Inhibitory role of interleukin-10 in the cutaneous reverse Arthus reaction.

The formation and deposition of immune complexes (IC) containing immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies induces an acute inflammatory response with tissue injury. One of the experimental models of IC-related vasculitis is the cutaneous reverse passive Arthus reaction, in which IgG antibodies are injected i.d., followed immediately by the i.v. application of the corresponding antigen. This reaction is characterized by edema, hemorrhage and neutrophil infiltration. To assess the role of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 in IC-related vasculitis, we investigated the cutaneous Arthus reaction using IL-10 knockout (IL-10KO) mice. Edema, which was quantified macroscopically by measuring the vascular leakage of Evans blue dye at 4 h after IC challenge, was significantly increased in IL-10KO mice compared with wild-type mice. In addition, hemorrhage, which was assessed by the average diameter of purpuric spots at 8 h after IC challenge, was enhanced significantly in IL-10KO mice compared with wild-type mice. Histological examination showed that the number of extravascular neutrophils was significantly increased in IL-10KO mice compared with wild-type mice at 4 and 8 h after IC challenge. Analysis of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression showed that IL-6 mRNA levels were significantly increased in IL-10KO mice compared with wild-type mice at 4 and 8 h after IC challenge. These results showed that IC-induced inflammation and vascular damage were significantly enhanced in the absence of IL-10. Thus, IL-10 may limit tissue disruption by suppressing the excessive infiltration of neutrophils and cytokine expression in a mouse model of type III vasculitis.

Abnormal keratinization and cutaneous inflammation in Mal de Meleda.

Mal de Meleda (MDM) is a rare, autosomal recessive form of palmoplantar keratoderma due to mutations in the gene, encoding for secreted lymphocyte antigen 6/urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor related protein 1 (SLURP1). We report a four-year-old Taiwanese MDM female case whose biopsy specimen of hyperkeratotic lesions showed abnormal keratinization and cutaneous inflammation with characteristic transmission electron microscopic (TEM) findings and immunostaining results. The patient presented with pruritic and severely hyperkeratotic plaques on the bilateral palms and soles whichwere fringed with erythematous scaly areas. A homozygous c.256 G>A mutation, predicting a conversion of p.Gly86Arg, in SLURP1gene was detected. Histopathological examinations showed marked hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and hypergranulosis in the epidermis, accompanied by perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates in the dermis. The whole layers of the epidermis and perivascular infiltrates of the dermis were stained positive with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) antibody in the biopsy specimen from the sole and the ankle. TEM examination of the biopsy specimen from the plantar hyperkeratotic plaque showed various-sized vacuoles surrounding nuclei of many keratinocytes in the spinous layer. In addition, there were numerous irregular keratohyaline granules in the granular layer. Several microorganisms and many lipid-like droplets were found in the thickened cornified layer. SLURP1 protein is known as a marker of late differentiation, predominantly expressed in the granular layer, and also known to have an inhibitory effect on TNFα release. Our results exhibited excessive TNFα expression in keratinocytes and perivascular infiltrates of the dermis, and several characteristic morphological observations of keratinocytes in MDM.

Methionine-dependent histone methylation at developmentally important gene loci in mouse preimplantation embryos.

The involvement of specific nutrients in epigenetic gene regulation is a possible mechanism underlying nutrition-directed phenotypic alteration. However, the involvement of nutrients in gene-specific epigenetic regulation remains poorly understood. Methionine has been received attention as a possible nutrient involved in epigenetic modifications, as it is a precursor of the universal methyl donor for epigenetic methylation of DNA and histones. In the present study, the disruption of methionine metabolism by ethionine, an antimetabolite of methionine, induced abnormally higher expression of genes related to cell lineage differentiation and resulted in impaired blastocyst development of mouse preimplantation embryos in vitro. These effects were mitigated by the presence of methionine. Importantly, ethionine treatment induced lower trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 but did not affect methylation of DNA in the promoter regions of the examined genes. These results demonstrated that intact methionine metabolism is required for proper epigenetic histone modifications and normal expression of developmentally important genes during preimplantation development.

Roles of estrogen in the formation of intracranial aneurysms in ovariectomized female mice.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have indicated that postmenopausal women have a higher incidence of intracranial aneurysms than men in the same age group. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether estrogen or estrogen receptors (ERs) mediate protective effects against the formation of intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: Intracranial aneurysms were induced in mice by combining a single injection of elastase into the cerebrospinal fluid with deoxycorticosterone acetate salt hypertension. The mice were treated with estrogen (17ß-estradiol), an ERα agonist (propyl pyrazole triol), and an ERß agonist (diarylpropionitrile) with and without a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. RESULTS: The ovariectomized female mice had a significantly higher incidence of aneurysms than the male mice, which was consistent with findings in previous epidemiological studies. In ovariectomized female mice, an ERß agonist, but not an ERα agonist or 17ß-estradiol, significantly reduced the incidence of aneurysms. The protective effect of the ERß agonist was absent in the ovariectomized ERß knockout mice. The protective effect of the ERß agonist was negated by treatment with a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. CONCLUSION: The effects of sex, menopause, and estrogen treatment observed in this animal study were consistent with previous epidemiological findings. Stimulation of estrogen receptor-ß was protective against the formation of intracranial aneurysms in ovariectomized female mice.

Estrogen protects against intracranial aneurysm rupture in ovariectomized mice.

Clinical observations suggest that postmenopausal women have a higher incidence of aneurysmal rupture than premenopausal women. We hypothesize that a relative deficiency in estrogen may increase the risks of aneurysmal growth and subarachnoid hemorrhage in postmenopausal women. We assessed the effects of estrogen and selective estrogen receptor subtype agonists on the development of aneurysmal rupture in ovariectomized female mice. We used an intracranial aneurysm mouse model that recapitulates the key features of human intracranial aneurysms, including spontaneous rupture. Ten- to 12-week-old ovariectomized female mice received treatment with estrogen, nonselective estrogen receptor antagonist, estrogen receptor-α agonist, or estrogen receptor-ß agonist starting 6 days after aneurysm induction so that the treatments affected the development of aneurysmal rupture without affecting aneurysmal formation. Estrogen significantly reduced the incidence of ruptured aneurysms and rupture rates in ovariectomized mice. Nonselective estrogen receptor antagonist abolished the protective effect of estrogen. Although estrogen receptor-α agonist did not affect the incidence of ruptured aneurysms or rupture rates, estrogen receptor-ß agonist prevented aneurysmal rupture without affecting the formation of aneurysms. The protective role of estrogen receptor-ß agonist was abolished by the inhibition of nitric oxide synthase. We showed that estrogen prevented aneurysmal rupture in ovariectomized female mice. The protective effect of estrogen seemed to occur through the activation of estrogen receptor-ß, a predominant subtype of estrogen receptor in human intracranial aneurysms and cerebral arteries.

Roles of hypertension in the rupture of intracranial aneurysms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Systemic hypertension has long been considered a risk factor of aneurysmal rupture. However, a causal link between systemic hypertension and the development of aneurysmal rupture has not been established. In this study, using a mouse model of intracranial aneurysm rupture, we examined the roles of systemic hypertension in the development of aneurysmal rupture. METHODS: Aneurysms were induced by a combination of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt and a single injection of elastase into the cerebrospinal fluid in mice. Antihypertensive treatment was started 6 days after aneurysm induction. Aneurysmal rupture was detected by neurological symptoms and confirmed by the presence of intracranial aneurysm with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Hydralazine (direct vasodilator) or discontinuation of DOCA-salt treatment was used to assess the roles of systemic hypertension. Captopril (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor) or losartan (angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist) was used to assess the roles of the local renin-angiotensin system in the vascular wall. RESULTS: Normalization of blood pressure by hydralazine significantly reduced the incidence of ruptured aneurysms and the rupture rate. There was a dose-dependent relationship between reduction of blood pressure and prevention of aneurysmal rupture. Captopril and losartan were able to reduce rupture rate without affecting systemic hypertension induced by DOCA-salt treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Normalization of blood pressure after aneurysm formation prevented aneurysmal rupture in mice. In addition, we found that the inhibition of the local renin-angiotensin system independent from the reduction of blood pressure can prevent aneurysmal rupture.