11,12-EET Regulates PPAR-γ Expression to Modulate TGF-ß-Mediated Macrophage Polarization.

Macrophages are highly plastic immune cells that can be reprogrammed to pro-inflammatory or pro-resolving phenotypes by different stimuli and cell microenvironments. This study set out to assess gene expression changes associated with the transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß-induced polarization of classically activated macrophages into a pro-resolving phenotype. Genes upregulated by TGF-ß included Pparg; which encodes the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, and several PPAR-γ target genes. TGF-ß also increased PPAR-γ protein expression via activation of the Alk5 receptor to increase PPAR-γ activity. Preventing PPAR-γ activation markedly impaired macrophage phagocytosis. TGF-ß repolarized macrophages from animals lacking the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH); however, it responded differently and expressed lower levels of PPAR-γ-regulated genes. The sEH substrate 11,12-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET), which was previously reported to activate PPAR-γ, was elevated in cells from sEH-/- mice. However, 11,12-EET prevented the TGF-ß-induced increase in PPAR-γ levels and activity, at least partly by promoting proteasomal degradation of the transcription factor. This mechanism is likely to underlie the impact of 11,12-EET on macrophage activation and the resolution of inflammation.

Effect of Thrombin on the Metabolism and Function of Murine Macrophages.

Macrophages are plastic and heterogeneous immune cells that adapt pro- or anti-inflammatory phenotypes upon exposure to different stimuli. Even though there has been evidence supporting a crosstalk between coagulation and innate immunity, the way in which protein components of the hemostasis pathway influence macrophages remains unclear. We investigated the effect of thrombin on macrophage polarization. On the basis of gene expression and cytokine secretion, our results suggest that polarization with thrombin induces an anti-inflammatory, M2-like phenotype. In functional studies, thrombin polarization promoted oxLDL phagocytosis by macrophages, and conditioned medium from the same cells increased endothelial cell proliferation. There were, however, clear differences between the classical M2a polarization and the effects of thrombin on gene expression. Finally, the deletion and inactivation of secreted modular Ca2+-binding protein 1 (SMOC1) attenuated phagocytosis by thrombin-stimulated macrophages, a phenomenon revered by the addition of recombinant SMOC1. Manipulation of SMOC1 levels also had a pronounced impact on the expression of TGF-ß-signaling-related genes. Taken together, our results show that thrombin induces an anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype with similarities as well as differences to the classical alternatively activated M2 polarization states, highlighting the importance of tissue levels of SMOC1 in modifying thrombin-induced macrophage polarization.

Measurement of the

We present a measurement of the low-energy (0-60 keV) γ-ray spectrum produced in the α decay of ^{233}U using a dedicated cryogenic magnetic microcalorimeter. The energy resolution of ∼10 eV, together with exceptional gain linearity, allows us to determine the energy of the low-lying isomeric state in ^{229}Th using four complementary evaluation schemes. The most precise scheme determines the ^{229}Th isomer energy to be 8.10(17) eV, corresponding to 153.1(32) nm, superseding in precision previous values based on γ spectroscopy, and agreeing with a recent measurement based on internal conversion electrons. We also measure branching ratios of the relevant excited states to be b_{29}=9.3(6)% and b_{42}<0.7%.

Development of a novel calorimetry setup based on metallic paramagnetic temperature sensors.

We have developed a new micro-fabricated platform for the measurement of the specific heat of low heat capacity mg-sized metallic samples, such as superconductors, down to temperatures of as low as 10 mK. It addresses challenging aspects of setups of this kind such as the thermal contact between the sample and platform, the thermometer resolution, and an addenda heat capacity exceeding that of the samples of interest (typically nJ/K at 20 mK). The setup allows us to use the relaxation method, where the thermal relaxation following a well defined heat pulse is monitored to extract the specific heat. The sample platform (5 × 5 mm2) includes a micro-structured paramagnetic Ag:Er temperature sensor, which is read out by a dc-superconducting quantum interference device via a superconducting flux transformer. In this way, a relative temperature precision of 30 nK/Hz can be reached, while the addenda heat capacity falls well below 0.5 nJ/K for T < 300 mK. A gold-coated mounting area (4.4 × 3 mm2) is included to improve the thermal contact between the sample and platform.