Antineoplastic effect of compounds C14 and P8 on TNBC and radioresistant TNBC cells by stabilizing the K-Ras4BG13D/PDE6δ complex.

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) representing one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant subtypes. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the antitumor potential of C14 and P8 molecules in both TNBC and radioresistant TNBC cells. These compounds were chosen for their ability to stabilize the complex formed by the overactivated form of K-Ras4BG13D and its membrane transporter (PDE6δ). Methods: The antitumor potential of C14 and P8 was assessed using TNBC cell lines, MDA-MB-231, and the radioresistant derivative MDA-MB-231RR, both carrying the K-Ras4B> G13D mutation. We investigated the compounds' effects on K-Ras signaling pathways, cell viability, and tumor growth in vivo. Results: Western blotting analysis determined the negative impact of C14 and P8 on the activation of mutant K-Ras signaling pathways in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231RR cells. Proliferation assays demonstrated their efficacy as cytotoxic agents against K-RasG13D mutant cancer cells and in inducing apoptosis. Clonogenic assays proven their ability to inhibit TNBC and radioresistant TNBC cell clonogenicity. In In vivo studies, C14 and P8 inhibited tumor growth and reduced proliferation, angiogenesis, and cell cycle progression markers. Discussion: These findings suggest that C14 and P8 could serve as promising adjuvant treatments for TNBC, particularly for non-responders to standard therapies. By targeting overactivated K-Ras and its membrane transporter, these compounds offer potential therapeutic benefits against TNBC, including its radioresistant form. Further research and clinical trials are warranted to validate their efficacy and safety as novel TNBC treatments.

[Factors associated with caregiver burden in primary caregivers of older adults with type2 diabetes]. / Factores asociados a la sobrecarga del cuidador en cuidadores primarios de personas adultas mayores con diabetes tipo2.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the profile of the informal primary caregiver (IPC) of adult patients with type2 diabetes (T2D) and the possible factors associated with caregiver collapse (CC). DESIGN: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and analytical study. SITE: Ambulatory Care Medical Unit. PARTICIPANTS: Mexican CPIs of adult patients with T2D. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected through a prolective design using the Zarit scale and a structured survey on sociodemographic factors. A descriptive statistical analysis and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed. RESULTS: The CPI profile is assumed by: women, people aged 36-58, daughters, people with a secondary and high school educational level, married, Catholic, with income <8,900 Mexican pesos, own home, inhabited by a maximum of 5 inhabitants, with support networks, who have dedicated >5years to the care of their patient, without training and with chronic diseases. The risk factors that increase the risk of CC are: being a woman (OR=11.03; 95%CI: 1.49-81.95), having a history of more than 5years of having assumed the role of caregiver (OR=2, 65; 95%CI: 1.07-6.55), living in one's own house (OR=3.03; 95%CI: 1.04-8.82), with 6 or more inhabitants (OR=2.41; 95%CI: 1.08-5.38). The support of other family members and/or friends was associated as a protective factor (OR=0.15; 95%CI: 0.07-0.33). CONCLUSIONS: Prevention programs are required to avoid CC and complications, as well as interventions to improve the quality of life of the CPI and patients in care, incorporating strategies to generate and/or increase their family and social support networks.

Primary Peritoneal Serous Cancer: A Case Report of a Tumor in the Rectovaginal Septum.

Peritoneal cancer is the invasion by malignant cells of serous membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, the viscera, and the coelom of the amniotes. Histologically, it is indistinguishable from ovarian counterpart, although in the former, it commonly involves the ovary only superficially, or it may totally lack an ovarian component, but with extensive involvement of the peritoneum, calcified perihepatic peritoneal nodules, or involvement of the omentum, in most cases. The current study describes the case of a 54-year-old female patient referring a history of colitis and dairy intolerance. A transvaginal ultrasound and a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a tumor measuring 70 × 61 × 63 mm. CA-125 serum levels were 880 U/ml. Laparotomy surgery was indicated, and tumor was found at the level of the rectovaginal septum without evidence of metastasis. Tumor dissection and protective colostomy with loop sigmoid colon were performed. A pathological study gave a diagnosis of a high-grade peritoneal serous carcinoma with a micropapillary pattern. The present study describes the case of papillary serous peritoneal cancer presented as a single tumor mass without extensive involvement of the peritoneum. Additionally, the need for routine tests for its diagnosis and documenting hormonal alterations as the cause of its origin are suggested.

Circulating miRNAs as Noninvasive Biomarkers for PDAC Diagnosis and Prognosis in Mexico.

Among malignant neoplasms, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the highest fatality rates due to its late detection. Therefore, it is essential to discover a noninvasive, early, specific, and sensitive diagnostic method. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are attractive biomarkers because they are accessible, highly specific, and sensitive. It is crucial to find miRNAs that could be used as possible biomarkers because PDAC is the eighth most common cause of cancer death in Mexico. With the help of microRNA microarrays, differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were found in PDAC tissues. The presence of these DEmiRNAs in the plasma of Mexican patients with PDAC was determined using RT-qPCR. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic capacity of these DEmiRNAs. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GEO) were employed to verify our results. The Prisma V8 statistical analysis program was used. Four DEmiRNAs in plasma from PDAC patients and microarray tissues were found. Serum samples from patients with PDAC were used to validate their overexpression in GEO databases. We discovered a new panel of the two miRNAs miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p that could be used to diagnose PDAC, and when miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p were overexpressed, survival rates decreased. Therefore, miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p might be employed as noninvasive indicators for the diagnosis and survival of PDAC in Mexican patients.

Synergistic effect of antagonists to KRas4B/PDE6 molecular complex in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis among all human cancers as it is highly resistant to chemotherapy. K-Ras mutations usually trigger the development and progression of PDAC. We hypothesized that compounds stabilizing the KRas4B/PDE6δ complex could serve as PDAC treatments. Using in silico approaches, we identified the small molecules C14 and P8 that reduced K-Ras activation in primary PDAC cells. Importantly, C14 and P8 significantly prevented tumor growth in patient-derived xenotransplants. Combined treatment with C14 and P8 strongly increased cytotoxicity in PDAC cell lines and primary cultures and showed strong synergistic antineoplastic effects in preclinical murine PDAC models that were superior to conventional therapeutics without causing side effects. Mechanistically, C14 and P8 reduced tumor growth by inhibiting AKT and ERK signaling downstream of K-RAS leading to apoptosis, specifically in PDAC cells. Thus, combined treatment with C14 and P8 may be a superior pharmaceutical strategy to improve the outcome of PDAC.

131I-C19 Iodide Radioisotope and Synthetic I-C19 Compounds as K-Ras4B-PDE6δ Inhibitors: A Novel Approach against Colorectal Cancer-Biological Characterization, Biokinetics and Dosimetry.

In 40-50% of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases, K-Ras gene mutations occur, which induce the expression of the K-Ras4B oncogenic isoform. K-Ras4B is transported by phosphodiesterase-6δ (PDE6δ) to the plasma membrane, where the K-Ras4B-PDE6δ complex dissociates and K-Ras4B, coupled to the plasma membrane, activates signaling pathways that favor cancer aggressiveness. Thus, the inhibition of the K-Ras4B-PDE6δ dissociation using specific small molecules could be a new strategy for the treatment of patients with CRC. This research aimed to perform a preclinical proof-of-concept and a therapeutic potential evaluation of the synthetic I-C19 and 131I-C19 compounds as inhibitors of the K-Ras4B-PDE6δ dissociation. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to estimate the binding affinity and the anchorage sites of I-C19 in K-Ras4B-PDE6δ. K-Ras4B signaling pathways were assessed in HCT116, LoVo and SW620 colorectal cancer cells after I-C19 treatment. Two murine colorectal cancer models were used to evaluate the I-C19 therapeutic effect. The in vivo biokinetic profiles of I-C19 and 131I-C19 and the tumor radiation dose were also estimated. The K-Ras4B-PDE6δ stabilizer, 131I-C19, was highly selective and demonstrated a cytotoxic effect ten times greater than unlabeled I-C19. I-C19 prevented K-Ras4B activation and decreased its dependent signaling pathways. The in vivo administration of I-C19 (30 mg/kg) greatly reduced tumor growth in colorectal cancer. The biokinetic profile showed renal and hepatobiliary elimination, and the highest radiation absorbed dose was delivered to the tumor (52 Gy/74 MBq). The data support the idea that 131I-C19 is a novel K-Ras4B/PDE6δ stabilizer with two functionalities: as a K-Ras4B signaling inhibitor and as a compound with radiotherapeutic activity against colorectal tumors.

Features of antibody responses after SARS-COV-2 infection in healthcare workers in the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico City.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 and identify associated factors in frontline and second-line healthcare workers (HCWs) at a large hospital in Mexico City during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of HCWs returning to work following mandatory isolation after recovering from COVID-19. Immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 were semiquantitatively measured using densitometric analysis of band intensities in lateral flow assay (LFA) devices. The mean pixel intensity (dots-per-inch [dpi]) of each band on the LFA was considered a measure of antibody titre. RESULTS: Of the 111 HCWs involved in the study, antibody responses were detected in 73/111 (66%) participants. Severe COVID symptoms was associated with old age. No differences in IgM intensity were observed between men and women, but IgG intensity was significantly higher in men than in women. Second-line HCWs produced a higher IgG intensity than firstline HCWs. The IgG intensity was high in severe cases. CONCLUSIONS: For HCWs who may acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is necessary to establish a routine program for detection of the virus to avoid risk of infection and spread of COVID-19.

Inflammation Markers in Adipose Tissue and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction by Pomegranate Juice in Obesity Induced by a Hypercaloric Diet in Wistar Rats.

Pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) has been used since ancient times in traditional medicine (Unani Medicine, Ayurveda); its main compounds are anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and cardiovascular health effects. The objective was to evaluate the effect of pomegranate juice on inflammation, blood pressure, and vascular and physiological markers associated with obesity induced by a high-fat diet in a murine model. The results show that pomegranate juice reduces the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (cLDL) 39% and increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (cHDL) by 27%, leading to a 12%-18% decrease in the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In addition to reducing blood pressure by 24%, it also had an antiatherogenic effect by decreasing sE-selectin levels by 42%. On the other hand, the juice significantly increased adiponectin levels in adipose tissue, decreased levels of inflammation markers (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)), and inhibited the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Pomegranate juice requires clinical studies to prove its immunoregulatory and therapeutic effects on cardiovascular and atherogenic risks.

Association between obesity and breast cancer: Molecular bases and the effect of flavonoids in signaling pathways.

Obesity is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that leads to different health problems, such as cancer, where the adipocytes promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells, especially in the breast, where the epithelial cells are immersed in a fatty environment, and the interactions between these two types of cells involve, not only adipokines but also local pro-inflammatory mechanisms and hypoxic processes generating anti-apoptotic signals, which are a common result in leptin signaling. The expression of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and cyclin D1, results in the decrease in phosphorylation of AMPK, increasing the activity of the aromatase enzyme; alternatively, the adiponectin activates AMPK to reduce inflammation. Nevertheless, alterations of the JAK/STAT pathways contribute to mammary carcinogenesis, while the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway controls most of the cancer's characteristics such as the cell cycle, survival, differentiation, proliferation, motility, metabolism, and genetic stability. Therefore, the purpose of the present review is, through the accumulated scientific evidence, to find the concordance between the signaling pathways involved among obesity and breast cancer, which can be modulated by using flavonoids.

Effect of naringenin and its combination with cisplatin in cell death, proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer spheroids.

The main treatment alternative for cervical cancer is cisplatin chemotherapy. However, the resistance of tumor cells to cisplatin, in addition to side effects, limits its use. The flavonoid naringenin has shown cytotoxic effects on tumor cells and may be considered as a coadjuvant in the treatment of cervical cancer. In the present study, the effect of naringenin on cell viability, cytotoxicity, proliferation, apoptosis and invasion was evaluated in HeLa spheroid cultures. Naringenin impaired the cell viability as indicated by low ATP levels and caused concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxicity via the loss of cell membrane integrity. Furthermore, it did not activate caspases 3, 7, 8, and 9, suggesting that the cytotoxic effect was by necrotic cell death instead of apoptosis. Additionally, proliferation in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle was inhibited. Cell invasion also decreased as time progressed. Later, we determined if naringenin could improve the anti-tumor effect of cisplatin. The combination of naringenin with low concentrations of cisplatin improved the effect of the drug by significantly decreasing cell viability, potentiating the induction of cytotoxicity and decreasing the invasive capacity of the spheroids. Since these effects are regulated by some key proteins, molecular docking results indicated the interaction of naringenin with RIP3 and MLKL, cyclin B and with matrix metalloproteases 2 and 9. The results showed the anti-tumor effect of naringenin on the HeLa spheroids and improved effect of the cisplatin at low concentrations in combination with naringenin, placing flavonoids as a potential adjuvant in the therapy against cervical cancer.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress participates in the pathophysiology of mercury-caused acute kidney injury.

Acute exposure to mercury chloride (HgCl2) causes acute kidney injury (AKI). Some metals interfere with protein folding, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), and the activation of cell death mechanisms, but in the case of mercury, there is no knowledge about whether the ERS mediates tubular damage. This study aimed to determinate if HgCl2 causes an AKI course with temporary activation of ERS and if this mechanism is involved in kidney cell death. Male mice were intoxicated with 5 mg/kg HgCl2 and sacrificed after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of mercury administration. The kidneys of euthanized mice were used to assess the renal function, oxidative stress, redox environment, antioxidant enzymatic system, cell death, and reticulum stress markers (PERK, ATF-6, and IRE1α pathways). The results indicate temporary-dependent renal dysfunction, oxidative stress, and an increase of glutathione-dependent enzymes involved in the bioaccumulation process of mercury, as well as the enhancement of caspase 3 activity along with IRE1a, GADD-153, and caspase 12 expressions. Mercury activates the PERK/eIF2α branch during the first 48 h. Meanwhile, the activation of PERK/ATF-4 branch allowed for ATF-4, ATF-6, and IRE1α pathways to enhance GADD-153. It led to the activation of caspases 12 and 3, which mediated the deaths of the tubular and glomerular cells. This study revealed temporary-dependent ERS present during AKI caused by HgCl2, as well as how it plays a pivotal role in kidney cell damage.

Infectious episodes during pregnancy, at particular mucosal sites, increase specific IgA1 or IgA2 subtype levels in human colostrum.

BACKGROUND: Colostrum is the primary source of maternal immunoglobulin A (IgA) for the newborn. IgA participates in protection and regulation mechanisms of the immune response at the neonate's mucosa. Several studies have evaluated infectious diseases and vaccine protocols effects during pregnancy on maternal milk IgA levels, with the aim to understand lactation protecting effect on newborn. However, most of their results demonstrated that there were no differences in the total IgA levels. In humans, IgA has two subclasses (IgA1 and IgA2), they have an anatomical distribution among mucosal compartments, their levels vary after antigen stimulation and are also seen to describe differential affinities in colostrum. Although there are differences between IgA subclasses in several compartments, these studies have excluded specific colostrum IgA1 and IgA2 determination. METHODS: We analyzed data from 900 women in Mexico City. With Pearson correlation, we compared the number of infectious episodes during their pregnancy that was associated with mucosal compartments (skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts) and colostrum IgA subclasses. RESULTS: We show a correlation between increased colostrum IgA1 levels and the number of infectious episodes at respiratory tract and the skin. In contrast, infections at the gastrointestinal tract correlated with increased IgA2 amounts. CONCLUSIONS: Infections present during pregnancy at certain mucosal site increase specific IgA subclasses levels in human colostrum. These results will help in understanding infections and immunizations effects on maternal IgA at the mammary gland, and their impact on the development and protection of the newborn.

Glucose Activates Vagal Control of Hyperglycemia and Inflammation in Fasted Mice.

Sepsis is a leading cause of death in hospitalized patients. Many experimental treatments may have failed in clinical trials for sepsis, in part, because they focused on immune responses of healthy animals that did not mimic the metabolic settings of septic patients. Epidemiological studies show an association between metabolic and immune alterations and over 1/3 of septic patients are diabetic, but the mechanism linking these systems is unknown. Here, we report that metabolic fasting increased systemic inflammation and worsened survival in experimental sepsis. Feeding and administration of glucose in fasted mice activated the vagal tone without affecting blood pressure. Vagal stimulation attenuated hyperglycemia and serum TNF levels in sham but only hyperglycemia in splenectomized mice. Vagal stimulation induced the production of dopamine from the adrenal glands. Experimental diabetes increased hyperglycemia and systemic inflammation in experimental sepsis. Fenoldopam, a specific dopaminergic type-1 agonist, attenuated hyperglycemia and systemic inflammation in diabetic endotoxemic mice. These results indicate that glucose activates vagal control of hyperglycemia and inflammation in fasted septic mice via dopamine.

Association Between rs3833912/rs16944 SNPs and Risk for Cerebral Palsy in Mexican Children.

Perinatal asphyxia in the neonatal brain triggers a robust inflammatory response in which nitric oxide (NO) generation plays a hazardous role. Increased levels of NO can be maintained by the activity of inducible NO synthase (NOS2A) on its own or activated by IL-1beta (IL-1ß) gene transcription and positive back stimulation of the NOS2 (CCTTT)n microsatellite by IL-1ß, thus potentiating brain injury after ischemic perinatal asphyxia. We investigated whether the risk for cerebral palsy (CP) increases when an expansion of the - 2.5 kb (CCTTT)n microsatellite in the NOS2A gene and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in -C511T of the IL- IL-1ß gene promoter occur in patients after perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Genomic DNA was purified from peripheral leukocytes of 48 patients with CP and of 57 healthy control children. IL-1ß SNP genotypes were established using a real-time PCR technique and fluorogenic probes and were validated by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using the AvaI restriction enzyme. The length of the CCTTTn microsatellite in the NOS2 gene promoter was determined by automated sequencing. The 14 repeat-long allele of the CCTTTn NOS2A microsatellite was present in 27% of CP patients vs 12.3% of controls, showing an odds ratio (OR) = 2.6531 and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.9612-7.3232 (P < 0.0469). The -511 TT genotype frequency showed an OR = 2.6325 (95% CI = 1.1348-6.1066, P = 0.0189). Interestingly, the haplotype CCTTT14/TT showed an OR = 9.561 (95%, CI = 1.1321-80.753; P = 0.0164). The haplotype (CCTTT)14/TT, formed by the expansion of the - 2.5 kb (CCTTT)n microsatellite in the NOS2A gene promoter and the -511 C➝ T SNP of the IL-1ß gene promoter, might be a useful marker to identify patients who are at high risk for developing CP after hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

The small organic molecule C19 binds and strengthens the KRAS4b-PDEδ complex and inhibits growth of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide; and in 40% of all cases, KRAS4b-activating mutations occur. KRAS4b is transported by phosphodiesterase-6δ (PDEδ) to the plasma membrane, where it gets activated. PDEδ downregulation prevents redistribution and activation of KRAS4b. Thus, targeting the KRAS4b-PDEδ complex is a treatment strategy for colorectal cancer. METHODS: Using docking and molecular dynamics simulations coupled to molecular mechanics, the generalized born model and solvent accessibility (MMGBSA) approach to explore protein-ligand stability, we found that the compound ((2S)-N-(2,5-diclorofenil)-2-[(3,4-dimetoxifenil)metilamino]-propanamida), termed C19, bound and stabilized the KRAS4b-PDEδ complex. We investigated whether C19 decreases the viability and proliferation of colorectal cancer cells, in addition to knowing the type of cell death that it causes and if C19 decreases the activation of KRAS4b and their effectors. RESULTS: C19 showed high cytotoxicity in the colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and LoVo, with a stronger effect in KRAS-dependent LoVo cells. Importantly, C19 significantly decreased tumor size in a xenograft mouse model and showed lower side effects than 5-fluorouracil that is currently used as colorectal cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanistically, the cytotoxic effect was due to increased apoptosis of tumor cells and decreased phosphorylation of Erk and Akt. Therefore, our results suggest that C19 may serve as a promising new treatment for colorectal cancer.

Immunological and Functional Characterization of RhoGDI3 and Its Molecular Targets RhoG and RhoB in Human Pancreatic Cancerous and Normal Cells.

RhoGDI proteins have been implicated in several human cancers; changes in their expression levels have shown pro- or anti-tumorigenic effects. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a complex pathology, with poor prognosis, and most patients die shortly after diagnosis. Efforts have been focused on understanding the role of RhoGDI's in PDAC, specially, RhoGDI1 and RhoGDI2. However, the role of RhoGDI3 has not been studied in relation to cancer or to PDAC. Here, we characterized the expression and functionality of RhoGDI3 and its target GTPases, RhoG and RhoB in pancreatic cell lines from both normal pancreatic tissue and tissue in late stages of PDAC, and compared them to human biopsies. Through immunofluorescences, pulldown assays and subcellular fractionation, we found a reduction in RhoGDI3 expression in the late stages of PDAC, and this reduction correlates with tumor progression and aggressiveness. Despite the reduction in the expression of RhoGDI3 in PDAC, we found that RhoB was underexpressed while RhoG was overexpressed, suggesting that cancerous cells preserve their capacity to activate this pathway, thus these cells may be more eager to response to the stimuli needed to proliferate and become invasive unlike normal cells. Surprisingly, we found nuclear localization of RhoGDI3 in non-cancerous pancreatic cell line and normal pancreatic tissue biopsies, which could open the possibility of novel nuclear functions for this protein, impacting gene expression regulation and cellular homeostasis.

ß2-Adrenoreceptors of regulatory lymphocytes are essential for vagal neuromodulation of the innate immune system.

The nervous system is classically organized into sympathetic and parasympathetic systems acting in opposition to maintain physiological homeostasis. Here, we report that both systems converge in the activation of ß2-adrenoceptors of splenic regulatory lymphocytes to control systemic inflammation. Vagus nerve stimulation fails to control serum TNF levels in either ß2-knockout or lymphocyte-deficient nude mice. Unlike typical suppressor CD25(+) cells, the transfer of CD4(+)CD25(-) regulatory lymphocytes reestablishes the anti-inflammatory potential of the vagus nerve and ß2-agonists to control inflammation in both ß2-knockout and nude mice. ß2-Agonists inhibit cytokine production in splenocytes (IC(50)≈ 1 µM) and prevent systemic inflammation in wild-type but not in ß2-knockout mice. ß2-Agonists rescue wild-type mice from established polymicrobial peritonitis in a clinically relevant time frame. Regulatory lymphocytes reestablish the anti-inflammatory potential of ß2-agonists to control systemic inflammation, organ damage, and lethal endotoxic shock in ß2-knockout mice. These results indicate that ß2-adrenoceptors in regulatory lymphocytes are critical for the anti-inflammatory potential of the parasympathetic vagus nerve, and they represent a potential pharmacological target for sepsis.