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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Tacrolimus And Cyclosporine A Inhibit Allostimulatory Capacity And Cytokine Production Of Human Myeloid Dendritic Cells, Gyongyi Szabo, C. Gavala, Pranoti Mandrekar Apr 2010

Tacrolimus And Cyclosporine A Inhibit Allostimulatory Capacity And Cytokine Production Of Human Myeloid Dendritic Cells, Gyongyi Szabo, C. Gavala, Pranoti Mandrekar

Gyongyi Szabo

Myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) are pivotal in the recognition of alloantigens and, therefore, in the induction of allograft rejection. Induction of alloreactive T cell proliferation by myeloid DCs depends on the maturation of DCs, the expression of costimulatory molecules, and the cytokine environment. This study investigated the effects of tacrolimus and cyclosporine A (CsA) on DC maturation and allostimulatory capacity. Myeloid DCs were propagated from normal blood monocytes with interleukin (IL) 4 and GM-CSF for 7 days in the presence or absence of tacrolimus (FK506; 10 nM) or CsA (1 microg/mL). Exposure of DCs during maturation to tacrolimus or CsA …


Cytokines And Alcohol, Fulton Crews, Rabih Bechara, Lou Ann Brown, David Guidot, Pranoti Mandrekar, Shilpa Oak, Liya Qin, Gyongyi Szabo, Michael Wheeler, Jian Zou Apr 2010

Cytokines And Alcohol, Fulton Crews, Rabih Bechara, Lou Ann Brown, David Guidot, Pranoti Mandrekar, Shilpa Oak, Liya Qin, Gyongyi Szabo, Michael Wheeler, Jian Zou

Gyongyi Szabo

Cytokines are multifunctional proteins that play a critical role in cellular communication and activation. Cytokines have been classified as being proinflammatory (T helper 1, Th1) or anti-inflammatory (T helper 2, Th2) depending on their effects on the immune system. However, cytokines impact a variety of tissues in a complex manner that regulates inflammation, cell death, and cell proliferation and migration as well as healing mechanisms. Ethanol (alcohol) is known to alter cytokine levels in a variety of tissues including plasma, lung, liver, and brain. Studies on human monocyte responses to pathogens reveal ethanol disruption of cytokine production depending upon the …


Innate Immune Response And Hepatic Inflammation, Gyongyi Szabo, Pranoti Mandrekar, Angela Dolganiuc Apr 2010

Innate Immune Response And Hepatic Inflammation, Gyongyi Szabo, Pranoti Mandrekar, Angela Dolganiuc

Gyongyi Szabo

Inflammation is a pathogenic component of various types of acute and chronic liver diseases, and it contributes to progressive liver damage and fibrosis. Cells of the innate immune system initiate and maintain hepatic inflammation though mediator production as a result of their activation by pathogen-derived products recognized by pattern recognition receptors. Innate immune cells, particularly dendritic cells, have a pivotal role in sensing pathogens and initiating adaptive immune responses by activation and regulation of T-lymphocyte responses. Although the liver provides a "tolerogenic" immune environment for antigen-specific T-cells, activation of Kupffer cells, recruited macrophages, and inflammatory cells results in production of …


Myeloid Dendritic Cells Of Patients With Chronic Hcv Infection Induce Proliferation Of Regulatory T Lymphocytes, Angela Dolganiuc, Edward Paek, Karen Kodys, Joanne Thomas, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Myeloid Dendritic Cells Of Patients With Chronic Hcv Infection Induce Proliferation Of Regulatory T Lymphocytes, Angela Dolganiuc, Edward Paek, Karen Kodys, Joanne Thomas, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

BACKGROUND and AIMS: Dendritic cells (DCs) initiate and sustain an efficient T-lymphocyte response. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with inefficient T-cell functions that fail to eradicate the virus, so defects in DC function might be involved in HCV pathogenesis. This study analyzed the activities of myeloid DCs and distinct CD4(+) T-cell populations in samples collected from patients with HCV. METHODS: The abilities of primary BDCA1(+) or monocyte-derived DCs from HCV patients (HCV-DC) to stimulate CD4(+), CD4(+)CD25(-), or different ratios of CD4(+)CD25(+)/CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells were evaluated in mixed lymphocyte reactions. T-cell proliferation and phenotype were evaluated by flow …


Signalling Pathways In Alcohol-Induced Liver Inflammation, Pranoti Mandrekar, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Signalling Pathways In Alcohol-Induced Liver Inflammation, Pranoti Mandrekar, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

The pathogenesis of alcoholic liver injury involves interactions of several intracellular signalling pathways in different cell types of the liver. Alcohol-induced sensitization of liver macrophages to portal endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered a hallmark of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Intracellular mechanisms associated with LPS-induced signalling play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of alcoholic liver injury, and are being extensively explored. LPS recognition by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on macrophages and other cell types in the liver, activation of downstream signalling pathways culminating in activation of transcription factors such as NFkappaB, AP-1 leads to increased inflammatory cytokine production in …


Consequences Of Alcohol Consumption On Host Defence, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Consequences Of Alcohol Consumption On Host Defence, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

This communication reviews recent literature and summarizes current views on the immunomodulatory effects of acute and chronic alcohol consumption. Chronic and even acute, moderate alcohol use can increase host susceptibility to infections caused by bacterial and viral pathogens. Impaired host defence after alcohol exposure appears to be linked to a combination of decreased inflammatory response, altered cytokine production, and abnormal reactive oxygen intermediate generation. Furthermore, cellular immunity, particularly antigen-specific immune response, is impaired by both acute and chronic alcohol use. Although T lymphocyte functions can be directly affected by ethanol, decreased antigen presenting cell function appears to be a key …


Liver In Sepsis And Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, Gyongyi Szabo, Laszlo Romics, Gyorgy Frendl Apr 2010

Liver In Sepsis And Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, Gyongyi Szabo, Laszlo Romics, Gyorgy Frendl

Gyongyi Szabo

In patients with sepsis and SIRS, the liver has two opposing roles: a source of inflammatory mediators and a target organ for the effects of the inflammatory mediators. The liver is pivotal in modulating the systemic response to severe infection, because it contains the largest mass of macrophages (Kupffer cells) in the body; these macrophages can clear the endotoxin and bacteria that initiate the systemic inflammatory response. This article summarizes the functional changes that take place in the liver during sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome and discusses the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie clinical outcomes.


Selective Priming To Toll-Like Receptor 4 (Tlr4), Not Tlr2, Ligands By P. Acnes Involves Up-Regulation Of Md-2 In Mice, Laszlo Romics, Angela Dolganiuc, Karen Kodys, Yvonne Drechsler, Shilpa Oak, Arumugam Velayudham, Pranoti Mandrekar, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Selective Priming To Toll-Like Receptor 4 (Tlr4), Not Tlr2, Ligands By P. Acnes Involves Up-Regulation Of Md-2 In Mice, Laszlo Romics, Angela Dolganiuc, Karen Kodys, Yvonne Drechsler, Shilpa Oak, Arumugam Velayudham, Pranoti Mandrekar, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers cytokine production through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), which shares downstream signaling pathways with TLR2. We investigated the roles of TLR2 and TLR4 in Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)-primed, LPS-induced liver damage using selective TLR ligands. Stock LPS induced interleukin 8 in both TLR4- and TLR2-expressing human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. Purified LPS (TLR4 ligand) activated HEK/TLR4 cells, while peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid (TLR2 ligands) activated HEK/TLR2 cells, respectively. In mice, P. acnes priming resulted in increased liver messenger RNA (mRNA) and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 12, and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) by both stock …


Human Monocytes, Macrophages, And Dendritic Cells: Alcohol Treatment Methods, Gyongyi Szabo, Pranoti Mandrekar Apr 2010

Human Monocytes, Macrophages, And Dendritic Cells: Alcohol Treatment Methods, Gyongyi Szabo, Pranoti Mandrekar

Gyongyi Szabo

Both acute and chronic alcohol consumption have significant immunomodulatory effects of which alterations in innate immune functions contribute to impaired antimicrobial defense and inflammatory responses. Blood monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells play a central role in innate immune recognition as these cells recognize pathogens, respond with inflammatory cytokine production, and induce antigen-specific T-lymphocyte activation. All of these innate immune cell functions are affected in humans by alcohol intake. Here, we summarize the different effects of acute and chronic alcohol on monocyte, macrophage, and dendritic cell functions in humans and describe methods for separation and functional evaluation of these cell types.


Antigen-Presenting Cells Under The Influence Of Alcohol, Audrey Lau, Gyongyi Szabo, Angus Thomson Apr 2010

Antigen-Presenting Cells Under The Influence Of Alcohol, Audrey Lau, Gyongyi Szabo, Angus Thomson

Gyongyi Szabo

The negative influence of alcohol (ethanol) and its metabolites on innate and adaptive immunity is well-recognized. Much attention has recently been focused on the impact of acute and chronic alcohol exposure on antigen-presenting cells (APC). In particular, insights have been gained into how the properties of human blood monocytes and rodent macrophages are influenced by alcohol in vitro and in vivo. Here, we review the impact of alcohol on various aspects of APC function and the underlying mechanisms, including its effects on intracellular signaling events. We also discuss new information regarding the influence of alcohol on various APC populations in …


Diverse Regulation Of Nf-Kappab And Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors In Murine Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver, Laszlo Romics, Karen Kodys, Angela Dolganiuc, Lucia Graham, Arumugam Velayudham, Pranoti Mandrekar, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Diverse Regulation Of Nf-Kappab And Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors In Murine Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver, Laszlo Romics, Karen Kodys, Angela Dolganiuc, Lucia Graham, Arumugam Velayudham, Pranoti Mandrekar, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Fatty liver is highly sensitive to inflammatory activation. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) have anti-inflammatory effects and regulate lipid metabolism in the fatty liver. We hypothesized that fatty liver leads to endotoxin sensitivity through an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory signals. Leptin-deficient, ob/ob mice and their lean littermates were challenged with single or double insults and pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways were tested on cytokine production and activation of nuclear regulatory factors NF-kappaB and peroxisome proliferator receptor element (PPRE). Ob/ob mice produced significantly higher serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL) 6 and showed increased hepatic NF-kappaB activation compared to …


Subversion Of Plasmacytoid And Myeloid Dendritic Cell Functions In Chronic Hcv Infection, Gyongyi Szabo, Angela Dolganiuc Apr 2010

Subversion Of Plasmacytoid And Myeloid Dendritic Cell Functions In Chronic Hcv Infection, Gyongyi Szabo, Angela Dolganiuc

Gyongyi Szabo

Insufficient elimination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) during acute infection results in chronic disease in the majority of patients due to weak virus-specific immune responses. Dendritic cells (DC) play a central role in recognition of HCV and in induction of innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, we evaluated the frequency and functions of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC) and myeloid dendritic cells (MDC) in patients with chronic HCV infection. We found that both the numbers and IFNalpha production capacity of blood PDC were significantly reduced in patients with chronic HCV infection compared to normal controls. While the frequency …


Microrna Expression Profile In Lieber-Decarli Diet-Induced Alcoholic And Methionine Choline Deficient Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Models In Mice, Angela Dolganiuc, Jan Petrasek, Karen Kodys, Donna Catalano, Pranoti Mandrekar, Arumugam Velayudham, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Microrna Expression Profile In Lieber-Decarli Diet-Induced Alcoholic And Methionine Choline Deficient Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Models In Mice, Angela Dolganiuc, Jan Petrasek, Karen Kodys, Donna Catalano, Pranoti Mandrekar, Arumugam Velayudham, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

BACKGROUND: Alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are leading causes of liver diseases worldwide. While of different etiology, these share common pathophysiological mechanisms and feature abnormal fat metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are highly conserved noncoding RNAs that control gene expression at the post-transcriptional level either via the degradation of target mRNAs or the inhibition of translation. Each miRNA controls the expression of multiple targets; miRNAs have been linked to regulation of lipid metabolism and inflammation. METHODS: We fed Lieber-DeCarli alcohol or methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diets to C57Bl6 and analyzed livers for histopathology, cytokines by ELISA, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) by biochemical assay, …


Toll-Like Receptor 2 Mediates Inflammatory Cytokine Induction But Not Sensitization For Liver Injury By Propioni- Bacterium Acnes, Laszlo Romics, Angela Dolganiuc, Arumugam Velayudham, Karen Kodys, Pranoti Mandrekar, Douglas Golenbock, Evelyn Kurt-Jones, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Toll-Like Receptor 2 Mediates Inflammatory Cytokine Induction But Not Sensitization For Liver Injury By Propioni- Bacterium Acnes, Laszlo Romics, Angela Dolganiuc, Arumugam Velayudham, Karen Kodys, Pranoti Mandrekar, Douglas Golenbock, Evelyn Kurt-Jones, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Recognition of Gram-positive bacteria by Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) induces activation of proinflammatory pathways. In mice, sensitization with the Gram-positive Propionibacterium acnes followed by a challenge with the TLR4 ligand, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), results in fulminant hepatic failure. Here, we investigated the role of TLR2 in liver sensitization to LPS-induced injury. Stimulation of Chinese hamster ovary cells and peritoneal macrophages with heat-killed P. acnes required expression of TLR2 but not of TLR4, suggesting that P. acnes was a TLR2 ligand. Cell activation by P. acnes was myeloid differentiation primary-response protein 88 (MyD88)-dependent, and it was augmented by coexpression of CD14 in …


Hepatitis C Virus Core And Nonstructural Protein 3 Proteins Induce Pro- And Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines And Inhibit Dendritic Cell Differentiation, Angela Dolganiuc, Karen Kodys, Andrea Kopasz, Christopher Marshall, Twan Do, Laszlo Romics, Pranoti Mandrekar, Maria Zapp, Gyongyi Szabo Apr 2010

Hepatitis C Virus Core And Nonstructural Protein 3 Proteins Induce Pro- And Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines And Inhibit Dendritic Cell Differentiation, Angela Dolganiuc, Karen Kodys, Andrea Kopasz, Christopher Marshall, Twan Do, Laszlo Romics, Pranoti Mandrekar, Maria Zapp, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

Antiviral immunity requires recognition of viral pathogens and activation of cytotoxic and Th cells by innate immune cells. In this study, we demonstrate that hepatitis C virus (HCV) core and nonstructural protein 3 (NS3), but not envelope 2 proteins (E2), activate monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) and partially reproduce abnormalities found in chronic HCV infection. HCV core or NS3 (not E2) triggered inflammatory cytokine mRNA and TNF-alpha production in monocytes. Degradation of I-kappa B alpha suggested involvement of NF-kappa B activation. HCV core and NS3 induced production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10. Both monocyte TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels were …