Search results for "Scleroderma"
showing 10 items of 70 documents
A mycorrhiza helper bacterium enhances ectomycorrhizal and endomycorrhizal symbiosis of Australian Acacia species.
2003
The aims of this study were to test the effects of a mycorrhiza helper bacterium (MHB), Pseudomonas monteilii strain HR13 on the mycorrhization of (1) an Australian Acacia, A. holosericea, by several ectomycorrhizal fungi or one endomycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices, and (2) several Australian Acacia species by Pisolithus alba strain IR100 under glasshouse conditions. Bacterial inoculant HR13 significantly promoted ectomycorrhizal colonization for all the Acacia species, from 45.8% ( A. mangium) to 70.3% ( A. auriculiformis). A stimulating effect of HR13 on the ectomycorrhizal establishment was recorded with all the fungal isolates (strains of Pisolithus and Scleroderma). The same effe…
Perivascular Cells in Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis Overexpress Activated ADAM12 and Are Involved in Myofibroblast Transdifferentiation and De…
2016
Objective.Microvascular damage is pivotal in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc), preceding fibrosis, and whose trigger is not still fully understood. Perivascular progenitor cells, with profibrotic activity and function, are identified by the expression of the isoform 12 of ADAM (ADAM12) and this molecule may be upregulated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The goal of this work was to evaluate whether pericytes in the skin of patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) expressed ADAM12, suggesting their potential contribution to the fibrotic process, and whether TGF-β might modulate this molecule.Methods.After ethical approval, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and fibroblasts …
Intervention of Inflammatory Monocyte Activity Limits Dermal Fibrosis
2019
Monocytes and monocyte-derived cells are important players in the initiation, progression, and resolution of inflammatory skin reactions. As inflammation is a prerequisite for fibrosis development, we focused on the role of monocytes in cutaneous fibrosis, the clinical hallmark of patients suffering from systemic sclerosis. Investigating the function of monocytes in reactive oxygen species–induced dermal fibrosis, we observed that early monocyte depletion partially reduced disease severity. Low numbers of inflammatory Ly6Chigh monocytes, as well as inhibition of CCR2 and CCL2 in wild type animals by a specific L-RNA aptamer, mitigated disease parameters, indicating a pivotal role for CCR2+ …
Thymic Hyperplasia with Lymphoepithelial Sialadenitis (LESA)-Like Features: Strong Association with Lymphomas and Non-Myasthenic Autoimmune Diseases.
2021
Thymic hyperplasia (TH) with lymphoepithelial sialadenitis (LESA)-like features (LESA-like TH) has been described as a tumor-like, benign proliferation of thymic epithelial cells and lymphoid follicles. We aimed to determine the frequency of lymphoma and autoimmunity in LESA-like TH and performed retrospective analysis of cases with LESA-like TH and/or thymic MALT-lymphoma. Among 36 patients (21 males) with LESA-like TH (age 52 years, 32&ndash
Early inflammatory players in cutanous fibrosis.
2017
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is one of the most complex systemic autoimmune diseases with multi-organ involvement and heterogeneous clinical manifestations. The exact etiology of SSc is still unknown. However, identified target structures are components of endothelial cells, the innate/adaptive immune systems and fibroblasts, resulting in the hallmarks of the disease in form of inflammation/autoimmunity, vasculopathy and fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. There has been a large body of evidence that the adaptive immune system with autoreactive T and B cells producing autoantibodies plays a central role in the pathogenesis of SSc but the role of earlier pathogenic processes involving the …
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells promote systemic sclerosis with a key role for TLR8
2018
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem life-threatening fibrosing disorder that lacks effective treatment. The link between the inflammation observed in organs such as the skin and profibrotic mechanisms is not well understood. The plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) is a key cell type mediating Toll-like receptor (TLR)-induced inflammation in autoimmune disease patients, including lupus and skin diseases with interface dermatitis. However, the role of pDCs in fibrosis is less clear. We show that pDCs infiltrate the skin of SSc patients and are chronically activated, leading to secretion of interferon-α (IFN-α) and CXCL4, which are both hallmarks of the disease. We demonstrate that the s…
Combined platelet-rich plasma and lipofilling treatment provides great improvement in facial skin-induced lesion regeneration for scleroderma patient…
2017
Background The use of stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), for regenerative medicine is gaining interest for the clinical benefits so far obtained in patients. This study investigates the use of adipose autologous tissue in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to improve the clinical outcome of patients affected by systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) and PRPs were purified from healthy donors and SSc patients. The multilineage differentiation potential of AD-MSCs and their genotypic–phenotypic features were investigated. A cytokine production profile was evaluated on AD-MSCs and PRPs from both healthy subjects and SSc pat…
Blocking CD248 molecules in perivascular stromal cells of patients with systemic sclerosis strongly inhibits their differentiation toward myofibrobla…
2018
Abstract Background Fibrosis may be considered the hallmark of systemic sclerosis (SSc), the end stage triggered by different pathological events. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) are profibrotic molecules modulating myofibroblast differentiation and proliferation, respectively. There is evidence linking CD248 with these two molecules, both highly expressed in patients with SSc, and suggesting that CD248 may be a therapeutic target for several diseases. The aim of this work was to evaluate the expression of CD248 in SSc skin and its ability to modulate SSc fibrotic process. Methods After ethical approval was obtained, skin biopsies were co…
Myeloid cell populations and fibrogenic parameters in bleomycin- and HOCl-induced fibrosis
2016
Mouse models resembling systemic sclerosis can be chemically induced by application of bleomycin or hypochloric acid (HOCl). To date, little is known about inflammatory cells and their potential role in scleroderma (Scl)-related fibrosis. Therefore, we compared both Scl models to define the early immune cell subsets in relation to fibrosis-related parameters. Both agents induced a significant increase in dermal thickness and collagen deposition after 4 weeks, as hallmarks of Scl. However, clinical skin thickness, densely packed, sirius red-stained collagen bundles and collagen cross-links were more pronounced in HOCl-induced Scl. In parallel, there was a significant upregulation of procolla…
Association between hypovitaminosis D and systemic sclerosis: True or fake?
2016
Abstract Background Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is considered a major factor triggering and enhancing several autoimmune disorders; hypovitaminosis D has been reported to be common in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Previous studies assessing vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in SSc have been reviewed, and the relation with pathogenesis and clinical features has been examined. Content Eligibility criteria were: reporting measurement of Vitamin D serum levels in all participants and evaluating adult onset-SSc individuals as patients group. Results: The association between clinical features and low hormone levels is controversial. Manifold data have shown vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency …