Selective depletion of Foxp3+ Treg during sensitization phase aggravates experimental allergic airway inflammation.

Recent studies highlight the role of Treg in preventing unnecessary responses to allergens and maintaining functional immune tolerance in the lung. We investigated the role of Treg during the sensitization phase in a murine model of experimental allergic airway inflammation by selectively depleting the Treg population in vivo. DEpletion of REGulatory T cells (DEREG) mice were depleted of Treg by diphtheria toxin injection. Allergic airway inflammation was induced using OVA as a model allergen. Pathology was assessed by scoring for differential cellular infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage, IgE and IgG1 levels in serum, cytokine secretion analysis of lymphocytes from lung draining lymph nodes and lung histology. Use of DEREG mice allowed us for the first time to track and specifically deplete both CD25(+) and CD25(-) Foxp3(+) Treg, and to analyze their significance in limiting pathology in allergic airway inflammation. We observed that depletion of Treg during the priming phase of an active immune response led to a dramatic exacerbation of allergic airway inflammation in mice, suggesting an essential role played by Treg in regulating immune responses against allergens as early as the sensitization phase via maintenance of functional tolerance.

Conventional bone marrow-derived dendritic cells contribute to toll-like receptor-independent production of alpha/beta interferon in response to inactivated parapoxvirus ovis.

Parapoxvirus ovis (PPVO) is a member of the Poxviridae family and belongs to the genus Parapoxvirus. It displays only limited homology with orthopoxviruses and has some molecular features such as an unusual high GC content distinct from orthopoxviruses. Inactivated PPVO (iPPVO) displays strong immunostimulatory capacities mediating antiviral activity in vivo. The role of dendritic cells (DC) and the pattern recognition receptors and signaling requirements responsible for immunostimulation by iPPVO are unknown. We demonstrate here that bone marrow-derived plasmacytoid DC (BM-pDC) and bone marrow-derived conventional DC (BM-cDC) secrete alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta) in response to iPPVO. Furthermore, iPPVO induces tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-12/23p40 (IL-12/23p40) release and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II), MHC-I, and CD86 upregulation by bone marrow-derived DC (BMDC). After engulfment, iPPVO is located in endosomal compartments and in the cytosol of BMDC. iPPVO elicits IFN-alpha/beta by Toll-like receptor (TLR)-independent pathways in BM-cDC, since IFN-alpha/beta release does not require myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) or TIR-domain containing adaptor protein inducing interferon (TRIF). In contrast, iPPVO-induced TNF-alpha release and enhanced expression of MHC-I and CD86 but not of MHC-II by BMDC chiefly requires MyD88 but not TLR2 or TLR4. Induction of IFN-alpha by iPPVO in BM-cDC occurred in the absence of IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) but required the presence of IRF7, whereas iPPVO-triggered IFN-beta production required the presence of either IRF7 or IRF3. These results provide the first evidence that iPPVO mediates its immunostimulatory properties by TLR-independent and TLR-dependent pathways and demonstrate an important role of cDC for IFN-alpha/beta production.

The combination of the histone-deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A and gemcitabine induces inhibition of proliferation and increased apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma cells.

The prognosis of advanced pancreatic cancer is poor. Established chemotherapy shows only limited efficacy and significant side effects. We investigated how far a combination of trichostatin A (TSA) and gemcitabine synergizes to inhibit proliferation and promotion of apoptosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. The human pancreatic carcinoma cells YAPC, DANG and Panc-89 and primary human foreskin fibroblasts as non-malignant controls were cultured under standardized conditions and incubated with gemcitabine und TSA alone (10(-4) to 10(-8) M) or together (10(-6) to 10(-7) M). After 24-72 h the apoptotic rate was analyzed by flow cytometry (propidium iodide, FACS). DNA-synthesis was assessed using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Protein was separated for Western blotting against caspase-3 and -8, p21, bax and bcl-2. The combination of TSA und gemcitabine leads to better pro-apoptotic effects than the employment of single substances. Bcl-2, a mitochondrial protein, which protects against apoptosis, was not expressed. Bax, an apoptosis inducing protein, which destabilizes the mitochondrial membrane potential, was increasingly expressed. Combination of TSA and gemcitabine shows promise for treatment of pancreatic cancer in vivo.

Effect of γ-cyclodextrin on the in vitro skin permeation of a steroidal drug from nanoemulsions: impact of experimental setup.

Numerous reports on the enhancement effect of cyclodextrins (CDs) on the skin permeation of dermally applied drugs exist, the majority of which is based on in vitro diffusion cell studies. The specific experimental setup of such studies may skew the obtained results, which is rarely discussed in the context of CD studies. Thus, the aim of this work was to conduct a systematic in vitro investigation of the permeation enhancement potential of γ-CD on a steroidal drug from a nanoemulsion. The role of critical diffusion cell parameters such as the dose of application, occlusive conditions, the nature of the receptor medium and the skin thickness were investigated. The results showed that significantly enhanced skin permeation rates of fludrocortisone acetate were indeed caused by 1% (w/w) of γ-CD at both finite and infinite dose conditions. At 0.5% (w/w) of γ-CD, significant enhancement was only achieved at infinite dose application. Additional in vitro tape stripping experiments confirmed these tendencies, but the observed effects did not reach statistical significance. It may be concluded that the full permeation enhancement potential of the CD as observed in the Franz-cell setup can only be realised at infinite dose conditions while preserving the formulation structure.