Transforming growth factor-beta stimulation of lung fibroblast prostaglandin E2 production.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) stimulated the production of total protein, collagen, and fibronectin by normal human lung fibroblasts. The stimulatory response was maximal at 100 pM TGF beta and reversed toward control at higher concentrations. Inhibition of fibroblast prostaglandin (PG) synthesis enhanced TGF beta-induced stimulation of total protein, collagen, and fibronectin production and reversed the negative slope of the dose-response curve at high concentrations of TGF beta. Determination of the steady-state levels of Types I and III procollagens and fibronectin mRNAs employing specific cDNA probes demonstrated that inhibition of fibroblast PG production increased the stimulatory effect of TGF beta on the levels of these transcripts. Exogenous PGE2 abrogated the stimulatory effects of TGF beta. These findings suggest that fibroblast stimulation by TGF beta may be down-regulated by endogenous PG synthesized in response to TGF beta. This notion was supported by the demonstration that TGF beta markedly stimulated fibroblast PGE2 production. These results indicate that TGF beta-induced stimulation of fibroblast PGE2 production may be an autoregulatory control mechanism to limit the effects of TGF beta on connective tissue protein synthesis

Alternative splicing of human prostaglandin G/H synthase mRNA and evidence of differential regulation of the resulting transcripts by transforming growth factor beta 1, interleukin 1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha.

Prostaglandin G/H synthase (PGG/HS) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins and thromboxanes. We screened a human lung fibroblast cDNA library with an ovine PGG/HS cDNA and isolated a 2.3-kilobase clone (HCO-T9). Sequence analysis of this clone showed that (a) it contained the entire translated region of PGG/HS and (b) it displayed an in-frame splicing of the last 111 base pairs encoded by exon 9, which resulted in the elimination of the N-glycosylation site at residue 409. Polymerase chain reaction amplification with specific oligonucleotides of reverse-transcribed mRNA from diverse human tissues and cultured cells yielded 400- and 300-base pair fragments that corresponded, respectively, to the intact and spliced transcripts. The expression of these two transcripts in cultured human lung fibroblasts was differentially regulated by serum, transforming growth factor beta 1, interleukin 1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, as each of these conditions stimulated preferentially the expression of the unspliced transcripts. The elimination of one of the four N-glycosylation sites by the alternative splicing of exon 9 and the differential regulation of this process by relevant cytokines and growth factors may represent a mechanism for the regulation of PGG/HS enzymatic activity under physiological or pathological conditions

Epidermal growth factor coordinately regulates the expression of prostaglandin G/H synthase and cytosolic phospholipase A2 genes in embryonic mouse cells.

Confluent, primary cultures of mouse embryo palate mesenchyme (MEPM) cells are refractory to activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) by the calcium ionophore A23187. However, treatment of these cultures with epidermal growth factor (EGF) permits the cells to activate PLA2 in response to A23187. We have developed this finding by exploring molecular mechanisms by which growth factors modulate mobilization and metabolism of arachidonic acid. We found chronic treatment (\u3e 6 h) of confluent MEPM cells with EGF (a) increases their ability to metabolize exogenous arachidonic acid to prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and (b) stimulated constitutive expression of activities of PLA2 and cyclooxygenase (CyOx). Immunoprecipitation of [35S]proteins and Western blot analysis revealed EGF treatment stimulated synthesis and accumulation of PLA2c, CyOx-1, and CyOx-2. Northern hybridization analysis revealed EGF increased the steady-state levels of a transcript for the high molecular weight, cytosolic PLA2 (PLA2c), and both the 2.8- and 4.2-kb transcripts for CyOx-1 and CyOx-2, respectively. In vitro nuclear transcription assays showed a parallel increase in the transcription rate of the genes corresponding to CyOx-1 and PLA2c, but not CyOx-2, in response to EGF. Treatment with EGF had no effect on either synthesis of the low molecular weight, group II PLA2, accumulation of its transcript, or the transcription rate of its gene. Coordinate regulation of activities of PLA2 and CyOx in response to EGF did not parallel the mitogenic effects of EGF on confluent MEPM cells

Production and cost functions and their application to the port sector : a literature survey

Seaports provide multiple services to ships, cargo, and passengers. These services can be performed by a combination of public and private initiatives. Usually, the role of public sector institutions is to regulate and supervise private firms. In performing that task public sector institutions require in-depth knowledge of firms'cost structure. This paper offers a review of the literature about ports'cost structure and of its implications for regulation. The paper argues that the operation of port terminals should be analyzed by means of multiproduct theory. This approach allows the calculation of several cost indicators (economies of scale, scope, and so forth) which are key tools to help regulators.Environmental Economics&Policies,Business Environment,Information Technology,Economic Theory&Research,Labor Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Business Environment,Business in Development,Information Technology

A multi-output cost function for port terminals : some guidelines for regulation

Cargo handling in ports is a multioutput activity, as freight can arrive in many forms such as containers, bulk, rolling stock, or noncontainerized general cargo. In this paper Tovar, Jara-D?, and Trujillo analyze the operation of port terminals through the estimation of a multioutput cost model that uses monthly data on three firms located at the Las Palmas port in Spain. This permits the calculation of product-specific marginal costs, economies of scale (general and by firm), and economies of scope, which are key tools to help the regulators in their task.Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Decentralization,Transport and Trade Logistics,Business Environment,Environmental Economics&Policies,Airports and Air Services,Economic Theory&Research,Transport and Trade Logistics,Transport Security

The effects of acute posttraining injections of cocaine on spatial memory in C57BL/6 mice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cocaine on spatial memory consolidation using the Morris water maze. Specifically, male and female C57BL/6 mice were trained on a spatial water task, and then administered a single posttraining injection of saline or cocaine (1.25, 2.5, 5.0, or 20.0 mg/kg)

Regulation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 gene expression by glucocorticoids in normal human T lymphocytes.

Glucocorticoids (GC) modulate immune function in a number of ways, including suppression of T cell proliferation and other IL-2-mediated T cell functions. These inhibitory effects are similar to those induced by transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), a cytokine with potent T cell inhibiting activities. We examined the hypothesis that GC effects may be at least partially achieved through modulation of the expression of the TGF-beta 1 gene in activated T cells. Normal T cells were cultured with or without purified phytohemagglutinin (PHA-p) and 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) in the presence or absence of the synthetic GC, dexamethasone (100-200 micrograms/ml). The production of latent and active forms of TGF beta by these cells were analyzed by immunoblotting and bioassays. The steady-state levels of TGF-beta 1 mRNA were analyzed in total RNA from these cells by Northern hybridizations using a human TGF-beta 1 cDNA. The results showed that dexamethasone caused an increase in TGF beta production and a dose-dependent two to fourfold increase in TGF-beta 1 mRNA in activated as well as in unstimulated T cells, 1 h after exposure of the cultures to the steroid. The increase in TGF-beta 1 mRNA levels by dexamethasone was further potentiated two to threefold by cycloheximide, suggesting that the steroid effect may be due to inhibition of the synthesis of proteins that decrease TGF-beta 1 gene transcription or the stability of its transcripts. Finally, in vitro nuclear transcription studies indicated the dexamethasone effects on TGF-beta 1 gene expression to be largely transcriptional

Design, development and validation of a multi-step plasma-based strategy for the direct functionalization of L605 cobalt chromium alloy for the grafting of bioactive molecules and its application in cardiovascular devices

Les maladies cardio-vasculaires sont la principale cause de mortalité dans le monde. Parmi celles-ci, et une des plus importantes, se trouve l'athérosclérose. Cette maladie se traduit par la formation d'une plaque sur les parois artérielles réduisant alors le diamètre luminal. La plaque d'athérome entrave la circulation du sang et peut se compliquer par la formation d'un thrombus artérielle pouvant provoquer un infarctus du myocarde. Une intervention capable de rétablir le flux (recanalisation) est alors nécessaire. Dans le cas des artères coronaires, l'intervention coronaire est percutanée (ICP) et consiste à amener et déployer jusqu'au site malade, une endoprothèse, appelé aussi stent. Un stent est un petit treillis métallique tubulaire qui permet de rouvrir la lumière de l'artère et de rétablir la circulation sanguine. Il sert aussi de support à l'artère malade pour empêcher son affaissement. Cependant, après implantation, certaines complications sont induites, telle que la resténose intra-stent (ISR) qui se caractérise par la réduction de la lumière de l'artère, reconduisant les problèmes créés par la plaque d'athérome. Ce phénomène est essentiellement dû à une prolifération excessive des cellules musculaires lisses, et qui résulte d'une lésion de l'endothélium lors de l'implantation. Afin de limiter cette complication, la première approche a été de changer les matériaux utilisés pour ces endoprothèses. Les principaux alliages utilisés pour fabriquer des stents sont l'acier inoxydable, les alliages de nitinol et ceux de chrome cobalt, plus particulièrement le L605. Ce dernier, dû à ses propriétés mécaniques, permet la fabrication de dispositifs plus minces, donc moins de métaux présents dans le corps humain, et a démontré induire moins de complications cliniques. Néanmoins, malgré la diminution des complications par rapport aux autres alliages, les endoprothèses nues en L605 ne s'intègrent que peu ou pas du tout dans le tissu artériel de l'hôte. Pour répondre aux exigences biologiques et cliniques, l'idéal serait d'avoir un dispositif qui favoriserait le recouvrement du dispositif par l'endothélium, ou « endothélialisation » et qui aurait un faible potentiel thrombotique et inflammatoire. L'approche couramment utilisée pour répondre à ces critères est de recourir à des dispositifs qui libèrent des médicaments anti-inflammatoires. Pour ce faire, il faut recouvrir les dispositifs métalliques avec des revêtements à base de polymères, en tant que couche intermédiaire, fonctionnalisée ensuite par des molécules bioactives. Toutefois, les dépôts de ces couches polymériques impliquent l'utilisation de chimie en solution incluant des solvants organiques. En outre, ces dernières démontrent avoir une faible adhésion au substrat métallique, dû au procédé utilisé, mais aussi un manque de cohésion. Lors de la procédure d'implantation, les stents subissent une déformation plastique, comme ces revêtements manquent de résistance, ils ont tendance à fissurer ou délaminer. Ce projet de recherche s'insère donc dans cette problématique générale, et propose une nouvelle approche qui permettrait d'éviter ce revêtement polymérique, tout en apportant les propriétés biologiques recherchées. Pour ce faire, la modification de surface proposée implique la fonctionnalisation directe des surfaces métalliques par un procédé plasma. Ce procédé permet de ne pas modifier les propriétés de cœur du matériau, et de créer des groupes fonctionnels en surface, ici des groupes amine réactifs (NH₂), qui servent de points d'ancrage pour le greffage ultérieur des molécules bioactives d'intérêt. En résumé, ce procédé original peut être divisé en 3 parties principales : a) préparation de la surface, b) fonctionnalisation par plasma et c) greffage de molécules bioactives. Tout au long de ce projet de recherche, l'optimisation de chaque partie a été réalisée en vue d'obtenir les propriétés adéquates et nécessaires pour l'application cardiovasculaire visée. Concernant la partie a), c'est-à-dire la préparation de la surface, les traitements suivants ont été testés : électropolissage, traitements thermiques et implantation ionique par immersion dans un plasma. Ces modifications ont été optimisées en vue d'obtenir une couche d'oxyde stable sous déformation présentant la meilleure résistance possible à la corrosion, tout en démontrant la plus haute efficacité d'amination directe par plasma pour la partie b). Enfin, en ce qui concerne le bloc c), le greffage de molécule bioactive, deux bras de liaison différents ont été étudiés pour évaluer leur impact sur la conformation et la performance biologique. Cette étude a été effectuée avec un peptide bioactif dérivé de la molécule d'adhésion des cellules endothéliales et des plaquettes (PECAM-1 ou CD31), en raison de ses propriétés anti-inflammatoire, anti-thrombotique et pro-endothélialisation. Les 2 bras d'ancrage testés sont un à chaine courte, l'anhydride glutarique (GA), contenant seulement 5 atomes de carbone, et un à longue chaine (600 atomes), le polyéthylène glycol (PEG) choisi aussi pour ses propriétés anti-adhérentes. Tout d'abord, cette stratégie a été développée sur des échantillons plats, qui facilitaient grandement les analyses de surface, telles que XPS et ToF-SIMS, et donc les processus d'optimisation de chaque étape, comme la résistance à la déformation, corrosion et l'analyse des propriétés biologiques. Ceci a permis de démontrer que le prétraitement de surface optimal pour les substrats L605 était l'électropolissage, agissant sur sa couche d'oxyde passive pour une efficacité maximale lors de l'étape d'amination. Le bras de liaison qui a démontré le plus grand potentiel pour immobiliser le peptide d'intérêt est le PEG, avec une augmentation significative de la migration et viabilité des cellules endothéliales, par rapport au substrat métallique nu. De plus, le greffage du peptide sur le PEG ajoutait des propriétés anti-thrombotique et anti-inflammatoire par rapport aux échantillons électropolis. Ce procédé a été ensuite adapté à des stents, dont la configuration 3D est très complexe. Après optimisation, les stents pegylées + peptides biomimétiques (Plasma-P8RI) ont été testés in vivo par implantation dans les coronaires de porc porcin pendant 7 jours et 28 jours et leur potentiel de ré-endothélialisation et anti-resténotique ont été évalués. Il a été constaté que la stratégie proposée dans ce projet de recherche favorisait la ré-endothélialisation après 7 jours par rapport au DES (Drug Eluting Stent) commercial, et limitait l'adhérence des leucocytes et des plaquettes lorsque comparé au BMS (Bare Metal Stent). Après 28 jours d'implantation le diamètre luminal des artères n'était pas réduit sur le stent Plasma-P8RI, ce qui signifie que ces stents modifiés ne présentaient pas de risque de resténose, contrairement aux BMS. Ce projet de recherche a permis de développer et de valider une stratégie prometteuse consistant à immobiliser directement des molécules bioactives sur des dispositifs cardiovasculaires en L605, alliage de chrome-cobalt. A notre connaissance, cette approche n'a jamais été rapportée dans la littérature à notre connaissance. Cette stratégie originale, dépourvue des limites associées à l'usage des polymères et basée sur un procédé plasma, présente des avantages évidents et ouvre la voie vers le développement de dispositifs cardiovasculaires innovants.Cardiovascular diseases represent the leading cause of death in the world. Among them is atherosclerosis that characterizes by the formation of a plaque on the arterial walls that narrows the lumen diameter. This atherosclerotic plaque disrupts the blood flow and can be complicated by thrombosis which can ultimately lead to myocardial infarction. Efficient revascularization is mandatory to treat this disease and a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is performed complemented with the deployment of a stent. Stents are tiny wire mesh that reopens the artery, re-establishing the blood flow whilst supporting the artery avoiding its collapse. Nevertheless, complications after stent implantation exist and in-stent restenosis (ISR) is one of the major concerns. This complication is characterized by the reduction of the lumen diameter, similar to an atherosclerotic plaque, and it is associated to the wound caused on the endothelium by the stent implantation followed by the over-proliferation of smooth muscle cells. One of the first strategies to decrease ISR involved the manufacture of stents using different alloys such as stainless steel, nitinol and cobalt chromium alloys (L605). The latest alloy, L605, has generated significant interest because it allows the fabrication of thinner devices, which have decreased post-implantation clinical complications. Nonetheless, despite the decrease in ISR, when compared to other alloys, the integration of L605 bare metal stents in the host tissue is minimal or inexistent. Thus, enhanced biological properties, such as endothelialisation, low thrombosis activity and anti-inflammatory behaviour represent mandatory requirements for clinical applications. To confer these properties onto metallic devices, polymeric-based coatings, as an intermediate layer to further functionalize with bioactive molecules, are often deposited. Nonetheless, major techniques to deposit these polymeric coatings involve the use of wet-chemistry and do not ensure total resistance during the stent implantation procedure due to lack of cohesion and delamination of the polymeric layer. Thus, a novel approach that foregoes this previously mandatory coating step was developed in this research project. This novel approach involves the use of plasma-based techniques to create functional groups (reactive amine groups, -NH₂), directly onto the metallic surface without modifying the bulk properties, that can be used as anchor points for the further grafting of bioactive molecules of interest. Briefly, this novel approach can be divided in 3 blocks: a) Surface preparation, b) plasma functionalization and c) bioactive molecule grafting. Throughout this research project the optimization of these main blocks was performed aiming for the desired cardiovascular application. Concerning block a), surface preparation, electropolishing, thermal treatments and plasma immersion ion implantations were performed to obtain an oxide layer deformation and corrosion resistant whilst demonstrating the highest direct plasma amination efficiency, for block b). Finally, as regards block c), bioactive molecule grafting, two different linking arms were studied to assess their impact on conformation, and the biological performance of a bioactive peptide derived from the platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1 or CD31) due to its pro-endothelialization, anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic potential: Glutaric anhydride (GA), as a short chain spacer of 5 carbons, and polyethylene glycol (PEG), as a long chain spacer with antifouling properties. Initially, this strategy was developed on flat samples where using a combination of high-resolution surface characterizations techniques, such as XPS and ToF-SIMS, and corrosion, deformation and biological tests it was confirmed that the optimal surface pre-treatment for L605 was electropolishing, due to its passive oxide layer and that it further allowed to obtain the highest amination efficiency. Furthermore, the best linking arm to immobilize the peptide was PEG, which demonstrated a significantly increase on endothelial cell viability with a faster migration, when compared to the bare metallic substrate. Moreover, peptides immobilized by PEG demonstrated that endothelial cells attached to the surface presented an anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory phenotype, when compared to electropolished samples. Thus, this biomimetic surface was selected for an in vivo trial in porcine model to evaluate its potential re-endothelialization and anti-restenotic activity. It was found that by directly attaching a CD31 agonist onto the bare metal stent by this strategy improved re-endothelialization after 7 days when compared to commercial DES, with further, low adhesion of leukocytes and platelets when compared to BMS. Moreover, after 28 days of implantation, Plasma-P8RI did not present a significant decrease on the lumen diameter, which was not the case for BMS that presented in-stent restenosis after this period. Overall, this research project allowed the development and validation of a promising strategy to directly immobilize bioactive molecules onto L605 cobalt chromium cardiovascular devices, providing clear advantages of medical devices currently on the market. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, such plasma-based multi-step strategy has never been previously reported in literature

Regulation of human lung fibroblast alpha 1(I) procollagen gene expression by tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and prostaglandin E2.

We investigated the participation of prostaglandin (PG) E2 in the regulation of the alpha 1(I) procollagen gene expression by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in normal adult human lung fibroblasts. TNF alpha (100 units/ml) and IL-1 beta (100 units/ml) stimulated the production of PGE2 and caused a dose-dependent inhibition of up to 54 and 66%, respectively, of the production of type I procollagen. Preincubation of cultures with indomethacin partially reversed the inhibition of procollagen production induced by the cytokines. Cytokine-stimulated endogenous fibroblast PG accounted for 35 and 68% of the inhibition induced by TNF alpha and IL-1 beta, respectively. Steady-state mRNA levels for alpha 1(I) procollagen paralleled the changes in collagen production. The transcription rate of the alpha 1(I) procollagen gene was reduced by 58% by TNF alpha and by 43% by IL-1 beta. Cytokine-stimulated endogenous PG production accounted for half of these effects. These results indicate that TNF alpha and IL-1 beta inhibit the expression of the alpha 1(I) procollagen gene in human lung fibroblasts at the transcriptional level by a PGE2-independent effect as well as through the effect of endogenous fibroblast PGE2 released under the stimulus of the cytokines