Early murine immune responses from endotracheal exposures to biotechnology-related Bacillus strains

An immunology-based in vivo screening regime was used to assess the potential pathogenicity of biotechnology-related microbes. Strains of Bacillus cereus (Bc), Bacillus subtilis (Bs), Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and Bt commercial products (CPs) were tested. Balb/c mice were endotracheally instilled with purified spores, diluted CP, or vegetative cells (VC) (live or dead). Exposed mice were evaluated for changes in behavioral and physical symptoms, bacterial clearance, pulmonary granulocytes, and pulmonary and circulatory pyrogenic cytokines (interleukins (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α), as well as acute phase biomarkers (fibrinogen and serum amyloid A). Except for some differences in clearance rates, no marked effects were observed in mice exposed to any spore at 10⁶ or 10⁷ colony forming units (cfu). In contrast, live Bc or Bt VCs (10⁵ or 10⁶?cfu) produced shock-like symptoms (lethargy, hunched appearance, ruffled fur, and respiratory distress), and 11–200-fold elevations in pyrogenic cytokines at 2-h post-exposure. In the study, 4-h effects included increased lethargy, ocular discharge, and 1.5–4-fold rise in circulatory acute phase markers, but no indications of recovery. Bs VC did not produce any changes in symptoms or biomarkers. After 2 or 4?h of exposure to dead VC, increases of only plasma IL-1β and TNF-α (4.6- and 12.4-fold, respectively) were observed. These findings demonstrate that purified spores produced no marked effects in mice compared to that of metabolically active bacteria. This early screening regime was successful in distinguishing the pathogenicity of the different Bacillus species, and might be useful for assessing the relative hazard potential of other biotechnology-related candidate strains.     

PPARγ/UCP2在甲醛致学习记忆障碍中的作用

为探究过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ/解偶联蛋白2（PPARγ/UCP2）在甲醛（FA）诱导的学习记忆障碍中的作用,本文将C57BL/6小鼠随机分为：对照组、T0070907组（抑制剂组）、3mg/m³ FA组、3mg/m³ FA+T0070907组,进行连续21d的实验暴露,在第22d取脑组织测定脑组织脏体比并匀浆,检测活性氧（ROS）、谷胱甘肽（GSH）、丙二醛（MDA）、核因子κB （NF-κB）、白细胞介素6（IL-6）、PPARγ、UCP2等生化指标,通过Nissl染色观察脑组织的病理学变化.结果发现,与对照组相比,T0070907组和3mg/m³ FA组小鼠大脑皮层神经元受损,GSH含量下降,ROS、MDA、NF-κB、IL-6含量有所上升,而3mg/m³ FA+T0070907组小鼠上述现象更严重.此外,与对照组相比,T0070907组小鼠脑组织中的PPARγ和UCP2含量下降,但3mg/m³ FA组小鼠脑组织中的PPARγ和UCP2含量上升;与3mg/m³ FA组相比,加入抑制剂的3mg/m³ FA+T0070907组小鼠脑组织中的PPARγ和UCP2含量下降.研究结果表明,在加入PPARγ抑制剂后,PPARγ/UCP2含量下降,加重了FA所致小鼠的学习记忆障碍,故PPARγ/UCP2在FA致学习记忆障碍中可能起保护作用.     

Intervention of pentoxifylline on silica-induced inflammatory reaction and apoptosis

Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a clinically used drug mainly for peripheral circulation improvement. This drug also possesses potent anti-inflammatory effects and was found to inhibit acute lung injury induced by chemical agents in animal models. Since it is also a potential apoptosis enhancer, this study was designed to examine the influence of PTX on silica-induced lung inflammation and pulmonary leucocyte apoptosis. Male Wistar rats were intratracheally instilled with either silica dust suspension or saline and intraperitoneally injected with saline or PTX. These treatments continued for six weeks and all rats were then sacrificed to obtain bronchoalveolar lavage cells and lavage fluid. Data demonstrated that PTX attenuated silica-induced lung injury in the rat model and this attenuation may possibly be attributed to its role in the enhancement of pulmonary apoptosis. As a known clinically safe drug, PTX may thus have potential use in the treatment of human silicosis.     

Smokeless tobacco extract impairs iron homeostasis in rats and human hepatoma,HepG2 cells

Tobacco exposure may alter homeostasis of iron (Fe), one of the most abundant and essential transition metals in the body. In this study, the effect of aqueous extract of smokeless tobacco was evaluated on Fe homeostasis in rats and human hepatoma, HepG2 cells. Our findings suggested that tobacco consumption even at low doses impairs Fe homeostasis leading to Fe deficiency anemia. Significant alterations were noted with respect to hematological parameters and expression patterns of selected intestinal Fe-transporters, Fe-binding proteins, and Fe-regulatory hormone, hepcidin. Impairment in the hepatic and renal antioxidant defense system was also observed in the treated rats. Histopathological studies revealed cirrhosis of liver and goblet cell hyperplasia of small intestine. Further, analysis of hepcidin promoter and its expression along with ferritin (expression and ELISA) in HepG2 cells demonstrated an enhanced expression of both the genes resulting in sequestration of Fe in treated cells, thus indicating systemic Fe deficiency.     

Dioxin alters inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has well characterized effects on specific immune responses, but the effects on the innate immune system are less understood. The effect of TCDD on inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was evaluated in C57BL/6J female mice. Mice were treated with 30?µg?kg^?1 TCDD or vehicle once, p.o., and 4 days later, animals received LPS (0.05?×?10⁷?EU?kg^?1, i.p.) or vehicle. Inflammatory mediators and the liver injury marker, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), were measured, and liver histology was evaluated. TCDD-treated animals had higher plasma ALT activity than vehicle-treated animals, but the effect was mild and time-dependent. Few changes in liver histopathology were observed, mainly represented in greater steatosis in TCDD/LPS-treated mice compared to mice treated with LPS or TCDD alone. LPS produced a time-dependent increase in the plasma concentrations of interleukins (IL)-6, -10, and -12 and interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1. With the exception of IL-12, concentrations of each of these mediators were higher in plasma of mice co-treated with TCDD and LPS compared to either agent alone. The dose–response curve for the concentration of IL-6 in plasma suggested that dioxin increased the potency of LPS to cause the release of this cytokine but not the maximal response. Co-treatment with TCDD and LPS also led to greater expression of mRNA for IL-10 and IFN-γ compared to either TCDD or LPS alone. These results suggest that TCDD changes the inflammatory cytokine profile induced by LPS and that LPS enhances the hepatic steatotic response to TCDD.     

Early life environment and developmental immunotoxicity in inflammatory dysfunction and disease

Components of the innate immune system such as macrophages and dendritic cells are instrumental in determining the fate of immune responses and are, also, among the most sensitive targets of early life environmental alterations including developmental immunotoxicity (DIT). DIT can impede innate immune cell maturation, disrupt tissue microenvironment, alter immune responses to infectious challenges, and disrupt regulatory responses. Dysregulation of inflammation, such as that observed with DIT, has been linked with an increased risk of chronic inflammatory diseases in both children and adults. In this review, we discuss the relationship between early-life risk factors for innate immune modulation and promotion of dysregulated inflammation associated with chronic inflammatory disease. The health risks from DIT-associated inflammation may extend beyond primary immune dysfunction to include an elevated risk of several later-life, inflammatory-mediated diseases that target a wide range of physiological systems and organs. For this reason, determination of innate immune status should be an integral part of drug and chemical safety evaluation.     

Pulmonary inflammation induced by office dust and the relation to 1 → 3-β-glucan using different extraction techniques

It is observed that 1?→?3-β-glucan, a major cell wall component of fungi, induces pulmonary inflammation. There is inconsistency in determining the correlation between the levels of glucan measured by current extraction methods and the respiratory inflammation observed in individuals or lab animals exposed to environmental dust samples. The glucan-specific limulus amebocyte lysate (G-LAL) method was used after extraction with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to analyze the glucan content of office dust samples collected from a water-damaged building. C3HeB/FeJ mice, an endotoxin-sensitive strain, were treated with different dust samples (2.5?mg?kg^?1 body weight) or saline (vehicle control) by pharyngeal aspiration. At 1?day after aspiration, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, and lung inflammation and injury were assessed by measuring: (1) neutrophil (PMN) infiltration, (2) inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-10, MCP-1, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL12-p70) levels, and (3) albumin and lactate dehydrogenase in recovered BAL fluid. Both DMSO and NaOH extraction increased the detection of glucan by approximately 20-fold compared to water extraction. However, only the DMSO extraction method showed a statistically significant positive correlation between 1?→?3-β-glucan and albumin levels, total numbers of BAL, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) cells recovered, levels of TNF-α, MCP-1, and IL-6. In conclusion, 1?→?3-β-glucan is a potent inflammatory agent in dust samples and DMSO extraction for glucan analysis may prove useful in understanding the impact of environmental contamination by glucans on lung disease.     

纳米Al2O3经气道滴注致小鼠脏器损伤和炎症反应的研究

为探讨纳米氧化铝(nAl_2O_3)气道滴注对小鼠脏器的毒性作用,本研究将Balb/c小鼠随机分成6组:生理盐水组、50 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) Vit E(维生素E)组、0.5 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) nAl_2O_3组、5 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) nAl_2O_3组、50 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) nAl_2O_3组、nAl_2O_3 50+Vit E组(50 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) nAl_2O_3+50 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)Vit E).实验周期为21 d,气道滴注暴露,隔天滴注,维生素E灌胃阻断.染毒结束后,检测肺部、脾脏、肝脏和肾脏中活性氧(Reactive Oxide Species,ROS)和还原型谷胱甘肽(Glutathione,GSH)含量,并进行肺部病理学观察和肺泡灌洗液细胞计数.结果表明:与对照组相比,nAl_2O_3剂量为0.5 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)时,小鼠肺部ROS含量增加(p0.05),肝脏GSH含量下降(p0.05);nAl_2O_3剂量为5和50 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)时,小鼠肺部、脾脏、肝脏和肾脏ROS含量均显著增加(p0.05),肺部和肝脏GSH含量均显著下降(p0.05);且小鼠肺部出现支气管壁增厚、气道腔皱缩、组织纤维化等气道重塑和嗜酸性粒细胞等炎症细胞浸润现象.而抗氧化剂维生素E的阻断显著降低了肝脏ROS含量,有效恢复了肺部GSH活性(p0.01),且缓解了肺部气道重塑和炎症细胞浸润现象(p0.05).研究表明,nAl_2O_3经气道滴注染毒后,不仅会对小鼠肺部造成损伤和炎症反应,同时也能够对脾脏、肝脏和肾脏造成氧化损伤.本研究可为纳米材料的安全性应用及其潜在危害的预防提供科学依据.