Effects of dietary butyrate supplementation on intestinal integrity of heat-stressed cockerels.

Butyrate modulates intestinal epithelial cell structure and function. Three hundred and sixty Lohmann LSL-Classic layer cockerels were used to investigate the effect of butyrate on heat stress-induced intestinal injury and intestinal integrity. The experiment was conducted from day 85 to 105 of age. The birds were divided randomly into three treatments: control, heat stress (HS), and heat stress provided with butyrate (HSB) at a level of 0.35 g/kg of diet. The control was reared at 21 ± 1 °C throughout the experiment. The HS and HSB treatments were exposed to a cyclic HS (35 ± 1 °C from 09:00 to 13:00 and 21 ± 1 °C from 13:00 to 09:00). Intestinal and mucosal weights, villus height, villus surface area (VSA), absorptive epithelial cell area and intestinal beneficial bacteria were lower in the HS treatment than in the other two treatments (p < 0.05). Heat-stressed cockerels exhibited the highest (p < 0.05) villi injury scores and serum endotoxin levels compared with the other treatments. Dietary inclusion of butyrate increased (p < 0.05) intestinal and mucosal weights, villus height, VSA, absorptive epithelial cell area and intestinal beneficial bacteria counts and reduced (p < 0.05) HS-induced injury in intestinal epithelia as well as intestinal permeability to endotoxin. In conclusion, dietary butyrate exerted protective effects against intestinal damage induced by HS and improved intestinal health and integrity.

Contribution of regulatory T cells to alleviation of experimental allergic asthma after specific immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) has been used since 1911, yet its mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. There is evidence indicating that CD4(+)FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are induced during SIT in allergic patients. However, the contribution of these cells to SIT has not been evaluated in vivo. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the in vivo contribution of (i) CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells during SIT and of (ii) SIT-generated inducible FOXP3(+) Treg cells during allergen exposure to SIT-mediated suppression of asthmatic manifestations. METHODS: We used a mouse model of SIT based on the classical OVA-driven experimental asthma. Treg cells were quantified by flow cytometry 24 and 96 h post SIT treatment. We depleted CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells prior to SIT, and CD4(+)FOXP3(+) T cells prior to allergen challenges to study their contribution to the suppression of allergic manifestations by SIT treatment. RESULTS: Our data show that depletion of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells at the time of SIT treatment reverses the suppression of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), but not of airway eosinophilia and specific IgE levels in serum. Interestingly, the number of CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) T cells is transiently increased after SIT in the spleen and blood, suggesting the generation of inducible and presumably allergen-specific Treg cells during treatment. Depletion of CD4(+)FOXP3(+) Treg cells after SIT treatment partially reverses the SIT-induced suppression of airway eosinophilia, but not of AHR and serum levels of specific IgE. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We conclude that SIT-mediated tolerance induction towards AHR requires CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells at the time of allergen injections. In addition, SIT generates CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) T cells that contribute to the suppression of airway eosinophilia upon allergen challenges. Therefore, enhancing Treg cell number or their activity during and after SIT could be of clinical relevance to improve the therapeutic effects of SIT.

Effects of topically applied agents on intra-oral wound healing in a rat model: a clinical and histomorphometric study.

OBJECTIVES: Topically applied chlorhexidine and hyaluronan have many studies supporting their use to enhance oral wound healing. Allantoin is widely used topically to promote epithelial proliferation and wound healing, with very little scientific evidence to support such uses. This study investigated and compared the influence of these agents on the healing of intra-oral excisional wounds with large epithelial and connective tissue defects. METHODS: Excisional wounds, 3 mm in diameter, were made at the centre of the palate of 125 Wistar male albino rats. Five animals constituted the baseline group at time 0. The remaining animals were divided into four experimental and one control groups, in which chlorhexidine digluconate gel 0.2% (Perio.Kin®), hyaluronan gel (Gengigel®), allantoin 0.5% in vehicle gel, vehicle gel alone and nothing were applied daily to the wounds. The wound areas were measured photographically and the epithelialization rates were determined histologically at 0, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post-surgery. RESULTS: The mean wound area and mean distance between the epithelial margins decreased significantly with time in all experimental and control groups (P < 0.05). A significant rate of wound area reduction was observed following the use of Perio.Kin® and Gengigel® at 7 and 14 days. Perio.Kin® showed a significant rate of wound epithelialization at 7 days. Allantoin did not positively or negatively affect wound healing. CONCLUSIONS: None of the tested agents had a negative effect on the rate of wound healing when applied on an excisional wound with epithelial and connective tissue defect. Positive results were achieved with Perio.Kin® and Gengigel®.

Intracoronal sealing comparison of mineral trioxide aggregate and glass ionomer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mineral trioxide aggregate and glass ionomer when placed coronally as double-sealing materials over gutta percha. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Seventy extracted anterior teeth were cleaned, shaped, and obturated with gutta percha and Sealapex. After removing 4 mm of coronal gutta percha, the teeth were randomly divided into 3 groups. In two experimental groups of 30 teeth each, 4 mm of either mineral trioxide aggregate or glass ionomer was placed in the chamber over gutta percha. A positive control group of 5 teeth received no barrier. A negative control group of 5 teeth was covered completely with sticky wax. All teeth, except the negative controls, were covered with 2 layers of sticky wax except for the access openings. Teeth were immersed in Pelikan ink for 48 hours, and then were decalcified, dehydrated, and cleared. Leakage into the canals was measured in millimeters and statistically analyzed between the two experimental groups using the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: Results showed that the glass ionomer group leaked significantly more than the mineral trioxide aggregate group (P < .001). CONCLUSION: It was concluded from this study that mineral trioxide aggregate may be preferred over glass ionomer as a seal intracoronally following root canal treatment to prevent coronal microleakage.

Antioxidant enzyme levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma and normal human oral epithelium.

BACKGROUND: The antioxidant enzymes (manganese- and copper-zinc-containing superoxide dismutases, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) limit cell injury induced by reactive oxygen species. The purpose of the study was to determine whether human oral squamous cell carcinomas have altered antioxidant enzyme levels. This study is the first to undertake this task in human oral mucosa and squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Semiquantitative immunohistochemistry was used to examine 26 archived oral squamous cell carcinoma biopsies. Fourteen well-differentiated and 12 poorly differentiated tumors were examined, as were 12 specimens of oral mucosa. All sections were reviewed by two oral and maxillofacial pathologists, and image analysis of the immunostained sections was performed using NIH Image. Antioxidant enzyme staining intensities were compared in the different groups by Duncan's multiple range test. RESULTS: In general, mucosal basal cells displayed lower antioxidant enzyme levels than spinous cells, and primary tumor cells displayed lower antioxidant enzyme staining intensities than did their normal cell counterparts. Moreover, poorly differentiated tumor cells showed lower antioxidant enzyme staining intensities than well-differentiated tumor cells. Manganese-containing superoxide dismutase staining intensities were, however, higher in well-differentiated oral squamous cell carcinomas than their normal cells of origin. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of antioxidant enzymes may be a useful future marker in the molecular diagnosis of the oral cancer. Moreover, it may be possible to not only monitor the effectiveness of chemopreventive and therapeutic strategies in oral cancer using these enzymes, but to monitor tumor recurrence.

Immunolocalization and adenoviral vector-mediated manganese superoxide dismutase gene transfer to experimental oral tumors.

The anti-oxidant enzyme system protects cellular macromolecules against damage from reactive oxygen species. One component of this system, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), has also been shown to display tumor suppressor gene-like activity. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in MnSOD expression during hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis, and the effects of MnSOD overexpression using an adenoviral vector. Tumor induction was carried out using 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene. Animals were killed at periodic intervals, and cheek pouch tissues were excised and examined for MnSOD expression by immunohistochemistry and digital image analysis. We observed a reduction in MnSOD expression as early as 2 weeks after the start of carcinogen application. Low MnSOD expression persisted until the end of the 23-week experimental period. Solid hamster cheek pouch carcinoma xenografts were then established in nude mice. An adenoviral vector encoding the human MnSOD gene was delivered to the xenografts by direct injection. We observed high, immediate expression of MnSOD in the xenografts that persisted for 10 days following cessation of viral construct delivery. Delivery of the MnSOD construct resulted in a maximal 50% reduction in tumor growth compared with untreated controls. Our results suggest that MnSOD may be a tumor suppressor gene in the hamster cheek pouch model system.

Pyostomatitis vegetans in childhood.

UNLABELLED: Pyostomatitis vegetans is an oral eruption, characterized by small pustules, ulcers and erythematous vegetations of the labial and buccal mucosae as well as labial-attached gingivae. Its importance lies in its high correlation with inflammatory bowel disease. It is commonly associated with skin and inflammatory bowel disease and is rare in children. We here report a sister and brother with onset of the disease at the age of 5 and 7 years, respectively. It is the first report of familial pyostomatitis vegetans occurring in the youngest patients hitherto reported. CONCLUSION: The observation of two sibs with pyostomatitis, vegetans pyoderma gangrenosum and inflammatory bowel disease suggest a hereditary disposition to this rare triad.

Chondromyxoid fibroma of the jaws. Case report and review of the literature.

Chondromyxoid fibroma is a benign tumor of bone that is characterized by chondroid and myxoid differentiation and by ultrastructural and immunohistochemical evidence of chondral origin. It is rare in the jaws and skull bones, where only about 2% of all cases have been reported. A review of the 20 acceptable gnathic cases in the literature and of the current case revealed both a higher incidence in the mandible (76%) than in the maxilla (24%) and an equal sex distribution. The sites of occurrence in both jaws are compatible with origin from developmental cartilaginous remnants. The controversies regarding malignant transformation and therapeutic approach are addressed.

Pharmacological effects of selected flavonoids on rat isolated ileum: structure-activity relationship.

1. Eleven selected flavonoids were studied to evaluate their effects on the rat isolated ileum and to determine their structure-activity relationships. 2. The flavonoids rutin and 3',5,7-trihydroxy-4' methoxyflavone-7-rutinoside, which have a sugar moiety (O-rha-glu), had no significant effect on the ileum, indicating that the presence of sugar substitution reduces the biological activity of the flavonoids. 3. Nine other flavonoids caused inhibition of tonic and phasic contractions of the ileum with the following order of potency from highest to lowest: galangin, quercetin, chrysin, xanthomicrol, flavone, naringenin, fisetin, morin, and flavanone. 4. Flavones were more potent than flavanones, indicating that the double bond at carbon 2-3 increases the potency of the flavonoid. 5. Galangin, quercetin, chrysin, and xanthomicrol, which have hydroxyl substituents on carbon 3 and/or 5, showed higher potency than flavone, indicating that such hydroxyl groups are essential for the activity. 6. Galangin was more potent than quercetin, morin, and fisetin, suggesting that the hydroxyl substituents on ring B attenuate the potency. 7. Quercetin caused more potent relaxation of the ileum than morin, suggesting that the presence of a hydroxyl group at C-2' of ring B attenuates the myolytic activity.

The synthesis and subcellular distribution of pyridoxal phosphate in rat and bovine retinas.

In the absence of any known studies dealing with status of vitamin B(6) metabolism in mammalian retinas, the concentration of pyridoxal phosphate and the activity of its synthesizing enzyme pyridoxal kinase were determined in rat retina and bovine retina and its subcellular compartments. In bovine retina, the highest concentration of pyridoxal phosphate (148 pmol/mg protein) was present in pellet 2 fraction containing synaptosomes comparable to those isolated from brain. The second highest concentration of pyridoxal phosphate (91 pmol/mg protein) was present in pellet 1 fraction containing large synaptosomes resembling photoreceptor cell terminals. The concentrations of pyridoxal phosphate in pellets 1 and 2 fractions were approx 3- to 6-fold higher than that found in the whole retina. The concentration of pyridoxal phosphate and the activity of pyridoxal kinase in the rat retina were considerably higher than those observed in the bovine retina. In general, no apparent correlation existed between the concentrations of pyridoxal phosphate and the activities of pyridoxal kinase in bovine retina and its subcellular compartments.

Dissociation between epileptic seizures induced by convulsant drugs and alteration in the concentrations of pyridoxal phosphate in rat brain regions.

Allylglycine increased the concentration of pyridoxal phosphate in cerebral cortex from 1011.4 +/- 25.0 to 1318.0 +/- 66.3 and decreased it in cerebellum from 1289.0 +/- 49 to 1147.7 +/- 119.4 ng/g wet tissue during the preictal period. Mercaptopropionic acid increased the concentration of pyridoxal phosphate in cerebellum from 1525 +/- 91 to 1985.7 +/- 275 ng/g wet tissue. Similar effects were noted in hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Picrotoxin increased the concentration of pyridoxal phosphate in hippocampus from 938.7 +/- 44 to 1043 +/- 118 but decreased it in cerebral cortex from 1124.52 +/- 124 to 979.4 +/- 15 ng/g wet brain. The effects of strychnine were identical to those of allylglycine. Bicuculline reduced the concentration of pyridoxal phosphate in cerebral cortex from 1184 +/- 61 to 1075.14 +/- 78 ng/g wet brain.