L929细胞条件培养基诱导培养的小鼠原代巨噬细胞生物学特性对比

本研究旨在对比分析小鼠骨髓源巨噬细胞 (BMDM) 和腹腔巨噬细胞 (PM) 原代培养及巨噬细胞生物学特性差异,为合理选择原代巨噬细胞培养方法提供参考依据。原代培养小鼠BMDM和PM,细胞计数仪测定细胞数量,倒置显微镜观察形态学变化,流式细胞仪检测细胞纯度,CCK-8法测定细胞增殖,中性红吞噬实验测定细胞吞噬功能,实时荧光定量PCR分析巨噬细胞表型变化。结果显示,BMDM原代培养获取的细胞数量显著高于PM (P<0.01),PM贴壁及伸展时间早于BMDM。BMDM中F4/80+CD11b+百分比 (98.30%±0.53%) 高于PM (94.83%±1.42%),但无统计学差异 (P>0.05)。在L929细胞条件培养基培养体系中,BMDM增殖能力显著高于PM (P<0.001)。吞噬实验发现,基础状态下BMDM吞噬能力显著高于PM (P<0.01),经LPS刺激24 h后,除低剂量LPS (0.1 μg/mL) 外,BMDM吞噬能力均显著高于PM (P<0.01或P<0.001),提示BMDM吞噬能力在基础和激活状态下均强于PM。巨噬细胞极化实验发现,基础状态下Tnfα在BMDM中表达显著高于PM (P<0.001),Arg1和Ym1在BMDM中表达显著低于PM (P<0.001),这一差异在极化诱导剂 (LPS+IFN-γ或IL-4) 处理后依然存在。上述结果表明,原代培养BMDM较PM可获取更多细胞,且两种细胞在吞噬功能和极化状态上存在一定生物学差异,应谨慎合理选择巨噬细胞原代培养方法。     

异丙肾上腺素对小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞分泌及吞噬功能影响的研究

目的:研究异丙肾上腺素对脂多糖诱导BALB/C小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α,IL-10及吞噬功能的影响.方法:分别以10μM、100μM和300μM异丙肾上腺素加入BALB/C小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞培养液,2h后用脂多糖(LPS,10μg/mL)刺激,孵育6h后以ELISA法测定上清中TNF-α水平,24h后测定上清中IL-10的含量,并观察腹膜巨噬细胞时中性红吞噬能力的变化.结果:异丙肾上腺素使BALB/C小鼠腹膜巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α降低,IL-10分泌增加,增加巨噬细胞对中性红的吞噬能力.结论:异丙肾上腺素能调节巨噬细胞分泌功能及吞噬功能,使炎性因子分泌减少,抑炎因子分泌增多,增强巨噬细胞吞噬中性红的能力.     

人牙龈间充质干细胞外囊泡调控M1型巨噬细胞极化的研究

目的 分析人牙龈间充质干细胞外囊泡(human gingival mesenchymal stem cell extracellular vesicle, CMU-Egm-9-EVs)调控M1型巨噬细胞(macrophage)极化(polarization)的表型及机制。方法 通过佛波酯(PMA,100 nmol/L)作用人单核细胞系THP-1构建M0极化模型，设立空白对照组、EVs-PKH26组、CMU-Egm-9-Evs浓度递增组(20、40、80、160、320μg/mL)、CMU-Egm-9-Evs组(10μg/mL)、LPS组(100 ng/mL)与共同作用组(CMU-Egm-9-Evs、10μg/mL+100 ng/mL LPS、100 ng/mL),作用48 h后，激光共聚焦检测巨噬细胞吞噬外囊泡；ELISA检测细胞因子TNF-α含量；Western blot检测巨噬细胞炎症相关蛋白iNOS、IL-6、ARG-1等表达；RT-qPCR检测TNF-α、IL-1β、iNOS基因表达。结果 巨噬细胞可吞噬CMU-Egm-9-Evs。与空白对照组相比，高浓度CMU-Egm-9-E...     

大黄鱼ATG10基因的分子特征及其在抗病毒免疫中的功能

为了研究自噬相关基因ATG10(Autophagy related gene 10)在鱼类免疫应答中的功能, 研究克隆了大黄鱼(Larimichthys crocea)ATG10基因(LcATG10)的cDNA序列, 其开放阅读框全长747个核苷酸, 编码248个氨基酸的蛋白, 包含1个Autophagy_act_C结构域。系统进化分析显示, LcATG10和其他硬骨鱼类ATG10聚成一支, 与金头鲷和石斑鱼ATG10亲缘关系最近。LcATG10在所检测的正常大黄鱼各组织中都有表达。在病毒类似物poly (I:C)刺激后, 大黄鱼脾脏和头肾组织中LcATG10的表达水平显著上调, 分别在12h和6h达到峰值(9.4和5.9倍)。LcATG10在大黄鱼头肾细胞系(LYCK)、原代巨噬细胞、淋巴细胞和粒细胞中也均有表达, 在原代粒细胞中的表达量相对较高; 在poly (I:C)刺激后, 大黄鱼原代头肾粒细胞和LYCK细胞中LcATG10的表达水平显著上调。过表达LcATG10的鲤上皮瘤(Epithelioma papulosum cyprinid, EPC)细胞受鲤春病毒血症病毒(Spring viremia of carp virus, SVCV)感染48h后, 细胞病变效应(Cytopathic effects, CPEs)明显低于对照组; 细胞培养上清中SVCV病毒滴度为103.55 TCID₅₀/mL, 显著少于对照组; SVCV标志基因SVCV- G、SVCV-M和SVCV- P的表达水平也显著低于对照组, 分别是对照组的0.022、0.015和0.022倍。这些研究结果表明LcATG10在大黄鱼抗病毒免疫应答中发挥作用, 为深入研究自噬在大黄鱼抗病毒免疫中的分子机制奠定了基础。     

杀菌剂对斜纹夜蛾SL细胞系和幼虫的生物活性

以MTT法筛选了19种杀菌剂对斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura SL细胞的毒杀活性,并以该方法研究了三唑类杀菌剂对SL细胞的毒力。结果表明: 福美双、烯唑醇、己唑醇、氟硅唑、苯霜灵、苯醚甲环唑、戊唑醇和腈菌唑等杀菌剂对SL细胞具有优异的毒杀活性。三唑类杀菌剂腈菌唑、烯唑醇、己唑醇和戊唑醇处理SL细胞48 h后,LC₅₀值分别为21.94 μg/mL、 23.80 μg/mL、 33.16 μg/mL和47.63 μg/mL。以考马斯亮蓝G₂₅₀法研究了腈菌唑对SL细胞中蛋白质含量和乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)漏出率的影响, 20 μg/mL腈菌唑处理12 h、24 h、48 h和72 h后,SL细胞中蛋白质含量分别降低8.55%、25.95%、42.95%和67.05%;处理24 h和48 h后,SL细胞的LDH漏出率分别为30.66%和32.05%。以浸叶喂食法处理斜纹夜蛾3龄幼虫,三唑类杀菌剂可显著抑制试虫体重增长。以0.5 μg/头、 1.0 μg/头和2.0 μg/头剂量的腈菌唑注射处理72 h后,斜纹夜蛾4龄幼虫血细胞数量分别降低12.31%、 25.96%和25.73%;腈菌唑注射处理48 h和72 h后,对斜纹夜蛾幼虫的LD₅₀值分别为1.59 μg/头和1.53 μg/头。结果显示以离体培养细胞为对象,从现有杀菌剂中寻找新的杀虫剂先导化合物具有良好的研究潜力。     

高氧抑制LPS/ATP诱导的骨髓源性巨噬细胞的焦亡

目的:研究不同浓度的氧气在LPS/ATP诱导的骨髓源性巨噬细胞焦亡中的作用。方法:提取C57BL/6小鼠的骨髓源性巨噬细胞,用1μg/ml脂多糖(LPS)刺激细胞24 h,用5 mM三磷酸腺苷(ATP)刺激细胞4 h,酶联免疫吸附测定法(ELISA)检测细胞培养上清液中IL-1β水平的变化。用5 mM ATP刺激细胞后,给予细胞40%、60%和100%的氧气处理1.5 h,ELISA检测细胞培养上清液中IL-1β水平的变化。结果:1μg/mL LPS和5 mM ATP先后刺激下,骨髓源性巨噬细胞培养上清液中IL-1β的水平明显升高(P0.001),用caspase-1特异性抑制剂AC-YVAD-CMK刺激骨髓源性巨噬细胞后IL-1β水平明显降低(P0.001)。5 mM ATP刺激之后给予细胞不同浓度的氧气干预1.5 h后,细胞培养上清液中IL-1β的水平明显下降。结论:高氧抑制LPS/ATP诱导的骨髓源性巨噬细胞的焦亡。     

红景天苷对脂多糖诱导大鼠肺泡巨噬细胞和Ⅱ型肺泡上皮细胞共培养炎性介质分泌的影响

本研究旨在探讨红景天苷(salidroside, Sal)对脂多糖(lipopolysaccharide, LPS)诱导大鼠肺泡巨噬细胞NR 8383和II型肺泡上皮细胞RLE-6TN共培养炎性活化的影响。CCK-8比色法检测细胞增殖百分率,Western blot检测磷酸化AKT (p-AKT)和总AKT蛋白表达,酶联免疫吸附法测定细胞培养上清中肿瘤坏死因子α(tumor necrosis factorα, TNF-α)、巨噬细胞炎性蛋白2(macrophage inflammatory protein-2, MIP-2)和白介素10 (interleukin-10, IL-10)的含量。结果显示:与对照组相比,32和128μg/mL Sal预处理RLE-6TN细胞或共培养RLE-6TN和NR 8383细胞1 h后继续培养24 h,细胞增殖百分率显著增加(P 0.05);与对照组相比,32和128μg/mL Sal预处理RLE-6TN细胞,p-AKT/AKT蛋白比值显著增加(P 0.05)。32μg/mL Sal预处理不仅抑制LPS诱导NR 8383细胞分泌TNF-α和MIP-2 (P 0.05),而且加强RLE-6TN和NR 8383细胞共培养对LPS诱导NR 8383细胞分泌TNF-α和MIP-2的抑制作用(P 0.05)。此外,32μg/mL Sal预处理能促进LPS诱导NR 8383细胞分泌IL-10 (P 0.05),并能加强RLE-6TN和NR 8383细胞共培养对LPS诱导NR 8383细胞分泌IL-10的促进作用(P 0.05)。以上结果提示,Sal不仅能直接抑制LPS诱导的NR 8383炎性活化,还可能通过PI3K/AKT信号通路促进RLE-6TN增殖,参与II型肺泡上皮细胞对LPS诱导肺泡巨噬细胞炎性活化的调节作用。     

铜绿假单胞菌脂多糖对阿萨希毛孢子菌生物膜形成的影响

目的研究铜绿假单胞菌脂多糖(LPS)对阿萨希毛孢子菌生物膜形成的影响。方法将不同浓度(100~0.1μg/mL)铜绿假单胞菌脂多糖与阿萨希毛孢子菌共培养后,利用倒置显微镜观察生物膜的形态学变化,并利用甲基四氮盐(XTT)减低法检测不同时间点生物膜生成量的变化。结果与生长对照组相比,实验组铜绿假单胞菌LPS对阿萨希毛孢子菌生物膜的生成具有菌株差异性和LPS浓度依赖性。其中,黏附阶段(2h),各浓度组铜绿假单胞菌LPS对生物膜形成的影响没有统计学差异。生物膜形成阶段(24h),与生长对照比,100μg/mL、10μg/mL、1μg/mL的铜绿假单胞菌LPS对阿萨希毛孢子菌的生物膜形成的抑制作用均有统计学意义作用。而在生物膜成熟阶段(48h),只有100μg/mL的铜绿假单胞菌LPS对阿萨希毛孢子菌的生物膜形成的抑制作用具有统计学意义。倒置显微镜下,实验组菌丝形成明显受到抑制,以孢子相为主。结论铜绿假单胞菌脂多糖可以通过抑制阿萨希毛孢子菌菌丝的形成来减少生物膜的形成,并且抑制作用具有时间和浓度依赖性,以24h时,100μg/mL作用最为显著。     

血啉甲醚对斜纹夜蛾SL细胞的氧化损伤

通过研究血啉甲醚（hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether, HMME）对斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura (SL)细胞的增殖抑制率IC₅₀、处理后细胞内丙二醛（malondialdehyde, MDA）的生成量、细胞内还原型谷胱甘肽（glutathione, GSH）水平和细胞器超微结构的变化,明确血啉甲醚对SL细胞的氧化损伤,并探讨将血啉甲醚及其衍生物拓展应用到农业害虫防治领域的可行性。用MTT法测定血啉甲醚光照处理下对SL细胞24 h和48 h的IC₅₀值分别为8.35 μg/mL和7.66 μg/mL。硫代巴比妥酸（TBA）法测定表明,血啉甲醚光活化后能导致胞内MDA含量明显升高,且MDA的生成量与其浓度呈正相关;当血啉甲醚浓度为50.000 μg/mL,光照处理48 h时,细胞内MDA生成量达到173.08±3.51 nmol/L。5,5′-二硫代双 (2-硝基)苯甲酸（DTNB）法对处理后细胞内GSH水平测定结果表明,光活化后的血啉甲醚处理SL细胞能导致细胞内还原型GSH相对含量随血啉甲醚浓度升高而显著降低;当血啉甲醚浓度为50.000 μg/mL,处理48 h时,光照处理组细胞内GSH相对含量较之同浓度黑暗处理下降了39.59%。扫描电镜观察显示,6.250 μg/mL的HMME处理细胞并光照后,细胞膜表面出现了明显的孔洞,有的细胞出现了花样皱褶和内陷。这些结果表明在血啉甲醚的试验剂量下,SL细胞受到了氧化损伤。     

巨噬细胞对新生隐球菌白化株的吞噬作用

目的 检测巨噬细胞对新生隐球菌白化株活力的影响,探讨黑素在抗吞噬中的作用。方法 通过新生隐球菌白化株Mel~-与小鼠巨噬细胞系J774细胞共孵育,检测其出芽率,并通过电镜观察Mel~-在J774细胞内的超微结构。结果 1个巨噬细胞可吞噬多个Mel~-,J774细胞对Mel~-菌株的吞噬指数为0．36±0．05～1．24±0．21,而Mel~-菌在J774细胞内的出芽率仅达8．44±1．28％,出芽率随共孵育时间延长而下降(P＜0．05)。结论 巨噬细胞可较快抑制荚膜缺陷株的繁殖,巨噬细胞有对白化株新生隐球菌Mel~-的抗菌作用。     

Modulation of the activity of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) head-kidney macrophages by macrophage activating factor(s) and lipopolysaccharide

The aim of this study was to establish the requirements for macrophage activating factor (MAF) production by sea bass head-kidney leucocytes and the kinetics of macrophage activation when exposed to MAF-containing supernatants and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a known macrophage stimulant. MAF activity was found in culture supernatants of total head-kidney leucocytes pulsed with 5 microg ml(-1)Con A, 5 or 10 ng ml(-1)PMA and 100 ng ml(-1)calcium ionophore, or 10 microg ml(-1)Con A alone, as assessed by the capacity to prime macrophages for enhanced production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI). Mixed leucocyte cultures from two or eight fish showed higher MAF activity after stimulation, indicating that a mixed leucocyte reaction was also important for MAF production. MAF-induced activation of macrophage cultures was highest at 18 h of exposure and was lost by 72 h except for MAF induced by Con A-stimulation alone. LPS primed macrophages for increased ROI production at early incubation times and down-regulated ROI production after 24 h. LPS had no effect in further stimulating the MAF-induced priming effect on production of ROI and down-regulated the MAF-priming by 48 h. Sea bass head-kidney macrophages did not show increased nitrite production when exposed to MAF and/or LPS, which may be related to their differentiation status.     

Taurine attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced disfunction in mouse mammary epithelial cells

The intent of this study was to evaluate the active defense reaction of mouse mammary epithelial cells and the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of taurine to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced disfunction in mouse mammary epithelial cells. (1) Primary cultured mouse mammary epithelial cells were stimulated with LPS for 24 h (final concentration=0, 5, 10, 20 μg/mL). Western blotting demonstrated a significant decrease in the secretion of β-casein in the 20 μg/mL LPS treatment group (P<0.05), while nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), lactoferrin (LF) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) were all significantly increased following LPS treatment (P<0.01). Furthermore, cell survival was significantly inhibited after treatment with 20 μg/mL LPS; however, neither 5 μg/mL nor 10 μg/mL LPS had any effect on cell survival. Therefore, a level of 10 μg/mL LPS was selected to test the protective effect of taurine on mouse mammary epithelial cells. (2) Primary cultured mouse mammary epithelial cells were treated with 0, 5, 15 or 45 mmol/L taurine for 3 h, followed by 10 μg/mL LPS for 24 h. Taurine significantly attenuated the LPS-induced increase in NAGase activity, NO concentrations and the level of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and LF. Taurine at 45 mmol/L markedly increased β-casein secretion in response to LPS-induced disfunction. This study demonstrated that the addition of taurine to a culture medium significantly inhibited the LPS-induced release of inflammatory factors and increased β-casein secretion from mammary epithelial cells, thereby providing a possible explanation for the protective effect proposed for taurine in the prevention of LPS-induced disfunction in mammary epithelial cells.     

猫爪草多糖对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞活力的调节作用

此次研究旨在探讨猫爪草多糖对体外培养的正常状态下的原代小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞活性的调节作用,以及小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞在体外培养条件下的活力变化情况。以原代培养的小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞为研究对象,设对照组(加入100μL DMEM培养基)和实验组(分别加入25μg/mL, 50μg/mL, 100μg/mL, 200μg/mL,400μg/mL的猫爪草多糖),分别采用噻唑蓝(MTT)比色法、CCK-8法、乳酸脱氢酶释放法和中性红吞噬实验检测不同浓度的猫爪草多糖对体外培养的小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞活力的调节作用;同时设置24 h、36 h、48 h、60 h和72 h的不同培养时间,观察在体外培养条件下,小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞活力的变化情况。结果表明:与对照组相比,不同浓度的猫爪草多糖均能增强小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的活力,且猫爪草多糖浓度在100~400μg/mL的细胞活力极显著增强(p<0.01)。此外,各处理组的巨噬细胞在体外培养24~72 h不更换培养液的条件下,48 h处活性最佳。体外培养条件下,一定浓度的猫爪草多糖可以激活小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞,通过猫爪草多糖激活巨噬细胞,可能是猫爪草发挥提升机体免疫力的作用机制之一。此外,体外培养的巨噬细胞虽能存活长达一个月,但仍有一个最佳活力时间。     

人脐带间充质干细胞对脂多糖活化的小胶质细胞BV-2表型的影响

目的探讨人脐带间充质干细胞（hUCMSCs）对脂多糖（LPS）活化的小胶质细胞功能表型的影响。 方法实验设未诱导对照组（加入PBS无LPS诱导的BV-2细胞），LPS诱导组（加入1.0 μg/mL的LPS诱导BV-2细胞向M1型分化），按比例加入不同浓度hUCMSCs进行干预（LPS+低、中、高浓度hUCMSCs干预组hUCMSCs与BV-2细胞比例分别为：1:100、1:10、1:1），分别于24、48、72 h观察BV-2形态变化，Griess法检测细胞培养上清中M1表型产物一氧化氮（NO）的浓度；将hUCMSCs与BV-2细胞在不同条件下（LPS+/LPS-）共培养，qRT-PCR检测BV-2细胞M2表型标记物精氨酸酶1表达变化。数据分析采用重复测量资料的方差分析，组间比较采用Tukey分析。 结果BV-2细胞经LPS诱导后活化，细胞变大，呈"煎饼状"、"阿米巴状"变化，呈经典的M1表型分化；与未诱导对照组相比，LPS诱导组48、72 h BV-2细胞NO含量升高[48 h：（0.507±0.012）μg/mL比（5.183±0.171）μg/ mL；72 h：（0.934±0.024）μg/ mL比（12.498±0.168） μg/mL，P均< 0.01]，与LPS诱导组比较，LPS+低、中、高浓度hUCMSCs干预组72 h [（12.498±0.168）μg/mL比（11.852±0.149）μg/ mL、（9.796±0.048）μg/mL、（1.876±0.063） μg/mL]及LPS+中、高浓度hUCMSCs干预组48 h NO含量[（5.183±0.171） μg/ mL比（3.921±0.066）μg/mL、（1.202±0.012）μg/ mL]降低，且呈干预浓度依赖性NO含量下降，差异均有统计学意义（P均< 0.01）。精氨酸酶1 qRT-PCR结果显示：与未诱导组比较，单纯高浓度hUCMSCs干预组3个时间点精氨酸酶1的相对表达量均升高（1.046±0.057比19.266±0.641，1.114±0.093比16.977±0.749，1.139±0.118比16.959±0.625），与LPS诱导对照组（0.000）比较，未诱导对照组（1.046±0.057，1.114±0.093，1.139±0.118）及LPS+高浓度hUCMSCs干预组精氨酸酶1表达（0.879±0.077，1.023±0.081，1.121±0.078）升高，差异具有统计学意义（P均< 0.01）。 结论LPS可诱导小胶质细胞BV-2炎症反应，而hUCMSCs可抑制活化小胶质细胞的炎症反应，抵消LPS对BV-2的诱导效应，促进小胶质细胞由促炎的M1型向抗炎的M2型转变。     

补骨脂素对肝星状细胞(HSC-T6)增殖、氧化应激及Ⅰ型胶原分泌的影响

通过研究植物雌激素香豆素补骨脂素对体外培养的大鼠肝星状细胞HSC-T6增殖及相关因子表达的影响,为补骨脂素治疗肝纤维化提供实验依据。常规培养肝星状细胞HSC-T6,采用0.1 mmol/L的H2O2制造HSC-T6氧化应激的模型。分别用MTT法检测肝星状细胞增殖、放射免疫法检测细胞上清液中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD),丙二醛(MDA),还原性谷胱甘肽(GSH),谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)的活性和含量,ELISA法测定Ⅰ型胶原的分泌。结果表明:与正常对照组组比较,补骨脂素在浓度为10μmol/L,1μmol/L,0.1μmol/L,均呈现出抑制HSC-T6增殖的作用(P<0.05),且最佳作用时间为48 h(P<0.05);与模型组比较,补骨脂素各个浓度组能够提高SOD和GSH-Px的活性(P<0.05),并降低细胞上清液中MDA和GSH的含量(P<0.05);与模型组比较,补骨脂素各个浓度组在作用48 h后,细胞上清液中的Ⅰ型胶原的表达量均降低(P<0.05)。因此,作为植物雌激素的一种,补骨脂素能有效的抑制HSC-T6的增殖及抗HSC-T6氧化应激,很可能成为雌激素的替代品在治疗肝纤维化中。     

Correlation between strong adjuvanticity of Klebsiella O3 lipopolysaccharide and its ability to induce lnterleukin-1 secretion

Adjuvant activity of Klebsiella O3 lipopolysaccharide (KO3 LPS) in augmenting antibody response and delayed-type hypersensitivity to protein antigens in SMA mice was much stronger than that of LPS from Escherichia coli O55 and O127 (EO55 LPS and EO127 LPS). Relationship between strength of the adjuvant activity and that of the ability to induce interleukin-1 (IL-1) secretion by peritoneal macrophages from C3H/HeN or SMA mice was investigated using these three kinds of LPS. When supernatant samples of macrophages cultured at 37 °C for 24 hr in the presence of 5 μg/ml LPS were assayed by their mitogenic effect on thymocytes from C3H/HeJ mice, KO3 LPS induced the secretion of about four to six times greater amounts of IL-1 activity than did EO127 LPS. When concentration of LPS used for stimulation of macrophages was varied from 0.1 to 50 μg/ml, KO3 LPS induced the secretion of definitely greater amounts of IL-1 activity than did EO55 LPS and EO127 LPS throughout the LPS concentrations tested. Nearly the same amount of IL-1 activity as that produced by 10 μg/ml EO55 LPS or 50 μg/ml EO127 LPS could be produced by 1.0 μg/ml or lower concentrations of KO3 LPS.     

Expression of alternatively spliced variants of Na–Ca-exchanger-1 in experimental colitis: role in reduced colonic contractility

In an earlier article, we demonstrated that sydnone SYD-1 (3-[4-chloro-3-nitrophenyl]-1,2,3-oxadiazolium-5-olate) inhibits electron transport in the respiratory chain and uncouples oxidative phosphorylation, and postulated that these effects are probably involved in its antitumor activity. We now report the effect of SYD-1 on certain macrophage functions, considering the important role of these cells in inflammatory response and also the relevant anti-inflammatory activity reported for some sydnones. Incubation of macrophages with SYD-1 (5-100 μM) for 48 h did not affect the cell viability up to a concentration of 50 μM. However, at the highest concentration (100 μM), the compound decreased macrophage viability by ~20%. In assays involving 2 h and 24 h of incubation, SYD-1 (5-100 μM) did not affect the cell viability. The incubation of macrophages with the compound for 2 h promoted a dose-dependent reduction of phagocytic activity of up to ~65% (100 μM). SYD-1 (100 μM) was also able to increase the production of superoxide anion (~50%). In the absence of LPS, SYD-1 decreased NO production dose-dependently by up to ~80% (100 μM). When SYD-1 and LPS were incubated concomitantly, the decrease of NO promoted by SYD was the most pronounced, reaching up to ~98% at the same concentration (50 μM). SYD-1 dose-dependently suppressed IL-6 secretion by LPS-stimulated macrophages, reaching up to ~90% of inhibition at the highest concentration (100 μM). These results indicate that SYD-1 promotes effects similar to those described for anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, thus motivating further studies to clarify the mechanisms involved in this activity.     

Changes in the ascorbic acid levels of peritoneal lymphocytes and macrophages of mice with endotoxin-induced oxidative stress

Ascorbic acid (AA) is an important cytoplasmic antioxidant that mice synthesize in the liver, the intracellular levels of which decrease in an oxidative stress situation such as endotoxic shock. The present work deals with the changes in AA levels, that modulate the immune function, in the two main immune cells, namely macrophages and lymphocytes, from female BALB/c mice suffering endotoxic shock caused by intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 mg/kg). The intake by cells of this antioxidant present in vitro at different concentrations was also studied. The animals show an oxidative stress, standardized in previous studies, that causes mortality at 30h after LPS injection. The cells were obtained from the peritoneum at 2, 4, 12 and 24h after LPS or PBS (control) injections and were incubated without or with AA at 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mM for 10, 30, 60, 120 or 180 min. The hepatic AA levels were also studied at 0, 2, 4, 12 and 24h after LPS injection. The peritoneal cells obtained from animals injected with LPS showed increased AA levels in relation to the control cells at all times after LPS injection, with maximal effect at 12h. The AA levels decreased after this time, in agreement with changes in the AA hepatic levels. The increase was due to the AA of lymphocytes since macrophages showed a decrease in AA at different times after LPS injection. Both cells showed an increase in the intracellular levels of AA when this antioxidant was added in vitro. This takes place mainly at 30–60 min of incubation in cells from controls and at 10 min in cells from treated mice 12–24 h after LPS injection. The incorporation decreased at these times of endotoxic shock, a few hours before death. In all cases AA levels were higher in lymphocytes than in macrophages, and 1 mM was the most effective concentration. These results suggest that the immune cells need appropriate levels of antioxidants, such as AA, under oxidative stress conditions, and that while lymphocytes take and accumulate AA, macrophages use it.     

Atrial natriuretic peptide inhibits nitric oxide synthesis in mouse macrophages

The atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) affects cardiovascular physiology, and, as has been suggested more recently, exerts immunomodulatory activities. In this context, we examined the effect of ANP on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in murine bone marrow derived macrophages as well as in peritoneal macrophages. Cultured macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS 0.1–10 μg/ml) and NO synthesis was monitored by measuring increased concentrations of NO₂ in the medium. In initial experiments employment of N^G-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) and dexamethasone, two specific inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), confirmed the presence of inducible NOS activity in the cells. Exposure of cells to rat ANP99–126 in the range of 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁶ M significantly decreased LPS induced NO synthesis over 24 hours of incubation. Thus, ANP may alter macrophage function by affecting their nitric oxide synthesizing pathway.