Eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma

Eosinophils are circulating granulocytes involved in pathogenesis of asthma. A cascade of processes directed by Th2 cytokine producing T-cells influence the recruitment of eosinophils into the lungs. Furthermore, multiple elements including interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, chemoattractants such as eotaxin, Clara cells, and CC chemokine receptor (CCR)3 are already directly involved in recruiting eosinophils to the lung during allergic inflammation. Once recruited, eosinophils participate in the modulation of immune response, induction of airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling, characteristic features of asthma. Various types of promising treatments for reducing asthmatic response are related to reduction in eosinophil counts both in human and experimental models of pulmonary allergic inflammation, showing that the recruitment of these cells really plays an important role in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases such asthma.Univ São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Med, BR-01246 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Aplicação de uma metodologia de HPCL para avaliação do potencial antioxidante in vitro da planta Croton cajucara Benth a base da Xantina Oxidase

A espécie Croton cajucara Benth (Sacaca) vem sendo utilizada popularmente como recurso medicinalno tratamento de várias doenças como Hipercolesterolemia e o Diabete Melittus, indicando umaprovável ação antioxidante. O objetivo deste estudo é a aplicação de uma metodologia a base da cromatografialíquida de alta eficiência (HPLC) para determinar o potencial antioxidante in vitro da Sacaca através dosistema enzimático da Xantina Oxidase, um método rápido, eficaz e sensível. Os radicais hidroxila produzidosno teste, espécies reativas de oxigênio, são derivatizados em produtos estáveis 2,3- e 2,5-DHBA, quesão detectados via HPLC. Observa-se uma atividade antioxidante in vitro do chá da casca da Sacaca que é dependente da concentração e volume do chá. Estes resultados preliminares demonstram um eminentepotencial antioxidante do Croton cajucara Benth.Palavras-chave: Croton cajucara Benth, atividade antioxidante in vitro, xantina oxidase, HPLC

Two resistance inducers relevant in coffee plant protection show distinct metabolic adjustments.

A good strategy in plant protection is to take advantage of the plant immune system by eliciting the plant?s constitutive defenses. Based on this concept resistance inducers have been developed and are commercially available, such as Bion®. An alternative formulation Greenf orce CuCa was developed by UFLA partners in Brazil which showed promising results for the control of coffee rust ( Hemileia vastatrix ). We established as working hypothesis that resistance inducers impose etabolic adjustments at the cellular level, mainly on photosynthesis and its regulation

Avaliação do uso de fertilizantes minerais no cultivo de Chlorella sorokiniana.

O potencial das microalgas para realizar a fotossíntese e acumular grandes quantidades de lipídeos, além de vários outros compostos de alto valor agregado, tal como carotenoides e biopolímeros, as torna uma fonte promissora para fins biotecnológicos. Entretanto, o alto custo de produção de biomassa e os problemas relacionados à contaminação por outros microrganismos dificultam o escalonamento do cultivo, desafiando significativamente a comercialização dos bioprodutos gerados. Em estudos anteriores, nosso grupo de pesquisa propôs a formulação de um novo meio de cultivo, denominado Blue Green Nitrogen Mix (BGNIM), feito com fertilizante mineral, o qual tornou o cultivo de Chlorella sorokiniana 95% mais barato do que quando cultivado no meio padrão (Blue Green 11) BG11. O presente estudo tem como objetivo propor dois novos meios de cultivo, a partir da formulação inicialmente proposta para o meio BGNIM, também feitos à base de fertilizantes minerais. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que um dos meios propostos, BGNIM‑Fetrilon, foi capaz de produzir mais biomassa de C. sorokiniana do que o meio padrão BG11. O outro meio proposto, BGNIM‑CXK, produziu biomassa de forma similar ao BGNIM

Eosinophils enhance WNT-5a and TGF-β1 genes expression in airway smooth muscle cells and promote their proliferation by increased extracellular matrix proteins production in asthma

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that eosinophils may have a direct effect on airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC), causing their proliferation in patients with asthma, but the precise mechanism of the interaction between these cells remains unknown. We propose that changes in Wnt signaling activity and extracellular matrix (ECM) production may help explain these findings. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eosinophils from asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects on Wnt-5a, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and ECM protein (fibronectin and collagen) gene expression and ASMC proliferation. METHODS: A total of 18 subjects were involved in the study: 8 steroid-free asthma patients and 10 healthy subjects. Peripheral blood eosinophils were isolated using centrifugation and magnetic separation. An individual co-culture of eosinophils with human ASMC was prepared for each study subject. Adhesion of eosinophils to ASMC (evaluated by assaying eosinophil peroxidase activity) was determined following various incubation periods (30, 45, 60, 120, and 240 min). The expression of Wnt-5a, TGF-β1, and ECM protein genes in ASMC was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after 24 h of co-culture. Proliferation of ASMC was measured using the Alamar blue method after 48 h and 72 h of co-culture with eosinophils. RESULTS: Eosinophils from asthmatic subjects demonstrated increased adhesion to ASMC compared with eosinophils from healthy subjects (p < 0.05) in vitro. The expression of Wnt-5a, TGF-β1, collagen, and fibronectin genes in ASMC was significantly higher after 24 h of co-culture with eosinophils from asthmatic subjects, while co-culture of ASMC with eosinophils from healthy subjects increased only TGF-β1 and fibronectin gene expression. ASMC proliferation was augmented after co-culture with eosinophils from asthma patients compared with co-culture with eosinophils from healthy subjects (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Eosinophils enhance Wnt-5a, TGF-β1, fibronectin, and collagen gene expression in ASMC and promote proliferation of these cells in asthma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02648074