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Matrix metalloproteinases may play a role in tissue remodelling and destruction associated with inflammation. We investigated activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinases in a rat model of colitis and tested the therapeutic potential of a synthetic inhibitor (CGS-27023-A). Colitis was induced by dextran sulphate sodium (at 5% in drinking water for 5 days) in a group of eight rats, whereas a matched control group received plain water. Activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinases were measured in colonic tissue homogenates using zymography and Western blot on days 3 and 5 after induction of colitis. In another set of experiments, two groups of colitic rats (20 per group) were treated with CGS-27023-A (20 mg/kg) or vehicle, respectively. On days 5 and 14, colonic mucosal lesions were blindly scored by microscopic examination. Induction of colitis led to a significant upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 protein and its activity, but no change in matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity was observed. Treatment with CGS-27023-A significantly decreased the extent and severity of epithelial injury but did not influence mucosal repair. We conclude that increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases may contribute to epithelial damage in this model of colitis. gelatinases; inflammatory bowel disease; matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors; dextran sulphate sodium

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Nintendo Wii compared to traditional balance therapy in improving balance, motivation, and functional ability in children undergoing acute rehabilitation after brain injury. Methods: A non-concurrent, randomized multiple baseline single-subject research design was used with three participants. Data were analyzed by visual inspection of trend lines. Results: Daily Wii balance training was equally motivating to traditional balance therapy for two participants and more motivating for one participant. While improvements in dynamic balance were observed, the results for static balance remain inconclusive. All participants demonstrated improvements in functional ability. Conclusion: Wii balance therapy is a safe, feasible, and motivating intervention for children undergoing acute rehabilitation after an acquired brain injury. Further research to examine the effectiveness of Wii balance therapy in this population is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platelets play an important role in carcinogenesis, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. To investigate the effects of platelets on in vitro invasion of MCF7 human breast cancer cells, human MCF7 cells were used to study their interactions with platelets using aggregometry and cell invasion chambers. Zymography and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to study matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), whereas Western blot was used to study protein kinase C (PKC) delta in MCF7 cells. We observed that platelets promoted invasion of MCF7 cells (3-fold increase, p<0.05, n=3) and that this process correlated with a dramatic increase in MMP-9 (8 fold-increase, p<0.001, n=3), which is known to facilitate cancer cell invasion. Because both platelets and MCF7 cells have been shown to release MMP-9, we investigated the cellular source that accounted for this increase. The time course and the use of specific protein synthesis inhibitors demonstrated that most of the increase in MMP-9 levels derived from de novo synthesis of this protease by cancer cells. Furthermore, platelets activated PKCdelta in MCF7 cells after 1 h of incubation (18.45+/-4.75% increase, p<0.05, n=4-7), which, in turn, led to an up-regulation of MMP-9 mRNA (from 60+/-20 to 1040+/-100 pg, p<0.001, n=3) and protein levels (18-fold increase, p<0.001, n=3), with the subsequent cell invasion-promoting effects. PKCdelta plays a crucial role in transducing the invasion-promoting effects of platelets in breast cancer cells, and the specific inhibition of PKCdelta may be a strategy to decrease platelet-mediated cancer cell invasion.