our study was to compare airway and systemic inflammation in COPD to that seen in healthy subjects and to relate the inflammation with the disease severity. METHODS: Ninety-five COPD patients, encompassing the whole severity spectrum of the disease, were recruited from our outpatient clinic and rehabilitation center and compared to 33 healthy subjects. Induced sputum and blood samples were obtained for measurement of inflammatory cell count. Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma produced by 24h sputum and blood cell cultures were measured. RESULTS: Compared to healthy subjects, COPD exhibited a prominent airway neutrophilic inflammation associated with a marked IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-alpha release deficiency that contrasted with a raised IFN-gamma production. Neutrophilic inflammation was also prominent at blood level together with raised production of IFN-gamma, IL-10 and TNF-alpha. Furthermore, sputum neutrophilia correlated with disease severity assessed by GOLD stages. Likewise the extent of TNF-alpha release from blood cells also positively correlated with the disease severity but negatively with that of sputum cell culture. Blood release of TNF-alpha and IL-6 negatively correlated with body mass index. Altogether, our results showed a significant relationship between cellular marker in blood and sputum but poor relationship between local and systemic release of cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: COPD is characterized by prominent neutrophilic inflammation and raised IFN-gamma production at both bronchial and systemic level. Overproduction of TNF-alpha at systemic level correlates with disease severity and inversely with body mass index

Chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae in asthma: a type-2 low infection related phenotype.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae have been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma and are responsible for chronic inflammation when host immune system fails to eradicate the bacteria. METHOD: We performed a prospective study on 410 patients who underwent a visit at the asthma clinic of CHU of Liege between June 2016 and June 2018 with serology testing for C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae. RESULTS: 65% of our asthmatic population had serum IgA and/or IgG towards C. pneumoniae, while only 12.6% had IgM and/or IgG against M. pneumoniae. Compared to seronegative asthmatics, asthmatics with IgA+ and IgG+ against C. pneumoniae were more often male and older with a higher proportion of patients with smoking history. They received higher doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and displayed lower FEV(1)/FVC ratio, higher RV/TLC ratio and lower conductance. They had higher levels of fibrinogen, though in the normal range and had lower sputum eosinophil counts. Patients with IgA- and IgG+ against C. pneumoniae were older and had higher blood monocyte counts and alpha-1-antitrypsin levels as compared to seronegative patients. Patients with IgM and/or IgG towards M. pneumoniae were more often males than seronegative asthmatics. In a subpopulation of 14 neutrophilic asthmatics with Chlamydia pneumoniae IgA + /IgG + treated with macrolides, we found a significant decrease in blood neutrophils and normalization of sputum neutrophil count but no effect on asthma quality of life and exacerbations. CONCLUSION: Positive Chlamydia serologic test is more common than positive Mycoplasma serology. Asthmatics with IgA and IgG against C. pneumoniae have more severe disease with increased airway obstruction, higher doses of ICS, more signs of air trapping and less type-2 inflammation.Peer reviewe