Myocardial infarction (MI) occurs following acute thrombotic occlusion of a coronary artery, and triggers a robust inflammatory response. Within hours, neutrophils are recruited to the infarcted myocardium followed by the infiltration of pro-inflammatory Ly6Chi monocytes. Transition from the pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype (M1) to an anti-inflammatory, pro-resolution phenotype (M2-like) is critical to successful infarct healing. Interventions that polarize macrophages towards an anti-inflammatory 'M2-like' phenotype improve infarct healing in the experimental MI mouse model and reduce subsequent adverse remodelling of the myocardium, but the endogenous mechanisms that regulate repair are not well understood. Furthermore, differences in the resolution of inflammation in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice, which are two of the commonly used wild-type mouse strains in experimental MI have not been characterised. We previously found that low peripheral blood eosinophil count is associated with increased short-term risk of mortality in low-intermediate risk patients with ischaemic heart disease. This suggests that eosinophils may have a role in the successful remodelling and repair of the heart following myocardial infarction. Eosinophils express a number of immuno-modulating cytokines and lipid mediators implicated in the resolution of inflammation. Increasingly prominent is interleukin-4 (IL-4), a cytokine that has been found to maintain the anti-inflammatory M2-like phenotype in macrophages. We therefore hypothesised that IL-4Rα signalling and recruitment of eosinophils to the myocardium following infarction are key in regulating the subsequent inflammatory response and scar tissue formation during infarct repair and cardiac remodelling. Experimental MI was induced by permanent left anterior descending artery ligation in isofluorane anaesthetized 12-15 week-old male wild-type (WT) BALB/c, WT C57BL/6, IL4Rα-/-, IL-4Rαflox/-, IL-4Rαflox/-LysMCre mice and eosinophil-deficient ΔdblGATA mice. Cardiac function was characterised by high-resolution ultrasound and immune cell infiltration by flow cytometry of single cell infarct and remote zone tissue digests. Blood eosinophil count and 6-month all-cause mortality were assessed in 732 consecutive patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The rate of mortality due to cardiac rupture was significantly higher in C57BL/6 mice in comparison with BALB/c mice at Day 7 post-MI. This was associated with a higher proportion of pro-inflammatory Ly-6Chi macrophages infiltrating the infarct zone tissue of C57BL/6 mice following MI. An accompanying reduction in the number of splenic Ly-6Chi monocytes post-MI, suggestive of splenic monocyte mobilisation, was seen in C57BL/6 mice but not found in BALB/c mice. Furthermore, C57BL/6 mice had a delayed transition in macrophage polarisation towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Disruption of IL4Rα signalling, in mice null for the IL4Rα gene, resulted in increased F4/80+ macrophage and pro-inflammatory Ly6Chi macrophage infiltration of the infarct zone and reduced expression of the anti-inflammatory macrophage marker CD206, compared to wild-type controls. Furthermore, expression of GATA3 and ST2, both associated with the immunosuppressive function of (CD4+ Foxp3+) regulatory T cells, was reduced in infarct zone regulatory T cells from IL4Rα-/- mice. These findings were associated with defective wound healing with impaired angiogenesis, increased scar size, disarrayed infarct zone collagen deposition, accompanied by modified expression of plod2 that encodes the collagen cross-linking enzyme lysyl hydroxylase 2. Resulting in greater left ventricular dilatation and loss of cardiac function, as well as a higher 7- day mortality due to cardiac rupture in IL4Rα-/- mice. This indicates that successful infarct repair requires the engagement of IL-4Rα signalling to facilitate the accumulation of anti-inflammatory macrophages and highly immunosuppressive ST2+ regulatory T cells in the heart following MI. Resident cardiac macrophages from naïve hearts of IL-4Rαflox/-LysMCre mice failed to undergo LysMCre-mediated deletion of the IL-4Rα gene, potentially because low or absent expression of Lyz2 (encoding lysozyme M). In both ST-elevation MI (STEMI) patients and mice after acute MI, there was a decline in peripheral blood eosinophil count, with activated eosinophils being recruited to the infarct zone and paracardial adipose tissue of mice. The transcription factors GATA-1 plays a role in the differentiation of eosinophils from eosinophil progenitor cells. Deletion of GATA-1 results in loss of the eosinophil lineage and has been exploited to develop the eosinophil-deficient ΔdblGATA mouse. ΔdblGATA mice were used to address the role of eosinophils in cardiac remodelling following MI. ΔdblGATA mice had increased left ventricular dilatation and reduced ejection fraction after induction of MI, relative to wild-type mice. ΔdblGATA mice had increased scar size with disarrayed infarct zone collagen deposition, accompanied by modified expression of the genes plod2 and lox, which are associated with collagen cross-linking. The proportion of CD206+ anti-inflammatory macrophages was less in the infarct zone of ΔdblGATA mice, but was restored by adoptive transfer of eosinophils from WT mice. Furthermore, adverse cardiac remodelling in eosinophil-deficient ΔdblGATA mice was rescued by provision of IL-4 complex following MI. In conclusion, an enhanced inflammatory response following MI underlies the increased risk of cardiac rupture seen with WT C57BL/6 mice in comparison to WT BALB/c mice. WT BALB/c mice are protected from cardiac rupture, which was associated with an absence of splenic monocyte mobilisation following ischaemic injury. The resolution of inflammation was found to be dependent on IL4Rα signalling which is crucial for cardiac repair and remodelling, through modulating inflammatory cell recruitment and phenotype, as well as scar formation. Eosinophils are recruited to the heart post-MI and are essential for regulating cardiac repair and remodelling, likely through provision of IL-4. Therefore, we were able to show that IL-4Rα signalling and recruitment of eosinophils to the myocardium following infarction are both key in regulating the subsequent inflammatory response and scar tissue formation during infarct healing and cardiac remodelling.

Immunological stressors, in the form of clinical and sub-clinical disease are currently controlled using both prophylactic antibiotics in-feed, and therapeutic antibiotic treatment. Respiratory disease, primarily Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) infection, is recognised as a major factor causing reduced productivity in pigs. This thesis reports investigations into the use of novel immunomodulators in particular Interleukin 4 (IL-4) and Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) as alternatives to antibiotics to treat App infection. Immunological and molecular biological assays were used to investigate and accumulate data. An in vitro study undertaken to find potential anti-inflammatory substances, revealed that Interleukin 8 (IL-8) mRNA production stimulated by PMA or LPS in whole pigs' blood was suppressed by IL-4. IL-1ra also suppressed stimulated IL-8 mRNA production by heat killed App bacteria (KB) in vitro. An acute LPS challenge in pigs in vivo however, showed no variation in illness or weight loss between pigs treated prophylactically with anti-inflammatory substance (IL-4 and IL-1ra) and saline treated pigs. The use of plasmids as a delivery system for anti-inflammatory substance did not show promise since it did not enhance growth or prolong the expression of the substances in the pigs. However, in the chronic App challenge model IL-4 and IL-1ra administered prophylactically in vivo showed an ability to improve growth. The therapeutic administration of IL-4 and IL-1ra to App challenged pigs showed no difference in pigs' growth, regardless of the treatment or control administered. To conclude, IL-4 and IL-1ra showed promise when administered prophylactically and improved growth and abrogated disease under conditions of App challenge. However when IL-4 and IL-1ra where administered therapeutically they did not perform as well. Moreover these compounds have potential as a commercial application to reduce the growth reduction caused by disease such as App.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a betaherpesvirus that infects up to 80% of the population worldwide, and establishes latency in monocytes and bone marrow cells. Reactivated HCMV can become an opportunistic pathogen in individuals who are immunocompromised, such as those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HCMV infection of AIDS patients causes a sight-threatening retinitis that leads to vision loss and blindness in up to 46% of this population without antiretroviral treatment. Because untreated HIV-infected individuals exhibit the loss of cell-mediated immunity and alterations in CD4+ T-helper (Th) cell cytokines, including elevation of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, and IL-17, we sought to test the hypothesis that these cytokines play key roles in governing the susceptibility to AIDS-related HCMV retinitis. This hypothesis was tested utilizing a clinically relevant mouse model of experimental murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) retinitis that occurs in C57BL/6 mice immunosuppressed by mouse retroviruses (MAIDS). Studies revealed that MAIDS progression was associated with increased levels of IL-4 and IL-10, cytokines whose production has been associated with diminished CD8+ T-cell-mediated immunity during HIV infection. However, MCMV–infected eyes of retinitis-susceptible IL-4-/- or IL-10-/- MAIDS mice exhibited frequency and severity of retinitis and viral titers equivalent to MCMV-infected eyes of wild-type MAIDS animals. These studies indicated that neither IL-4 nor IL-10 alone play key roles in increased susceptibility to MCMV retinitis. In comparison, IL-17, an inflammatory cytokine associated with the ocular autoimmune disease uveitis, was systemically increased during the progression of MAIDS, but MCMV-infected eyes of retinitis-susceptible MAIDS mice exhibited a significant reduction in IL-17. These findings suggested that IL-17 plays no direct role in the pathogenesis of experimental MCMV retinitis. However, these results also suggested the remarkable possibility that MCMV downregulates IL-17 production, a hypothesis supported by the observation that systemic MCMV infection of healthy and MAIDS mice resulted in the downregulation of IL-17. Mechanistic studies revealed that knockdown of IL-10 resulted in a partial recovery IL-17 levels during MCMV infection. We conclude that MCMV-induced IL-17 downregulation occurs via the stimulation of IL-10 and the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3. Taken together, our results add new information to the immunobiology of HCMV and to our basic understanding of the pathogenesis of AIDS-related HCMV retinitis.

Immunological stressors, in the form of clinical and sub-clinical disease are currently controlled using both prophylactic antibiotics in-feed, and therapeutic antibiotic treatment. Respiratory disease, primarily Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) infection, is recognised as a major factor causing reduced productivity in pigs. This thesis reports investigations into the use of novel immunomodulators in particular Interleukin 4 (IL-4) and Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) as alternatives to antibiotics to treat App infection. Immunological and molecular biological assays were used to investigate and accumulate data. An in vitro study undertaken to find potential anti-inflammatory substances, revealed that Interleukin 8 (IL-8) mRNA production stimulated by PMA or LPS in whole pigs' blood was suppressed by IL-4. IL-1ra also suppressed stimulated IL-8 mRNA production by heat killed App bacteria (KB) in vitro. An acute LPS challenge in pigs in vivo however, showed no variation in illness or weight loss between pigs treated prophylactically with anti-inflammatory substance (IL-4 and IL-1ra) and saline treated pigs. The use of plasmids as a delivery system for anti-inflammatory substance did not show promise since it did not enhance growth or prolong the expression of the substances in the pigs. However, in the chronic App challenge model IL-4 and IL-1ra administered prophylactically in vivo showed an ability to improve growth. The therapeutic administration of IL-4 and IL-1ra to App challenged pigs showed no difference in pigs' growth, regardless of the treatment or control administered. To conclude, IL-4 and IL-1ra showed promise when administered prophylactically and improved growth and abrogated disease under conditions of App challenge. However when IL-4 and IL-1ra where administered therapeutically they did not perform as well. Moreover these compounds have potential as a commercial application to reduce the growth reduction caused by disease such as App.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala univeritet, 2008. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2008. / "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences." Title from title page of PDF document. Bibliography: p. 161-180.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 1997. / "August 1997." Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-96). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 82-96). Also available on the Internet.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A cistite hemorrÃgica (CH) à um efeito indesejado limitante do uso clÃnico dos agentes quimioterÃpicos do grupo das oxazafosforinas, principalmente ciclofosfamida (CFS) e ifosfamida (IFS). Isto se deve à formaÃÃo de acroleÃna como subproduto do metabolismo dessas drogas. A partir de prÃvios trabalhos conduzidos no LaboratÃrio de Farmacologia da InflamaÃÃo e do CÃncer da Universidade Federal do CearÃ, sabe-se que o Ãxido nÃtrico (NO) atravÃs da ativaÃÃo de iNOS, o fator de ativaÃÃo plaquetÃria, citocinas, como o TNF-α e IL-1β, e prostaglandinas, pela ativaÃÃo da enzima ciclooxigenase-2 (COX-2), sÃo mediadores chave envolvidos nos eventos inflamatÃrios da CH, evidenciados pelo dano urotelial, edema e hemorragia. Sabendo-se que interleucina- 4 (IL- 4) à uma citocina antiinflamatÃria capaz de prevenir a produÃÃo de TNF-α, IL-1β e de atenuar a expressÃo de enzimas inflamatÃrias como iNOS e COX-2, foi investigado se IL- 4 à capaz de reduzir as alteraÃÃes inflamatÃrias vistas na CH induzida por IFS. Para tanto, camundongos Swiss (25-30 g; n=6 por grupo) foram tratados com salina ou IFS (400 mg/kg, ip), e foram analisados por alteraÃÃes no peso Ãmido vesical (PUV), mudanÃas macroscÃpicas e microscÃpicas, alÃm da quantificaÃÃo de edema e hemoglobina vesical. Em outros grupos experimentais, IL- 4 (0,4; 2 ou 10 ng) foi administrada ip uma hora antes à administraÃÃo de IFS. Em outro experimento, camundongos C57BL/6 selvagens e C57BL/6 nocaute para o gene da IL- 4 (-/-) foram tratados com IFS e analisados quanto a mudanÃas no PUV. ImunohistoquÃmica para IL-1β e TNF-α, bem como identificaÃÃo de proteÃnas pela tÃcnica de Western blot para iNOS e COX-2 foram conduzidos nos animais tratados com IL- 4. TambÃm avaliou-se a administraÃÃo de soro anti-IL- 4 (50 Âl/animal, ip) em animais selvagens meia hora antes IFS. Nos animais tratados com IL- 4 (2 e 10 ng), o PUV foi significativamente reduzido em 27% e 39% respectivamente quando comparados ao grupo tratado apenas com IFS. O extravasamento vascular foi reduzido em 29% e 24% e a hemorragia em 47% e 61% nos animais tratados com IL- 4 (2 e 10 ng respectivamente para ambos). A administraÃÃo de IL- 4 exÃgena tambÃm atenuou a expressÃo de TNF-α, IL-1β significativamente, e a expressÃo de iNOS em 27% (dose de 10 ng) e COX-2 em 80% e 76% (doses de 2 e 10 ng, respectivamente), sendo ambos resultados significantes estatisticamente. Em adiÃÃo, animais nocaute para IL- 4 (-/-) e camundongos tratados com soro anti-IL- 4 exibiram um grau de CH pior quando comparados aos camundongos tratados com IFS apenas, em torno de 44% e 28% respectivamente. IL- 4, uma citocina antiinflamatÃria, pode reduzir os fenÃmenos inflamatÃrios vistos na CH induzida por IFS. / Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a limiting side effect from the clinic use of chemotherapy agents, mainly cyclophosphamide (CYP) and ifosfamide (IFS). This is due to the fact that acrolein is a urinary metabolite of CYP and IFS, which has been demonstrated to be the causative agent of hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) induced by these compounds. Based on previous experimental studies, most of them from the Laboratory of Pharmacology of Inflammation and Cancer of Federal University of CearÃ, it was demonstrated the participation of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in ifosfamide-induced HC. Thus, knowing that interleukin-4 (IL- 4) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine able to prevent the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and decrease the expression of inflammatory enzymes such as iNOS and COX-2, we investigated whether IL- 4 is capable of reducing inflammatory changes seen with ifosfamide-induced HC. For this, male Swiss mice (25-30 g; 6 per group) were treated with saline or ifosfamide (400 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (ip) and analyzed by changes in bladder wet weight (BWW), macroscopic and microscopic parameters, exudate, and hemoglobin quantification. In other groups, IL- 4 (0,4; 2 or 10 ng) was administered ip 1h before ifosfamide administration. In other experimental groups, C57BL/6 WT (wild type) and C57BL/6 WT IL- 4 (-/-) knockout animals were treated with ifosfamide and analyzed for changes in BWW. Immunohistochemistry to TNF-α and IL-1β as well as protein identification by Western blot assay for iNOS and COX-2 were carried out on ifosfamide and IL- 4 treated animals. In other experimental groups, anti-IL- 4 serum was given (50 ÂL/animal, ip) 30 min before ifosfamide. In IL- 4 treated animals, BWW change was significantly less in animals treated with ifosfamide administration only, being reduced by 27% and 39% (2 and 10 ng respectively). Vascular permeability was reduced by 29% and 24%, and hemorrhage by 47% and 61% in those animals treated with IL- 4 (2 and 10 ng respectively). Exogenous IL- 4 also attenuated TNF-α, IL-1 β, iNOS and COX-2 expression on ifosfamide treated bladders. Moreover, knockout animals for IL- 4 (-/-) and animals treated with anti-IL- 4 serum exhibit a more severe degree of inflammation when compared to the wild type mice (approximately 44% and 28% respectively). IL- 4, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, can attenuate the inflammation seen with ifosfamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis.

Submitted by Biblioteca da Faculdade de Farmácia (bff@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-03-24T17:09:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cabo, Carolina Serra Jogaib [Dissertação, 2014].pdf: 1585469 bytes, checksum: c26025e0cb73856aeb3ee836ea718d62 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-24T17:09:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cabo, Carolina Serra Jogaib [Dissertação, 2014].pdf: 1585469 bytes, checksum: c26025e0cb73856aeb3ee836ea718d62 (MD5) / Estudos sobre os efeitos do extrato aquoso da Eugenia punicifolia (EP) demonstram sua ação na neurotransmissão da junção neuromuscular. Entretanto, apesar de saber que o aumento da neurotransmissão colinérgica pode apresentar atividade neuroprotetora e atuar na plasticidade neuronal, não existem estudos sobre o efeito do extrato de EP em células do Sistema Nervoso Central. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o efeito do extrato diclorometano de EP sobre células da retina de ratos neonatos in vitro no que tange à proliferação celular, modulação do fenótipo colinérgico e aos níveis de fator de crescimento do nervo (NGF), fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro (BDNF) e da interleucina IL-4. Foram realizadas culturas primárias de células da retina de ratos neonatos da linhagem Lister Hooded de ambos os sexos, dia pós-natal 0-2. As culturas foram plaqueadas em placas de Petri pré-tratadas com poli-L-ornitina, na densidade de 1,0x105 cel/cm2, receberam meio 199 ou 1μg/mL do extrato diclorometano de Eugenia punicifolia (EP 1μg/mL) e foram mantidas por 48 horas a 37°C, em atmosfera de 95% de ar e 5% de CO2. O método bioquímico utilizado para análise da proliferação celular foi a incorporação de [3H]-timidina. Os níveis dos receptores muscarínicos, de neurotrofinas e citocinas foram determinados por Western Blot. Todos os dados são apresentados em relação à porcentagem do controle (100%). Os procedimentos experimentais foram aprovados pelo Comitê de Ética no Uso de Animais da UFF (Projeto nº 186/2012). Os resultados mostram que o tratamento das culturas com diferentes concentrações do extrato diclorometano de EP por 48h induziu aumento dependente da concentração na proliferação celular, sendo o aumento mais significativo observado na concentração de 1μg/mL, concentração que foi utilizada em todos os experimentos. Foi observada a redução nos níveis dos receptores muscarínicos M1 e M4, e nos níveis de transportador de acetilcolina associado à vesícula, aumento na expressão do receptor M3 e nenhuma alteração nos níveis do receptor M5. Observou-se, também, que o extrato diclorometano de EP aumenta os níveis de NGF e da interleucina-4, e diminui dos níveis de BDNF. Os resultados sugerem que o extrato diclorometano de EP exerce efeito proliferativo e de diferenciação através da alteração do fenótipo colinérgico da retina e da participação de fatores neurotróficos / Studies on the effects of the Eugenia punicifolia (EP) aqueous extract demonstrate its action on neurotransmission in the neuromuscular junction. However, despite knowing that increased cholinergic neurotransmission may have neuroprotective activity and act in neuronal plasticity, there are no studies on the effect of the extract of EP in cells of the Central Nervous System. The aim of this work was to study the effect of the dichloromethane extract of EP on retinal cells of neonatal rats in vitro with respect to cell proliferation, modulation of the cholinergic phenotype and levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and interleukin IL-4. Primary cell cultures of neonatal rat retina from Hooded Lister strain of both sexes, postnatal day 0-2 were performed. Cultures were plated on pre-treated Petri plates with poly-L- ornithine at a density of 1.0 x105 cel/cm2 received medium 199 or 1μg/mL of dichloromethane extract of E. punicifolia (EP 1μg/mL) and kept for 48 hours at 37°C in an atmosphere of 95% air and 5% CO2. The method used for biochemical analysis of cellular proliferation was the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine. The levels of muscarinic receptors, neurotrophins and cytokines were determined by Western blot. All data are presented in relation to the percentage of control (100%). The experimental procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use of UFF (Project nº 186/2012). The results show that treatment of cultures with different concentrations of the dichloromethane extract of EP for 48h induces an increase in cell proliferation, with the most significant increase observed with the concentration of 1μg/mL, concentration, which was used in all experiments. A reduction in levels of muscarinic receptors M1 and M4, and VAChT was observed, an increase in expression of the M3 receptor and no change in the levels of the M5 receptor were observed. Also was observed that the dichloromethane extract of EP increased NGF levels and interleukin-4, and decreases levels of BDNF. The results suggest that the dichloromethane extract of EP exerts a proliferative effect and differentiation by altering the cholinergic phenotype of the retina and the involvement of neurotrophic factors