Fish Collagen Peptides Enhance Thymopoietic Gene Expression, Cell Proliferation, Thymocyte Adherence, and Cytoprotection in Thymic Epithelial Cells via Activation of the Nuclear Factor-κB Pathway, Leading to Thymus Regeneration after Cyclophosphamide-Induced Injury.

Prolonged thymic involution results in decreased thymopoiesis and thymic output, leading to peripheral T-cell deficiency. Since the thymic-dependent pathway is the only means of generating fully mature T cells, the identification of strategies to enhance thymic regeneration is crucial in developing therapeutic interventions to revert immune suppression in immunocompromised patients. The present study clearly shows that fish collagen peptides (FCPs) stimulate activities of thymic epithelial cells (TECs), including cell proliferation, thymocyte adhesion, and the gene expression of thymopoietic factors such as FGF-7, IGF-1, BMP-4, VEGF-A, IL-7, IL-21, RANKL, LTß, IL-22R, RANK, LTßR, SDF-1, CCL21, CCL25, CXCL5, Dll1, Dll4, Wnt4, CD40, CD80, CD86, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, FoxN1, leptin, cathepsin L, CK5, and CK8 through the NF-κB signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, our study also revealed the cytoprotective effects of FCPs on TECs against cyclophosphamide-induced cellular injury through the NF-κB signaling pathway. Importantly, FCPs exhibited a significant capability to facilitate thymic regeneration in mice after cyclophosphamide-induced damage via the NF-κB pathway. Taken together, this study sheds light on the role of FCPs in TEC function, thymopoiesis, and thymic regeneration, providing greater insight into the development of novel therapeutic strategies for effective thymus repopulation for numerous clinical conditions in which immune reconstitution is required.

Effects of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection on the Response of Human Breast Cancer Cells to Nicotine.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The purpose of our study was to test whether EBV infection affects the response of human breast cancer cells to nicotine. In addition, the underlying signaling mechanisms were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: EBV-infected MDA-MB-231 and LMP1-transfected MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were established. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to evaluate nicotine receptor expression. To verify the functional role and underlying signaling mechanism of nicotine receptor expression induced by EBV infection, morphologic analysis, and proliferation and inhibition assays were performed. RESULTS: Both EBV infection and LMP1 transfection increased cell proliferation and induced the up-regulation of α9-nAChR expression. Additionally, nicotine treatment induced tumorigenic activity in both EBV-infected and LMP1-transfected MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Western blot and inhibitor assays showed that the nicotine-induced signaling was mediated through MAPK/ERK and AKT signaling pathways in EBV-infected and LMP1-transfected breast cancer cells, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that EBV infection and EBV-related LMP1 may act as potential molecular targets for breast cancer risk associated with nicotine, and provide a novel insight into the mechanism of nicotine stimulation in EBV-positive breast cancer cells.