Stimulation-specific contribution of p38 and JNK to IFN-beta gene expression in human macrophages

Induction of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) gene expression is a tightly regulated process, and a plethora of studies identified the signal transduction pathway TANK-binding kinase-1 (TBK-1)/IFN regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) as essential to the induction of IFN-beta gene expression. Data regarding the role of p38 and JNK are rare, however. We investigated the contribution of these kinases to IFN-beta expression in human macrophages treated with poly(I:C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Sendai virus, or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). We found that all the stimuli induced IFN-beta mRNA, albeit to a different extent. Whereas LPS and VSV induced the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, neither poly(I:C) nor Sendai virus led to the detection of phosphospecific signals. When inhibiting p38, a VSV-triggered IFN-beta mRNA response was inhibited, whereas inhibiting JNK suppressed an LPS-triggered response, but only when macrophages were primed with IFN-gamma. Neither poly(I:C)-induced nor Sendai virus-induced IFN-beta mRNA expression was affected when p38 and JNK were inhibited. Collectively, the data show that the contribution of p38 and JNK to the expression of IFN-beta occurs in a stimulation-specific manner in human macrophages.

Prospective study of exclusive strontium-/yttrium-90 beta-irradiation of primary and recurrent pterygia with no prior surgical excision. Clinical outcome of long-term follow-up

PURPOSE: To evaluate the consecutive treatment results regarding pterygium recurrence and the efficacy of exclusive strontium-/yttrium-90 beta-irradiation for primary and recurrent pterygia and to analyze the functional outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between October 1974 and December 2005, 58 primary and 21 recurrent pterygia were exclusively treated with strontium-/yttrium-90 beta-irradiation with doses ranging from 3,600 to 5,500 cGy. The follow-up time was 46.6 +/- 26.7 months, with a median of 46.5 months. RESULTS: The treatment led to a size reduction in all pterygia (p < 0.0001). Neither recurrences nor side effects were observed during therapy and follow-up in this study. Best-corrected visual acuity increased (p = 0.0064). Corneal astigmatism was reduced in recurrent pterygia (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Exclusive strontium-/yttrium-90 beta-irradiation of pterygia is a very efficient and well-tolerated treatment, with remarkable aesthetic and rehabilitative results in comparison to conventional treatments, especially for recurrent lesions which have undergone prior surgical excision.