Tumour necrosis factor-α stimulates dehydroepiandrosterone metabolism in human fibroblast-like synoviocytes: a role for nuclear factor-κB and activator protein-1 in the regulation of expression of cytochrome p450 enzyme 7b

Glucocorticoids have successfully been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Data suggest that 7α-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone (7α-OH-DHEA), an immunostimulating metabolite of dehydroepiandrosterone, can block glucocorticoid-induced immune suppression. Formation of 7α-OH-DHEA is catalyzed by activity of cytochrome p450 enzyme 7b (Cyp7b). Recently, we reported that tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-17 enhance Cyp7b mRNA expression and induce a concomitant increase in the formation of 7α-OH-DHEA by fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from rheumatoid arthritis patients. The aim of this study was to elucidate which signal transduction pathway is involved in the TNF-α-mediated induction of Cyp7b activity in FLS. We studied the effects of inhibitors of different signal transduction pathways on Cyp7b activity in FLS by measuring Cyp7b mRNA expression using reverse transcription PCR and by measuring the formation of 7α-OH-DHEA. We applied SN50, an inhibitor of nuclear translocation of transcription factors (i.e. activator protein-1 [AP-1] and nuclear factor-κB [NF-κB]); PSI, a proteasome inhibitor that prevents IκB degradation and thereby NF-κB release; SP600125, a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor; and the mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors PD98059 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and SB203580 (p38). Cyp7b is constitutively expressed in RA FLS and can be activated in response to TNF-α. SN50 and PSI prevented the TNF-α-induced increase in Cyp7b activity, whereas the mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors PD98059 and SB203580 had no effect. In addition, inhibition of Cyp7b mRNA expression and activity was observed with SN50, PSI and SP600125, suggesting that NF-κB and AP-1 induce Cyp7b transcription. These findings suggest that NF-κB and AP-1 are involved in the TNF-α-enhanced formation of the dehydroepiandrosterone metabolite 7α-OH-DHEA. Our results are in accordance with presence of AP-1 and NF-κB binding sites in the Cyp7b promoter

An algebraic method to solve the radial Schrödinger equation

AbstractWe propose a method of numerical integration of differential equations of the type x2y″+f(x)y=0 by approximating its solution with solutions of equations of the type x2y″+(ax2+bx+c)y=0. This approximation is performed by segmentary approximation on an interval. We apply the method to obtain approximate solutions of the radial Schrödinger equation on a given interval and test it for two different potentials. We conclude that our method gives a similar accuracy than the Taylor method of higher order

Exposure to Candida albicans Polarizes a T-Cell Driven Arthritis Model towards Th17 Responses, Resulting in a More Destructive Arthritis

BACKGROUND: Fungal components have been shown very effective in generating Th17 responses. We investigated whether exposure to a minute amount of C. albicans in the arthritic joint altered the local cytokine environment, leading to enhanced Th17 expansion and resulting in a more destructive arthritis. METHODOLOGY: Chronic SCW arthritis was induced by repeated injection with Streptococcus pyogenes (SCW) cell wall fragments into the knee joint of C57Bl/6 mice, alone or in combination with the yeast of C. albicans or Zymosan A. During the chronic phase of the arthritis, the cytokine levels, mRNA expression and histopathological analysis of the joints were performed. To investigate the phenotype of the IL-17 producing T-cells, synovial cells were isolated and analyzed by flowcytometry. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Intra-articular injection of either Zymosan A or C. albicans on top of the SCW injection both resulted in enhanced joint swelling and inflammation compared to the normal SCW group. However, only the addition of C. albicans during SCW arthritis resulted in severe chondrocyte death and enhanced destruction of cartilage and bone. Additionally, exposure to C. albicans led to increased IL-17 in the arthritic joint, which was accompanied by an increased synovial mRNA expression of T-bet and RORgammaT. Moreover, the C. albicans-injected mice had significantly more Th17 cells in the synovium, of which a large population also produced IFN-gamma. CONCLUSION: This study clearly shows that minute amounts of fungal components, like C. albicans, are very potent in interfering with the local cytokine environment in an arthritic joint, thereby polarizing arthritis towards a more destructive phenotype

Existencia y unicidad de solución y comportamiento asintótico para la ecuación de onda con condición de frontera del tipo Neumann y disipación localmente distribuido

En este trabajo se estudia la existencia y unicidad de solución de la ecuación de la onda con condiciones de frontera del tipo Neumann, con disipación localmente distribuida usando el método de Faedo Galerkin. Además analiza el decaimiento no exponencial de la energía asociado al sistema planteado. Se hacen las estimativas correspondientes basándose en propiedades del espacio donde se encuentra la solución de la ecuación, así como los teoremas correspondientes al sistema estudiado.Tesi

Corrigendum: Bacillus Calmette–Guérin-Induced Trained Immunity Is Not Protective for Experimental Influenza A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9) Infection in Mice

Avian influenza A of the subtype H7N9 has been responsible for almost 1,600 confirmed human infections and more than 600 deaths since its first outbreak in 2013. Although sustained human-to-human transmission has not been reported yet, further adaptations to humans in the viral genome could potentially lead to an influenza pandemic, which may have severe consequences due to the absence of pre-existent immunity to this strain at population level. Currently there is no influenza A (H7N9) vaccine available. Therefore, in case of a pandemic outbreak, alternative preventive approaches are needed, ideally even independent of the type of influenza virus outbreak. Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is known to induce strong heterologous immunological effects, and it has been shown that BCG protects against non-related infection challenges in several mouse models. BCG immunization of mice as well as human induces trained innate immune responses, resulting in increased cytokine responses upon subsequent ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cell restimulation. We investigated whether BCG (Statens Serum Institut-Denmark)-induced trained immunity may protect against a lethal avian influenza A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9) challenge. Here, we show that isolated splenocytes as well as peritoneal macrophages of BCG-immunized BALB/c mice displayed a trained immunity phenotype resulting in increased innate cytokine responses upon ex vivo restimulation. However, after H7N9 infection, no significant differences were found between the BCG immunized and the vehicle control group at the level of survival, weight loss, pulmonary influenza A nucleoprotein staining, or histopathology. In conclusion, BCG-induced trained immunity did not result in protection in an oseltamivir-sensitive influenza A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9) challenge mouse model

DHEA metabolism in arthritis - A role for the p450 enzyme Cyp7b at the immune-endocrine crossroad

For dehydroepiandrosterone (DUEA) both immunosuppressive and immuno-stimulating properties have been described. The immunosuppressive effects may be explained by the conversion of DHEA into androgens and/or estrogens. The described immuno-stimulating effects of DHEA may be due to the conversion of DHEA into 7 alpha-hydroxy-DHEA (7 alpha-OH-DHEA) by the activity of the p450 enzyme, Cyp7b. 7 alpha-OH-DHEA is thought to have anti-glucocoticoid activity preventing the anti-inflammatory action of endogenous glucocorticoids. To investigate a putative role of Cyp7b in the arthritic process, tissues from both the murine collagen-induce arthritis (CIA) model and from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were studied. We determined the Cyp7b expression levels in synovial tissue and the level of 7 alpha-OH-DHEA in both serum and arthritic joints of mice with CIA. Our studies showed that the severity of arthritis correlates with increased Cyp7b activity. Next, we investigated Cyp7b expression and activity in RA patients where the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) are known to control the disease process. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), isolated from RA synovial biopsies were found to express Cyp7b mRNA. In addition, Cyp7b enzymatic activity was detected in these cells. We also investigated whether Cyp7b activity is regulated by cytokines. Proinflammatory (e.g., TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta) cytokines were found to stimulate Cyp7b activity and the anti-inflammatory cytokine transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) was found to suppress Cyp7b activity in FLS. Next, we studied which signal transduction pathway is involved in the TNF-alpha-mediated induction of Cyp7b activity in human FLS. The results show a role for nuclear factor kappa B (NF kappa B) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) in the regulation of Cyp7b expression. Finally, we established that the effects of DHEA or 7 alpha-OH-DHEA on the immune system can not be explained by glucocorticoid receptor (GR) engagement. The role of the p450 enzyme Cyp7b in DHEA metabolism and its relevance in the arthritic process will be discussed

The effect of the MAPK inhibitors PD98059 or SB203580 on TNF-α-induced Cyp7b activity

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Tumour necrosis factor-α stimulates dehydroepiandrosterone metabolism in human fibroblast-like synoviocytes: a role for nuclear factor-κB and activator protein-1 in the regulation of expression of cytochrome p450 enzyme 7b"</p><p>Arthritis Research & Therapy 2005;7(6):R1271-R1280.</p><p>Published online 15 Sep 2005</p><p>PMCID:PMC1297571.</p><p>Copyright © 2005 Dulos et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.</p> Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS; SCRO.14.SF, passages 8–12) were incubated for 1 hour in the presence or absence (-) of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK)1 inhibitor PD98059 (PD) or the p38 inhibitor SB203580 (SB). Thereafter, cells were incubated in the presence or absence of 0.5 ng/ml tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α plus 1.5 × 10mol/l [H]-dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for 24 hours and processed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The amount of 7α-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone (7α-OH-DHEA) is expressed as the percentage [H]-7α-OH-DHEA of the total amount of [H]-label measured. Results are expressed as the mean ± standard error of the mean of triplicate sample. Data are representative of three independent experiments. *< 0.05 versus TNF-α (Student's t-test). The data from panel a (three independent experiments) are combined for the highest inhibitor concentrations. PD98059 and SB23580 were dissolved in methanol (MeOH) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), respectively, and used as controls. *< 0.05 (Student's t-test). Cyp7b = cytochrome p450 enzyme 7b

Suppression of the inflammatory response in experimental arthritis is mediated via estrogen receptor alpha but not estrogen receptor beta

Introduction: The immune modulatory role of estrogens in inflammation is complex. Both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of estrogens have been described. Estrogens bind both estrogen receptor (ER)alpha and beta. The contribution of ER alpha and ER beta to ER-mediated immune modulation was studied in delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) and in experimental arthritis Methods: ER-mediated suppression of rat adjuvant arthritis (AA) was studied using ethinyl-estradiol (EE) and a selective ER beta agonist (ERB-79). Arthritis was followed for 2 weeks. Next, effects of ER agonists (ethinyl-estradiol, an ER alpha selective agonist (ERA-63) and a selective ER beta agonist (ERB-79) on the development of a tetanus toxoid (TT)-specific delayed type hypersensitivity response in wild type (WT) and in ER alpha- or ER beta-deficient mice were investigated. Finally, EE and ERA-63 were tested for their immune modulating potential in established collagen induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice. Arthritis was followed for three weeks. Joint pathology was examined by histology and radiology. Local synovial cytokine production was analyzed using Luminex technology. Sera were assessed for COMP as a biomarker of cartilage destruction. Results: EE was found to suppress clinical signs and symptoms in rat AA. The selective ER beta agonist ERB-79 had no effect on arthritis symptoms in this model. In the TT-specific DTH model, EE and the selective ER alpha agonist ERA-63 suppressed the TT-specific swelling response in WT and ER beta KO mice but not in ER alpha KO mice. As seen in the AA model, the selective ER beta agonist ERB-79 did not suppress inflammation. Treatment with EE or ERA-63 suppressed clinical signs in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in WT mice. This was associated with reduced inflammatory infiltrates and decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines in CIA joints. Conclusions: ER alpha, but not ER beta, is key in ER-mediated suppression of experimental arthritis. It remains to be investigated how these findings translate to human autoimmune disease