Spent hops extract (Humulus Lupulus L.) attenuates inflammation and angiogenesis of the retina via the nuclear factor-kappaB and protein kinase B/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways.

Spent hops extract (SHE) is a plant extract containing compounds with proven anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic activities. However, extract may exert synergic effects compared to its individual polyphenol components. Inflammatory diseases of the retina may lead to visual impairment, a reduction of the comfort of life, and even blindness due to the formation of new pathological blood vessels. More effective therapeutic options are being sought. The goal of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic potentials of SHE on human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The SHE (250 µg/mL) was found to downregulate the gene expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6) to 33% in LPS-triggered cells; it also reduced both matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and 9 (MMP-9) mRNA expression to 13% and 43% respectively, and their activity to 82% (MMP-2) and 57% (MMP-9), compared to TNF-α-stimulated cells. Also, SHE modulated the TNF-α-induced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). It is possible that SHE inhibited retinal inflammation and angiogenesis by suppressing the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), protein kinase B (Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. Our results demonstrate that SHE has anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic potential against retinal diseases. This is the first such study to report on the efficacy of SHE on retinal inflammatory diseases.

Chemopreventive properties of spent hops (Humulus Lupulus L.) extract against angiogenesis, invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells.

There is a great deal of interest in identifying new chemopreventive agents for colorectal cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. One promising group of candidates is the polyphenols; being natural compounds with high structural diversity, they have a very wide spectrum of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties. The present study reports for the first time that spent hops extract (SHE) inhibits the angiogenesis, invasion and migration of SW-480 and HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells; after incubation with 200 µg/mL SHE, SW-480 and HT-29 cell invasion fell by 98.5% and 89% vs. controls, and migration was inhibited by 99% and 88% vs. controls. These changes were accompanied by a decline of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expression and activity. In addition, SHE reduced the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α for both cell lines, indicating that the tested extract has anti-angiogenic potential. In conclusion, our data shows that SHE may be an effective chemopreventive agent acting via the inhibition of angiogenesis, invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells.

Chemoprotective effects of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica L.) phenol leaf extract on colon cancer cells through the modulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases/AKT signaling pathway.

Japanese quince leaf phenol-rich extract (PRE) represents a good source of phenolic compounds, among which chlorogenic acid and naringenin hexoside are the main constituents. The aim of this research was to evaluate the chemopreventive activity of PRE in human colon cancer (SW-480 and HT-29) and human normal colon cell line (CCD 841 CoN). All cell lines were exposed to different concentrations of the extract (150-500 κg/mL for SW-480 and CCD 841 CoN; and 250-750 κg/mL for HT-29) to investigate migration and invasion, as well as the activity and secretion of metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) involved in these mechanisms. Moreover, the influence of PRE on the activity of ERK and AKT pathways, which are strongly involved in colon cancer development (CRC), were measured. Our results demonstrated that PRE significantly inhibited migration and invasion in SW-480, HT-29 and CCD 841 CoN cells through MMP-2 and MMP-9-dependent mechanisms. We also proved that PRE can effectively downregulate both the activity and protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in these cell lines. The exception was the higher concentration of PRE, which up-regulated the protein expression of MMP-9 in SW-480. Additionally, we showed that significant inhibition of p-ERK/p-AKT expression in SW-480 after treatment with PRE is involved in chemopreventive effects of this extract. In case of exposure of HT-29 cells to PRE, we observed a significant upregulation of p-ERK protein expression, and suppression of p-AKT mechanism. This research of Japanese quince phenol leaf extract suggests its application in colon cancer prevention and treatment due to its ability to inhibit migration and invasion in MMP-9 and MMP-2-dependent mechanisms via most likely the modulation of ERK and AKT signaling pathways in colon cancer cells. Overall, our results provide an experimental foundation for further research on its potential activities and effects in vivo.

Spent hops (Humulus Lupulus L.) extract as modulator of the inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Macrophages play important roles in acute and chronic inflammation. Upon their activation, they secrete a variety of mediators, including eicosanoids, nitric oxide and cytokines, which play different roles in the stimulation and resolution of inflammatory processes. There is a continuous search for selective modulators of these processes. Natural polyphenols and polyphenol-rich extracts have been found to possess preventive and therapeutic potential, including by their anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, the inhibition of the formation of inflammatory mediators by the spent hops extract (SHE), a polyphenol-rich extract from Humulus Lupulus L., was examined using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- activated murine macrophages (RAW 264.7). The SHE suppressed inter alia the interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expression to 32% in LPS-activated macrophages and to 61% at a protein level (at 25 µg/mL). SHE reduced both the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA expression to 47% and their protein expression to 32%. Not only did SHE inhibit the IL-6 and COX-2 levels but also decreased both inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression to 2% at 25 µg/mL and nitric oxide (NO) production for all tested concentrations. The inhibited expression of these inflammatory molecules was likely caused by the reduced activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Both mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB was decreased to 38% and 42%, respectively. These results provide the first evidence that SHE decreases the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators, which merits further studies to investigate the potential of SHE as anti-inflammatory preparation.

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) leaf phenol extract as modulator of the inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide-triggered murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells.

In the present study we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of Japanese quince leaf polyphenol-rich extract (JQLPE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophages (RAW 264.7). The Q-PCR analysis revealed that JQLPE decreased Nfkb1, Ptgs2, and Il1b expression at the mRNA level by 80%, 50% and 48%, respectively. Similarly, JQLPE significantly attenuated expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (by 60%, 50%, 67%, 37% and 36%, respectively) at the protein level and nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7. Western blot also showed that the expression of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) p65 and p-NF-κB p65 was down-regulated after JQLPE treatment. These results provide the first evidence that JQLPE decreases the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α), inflammatory mediators (COX-2, iNOS) and both NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, which may suggest its anti-inflammatory activity.

Role of adipokines in the assessment of severity and predicting the clinical course of acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common diseases requiring hospitalization with increasing incidence. This pathology has variable severity and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis, including prognosis of clinical course of the disease is key in the initial clinical management. However, currently available prognostic markers have variable efficacy and the limited utility. Adipokines that are released from the peripancreatic adipose tissue during AP may represent the easy to use and practical AP prognostic markers. This review discusses the current state of knowledge concerning the clinical value of the adipokines in AP, such as adiponectin, ghrelin, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, interleukin 18, leptin, neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin, obestatin, resistin, visfatin. Among described adipokines, interleukin 6, neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin and resistin seem to be the most valuable as the diagnostic and prognostic markers in AP.

Urinary bladder diverticulum as an unusual content of the inguinal canal.

The inguinal urinary bladder hernia is a rare pathology observed mostly in males. A new case of asymptomatic reducible acquired inguinal hernia was revealed in a 54-year-old male during computed tomography (CT) undertaken for oncological follow-up. The right nephrectomy was previously performed due to clear cell carcinoma. The hernia was not visible on the CT 6 months before and on ultrasound performed after voiding. Slight herniation with a wide invagination of transversalis fascia but with empty bladder was seen on CT 4 months after the initial detection of hernia.

Mammography use may partially mediate disparities in tumor size at diagnosis in women with social security disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: This study determined the association between screening mammography and tumor size at diagnosis in older women whose original reason for entitlement to Medicare benefits was disability (SSDI). METHODS: A retrospective study of female Medicare beneficiaries older than 69 years diagnosed with breast cancer using Surveillance Epidemiological End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Multiple linear regression techniques were used to determine the effect of screening mammography use on tumor size. MAIN FINDINGS: The total number of women was 413 with SSDI and 8,989 without. Bivariate analysis showed that significantly fewer women with SSDI used screening mammography (45% vs. 38%, P = 0.0006) during the two years prior to diagnosis. Mean tumor size at diagnosis was 2.91 mm (95%, CI = 1.10, 4.73) larger in the group with SSDI. CONCLUSION: This study found that older women whose original reason for Medicare benefits was disability present with larger tumors at breast cancer diagnosis compared to those who were not. Screening mammography may partially mediate the disparity.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis

Prosthetic valve infective endocarditis represents a defined pathological entity which follows an epidemiological and nosological pattern in accordance to an arbitrary classification. Chronologically it is divided into the entities of early and late prosthetic valve endocarditis, each with its own unique characteristics. The clinical features, complications and diagnosis do not vary much from native valve endocarditis. There are clear and precise indications to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of this entity which differ from native valve endocarditis

Trends in the evaluation of lymphedema.

This study reviews the criteria and the various measurements available for evaluation of a patient with peripheral lymphedema based on a systematic literature search using Medline. Each clinician needs to be more aware of the measuring technique chosen to determine limb swelling with the inherent limitations of each if errors in calculations or misinterpretations are to be avoided. Determining the patient's symptoms (subjective) and limb changes (objective) are both importantfor evaluating response to treatment.