Search results for "MACROPHAGES"

Bcl-2 is a negative regulator of interleukin-1β secretion in murine macrophages in pharmacological-induced apoptosis

2010

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cucurbitacin R, a natural anti-inflammatory product, has been shown to exhibit activity against both adjuvant-induced arthritis and delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions induced by various agents. Previous studies have demonstrated that the effects of cucurbitacin R stem from its inhibition of both cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES Effects of cucurbitacin R were investigated on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Cell cycle evolution was analysed by flow cytometry, detection of apoptosis by DNA ladder, Bcl-2, p21, p53, Bax, cleaved caspase-1 (p10), caspase-9, and caspase-3, cleaved caspase (p17) and interleukin-1β d…

Nanoscale distribution of TLR4 on primary human macrophages stimulated with LPS and ATI

2019

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a crucial role in the recognition of invading pathogens. Upon activation by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), TLR4 is recruited into specific membrane domains and dimerizes. In addition to LPS, TLR4 can be stimulated by wheat amylase-trypsin inhibitors (ATI). ATI are proteins associated with gluten containing grains, whose ingestion promotes intestinal and extraintestinal inflammation. However, the effect of ATI vs. LPS on the membrane distribution of TLR4 at the nanoscale has not been analyzed. In this study, we investigated the effect of LPS and ATI stimulation on the membrane distribution of TLR4 in primary human macrophages using single molecule localization m…

Terpioside B, a difucosyl GSL from the marine sponge Terpios sp. is a potent inhibitor of NO release.

2010

Terpioside B (2a), a unique glycolipid containing two fucose residues in the furanose form in its pentasaccharide chain, was isolated from the marine sponge Terpios sp. Its complete stereostructure was solved by interpretation of mass spectrometric and NMR data along with CD and GG-MS analyses of its degradation products. Terpioside B is a potent inhibitor against LPS-induced NO release, and is considerably more active than simpler glycosphingolipids such as terpioside A and monoglucosylceramide.

Quaking and miR-155 interactions in inflammation and leukemogenesis.

2015

Quaking (QKI) is a tumor-suppressor gene encoding a conserved RNA-binding protein, whose expression is downregulated in several solid tumors. Here we report that QKI plays an important role in the immune response and suppression of leukemogenesis. We show that the expression of Qki is reduced in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged macrophages, suggesting that Qki is a key regulator of LPS signaling pathway. Furthermore, LPS-induced downregulation of Qki expression is miR-155-dependent. Qki overexpression impairs LPS-induced phosphorylation of JNK and particularly p38 MAPKs, in addition to increasing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. In contrast, Qki ablation decreases Fas …

Inhibition of leukocyte functions by the alkaloid isaindigotone from Isatis indigotica and some new synthetic derivatives.

2001

The alkaloid isaindigotone (1a) and seven derivatives have been synthesized to study their influence on several leukocyte functions and the generation of inflammatory mediators. Isaindigotone (1a) was found to be a scavenger of superoxide generated either by the hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase system or stimulated human neutrophils. Isaindigotone (1a) and its acetylated derivative (1b) also inhibited 5-lipoxygenase activity and leukotriene B(4) production in these cells, whereas none of the compounds affected degranulation. In RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, synthetic derivatives exerted higher inhibitory effects on prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and nitric oxide (NO) g…

Prostaglandin E2 regulates inducible nitric oxide synthase in the murine macrophage cell line J774.

1995

We have evaluated the role of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) by the activation of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the murine macrophage cell line, J774, stimulated with different doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The stimulation of the J774 line with suboptimal doses of LPS (0.1 microgram/mL) caused a production of endogenous PGE2 that was capable of stimulating NOS activity inducing an increase in the NO synthesis, as attested by the fact that cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibitor, indomethacin, significantly reduced NO secretion. On the contrary, a higher dose of LPS (1 microgram/mL) produced high levels of PGE2 that reduced the levels of NOS…

Sex hormones modulate inflammatory mediators produced by macrophages.

1999

Evolving therapies for liver fibrosis

2013

Fibrosis is an intrinsic response to chronic injury, maintaining organ integrity when extensive necrosis or apoptosis occurs. With protracted damage, fibrosis can progress toward excessive scarring and organ failure, as in liver cirrhosis. To date, antifibrotic treatment of fibrosis represents an unconquered area for drug development, with enormous potential but also high risks. Preclinical research has yielded numerous targets for antifibrotic agents, some of which have entered early-phase clinical studies, but progress has been hampered due to the relative lack of sensitive and specific biomarkers to measure fibrosis progression or reversal. Here we focus on antifibrotic approaches for li…

Targeted Repolarization of Tumor‐Associated Macrophages via Imidazoquinoline‐Linked Nanobodies

2021

Abstract Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) promote the immune suppressive microenvironment inside tumors and are, therefore, considered as a promising target for the next generation of cancer immunotherapies. To repolarize their phenotype into a tumoricidal state, the Toll‐like receptor 7/8 agonist imidazoquinoline IMDQ is site‐specifically and quantitatively coupled to single chain antibody fragments, so‐called nanobodies, targeting the macrophage mannose receptor (MMR) on TAMs. Intravenous injection of these conjugates result in a tumor‐ and cell‐specific delivery of IMDQ into MMRhigh TAMs, causing a significant decline in tumor growth. This is accompanied by a repolarization of TAMs to…

Is the Macrophage Phenotype Determinant for Fibrosis Development?

2021

Fibrosis is a pathophysiological process of wound repair that leads to the deposit of connective tissue in the extracellular matrix. This complication is mainly associated with different pathologies affecting several organs such as lung, liver, heart, kidney, and intestine. In this fibrotic process, macrophages play an important role since they can modulate fibrosis due to their high plasticity, being able to adopt different phenotypes depending on the microenvironment in which they are found. In this review, we will try to discuss whether the macrophage phenotype exerts a pivotal role in the fibrosis development in the most important fibrotic scenarios.