Project description:Primary objectives: This study aims at (further) revealing the pathophysiology of intestinal IR in man, with a specific interest for the role of proteases and protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), cellular and inflammatory changes, barrier function and intestinal permeability, microscopic mucosal changes and gene expression patterns. An important element will be the determination of the effects of protease- and MMP inhibitors. By these means we hope to identify preventive and therapeutic strategies for patients with intestinal IR.
Primary endpoints: The primary endpoint in this study is inflammation (neutrophil influx, complement activation, interleukins, TNF-α, COX 1-2) and protease activity in tissue as well as in blood plasma.
Project description:The canonical pathway for IL-1? production requires TLR-mediated NF-?B-dependent Il1b gene induction, followed by caspase-containing inflammasome-mediated processing of pro-IL-1?. Here we show that IL-21 unexpectedly induces IL-1? production in conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) via a STAT3-dependent but NF-?B-independent pathway. IL-21 does not induce Il1b expression in CD4+ T cells, with differential histone marks present in these cells versus cDCs. IL-21-induced IL-1? processing in cDCs does not require caspase-1 or caspase-8 but depends on IL-21-mediated death and activation of serine protease(s). Moreover, STAT3-dependent IL-1? expression in cDCs at least partially explains the IL-21-mediated pathologic response occurring during infection with Pneumonia Virus of Mice. These results demonstrate lineage-restricted IL-21-induced IL-1? via a non-canonical pathway and provide evidence for its importance in vivo. Genome-wide transcription factors mapping and binding of STAT3, H3K4me3, H3K27me, H3K4me1, H3K27ac in mouse CD4+ T cells and dendritic cells in WT and Stat3-/- mice. RNA-Seq is performed in mouse CD4+ T cells and dendritic cells in WT mice, with or without indicated cytokines.
Project description:Here we report that the Th2 cytokine IL-4 and the tumor microenvironment activated protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK) stress signaling cascade to promote immunosuppressive M2 activation and proliferation. PERK activation mediated the upregulation of PSAT1 and serine biosynthesis via the downstream transcription factor ATF4. We found that Increased serine biosynthesis could result in enhanced mitochondrial function and α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) production required for JMJD3-dependent epigenetic modification.
Project description:In the present study, we hypothesized that C/EBPa (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha) plays a role in cell regeneration in response to bronchiolar epithelial cell injury. C/EBPa mediated ciliated cell regeneration after naphthalene bronchiolar epithelial cell injury in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrated that C/EBPa regulates protease/anti-protease balance after lung injury, and intratracheal treatment with anti-protease (BPTI) restored ciliated cell regeneration after naphthalene injury in CebpaD/D mice. Cebpa d/d VS. Control mice 0hr, 3hr and 72hr after naphthalene injury. Three replicates each.
Project description:In the present study, we hypothesized that C/EBPa (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha) plays a role in cell regeneration in response to bronchiolar epithelial cell injury. C/EBPa mediated ciliated cell regeneration after naphthalene bronchiolar epithelial cell injury in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrated that C/EBPa regulates protease/anti-protease balance after lung injury, and intratracheal treatment with anti-protease (BPTI) restored ciliated cell regeneration after naphthalene injury in CebpaD/D mice.
Project description:The identification of molecules for apoptotic cells (AC) uptake by dendritic cells (DCs) and induction of T cell immunity is a major challenge in immunology.<br>DCs generated from monocytes in the presence of IFN-alpha (IFN-alpha-DCs) are competent in taking up ACs and inducing a strong T cell immunity. Capture of allogenetic apoptotic lymphocytes (APO-allo-PBLs) was associated with subcellular rearrangements of MHC class I/II molecules, subsequent cross-priming of auologous CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cell activation. All these events were inhibited by the Scavenger Receptor (SR) LOX-1 protein, whose expression was up-regulated in IFN-alpha DCs. The results unravel a novel natural IFN-alpha-mediated pathway by which a defined SR molecule regulates AC uptake by DCs and subsequent induction of T cell immunity.
Project description:The canonical pathway for IL-1β production requires TLR-mediated NF-κB-dependent Il1b gene induction, followed by caspase-containing inflammasome-mediated processing of pro-IL-1β. Here we show that IL-21 unexpectedly induces IL-1β production in conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) via a STAT3-dependent but NF-κB-independent pathway. IL-21 does not induce Il1b expression in CD4+ T cells, with differential histone marks present in these cells versus cDCs. IL-21-induced IL-1β processing in cDCs does not require caspase-1 or caspase-8 but depends on IL-21-mediated death and activation of serine protease(s). Moreover, STAT3-dependent IL-1β expression in cDCs at least partially explains the IL-21-mediated pathologic response occurring during infection with Pneumonia Virus of Mice. These results demonstrate lineage-restricted IL-21-induced IL-1β via a non-canonical pathway and provide evidence for its importance in vivo.
Project description:Temporomandibular joint degenerative disease (TMJ-DD) is a chronic form of TMJ disorder that specifically afflicts people over the age of 40 and targets women at a higher rate than men. Prevalence of TMJ-DD in this population suggests that estrogen loss plays a role in the disease pathogenesis. Thus, the goal of the present study was to determine the role of estrogen on chondrogenesis and homeostasis via estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) during growth and maturity of the joint. Young and mature WT and ERαKO female mice were subjected to ovariectomy procedures and then given placebo or estradiol treatment. The effect of estrogen via ERα on fibrocartilage morphology, matrix production, and protease activity was assessed. In the young mice, estrogen via ERα promoted mandibular condylar fibrocartilage chondrogenesis partly by inhibiting the canonical Wnt signaling pathway through upregulation of sclerostin (Sost). In the mature mice, protease activity was partly inhibited with estrogen treatment via the upregulation and activity of protease inhibitor 15 (Pi15) and alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2m). The results from this work provide a mechanistic understanding of estradiol on TMJ growth and homeostasis and can be utilized for development of therapeutic targets to promote regeneration and inhibit degeneration of the mandibular condylar fibrocartilage.