Controlled WASp activity regulates the proliferative response for Treg cell differentiation in the thymus.

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) regulates actin cytoskeletal dynamics and function of hematopoietic cells. Mutations in the WAS gene lead to two different syndromes; Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) caused by loss-of-function mutations, and X-linked neutropenia (XLN) caused by gain-of-function mutations. We previously showed that WASp-deficient mice have a decreased number of regulatory T (Treg) cells in the thymus and the periphery. We here evaluated the impact of WASp mutations on Treg cells in the thymus of WAS and XLN mouse models. Using in vitro Treg differentiation assays, WAS CD4 single-positive thymocytes have decreased differentiation to Treg cells, despite normal early signaling upon IL-2 and TGF-ß stimulation. They failed to proliferate and express CD25 at high levels, leading to poor survival and a lower number of Foxp3+ Treg cells. Conversely, XLN CD4 single-positive thymocytes efficiently differentiate into Foxp3+ Treg cells following a high proliferative response to IL-2 and TGF-ß, associated with high CD25 expression when compared with WT cells. Altogether, these results show that specific mutations of WASp affect Treg cell development differently, demonstrating a critical role of WASp activity in supporting Treg cell development and expansion.

T cell subset composition differs between blood and cerebrospinal fluid in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Inflammation is a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is often assessed through biological samples. Due to the easier access, peripheral blood is more commonly phenotyped instead of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or affected tissues in ALS. Here, using flow cytometry, we compared the composition of T cell subsets in blood and CSF in ALS patients. We found consistent but weak correlations between blood and CSF for all T cell subsets examined. This finding implies that blood and CSF offer complementary information when characterizing T cell immunity in ALS and blood may not be used as a surrogate for CSF.

Developing a multivariable prediction model of global health-related quality of life in patients treated for rectal cancer: a prospective study in five countries.

PURPOSE: Rectal cancer and its treatment have a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). If risk factors for sustained low HRQoL could be identified early, ideally before the start of treatment, individualised interventions could be identified and implemented to maintain or improve HRQoL. The study aimed to develop a multivariable prediction model for global HRQoL 12 months after rectal cancer treatment. METHODS: Within COLOR II, a randomised, multicentre, international trial of laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer, a sub-study on HRQoL included 385 patients in 12 hospitals and five countries. The HRQoL study was optional for hospitals in the COLOR II trial. EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR38 were analysed preoperatively and at 1 and 12 months postoperatively. In exploratory analyses, correlations between age, sex, fatigue, pain, ASA classification, complications, and symptoms after surgery to HRQoL were studied. Bivariate initial analyses were followed by multivariate regression models. RESULTS: Patient characteristics and clinical factors explained 4-10% of the variation in global HRQoL. The patient-reported outcomes from EORTC QLQ-C30 explained 55-65% of the variation in global HRQoL. The predominant predictors were fatigue and pain, which significantly impacted global HRQoL at all time points measured. CONCLUSION: We found that fatigue and pain were two significant factors associated with posttreatment global HRQoL in patients treated for rectal cancer T1-T3 Nx. Interventions to reduce fatigue and pain could enhance global HRQoL after rectal cancer treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov No. NCT00297791.

Hepatic injury and ileitis associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice upon F-53B exposure.

Chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B), a substitute of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), has attracted significant attention for its link to hepatotoxicity and enterotoxicity. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of F-53B-induced enterohepatic toxicity remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to explore the role of F-53B exposure on enterohepatic injury based on the gut microbiota, pathological and molecular analysis in mice. Here, we exposed C57BL/6 mice to F-53B (0, 4, 40, and 400 µg/L) for 28 days. Our findings revealed a significant accumulation of F-53B in the liver, followed by small intestines, and feces. In addition, F-53B induced pathological collagen fiber deposition and lipoid degeneration, up-regulated the expression of fatty acid ß-oxidation-related genes (PPARα and PPARγ, etc), while simultaneously down-regulating pro-inflammatory genes (Nlrp3, IL-1ß, and Mcp1) in the liver. Meanwhile, F-53B induced ileal mucosal barrier damage, and an up-regulation of pro-inflammatory genes and mucosal barrier-related genes (Muc1, Muc2, Claudin1, Occludin, Mct1, and ZO-1) in the ileum. Importantly, F-53B distinctly altered gut microbiota compositions by increasing the abundance of Akkermansia and decreasing the abundance of Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group in the feces. F-53B-altered microbiota compositions were significantly associated with genes related to fatty acid ß-oxidation, inflammation, and mucosal barrier. In summary, our results demonstrate that F-53B is capable of inducing hepatic injury, ileitis, and gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice, and the gut microbiota dysbiosis may play an important role in the F-53B-induced enterohepatic toxicity.

MNK2 governs the macrophage antiinflammatory phenotype.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) continuously fine tune their immune modulatory properties, but how gene expression programs coordinate this immune cell plasticity is largely unknown. Selective mRNA translation, controlled by MNK1/MNK2 and mTOR pathways impinging on eIF4E, facilitates reshaping of proteomes without changes in abundance of corresponding mRNAs. Using polysome profiling developed for small samples we show that, during tumor growth, gene expression in TAMs is predominately modulated via mRNA-selective changes in translational efficiencies. These alterations in gene expression paralleled accumulation of antiinflammatory macrophages with augmented phosphorylation of eIF4E, a target of the MNK1 and MNK2 kinases, known to selectively modulate mRNA translation. Furthermore, suppression of the MNK2, but not the mTOR signaling pathway, reprogrammed antiinflammatory macrophages toward a proinflammatory phenotype with the ability to activate CD8+ T cells. Thus, selective changes of mRNA translation depending on MNK2 signaling represents a key node regulating macrophage antiinflammatory functions.

The FOXP3 full-length isoform controls the lineage-stability of CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells.

The transcription factor FOXP3 is essential for CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cell development and function. Human FOXP3 exists in distinct isoforms and alterations in isoform expression is associated with inflammatory disease progression, however, the exact functions of FOXP3 isoforms remain poorly understood. Herein we used flow cytometry and RNA-sequencing to analyze subsets of Treg cells from two IPEX patients, and a healthy carrier, of a recently described FOXP3 mutation (c.305delT). This mutation is located in exon 2 and results in the loss of the full-length FOXP3 isoform. Treg cells lacking full-length FOXP3 are found at lower-than-expected frequencies. This loss cannot be explained solely by altered thymic output, changes in proliferation, peripheral induction of Treg cells, or apoptosis. Instead, fulllength FOXP3 control a distinct genetic program, involving the previously identified FOXP3 regulators ID3, BCL6 and eIF4E, that upholds Treg cell lineage stability, while it appears nonessential for Treg cell activation.

Effect of Short-term Homebased Pre- and Postoperative Exercise on Recovery After Colorectal Cancer Surgery (PHYSSURG-C): A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of a short-term, unsupervised exercise intervention before and after colorectal cancer surgery on self-assessed physical recovery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Preoperative exercise interventions could help improve recovery after colorectal cancer surgery and is currently recommended. METHODS: A randomized, parallel, open-label trial in six university or regional hospitals in Sweden. Inclusion criteria were age ≥20 years and planned elective colorectal cancer surgery. Participants were randomized to either a physical activity intervention with aerobic activity and inspiratory muscle training 2 weeks pre- and 4 weeks postoperatively or usual care. The primary outcome measure was self-assessed physical recovery 4 weeks postoperatively. Analyses were performed according to intention to treat. Outcome assessors were masked regarding the intervention while both participants and physiotherapists were informed due to the nature of the intervention. RESULTS: Between January 22, 2015, and May 28, 2020, 761 participants were recruited and assigned to either intervention (I) (n = 379) or control (C) (n = 382). After exclusions 668 participants (I = 317, C = 351) were included in the primary analysis. There was no effect from the intervention on the primary outcome measure (adjusted odds ratio 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.62-1.15) with 13% and 15% of participants feeling fully physically recovered in I and C, respectively. There were no reported adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: There was no effect from a physical activity intervention before and after colorectal cancer surgery on short-term self-assessed physical recovery. The results from this study call for reconsiderations regarding current recommendations for preoperative physical activity interventions.

Surface plasmon resonance sensing with thin films of palladium and platinum - quantitative and real-time analysis.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a highly useful technique in biology and is gradually becoming useful also for materials science. However, measurements to date have been performed almost exclusively on gold, which limits the possibility to probe chemical modifications of other metals. In this work we show that 20 nm Pd and Pt films work "fairly well" for quantitative SPR sensing of organic films despite the high light absorption. In the interval between total reflection and the SPR angle, high intensity changes occur when a film is formed on the surface. Fresnel models accurately describe the full angular spectra and our data analysis provides good resolution of surface coverage in air (a few ng cm-2). Overall, the Pd sensors behave quite similarly to 50 nm gold in terms of sensitivity and field extension, although the noise level in real-time measurements is ∼5 times higher. The Pt sensors exhibit a longer extension of the evanescent field and ∼10 times higher noise compared to gold. Yet, formation of organic layers a few nm in thickness can still be monitored in real-time. As a model system, we use thiolated poly(ethylene glycol) to make Pd and Pt protein repelling. Our findings show how SPR can be used for studying chemical modifications of two metals that are important in several contexts, for instance within heterogeneous catalysis. We emphasize the advantages of simple sample preparation and accurate quantitative analysis in the planar geometry by Fresnel models.

PM2.5 exposure and olfactory functions.

Growing evidence indicates that air pollution can negatively impact cognitive functions. The olfactory system is interesting in this context as it is directly exposed to pollutants and also associated with cognitive functions. The aim of this study was to investigate long- and short-term PM2.5 exposure in association with olfactory functions. Scores from odor tests were obtained from the Betula project - a longitudinal cohort study. Estimates of annual mean PM2.5 concentrations at the participants' residential address were obtained from a dispersion-model. Daily mean PM2.5 concentrations were obtained from a measuring station close to the test location. We found a positive association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and odor identification, i.e. exposure was associated with a better ability to identify odors. We also found an interaction effect between PM2.5 and age on odor identification. We found no associations between any PM2.5 exposure and odor detection or between short-term PM2.5 exposure and olfactory functions.

Tuning the Thermoresponsive Behavior of Surface-Attached PNIPAM Networks: Varying the Crosslinker Content in SI-ATRP.

The synthesis and thermoresponsive properties of surface-attached poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (PNIPAM-co-MBAM) networks are investigated. The networks are formed via SI-ARGET-ATRP ("grafting-from") on thiol-based initiator-functionalized gold films. This method is reliable, well controlled, fast, and applicable to patterned surfaces (e.g., nanopores) for networks with dry thicknesses >20 nm. Surface-attached PNIPAM-co-MBAM gels are swollen below their volume phase transition temperature but above collapse without complete expulsion of water (retain ∼50 vol %). The swelling/collapse transition is studied using complementary SPR and QCMD techniques. The ratio between swollen and collapsed heights characterizes the thermoresponsive behavior and is shown to not depend on network height but to vary with MBAM content. The higher the proportion of the crosslinker, the lower the magnitude of the phase transition, until all responsiveness is lost at 5 mol % MBAM. The temperature range of the transition is broadened for more crosslinked PNIPAM-co-MBAM gels but remains centered around 32 °C. Upon reswelling, less crosslinked networks display sharp transitions, while for those containing ≥3 mol % MBAM, transitions remain broad. This tunable behavior persists for gels on nanostructured gold surfaces. Investigating PNIPAM-co-MBAM networks on gold plasmonic nanowell arrays is a starting point for expanding their scope as thermo-controlled nanoactuators.

Control of Polymer Brush Morphology, Rheology, and Protein Repulsion by Hydrogen Bond Complexation.

Polymer brushes are widely used to alter the properties of interfaces. In particular, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and similar polymers can make surfaces inert toward biomolecular adsorption. Neutral hydrophilic brushes are normally considered to have static properties at a given temperature. As an example, PEG is not responsive to pH or ionic strength. Here we show that, by simply introducing a polymeric acid such as poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), the highly hydrated brush barrier can change its properties entirely. This is caused by multivalent hydrogen bonds in an extremely pH-sensitive process. Remarkably, it is sufficient to reduce the pH to 5 for complexation to occur at the interface, which is two units higher than in the corresponding bulk systems. Below this critical pH, PMAA starts to bind to PEG in large amounts (comparable to the PEG amount), causing the brush to gradually compact and dehydrate. The brush also undergoes major rheology changes, from viscoelastic to rigid. Furthermore, the protein repelling ability of PEG is lost after reaching a threshold in the amount of PMAA bound. The changes in brush properties are tunable and become more pronounced when more PMAA is bound. The initial brush state is fully recovered when releasing PMAA by returning to physiological pH. Our findings are relevant for many applications involving functional interfaces, such as capture-release of biomolecules.

Enzyme-free optical DNA mapping of the human genome using competitive binding.

Optical DNA mapping (ODM) allows visualization of long-range sequence information along single DNA molecules. The data can for example be used for detecting long range structural variations, for aiding DNA sequence assembly of complex genomes and for mapping epigenetic marks and DNA damage across the genome. ODM traditionally utilizes sequence specific marks based on nicking enzymes, combined with a DNA stain, YOYO-1, for detection of the DNA contour. Here we use a competitive binding approach, based on YOYO-1 and netropsin, which highlights the contour of the DNA molecules, while simultaneously creating a continuous sequence specific pattern, based on the AT/GC variation along the detected molecule. We demonstrate and validate competitive-binding-based ODM using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) derived from the human genome and then turn to DNA extracted from white blood cells. We generalize our findings with in-silico simulations that show that we can map a vast majority of the human genome. Finally, we demonstrate the possibility of combining competitive binding with enzymatic labeling by mapping DNA damage sites induced by the cytotoxic drug etoposide to the human genome. Overall, we demonstrate that competitive-binding-based ODM has the potential to be used both as a standalone assay for studies of the human genome, as well as in combination with enzymatic approaches, some of which are already commercialized.

Peripheral immune biomarkers and neurodegenerative diseases: A prospective cohort study with 20 years of follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations of several blood immune biomarkers with the future risks of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson disease in a prospective cohort study with 20 years of follow-up. METHODS: The Swedish Apolipoprotein-Related Mortality Risk study is a longitudinal cohort study including 812,073 participants with repeated blood biomarker measurements between 1985 and 1996 and a follow-up until 2011. Using a Cox model, we first estimated hazard ratios of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson disease in relation to leukocytes, immunoglobulin G, haptoglobin, and uric acid. We further described the temporal changes of these biomarkers during the 20 years prior to the diagnosis of these diseases. RESULTS: A total of 585 incident cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 3,769 incident cases of Parkinson disease were identified during the follow-up. Increasing concentrations of leukocytes, haptoglobin, and uric acid were associated with a lower risk of Parkinson disease. No statistically significant association was, however, noted between the studied biomarkers and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Parkinson disease patients appeared to have lower levels of leukocytes and haptoglobin between 20 and 10 years before diagnosis and lower levels of uric acid during the 20 years before diagnosis, compared to controls, although statistically significant differences were only noted during parts of the respective time intervals after multivariable adjustment. No clear differences were noted between patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and controls. INTERPRETATION: If verified in studies of independent populations, our findings may suggest a different role of systemic inflammation on the risk of Parkinson disease compared to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:913-926.

An intronic deletion in megakaryoblastic leukemia 1 is associated with hyperproliferation of B cells in triplets with Hodgkin lymphoma.

Megakaryoblastic leukemia 1 (MKL1) is a coactivator of serum response factor and together they regulate transcription of actin cytoskeleton genes. MKL1 is associated with hematologic malignancies and immunodeficiency, but its role in B cells is unexplored. Here we examined B cells from monozygotic triplets with an intronic deletion in MKL1, two of whom had been previously treated for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). To investigate MKL1 and B-cell responses in the pathogenesis of HL, we generated Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines from the triplets and two controls. While cells from the patients with treated HL had a phenotype close to that of the healthy controls, cells from the undiagnosed triplet had increased MKL1 mRNA, increased MKL1 protein, and elevated expression of MKL1-dependent genes. This profile was associated with elevated actin content, increased cell spreading, decreased expression of CD11a integrin molecules, and delayed aggregation. Moreover, cells from the undiagnosed triplet proliferated faster, displayed a higher proportion of cells with hyperploidy, and formed large tumors in vivo This phenotype was reversible by inhibiting MKL1 activity. Interestingly, cells from the triplet treated for HL in 1985 contained two subpopulations: one with high expression of CD11a that behaved like control cells and the other with low expression of CD11a that formed large tumors in vivo similar to cells from the undiagnosed triplet. This implies that pre-malignant cells had re-emerged a long time after treatment. Together, these data suggest that dysregulated MKL1 activity participates in B-cell transformation and the pathogenesis of HL.

Alternative Splicing of FOXP3 Controls Regulatory T Cell Effector Functions and Is Associated With Human Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability.

RATIONALE: Regulatory T (Treg) cells suppress immune responses and have been shown to attenuate atherosclerosis. The Treg cell lineage-specification factor FOXP3 (forkhead box P3) is essential for Treg cells' ability to uphold immunologic tolerance. In humans, FOXP3 exists in several different isoforms, however, their specific role is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To define the regulation and functions of the 2 major FOXP3 isoforms, FOXP3fl and FOXP3Δ2, as well as to establish whether their expression is associated with the ischemic atherosclerotic disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Human primary T cells were transduced with lentiviruses encoding distinct FOXP3 isoforms. The phenotype and function of these cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, in vitro suppression assays and RNA-sequencing. We also assessed the effect of activation on Treg cells isolated from healthy volunteers. Treg cell activation resulted in increased FOXP3 expression that predominantly was made up of FOXP3Δ2. FOXP3Δ2 induced specific transcription of GARP (glycoprotein A repetitions predominant), which functions by tethering the immunosuppressive cytokine TGF (transforming growth factor)-ß to the cell membrane of activated Treg cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the impact of alternative splicing of FOXP3 in relation with atherosclerotic plaque stability in a cohort of >150 patients that underwent carotid endarterectomy. Plaque instability was associated with a lower FOXP3Δ2 transcript usage, when comparing plaques from patients without symptoms and patients with the occurrence of recent (<1 month) vascular symptoms including minor stroke, transient ischemic attack, or amaurosis fugax. No difference was detected in total levels of FOXP3 mRNA between these 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that activated Treg cells suppress the atherosclerotic disease process and that FOXP3Δ2 controls a transcriptional program that acts protectively in human atherosclerotic plaques.

Bowel Obstruction and Ventral Hernia After Laparoscopic Versus Open Surgery for Rectal Cancer in A Randomized Trial (COLOR II).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of bowel obstruction, incisional, and parastomal hernia following laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer has been adopted worldwide, after trials reported similar oncological outcomes compared with open surgery. Little is known about long-term morbidity, including bowel obstruction, incisional, and parastomal hernia following surgery. METHODS: Patients included in the international, multicenter, noninferior, open-label, randomized COLOR II trial were followed for five years. Primary endpoint was local recurrence at 3-year follow-up. Secondary endpoints included bowel obstruction, incisional and parastomal hernia within 5 years, and the current article reports on these secondary endpoints. RESULTS: All 1044 patients included in the COLOR II trial were analyzed. There was no difference in risk of bowel obstruction, incisional, or parastomal hernia following laparoscopic or open surgery for rectal cancer. CONCLUSION: Based on long-term morbidity outcomes, laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer could be considered a routine technique as there are no differences with open surgery.

Multi-faceted inhibition of dendritic cell function by CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.

CTLA-4 is required for CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cell function, but its mode of action remains incompletely defined. Herein we generated Ctla-4ex2fl/flFoxp3-Cre mice with Treg cells exclusively expressing a naturally occurring, ligand-independent isoform of CTLA-4 (liCTLA-4) that cannot interact with the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86. The mice did not exhibit any signs of effector T cell activation early in life, however, at 6 months of age they exhibited excessive T cell activation and inflammation in lungs. In contrast, mice with Treg cells completely lacking CTLA-4 developed lymphoproliferative disease characterized by multi-organ inflammation early in life. In vitro, Treg cells exclusively expressing liCTLA-4 inhibited CD80 and CD86 expression on dendritic cells (DC). Conversely, Treg cells required the extra-cellular part of CTLA-4 to up-regulate expression of the co-inhibitory molecule PD-L2 on DCs. Transcriptomic analysis of suppressed DCs revealed that Treg cells induced a specific immunosuppressive program in DCs.

A randomized trial of laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer is widely used. However, robust evidence to conclude that laparoscopic surgery and open surgery have similar outcomes in rectal cancer is lacking. A trial was designed to compare 3-year rates of cancer recurrence in the pelvic or perineal area (locoregional recurrence) and survival after laparoscopic and open resection of rectal cancer. METHODS: In this international trial conducted in 30 hospitals, we randomly assigned patients with a solitary adenocarcinoma of the rectum within 15 cm of the anal verge, not invading adjacent tissues, and without distant metastases to undergo either laparoscopic or open surgery in a 2:1 ratio. The primary end point was locoregional recurrence 3 years after the index surgery. Secondary end points included disease-free and overall survival. RESULTS: A total of 1044 patients were included (699 in the laparoscopic-surgery group and 345 in the open-surgery group). At 3 years, the locoregional recurrence rate was 5.0% in the two groups (difference, 0 percentage points; 90% confidence interval [CI], -2.6 to 2.6). Disease-free survival rates were 74.8% in the laparoscopic-surgery group and 70.8% in the open-surgery group (difference, 4.0 percentage points; 95% CI, -1.9 to 9.9). Overall survival rates were 86.7% in the laparoscopic-surgery group and 83.6% in the open-surgery group (difference, 3.1 percentage points; 95% CI, -1.6 to 7.8). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic surgery in patients with rectal cancer was associated with rates of locoregional recurrence and disease-free and overall survival similar to those for open surgery. (Funded by Ethicon Endo-Surgery Europe and others; COLOR II ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00297791.).

CCR2 upregulated on peripheral T cells in osteoarthritis but not in bone marrow.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition affecting millions of patients around the world, causing pain and disability and often resulting in joint replacement surgery. The aetiology of OA has long been attributed to mechanical wear mainly due to the increased prevalence of OA in load bearing joints among older patients. However, recent studies reveal a complex molecular disease causality in which inflammation, nutritional deficit and angiogenesis lead to the destruction of the joint structure. The aim of this study was to examine chemokine receptor expression in peripheral blood and bone marrow in OA patients. We devised a protocol for extracting healthy bone marrow from patients undergoing hip arthroplasty due to coxarthrosis. Flow cytometry was used to determine the expression of 18 chemokine receptors on CD4 and CD8 T cells from bone marrow and blood from 7 osteoarthritis patients and peripheral blood from 9 healthy controls. We found a significantly increased fraction of CCR2 expressing CD4 and CD8 T cell in peripheral blood compared to healthy controls. Also, there was a significant decrease in CXCR3 (Th1) (P < 0.01) expressing T cells in peripheral blood from OA patients. Finally, multivariate analysis was used to separate T cell profiles from healthy controls and OA patients and demonstrate that the divergence of chemokine receptor expression occurs in the mature T cell subsets. In conclusion, we find increased CCR2 expression in peripheral blood from OA patients that possibly may be targeted in future clinical studies.

Road traffic noise, air pollution, and risk of dementia - results from the Betula project.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence for a negative impact of traffic-related air pollution on risk of dementia. However, the contribution of noise exposure to this association has been rarely examined. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the individual and combined effect of noise and air pollution on risk of dementia. METHODS: Data on dementia incidence over a 15 year period was obtained from the Betula project, a longitudinal study on health and ageing. Estimates of annual mean levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) at the participants' residential address were obtained using a land-use regression model. Modelled data provided road traffic noise levels (Leq. 24 h) at the participants' residential address at baseline. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: Of 1721 participants at baseline, 302 developed dementia during the follow up period. Exposure to noise levels (Leq. 24 h) > 55 dB had no significant effect on dementia risk (HR 0.95; CI: 0.57, 1.57). Residing in the two highest quartiles of NOx exposure was associated with an increased risk of dementia. The risk associated with NOx was not modified by adjusting for noise. Moreover, we found no significant interaction effects between NOx and road traffic noise on dementia risk. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence that exposure to road traffic noise, either independently or in combination with traffic air pollution, was associated with risk of dementia in our study area. Our results suggest that pollution should be considered the main component in the association between traffic related exposures and dementia.