Search results for "Phages"
showing 10 items of 635 documents
CD16+ Macrophages Mediate Fibrosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
2017
Background and Aims Fibrosis is a common complication of Crohn's disease [CD], and is related to dysregulated tissular repair following inflammation, in which macrophages play a central role. We have previously observed that STAT6-/- mice present delayed mucosal recovery after 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid [TNBS]-induced colitis due to a deficiency in reparatory interleukin-4 [IL4]/STAT6-dependent M2 macrophages, which can be reverted by the exogenous transfer of this cell type. In the present study, we analyse the role of STAT6-dependent macrophages in intestinal fibrosis. Methods Colitis was induced by weekly intra-rectal administration of TNBS [6 weeks] to STAT6-/- mice and wild-typ…
The two faces of tumor-associated macrophages and their clinical significance in colorectal cancer
2019
© 2019 Pinto, Rios, Durães, Ribeiro, Machado, Mantovani, Barbosa, Carneiro and Oliveira. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Interleukin-25 Axis Is Involved in the Pathogenesis of Human Primary and Experimental Murine Sjögren's Syndrome
2018
Objective To investigate the role of the interleukin-25 (IL-25)/IL-17 receptor B (IL-17RB) axis in experimental Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and in patients with primary SS and primary SS-associated lymphoma. Methods Expression of IL-25, IL-17RB, IL-17B, and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) was analyzed on minor salivary gland (SG) samples from patients with primary SS and on parotid gland samples from patients with primary SS-associated B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). IL-17RB expression and the frequencies of natural group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), inflammatory ILC2s, and M2-polarized macrophages were assessed by flow cytometry in SG mononuclear cells and p…
CAMKIIγ suppresses an efferocytosis pathway in macrophages and promotes atherosclerotic plaque necrosis
2017
Atherosclerosis is the underlying etiology of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis is a heterogeneous disease in which only a small fraction of lesions lead to heart attack, stroke, or sudden cardiac death. A distinct type of plaque containing large necrotic cores with thin fibrous caps often precipitates these acute events. Here, we show that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase gamma (CaMKII gamma) in macrophages plays a major role in the development of necrotic, thin-capped plaques. Macrophages in necrotic and symptomatic atherosclerotic plaques in humans as well as advanced atherosclerotic lesions in mice demonstrated activation of CaMKII. We…
Endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol is elevated in the coronary circulation during acute coronary syndrome
2019
Objectives The endocannabinoid system modulates coronary circulatory function and atherogenesis. The two major endocannabinoids (eCB), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA), are increased in venous blood from patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, given their short half-life and their autocrine/paracrine mechanism of action, eCB levels in venous blood samples might not reflect arterial or coronary eCB concentrations. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify the local concentration profile of eCB and to detect whether and how this concentration profile changes in CAD and NSTEMI versus patients without CAD. Methods and results 83 patien…
Adipocyte cannabinoid receptor CB1 regulates energy homeostasis and alternatively activated macrophages.
2017
Dysregulated adipocyte physiology leads to imbalanced energy storage, obesity, and associated diseases, imposing a costly burden on current health care. Cannabinoid receptor type-1 (CB1) plays a crucial role in controlling energy metabolism through central and peripheral mechanisms. In this work, adipocyte-specific inducible deletion of the CB1 gene (Ati-CB1- KO) was sufficient to protect adult mice from diet-induced obesity and associated metabolic alterations and to reverse the phenotype in already obese mice. Compared with controls, Ati-CB1-KO mice showed decreased body weight, reduced total adiposity, improved insulin sensitivity, enhanced energy expenditure, and fat depot-specific cell…
IL-34–Dependent Intrarenal and Systemic Mechanisms Promote Lupus Nephritis in MRL-Faslpr Mice
2019
Background In people with SLE and in the MRL- Fas lpr lupus mouse model, macrophages and autoantibodies are central to lupus nephritis. IL-34 mediates macrophage survival and proliferation, is expressed by tubular epithelial cells (TECs), and binds to the cFMS receptor on macrophages and to a newly identified second receptor, PTPRZ. Methods To investigate whether IL-34–dependent intrarenal and systemic mechanisms promote lupus nephritis, we compared lupus nephritis and systemic illness in MRL- Fas lpr mice expressing IL-34 and IL-34 knockout (KO) MRL- Fas lpr mice. We also assessed expression of IL-34 and the cFMS and PTPRZ receptors in patients with lupus nephritis. Results Intrarenal IL-3…
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) Fatty Acids Profile Is Strain-Dependent and Changes Upon Host Macrophages Infection
2017
Johne´s disease is a chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants caused by the intracellular bacterium Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map). We previously demonstrated that Map isolates from sheep persisted within host macrophages in lower CFUs than cattle isolates after 7 days of infection. In the current study, we hypothesize that these phenotypic differences between Map isolates may be driven be the fatty acids (FAs) present on the phosphadidyl-1-myo-inositol mannosides of the Map cell wall that mediate recognition by the mannose receptors of host macrophages. FAs modifications may influence Map´s envelope fluidity ultimately affecting pathogenicity. To test this hypothesis…
Bacteriophages: Protagonists of a Post-Antibiotic Era
2018
This article belongs to the Special Issue Bacteriophages: Alternatives to Antibiotics and Beyond.
Scoping the effectiveness and evolutionary obstacles in using plasmid-dependent phages to fight antibiotic resistance
2016
Aim: To investigate the potential evolutionary obstacles in the sustainable therapeutic use of plasmid-dependent phages to control the clinically important conjugative plasmid-mediated dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes to pathogenic bacteria. Materials & methods: The lytic plasmid-dependent phage PRD1 and the multiresistance conferring plasmid RP4 in an Escherichia coli host were utilized to assess the genetic and phenotypic changes induced by combined phage and antibiotic selection. Results & conclusions: Resistance to PRD1 was always coupled with either completely lost or greatly reduced conjugation ability. Reversion to full conjugation efficiency was found to be rare…