Cytosolic proteins NODs involved in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) proteins are members of a growing family of cytosolic factors related to the apoptosis regulator Apaf-1 and a class of plant disease resistance proteins. NOD proteins have been implicated in the induction of NF-κB activity and in the activation of caspases. Biochemical evidence has unraveled the role of NOD1 and NOD2 as intracellular sensors of bacterial peptidoglycan. Notably, genetic variation in the genes encoding the NOD proteins NOD2, cryopyrin and CⅡTA in humans is associated with inflammatory disease or increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. NOD proteins may be involved in the recognition of microorganisms and regulation of inflammatory responses.     

Role of GATA-3 in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation in a rat asthma model

AIM: To investigate the role of GATA-3 in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation in a Wistar rat asthma model. METHODS: The Wistar rat asthma model was made with conventional method and animals were divided into five groups (10 rats in each group): asthma group (A group), dexamethasone group (D group), antisense oligonucleotide group (AS group), nonsense oligonucleotide group (NS group) and normal control group (N group). Antisense, nonsense oligonucleotide were administered intranasally, and the dexamethasone was injected intraperitoneally. The airway inflammation was observed with HE staining method. The GATA-3 positive cells were stained immunohistochemically. The GATA-3 mRNA expression in pulmonary tissue was investigated with RT-PCR. The GATA-3 protein in pulmonary tissue was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: In contrast to N group, the expression of GATA-3 mRNA, protein and the amount of inflammatory cells in pulmonary tissue in group A were increased significantly (P<0.01) and were decreased evidently in group AS and D (P<0.01). The expression of GATA-3 mRNA, protein and the amount of inflammatory cells in NS group were obviously increased compared with those in gropu AS and D (P<0.01). The expression of GATA-3 was related to the amount of eosinophils (r=0.995). CONCLUSION: GATA-3 antisense oligonucleotide blocks the expression of GATA-3 gene and the infiltration of eosinophils. GATA-3 plays an important role in the effector phase of allergic airway inflammation in a Wistar rat asthma model.     

Steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis in dogs with noninfectious,nonerosive, idiopathic,immune-mediated polyarthritis

Signs related to spinal pain are commonly reported in dogs with noninfectious, nonerosive, idiopathic immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA). This study examined the prevalence and etiology of spinal pain in these dogs through a retrospective review of 62 case records of dogs with IMPA. All dogs with IMPA and signs suggestive of spinal pain were described with regard to age, gender, breed, physical stature, location of vertebral pain, rectal temperature, and clinical laboratory findings. The prevalence of spinal pain in these dogs was 29% (18 of 62). Fourteen of the 18 dogs with spinal pain and IMPA were male. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 11 dogs with signs of spinal pain was analyzed. Five of these (46%) had concurrent steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA). We concluded that SRMA does occur concurrently in some dogs having IMPA. Meningeal involvement may explain the origin of spinal pain observed in some of these dogs.     

The immunophenotype of blood and cerebrospinal fluid mononuclear cells in dogs

Inflammatory neurologic diseases are common in dogs, but establishing a definitive diagnosis often is difficult. Nucleated cell number and type in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rarely are suggestive of an etiologic agent. We speculated that CSF leukocyte immunophenotyping would be a useful adjunct in the investigation of canine inflammatory neurologic diseases by yielding more specific etiologic information. The goals of this study were to establish the feasibility of flow cytometric evaluation of individual canine CSF samples and to identify the cell distribution in healthy dogs. The mononuclear cell populations of paired blood and CSF samples from 23 healthy dogs were characterized by labeling of cells with antibodies against CD4, CD8alpha, CD21, and CD14 molecules and by flow cytometric analysis of their expression. The mean proportion of CD4+ and CD21+ cells was significantly higher in blood than in the CSF (P < .002 and P < .001, respectively). In contrast, the mean proportion of CD14+ and CD8a+ cells was not significantly different between blood and CSF (P = .5 and p = .9, respectively). These findings demonstrate differences in the distribution and function of mononuclear cells in the circulating venous and subarachnoid compartments in the dog.     

The oxidative modification of high density lipoprotein and atherosclerosis

The reduced level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in plasma is a strong predictor of atherosclerotic vascular disease risk. However, like low-density lipoprotein (LDL), HDL is readily oxidized by a variety of oxidants in vitro. This review briefly discussed about the susceptibility of HDL to oxidation, the site and physiologic oxidants of HDL oxidation in vivo, structural change in oxidized HDL, as well as the influence of different changes in structure of oxidized HDL on the protective function of HDL against atherosclerosis.     

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 and inflammatory reaction

MMP-9 is one of the family of matrix metalloproteinases, which degrades extracellular matrix.MMP-9 is induced by many inflammatory factors, including IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α.Mean-while, MMP-9 potentiates inflammatory factors by aminoterminal processing.The signal transduction by which inflammatory factors induce MMP-9 is also an important part in recent research.This review will give a summary in all these fields.     

Role of VE-cadherin/catenins complex in microvascular permeability during inflammation

VE-cadherin forms VE-cadherin/catenins complex by interacting with catenins, and VE-cadherin/catenins complex is an important component of adherens junctions (AJ). During inflammation, different kinds of factors can increase the microvascular permeability eventually by causing the disassembly of VE-cadherin/catenins complex.