The role of PKCzeta in cord blood T-cell maturation towards Th1 cytokine profile and its epigenetic regulation by fish oil

While immunodeficiency of immaturity of the neonate has been considered important as the basis for unusual susceptibility to infection, it has also been recognized that the ability to progress from an immature Th2 cytokine predominance to a Th1 profile has relevance in determining whether children will develop allergy, providing an opportunity for epigenetic regulation through environmental pressures. However, this notion remains relatively unexplored. Here, we present evidence that there are two major control points to explain the immunodeficiency in cord blood (CB) T-cells, a deficiency in interleukin (IL)-12 (IL-12) producing and IL-10 overproducing accessory cells, leading to a decreased interferon γ (IFNγ) synthesis and the other, an intrinsic defect in T-cell protein kinase C (PKC) ζ (PKCζ) expression. An important finding was that human CB T-cells rendered deficient in PKCζ, by shRNA knockdown, develop into low tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) and IFNγ but increased IL-13 producing cells. Interestingly, we found that the increase in PKCζ levels in CB T-cells caused by prenatal supplementation with fish oil correlated with modifications of histone acetylation at the PKCζ gene (PRKCZ) promoter. The data demonstrate that PKCζ expression regulates the maturation of neonatal T-cells into specific functional phenotypes and that environmental influences may work via PKCζ to regulate these phenotypes and disease susceptibility.Hani Harb, James Irvine, Manori Amarasekera, Charles S. Hii, Dörthe A. Kesper, YueFang Ma, Nina D′Vaz, Harald Renz, Daniel P. Potaczek, Susan L. Prescott and Antonio Ferrant

The impact of gallic acid on the methotrexate-induced kidney damage in rats

Prolonged use of an antineoplastic agent methotrexate (MTX), can cause numerous side effects such as nephrotoxicity. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of MTX on kidneys and demonstrate the protective effects of gallic acid (GA). Twenty-four, male, rats distributed into three groups. Each groups consisted eight rats and only saline was administered to the control group. The MTX group received a single dose (20 mg/kg) MTX intraperitoneally. The MTX + GA group received same dose MTX and 100 mg/kg GA orally during the 7 days. Renal functions, oxidative stress markers, histopathological and immunohistochemical changes were evaluated at the end of the experiment. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid levels and tissue oxidative stress markers, total oxidant status and oxidative stress index levels significantly increased and total antioxidant status levels significantly decreased in MTX group compared with the control group. At the histopathological examination hemorrhages, tubular cell necrosis, glomerulosclerosis, inflammatory cell infiltrations and proteinous materials in tubules were noticed in MTX group. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that increased expressions of serum amyloid A (SAA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in tubular epithelial cells of kidneys in this group. There were no immunoreaction with SAA and CRP, only small number of PGE-2 and TNF-α positive tubular epithelial cells were observed in MTX + GA group. In conclusion, all evidence suggested that oxidative stress caused MTX-induced nephrotoxicity and GA prevent the kidney from the nephrotoxicity due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities