Suppression of COX-2, IL-1ß and TNF-α expression and leukocyte infiltration in inflamed skin by bioactive compounds from Rosmarinus officinalis L.

In the present study, we evaluated the effects of extracts and purified compounds from fresh leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Pretreatment with the major anti-inflammatory compounds, carnosic acid (CA) and carnosol (CS), inhibited phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced ear inflammation in mice with an EC(50) of 10.20 µg/cm(2) and 10.70 µg/cm(2), respectively. To further understand the anti-inflammatory mechanism of these compounds, we analyzed the in vivo expression of several inflammation-associated genes in mouse skin by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our data showed that CA and CS reduced the expression of IL-1ß and TNF-α but had less effect on fibronectin and ICAM-1 expression. Interestingly, both compounds selectively inhibited COX-2 but not COX-1. Histopathological analysis of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained tissue revealed a marked reduction in leukocyte infiltration and epidermal ulceration of PMA-treated ears when ears were pretreated with ethanolic extracts or pure CA. In vitro, we showed that ethanolic extract, carnosic acid and carnosol significantly inhibited the overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) in a dose-dependent manner in the RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line. For the first time in vivo, we showed that CA and CS differentially regulate the expression of inflammation-associated genes, thus demonstrating the pharmacological basis for the anti-inflammatory properties reported for CA and CS.

CFTR gene analysis in Latin American CF patients: heterogeneous origin and distribution of mutations across the continent.

BACKGROUND: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most prevalent Mendelian disorder in European populations. Despite the fact that many Latin American countries have a predominant population of European-descent, CF has remained an unknown entity until recently. Argentina and Brazil have detected the first patients around three decades ago, but in most countries this disease has remained poorly documented. Recently, other countries started publishing their results. METHODS: We present a compilation and statistical analysis of the data obtained in 10 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela), with a total of 4354 unrelated CF chromosomes studied. RESULTS: The results show a wide distribution of 89 different mutations, with a maximum coverage of 62.8% of CF chromosomes/alleles in the patient's sample. Most of these mutations are frequent in Spain, Italy, and Portugal, consistent with the origin of the European settlers. A few African mutations are also present in those countries which were part of the slave trade. New mutations were also found, possibly originating in America. CONCLUSION: The profile of mutations in the CFTR gene, which reflects the heterogeneity of its inhabitants, shows the complexity of the molecular diagnosis of CF mutations in most of the Latin American countries.

Association between the APOE*4 allele and atherosclerosis is age dependent among Argentine males.

Several studies have shown evidence of an association between the *4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in different populations. We determined the APOE genotype and total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) values in 189 patients with angiographically evaluated atherosclerosis. The APOE*4 allele was found to be statistically significantly more frequent (odds ratio, 1.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-3.32) among male patients than in a randomly chosen population-based sample. No significant difference was found when female patients were compared to the general population. The APOE*4 allele was found primarily among young (30-45-year-old) male patients (p < 0.04). Despite the ascending linear tendency of the mean TC values for genotypes APOE*2/*3, APOE*3/*3, and APOE*3/ *4 reported in our case population, no differences were observed among our patients. We conclude that the APOE*4 allele is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease, that this association has an age-dependent effect, and that it acts as a genetic factor that increases susceptibility to developing the disease in young to middle-aged male adults in our population.

Early manifestations in multiple-low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice.

OBJECTIVE: Administration of multiple low doses of streptozotocin (mld-SZ) to mice results in the development of autoimmune diabetes. Hyperglycemia does not develop until a few days after the last injection. In this study, we explored immune-related alterations found in the very early stages of this diabetic syndrome and the capacity of mononuclear spleen cells (MSs) from mld-SZ mice to impair insulin secretion. METHODS: Mice injected with mld-SZ were used as an animal model of type 1 diabetes. MSs were isolated from control and mld-SZ mice at days 4, 6, 9, 12, and 16 after the first injection of the diabetogenic drug. MSs were transferred to normal syngeneic recipients or were cocultured with dispersed rat islet cells as an in vitro insulin secretion study. RESULTS: MSs from mld-SZ mice were able to diminish insulin secretion when transferred to normal syngeneic recipients and presented anti-beta-cell immune aggression when cocultured with dispersed rat islet cells as early as day 4 after mld-SZ administration. This capacity persisted throughout the experimental period. As early as 6 days after mld-SZ, islets showed insulitis followed by cell death with progressive severity. Hyperglycemia and diminished insulin secretion from perifused pancreatic islets only appeared at day 9 after mld-SZ. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that transferred or cocultured MSs from mld-SZ mice exert a functional immune aggression against beta cells at a very early stage, before donor mice develop impaired insulin secretion and hyperglycemia.

Mutations in CFTR gene and clinical correlation in Argentine patients with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens.

Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is a form of male infertility in which mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene have been identified. Here we identify different mutations of CFTR and the poly-T variant of intron 8 (IVS8) in Argentine patients and analyze sweat test values and clinical characteristic related to Cystic Fibrosis (CF). For counseling purposes the two most frequent mutations in Argentine CF population: deltaF508 and G542X were screened in wives. In all cases, it was possible to reduce the risk of CF/CBAVD descendants in these couples because none of the mutation were found in the 36 samples. Eight patients (23%) showed abnormal chloride values (> 60 mmol/l). A second group of 6 patients (18%) had borderline values of sweat chloride (40-59 mmol/l). We defined another group with 6 patients (18%), with normal sweat chloride levels (30-39 mmo/l) and a fourth group of 14 (41%) patients with sweat chloride below 30 mmol/l. deltaF508, the most frequent CF mutation in the Argentine population, was found on 15 of the 72 chromosomes (21%), R117H mutation was detected on 2 of 62 chromosomes (3%). Only one R347P allele was found on 28 chromosomes analyzed (2%). On a sample of 27 patients, IVS8 analysis showed a frequency of 6/56 chromosomes (11%) of 5T allele. Even though these findings present an improvement in the detection of mutations related to clinical correlations in Argentine CBAVD population, the search for other common and uncommon mutations should be continued.

Mutations in CFTR gene and clinical correlation in argentine patients with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens

Correlación de las características clínicas con mutaciones del gen CFTR en pacientes argentinos con ausencia bilateral congénita de vasos deferentes. La ausencia bilateral congénita de vasos deferentes (CBAVD) es una forma de infertilidad masculina en la que se han identificado mutaciones en el gen de la conductancia transmembrana de la fibrosis quística (CFTR). Hemos estudiado en pacientes argentinos diferentes mutaciones en el CFTR y la variante poli T del intron 8 (IVS8) y analizado los valores de test del sudor y las características clínicas relacionadas a la Fibrosis Quística (FQ). Para el asesoramiento genético se han estudiado en las esposas de estos pacientes, las dos mutaciones más frecuentes en la población FQ del país, ∆F508 y G542X. Como no se encontraron mutaciones, el riesgo de descendencia CF/CBAVD fue reducido del 2 al 0.7%. Ocho pacientes (23%) presentaban test del sudor anormales (> 60 mmol/l). Un segundo grupo de 6 pacientes (18%) presentaron valores dudosos (40-59 mmol/l). Hemos definido un tercer grupo de 6 pacientes con valores normales de test del sudor (18%), comprendidos entre los 30 y 39 mmo/l, y un cuarto grupo de 14 pacientes (41%) con valores de cloruro en sudor inferiores a 30 mmol/l. La mutación más frecuente en la población CF argentina, ∆F508, fue encontrada en 15 de los 72 cromosomas (21%) analizados, la R117H fue encontrada en 2 de los 62 cromosomas estudiados (3%). Un único alelo R347P fue encontrado en los 28 cromosomas analizados (2%). De los 27 pacientes a los que se les estudió el tracto IVS8, 6/56 cromosomas (11%) presentaban el alelo 5T. Si bien estos hallazgos representan un avance en relación a la detección de mutaciones correlacionadas con los síntomas clínicos en la población CBAVD argentina, se debe continuar la búsqueda de otras mutaciones comunes y raras con el fin de establecer una conducta terapéutica en estos pacientes.

Tyrosine kinase c-Src constitutes a bridge between cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator channel failure and MUC1 overexpression in cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) chloride channel, is associated in the respiratory system with the accumulation of mucus and impaired lung function. The role of the CFTR channel in the regulation of the intracellular pathways that determine the overexpression of mucin genes is unknown. Using differential display, we have observed the differential expression of several mRNAs that may correspond to putative CFTR-dependent genes. One of these mRNAs was further characterized, and it corresponds to the tyrosine kinase c-Src. Additional results suggest that c-Src is a central element in the pathway connecting the CFTR channel with MUC1 overexpression and that the overexpression of mucins is a primary response to CFTR malfunction in cystic fibrosis, which occurs even in the absence of bacterial infection.

Bethanechol-induced restricted stimulation of pancreatic juice secretion in mice

La liberación ("out-put") de enzimas y el volumen de secreción pancreática fueron estudiados "in vivo" en ratones, bajo estimulación con betanecol. La curva dosis-respuesta para ambos parámetros se ajustó a un patón bifásico, implicando que el flujo de jugo pancreático participa también en el fenómeno de estimulación restringida

Insulin secretion induced by allogeneic lymphocytis in geneticaly diabetic mice C57BL/KsJ mdb

Se estudió la secreción de insulina y somatostatina (SRIF) inducida por aloantígenos en el ratón genéticamente diabéticos de la cepa C57BL/KsJ mdb-mdb. Ratones diabéticos (db) inyectados con linfocitos alogeneicos (LA) no mostraron ningún incremento en la segunda fase de secreción estimulada por glucosa 27.5 mM y sólo levemente aumentaron su primera fase. Ratones normales inyectados con LA mostraron un incremento significativo en ambas fases de la secreción de insulina estimulada por glucosa 27.5 mM. La secreción de somatostatina de ratones normales o diabéticos inyectados con linfocitos alogeneicos no difirió de aquella obtenida cuando se inyectaron con linfocitos singeneicos. Linfocitos de ratones db inyectados en ratones alogeneicos causaron un incremento en la secreción de insulina que no difirió significativamente de la producida por la inyección de linfocitos alogeneicos de ratones no diabéticos. Linfocitos de ratón diabético inyectados en ratones singeneicos produjeron una secreción de insulina similar a la producida por la inyección de linfocitos de ratones singeneicos no diabéticos, y menor que la producida por la inyección de linfocitos alogeneicos. En resumen, los ratones db mostraron una respuesta hormonal deteriorada al estímulo antigénico, mientras que mantuvieron su acción aloantigénica

Estudio in vivo de la secreción de calcio por el páncreas exocrino del raton: relación con la secreción enzimática / In vivo study of the calcium secretion by the exocrine pancreas of mice: relationship with enzymatic secretion

La secreción de calcio y su relación con la secreción de quimiotripsina (QT) por el páncreas del ratón, in vivo, fueron determinadas en jugo pancreático puro colectado bajo tres condiciones de estimulación: secretina 32 mU/gm; secretina 32 mU/mg más colecistocinina 16 mU/gm y secretina 32 mU/gm más betanecol 0.2 ug/gm. En las muestras obtenidas se determinó actividad de quimotripsina y calcio secretado en 30 minutos luego de la estimulación. La secreción de calcio y QT fue mayor en ratones tratados con secretina más CCK y secretina más betanecol. En estos dos últimos grupos, entre ambos parámetros se estableció una correlación positiva. Las rectas obtenidas no fueron diferentes de una recta única y la extrapolación al origen indica que existe calcio en el jugo pancreático aún ausencia de secreción enzimática. Los resultados obtenidos concuerdan con la existencia de al menos dos mecanismos diferentes de secreción de calcio por el páncreas exocrino del ratón