scholarly journals Effects of long-term in vitro exposure to phosphodiesterase type-3 inhibitors on follicle and oocyte development

Reproduction ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Nogueira ◽  
R Cortvrindt ◽  
B Everaerdt ◽  
J Smitz
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Oocyte Growth ◽  
Phosphodiesterase Type ◽  
Type 3 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Phosphodiesterase Type 3

Germinal vesicle (GV)-stage oocytes retrieved from antral follicles undergo nuclear maturation in vitro, which typically occurs prior to cytoplasmic maturation. Short-term culture with meiotic inhibitors has been applied to arrest oocytes at the GV stage aiming to synchronize nuclear and ooplasmic maturity. However, the results obtained are still far from the in vivo situation. In order to acquire competence, immature oocytes may require meiotic arrest in vitro for a more extended period. The phosphodiesterase type 3-inhibitor (PDE3-I) is a potent meiotic arrester. The effects of a prolonged culture with PDE3-I on oocyte quality prior to and after reversal from the inhibition are not known. This study tested the impact of long-term in vitro exposure of two PDE3-Is, org9935 and cilostamide, on oocytes using a mouse follicle culture model. The results showed that PDE3-I (maximum of 10 μM) during a 12-day culture of follicle-enclosed oocytes did not alter somatic cell proliferation, differentiation or follicle survival. In addition, the steroid production profile was not significantly modified by a 12-day exposure to PDE3-I. The recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin/recombinant human epidermal growth factor stimulus induced a characteristic normal progesterone peak of luteinization and normal mucification of the cumulus cells, while the enclosed oocyte remained blocked at the GV stage. In vitro maturation of denuded or cumulus-enclosed oocytes derived from org9935- or cilostamide-exposed follicles progressed through meiosis and formed morphologically normal meiotic spindles with chromosomes properly aligned at the equator. In conclusion, long-term culture with PDE3-I was harmless to somatic cell function, differentiation, oocyte growth and maturation. Our results suggested that PDE3-I can be applied when extended oocyte culture is required to improve ooplasmic maturation.

scholarly journals IMMU-46. EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECTS OF DEXAMETHASONE ON THE EFFICACY OF IMMUNOTHERAPY IN GLIOMA USING GENE-MEDIATED CYTOTOXIC IMMUNOTHERAPY

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi129-vi129
Author(s):  
Marilin Koch ◽  
Mykola Zdioruk ◽  
M Oskar Nowicki ◽  
Estuardo Aguilar ◽  
Laura Aguilar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Symptomatic Treatment ◽  
Tumor Cell Death ◽  
The Impact

Abstract RATIONALE Dexamethasone is frequently used in symptomatic treatment of glioma patients, although it is known to cause immune suppression. Checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapies have not yet been successful in glioma treatments. Gene-mediated cytotoxic immunotherapy (GMCI) is an immunotherapeutic approach that uses aglatimagene besadenovec with an anti-herpetic prodrug to induce immunogenic tumor cell death and immune cell attraction to the tumor site with potent CD8 T cell activation. GMCI is currently in clinical trials for solid tumors including glioblastoma, where it showed encouraging survival results in a Phase 2 study that did not limit the use of dexamethasone. However, the effects of dexamethasone on its efficacy have not been explored. METHODS We investigated the effects of dexamethasone on GMCI in vitro using cytotoxicity and T-cell-killing assays in glioblastoma cell lines. The impact of dexamethasone in vivo was assessed in an orthotopic syngeneic murine glioblastoma model. RESULTS Cyotoxicity assays showed that Dexamethasone has a slight impact on GMCI in vitro. In contrast, we observed a highly significant effect in T-cell-functional assays in which killing was greatly impaired. Immune cell response assays revealed a reduced T-cell proliferation after co-culture with supernatant from dexamethasone or combination treated glioblastoma cells in contrast to GMCI alone. In a murine model, the combination of GMCI and dexamethasone resulted in a significant reduction in median symptom-free survival (29d) in comparison to GMCI alone (39.5d) (P = 0.0184). CONCLUSION Our data suggest that high doses of dexamethasone may negatively impact the efficacy of immunotherapy for glioma, which may be a consequence of impaired T cell function. These results support the idea that there is a need in identifying possible alternatives to dexamethasone to maximize the effectiveness of immunostimulatory therapies such as GMCI.

scholarly journals IAP inhibitors enhance co-stimulation to promote tumor immunity

2010 ◽  
Vol 207 (10) ◽  
pp. 2195-2206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Dougan ◽  
Stephanie Dougan ◽  
Joanna Slisz ◽  
Brant Firestone ◽  
Matthew Vanneman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Cytotoxic Activity ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Tumor Vaccine ◽  
Nuclear Factor Κb ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
The Impact

The inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) have recently been shown to modulate nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling downstream of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family receptors, positioning them as essential survival factors in several cancer cell lines, as indicated by the cytotoxic activity of several novel small molecule IAP antagonists. In addition to roles in cancer, increasing evidence suggests that IAPs have an important function in immunity; however, the impact of IAP antagonists on antitumor immune responses is unknown. In this study, we examine the consequences of IAP antagonism on T cell function in vitro and in the context of a tumor vaccine in vivo. We find that IAP antagonists can augment human and mouse T cell responses to physiologically relevant stimuli. The activity of IAP antagonists depends on the activation of NF-κB2 signaling, a mechanism paralleling that responsible for the cytotoxic activity in cancer cells. We further show that IAP antagonists can augment both prophylactic and therapeutic antitumor vaccines in vivo. These findings indicate an important role for the IAPs in regulating T cell–dependent responses and suggest that targeting IAPs using small molecule antagonists may be a strategy for developing novel immunomodulating therapies against cancer.

scholarly journals Clinical Trial andIn VitroStudy for the Role of Cartilage and Synovia in Acute Articular Infection

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elia R. Langenmair ◽  
Eva J. Kubosch ◽  
Gian M. Salzmann ◽  
Samuel Beck ◽  
Hagen Schmal
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Joint Infection ◽  
Synovial Fibroblasts ◽  
Joint Infections ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

Objective. Osteoarthritis is a long-term complication of acute articular infections. However, the roles of cartilage and synovia in this process are not yet fully understood.Methods. Patients with acute joint infections were enrolled in a prospective clinical trial and the cytokine composition of effusions compared in patients with arthroplasty (n= 8) or with intact joints (n= 67). Cytokines and cell function were also analyzed using a humanin vitromodel of joint infection.Results. Synovial IL-1βlevels were significantly higher in patients with arthroplasty (p= 0.004). Higher IL-1βconcentrations were also found in thein vitromodel without chondrocytes (p< 0.05). The anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were consistently expressedin vivoandin vitro, showing no association with the presence of cartilage or chondrocytes. In contrast, FasL levels increased steadilyin vitro, reaching higher levels without chondrocytes (p< 0.05). Likewise, the viability of synovial fibroblasts (SFB) during infection was higher in the presence of chondrocytes. The cartilage-metabolism markers aggrecan and bFGF were at higher concentrations in intact joints, but also synthesized by SFB.Conclusions. Our data suggest an anti-inflammatory effect of cartilage associated with the SFBs’ increased resistance to infections, which displayed the ability to effectively synthesize cartilage metabolites.The trial is registered with DRKS00003536, MISSinG.

Effect of L-Carnitine on Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection-Associated Apoptosis: A Pilot Study

Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 3817-3824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Moretti ◽  
Edoardo Alesse ◽  
Luisa Di Marzio ◽  
Francesca Zazzeroni ◽  
Barbara Ruggeri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Fas Ligand ◽  
Cd4 Counts ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ceramide Production ◽  
Hiv 1

Abstract The Fas/Fas ligand system is involved in uncontrolled apoptosis, which ultimately leads to the loss of T lymphocytes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. The signal transduced by Fas receptor involves the activation of an acidic sphingomyelinase, sphingomyelin breakdown, and ceramide production. Our recent reports have shown that L-carnitine inhibits Fas-induced apoptosis and ceramide production both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to study, in a preliminary fashion, the impact of long-term L-carnitine administration on CD4 and CD8 absolute counts, rate, and apoptosis in HIV-1–infected subjects. The generation of cell-associated ceramide and HIV-1 viremia was also investigated. Eleven, asymptomatic, HIV-1–infected subjects, who refused any antiretroviral treatment despite experiencing a progressive decline of CD4 counts, were treated with daily infusions of L-carnitine (6 g) for 4 months. Immunologic and virologic measures and safety were monitored at the start of the treatment and then on days 15, 30, 90, and 150. L-carnitine therapy resulted in an increase of absolute CD4 counts, which was statistically significant on day 90 and 150 (P = .010 and P = .019, respectively). A positive, not significant trend was also observed even in the change in absolute counts of CD8 lymphocytes. L-carnitine therapy also led to a drop in the frequency of apoptotic CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes. This reduction occurred gradually, but changes in actual values between each time point and baseline were strongly significant (P = .001 at the end of the study compared with the baseline). A strong reduction (P = .001) in cell-associated ceramide levels was found at the end of the study. In general, HIV-1 viremia increased slightly. No toxicity related to L-carnitine therapy was observed and dose reductions were not necessary. In HIV-1–infected subjects, long-term infusions of L-carnitine produced substantial increases in the rate and absolute counts of CD4 and, to a lesser degree, of CD8 lymphocytes. This was paralleled by a reduced frequency of apoptotic cells of both subgroups and a decline in the levels of ceramide. No clinically relevant change of HIV-1 viremia was observed.

scholarly journals Cocoa: antioxidant and immunomodulator

2009 ◽  
Vol 101 (7) ◽  
pp. 931-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Ramiro-Puig ◽  
Margarida Castell
Keyword(s):  
Cell Function ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Cell Signalling ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
High Dose ◽  
T Helper ◽  
T Helper 1

Cocoa, a product consumed since 600 BC, is now a subject of increasing interest because of its antioxidant properties, which are mainly attributed to the content of flavonoids such as ( − )-epicatechin, catechin and procyanidins. Moreover, recent findings suggest a regulatory effect of cocoa on the immune cells implicated in innate and acquired immunity. Cocoa exerts regulatory activity on the secretion of inflammatory mediators from macrophages and other leucocytesin vitro. In addition, emerging data fromin vivostudies support an immunomodulating effect. Long-term cocoa intake in rats affects both intestinal and systemic immune function. Studies in this line suggest that high-dose cocoa intake in young rats favours the T helper 1 (Th1) response and increases intestinal γδ T lymphocyte count, whereas the antibody-secreting response decreases. The mechanisms involved in this activity are uncertain; nonetheless, because redox-sensitive pathways control immune cell function, the action of cocoa flavonoids on modulating cell signalling and gene expression deserves investigation.

Enforced expression of MLL-AF4 fusion in cord blood CD34+ cells enhances the hematopoietic repopulating cell function and clonogenic potential but is not sufficient to initiate leukemia

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 117 (18) ◽  
pp. 4746-4758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Montes ◽  
Verónica Ayllón ◽  
Ivan Gutierrez-Aranda ◽  
Isidro Prat ◽  
M. Carmen Hernández-Lamas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cord Blood ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Human Cord Blood ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Dismal Prognosis ◽  
Clonogenic Potential ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia harboring the fusion mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL)-AF4 is associated with a dismal prognosis and very brief latency. Our limited understanding of transformation by MLL-AF4 is reflected in murine models, which do not accurately recapitulate the human disease. Human models for MLL-AF4 disease do not exist. Hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells (HSPCs) represent probable targets for transformation. Here, we explored in vitro and in vivo the impact of the enforced expression of MLL-AF4 in human cord blood-derived CD34+ HSPCs. Intrabone marrow transplantation into NOD/SCID-IL2Rγ−/− mice revealed an enhanced multilineage hematopoietic engraftment, efficiency, and homing to other hematopoietic sites on enforced expression of MLL-AF4. Lentiviral transduction of MLL-AF4 into CD34+ HSPCs increased the in vitro clonogenic potential of CD34+ progenitors and promoted their proliferation. Consequently, cell cycle and apoptosis analyses suggest that MLL-AF4 conveys a selective proliferation coupled to a survival advantage, which correlates with changes in the expression of genes involved in apoptosis, sensing DNA damage and DNA repair. However, MLL-AF4 expression was insufficient to initiate leukemogenesis on its own, indicating that either additional hits (or reciprocal AF4-MLL product) may be required to initiate ALL or that cord blood-derived CD34+ HSPCs are not the appropriate cellular target for MLL-AF4-mediated ALL.

scholarly journals Extracellular vesicles released by the human gut symbiont Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in the mouse intestine are enriched in a selected range of proteins that influence host cell physiology and metabolism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regis Stentz ◽  
Udo Wegmann ◽  
Maria Guirro ◽  
Will Bryant ◽  
Avani Ranjit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Cell ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Bile Salt Hydrolase ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Bacteroides Thetaiotaomicron ◽  
Human Gut ◽  
The Impact

Abstract It is becoming increasingly clear that bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) produced by members of the intestinal microbiota can contribute to microbe-host cell interactions that impact on host health. A major unresolved question is the nature of the cargo packaged into these BEVs and how they can impact on host cell function. Here we have analysed the proteome of BEVs produced by the major human gut symbiont Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in both in vitro cultures using defined and complex medias, and in vivo in fed or fasted animals to determine the impact of nutrient stress on the BEV proteome, and to identify proteins specifically enriched in BEVs produced in vivo. In contrast to BEVs produced in vitro where limiting nutrient provision resulted in an increase in a large fraction of proteins, the protein content of BEVs extracted from fasted versus fed mice was less affected with similar numbers of proteins showing increased and decreased abundance. We identified 102 proteins exclusively enriched in BEVs in vivo of which the majority (66/102) were enriched independently of their expression in the parent cells implicating the existence of an active mechanism to drive the selection of a group of proteins for their secretion into BEVs within the intestine. Amongst these abundantly expressed proteins in BEVs in vivo were a bile salt hydrolase and a dipeptidyl peptidase IV that were characterised further and shown to be active and able to degrade host-derived substrates with defined roles in metabolism. Collectively these findings provide additional evidence for the role of BEVs in microbiota-host interactions with their contents playing key roles in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis, and host metabolism.

scholarly journals How does chemotherapy treatment damage the prepubertal testis?

Reproduction ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 156 (6) ◽  
pp. R209-R233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline M Allen ◽  
Federica Lopes ◽  
Rod T Mitchell ◽  
Norah Spears
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Survival ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Chemotherapy Treatment ◽  
Therapy Targets ◽  
Chemotherapy Agents ◽  
The Impact

Chemotherapy treatment is a mainstay of anticancer regimens, significantly contributing to the recent increase in childhood cancer survival rates. Conventional cancer therapy targets not only malignant but also healthy cells resulting in side effects including infertility. For prepubertal boys, there are currently no fertility preservation strategies in use, although several potential methods are under investigation. Most of the current knowledge in relation to prepubertal gonadotoxicity has been deduced from adult studies; however, the prepubertal testis is relatively quiescent in comparison to the adult. This review provides an overview of research to date in humans and animals describing chemotherapy-induced prepubertal gonadotoxicity, focusing on direct gonadal damage. Testicular damage is dependent upon the agent, dosage, administration schedule and age/pubertal status at time of treatment. The chemotherapy agents investigated so far target the germ cell population activating apoptotic pathways and may also impair Sertoli cell function. Due to use of combined chemotherapy agents for patients, the impact of individual drugs is hard to define, however, use of in vivo and in vitro animal models can overcome this problem. Furthering our understanding of how chemotherapy agents target the prepubertal testis will provide clarity to patients on the gonadotoxicity of different drugs and aid in the development of cytoprotective agents.

scholarly journals A Summary of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies Evaluating the Impact of E-Cigarette Exposure on Living Organisms and the Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Merecz-Sadowska ◽  
Przemyslaw Sitarek ◽  
Hanna Zielinska-Blizniewska ◽  
Katarzyna Malinowska ◽  
Karolina Zajdel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Airborne Particulate Matter ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Impact

Worldwide use of electronic cigarettes has been rapidly expanding over recent years, but the long-term effect of e-cigarette vapor exposure on human health and environment is not well established; however, its mechanism of action entails the production of reactive oxygen species and trace metals, and the exacerbation of inflammation, which are associated with potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The present study examines the effects of selected liquid chemicals used in e-cigarettes, such as propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin, nicotine and flavorings, on living organisms; the data collected indicates that exposure to e-cigarette liquid has potentially detrimental effects on cells in vitro, and on animals and humans in vivo. While e-liquid exposure can adversely influence the physiology of living organisms, vaping is recommended as an alternative for tobacco smoking. The study also compares the impact of e-cigarette liquid exposure and traditional cigarette smoke on organisms and the environmental impact. The environmental influence of e-cigarette use is closely connected with the emission of airborne particulate matter, suggesting the possibility of passive smoking. The obtained data provides an insight into the impact of nicotine delivery systems on living organisms and the environment.

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