The Sympathetic Nervous System Mitigates CNS Autoimmunity via ß2-Adrenergic Receptor Signaling in Immune Cells.

Noradrenaline (NE), the main neurotransmitter released by sympathetic nerve terminals, is known to modulate the immune response. However, the role of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) on the development of autoimmune diseases is still unclear. Here, we report that the SNS limits the generation of pathogenic T cells and disease development in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of multiple sclerosis (MS). ß2-Adrenergic receptor (Adrb2) signaling limits T cell autoimmunity in EAE through a mechanism mediated by the suppression of IL-2, IFN-γ, and GM-CSF production via inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER). Accordingly, the lack of Adrb2 signaling in immune cells is sufficient to abrogate the suppressive effects of SNS activity, resulting in increased pathogenic T cell responses and EAE development. Collectively, these results uncover a suppressive role for the SNS in CNS autoimmunity while they identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Sleep influences the immune response and the rejection process alters sleep pattern: Evidence from a skin allograft model in mice.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep generally regulates immune functions in a supportive manner and can affect parameters that are directly involved in the rejection process. STUDY OBJECTIVES: The first objective was to assess whether sleep deprivation (SD) or sleep restriction (SR) affects the allograft rejection process in mice. The second objective was to investigate whether the rejection process itself modulates the sleep pattern of allografted mice. DESIGN: Adult BALB/c and C57BL/6J male mice were used as the donors and recipients, respectively, except for the syngeneic group (ISOTX), which received skin from mice of the same strain (C57BL/6J). The recipients were randomly assigned to either one of two control groups - TX (allogenic) or ISOTX (syngeneic) - which underwent stereotaxic surgery to enable sleep recording prior to the allograft but were not sleep deprived; one of two paradoxical sleep deprived groups - SDTX and TXSD - which underwent 72h of continuous SD either before or after the allograft respectively, and one of two sleep restricted groups - SRTX and TXSR - which underwent 21h of SD and 3h of sleep for 15days either before or after the allograft respectively. INTERVENTIONS: The skin allograft was inspected daily to determine the survival time, expected as 8.0±0.4days in this transplant model under no treatment. The sleep pattern was controlled throughout the rejection process in the SD and SR groups. Draining lymph nodes, spleen, blood and skin grafts were harvested on the 5th day after transplantation for evaluation of the immune parameters related to allograft rejection. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: In the control groups, we observed a reduction in paradoxical sleep throughout the entire allograft rejection process. Acute and chronic experimental sleep loss in the SD and SR groups produced marked alterations in the immune response. Both SD and SR prolonged allograft survival compared to the non-sleep-deprived group. There were reductions in the following parameters involved in the allograft rejection under sleep loss: CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subpopulations in the peripheral lymph organs and spleen, circulating sIL-2R levels, graft-infiltrating CD4+ T cells and skin allograft global gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: We provide, as far as we are aware, the first evidence in vivo that the immune response can alter the normal sleep pattern, and that sleep loss can conversely affect the immune response related to graft rejection.

The essential role of annexin A1 mimetic peptide in the skin allograft survival.

Immunosuppressive drugs have a critical role in inhibiting tissue damage and allograft rejection. Studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of the annexin A1 (AnxA1) in the regulation of transmigration and apoptosis of leucocytes. In the present study, an experimental skin allograft model was used to evaluate a potential protective effect of AnxA1 in transplantation survival. Mice were used for the skin allograft model and pharmacological treatments were carried out using either the AnxA1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26, with or without cyclosporine A (CsA), starting 3 days before surgery until rejection. Graft survival, skin histopathology, leucocyte transmigration and expression of AnxA1 and AnxA5 post-transplantation were analysed. Pharmacological treatment with Ac2-26 increased skin allograft survival related with inhibition of neutrophil transmigration and induction of apoptosis, thereby reducing the tissue damage compared with control animals. Moreover, AnxA1 and AnxA5 expression increased after Ac2-26 treatment in neutrophils. Interestingly, the combination of Ac2-26 and cyclosporine A showed similar survival of transplants when compared with the cyclosporine A group, which could be attributed to a synergistic effect of both drugs. Investigations in vitro revealed that cyclosporine A inhibited extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation induced by Ac2-26 in neutrophils. Overall, the results suggest that AnxA1 has an essential role in augmenting the survival of skin allograft, mainly owing to inhibition of neutrophil transmigration and enhancement of apoptosis. This effect may lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches relevant to transplant rejection.

Phyllanthus amarus does not affect hypernociception in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Chronic pain is one of the main symptoms, affecting many patients. Studies show that the lignans or the apolar extracts of Phyllanthus amarus have antinociceptive effects in different animal models. To evaluate the antihypernociceptive effect of a hexanic extract of P. amarus in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice, the chemical composition of the hexanic extract was analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. After EAE induction, animals were treated with the hexanic extract of P. amarus for 26 consecutive days. Motor coordination and mechanical hypernociception were evaluated on alternate days. The principal lignans found were phyllanthin, niranthin, and 5-demethoxyniranthin. The hexanic extract of P. amarus at a dose of 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg did not affect the development of the disease. The motor coordination and pain threshold of the treated animals were not altered in this experiment. In conclusion, in this test, the hexanic extract of P. amarus did not show evidence of antihypernociceptive activity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Expression of annexin-A1 and galectin-1 anti-inflammatory proteins and mRNA in chronic gastritis and gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The anti-inflammatory proteins annexin-A1 and galectin-1 have been associated with tumor progression. This scenario prompted us to investigate the relationship between the gene and protein expression of annexin-A1 (ANXA1/AnxA1) and galectin-1 (LGALS1/Gal-1) in an inflammatory gastric lesion as chronic gastritis (CG) and gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) and its association with H. pylori infection. METHODS: We analyzed 40 samples of CG, 20 of GA, and 10 of normal mucosa (C) by the quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) technique and the immunohistochemistry assay. RESULTS: High ANXA1 mRNA expression levels were observed in 90% (36/40) of CG cases (mean relative quantification RQ = 4.26 ± 2.03) and in 80% (16/20) of GA cases (mean RQ = 4.38 ± 4.77). However, LGALS1 mRNA levels were high (mean RQ = 2.44 ± 3.26) in 60% (12/20) of the GA cases, while low expression was found in CG (mean RQ = 0.43 ± 3.13; P < 0.01). Normal mucosa showed modest immunoreactivity in stroma but not in epithelium, while stroma and epithelium displayed an intense immunostaining in CG and GA for both proteins. CONCLUSION: These results have provided evidence that galectin-1 and mainly annexin-A1 are overexpressed in both gastritis and gastric cancer, suggesting a strong association of these proteins with chronic gastric inflammation and carcinogenesis.

Annexin A1 protein attenuates cyclosporine-induced renal hemodynamics changes and macrophage infiltration in rats.

BACKGROUND: Cyclosporine (CsA) remains an important immunosuppressant for transplantation and for treatment of autoimmune diseases. The most troublesome side effect of CsA is renal injury. Acute CsA-induced nephrotoxicity is characterized by reduced renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) due to afferent arteriole vasoconstriction. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a potent anti-inflammatory protein with protective effect in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Here we study the effects of ANXA1 treatment in an experimental model of acute CsA nephrotoxicity. METHODS: Salt-depleted rats were randomized to treatment with VH (vehicles 1 mL/kg body weight/day), ANXA1 (Ac2-26 peptide 1 mg/kg body weight/day intraperitoneally), CsA (20 mg/kg body weight/day subcutaneously) and CsA + ANXA1 (combination) for seven days. We compared renal function and hemodynamics, renal histopathology, renal tissue macrophage infiltration and renal ANXA1 expression between the four groups. RESULTS: CsA significantly impaired GFR and RBF, caused tubular dilation and macrophage infiltration and increased ANXA1 renal tissue expression. Treatment with ANXA1 attenuated CSA-induced hemodynamic changes, tubular injury and macrophage infiltration. CONCLUSION: ANXA1 treatment attenuated renal hemodynamic injury and inflammation in an acute CsA nephrotoxicity model.