scholarly journals Touch inhibits touch: sanshool-induced paradoxical tingling reveals perceptual interference between somatosensory submodalities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Cataldo ◽  
Nobuhiro Hagura ◽  
Yousef Hyder ◽  
Patrick Haggard

AbstractHuman perception of touch is mediated by inputs from multiple channels. Classical theories postulate independent contributions of each channel to each tactile feature, with little or no interaction between channels. In contrast to this view, we show that inputs from two sub-modalities of mechanical input channels interact to determine tactile perception. The flutter-range vibration channel was activated anomalously using hydroxy-α-sanshool, a bioactive compound of Szechuan pepper, which chemically induces tingling sensations. We tested whether this tingling sensation on the lips was modulated by sustained mechanical pressure. Across four experiments, we show that sustained touch inhibits sanshool tingling sensations in a location-specific, pressure-level and time-dependent manner. Additional experiments ruled out mediation of nociceptive or affective (C-tactile) channels underlying this interaction. These results reveal novel inhibitory influence from steady-pressure onto flutter-range tactile perceptual channels, consistent with early-stage interactions between mechanoreceptor inputs within the somatosensory pathway.

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1943) ◽  
pp. 20202914
Author(s):  
Antonio Cataldo ◽  
Nobuhiro Hagura ◽  
Yousef Hyder ◽  
Patrick Haggard

Human perception of touch is mediated by inputs from multiple channels. Classical theories postulate independent contributions of each channel to each tactile feature, with little or no interaction between channels. In contrast to this view, we show that inputs from two sub-modalities of mechanical input channels interact to determine tactile perception. The flutter-range vibration channel was activated anomalously using hydroxy-α-sanshool , a bioactive compound of Szechuan pepper, which chemically induces vibration-like tingling sensations. We tested whether this tingling sensation on the lips was modulated by sustained mechanical pressure. Across four experiments, we show that sustained touch inhibits sanshool tingling sensations in a location-specific, pressure-level and time-dependent manner. Additional experiments ruled out the mediation of this interaction by nociceptive or affective (C-tactile) channels. These results reveal novel inhibitory influence from steady pressure onto flutter-range tactile perceptual channels, consistent with early-stage interactions between mechanoreceptor inputs within the somatosensory pathway.


VASA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weibin Huang ◽  
Weiwei Qin ◽  
Lei Lv ◽  
Haoyv Deng ◽  
Hao Zhang ◽  
...  

Background: Duffy antigen / receptor for chemokines (DARC) possesses high affinity for several chemokine subgroups of CC and CXC. Although DARC has been shown to play a role in many inflammatory diseases, its effect on chronic venous disease (CVD) remains unidentified. We explored whether the expression of DARC in skin tissue was activated under venous hypertension as well as the relationships between DARC and inflammation. Materials and methods: The inflammation in a rat model of venous hypertension caused by a femoral arterial-venous fistula (AVF) was studied. At specified intervals the pressure in the femoral veins was recorded within 42 days. Hindlimb skin specimens were harvested at different time points. The expressions of DARC, interleukin-8 (IL-8), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in skin tissue were examined. Mononuclear cells infiltrated in skin tissue were detected. Results: Femoral venous pressures in AVF groups increased significantly at different time points (P < 0.01). DARC was expressed in skin tissue and its expression level increased significantly in AVF groups from the 7nd day on and was enhanced in a time-dependent manner within 42 days (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, both MCP-1 and IL-8 had higher levels, accompanied by increased mononuclear cells infiltrating into skin tissue (P < 0.05). Conclusions: A rat AVF model which can maintain venous hypertension for at least 42 days is competent for researching the pathogenesis of CVD. DARC, which plays a role in the inflammation of skin tissue under venous hypertension, may become a new molecular target for diagnosis and treatment of CVD at a very early stage.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 1399-1404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangcheng Liu ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Changlan Chen ◽  
Zheng Xiang ◽  
Hongwei Liu

Background and Purpose:: Patrinia villosa Juss is an important Chinese herbal medicine widely used for thousands of years, but few reports on the ingredients of the herb have been presented. In this study, we aim to isolate the bioactive compound from the plant. Material and Methods:: The air-dried leaves of P. villosa (15kg) were extracted three times with 70% EtOH under reflux. The condensed extract was suspended in H2O and partitioned with light petroleum, dichloromethane and n-BuOH. The dichloromethane portion was then subjected to normal-phase silica gel column chromatography, ODS silica gel column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC to yield compound 1. Cytotoxicities of 1 were assayed on HepG2, A549 and A2780 cell lines. The mechanism of apoptosis and cell cycle on A549 was confirmed subsequently. Results: A new impecylone (Impecylone A) was isolated from the leaves of Patrinia villosa Juss, and its structures were established using 1D, 2D-NMR spectra and HR-ESI-MS. Impecylone A could selectivity inhibit HepG2 and A549 cell lines. The compound could induce apoptosis of A549 and arrest the cell cycle at G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Impecylone A is a novel compound from Patrinia villosa Juss and could be a potential antitumor agent especially in the cell lines of A549.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cleo C. L. van Aanhold ◽  
Manon Bos ◽  
Katrina M. Mirabito Colafella ◽  
Marie-Louise P. van der Hoorn ◽  
Ron Wolterbeek ◽  
...  

AbstractThe endothelial glycoprotein thrombomodulin regulates coagulation, vascular inflammation and apoptosis. In the kidney, thrombomodulin protects the glomerular filtration barrier by eliciting crosstalk between the glomerular endothelium and podocytes. Several glomerular pathologies are characterized by a loss of glomerular thrombomodulin. In women with pre-eclampsia, serum levels of soluble thrombomodulin are increased, possibly reflecting a loss from the glomerular endothelium. We set out to investigate whether thrombomodulin expression is decreased in the kidneys of women with pre-eclampsia and rats exposed to an angiogenesis inhibitor. Thrombomodulin expression was examined using immunohistochemistry and qPCR in renal autopsy tissues collected from 11 pre-eclamptic women, 22 pregnant controls and 11 hypertensive non-pregnant women. Further, kidneys from rats treated with increasing doses of sunitinib or sunitinib in combination with endothelin receptor antagonists were studied. Glomerular thrombomodulin protein levels were increased in the kidneys of women with pre-eclampsia. In parallel, in rats exposed to sunitinib, glomerular thrombomodulin was upregulated in a dose-dependent manner, and the upregulation of glomerular thrombomodulin preceded the onset of histopathological changes. Selective ETAR blockade, but not dual ETA/BR blockade, normalised the sunitinib-induced increase in thrombomodulin expression and albuminuria. We propose that glomerular thrombomodulin expression increases at an early stage of renal damage induced by antiangiogenic conditions. The upregulation of this nephroprotective protein in glomerular endothelial cells might serve as a mechanism to protect the glomerular filtration barrier in pre-eclampsia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Min-Soo Seo ◽  
Byeonghyeon Lee ◽  
Kyung-Ku Kang ◽  
Soo-Eun Sung ◽  
Joo-Hee Choi ◽  
...  

DBA/2 mice are a well-known animal model for hearing loss developed due to intrinsic properties of these animals. However, results on the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice have been mainly reported at an early stage in mice aged ≤7 weeks. Instead, the present study evaluated the hearing ability at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age using DBA/2korl mice. Auditory brainstem response test was performed at 8–32 KHz at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age, and hearing loss was confirmed to be induced in a time-dependent manner. In addition, histopathological evaluation at the same age confirmed the morphological damage of the cochlea. The findings presented herein are the results of the long-term observation of the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice and can be useful in studies related to aging-dependent hearing loss.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 338
Author(s):  
Yen-Chen Chen ◽  
Jeng-Wei Lu ◽  
Chia-Tsui Yeh ◽  
Te-Yu Lin ◽  
Feng-Cheng Liu ◽  
...  

Dengue fever is an arbovirus disease caused by infection with the dengue virus (DENV). Half of the world’s population lives under the threat of dengue fever, however, researchers have yet to develop any drugs that are clinically applicable to this infection. Micafungin is a member of the echinocandins family of anti-fungal drugs, capable of blocking the synthesis of β-1,3-D-glucan in the walls of fungal cells. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Micafungin against infections of enterovirus 71 (EV71) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). This is the first study demonstrating the effectiveness of micafungin in inhibiting the cytopathic effects of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) in a dose-dependent manner. Time-of-addition assays verified the inhibitory effects of micafungin in pre-treated, co-treated, and full-treatment groups. Binding and entry assays also demonstrated the effectiveness of micafungin in the early stage of DENV-2 infection. The virucidal efficacy of micafungin appears to lie in its ability to destroy the virion. Molecular docking assays revealed the binding of micafungin to the envelope protein of DENV-2, thereby revealing the mechanism by which micafungin affects the early stage of DENV infection and the stability of DENV. Two other micafungin analogs, caspofungin and anidulafungin, were also shown to have the antiviral effects on DENV-2. Finally, immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) confirmed the broad anti-DENV ability of micafungin against dengue virus serotypes 1, 3, and 4 (DENV-1, DENV-3, and DENV-4). Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential of micafungin and its analogs as candidates for the development of broad-spectrum treatments for DENV infection.


2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (17) ◽  
pp. 8996-9003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Che-Szu Chen ◽  
Yi-Chuan Yao ◽  
Shin-Chao Lin ◽  
Yi-Ping Lee ◽  
Ya-Fang Wang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Inoculation of enterovirus 71 (EV71) by the oral (p.o.), intramuscular (i.m.), or intracranial route resulted in brain infection, flaccid paralysis, pulmonary dysfunction, and death of 7-day-old mice. The lag time of disease progression indicated that neuroinvasion from the inoculation sites was a prerequisite for the development of the clinical signs. Although EV71 p.o. inoculation led to a persistent viremia and a transient increase in blood-brain barrier permeability at the early stage of the infection, only low levels of virus, which led to neither severe infection nor clinical illness, could be detected in the brain, suggesting that hematogenous transport might not represent a major transmission route. In the spinal cord, following both p.o. and hind limb i.m. inoculation, the virus first appeared and increased rapidly in the lower segments, especially at the anterior horn areas, and then spread to the upper segments and brain in the presence of viremia. A reverse pattern, with the virus being first detected in the upper segment, was observed when the virus was i.m. inoculated in the forelimb. Colchicine, a fast axonal transport inhibitor, but not sciatic nerve transection reduced EV71 neuroinvasion in a dose-dependent manner, indicating a neuronal transmission of the virus.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 209
Author(s):  
Zachary Heinzman ◽  
Connor Schmidt ◽  
Marek K. Sliwinski ◽  
Nalin C. W. Goonesekere

The high mortality rate for pancreatic cancer (PC) is due to the lack of specific symptoms at early tumor stages and a high biological aggressiveness. Reliable biomarkers and new therapeutic targets would help to improve outlook in PC. In this study, we analyzed the expression of GNMT in a panel of pancreatic cancer cell lines and in early-stage paired patient tissue samples (normal and diseased) by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). We also investigated the effect of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (PGG) as a therapeutic agent for PC. We find that GNMT is markedly downregulated (p < 0.05), in a majority of PC cell lines. Similar results are observed in early-stage patient tissue samples, where GNMT expression can be reduced by a 100-fold or more. We also show that PGG is a strong inhibitor of PC cell proliferation, with an IC50 value of 12 ng/mL, and PGG upregulates GNMT expression in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, our data show that GNMT has promise as a biomarker and as a therapeutic target for PC.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Ning Liu ◽  
Jingwei Zhou ◽  
Tingting Li ◽  
Jing Wu ◽  
Shu Hua Xie ◽  
...  

The hypoalbuminuric effect of sulodexide (SDX) on diabetic kidney disease (DKD) was suggested by some clinical trials but was denied by the Collaborative Study Group. In this study, the diabetic rats were treated with SDX either from week 0 to 24 or from week 13 to 24. We found that 24-week treatment significantly decreased the urinary protein and HAVCR1 excretion, inhibited the interstitial expansion, and downregulated the renal cell apoptosis and interstitial fibrosis. Renoprotection was also associated with a reduction in renocortical/urinary oxidative activity and the normalization of renal klotho expression. However, all of these actions were not observed when SDX was administered only at the late stage of diabetic nephropathy (from week 13 to 24). In vitro, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) dose-dependently enhanced the oxidative activity but lowered the klotho expression in cultured proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTECs). Also, H2O2 could downregulate the expression of klotho in a dose-dependent manner. However, overexpression of klotho reduced the HAVCR1 production and the cellular apoptosis level induced by AGEs or H2O2. Our study suggests that SDX may prevent the progression of DKD at the early stage by upregulating renal klotho expression, which inhibits the tubulointerstitial injury induced by oxidative stress.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noppol Leksawasdi ◽  
Siraphat Taesuwan ◽  
Trakul Prommajak ◽  
Charin Techapun ◽  
Rattanaporn Khonchaisri ◽  
...  

Abstract Green soybean (Glycine max L.) pods (GSP) are agro-industrial waste from the production of frozen green soybean and milk. These pods contain natural antioxidants and various bioactive compounds that are still underutilized. Polyphenols and flavonoids in GSP were extracted by ultrasound techniques and used in antioxidant fortification of green soybean milk. The ultrasound extraction that yielded the highest total polyphenol content was 50% amplitude for 10 min, whereas maximum flavonoids content was obtained at 50% amplitude for 15 min. Radical scavenging activity assayed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods did not differ significantly (p>0.05) between the two conditions. Response surface methodology was applied to analyze an optimum ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) condition of these variables. The highest desirability was found to be 50% amplitude with extraction time of 12.5 min. Fortification of the GSP extracts (1-3% v/v) in green soybean milk resulted in higher levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. Procyanidins were found to be the main polyphenols in dried GSP which were present at the concentration of 104.1 ± 2.1 mg/g dry sample, respectively. Addition of GSP extracts obtained by using an ultrasound technique to green soybean milk increased its bioactive compound content especially procyanidins as well as its antioxidant activity.


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