Olive Leaf Extract Attenuates Inflammatory Activation and DNA Damage in Human Arterial Endothelial Cells

Olive leaf extract (OLE) is used in traditional medicine as a food supplement and as an over-the-counter drug for a variety of its effects, including anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic ones. Mechanisms through which OLE could modulate these pathways in human vasculature remain largely unknown. Serum amyloid A (SAA) plays a causal role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases and induces pro-inflammatory and pro-adhesive responses in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC). Within this study we explored whether OLE can attenuate SAA-driven responses in HCAEC. HCAEC were treated with SAA (1,000 nM) and/or OLE (0.5 and 1 mg/ml). The expression of adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and E-selectin, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2 and MMP9) and microRNA 146a, let-7e, and let-7g (involved in the regulation of inflammation) was determined by qPCR. The amount of secreted IL-6, IL-8, MIF, and GRO-alpha in cell culture supernatants was quantified by ELISA. Phosphorylation of NF-kappa B was assessed by Western blot and DNA damage was measured using the COMET assay. OLE decreased significantly released protein levels of IL-6 and IL-8, as well as mRNA expression of E-selectin in SAA-stimulated HCAEC and reduced MMP2 levels in unstimulated cells. Phosphorylation of NF-kappa B (p65) was upregulated in the presence of SAA, with OLE significantly attenuating this SAA-induced effect. OLE stabilized SAA-induced upregulation of microRNA-146a and let-7e in HCAEC, suggesting that OLE could fine-tune the SAA-driven activity of NF-kappa B by changing the microRNA networks in HCAEC. SAA induced DNA damage and worsened the oxidative DNA damage in HCAEC, whereas OLE protected HCAEC from SAA- and H2O2-driven DNA damage. OLE significantly attenuated certain pro-inflammatory and pro-adhesive responses and decreased DNA damage in HCAEC upon stimulation with SAA. The reversal of SAA-driven endothelial activation by OLE might contribute to its anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects in HCAEC

Interplay Between Nematic Ordering and Thermomechanical Response in a Side Chain Liquid Single Crystal Elastomer Containing Pendant Azomesogen Units

Photoactive materials based on azobenzene derivatives exhibit interesting properties related to the reversible photo-isomerisation between the trans and cis isomers of the azo-compound. In this work we report the preparation and physical-chemical characterization of Liquid Single Crystal Elastomers (LSCEs) containing azobenzene derivative side-chain mesogens as co-monomer. The interplay between the orientational ordering and mechanical response in the nematic phase is investigated by thermomechanical measurements as well as by deuteron NMR spectroscopy. We demonstrate that local nematic order can be reliably probed in azo-LSCEs using low molar mass deuterated cyanobiphenyl nematogen in low concentrations. No phase separation of the dopant is observed. The nematoelastic coupling e(av)(T)proportional to S(av)(T) between the effective sample deformation and average nematic order parameter is present over a wide temperature range even in the systems with relatively large heterogeneity of the nematic order and misaligned nematic domains

Micropatterning of light-sensitive liquid-crystal elastomers

We demonstrate that photoisomerizable liquid-crystal elastomer soft films can be used as tunable holographic gratings. Optomechanical mechanism of imprinting one-dimensional grating structure into the soft matrix by two-beam uv laser interference can be clearly resolved from the time dependence of the reading beam diffraction patterns. We analyze the observed response in terms of cis-trans isomerization-controlled modulation of the grating profile. The grating period can be tuned reversibly by stretching or contraction of the specimen, either thermomechanically or by applying external stress. Temperature-induced modifications of the grating parameters in the vicinity of the nematic-paranematic phase transition are also examined

Obstetrical outcome and treatments in seronegative primary APS: data from European retrospective study

International audienceObjective: To compare characteristics, pregnancies and treatments during pregnancies of seronegative and seropositive antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), to analyse factors associated with obstetrical outcome.Patients and methods: Inclusion criteria were: (1) thrombotic and/or obstetrical APS (Sydney criteria); (2) absence of conventional antiphospholipid antibodies (APL); (3) at least one persistent non-conventional APL among IgA anticardiolipin antibodies, IgA anti-B2GPI, anti-vimentin G/M, anti-annexin V G/M, anti-phosphatidylethanolamine G/M and anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin G/M antibodies. The exclusion criteria were: (1) systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE) or SLE-like disease; and (2) other connective tissue disease.Results: A total of 187 women (mean 33±5 years) with seronegative APS were included from 14 centres in Austria, Spain, Italy, Slovenia and France and compared with 285 patients with seropositive APS. Seronegative APS has more obstetrical rather than thrombotic phenotypes, with only 6% of venous thrombosis in comparison to seropositive APS. Cumulative incidence of adverse obstetrical events was similar in seronegative and seropositive APS patients, although higher rates of intrauterine deaths (15% vs 5%; p=0.03), of preeclampsia (7% vs 16%, p=0.048) and lower live birth term (36±3 vs 38±3 weeks of gestation; p=0.04) were noted in seropositive APS. The cumulative incidence of adverse obstetrical events was significantly improved in treated versus untreated seronegative APS (log rank<0.05), whereas there was no difference between patients who received aspirin or aspirin-low-molecular weighted heparin combination.Conclusion: Several non-criteria APL can be detected in patients with clinical APS features without any conventional APL, with various rates. The detection of non-criteria APL and thus the diagnosis of seronegative APS could discuss the therapeutic management similar to seropositive APS, but well-designed controlled studies are necessary