Enhanced natural killer activity and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in mice selected for high acute inflammatory response (AIRmax)

Strains of mice with maximal and minimal acute inflammatory responsiveness (AIRmax and AIRmin, respectively) were developed through selective breeding based on their high- or low-acute inflammatory responsiveness. Previous reports have shown that AIRmax mice are more resistant to the development of a variety of tumours than AIRmin mice, including spontaneous metastasis of murine melanoma. Natural killer activity is involved in immunosurveillance against tumour development, so we analysed the number and activity of natural killer cells (CD49b(+)), T-lymphocyte subsets and in vitro cytokine production by spleen cells of normal AIRmax and AIRmin mice. Analysis of lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry showed that AIRmax mice had a higher relative number of CD49b(+) cells than AIRmin mice, as well as cytolytic activity against Yac.1 target cells. The number of CD3(+) CD8(+) cells was also higher in AIRmax mice. These findings were associated with the ability of spleen cells from AIRmax mice in vitro to produce higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-12p40 and interferon-gamma but not the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10. Taken together, our data suggest that the selective breeding to achieve the AIRmax and AIRmin strains was able to polarize the genes associated with cytotoxic activity, which can be responsible for the antitumour resistance observed in AIRmax mice.

Pro-oxidant activity of apocynin radical

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

Production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines by monocytes from patients with paracoccidioidomycosis

Monocytes and macrophages can produce a large repertoire of cytokines and participate in the pathogenesis of granulomatous diseases. We investigated the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines by monocytes from patients with active paracoccidioidomycosis. Peripheral blood monocytes from 37 patients and 29 healthy controls were cultivated with or without 10 mug/ml of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 18 h at 37 degreesC, and the cytokine levels were determined in the culture supernatants by enzyme immunoassay. The results showed that the endogenous levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and transforming growth factor beta detected in the supernatant of patient monocytes cultivated without stimulus were significantly higher than those produced by healthy controls. These data demonstrated that monocytes from patients with active paracoccidioidomycosis produce high levels of cytokines with both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory activities. However, patient monocytes produced significantly lower TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels in response to LPS when compared to normal subjects, suggesting an impairment in their capacity to produce these cytokines after LPS stimulation. Concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-8 and IL-10 in cultures stimulated with LPS were higher in patients than in controls. These results suggest that an imbalance in the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines might be associated with the pathogenesis of paracoccidioidomycosis. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Propolis effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine production and Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 expression in stressed mice

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

In vitro and in vivo effects of clove on pro-inflammatory cytokines production by macrophages

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

Propolis Immunomodulatory Action In Vivo on Toll-Like Receptors 2 and 4 Expression and on Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Production in Mice

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

IL-1ra anti-inflammatory cytokine polymorphism is associated with risk of gastric cancer and chronic gastritis in a Brazilian population, but the TNF-beta pro-inflammatory cytokine is not

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

O pro-��lcool e algumas rela����es CTS concebidas por alunos de 6�� s��rie do ensino fundamental

A crescente degrada����o do meio ambiente e o reconhecimento, por parte da sociedade contempor��nea, da exist��ncia de problemas considerados cr��ticos, acentuadamente a quest��o energ��tica, intensifica a preocupa����o em incorporar nas atividades de ensino aspectos da rela����o do ser humano com o ambiente. A necessidade de abordar, durante atividades de ensino de ci��ncias, quest��es relacionadas com a dimens��o valorativa e aspectos da rela����o entre ci��ncia, tecnologia e sociedade passa a ser reconhecida tanto por educadores de maneira geral quanto por especialistas da ��rea, de maneira particular. O movimento Ci��ncia, Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS) como um conjunto de propostas para o ensino de ci��ncias �� uma conseq����ncia concreta desta tend��ncia. No caso do Brasil s��o poucas as pesquisas em ensino de ci��ncias que exploram essa possibilidade e s��o poucas as experi��ncias em termos de trabalhos em sala de aula que abordam esta quest��o. Este trabalho, realizado entre maio e novembro de 1996, sistematiza os dados coletados em uma classe de 6�� s��rie do ensino fundamental que teve como tema de estudos o Projeto Pro-��lcool. Foi planejado e desenvolvido um conjunto de atividades, utilizando-se de um n��mero bastante diversificado de procedimentos did��ticos. Os resultados de pesquisa indicam que, um trabalho que ofere��a aos alunos oportunidades de discuss��es e reflex��es, a partir de procedimentos e material did��tico diversificado e rico em termos de solicita����es e propostas aos alunos, pode promover a incorpora����o, em sala de aula, de diferentes dimens��es relacionadas com a ci��ncia, tecnologia, sociedade e ambiente.

Effects of nitrogen ion irradiation on plasma polymerized films produced from titanium tetraiso pro poxide-oxygen-helium mixtures

In this work films were produced by the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of titanium tetraisopropoxide-oxygen-helium mixtures and irradiated with 150 keV singly-charged nitrogen ions (N(+)) at fluences, phi, between 10(14) and 10(16) cm(-2). Irradiation resulted in compaction, which reached about 40% (measured via the film thickness) at the highest fluence. Infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) revealed the presence of Ti-O bonds in all films. Both O-H and C-H groups were present in the as-deposited films, but the density of each of these decreased with increasing phi and was absent at high phi, indicating a loss of hydrogen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed an increase in the C to Ti atomic ratio as phi increased, while the O to Ti ratio hardly altered, remaining at around 2.8. The optical gap of the films, derived from data obtained by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UVS), remained at about 3.6 eV for all fluences except the highest, for which an abrupt fall to around 1.0 eV was observed. For the irradiated films, the electrical conductivity, measured using the two-point method, showed a systematic increase with increasing phi. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.