Endothelial cell-, platelet-, and monocyte/macrophage-derived microparticles are elevated in psoriasis beyond cardiometabolic risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis, especially when severe, is a risk factor for cardiometabolic disease beyond traditional risk factors. The mechanism of atherogenesis in psoriasis remains unknown. Cell membrane vesicles (ie, microparticles), released upon cell activation or apoptosis, have recently been associated with cardiometabolic disease and may play a pathogenic role. Microparticle levels, particularly from endothelial cells and platelets, are elevated in patients with cardiovascular disorders, metabolic syndrome, other inflammatory diseases, autoimmune conditions, and have been shown to be predictive of cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Concentrations of microparticles with positive expression for any of 7 cell surface markers (Annexin V, CD3, CD31, CD41a, CD64, CD105, and CD144) were measured in blood samples from psoriasis patients (n=53) and control subjects without psoriasis (n=41). Platelet-free plasma was separated from whole blood by one-step centrifugation for microparticle analysis. Microparticles were fluorescently labeled and characterized by flow cytometry. Higher concentrations of CD105 (5.5/µL versus 2.5/µL, P<0.001), CD31 (31/µL versus 18/µL, P=0.002), CD41a (50/µL versus 22/µL, P<0.001), and CD64 (5.0/µL versus 4.1/µL, P=0.02) singly positive microparticles corresponding to endothelial cell-, platelet-, and monocyte/macrophage-derived microparticles, respectively, were found in psoriasis patients compared with controls. These differences persisted after adjustment for traditional cardiometabolic risk factors including body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Increased microparticle concentrations, independent of cardiometabolic risk factors, in patients with psoriasis suggest that the presence of increased endothelial cell, platelet, and monocyte/macrophage activation with cell turnover may contribute to the heightened atherogenesis associated with psoriasis.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate in oysters, Crassostrea virginica, from the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay, USA.

Concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a metabolite of several sulfonated perfluoroorganic compounds, were measured in oysters collected from 77 locations in the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay of the United States. PFOS was detected in oysters collected from 51 of the 77 locations at concentrations ranging from < 42 to 1,225 ng/g on a dry weight basis. This study provides baseline data for future monitoring programs to examine long-term trends in concentrations of PFOS.

The geographic distribution of population health and contaminant body burden in gulf of Mexico oysters.

As part of NOAA's National Status and Trends Mussel Watch Program, oysters were sampled along the Gulf of Mexico coast each winter from 1986 to 1993 (The present analysis deals with 1986-1993 Mussel Watch data; the Mussel Watch project itself continues at this printing) and analyzed for trace metal, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticide body burden, plus a series of biological variables designed to assess population status and health. We identified contaminant and biological variables in which large-scale spatial processes played an important role in establishing population values by examining the likelihood that neighboring bays tended to have populations with body burdens or population attributes more similar than expected by chance. Local or watershed-dependent factors, such as land use and freshwater inflow, are important in controlling the bay-to-bay variation in body burden in most contaminants. However, the bay-to-bay variations in body burden of some metals (As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Se) appear to be principally influenced by larger-scale climatic factors. These metals and the biological variable shell length demonstrated a strong degree of similarity between bays over a large regional area reminiscent of the pattern shown by climatic factors, such as temperature and precipitation. In contrast, among the organics, none of the PAHs showed even a moderately strong climatic signal. Among the pesticides, only two did (dieldrin, total DDTs). These pesticides and the biological variables, reproductive stage and Perkinsus marinus prevalence and infection intensity, had spatial patterns that suggested both a local and a regional influence to their geographic distributions. This same pattern is exhibited by freshwater runoff. Metal contaminants also behaved distinctively compared to organics in the temporal influence of climate in establishing the interannual variability in body burden. For the organics, trends in interannual variability were strongly influenced by climate, whereas spatial trends were not. In contrast, most metals were unaffected by climatic forcing both spatially and temporally. However, all of the metals having a spatial pattern strongly influenced by climate (As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Se) also exhibited interannual variations related to variations in climate.

Analysis of Gulf of Mexico bottlenose dolphins for organochlorine pesticides and PCBs.

Organochlorine concentrations were determined in blubber samples from 33 Tursiops truncatus stranded on the Texas and Florida coastlines. All tissues had measurable concentrations of 4,4'-DDE (0.18-70.7 microg/g lipid weight) and SigmaPCB (4.1-149 microg/g lipid weight). Pesticide and PCB concentrations were similar to those reported in Tursiops truncatus from the Atlantic coast of the United States and the southeast coast of Africa. Organochlorine concentrations were highest in mature males, and differences in the SigmaPCB/SigmaDDT ratios between mature and immature males suggests a recent decrease in DDT uptake, related to the commercial DDT ban in the US in 1971, as well as dietary differences between younger and older animals. Analysis of a female and her calf indicate that females reduce their own organochlorine body burden through transplacental transfer. However, no reduction of some higher molecular weight PCBs was found. Transplacental transfer rates of 5.1% for SigmaDDT and 3.7% for SigmaPCB were determined based on a stranded female and her full term, unborn calf. Predictions of uptake and depuration rates of organochlorines based on gender in Tursiops truncatus agree with clearance rates from previous studies.

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants in oysters from the Gulf of Mexico (1986-1990).

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminant concentrations in 870 composite oyster samples from coastal and estuarine areas of the Gulf of Mexico analyzed as part of National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Status and Trends (NS&T) Mussel Watch Program exhibit a log-normal distribution. There are two major populations in the data. The cumulative frequency function was used to deconvolute the data distribution into two probability density functions and calculate summary statistics for each population. The first population consists of sites with lower PAH concentration probably due to background contamination (i.e. stormwater runoff, atmospheric deposition). The second population are sites with higher concentrations of PAHs associated with local point sources of PAH input (i.e. small oil spills, etc.). The temporal pattern for the mean concentration of the populations from the Gulf of Mexico is consistent with large-scale climatic factors such as the El Niño cycles which affect the precipitation regime.

National status and trends mussel watch program: chlordane-related compounds in Gulf of Mexico oysters, 1986-1990.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program has been monitoring the chemical contamination in bivalve tissues from the US coastal waters since 1986. alpha-Chlordane, trans-nonachlor, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide, components of technical chlordane, are among the chlorinated pesticides measured. The geographical distribution of these chlordane compounds in oyster samples from the US Gulf of Mexico is well-established. For example, highest residue levels, predominantly alpha-chlordane and trans-nonachlor, were encountered in samples collected near highly populated areas in contrast with the concentrations measured in predominantly agricultural areas. Data collected during 5 years of bivalve sampling are used to evaluate temporal trends in residue concentrations at most NS&T sites. Minor decreases can be observed in the concentrations of alpha-chlordane and trans-nonachlor. Heptachlor and its epoxide concentrations, in contrast, have been increasing since 1987.

Butyltin concentrations in oysters from the Gulf of Mexico from 1989 to 1991.

Oyster samples from 53 Gulf of Mexico coastal sites were collected and analyzed for butyltins during 1989, 1990, and 1991. The geometric-mean tributylin concentrations were 85, 30, and 43 ng Sn/g for 1989, 1990, and 1991, respectively. The tributyltin concentrations are best represented by a log-normal distribution. A decline in the butyltin concentrations at sites with relatively low butyltin concentrations for 1989 compared with 1990 and 1991 was observed, and, at relatively high butyltin concentrations (> 400 ng Sn/g), there was hardly any difference between 1989 and 1991, but lower concentrations were present in 1990. Continued monitoring is needed in order to determine if butyltin contamination of the coastal marine environment is decreasing in response to use limitations.

Molecular basis for the nonexpression of V beta 17 in some strains of mice.

The TCR alpha/beta variable element V beta 17a is expressed in all strains of mice carrying the V beta a complex in which about half of the V beta elements have been lost due to a large deletion. The mAb KJ23a detects V beta 17a containing alpha/beta receptors in these mice. Mouse strains with the V beta b complex carry a full complement of V beta genes including a structural gene for V beta 17 (V beta 17b), but no T cells reactive with KJ23a are present in these mice. Among random peripheral T cell hybridomas prepared from V beta b mice, occasional V beta 17b transcripts are found. The sequence of one of these transcripts reveals a single base difference from V beta 17a which results in a termination codon within the coding region inactivating the gene.