Antiangiogenic response after 70% hepatectomy and its relationship with hepatic regeneration and angiogenesis in rats

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiangiogenic response and its relation to regeneration and angiogenesis after 70% hepatectomy in a rat model. Methods: Sixty-four Wistar albino rats were included in the study. Animals were allocated into 8 groups (n = 8). After a 70% hepatectomy, liver regeneration, angiogenesis, and antiangiogenic response were evaluated in the remnant liver on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14. Regeneration and angiogenesis were determined with immunoreactivity to proliferating cell nuclear antigen and vascular endothelial growth factor. Antiangiogenic response was evaluated by detecting collagen 18 m RNA with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: We showed that liver regeneration peaked at day 1, whereas angiogenesis in the periportal and perisinusoidal areas reached their peak values on days 3 and 7, respectively. Both regeneration and angiogenic activity around perisinusoidal hepatocytes returned to basal activity on the day 10. Antiangiogenic response first appeared on day 5, reached a peak on day 10, and returned to basal values on day 14. Conclusion: Collagen18 mRNA expression is present in the normal liver during the regenerative process. We suggest that the stimulus that causes the cessation of regeneration process may come from hepatocytes, and collagen 18 produced by hepatocytes may modulate this event by inhibiting the angiogenesis. © 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved

Comparison of miRNA expression in patients with seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis and non-atopic asthma

Background. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding molecules that play a significant regulatory role in several allergic diseases. However, their role in allergic rhinitis is still not clearly understood. The aim of this study was to identify the candidate miRNAs that can discriminate between different forms of allergic rhinitis and also differ in and out of the allergen season. Methods. The study included 20 healthy children, 20 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), 20 non-atopic asthmatics (NA-A), and 12 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). Patients with SAR were evaluated comparatively in and outside the allergen season. The changes in the expressions of selected miRNAs (miR- 125b, miR-126, miR-133b, miR-181a, and miR-206) that were found related to the allergic diseases according to the literature were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results. In the SAR group, expression levels of miR-125b (p=0.040) and miR181a (p=0.014) were lower than in the controls outside of the allergen season. Expression levels of miR-181a were different between patients with SAR and NA-A (p=0.003), also between the SAR and PAR (p=0.001) groups in multiple comparisons. In contrast, the expression of miR-206 was found to be decreased in patients with NA-A and PAR compared with the controls (p=0.005 and p=0.024, respectively). In correlation analysis, expression levels of miR-125b and peak expiratory flow (PEF) values were found to be negatively correlated in the SAR (p=0.013) and PAR (p=0.029) groups. The expression level of miR-206 was positively correlated with total IgE levels in PAR (p=0.007). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that miR-125b and miR-181a predicted the risk of SAR (p=0.040 and p=0.014, respectively), and miR-206 for NA-A and PAR (p=0.005 and p=0.024, respectively). Conclusions. Our study showed that expression levels of miRNAs were different according to the type of allergic diseases and the presence of allergens. miR-181a and miR-125b can be candidate biomarkers for SAR, and miR-206 for NA-A and PAR

Triclosan Disrupts SKN-1/Nrf2- Mediated Oxidative Stress Response in C. elegans and Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Triclosan (TCS), an antimicrobial chemical with potential endocrine-disrupting properties, may pose a risk to early embryonic development and cellular homeostasis during adulthood. Here, we show that TCS induces toxicity in both the nematode C. elegans and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) by disrupting the SKN-1/Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress response. Specifically, TCS exposure affected C. elegans survival and hMSC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Cellular analysis showed that TCS inhibited the nuclear localization of SKN-1/Nrf2 and the expression of its target genes, which were associated with oxidative stress response. Notably, TCS-induced toxicity was significantly reduced by either antioxidant treatment or constitutive SKN-1/Nrf2 activation. As Nrf2 is strongly associated with aging and chemoresistance, these findings will provide a novel approach to the identification of therapeutic targets and disease treatment

Association Between Tuberculosis and Atopy: Role of the CD14-159C/T Polymorphism

WOS: 000305365200007PubMed: 22697010Background: The development of allergic hypersensitivity depends on both genetic and environmental factors. Different amounts of microbial products could affect patients with atopy and different genotypes. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the role of varying degrees of exposure to infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis) in atopic patients and analyze the association with genetic factors. Methods: We performed CD14-159C/T genotyping in atopic patients (n=118) and healthy individuals (n=62) and recorded the following variables: rural lifestyle, exposure to persons with tuberculosis, bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination, tuberculin skin test (TST), skin prick test, and phenotypes of atopy. Blood samples were analyzed for soluble-CD14 (sCD14), interferon (IFN) gamma, total immunoglobulin (Ig) E, and eosinophil levels. A score was used to identify the likelihood of exposure to tuberculosis. Results: Almost all the study participants had had a BCG vaccination, and half had a positive TST result. No differences were observed between atopic patients with high/low tuberculosis scores and CD14 genotypes in terms of atopic phenotypes, allergen sensitization, and levels of total IgE, sCD14, and IFN-gamma. However, the frequency of asthma was higher in atopic patients with a high tuberculosis score and was not associated with CD14 genotypes. Eosinophil counts in blood were higher in atopic patients with a high tuberculosis score and CC+CT genotypes. Conclusions: These results suggest that the C allele of the CD14-159C/T polymorphism has a marked effect on eosinophil levels in atopic patients with increased exposure to tuberculosis. In addition, the degree of exposure to tuberculosis in atopic patients may modify the development of asthma.Kirikkale UniversityKirikkale University [2008/5]This work was supported by a grant from Kirikkale University Projects of Scientific Research (Grant No. 2008/5) awarded to Drs Baccioglu Kavut, Kalpaklioglu, and Ayaslioglu. None of the authors have any other financial disclosures to make