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Recruitment of leukocytes circulating in our blood to the sites of infection or tissue damage is the key phenomenon in the acute inflammatory response(s). Among the leukocytes, neutrophils are primarily recruited into the areas of acute inflammation. When neutrophils interact with activated endothelium of the blood vessels, they become migratory and cross the endothelial layer of the blood vessel wall in a process called as leukocyte extravasation. Identifying and understanding the gene regulation of this extravasation phenomenon is one of the key objective of biomedical research aimed at ameliorating or alleviating the symptoms of various diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, anaphylaxis, atherosclerosis, ulcerative colitis etc., that are exacerbated by inappropriate inflammatory stimuli. Here, we decipher and discuss the key genes implicated in the leukocyte transmigration using the acute inflammation model called as the Dextran Sulphate Sodium (DSS) induced Colitis in mice as a classic paradigm.

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurologic disorder of unknown etiology characterized by increased resting muscle tone, progressive rigidity, and stiffness of the axial musculature. We present a case of a 48-year-old male patient with SPS who experienced facial and neck muscle spasms that were uncontrolled with oral medications and the use of an intrathecal baclofen pump. Botulinum toxin A injections into the bilateral masseter and neck paraspinal muscles provided pain relief and spasm control, illustrating the use of botulinum toxin A injections in the small muscles of face and neck in patients with SPS.