Hsp65-Producing Lactococcocus lactis Prevents Antigen-Induced Arthritis in Mice.

Oral tolerance is the physiological process that enables the immune system to differentiate between harmless dietary and microbiota antigens from pathogen derived antigens. It develops at the mucosal surfaces and can result in local and systemic regulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Translation of these benefits to the clinical practice faces limitations involving specificity and doses of antigen as well as regimens of feeding. To circumvent these problems, we developed a recombinant Hsp65 delivered by the acid lactic bacteria Lactococcus lactis NCDO 2118 directy in the intestinal mucosa. Hsp65 is a ubiquitous protein overexpressed in inflamed tissues and capable of inducing immunoregulatory mechanisms. L. lactis has probiotic properties and is commonly and safely used in dairy products. In this study, we showed that continuous delivery of HSP65 in the gut mucosa by L. lactis is a potent tolerogenic stimulus inducing regulatory CD4+LAP+ T cells that prevented collagen-induced and methylated bovine serum albumin-induced arthritis in mice. Clinical and histological signs of arthritis were inhibited as well as levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17 and IFN-γ, serum titers of anti-collagen antibodies and rheumatoid factor. Oral administration of L. lactis induced alterations in microbiota composition toward an increased abundance of anaerobic bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Tolerance to HSP65 and arthritis prevention induced by the recombinant L. lactis was associated with increase in IL-10 production by B cells and it was dependent on LAP+ T cells, IL-10 and TLR2 signaling. Therefore, HSP65-producing treatment induced effective tolerance and prevented arthritis development suggesting it can be used as a therapeutic tool for autoimmune diseases.

Opposing effects of bisphosphonates and advanced glycation end-products on osteoblastic cells.

Patients with long-standing Diabetes mellitus can develop osteopenia and osteoporosis. We have previously shown that advanced glycation endproducts reduce the bone-forming activity of osteoblasts. Bisphosphonates are used for the treatment of various bone disorders, since they reduce osteoclastic function and survival, and stimulate osteoblastic bone-forming capacity. In this work we have investigated whether bisphosphonates are able to revert advanced glycation endproducts-induced deleterious effects in osteoblasts. MC3T3E1 and UMR106 osteoblastic cells were incubated with control or advanced glycation endproducts-modified bovine serum albumin, in the presence or absence of different doses of the bisphosphonates Alendronate, Pamidronate or Zoledronate. After 24-72 h of culture, we evaluated their effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis, type-1 collagen production, alkaline and neutral phosphatase activity, and intracellular reactive oxygen species production. Advanced glycation endproducts significantly decreased osteoblast proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and type 1 collagen production, while increasing osteoblastic apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production. These effects were completely reverted by low doses (10(-8) M) of bisphosphonates. High doses of bisphosphonates (10(-4)-10(-5) M) were toxic for osteoblasts. Nifedipine (L-type calcium channel blocker) did not affect the advanced glycation endproducts-induced decrease in osteoblastic proliferation, although it blocked the reversion of this effect by 10(-8) M Alendronate. Both advanced glycation endproducts and Alendronate inhibited the activity of intracellular neutral phosphatases. In conclusion, we show that bisphosphonates revert the deleterious actions of advanced glycation endproducts on osteoblastic cells, and that these effects of bisphosphonates depend on: (a) Ca(2+) influx through L-type voltage-sensitive channels, and (b) blockage of advanced glycation endproducts-induced reactive oxygen species generation.

Effect of chemical or electrical activation of bovine oocytes on blastocyst development and quality.

Activation of in vitro-matured (IVM) oocytes is essential for successful embryo production following nuclear transfer (NT) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This study was designed to compare the rates of blastocyst production and embryo quality (as measured by numbers of viable cells) following parthenogenetic activation with electrical pulse or the use of two different calcium ionophores, A23187 (CA) or ionomycin (IO), with or without the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA). IVM oocytes with a first polar body were randomly allocated to five treatment groups: CA (5 microM CA, 5 min; n = 88), CA + BSA (5 microM CA, 5 min; BSA, 5 min; n = 90), IO (5 microM IO, 5 min; n = 91), IO + BSA (5 microM IO, 5 min; BSA, 5 min; n = 86) and EL (two pulses of 1.5 kV/cm, 20 micros; n = 120). Blastocyst rates were higher (p < 0.05) for CA (54.4%), IO (51.4%) and EL (54.5%) than for IO + BSA (18.3%). Treatment CA + BSA (39.8%) did not differ from the others. There was no difference (p > 0.05) among treatments in total number of cells. However, the percentage of viable cells was reduced in CA (49.9%), CA + BSA (45.8%), IO (64.9%), IO + BSA (50.9%) compared with EL (82.7%). In summary, the addition of BSA to the IO treatment had an adverse effect on blastocyst production rates. Although there was no difference between electrical stimulation and chemical activation on blastocyst production rates, electrical activation resulted in blastocysts with a higher percentage of viable cells.

Acceptability, safety, and digestibility of spray-dried bovine serum added to diets of recovering malnourished children.

BACKGROUND: Specially collected, spray-dried bovine and porcine blood plasma have been incorporated previously in feeds of weanling farm animals, resulting in increased dietary intakes and greater rates of weight gain than observed in control animals. Before conducting similar trials in human populations, preliminary studies have been completed to assess the acceptability, safety, and digestibility of processed animal plasma in young children. METHODS: Masked study diets were provided sequentially to each of ten young, Peruvian children recovering from severe protein-energy malnutrition during three randomly ordered 7-day dietary periods. The control diet was prepared from rice, milk, vegetable oil, and sugar; the two study diets included spray-dried, bovine serum concentrate to replace either 25% or 50% of the milk protein of the control diet. Urine and feces were collected quantitatively during the last four days of each diet period to assess stool weight, apparent absorption of macronutrients, and retention of nitrogen. RESULTS: All children consumed the entire amounts offered of each of the diets. The mean number of daily bowel movements and mean apparent absorption and retention of nitrogen and mean apparent absorption of carbohydrate were similar for each diet. Fractional absorption of dietary lipid and of total energy increased significantly in relation to the amount of bovine serum concentrate in the diet, although this might be explained by the simultaneous replacement of milk fat with additional vegetable oil. CONCLUSIONS: Each of the diets was well accepted by the study children, and there was no evidence of any adverse effects of bovine serum concentrate.