Transdermal insulin delivery using lipid enhanced electroporation

Transdermal insulin transport by electroporation was measured using porcine epidermis and fluorescein-labeled insulin. Previous studies have shown that anionic lipids can enhance the electroporative transport of molecules up to 10 kDa in size. It was also shown that it is the charge and not the type of the phospholipid head group that influences transdermal transport under electroporation. Moreover, phospholipids with saturated acyl chains enhance the transport of larger molecules more as compared to those with unsaturated chains. In the current study, based on those earlier findings, the effect of 1,2-dimyristoyl-3-phosphatidylserine (DMPS) on the transdermal transport of insulin by electroporation was examined. Porcine epidermis was used as a model for skin. Transport was measured using glass vertical diffusion apparatus in which the epidermis separated the donor and receiver compartments. Negative pulses were applied across the epidermis using platinum electrodes. Results show that when electroporation was carried out in the presence of DMPS, there was greater than 20-fold enhancement of insulin transport. Furthermore, while in the presence of the phospholipid, almost all the transported insulin was detected in the receiver compartment; in the absence of added lipids, only about half the insulin transported was in the receiver compartment and an almost equal amount of insulin remained in the epidermis. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that the insulin transport was mainly through the lipid multilayer regions that surround the corneocytes.     

WNT Activates the AAK1 Kinase to Promote Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis of LRP6 and Establish a Negative Feedback Loop

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Synthetic prostacyclin analogs differentially regulate macrophage function via distinct analog-receptor binding specificities

PGI(2) (prostacyclin) is a lipid mediator with vasodilatory and antithrombotic effects used in the treatment of vasoconstrictive/ischemic diseases including pulmonary artery hypertension. However, emerging research supports a role for PGs, including PGI(2), in the regulation of both innate and acquired immunity. As PGI(2) is unstable, we sought to define the effects of various PGI(2) analogs on resident alveolar macrophage (AM) and peritoneal macrophage (PM) innate immune functions. The effects of iloprost, carbaprostacyclin, and treprostinil on the regulation of phagocytosis, bacterial killing, and inflammatory mediator production were determined in both macrophage populations from rats. Iloprost failed to suppress AM functions to the same degree that it did in PMs, a characteristic shared by carbaprostacyclin. This difference reflected greater expression of the G(alphas) protein-coupled I prostanoid receptor and greater cAMP generation in PMs than AMs. Treprostinil inhibited phagocytosis, bacterial killing, and cytokine generation in AMs to a much greater degree than the other PGI(2) analogs and more closely resembled the effects of PGE(2). Studies with the E prostanoid (EP) 2 receptor antagonist AH-6809 and EP2-null macrophages indicated that this was due in part to the previously unknown ability of treprostinil to stimulate the EP2 receptor. The present investigation for the first time identifies differences in immunoregulatory properties of clinically administered PGI(2) analogs. These studies are the first to explore the capacity of PGI(2) to regulate bacterial killing and phagocytosis in macrophages, and our findings may hold important consequences regarding the risk of infection for patients receiving such agents.     

Stress amplifies sex differences in primate prefrontal profiles of gene expression

Background

Stress is a recognized risk factor for mood and anxiety disorders that occur more often in women than men. Prefrontal brain regions mediate stress coping, cognitive control, and emotion. Here, we investigate sex differences and stress effects on prefrontal cortical profiles of gene expression in squirrel monkey adults.

Methods

Dorsolateral, ventrolateral, and ventromedial prefrontal cortical regions from 18 females and 12 males were collected after stress or no-stress treatment conditions. Gene expression profiles were acquired using HumanHT-12v4.0 Expression BeadChip arrays adapted for squirrel monkeys.

Results

Extensive variation between prefrontal cortical regions was discerned in the expression of numerous autosomal and sex chromosome genes. Robust sex differences were also identified across prefrontal cortical regions in the expression of mostly autosomal genes. Genes with increased expression in females compared to males were overrepresented in mitogen-activated protein kinase and neurotrophin signaling pathways. Many fewer genes with increased expression in males compared to females were discerned, and no molecular pathways were identified. Effect sizes for sex differences were greater in stress compared to no-stress conditions for ventromedial and ventrolateral prefrontal cortical regions but not dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Conclusions

Stress amplifies sex differences in gene expression profiles for prefrontal cortical regions involved in stress coping and emotion regulation. Results suggest molecular targets for new treatments of stress disorders in human mental health.

     

Amino-terminal extended peptide single-chain trimers are potent synthetic agonists for memory human CD8+ T cells

Upon Ag exposure, most memory T cells undergo restimulation-induced cell death. In this article, we describe a novel synthetic agonist, an N-terminal extended decamer peptide expressed as a single-chain trimer, the amino-terminal extended peptide MHC class I single-chain trimer (AT-SCT), which preferentially promotes the growth of memory human CD8(+) T cells with minimal restimulation-induced cell death. Using CMV pp65 and melanoma gp100 Ags, we observe the in vitro numerical expansion of a clonally diverse polyfunctional population of Ag-specific CD8(+) T cells from healthy individuals and vaccinated melanoma patients, respectively. Memory CD8(+) T cells stimulated with AT-SCT presented on MHC class I/II-null cells show reduced cytokine production, slower kinetics of TCR downregulation, and decreased cell death compared with native nonamer MHC class I single-chain trimer (SCT)-activated T cells. However, both ERK phosphorylation and cell cycle kinetics are identical in AT-SCT- and SCT-activated T cells. Probing of SCT and AT-SCT peptide-MHC complexes using fluorochrome-conjugated TCR multimers suggests that nonamer- and decamer-linked peptides may be anchored differently to the HLA-A2 peptide-binding groove. Our findings demonstrate that modified peptide-MHC structures, such as AT-SCT, can be engineered as T cell agonists to promote the growth and expansion of memory human CD8(+) T cells.     

Linezolid Has Unique Immunomodulatory Effects in Post-Influenza Community Acquired MRSA Pneumonia

Introduction

Post influenza pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, with mortality rates approaching 60% when bacterial infections are secondary to multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus, in particular community acquired MRSA (cMRSA), has emerged as a leading cause of post influenza pneumonia.

Hypothesis

Linezolid (LZD) prevents acute lung injury in murine model of post influenza bacterial pneumonia

Methods

Mice were infected with HINI strain of influenza and then challenged with cMRSA at day 7, treated with antibiotics (LZD or Vanco) or vehicle 6 hours post bacterial challenge and lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) harvested at 24 hours for bacterial clearance, inflammatory cell influx, cytokine/chemokine analysis and assessment of lung injury.

Results

Mice treated with LZD or Vanco had lower bacterial burden in the lung and no systemic dissemination, as compared to the control (no antibiotic) group at 24 hours post bacterial challenge. As compared to animals receiving Vanco, LZD group had significantly lower numbers of neutrophils in the BAL (9×10³ vs. 2.3×10⁴, p < 0.01), which was associated with reduced levels of chemotactic chemokines and inflammatory cytokines KC, MIP-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-1β in the BAL. Interestingly, LZD treatment also protected mice from lung injury, as assessed by albumin concentration in the BAL post treatment with H1N1 and cMRSA when compared to vanco treatment. Moreover, treatment with LZD was associated with significantly lower levels of PVL toxin in lungs.

Conclusion

Linezolid has unique immunomodulatory effects on host inflammatory response and lung injury in a murine model of post-viral cMRSA pneumonia.     

No Increase in Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-Specific CD8+ T Cells in Patients with HIV-1-HBV Coinfections following HBV-Active Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Following treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) monoinfection, HBV-specific T-cell responses increase significantly; however, little is known about the recovery of HBV-specific T-cell responses following HBV-active highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-HBV coinfected patients. HIV-HBV coinfected patients who were treatment naïve and initiating HBV-active HAART were recruited as part of a prospective cohort study in Thailand and followed for 48 weeks (n = 24). Production of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in both HBV- and HIV-specific CD8⁺ T cells was quantified using intracellular cytokine staining on whole blood. Following HBV-active HAART, the median (interquartile range) log decline from week 0 to week 48 for HBV DNA was 5.8 log (range, 3.4 to 6.7) IU/ml, and for HIV RNA it was 3.1 (range, 2.9 to 3.5) log copies/ml (P < 0.001 for both). The frequency of HIV Gag-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses significantly decreased (IFN-γ, P < 0.001; TNF-α, P = 0.05). In contrast, there was no significant change in the frequency (IFN-γ, P = 0.21; TNF-α, P = 0.61; and IFN-γ and TNF-α, P = 0.11) or magnitude (IFN-γ, P = 0.13; TNF-α, P = 0.13; and IFN-γ and TNF-α, P = 0.13) of HBV-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses over 48 weeks of HBV-active HAART. Of the 14 individuals who were HBV e antigen (HBeAg) positive, 5/14 (36%) lost HBeAg during the 48 weeks of follow-up. HBV-specific CD8⁺ T cells were detected in 4/5 (80%) of patients prior to HBeAg loss. Results from this study show no sustained change in the HBV-specific CD8⁺ T-cell response following HBV-active HAART. These findings may have implications for the duration of treatment of HBV in HIV-HBV coinfected patients, particularly in HBeAg-positive disease.Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are at increased risk of liver disease progression and liver-related mortality (35). Despite the introduction of effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), liver disease remains a major cause of non-AIDS-related deaths in HIV-1-infected patients (31). Current guidelines recommend the early consideration of HBV-active HAART in the majority of coinfected individuals (28), and treatment of both HBV and HIV is generally lifelong. This is in contrast to HBV-monoinfected patients, where HBV treatment ceases following production of antibody to HBV e antigen (HBeAg) or HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) (23). HBeAg and HBsAg seroconversions are considered important endpoints of treatment as they are associated with HBV DNA clearance, normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and a reduction in the risk of liver disease (12).Little is known about the immune events precipitating HBeAg or HBsAg seroconversion. However, a reduction in antigen burden following anti-HBV treatment may reduce T-cell tolerance and exhaustion, allowing for a more efficient HBV-specific T-cell and B-cell immune response against either HBeAg and/or HBsAg (11, 13, 21). Circulating HBV-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells are rarely detected in untreated chronic HBV infection (5, 24). Following treatment of HBV monoinfection with nucleos(t)ide analogues such as lamivudine (LMV), there is an increase in functional HBV-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells both in the peripheral blood (5, 18) and within the liver (32). However, recovery of HBV-specific T cells appears to be transient and has been shown to decline following long-term therapy (5, 14, 20).We have previously shown that the HBV-specific T-cell response is impaired in HIV-HBV coinfection (7, 9). In one small observational study (n = 5), HBV-active HAART was associated with the recovery of CD8⁺ HBV-specific T cells (19); however, in this study, two patients had received prior HAART, and the HBV-specific T-cell responses were examined only during the first 24 weeks of treatment (19). In addition, HBeAg status was not defined, and HBV-specific T-cell responses were measured only by IFN-γ production following stimulation with HLA-A2-restricted epitopes (19).In the present study, we used an overlapping peptide library covering the complete HBV genome to assess change in HBV-specific CD8⁺ T cells following the introduction of HBV-active HAART in treatment-naïve HIV-HBV-coinfected patients in Thailand. Overall, we show that there was no sustained change in the magnitude, frequency, or quality of HBV-specific T-cell responses following initiation of effective HBV-active HAART.