Participation of dendritic cells in neuroinflammation : factors regulating adhesion to human cerebral endothelium

Dendritic cells (DCs) form a key component of the immune response, as they are involved in the innate and adaptive immunity and in the process of tolerance. Under normal conditions, DCs are absent from the Central Nervous System (CNS), as the blood brain barrier (BBB) restricts their entry. However, DCs have recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of several CNS diseases. The molecular mechanisms that mediate DC trafficking across the BBB are poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to examine the role of endothelial cell adhesion molecules (eCAMs) and their ligands in the process of DC adhesion to the BBB endothelium, and to investigate the participation of DCs in human CNS diseases. To study DC adhesion, DCs were generated in vitro by culturing human blood monocytes in the presence of GM-CSF and IL- 4, and DC maturation was induced by adding inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and PGE₂. Immature and mature DCs displayed differences in their expression of surface molecules, including eCAM ligands, by flow cytometry. Adhesion to the cerebral endothelium was investigated using an in vitro model of the BBB consisting of primary cultures of human brain microvessel endothelial cells (HBMEC). Immature or mature DCs were incubated with resting or TNF-α-activated HBMEC for up to one hour. Only a few DCs adhered to resting HBMEC, but adhesion was upregulated upon activating HBMEC (p<O.Ol). Moreover, immature DCs adhered to activated HBMEC to a greater extent compared to mature DCs (p<O.OOl). Blocking experiments indicated that the adhesion of both immature and mature DCs to HBMEC was dependent upon ICAM-1-CD18 or ICAM-2-CD18, ICAM-2-DC-SIGN, and PECAM-l PECAM-l interactions. In addition, VCAM-1-VLA-4 interactions mediated the adhesion of immature but not mature DCs to activated HBMEC. Using immunohistochemistry for DC markers, we also examined the presence of DCs in human inflammatory, infectious, and neurodegenerative diseases, stroke and tumours. The results indicate accumulation of DC SIGN—, fascin—, and MHC class Il—expressing DCs in the CNS under most pathological conditions. These findings provide further insight into the mechanisms of neuroinflammation, and highlight the role of DCs and the BBB endothelium in this process.Medicine, Faculty ofMedicine, Department ofExperimental Medicine, Division ofGraduat

Removal of Heavy Metals from Industrial Wastewater by Sheep Gut Waste

Removal of toxic heavy metals from wastewater is an important environmental challenge. In this work, the Sheep Gut Waste (SGW) is used as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Pb2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+ from aqueous solutions and industrial wastewaters. Bath experiments were used to determine the best adsorption conditions. The effects of contact time, pH, initial metal concentration, and amount of adsorbent on the adsorption process were studied. The time required for the removal of metal ions was about two hour. Effective removal of metal ions was demonstrated at pH values of 4-8. The maximum adsorption capacities of Cu– SGW, Fe- SGW and Pb-SGW were 9.76 mmol g-1, 11.19 mmol g-1, and 3.01 mmol g-1, respectively. Metal adsorption onto SGW was evaluated by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Results indicate that the Langmuir isotherm model is the most suitable one for the adsorption process using sheep gut waste

Brain Metastasis in Wilms' Tumor: a Case Report

Wilms’ tumor is the most common abdominal tumor of childhood, and its cerebral metastasis is apparently very rare. The authors report an 18-month-old girl with Wilms’ tumor and brain metastasis

Pre and post radiotherapy serum oxidant/antioxidant status in breast cancer patients: Impact of age, BMI and clinical stage of the disease

AimIn this study the effects of radiation therapy (RT) on serum oxidant/antioxidant status in breast cancer patients and the impact of age, BMI and clinical stage of the disease on the aforementioned variables were investigated.BackgroundRT that is used for cancer treatment is dependent on the production of reactive oxygen species.Materials and methodsEighty patients with breast cancer participated in this study and received RT at a dose of 50[[ce:hsp sp="0.25"/]]Gy for 5 weeks. Blood samples were obtained in one day before and after the end of RT. Serum status of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were analyzed by spectrophotometry or ELISA and selenium (Se) level were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Paired t-test was used for comparing pre and post radiotherapy data.ResultsBefore and after the radiotherapy, a significant increase in MDA level was observed, while a significant decrease in GPx activity, SOD, TAS and Se levels were found (p[[ce:hsp sp="0.25"/]