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Chronic triptan exposure in rodents recapitulates medication overuse headache (MOH), causing cephalic pain sensitization and trigeminal ganglion overexpression of pronociceptive proteins including CGRP. Because of these transcriptional derangements, as well as the emerging role of epigenetics in chronic pain, in the present study, we evaluated the effects of the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) panobinostat and givinostat, in rats chronically exposed to eletriptan for 1 month. Both panobinostat and givinostat counteracted overexpression of genes coding for CGRP and its receptor subunit RAMP1, having no effects on CLR and RCP receptor subunits in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) of eletriptan-exposed rats. Within the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNc), transcripts for these genes were neither upregulated by eletriptan nor altered by concomitant treatment with panobinostat or givinostat. HDACis counteracted hypersensitivity to capsaicin-induced vasodilatation in the trigeminal territory, as well as photophobic behavior and cephalic allodyniain eletriptan-exposed rats. Eletriptan did not affect CGRP, CLR, and RAMP1 expression in cultured trigeminal ganglia, whereas both inhibitors reduced transcripts for CLR and RAMP-1. The drugs, however, increased luciferase expression driven by CGRP promoter in cultured cells. Our findings provide evidence for a key role of HDACs and epigenetics in MOH pathogenesis, highlighting the therapeutic potential of HDAC inhibition in the prevention of migraine chronification. PERSPECTIVE: The present study highlights a key epigenetic role of HDAC in the rodent model of medication overuse headache, furthering our understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for pronociceptive sensitization during headache chronification., (Copyright © 2022 United States Association for the Study of Pain, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) constitutes the most frequent malignant cancer endangering women's health. In this study, a new spontaneously immortalized breast cancer cell line, DHSF-BR16 cells, was isolated from the primary IDC of a 74-years old female patient, treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and disease-free 5-years after adjuvant chemotherapy. Primary breast cancer tissue surgically removed was classified as ER - /PR - /HER2 + , and the same phenotype was maintained by DHSF-BR16 cells. We examined DHSF-BR16 cell morphology and relevant biological and molecular markers, as well as their response to anticancer drugs commonly used for breast cancer treatment. MCF-7 cells were used for comparison purposes. The DHSF-BR16 cells showed the ability to form spheroids and migrate. Furthermore, DHSF-BR16 cells showed a mixed stemness phenotype (i.e. CD44 + /CD24 -/low ), high levels of cytokeratin 7, moderate levels of cytokeratin 8 and 18, EpCAM and E-Cadh. Transcriptome analysis showed 2071 differentially expressed genes between DHSF-BR16 and MCF-7 cells (logFC > 2, p-adj < 0.01). Several genes were highly upregulated or downregulated in the new cell line (log2 scale fold change magnitude within - 9.6 to + 12.13). A spontaneous immortalization signature, mainly represented by extracellular exosomes-, plasma membrane- and endoplasmic reticulum membrane pathways (GO database) as well as by metabolic pathways (KEGG database) was observed in DHSF-BR16 cells. Also, these cells were more resistant to anthracyclines compared with MCF-7 cells. Overall, DHSF-BR16 cell line represents a relevant model useful to investigate cancer biology, to identify both novel prognostic and drug response predictive biomarkers as well as to assess new therapeutic strategies.

Tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) is one of the key tryptophan-catabolizing enzymes with immunoregulatory properties in cancer. Contrary to expectation, clinical trials showed that inhibitors of the ubiquitously expressed enzyme, indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1), do not provide benefits in melanoma patients. This prompted the hypothesis that TDO may be a more attractive target. Because the promoter of TDO harbors glucocorticoid response elements (GREs), we aimed to assess whether dexamethasone (dex), a commonly used glucocorticoid, modulates TDO expression by means of RT-PCR and immunofluorescence and function by assessing cell proliferation and migration as well as metalloproteinase activity. Our results show that, in SK-Mel-28 melanoma cells, dex up-regulated TDO and its downstream effector aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) but not IDO1. Furthermore, dex stimulated cellular proliferation and migration and potentiated MMP2 activity. These effects were inhibited by the selective TDO inhibitor 680C91 and enhanced by IDO1 inhibitors. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the metastatic melanoma cell line SK-Mel-28 possesses a functional TDO which can also modulate cancer cell phenotype directly rather than through immune suppression. Thus, TDO appears to be a promising, tractable target in the management or the treatment of melanoma progression.

Purpose: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) and more recently, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO), are tryptophan-catabolizing enzymes with immunoregulatory properties in cancer. IDO1 is more expressed than TDO in many tumours including melanomas; however, IDO inhibitors did not give expected results in clinical trials, highlighting the need to consider TDO. We aimed to characterize both TDO expression and function in a melanoma cell line, named SK-Mel-28, with the purpose to compare it with a colon cancer cell line, HCT-8, and with a human endothelial cell line (HUVEC)., Methods: TDO expression was assessed as real time-PCR and western blot, for mRNA and protein expression, respectively. While cell proliferation was assessed as cell duplication, cell apoptosis and cell cycle were analysed by means of flow cytometry., Results: SK-Mel-28 cells showed higher TDO levels compared to HCT-8 and to HUVEC cells. A selective TDO inhibitor, 680C91, significantly impaired cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, by inducing cell arrest during the G2 phase for SK-Mel-28 and HUVEC cells, while an early apoptosis was increasing in HCT-8 cells. No toxic effects were observed. These data demonstrated that TDO is highly expressed in SK-Mel-28 cells and may be involved in the regulation of their proliferation., Conclusion: TDO may directly modulate cancer cell function rather than immune suppression and can be considered as a target for melanoma progression together with IDO1.

Aim: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is prevalent in women after menopause, which may be associated with obesity, insulin resistance and metaflammation. Despite the recognized role of immunological mechanisms in vascular remodeling, the role of dendritic cells (DCs) is still unclear. The aim was to characterize monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DC) in post-menopausal patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and obese woman, without clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis., Methods: Obese post-menopausal women with or without T2DM were enrolled and were compared to age-matched healthy women. DCs obtained from patients were phenotypically and functionally characterized by flow cytometry and mixed lymphocyte reaction. MRNA integrins expression was assessed by real time RT-PCR; circulating fetuin-A and adiponectin levels were measured by ELISA., Results: Phenotypic dysregulation of Mo-DC reported was related to a defective allogenic lymphocyte stimulation and to an increased mRNA of CD11c, CD18 and DC-SIGN/CD209 which regulate their adhesion to vascular wall cells. Fetuin-A and adiponectin levels were significantly altered and negatively correlated. Hyperglycaemia significantly impaired CD14 + transdifferentiation into Mo-DC., Conclusions: These data show a dysfunction of Mo-DCs obtained from precursors isolated from T2DM obese post-menopausal woman without any documented clinical CV event. Association of obesity to diabetes seems to worsen DC's phenotype and function and increase vascular inflammation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The vaginal microbiota plays a critical role in pregnancy. Bacteria from Lactobacillus spp. are thought to maintain immune homeostasis and modulate the inflammatory responses against pathogens implicated in cervical shortening, one of the risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth. We studied vaginal microbiota in 46 pregnant women of predominantly Caucasian ethnicity diagnosed with short cervix (<25 mm), and identified microbial communities associated with extreme cervical shortening (≤10 mm). Vaginal microbiota was defined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and clustered into community state types (CSTs), based on dominance or depletion of Lactobacillus spp. No correlation between CSTs distribution and maternal age or gestational age was revealed. CST-IV, dominated by aerobic and anaerobic bacteria different than Lactobacilli , was associated with extreme cervical shortening (odds ratio (OR) = 15.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.56-14.21; p = 0.019). CST-III ( L. iners -dominated) was also associated with extreme cervical shortening (OR = 6.4, 95% CI = 1.32-31.03; p = 0.02). Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was diagnosed in 10/46 women. Bacterial richness was significantly higher in women experiencing this metabolic disorder, but no association with cervical shortening was revealed by statistical analysis. Our study confirms that Lactobacillus -depleted microbiota is significantly associated with an extremely short cervix in women of predominantly Caucasian ethnicity, and also suggests an association between L. iners -dominated microbiota (CST III) and cervical shortening.

Purposes: The pH in the umbilical artery at delivery provides information on the fetal environment and is related to postnatal outcomes. The ability to predict fetal acidemia at delivery would improve clinical management and neonatal well-being. We hypothesized that an alteration in maternal immunity would accompany placental changes that precede a decrease in pH in the fetal circulation in twin gestations. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), obtained from 86 women with twin pregnancies, were lysed and assayed for concentrations of T-cell immunoglobulin mucin domain 3 (Tim-3) and galectin-9 (gal-9) by ELISA. Tim-3-gal-9 interaction is a primary mechanism promoting immune suppression. At delivery, the pH of arterial cord blood was determined. Results: In eight women (9.3%), the pH in the placental arteries from both twins was <7.15, indicating fetal acidosis. In the remaining 78 women the arterial pH was ≥7.15 in both twins. The median Tim-3 level was 361 pg/ml when arterial pH was <7.15 and 199 pg/ml when pH was ≥7.15 ( p  = .003). Similarly, gal-9 was 31.2 versus 12.4 ng/ml when pH was <7.15 or ≥7.15, respectively ( p  = .001). A Tim-3 concentration >260 pg/ml predicted arterial pH <7.15 with a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 79.5% and negative predictive value of 98.4%. A gal-9 level >18.4 predicted arterial pH <7.15 with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 73.8% and a negative predictive value of 100%. Conclusion: We conclude that elevations in Tim-3 and gal-9 in PBMCs during gestation predict the subsequent occurrence of a pH <7.15 in the fetal arteries at delivery in twin gestations.

Background: Obesity represents the second preventable mortality cause worldwide, and is very often associated with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The first line treatment is lifestyle modification to weight-loss, but for those who fail to achieve the goal or have difficulty in maintaining achieved results, pharmacological treatment is needed. Few drugs are available today, because of their side effects., Objective: We aim to review actual pharmacological management of obese patients, highlighting differences between Food and Drug Administration - and European Medicine Agency-approved molecules, and pointing out self-medications readily obtainable and widely distributed., Methods: Papers on obesity, weight loss, pharmacotherapy, self- medication and diet-aid products were selected using Medline. Research articles, systematic reviews, clinical trials and meta-analyses were screened., Results: Anti-obesity drugs with central mechanisms, such as phentermine and lorcaserin, are available in USA, but not in Europe. Phentermine/topiramate and naltrexone/bupropion combinations are now available, even though the former is still under investigation from EMA. Orlistat, with peripheral mechanisms, represents the only drug approved for weight reduction in adolescents. Liraglutide has been approved at higher dose for obesity. Anti-obesity drugs, readily obtainable from the internet, include crude-drug products and supplements for which there is often a lack of compliance to national regulatory standards., Conclusions: Mechanisms of weight loss drugs include the reduction of energy intake or the increase in energy expenditure and sense of satiety as well as the decrease of hunger or the reduction in calories absorption. Few drugs are approved, and differences exist between USA and Europe. Moreover, herbal medicines and supplements often sold on the internet and widely used by obese patients, present a risk of adverse effects., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Purpose: Mechanisms leading to preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) remain incompletely defined. Based on the elevated occurrence of PPROM in twin gestations and recent studies of the involvement of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) in the inhibition of collagen production we hypothesized that serum IGFBP-1 levels might be predictive of susceptibility to PPROM in women with twins., Methods: In this prospective study peripheral blood was obtained from 58 women with twin gestations prior to 20 weeks gestation and sera analyzed by ELISA for concentrations of IGFBP-1. Demographic and clinical outcome data were subsequently obtained and associations between IGFBP-1 and PPROM were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney test and receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis., Results: Eight of our subjects developed PPROM. They did not differ from the other women in demographics, medical history or current pregnancy outcome parameters. However, median IGFBP-1 levels were higher in women who subsequently developed PPROM (59.3 ng/ml) than in the other women (46.6 ng/ml) (p = 0.042). Using a cutoff value of 53.9 ng/ml the circulating IGFBP-1 level predicted development of PPROM with a sensitivity of 74%, specificity of 75%, a negative predictive value of 97% and a positive predictive value of 20%., Conclusions: Pending validation in larger studies the findings suggest that determination of serum IGFBP-1 levels in women with twin pregnancies may predict the later development of PPROM.

Background and Objectives : To investigate if pregnancies conceived using an oocyte donor necessitate an alteration in immune regulation, we compared concentrations of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) in women with ongoing successful twin pregnancies conceived spontaneously, using assisted reproductive technologies that utilized homologous oocytes or with donor oocytes. Differences in levels of these immune modulatory proteins may be magnified and easier to detect in twin as compared to singleton pregnancies. Methods : In this prospective study IGFBP-1 and IGF-1 were measured in sera and Tim-3 in lysates of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by ELISA. Results : Median IGFBP-1 levels were lower in women with donor oocytes (41.4 ng/ml) as compared to those with a spontaneous conception (51.2 ng/mL) or who conceived with various assisted reproduction protocols using homologous oocytes (52.4 ng/mL) ( p < 0.001). IGF-1 and Tim-3 levels were comparable in each group. The IGFBP-1 level was inversely correlated to the IGF-1 concentration only in women with donor oocytes ( p = 0.032). IGFBP-1 and Tim-3 levels were similarly negatively correlated in the donor oocyte group ( p = 0. 012). Women in the assisted reproduction group who conceived following intracytoplasmic sperm injection were the only other group in which IGFBP-1 and Tim-3 were negatively correlated ( p = 0.018). Conclusions : Down-regulation of IGFBP-1 production in pregnancies conceived with donor oocytes may reduce the extent of pro-inflammatory immunity and contribute to successful outcome in totally allogeneic pregnancies.

Problem: The influence of fetal sex on immune responses in multifetal pregnancies remains incompletely elucidated. The a2 isoform of vacuolar adenosine triphosphatase (a2V) is expressed on the cell membrane of maternal lymphoid cells and contributes to down-regulation of pro-inflammatory immune responses during gestation. The association between fetal sex and a2V expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from mothers with twin gestations was assessed., Method of Study: Patients in this prospective study were 93 women with twin pregnancies in their mid-second or early third trimester-27 with two male, 30 with two female and 36 with one male and one female fetus. PBMCs were isolated and a2V was measured by ELISA in cell lysates. Demographic and clinical data were subsequently obtained and correlations between a2V and fetal sex, birthweight and pregnancy outcome were assessed by the Mann-Whitney and Spearman rank correlation tests., Results: The mean a2V level was highest when both fetuses were male (2.0 ng/mL) and lowest when both were female (1.5 ng/mL; P = 0.0184). Only when both fetuses were female did the a2V concentration negatively correlate with birthweight of the 1st (P = 0.0011) and 2nd (P = 0.0044) born fetus and with gestational age at delivery (P = 0.0018). There were no associations between a2V and these outcomes in male only or mixed twin pregnancies., Conclusion: We conclude that the a2V-mediated regulation of maternal immunity during twin pregnancies is influenced by fetal sex., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Vascular remodeling is an alteration in the structure of vessels in response to injury or hemodynamic changes. Disturbance of the structural and functional integrity of the endothelial cell layer can be observed in vascular remodeling associated with inflammation. Chemokines have been implicated in a wide range of diseases with prominent inflammatory components, and also in vascular remodeling. Among them, CC-chemokines are of great interest. They act through conventional CC-chemokine receptors (CCRs), widely expressed by leucocytes which are attracted to sites of chronic inflammation. However, many experimental data show that CCRs are expressed by vascular cells, suggesting a direct, leukocyte-independent effect on vascular remodeling., Objective: Here, we discuss the role of CC-chemokines in atherosclerosis, angiogenesis, restenosis and renal dysfunction through direct activation of endothelial cells, endothelial progenitors, vascular smooth muscle cells, platelets, erythrocytes, mesangial cells and fibroblasts., Results: The pathophysiological role of CC-chemokines has become more interesting since the discovery of the atypical chemokine receptor (ACKR) subfamily, that does not couple with G proteins and fails to transmit conventional intracellular signals. It has been demonstrated to be a chemokine scavenger or decoy receptor with a role in the regulation of acute inflammatory responses., Conclusion: At the vascular level, ACKRs are expressed by endothelial cells and endothelial lymphatic cells that seem to regulate angio- and lymph-angiogenesis. Pleiotropic effects of CC-chemokines on vascular wall cells and leukocytes increase their importance in vascular remodeling and suggest new drugs to counteract vascular dysfunction., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Aim: The spontaneous adsorption of proteins on nanoparticles (NPs) in biological media is exploited to prepare complexes of NPs and proteins from cancer cells' lysates for application in cancer immunotherapy., Materials & Methods: Gold (Au) and silica NPs were synthesized, incubated with cancer cells' lysates and characterized. Dendritic cells (DCs) were challenged with protein-coated NPs, their maturation, viability and morphology were evaluated and lymphocytes T proliferation was determined., Results: Silica and Au NPs bound different pools of biomolecules from lysates, and are therefore promising selective carriers for antigens. When incubated with immature DCs, NPs were efficiently endocytosed without cytotoxicity. Finally, protein-coated AuNPs promoted DC maturation and DC-mediated lymphocyte proliferation, at variance with lysate alone and protein-coated silica NPs, that did not promote DCs maturation., Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the spontaneous formation of protein coronas on NPs represents a possible approach to fast, easy, cost-effective DCs stimulation.

The spread of KPC-type carbapenemases is mainly attributed to the global dissemination of Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) strains belonging to the clonal group (CG) 258, including sequence type (ST) 258 and other related STs. Two distinct clades of CG258-KP have evolved, which differ mainly for the composition of their capsular polysaccharides, and recent studies indicate that clade 1 evolved from an ancestor of clade 2 by recombination of a genomic fragment carrying the capsular polysaccharide (cps) locus. In this paper, we investigated the ability of two ST258-KP strains, KKBO-1 and KK207-1, selected as representatives of ST258-KP clade 2 and clade 1, respectively, to activate an adaptive immune response using ex vivo-stimulation of PBMC from normal donors as an experimental model. Our data showed that KKBO-1 (clade 2) induces a Th17 response more efficiently than KK207-1 (clade 1): the percentage of CD4+IL17+ cells and the production of IL-17A were significantly higher in cultures with KKBO-1 compared to cultures with KK207-1. While no differences in the rate of bacterial internalization or in the bacteria-induced expression of CD86 and HLA-DR by monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells were revealed, we found that the two strains significantly differ in inducing the production of cytokines involved in the adaptive immune response, as IL-1β, IL-23 and TNF-α, by antigen-presenting cells, with KKBO-1 being a more efficient inducer than KK207-1. The immune responses elicited by KK207-1 were comparable to those elicited by CIP 52.145, a highly virulent K. pneumoniae reference strain known to escape immune-inflammatory responses. Altogether, present results suggest that CG258-KP of the two clades are capable of inducing a different response of adaptive immunity in the human host.

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the in vitro activity of minocycline and doxycycline on human polymorphonuclear (h-PMN) cell function., Methods: h-PMNs were isolated from whole venous blood of healthy subjects; PMN oxidative burst was measured by monitoring ROS-induced oxidation of luminol and transendothelial migration was studied by measuring PMN migration through a monolayer of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Differences between multiple groups were determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test; Student's t test for unpaired data for two groups., Results: Minocycline (1-300 µM) concentration dependently and significantly inhibited oxidative burst of h-PMNs stimulated with 100 nM fMLP. Ten micromolar concentrations, which are superimposable to C max following a standard oral dose of minocycline, promoted a 29.8 ± 4 % inhibition of respiratory burst (P < 0.001; n = 6). Doxycycline inhibited ROS production with a lesser extent and at higher concentrations. 10-100 µM minocycline impaired PMN transendothelial migration, with maximal effect at 100 µM (42.5 ± 7 %, inhibition, n = 5, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: These results added new insight into anti-inflammatory effects of minocycline exerted on innate immune h-PMN cell function.

The health benefits of bio-active phenolic compounds have been largely investigated in vitro at concentrations which exceed those reachable in vivo. We investigated and compared the anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein at physiologically relevant concentrations by using in vitro models of inflammation. Human granulocytes and monocytes were stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and the ability of resveratrol, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein to inhibit the oxidative burst and CD11b expression was measured. Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels, COX-2, iNOS, TNFα, IL-1β and miR-146a expression and activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 were evaluated in macrophages RAW 264.7 stimulated with LPS (1μg/ml) for 18h, exposed to resveratrol, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein (5 and 10μM). Synergistic effects were explored as well, together with the levels of PGE2, COX-2 and IL-1β expression in macrophages after 6h of LPS stimulation. PGE2 and COX-2 expression were also assessed on human monocytes. All the tested compounds inhibited granulocytes oxidative burst in a concentration dependent manner and CD11b expression was also significantly counteracted by resveratrol and hydroxytyrosol. The measurement of oxidative burst in human monocytes produced similar effects being resveratrol more active. Hydroxytyrosol and resveratrol inhibited the production of NO and PGE2 but did not reduce iNOS, TNFα or IL-1β gene expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 for 18h. Resveratrol slightly decreased COX-2 expression after 18h but not after 6h, but reduced PGE2 levels after 6h. Resveratrol and hydroxytyrosol 10μM induced NRf2 nuclear translocation and reduced miR-146a expression in LPS treated RAW 264.7. Overall, we reported an anti-inflammatory effect of resveratrol and hydroxytyrosol at low, nutritionally relevant concentrations, involving the inhibition of granulocytes and monocytes activation, the modulation of miR-146a expression and the activation of Nrf2. A regular dietary intake of resveratrol and hydroxytyrosol may be a useful complementary strategy to control inflammatory diseases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

ST258-K. pneumoniae (ST258-KP) strains, the most widespread multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired pathogens, belong to at least two clades differing in a 215 Kb genomic region that includes the cluster of capsule genes. To investigate the effects of the different capsular phenotype on host-pathogen interactions, we studied representatives of ST258-KP clades, KKBO-1 and KK207-1, for their ability to activate monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells from human immune competent hosts. The two ST258-KP strains strongly induced the production of inflammatory cytokines. Significant differences between the strains were found in their ability to induce the production of IL-1β: KK207-1/clade I was much less effective than KKBO-1/clade II in inducing IL-1β production by monocytes and dendritic cells. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome pathway by live cells and/or purified capsular polysaccharides was studied in monocytes and dendritic cells. We found that glibenclamide, a NLRP3 inhibitor, inhibits more than 90% of the production of mature IL-1β induced by KKBO1 and KK207-1. KK207-1 was always less efficient compared to KKBO-1 in: a) inducing NLRP3 and pro-IL-1β gene and protein expression; b) in inducing caspase-1 activation and pro-IL-1β cleavage. Capsular composition may play a role in the differential inflammatory response induced by the ST258-KP strains since capsular polysaccharides purified from bacterial cells affect NLRP3 and pro-IL-1β gene expression through p38MAPK- and NF-κB-mediated pathways. In each of these functions, capsular polysaccharides from KK207-1 were significantly less efficient compared to those purified from KKBO-1. On the whole, our data suggest that the change in capsular phenotype may help bacterial cells of clade I to partially escape innate immune recognition and IL-1β-mediated inflammation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is a pathophysiological mechanism present in patients affected by type 2 diabetes (T2DM) supporting the development of cardiovascular disease. Among immune- and inflammatory cells accelerating atherosclerosis, dendritic cells (DC) play a pivotal role, however their pathogenetic mechanism has not been fully clarified, at present. The aim of our review is to explore the relationship between ED, DCs and cardiovascular events., Methods: We analysed the literature in Medline database under ''endothelial function OR dysfunction OR vasodilatation'', AND ''dendritic cells" OR "innate immunity" OR "adaptive immunity" AND "diabetes" AND "cardiovascular disease" OR "atherosclerosis". Research articles, systematic reviews and clinical trials have been screened., Results: Both conventional DCs (cDCs) and plasmacytoid cells (pDCs) have been found in the atherosclerotic lesions, together with other pro-inflammatory cells, leading to increase local inflammation. This inflammatory state drives DC interaction with dysfunctional endothelium activating vascular smooth muscle cells. Clinical studies have reported a dysregulation in circulating DC number and function in T2DM patients, especially in those with macrovascular complications, and a significant correlation between reduction in pDCs, TNF-α production and poor glycemic control has been reported., Conclusion: Several studies have proven the prognostic significance of endothelial function and the accumulation of cDCs and pDCs in the arterial intima, thus suggesting their pathogenetic role in atherogenesis. A lack of clinical results is evident, since most observations on human studies are based on circulating measurements despite the fact that different DCs, residing in different tissues, were not detectable in peripheral blood samples. Further preclinical and clinical studies are needed, which should include the measurement of both circulating and tissueresiding DCs simultaneously., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Intraglomerular mesangial cells (MCs) maintain structural and functional integrity of renal glomerular microcirculation and homeostasis of mesangial matrix. Following different types of injury, MCs change their phenotype upregulating the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), changing contractile abilities and increasing the production of matrix proteins, chemokines and cytokines. CCL2 is a chemokine known to be involved in the pathogenesis of renal diseases. Its glomerular upregulation correlates with the extent of renal damage. Bindarit is an indazolic derivative endowed with anti-inflammatory activity when tested in experimental diseases. It selectively inhibits the synthesis of inflammatory C-C chemokines including CCL2, CCL7 and CCL8. This work aims to analyse bindarit effects on ET1-, AngII- and TGFβ-induced mesangial cell dysfunction. Bindarit significantly reduced AngII-, ET1- and TGFβ-induced α-SMA upregulation. In a collagen contraction assay, bindarit reduced AngII-, ET1- and TGFβ-induced HRMC contraction. Within 3-6h stimulation, vinculin organization and phosphorylation was significantly impaired by bindarit in AngII-, ET1- and TGFβ-stimulated cells without any effect on F-actin distribution. Conversely, p38 phosphorylation was not significantly inhibited by bindarit. Our data strengthen the importance of CCL2 on ET-1, AngII- and TGFβ-induced mesangial cell dysfunction, adding new insights into the cellular mechanisms responsible of bindarit protective effects in human MC dysfunction., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Extracellular adenosine formation from ATP is controlled by ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (E-NTPDase/CD39) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase (e-5NT/CD73); the latter converts AMP to adenosine and inorganic phosphate, representing the rate limiting step controlling the ratio between extracellular ATP and adenosine. Evidence that cellular expression and activity of CD39 and CD73 may be subject to changes under pathophysiological conditions has identified this pathway as an endogenous modulator in several diseases and was shown to be involved in the molecular mechanism of drugs, such as methotrexate, salicylates , interferon-β. We evaluated whether CD73/adenosine/A2A signalling pathway is involved in nimesulide anti-inflammatory effect, in vivo and in vitro. We found that the adenosine A2A agonist, 4-[2-[[6-amino-9-(N-ethyl-β-d-ribofuranuronamidosyl)-9H-purin-2-yl]amino]ethyl]benzenepropanoic acid hydrochloride (CGS21680, 2mg/kg ip.), inhibited carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and the effect was reversed by co-administration of the A2A antagonist -(2-[7-amino-2-[2-furyl][1,2,4]triazolo[2,3-a][1,3,5]triazin-5-yl-amino]ethyl)phenol (ZM241385; 3mg/kg i.p.). Nimesulide (5mg/kg i.p.) anti-inflammatory effect was inhibited by pre-treatment with ZM241385 (3mg/kg i.p.) and by local administration of the CD73 inhibitor, adenosine 5'-(α,β-methylene)diphosphate (APCP; 400μg/paw). Furthermore, we found increased activity of 5'-nucleotidase/CD73 in paws and plasma of nimesulide treated rats, 4h following oedema induction. In vitro, the inhibitory effect of nimesulide on nitrite and prostaglandin E2 production by lipopolysaccharide-activated J774 cell line was reversed by ZM241385 and APCP. Furthermore, nimesulide increased CD73 activity in J774 macrophages while it did not inhibit nitrite accumulation by lipopolysaccharide-activated SiRNA CD73 silenced J774 macrophages. Our data demonstrate that the anti-inflammatory effect of nimesulide in part is mediated by CD73-derived adenosine acting on A2A receptors., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The major cause of failure in cancer chemotherapy is the development of multidrug resistance (MDR), and the characterization of biological factors involved in this response to therapy is particularly needed. A doxorubicin-resistant HCT-8/R clone was selected from sensitive parental cells and characterized analyzing several parameters (cell cycle phase distribution, apoptotic activity, expression, distribution and functionality of the P-gp efflux pump, the response to other chemotherapy agents, its ultrastructural features, invasiveness, and transcriptomic profile). HCT-8/R cells showed a peculiar S phase distribution, characterized by a single pulse of proliferation, resistance to drug-mediated apoptosis, increased expression and functionality of P-gp and overexpression of stem cell markers (CD44 and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A2). At the ultrastructural level, HCT-8/R presented a greater cell volume and several intracytoplasmic vesicles respect to HCT-8. Moreover, the resistant clone was characterized by cross resistance to other cytotoxic drugs and a greater capacity for migration and invasion, compared to parental cells. Our data reinforce the concept that the MDR phenotype in HCT-8/R cells is multifactorial and involves multiple mechanisms, representing an interesting tool to understand the biological basis of MDR and to test strategies that overcome resistance to chemotherapy., (© 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Although endothelial progenitor cells have been used in clinical trials with promising preliminary results, the mechanism by which these cells interact with vascular wall cells and ischemic tissues remains unclear. We have previously reported that human coronary artery endothelial cells cocultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) can stimulate their early differentiation toward a pre-endothelial phenotype. This study was aimed to assess possible soluble factors, released from the coculture, and involved in endothelial progenitor cell differentiation. Among cytokines and chemokines measured by means of Milliplex assay, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, endothelial growth factor, and CCL-2 were released in cocultures, and those levels were significantly higher than that found in human coronary artery endothelial cells or in PBMCs alone. To check their involvement in PBMC differentiation, blocking experiments with neutralizing antibodies were performed. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed an impairment of PBMC differentiation toward a pre-endothelial phenotype when IL-6, IL-8 and with a lesser extent CCL-2 were blocked. These data add a new insight into the mechanisms by which endothelial precursors interact with vascular wall, thus suggesting future directions in understanding and treating ischemic injury.

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is the initial step in the development of atherosclerosis, leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). It has been suggested that periodontal disease (PD) could be associated to pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, since it is able to trigger a host response with systemic inflammation. Although a number of epidemiological studies have shown that periodontitis could be associated with ED, it is still unclear whether periodontal treatment could improve ED and therefore cardiovascular outcomes. In this narrative review we analysed the literature in the databases of Medline under ''endothelial function OR dysfunction OR vasodilatation'', AND ''periodontal disease" OR periodontal treatment" AND "cardiovascular disease" OR atherosclerosis AND "endothelial biomarker". Research articles, systematic reviews and clinical trials were screened. ED could be related to periodontitis as well as to CVD. Periodontal treatment reduces the risk of teeth loss and may improve ED and the risk of CVD. Since controversial results exist, there is an urgent need for well-designed clinical trials to find and validate novel biomarkers of endothelial function, such as circulating endothelial progenitors, which may be crucial for further investigation of the association of PD with endothelial function and CVD.

Despite inflammatory and immune mechanisms participating to atherogenesis and dendritic cells (DCs) driving immune and non-immune tissue injury response, the interactions between DCs and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) possibly relevant to vascular pathology including atherogenesis are still unclear. To address this issue, immature DCs (iDCs) generated from CD14+ cells isolated from healthy donors were matured either with cytokines (mDCs), or co-cultured (ccDCs) with human coronary artery VSMCs (CASMCs) using transwell chambers. Co-culture induced DC immunophenotypical and functional maturation similar to cytokines, as demonstrated by flow cytometry and mixed lymphocyte reaction. In turn, factors from mDCs and ccDCs induced CASMC migration. MCP-1 and TNFα, secreted from DCs, and IL-6 and MCP-1, secreted from CASMCs, were primarily involved. mDCs adhesion to CASMCs was enhanced by CASMC pre-treatment with IFNγ and TNFα ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were involved, since the expression of specific mRNAs for these molecules increased and adhesion was inhibited by neutralizing antibodies to the counter-receptors CD11c and CD18. Adhesion was also inhibited by CASMC pre-treatment with the HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitor atorvastatin and the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone, which suggests a further mechanism for the anti-inflammatory action of these drugs. Adhesion of DCs to VSMCs was shown also in vivo in rat carotid 7 to 21 days after crush and incision injury. The findings indicate that DCs and VSMCs can interact with reciprocal stimulation, possibly leading to perpetuate inflammation and vascular wall remodelling, and that the interaction is enhanced by a cytokine-rich inflammatory environment and down-regulated by HMGCoA-reductase inhibitors and PPARγ agonists.

Glomerular expression of chemotactic protein-1/chemokine (C-C motif) ligand-2 (MCP-1/CCL2) correlates with the degree of renal damage, suggesting a role of this chemokine in the pathogenesis of renal diseases. Bindarit is an original indazolic derivative able to inhibit MCPs synthesis and to significantly decrease MCP-1/CCL2 urinary excretion in patients with Lupus Nephritis, in correlation with reduction in albuminuria. Aim of the present work was to elucidate the effect of MCP-1/CCL2 synthesis inhibition on in vitro models of mesangial cell dysfunction. ET1 (10nM) and AngII (10nM) significantly stimulated MCP-1/CCL2 release by human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs) after 3-12h stimulation. Bindarit (10-300 μM) significantly inhibited MCP-1/CCL2 release in response to both stimuli within 12h. Bindarit also inhibited mRNA MCP-1/CCL2 expression, confirming an effect of the drug at transcriptional level. Bindarit significantly and concentration-dependently inhibited HRMC proliferation, measured as either cell duplication or total DNA/well, and impaired mRNA collagen IV expression, collagen deposition and fibronectin expression induced by AngII and ET1. Exposure of HRMCs to bindarit also impaired MMP2 activation in response to both stimuli, measured by means of gelatin zymography. These data confirm the important role of MCP-1/CCL2 synthesis in mesangial cell dysfunction and support the potential of therapeutic intervention targeting this chemokine in kidney disease., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Dendritic cells (DCs) are suspected to be involved in the development of atherogenesis, but their role is still unclear. The aim of this study was to characterize circulating DCs and monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs) of obese and diabetic patients (T2D), and to study their interaction with human coronary smooth muscle cells (CASMCs). Obese post-menopausal women with or without insulin resistance were enrolled and were compared to age-matched healthy women. Myeloid circulating DCs significantly increased in obese T2D patients compared to healthy donors and a smaller increase was observed for plasmacytoid one. Mature Mo-DCs from obese T2D patients significantly decreased when compared to control, but they were significantly more capable of adhering to CASMCs compared to that from healthy controls and from not-T2D obese subjects. Altogether these data suggest that in conditions of insulin-resistance and obesity there is an up-regulation of myeloid DCs that might contribute to pathological vascular remodeling., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)