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  1. Arsenic exacerbates atherosclerotic lesion formation and inflammation in ApoE-/- mice

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    Srivastava, Sanjay; Vladykovskaya, Elena N.; Haberzettl, Petra; Sithu, Srinivas D.; D'Souza, Stanley E.; States, J. Christopher

    2009-01-01

    Exposure to arsenic-contaminated water has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease, especially atherosclerosis. We examined the effect of arsenic exposure on atherosclerotic lesion formation, lesion composition and nature in ApoE-/- mice. Early post-natal exposure (3-week-old mice exposed to 49 ppm arsenic as NaAsO 2 in drinking water for 7 weeks) increased the atherosclerotic lesion formation by 3- to 5-fold in the aortic valve and the aortic arch, without affecting plasma cholesterol. Exposure to arsenic for 13 weeks (3-week-old mice exposed to 1, 4.9 and 49 ppm arsenic as NaAsO 2 in drinking water) increased the lesion formation and macrophage accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. Temporal studies showed that continuous arsenic exposure significantly exacerbated the lesion formation throughout the aortic tree at 16 and 36 weeks of age. Withdrawal of arsenic for 12 weeks after an initial exposure for 21 weeks (to 3-week-old mice) significantly decreased lesion formation as compared with mice continuously exposed to arsenic. Similarly, adult exposure to 49 ppm arsenic for 24 weeks, starting at 12 weeks of age increased lesion formation by 2- to 3.6-fold in the aortic valve, the aortic arch and the abdominal aorta. Lesions of arsenic-exposed mice displayed a 1.8-fold increase in macrophage accumulation whereas smooth muscle cell and T-lymphocyte contents were not changed. Expression of pro-inflammatory chemokine MCP-1 and cytokine IL-6 and markers of oxidative stress, protein-HNE and protein-MDA adducts were markedly increased in lesions of arsenic-exposed mice. Plasma concentrations of MCP-1, IL-6 and MDA were also significantly elevated in arsenic-exposed mice. These data suggest that arsenic exposure increases oxidative stress, inflammation and atherosclerotic lesion formation.

  2. Characterisation of prostate cancer lesions in heterozygous Men1 mutant mice

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    Seigne, Christelle; Fontanière, Sandra; Carreira, Christine; Lu, Jieli; Tong, Wei-Ming; Fontanière, Bernard; Wang, Zhao-Qi; Zhang, Chang Xian; Frappart, Lucien

    2010-01-01

    Mutations of the MEN1 gene predispose to multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome. Our group and others have shown that Men1 disruption in mice recapitulates MEN1 pathology. Intriguingly, rare lesions in hormone-dependent tissues, such as prostate and mammary glands, were also observed in the Men1 mutant mice. To study the occurrence of prostate lesions, we followed a male mouse cohort of 47 Men1 +/- mice and 23 age-matched control littermates, starting at 18 months of age, and analysed the prostate glands from the cohort. Six Men1 +/- mice (12.8%) developed prostate cancer, including two adenocarcinomas and four in situ carcinomas, while none of the control mice developed cancerous lesions. The expression of menin encoded by the Men1 gene was found to be drastically reduced in all carcinomas, and partial LOH of the wild-type Men1 allele was detected in three of the five analysed lesions. Using immunostaining for the androgen receptor and p63, a basal epithelial cell marker, we demonstrated that the menin-negative prostate cancer cells did not display p63 expression and that the androgen receptor was expressed but more heterogeneous in these lesions. Furthermore, our data showed that the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1B (p27), a Men1 target gene known to be inactivated during prostate cell tumorigenesis, was notably decreased in the prostate cancers that developed in the mutant mice. Our work suggests the possible involvement of Men1 inactivation in the tumorigenesis of the prostate gland

  3. Rate of lens lesion development and the age of mice at time of irradiation

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    Gajewski, A.K.; Majewska, K.; Slowikowska, M.G.

    1976-01-01

    The rate of lens lesion development has been studied in mice irradiated at different age ranging from one day up to one year old mice. The time needed for the first appearance of lens lesion was shortest in groups of mice irradiated at the age of one, two and three days of life, and longest in groups of mice irradiated at the age of 5 days, 1 week and 2 weeks of life. The time needed for the first appearance of lens lesion for mice irradiated between the third week and one year of life was constant. It was longer than for mice irradiated during the first three days of life and shorter than for mice irradiated at 5 up to 14 days of life. In all but one irradiated groups the age at which the first lens lesion occurred differed significantly from the age at which the first senile changes occurred in the lens of control mice. The one exception was the group of mice irradiated at the age of one year. (author)

  4. Standardization of a spinal cord lesion model and neurologic evaluation using mice

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    Borges, Paulo Alvim; Cristante, Alexandre Fogaça; de Barros-Filho, Tarcísio Eloy Pessoa; Natalino, Renato Jose Mendonça; dos Santos, Gustavo Bispo; Marcon, Raphael Marcus

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To standardize a spinal cord lesion mouse model. METHODS: Thirty BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: four experimental groups and one control group (sham). The experimental groups were subjected to spinal cord lesion by a weight drop from different heights after laminectomy whereas the sham group only underwent laminectomy. Mice were observed for six weeks, and functional behavior scales were applied. The mice were then euthanized, and histological investigations were performed to confirm and score spinal cord lesion. The findings were evaluated to prove whether the method of administering spinal cord lesion was effective and different among the groups. Additionally, we correlated the results of the functional scales with the results from the histology evaluations to identify which scale is more reliable. RESULTS: One mouse presented autophagia, and six mice died during the experiment. Because four of the mice that died were in Group 5, Group 5 was excluded from the study. All the functional scales assessed proved to be significantly different from each other, and mice presented functional evolution during the experiment. Spinal cord lesion was confirmed by histology, and the results showed a high correlation between the Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan Locomotor Rating Scale and the Basso Mouse Scale. The mouse function scale showed a moderate to high correlation with the histological findings, and the horizontal ladder test had a high correlation with neurologic degeneration but no correlation with the other histological parameters evaluated. CONCLUSION: This spinal cord lesion mouse model proved to be effective and reliable with exception of lesions caused by a 10-g drop from 50 mm, which resulted in unacceptable mortality. The Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan Locomotor Rating Scale and Basso Mouse Scale are the most reliable functional assessments, and but the horizontal ladder test is not recommended. PMID:29561931

  5. Haloperidol inhibits the development of atherosclerotic lesions in LDL receptor knockout mice.

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    van der Sluis, Ronald J; Nahon, Joya E; Reuwer, Anne Q; Van Eck, Miranda; Hoekstra, Menno

    2015-05-01

    Antipsychotic drugs have been shown to modulate the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a key factor in the anti-atherogenic reverse cholesterol transport process, in vitro. Here we evaluated the potential of the typical antipsychotic drug haloperidol to modulate the cholesterol efflux function of macrophages in vitro and their susceptibility to atherosclerosis in vivo. Thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages were used for in vitro studies. Hyperlipidaemic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor knockout mice were implanted with a haloperidol-containing pellet and subsequently fed a Western-type diet for 5 weeks to induce the development of atherosclerotic lesions in vivo. Haloperidol induced a 54% decrease in the mRNA expression of ABCA1 in peritoneal macrophages. This coincided with a 30% decrease in the capacity of macrophages to efflux cholesterol to apolipoprotein A1. Haloperidol treatment stimulated the expression of ABCA1 (+51%) and other genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport, that is, CYP7A1 (+98%) in livers of LDL receptor knockout mice. No change in splenic ABCA1 expression was noted. However, the average size of the atherosclerotic size was significantly smaller (-31%) in the context of a mildly more atherogenic metabolic phenotype upon haloperidol treatment. More importantly, haloperidol markedly lowered MCP-1 expression (-70%) and secretion (-28%) by peritoneal macrophages. Haloperidol treatment lowered the susceptibility of hyperlipidaemic LDL receptor knockout mice to develop atherosclerotic lesions. Our findings suggest that the beneficial effect of haloperidol on atherosclerosis susceptibility can be attributed to its ability to inhibit macrophage chemotaxis. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

  6. Indomethacin Treatment of Mice with Premalignant Oral Lesions Sustains Cytokine Production and Slows Progression to Cancer.

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    Johnson, Sara D; Young, M Rita I

    2016-01-01

    Current treatment options for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients are often ineffective due to tumor-localized and systemic immunosuppression. Using the 4-NQO mouse model of oral carcinogenesis, this study showed that premalignant oral lesion cells produce higher levels of the immune modulator, PGE 2 , compared to HNSCC cells. Inhibiting prostaglandin production of premalignant lesion cells with the pan-cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin stimulated their induction of spleen cell cytokine production. In contrast, inhibiting HNSCC prostaglandin production did not stimulate their induction of spleen cell cytokine production. Treatment of mice bearing premalignant oral lesions with indomethacin slowed progression of premalignant oral lesions to HNSCC. Flow cytometric analysis of T cells in the regional lymph nodes of lesion-bearing mice receiving indomethacin treatment showed an increase in lymph node cellularity and in the absolute number of CD8 + T cells expressing IFN-γ compared to levels in lesion-bearing mice receiving diluent control treatment. The cytokine-stimulatory effect of indomethacin treatment was not localized to regional lymph nodes but was also seen in the spleen of mice with premalignant oral lesions. Together, these data suggest that inhibiting prostaglandin production at the premalignant lesion stage boosts immune capability and improves clinical outcomes.

  7. Gastroprotective effect of esculin on ethanol-induced gastric lesion in mice.

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    Li, Weifeng; Wang, Yu; Wang, Xiumei; Zhang, Hailin; He, Zehong; Zhi, Wenbing; Liu, Fang; Niu, Xiaofeng

    2017-04-01

    The gastroprotective effect of esculin was investigated in a mouse model of ethanol-induced gastric lesion. Administration of esculin at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight prior to ethanol ingestion led to significant gastroprotection compared with untreated mice. Gastric mucosal lesions were evaluated by macroscopic and histopathological alterations, lesion index, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Pretreatment with esculin significantly reduced macroscopic and histopathological damage, gastric lesion index, and MPO activity in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, esculin significantly reduced nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible NO synthase (iNOS) levels, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 protein expression in gastric tissues after ethanol challenge. Analysis of inflammatory cytokines indicated that esculin pretreatment markedly suppressed the increased expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in ethanol-treated mice. The results demonstrate a protective effect of esculin against gastric injury and suggest that the underlying mechanism might be associated with inhibition of NF-κB activation, which subsequently reduces expression of iNOS, TNF-α, and IL-6. © 2016 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

  8. Selective impairment of subcategories of long-term memory in mice with hippocampal lesions accessed by the olfactory tubing maze.

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    Chaillan, F A; Marchetti, E; Soumireu-Mourat, B; Roman, F S

    2005-03-30

    A new apparatus, the olfactory tubing maze for mice, was developed recently to study learning and memory processes in mice in regard to their ethological abilities. As in humans, BALB/c mice with selective bilateral lesions of the hippocampal formation showed selective impairment of subcategories of long-term memory when tested with the olfactory tubing maze. After three learning sessions, control mice reached a high percentage of correct responses. They consistently made the olfactory-reward associations, but antero-dorsal and postero-ventral hippocampal-lesioned mice did not. However, all lesioned mice learned the paradigm and the timing of the task as fast and as well as control mice. These data suggest that the olfactory tubing maze can be used to study subcategories of memory, such as declarative and non-declarative memory, which are similar in some respects to those observed in humans. Consequently, possible memory effects of classical approaches (i.e., pharmacological or lesion studies) or genetic modifications in transgenic or gene-targeting mice can be effectively analyzed using this new apparatus.

  9. The effect of hydroxychloroquine on lupus erythematosus-like skin lesions in MRL/lpr mice.

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    Shimomatsu, Tatsuya; Kanazawa, Nobuo; Mikita, Naoya; Nakatani, Yumi; Li, Hong-Jin; Inaba, Yutaka; Ikeda, Takaharu; Kondo, Toshikazu; Furukawa, Fukumi

    2016-09-01

    To evaluate the effect and safety of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on lupus erythematosus (LE)-like skin lesions in the MRL/lpr mouse, a model for systemic LE (SLE). We divided the MRL/lpr mice into three groups that were given: (1) drinking water, (2) HCQ at a dose of 4 mg/kg/d, or (3) HCQ at a dose of 40 mg/kg/d. The HCQ was administered to examine the effect and safety of HCQ on skin lesions and the number of infiltrating cells including mast cells in the dermis. Six of 13 mice in the group given drinking water, 3 of 11 mice in the group administered low-dose HCQ (4 mg/kg/d), and 1 of 10 mice in the group administered high-dose HCQ (40 mg/kg/d) presented the skin lesions. The average number of mast cells was 81, 50, and 12 (magnification, ×100), the mortality rate was 24%, 8%, and 9% and the mean body weight gain was 4.6 g, 8.0 g and 5.1 g, respectively. HCQ was demonstrated to decrease the appearance of LE-like lesions and the number of mast cells in the dermis. Furthermore, there were no obvious systemic adverse effects. This study provides evidence that suggests benefits in human patients.

  10. Chronic Posttraumatic Epilepsy following Neocortical Undercut Lesion in Mice.

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    Xingjie Ping

    Full Text Available Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE usually develops in a small percentage of patients of traumatic brain injury after a varying latent period. Modeling this chronic neurological condition in rodents is time consuming and inefficient, which constitutes a significant obstacle in studying its mechanism and discovering novel therapeutics for its prevention and treatment. Partially isolated neocortex, or undercut, is known to induce cortical hyperexcitability and epileptiform activity in vitro, and has been used extensively for studying the neurophysiological mechanism of posttraumatic epileptogenesis. However, whether the undercut lesion in rodents causes chronic epileptic seizures has not been systematically characterized. Here we used a miniature telemetry system to continuously monitor electroencephalography (EEG in adult C57BL mice for up to 3 months after undercut surgery. We found that 50% of animals developed spontaneous seizures between 16-50 days after injury. The mean seizure duration was 8.9±3.6 seconds, and the average seizure frequency was 0.17±0.17 times per day. There was no progression in seizure frequency and duration over the recording period. Video monitoring revealed behavioral arrests and clonic limb movement during seizure attacks. A pentylenetetrazol (PTZ test further showed increased seizure susceptibility in the undercut mice. We conclude that undercut lesion in mice is a model of chronic PTE that involves spontaneous epileptic seizures.

  11. [Facilitation of the retention and acceleration of operant conditioning extinction after cingulate cortex lesions in BALB/c mice].

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    Destrade, C; Gauthier, M

    1981-12-21

    One week after receiving bilateral electrolytic lesions of the cingulate cortex, BALB/c Mice underwent acquisition, retention and extinction of an appetitive operant-conditioning task in a Skinner box. There was no significant difference between lesioned and control animals in acquisition; however, lesioned mice exhibited improved retention and faster extinction. These results suggest a possible involvement of the cingulate cortex in memory processes.

  12. Impact of chocolate liquor on vascular lesions in apoE-knockout mice.

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    Yazdekhasti, Narges; Brandsch, Corinna; Hirche, Frank; Kühn, Julia; Schloesser, Anke; Esatbeyoglu, Tuba; Huebbe, Patricia; Wolffram, Siegfried; Rimbach, Gerald; Stangl, Gabriele I

    2017-10-15

    Cocoa polyphenols are thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, cocoa-containing foods may have significant health benefits. Here, we studied the impact of chocolate liquor on vascular lesion development and plaque composition in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein E (apoE)-knockout mice were assigned to two groups and fed a Western diet that contained 250 g/kg of either chocolate liquor or a polyphenol-free isoenergetic control paste for 16 weeks. In addition to fat, protein, and fibers, the chocolate liquor contained 2 g/kg of polyphenols. Compared with the control group, mice fed the chocolate liquor had larger plaque areas in the descending aorta and aortic root, which were attributed to a higher mass of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and collagen. Vascular lipid deposits and calcification areas did not differ between the two groups. The aortic tissue level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA was 5-fold higher in the mice fed chocolate liquor than in the control mice. Chocolate-fed mice exhibited an increased hepatic saturated to polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio than the controls. Although the chocolate liquor contained 14 µg/kg of vitamin D 2 , the chocolate liquor-fed mice did not have measurable 25-hydroxyvitamin D 2 in the serum. These mice even showed a 25% reduction in the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 compared with the control mice. Overall, present data may contribute to our understanding how chocolate constituents can impact vascular lesion development. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  13. Rosuvastatin reduces atherosclerotic lesions and promotes progenitor cell mobilisation and recruitment in apolipoprotein E knockout mice.

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    Schroeter, Marco R; Humboldt, Tim; Schäfer, Katrin; Konstantinides, Stavros

    2009-07-01

    Statins enhance incorporation of bone marrow-derived cells into experimental neointimal lesions. However, the contribution of progenitor cells to progression of spontaneous atherosclerotic plaques, and the possible modulatory role of statins in this process, remain poorly understood. We compared the effects of rosuvastatin (1 and 10mg/kg BW) and pravastatin (10mg/kg) on progenitor cell mobilisation, recruitment into atherosclerotic plaques, and lesion growth. Statins were administered over 8 weeks to apolipoprotein E knockout mice on atherogenic diet. In addition, mice were lethally irradiated, followed by transplantation of bone marrow from LacZ transgenic mice. Rosuvastatin reduced lesion area and intima-to-media ratio at the brachiocephalic artery compared to vehicle, while both parameters were not significantly altered by pravastatin. Rosuvastatin also augmented endothelialisation (P<0.05) and reduced the smooth muscle cells (SMC) content (P=0.042) of lesions. Numbers of c-kit, sca-1 and flk-1, sca-1 double-positive progenitor cells were significantly increased in rosuvastatin compared to control-treated mice, both in the bone marrow and the peripheral blood. Similarly, the number of spleen-derived acLDL, lectin double-positive progenitor cells (P=0.001) and colony-forming units (P=0.0104) was significantly increased in mice treated with rosuvastatin compared to vehicle alone. In the bone marrow, increased Akt and p42/44 MAP kinase phosphorylation and upregulated SDF1alpha mRNA expression were observed. Importantly, rosuvastatin treatment also increased the plasma levels of c-kit ligand (P=0.003), and the number of c-kit-positive cells within atherosclerotic lesions (P=0.041). Our findings suggest that rosuvastatin reduces the size of atherosclerotic plaques, and this effect appears to involve progenitor cell mobilisation and recruitment into vascular lesions.

  14. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS induces necrotizing enterocolitis-like lesions in neonatal mice.

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    Marco Ginzel

    Full Text Available Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC is an inflammatory bowel disease of preterm human newborns with yet unresolved etiology. An established neonatal murine model for NEC employs oral administration of lipopolysaccharides (LPS combined with hypoxia/hypothermia. In adult mice, feeding dextran sodium sulfate (DSS represents a well-established model for experimental inflammatory bowel disease. Here we investigated the effect of DSS administration on the neonatal murine intestine in comparison with the established NEC model.3-day-old C57BL/6J mice were either fed formula containing DSS or LPS. LPS treated animals were additionally stressed by hypoxia/hypothermia twice daily. After 72 h, mice were euthanized, their intestinal tissue harvested and analyzed by histology, qRT-PCR and flow cytometry. For comparison, adult C57BL/6J mice were fed with DSS for 8 days and examined likewise. Untreated, age matched animals served as controls.Adult mice treated with DSS exhibited colonic inflammation with significantly increased Cxcl2 mRNA expression. In contrast, tissue inflammation in neonatal mice treated with DSS or LPS plus hypoxia/hypothermia was present in colon and small intestine as well. Comparative analysis of neonatal mice revealed a significantly increased lesion size and intestinal Cxcl2 mRNA expression after DSS exposure. Whereas LPS administration mainly induced local neutrophil recruitment, DSS treated animals displayed increased monocytes/macrophages infiltration.Our study demonstrates the potential of DSS to induce NEC-like lesions accompanied by a significant humoral and cellular immune response in the small and large intestine of neonatal mice. The new model therefore represents a good alternative to LPS plus hypoxia/hypothermia administration requiring no additional physical stress.

  15. CHOLECYSTOKININ RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST HALTS PROGRESSION OF PANCREATIC CANCER PRECURSOR LESIONS AND FIBROSIS IN MICE

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    Smith, Jill P.; Cooper, Timothy K.; McGovern, Christopher O.; Gilius, Evan L.; Zhong, Qing; Liao, Jiangang; Molinolo, Alfredo A.; Gutkind, J. Silvio; Matters, Gail L.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Exogenous administration of cholecystokinin (CCK) induces hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the pancreas with an increase in DNA content. We hypothesized that endogenous CCK is involved with the malignant progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions and the fibrosis associated with pancreatic cancer. Methods The presence of CCK receptors in early PanIN lesions was examined by immunohistochemistry in mouse and human pancreas. Pdx1-Cre/LSL-KrasG12D transgenic mice were randomized to receive either untreated drinking water or water supplemented with a CCK-receptor antagonist (proglumide, 0.1mg/ml). Pancreas from mice were removed and examined histologically for number and grade of PanINs after 1, 2 or 4 months of antagonist therapy. Results Both CCK-A and CCK-B receptors were identified in early stage PanINs from mouse and human pancreas. The grade of PanIN lesions was reversed and progression to advanced lesions arrested in mice treated with proglumide compared to controls (p=0.004). Furthermore, pancreatic fibrosis was significantly reduced in antagonist-treated animals compared to vehicle (pitalic>0.001). Conclusions These findings demonstrate that endogenous CCK is in part responsible for the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Use of CCK-receptor antagonists may have a role in cancer prophylaxis in high risk subjects, and may reduce fibrosis in the microenvironment. PMID:25058882

  16. Luminal epithelium in endometrial fragments affects their vascularization, growth and morphological development into endometriosis-like lesions in mice.

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    Feng, Dilu; Menger, Michael D; Wang, Hongbo; Laschke, Matthias W

    2014-02-01

    In endometriosis research, endometriosis-like lesions are usually induced in rodents by transplantation of isolated endometrial tissue fragments to ectopic sites. In the present study, we investigated whether this approach is affected by the cellular composition of the grafts. For this purpose, endometrial tissue fragments covered with luminal epithelium (LE(+)) and without luminal epithelium (LE(-)) were transplanted from transgenic green-fluorescent-protein-positive (GFP(+)) donor mice into the dorsal skinfold chamber of GFP(-) wild-type recipient animals to analyze their vascularization, growth and morphology by means of repetitive intravital fluorescence microscopy, histology and immunohistochemistry during a 14-day observation period. LE(-) fragments developed into typical endometriosis-like lesions with cyst-like dilated endometrial glands and a well-vascularized endometrial stroma. In contrast, LE(+) fragments exhibited a polypoid morphology and a significantly reduced blood perfusion after engraftment, because the luminal epithelium prevented the vascular interconnection with the microvasculature of the surrounding host tissue. This was associated with a markedly decreased growth rate of LE(+) lesions compared with LE(-) lesions. In addition, we found that many GFP(+) microvessels grew outside the LE(-) lesions and developed interconnections to the host microvasculature, indicating that inosculation is an important mechanism in the vascularization process of endometriosis-like lesions. Our findings demonstrate that the luminal epithelium crucially affects the vascularization, growth and morphology of endometriosis-like lesions. Therefore, it is of major importance to standardize the cellular composition of endometrial grafts in order to increase the validity and reliability of pre-clinical rodent studies in endometriosis research.

  17. Luminal epithelium in endometrial fragments affects their vascularization, growth and morphological development into endometriosis-like lesions in mice

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    Dilu Feng

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available In endometriosis research, endometriosis-like lesions are usually induced in rodents by transplantation of isolated endometrial tissue fragments to ectopic sites. In the present study, we investigated whether this approach is affected by the cellular composition of the grafts. For this purpose, endometrial tissue fragments covered with luminal epithelium (LE+ and without luminal epithelium (LE− were transplanted from transgenic green-fluorescent-protein-positive (GFP+ donor mice into the dorsal skinfold chamber of GFP− wild-type recipient animals to analyze their vascularization, growth and morphology by means of repetitive intravital fluorescence microscopy, histology and immunohistochemistry during a 14-day observation period. LE− fragments developed into typical endometriosis-like lesions with cyst-like dilated endometrial glands and a well-vascularized endometrial stroma. In contrast, LE+ fragments exhibited a polypoid morphology and a significantly reduced blood perfusion after engraftment, because the luminal epithelium prevented the vascular interconnection with the microvasculature of the surrounding host tissue. This was associated with a markedly decreased growth rate of LE+ lesions compared with LE− lesions. In addition, we found that many GFP+ microvessels grew outside the LE− lesions and developed interconnections to the host microvasculature, indicating that inosculation is an important mechanism in the vascularization process of endometriosis-like lesions. Our findings demonstrate that the luminal epithelium crucially affects the vascularization, growth and morphology of endometriosis-like lesions. Therefore, it is of major importance to standardize the cellular composition of endometrial grafts in order to increase the validity and reliability of pre-clinical rodent studies in endometriosis research.

  18. Early-Onset Diabetic E1-DN Mice Develop Albuminuria and Glomerular Injury Typical of Diabetic Nephropathy

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    Mervi E. Hyvönen

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The transgenic E1-DN mice express a kinase-negative epidermal growth factor receptor in their pancreatic islets and are diabetic from two weeks of age due to impaired postnatal growth of β-cell mass. Here, we characterize the development of hyperglycaemia-induced renal injury in the E1-DN mice. Homozygous mice showed increased albumin excretion rate (AER at the age of 10 weeks; the albuminuria increased over time and correlated with blood glucose. Morphometric analysis of PAS-stained histological sections and electron microscopy images revealed mesangial expansion in homozygous E1-DN mice, and glomerular sclerosis was observed in the most hyperglycaemic mice. The albuminuric homozygous mice developed also other structural changes in the glomeruli, including thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and widening of podocyte foot processes that are typical for diabetic nephropathy. Increased apoptosis of podocytes was identified as one mechanism contributing to glomerular injury. In addition, nephrin expression was reduced in the podocytes of albuminuric homozygous E1-DN mice. Tubular changes included altered epithelial cell morphology and increased proliferation. In conclusion, hyperglycaemic E1-DN mice develop albuminuria and glomerular and tubular injury typical of human diabetic nephropathy and can serve as a new model to study the mechanisms leading to the development of diabetic nephropathy.

  19. Lesions of the basal forebrain cholinergic system in mice disrupt idiothetic navigation.

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    Adam S Hamlin

    Full Text Available Loss of integrity of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons is a consistent feature of Alzheimer's disease, and measurement of basal forebrain degeneration by magnetic resonance imaging is emerging as a sensitive diagnostic marker for prodromal disease. It is also known that Alzheimer's disease patients perform poorly on both real space and computerized cued (allothetic or uncued (idiothetic recall navigation tasks. Although the hippocampus is required for allothetic navigation, lesions of this region only mildly affect idiothetic navigation. Here we tested the hypothesis that the cholinergic medial septo-hippocampal circuit is important for idiothetic navigation. Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons were selectively lesioned in mice using the toxin saporin conjugated to a basal forebrain cholinergic neuronal marker, the p75 neurotrophin receptor. Control animals were able to learn and remember spatial information when tested on a modified version of the passive place avoidance test where all extramaze cues were removed, and animals had to rely on idiothetic signals. However, the exploratory behaviour of mice with cholinergic basal forebrain lesions was highly disorganized during this test. By contrast, the lesioned animals performed no differently from controls in tasks involving contextual fear conditioning and spatial working memory (Y maze, and displayed no deficits in potentially confounding behaviours such as motor performance, anxiety, or disturbed sleep/wake cycles. These data suggest that the basal forebrain cholinergic system plays a specific role in idiothetic navigation, a modality that is impaired early in Alzheimer's disease.

  20. Clonal expansion of T-cell receptor beta gene segment in the retrocochlear lesions of EAE mice.

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    Cheng, K C; Lee, K M; Yoo, T J

    1998-01-01

    It has been reported that the T cell receptor V beta 8.2 (TcrbV8.2) gene segment is predominantly expressed in encephalomyelitic T cells responding to myelin basic protein (MBP) in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice. We have demonstrated retrocochlear hearing loss in EAE mice in previous studies. Administration of a monoclonal antibody specific to the T cell receptor V beta 8 (TcrbV8) subfamily prevented both this type of hearing loss and the central nerve disease. In this study, we examined the role of the TcrbV8.2 gene segment in the retrocochlear lesions of EAE mice. A clonal expression of T cell receptor beta chain gene segment (TcrbV8.2-TcrbD2-TcrbJ2.7) was identified in the retrocochlear lesions. The TcrbV8.2 gene segment appears to recombine only with TcrbJ2.1 (32.1%) and TcrbJ2.7 (67.9%) gene segments. The TcrbJ2.7 gene segment has also been previously identified as the dominant TcrbJ gene in the lymph nodes of EAE mice. Only TcrbD2, with a length of 4 amino acids, was observed recombining with these TcrbV8.2 sequences. G and C nucleotides are predominantly expressed at the N regions between the V-D and D-J junctions. This dominant TcrbV gene segment (TcrbV8.2-TcrbD2-TcrbJ2.7) observed in the retrocochlear lesions has been identified in the MBP-specific T cells from the lymph nodes of EAE mice. These results suggest that a small subset of antigen-specific T cells migrate to, and expand at, the retrocochlear lesions, which leads to hearing loss.

  1. Diospyros lotus leaf and grapefruit stem extract synergistically ameliorate atopic dermatitis-like skin lesion in mice by suppressing infiltration of mast cells in skin lesions.

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    Cho, Byoung Ok; Che, Denis Nchang; Yin, Hong Hua; Shin, Jae Young; Jang, Seon Il

    2017-05-01

    Atopic dermatitis, a chronic relapsing and pruritic inflammation of the skin also thought to be involved in, or caused by immune system destruction is an upsetting health problem due to its continuously increasing incidence especially in developed countries. Mast cell infiltration in atopic dermatitis skin lesions and its IgE-mediated activation releases various cytokines and chemokines that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. This study was aimed at investigating synergistic anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic and anti-atopic dermatitis effects of Diospyros lotus leaf extract (DLE) and Muscat bailey A grapefruit stem extract (GFSE) in atopic dermatitis-like induced skin lesions in mice. Combinations of DLE and GFSE inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 production more than DLE or GFSE in PMA plus calcium ionophore A23187-activated HMC-1 cells. DLE and GFSE synergistically inhibited compound 48/80-induced dermal infiltration of mast cells and reduced scratching behavior than DLE or GFSE. Furthermore, DLE and GFSE synergistically showed a stronger ameliorative effect in skin lesions by reducing clinical scores; dermal infiltration of mast cells; ear and dorsal skin thickness; serum IgE and IL-4 production in atopic dermatitis-like mice. Collectively, these results suggest that DLE and GFSE synergistically exhibit anti-atopic dermatitis effects in atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in mice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  2. Ventrolateral periaqueductal gray lesion attenuates nociception but does not change anxiety-like indices or fear-induced antinociception in mice.

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    Mendes-Gomes, Joyce; Amaral, Vanessa Cristiane Santana; Nunes-de-Souza, Ricardo Luiz

    2011-06-01

    The exposure of rodents to an open elevated plus-maze (oEPM: four open arms raised from the floor) elicits naloxone-insensitive antinociception. Midazolam infusion into the dorsal portion of the periaqueductal gray (dPAG), a structure of the descending inhibitory system of pain, failed to alter oEPM-induced antinociception. Chemical lesion of dorsomedial and dorsolateral PAG attenuated defensive behavior in the standard EPM (sEPM), an animal model of anxiety, but failed to change oEPM-induced antinociception. The present study investigated the effects of bilateral lesion, with the injection of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid), of the ventrolateral column of PAG (vlPAG) (i) on nociceptive response induced by 2.5% formalin injected into the right hind paw (nociception test) in mice exposed to the enclosed EPM (eEPM: four enclosed arms - a non-aversive situation) or to the oEPM and (ii) on anxiety indices in mice exposed to the sEPM without prior formalin injection. Results showed that oEPM-induced antinociception was not altered by lesion of vlPAG. Nevertheless, the lesion reduced the nociceptive response in mice exposed to the eEPM and increased general locomotor activity during the eEPM and oEPM exposure. Furthermore, vlPAG lesion did not alter anxiety-like indices in mice exposed to the sEPM. The results suggest that vlPAG does not play a role in oEPM-induced antinociception or in defensive reactions assessed in the sEPM. Moreover, vlPAG inactivation induces pain inhibition in mice not exposed to an aversive situation and seems to increase general activity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Prefrontal cortex or basolateral amygdala lesions blocked the stress-induced inversion of serial memory retrieval pattern in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauveau, F; Piérard, C; Coutan, M; Drouet, I; Liscia, P; Béracochéa, D

    2008-09-01

    Previous data from our team have shown that pre-test stress in mice reversed the pattern of memory retrieval in a contextual serial spatial task (CSD; Celerier, A., Pierard, C., Rachbauer, D., Sarrieau, A., & Beracochea, D. (2004). Contextual and serial discriminations: A new learning paradigm to assess simultaneously the effects of acute stress on retrieval of flexible or stable information in mice. Learning and Memory, 11, 196-204). The present study is aimed at determining brain areas which might be critically involved in mediating the stress effect on memory retrieval in the CSD task. For that purpose, we studied hereby the effects of ibotenic acid lesions of either the prefrontal cortex (PFC) or the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in Stressed or Non-Stressed Balb/c mice on memory retrieval in the CSD task. In that task, mice learned two successive spatial discriminations (D1 and D2) within two different internal contexts in a four-hole board. The stressor (electric footshocks) was delivered 5 min before test, occurring 24 h after acquisition. During test, mice were relocated either on the floor of the first or of the second discrimination. Results showed that (i) spatial memory was substantial and remained unaffected both by lesions and stress; (ii) Non-Stressed controls as well as Non-Stressed or Stressed PFC and BLA-lesioned mice remembered accurately D1 but not D2; and (iii) in contrast, Stressed controls accurately remembered D2 but not D1. In parallel to behavioral experiments, we also showed that PFC and BLA lesions did not affect the stress-induced increase of plasma corticosterone levels. All together, PFC and BLA integrity are not necessary for retrieval processes per se; in contrast, the PFC and BLA are critically involved in the mediation of the deleterious stress effects on serial order memory retrieval.

  4. Ethanol induces rotational behavior in 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silverman, P.B.

    1987-03-09

    Mice with unilateal striatal lesions created by 6-hydroxydopamine (6HDA) injection were screened for rotational (circling) behavior in response to injection of amphetamine and apomorphine. Those that rotated ipsilaterally in response to amphetamine and contralaterally in response to apomorphine were subsequently challenged with 1 to 3 g/kg (i.p.) ethanol. Surprisingly, ethanol induced dose related contralateral (apomorphine-like) rotation which, despite gross intoxication, was quite marked in most animals. No significant correlation was found between the number of turns made following ethanol and made after apomorphine or amphetamine. 14 references, 2 figures, 1 table.

  5. Effect of probiotics on the development of dimethylhydrazine-induced preneoplastic lesions in the mice colon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Costa Liboredo

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To determine the effect of probiotics on the development of chemically induced (1, 2-dimethylhydrazine colonic preneoplastic lesions, in mice. METHODS: The animals were divided into five groups. The control group was injected with carcinogen alone and the other groups also received probiotics (1- Lactobacillus delbrueckii UFV-H2b20; 2- Bifidobacterium animalis var. lactis Bb12; 3- L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 plus B. animalis var. lactis Bb12; and 4- Saccharomyces boulardii administered orally in drinking water throughout fourteen weeks. RESULTS: Consumption of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria alone resulted in a significant reduction of the total number of aberrant crypt foci (55.7% and 45.1%, respectively. Significant reduction in the number of these small foci (3 aberrant crypts crypts had no significant reduction. CONCLUSION: L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 and B. animalis var. lactis Bb12 administered alone protect colonic preneoplastic lesions in mice, while the combined treatment of these bacteria and the administration of S.boulardii were not effective in reducing such colonic lesions.

  6. Reading Development in Typically Developing Children and Children With Prenatal or Perinatal Brain Lesions: Differential School Year and Summer Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demir-Lira, Özlem Ece; Levine, Susan C

    2016-01-01

    Summer slide, uneven growth of academic skills over the calendar year, captures the fact that the learning gains children make over the school year do not continue at the same pace over the summer, when children are typically not in school. We compared growth of reading skills during the school year and over the summer months in children with pre-or perinatal brain lesion (PL) and typically-developing (TD) children from varying socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds as a new way to probe the role of structured environmental support in functional plasticity for reading skills in children with PL. Results showed that children with PL performed lower than TD children on both reading decoding and reading comprehension. Group differences were primarily driven by children with larger lesions and children with right hemisphere lesions (RH). For reading comprehension, children with RH showed greater growth during the school year but more slide during the summer months than both TD children and children with left hemisphere lesions, implicating a particularly strong role of structured input in supporting reading comprehension in this group. TD children from lower SES backgrounds fell behind their TD peers from higher SES backgrounds on decoding and reading comprehension, but did not show differential patterns of school year and summer growth. Overall, results highlight the importance of considering the role of a host of factors interacting at multiple levels of analyses, including biological and environmental, in influencing developmental trajectories of typically and atypically-developing children.

  7. Detection of oral early cancerous lesion by using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography: mice model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hong-Yi; Chen, Ping-Hsien; Lee, Tzu-Han; Chang, Kuo-Wei; Kuo, Wen-Chuan

    2018-02-01

    Oral cancer is the 11th most common cancer worldwide, especially in a male adult. The median age of death in oral cancer was 55 years, 10-20 years earlier than other cancers. Presently, oral cancer is often found in late stage, because the lesion is often flat in early stage and is difficult to diagnose under traditional white light imaging. The only definitive method for determining cancer is an invasive biopsy and then using histology examination. How to detect precancerous lesions or early malignant lesions is an important issue for improving prognosis of oral cancer. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a new optical tool for diagnosing early malignant lesions in the skin or gastrointestinal tract recently. Here we report a new method for detecting precancerous or early malignant oral lesions by using swept source polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) with center-wavelength 1310 nm, bandwidth 110 nm and 100 kHz swept rate. We used all single-mode fiber design to detect the change of birefringence information in the epithelium structure. This system has an advantage that enables measurement of backscattered intensity and birefringence simultaneously with only one A-scan per transverse location. In preliminary result, we computed the slope of the every A-scan signal in tissue part using a linear-curve fitting in backscattered intensity and birefringence on the enface. In this research, we used an oral cancer mice model for observing the change of structure and birefringence properties in different stages of oral cancer mice. We presented the parametric enface imaging that can detect the early oral malignant lesions.

  8. PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TETRAMETHYLPYRAZINE ON LEARNING AND MEMORY FUNCTION IN D-GALACTOSE-LESIONED MICE

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Chun Zhang; Shi-zhen Wang; Ping-ping Zuo; Xu Cui; Jiong Cai

    2004-01-01

    Objective To explore the protective effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on the learning and memory function in D-galactose (D-gal)-lesioned mice.zine A were respectively given by intragastric administration in different groups from the third week. Learning and memory ability was tested with Morris water maze for 5 days at the sixth week. After completion of behavioral test, the mice were sacrificed by decapitation. The brain was rapidly removed, and the cortex and hippocampus were separated. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the cortex were determined. At the same time, the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the binding sites (Bmax) and the affinity (KD) of M-cholinergic receptor in the cortex, and Bmax and KD of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the hippocampus were determined.Results In this model group, (1) The deficit of learning and memory ability, (2) elevated MDA content and lowered SOD activity, (3) decreased AChE activity and M-cholinergic receptor binding sites in the cortex, and (4) lowered NMDA receptor binding sites were observed in the hippocampus, as compared with the normal control. TMP could markedly (1)attenuate cognitive dysfunction, (2) lower MDA content and elevate SOD activity, (3) increase the activity of ChAT and AChE, and M-cholinergic receptor binding sites in the cortex in the mice treated with D-gal. NMDA receptor binding sites were also increased in the hippocampus in the treated mice.Conclusion TMP can significantly strengthen antioxidative function, improve central cholinergic system function, protect NMDA receptor activity, and thus enhance the learning and memory ability in D-gal-lesioned mice.

  9. Transplanted Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Facilitate Lesion Repair in B6.Fas Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guang-ping Ruan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE is a multisystem disease that is characterized by the appearance of serum autoantibodies. No effective treatment for SLE currently exists. Methods. We used human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (H-UC-MSC transplantation to treat B6.Fas mice. Results. After four rounds of cell transplantation, we observed a statistically significant decrease in the levels of mouse anti-nuclear, anti-histone, and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies in transplanted mice compared with controls. The percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells in mouse peripheral blood significantly increased after H-UC-MSC transplantation. Conclusions. The results showed that H-UC-MSCs could repair lesions in B6.Fas mice such that all of the relevant disease indicators in B6.Fas mice were restored to the levels observed in normal C57BL/6 mice.

  10. Inability to acquire spatial information and deploy spatial search strategies in mice with lesions in dorsomedial striatum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pooters, Tine; Gantois, Ilse; Vermaercke, Ben; D'Hooge, Rudi

    2016-02-01

    Dorsal striatum has been shown to contribute to spatial learning and memory, but the role of striatal subregions in this important aspect of cognitive functioning remains unclear. Moreover, the spatial-cognitive mechanisms that underlie the involvement of these regions in spatial navigation have scarcely been studied. We therefore compared spatial learning and memory performance in mice with lesions in dorsomedial (DMS) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) using the hidden-platform version of the Morris water maze (MWM) task. Compared to sham-operated controls, animals with DMS damage were impaired during MWM acquisition training. These mice displayed delayed spatial learning, increased thigmotaxis, and increased search distance to the platform, in the absence of major motor dysfunction, working memory defects or changes in anxiety or exploration. They failed to show a preference for the target quadrant during probe trials, which further indicates that spatial reference memory was impaired in these animals. Search strategy analysis moreover demonstrated that DMS-lesioned mice were unable to deploy cognitively advanced spatial search strategies. Conversely, MWM performance was barely affected in animals with lesions in DLS. In conclusion, our results indicate that DMS and DLS display differential functional involvement in spatial learning and memory. Our results show that DMS, but not DLS, is crucial for the ability of mice to acquire spatial information and their subsequent deployment of spatial search strategies. These data clearly identify DMS as a crucial brain structure for spatial learning and memory, which could explain the occurrence of neurocognitive impairments in brain disorders that affect the dorsal striatum. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The antiviral effectiveness of butylated hydroxytoluene on herpes cutaneous infections in hairless mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keith, A.D.; Arruda, D.; Snipes, W.; Frost, P.

    1982-01-01

    Hairless mice, cutaneously infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), were treated topically with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The effectiveness of BHT in shortening the duration of infections was assayed under three conditions. In the first experiments, mice undergoing primary infections with no prior immunity to HSV-1 were utilized. These animals tended to develop deep lesions that were not typical of recurrent HSV-1 infections in humans. A second set of experiments utilized mice that had recovered from a primary infection and that were immunosuppressed by γ irradiation. Immunosuppression was essential for the full development of lesions upon reinfection. The lesions in these animals remained more localized with less tendency to spread into deep tissues. A third set of experiments utilized animals that were subcutaneously inoculated with human serum γ-globulin 24 hr prior to infection. Lesions on these animals also remained localized and did not penetrate into deep tissues. Under all three conditions, BHT was found to be effective in reducing the clearance time of HSV-1 cutaneous lesions when applied topically to the infected area

  12. Characterization of pancreatic lesions from MT-tgf alpha, Ela-myc and MT-tgf alpha/Ela-myc single and double transgenic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Dezhong Joshua; Wang, Yong; Wu, Jiusheng; Adsay, Nazmi Volkan; Grignon, David; Khanani, Fayyaz; Sarkar, Fazlul H

    2006-07-05

    In order to identify good animal models for investigating therapeutic and preventive strategies for pancreatic cancer, we analyzed pancreatic lesions from several transgenic models and made a series of novel findings. Female MT-tgf alpha mice of the MT100 line developed pancreatic proliferation, acinar-ductal metaplasia, multilocular cystic neoplasms, ductal adenocarcinomas and prominent fibrosis, while the lesions in males were less severe. MT-tgf alpha-ES transgenic lines of both sexes developed slowly progressing lesions that were similar to what was seen in MT100 males. In both MT100 and MT-tgf alpha-ES lines, TGF alpha transgene was expressed mainly in proliferating ductal cells. Ela-myc transgenic mice with a mixed C57BL/6, SJL and FVB genetic background developed pancreatic tumors at 2-7 months of age, and half of the tumors were ductal adenocarcinomas, similar to what was reported originally by Sandgren et al 1. However, in 20% of the mice, the tumors metastasized to the liver. MT100/Ela-myc and MT-tgf alpha-ES/Ela-myc double transgenic mice developed not only acinar carcinomas and mixed carcinomas as previously reported but also various ductal-originated lesions, including multilocular cystic neoplasms and ductal adenocarcinomas. The double transgenic tumors were more malignant and metastasized to the liver at a higher frequency (33%) compared with the Ela-myc tumors. Sequencing of the coding region of p16ink4, k-ras and Rb cDNA in small numbers of pancreatic tumors did not identify mutations. The short latency for tumor development, the variety of tumor morphology and the liver metastases seen in Ela-myc and MT-tgf alpha/Ela-myc mice make these animals good models for investigating new therapeutic and preventive strategies for pancreatic cancer.

  13. Genetic Ablation of Soluble TNF Does Not Affect Lesion Size and Functional Recovery after Moderate Spinal Cord Injury in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ditte Gry Ellman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI is followed by an instant increase in expression of the microglial-derived proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF within the lesioned cord. TNF exists both as membrane-anchored TNF (mTNF and as cleaved soluble TNF (solTNF. We previously demonstrated that epidural administration of a dominant-negative inhibitor of solTNF, XPro1595, to the contused spinal cord resulted in changes in Iba1 protein expression in microglia/macrophages, decreased lesion volume, and improved locomotor function. Here, we extend our studies using mice expressing mTNF, but no solTNF (mTNFΔ/Δ, to study the effect of genetic ablation of solTNF on SCI. We demonstrate that TNF levels were significantly decreased within the lesioned spinal cord 3 days after SCI in mTNFΔ/Δ mice compared to littermates. This decrease did, however, not translate into significant changes in other pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-5, IL-2, CXCL1, CCL2, or CCL5, despite a tendency towards increased IL-10 and decreased IL-1β, TNFR1, and TNFR2 levels in mTNFΔ/Δ mice. In addition, microglial and leukocyte infiltration, activation state (Iba1, CD11b, CD11c, CD45, and MHCII, lesion size, and functional outcome after moderate SCI were comparable between genotypes. Collectively, our data demonstrate that genetic ablation of solTNF does not significantly modulate postlesion outcome after SCI.

  14. A CD1d-dependent lipid antagonist to NKT cells ameliorates atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice by reducing lesion necrosis and inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yi; Kanellakis, Peter; Hosseini, Hamid; Cao, Anh; Deswaerte, Virginie; Tipping, Peter; Toh, Ban-Hock; Bobik, Alex; Kyaw, Tin

    2016-02-01

    Atherosclerosis-related deaths from heart attacks and strokes remain leading causes of global mortality, despite the use of lipid-lowering statins. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop additional therapies. Reports that NKT cells promote atherosclerosis and an NKT cell CD1d-dependent lipid antagonist (DPPE-PEG350, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N[methoxy(polyethyleneglycol)-350]) reduces allergen-induced inflammation led us to investigate its therapeutic potential in preventing the development and progression of experimental atherosclerosis. DPPE-PEG350 was administered to hyperlipidaemic ApoE(-/-) mice with/without established atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis and immune cells were assessed in the aortic sinus lesions. Lesion expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and vascular cell adhesion protein-1 (VCAM-1) responsible for inflammatory immune cell recruitment as well as mRNA expression of IFNγ and its plasma levels were investigated. Necrotic cores and lesion smooth muscle and collagen contents important in plaque stability were determined as were plasma lipid levels. DPPE-PEG350 reduced atherosclerosis development and delayed progression of established atherosclerosis without affecting plasma lipids. CD4 and CD8 T cells and B cells in atherosclerotic lesions were decreased in DPPE-PEG350-treated mice. Lesion MCP-1 and VCAM-1 protein expression and necrotic core size were reduced without affecting lesion smooth muscle and collagen content. IFNγ and lymphocytes were unaffected by the treatment. The attenuation of progression of established atherosclerosis together with reduced development of atherosclerosis in hyperlipidaemic mice by the NKT antagonist, without affecting NKT cell or other lymphocyte numbers, suggests that targeting lesion inflammation via CD1d-dependent activation of NKT cells using DPPE-PEG350 has a therapeutic potential in treating atherosclerosis. Published on behalf of the European Society of

  15. Tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii irradiated with 255 Gy induces decrease of cysts and cerebral lesions in mice challenged with cysts of ME-49

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hiramoto, Roberto Mitsuyoshi; Galisteo Juniorm Andres Jimenez; Nascimento, Nanci do; Andrade Junior, Heitor Franco de

    2002-01-01

    Toxoplasmosis can cause ocular lesions in normal individuals and several diseases in foetus, HIV infection and transplants. Toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle, involving cats, as the definitive host, and warm blood species, as intermediated hosts. The infection occurs by ingestion of food and water contaminated with infected cat faeces, contaminated milk and cheese or raw and undercook meat of the intermediated hosts. To date, there is no commercial vaccine of use in humans. In this work, tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain were irradiated with 255 Gy and inoculated in C57Bl/6j mice (3 doses, biweekly), after mice were challenged with 1, 5, 10, 20 and 25 cysts of ME-49 by oral gavage. The lesions and cysts in the brain were analyzed in all mice, after 4-week post infection. The mortality was 20% in control mice (ME-49 cysts only) and not one in immunized mice. The number of cysts was high in the control group, but low in immunized 255 Gy mice (n<100). Immunized mice showed less cerebral pathology and necrosis foci. Ionizing radiation is an important tool in the study toxoplasmosis and vaccine development. (author)

  16. Effect of Acer tegmentosum bark on atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Gabsik; An, Duckgun; Lee, Mi-Hwa; Lee, Kyungjin; Kim, Bumjung; Suman, Chinannai Khanita; Ham, Inhye; Choi, Ho-Young

    2016-01-11

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory condition characterized by pruritic and eczematous skin lesions that requires safe and effective pharmacological therapy. The bark of Acer tegmentosum Maxim trees has been used in Korean folk and traditional medicine to treat abscesses, surgical bleeding, liver diseases, and AD. To investigate the therapeutic effect of A. tegmentosum, on a mouse model of Dermatophagoides farinae (Df)-induced AD. Development of AD-like skin lesions was induced by repetitive skin contact with barrier-disrupted backs of NC/Nga mice with Df body ointment, and the effects of A. tegmentosum were evaluated on the basis of histopathological skin assessment results, ear swelling, and cytokine production in the dorsal skin. The component of A. tegmentosum, salidroside, inhibited the production of TSLP in KCMH-1 cells, which indicated that its production could be pharmacologically regulated. Topical application of A. tegmentosum for 1 week after Df body ointment challenge significantly reduced ear swelling and improved dorsal skin lesions. Suppression of dermatitis by combined therapy was accompanied by a decrease in the skin level of Th2 cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13, plasma levels of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, and IgE. Induction of thymic stromal lymphopoietin, which leads to a systemic Th2 response, was also reduced in in vivo and in vitro by A. tegmentosum and salidroside. Our findings suggest that A. tegmentosum treatment has a significant therapeutic effect on Df-induced AD-like skin lesions on NC/Nga mice through inhibition of thymic stromal lymphopoietin and IgE via a mechanism that may inhibit Th2-mediated immune responses. These results suggest that A. tegmentosum and salidroside may be useful tools for the treatment of AD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effect of Interferon, Polyacrylic Acid, and Polymethacrylic Acid on Tail Lesions in Mice Infected with Vaccinia Virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Clercq, E.; De Somer, P.

    1968-01-01

    Intravenous inoculation of mice with vaccinia virus produced characteristic lesions of the tail surface which were suppressed by intraperitoneal administration of interferon and polyacrylic acid (PAA). Polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) stimulated the formation of vaccinia virus lesions. For full activity, both interferon and PAA must be given prior to infection. PAA was still significantly effective at small dose levels (3 mg/kg) and achieved protection for at least 4 weeks. Protection increased with increasing molecular weight of the polymer. The mode of action of PAA is discussed. PMID:5676405

  18. Glyoxalase 1 overexpression does not affect atherosclerotic lesion size and severity in ApoE-/- mice with or without diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hanssen, Nordin M J; Brouwers, Olaf; Gijbels, Marion J

    2014-01-01

    are higher in rupture-prone plaques. We here investigated whether overexpression of human GLO1 in ApoE(-/-) mice could reduce the development of atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We crossed C57BL/6 ApoE(-/-) mice with C57BL/6 GLO1 overexpressing mice (huGLO1(+/-)) to generate ApoE(-/-) (n = 16) and Apo......E(-/-) huGLO1(+/-) (n = 20) mice. To induce diabetes, we injected a subset with streptozotocin (STZ) to generate diabetic ApoE(-/-) (n = 8) and ApoE(-/-) huGLO1(+/-) (n = 13) mice. All mice were fed chow and sacrificed at 25 weeks of age. The GLO1 activity was three-fold increased in huGLO1(+/-) aorta......, but aortic root lesion size and phenotype did not differ between mice with and without huGLO1(+/-) overexpression. We detected no differences in gene expression in aortic arches, in AGE levels and cytokines, in circulating cells, and endothelial function between ApoE(-/-) mice with and without huGLO1...

  19. Functional Deficits Precede Structural Lesions in Mice With High-Fat Diet-Induced Diabetic Retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajagopal, Rithwick; Bligard, Gregory W; Zhang, Sheng; Yin, Li; Lukasiewicz, Peter; Semenkovich, Clay F

    2016-04-01

    Obesity predisposes to human type 2 diabetes, the most common cause of diabetic retinopathy. To determine if high-fat diet-induced diabetes in mice can model retinal disease, we weaned mice to chow or a high-fat diet and tested the hypothesis that diet-induced metabolic disease promotes retinopathy. Compared with controls, mice fed a diet providing 42% of energy as fat developed obesity-related glucose intolerance by 6 months. There was no evidence of microvascular disease until 12 months, when trypsin digests and dye leakage assays showed high fat-fed mice had greater atrophic capillaries, pericyte ghosts, and permeability than controls. However, electroretinographic dysfunction began at 6 months in high fat-fed mice, manifested by increased latencies and reduced amplitudes of oscillatory potentials compared with controls. These electroretinographic abnormalities were correlated with glucose intolerance. Unexpectedly, retinas from high fat-fed mice manifested striking induction of stress kinase and neural inflammasome activation at 3 months, before the development of systemic glucose intolerance, electroretinographic defects, or microvascular disease. These results suggest that retinal disease in the diabetic milieu may progress through inflammatory and neuroretinal stages long before the development of vascular lesions representing the classic hallmark of diabetic retinopathy, establishing a model for assessing novel interventions to treat eye disease. © 2016 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.

  20. BALB/c mice infected with antimony treatment refractory isolate of Leishmania braziliensis present severe lesions due to IL-4 production.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego L Costa

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leishmania braziliensis is the main causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. Protection against infection is related to development of Th1 responses, but the mechanisms that mediate susceptibility are still poorly understood. Murine models have been the most important tools in understanding the immunopathogenesis of L. major infection and have shown that Th2 responses favor parasite survival. In contrast, L. braziliensis-infected mice develop strong Th1 responses and easily resolve the infection, thus making the study of factors affecting susceptibility to this parasite difficult. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we describe an experimental model for the evaluation of the mechanisms mediating susceptibility to L. braziliensis infection. BALB/c mice were inoculated with stationary phase promastigotes of L. braziliensis, isolates LTCP393(R and LTCP15171(S, which are resistant and susceptible to antimony and nitric oxide (NO, respectively. Mice inoculated with LTCP393(R presented larger lesions that healed more slowly and contained higher parasite loads than lesions caused by LTCP15171(S. Inflammatory infiltrates in the lesions and production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β were similar in mice inoculated with either isolate, indicating that these factors did not contribute to the different disease manifestations observed. In contrast, IL-4 production was strongly increased in LTCP393(R-inoculated animals and also arginase I (Arg I expression. Moreover, anti-IL-4 monoclonal antibody (mAb treatment resulted in decreased lesion thickness and parasite burden in animals inoculated with LTCP393(R, but not in those inoculated with LTCP15171(S. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that the ability of L. braziliensis isolates to induce Th2 responses affects the susceptibility to infection with these isolates and contributes to the increased virulence and severity of disease associated with them. Since these data reflect

  1. Diabetic kidney lesions of GIPRdn transgenic mice: podocyte hypertrophy and thickening of the GBM precede glomerular hypertrophy and glomerulosclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbach, Nadja; Schairer, Irene; Blutke, Andreas; Kautz, Sabine; Siebert, Angela; Göke, Burkhard; Wolf, Eckhard; Wanke, Ruediger

    2009-04-01

    Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease and the largest contributor to the total cost of diabetes care. Rodent models are excellent tools to gain more insight into the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. In the present study, we characterize the age-related sequence of diabetes-associated kidney lesions in GIPR(dn) transgenic mice, a novel mouse model of early-onset diabetes mellitus. Clinical-chemical analyses as well as qualitative and quantitative morphological analyses of the kidneys of GIPR(dn) transgenic animals and nontransgenic littermate controls were performed at 3, 8, 20, and 28 wk of age. Early renal changes of transgenic mice consisted of podocyte hypertrophy, reduced numerical volume density of podocytes in glomeruli, and homogenous thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, followed by renal and glomerular hypertrophy as well as mesangial expansion and matrix accumulation. At 28 wk of age, glomerular damage was most prominent, including advanced glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial lesions, and proteinuria. Real-time PCR demonstrated increased glomerular expression of Col4a1, Fn1, and Tgfb1. Immunohistochemistry revealed increased mesangial deposition of collagen type IV, fibronectin, and laminin. The present study shows that GIPR(dn) transgenic mice exhibit renal changes that closely resemble diabetes-associated kidney alterations in humans. Data particularly from male transgenic mice indicate that podocyte hypertrophy is directly linked to hyperglycemia, without the influence of mechanical stress. GIPR(dn) transgenic mice are considered an excellent new tool to study the mechanisms involved in onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy.

  2. Effects of Tang Mai Kang Capsule on Angioneurotic Lesions in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Mice

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    李华; 王军; 高丽君; 郭永成

    2004-01-01

    The effects of Tang Mai Kang Capsule (糖脉康胶囊) on blood sugar level, gangrene of the tail-tip, pain threshold and learning and memory abilities were investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The results showed that Tang Mai Kang Capsule could significantly decrease blood sugar level and incidence rate of gangrene of the tail-tip, increase pain threshold, and strengthen learning and memory abilities, suggesting that Tang Mai Kang Capsule functions to decrease blood sugar level and improve the complicated angioneurotic lesions of diabetes.

  3. Size and spatial orientation of uterine tissue transplants on the peritoneum crucially determine the growth and cyst formation of endometriosis-like lesions in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Körbel, Christina; Menger, Michael D; Laschke, Matthias W

    2010-10-01

    In many studies in rodents, intraperitoneal endometriosis-like lesions are surgically induced by syngeneic or autologous transplantation of uterine tissue samples, which are sutured to the abdominal wall. However, until now the surgical techniques have not been standardized, and we address this issue here. Uterine tissue samples were transplanted to the peritoneum of C57BL/6 mice (four study groups, n = 7 each). Using non-invasive high-resolution ultrasound imaging over a period of 4 weeks, we analyzed growth characteristics and cyst formation of the endometriosis-like lesions which developed, in relation to mode of transplantation (syngeneic versus autologous), type of tissue fixed adjacent to the peritoneum (endometrium versus perimetrium), and size of tissue transplanted (2 versus 3 mm). Immunohistochemical analysis was also performed. When the perimetrium, with underlying myometrium, was sutured next to the host peritoneum the endometriosis-like lesions which developed exhibited a higher growth rate (Pendometriosis-like lesions. Our study demonstrates that size and spatial orientation of peritoneally fixed uterine tissue samples crucially determine growth and cyst formation of endometriotic lesions in mice. These findings should improve the standardization and reliability of future studies, performed in the frequently used mouse model of surgically induced endometriosis.

  4. Oral administration of Uncariae rhynchophylla inhibits the development of DNFB-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions via IFN-gamma down-regulation in NC/Nga mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dong-Young; Jung, Jung-A; Kim, Tae-Ho; Seo, Sang-Wan; Jung, Sung-Ki; Park, Cheung-Seog

    2009-04-21

    Uncariae rhynchophylla (UR) is an herb which has blood pressure lowering and anti-inflammatory effects and has been prescribed traditionally to treat stroke and vascular dementia. In the present study, we examined whether UR suppress Atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice treated with 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) under SPF conditions. The effect of UR in DNFB- treated NC/Nga mice was determined by measuring the skin symptom severity, levels of serum IgE, and of the amounts of IL-4 and IFN-gamma secreted by activated T cells in draining lymph nodes. Oral administration of UR to DNFB-treated NC/Nga mice was found to inhibit ear thickness increases and the skin lesions induced by DNFB. IFN-gamma production by CD4+ T cells from the lymph nodes of DNFB-treated NC/Nga mice was significantly inhibited by UR treatment, although levels of IL-4 and total IgE in serum were not. UR may suppress the development of AD-like dermatitis in DNFB-treated NC/Nga mice by reducing IFN-gamma production.

  5. Hypocretin-2 saporin lesions of the ventrolateral periaquaductal gray (vlPAG increase REM sleep in hypocretin knockout mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satvinder Kaur

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Ten years ago the sleep disorder narcolepsy was linked to the neuropeptide hypocretin (HCRT, also known as orexin. This disorder is characterized by excessive day time sleepiness, inappropriate triggering of rapid-eye movement (REM sleep and cataplexy, which is a sudden loss of muscle tone during waking. It is still not known how HCRT regulates REM sleep or muscle tone since HCRT neurons are localized only in the lateral hypothalamus while REM sleep and muscle atonia are generated from the brainstem. To identify a potential neuronal circuit, the neurotoxin hypocretin-2-saporin (HCRT2-SAP was used to lesion neurons in the ventral lateral periaquaductal gray (vlPAG. The first experiment utilized hypocretin knock-out (HCRT-ko mice with the expectation that deletion of both HCRT and its target neurons would exacerbate narcoleptic symptoms. Indeed, HCRT-ko mice (n = 8 given the neurotoxin HCRT2-SAP (16.5 ng/23nl/sec each side in the vlPAG had levels of REM sleep and sleep fragmentation that were considerably higher compared to HCRT-ko given saline (+39%; n = 7 or wildtype mice (+177%; n = 9. However, cataplexy attacks did not increase, nor were levels of wake or non-REM sleep changed. Experiment 2 determined the effects in mice where HCRT was present but the downstream target neurons in the vlPAG were deleted by the neurotoxin. This experiment utilized an FVB-transgenic strain of mice where eGFP identifies GABA neurons. We verified this and also determined that eGFP neurons were immunopositive for the HCRT-2 receptor. vlPAG lesions in these mice increased REM sleep (+79% versus saline controls and it was significantly correlated (r = 0.89 with loss of eGFP neurons. These results identify the vlPAG as one site that loses its inhibitory control over REM sleep, but does not cause cataplexy, as a result of hypocretin deficiency.

  6. Activation of Adiponectin Receptor Regulates Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Expression and Inhibits Lesions in ApoE-Deficient Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Lei; Yang, Xiaoxiao; Li, Qi; Zeng, Peng; Liu, Ying; Liu, Lipei; Chen, Yuanli; Yu, Miao; Ma, Chuanrui; Li, Xiaoju; Li, Yan; Zhang, Rongxin; Zhu, Yan; Miao, Qing Robert; Han, Jihong; Duan, Yajun

    2017-07-01

    The reduced adiponectin levels are associated with atherosclerosis. Adiponectin exerts its functions by activating adiponectin receptor (AdipoR). Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) degrades LDLR protein (low-density lipoprotein receptor) to increase serum LDL-cholesterol levels. PCSK9 expression can be regulated by PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) or SREBP2 (sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2). The effects of AdipoR agonists on PCSK9 and LDLR expression, serum lipid profiles, and atherosclerosis remain unknown. At cellular levels, AdipoR agonists (ADP355 and AdipoRon) induced PCSK9 transcription/expression that solely depended on activation of PPAR-responsive element in the PCSK9 promoter. AdipoR agonists induced PPARγ expression; thus, the AdipoR agonist-activated PCSK9 expression/production was impaired in PPARγ deficient hepatocytes. Meanwhile, AdipoR agonists transcriptionally activated LDLR expression by activating SRE in the LDLR promoter. Moreover, AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) was involved in AdipoR agonist-activated PCSK9 expression. In wild-type mice, ADP355 increased PCSK9 and LDLR expression and serum PCSK9 levels, which was associated with activation of PPARγ, AMPKα and SREBP2 and reduction of LDL-cholesterol levels. In contrast, ADP355 reduced PCSK9 expression/secretion in apoE-deficient (apoE -/- ) mice, but it still activated hepatic LDLR, PPARγ, AMPKα, and SREBP2. More importantly, ADP355 inhibited lesions in en face aortas and sinus lesions in aortic root in apoE -/- mice with amelioration of lipid profiles. Our study demonstrates that AdipoR activation by agonists regulated PCSK9 expression differently in wild-type and apoE -/- mice. However, ADP355 activated hepatic LDLR expression and ameliorated lipid metabolism in both types of mice and inhibited atherosclerosis in apoE -/- mice. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  7. Accumulation of premutagenic DNA lesions in mice defective in removal of oxidative base damage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klungland, Arne; Rosewell, Ian; Hollenbach, Stephan; Larsen, Elisabeth; Daly, Graham; Epe, Bernd; Seeberg, Erling; Lindahl, Tomas; Barnes, Deborah E.

    1999-01-01

    DNA damage generated by oxidant byproducts of cellular metabolism has been proposed as a key factor in cancer and aging. Oxygen free radicals cause predominantly base damage in DNA, and the most frequent mutagenic base lesion is 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG). This altered base can pair with A as well as C residues, leading to a greatly increased frequency of spontaneous G·C→T·A transversion mutations in repair-deficient bacterial and yeast cells. Eukaryotic cells use a specific DNA glycosylase, the product of the OGG1 gene, to excise 8-oxoG from DNA. To assess the role of the mammalian enzyme in repair of DNA damage and prevention of carcinogenesis, we have generated homozygous ogg1−/− null mice. These animals are viable but accumulate abnormal levels of 8-oxoG in their genomes. Despite this increase in potentially miscoding DNA lesions, OGG1-deficient mice exhibit only a moderately, but significantly, elevated spontaneous mutation rate in nonproliferative tissues, do not develop malignancies, and show no marked pathological changes. Extracts of ogg1 null mouse tissues cannot excise the damaged base, but there is significant slow removal in vivo from proliferating cells. These findings suggest that in the absence of the DNA glycosylase, and in apparent contrast to bacterial and yeast cells, an alternative repair pathway functions to minimize the effects of an increased load of 8-oxoG in the genome and maintain a low endogenous mutation frequency. PMID:10557315

  8. Neuroprotective properties of cannabigerol in Huntington's disease: studies in R6/2 mice and 3-nitropropionate-lesioned mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdeolivas, Sara; Navarrete, Carmen; Cantarero, Irene; Bellido, María L; Muñoz, Eduardo; Sagredo, Onintza

    2015-01-01

    Different plant-derived and synthetic cannabinoids have shown to be neuroprotective in experimental models of Huntington's disease (HD) through cannabinoid receptor-dependent and/or independent mechanisms. Herein, we studied the effects of cannabigerol (CBG), a nonpsychotropic phytocannabinoid, in 2 different in vivo models of HD. CBG was extremely active as neuroprotectant in mice intoxicated with 3-nitropropionate (3NP), improving motor deficits and preserving striatal neurons against 3NP toxicity. In addition, CBG attenuated the reactive microgliosis and the upregulation of proinflammatory markers induced by 3NP, and improved the levels of antioxidant defenses that were also significantly reduced by 3NP. We also investigated the neuroprotective properties of CBG in R6/2 mice. Treatment with this phytocannabinoid produced a much lower, but significant, recovery in the deteriorated rotarod performance typical of R6/2 mice. Using HD array analysis, we were able to identify a series of genes linked to this disease (e.g., symplekin, Sin3a, Rcor1, histone deacetylase 2, huntingtin-associated protein 1, δ subunit of the gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor (GABA-A), and hippocalcin), whose expression was altered in R6/2 mice but partially normalized by CBG treatment. We also observed a modest improvement in the gene expression for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), which is altered in these mice, as well as a small, but significant, reduction in the aggregation of mutant huntingtin in the striatal parenchyma in CBG-treated animals. In conclusion, our results open new research avenues for the use of CBG, alone or in combination with other phytocannabinoids or therapies, for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as HD.

  9. Focal lesions within the ventral striato-pallidum abolish attraction for male chemosignals in female mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agustín-Pavón, Carmen; Martínez-García, Fernando; Lanuza, Enrique

    2014-02-01

    In rodents, socio-sexual behaviour is largely mediated by chemosensory cues, some of which are rewarding stimuli. Female mice display an innate attraction towards male chemosignals, dependent on the vomeronasal system. This behaviour likely reflects the hedonic value of sexual chemosignals. The anteromedial aspect of the olfactory tubercle, along with its associated islands of Calleja, receives vomeronasal inputs and sexually-dimorphic vasopressinergic innervation. Thus, we hypothesised that this portion of the ventral striato-pallidum, known to be involved in reward processing, might be important for sexual odorant-guided behaviours. In this study, we demonstrate that lesions of this region, but not of regions in the posterolateral striato-pallidum, abolish the attraction of female mice for male chemosignals, without affecting significantly their preference for a different natural reward (a sucrose solution). These results show that, at least in female mice, the integrity of the anterior aspect of the medioventral striato-pallidum, comprising a portion of the olfactory tubercle and associated islands of Calleja, is necessary for the attraction for male chemosignals. We suggest that this region contributes to the processing of the hedonic properties of biologically significant odorants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Endometrial-Peritoneal Interactions during Endometriotic Lesion Establishment

    OpenAIRE

    Hull, M. Louise; Escareno, Claudia Rangel; Godsland, Jane M.; Doig, John R.; Johnson, Claire M.; Phillips, Stephen C.; Smith, Stephen K.; Tavaré, Simon; Print, Cristin G.; Charnock-Jones, D. Stephen

    2008-01-01

    The pathophysiology of endometriosis remains unclear but involves a complex interaction between ectopic endometrium and host peritoneal tissues. We hypothesized that disruption of this interaction would suppress endometriotic lesion formation. We hoped to delineate the molecular and cellular dialogue between ectopic human endometrium and peritoneal tissues in nude mice as a first step toward testing this hypothesis. Human endometrium was xenografted into nude mice, and the resulting lesions w...

  11. In Vivo Imaging of the Central and Peripheral Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Suprachiasmatic Nuclei Lesion on PERIOD-2 Protein in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curie, Thomas; Maret, Stephanie; Emmenegger, Yann; Franken, Paul

    2015-09-01

    That sleep deprivation increases the brain expression of various clock genes has been well documented. Based on these and other findings we hypothesized that clock genes not only underlie circadian rhythm generation but are also implicated in sleep homeostasis. However, long time lags have been reported between the changes in the clock gene messenger RNA levels and their encoded proteins. It is therefore crucial to establish whether also protein levels increase within the time frame known to activate a homeostatic sleep response. We report on the central and peripheral effects of sleep deprivation on PERIOD-2 (PER2) protein both in intact and suprachiasmatic nuclei-lesioned mice. In vivo and in situ PER2 imaging during baseline, sleep deprivation, and recovery. Mouse sleep-recording facility. Per2::Luciferase knock-in mice. N/A. Six-hour sleep deprivation increased PER2 not only in the brain but also in liver and kidney. Remarkably, the effects in the liver outlasted those observed in the brain. Within the brain the increase in PER2 concerned the cerebral cortex mainly, while leaving suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) levels unaffected. Against expectation, sleep deprivation did not increase PER2 in the brain of arrhythmic SCN-lesioned mice because of higher PER2 levels in baseline. In contrast, liver PER2 levels did increase in these mice similar to the sham and partially lesioned controls. Our results stress the importance of considering both sleep-wake dependent and circadian processes when quantifying clock-gene levels. Because sleep deprivation alters PERIOD-2 in the brain as well as in the periphery, it is tempting to speculate that clock genes constitute a common pathway mediating the shared and well-known adverse effects of both chronic sleep loss and disrupted circadian rhythmicity on metabolic health. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

  12. Deletion of Batf3-dependent antigen-presenting cells does not affect atherosclerotic lesion formation in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesus Gil-Pulido

    Full Text Available Atherosclerosis is the main underlying cause for cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke and its development might be influenced by immune cells. Dendritic cells (DCs bridge innate and adaptive immune responses by presenting antigens to T cells and releasing a variety of cytokines. Several subsets of DCs can be discriminated that engage specific transcriptional pathways for their development. Basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (Batf3 is required for the development of classical CD8α+ and CD103+ DCs. By crossing mice deficient in Batf3 with atherosclerosis-prone low density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr-/--deficient mice we here aimed to further address the contribution of Batf3-dependent CD8α+ and CD103+ antigen-presenting cells to atherosclerosis. We demonstrate that deficiency in Batf3 entailed mild effects on the immune response in the spleen but did not alter atherosclerotic lesion formation in the aorta or aortic root, nor affected plaque phenotype in low density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice fed a high fat diet. We thus provide evidence that Batf3-dependent antigen-presenting cells do not have a prominent role in atherosclerosis.

  13. Pre-existing Periapical Inflammatory Condition Exacerbates Tooth Extraction–induced BRONJ Lesions in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Minju; Alshaikh, Abdullah; Kim, Terresa; Kim, Sol; Dang, Michelle; Mehrazarin, Shebli; Shin, Ki-Hyuk; Kang, Mo; Park, No-Hee; Kim, Reuben H.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Surgical interventions such as tooth extraction increase a chance of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) in patients receiving bisphosphonates (BPs) for treatment of bone-related diseases. Tooth extraction is often performed to eliminate pre-existing pathological inflammatory conditions that make the tooth unsalvageable; however, the role of such conditions on bisphosphonate-related ONJ (BRONJ) development following tooth extraction is not clearly defined. Here, we examined the effects of periapical periodontitis on tooth extraction-induced BRONJ development in mice. Methods Periapical periodontitis was induced by exposing the pulp of the maxillary first molar for 3 weeks in C57/BL6 mice that were intravenously administered with BP. The same tooth was extracted, and after 3 additional weeks, the mice were harvested for histological, histomorphometric, and histochemical staining analyses. Results Pulp exposure induced periapical radiolucency as demonstrated by increased inflammatory cells, TRAP+ osteoclasts, and bone resorption. When BP was administered, pulp exposure did not induce apical bone resorption despite the presence of inflammatory cells and TRAP+ osteoclasts. While tooth extraction alone induced BRONJ lesions, pulp exposure further increased tooth extraction-induced BRONJ development as demonstrated by the presence of more bone necrosis. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that pre-existing pathological inflammatory condition such as periapical periodontitis is a predisposing factor that may exacerbate BRONJ development following tooth extraction. Our study further provides a clinical implication whereby periapical periodontitis should be controlled before performing tooth extraction in BP-users in order to reduce the risk of developing BRONJ. PMID:27637460

  14. Panax Notoginseng Saponins Promote Endothelial Progenitor Cell Mobilization and Attenuate Atherosclerotic Lesions in Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ya Liu

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs derived from the bone marrow (BM play a key role in the homeostasis of vascular repair by enhanced reendothelialization. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS, a highly valued traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease. The present research was designed to explore the contribution of progenitor cells to the progression of atherosclerotic plaques and the possible modulatory role of PNS in this process. Methods: PNS (60 or 120 mg/kg via intraperitoneal injection was administered over 8 weeks in apolipoprotein E knockout mice on an atherogenic diet. The sizes and histochemical alteration of atherosclerotic lesions and numbers of EPCs in BM and peripheral blood were analyzed. The expression of chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α and its receptor, CXCR4, was monitored as well. Results: PNS significantly reduced the lesion area and intima-to-media ratio compared to vehicle treatment. PNS also augmented endothelialization and reduced the smooth muscle cell (SMCs content of the lesions. The number of c-kit and sca-1 double-positive progenitor cells and flk-1 and sca-1 double-positive progenitor cells were significantly increased in the BM and the peripheral blood of the PNS-treated groups. PNS treatment increased the plasma levels of SDF-1α and SCF as well as the BM levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9. Moreover, the mRNA levels of SDF-1α and protein levels of CXCR4 were both increased in the BM of mice treated with PNS, while SDF-1α expression decreased. Conclusion: PNS reduce the size of atherosclerotic plaques, and this effect appears to involve progenitor cell mobilization. SDF-1α-CXCR4 interactions and the possible modulatory role of PNS in this process may contribute to the increased progenitor cell mobilization.

  15. Effects of age and parity on mammary gland lesions and progenitor cells in the FVB/N-RC mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Raafat

    Full Text Available The FVB/N mouse strain is extensively used in the development of animal models for breast cancer research. Recently it has been reported that the aging FVB/N mice develop spontaneous mammary lesions and tumors accompanied with abnormalities in the pituitary glands. These observations have a great impact on the mouse models of human breast cancer. We have developed a population of inbred FVB/N mice (designated FVB/N-RC that have been genetically isolated for 20 years. To study the effects of age and parity on abnormalities of the mammary glands of FVB/N-RC mice, twenty-five nulliparous and multiparous (3-4 pregnancies females were euthanized at 16-22 months of age. Examination of the mammary glands did not reveal macroscopic evidence of mammary gland tumors in either aged-nulliparous or multiparous FVB/N-RC mice (0/25. However, histological analysis of the mammary glands showed rare focal nodules of squamous changes in 2 of the aged multiparous mice. Mammary gland hyperplasia was detected in 8% and 71% of the aged-nulliparous and aged-multiparous mice, respectively. Epithelial contents and serum levels of triiodothyronine were significantly higher in the experimental groups than the 14-wk-old control mice. Immuno-histochemical staining of the pituitary gland pars distalis showed no difference in prolactin staining between the control and the aged mice. Tissue transplant and dilution studies showed no effect of age and/or parity on the ability of putative progenitor cells present among the injected mammary cells to repopulate a cleared fat pad and develop a full mammary gland outgrowth. This FVB/N-RC mouse substrain is suitable to develop mouse models for breast cancer.

  16. Thermophysical lesions caused by HZE particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tobias, C.A.; Malachowski, M.; Nelson, A.; Philpott, D.E.

    1980-01-01

    This paper deals with a type of damage caused by heavy particles that may occur in subcellular structures. These lesions are called thermophysical radiation injury and are similar to damage produced in solids by HZE particles. This chapter summarizes some of the experimental evidence for the presence of these lesions in certain mammalian tissues including the retina, brain, cornea, lens of mice and seeds of corn. Of all tissues examined, only the cornea exhibited a type of lesion which would fulfill the criteria of thermophysical lesions

  17. Breast Metastases from Extramammary Malignancies: Typical and Atypical Ultrasound Features

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mun, Sung Hee [Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 135-710 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Radiology, Catholic University of Daegu College of Medicine, Daegu 712-702 (Korea, Republic of); Ko, Eun Young; Han, Boo-Kyung; Shin, Jung Hee [Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 135-710 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Suk Jung [Department of Radiology, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Eun Yoon [Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 135-710 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-07-01

    Breast metastases from extramammary malignancies are uncommon. The most common sources are lymphomas/leukemias and melanomas. Some of the less common sources include carcinomas of the lung, ovary, and stomach, and infrequently, carcinoid tumors, hypernephromas, carcinomas of the liver, tonsil, pleura, pancreas, cervix, perineum, endometrium and bladder. Breast metastases from extramammary malignancies have both hematogenous and lymphatic routes. According to their routes, there are common radiological features of metastatic diseases of the breast, but the features are not specific for metastases. Typical ultrasound (US) features of hematogenous metastases include single or multiple, round to oval shaped, well-circumscribed hypoechoic masses without spiculations, calcifications, or architectural distortion; these masses are commonly located superficially in subcutaneous tissue or immediately adjacent to the breast parenchyma that is relatively rich in blood supply. Typical US features of lymphatic breast metastases include diffusely and heterogeneously increased echogenicities in subcutaneous fat and glandular tissue and a thick trabecular pattern with secondary skin thickening, lymphedema, and lymph node enlargement. However, lesions show variable US features in some cases, and differentiation of these lesions from primary breast cancer or from benign lesions is difficult. In this review, we demonstrate various US appearances of breast metastases from extramammary malignancies as typical and atypical features, based on the results of US and other imaging studies performed at our institution. Awareness of the typical and atypical imaging features of these lesions may be helpful to diagnose metastatic lesions of the breast.

  18. Breast Metastases from Extramammary Malignancies: Typical and Atypical Ultrasound Features

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mun, Sung Hee; Ko, Eun Young; Han, Boo-Kyung; Shin, Jung Hee; Kim, Suk Jung; Cho, Eun Yoon

    2014-01-01

    Breast metastases from extramammary malignancies are uncommon. The most common sources are lymphomas/leukemias and melanomas. Some of the less common sources include carcinomas of the lung, ovary, and stomach, and infrequently, carcinoid tumors, hypernephromas, carcinomas of the liver, tonsil, pleura, pancreas, cervix, perineum, endometrium and bladder. Breast metastases from extramammary malignancies have both hematogenous and lymphatic routes. According to their routes, there are common radiological features of metastatic diseases of the breast, but the features are not specific for metastases. Typical ultrasound (US) features of hematogenous metastases include single or multiple, round to oval shaped, well-circumscribed hypoechoic masses without spiculations, calcifications, or architectural distortion; these masses are commonly located superficially in subcutaneous tissue or immediately adjacent to the breast parenchyma that is relatively rich in blood supply. Typical US features of lymphatic breast metastases include diffusely and heterogeneously increased echogenicities in subcutaneous fat and glandular tissue and a thick trabecular pattern with secondary skin thickening, lymphedema, and lymph node enlargement. However, lesions show variable US features in some cases, and differentiation of these lesions from primary breast cancer or from benign lesions is difficult. In this review, we demonstrate various US appearances of breast metastases from extramammary malignancies as typical and atypical features, based on the results of US and other imaging studies performed at our institution. Awareness of the typical and atypical imaging features of these lesions may be helpful to diagnose metastatic lesions of the breast

  19. Effects of acute and long-term typical or atypical neuroleptics on morphine-induced behavioural effects in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollais, André W; Patti, Camilla L; Zanin, Karina A; Fukushiro, Daniela F; Berro, Laís F; Carvalho, Rita C; Kameda, Sonia R; Frussa-Filho, Roberto

    2014-03-01

    1. It has been suggested that the high prevalence of drug abuse in schizophrenics is related to chronic treatment with typical neuroleptics and dopaminergic supersensitivity that develops as a consequence. Within this context, atypical neuroleptics do not seem to induce this phenomenon. In the present study, we investigated the effects of acute administration or withdrawal from long-term administration of haloperidol and/or ziprasidone on morphine-induced open-field behaviour in mice. 2. In the first experiment, mice were given a single injection of haloperidol (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or several doses of ziprasidone (2, 4 or 6 mg/kg, i.p.) and motor activity was quantified by the open-field test. The aim of the second experiment was to verify the effects of an acute injection of haloperidol (1 mg/kg) or ziprasidone (6 mg/kg) on 20 mg/kg morphine-induced behaviours in the open-field test. In the third experiment, mice were treated with 1 mg/kg haloperidol and/or 2, 4 or 6 mg/kg ziprasidone for 20 days. Seventy-two hours after the last injection, mice were injected with 20 mg/kg, i.p., morphine and then subjected to the open-field test. Acute haloperidol or ziprasidone decreased spontaneous general activity and abolished morphine-induced locomotor stimulation. 3. Withdrawal from haloperidol or ziprasidone did not modify morphine-elicited behaviours in the open-field test. The results suggest that withdrawal from neuroleptic treatments does not contribute to the acute effect of morphine in schizophrenic patients. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. Phytosterol Feeding Causes Toxicity in ABCG5/G8 Knockout Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDaniel, Allison L.; Alger, Heather M.; Sawyer, Janet K.; Kelley, Kathryn L.; Kock, Nancy D.; Brown, J. Mark; Temel, Ryan E.; Rudel, Lawrence L.

    2014-01-01

    Plant sterols, or phytosterols, are very similar in structure to cholesterol and are abundant in typical diets. The reason for poor absorption of plant sterols by the body is still unknown. Mutations in the ABC transporters G5 and G8 are known to cause an accumulation of plant sterols in blood and tissues (sitosterolemia). To determine the significance of phytosterol exclusion from the body, we fed wild-type and ABCG5/G8 knockout mice a diet enriched with plant sterols. The high-phytosterol diet was extremely toxic to the ABCG5/G8 knockout mice but had no adverse effects on wild-type mice. ABCG5/G8 knockout mice died prematurely and developed a phenotype that included high levels of plant sterols in many tissues, liver abnormalities, and severe cardiac lesions. This study is the first to report such toxic effects of phytosterol accumulation in ABCG5/G8 knockout mice. We believe these new data support the conclusion that plant sterols are excluded from the body because they are toxic when present at high levels. PMID:23380580

  1. [Effect of Huperzine A on neural lesion of acute organophosphate poisoning in mice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Li; Wang, Jian; Xie, Guangyun; Sun, Jinxiu

    2013-05-01

    Effects of neurophathologic changes and expression of Glu and 60 nNOS were observed in acute isocarbophos and phoxim poisoning in mice. KM male mice were randomly divided into three groups, which were control, non-treated and Huperzine A (HupA)-treated groups. The control group was given tween-80. Nontreated group was given isocarbophos (14.7 mg/kg) or phoxim (1702 mg/kg). HupA-treated group was given HupA 2h before phoxim or isocarbophos. Twenty-four hours after exposure, the whole brain was removed and adjacent coronal sections was obtained. One part of sections were stained with toluidine blue. The part of sections were used to assessed the expression of Glu and nNOS in the cortex and hippocampal of brain by immunohistochemistry. Compared to control group, non-treated group was observed nissal body nembers reduced and dyeing light. The animals of HupA protective group were observed nissal body nembers reduced, but the lesional degree was lighter obviously than non-treated group. The statistically reduced of the expression of Glu (PHupA-treated groups. Whereas for phoxim treatment, no changes were observed. HupA have protective effect against glutamatergic systems disorder caused by Isocarbophos poisoning. Administration of HupA have no effects of the neurotransmitter changes induces by acute poisoning of phoxim. It is different for the toxic effect mechanism of the two organophosphate.

  2. EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION IN MICE WITH BACILLUS-LICHENIFORMIS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Agerholm, J.S.; Jensen, H.E.; Jensen, N.E.

    1995-01-01

    The pathogenicity of Bacillus licheniformis was assessed in normal and immunodepressed BALB/c mice. The animals were challenged intravenously with 4 x 10(7) colony forming units of B, licheniformis (ATCC 14580) and both normal and immunodepressed mice were susceptible. However, the infection...... was more severe in the immunosuppressed animals. In normal mice, lesions were restricted to the liver and kidneys, while lesions also occurred in other organs of immunodepressed mice. By crossed immunoelectrophoresis it was shown that antigens of B. licheniformis are potent immunogens, and the bacteria...

  3. Tritiated thymidine incorporation and the development of an interstitial lesion in the bronchiolar-alveolar regions of the lungs of normal and complement deficient mice after inhalation of chrysotile asbestos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McGavran, P.D.; Butterick, C.J.; Brody, A.R.

    1989-01-01

    Inhaled asbestos causes the proliferation of bronchiolar-alveolar epithelial and interstitial cells in rats and mice 19 to 72 hours after a single 5-hour exposure. This condition is associated with rapid macrophage accumulation and development of an interstitial fibrotic lesion at alveolar duct bifurcations. In an attempt to define the mechanisms mediating asbestos-induced cell proliferation and fibrogenesis, we studied mice exposed to chrysotile asbestos for five hours. The mice were normal and a congenic strain (B10.D2/oSn), deficient in the fifth component of complement (C5-). We knew that the latter exhibit a depressed asbestos-induced macrophage response and wanted to learn whether the depressed response correlated with measurements of cell proliferation and progression of an interstitial lesion. Sections of first alveolar duct bifurcations were prepared for light microscopic autoradiography and ultrastructural morphometry at varying times after animal exposure to asbestos. In sham-exposed C5+ and C5- animals, less than 1% of epithelial and interstitial cells of the terminal bronchioles and alveolar ducts incorporated tritiated thymidine (3H-TdR) at any time after exposure to asbestos. Between 19 and 72 hours after exposure, epithelial and interstitial cells in both strains of mice exhibited significantly increased levels of 3H-TdR incorporation. The response decreased by eight days postexposure, and 3H-TdR incorporation was normal one month after exposure. Similarly, morphometry showed that both the C5+ and C5- asbestos-exposed mice exhibited significant increases in the volume density of epithelial and interstitial cells 48 hours after exposure. However, one month after exposure, the normal C5+ asbestos-exposed mice developed a fibrotic lesion, whereas the C5- asbestos-exposed animals were no different from sham-exposed C5- controls

  4. INFLUENCE OF MICROBIOTA IN EXPERIMENTAL CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN SWISS MICE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    OLIVEIRA Marcia Rosa de

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Infection of Swiss/NIH mice with Leishmania major was compared with infection in isogenic resistant C57BL/6 and susceptible BALB/c mice. Swiss/NIH mice showed self-controlled lesions in the injected foot pad. The production of high levels of interferon-g (IFN-g and low levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4 by cells from these animals suggests that they mount a Th1-type immune response. The importance of the indigenous microbiota on the development of murine leishmaniasis was investigated by infecting germfree Swiss/NIH in the hind footpad with L. major and conventionalizing after 3 weeks of infection. Lesions from conventionalized Swiss/NIH mice were significantly larger than conventional mice. Histopathological analysis of lesions from conventionalized animals showed abscesses of variable shapes and sizes and high numbers of parasitized macrophages. In the lesions from conventional mice, besides the absence of abscess formation, parasites were rarely observed. On the other hand, cells from conventional and conventionalized mice produced similar Th1-type response characterized by high levels of IFN-g and low levels of IL-4. In this study, we demonstrated that Swiss/NIH mice are resistant to L. major infection and that the absence of the normal microbiota at the beginning of infection significantly influenced the lesion size and the inflammatory response at the site of infection.

  5. Agonistic anti-TIGIT treatment inhibits T cell responses in LDLr deficient mice without affecting atherosclerotic lesion development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda C Foks

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules are mainly expressed on T cells and antigen presenting cells and strongly orchestrate adaptive immune responses. Whereas co-stimulatory molecules enhance immune responses, signaling via co-inhibitory molecules dampens the immune system, thereby showing great therapeutic potential to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Signaling via co-inhibitory T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT directly inhibits T cell activation and proliferation, and therefore represents a novel therapeutic candidate to specifically dampen pro-atherogenic T cell reactivity. In the present study, we used an agonistic anti-TIGIT antibody to determine the effect of excessive TIGIT-signaling on atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: TIGIT was upregulated on CD4(+ T cells isolated from mice fed a Western-type diet in comparison with mice fed a chow diet. Agonistic anti-TIGIT suppressed T cell activation and proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. However, agonistic anti-TIGIT treatment of LDLr(-/- mice fed a Western-type diet for 4 or 8 weeks did not affect atherosclerotic lesion development in comparison with PBS and Armenian Hamster IgG treatment. Furthermore, elevated percentages of dendritic cells were observed in the blood and spleen of agonistic anti-TIGIT-treated mice. Additionally, these cells showed an increased activation status but decreased IL-10 production. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the inhibition of splenic T cell responses, agonistic anti-TIGIT treatment does not affect initial atherosclerosis development, possibly due to increased activity of dendritic cells.

  6. The water channel AQP1 is expressed in human atherosclerotic vascular lesions and AQP1 deficiency augments angiotensin II-induced atherosclerosis in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wintmo, P.; Johansen, S. H.; Hansen, P. B. L.

    2017-01-01

    Aim: The water channel aquaporin 1 (AQP1) promotes endothelial cell migration. It was hypothesized that AQP1 promotes neovascularization and growth of atherosclerotic plaques. Methods: AQP1 immunoreactivity and protein abundance was examined in human and murine atherosclerotic lesions and aortic...... minipumps for 4 weeks. Results: In human atherosclerotic lesions and AAA, AQP1 immunoreactive protein was associated with intralesional small vessels. In ApoE-/- mouse aorta, APQ1 mRNA levels were increased with time on WD (n = 7-9, P ... increased with time on WD but was not different between ApoE-/- and AQP1-/-ApoE-/- mice at either 8 or 16 weeks (n = 13-15). Baseline blood pressure and ANGII-induced hypertension were not different between genotypes. Conclusion: AQP1 is expressed in atherosclerotic lesion neovasculature in human and mouse...

  7. Long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd: YAG laser ameliorates LL-37-induced rosacea-like skin lesions through promoting collagen remodeling in BALB/c mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Miri; Kim, Jongsic; Jeong, Seo-Won; Jo, Hyunmu; Park, Hyun Jeong

    2018-02-01

    Long-pulsed 1064-nm neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser (LPND) effectively treats rosacea, although the underlying mechanism is unclear, to evaluate the histological effects and molecular mechanism of LPND on LL-37-induced rosacea-like skin lesions in mice. Intradermal injection of LL-37 was performed into the dorsal skin of BALB/c mice (n = 30) twice a day for 2 days. Fifteen mice were treated with LPND. After 48 h, the excised skin sample was stained for histology and type I collagen; transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-1α mRNA levels were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Intradermal injection of LL-37 induced rosacea-like clinical features. LPND treatment significantly reduced erythema and increased dermal collagen production. Levels of Type I collagen, TGF-β, and MMP-1 mRNA were significantly higher in LPND-treated mice than in untreated mice. LPND may improve rosacea by ameliorating dermal connective tissue disorganization and elastosis through MMP-mediated dermal collagen remodeling.

  8. Gene expression profiles in primary pancreatic tumors and metastatic lesions of Ela-c-myc transgenic mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liao Dezhong J

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pancreatic carcinoma usually is a fatal disease with no cure, mainly due to its invasion and metastasis prior to diagnosis. We analyzed the gene expression profiles of paired primary pancreatic tumors and metastatic lesions from Ela-c-myc transgenic mice in order to identify genes that may be involved in the pancreatic cancer progression. Differentially expressed selected genes were verified by semi-quantitative and quantitative RT-PCR. To further evaluate the relevance of some of the selected differentially expressed genes, we investigated their expression pattern in human pancreatic cancer cell lines with high and low metastatic potentials. Results Data indicate that genes involved in posttranscriptional regulation were a major functional category of upregulated genes in both primary pancreatic tumors (PT and liver metastatic lesions (LM compared to normal pancreas (NP. In particular, differential expression for splicing factors, RNA binding/pre-mRNA processing factors and spliceosome related genes were observed, indicating that RNA processing and editing related events may play critical roles in pancreatic tumor development and progression. High expression of insulin growth factor binding protein-1 (Igfbp1 and Serine proteinase inhibitor A1 (Serpina1, and low levels or absence of Wt1 gene expression were exclusive to liver metastatic lesion samples. Conclusion We identified Igfbp1, Serpina1 and Wt1 genes that are likely to be clinically useful biomarkers for prognostic or therapeutic purposes in metastatic pancreatic cancer, particularly in pancreatic cancer where c-Myc is overexpressed.

  9. Gene expression profiles in primary pancreatic tumors and metastatic lesions of Ela-c-myc transgenic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakur, Archana; Bollig, Aliccia; Wu, Jiusheng; Liao, Dezhong J

    2008-01-24

    Pancreatic carcinoma usually is a fatal disease with no cure, mainly due to its invasion and metastasis prior to diagnosis. We analyzed the gene expression profiles of paired primary pancreatic tumors and metastatic lesions from Ela-c-myc transgenic mice in order to identify genes that may be involved in the pancreatic cancer progression. Differentially expressed selected genes were verified by semi-quantitative and quantitative RT-PCR. To further evaluate the relevance of some of the selected differentially expressed genes, we investigated their expression pattern in human pancreatic cancer cell lines with high and low metastatic potentials. Data indicate that genes involved in posttranscriptional regulation were a major functional category of upregulated genes in both primary pancreatic tumors (PT) and liver metastatic lesions (LM) compared to normal pancreas (NP). In particular, differential expression for splicing factors, RNA binding/pre-mRNA processing factors and spliceosome related genes were observed, indicating that RNA processing and editing related events may play critical roles in pancreatic tumor development and progression. High expression of insulin growth factor binding protein-1 (Igfbp1) and Serine proteinase inhibitor A1 (Serpina1), and low levels or absence of Wt1 gene expression were exclusive to liver metastatic lesion samples. We identified Igfbp1, Serpina1 and Wt1 genes that are likely to be clinically useful biomarkers for prognostic or therapeutic purposes in metastatic pancreatic cancer, particularly in pancreatic cancer where c-Myc is overexpressed.

  10. Topical efficacy of dimercapto-chelating agents against lewisite-induced skin lesions in SKH-1 hairless mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mouret, Stéphane, E-mail: stephane.mouret@irba.fr [Département de Toxicologie et Risques Chimiques, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Centre de Recherches du Service de Santé des Armées, 24 avenue Maquis du Grésivaudan, 38700 La Tronche (France); Wartelle, Julien; Emorine, Sandy; Bertoni, Marine; Nguon, Nina; Cléry-Barraud, Cécile [Département de Toxicologie et Risques Chimiques, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Centre de Recherches du Service de Santé des Armées, 24 avenue Maquis du Grésivaudan, 38700 La Tronche (France); Dorandeu, Frédéric [Département de Toxicologie et Risques Chimiques, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Centre de Recherches du Service de Santé des Armées, 24 avenue Maquis du Grésivaudan, 38700 La Tronche (France); Ecole du Val-de-Grâce, 1 place Alphonse Laveran, Paris (France); Boudry, Isabelle [Département de Toxicologie et Risques Chimiques, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Centre de Recherches du Service de Santé des Armées, 24 avenue Maquis du Grésivaudan, 38700 La Tronche (France)

    2013-10-15

    Lewisite is a potent chemical warfare arsenical vesicant that can cause severe skin lesions. Today, lewisite exposure remains possible during demilitarization of old ammunitions and as a result of deliberate use. Although its cutaneous toxicity is not fully elucidated, a specific antidote exists, the British anti-lewisite (BAL, dimercaprol) but it is not without untoward effects. Analogs of BAL, less toxic, have been developed such as meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and have been employed for the treatment of heavy metal poisoning. However, efficacy of DMSA against lewisite-induced skin lesions remains to be determined in comparison with BAL. We have thus evaluated in this study the therapeutic efficacy of BAL and DMSA in two administration modes against skin lesions induced by lewisite vapor on SKH-1 hairless mice. Our data demonstrate a strong protective efficacy of topical application of dimercapto-chelating agents in contrast to a subcutaneous administration 1 h after lewisite exposure, with attenuation of wound size, necrosis and impairment of skin barrier function. The histological evaluation also confirms the efficacy of topical application by showing that treatments were effective in reversing lewisite-induced neutrophil infiltration. This protective effect was associated with an epidermal hyperplasia. However, for all the parameters studied, BAL was more effective than DMSA in reducing lewisite-induced skin injury. Together, these findings support the use of a topical form of dimercaprol-chelating agent against lewisite-induced skin lesion within the first hour after exposure to increase the therapeutic management and that BAL, despite its side-effects, should not be abandoned. - Highlights: • Topically applied dimercapto-chelating agents reduce lewisite-induced skin damage. • One topical application of BAL or DMSA is sufficient to reverse lewisite effects. • Topical BAL is more effective than DMSA to counteract lewisite-induced skin damage.

  11. Typical skeletal changes due to metastasising neuroblastomas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eggerath, A.; Persigehl, M.; Mertens, R.; Technische Hochschule Aachen

    1983-01-01

    Compared with other solid tumours in childhood, neuroblastomas show a marked tendency to metastasise to the skeleton. The differentiation of these lesions from inflammatory and other malignant bone lesions in this age group is often difficult. The radiological findings in ten patients with metastasing and histologically confirmed neuroblastomas have been reviewed and the typical appearances in the skeleton are described. The most important features in the differential diagnosies are discussed and the significance of bone changes in the diagnosis of neuroblastoma have been evaluated. (orig.) [de

  12. Allergic Lung Inflammation Aggravates Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Cong-Lin; Wang, Yi; Liao, Mengyang

    2016-01-01

    sensitization and challenge in mice led to the development of allergic lung inflammation (ALI). Subcutaneous infusion of angiotensin II into mice produced AAA. Simultaneous production of ALI in AAA mice doubled abdominal aortic diameter and increased macrophage and mast cell content, arterial media smooth...... and reduced lesion inflammation, plasma IgE, and bronchioalveolar inflammation. Pre-establishment of ALI also increased AAA lesion size, lesion accumulation of macrophages and mast cells, media smooth muscle cell loss, and plasma IgE, reduced plasma interleukin-5, interleukin-13, and transforming growth...... factor-β, and increased bronchioalveolar inflammation. Consequent production of ALI also doubled lesion size of pre-established AAA and increased lesion mast cell and T-cell accumulation, media smooth muscle cell loss, lesion cell proliferation and apoptosis, plasma IgE, and bronchioalveolar inflammation...

  13. Differential effect of walnut oil and safflower oil on the serum cholesterol level and lesion area in the aortic root of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwamoto, Masako; Kono, Misaki; Kawamoto, Daisuke; Tomoyori, Hiroko; Sato, Masao; Imaizumi, Katsumi

    2002-01-01

    Walnut oil (WO) is a good source of alpha-linolenic acid. We compared the effects of WO and high-linoleic safflower oil (HLSO) on the serum lipid level and atherosclerosis development in male and female apolipoprotein (apo) E-deficient mice. The WO diet resulted in a higher level of serum cholesterol than with HLSO. Female mice fed on the WO diet had a greater lesion area in the aortic root than did those on the HLSO diet. There was no diet-dependent difference in the level of cholesterol and its oxidation products in the abdominal and thoracic aorta. These results suggest that the unpleasant effects of the WO diet on apo E-deficient mice may be attributable to alpha-linolenic acid.

  14. Omega-3 polyunsaturated Fatty acids suppress the cystic lesion formation of peritoneal endometriosis in transgenic mouse models.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kensuke Tomio

    Full Text Available Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs play a role in controlling pathological inflammatory reactions. Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue on the peritoneum and an exaggerated inflammatory environment around ectopic tissues. Here peritoneal endometriosis was reproduced using a mouse model in which murine endometrial fragments were inoculated into the peritoneal cavity of mice. Fat-1 mice, in which omega-6 can be converted to omega-3 PUFAs, or wild type mice, in which it cannot, were used for the endometriosis model to address the actions of omega-3 PUFAs on the development of endometriotic lesions. The number and weight of cystic endometriotic lesions in fat-1 mice two weeks after inoculation were significantly less than half to those of controls. Mediator lipidomics revealed that cystic endometriotic lesions and peritoneal fluids were abundant in 12/15-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (12/15-HEPE, derived from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, and their amount in fat-1 mice was significantly larger than that in controls. 12/15-Lipoxygenase (12/15-LOX-knockout (KO and control mice with or without EPA administration were assessed for the endometriosis model. EPA administration decreased the number of lesions in controls but not in 12/15-LOX-KO mice. The peritoneal fluids in EPA-fed 12/15-LOX-KO mice contained reduced levels of EPA metabolites such as 12/15-HEPE and EPA-derived resolvin E3 even after EPA administration. cDNA microarrays of endometriotic lesions revealed that Interleukin-6 (IL-6 expression in fat-1 mice was significantly lower than that in controls. These results suggest that both endogenous and exogenous EPA-derived PUFAs protect against the development of endometriosis through their anti-inflammatory effects and, in particular, the 12/15-LOX-pathway products of EPA may be key mediators to suppress endometriosis.

  15. Omega-3 polyunsaturated Fatty acids suppress the cystic lesion formation of peritoneal endometriosis in transgenic mouse models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomio, Kensuke; Kawana, Kei; Taguchi, Ayumi; Isobe, Yosuke; Iwamoto, Ryo; Yamashita, Aki; Kojima, Satoko; Mori, Mayuyo; Nagamatsu, Takeshi; Arimoto, Takahide; Oda, Katsutoshi; Osuga, Yutaka; Taketani, Yuji; Kang, Jing X; Arai, Hiroyuki; Arita, Makoto; Kozuma, Shiro; Fujii, Tomoyuki

    2013-01-01

    Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs) play a role in controlling pathological inflammatory reactions. Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue on the peritoneum and an exaggerated inflammatory environment around ectopic tissues. Here peritoneal endometriosis was reproduced using a mouse model in which murine endometrial fragments were inoculated into the peritoneal cavity of mice. Fat-1 mice, in which omega-6 can be converted to omega-3 PUFAs, or wild type mice, in which it cannot, were used for the endometriosis model to address the actions of omega-3 PUFAs on the development of endometriotic lesions. The number and weight of cystic endometriotic lesions in fat-1 mice two weeks after inoculation were significantly less than half to those of controls. Mediator lipidomics revealed that cystic endometriotic lesions and peritoneal fluids were abundant in 12/15-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (12/15-HEPE), derived from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and their amount in fat-1 mice was significantly larger than that in controls. 12/15-Lipoxygenase (12/15-LOX)-knockout (KO) and control mice with or without EPA administration were assessed for the endometriosis model. EPA administration decreased the number of lesions in controls but not in 12/15-LOX-KO mice. The peritoneal fluids in EPA-fed 12/15-LOX-KO mice contained reduced levels of EPA metabolites such as 12/15-HEPE and EPA-derived resolvin E3 even after EPA administration. cDNA microarrays of endometriotic lesions revealed that Interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression in fat-1 mice was significantly lower than that in controls. These results suggest that both endogenous and exogenous EPA-derived PUFAs protect against the development of endometriosis through their anti-inflammatory effects and, in particular, the 12/15-LOX-pathway products of EPA may be key mediators to suppress endometriosis.

  16. Loss of Dependence on Continued Expression of the Human Papillomavirus 16 E7 Oncogene in Cervical Cancers and Precancerous Lesions Arising in Fanconi Anemia Pathway-Deficient Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soyeong Park

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Fanconi anemia (FA is a rare genetic disorder caused by defects in DNA damage repair. FA patients often develop squamous cell carcinoma (SCC at sites where high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs are known to cause cancer, including the cervix. However, SCCs found in human FA patients are often HPV negative, even though the majority of female FA patients with anogenital cancers had preexisting HPV-positive dysplasia. We hypothesize that HPVs contribute to the development of SCCs in FA patients but that the continued expression of HPV oncogenes is not required for the maintenance of the cancer state because FA deficiency leads to an accumulation of mutations in cellular genes that render the cancer no longer dependent upon viral oncogenes. We tested this hypothesis, making use of Bi-L E7 transgenic mice in which we temporally controlled expression of HPV16 E7, the dominant viral oncogene in HPV-associated cancers. As seen before, the persistence of cervical neoplastic disease was highly dependent upon the continued expression of HPV16 E7 in FA-sufficient mice. However, in mice with FA deficiency, cervical cancers persisted in a large fraction of the mice after HPV16 E7 expression was turned off, indicating that these cancers had escaped from their dependency on E7. Furthermore, the severity of precancerous lesions also failed to be reduced significantly in the mice with FA deficiency upon turning off expression of E7. These findings confirm our hypothesis and may explain the fact that, while FA patients have a high frequency of infections by HPVs and HPV-induced precancerous lesions, the cancers are frequently HPV negative.

  17. MRI atlas of MS lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sahraian, Mohammad Ali [Tehran Univ. of Medical Sciences Sina Hospital (Iran). Dept. of Neurology; Radue, Ernst-Wilhelm [Univ. Hospital Basel (Switzerland). Dept. of Neuroradiology

    2008-07-01

    MRI has become the main paraclinical test in the diagnosis and management of multiple sclerosis. We have demonstrated more than 400 pictures of different typical and atypical MS lesions in this atlas. Each image has a teaching point. New diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis are discussed and the book is supported by a teaching DVD where the reader can see MS lesions in different slices and sequences. (orig.)

  18. Rapid Sequestration of Leishmania mexicana by Neutrophils Contributes to the Development of Chronic Lesion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin P Hurrell

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The protozoan Leishmania mexicana parasite causes chronic non-healing cutaneous lesions in humans and mice with poor parasite control. The mechanisms preventing the development of a protective immune response against this parasite are unclear. Here we provide data demonstrating that parasite sequestration by neutrophils is responsible for disease progression in mice. Within hours of infection L. mexicana induced the local recruitment of neutrophils, which ingested parasites and formed extracellular traps without markedly impairing parasite survival. We further showed that the L. mexicana-induced recruitment of neutrophils impaired the early recruitment of dendritic cells at the site of infection as observed by intravital 2-photon microscopy and flow cytometry analysis. Indeed, infection of neutropenic Genista mice and of mice depleted of neutrophils at the onset of infection demonstrated a prominent role for neutrophils in this process. Furthermore, an increase in monocyte-derived dendritic cells was also observed in draining lymph nodes of neutropenic mice, correlating with subsequent increased frequency of IFNγ-secreting T helper cells, and better parasite control leading ultimately to complete healing of the lesion. Altogether, these findings show that L. mexicana exploits neutrophils to block the induction of a protective immune response and impairs the control of lesion development. Our data thus demonstrate an unanticipated negative role for these innate immune cells in host defense, suggesting that in certain forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis, regulating neutrophil recruitment could be a strategy to promote lesion healing.

  19. Cross Sectional Imaging of Solitary Lesions of the Neurocranium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schäfer, Max-Ludwig; Koch, Arend; Streitparth, Florian; Wiener, Edzard

    2017-12-01

    Background  Although a wide range of processes along the neurocranium are of a benign nature, there are often difficulties in the differential diagnosis. Method  In the review CT/MRI scans of the head were evaluated retrospectively regarding solitary lesions along the neurocranium. The majority of the lesions were histologically proven. Results  The purpose of the review is to present typical pathologies of the neurocranium and provide a systematic overview based on 12 entities, their locations, prevalence and radiological characteristics. Conclusion  Processes, which primarily originate from the neurocranium have to be differentiated from secondary processes infiltrating the neurocranium. For this important diagnostic feature, MRI is typically essential, while the definitive diagnosis is often made on the basis of the medical history and the typical appearance on computer tomography. Key Points   · There are often difficulties in the precise differential diagnosis of solitary lesions along the neurocranium. Typical solitary pathologies of the neurocranium based on 12 entities were presented. Both magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are often essential for an exact differential diagnosis.. Citation Format · Schäfer M, Koch A, Streitparth F et al. Cross Sectional Diagnosis of Solitary Lesions of the Neurocranium. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 1135 - 1144. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  20. Proliferative and non-proliferative lesions of the rat and mouse integument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mecklenburg, Lars; Kusewitt, Donna; Kolly, Carine; Treumann, Silke; Adams, E Terence; Diegel, Kelly; Yamate, Jyoji; Kaufmann, Wolfgang; Müller, Susanne; Danilenko, Dimitry; Bradley, Alys

    2013-01-01

    The INHAND (International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions in Rats and Mice) project is a joint initiative of the societies of toxicological pathology from Europe (ESTP), Great Britain (BSTP), Japan (JSTP) and North America (STP). Its aim is to develop an internationally-accepted nomenclature for proliferative and non-proliferative lesions in laboratory rodents. A widely accepted international harmonization of nomenclature in laboratory animals will decrease confusion among regulatory and scientific research organizations in different countries and will provide a common language to increase and enrich international exchanges of information among toxicologists and pathologists. The purpose of this publication is to provide a standardized nomenclature for classifying microscopical lesions observed in the integument of laboratory rats and mice. Example colour images are provided for most lesions. The standardized nomenclature presented in this document and additional colour images are also available electronically at http://www.goreni.org. The nomenclature presented herein is based on histopathology databases from government, academia, and industrial laboratories throughout the world, and covers lesions that develop spontaneously as well as those induced by exposure to various test materials. (DOI: 10.1293/tox.26.27S; J Toxicol Pathol 2013; 26: 27S-57S).

  1. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging of atherosclerotic lesions with a newly developed Evans blue-DTPA-gadolinium contrast medium in apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Satoshi; Ikuta, Kenjiro; Uwatoku, Toyokazu; Oi, Keiji; Abe, Kohtaro; Hyodo, Fuminori; Yoshimitsu, Kengo; Sugimura, Kohtaro; Utsumi, Hideo; Katayama, Yoshiki; Shimokawa, Hiroaki

    2008-01-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents that specifically detect atherosclerotic plaque may be useful for the noninvasive detection of the plaque. We have recently developed a new contrast agent, Evans blue-DTPA-gadolinium (EB-DTPA-Gd), which selectively accumulates vascular lesions with endothelial removal. In this study, we examined whether EB-DTPA-Gd is also useful for in vivo imaging of atherosclerotic plaques. We used male apolipoprotein-E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice of different ages (3, 6 and 12 months old) and age-matched male wild-type mice. After a single intravenous administration of EB-DTPA-Gd (160 microM/kg body weight), MRI T(1) signal was obtained in vivo. Increased signal intensity in the aortic wall was noted within 10-20 min after intravenous injection of EB-DTPA-Gd and was maintained for 30 min. The MRI enhancement in the aorta of ApoE-/- mice was increased in accordance with age, whereas no such enhancement was noted in wild-type mice. Histological examination demonstrated that there was a topological correlation between the site of MRI enhancement and that of atherosclerotic plaque. These results indicate that EB-DTPA-Gd is a useful MRI contrast medium for the in vivo detection of atherosclerotic plaques. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil with Natural Phenolic Content Exerts an Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Adipose Tissue and Attenuates the Severity of Atherosclerotic Lesions in Ldlr-/-.Leiden Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luque-Sierra, Amparo; Alvarez-Amor, Leticia; Kleemann, Robert; Martín, Franz; Varela, Lourdes M

    2018-05-15

    The present study investigates the effect of olive oils with different phenolic content in high-fat diets (HFDs) on hypertrophy and inflammation in adipose tissue and associated atherosclerosis, in the context of obesity. Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice were fed three different HFDs for 32 weeks and were compared with mice fed the standard low-fat diet (LFD). The different fats provided in the HFDs were lard (HFD-L), extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO; 79 mg kg -1 of phenolic compounds, HFD-EVOO), or EVOO rich in phenolic compounds (OL, 444 mg kg -1 of phenolic compounds, HFD-OL). All HFD-fed mice became obese, but only HFD-L-induced adipocyte hypertrophy. HFD-EVOO mice exhibited the greatest levels of Adiponectin in adipose tissue and presented atherosclerotic lesions similar to the LFD group, with a very low count of monocyte/macrophage compared with HFD-L and HFD-OL mice. Enrichment of the phenolic content of olive oil reduced the secretion of nitrites/nitrates in the aorta, but atherosclerosis was not attenuated in HFD-OL mice compared to other HFD mice. Consumption of olive oil with a natural content of phenolic compounds attenuates adipose tissue hypertrophy and inflammation and exerts antiatherosclerotic effects in mice. A higher phenolic content of olive oil did not provide further benefits in the prevention of atherosclerosis. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Absence of IL-1β positively affects neurological outcome, lesion development and axonal plasticity after spinal cord injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boato Francesco

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Precise crosstalk between the nervous and immune systems is important for neuroprotection and axon plasticity after injury. Recently, we demonstrated that IL-1β acts as a potent inducer of neurite outgrowth from organotypic brain slices in vitro, suggesting a potential function of IL-1β in axonal plasticity. Here, we have investigated the effects of IL-1β on axon plasticity during glial scar formation and on functional recovery in a mouse model of spinal cord compression injury (SCI. We used an IL-1β deficiency model (IL-1βKO mice and administered recombinant IL-1β. In contrast to our hypothesis, the histological analysis revealed a significantly increased lesion width and a reduced number of corticospinal tract fibers caudal to the lesion center after local application of recombinant IL-1β. Consistently, the treatment significantly worsened the neurological outcome after SCI in mice compared with PBS controls. In contrast, the absence of IL-1β in IL-1βKO mice significantly improved recovery from SCI compared with wildtype mice. Histological analysis revealed a smaller lesion size, reduced lesion width and greatly decreased astrogliosis in the white matter, while the number of corticospinal tract fibers increased significantly 5 mm caudal to the lesion in IL-1βKO mice relative to controls. Our study for the first time characterizes the detrimental effects of IL-1β not only on lesion development (in terms of size and glia activation, but also on the plasticity of central nervous system axons after injury.

  4. Irradiation of existing atherosclerotic lesions increased inflammation by favoring pro-inflammatory macrophages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gabriels, Karen; Hoving, Saske; Gijbels, Marion J.; Pol, Jeffrey F.; Poele, Johannes A. te; Biessen, Erik A.; Daemen, Mat J.; Stewart, Fiona A.; Heeneman, Sylvia

    2014-01-01

    Background and purpose: Recent studies have shown an increased incidence of localized atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular events in cancer patients treated with thoracic radiotherapy. We previously demonstrated that irradiation accelerated the development of atherosclerosis and predisposed to an inflammatory plaque phenotype in young hypercholesterolemic ApoE −/− mice. However, as older cancer patients already have early or advanced stages of atherosclerosis at the time of radiotherapy, we investigated the effects of irradiation on the progression of existing atherosclerotic lesions in vivo. Material and methods: ApoE −/− mice (28 weeks old) received local irradiation with 14 or 0 Gy (sham-treated) at the aortic arch and were examined after 4 and 12 weeks for atherosclerotic lesions, plaque size and phenotype. Moreover, we investigated the impact of irradiation on macrophage phenotype (pro- or anti-inflammatory) and function (efferocytotic capacity, i.e. clearance of apoptotic cells) in vitro. Results: Irradiation of existing lesions in the aortic arch resulted in smaller, macrophage-rich plaques with intraplaque hemorrhage and increased apoptosis. In keeping with the latter, in vitro studies revealed augmented polarization toward pro-inflammatory macrophages after irradiation and reduced efferocytosis by anti-inflammatory macrophages. In addition, considerably more lesions in irradiated mice were enriched in pro-inflammatory macrophages. Conclusions: Irradiation of existing atherosclerotic lesions led to smaller but more inflamed plaques, with increased numbers of apoptotic cells, most likely due to a shift toward pro-inflammatory macrophages in the plaque

  5. Optimization of an Image-Guided Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization Model in Mice.

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    Yan Gong

    Full Text Available The mouse model of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV has been used in studies of the exudative form of age-related macular degeneration using both the conventional slit lamp and a new image-guided laser system. A standardized protocol is needed for consistent results using this model, which has been lacking. We optimized details of laser-induced CNV using the image-guided laser photocoagulation system. Four lesions with similar size were consistently applied per eye at approximately double the disc diameter away from the optic nerve, using different laser power levels, and mice of various ages and genders. After 7 days, the mice were sacrificed and retinal pigment epithelium/choroid/sclera was flat-mounted, stained with Isolectin B4, and imaged. Quantification of the area of the laser-induced lesions was performed using an established and constant threshold. Exclusion criteria are described that were necessary for reliable data analysis of the laser-induced CNV lesions. The CNV lesion area was proportional to the laser power levels. Mice at 12-16 weeks of age developed more severe CNV than those at 6-8 weeks of age, and the gender difference was only significant in mice at 12-16 weeks of age, but not in those at 6-8 weeks of age. Dietary intake of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid reduced laser-induced CNV in mice. Taken together, laser-induced CNV lesions can be easily and consistently applied using the image-guided laser platform. Mice at 6-8 weeks of age are ideal for the laser-induced CNV model.

  6. Gypenosides ameliorate memory deficits in MPTP-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease treated with L-DOPA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ting Ting; Kim, Kyung Sook; Shin, Keon Sung; Park, Hyun Jin; Kim, Hyun Jeong; Lee, Kyung Eun; Lee, Myung Koo

    2017-09-06

    Previous studies have revealed that gypenosides (GPS) improve the symptoms of anxiety disorders in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of GPS on memory deficits in an MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD treated with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). MPTP (30 mg/kg/day, 5 days)-lesioned mice were treated with GPS (50 mg/kg) and/or L-DOPA (10 and 25 mg/kg) for 21 days. After the final treatments, behavioral changes were assessed in all mice using passive avoidance and elevated plus-maze tests. We then evaluated the biochemical influences of GPS treatment on levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. MPTP-lesioned mice exhibited deficits associated with habit learning and spatial memory, which were further aggravated by treatment with L-DOPA (25 mg/kg). However, treatment with GPS (50 mg/kg) ameliorated memory deficits. Treatment with GPS (50 mg/kg) also improved L-DOPA (25 mg/kg)-treated MPTP lesion-induced decreases in retention latency on the passive avoidance test, as well as levels of TH-immunopositive cells and dopamine in the substantia nigra and striatum. GPS treatment also attenuated increases in retention transfer latency on the elevated plus-maze test and in NMDA receptor expression, as well as decreases in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and CREB in the hippocampus. Treatment with L-DOPA (10 mg/kg) also ameliorated deficits in habit learning and spatial memory in MPTP-lesioned mice, and this effect was further enhanced by treatment with GPS (50 mg/kg). GPS ameliorate deficits in habit learning and spatial memory by modulating the dopaminergic neuronal and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated signaling systems in MPTP-lesioned mice treated with L-DOPA. GPS may serve as an adjuvant

  7. Ocular Dominance Plasticity after Stroke Was Preserved in PSD-95 Knockout Mice.

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    Franziska Greifzu

    Full Text Available Neuronal plasticity is essential to enable rehabilitation when the brain suffers from injury, such as following a stroke. One of the most established models to study cortical plasticity is ocular dominance (OD plasticity in the primary visual cortex (V1 of the mammalian brain induced by monocular deprivation (MD. We have previously shown that OD-plasticity in adult mouse V1 is absent after a photothrombotic (PT stroke lesion in the adjacent primary somatosensory cortex (S1. Exposing lesioned mice to conditions which reduce the inhibitory tone in V1, such as raising animals in an enriched environment or short-term dark exposure, preserved OD-plasticity after an S1-lesion. Here we tested whether modification of excitatory circuits can also be beneficial for preserving V1-plasticity after stroke. Mice lacking postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95, a signaling scaffold present at mature excitatory synapses, have lifelong juvenile-like OD-plasticity caused by an increased number of AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid -silent synapses in V1 but unaltered inhibitory tone. In fact, using intrinsic signal optical imaging, we show here that OD-plasticity was preserved in V1 of adult PSD-95 KO mice after an S1-lesion but not in PSD-95 wildtype (WT-mice. In addition, experience-enabled enhancement of the optomotor reflex of the open eye after MD was compromised in both lesioned PSD-95 KO and PSD-95 WT mice. Basic V1-activation and retinotopic map quality were, however, not different between lesioned PSD-95 KO mice and their WT littermates. The preserved OD-plasticity in the PSD-95 KO mice indicates that V1-plasticity after a distant stroke can be promoted by either changes in excitatory circuitry or by lowering the inhibitory tone in V1 as previously shown. Furthermore, the present data indicate that an increased number of AMPA-silent synapses preserves OD-plasticity not only in the healthy brain, but also in another experimental

  8. Keloidal granuloma faciale with extrafacial lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verma Rajesh

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Granuloma faciale (GF is a rare cutaneous disorder characterized by one to several soft, erythematous to livid papules, plaques or nodules, usually occurring on the face. Extrafacial lesions are uncommon. A 52-year-old lady with multiple asymptomatic, variously sized brownish-black colored, firm, sharply circumscribed plaques resembling keloids on both cheeks and extrafacial lesions on the right arm and the right breast is presented for its unusual keloidal appearance and typical histopathological findings. She failed to respond to oral dapsone 100 mg daily administered for 3 months. Local infiltration of triamcinolone combined with cryotherapy led to only partial flattening of the lesions. All the skin lesions were excised surgically followed by flap transfer grafting on both cheeks. The cosmetic outcome was highly satisfactory.

  9. ORAL EXPOSURE TO ACROLEIN EXACERBATES ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN APO E-NULL MICE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Sanjay; Sithu, Srinivas D.; Vladykovskaya, Elena; Haberzettl, Petra; Hoetker, David J.; Siddiqui, Maqsood A.; Conklin, Daniel J.; D'Souza, Stanley E.; Bhatnagar, Aruni

    2011-01-01

    Background Acrolein is a dietary aldehyde that is present in high concentrations in alcoholic beverages and foods including cheese, donuts and coffee. It is also abundant in tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust and industrial waste and is generated in vivo during inflammation and oxidative stress. Objectives The goal of this study was to examine the effects of dietary acrolein on atherosclerosis. Methods Eight-week old male apoE-null mice were gavage-fed acrolein (2.5 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Atherosclerotic lesion formation and composition and plasma lipids and platelet factor 4 (PF4) levels were measured. Effects of acrolein and PF4 on endothelial cell function was measured in vitro. Results Acrolein feeding increased the concentration of cholesterol in the plasma. NMR analysis of the lipoproteins showed that acrolein feeding increased the abundance of small and medium VLDL particles. Acrolein feeding also increased atherosclerotic lesion formation in the aortic valve and the aortic arch. Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased macrophage accumulation in the lesions of acrolein-fed mice. Plasma PF4 levels and accumulation of PF4 in atherosclerotic lesions was increased in the acrolein-fed mice. Incubation of endothelial cells with the plasma of acrolein-fed mice augmented transmigration of monocytic cells, which was abolished by anti-PF4 antibody treatment. Conclusions Dietary exposure to acrolein exacerbates atherosclerosis in apoE-null mice. Consumption of foods and beverages rich in unsaturated aldehydes such as acrolein may be a contributing factor to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. PMID:21371710

  10. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Ameliorates House Dust Mite Extract Induced Atopic Dermatitis Like Skin Lesions in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Kyung-Hwa; Baek, Hyunjung; Kang, Manho; Kim, Namsik; Lee, Seung Young; Bae, Hyunsu

    2017-02-18

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a biphasic inflammatory skin disease that is provoked by epidermal barrier defects, immune dysregulation, and increased skin infections. Previously, we have demonstrated that bvPLA2 evoked immune tolerance by inducing regulatory T cells (Treg), and thus alleviated Th2 dominant allergic asthma in mice. Here, we would like to determine whether treatment with bvPLA2 exacerbates the AD-like allergic inflammations induced by house dust mite extract (DFE) in a murine model. Epidermal thickness, immune cell infiltration, serum immunoglobulin, and cytokines were measured. Ear swelling, skin lesions, and the levels of total serum IgE and Th1/Th2 cytokines were elevated in DFE/DNCB-induced AD mice. Topical application of bvPLA2 elicited significant suppression of the increased AD symptoms, including ear thickness, serum IgE concentration, inflammatory cytokines, and histological changes. Furthermore, bvPLA2 treatment inhibited mast cell infiltration into the ear. On the other hand, Treg cell depletion abolished the anti-atopic effects of bvPLA2, suggesting that the effects of bvPLA2 depend on the existence of Tregs. Taken together, the results revealed that topical exposure to bvPLA2 aggravated atopic skin inflammation, suggesting that bvPLA2 might be a candidate for the treatment of AD.

  11. Bone marrow lesions: A systematic diagnostic approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grande, Filippo Del; Farahani, Sahar J; Carrino, John A; Chhabra, Avneesh

    2014-01-01

    Bone marrow lesions on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are common and may be seen with various pathologies. The authors outline a systematic diagnostic approach with proposed categorization of various etiologies of bone marrow lesions. Utilization of typical imaging features on conventional MR imaging techniques and other problem-solving techniques, such as chemical shift imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), to achieve accurate final diagnosis has been highlighted

  12. The contribution of diffusion-weighted MR imaging to distinguishing typical from atypical meningiomas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hakyemez, Bahattin [Uludag University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Gorukle, Bursa (Turkey); Bursa State Hospital, Department of Radiology, Bursa (Turkey); Yildirim, Nalan; Gokalp, Gokhan; Erdogan, Cuneyt; Parlak, Mufit [Uludag University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Gorukle, Bursa (Turkey)

    2006-08-15

    Atypical/malignant meningiomas recur more frequently then typical meningiomas. In this study, the contribution of diffusion-weighted MR imaging to the differentiation of atypical/malignant and typical meningiomas and to the determination of histological subtypes of typical meningiomas was investigated. The study was performed prospectively on 39 patients. The signal intensity of the lesions was evaluated on trace and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) images. ADC values were measured in the lesions and peritumoral edema. Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Mean ADC values in atypical/malignant and typical meningiomas were 0.75{+-}0.21 and 1.17{+-}0.21, respectively. Mean ADC values for subtypes of typical meningiomas were as follows: meningothelial, 1.09{+-}0.20; transitional, 1.19{+-}0.07; fibroblastic, 1.29{+-}0.28; and angiomatous, 1.48{+-}0.10. Normal white matter was 0.91{+-}0.10. ADC values of typical meningiomas and atypical/malignant meningiomas significantly differed (P<0.001). However, the difference between peritumoral edema ADC values was not significant (P>0.05). Furthermore, the difference between the subtypes of typical meningiomas and atypical/malignant meningiomas was significant (P<0.001). Diffusion-weighted MR imaging findings of atypical/malignant meningiomas and typical meningiomas differ. Atypical/malignant meningiomas have lower intratumoral ADC values than typical meningiomas. Mean ADC values for peritumoral edema do not differ between typical and atypical meningiomas. (orig.)

  13. Treatment to sustain a Th17-type phenotype to prevent skewing toward Treg and to limit premalignant lesion progression to cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, M Rita I; Levingston, Corinne A; Johnson, Sara D

    2016-05-15

    While immune suppression is a hallmark of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HSNCC), the immunological impact of premalignant oral lesions, which often precedes development of HNSCC, is unknown. The present study assessed the changes in splenic and draining lymph node CD4(+) cell populations and their production of select cytokines that occur in mice with carcinogen-induced premalignant oral lesions and the changes that occur as lesions progress to oral cancer. These studies found skewing toward Th1 and Th17-type phenotypes in the spleen and lymph nodes of mice with premalignant oral lesions and a shift to Treg as lesions progress to cancer. Since the role of Th17 cells in the progression from premalignant lesions to cancer is not clear, studies determined the immunological and clinical effect of treating mice bearing premalignant oral lesions with a TGF-β type 1 receptor inhibitor plus IL-23 as an approach to sustain the Th17 phenotype. These studies showed that the treatment approach not only sustained the Th17 phenotype, but also increased distal spleen cell and regional lymph node cell production of other stimulatory/inflammatory mediators and slowed premalignant lesion progression to cancer. © 2016 UICC.

  14. The Effect of The Pesticides Chlorpyrifos and Alphacypermethrin on The Development of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Lesion in BALB/c Mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    AlDawood, Asya N; Khalil, Galila M; AlJaser, May H

    2008-01-01

    Three groups of BALB/c mice were treated orally with 0.6, 1.0 and 6.0mg/kg body weight of chlorpyrifos (CPF), and 3 other groups were treated with 2.5, 6.25 and 25mg/kg bodyweight of alphacypermethrin (ACM), respectively, every other day for 1 week. Six other groups were treated similarly for 2 weeks. The treated groups and a control group for each pesticide were inoculated in the dorsum with Leishmania major promastigotes at their stationary phase. Lesions started to appear 2-3 weeks post-inoculation and their diameters were measured in all groups 1, 5, 9 and 14 days post-appearance (PA). The mean diameter of lesions (MDL) only in the 6.0mg group treated with CPF for 1 week was larger than that of the control group. In the groups treated for 2 weeks, the MDL of the 1.0 and 6.0mg groups were larger than those of the control group 5, 9 and 14 days PA while MLD of the 0.6mg group was larger than that of the control group only 5 days PA. MLD was larger in the 0.6mg group treated for 2 weeks than that in the group treated for 1 week 1 and 5 days PA. MLD was larger in the 1.0mg group treated for 2 weeks than that treated for 1 week 9 days PA. MLD was similar in the 6.0mg group treated for 1 and 2 weeks. The MDL only in the 25mg group treated with ACM for 1 week was larger than that of the control group 9 and 14 days PA. The MDL of the 6.25 and 25mg groups treated for 2 weeks were larger than those of the control groups 5 days PA and the MLD of the 25mg group was larger than that of the control group 9 and 14 days PA. The MLD was larger in the 2.5mg group treated for 2 weeks than that in the group treated for 1 week 5 days PA. The MLD was larger in the 6.25 and 25.0mg groups treated for 2 weeks than those treated for 1 week 1 and 5 days PA. Immunotoxicity and/or peripheral neurotoxicity caused by CPF and ACM might have caused aggravation of lesions in mice particularly those treated with the pesticides for 2 weeks. (author)

  15. Imaging of lipids in atherosclerotic lesion in aorta from ApoE/LDLR-/- mice by FT-IR spectroscopy and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    P Wrobel, Tomasz; Mateuszuk, Lukasz; Chlopicki, Stefan; Malek, Kamilla; Baranska, Malgorzata

    2011-12-21

    Spectroscopy-based approaches can provide an insight into the biochemical composition of a tissue sample. In the present work Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to develop a reliable methodology to study the content of free fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesteryl esters as well as cholesterol in aorta from mice with atherosclerosis (ApoE/LDLR(-/-) mice). In particular, distribution and concentration of palmitic, oleic and linoleic acid derivatives were analyzed. Spectral analysis of pure compounds allowed for clear discrimination between free fatty acids and other similar moieties based on the carbonyl band position (1699-1710 cm(-1) range). In order to distinguish cholesteryl esters from triglycerides a ratio of carbonyl band to signal at 1010 cm(-1) was used. Imaging of lipids in atherosclerotic aortic lesions in ApoE/LDLR(-/-) mice was followed by Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). The aorta from C57Bl/6J control mice (fed with chow diet) was used for comparison. The measurements were completed with an FT-IR spectrometer equipped with a 128 × 128 FPA detector. In cross-section of aorta from ApoE/LDLR(-/-) mice a region of atherosclerotic plaque was clearly identified by HCA, which was later divided into 2 sub-regions, one characterized by the higher content of cholesterol, while the other by higher contents of cholesteryl esters. HCA of tissues deposited on normal microscopic glass, hence limited to the 2200-3800 cm(-1) spectral range, also identified a region of atherosclerotic plaque. Importantly, this region correlates with the area stained by standard histological staining for atherosclerotic plaque (Oil Red O). In conclusion, the use of FT-IR and HCA may provide a novel tool for qualitative and quantitative analysis of contents and distribution of lipids in atherosclerotic plaque.

  16. Intranasal delivery of E-selectin reduces atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice.

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    Xinhui Li

    Full Text Available Mucosal tolerance to E-selectin prevents stroke and protects against ischemic brain damage in experimental models of stroke studying healthy animals or spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats. A reduction in inflammation and neural damage was associated with immunomodulatory or "tolerogenic" responses to E-selectin. The purpose of the current study on ApoE deficient mice is to assess the capacity of this stroke prevention innovation to influence atherosclerosis, a major underlying cause for ischemic strokes; human E-selectin is being translated as a potential clinical prevention strategy for secondary stroke. Female ApoE-/- mice received intranasal delivery of E-selectin prior to (pre-tolerization or simultaneously with initiation of a high-fat diet. After 7 weeks on the high-fat diet, lipid lesions in the aorta, serum triglycerides, and total cholesterol were assessed as markers of atherosclerosis development. We also assessed E-selectin-specific antibodies and cytokine responses, in addition to inflammatory responses that included macrophage infiltration of the aorta and altered gene expression profiles of aortic mRNA. Intranasal delivery of E-selectin prior to initiation of high-fat chow decreased atherosclerosis, serum total cholesterol, and expression of the leucocyte chemoattractant CCL21 that is typically upregulated in atherosclerotic lesions of ApoE-/- mice. This response was associated with the induction of E-selectin specific cells producing the immunomodulatory cytokine IL-10 and immunosuppressive antibody isotypes. Intranasal administration of E-selectin generates E-selectin specific immune responses that are immunosuppressive in nature and can ameliorate atherosclerosis, a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. These results provide additional preclinical support for the potential of induction of mucosal tolerance to E-selectin to prevent stroke.

  17. SAP deficiency mitigated atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE(-/-) mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Lingyun; Wu, Teng; Zeng, Cuiling; Li, Xiangli; Li, Xiaoqiang; Wen, Dingwen; Ji, Tianxing; Lan, Tian; Xing, Liying; Li, Jiangchao; He, Xiaodong; Wang, Lijing

    2016-01-01

    Serum amyloid P conpoent (SAP), a member of the pentraxin family, interact with pathogens and cell debris to promote their removal by macrophages and neutrophils and is co-localized with atherosclerotic plaques in patients. However, the exact mechanism of SAP in atherogenesis is still unclear. We investigated whether SAP influence macrophage recruitment and foam cell formation and ultimately affect atherosclerotic progression. we generated apoE(-/-); SAP(-/-) (DKO) mice and fed them western diet for 4 and 8 weeks to characterize atherosclerosis development. SAP deficiency effectively reduced plaque size both in the aorta (p = 0.0006 for 4 wks; p = 0.0001 for 8 wks) and the aortic root (p = 0.0061 for 4 wks; p = 0.0079 for 8wks) compared with apoE(-/-) mice. Meanwhile, SAP deficiency inhibited oxLDL-induced foam cell formation (p = 0.0004) compared with apoE(-/-) mice and SAP treatment increases oxLDL-induced foam cell formation (p = 0.002) in RAW cells. Besides, SAP deficiency reduced macrophages recruitment (p = 0.035) in vivo and in vitro (p = 0.026). Furthermore, SAP treatment enhanced CD36 (p = 0.007) and FcγRI (p = 0.031) expression induced by oxLDL through upregulating JNK and p38 MAPK phosphorylation whereas specific JNK1/2 inhibitor reduced CD36 (p = 0.0005) and FcγRI (P = 0.0007) expression in RAW cell. SAP deficiency also significantly decreased the expression of M1 and M2 macrophage markers and inflammatory cytokines in oxLDL-induced macrophages. SAP deficiency mitigated foam cell formation and atherosclerotic development in apoE(-/-) mice, due to reduction in macrophages recruitment, polarization and pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibition the CD36/FcγR-dependent signaling pathway. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Bone marrow lesions: A systematic diagnostic approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filippo Del Grande

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Bone marrow lesions on magnetic resonance (MR imaging are common and may be seen with various pathologies. The authors outline a systematic diagnostic approach with proposed categorization of various etiologies of bone marrow lesions. Utilization of typical imaging features on conventional MR imaging techniques and other problem-solving techniques, such as chemical shift imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI, to achieve accurate final diagnosis has been highlighted.

  19. Osteopontin mediates Citrobacter rodentium-induced colonic epithelial cell hyperplasia and attaching-effacing lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wine, Eytan; Shen-Tu, Grace; Gareau, Mélanie G; Goldberg, Harvey A; Licht, Christoph; Ngan, Bo-Yee; Sorensen, Esben S; Greenaway, James; Sodek, Jaro; Zohar, Ron; Sherman, Philip M

    2010-09-01

    Although osteopontin (OPN) is up-regulated in inflammatory bowel diseases, its role in disease pathogenesis remains controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the role of OPN in host responses to a non-invasive bacterial pathogen, Citrobacter rodentium, which serves as a murine infectious model of colitis. OPN gene knockout and wild-type mice were infected orogastrically with either C. rodentium or Luria-Bertani (LB) broth. Mouse-derived OPN(+/+) and OPN(-/-) fibroblasts were incubated with C. rodentium and attaching-effacing lesions were demonstrated using transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence. Colonic expression of OPN was increased by C. rodentium infection of wild-type mice. Furthermore, colonic epithelial cell hyperplasia, the hallmark of C. rodentium infection, was reduced in OPN(-/-) mice, and spleen enlargement by infection was absent in OPN(-/-) mice. Rectal administration of OPN to OPN(-/-) mice restored these effects. There was an 8- to 17-fold reduction in bacterial colonization in OPN(-/-) mice, compared with wild-type mice, which was accompanied by reduced attaching-effacing lesions, both in infected OPN(-/-) mice and OPN(-/-) mouse fibroblasts. Moreover, adhesion pedestals were restored in OPN(-/-) cells complemented with human OPN. Therefore, lack of OPN results in decreased pedestal formation, colonization, and colonic epithelial cell hyperplasia responses to C. rodentium infection, indicating that OPN impacts disease pathogenesis through bacterial attachment and altered host immune responses.

  20. Differential diagnosis of small solid pancreatic lesions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dietrich, Christoph Frank; Sahai, Anand Vasante; D'Onofrio, Mirko

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is typically diagnosed at a late stage. Little is known about the incidental finding of early-stage PDAC. The aim of the current study was to determine the etiology of small solid pancreatic lesions (≤15 mm) to optimize clinical......-enhanced US allowed differential diagnosis of PDAC and non-PDAC in 189 of 219 patients (86%). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 40% of patients with small solid pancreatic lesions had very early stage PDAC. Approximately 60% of small solid pancreatic lesions ≤15 mm are not PDAC and, therefore, do not require radical...

  1. 18F-PET imaging: frequency, distribution and appearance of benign lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schirrmeister, H.; Kotzerke, J.; Rentschler, M.; Traeger, H.; Fenchel, S.; Diederichs, C.G.; Reske, S.N.; Nuessle, K.

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: We evaluated the frequency, distribution and appearance of benign lesions in 18 F-PET scans. Methods: Between March 1996 and May 1997, 18 F-PET scans were performed in 59 patients in addition to conventional planar bone scintigraphy. Eleven patients were subjected to additional SPECT imaging. The main indication was searching for bone metastases (58 pat.). The diagnosis was confirmed radiologically. Results: With 18 F-PET in 39 patients (66,1%) 152 benign lesions, mostly located in the spine were detected. 99m Tc bone scans revealed 45 lesions in 10 patients. Osteoarthritis of the intervertebral articulations (69%) or of the acromioclavicular joint (15%) were the most common reasons for degenerative lesions detected with 18 F-PET. Osteophytes appeared as hot lesions located at two adjacent vertebral endplates. Osteoarthritis of the intervertebral articulations showed an enhanced tracer uptake at these localizations, whereas endplate fractures of the vertebral bodies appeared very typically; solitary fractures of the ribs could not be differentiated from metastases. Rare benign lesions were not studied. Conclusion: Most of the degenerative lesions (84%) detected with 18 F-PET had a very typical appearance and could be detected with the improved spatial resolution and advantages of a tomographic technique. 18 F-PET had an increased accuracy in detecting degenerative bone lesions. (orig.) [de

  2. Radiographic diagnosis of an expansile bone lesion in a dog [osteosarcoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamb, C.R.; Berg, J.; Schelling, S.H.

    1993-01-01

    An old dog had an expansile lesion affecting the ulnar diaphysis. The lesion had clinical and radiographic features typical of a bone cyst; however, computed X-ray tomography indicated that the lesion had a tissue content incompatible with a true cyst. The histological diagnosis was osteosarcoma. This report emphasises the highly variable radiological appearance of canine osteosarcoma; biopsy is required to establish the diagnosis because the radiological signs may mimic a lesion of different aetiology

  3. GLP-1 improves neuropathology after murine cold lesion brain trauma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    DellaValle, Brian; Hempel, Casper; Johansen, Flemming Fryd

    2014-01-01

    brain trauma. METHODS: Severe trauma was induced with a stereotactic cryo-lesion in mice and thereafter treated with vehicle, liraglutide, or liraglutide + GLP-1 receptor antagonist. A therapeutic window was established and lesion size post-trauma was determined. Reactive oxygen species were visualized......-neurodegenerative proteins increased with Lira-driven CREB activation. INTERPRETATION: These results show that Lira has potent effects after experimental trauma in mice and thus should be considered a candidate for critical care intervention post-injury. Moreover, activation of CREB in the brain by Lira - described......OBJECTIVES: In this study, we address a gap in knowledge regarding the therapeutic potential of acute treatment with a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist after severe brain trauma. Moreover, it remains still unknown whether GLP-1 treatment activates the protective, anti...

  4. Deep cerebellar nuclei play an important role in two-tone discrimination on delay eyeblink conditioning in C57BL/6 mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshiro Sakamoto

    Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN-lesioned mice develop conditioned responses (CR on delay eyeblink conditioning when a salient tone conditioned stimulus (CS is used, which suggests that the cerebellum potentially plays a role in more complicated cognitive functions. In the present study, we examined the role of DCN in tone frequency discrimination in the delay eyeblink-conditioning paradigm. In the first experiment, DCN-lesioned and sham-operated mice were subjected to standard simple eyeblink conditioning under low-frequency tone CS (LCS: 1 kHz, 80 dB or high-frequency tone CS (HCS: 10 kHz, 70 dB conditions. DCN-lesioned mice developed CR in both CS conditions as well as sham-operated mice. In the second experiment, DCN-lesioned and sham-operated mice were subjected to two-tone discrimination tasks, with LCS+ (or HCS+ paired with unconditioned stimulus (US, and HCS- (or LCS- without US. CR% in sham-operated mice increased in LCS+ (or HCS+ trials, regardless of tone frequency of CS, but not in HCS- (or LCS- trials. The results indicate that sham-operated mice can discriminate between LCS+ and HCS- (or HCS+ and LCS-. In contrast, DCN-lesioned mice showed high CR% in not only LCS+ (or HCS+ trials but also HCS- (or LCS- trials. The results indicate that DCN lesions impair the discrimination between tone frequency in eyeblink conditioning. Our results suggest that the cerebellum plays a pivotal role in the discrimination of tone frequency.

  5. Inhibitory Effect of Valencene on the Development of Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in NC/Nga Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    In Jun Yang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Valencene (VAL isolated from Cyperus rotundus possesses various biological effects such as antiallergic and antimelanogenesis activity. We investigated the effect of VAL on atopic dermatitis (AD skin lesions and their molecular mechanisms. We topically applied VAL to 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB sensitized NC/Nga mice. Modified scoring atopic dermatitis index, scratching behavior, and histological/immunohistochemical staining were used to monitor disease severity. RT-PCR, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to determine the level of IgE, proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines production, and skin barrier proteins expression. Topical application of VAL significantly reduced AD-like symptoms and recovered decreased expression of filaggrin in DNCB-sensitized NC/Nga mice. The levels of serum IgE, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-13 in skin/splenic tissue were reduced. In vitro studies using TNF-α and IFN-γ treated HaCaT cells revealed that VAL inhibited the exaggerated expression of Th2 chemokines including TARC/CCL17, MDC/CCL22, and proinflammatory chemokines such as CXCL8, GM-CSF, and I-CAM through blockade of the NF-κB pathway. In addition, expression of the skin barrier protein, involucrin, was also increased by VAL treatment. VAL inhibited the production and expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that VAL may serve as a potential therapeutic option for AD.

  6. Gynostemma pentaphyllum Ethanolic Extract Protects Against Memory Deficits in an MPTP-Lesioned Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease Treated with L-DOPA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyung Sook; Zhao, Ting Ting; Shin, Keon Sung; Park, Hyun Jin; Cho, Yoon Jeong; Lee, Kyung Eun; Kim, Seung Hwan; Lee, Myung Koo

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of ethanol extract from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP-EX) on memory deficits in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD) (MPTP-lesioned mice). MPTP (30 mg/kg/day, 5 days)-lesioned mice showed deficits of habit learning memory and spatial memory, which were further aggravated by treatment with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) (25 mg/kg, 21 days). However, treatment with GP-EX (50 mg/kg, 21 days) ameliorated memory deficits in MPTP-lesioned mice treated with L-DOPA (25 mg/kg): GP-EX prevented the decreases in retention latency time in the passive avoidance test and tyrosine hydroxylase-immunopositive cells and dopamine levels in the nigrostriatum. GP-EX also reduced increases in retention transfer latency time of the elevated plus-maze test and expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and improved decreases in phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus in the same models. By contrast, L-DOPA treatment (10 mg/kg, 21 days) ameliorated memory deficits in MPTP-lesioned mice, which were further improved by GP-EX treatment. These results suggest that GP-EX ameliorates habit learning memory deficits by activating dopaminergic neurons and spatial memory deficits by modulating NMDA receptor-ERK1/2-CREB system in MPTP-lesioned mice treated with L-DOPA. GP-EX may serve as an adjuvant phytonutrient for memory deficits in PD.

  7. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Ameliorates House Dust Mite Extract Induced Atopic Dermatitis Like Skin Lesions in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung-Hwa Jung

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Atopic dermatitis (AD is a biphasic inflammatory skin disease that is provoked by epidermal barrier defects, immune dysregulation, and increased skin infections. Previously, we have demonstrated that bvPLA2 evoked immune tolerance by inducing regulatory T cells (Treg, and thus alleviated Th2 dominant allergic asthma in mice. Here, we would like to determine whether treatment with bvPLA2 exacerbates the AD-like allergic inflammations induced by house dust mite extract (DFE in a murine model. Epidermal thickness, immune cell infiltration, serum immunoglobulin, and cytokines were measured. Ear swelling, skin lesions, and the levels of total serum IgE and Th1/Th2 cytokines were elevated in DFE/DNCB-induced AD mice. Topical application of bvPLA2 elicited significant suppression of the increased AD symptoms, including ear thickness, serum IgE concentration, inflammatory cytokines, and histological changes. Furthermore, bvPLA2 treatment inhibited mast cell infiltration into the ear. On the other hand, Treg cell depletion abolished the anti-atopic effects of bvPLA2, suggesting that the effects of bvPLA2 depend on the existence of Tregs. Taken together, the results revealed that topical exposure to bvPLA2 aggravated atopic skin inflammation, suggesting that bvPLA2 might be a candidate for the treatment of AD.

  8. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Increases the Efficacy of a Topical Formulation of Foscarnet against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Cutaneous Lesions in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piret, Jocelyne; Désormeaux, André; Cormier, Hélène; Lamontagne, Julie; Gourde, Pierrette; Juhász, Julianna; Bergeron, Michel G.

    2000-01-01

    The influence of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) on the efficacies of topical gel formulations of foscarnet against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) cutaneous infection has been evaluated in mice. A single application of the gel formulation containing 3% foscarnet given 24 h postinfection exerted only a modest effect on the development of herpetic skin lesions. Of prime interest, the addition of 5% SLS to this gel formulation markedly reduced the mean lesion score. The improved efficacy of the foscarnet formulation containing SLS could be attributed to an increased penetration of the antiviral agent into the epidermis. In vitro, SLS decreased in a concentration-dependent manner the infectivities of herpesviruses for Vero cells. SLS also inhibited the HSV-1 strain F-induced cytopathic effect. Combinations of foscarnet and SLS resulted in subsynergistic to subantagonistic effects, depending on the concentration used. Foscarnet in phosphate-buffered saline decreased in a dose-dependent manner the viability of cultured human skin fibroblasts. This toxic effect was markedly decreased when foscarnet was incorporated into the polymer matrix. The presence of SLS in the gel formulations did not alter the viabilities of these cells. The use of gel formulations containing foscarnet and SLS could represent an attractive approach to the treatment of herpetic mucocutaneous lesions, especially those caused by acyclovir-resistant strains. PMID:10952566

  9. Low dose radiation exposure and atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchel, R.E.J.; Hasu, M.; Bugden, M.; Wyatt, H.; Little, M.; Hildebrandt, G.; Priest, N.D.; Whitman, S.C.

    2010-01-01

    The hypothesis that single low dose exposures (0.025-0.5 Gy) to low LET radiation, given at either high (240 mGy/min) or low (1 mGy/min) dose rate, would promote aortic atherosclerosis was tested in female C57BI/6 mice genetically predisposed to this disease (ApoE-/-). Mice were exposed either at early stage disease (2 months of age) and examined 3 or 6 months later, or at late stage disease (8 months of age) and examined 2 or 4 months later. Compared to unexposed controls, all doses given at low or high dose rate at early stage disease had significant inhibitory effects on lesion growth and, at 25 or 50 mGy, on lesion frequency. No dose given at low dose rate had any effect on total serum cholesterol, but this was elevated by every dose given at high dose rate. Exposures at low dose rate had no effect on the percentage of lesion lipids contained within macrophages, and, at either high or low dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion severity. Exposure at late stage disease, to any dose at high dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion frequency, but at low dose rate some doses produced a small transient increase in this frequency. Exposure to low doses at low, but not high dose rate, significantly, but transiently reduced average lesion size, and at either dose rate transiently reduced lesion severity. Exposure to any dose at low dose rate (but not high dose rate) resulted in large and persistent decreases in serum cholesterol. These data indicate that a single low dose exposure, depending on dose and dose rate, generally protects against various measures of atherosclerosis in genetically susceptible mice. This result contrasts with the known, generally detrimental effects of high doses on this disease in the same mice, suggesting that a linear extrapolation of risk from high doses is not appropriate. (author)

  10. Abrogation of genetically controlled resistance of mice to Treponema pallidum by irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klein, J.R.; Monjan, A.A.; Hardy, P.H. Jr.; Cole, G.A.

    1980-01-01

    On intradermal infection, transient primary lesions, characteristic of those seen in naturally acquired human syphilis, can be produced regularly in some strains of mice but not others, indicating a genetic basis for host susceptibility. However strains of mice which normally fail to develop lesions, do so after exposure to ionising radiation. Here the importance of an intact immune system in the outcome of local infection is illustrated by the use of radiation-induced immunosuppression. The mice were exposed to lethal doses of total body irradiation from a 137 Ce source (137 rad per min), 850-1,050 rad depending on mouse strain. (UK)

  11. Influence of Trypanosoma cruzi strain on the pathogenesis of chronic myocardiopathy in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia G. Andrade

    1990-03-01

    Full Text Available The murine model of chronic Chaga's myocardiopathy was developed in 201 inbred and outbred mice. The experimental groups consisted of 1st: 73 inbred AKR and A/J mice inoculated with one of the following. Trypanosoma cruzi strains: Peruvian (Type I, 12 SF (Type II or Colombian (Type III; 2nd: 128 outbred Swiss mice, chronically infected either with Type II or Type III strains isolated from human patients from different geographical areas. All T. cruzi strains were previoulsly characterized by their morphobiological behaviour in mice and by isoenzymatic patterns. For the 1st group the inoculum was 5 x 10**4 for the Peruvian strain and 1 x 10**5 for the 12 SF and Colombian strains. In the 2nd group-Swiss mice the inoculum size varied from 2 x 10**4 to 2 x 10**5. The inbred animals were killed at a 3 time-point scale (90, 180 and 240 days post-infection. The Swiss mice were killed from 180 to 660 days after infection. The evaluation of parasitemia and serology (xeodiagnosis and indirect immunofluorescent test was performed. The incidence of macroscopic alterations of the heart and cardiac index were evaluated. Histopathological lesions of the myocardium were graded. The influence of T. cruzi strain on the intensity of cardiac lesions was evaluated by the Chi-square test; the incidence of inflammatory lesions and its relationship to the parasite strain was evaluated by the Fisher test. The influence of the duration of infection was evaluated by using the Gamma Coefficient of Kruskal and Goodman and its measure of significance. Slight to severe microscopic alterations occurred in 85% of the chronically infected nice. There were a clear predominance on the incidence and intensity of inflammatory and fibrotic alterations for the mice infected with Type III strains. Statistical analysis has shown significant differences among the infected groups, in the inflammatory and fibrotic lesions. Macroscopic alterations (right cavities dilatation and apex

  12. Tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii irradiated with 255 Gy induces decrease of cysts and cerebral lesions in mice challenged with cysts of ME-49; Taquizoitos de Toxoplasma gondii irradiados com 255 Gy induzem diminuicao de cistos e lesoes cerebrais em camundongos desafiados com cistos da cepa ME-49

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hiramoto, Roberto Mitsuyoshi; Galisteo Juniorm Andres Jimenez; Nascimento, Nanci do; Andrade Junior, Heitor Franco de [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Lab. de Biologia Molecular]. E-mail: rmhiramoto@bol.com.br; hfandrad@usp.br

    2002-07-01

    Toxoplasmosis can cause ocular lesions in normal individuals and several diseases in foetus, HIV infection and transplants. Toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle, involving cats, as the definitive host, and warm blood species, as intermediated hosts. The infection occurs by ingestion of food and water contaminated with infected cat faeces, contaminated milk and cheese or raw and undercook meat of the intermediated hosts. To date, there is no commercial vaccine of use in humans. In this work, tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain were irradiated with 255 Gy and inoculated in C57Bl/6j mice (3 doses, biweekly), after mice were challenged with 1, 5, 10, 20 and 25 cysts of ME-49 by oral gavage. The lesions and cysts in the brain were analyzed in all mice, after 4-week post infection. The mortality was 20% in control mice (ME-49 cysts only) and not one in immunized mice. The number of cysts was high in the control group, but low in immunized 255 Gy mice (n<100). Immunized mice showed less cerebral pathology and necrosis foci. Ionizing radiation is an important tool in the study toxoplasmosis and vaccine development. (author)

  13. Protective Effect of Vitamin D3 and Gp63 Conjugated with Tetanus Toxoid on Outcome of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Lesions in Balb/C Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Soudi

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: GP63 is a major surface protease of Leishmania promastigotes that plays an important role in its virulance. As GP63 on its own can not develop an effective protection against leishmaniasis, the goal of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of GP63 conjugated with tetanus toxoid (TT and Vitamin D3 in susceptible BALB/c mice against cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods: This study was a basic-applied experimental study performed in Tarbiat Modarres University from September 2002 to April 2005. Cloned virulant Leishmania (L. major [MRHO / IR / 75 / ER] strain was cultured and 5109 cells were harvested. GP63 Molecule was purified and conjugated with TT and conjugated molecule was used for immunization of 8 groups of female BALB/c mice. Results: Results showed that the group of mice receiving conjugated molecule with Vitamin D3 had significant differences from other groups regarding lesion progression (P0.05. The culture of spleen cells showed that the disease did not become systemic in this group. Conclusion: Conjugation of GP63 with TT strengthens cell immunity and its use along with vitamin D3 provokes macrophages activity. This basis can be used for production of an appropriate preparation for protection against Leishmaniasis.

  14. Significance of computed tomography in the diagnosis of the mediastinal mass lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kimura, Masanori; Takashima, Tsutomu; Suzuki, Masayuki; Itoh, Hiroshi; Hirose, Jinichiro; Choto, Shuichi (Kanazawa Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine)

    1983-08-01

    Thirty cases of the mediastinal mass lesions were examined by computed tomography and diagnostic ability of CT was retrospectively evaluated. We devided them into two major groups: cystic and solid lesions. Cysts and cystic teratomas were differentiated on the thickness of their wall. Pericardial cysts were typically present at the cardiophrenic angle. In the solid mediastinal lesions, the presence of calcific and/or fatty components, the presence of necrosis, the irregularity of the margin and the obliteration of the surrounding fat layer were the clues to differential diagnosis and of evaluation for their invasiveness. Although differential diagnosis of the solid anterior mediastinal tumors was often difficult, teratomas with calcific and fatty componets were easily diagnosed. Invasiveness of the malignant thymoma and other malignant lesions were successfully evaluated to some extent. Neurogenic posterior mediastinal tumors were easily diagnosed because of the presence of the spine deformity and typical dumbbell shaped appearance. We stress that our diagnostic approach is useful to differentiate the mediastinal mass lesions.

  15. Significance of computed tomography in the diagnosis of the mediastinal mass lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, Masanori; Takashima, Tsutomu; Suzuki, Masayuki; Itoh, Hiroshi; Hirose, Jinichiro; Choto, Shuichi

    1983-01-01

    Thirty cases of the mediastinal mass lesions were examined by computed tomography and diagnostic ability of CT was retrospectively evaluated. We devided them into two major groups: cystic and solid lesions. Cysts and cystic teratomas were differentiated on the thickness of their wall. Pericardial cysts were typically present at the cardiophrenic angle. In the solid mediastinal lesions, the presence of calcific and/or fatty components, the presence of necrosis, the irregularity of the margin and the obliteration of the surrounding fat layer were the clues to differential diagnosis and of evaluation for their invasiveness. Although differential diagnosis of the solid anterior mediastinal tumors was often difficult, teratomas with calcific and fatty componets were easily diagnosed. Invasiveness of the malignant thymoma and other malignant lesions were successfully evaluated to some extent. Neurogenic posterior mediastinal tumors were easily diagnosed because of the presence of the spine deformity and typical dumbbell shaped appearance. We stress that our diagnostic approach is useful to differentiate the mediastinal mass lesions. (author)

  16. Beryllium-induced immune response in C3H mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benson, J.M.; Bice, D.E.; Nikula, K.J. [and others

    1995-12-01

    Studies conducted at ITRI over the past several years have investigated whether Beagle dogs, monkeys, and mice are suitable models for human chronic beryllium-induced lung disease (CBD). Recent studies have focused on the histopathological and immunopathological changes occurring in A/J and C3H/HeJ mice acutely exposed by inhalation to Be metal. Lung lesions in both strains of mice included focal lymphocyte aggregates comprised primarily of B lymphocytes and lesser amounts of T-helper lymphocytes and microgranulomas consisting chiefly of macrophages and T-helper lymphocytes. The distribution of proliferating cells within the microgranulomas was similar to the distribution of T-helper cells. These results strongly suggested that A/J and C3H/HeJ mice responded to inhaled Be metal in a fashion similar to humans in terms of pulmonary lesions and the apparent in situ proliferation of T-helper cells. Results of these studies confirm lymphocyte involvement in the pulmonary response to inhaled Be metal.

  17. Pathological Lesions and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Expressions in the Liver of Mice Experimentally Infected with Clonorchis sinensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Qing-Li; Shen, Ji-Qing; Xue, Yan; Cheng, Xiao-Bing; Jiang, Zhi-Hua; Yang, Yi-Chao; Chen, Ying-Dan; Zhou, Xiao-Nong

    2015-12-01

    The nitric oxide (NO) formation and intrinsic nitrosation may be involved in the possible mechanisms of liver fluke-associated carcinogenesis. We still do not know much about the responses of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) induced by Clonorchis sinensis infection. This study was conducted to explore the pathological lesions and iNOS expressions in the liver of mice with different infection intensity levels of C. sinensis. Extensive periductal inflammatory cell infiltration, bile duct hyperplasia, and fibrosis were commonly observed during the infection. The different pathological responses in liver tissues strongly correlated with the infection intensity of C. sinensis. Massive acute spotty necrosis occurred in the liver parenchyma after a severe infection. The iNOS activity in liver tissues increased, and iNOS-expressing cells with morphological differences were observed after a moderate or severe infection. The iNOS-expressing cells in liver tissues had multiple origins.

  18. Strain-typical patterns of pregnancy-induced nestbuilding in mice: maternal and experiential influences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broida, J; Svare, B

    1982-07-01

    Pregnant C57BL/6J mice incorporate less material into maternal nests and build fewer fully enclosed nests than do pregnant DBA/2J mice. These strain differences are not ameliorated by additional reproductive experience since multiparous animals also exhibit a similar pattern. Reciprocally-crossed hybrid females exhibit DBA-like levels of pregnancy-induced nestbuilding and cross-fostered C57BL and DBA females retain the phenotype of their strain. Experiential and maternal environmental factors apparently are not responsible for strain differences in pregnancy-induced nestbuilding. Differences in ovarian function and/or central neural tissue sensitivity to ovarian hormones may modulate strain differences in pregnancy-induced nestbuilding.

  19. Low dose radiation exposure and atherosclerosis in ApoE{sup -/-} mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitchel, R.E.J. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada); Hasu, M. [Univ. of Ottawa, Department of Pathology and Lab. Medicine, and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Univ. of Ottawa Heart Inst., Vascular Biology Group, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Bugden, M.; Wyatt, H. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada); Little, M. [Imperial Coll., Faculty of Medicine, St. Marys Campus, London (United Kingdom); Hildebrandt, G. [Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Radiotherapy, Rostock (Germany); Priest, N.D. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada); Whitman, S.C. [Univ. of Ottawa, Department of Pathology and Lab. Medicine, and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Univ. of Ottawa Heart Inst., Vascular Biology Group, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

    2010-07-01

    The hypothesis that single low dose exposures (0.025-0.5 Gy) to low LET radiation, given at either high (240 mGy/min) or low (1 mGy/min) dose rate, would promote aortic atherosclerosis was tested in female C57BI/6 mice genetically predisposed to this disease (ApoE-/-). Mice were exposed either at early stage disease (2 months of age) and examined 3 or 6 months later, or at late stage disease (8 months of age) and examined 2 or 4 months later. Compared to unexposed controls, all doses given at low or high dose rate at early stage disease had significant inhibitory effects on lesion growth and, at 25 or 50 mGy, on lesion frequency. No dose given at low dose rate had any effect on total serum cholesterol, but this was elevated by every dose given at high dose rate. Exposures at low dose rate had no effect on the percentage of lesion lipids contained within macrophages, and, at either high or low dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion severity. Exposure at late stage disease, to any dose at high dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion frequency, but at low dose rate some doses produced a small transient increase in this frequency. Exposure to low doses at low, but not high dose rate, significantly, but transiently reduced average lesion size, and at either dose rate transiently reduced lesion severity. Exposure to any dose at low dose rate (but not high dose rate) resulted in large and persistent decreases in serum cholesterol. These data indicate that a single low dose exposure, depending on dose and dose rate, generally protects against various measures of atherosclerosis in genetically susceptible mice. This result contrasts with the known, generally detrimental effects of high doses on this disease in the same mice, suggesting that a linear extrapolation of risk from high doses is not appropriate. (author)

  20. The Prebiotic Inulin Aggravates Accelerated Atherosclerosis in Hypercholesterolemic APOE*3-Leiden Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoving, Lisa R; de Vries, Margreet R; de Jong, Rob C M; Katiraei, Saeed; Pronk, Amanda; Quax, Paul H A; van Harmelen, Vanessa; Willems van Dijk, Ko

    2018-02-03

    The prebiotic inulin has proven effective at lowering inflammation and plasma lipid levels. As atherosclerosis is provoked by both inflammation and hyperlipidemia, we aimed to determine the effect of inulin supplementation on atherosclerosis development in hypercholesterolemic APOE*3-Leiden ( E3L ) mice. Male E3L mice were fed a high-cholesterol (1%) diet, supplemented with or without 10% inulin for 5 weeks. At week 3, a non-constrictive cuff was placed around the right femoral artery to induce accelerated atherosclerosis. At week 5, vascular pathology was determined by lesion thickness, vascular remodeling, and lesion composition. Throughout the study, plasma lipids were measured and in week 5, blood monocyte subtypes were determined using flow cytometry analysis. In contrast to our hypothesis, inulin exacerbated atherosclerosis development, characterized by increased lesion formation and outward vascular remodeling. The lesions showed increased number of macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and collagen content. No effects on blood monocyte composition were found. Inulin significantly increased plasma total cholesterol levels and total cholesterol exposure. In conclusion, inulin aggravated accelerated atherosclerosis development in hypercholesterolemic E3L mice, accompanied by adverse lesion composition and outward remodeling. This process was not accompanied by differences in blood monocyte composition, suggesting that the aggravated atherosclerosis development was driven by increased plasma cholesterol.

  1. The Prebiotic Inulin Aggravates Accelerated Atherosclerosis in Hypercholesterolemic APOE*3-Leiden Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa R. Hoving

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The prebiotic inulin has proven effective at lowering inflammation and plasma lipid levels. As atherosclerosis is provoked by both inflammation and hyperlipidemia, we aimed to determine the effect of inulin supplementation on atherosclerosis development in hypercholesterolemic APOE*3-Leiden (E3L mice. Male E3L mice were fed a high-cholesterol (1% diet, supplemented with or without 10% inulin for 5 weeks. At week 3, a non-constrictive cuff was placed around the right femoral artery to induce accelerated atherosclerosis. At week 5, vascular pathology was determined by lesion thickness, vascular remodeling, and lesion composition. Throughout the study, plasma lipids were measured and in week 5, blood monocyte subtypes were determined using flow cytometry analysis. In contrast to our hypothesis, inulin exacerbated atherosclerosis development, characterized by increased lesion formation and outward vascular remodeling. The lesions showed increased number of macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and collagen content. No effects on blood monocyte composition were found. Inulin significantly increased plasma total cholesterol levels and total cholesterol exposure. In conclusion, inulin aggravated accelerated atherosclerosis development in hypercholesterolemic E3L mice, accompanied by adverse lesion composition and outward remodeling. This process was not accompanied by differences in blood monocyte composition, suggesting that the aggravated atherosclerosis development was driven by increased plasma cholesterol.

  2. Colonic lesions, cytokine profiles, and gut microbiota in plasminogen-deficient mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, Bill; Krych, Lukasz; Lund, Leif R.

    2015-01-01

    Plasminogen-deficient (FVB/NPan-plg(tm1Jld), plg(tm1Jld)) mice, which are widely used as a wound-healing model, are prone to spontaneous rectal prolapses. The aims of this study were 1) to evaluate the fecal microbiome of plg(tm1Jld) mice for features that might contribute to the development...... the composition of the gut microbiota, and none of the clinical or biochemical parameters correlated with the gut microbiota composition....

  3. Anatomopathological study in BALB/c mice brains experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Gontijo da Silva

    Full Text Available Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important diseases of the nervous central system, leading to severe symptoms and, many times, irreversible sequelae. This work demonstrated the main anatomopathological lesions caused by Toxoplasma gondii in brains from experimentally infected BALB/c mice. We analyzed 51 cases of mice that developed toxoplasmosis after experimental infection by intraperitoneal inoculation of blood, amniotic liquid and cerebrospinal fluid from fetuses, newly born children and pregnant women with clinical and laboratory signals of toxoplasmosis. In all experiments where we detected the parasite in mice we also detected pathological lesions in the animal brains with great polymorphism between experiments. Edema was the most found lesion in all cases. Besides, it was possible to demonstrate the inflammatory process in 82.4% of cases and necrosis in 64.7% of cases, in agreement with the literature that describes severe neurological damage in its hosts.

  4. PPARα activation differently affects microparticle content in atherosclerotic lesions and liver of a mouse model of atherosclerosis and NASH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baron, Morgane; Leroyer, Aurélie S; Majd, Zouher; Lalloyer, Fanny; Vallez, Emmanuelle; Bantubungi, Kadiombo; Chinetti-Gbaguidi, Giulia; Delerive, Philippe; Boulanger, Chantal M; Staels, Bart; Tailleux, Anne

    2011-09-01

    Atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are complex pathologies characterized by lipid accumulation, chronic inflammation and extensive tissue remodelling. Microparticles (MPs), small membrane vesicles produced by activated and apoptotic cells, might not only be biomarkers, but also functional actors in these pathologies. The apoE2-KI mouse is a model of atherosclerosis and NAFLD. Activation of the nuclear receptor PPARα decreases atherosclerosis and components of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the apoE2-KI mouse. (1) To determine whether MPs are present in atherosclerotic lesions, liver and plasma during atherosclerosis and NASH progression in apoE2-KI mice, and (2) to study whether PPARα activation modulates MP concentrations. ApoE2-KI mice were fed a Western diet to induce atherosclerosis and NASH. MPs were isolated from atherosclerotic lesions, liver and blood and quantified by flow cytometry. An increase of MPs was observed in the atherosclerotic lesions and in the liver of apoE2-KI mice upon Western diet feeding. PPARα activation with fenofibrate decreased MP levels in the atherosclerotic lesions in a PPARα-dependent manner, but did not influence MP concentrations in the liver. Here we report that MPs are present in atherosclerotic lesions and in the liver of apoE2-KI mice. Their concentration increased during atherosclerosis and NASH development. PPARα activation differentially modulates MP levels in a tissue-specific manner. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Nuclear microprobe investigation into the trace elemental contents of carotid artery walls of apolipoprotein E deficient mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren Minqin; Huang En; Beck, Konstanze; Rajendran, Reshmi; Wu, Ben J.; Halliwell, Barry; Watt, Frank; Stocker, Roland

    2007-01-01

    Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease that causes lesions in large and medium-sized arteries. There is increasing evidence that the function of vascular endothelial cells is impaired by oxidation reactions, and that metal ions may participate in these processes. The nuclear microscopy facility in NUS, which has the ability to focus a 2 MeV proton beam down to sub micron spot sizes, was used to investigate the trace elemental changes (e.g. Zn and Fe) in atherosclerotic lesions in the common carotid artery of apolipoprotein E deficient mice fed a high fat diet. In this preliminary study, which is part of a larger study to investigate the effects of probucol on carotid artery atherosclerosis, two sets of mice were used; a test set fed a high fat diet +1% probucol, and a control set which was fed a high fat diet only. The results show that the Zn/Fe ratio was significantly higher in the media of arteries of probucol treated animals without overlying lesion (4.3) compared to the media with overlying lesion (1.3) (p = 0.004) for test mice. For the control mice, the arterial Zn/Fe ratio was 1.8 for media without overlying lesion, compared with 1.0 for media with overlying lesion (p = 0.1). Thus, for media without overlying lesion, the Zn/Fe ratio was significantly higher (p = 0.009) in probucol-treated (4.3) than control mice (1.8), whereas there was little difference in the ratios between the two groups in media with overlying lesion (1.3 compared with 1.0). These preliminary results are consistent with the idea that the levels of iron and zinc concentrations within the artery wall may influence the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery

  6. Development of a unilaterally-lesioned 6-OHDA mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiele, Sherri L; Warre, Ruth; Nash, Joanne E

    2012-02-14

    The unilaterally lesioned 6-hyroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD) has proved to be invaluable in advancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying parkinsonian symptoms, since it recapitulates the changes in basal ganglia circuitry and pharmacology observed in parkinsonian patients(1-4). However, the precise cellular and molecular changes occurring at cortico-striatal synapses of the output pathways within the striatum, which is the major input region of the basal ganglia remain elusive, and this is believed to be site where pathological abnormalities underlying parkinsonian symptoms arise(3,5). In PD, understanding the mechanisms underlying changes in basal ganglia circuitry following degeneration of the nigro-striatal pathway has been greatly advanced by the development of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) mice over-expressing green fluorescent proteins driven by promoters specific for the two striatal output pathways (direct pathway: eGFP-D1; indirect pathway: eGFP-D2 and eGFP-A2a)(8), allowing them to be studied in isolation. For example, recent studies have suggested that there are pathological changes in synaptic plasticity in parkinsonian mice(9,10). However, these studies utilised juvenile mice and acute models of parkinsonism. It is unclear whether the changes described in adult rats with stable 6-OHDA lesions also occur in these models. Other groups have attempted to generate a stable unilaterally-lesioned 6-OHDA adult mouse model of PD by lesioning the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), unfortunately, the mortality rate in this study was extremely high, with only 14% surviving the surgery for 21 days or longer(11). More recent studies have generated intra-nigral lesions with both a low mortality rate >80% loss of dopaminergic neurons, however expression of L-DOPA induced dyskinesia(11,12,13,14) was variable in these studies. Another well established mouse model of PD is the MPTP-lesioned mouse(15). Whilst this

  7. Correlation between local hemodynamics and lesion distribution in a novel aortic regurgitation murine model of atherosclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoi, Yiemeng; Zhou, Yu-Qing; Zhang, Xiaoli; Henkelman, R Mark; Steinman, David A

    2011-05-01

    Following surgical induction of aortic valve regurgitation (AR), extensive atherosclerotic plaque development along the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta of Ldlr⁻/⁻ mice has been reported, with distinct spatial distributions suggestive of a strong local hemodynamic influence. The objective of this study was to test, using image-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD), whether this is indeed the case. The lumen geometry was reconstructed from micro-CT scanning of a control Ldlr⁻/⁻ mouse, and CFD simulations were carried out for both AR and control flow conditions derived from Doppler ultrasound measurements and literature data. Maps of time-averaged wall shear stress magnitude (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI) and relative residence time (RRT) were compared against the spatial distributions of plaque stained with oil red O, previously acquired in a group of AR and control mice. Maps of OSI and RRT were found to be consistent with plaque distributions in the AR mice and the absence of plaque in the control mice. TAWSS was uniformly lower under control vs. AR flow conditions, suggesting that levels (> 100 dyn/cm²) exceeded those required to alone induce a pro-atherogenic response. Simulations of a straightened CFD model confirmed the importance of anatomical curvature for explaining the spatial distribution of lesions in the AR mice. In summary, oscillatory and retrograde flow induced in the AR mice, without concomitant low shear, may exacerbate or accelerate lesion formation, but the distinct anatomical curvature of the mouse aorta is responsible for the spatial distribution of lesions.

  8. Lipomatosis of the sciatic nerve: typical and atypical MRI features

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, Bernadette Zhi Ying; Amrami, Kimberly K.; Wenger, Doris E.; Dyck, P. James B.; Scheithauer, Bernd W.; Spinner, Robert J.

    2006-01-01

    Lipomatosis of nerve, also known as fibrolipomatous hamartoma, is a rare condition of nerve, usually affecting the median nerve. The MRI appearance is characteristic. We describe two cases of lipomatosis of nerve involving the sciatic nerve, an extremely unusual location for this lesion, in patients with sciatic neuropathy. These cases share the typical features previously described in the literature for other nerves, but also contain atypical features not previously highlighted, relating to the variability in distribution and extent of the fatty deposition. Recognition of the MRI appearance of this entity is important in order to avoid unnecessary attempts at surgical resection of this lesion. (orig.)

  9. Use of transgenic mice in lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis research

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Havekes, L.M.; Vlijmen, B.J.M. van; Jong, M.C.; Dijk, K.W. van; Hofker, M.H.

    1997-01-01

    In APOE*3-Leiden transgenic mice the atherosclerotic lesion size is correlated with plasma cholesterol. In these mice the plasma lipid levels are positively correlated with the relative amount of APOE 3-Leiden protein on the VLDL particle. The plasma cholesterol levels are influenced by diet, age

  10. Role of FDG/CT in imaging of renal lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kochhar, R.; Manoharan, P.; Brown, R.K.; Dunnick, N.R.; Frey, K.A.; Wong, C.O.

    2010-01-01

    Full text: Focal incidental renal lesions are commonly encountered on positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging. The wast majority of these lesions are benign. However, the interpretation of renal lesions can be problematic if the imaging criteria of simple cysts are not met. Limited literature exists on the characterisation of renal masses with metabolic imaging. The purpose of this article is to focus on the imaging features of benign and malignant renal masses with PET/CT. The lesions discussed include renal cyst, angiomyolipoma, oncocytoma, renal cell carcinoma, renal metastases and other infiltrating neoplastic processes affecting the kidney. Both the anatomical and metabolic features which characterise these benign and malignant entities are described. We emphasise the importance of viewing the CT component to identify the typical morphological features and discuss how to best use hybrid imaging for management of renal lesions. Metabolic imaging has a promising role in the imaging of renal lesions and can help prevent unnecessary biopsies and ensure optimal management of suspicious lesions.

  11. Type 1 diabetes promotes disruption of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in LDL receptor-deficient mice

    OpenAIRE

    Johansson, Fredrik; Kramer, Farah; Barnhart, Shelley; Kanter, Jenny E.; Vaisar, Tomas; Merrill, Rachel D.; Geng, Linda; Oka, Kazuhiro; Chan, Lawrence; Chait, Alan; Heinecke, Jay W.; Bornfeldt, Karin E.

    2008-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease, largely because of disruption of atherosclerotic lesions, accounts for the majority of deaths in people with type 1 diabetes. Recent mouse models have provided insights into the accelerated atherosclerotic lesion initiation in diabetes, but it is unknown whether diabetes directly worsens more clinically relevant advanced lesions. We therefore used an LDL receptor-deficient mouse model, in which type 1 diabetes can be induced at will, to investigate the effects of diabe...

  12. Photothermal lesions in soft tissue induced by optical fiber microheaters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pimentel-Domínguez, Reinher; Moreno-Álvarez, Paola; Hautefeuille, Mathieu; Chavarría, Anahí; Hernández-Cordero, Juan

    2016-04-01

    Photothermal therapy has shown to be a promising technique for local treatment of tumors. However, the main challenge for this technique is the availability of localized heat sources to minimize thermal damage in the surrounding healthy tissue. In this work, we demonstrate the use of optical fiber microheaters for inducing thermal lesions in soft tissue. The proposed devices incorporate carbon nanotubes or gold nanolayers on the tips of optical fibers for enhanced photothermal effects and heating of ex vivo biological tissues. We report preliminary results of small size photothermal lesions induced on mice liver tissues. The morphology of the resulting lesions shows that optical fiber microheaters may render useful for delivering highly localized heat for photothermal therapy.

  13. Herpes zoster - typical and atypical presentations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dayan, Roy Rafael; Peleg, Roni

    2017-08-01

    Varicella- zoster virus infection is an intriguing medical entity that involves many medical specialties including infectious diseases, immunology, dermatology, and neurology. It can affect patients from early childhood to old age. Its treatment requires expertise in pain management and psychological support. While varicella is caused by acute viremia, herpes zoster occurs after the dormant viral infection, involving the cranial nerve or sensory root ganglia, is re-activated and spreads orthodromically from the ganglion, via the sensory nerve root, to the innervated target tissue (skin, cornea, auditory canal, etc.). Typically, a single dermatome is involved, although two or three adjacent dermatomes may be affected. The lesions usually do not cross the midline. Herpes zoster can also present with unique or atypical clinical manifestations, such as glioma, zoster sine herpete and bilateral herpes zoster, which can be a challenging diagnosis even for experienced physicians. We discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of Herpes Zoster, typical and atypical presentations.

  14. Perforant path lesioning induces sprouting of CA3-associated fibre systems in mouse hippocampal formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drøjdahl, Nina; Hegelund, Iørn V; Poulsen, Frantz R

    2002-01-01

    mice. We found that lesioning led to translaminar sprouting of Timm stained regio inferior hippocampus (CA3)-associated fibre systems into the denervated termination zones of the CA3 and dentate gyrus, from the adjacent non-denervated stratum radiatum of CA3. Differences were seen in the Timm staining...... pattern of the two strains of mice, while the response to lesioning appeared similar albeit less pronounced than that observed in the rat. We also observed an intensified acetylcholine esterase staining reflective of cholinergic sprouting in the denervated perforant path termination zones, which...... was particularly prominent in areas with sprouting of Timm stained CA3-associated fibres. Finally, we showed that some of the sprouting fibres within the CA3 were myelinated, due to an increased density of silver impregnated myelinated fibres in this region after lesioning. These results show that the basic...

  15. Attenuation of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced dopaminergic nigrostriatal lesions in superoxide dismutase transgenic mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cadet, J.L.; Hirata, H.; Asanuma, M.

    1998-01-01

    6-Hydroxydopamine is a neurotoxin that produces degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway in rodents. Its toxicity is thought to involve the generation of superoxide anion secondary to its autoxidation. To examine the effects of the overexpression of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase activity on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced dopaminergic neuronal damage, we have measured the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine on striatal and nigral dopamine transporters and nigral tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase transgenic mice. Intracerebroventricular injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (50 μg) in non-transgenic mice produced reductions in the size of striatal area and an enlargement of the cerebral ventricle on both sides of the brains of mice killed two weeks after the injection. In addition, 6-hydroxydopamine caused marked decreases in striatal and nigral [ 125 I]RTI-121-labelled dopamine transporters not only on the injected side but also on the non-injected side of non-transgenic mice; this was associated with decreased cell number and size of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta on both sides in these mice. In contrast, superoxide dismutase transgenic mice were protected against these neurotoxic effects of 6-hydroxydopamine, with the homozygous transgenic mice showing almost complete protection.These results provide further support for a role of superoxide anion in the toxic effects of 6-hydroxydopamine. They also provide further evidence that reactive oxygen species may be the main determining factors in the neurodegenerative effects of catecholamines. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

  16. Anti-inflammatory effects of rebamipide eyedrop administration on ocular lesions in a murine model of primary Sjögren's syndrome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rieko Arakaki

    Full Text Available Topical therapy is effective for dry eye, and its prolonged effects should help in maintaining the quality of life of patients with dry eye. We previously reported that the oral administration of rebamipide (Reb, a mucosal protective agent, had a potent therapeutic effect on autoimmune lesions in a murine model of Sjögren's syndrome (SS. However, the effects of topical treatment with Reb eyedrops on the ocular lesions in the murine model of SS are unknown.Reb eyedrops were administered to the murine model of SS aged 4-8 weeks four times daily. Inflammatory lesions of the extraorbital and intraorbital lacrimal glands and Harderian gland tissues were histologically evaluated. The direct effects of Reb on the lacrimal glands were analyzed using cultured lacrimal gland cells. Tear secretions of Reb-treated mice were significantly increased compared with those of untreated mice. In addition to the therapeutic effect of Reb treatment on keratoconjunctivitis, severe inflammatory lesions of intraorbital lacrimal gland tissues in this model of SS were resolved. The mRNA expression levels of IL-10 and mucin 5Ac in conjunctival tissues from Reb-treated mice was significantly increased compared with those of control mice. Moreover, lactoferrin production from lacrimal gland cells was restored by Reb treatment.Topical Reb administration had an anti-inflammatory effect on the ocular autoimmune lesions in the murine model of SS and a protective effect on the ocular surfaces.

  17. Post-traumatic cyst-like lesion in children: case report and the literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelliaume, Audrey; Simon, Anne-Laure; Tanase, Anca; Mazda, Keyvan; Ilharreborde, Brice

    2016-03-01

    Reports of post-traumatic cyst-like lesions in children are rare. These lesions occur between 1.5 and 3 months after a fracture. They are more frequent after a distal radius greenstick fracture. Conventional radiographs show a metaphyseal radiolucent lesion inside the most recent subperiosteal bone, adjacent to the initial fracture line. Post-traumatic cyst-like lesions are benign, asymptomatic, nonexpansive, and regress spontaneously. Two typical cases are described in the following report with a literature review of the etiology and main features of these lesions.

  18. Moderate beer consumption does not change early or mature atherosclerosis in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blanco-Vaca Francisco

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the consumption of wine in particular has been associated with a lower risk of atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease, systematic reviews differ as to the relative protective effect of beer, wine and spirits. Two previous studies showed that red wine reduces fatty streak formation (early atherosclerosis but not mature atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein (apo E-deficient (apoE-/- mice. Aim of the study To determine whether a moderate beer intake would affect early and mature atherosclerotic lesion formation using control C57BL/6 and apoE-/- mice, respectively, as models. Methods Control C57BL/6 and apoE-/- mice were randomized to receive either water, ethanol, mild beer, dark beer or ethanol-free beer. The level of beer was designed to approximate the alcohol intake currently believed to be beneficial in reducing human vascular risk. Control C57BL/6 mice were fed a Western diet for 24 weeks, and apoE-/- mice a chow diet for 12 weeks. At the end of the trial period, mice were euthanized and atherosclerotic lesions quantified. Plasma lipid concentrations were also measured. Results The amount of atherosclerosis and average number of lesions in the proximal aortic region did not differ among groups in control C57BL/6 mice (p = 0.32 and p = 0.29, respectively and apoE-/- mice (p = 0.19 and p = 0.59, respectively. No consistent differences were observed in plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations among water, ethanol and beer groups. Conclusions Moderate beer consumption does not change the development of early or mature atherosclerosis in mice. Our findings do not support the hypothesis of an anti-atherogenic effect of beer. Other potential protective actions of moderate beer consumption such as plaque stabilization, a reduction in plaque intrinsic thrombogenicity, or a reduction in the systemic propensity to thrombosis, remain to be studied.

  19. Aggressive mammary carcinoma progression in Nrf2 knockout mice treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becks, Lisa; Shi, Runhua; McLarty, Jerry; Pruitt, Kevin; Zhang, Songlin; Kleiner-Hancock, Heather E; Prince, Misty; Burson, Hannah; Christophe, Christopher; Broadway, Mason; Itoh, Ken; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Mathis, Michael; Orchard, Elysse

    2010-01-01

    Activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), which belongs to the basic leucine zipper transcription factor family, is a strategy for cancer chemopreventive phytochemicals. It is an important regulator of genes induced by oxidative stress, such as glutathione S-transferases, heme oxygenase-1 and peroxiredoxin 1, by activating the antioxidant response element (ARE). We hypothesized that (1) the citrus coumarin auraptene may suppress premalignant mammary lesions via activation of Nrf2/ARE, and (2) that Nrf2 knockout (KO) mice would be more susceptible to mammary carcinogenesis. Premalignant lesions and mammary carcinomas were induced by medroxyprogesterone acetate and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene treatment. The 10-week pre-malignant study was performed in which 8 groups of 10 each female wild-type (WT) and KO mice were fed either control diet or diets containing auraptene (500 ppm). A carcinogenesis study was also conducted in KO vs. WT mice (n = 30-34). Comparisons between groups were evaluated using ANOVA and Kaplan-Meier Survival statistics, and the Mann-Whitney U-test. All mice treated with carcinogen exhibited premalignant lesions but there were no differences by genotype or diet. In the KO mice, there was a dramatic increase in mammary carcinoma growth rate, size, and weight. Although there was no difference in overall survival, the KO mice had significantly lower mammary tumor-free survival. Also, in the KO mammary carcinomas, the active forms of NF-κB and β-catenin were increased ~2-fold whereas no differences in oxidized proteins were observed. Many other tumors were observed, including lymphomas. Interestingly, the incidences of lung adenomas in the KO mice were significantly higher than in the WT mice. We report, for the first time, that there was no apparent difference in the formation of premalignant lesions, but rather, the KO mice exhibited rapid, aggressive mammary carcinoma progression

  20. Ursodeoxycholic acid impairs atherogenesis and promotes plaque regression by cholesterol crystal dissolution in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bode, Niklas; Grebe, Alena; Kerksiek, Anja; Lütjohann, Dieter; Werner, Nikos; Nickenig, Georg; Latz, Eicke; Zimmer, Sebastian

    2016-09-09

    Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven primarily by a continuous retention of cholesterol within the subendothelial space where it precipitates to form cholesterol crystals (CC). These CC trigger a complex inflammatory response through activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and promote lesion development. Here we examined whether increasing cholesterol solubility with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) affects vascular CC formation and ultimately atherosclerotic lesion development. UDCA mediated intracellular CC dissolution in macrophages and reduced IL-1β production. In ApoE(-/-) mice, UDCA treatment not only impaired atherosclerotic plaque development but also mediated regression of established vascular lesions. Importantly, mice treated with UDCA had decreased CC-depositions in atherosclerotic plaques compared to controls. Together, our data demonstrate that UDCA impaired CC and NLRP3 dependent inflammation by increasing cholesterol solubility and diminished atherosclerosis in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Loss of Dependence on Continued Expression of the Human Papillomavirus 16 E7 Oncogene in Cervical Cancers and Precancerous Lesions Arising in Fanconi Anemia Pathway-Deficient Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Soyeong; Park, Jung Wook; Pitot, Henry C.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT   Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder caused by defects in DNA damage repair. FA patients often develop squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at sites where high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are known to cause cancer, including the cervix. However, SCCs found in human FA patients are often HPV negative, even though the majority of female FA patients with anogenital cancers had preexisting HPV-positive dysplasia. We hypothesize that HPVs contribute to the development of SCCs in FA patients but that the continued expression of HPV oncogenes is not required for the maintenance of the cancer state because FA deficiency leads to an accumulation of mutations in cellular genes that render the cancer no longer dependent upon viral oncogenes. We tested this hypothesis, making use of Bi-L E7 transgenic mice in which we temporally controlled expression of HPV16 E7, the dominant viral oncogene in HPV-associated cancers. As seen before, the persistence of cervical neoplastic disease was highly dependent upon the continued expression of HPV16 E7 in FA-sufficient mice. However, in mice with FA deficiency, cervical cancers persisted in a large fraction of the mice after HPV16 E7 expression was turned off, indicating that these cancers had escaped from their dependency on E7. Furthermore, the severity of precancerous lesions also failed to be reduced significantly in the mice with FA deficiency upon turning off expression of E7. These findings confirm our hypothesis and may explain the fact that, while FA patients have a high frequency of infections by HPVs and HPV-induced precancerous lesions, the cancers are frequently HPV negative. Importance   Fanconi anemia (FA) patients are at high risk for developing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at sites where high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) frequently cause cancer. Yet these SCCs are often HPV negative. FA patients have a genetic defect in their capacity to repair damaged DNA. HPV oncogenes cause an

  2. Lesions in nerves and plexus after radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vees, W.

    1978-01-01

    Apart from the typical, radiation-induced changes in the skin, common secondary findings were oedemas, radiation-induced ulceration, fibroses of the mediastinum and lungs, pleura adhesions, and osteoradionecroses. In one patient with radiogenic paresis of the plexus brachialis, irradiation of the spinal cord because of epidural metastases of a mammary carcinoma resulted in radiation myelopathy which was verified by laminectomy. Observations of radiogenic lesions of the plexus brachialis show that the usual site of the lesion in the vasomotoric nerve bundle is the axilla. The lesion is assumed to be caused mainly by an overlapping of the axillary, infraclavicular and supraclavicular fields of irradiation which results in a dose peak in the axilla. (orig./AJ) 891 AJ/orig.- 892 MKO [de

  3. Hypervascular liver lesions in radiologically normal liver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amico, Enio Campos; Alves, Jose Roberto; Souza, Dyego Leandro Bezerra de; Salviano, Fellipe Alexandre Macena; Joao, Samir Assi; Liguori, Adriano de Araujo Lima, E-mail: ecamic@uol.com.br [Hospital Universitario Onofre Lopes (HUOL/UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil). Clinica Gastrocentro e Ambulatorios de Cirurgia do Aparelho Digestivo e de Cirurgia Hepatobiliopancreatica

    2017-09-01

    Background: The hypervascular liver lesions represent a diagnostic challenge. Aim: To identify risk factors for cancer in patients with non-hemangiomatous hypervascular hepatic lesions in radiologically normal liver. Method: This prospective study included patients with hypervascular liver lesions in radiologically normal liver. The diagnosis was made by biopsy or was presumed on the basis of radiologic stability in follow-up period of one year. Cirrhosis or patients with typical imaging characteristics of haemangioma were excluded. Results: Eighty eight patients were included. The average age was 42.4. The lesions were unique and were between 2-5 cm in size in most cases. Liver biopsy was performed in approximately 1/3 of cases. The lesions were benign or most likely benign in 81.8%, while cancer was diagnosed in 12.5% of cases. Univariate analysis showed that age >45 years (p< 0.001), personal history of cancer (p=0.020), presence of >3 nodules (p=0.003) and elevated alkaline phosphatase (p=0.013) were significant risk factors for cancer. Conclusion: It is safe to observe hypervascular liver lesions in normal liver in patients up to 45 years, normal alanine amino transaminase, up to three nodules and no personal history of cancer. Lesion biopsies are safe in patients with atypical lesions and define the treatment to be established for most of these patients. (author)

  4. Transplacental arsenic carcinogenesis in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waalkes, Michael P.; Liu, Jie; Diwan, Bhalchandra A.

    2007-01-01

    Our work has focused on the carcinogenic effects of in utero arsenic exposure in mice. Our data show that a short period of maternal exposure to inorganic arsenic in the drinking water is an effective, multi-tissue carcinogen in the adult offspring. These studies have been reproduced in three temporally separate studies using two different mouse strains. In these studies pregnant mice were treated with drinking water containing sodium arsenite at up to 85 ppm arsenic from days 8 to 18 of gestation, and the offspring were observed for up to 2 years. The doses used in all these studies were well tolerated by both the dam and offspring. In C3H mice, two separate studies show male offspring exposed to arsenic in utero developed liver carcinoma and adrenal cortical adenoma in a dose-related fashion during adulthood. Prenatally exposed female C3H offspring show dose-related increases in ovarian tumors and lung carcinoma and in proliferative lesions (tumors plus preneoplastic hyperplasia) of the uterus and oviduct. In addition, prenatal arsenic plus postnatal exposure to the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in C3H mice produces excess lung tumors in both sexes and liver tumors in females. Male CD1 mice treated with arsenic in utero develop tumors of the liver and adrenal and renal hyperplasia while females develop tumors of urogenital system, ovary, uterus and adrenal and hyperplasia of the oviduct. Additional postnatal treatment with diethylstilbestrol or tamoxifen after prenatal arsenic in CD1 mice induces urinary bladder transitional cell proliferative lesions, including carcinoma and papilloma, and enhances the carcinogenic response in the liver of both sexes. Overall this model has provided convincing evidence that arsenic is a transplacental carcinogen in mice with the ability to target tissues of potential human relevance, such as the urinary bladder, lung and liver. Transplacental carcinogenesis clearly occurs with other agents in humans

  5. The Effect of Sun Radiation on the Course of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in BALB/c Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir Abas Azarian

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective(sStudies have described immunomedulatory effects of sun exposure and ultraviolet radiation on infectious and neoplastic diseases. Here the effect of exposure to low potency radiation of sun on the course of leishmaniasis in mice was studied. Materials and MethodsFifteen BALB/c mice were exposed to suberythemogenic doses of sun (mean 180 mJ/cm2/day of UVB 2 months before and 4 months after Leishmania major inoculation to food pad. Control group was kept in the sun protected environment. From 2nd to 17th week after inoculation, size of the lesion was recorded in each group weekly and at last week the parasite burden in spleen was detected. Results were compared between two groups. ResultsSeven mice from case group and 9 mice from control group survived up to last week. The mean lesion size was 0.90±0.59 cm in exposed and 4.01±3.59 cm in unexposed mice (P= 0.037. Parasite burden in spleen of case and control groups were 5.5±4.61 and 106.94±279.76 respectively (P= 0.006.ConclusionChronic exposure of BALB/c mice to suberythemogenic doses of sun suppressed skin lesion and decreased the extension of L. major to spleen.

  6. Acromial Findings Associated with Rotator cuff's Lesions in Magnetic Resonance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avila, Mercedes; Atencio, Elizabeth; Moreno, Franklin

    2008-01-01

    The objective is to evaluate by means of magnetic resonance the acromial alterations associated to rotator cuff (RC) lesions (MR). Materials and methods: A prospective, descriptive and cross-sectional type study was performed in 30 patients aged between 40 and 70 years who attended the Resomer imaging center during the period comprised between October-December 2007, with clinical diagnosis of RC lesion, using a 1.5 T magnet. Results: Most of the studied population were females (66.67%), the mean age being of 56.93 years with a typical deviation of 8.75, with partial lesions in 63.33%, Type II acromion was the dominant acromion in 50%, of anterior orientation (90%), with absent os acromiale (96.66%). Likewise, clavicular and acromial articular hypertrophy was demonstrated in 93.33% of cases. The glenoid-acromion distance had a mean value of 3.15 cm and a typical deviation of 0.55 while the glenoid-humeral distance was 4.65 cm with a typical deviation of 0.46 and the acromial index of 0.67. The humeral-acromion space exhibited a mean value of 6.3 mm with a typical deviation of 1.72. Conclusion: The predominantly degenerative acromial alterations are a conditioning factor of compression resulting from incarceration in the clamp form with a larger > supraspinous tendon wear-out with later affectation to the remaining tendons of the RC as the exposure evolves.

  7. The cerebral lesions of Wilson's disease on computer tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodiek, S.

    1983-01-01

    M. Wilson is often being mistaken as such for several years and kept for psychosis or another extrapyramidal disease. When the disease causes neuro-psychiatric symptoms a certain part of cases shows typical lesions in CT mainly affecting the Nucleus lentiformis and frontal cortex. From our own material two cases of M. Wilson are shown and compared with two other cases with identical patterns of lesions following toxic and hypoxic brain damage. (orig.) [de

  8. Local CD34-positive capillaries decrease in mouse models of kidney disease associating with the severity of glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masum, Md Abdul; Ichii, Osamu; Elewa, Yaser Hosny Ali; Nakamura, Teppei; Kon, Yasuhiro

    2017-09-04

    The renal vasculature plays important roles in both homeostasis and pathology. In this study, we examined pathological changes in the renal microvascular in mouse models of kidney diseases. Glomerular lesions (GLs) in autoimmune disease-prone male BXSB/MpJ-Yaa (Yaa) mice and tubulointerstitial lesions (TILs) in male C57BL/6 mice subjected to unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) for 7 days were studied. Collected kidneys were examined using histopathological techniques. A nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test (P < 0.05) was performed to compare healthy controls and the experimental mice. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare three or more groups, and multiple comparisons were performed using Scheffe's method when significant differences were observed (P < 0.05). Yaa mice developed severe autoimmune glomerulonephritis, and the number of CD34 + glomerular capillaries decreased significantly in GLs compared to that in control mice. However, UUO-treated mice showed severe TILs only, and CD34 + tubulointerstitial capillaries were decreased significantly in TILs with the progression of tubulointerstitial fibrosis compared to those in untreated control kidneys. Infiltrations of B-cells, T-cells, and macrophages increased significantly in the respective lesions of both disease models (P < 0.05). In observations of vascular corrosion casts by scanning electron microscopy and of microfil rubber-perfused thick kidney sections by fluorescence microscopy, segmental absences of capillaries were observed in the GLs and TILs of Yaa and UUO-treated mice, respectively. Further, transmission electron microscopy revealed capillary endothelial injury in the respective lesions of both models. The numbers of CD34 + glomerular and tubulointerstitial capillaries were negatively correlated with all examined parameters in GLs (P < 0.05) and TILs (P < 0.01), respectively. From the analysis of mouse models, we identified inverse pathological correlations between the number of

  9. Subchronic toxicity studies of t-butyl alcohol in rats and mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindamood, C; Farnell, D R; Giles, H D; Prejean, J D; Collins, J J; Takahashi, K; Maronpot, R R

    1992-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of t-butyl alcohol, an important commodity chemical, an additive to unleaded gasoline, and a contaminant of drinking water. Ninety-day toxicity studies were conducted in B6C3F1 mice and Fischer 344 (F344) rats of both sexes using dosed water. Dose levels of t-butyl alcohol were 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% (w/v). Lethality was observed at the 4% level of both sexes and species. Weight-gain depression was present in all dose levels of male rats; 4% female rats; 1, 2, and 4% male mice; and 2 and 4% female mice. Water consumption was increased at lower dose levels in male rats and decreased in the higher dose levels of both sexes of rats and female mice. Clinical signs in rats were ataxia in both sexes and hypoactivity in males. Clinical signs in mice were ataxia, abnormal posture, and hypoactivity. In rats, urine volumes were reduced, in association with crystalluria. Gross lesions at necropsy were urinary tract calculi, renal pelvic and ureteral dilatation, and thickening of the urinary bladder mucosa. Microscopic lesions were hyperplasia of transitional epithelia and inflammation of the urinary bladder. In male rats treated with t-butyl alcohol, microscopic renal changes were suggestive of alpha-2 mu-globulin nephropathy. No-effect levels for the urinary tract lesions were 1% in male rats and mice (803.7 mg/kg/day for the male rats and 1565.8 mg/kg/day for the male mice) and 2% in female rats and mice (1451.5 mg/kg/day for the female rats and 4362.9 mg/kg/day for the female mice). The results indicate that in rodents the urinary tract is the target organ for t-butyl alcohol toxicity, and males are more sensitive to t-butyl alcohol toxicity than females.

  10. Pseudolaric acid B extracted from the Chinese medicinal herb Cortex Pseudolaricis ameliorates DNFB-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in BALB/c mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Teng Wang

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Pseudolaric acid B (PB is a newly identified diterpenoid isolated from Tujinpi (Cortex Pseudolaricis. In the present study, we aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effects of PB on atopic dermatitis (AD, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying its effects. Methods: BALB/c mice treated with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene were orally administered with PB (10 mg∙kg-1∙d-1. After evaluating the AD score, serum levels of IgE and the mRNA expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β were measured by ELISA and qRT-PCR respectively. Results: The results showed that PB treatment significantly ameliorated the development of AD-like clinical symptoms and effectively suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, PB inhibited the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β in skin lesions, and downregulated serum IgE levels. Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory properties of PB were demonstrated using the 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced mouse model of AD-like skin lesions. Our study highlighted the potential use of PB as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammation-associated skin diseases.

  11. PARP Inhibition Attenuates Histopathological Lesion in Ischemia/Reperfusion Renal Mouse Model after Cold Prolonged Ischemia

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    Raimundo M. G. del Moral

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We test the hypothesis that PARP inhibition can decrease acute tubular necrosis (ATN and other renal lesions related to prolonged cold ischemia/reperfusion (IR in kidneys preserved at 4°C in University of Wisconsin (UW solution. Material and Methods. We used 30 male Parp1+/+ wild-type and 15 male Parp10/0 knockout C57BL/6 mice. Fifteen of these wild-type mice were pretreated with 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinylbutoxyl]-1(2H-isoquinolinone (DPQ at a concentration of 15 mg/kg body weight, used as PARP inhibitor. Subgroups of mice were established (A: IR 45 min/6 h; B: IR + 48 h in UW solution; and C: IR + 48 h in UW solution plus DPQ. We processed samples for morphological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and western-blotting studies. Results. Prolonged cold ischemia time in UW solution increased PARP-1 expression and kidney injury. Preconditioning with PARP inhibitor DPQ plus DPQ supplementation in UW solution decreased PARP-1 nuclear expression in renal tubules and renal damage. Parp10/0 knockout mice were more resistant to IR-induced renal lesion. In conclusion, PARP inhibition attenuates ATN and other IR-related renal lesions in mouse kidneys under prolonged cold storage in UW solution. If confirmed, these data suggest that pharmacological manipulation of PARP activity may have salutary effects in cold-stored organs at transplantation.

  12. Visual attention capacity after right hemisphere lesions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Habekost, Thomas; Rostrup, Egill

    2007-01-01

    Recently there has been a growing interest in visual short-term memory (VSTM) including the neural basis of the function. Processing speed, another main aspect of visual attention capacity, has received less investigation. For both cognitive functions human lesion studies are sparse. We used...... statistically to lesion location and size measured by MRI. Visual processing speed was impaired in the contralesional hemifield for most patients, but typically preserved ipsilesionally, even after large cortico-subcortical lesions. When bilateral deficits in processing speed occurred, they were related...... to damage in the right middle frontal gyrus or leukoaraiosis. The storage capacity of VSTM was also normal for most patients, but deficits were found after severe leukoaraiosis or large strokes extending deep into white matter. Thus, the study demonstrated the importance of white-matter connectivity...

  13. Effects of the medial or basolateral amygdala upon social anxiety and social recognition in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yu; Zhao, Shanshan; Liu, Xu; Fu, Qunying

    2014-01-01

    Though social anxiety and social recognition have been studied extensively, the roles of the medial or basolateral amygdala in the control of social anxiety and social recognition remain to be determined. This study investigated the effects of excitotoxic bilateral medial or basolateral amygdala lesions upon social anxiety and social recognition in-mice. Animals at 9 weeks of age were given bilateral medial or basolateral amygdala lesions via infusion of N-methyl- D-aspartate and then were used for behavioral tests: anxiety-related tests (including open-field test, light-dark test, and elevated-plus maze test), social behavior test in a novel environment, social recognition test, and flavor recognition test. Medial or basolateral amygdala-lesioned mice showed lower levels of anxiety and increased social behaviors in a novel environment. Destruction of the medial or basolateral amygdala neurons impaired social recognition but not flavor recognition. The medial or basolateral amygdala is involved in the control of anxiety-related behavior (social anxiety and social behaviors) in mice. Moreover, both the medial and the basolateral amygdala are essential for social recognition but not flavor recognition in mice.

  14. Inhibition of Hyaluronic Acid Synthesis Suppresses Angiogenesis in Developing Endometriotic Lesions.

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    Carla N Olivares

    Full Text Available The development and long-term survival of endometriotic lesions is crucially dependent on an adequate vascularization. Hyaluronic acid (HA through its receptor CD44 has been described to be involved in the process of angiogenesis.To study the effect of HA synthesis inhibition using non-toxic doses of 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU on endometriosis-related angiogenesis.The cytotoxicity of different in vitro doses of 4-MU on endothelial cells was firstly tested by means of a lactate dehydrogenase assay. The anti-angiogenic action of non-cytotoxic doses of 4-MU was then assessed by a rat aortic ring assay. In addition, endometriotic lesions were induced in dorsal skinfold chambers of female BALB/c mice, which were daily treated with an intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% NaCl (vehicle group; n = 6, 20 mg/kg 4-MU (n = 8 or 80 mg/kg 4-MU (n = 7 throughout an observation period of 14 days. The effect of 4-MU on their vascularization, survival and growth were studied by intravital fluorescence microscopy, histology and immunohistochemistry.Non-cytotoxic doses of 4-MU effectively inhibited vascular sprout formation in the rat aortic ring assay. Endometriotic lesions in dorsal skinfold chambers of 4-MU-treated mice dose-dependently exhibited a significantly smaller vascularized area and lower functional microvessel density when compared to vehicle-treated controls. Histological analyses revealed a downregulation of HA expression in 4-MU-treated lesions. This was associated with a reduced density of CD31-positive microvessels within the lesions. In contrast, numbers of PCNA-positive proliferating and cleaved caspase-3-positive apoptotic cells did not differ between 4-MU-treated and control lesions.The present study demonstrates for the first time that targeting the synthesis of HA suppresses angiogenesis in developing endometriotic lesions. Further studies have to clarify now whether in the future this anti-angiogenic effect can be used beneficially for the

  15. Tumoral calcinosis-like lesion of the proximal linea aspera

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seeger, L.L.; Butler, D.L.; Eckardt, J.J.; Layfield, L.; Adams, J.S.

    1990-01-01

    Tumoral calcinosis is presently a poorly defined disease. In its classic form, it consists of multiple large foci of benign mineralization in the soft tissue adjacent to bone near large joints. Patients are generally of African descent and are adolescents or young adults at presentation. Both metabolic and traumatic etiologies have been proposed. We report six adult Caucasian patients with lesions that pathologically resembled tumoral calcinosis. All lesions were small (less than 3x3 cm) and were located along the proximal linea aspera lof the femur. All patients presented with pain. Because of the atypical patient population and the unusual size and location of the lesions, we refer to this process as a 'tumoral calcinosis-like lesion'. A typical radiographic appearance and location, together with appropriate clinical history, can strongly suggest this diagnosis. (orig.)

  16. Increased Susceptibility of Humanized NSG Mice to Panton-Valentine Leukocidin and Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching Wen Tseng

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of skin and soft-tissue infections worldwide. Mice are the most commonly used animals for modeling human staphylococcal infections. However a supra-physiologic S. aureus inoculum is required to establish gross murine skin pathology. Moreover, many staphylococcal factors, including Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL elaborated by community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA, exhibit selective human tropism and cannot be adequately studied in mice. To overcome these deficiencies, we investigated S. aureus infection in non-obese diabetic (NOD/severe combined immune deficiency (SCID/IL2rγnull (NSG mice engrafted with human CD34+ umbilical cord blood cells. These "humanized" NSG mice require one to two log lower inoculum to induce consistent skin lesions compared with control mice, and exhibit larger cutaneous lesions upon infection with PVL+ versus isogenic PVL- S. aureus. Neutrophils appear important for PVL pathology as adoptive transfer of human neutrophils alone to NSG mice was sufficient to induce dermonecrosis following challenge with PVL+ S. aureus but not PVL- S. aureus. PMX53, a human C5aR inhibitor, blocked PVL-induced cellular cytotoxicity in vitro and reduced the size difference of lesions induced by the PVL+ and PVL- S. aureus, but PMX53 also reduced recruitment of neutrophils and exacerbated the infection. Overall, our findings establish humanized mice as an important translational tool for the study of S. aureus infection and provide strong evidence that PVL is a human virulence factor.

  17. Globular domain of adiponectin: promising target molecule for detection of atherosclerotic lesions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almer, Gunter; Saba-Lepek, Matthias; Haj-Yahya, Samih; Rohde, Eva; Strunk, Dirk; Fröhlich, Eleonore; Prassl, Ruth; Mangge, Harald

    2011-01-01

    Background: Adiponectin, an adipocyte-specific plasma protein, has been shown to accumulate in injured endothelial cells during development of atherosclerotic lesions. In this study, we investigated the potential of different adiponectin subfractions with special emphasis on globular adiponectin (gAd) to recognize and visualize atherosclerotic lesions. Methods: Recombinant mouse gAd and subfractions of full-length adiponectin (ie, trimeric, hexameric, and oligomeric forms) were fluorescence-labeled. Aortas of wild-type and apoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high cholesterol diet were dissected and incubated with the labeled biomarkers. Imaging was performed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: Confocal laser scanning microscopic images showed that gAd binds more strongly to atherosclerotic plaques than full-length adiponectin subfractions. Further, we showed that gAd accumulates preferentially in endothelial cells and the fibrous cap area of plaques. Here we demonstrate for the first time that gAd recognizes atherosclerotic plaques on aortic sections of apoprotein E-deficient mice. Conclusion: These results suggest that gAd, in addition to its physiological properties, is also suitable as a target molecule for prospective diagnostic strategies in imaging atherosclerotic lesions. PMID:22022204

  18. Role of the vomeronasal system in intersexual attraction in female mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Ricós, J; Agustín-Pavón, C; Lanuza, E; Martínez-García, F

    2008-05-02

    Although it is generally accepted that rodents' sociosexual behavior relies mainly on chemosignals, the specific roles played by the vomeronasal and olfactory systems in detecting these signals are presently unclear. This work reports the results of three experiments aimed at clarifying the role of the vomeronasal system on gender recognition and intersexual attraction, by analyzing the effects of lesions of the accessory olfactory bulbs (AOB) in chemically naïve female mice. The first experiment demonstrates that lesions of the AOB abolish the preference that females show for male-soiled bedding in tests in which the females can contact the bedding, thus having access to both volatile and involatile male chemosignals. The second experiment shows that airborne male-derived chemosignals are not attractive to intact, chemically naïve females but tend to be preferentially explored by females whose AOB has been lesioned. However, repeated exposure to male-soiled bedding has opposite effects in sham-operated and AOB-lesioned female mice. Whereas after this experience sham-operated females show an (acquired) attraction toward male airborne chemosignals, in AOB-lesioned females the same experience makes male-derived volatiles aversive. Finally, in the third experiment we have confirmed that our AOB-lesioned females are able to detect urine-borne male odorants, as well as to discriminate them from the synthetic terpene geraniol. These findings strongly suggest that in mice, the involatile male sexual pheromone that is intrinsically attractive is detected by the vomeronasal system of the females. In addition, the repeated experience of females with male-soiled bedding would probably allow the association of this pheromone, acting as unconditioned stimulus, with olfactory stimuli (odorants) that therefore would become conditioned attractors to the females.

  19. The nervous system in genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infections in mice. Lethal panmyelitis or nonlethal demyelinative myelitis or meningitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, J R; Stoner, G L

    1984-11-01

    Female mice were inoculated vaginally with the MS strain of herpes simplex virus type 2, and serially positive vaginal cultures were used to confirm infection. The proportion of mice infected and the mortality rate in infected mice decreased with increasing age. In mice 12 weeks old, clinical, neuropathologic, and virologic criteria defined four patterns of disease. Moribund mice had severe genital lesions, hindleg paralysis, and urinary and fecal retention, and most died during the second week of infection. These mice had a panmyelitis with a decreasing gradient of both viral antigen and lesions extending rostrally from the lumbosacral cord into the brain stem. Lesions were about equally distributed in gray and white matter and were characterized by neuronal loss and axonal demyelination, respectively. By contrast, mice with nonfatal infections had mild or no evident genital lesions and a small proportion had mild hindleg weakness. Of these, some mice had demyelinative lesions, particularly in the lower spinal cord but also at higher cord and brain stem levels, whereas others had leptomeningitis. Both of these groups had sacral sensory root abnormalities. A third group of survivors lacked both sensory root and central nervous system abnormalities. This report defines a broader spectrum of disease patterns following infection by a natural route than has been previously appreciated. It provides the first evidence that nonfatal herpes simplex virus type 2 infection by a peripheral route can produce central nervous system demyelination. It indicates that in aseptic meningitis with this agent, the route of virus spread to the central nervous system is neural and not hematogenous. Finally, the antigenic and pathologic observations presented here complement and confirm the virus isolation data and pathologic findings of others that genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infection causes ascending infection in the peripheral and central nervous system.

  20. Typical and atypical radiological manifestations of renal oncocytoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernaldez, P.; Iriborreu, M. A.; Rodriguez, M. L.; Martinez-Moya, M.; Rodriguez, A.; Navarro, S.

    2001-01-01

    Asses the Radiologic findings [ conventional X-ray, intravenous urography (IU), ultrasonography and computerized tomography (CT) ] of the renal oncocytomas and determine if there are characteristics that allow us to differentiate them from renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We performed a retrospective study of eight patients diagnosed of renal oncocytoma, analyzing the characteristics found in the plain radiography and IVU, ultrasonography and CT without and with i. v. contrast. The masses were well defined in seven cases and poorly defined in one, and were homogeneous on four occasions and heterogeneous on two. The remaining two were homogeneous, except for the presence of a central scar. Two lesions showed and aggressive biological behavior, coinciding with signs suggestive of malignancy from the radiological point of view. The fibrous scar is a typical but infrequent findings in renal oncocytoma that we can only detect by CT. It is not possible to differentiate it from aggressive lesions with imaging techniques, although orientative findings exist. (Author) 17 refs

  1. Radiological appearances of papillary breast lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brookes, M.J.; Bourke, A.G.

    2008-01-01

    This review illustrates the varied appearances of benign and malignant papillary breast tumours, as identified by a breast cancer-screening programme. The commonest mammographic appearance of a papillary tumour is as a soft-tissue mass, with calcification present in less than half of cases. When calcification is present the pattern is variable, but clusters of pleomorphic calcification can occur, sometimes resembling the mammographic appearance of invasive ductal carcinoma. Ultrasonography of papillary lesions typically shows a solid, oval, intraductal mass, often associated with duct dilatation. A cystic component is also commonly seen, and lesions may appear hypervascular on colour Doppler ultrasound. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a high sensitivity, but low specificity for detecting papillary tumours, and is useful in establishing the extent and distribution of lesions in patients with multiple papillomatosis. Despite a benign histology on core biopsy, an argument exists for complete surgical excision of all papillary tumours, as a significant proportion of papillomas will contain foci of atypia or overt malignant change

  2. Radiological appearances of papillary breast lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brookes, M.J. [Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia (Australia)], E-mail: mattbrookes@doctors.org.uk; Bourke, A.G. [Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia (Australia)

    2008-11-15

    This review illustrates the varied appearances of benign and malignant papillary breast tumours, as identified by a breast cancer-screening programme. The commonest mammographic appearance of a papillary tumour is as a soft-tissue mass, with calcification present in less than half of cases. When calcification is present the pattern is variable, but clusters of pleomorphic calcification can occur, sometimes resembling the mammographic appearance of invasive ductal carcinoma. Ultrasonography of papillary lesions typically shows a solid, oval, intraductal mass, often associated with duct dilatation. A cystic component is also commonly seen, and lesions may appear hypervascular on colour Doppler ultrasound. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a high sensitivity, but low specificity for detecting papillary tumours, and is useful in establishing the extent and distribution of lesions in patients with multiple papillomatosis. Despite a benign histology on core biopsy, an argument exists for complete surgical excision of all papillary tumours, as a significant proportion of papillomas will contain foci of atypia or overt malignant change.

  3. Macrophage Depletion Ameliorates Peripheral Neuropathy in Aging Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Xidi; Klein, Dennis; Kerscher, Susanne; West, Brian L; Weis, Joachim; Katona, Istvan; Martini, Rudolf

    2018-05-09

    Aging is known as a major risk factor for the structure and function of the nervous system. There is urgent need to overcome such deleterious effects of age-related neurodegeneration. Here we show that peripheral nerves of 24-month-old aging C57BL/6 mice of either sex show similar pathological alterations as nerves from aging human individuals, whereas 12-month-old adult mice lack such alterations. Specifically, nerve fibers showed demyelination, remyelination and axonal lesion. Moreover, in the aging mice, neuromuscular junctions showed features typical for dying-back neuropathies, as revealed by a decline of presynaptic markers, associated with α-bungarotoxin-positive postsynapses. In line with these observations were reduced muscle strengths. These alterations were accompanied by elevated numbers of endoneurial macrophages, partially comprising the features of phagocytosing macrophages. Comparable profiles of macrophages could be identified in peripheral nerve biopsies of aging persons. To determine the pathological impact of macrophages in aging mice, we selectively targeted the cells by applying an orally administered CSF-1R specific kinase (c-FMS) inhibitor. The 6-month-lasting treatment started before development of degenerative changes at 18 months and reduced macrophage numbers in mice by ∼70%, without side effects. Strikingly, nerve structure was ameliorated and muscle strength preserved. We show, for the first time, that age-related degenerative changes in peripheral nerves are driven by macrophages. These findings may pave the way for treating degeneration in the aging peripheral nervous system by targeting macrophages, leading to reduced weakness, improved mobility, and eventually increased quality of life in the elderly. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Aging is a major risk factor for the structure and function of the nervous system. Here we show that peripheral nerves of 24-month-old aging mice show similar degenerative alterations as nerves from aging

  4. Effect of Diets Containing Sucrose vs. D-tagatose in Hypercholesterolemic Mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Police, S.; Harris, J; Lodder, R; Cassis, L

    2008-01-01

    Effects of functional sweeteners on the development of the metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis are unknown. The objective was to compare the effect of dietary carbohydrate in the form of sucrose (SUCR) to D-tagatose (TAG; an isomer of fructose currently used as a low-calorie sweetener) on body weight, blood cholesterol concentrations, hyperglycemia, and atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (LDLr-/-) mice. LDLr-/- male and female mice were fed either standard murine diet or a diet enriched with TAG or SUCR as carbohydrate sources for 16 weeks. TAG and SUCR diets contained equivalent amounts (g/kg) of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. We measured food intake, body weight, adipocyte diameter, serum cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations, and aortic atherosclerosis. Macrophage immunostaining and collagen content were examined in aortic root lesions. CONTROL and TAG-fed mice exhibited similar energy intake, body weights and blood glucose and insulin concentrations, but SUCR-fed mice exhibited increased energy intake and became obese and hyperglycemic. Adipocyte diameter increased in female SUCR-fed mice compared to TAG and CONTROL. Male and female SUCR-fed mice had increased serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations compared to TAG and CONTROL. Atherosclerosis was increased in SUCR-fed mice of both genders compared to TAG and CONTROL. Lesions from SUCR-fed mice exhibited pronounced macrophage immunostaining and reductions in collagen content compared to TAG and CONTROL mice. These results demonstrate that in comparison to sucrose, equivalent substitution of TAG as dietary carbohydrate does not result in the same extent of obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis.

  5. Effect of diets containing sucrose vs. D-tagatose in hypercholesterolemic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Police, Sara B; Harris, J Clay; Lodder, Robert A; Cassis, Lisa A

    2009-02-01

    Effects of functional sweeteners on the development of the metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis are unknown. The objective was to compare the effect of dietary carbohydrate in the form of sucrose (SUCR) to D-tagatose (TAG; an isomer of fructose currently used as a low-calorie sweetener) on body weight, blood cholesterol concentrations, hyperglycemia, and atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (LDLr(-/-)) mice. LDLr(-/-) male and female mice were fed either standard murine diet or a diet enriched with TAG or SUCR as carbohydrate sources for 16 weeks. TAG and SUCR diets contained equivalent amounts (g/kg) of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. We measured food intake, body weight, adipocyte diameter, serum cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations, and aortic atherosclerosis. Macrophage immunostaining and collagen content were examined in aortic root lesions. CONTROL and TAG-fed mice exhibited similar energy intake, body weights and blood glucose and insulin concentrations, but SUCR-fed mice exhibited increased energy intake and became obese and hyperglycemic. Adipocyte diameter increased in female SUCR-fed mice compared to TAG and CONTROL. Male and female SUCR-fed mice had increased serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations compared to TAG and CONTROL. Atherosclerosis was increased in SUCR-fed mice of both genders compared to TAG and CONTROL. Lesions from SUCR-fed mice exhibited pronounced macrophage immunostaining and reductions in collagen content compared to TAG and CONTROL mice. These results demonstrate that in comparison to sucrose, equivalent substitution of TAG as dietary carbohydrate does not result in the same extent of obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis.

  6. Resveratrol ameliorates 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like lesions through effects on the epithelium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sule Caglayan Sozmen

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Background. Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol that exhibits anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol treatment on epithelium-derived cytokines and epithelial apoptosis in a murine model of atopic dermatitis-like lesions. Material and Methods. Atopic dermatitis-like lesions were induced in BALB/c mice by repeated application of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene to shaved dorsal skin. Twenty-one BALB/c mice were divided into three groups: group I (control, group II (vehicle control, and group III (resveratrol. Systemic resveratrol (30 mg/kg/day was administered repeatedly during the 6th week of the experiment. After the mice had been sacrificed, skin tissues were examined histologically for epithelial thickness. Epithelial apoptosis (caspase-3 and epithelium-derived cytokines [interleukin (IL-25, IL-33, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP] were evaluated immunohistochemically. Results. Epithelial thickness and the numbers of IL-25, IL-33, TSLP and caspase-3-positive cells were significantly higher in group II compared to group I mice. There was significant improvement in epithelial thickness in group III compared with group II mice (p < 0.05. The numbers of IL-25, IL-33, and TSLP-positive cells in the epithelium were lower in group III than in group II mice (p < 0.05. The number of caspase-3-positive cells, as an indicator of apoptosis, in the epithelium was significantly lower in group III than in group II mice (p < 0.05. Conclusion. Treatment with resveratrol was effective at ameliorating histological changes and inflammation by acting on epithelium-derived cytokines and epithelial apoptosis.

  7. Surfactant protein D is proatherogenic in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sorensen, Grith L; Madsen, Jens; Kejling, Karin

    2006-01-01

    Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is an important innate immune defense molecule that mediates clearance of pathogens and modulates the inflammatory response. Moreover, SP-D is involved in lipid homeostasis, and pulmonary accumulation of phospholipids has previously been observed in SP-D-deficient (Spd......-/-) mice. Atherogenesis involves both inflammation and lipid deposition, and we investigated the role of SP-D in the development of atherosclerosis. SP-D synthesis was localized to vascular endothelial cells. Atherosclerotic lesion areas were 5.6-fold smaller in the aortic roots in Spd-/- mice compared...... with wild-type C57BL/6N mice on an atherogenic diet. HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly elevated in Spd-/- mice. Treatment of Spd-/- mice with a recombinant fragment of human SP-D resulted in decreases of HDL-C (21%) as well as total cholesterol (26%), and LDL cholesterol (28%). Plasma TNF...

  8. All That Swells Is Not A Bruise The Morel-Lavallée Lesion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callahan, Carol L; Eisenman, Justin

    2016-01-01

    Frequently overlooked, Morel-Lavallée lesions are associated with a closed degloving or shearing mechanism causing a dehiscence of underlying soft tissue with formation of a potential space. This space fills with blood, lymph, and cellular debris, giving the lesion a fluctuant appearance on examination. The potential space associated with larger lesions can be a source for hemorrhage in the appropriate clinical context. However, these lesions are often diagnosed late in their clinical course or are misdiagnosed, leading to long-term complications. Management of this injury typically depends upon the size of the lesion. This article discusses a Morel-Lavallée lesion in an active-duty Servicemember requiring treatment by a plastic surgeon and includes the pathophysiology of Morel-Lavallée lesions, diagnostic strategies, and management pearls. 2016.

  9. Electron microscopic study of spontaneous and experimentally induced leukemia in IRC mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hiraki, S.; Ranadive, K.J.; Dmochowski, L.

    1974-01-01

    Spontaneous, serially transplanted, and experimentally induced leukemias of ICRC mice were studied by electron microscopy in an attempt to detect the presence of virus particles, if any, and to observe the influence of chemical and hormonal treatment on the presence of these virus particles. The first series of experiments included spontaneous, serially transplanted, and radiation-induced leukemia. The paucity of type C virus particles was quite conspicuous in spontaneous leukemia. Serially transplanted and radiation-accelerated leukemic lesions showed the presence of some type C and intracisternal type A particles. Found in two of these leukemic lesions (thymus and lymphosarcoma), in addition to type C virus particles, were budding and some mature type B virus particles, and numerous intracytoplasmic type A particles. ''Viropexis'' of type B virus particles has been observed in the lymphosarcoma and in a leukemic thymus gland. The second series of experiments included leukemia induced in ovariectomized ICRC mice with 20-methylcholanthrene (MCA), pituitary transplants, and ovarian hormones (estradiol and estradiol-progesterone). In ovariectomized ICRC mice, leukemic lesions induced by MCA or pituitary transplants, or by MCA and pituitary transplants, showed type C virus particles and, in most cases, intracisternal type A particles. In leukemia induced in ovariectomized ICRC mice by MCA and estradiol, numerous intracytoplasmic type A particles were observed but no type C virus particles

  10. Kaempferol regulates OPN–CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis of apolipoprotein E deficient mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao, Hong-Bo; Lu, Xiang-Yang; Sun, Zhi-Liang; Zhang, Heng-Bo

    2011-01-01

    Recent studies show that osteopontin (OPN) and its receptor cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) are two pro-inflammatory cytokines contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to explore the inhibitory effect of kaempferol, a naturally occurring flavonoid compound, on atherogenesis and the mechanisms involved. The experiments were performed in aorta and plasma from C57BL/6J control and apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE −/− ) mice treated or not with kaempferol (50 or 100 mg/kg, intragastrically) for 4 weeks. Kaempferol treatment decreased atherosclerotic lesion area, improved endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, and increased the maximal relaxation value concomitantly with decrease in the half-maximum effective concentration, plasma OPN level, aortic OPN expression, and aortic CD44 expression in ApoE −/− mice. In addition, treatment with kaempferol also significantly decreased reactive oxygen species production in mice aorta. The present results suggest that kaempferol regulates OPN–CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis of ApoE −/− mice. -- Graphical abstract: Kaempferol regulates OPN–CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis of ApoE −/− mice. Highlights: ► OPN–CD44 pathway plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis. ► We examine lesion area, OPN and CD44 changes after kaempferol treatment. ► Kaempferol treatment decreased atherosclerotic lesion area in ApoE −/− mice. ► Kaempferol treatment decreased aortic OPN and CD44 expressions in ApoE −/− mice. ► Kaempferol regulates OPN–CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis.

  11. Kaempferol regulates OPN-CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis of apolipoprotein E deficient mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Hong-Bo, E-mail: xhbzhb@yahoo.com [College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China); Lu, Xiang-Yang; Sun, Zhi-Liang [Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China); Zhang, Heng-Bo [Furong District Red Cross Hospital, Changsha 410126 (China)

    2011-12-15

    Recent studies show that osteopontin (OPN) and its receptor cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) are two pro-inflammatory cytokines contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to explore the inhibitory effect of kaempferol, a naturally occurring flavonoid compound, on atherogenesis and the mechanisms involved. The experiments were performed in aorta and plasma from C57BL/6J control and apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE{sup -/-}) mice treated or not with kaempferol (50 or 100 mg/kg, intragastrically) for 4 weeks. Kaempferol treatment decreased atherosclerotic lesion area, improved endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, and increased the maximal relaxation value concomitantly with decrease in the half-maximum effective concentration, plasma OPN level, aortic OPN expression, and aortic CD44 expression in ApoE{sup -/-} mice. In addition, treatment with kaempferol also significantly decreased reactive oxygen species production in mice aorta. The present results suggest that kaempferol regulates OPN-CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis of ApoE{sup -/-} mice. -- Graphical abstract: Kaempferol regulates OPN-CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis of ApoE{sup -/-} mice. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer OPN-CD44 pathway plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examine lesion area, OPN and CD44 changes after kaempferol treatment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Kaempferol treatment decreased atherosclerotic lesion area in ApoE{sup -/-} mice. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Kaempferol treatment decreased aortic OPN and CD44 expressions in ApoE{sup -/-} mice. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Kaempferol regulates OPN-CD44 pathway to inhibit the atherogenesis.

  12. A multi-mineral natural product inhibits liver tumor formation in C57BL/6 mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslam, Muhammad N; Bergin, Ingrid; Naik, Madhav; Hampton, Anna; Allen, Ron; Kunkel, Steven L; Rush, Howard; Varani, James

    2012-06-01

    C57BL/6 mice were maintained for up to 18 months on high-fat and low-fat diets with or without a multi-mineral supplement derived from the skeletal remains of the red marine algae Lithothamnion calcareum. Numerous grossly observable liver masses were visible in animals on the "western-style" high-fat diet sacrificed at 12 and 18 months. The majority of the masses were in male mice (20 out of 100 males versus 3 out of 100 females; p = 0.0002). There were more liver masses in animals on the high-fat diet than on the low-fat diet (15 out of 50 on high-fat versus 5 out of 50 on low-fat; p = 0.0254). The multi-mineral supplement reduced the number of liver masses in mice on both diets (3 out of 25 male mice in the low-fat diet group without the supplement versus 1 out of 25 mice with supplement; 12 of 25 male mice in the high-fat diet group without the supplement versus 3 of 25 mice with supplement [p = 0.0129]). Histological evaluation revealed a total of 17 neoplastic lesions (9 adenomas and 8 hepatocellular carcinomas), and 18 pre-neoplastic lesions. Out of eight hepatocellular carcinomas, seven were found in unsupplemented diet groups. Steatosis was widely observed in livers with and without grossly observable masses, but the multi-mineral supplement had no effect on the incidence of steatosis or its severity. Taken together, these findings suggest that a multi-mineral-rich natural product can protect mice against neoplastic and pre-neoplastic proliferative liver lesions that may develop in the face of steatosis.

  13. Reconstitution of immunodeficient SCID/beige mice with human cells: Applications in preclinical studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomsen, Mogens; Galvani, Sylvain; Canivet, Cindy; Kamar, Nassim; Boehler, Torsten

    2008-01-01

    Experimental studies of the in vivo behaviour of human cells and tissues have become possible with the development of immunodeficient mice strains. Such mice accept readily allogeneic or xenogeneic grafts, including grafts of human cells or tissues, without rejection. In this review we describe different immunodeficient mouse strains that have been used for reconstitution by human immune cells. We subsequently go through the experience that we and others have had with reconstitution, and mention the adverse effects, in particular xenogeneic graft versus host reactions. The use of haematopoietic stem cells avoids such reactions but the immunological reconstitution may take several months. We then report the use of immunodeficient mice for the study of chronic vascular rejection of human mesenteric arteries due to cellular or humoral alloreaction. We have shown that SCID/beige mice grafted with a human artery at the place of the aorta developed a thickening of the intima of the human artery after 5-6 weeks, when they were reconstituted with spleen cells from another human donor. The thickening is mainly due to a proliferation of smooth muscle cells. The same type of lesion developed if they received injection of antibodies towards HLA class I antigens. The arteries of the mouse did not develop any lesion. The arterial lesions closely resembled those seen after clinical organ transplantation. Mice that received spleen cells from the same human donor developed little or no lesions. An important aspect of this experimental transplantation model is the possibility to test drugs that may be used in clinical transplantation. In recent experiments we have shown that novel immunosuppressive drugs can inhibit the hyperproliferation of smooth muscle cells in vitro. Preclinical testing in reconstituted SCID/beige mice grafted with human arteries will permit the evaluation of the potential use of these drugs to prevent chronic vascular rejection. The model also allows

  14. The cannabinoid receptor CB1 contributes to the development of ectopic lesions in a mouse model of endometriosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez, Ana-Maria; Quattrone, Federica; Pannese, Maria; Ulisse, Adele; Candiani, Massimo; Diaz-Alonso, Javier; Velasco, Guillermo; Panina-Bordignon, Paola

    2017-01-01

    Does signaling via the cannabinoid (CB 1 ) receptor play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis in a mouse model? Mice treated with a CB 1 agonist developed larger ectopic lesions, while less severe lesions developed in the absence of functional CB 1 expression. The expression of components of the endocannabinoid system has been demonstrated in both mouse and human uteri. CB 1 receptors are expressed in human epithelial and stromal cell lines derived from eutopic endometrium and deep infiltrating endometriosis nodules. This was a randomized study in a mouse model of endometriosis. In a first set of experiments, mice with endometriosis were treated with the CB 1 receptor agonist methanandamide (MET) (5 mg/kg, n = 20) on Days 1-5 and 8-12. In a second set of experiments, endometriosis development was evaluated in CB 1 -/- mice and in their wild-type (WT) littermates. Endometriosis-like lesions were induced in Balb/c and C57/Bl6 mice. Two weeks after disease induction, the lesions were counted, measured and either included for immunohistochemistry analysis or frozen for gene expression profiling by semi-quantitative real-time PCR. To limit the role of chance, the experiments were conducted under standardized laboratory conditions with appropriate controls. The lesion total volume was significantly higher in MET-treated compared with vehicle-treated mice (P endometriosis in a mouse model. However, the relative contribution of the CB 1 -mediated signaling pathways active in inflammatory, uterine and peritoneal cells remains to be ascertained. Since the study was performed in a mouse model, the significance of the findings in the human system warrants further investigation. Clarifying the function and regulation of CB 1 and its molecular interactions with endogenous ligands, and how endocannabinoids levels are regulated in women with endometriosis, represent critical areas of research for the potential development of a novel medical treatment of the disease. A

  15. Indomethacin induced gastropathy in CD18, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, or P-selectin deficient mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morise, Z; Granger, D; Fuseler, J; Anderson, D; Grisham, M

    1999-01-01

    BACKGROUND—Neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions are thought to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) induced gastropathy.
AIMS—To optimise a mouse model of NSAID induced gastropathy and to evaluate the importance of adhesion molecules using adhesion molecule deficient mice.
METHODS—Gastropathy was induced in C57BL/6 mice or their adhesion molecule deficient counterparts via oral administration of indomethacin (20 mg/kg). Lesion scores, mucosal permeability, and histopathology were used to assess gastric mucosal injury.
RESULTS—Intragastric administration of indomethacin induced linear haemorrhagic mucosal lesions, primarily in the corpus of the stomach that were first observed at six hours. These lesions continued to develop over the next six hours with maximal lesion scores and mucosal permeabilities at 12 hours. When indomethacin was administered to mice deficient in CD18, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), or P-selectin, there were significant decreases in lesion scores compared with their C57BL/6 controls. In addition, mucosal permeabilities were found to be significantly lower in CD18 or ICAM-1 deficient mice observed at 12 hours.
CONCLUSION—Certain leucocyte and endothelial cell adhesion molecules are important determinants for full expression of indomethacin induced gastropathy. It is proposed that this modification of the mouse model may be useful for the investigation of other pathophysiological mechanisms of NSAID induced gastropathy.


Keywords: indomethacin; gastropathy; cyclooxygenase; intercellular adhesion molecule; VCAM; vascular cell adhesion molecule; P-selectin PMID:10486359

  16. Intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia induce pulmonary artery atherosclerosis and ventricular dysfunction in low density lipoprotein receptor deficient mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Robert M; Bowden, Karen; Pattison, Jennifer; Peterson, Alexander B; Juliano, Joseph; Dalton, Nancy D; Gu, Yusu; Alvarez, Erika; Imamura, Toshihiro; Peterson, Kirk L; Witztum, Joseph L; Haddad, Gabriel G; Li, Andrew C

    2013-12-01

    Patients with obstructive sleep apnea, who experience episodic hypoxia and hypercapnia during sleep, often demonstrate increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and dyslipidemia. We hypothesized that sleep apnea patients would be predisposed to the development of atherosclerosis. To dissect the mechanisms involved, we developed an animal model in mice whereby we expose mice to intermittent hypoxia/hypercapnia (IHH) in normobaric environments. Two- to three-month-old low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (Ldlr(-/-)) mice were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 wk while being exposed to IHH for either 10 h/day or 24 h/day. Plasma lipid levels, pulmonary artery and aortic atherosclerotic lesions, and cardiac function were then assayed. Surprisingly, atherosclerosis in the aorta of IHH mice was similar compared with controls. However, in IHH mice, atherosclerosis was markedly increased in the trunk and proximal branches of the pulmonary artery of exposed mice; even though plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were lower than in controls. Hemodynamic analysis revealed that right ventricular maximum pressure and isovolumic relaxation constant were significantly increased in IHH exposed mice and left ventricular % fractional shortening was reduced. In conclusion, 1) Intermittent hypoxia/hypercapnia remarkably accelerated atherosclerotic lesions in the pulmonary artery of Ldlr(-/-) mice and 2) increased lesion formation in the pulmonary artery was associated with right and left ventricular dysfunction. These findings raise the possibility that patients with obstructive sleep apnea may be susceptible to atherosclerotic disease in the pulmonary vasculature, an observation that has not been previously recognized.

  17. Global aphasia without hemiparesis: language profiles and lesion distribution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanlon, R.; Lux, W.; Dromerick, A.

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVES—Global aphasia without hemiparesis (GAWH) is an uncommon stroke syndrome involving receptive and expressive language impairment, without the hemiparesis typically manifested by patients with global aphasia after large left perisylvian lesions. A few cases of GAWH have been reported with conflicting conclusions regarding pathogenesis, lesion localisation, and recovery. The current study was conducted to attempt to clarify these issues.
METHODS—Ten cases of GAWH were prospectively studied with language profiles and lesion analysis; five patients had multiple lesions, four patients had a single lesion, and one had a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Eight patients met criteria for cardioembolic ischaemic stroke.
RESULTS—Cluster analysis based on acute language profiles disclosed three subtypes of patients with GAWH; these clusters persisted on follow up language assessment. Each cluster evolved into a different aphasia subtype: persistent GAWH, Wernicke's aphasia, or transcortical motor aphasia (TCM). Composite lesion analysis showed that persistent GAWH was related to lesioning of the left superior temporal gyrus. Patients with acute GAWH who evolved into TCM type aphasia had common lesioning of the left inferior frontal gyrus and adjacent subcortical white matter. Patients with acute GAWH who evolved into Wernicke's type aphasia were characterised by lesioning of the left precentral and postcentral gyri. Recovery of language was poor in all but one patient.
CONCLUSIONS—Although patients with acute GAWH are similar on neurological examination, they are heterogeneous with respect to early aphasia profile, language recovery, and lesion profile.

 PMID:10084536

  18. Interferon-Gamma and Interlukin-4 Patterns in BALB/c Mice Suffering From Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Treated With Cantharidin

    OpenAIRE

    Maroufi, Yahya; Ghaffarifar, Fatemeh; Dalimi, Abdolhosein; Sharifi, Zohreh

    2014-01-01

    Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a health problem in the world. Lesions should be treated on cosmetically or functionally important sites, such as the face and hands. Cantharidin is a terpenoid compound produced naturally by beetles of Meloidae and Oedemeridae families. Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of cantharidin on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) lesions and IFN-γ and IL-4 patterns in infected BALB/c mice. Materials and Methods: Infected BALB/c mice were d...

  19. Characterization of in vivo MRI detectable thalamic amyloid plaques from APP/PS1 mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dhenain, M. [URA CEA CNRS 2210, I2BM, SHFJ, 4 Place du General Leclerc, 91401 Orsay Cedex (France); Dhenain, M.; El Tannir El Tayara, N.; Wu, T.D.; Volk, A.; Quintana, C. [U759 INSERM, Centre Universitaire, Laboratoire 112, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Dhenain, M.; El Tannir El Tayara, N.; Wu, T.D.; Volk, A.; Quintana, C. [Institut Curie, Centre Universitaire, Laboratoire 112, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Guegan, M.; Delatour, B. [Instituto de Microelectronica de Madrid-CSIC, 8, Isaac Newton, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid (Spain)

    2009-07-01

    Amyloid deposits are one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies, in transgenic mice modeling Alzheimer's disease showed that, using in vivo, contrast agent-free, MRI, thalamic amyloid plaques are more easily detected than other plaques of the brain. Our study evaluated the characteristics of these thalamic plaques in a large population of APP/PS1, PS1 and C57BL/6 mice. Thalamic spots were detected in all mice but with different frequency and magnitude. Hence, the prevalence and size of the lesions were higher in APP/PS1 mice. However, even in APP/PS1 mice, thalamic spots did not occur in all the old animals. In APP/PS1 mice, spots detection was related to high iron and calcium load within amyloid plaques and thus reflects the ability of such plaque to capture large amounts of minerals. Interestingly, calcium and iron was also detected in extra-thalamic plaques but with a lower intensity. Hypointense lesions in the thalamus were not associated with the iron load in the tissue surrounding the plaques, nor with micro-hemorrhages, inflammation, or a neuro-degenerative context. (authors)

  20. Investigation of Functional Activity of Cells in Granulomatous Inflammatory Lesions from Mice with Latent Tuberculous Infection in the New Ex Vivo Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Ufimtseva

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The new ex vivo model system measuring functional input of individual granuloma cells to formation of granulomatous inflammatory lesions in mice with latent tuberculous infection has been developed and described in the current study. Monolayer cultures of cells that migrated from individual granulomas were established in the proposed culture settings for mouse spleen and lung granulomas induced by in vivo exposure to BCG vaccine. The cellular composition of individual granulomas was analyzed. The expression of the leukocyte surface markers such as phagocytic receptors CD11b, CD11c, CD14, and CD16/CD32 and the expression of the costimulatory molecules CD80, CD83, and CD86 were tested as well as the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IFNγ and IL-1α and growth factors (GM-CSF and FGFb for cells of individual granulomas. The colocalization of the phagocytic receptors and costimulatory molecules in the surface microdomains of granuloma cells (with and without acid-fast BCG-mycobacteria has also been detected. It was found that some part of cytokine macrophage producers have carried acid-fast mycobacteria. Detected modulation in dynamics of production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and leukocyte surface markers by granuloma cells has indicated continued processes of activation and deactivation of granuloma inflammation cells during the latent tuberculous infection progress in mice.

  1. Investigation of Functional Activity of Cells in Granulomatous Inflammatory Lesions from Mice with Latent Tuberculous Infection in the New Ex Vivo Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    The new ex vivo model system measuring functional input of individual granuloma cells to formation of granulomatous inflammatory lesions in mice with latent tuberculous infection has been developed and described in the current study. Monolayer cultures of cells that migrated from individual granulomas were established in the proposed culture settings for mouse spleen and lung granulomas induced by in vivo exposure to BCG vaccine. The cellular composition of individual granulomas was analyzed. The expression of the leukocyte surface markers such as phagocytic receptors CD11b, CD11c, CD14, and CD16/CD32 and the expression of the costimulatory molecules CD80, CD83, and CD86 were tested as well as the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IFNγ and IL-1α) and growth factors (GM-CSF and FGFb) for cells of individual granulomas. The colocalization of the phagocytic receptors and costimulatory molecules in the surface microdomains of granuloma cells (with and without acid-fast BCG-mycobacteria) has also been detected. It was found that some part of cytokine macrophage producers have carried acid-fast mycobacteria. Detected modulation in dynamics of production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and leukocyte surface markers by granuloma cells has indicated continued processes of activation and deactivation of granuloma inflammation cells during the latent tuberculous infection progress in mice. PMID:24198843

  2. Axonal lesion-induced microglial proliferation and microglial cluster formation in the mouse

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dissing-Olesen, L; Ladeby, R; Nielsen, Helle Hvilsted

    2007-01-01

    Microglia are innate immune cells and form the first line of defense of the CNS. Proliferation is a key event in the activation of microglia in acute pathology, and has been extensively characterized in rats, but not in mice. In this study we investigated axonal-lesion-induced microglial prolifer...

  3. Endothelin-1 overexpression exacerbates atherosclerosis and induces aortic aneurysms in apolipoprotein E knockout mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Melissa W; Mian, Muhammad Oneeb Rehman; Barhoumi, Tlili; Rehman, Asia; Mann, Koren; Paradis, Pierre; Schiffrin, Ernesto L

    2013-10-01

    Endothelin (ET)-1 plays a role in vascular reactive oxygen species production and inflammation. ET-1 has been implicated in human atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development. ET-1 overexpression exacerbates high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E(-/-) (Apoe(-/-)) mice. ET-1-induced reactive oxygen species and inflammation may contribute to atherosclerosis progression and AAA development. Eight-week-old male wild-type mice, transgenic mice overexpressing ET-1 selectively in endothelium (eET-1), Apoe(-/-) mice, and eET-1/Apoe(-/-) mice were fed high-fat diet for 8 weeks. eET-1/Apoe(-/-) had a 45% reduction in plasma high-density lipoprotein (P<0.05) and presented ≥ 2-fold more aortic atherosclerotic lesions compared with Apoe(-/-) (P<0.01). AAAs were detected only in eET-1/Apoe(-/-) (8/21; P<0.05). Reactive oxygen species production was increased ≥ 2-fold in perivascular fat, media, or atherosclerotic lesions in the ascending aorta and AAAs of eET-1/Apoe(-/-) compared with Apoe(-/-) (P<0.05). Monocyte/macrophage infiltration was enhanced ≥ 2.5-fold in perivascular fat of ascending aorta and AAAs in eET-1/Apoe(-/-) compared with Apoe(-/-) (P<0.05). CD4(+) T cells were detected almost exclusively in perivascular fat (3/6) and atherosclerotic lesions (5/6) in ascending aorta of eET-1/Apoe(-/-) (P<0.05). The percentage of spleen proinflammatory Ly-6C(hi) monocytes was enhanced 26% by ET-1 overexpression in Apoe(-/-) (P<0.05), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 was increased 2-fold in plaques of eET-1/Apoe(-/-) (P<0.05) compared with Apoe(-/-). ET-1 plays a role in progression of atherosclerosis and AAA formation by decreasing high-density lipoprotein, and increasing oxidative stress, inflammatory cell infiltration, and matrix metalloproteinase-2 in perivascular fat, vascular wall, and atherosclerotic lesions.

  4. Female mice deficient in alpha-fetoprotein show female-typical neural responses to conspecific-derived pheromones.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivier Brock

    Full Text Available The neural mechanisms controlling sexual behavior are sexually differentiated by the perinatal actions of sex steroid hormones. We recently observed using female mice deficient in alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-KO and which lack the protective actions of AFP against maternal estradiol, that exposure to prenatal estradiol completely defeminized the potential to show lordosis behavior in adulthood. Furthermore, AFP-KO females failed to show any male-directed mate preferences following treatment with estradiol and progesterone, indicating a reduced sexual motivation to seek out the male. In the present study, we asked whether neural responses to male- and female-derived odors are also affected in AFP-KO female mice. Therefore, we compared patterns of Fos, the protein product of the immediate early gene, c-fos, commonly used as a marker of neuronal activation, between wild-type (WT and AFP-KO female mice following exposure to male or estrous female urine. We also tested WT males to confirm the previously observed sex differences in neural responses to male urinary odors. Interestingly, AFP-KO females showed normal, female-like Fos responses, i.e. exposure to urinary odors from male but not estrous female mice induced equivalent levels of Fos protein in the accessory olfactory pathways (e.g. the medial part of the preoptic nucleus, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the amygdala, and the lateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus as well as in the main olfactory pathways (e.g. the piriform cortex and the anterior cortical amygdaloid nucleus, as WT females. By contrast, WT males did not show any significant induction of Fos protein in these brain areas upon exposure to either male or estrous female urinary odors. These results thus suggest that prenatal estradiol is not involved in the sexual differentiation of neural Fos responses to male-derived odors.

  5. MRI evaluation and functional assessment of brain injury after hypoxic ischemia in neonatal mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adén, Ulrika; Dahlberg, Viktoria; Fredholm, Bertil B; Lai, Li-Ju; Chen, Zhengguan; Bjelke, Börje

    2002-05-01

    Severe perinatal asphyxia is an important cause of brain injury in the newborn infant. We examined early events after hypoxic ischemia (HI) in the 7-day-old mouse brain by MRI and related them to long-term functional effects and histopathology in the same animals at 4 to 5 weeks of age. HI was induced in 7-day-old CD1 mice by exposure to 8% oxygen for 30 minutes after occlusion of the left common carotid artery. The resulting unilateral focal lesion was evaluated in vivo by MRI (T2 maps and apparent diffusion coefficient maps) at 3, 6, and 24 hours and 5 days after hypoxia. Locomotion and sensorimotor function were analyzed after 3 weeks. Four weeks after HI, the mice were killed, and cresyl violet-stained brain sections were examined morphologically. A decrease in apparent diffusion coefficient values in cortex on the affected side was found at 3 hours after HI. T2 values were significantly increased after 6 hours and remained so for 5 days. Maximal size of the lesion was attained at 3 to 6 hours after HI and declined thereafter. Animals with MRI-detected lesions had decreased forward locomotion, performed worse than controls in the beam-walking test, and showed a unilateral hypotrophy in the cresyl violet-stained brain sections 4 weeks later. The temporal progression of the damage after HI in 7-day-old mice differs from that of the adult brain as judged by MRI. The early lesions detected by MRI were related to functional impairments for these mice in near-adult life.

  6. Dieulafoy's Lesions of the Rectum: A Rare Cause of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Enns

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Dieulafoy's lesions located outside of the stomach are rare occurrences. Lesions found within the colon typically present with painless, massive hematochezia (ie, greater than 5 U. If they can be accurately located, endoscopic therapy in the form of adrenaline injection, sclerotherapy or cauterization appears to have long term success. The present report details the case of a 72-year-old man who presented with massive hematochezia and who was discovered to have a Dieulafoy's lesion within the rectum. The lesion was located just distal to a previous surgical anastomosis, and was successfully treated with adrenaline and electrocautery. Colonic Dieulafoy's lesions are rare but should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of massive hematochezia, because endoscopic therapy appears to result in complete cessation of bleeding.

  7. Effectiveness of wet-cupping in treatment of BALB/c mice infected by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Then all mice were killed and their spleen and lymph node cells were cultured and the level of IFN- γ and IL-4 of cultured cells supernatant were measured as the markers of TH1 and TH2, respectively. Results: Lesion size thickness in the intervention mice seemed to grow faster than control ones. There were no significant ...

  8. Morgellons Disease Presenting As an Eyelid Lesion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandhu, Rasanamar K; Steele, Eric A

    2016-01-01

    Morgellons disease is characterized by complaints of uncomfortable skin sensations and fibers emanating from nonhealing skin lesions. Morgellons disease is well-known in the dermatology and psychiatry literature, where it is typically considered a subtype of delusional parasitosis, but it has not yet been described in the ophthalmology literature. A patient with self-reported Morgellons disease is presented, who was referred for evaluation of left lower eyelid ectropion. She reported that her skin was infested with fibers that were "trying to get down into the eyelid." On examination, she had ectropion of the left lower eyelid, broken cilia, and an ulcerated left upper eyelid lesion concerning for carcinoma. Biopsy of the lesion was consistent with excoriation. Treatment of her ectropion was deferred out of concern for wound dehiscence, given the patient's aggressive excoriation behavior. This case is presented to make the ophthalmologist aware of this disorder and to highlight the appropriate clinical management.

  9. The effect of venous anatomy on the morphology of multiple sclerosis lesions: a susceptibility-weighted imaging study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Öztoprak, B.; Öztoprak, İ.; Yıldız, Ö.K.

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To investigate the cause of morphology in non-ovoid multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions lacking a radial course and typical shape. Materials and methods: Non-ovoid atypical lesions without perpendicular extensions to the ventricle were investigated in 95 MS patients by retrospective examination of T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. The relationship between the morphology of these atypical lesions detected in 38 patients and central vein anatomy was examined using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). Results: A central venous structure was observed in 107 (65.6%) of 163 atypical lesions in 38 patients. The distribution of atypical lesions grouped by their shape was as follows: (1) V- or Y-shaped lesions (n=27, 48.6%) were observed where veins bifurcated; (2) crescent-shaped lesions (n=9, 8.4%) were observed where veins formed an arc; (3) patchy lesions comprised 48.6% (n=52) of the atypical lesions and involved multiple medullary veins or medullary veins showing a “caput medusae” distribution; (4) ovoid lesions with a non-radial course (n=19, 17.7%) were generally observed where medullary veins converged to form internal cerebral vein branches. Conclusion: Unlike typical MS plaques, non-ovoid atypical lesions make the differential diagnosis of MS challenging. Demonstration of the relationship between venous anatomy and lesion morphology in atypical lesions using SWI will aid in the differential diagnosis. - Highlights: • Morphology of MS lesions are associated with the orientation of central veins. • SWI shows venous anatomy and anatomic variations in MS lesions. • Association between vein and T2-hyperintensity may aid in differential diagnosis.

  10. Involvement of TNF-α converting enzyme in the development of psoriasis-like lesions in a mouse model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenji Sato

    Full Text Available TNF-α plays a crucial role in psoriasis; therefore, TNF inhibition has become a gold standard for the treatment of psoriasis. TNF-α is processed from a membrane-bound form by TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE to soluble form, which exerts a number of biological activities. EGF receptor (EGFR ligands, including heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF, amphiregulin and transforming growth factor (TGF-α are also TACE substrates and are psoriasis-associated growth factors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, one of the downstream molecules of EGFR and TNF signaling, plays a key role in angiogenesis for developing psoriasis. In the present study, to assess the possible role of TACE in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, we investigated the involvement of TACE in TPA-induced psoriasis-like lesions in K5.Stat3C mice, which represent a mouse model of psoriasis. In this mouse model, TNF-α, amphiregulin, HB-EGF and TGF-α were significantly up-regulated in the skin lesions, similar to human psoriasis. Treatment of K5.Stat3C mice with TNF-α or EGFR inhibitors attenuated the skin lesions, suggesting the roles of TACE substrates in psoriasis. Furthermore, the skin lesions of K5.Stat3C mice showed down-regulation of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3, an endogenous inhibitor of TACE, and an increase in soluble TNF-α. A TACE inhibitor abrogated EGFR ligand-dependent keratinocyte proliferation and VEGF production in vitro, suggesting that TACE was involved in both epidermal hyperplasia and angiogenesis during psoriasis development. These results strongly suggest that TACE contributes to the development of psoriatic lesions through releasing two kinds of psoriasis mediators, TNF-α and EGFR ligands. Therefore, TACE could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of psoriasis.

  11. A novel motion analysis approach reveals late recovery in C57BL/6 mice and deficits in NCAM-deficient mice after sciatic nerve crush.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fey, Andreas; Schachner, Melitta; Irintchev, Andrey

    2010-05-01

    Assessment of motor abilities after sciatic nerve injury in rodents, in particular mice, relies exclusively on walking track (footprint) analysis despite known limitations of this method. Using principles employed recently for video-based motion analyses after femoral nerve and spinal cord injuries, we have designed and report here a novel approach for functional assessments after sciatic nerve lesions in mice. Functional deficits are estimated by angle and distance measurements on single video frames recorded during beam-walking and inclined ladder climbing. Analyses of adult C57BL/6J mice after crush of the sciatic, tibial, or peroneal nerve allowed the identification of six numerical parameters, detecting impairments of the plantar flexion of the foot and the toe spread. Some of these parameters, as well as footprint functional indices, revealed severe impairment after crush injury of the sciatic or tibial, but not the peroneal nerve, and complete recovery within 3 weeks after lesion. Other novel estimates, however, showed that complete recovery is reached as late as 2-3 months after sciatic nerve crush. These measures detected both tibial and peroneal dysfunction. In contrast to the complete restoration of function in wild-type mice (100%), our new parameters, in contrast to the sciatic functional index, showed incomplete recovery (85%) 90 days after sciatic nerve crush in mice deficient in the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). We conclude that the novel video-based approach is more precise, sensitive, and versatile than established tests, allowing objective numerical assessment of different motor functions in a sciatic nerve injury paradigm in mice.

  12. The loss-of-function disease-mutation G301R in the Na+/K+-ATPase α2 isoform decreases lesion volume and improves functional outcome after acute spinal cord injury in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellman, Ditte Gry; Isaksen, Toke Jost; Lund, Minna Christiansen; Dursun, Safinaz; Wirenfeldt, Martin; Jørgensen, Louise Helskov; Lykke-Hartmann, Karin; Lambertsen, Kate Lykke

    2017-09-08

    The Na + /K + -ATPases are transmembrane ion pumps important for maintenance of ion gradients across the plasma membrane that serve to support multiple cellular functions, such as membrane potentials, regulation of cellular volume and pH, and co-transport of signaling transmitters in all animal cells. The α 2 Na + /K + -ATPase subunit isoform is predominantly expressed in astrocytes, which us the sharp Na + -gradient maintained by the sodium pump necessary for astroglial metabolism. Prolonged ischemia induces an elevation of [Na + ] i , decreased ATP levels and intracellular pH owing to anaerobic metabolism and lactate accumulation. During ischemia, Na + /K + -ATPase-related functions will naturally increase the energy demand of the Na + /K + -ATPase ion pump. However, the role of the α 2 Na + /K + -ATPase in contusion injury to the spinal cord remains unknown. We used mice heterozygous mice for the loss-of-function disease-mutation G301R in the Atp1a2 gene (α 2 +/G301R ) to study the effect of reduced α 2 Na + /K + -ATPase expression in a moderate contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) model. We found that α 2 +/G301R mice display significantly improved functional recovery and decreased lesion volume compared to littermate controls (α 2 +/+ ) 7 days after SCI. The protein level of the α 1 isoform was significantly increased, in contrast to the α 3 isoform that significantly decreased 3 days after SCI in both α 2 +/G301R and α 2 +/+ mice. The level of the α 2 isoform was significantly decreased in α 2 +/G301R mice both under naïve conditions and 3 days after SCI compared to α 2 +/+ mice. We found no differences in astroglial aquaporin 4 levels and no changes in the expression of chemokines (CCL2, CCL5 and CXCL1) and cytokines (TNF, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10 and IL-5) between genotypes, just as no apparent differences were observed in location and activation of CD45 and F4/80 positive microglia and infiltrating leukocytes. Our proof of concept study

  13. Prevalence of ciliated epithelium in apical periodontitis lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricucci, Domenico; Loghin, Simona; Siqueira, José F; Abdelsayed, Rafik A

    2014-04-01

    This article reports on the morphologic features and the frequency of ciliated epithelium in apical cysts and discusses its origin. The study material consisted of 167 human apical periodontitis lesions obtained consecutively from patients presenting for treatment during a period of 12 years in a dental practice operated by one of the authors. All of the lesions were obtained still attached to the root apices of teeth with untreated (93 lesions) or treated canals (74 lesions). The former were obtained by extraction and the latter by extraction or apical surgery. Specimens were processed for histopathologic and histobacteriologic analyses. Lesions were classified, and the type of epithelium, if present, was recorded. Of the lesions analyzed, 49 (29%) were diagnosed as cysts. Of these, 26 (53%) were found in untreated teeth, and 23 (47%) related to root canal-treated teeth. Ciliated columnar epithelium was observed partially or completely lining the cyst wall in 4 cysts, and all of them occurred in untreated maxillary molars. Three of these lesions were categorized as pocket cysts, and the other was a true cyst. Ciliated columnar epithelium-lined cysts corresponded to approximately 2% of the apical periodontitis lesions and 8% of the cysts of endodontic origin in the population studied. This epithelium is highly likely to have a sinus origin in the majority of cases. However, the possibility of prosoplasia or upgraded differentiation into ciliated epithelium from the typical cystic lining squamous epithelium may also be considered. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia induce pulmonary artery atherosclerosis and ventricular dysfunction in low density lipoprotein receptor deficient mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowden, Karen; Pattison, Jennifer; Peterson, Alexander B.; Juliano, Joseph; Dalton, Nancy D.; Gu, Yusu; Alvarez, Erika; Imamura, Toshihiro; Peterson, Kirk L.; Witztum, Joseph L.; Haddad, Gabriel G.; Li, Andrew C.

    2013-01-01

    Patients with obstructive sleep apnea, who experience episodic hypoxia and hypercapnia during sleep, often demonstrate increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and dyslipidemia. We hypothesized that sleep apnea patients would be predisposed to the development of atherosclerosis. To dissect the mechanisms involved, we developed an animal model in mice whereby we expose mice to intermittent hypoxia/hypercapnia (IHH) in normobaric environments. Two- to three-month-old low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (Ldlr−/−) mice were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 wk while being exposed to IHH for either 10 h/day or 24 h/day. Plasma lipid levels, pulmonary artery and aortic atherosclerotic lesions, and cardiac function were then assayed. Surprisingly, atherosclerosis in the aorta of IHH mice was similar compared with controls. However, in IHH mice, atherosclerosis was markedly increased in the trunk and proximal branches of the pulmonary artery of exposed mice; even though plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were lower than in controls. Hemodynamic analysis revealed that right ventricular maximum pressure and isovolumic relaxation constant were significantly increased in IHH exposed mice and left ventricular % fractional shortening was reduced. In conclusion, 1) Intermittent hypoxia/hypercapnia remarkably accelerated atherosclerotic lesions in the pulmonary artery of Ldlr−/− mice and 2) increased lesion formation in the pulmonary artery was associated with right and left ventricular dysfunction. These findings raise the possibility that patients with obstructive sleep apnea may be susceptible to atherosclerotic disease in the pulmonary vasculature, an observation that has not been previously recognized. PMID:23990245

  15. A radioattenuated Leishmania major vaccine markedly increases the resistance of CBA mice to subsequent infection with Leishmania mexicana mexicana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, J.

    1982-01-01

    Vaccinating CBA mice with radioattenuated Leishmania major amastigotes but not with radioattenuated L. mexicana amastigotes rendered them highly resistant to subsequent infection with L. m. mexicana. Unvaccinated CBA mice were highly susceptible to infection with L. m. mexicana producing rapidly growing non-ulcerating cutaneous lesions. Two manifestations of resistance were induced in vaccinated animals depending on the timing of the challenge infection: no lesions appeared at the site of subcutaneous challenge in animals vaccinated four or more weeks previously, while lesions grew rapidly but ulcerated and healed in animals vaccinated less than 3 weeks beforehand. L. major amastigotes were found to be markedly more resistant to γ irradiation than L. m.mexicana amastigotes both as measured by their ability to infect susceptible strains of mice and to transform and multiply as promastigotes in NNN medium. (author)

  16. Differences in Susceptibility of Inbred Mice to Bacillus anthracis

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-04-26

    dilutions of the mixture were prepared and injected into A/J and CBA/J mice via the tail vein, as described by Ezzell et al. (9). Five mice per strain were...xylazine (Rompun, Miles Laboratories, Shawnee, Kansas) in 50 pl, and were dissected iwnmediately. Gross pathological changes were noted, heart blood and...anthracis; a histopathological study of skin lesions produced by B. anthracis in susceptible and resistant animal species. J. Infect. Dis. 80:1-13. 9. Ezzell

  17. Induction of atherosclerosis in mice and hamsters without germline genetic engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjørklund, Martin Mæng; Hollensen, Anne Kruse; Hagensen, Mette Kallestrup

    2014-01-01

    RATIONALE: Atherosclerosis can be achieved in animals by germline genetic engineering, leading to hypercholesterolemia, but such models are constrained to few species and strains, and they are difficult to combine with other powerful techniques involving genetic manipulation or variation. OBJECTIVE......: To develop a method for induction of atherosclerosis without germline genetic engineering. METHODS AND RESULTS: Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors were engineered to encode gain-of-function proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 mutants, and mice were given a single intravenous vector...... injection followed by high-fat diet feeding. Plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 and total cholesterol increased rapidly and were maintained at high levels, and after 12 weeks, mice had atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta. Histology of the aortic root showed progression of lesions...

  18. An Improved Mouse Model of Atopic Dermatitis and Suppression of Skin Lesions by an Inhibitor of Tec Family Kinases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuko Kawakami

    2007-01-01

    Conclusions: We established a highly efficient, highly reproducible protocol to induce skin lesions in NC/Nga mice and successfully applied it to show the efficacy of terreic acid in treating skin lesions. This mouse model of atopic dermatitis will be useful to study the pathogenetic processes of atopic dermatitis and to evaluate the efficacy of drug candidates.

  19. Acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guarana, M; Nucci, M

    2018-03-01

    Neutropenic patients developing acute disseminated candidiasis may present with skin lesions. To evaluate the epidemiology of acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions in neutropenic patients, taking into consideration changes caused by different prophylactic strategies. A systematic review of English-language articles found via PubMed (1963-2016) was performed. We asked the following questions: (a) What Candida species are more frequently involved in this syndrome? (b) Has antifungal prophylaxis changed the species causing skin lesions? (c) What are the typical patterns of skin lesions? (d) What is the frequency of skin lesions in neutropenic patients with candidaemia or acute disseminated candidiasis? (e) Has antifungal prophylaxis decreased the incidence of acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions? Among 183 studies, 33 were selected, reporting 100 cases of acute disseminated candidiasis with skin lesions in neutropenic patients. It occurred more frequently in the setting of induction therapy for de novo or relapsed acute leukaemia, and the most frequent Candida species were C. tropicalis (68%) and C. krusei (15%). Diffuse maculopapular lesions predominated in cases caused by C. tropicalis and nodular and papular lesions in cases caused by C. krusei. Prophylaxis with fluconazole was reported in six cases, C. krusei in five and C. ciferrii in one. The death rate was 45.4%. Two patterns were recognized: disseminated maculopapular lesions caused by C. tropicalis in patients not receiving fluconazole prophylaxis, occurring in 39% to 44% of neutropenic patients with acute disseminated candidiasis, and nodular lesions caused by C. krusei in patients receiving fluconazole prophylaxis, occurring less frequently. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of dipropylene glycol in rats and mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooth, Michelle J; Herbert, Ronald A; Haseman, Joseph K; Orzech, Denise P; Johnson, Jerry D; Bucher, John R

    2004-11-15

    Dipropylene glycol (DPG) is a component of many commercial products such as antifreeze, air fresheners, cosmetic products, solvents, and plastics. Male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice were exposed to DPG in the drinking water for 2 weeks, 3 months, or 2 years. In the 2-week and 3-month studies, rats and mice were exposed to 0, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 40,000, or 80,000 ppm DPG. There was no mortality in the 2-week studies. In the 3-month rat study, all animals survived to the end of the study. Liver weights of rats exposed to 10,000 ppm or greater and kidney weights of rats exposed to 40,000 and 80,000 ppm were greater than those of the controls. The incidences of liver and kidney lesions were significantly increased in males exposed to 20,000 ppm or greater and females exposed to 80,000 ppm. Focal olfactory epithelial degeneration was present in all rats exposed to 80,000 ppm. In males, the incidences of testicular atrophy, epididymal hypospermia, and preputial gland atrophy were significantly increased in the 80,000 ppm group. In the 3-month mouse study, three males and one female exposed to 80,000 ppm died. Liver weights were increased, as was the incidence of centrilobular hypertrophy in males exposed to 40,000 ppm and males and females exposed to 80,000 ppm. In the 2-year studies, exposure groups were 0, 2500 (rats only), 10,000, 20,000 (mice only) or 40,000 ppm DPG. Survival of male rats exposed to 40,000 ppm and mean body weights of males and females exposed to 40,000 ppm were significantly less than controls. In male rats, exposure to DPG resulted in increased incidences and severities of nephropathy and secondary lesions in the parathyroid and forestomach. Increased incidences of focal histiocytic and focal granulomatous inflammation of the liver were also observed. In male and female rats, there were increased incidences of bile duct hyperplasia and changes in the olfactory epithelium of the nose. In mice, survival of males and females was similar to

  1. Effect of weak electromagnetic fields and ionizing radiation on mice sciatic nerve regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dudkin, A.O.; Zamuraev, I.N.

    1998-01-01

    Effect of X-ray impulses and electromagnetic (EM) impulses on sciatic nerve regeneration in mice after crush lesion was studied. Limb jerk amplitude at electric stimulation of nerve and postural reflex in thin rod in X + EM and EM groups were restored within 13th days after lesion, in control group within 15 days (p [ru

  2. MRI lesion and epileptogenic focus in temporal lobe epilepsy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuda, Kazumi; Yagi, Kazuichi; Mihara, Tadahiro; Tottori, Takayasu; Watanabe, Yutaka; Seino, Masakazu

    1989-01-01

    The spatial relationship between a circumscribed lesion in the temporal lobe detected by MRI and an epileptogenic focus identified by ictal depth EEG along with a correlation of the MRI lesion with neuropathological findings were investigated in patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy but without any focal lesion on CT. Four parameters (an areal ratio of the temporal lobe against the hemisphere, area and calculated T1, T2 values of the hippocampus) were used to determine the abnormal MRI side. An agreement was reached in 67-72% of 18 patients between the abnormal values of the hippocampal area and of calculated T1, T2 and the side of the epileptogenic focus. In 14 of 17 patients, typical hippocampal sclerosis was demonstrated in resected tissue in accordance with the MRI lesions (atrophy and/or prolonged T2 of hippocampus). These results imply: 1)MRI abnormality thus defined may, if not all, indicate the side of the epileptogenic focus, and 2)also the presence of hippocampal sclerosis. It was emphasized that the MRI lesion would be a usable instrument to explore the causal relationship of hippocampal sclerosis to a generation of epileptogenic lesions as well as for presurgical evalution. (author)

  3. The loss-of-function disease-mutation G301R in the Na+/K+-ATPase α2 isoform decreases lesion volume and improves functional outcome after acute spinal cord injury in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ellman, Ditte; Isaksen, Toke Jost; Lund, Minna

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The Na(+)/K(+)-ATPases are transmembrane ion pumps important for maintenance of ion gradients across the plasma membrane that serve to support multiple cellular functions, such as membrane potentials, regulation of cellular volume and pH, and co-transport of signaling transmitters...... lesion volume compared to littermate controls (α 2(+/+) ) 7 days after SCI. The protein level of the α1 isoform was significantly increased, in contrast to the α3 isoform that significantly decreased 3 days after SCI in both α 2(+/G301R) and α 2(+/+) mice. The level of the α2 isoform was significantly...... as no apparent differences were observed in location and activation of CD45 and F4/80 positive microglia and infiltrating leukocytes. CONCLUSION: Our proof of concept study demonstrates that reduced expression of the α2 isoform in the spinal cord is protective following SCI. Importantly, the BMS and lesion...

  4. Functional blockage of EMMPRIN ameliorates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hong; Yang, Li-xia; Guo, Rui-wei; Zhu, Guo-Fu; Shi, Yan-Kun; Wang, Xian-mei; Qi, Feng; Guo, Chuan-ming; Ye, Jin-shan; Yang, Zhi-hua; Liang, Xing

    2013-10-09

    Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), a 58-kDa cell surface glycoprotein, has been identified as a key receptor for transmitting cellular signals mediating metalloproteinase activities, as well as inflammation and oxidative stress. Clinical evidence has revealed that EMMPRIN is expressed in human atherosclerotic plaque; however, the relationship between EMMPRIN and atherosclerosis is unclear. To evaluate the functional role of EMMPRIN in atherosclerosis, we treated apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice with an EMMPRIN function-blocking antibody. EMMPRIN was found to be up-regulated in ApoE(-/-) mice fed a 12-week high-fat diet in contrast to 12 weeks of normal diet. Administration of a function-blocking EMMPRIN antibody (100 μg, twice per week for 4 weeks) to ApoE(-/-) mice, starting after 12 weeks of high-fat diet feeding caused attenuated and more stable atherosclerotic lesions, less reactive oxygen stress generation on plaque, as well as down-regulation of circulating interleukin-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in ApoE(-/-) mice. The benefit of EMMPRIN functional blockage was associated with reduced metalloproteinases proteolytic activity, which delayed the circulating monocyte transmigrating into atherosclerotic lesions. EMMPRIN antibody intervention ameliorated atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) mice by the down-regulation of metalloproteinase activity, suggesting that EMMPRIN may be a viable therapeutic target in atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Eye lesions in pet birds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, S S; Park, J H; Hirai, K; Itakura, C

    1993-03-01

    Amongst eye lesions in birds that died in quarantine, cataracts were the most common disorders (37/241, 15.4%), being prevalent in the annular pads of cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), Amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva aestiva) and budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). The incidence in male birds was more than twice that in females. Deposition of crystals, mostly in the cornea, was the second most frequent lesion (21/293, 8.7%), mainly found in cockatiels, parakeets (Psittacula krameri manillensis), Amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva aestiva), budgerigars and finches (Poephila gouldiae gouldiae). These corneal crystals were negative to PAS and Kossa's stains. Six parakeets (Psittacula krameri manillensis) had calcium salts deposited in the inner plexiform layer of the retina and occasionally in the iris and ciliary body. Neither inflammation nor neo-vascularization was observed when cataracts, corneal crystalline deposition, and retinal and ciliary calcification were present. Intranuclear inclusion bodies typical for papovavirus infection were found in the eyelids of six budgerigars (2.5%). Similar inclusions were simultaneously found in the pars ciliaris retinae (4, 1.7%), inner plexiform of retina (1, 0.4%) and anterior epithelium of the cornea (1, 0.4%). Other lesions such as candidial endophthalmitis, conjunctival cryptosporidiosis, corneal dystrophy, keratitis, corneal perforation and iridocyclitis, were occasional findings.

  6. A study on the mixed jaw lesions associated with teeth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nah, Kyung Soo

    2000-01-01

    1. Retrospectively evaluate the accuracy of tentative diagnosis or impression from the clinico-radiographic materials of jaw lesions which showed mixed lesions associated with teeth. 2. To observe the diagnostic importance of the calcified part of the lesions which appear as radiopaque areas. 14 cases of jaw lesions which showed mixed lesions associated with teeth were reviewed. These lesions were mostly diagnosed as adenomatoid odontogenic tumors (6 cases) or calcifying odontogenic cysts with (4 cases) or without odontomas (4 cases). The calcified elements of the lesions which demonstrated various sizes and patterns of radiopaque shadows resembled odontoid tissues in some cases but could not be defined in some other cases radiographically. The final histopathologic diagnosis confirmed adenomatoid odontogenic tumors in 4 of the 6 cases. The remaining 2 cases turned out to be odontoma and ameloblastic fibroodontoma. The 4 cases of calcifying odontogenic cysts with odontomas were correct in 3 cases but remaining 1 case was just odontoma. The 4 cases of calcifying odontogenic cysts were proved to be odontogenic keratocyst, calcified peripheral fibroma, unicystic ameloblastoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The diagnostic accuracy of the adenomatoid odontogenic tumors and calcifying odontogenic cysts were high when the lesions show typical appearance. The calcifications which show radiopaque areas could be odontomas or dystrophic calficifations or remnants of bone fragments from resorption.

  7. A study on the mixed jaw lesions associated with teeth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nah, Kyung Soo [Dept. of Dental Radiology, College of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Pusan (Korea, Republic of)

    2000-03-15

    1. Retrospectively evaluate the accuracy of tentative diagnosis or impression from the clinico-radiographic materials of jaw lesions which showed mixed lesions associated with teeth. 2. To observe the diagnostic importance of the calcified part of the lesions which appear as radiopaque areas. 14 cases of jaw lesions which showed mixed lesions associated with teeth were reviewed. These lesions were mostly diagnosed as adenomatoid odontogenic tumors (6 cases) or calcifying odontogenic cysts with (4 cases) or without odontomas (4 cases). The calcified elements of the lesions which demonstrated various sizes and patterns of radiopaque shadows resembled odontoid tissues in some cases but could not be defined in some other cases radiographically. The final histopathologic diagnosis confirmed adenomatoid odontogenic tumors in 4 of the 6 cases. The remaining 2 cases turned out to be odontoma and ameloblastic fibroodontoma. The 4 cases of calcifying odontogenic cysts with odontomas were correct in 3 cases but remaining 1 case was just odontoma. The 4 cases of calcifying odontogenic cysts were proved to be odontogenic keratocyst, calcified peripheral fibroma, unicystic ameloblastoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The diagnostic accuracy of the adenomatoid odontogenic tumors and calcifying odontogenic cysts were high when the lesions show typical appearance. The calcifications which show radiopaque areas could be odontomas or dystrophic calficifations or remnants of bone fragments from resorption.

  8. Imaging of the adrenal gland lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith Herr

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available With the steep increase in the use of cross-sectional imaging in recent years, the incidentally detected adrenal lesion, or "incidentaloma", has become an increasingly common diagnostic problem for the radiologist, and a need for an approach to classifying these lesions as benign, malignant or indeterminate with imaging has spurred an explosion of research. While most incidentalomas represent benign disease, typically an adenoma, the possibility of malignant involvement of the adrenal gland necessitates a reliance on imaging to inform management decisions. In this article, we review the literature on adrenal gland imaging, with particular emphasis on computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and photon-emission tomography, and discuss how these findings relate to clinical practice. Emerging technologies, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, dual-energy computed tomography, and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging will also be briefly addressed.

  9. Imaging of the adrenal gland lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herr, Keith [Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Muglia, Valdair F. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (FMRP/USP), Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina; Koff, Walter Jose [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina. Dept. de Cirurgia; Westphalen, Antonio Carlos, E-mail: antonio.westphalen@ucsf.edu [Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and Urology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)

    2014-07-15

    With the steep increase in the use of cross-sectional imaging in recent years, the incidentally detected adrenal lesion, or 'incidentaloma', has become an increasingly common diagnostic problem for the radiologist, and a need for an approach to classifying these lesions as benign, malignant or indeterminate with imaging has spurred an explosion of research. While most incidentalomas represent benign disease, typically an adenoma, the possibility of m alignant involvement of the adrenal gland necessitates a reliance on imaging to inform management decisions. In this article, we review the literature on adrenal gland imaging, with particular emphasis on computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and photon-emission tomography, and discuss how these findings relate to clinical practice. Emerging technologies, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, dual-energy computed tomography, and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging will also be briefly addressed. (author)

  10. Exogenous activated NK cells enhance trafficking of endogenous NK cells to endometriotic lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montenegro, Mary Lourdes; Ferriani, Rui Alberto; Basse, Per H

    2015-08-29

    Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial glands and stroma at ectopic locations. Although the prevalence of endometriosis is as high as 35%-50%, its pathogenesis remains controversial. An increasing number of studies suggest that changes in immune reactivity may be primarily involved in the development of endometriosis development. In this sense, it has been strongly suggested that a fundamental part of immunologic system, the natural killer cells (NK cells), are an important part of this process. NK cells, a component of the innate immune system, have been extensively studied for their ability to defend the organism against infections and malignancy. Recent studies have shown that IL-2-activated NK (A-NK) cells are able to attack and destroy tumors in lungs and livers of mice, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of these cells. Similarly to metastatic tumor cells, endometrial cells are able to adhere, infiltrate and proliferate at ectopic locations. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the ability of adoptively transferred and endogenous NK cells to infiltrate endometriosis lesions. As NK cells donors were used C57BL/6 B6. PL- Thy 1.1 female mice. As uterine horns donors were used C57/BL6+GFP female mice and as endometriosis recipients C57BL/6 Thy1.2 female mice. Endometriosis induction was made by injection of endometrial tissue fragments. After 4 weeks, necessary for endometriosis lesions establishment the animals were divided in 3 experimental groups with 10 animals each. Group 1 received i.v doses of 5x106 A-NK in 200μl RPMI; Group 2 received i.p dose of 5x106 A-NK in 200μl RPMI and Group 3 received i.p dose of IL2 (0.5 mL RPMI containing 5.000U of IL2). Our data show that exogenous A-NK cells injected via ip combined with endogenous A-NK cells seems to be the most efficient way for activated NK cells track and infiltrate endometriosis. For the first time, it was shown that both endogenous as exogenous A-NK cells are able to track

  11. Effects of gypenosides on anxiety disorders in MPTP-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Keon Sung; Zhao, Ting Ting; Choi, Hyun Sook; Hwang, Bang Yeon; Lee, Chong Kil; Lee, Myung Koo

    2014-06-03

    Ethanol extract (GP-EX) of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP) ameliorates chronic stress-induced anxiety in mice. The present study investigated the effects of gypenoside-enriched components (GPS), GP-EX and water extract of GP (GP-WX) on MPTP lesion-induced affective disorders in C57BL/6 mice. GPS (50mg/kg) and GP-EX (50mg/kg) for 21 day-treatment period improved the symptom of anxiety disorders in the MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without L-DOPA treatment, which was examined by the elevated plus-maze and marble burying tests. In these states, treatments with GPS (50mg/kg) and GP-EX (50mg/kg) significantly increased the brain levels of dopamine and serotonin in the MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without l-DOPA treatment. In addition, treatments with GPS (50mg/kg) and GP-EX (50mg/kg) showed protective effects on dopaminergic neurons in MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without L-DOPA treatment. In contrast, GPS (30 mg/kg) and GP-WX (50mg/kg) showed anxiolytic effects in the same animal models, but it was not significant. These results suggest that GPS (50mg/kg) and GP-EX (50mg/kg) showed anxiolytic effects on affective disorders and protective effects on dopaminergic neurons by modulating the brain levels of dopamine and serotonin in the MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without l-DOPA treatment. Clinical trials of GPS and GP-EX need to be conducted further so as to develop adjuvant therapeutic agents for PD patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Automated detection of multiple sclerosis lesions in serial brain MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Llado, Xavier; Ganiler, Onur; Oliver, Arnau; Marti, Robert; Freixenet, Jordi; Valls, Laia; Vilanova, Joan C.; Ramio-Torrenta, Lluis; Rovira, Alex

    2012-01-01

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious disease typically occurring in the brain whose diagnosis and efficacy of treatment monitoring are vital. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used in serial brain imaging due to the rich and detailed information provided. Time-series analysis of images is widely used for MS diagnosis and patient follow-up. However, conventional manual methods are time-consuming, subjective, and error-prone. Thus, the development of automated techniques for the detection and quantification of MS lesions is a major challenge. This paper presents an up-to-date review of the approaches which deal with the time-series analysis of brain MRI for detecting active MS lesions and quantifying lesion load change. We provide a comprehensive reference source for researchers in which several approaches to change detection and quantification of MS lesions are investigated and classified. We also analyze the results provided by the approaches, discuss open problems, and point out possible future trends. Lesion detection approaches are required for the detection of static lesions and for diagnostic purposes, while either quantification of detected lesions or change detection algorithms are needed to follow up MS patients. However, there is not yet a single approach that can emerge as a standard for the clinical practice, automatically providing an accurate MS lesion evolution quantification. Future trends will focus on combining the lesion detection in single studies with the analysis of the change detection in serial MRI. (orig.)

  13. Automated detection of multiple sclerosis lesions in serial brain MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Llado, Xavier; Ganiler, Onur; Oliver, Arnau; Marti, Robert; Freixenet, Jordi [University of Girona, Computer Vision and Robotics Group, Girona (Spain); Valls, Laia [Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Girona (Spain); Vilanova, Joan C. [Girona Magnetic Resonance Center, Girona (Spain); Ramio-Torrenta, Lluis [Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital, Institut d' Investigacio Biomedica de Girona, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Unit, Girona (Spain); Rovira, Alex [Vall d' Hebron University Hospital, Magnetic Resonance Unit, Department of Radiology, Barcelona (Spain)

    2012-08-15

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious disease typically occurring in the brain whose diagnosis and efficacy of treatment monitoring are vital. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used in serial brain imaging due to the rich and detailed information provided. Time-series analysis of images is widely used for MS diagnosis and patient follow-up. However, conventional manual methods are time-consuming, subjective, and error-prone. Thus, the development of automated techniques for the detection and quantification of MS lesions is a major challenge. This paper presents an up-to-date review of the approaches which deal with the time-series analysis of brain MRI for detecting active MS lesions and quantifying lesion load change. We provide a comprehensive reference source for researchers in which several approaches to change detection and quantification of MS lesions are investigated and classified. We also analyze the results provided by the approaches, discuss open problems, and point out possible future trends. Lesion detection approaches are required for the detection of static lesions and for diagnostic purposes, while either quantification of detected lesions or change detection algorithms are needed to follow up MS patients. However, there is not yet a single approach that can emerge as a standard for the clinical practice, automatically providing an accurate MS lesion evolution quantification. Future trends will focus on combining the lesion detection in single studies with the analysis of the change detection in serial MRI. (orig.)

  14. Response of mice liver to continuous beta-irradiation from tritiated water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhatia, A L; Gupta, M L; Singh, R P [Rajasthan Univ., Jaipur (India). Radiation Biology Lab.

    1978-09-01

    The low-level toxicity of the tritium has been studied on the adult mice liver. A group of adult mice was irradiated continuously at the radioactivity of 1.25 ..mu..Ci/ml of drinking water up to 30 days and the liver was studied on 1, 5, 7, 15 and 30 days after initiation of treatment. In early intervals, a gradual increase in the degree of damage in the form of histopathological lesions like cytoplasmic vacuolation and degranulation, pycnosis, hemorrhage and lymphocytic infiltration etc. was noticed which reaches to maximum on day 7, after which it was found a bit repaired on the following interval (15 days) and on 30th day exhibited almost a near-normal hepatic architecture with a few histopathological lesions viz. edema and leukocytic infiltration.

  15. REGENERATIVE GROWTH OF CORTICOSPINAL TRACT AXONS VIA THE VENTRAL COLUMN AFTER SPINAL CORD INJURY IN MICE

    OpenAIRE

    Steward, Oswald; Zheng, Binhai; Tessier-Lavigne, Marc; Hofstadter, Maura; Sharp, Kelli; Yee, Kelly Matsudaira

    2008-01-01

    Studies that have assessed regeneration of corticospinal tract (CST) axons in mice following genetic modifications or other treatments have tacitly assumed that there is little if any regeneration of CST axons in normal mice in the absence of some intervention. Here, we document a previously unrecognized capability for regenerative growth of CST axons in normal mice that involves growth past the lesion via the ventral column. Mice received dorsal hemisection injuries at thoracic level 6–7, wh...

  16. Leukocytosis and enhanced susceptibility to endotoxemia but not atherosclerosis in adrenalectomized APOE knockout mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Menno Hoekstra

    Full Text Available Hyperlipidemic apolipoprotein E (APOE knockout mice show an enhanced level of adrenal-derived anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids. Here we determined in APOE knockout mice the impact of total removal of adrenal function through adrenalectomy (ADX on two inflammation-associated pathologies, endotoxemia and atherosclerosis. ADX mice exhibited 91% decreased corticosterone levels (P<0.001, leukocytosis (WBC count: 10.0 ± 0.4 x 10E9/L vs 6.5 ± 0.5 x 10E9/L; P<0.001 and an increased spleen weight (P<0.01. FACS analysis on blood leukocytes revealed increased B-lymphocyte numbers (55 ± 2% vs 46 ± 1%; P<0.01. T-cell populations in blood appeared to be more immature (CD62L+: 26 ± 2% vs 19 ± 1% for CD4+ T-cells, P<0.001 and 58 ± 7% vs 47 ± 4% for CD8+ T-cells, P<0.05, which coincided with immature CD4/CD8 double positive thymocyte enrichment. Exposure to lipopolysaccharide failed to increase corticosterone levels in ADX mice and was associated with a 3-fold higher (P<0.05 TNF-alpha response. In contrast, the development of initial fatty streak lesions and progression to advanced collagen-containing atherosclerotic lesions was unaffected. Plasma cholesterol levels were decreased by 35% (P<0.001 in ADX mice. This could be attributed to a decrease in pro-atherogenic very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL as a result of a diminished hepatic VLDL secretion rate (-24%; P<0.05. In conclusion, our studies show that adrenalectomy induces leukocytosis and enhances the susceptibility for endotoxemia in APOE knockout mice. The adrenalectomy-associated rise in white blood cells, however, does not alter atherosclerotic lesion development probably due to the parallel decrease in plasma levels of pro-atherogenic lipoproteins.

  17. Promotion of hepatic preneoplastic lesions in male B6C3F1 mice by unleaded gasoline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Standeven, A M; Wolf, D C; Goldsworthy, T L

    1995-01-01

    In previous studies, unleaded gasoline (UG) vapor was found to be a liver tumor promoter and hepatocarcinogen in female mice, but UG was not a hepatocarcinogen in male mice. However, UG vapor had similar transient mitogenic effects in nonlesioned liver of both male and female mice under the conditions of the cancer bioassay. We used an initiation-promotion protocol to determine whether UG vapor acts as a liver tumor promoter in male mice and to examine proliferative effects that may be critical to tumor development. Twelve-day-old male B6C3F1 mice were injected with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN; 5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) or vehicle. Starting at 5-7 weeks of age, mice were exposed by inhalation 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 16 weeks to 0 or 2046 ppm of PS-6 blend UG. UG treatment caused a significant 2.3-fold increase in the number of macroscopic hepatic masses in DEN-initiated mice, whereas no macroscopic masses were observed in non-initiated mice. Altered hepatic foci (AHF), which were predominantly basophilic in phenotype, were found almost exclusively in DEN-initiated mice. UG treatment significantly increased both the mean volume (threefold) and the volume fraction (twofold) of the AHF without increasing the number of AHF per unit area. UG also induced hepatic pentoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (PROD) activity, a marker of CYP2B, by more than 12-fold over control with or without DEN cotreatment. To study hepatocyte proliferative effects of UG, we treated mice with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) via osmotic pump for 3 days before necropsy and measured hepatocyte BrdU labeling index (LI) in AHF and nonlesioned liver.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Images Figure 1. PMID:7588481

  18. Lesion progression in post-treatment persistent endodontic lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Victoria Soo Hoon; Messer, Harold Henry; Shen, Liang; Yee, Robert; Hsu, Chin-ying Stephen

    2012-10-01

    Radiographic lesions related to root-filled teeth may persist for long periods after treatment and are considered to indicate failure of initial treatment. Persistent lesions are found in a proportion of cases, but information on lesion progression is lacking. This study examined the incidence of lesion improvement, remaining unchanged, and deterioration among persistent lesions in a group of patients recruited from a university-based clinic and identified potential predictors for lesion progression. Patients of a university clinic with persistent endodontic lesions at least 4 years since treatment and with original treatment radiographs available were recruited with informed consent. Data were obtained by interview and from dental records and clinical and radiographic examinations. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were carried out by using SPSS (version 19). One hundred fifty-one persistent lesions were identified in 114 patients. A majority of the lesions (107, 70.9%) received treatment between 4 and 5 years prior. Eighty-six lesions (57.0%) improved, 18 (11.9%) remained unchanged, and 47 (31.1%) deteriorated since treatment. Potential predictors for lesions that did not improve included recall lesion size, pain on biting at recall examination, history of a postobturation flare-up, and a non-ideal root-filling length (P < .05). Lesions that had persisted for a longer period appeared less likely to be improving (relative risk, 1.038; 95% confidence interval, 1.000-1.077). A specific time interval alone should not be used to conclude that a lesion will not resolve without intervention. This study identified several clinical factors that are associated with deteriorating persistent lesions, which should aid in identifying lesions that require further intervention. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Detection of atherosclerotic lesions and intimal macrophages using CD36-targeted nanovesicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Shufang; Zhang, Jia; Martinez-Zaguilan, Raul; Sennoune, Souad; Hossen, Md Nazir; Lichtenstein, Alice H; Cao, Jun; Meyerrose, Gary E; Paone, Ralph; Soontrapa, Suthipong; Fan, Zhaoyang; Wang, Shu

    2015-12-28

    Current approaches to the diagnosis and therapy of atherosclerosis cannot target lesion-determinant cells in the artery wall. Intimal macrophage infiltration promotes atherosclerotic lesion development by facilitating the accumulation of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) and increasing inflammatory responses. The presence of these cells is positively associated with lesion progression, severity and destabilization. Hence, they are an important diagnostic and therapeutic target. The objective of this study was to noninvasively assess the distribution and accumulation of intimal macrophages using CD36-targeted nanovesicles. Soy phosphatidylcholine was used to synthesize liposome-like nanovesicles. 1-(Palmitoyl)-2-(5-keto-6-octene-dioyl) phosphatidylcholine was incorporated on their surface to target the CD36 receptor. All in vitro data demonstrate that these targeted nanovesicles had a high binding affinity for the oxLDL binding site of the CD36 receptor and participated in CD36-mediated recognition and uptake of nanovesicles by macrophages. Intravenous administration into LDL receptor null mice of targeted compared to non-targeted nanovesicles resulted in higher uptake in aortic lesions. The nanovesicles co-localized with macrophages and their CD36 receptors in aortic lesions. This molecular target approach may facilitate the in vivo noninvasive imaging of atherosclerotic lesions in terms of intimal macrophage accumulation and distribution and disclose lesion features related to inflammation and possibly vulnerability thereby facilitate early lesion detection and targeted delivery of therapeutic compounds to intimal macrophages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Mesenchymal stem cells favour healing of the cutaneous radiation syndrome; Les cellules souches mesenchymateuses favorisent la cicatrisation des lesions cutanees radio induites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Francois, S.; Mouiseddine, M.; Mathieu, N.; Semont, A.; Monti, P.; Dudoignon, N.; Sache, A.; Boutarfa, A.; Thierry, D.; Voisin, P.; Gourmelon, P.; Chapel, A. [IRSN, Dir. de radioprotection de l' Homme, 92 - Fontenay-aux-Roses (France)

    2006-10-15

    It has been suggested that human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSC) could be used to repair numerous injured tissues. We have studied the potential use of hMSC in order to limit radiation-induced skin lesions. Immuno-deficient NOD/SCID mice were locally irradiated to the leg (30 Gy, dose rate 2.7 Gy/mn) using a {sup 60} Co source in order to induce a severe skin lesion. Cultured bone marrow hMSC were delivered intravenously to the mice. The irradiated skin samples were studied for the presence of the human cells, the severity of the lesions and the healing process. Macroscopic analysis and histology results showed that the lesions were evolving to a less severe degree of radiation dermatitis following hMSC transplant when compared to irradiated non-transplanted controls. Clinical scores for the studied skin parameters of treated mice were significantly improved. A faster healing was observed when compared to untreated mouse. Immuno-histology and Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) analysis provided evidence that the human cells were found in the irradiated area. These results suggest a possible use of hMSC for the treatment of the early phase of the cutaneous radiation syndrome. A successful transplant of stem cells and subsequent reduction in radiation-induced complication may open the road to completely new strategies in cutaneous radiation syndrome therapy. (authors)

  1. Female Mice Deficient in Alpha-Fetoprotein Show Female-Typical Neural Responses to Conspecific-Derived Pheromones

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brock, O.; Keller, M.; Douhard, Q.; Bakker, J.

    2012-01-01

    The neural mechanisms controlling sexual behavior are sexually differentiated by the perinatal actions of sex steroid hormones. We recently observed using female mice deficient in alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-KO) and which lack the protective actions of AFP against maternal estradiol, that exposure to

  2. Apocynin suppresses the progression of atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice by inactivation of macrophages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kinoshita, Hiroyuki; Matsumura, Takeshi; Ishii, Norio; Fukuda, Kazuki; Senokuchi, Takafumi; Motoshima, Hiroyuki; Kondo, Tatsuya; Taketa, Kayo; Kawasaki, Shuji; Hanatani, Satoko; Takeya, Motohiro; Nishikawa, Takeshi; Araki, Eiichi

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► We examined the anti-athrogenic effect of apocynin in atherosclerotic model mice. ► Apocynin prevented atherosclerotic lesion formation. ► Apocynin suppressed ROS production in aorta and in macrophages. ► Apocynin suppressed cytokine expression and cell proliferation in macrophages. ► Apocynin may be beneficial compound for the prevention of atherosclerosis. -- Abstract: Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other proinflammatory substances by macrophages plays an important role in atherogenesis. Apocynin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-acetophenone), which is well known as a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, has anti-inflammatory effects including suppression of the generation of ROS. However, the suppressive effects of apocynin on the progression of atherosclerosis are not clearly understood. Thus, we investigated anti-atherosclerotic effects of apocynin using apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE –/– ) mice in vivo and in mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro. In atherosclerosis-prone apoE –/– mice, apocynin suppressed the progression of atherosclerosis, decreased 4-hydroxynonenal-positive area in atherosclerotic lesions, and mRNA expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in aorta. In mouse peritoneal macrophages, apocynin suppressed the Ox-LDL-induced ROS generation, mRNA expression of MCP-1, IL-6 and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and cell proliferation. Moreover, immunohistochemical studies revealed that apocynin decreased the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions of apoE –/– mice. These results suggested that apocynin suppressed the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, at least in part, by inactivation of macrophages. Therefore, apocynin may be a potential therapeutic material to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis

  3. Apocynin suppresses the progression of atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice by inactivation of macrophages

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kinoshita, Hiroyuki [Department of Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556 (Japan); Matsumura, Takeshi, E-mail: takeshim@gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556 (Japan); Ishii, Norio; Fukuda, Kazuki; Senokuchi, Takafumi; Motoshima, Hiroyuki; Kondo, Tatsuya; Taketa, Kayo; Kawasaki, Shuji; Hanatani, Satoko [Department of Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556 (Japan); Takeya, Motohiro [Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556 (Japan); Nishikawa, Takeshi; Araki, Eiichi [Department of Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556 (Japan)

    2013-02-08

    Highlights: ► We examined the anti-athrogenic effect of apocynin in atherosclerotic model mice. ► Apocynin prevented atherosclerotic lesion formation. ► Apocynin suppressed ROS production in aorta and in macrophages. ► Apocynin suppressed cytokine expression and cell proliferation in macrophages. ► Apocynin may be beneficial compound for the prevention of atherosclerosis. -- Abstract: Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other proinflammatory substances by macrophages plays an important role in atherogenesis. Apocynin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-acetophenone), which is well known as a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, has anti-inflammatory effects including suppression of the generation of ROS. However, the suppressive effects of apocynin on the progression of atherosclerosis are not clearly understood. Thus, we investigated anti-atherosclerotic effects of apocynin using apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE{sup –/–}) mice in vivo and in mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro. In atherosclerosis-prone apoE{sup –/–} mice, apocynin suppressed the progression of atherosclerosis, decreased 4-hydroxynonenal-positive area in atherosclerotic lesions, and mRNA expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in aorta. In mouse peritoneal macrophages, apocynin suppressed the Ox-LDL-induced ROS generation, mRNA expression of MCP-1, IL-6 and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and cell proliferation. Moreover, immunohistochemical studies revealed that apocynin decreased the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions of apoE{sup –/–} mice. These results suggested that apocynin suppressed the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, at least in part, by inactivation of macrophages. Therefore, apocynin may be a potential therapeutic material to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.

  4. Hypoxia-ischemia or excitotoxin-induced tissue plasminogen activator- dependent gelatinase activation in mice neonate brain microvessels.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priscilla L Omouendze

    Full Text Available Hypoxia-ischemia (HI and excitotoxicity are validated causes of neonatal brain injuries and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA participates in the processes through proteolytic and receptor-mediated pathways. Brain microvascular endothelial cells from neonates in culture, contain and release more t-PA and gelatinases upon glutamate challenge than adult cells. We have studied t-PA to gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity links in HI and excitotoxicity lesion models in 5 day-old pups in wild type and in t-PA or its inhibitor (PAI-1 genes inactivated mice. Gelatinolytic activities were detected in SDS-PAGE zymograms and by in situ fluorescent DQ-gelatin microscopic zymographies. HI was achieved by unilateral carotid ligature followed by a 40 min hypoxia (8%O₂. Excitotoxic lesions were produced by intra parenchymal cortical (i.c. injections of 10 µg ibotenate (Ibo. Gel zymograms in WT cortex revealed progressive extinction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities near day 15 or day 8 respectively. MMP-2 expression was the same in all strains while MMP-9 activity was barely detectable in t-PA⁻/⁻ and enhanced in PAI-1⁻/⁻ mice. HI or Ibo produced activation of MMP-2 activities 6 hours post-insult, in cortices of WT mice but not in t-PA⁻/⁻ mice. In PAI-1⁻/⁻ mice, HI or vehicle i.c. injection increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities. In situ zymograms using DQ-gelatin revealed vessel associated gelatinolytic activity in lesioned areas in PAI-1⁻/⁻ and in WT mice. In WT brain slices incubated ex vivo, glutamate (200 µM induced DQ-gelatin activation in vessels. The effect was not detected in t-PA⁻/⁻ mice, but was restored by concomitant exposure to recombinant t-PA (20 µg/mL. In summary, neonatal brain lesion paradigms and ex vivo excitotoxic glutamate evoked t-PA-dependent gelatinases activation in vessels. Both MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities appeared t-PA-dependent. The data suggest that vascular directed protease inhibition may have

  5. Retinoic acid suppresses growth of lesions, inhibits peritoneal cytokine secretion, and promotes macrophage differentiation in an immunocompetent mouse model of endometriosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieser, Friedrich; Wu, Juanjuan; Shen, Zhaoju; Taylor, Robert N; Sidell, Neil

    2012-06-01

    To determine the effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) on establishment and growth of endometrial lesions, peritoneal interleukin-6 (IL-6) and macrophage chemotactic factor-1 (MCP-1) concentrations, and CD38, CD11b, and F4/80 expression on peritoneal macrophages in an immunocompetent mouse model of endometriosis. Experimental transplantation study using mice. Academic medical center. C57BL/6 recipient mice and syngeneic green fluorescent protein transgenic (GFP+) mice. Recipient mice were inoculated with GFP+ minced uterine tissue to induce endometriosis and treated with RA (400 nmol/day) or vehicle for 17 days (3 days before to 14 days after tissue injection). Total number of GFP+ implants in recipient mice, number of implants showing visible blood vessels, total volume of established lesions per mouse, concentrations of IL-6 and MCP-1 in peritoneal fluid, and expression of CD11b, F4/80, and CD38 on peritoneal macrophages. Retinoic acid treatment for 17 days reduced the number of implants versus controls and decreased the frequency of lesions with vessels. Peritoneal washings in RA-treated animals had lower concentrations of IL-6 and MCP-1 than controls 3 days after endometrial inoculation and lower levels of IL-6 on day 14 after inoculation. Concomitant with these effects on day 14, CD38, CD11b, and F4/80 were higher on macrophages from RA-treated mice versus controls. The development of endometriotic implants is inhibited by RA. This effect may be caused, at least in part, by reduced IL-6 and MCP-1 production and enhanced differentiation of peritoneal macrophages. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of tritiated water on mice liver, in relation to age

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhatia, A L [Rajasthan Univ., Jaipur (India). Radiation Biology Lab.

    1978-06-01

    Tritiated water was administered intraperitoneally at the dose rate of about 20 ..mu..Ci/ml of body water to different six age groups of Swiss albino mice, ranging from 1 to 6 weeks old. They were autopsied at 48 hours post-injection. The liver of 5 weeks old mice is found most vulnerable and that of 4 weeks second but lesser than 5 weeks. Histopathologically, 1, 2, 3 and 6 weeks old mice liver showed lesser degree of damage. The distinct histopathological lesions include oedema, cytoplasmic vacuolation and degranulation, hyperaemia, increase number of Kupffer's cells etc.

  7. Self-organizing neural networks for automatic detection and classification of contrast-enhancing lesions in dynamic MR-mammography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vomweg, T.W.; Teifke, A.; Kauczor, H.U.; Achenbach, T.; Rieker, O.; Schreiber, W.G.; Heitmann, K.R.; Beier, T.; Thelen, M.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: Investigation and statistical evaluation of 'Self-Organizing Maps', a special type of neural networks in the field of artificial intelligence, classifying contrast enhancing lesions in dynamic MR-mammography. Material and Methods: 176 investigations with proven histology after core biopsy or operation were randomly divided into two groups. Several Self-Organizing Maps were trained by investigations of the first group to detect and classify contrast enhancing lesions in dynamic MR-mammography. Each single pixel's signal/time curve of all patients within the second group was analyzed by the Self-Organizing Maps. The likelihood of malignancy was visualized by color overlays on the MR-images. At last assessment of contrast-enhancing lesions by each different network was rated visually and evaluated statistically. Results: A well balanced neural network achieved a sensitivity of 90.5% and a specificity of 72.2% in predicting malignancy of 88 enhancing lesions. Detailed analysis of false-positive results revealed that every second fibroadenoma showed a 'typical malignant' signal/time curve without any chance to differentiate between fibroadenomas and malignant tissue regarding contrast enhancement alone; but this special group of lesions was represented by a well-defined area of the Self-Organizing Map. Discussion: Self-Organizing Maps are capable of classifying a dynamic signal/time curve as 'typical benign' or 'typical malignant'. Therefore, they can be used as second opinion. In view of the now known localization of fibroadenomas enhancing like malignant tumors at the Self-Organizing Map, these lesions could be passed to further analysis by additional post-processing elements (e.g., based on T2-weighted series or morphology analysis) in the future. (orig.)

  8. Influences of a-tocopherol on cholesterol metabolism and fatty streak development in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed an atherogenic diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peluzio M.C.G.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Although the role of oxidized lipoproteins is well known in atherogenesis, the role of vitamin E supplementation is still controversial. There is also little information about cholesterol metabolism (hepatic concentration and fecal excretion in the new models of atherosclerosis. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of moderate vitamin E supplementation on cholesterol metabolism and atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E (apo E-deficient mice. Apo E-deficient mice were fed an atherogenic diet containing 40 or 400 mg/kg of alpha-tocopherol acetate for 6 weeks. Total cholesterol in serum and liver and 3-OH-alpha-sterols in feces, and fecal excretion of bile acids were determined and histological analyses of aortic lesion were performed. A vitamin E-rich diet did not affect body weight, food intake or serum cholesterol. Serum and hepatic concentrations of cholesterol as well as sterol concentration in feces were similar in both groups. However, when compared to controls, the alpha-tocopherol-treated mice showed a reduction of about 60% in the atherosclerotic lesions when both the sum of lesion areas and the average of the largest lesion area were considered. These results demonstrate that supplementation of moderate doses of alpha-tocopherol was able to slow atherogenesis in apo E-deficient mice and to reduce atherogenic lipoproteins without modifying the hepatic pool or fecal excretion of cholesterol and bile acids.

  9. FGFR3 Deficiency Causes Multiple Chondroma-like Lesions by Upregulating Hedgehog Signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siru Zhou

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Most cartilaginous tumors are formed during skeletal development in locations adjacent to growth plates, suggesting that they arise from disordered endochondral bone growth. Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR3 signaling plays essential roles in this process; however, the role of FGFR3 in cartilaginous tumorigenesis is not known. In this study, we found that postnatal chondrocyte-specific Fgfr3 deletion induced multiple chondroma-like lesions, including enchondromas and osteochondromas, adjacent to disordered growth plates. The lesions showed decreased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK activity and increased Indian hedgehog (IHH expression. The same was observed in Fgfr3-deficient primary chondrocytes, in which treatment with a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK inhibitor increased Ihh expression. Importantly, treatment with an inhibitor of IHH signaling reduced the occurrence of chondroma-like lesions in Fgfr3-deficient mice. This is the first study reporting that the loss of Fgfr3 function leads to the formation of chondroma-like lesions via downregulation of MEK/ERK signaling and upregulation of IHH, suggesting that FGFR3 has a tumor suppressor-like function in chondrogenesis.

  10. Protective potential of Emblica Officinalis Linn. against radiation and lead induced hepatic lesion in Swiss albino mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purohit, R.K.; Bhartiya, K.M.; Isran, Rakesh; Bhati, Sharwan; Pyarelal; Basu, Arindam

    2013-01-01

    cholesterol and DNA showed a decreasing trend up to day - 14 in non drug treated groups and day - 7 in drug treated groups, thereafter value elevated up to day - 28. The biochemical parameters were observed in the form of increase or decrease in the values. The changes were found dose dependent. After combined treatment of radiation and lead acetate synergistic effect were observed. The liver of Emblica treated animals exhibited less severe damage as compared to non-drug treated animals at all the corresponding intervals. An early and fast recovery was also noticed in Emblica pretreated animals. Thus, it appears that Emblica is potent enough to check lead and radiation induced heptic lesion in Swiss albino mice. (author)

  11. Acute periodontal lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, David; Alonso, Bettina; de Arriba, Lorenzo; Santa Cruz, Isabel; Serrano, Cristina; Sanz, Mariano

    2014-06-01

    This review provides updates on acute conditions affecting the periodontal tissues, including abscesses in the periodontium, necrotizing periodontal diseases and other acute conditions that cause gingival lesions with acute presentation, such as infectious processes not associated with oral bacterial biofilms, mucocutaneous disorders and traumatic and allergic lesions. A periodontal abscess is clinically important because it is a relatively frequent dental emergency, it can compromise the periodontal prognosis of the affected tooth and bacteria within the abscess can spread and cause infections in other body sites. Different types of abscesses have been identified, mainly classified by their etiology, and there are clear differences between those affecting a pre-existing periodontal pocket and those affecting healthy sites. Therapy for this acute condition consists of drainage and tissue debridement, while an evaluation of the need for systemic antimicrobial therapy will be made for each case, based on local and systemic factors. The definitive treatment of the pre-existing condition should be accomplished after the acute phase is controlled. Necrotizing periodontal diseases present three typical clinical features: papilla necrosis, gingival bleeding and pain. Although the prevalence of these diseases is not high, their importance is clear because they represent the most severe conditions associated with the dental biofilm, with very rapid tissue destruction. In addition to bacteria, the etiology of necrotizing periodontal disease includes numerous factors that alter the host response and predispose to these diseases, namely HIV infection, malnutrition, stress or tobacco smoking. The treatment consists of superficial debridement, careful mechanical oral hygiene, rinsing with chlorhexidine and daily re-evaluation. Systemic antimicrobials may be used adjunctively in severe cases or in nonresponding conditions, being the first option metronidazole. Once the acute

  12. Association of matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) with the expression of matrix metalloproteinases-1, -2 and -9 during periapical lesion development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sousa, Natália Guimarães Kalatzis; Cardoso, Cristina Ribeiro de Barros; Silva, João Satana da; Kuga, Milton Carlos; Tanomaru-Filho, Mário; Faria, Gisele

    2014-09-01

    To evaluate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and its correlation with the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-1, -2 and -9 during the development of periapical lesion in mice. Periapical lesions were induced in the lower first molars of mice and after 7, 14, 21 and 42 days the mandibles were removed. The periapical lesions were measured by micro-computed tomography. The expression of EMMPRIN, MMPs-1, -2, and -9 genes were determined by real-time RT-PCR. The location and expression of EMMPRIN and MMPs were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. At 14 days, the periapical lesion area was higher than at 7 days. At 21 and 42 days no statistically significant bone loss was observed in comparison to 14 days. The control group showed discrete and occasional EMMPRIM, MMP-1, -2 and -9 immunostaining in the periodontal ligament fibroblasts. At 7, 14, 21 and 42 days intense immunoexpression was observed for EMMPRIN, MMPs-1, -2 and -9 in the region adjacent to the apical foramen. The EMMPRIN immunoexpression was higher at 7, 14, 21 and 42 days compared with the control. There was a positive correlation between gene expression of EMMPRIN and MMPs in the active phase of periapical lesion development. There is a high expression of EMMPRIM mainly by the inflammatory infiltrate in the region adjacent to the apical foramen during periapical lesion development. Furthermore, the positive correlation with MMP-1, -2, and -9 during the first days after periapical lesion induction indicates that EMMPRIM may be involved in the active phase of periapical lesions development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A Unique Case of Melorheostosis Presenting with Two Radiologically Distinct Lesions in the Shoulder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed A. Elsheikh

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Melorheostosis is a rare, nonhereditary, benign, mesenchymal condition of unknown aetiology affecting the bones and surrounding tissues. A male patient complaining of left shoulder pain, swelling, and mildly limited range of motion has an exclusive combination of the classic dripping wax lesion in the scapula and the myositis ossificans-like lesion in the deltoid muscle; this combination is the first to be reported in the shoulder. Both lesions showed typical findings of melorheostosis in radiographs, CT, MRI, and bone scan. This case has a stationary course over the follow-up period, and no specific treatment is needed in due course.

  14. Reduction of age-associated pathology in old mice by overexpression of catalase in mitochondria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Treuting, Piper M; Linford, Nancy J; Knoblaugh, Sue E; Emond, M J; Morton, John F; Martin, George M; Rabinovitch, Peter S; Ladiges, Warren C

    2008-08-01

    We describe the effects of mitochondrially targeted catalase (MCAT) expression on end-of-life pathology in mice using detailed semiquantitative histopathological evaluation. We previously reported that the median and maximum life spans of MCAT mice were extended relative to those of wild-type littermates. We now report that MCAT expression is associated with reduced malignant nonhematopoietic tumor burden, reduced cardiac lesions, and a trend toward reduced systemic inflammation, with no effect on hematopoietic neoplasia or glomerulonephropathy. Combined disease burden and comorbidity are also reduced, and MCAT expression is not associated with any detrimental clinical effects. The results suggest that oxidative damage is involved in aging of C57BL/6J mice via modulation of a subset of age-associated lesions. Antioxidant interventions targeting mitochondria may therefore be a viable strategy for prevention or postponement of some age-associated diseases. The variability of the MCAT effect across tissues, however, illustrates the importance of developing semiquantitative histopathology for assessment of comorbidity in life-span studies.

  15. Disrupted Co-activation of Interneurons and Hippocampal Network after Focal Kainate Lesion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lim-Anna Sieu

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available GABAergic interneurons are known to control activity balance in physiological conditions and to coordinate hippocampal networks during cognitive tasks. In temporal lobe epilepsy interneuron loss and consecutive network imbalance could favor pathological hypersynchronous epileptic discharges. We tested this hypothesis in mice by in vivo unilateral epileptogenic hippocampal kainate lesion followed by in vitro recording of extracellular potentials and patch-clamp from GFP-expressing interneurons in CA3, in an optimized recording chamber. Slices from lesioned mice displayed, in addition to control synchronous events, larger epileptiform discharges. Despite some ipsi/contralateral and layer variation, interneuron density tended to decrease, average soma size to increase. Their membrane resistance decreased, capacitance increased and contralateral interneuron required higher current intensity to fire action potentials. Examination of synchronous discharges of control and larger amplitudes, revealed that interneurons were biased to fire predominantly with the largest population discharges. Altogether, these observations suggest that the overall effect of reactive cell loss, hypertrophy and reduced contralateral excitability corresponds to interneuron activity tuning to fire with larger population discharges. Such cellular and network mechanisms may contribute to a runaway path toward epilepsy.

  16. The surface chemistry determines the spatio-temporal interaction dynamics of quantum dots in atherosclerotic lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uhl, Bernd; Hirn, Stephanie; Mildner, Karina; Coletti, Raffaele; Massberg, Steffen; Reichel, Christoph A; Rehberg, Markus; Zeuschner, Dagmar; Krombach, Fritz

    2018-03-01

    To optimize the design of nanoparticles for diagnosis or therapy of vascular diseases, it is mandatory to characterize the determinants of nano-bio interactions in vascular lesions. Using ex vivo and in vivo microscopy, we analyzed the interactive behavior of quantum dots with different surface functionalizations in atherosclerotic lesions of ApoE-deficient mice. We demonstrate that quantum dots with different surface functionalizations exhibit specific interactive behaviors with distinct molecular and cellular components of the injured vessel wall. Moreover, we show a role for fibrinogen in the regulation of the spatio-temporal interaction dynamics in atherosclerotic lesions. Our findings emphasize the relevance of surface chemistry-driven nano-bio interactions on the differential in vivo behavior of nanoparticles in diseased tissue.

  17. Magnetic resonance imaging of cyclops lesion as a cause of persistent morbidity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

    OpenAIRE

    Amit Kharat; Sahil Garg; Amarjit Singh; Vilas Kulkarni

    2015-01-01

    Localized anterior arthrofibrosis (cyclops lesion) is having around 1-9.8% frequency rate after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. It has been reported to be a significant cause of loss of knee extension after reconstruction of the ACL of the knee. We present a case report of a patient with prior ACL reconstruction who presented with pain and loss of extension following surgery. MR imaging revealed the typical features of cyclops lesion. Repeat arthroscopy excision of the lesion...

  18. [Chiasma lesions in sport accidents (author's transl)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fulmek, R

    1975-09-01

    With reference to a chiasma contusion, proved at autopsy, sustained by a football player after a temporal impression fracture due to contact of a knee with his skull, the pathological mechanism causing chiasma injuries in blunt head injuries is explained. Finally, from our own experience we report on 2 water-sports accidents sustained by young men (a jump from the trampoline, and a fall during water-skiing) where chiasma-lesions were diagnosed from typical field defects.

  19. Central Lesions With Selective Semicircular Canal Involvement Mimicking Bilateral Vestibulopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luke Chen

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP, which is due to peripheral lesions, may selectively involve certain semicircular canal (SCC. Recent eye movement recordings with search coil and video head impulse test (HIT have provided insight in central lesions that can cause bilateral and selective SCC deficit mimicking BVP. Since neurological signs or ocular motor deficits maybe subtle or absent, it is critical to recognize central lesions correctly since there is prognostic and treatment implication. Acute floccular lesions cause bilateral horizontal SCC (HC impairment while leaving vertical SCC function unaffected. Vestibular nuclear lesions affect bilateral HC and posterior SCC (PC function, but anterior SCC (AC function is spared. When both eyes are recorded, medial longitudinal fasciculus lesions cause horizontal dysconjugacy in HC function and catch-up saccades, as well as selective deficiency of PC over AC function. Combined peripheral and central lesions may be difficult to distinguish from BVP. Anterior inferior cerebellar artery stroke causes two types of deficits: 1. ipsilateral pan-SCC deficits and contralateral HC deficit and 2. bilateral HC deficit with vertical SCC sparing. Metabolic disorders such as Wernicke encephalopathy characteristically involve HC but not AC or PC function. Gaucher disease causes uniform loss of all SCC function but with minimal horizontal catch-up saccades. Genetic cerebellar ataxias and cerebellar-ataxia neuropathy vestibular areflexia syndrome typically do not spare AC function. While video HIT does not replace the gold-standard, search coil HIT, clinicians are now able to rapidly and accurately identify specific pattern of SCC deficits, which can aid differentiation of central lesions from BVP.

  20. Impaired inflammatory response and increased oxidative stress and neurodegeneration after brain injury in interleukin-6-deficient mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Penkowa, M; Giralt, M; Carrasco, J

    2000-01-01

    of the antioxidants Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), Mn-SOD, and catalase remained unaffected by the IL-6 deficiency. The lesioned mice showed increased oxidative stress, as judged by malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrotyrosine (NITT) levels and by formation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). IL-6KO mice...

  1. Cerebellar Lesions of Uremic Encephalopathy on MRI in Hemodialyzed Diabetic Patient: A Case Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kil, Min Chul; Lee, Seung Young; Cha, Sang Hoon; Cho, Bum Sang; Kang, Min Ho [Dept. of Radiology, Chungbuk National Universty Hospital, Cheongju (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-01-15

    Uremic encephalopathy (UE) is a well-known complication of uremia, but its pathophysiology remains unknown. It is widely reported that in UE, the bilateral basal ganglia (BG) shows hyperintensities on T2/fluid attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but cerebellar lesions are extremely rare, with to the best of our knowledge, only one case reported to date. We describe the findings from computed tomography and MRI for typical BG and cerebellar vermis lesions.

  2. Cerebellar Lesions of Uremic Encephalopathy on MRI in Hemodialyzed Diabetic Patient: A Case Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kil, Min Chul; Lee, Seung Young; Cha, Sang Hoon; Cho, Bum Sang; Kang, Min Ho

    2012-01-01

    Uremic encephalopathy (UE) is a well-known complication of uremia, but its pathophysiology remains unknown. It is widely reported that in UE, the bilateral basal ganglia (BG) shows hyperintensities on T2/fluid attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but cerebellar lesions are extremely rare, with to the best of our knowledge, only one case reported to date. We describe the findings from computed tomography and MRI for typical BG and cerebellar vermis lesions.

  3. Immunomodulatory effect of diethylcarbamazine in mice infected with Nocardia brasiliensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Hernández, M; Castro-Corona, M A; Segoviano-Ramírez, J C; Brattig, N W; Medina-De la Garza, C E

    2014-11-01

    We tested whether diethylcarbamazine (DEC) or ivermectin (IVM), both antiparasitic drugs with reported immunomodulatory properties, were able to affect the immune system to potentiate host defense mechanisms and protect against actinomycetoma in a mouse model. Male BALB/c mice of 10-12 weeks of age were injected with either Nocardia brasiliensis or saline solution. Recorded were the effects of a treatment by DEC (6 mg/kg per os daily for one week) or IVM (200 μg/kg subcutaneously on days 1 and 3) on (i) the development of mycetoma lesion, (ii) the expression of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) by phagocytes, (iii) the proliferation index of lymphocytes and (iv) antibody production of IgG and IgM. After an initial lesion in all mice, DEC inhibited a full development and progression of actinomycetoma resulting in a reduced lesion size (p brasiliensis antigens and concanavalin A in DEC-treated group was higher than in non-treated group at day 21 and 28 postinfection (p brasiliensis leading to retrogression of the mycetoma and increasing cellular immune responses. Our findings may indicate a potential use of DEC as a putative adjuvant in infectious disease or vaccination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Vitamin D Repletion Reduces the Progression of Premalignant Squamous Lesions in the NTCU Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mouse Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazzilli, Sarah A.; Hershberger, Pamela A.; Reid, Mary E.; Bogner, Paul N.; Atwood, Kristopher; Trump, Donald L.; Johnson, Candace S.

    2015-01-01

    The chemopreventive actions of vitamin D were examined in the N-nitroso-tris-chloroethylurea (NTCU) mouse model, a progressive model of lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). SWR/J mice were fed a deficient diet (D) containing no vitamin D3, a sufficient diet (S) containing 2000 IU/kg vitamin D3, or the same diets in combination with the active metabolite of vitamin D, calcitriol (C) (80 μg/kg, weekly). The percentage (%) of the mucosal surface of large airways occupied by dysplastic lesions was determined in mice after treatment with a total dose of 15 or 25 μmol NTCU (N). After treatment with 15 μmol NTCU, the % of the surface of large airways containing high-grade dysplastic (HGD) lesions were vitamin D-deficient +NTCU (DN), 22.7 % (p<0.05 compared to vitamin D-sufficient +NTCU (SN)); DN + C, 12.3%; SN, 8.7%; and SN + C, 6.6%. The extent of HGD increased with NTCU dose in the DN group. Proliferation, assessed by Ki-67 labeling, increased upon NTCU treatment. The highest Ki-67 labeling index was seen in the DN group. As compared to SN mice, DN mice exhibited a 3-fold increase (p <0.005) in circulating white blood cells (WBC), a 20% (p <0.05) increase in IL-6 levels, and a 4 -fold (p <0.005) increase in WBC in bronchial lavages. Thus, vitamin D repletion reduces the progression of premalignant lesions, proliferation, and inflammation, and may thereby suppress development of lung SCC. Further investigations of the chemopreventive effects of vitamin D in lung SCC are warranted. PMID:26276745

  5. A Luciferase-Expressing Leishmania braziliensis Line That Leads to Sustained Skin Lesions in BALB/c Mice and Allows Monitoring of Miltefosine Treatment Outcome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriano C Coelho

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Leishmania braziliensis is the most prevalent species isolated from patients displaying cutaneous and muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis in South America. However, there are difficulties for studying L. braziliensis pathogenesis or response to chemotherapy in vivo due to the natural resistance of most mouse strains to infection with these parasites. The aim of this work was to develop an experimental set up that could be used to assess drug efficacy against L. braziliensis. The model was tested using miltefosine.A L. braziliensis line, originally isolated from a cutaneous leishmaniasis patient, was passaged repeatedly in laboratory rodents and further genetically manipulated to express luciferase. Once collected from a culture of parasites freshly transformed from amastigotes, 106 wild type or luciferase-expressing stationary phase promastigotes were inoculated subcutaneously in young BALB/c mice or golden hamsters. In both groups, sustained cutaneous lesions developed at the site of inoculation, no spontaneous self- healing being observed 4 months post-inoculation, if left untreated. Compared to the wild type line features, no difference was noted for the luciferase-transgenic line. Infected animals were treated with 5 or 15 mg/kg/day miltefosine orally for 15 days. At the end of treatment, lesions had regressed and parasites were not detected. However, relapses were observed in animals treated with both doses of miltefosine.Here we described experimental settings for a late-healing model of cutaneous leishmaniasis upon inoculation of a luciferase-expressing L. braziliensis line that can be applied to drug development projects. These settings allowed the monitoring of the transient efficacy of a short-term miltefosine administration.

  6. Radioguided Surgery for Localization of Nonpalpable Breast Lesions A Mini-Review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langhans, Linnea; Klausen, Thomas Levin; Tvedskov, Tove Filtenborg

    2016-01-01

    by ultrasound a small titanium seed containing typically 1-10 MBq of radioactive iodine-125 is placed in the centre of the nonpalpable breast lesion. During the operation the seed is located with a hand-held gamma probe. To date, only few cohort studies exist on the feasibility of RSL, and the method has only...... of patients with insufficient resection margin. These patients require a reoperation. New methods in the field of radioguided surgery (RGS) have been developed including radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) and radioactive seed localization (RSL). Especially RSL is a very promising technique. Guided...

  7. Amyloid β Enhances Typical Rodent Behavior While It Impairs Contextual Memory Consolidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salgado-Puga, Karla; Prado-Alcalá, Roberto A; Peña-Ortega, Fernando

    2015-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with an early hippocampal dysfunction, which is likely induced by an increase in soluble amyloid beta peptide (Aβ). This hippocampal failure contributes to the initial memory deficits observed both in patients and in AD animal models and possibly to the deterioration in activities of daily living (ADL). One typical rodent behavior that has been proposed as a hippocampus-dependent assessment model of ADL in mice and rats is burrowing. Despite the fact that AD transgenic mice show some evidence of reduced burrowing, it has not been yet determined whether or not Aβ can affect this typical rodent behavior and whether this alteration correlates with the well-known Aβ-induced memory impairment. Thus, the purpose of this study was to test whether or not Aβ affects burrowing while inducing hippocampus-dependent memory impairment. Surprisingly, our results show that intrahippocampal application of Aβ increases burrowing while inducing memory impairment. We consider that this Aβ-induced increase in burrowing might be associated with a mild anxiety state, which was revealed by increased freezing behavior in the open field, and conclude that Aβ-induced hippocampal dysfunction is reflected in the impairment of ADL and memory, through mechanisms yet to be determined.

  8. Impaired hippocampal acetylcholine release parallels spatial memory deficits in Tg2576 mice subjected to basal forebrain cholinergic degeneration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Bettina; Mørk, Arne; Plath, Niels

    2013-01-01

    (BFCD) in 3 months old male Tg2576 mice to co-express cholinergic degeneration with Aβ overexpression as these characteristics constitutes key hallmarks of AD. At 9 months, SAP lesioned Tg2576 mice were cognitively impaired in two spatial paradigms addressing working memory and mid to long-term memory...

  9. Oral lactoferrin protects against experimental candidiasis in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velliyagounder, K; Alsaedi, W; Alabdulmohsen, W; Markowitz, K; Fine, D H

    2015-01-01

    To determine the role of human lactoferrin (hLF) in protecting the oral cavities of mice against Candida albicans infection in lactoferrin knockout (LFKO(-/-)) mice was compared to wild-type (WT) mice. We also aim to determine the protective role of hLF in LFKO(-/-) mice. Antibiotic-treated immunosuppressed mice were inoculated with C. albicans (or sham infection) by oral swab and evaluated for the severity of infection after 7 days of infection. To determine the protective role of hLF, we added 0·3% solution of hLF to the drinking water given to some of the mice. CFU count, scoring of lesions and microscopic observations were carried out to determine the severity of infection. LFKO(-/-) I mice showed a 2 log (P = 0·001) higher CFUs of C. albicans in the oral cavity compared to the WT mice infected with C. albicans (WTI). LFKO(-/-) I mice given hLF had a 3 log (P = 0·001) reduction in CFUs in the oral cavity compared to untreated LFKO(-/-) I mice. The severity of infection, observed by light microscopy, revealed that the tongue of the LFKO(-/-) I mice showed more white patches compared to WTI and LFKO(-/-) I + hLF mice. Scanning electron microscopic observations revealed that more filiform papillae were destroyed in LFKO(-/-) I mice when compared to WTI or LFKO(-/-) I + hLF mice. Human LF is important in protecting mice from oral C. albicans infection. Administered hLF may be used to prevent C. albicans infection. Human LF, a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein can be used as a therapeutic active ingredient in oral healthcare products against C. albicans. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  10. Uremia does not affect neointima formation in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aarup, Annemarie; Nielsen, Carsten H; Bisgaard, Line S

    2017-01-01

    Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a major complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD leads to uremia, which modulates the phenotype of aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Phenotypic modulation of SMCs plays a key role in accelerating atherosclerosis. We investigated the hypothesis...... that uremia potentiates neointima formation in response to vascular injury in mice. Carotid wire injury was performed on C57BL/6 wt and apolipoprotein E knockout (Apoe-/-) mice two weeks after induction of uremia by 5/6 nephrectomy. Wire injury led to neointima formation and downregulation of genes encoding...... classical SMC markers (i.e., myocardin, α-smooth muscle actin, SM22-alpha, and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain) in both wt and Apoe-/-mice. Contrary to our expectations, uremia did not potentiate neointima formation, nor did it affect intimal lesion composition as judged from magnetic resonance imaging...

  11. NEOPLASTIC LESIONS OF THE APPENDIX

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piotr Bryk

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the research was to present the clinical observations of neoplastic lesions of the appendix (one carcinoid and two mucous cysts and to discuss various manners of treatment and prognosis. Material and methods: The authors of the following paper present a description of three cases of appendix tumours, two patients with a mucous cyst and a patient with carcinoid, against the background of all the appendectomies performed at the Clinical Department of General, Endocrine and Oncological Surgery of the Provincial Polyclinical Hospital in Kielce in the years 2005–2011. Results : Within the 7-year period, a total of 11 719 surgical operations have been performed, where 834 (7.1% were that of appendectomy. Among all of the removed vermiform appendixes, neoplastic lesions occurred in three cases constituting a mere 0.3% of all of the appendectomies performed within that period. In two of the cases there was a suspicion of mucous cysts before the surgical operation. In none of the above-mentioned cases was is possible to ultimately establish the diagnosis before the operation. The patients were subjected to a simple appendectomy. The patients are in good clinical health, with no signs of relapse. Conclusions : The presented cases of patients with appendix tumours illustrate the difficulty of preoperative detection of a neoplastic lesion. This is mainly due to a scantily symptomatic course or symptoms typical of appendicitis. In light of this, histopathological examination of each appendix should be treated as obligatory.

  12. Dynamics of oligodendrocyte responses to anterograde axonal (Wallerian) and terminal degeneration in normal and TNF-transgenic mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drøjdahl, Nina; Fenger, Christina; Nielsen, Helle H

    2004-01-01

    degeneration and lesion-induced axonal sprouting in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in TNF-transgenic mice with the response in genetically normal mice. Transectioning of the entorhino-dentate perforant path axonal projection increased hippocampal TNF mRNA expression in both types of mice, but to significantly...... larger levels in the TNF-transgenics. At 5 days after axonal transection, numbers of oligodendrocytes and myelin basic protein (MBP) mRNA expression in the denervated dentate gyrus in TNF-transgenic mice had increased to the same extent as in nontransgenic littermates. At this time, transgenics showed...

  13. Effect of Lactobacillus delbrueckii on cholesterol metabolism in germ-free mice and on atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E knock-out mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Portugal L.R.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Elevated blood cholesterol is an important risk factor associated with atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Several studies have reported a decrease in serum cholesterol during the consumption of large doses of fermented dairy products or lactobacillus strains. The proposed mechanism for this effect is the removal or assimilation of intestinal cholesterol by the bacteria, reducing cholesterol absorption. Although this effect was demonstrated in vitro, its relevance in vivo is still controversial. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the role of lactobacilli in atherogenesis. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of Lactobacillus delbrueckii on cholesterol metabolism in germ-free mice and the possible hypocholesterolemic and antiatherogenic action of these bacteria using atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E (apo E knock-out (KO mice. For this purpose, Swiss/NIH germ-free mice were monoassociated with L. delbrueckii and fed a hypercholesterolemic diet for four weeks. In addition, apo E KO mice were fed a normal chow diet and treated with L. delbrueckii for 6 weeks. There was a reduction in cholesterol excretion in germ-free mice, which was not associated with changes in blood or liver cholesterol concentration. In apo E KO mice, no effect of L. delbrueckii was detected in blood, liver or fecal cholesterol. The atherosclerotic lesion in the aorta was also similar in mice receiving or not these bacteria. In conclusion, these results suggest that, although L. delbrueckii treatment was able to reduce cholesterol excretion in germ-free mice, no hypocholesterolemic or antiatherogenic effect was observed in apo E KO mice.

  14. Chemical protection against long term effects in mice exposed to supralethal doses of X rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maisin, J.R.

    1982-01-01

    Our results demonstrate that mixtures of radioprotectors increase the degree of protection against the short and the long term effects compared with that obtained with each substance given separately. The most potent mixtures of radioprotectors (AET, MEA, Cyst, GSH, 5-HT) yield for the long term survival a dose reduction factor of 2.1. Pulmonary lesions are most often the cause of death in protected mice irradiated with 13.5 Gy or more. At the time of death signs of sclerosis and atrophy in several tissues are associated with these lung lesions in most mice and increase with dose and time after exposure. The tissues most affected are the kidney, the alimentary tract, the liver and the lymphoid tissues [fr

  15. Typical tumors of the petrous bone; Typische Tumoren des Felsenbeins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahlhelm, F.; Mueller, U. [Kantonsspital Baden AG, Abteilung fuer Neuroradiologie, Institut fuer Radiologie, Baden (Switzerland); Ulmer, S. [Medizinisch-Radiologisches Institut, Zuerich (Switzerland)

    2014-04-15

    In the region of the petrous bone, inner acoustic canal and cerebellopontine angle, a variety of different tissues can be found, such as bony, epithelial, neural and vascular structures. Tumorous or tumor-like lesions, vascular or bony malformations or other pathologies can therefore be found in all of these areas. We discuss various frequently occurring tumorous or tumor-like pathologies including congential lesions, such as mucoceles, inflammatory disorders including osteomyelitis, pseudotumors and Wegener's granulomatosis. Benign non-neoplastic lesions, such as cholesteatoma, cholesterol granuloma, epidermoid and benign neoplastic tumors, such as the most commonly found vestibular schwannoma, meningeoma, paraganglioma, vascular pathologies and finally malignant lesions, such as metastasis, chordoma or chondrosarcoma and endolymphatic sac tumor (ELST) are also discussed. The emphasis of this article is on the appearance of these entities in computed tomography (CT) and more so magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it provides key facts and typical images and discusses possibilities how to distinguish these pathologies. (orig.) [German] In der Region des Felsenbein, inneren Gehoerkanals und Kleinhirnbrueckenwinkels findet sich eine Vielzahl an unterschiedlichen Gewebearten inklusive knoechernes, epitheliales, nervales und vaskulaeres Gewebe. Tumoren oder tumoraehnliche Laesionen, ossaere oder vaskulaere Pathologien koennen entsprechend dort gefunden werden. Wir diskutieren verschiedene Tumoren oder tumoraehnliche Pathologien inklusive angeborene Laesionen wie Muko- und Meningozelen, entzuendliche Veraenderungen wie die Osteomyelitis, Pseudotumoren, die Wegener-Granulomatose, nichtneoplastische Tumoren wie das Epidermoid, Cholesteatom oder Cholesterolgranulom und gutartige neoplastische Tumoren wie das am haeufigsten zu findende Vestibularisschwannom, das Paragangliom und das Meningeom, Gefaessprozesse/-pathologien und schliesslich maligne Laesionen wie Metastasen

  16. Preventive effect of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor on atherosclerosis is mainly attributable to incretin's actions in nondiabetic and diabetic apolipoprotein E-null mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michishige Terasaki

    Full Text Available AIM: Several recent reports have revealed that dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-4 inhibitors have suppressive effects on atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-null (Apoe (-/- mice. It remains to be seen, however, whether this effect stems from increased levels of the two active incretins, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP. METHODS: Nontreated Apoe (-/- mice, streptozotocin-induced diabetic Apoe (-/- mice, and db/db diabetic mice were administered the DPP-4 inhibitor vildagliptin in drinking water and co-infused with either saline, the GLP-1 receptor blocker, exendin(9-39, the GIP receptor blocker, (Pro(3GIP, or both via osmotic minipumps for 4 weeks. Aortic atherosclerosis and oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced foam cell formation in exudate peritoneal macrophages were determined. RESULTS: Vildagliptin increased plasma GLP-1 and GIP levels without affecting food intake, body weight, blood pressure, or plasma lipid profile in any of the animals tested, though it reduced HbA1c in the diabetic mice. Diabetic Apoe (-/- mice exhibited further-progressed atherosclerotic lesions and foam cell formation compared with nondiabetic counterparts. Nondiabetic and diabetic Apoe (-/- mice showed a comparable response to vildagliptin, namely, remarkable suppression of atherosclerotic lesions with macrophage accumulation and foam cell formation in peritoneal macrophages. Exendin(9-39 or (Pro(3GIP partially attenuated the vildagliptin-induced suppression of atherosclerosis. The two blockers in combination abolished the anti-atherosclerotic effect of vildagliptin in nondiabetic mice but only partly attenuated it in diabetic mice. Vildagliptin suppressed macrophage foam cell formation in nondiabetic and diabetic mice, and this suppressive effect was abolished by infusions with exendin(9-39+(Pro(3GIP. Incubation of DPP-4 or vildagliptin in vitro had no effect on macrophage foam cell formation. CONCLUSIONS: Vildagliptin

  17. Magnetic resonance imaging of cyclops lesion as a cause of persistent morbidity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amit Kharat

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Localized anterior arthrofibrosis (cyclops lesion is having around 1-9.8% frequency rate after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL reconstruction. It has been reported to be a significant cause of loss of knee extension after reconstruction of the ACL of the knee. We present a case report of a patient with prior ACL reconstruction who presented with pain and loss of extension following surgery. MR imaging revealed the typical features of cyclops lesion. Repeat arthroscopy excision of the lesion is the only treatment to reduce the morbidity of the patient.

  18. Melanocortin 1 Receptor Deficiency Promotes Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-/- Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rinne, Petteri; Kadiri, James J; Velasco-Delgado, Mauricio; Nuutinen, Salla; Viitala, Miro; Hollmén, Maija; Rami, Martina; Savontaus, Eriika; Steffens, Sabine

    2018-02-01

    The MC1-R (melanocortin 1 receptor) is expressed by monocytes and macrophages where it mediates anti-inflammatory actions. MC1-R also protects against macrophage foam cell formation primarily by promoting cholesterol efflux through the ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily A member 1) and ABCG1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily G member 1). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether global deficiency in MC1-R signaling affects the development of atherosclerosis. Apoe -/- (apolipoprotein E deficient) mice were crossed with recessive yellow (Mc1r e/e ) mice carrying dysfunctional MC1-R and fed a high-fat diet to induce atherosclerosis. Apoe -/- Mc1r e/e mice developed significantly larger atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic sinus and in the whole aorta compared with Apoe -/- controls. In terms of plaque composition, MC1-R deficiency was associated with less collagen and smooth muscle cells and increased necrotic core, indicative of more vulnerable lesions. These changes were accompanied by reduced Abca1 and Abcg1 expression in the aorta. Furthermore, Apoe -/- Mc1r e/e mice showed a defect in bile acid metabolism that aggravated high-fat diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and hepatic lipid accumulation. Flow cytometric analysis of leukocyte profile revealed that dysfunctional MC1-R enhanced arterial accumulation of classical Ly6C high monocytes and macrophages, effects that were evident in mice fed a normal chow diet but not under high-fat diet conditions. In support of enhanced arterial recruitment of Ly6C high monocytes, these cells had increased expression of L-selectin and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1. The present study highlights the importance of MC1-R in the development of atherosclerosis. Deficiency in MC1-R signaling exacerbates atherosclerosis by disturbing cholesterol handling and by increasing arterial monocyte accumulation. © 2017 The Authors.

  19. Characterisation of intra-articular soft tissue tumours and tumour-like lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adams, Matthew E. [The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, The Department of Radiology, Middlesex (United Kingdom); Saifuddin, Asif [The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, The Department of Radiology, Middlesex (United Kingdom); The London Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Service, London (United Kingdom); University College London, The Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Sciences, London (United Kingdom)

    2007-04-15

    The aim of this study was to describe a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) classification system for intra-articular soft tissue tumours based on the morphology of the lesion, with the aim to aid the differential diagnosis. We performed a retrospective review of 52 consecutive patients presenting to a specialist musculoskeletal oncology unit with a suspected intra-articular tumour. Lesions were categorised into one of four groups according to a simple classification system based on their morphological features on MRI. Distinct groupings of pathologies emerged corresponding to each of the morphological categories. Particularly when combined with radiographic features of calcification and bone erosion, certain patterns were found to be characteristic of specific diagnoses. For example multifocal, calcified lesions were found exclusively in synovial osteochondromatosis and diffuse synovitis with hypointense T2-weighted signal intensity was typical of pigmented villonodular synovitis. Certain combinations of imaging features such as diffuse solid lesions and focal lesions with bone erosion were commonly associated with malignant lesions. We suggest that by classifying intra-articular masses according to their morphological features on MRI, particularly when combined with simple radiographic features, an additional parameter may be generated to aid the radiologist in making a diagnosis. In addition, particular combinations of features provide 'red flags' to increase the index of suspicion for malignancy. (orig.)

  20. Characterisation of intra-articular soft tissue tumours and tumour-like lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, Matthew E.; Saifuddin, Asif

    2007-01-01

    The aim of this study was to describe a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) classification system for intra-articular soft tissue tumours based on the morphology of the lesion, with the aim to aid the differential diagnosis. We performed a retrospective review of 52 consecutive patients presenting to a specialist musculoskeletal oncology unit with a suspected intra-articular tumour. Lesions were categorised into one of four groups according to a simple classification system based on their morphological features on MRI. Distinct groupings of pathologies emerged corresponding to each of the morphological categories. Particularly when combined with radiographic features of calcification and bone erosion, certain patterns were found to be characteristic of specific diagnoses. For example multifocal, calcified lesions were found exclusively in synovial osteochondromatosis and diffuse synovitis with hypointense T2-weighted signal intensity was typical of pigmented villonodular synovitis. Certain combinations of imaging features such as diffuse solid lesions and focal lesions with bone erosion were commonly associated with malignant lesions. We suggest that by classifying intra-articular masses according to their morphological features on MRI, particularly when combined with simple radiographic features, an additional parameter may be generated to aid the radiologist in making a diagnosis. In addition, particular combinations of features provide 'red flags' to increase the index of suspicion for malignancy. (orig.)

  1. Taurine effect on cytogenetic lesions in the cornea of mice exposed to 9 Gev proton irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vorozhtsova, S.V.; Yartsev, E.I.

    1989-01-01

    Possibilities of preventive measures and treatment of cytogenetic injuries in the mice cornea, subjected to proton irradiation at 9 Gev were studied. Taurine containing solution (TCS) was used as a radiomodifying agent. It is shown that TCS application enables to decrease aberrant mitoses level in cornea epithelium cells of mice. Antiactinic effect of the above agent is determined by its considerable action on mitotic delay

  2. Lesions of the dopaminergic innervation of the nucleus accumbens medial shell delay the generation of preference for sucrose, but not of sexual pheromones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Hernández, José; Lanuza, Enrique; Martínez-García, Fernando

    2012-01-15

    Male sexual pheromones are rewarding stimuli for female mice, able to induce conditioned place preference. To test whether processing these natural reinforcing stimuli depends on the dopaminergic innervation of the nucleus accumbens, as for other natural rewards, we compare the effects of specific lesions of the dopaminergic innervation of the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens on two different appetitive behaviours, 'pheromone seeking' and sucrose preferential intake. Female mice, with no previous experience with either adult male chemical stimuli or with sucrose, received injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (or vehicle) in the medial shell of the accumbens. Then, we analyzed their preference for male soiled-bedding and their preferential intake of a sucrose solution, with particular emphasis on the dynamics of acquisition of both natural rewards. The results indicate that both lesioned and sham animals showed similar preference for male sexual pheromones, which was constant along the test (linear dynamics). In contrast, lesioned animals differed from sham operated mice in the dynamics of sucrose consumption in their first test of sucrose preference. Sham animals showed an initial sucrose preference followed by preference for water, which can be interpreted as sucrose neophobia. Lesioned animals showed no preference at the beginning of the test, and a delayed sucrose preference appeared followed by a delayed neophobia. The next day, during a second sucrose-preference test, both groups displayed comparable and sustained preferential sucrose intake. Therefore, dopamine in the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens has a different role on the reward of sexual pheromones and sucrose. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Modulation by metformin of molecular and histopathological alterations in the lung of cigarette smoke-exposed mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izzotti, Alberto; Balansky, Roumen; D'Agostini, Francesco; Longobardi, Mariagrazia; Cartiglia, Cristina; Micale, Rosanna T; La Maestra, Sebastiano; Camoirano, Anna; Ganchev, Gancho; Iltcheva, Marietta; Steele, Vernon E; De Flora, Silvio

    2014-01-01

    The anti-diabetic drug metformin is endowed with anti-cancer properties. Epidemiological and experimental studies, however, did not provide univocal results regarding its role in pulmonary carcinogenesis. We used Swiss H mice of both genders in order to detect early molecular alterations and tumors induced by mainstream cigarette smoke. Based on a subchronic toxicity study, oral metformin was used at a dose of 800 mg/kg diet, which is 3.2 times higher than the therapeutic dose in humans. Exposure of mice to smoke for 4 months, starting at birth, induced a systemic clastogenic damage, formation of DNA adducts, oxidative DNA damage, and extensive downregulation of microRNAs in lung after 10 weeks. Preneoplastic lesions were detectable after 7.5 months in both lung and urinary tract along with lung tumors, both benign and malignant. Modulation by metformin of 42 of 1281 pulmonary microRNAs in smoke-free mice highlighted a variety of mechanisms, including modulation of AMPK, stress response, inflammation, NFκB, Tlr9, Tgf, p53, cell cycle, apoptosis, antioxidant pathways, Ras, Myc, Dicer, angiogenesis, stem cell recruitment, and angiogenesis. In smoke-exposed mice, metformin considerably decreased DNA adduct levels and oxidative DNA damage, and normalized the expression of several microRNAs. It did not prevent smoke-induced lung tumors but inhibited preneoplastic lesions in both lung and kidney. In conclusion, metformin was able to protect the mouse lung from smoke-induced DNA and microRNA alterations and to inhibit preneoplastic lesions in lung and kidney but failed to prevent lung adenomas and malignant tumors induced by this complex mixture

  4. X-ray appearance of cranial lesions in hyperparathyroid osteodystuophy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spuzyak, M.M.; Tsarikovskaya, K.G.; Tkach, F.S.; David'yants, L.S.

    1983-01-01

    Craniographic data on 58 patients with hyperparathyroid osteodystrophy weere analyzed. Cranial changes revealed in 52 patients. Some data on the nature apd frequency of X-ray signs of cranial lesion in hyperparathyroid osteodystrophy are presented. The most frequent and typical X-ray signs of cranial lesions in hyperparathyroid osteodystrophy, are granular osteoporosis of the facial tectum and bones, the blurred contour of the internal tectum plate, foci of osteoclasia, osteoporosis of the elements of the Turkish saddle, resorption of the closing plates of the dental cavities, alterration of the thickness of the vault bones, symmetrical thinning, irregularity and obscurity of the external tectum plate, subperiosteal resorption of the cortical layer of the mandible (34.5%), partial resorption of the alveolar process of the jaw and epulis of the mandible

  5. Unilateral Lesion of Dopamine Neurons Induces Grooming Asymmetry in the Mouse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelosi, Assunta; Girault, Jean-Antoine; Hervé, Denis

    2015-01-01

    Grooming behaviour is the most common innate behaviour in animals. In rodents, it consists of sequences of movements organized in four phases, executed symmetrically on both sides of the animal and creating a syntactic chain of behavioural events. The grooming syntax can be altered by stress and novelty, as well as by several mutations and brain lesions. Grooming behaviour is known to be affected by alterations of the dopamine system, including dopamine receptor modulation, dopamine alteration in genetically modified animals, and after brain lesion. While a lot is known about the initiation and syntactic modifications of this refined sequence of movements, effects of unilateral lesion of dopamine neurons are unclear particularly regarding the symmetry of syntactic chains. In the present work we studied grooming in mice unilaterally lesioned in the medial forebrain bundle by 6-hydroxydopamine. We found a reduction in completion of grooming bouts, associated with reduction in number of transitions between grooming phases. The data also revealed the development of asymmetry in grooming behaviour, with reduced tendency to groom the contralateral side to the lesion. Symmetry was recovered following treatment with L-DOPA. Thus, the present work shows that unilateral lesion of dopamine neurons reduces self-grooming behaviour by affecting duration and numbers of events. It produces premature discontinuation of grooming chains but the sequence syntax remains correct. This deficient grooming could be considered as an intrinsic symptom of Parkinson's disease in animal models and could present some similarities with abnormalities of motor movement sequencing seen in patients. Our study also suggests grooming analysis as an additional method to screen parkinsonism in animal models.

  6. Comparative Assessment of Induced Immune Responses Following Intramuscular Immunization with Fusion and Cocktail of LeIF, LACK and TSA Genes Against Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in BALB/c Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maspi, Nahid; Ghaffarifar, Fatemeh; Sharifi, Zohreh; Dalimi, Abdolhossein; Dayer, Mohammad Saaid

    2018-02-01

    In the present study, we evaluated induced immune responses following DNA vaccine containing cocktail or fusion of LeIF, LACK and TSA genes or each gene alone. Mice were injected with 100 µg of each plasmid containing the gene of insert, plasmid DNA alone as the first control group or phosphate buffer saline as the second control group. Then, cellular and humoral responses, lesion size were measured for all groups. All vaccinated mice induced Th1 immune responses against Leishmania characterized by higher IFN-γ and IgG2a levels compared with control groups (p < 0.05). In addition, IFN-γ levels increased in groups immunized with fusion and cocktail vaccines in comparison with LACK (p < 0.001) and LeIF (p < 0.01) groups after challenge. In addition, fusion and cocktail groups produced higher IgG2a values than groups vaccinated with a gene alone (p < 0.05). Lesion progression delayed for all immunized groups compared with control groups from 5th week post-infection (p < 0.05). Mean lesion size decreased in immunized mice with fusion DNA than three groups vaccinated with one gene alone (p < 0.05). While, lesion size decreased significantly in cocktail recipient group than LeIF recipient group (p < 0.05). There was no difference in lesion size between fusion and cocktail groups. Overall, immunized mice with cocktail and fusion vaccines showed stronger Th1 response by production of higher IFN-γ and IgG2a and showed smaller mean lesion size. Therefore, use of multiple antigens can improve induced immune responses by DNA vaccination.

  7. Macrophage p53 controls macrophage death in atherosclerotic lesions of apolipoprotein E deficient mice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boesten, L.S.M.; Zadelaar, A.S.M.; Nieuwkoop, A. van; Hu, L.; Teunisse, A.F.A.S.; Jochemsen, A.G.; Evers, B.; Water, B. van de; Gijbels, M.J.J.; Vlijmen, B.J.M. van; Havekes, L.M.; Winther, M.P.J. de

    2009-01-01

    The cellular composition of atherosclerotic lesions is determined by many factors including cell infiltration, proliferation and cell death. Tumor suppressor gene p53 has been shown to regulate both cell proliferation and cell death in many cell types. In the present study, we investigated the role

  8. Solitary tuberculous brain lesions: 24 new cases and a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Psimaras, D; Bonnet, C; Heinzmann, A; Cárdenas, G; Hernández José Luis, S; Tungaria, A; Behari, S; Lacrois, D; Mokhtari, K; Karantoni, E; Sokrab Tag, E; Idris Mohamed, N; Sönmez, G; Caumes, E; Roze, E

    2014-01-01

    A solitary tuberculous brain lesion (STBL) can be difficult to distinguish from a glioma, metastasis or other infectious disease, especially from a pyogenic brain abscess. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, diagnostic procedures and outcomes of 24 patients with STBL diagnosed in three centers from France, India and Mexico. We also reviewed 92 STBL cases previously reported in the literature. General symptoms were found in 54% of our patients, including enlarged lymph nodes in 20%. Cerebrospinal fluid was typically abnormal, with lymphocytic pleocytosis and a high protein level. The lung CT scan was abnormal in 56% of patients, showing lymphadenopathy or pachipleuritis. Brain MRI or CT was always abnormal, showing contrast-enhanced lesions. Typically, MRI abnormalities were hypointense on T1-weighted sequences, while T2-weighted sequences showed both a peripheral hypersignal and a central hyposignal. The diagnosis was documented microbiologically or supported histologically in 71% of cases. Clinical outcome was good in 83% of cases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Types and rate of cataract development in mice irradiated at different ages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gajewski, A.K.; Majewska, K.; Slowikowska, M.G.; Chomiczewski, K.; Kulig, A.

    1977-01-01

    The effect of age on the development of radiation cataract has been investigated in an inbred A strain of mice and, as a result, the patterns of age dependence and senile mice cataract development were obtained. In general, the lenses of mice 1 to 3 days old were the most sensitive to radiation; the maximum resistance was noted in 5-day-old mice, and from this age up to 3 to 7 weeks of life there was a period of increasing sensitivity. In older animals the lens sensitivity tends to level off. The early stages of cataract occurred in all irradiated groups at a younger age than in the control group, but the late stages occurred in irradiated groups at the same age as the senile cataract occurred in the control group. Two types of cataract were observed. One was typical for young irradiated mice 1 to 5 days of age and the other was typical for all remaining irradiated groups and for a control group. Also, an attempt was made to correlate the obtained results with the cell kinetics in normal lens epithelium

  10. A Rare Presentation of a Morel-Lavallee Lesion of the Lower Leg Successfully Treated With Ultrasound-Guided Aspiration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falconi, Audrey; Crellin, Holly; Tagawa, Chelsea

    2017-07-21

    A Morel-Lavallee lesion (MLL) is a relatively rare condition that is caused by a traumatic shearing force. This force leads to a closed degloving injury of the subcutaneous tissue and fascia that creates a potential space that can fill with lymph, blood, and necrotic fat. The MLLs are traditionally seen after high impact trauma and typically located at the greater trochanter and pelvis, although recent reports have found them to be located at the knee, thigh, and lower leg. The MLLs typically present as swelling at the site of injury, which can be difficult to differentiate from several other diagnoses. This case report discusses an MLL in the lower extremity that occurred during a rugby game. A lack of familiarity with MLLs often leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis was eventually made with an magnetic resonance imaging, and the lesion was successfully treated with ultrasound-guided aspiration and compression. The athlete was able to return to play without recurrence of the lesion.

  11. Early systemic bacterial dissemination and a rapid innate immune response characterize genetic resistance to plague of SEG mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demeure, Christian E; Blanchet, Charlène; Fitting, Catherine; Fayolle, Corinne; Khun, Huot; Szatanik, Marek; Milon, Geneviève; Panthier, Jean-Jacques; Jaubert, Jean; Montagutelli, Xavier; Huerre, Michel; Cavaillon, Jean-Marc; Carniel, Elisabeth

    2012-01-01

    Although laboratory mice are usually highly susceptible to Yersinia pestis, we recently identified a mouse strain (SEG) that exhibited an exceptional capacity to resist bubonic plague and used it to identify immune mechanisms associated with resistance. The kinetics of infection, circulating blood cells, granulopoiesis, lesions, and cellular populations in the spleen, and cytokine production in various tissues were compared in SEG and susceptible C57BL/6J mice after subcutaneous infection with the virulent Y. pestis CO92. Bacterial invasion occurred early (day 2) but was transient in SEG/Pas mice, whereas in C57BL/6J mice it was delayed but continuous until death. The bacterial load in all organs significantly correlated with the production of 5 cytokines (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), macrophage cationic peptide-1 (MCP-1), interleukin 1α, and interleukin 6) involved in monocyte and neutrophil recruitment. Indeed, higher proportions of these 2 cell types in blood and massive recruitment of F4/80(+)CD11b(-) macrophages in the spleen were observed in SEG/Pas mice at an early time point (day 2). Later times after infection (day 4) were characterized in C57BL/6J mice by destructive lesions of the spleen and impaired granulopoiesis. A fast and efficient Y. pestis dissemination in SEG mice may be critical for the triggering of an early and effective innate immune response necessary for surviving plague.

  12. Lightly Cooked Broccoli Is as Effective as Raw Broccoli in Mitigating Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanling Wang

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Dietary broccoli is anti-inflammatory. Past studies have typically investigated raw broccoli, even though most consumers prefer cooked broccoli, where the plant myrosinase is inactivated by heat, resulting in failure of formation of the anti-inflammatory bioactive compound sulforaphane (SF. This study compareed efficacy of lightly cooked broccoli (CB containing greatly diminished myrosinase activity, with raw broccoli (RB, in mitigating colitis in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS-treated mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed for two weeks on a 10% RB, 10% CB or control diet, all based on the AIN-93M diet. Half (n = 9 of each group received drinking water, half received 2.5% DSS in water for one week, starting from Day 7 of the diet. Even with far less plant myrosinase activity, CB was essentially as effective as RB in lessening damage by DSS, evidenced by decreased disease activity index, attenuated colon length shrinkage, less endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide leakage into blood, and less severe colon lesions as assessed by histopathology. mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines indicated that broccoli anti-inflammatory action may be through inhibition of the IL-6 trans-signaling pathway, as evidenced by reversal of the DSS-increased expression of IL-6, CCR2 and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1.

  13. Induction of premalignant host responses by cathepsin x/z-deficiency in Helicobacter pylori-infected mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabine Krueger

    Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori are responsible for the induction of chronic gastric inflammation progressing to atrophy, metaplasia, and gastric cancer. The overexpression of Cathepsin X/Z (Ctsz in H. pylori-infected mucosa and gastric cancer is mediated predominantly by an augmented migration of ctsz(-/-positive macrophages and the up-regulation of Ctsz in tumor epithelium. To explore the Ctsz-function in the context of chronic inflammation and the development of preneoplastic lesions, we used Ctsz-deficient mice in a H. pylori gastritis model. Ctsz (-/- and wild-type (wt mice were infected with H. pylori strain SS1. The mice were sacrificed at 24, 36, and 50 weeks post infection (wpi. The stomach was removed, and gastric strips were snap-frozen or embedded and stained with H&E. Tissue sections were scored for epithelial lesions and inflammation. Ki-67 and F4/80 immunostaining were used to measure epithelial cell proliferation and macrophage infiltration, respectively. The upregulation of compensating cathepsins and cytokines were confirmed by Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR. SS1-infected wt and ctsz (-/- mice showed strong inflammation, foveolar hyperplasia, atrophy, and cystically-dilated glands. However, at 50 wpi, ctsz (-/- mice developed significantly more severe spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM, showed enhanced epithelial proliferation, and higher levels of infiltrating macrophages. Induction of cytokines was higher and significantly prolonged in ctsz (-/- mice compared to wt. Ctsz deficiency supports H. pylori-dependent development of chronic gastritis up to metaplasia, indicating a protective, but not proteolytic, function of Ctsz in inflammatory gastric disease.

  14. Sirtuin 1 stimulates the proliferation and the expression of glycolysis genes in pancreatic neoplastic lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinho, Andreia V; Mawson, Amanda; Gill, Anthony; Arshi, Mehreen; Warmerdam, Max; Giry-Laterriere, Marc; Eling, Nils; Lie, Triyana; Kuster, Evelyne; Camargo, Simone; Biankin, Andrew V; Wu, Jianmin; Rooman, Ilse

    2016-11-15

    Metabolic reprogramming is a feature of neoplasia and tumor growth. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a lysine deacetylase of multiple targets including metabolic regulators such as p53. SIRT1 regulates metaplasia in the pancreas. Nevertheless, it is unclear if SIRT1 affects the development of neoplastic lesions and whether metabolic gene expression is altered.To assess neoplastic lesion development, mice with a pancreas-specific loss of Sirt1 (Pdx1-Cre;Sirt1-lox) were bred into a KrasG12D mutant background (KC) that predisposes to the development of pancreatic intra-epithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Similar grade PanIN lesions developed in KC and KC;Sirt1-lox mice but specifically early mucinous PanINs occupied 40% less area in the KC;Sirt1-lox line, attributed to reduced proliferation. This was accompanied by reduced expression of proteins in the glycolysis pathway, such as GLUT1 and GAPDH.The stimulatory effect of SIRT1 on proliferation and glycolysis gene expression was confirmed in a human PDAC cell line. In resected PDAC samples, higher proliferation and expression of glycolysis genes correlated with poor patient survival. SIRT1 expression per se was not prognostic but low expression of Cell Cycle and Apoptosis Regulator 2 (CCAR2), a reported SIRT1 inhibitor, corresponded to poor patient survival.These findings open perspectives for novel targeted therapies in pancreatic cancer.

  15. Sirtuin 1 stimulates the proliferation and the expression of glycolysis genes in pancreatic neoplastic lesions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinho, Andreia V.; Mawson, Amanda; Gill, Anthony; Arshi, Mehreen; Warmerdam, Max; Giry-Laterriere, Marc; Eling, Nils; Lie, Triyana; Kuster, Evelyne; Camargo, Simone; Biankin, Andrew V.; Wu, Jianmin; Rooman, Ilse

    2016-01-01

    Metabolic reprogramming is a feature of neoplasia and tumor growth. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a lysine deacetylase of multiple targets including metabolic regulators such as p53. SIRT1 regulates metaplasia in the pancreas. Nevertheless, it is unclear if SIRT1 affects the development of neoplastic lesions and whether metabolic gene expression is altered. To assess neoplastic lesion development, mice with a pancreas-specific loss of Sirt1 (Pdx1-Cre;Sirt1-lox) were bred into a KrasG12D mutant background (KC) that predisposes to the development of pancreatic intra-epithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Similar grade PanIN lesions developed in KC and KC;Sirt1-lox mice but specifically early mucinous PanINs occupied 40% less area in the KC;Sirt1-lox line, attributed to reduced proliferation. This was accompanied by reduced expression of proteins in the glycolysis pathway, such as GLUT1 and GAPDH. The stimulatory effect of SIRT1 on proliferation and glycolysis gene expression was confirmed in a human PDAC cell line. In resected PDAC samples, higher proliferation and expression of glycolysis genes correlated with poor patient survival. SIRT1 expression per se was not prognostic but low expression of Cell Cycle and Apoptosis Regulator 2 (CCAR2), a reported SIRT1 inhibitor, corresponded to poor patient survival. These findings open perspectives for novel targeted therapies in pancreatic cancer. PMID:27494892

  16. DNA mismatch repair deficiency accelerates lung neoplasm development in K-rasLA1/+ mice: a brief report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Downey, Charlene M; Jirik, Frank R

    2015-01-01

    Inherited as well as acquired deficiencies in specific DNA mismatch repair (MMR) components are associated with the development of a wide range of benign and malignant neoplasms. Loss of key members such as MSH2 and MLH1 severely cripples the ability of the cell to recognize and correct such lesions as base:base mismatches and replicative DNA polymerase errors such as slippages at repetitive sequences. Genomic instability resulting from MMR deficiency not only predisposes cells to malignant transformation but may also promote tumor progression. To test the latter, we interbred Msh2 −/− mice with the K-ras LA1/+ transgenic line that spontaneously develops a range of premalignant and malignant lung lesions. Compared to K-ras LA1/+ mice, K-ras LA1/+ ; Msh2 −/− mice developed lung adenomas and adenocarcinomas at an increased frequency and also demonstrated evidence of accelerated adenocarcinoma growth. Since MMR defects have been identified in some human lung cancers, the mutant mice may not only be of preclinical utility but they will also be useful in identifying gene alterations able to act in concert with Kras mutants to promote tumor progression

  17. Inhibitory effect of the combination therapy of simvastatin and pinocembrin on atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sang Hui

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The present study was performed to investigate the effects of the combination therapy of pinocembrin and simvastatin on the atherosclerotic lesions development in the ApoE−/− mice. Methods Eight-week-old male ApoE−/− mice were fed high fat diet (HFD and treated with simvastatin (10 mg/kg per day, pinocembrin (20 mg/kg per day, or the combination therapy (simvastatin 5 mg/kg per day and pinocembrin 20 mg/kg per day for 14 weeks. The serum lipid levels, nitric oxide (NO, endothelin (ET, superoxide dismutase (SOD and malondialdehyde (MDA were determined with spectrophotometric measurement and ELISA assay. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF in serum and aortic root was detected. En face analyses of atherosclerotic lesion in whole aorta and aortic root sections were performed with plaque staining using oil red O. Results The combination treatment with simvastatin and pinocembrin resulted in significantly decreased levels of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, augmented NO levels and SOD activity, inhibited ET and VEGF expression. Immunohistochemistry of aortic valve sections revealed that the combination therapy also suppressed the expression of VEGF induced by HFD. In addition, HFD-induced arterial wall lipid disposition displayed by oil red O staining was reduced significantly in aortic root and whole aorta en face in the combination administrated mice. The effect of the combination was superior to simvastatin alone. Conclusion The combination of simvastatin and pinocembrin synergistically inhibited atherosclerotic lesion development in ApoE−/− mice with hyperlipidemia, which is partially dependent on the protective of vascular endothelium.

  18. Radiation-induced focal cortical necrosis of the femur presenting as a lytic lesion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ilaslan, Hakan; Schils, Jean [Cleveland Clinic, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Cleveland, OH (United States); Joyce, Michael [Cleveland Clinic, Orthopedic Oncology, Cleveland, OH (United States); Shah, Chirag [Cleveland Clinic, Radiation Oncology, Cleveland, OH (United States); Zhang, Yaxia [Cleveland Clinic, Pathology, Cleveland, OH (United States)

    2017-11-15

    Management of soft tissue sarcomas is often complicated, requiring radiation before and in some cases after limb-sparing surgery. Radiation necrosis is a severe complication after radiation treatment and is typically dose related and involves medullary bone. We report on two cases of hitherto unreported focal circumscribed intra-cortical lytic lesions within the radiation portal, which appeared 19 months and 31 months, respectively, after the conclusion of radiation treatment. Both patients had a history of soft tissue sarcoma treated with radiation (66 Gy) and surgical resection. Biopsy of these lesions showed necrotic bone attributed to radiation. (orig.)

  19. Maporal Hantavirus Causes Mild Pathology in Deer Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda McGuire

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Rodent-borne hantaviruses can cause two human diseases with many pathological similarities: hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS in the western hemisphere and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the eastern hemisphere. Each virus is hosted by specific reservoir species without conspicuous disease. HCPS-causing hantaviruses require animal biosafety level-4 (ABSL-4 containment, which substantially limits experimental research of interactions between the viruses and their reservoir hosts. Maporal virus (MAPV is a South American hantavirus not known to cause disease in humans, thus it can be manipulated under ABSL-3 conditions. The aim of this study was to develop an ABSL-3 hantavirus infection model using the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus, the natural reservoir host of Sin Nombre virus (SNV, and a virus that is pathogenic in another animal model to examine immune response of a reservoir host species. Deer mice were inoculated with MAPV, and viral RNA was detected in several organs of all deer mice during the 56 day experiment. Infected animals generated both nucleocapsid-specific and neutralizing antibodies. Histopathological lesions were minimal to mild with the peak of the lesions detected at 7–14 days postinfection, mainly in the lungs, heart, and liver. Low to modest levels of cytokine gene expression were detected in spleens and lungs of infected deer mice, and deer mouse primary pulmonary cells generated with endothelial cell growth factors were susceptible to MAPV with viral RNA accumulating in the cellular fraction compared to infected Vero cells. Most features resembled that of SNV infection of deer mice, suggesting this model may be an ABSL-3 surrogate for studying the host response of a New World hantavirus reservoir.

  20. Overexpression of catalase in mice reduces age-related oxidative stress and maintains sperm production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selvaratnam, Johanna; Robaire, Bernard

    2016-11-01

    Advanced paternal age is associated with increased complications in pregnancy and genetic diseases in offspring. Oxidative stress is a major contributor to the damage accumulated in sperm during aging. Complex networks of antioxidants regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the testis. While mounting evident shows that redox dysfunction compromises the quality of developing male germ cells, the mechanisms by which aging causes this remain unclear. Furthermore, therapies to successfully alleviate aging-associated loss in germ cell quality are limited. The antioxidant catalase (CAT) has been used in aging-associated pathologies to alleviate oxidative stress. We used mice overexpressing CAT (MCAT) to determine whether CAT overexpression alleviates the redox dysfunction observed with aging. We found that MCAT mice did not exhibit the age-dependent loss of spermatozoa, nor did they show aging associated loss in testicular germ and Sertoli cells seen in wild type (WT). Low overall ROS and reduced peroxynitrite levels were detected in spermatocytes from aged MCAT mice, following exposure to the pro-oxidant tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Germ cells from young MCATs showed elevated levels of DNA-damage repair markers, γ-H2AX and 53BP1, but this response was lost with aging. Finally, we found oxidative stress induced 8-oxodG lesions to increase in sperm with aging; these lesions were significantly reduced in aged MCAT and these mice showed no decrease in the age-dependent number of pups per litter. Thus we conclude that aged MCAT mice generate sperm at the same rate as young mice; these sperm are protected from oxidative stress associated damage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The inhibitory effect of Duchesnea chrysantha extract on the development of atopic dermatitis-like lesions by regulating IgE and cytokine production in Nc/Nga mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ji-Sook; Kim, In Sik; Ryu, Ji-Sun; Kim, Joo-Hwan; Kim, Jin Sook; Kim, Dong-Hee; Yun, Chi-Young

    2012-02-01

    Duchesnea chrysantha belongs to the Rosaceae family and has been used traditionally for the treatment of various diseases in Korea and other parts of East Asia. This study examined the antiinflammatory effect of Duchesnea chrysantha extract (DcE) on atopic dermatitis in vitro and in vivo. DcE inhibited the production of IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 in THP-1 cells and the release of IL-6 and MCP-1 in EoL-1 cells after treatment with house dust mite extract. In the in vivo experiment, Nc/Nga mice were sensitized to DNCB and then orally and dorsally administered DcE (50 mg/kg in PBS) for 3 weeks. The DcE administration significantly reduced the skin severity score when compared with the control group and inhibited the thickening of the epidermis and infiltration of inflammatory cells into the dermis. In addition, the serum IgE levels decreased markedly in the DcE-treated mice when compared with the control group. The synthesis of IL-5, IL-13, MCP-1 and eotaxin was also decreased in splenocytes of the DcE-treated group, while IFN-γ was increased in the Dc-administered group. These results may indicate that DcE attenuates the development of atopic dermatitis-like lesions by lowering the IgE and inflammatory cytokine levels, and that it is useful in drug development for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Past Tense in Children with Focal Brain Lesions

    OpenAIRE

    Konstantinopoulou, P.; Stavrakaki, S.; Manouilidou, C.; Zafeiriou, D.

    2013-01-01

    In this study, 22 children with early left hemisphere (LHD) or right hemisphere (RHD) focal brain lesions (FL, n ¼ 14 LHD,\\ud n ¼ 8 RHD) were administered an English past tense elicitation test (M ¼ 6:5 years). Proportion correct and frequency of overregularization\\ud and zero-marking errors were compared to age-matched samples of children with specific language impairment (SLI,\\ud n ¼ 27) and with typical language development (TD, n ¼ 27). Similar rates of correct production and error patter...

  3. Production of lung cancer in mice by inhalation exposure to influenza virus and aerosols of hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotin, P; Wiseley, D V

    1963-01-01

    1800 C57 (tumor-resistant) mice were exposed in chambers to washed air, repeated influenza virus, artificial smog with 1 to 2 ppM oxidant (ozonized gasoline), or a combination of smog and influenza. Squamous lesions were produced in flu (11) and flu plus smog (33) groups but not in control or smog only groups. The flu only lesions did not show keratinization, pleomorphism and atypical mitoses, or vascular or lymphatic invasion as did lesions in flu + smog. Use of proliferative stimulus plus carcinogenic hydrocarbon resulted in keratinizing metaplasia and squamous cell carcinoma not previously produced by other inhalation techniques.

  4. L-arginine prevents xanthoma development and inhibits atherosclerosis in LDL receptor knockout mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aji, W; Ravalli, S; Szabolcs, M; Jiang, X C; Sciacca, R R; Michler, R E; Cannon, P J

    1997-01-21

    The potential antiatherosclerotic actions of NO were investigated in four groups of mice (n = 10 per group) lacking functional LDL receptor genes, an animal model of familial hypercholesterolemia. Group 1 was fed a regular chow diet. Groups 2 through 4 were fed a 1.25% high-cholesterol diet. In addition, group 3 received supplemental L-arginine and group 4 received L-arginine and N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), an inhibitor of NO synthase (NOS). Animals were killed at 6 months; aortas were stained with oil red O for planimetry and with antibodies against constitutive and inducible NOSs. Plasma cholesterol was markedly increased in the animals receiving the high-cholesterol diet. Xanthomas appeared in all mice fed the high-cholesterol diet alone but not in those receiving L-arginine. Aortic atherosclerosis was present in all mice on the high-cholesterol diet. The mean atherosclerotic lesion area was reduced significantly (P < .01) in the cholesterol-fed mice given L-arginine compared with those receiving the high-cholesterol diet alone. The mean atherosclerotic lesion area was significantly larger (P < .01) in cholesterol-fed mice receiving L-arginine + L-NA than in those on the high-cholesterol diet alone. Within the atherosclerotic plaques, endothelial cells immunoreacted for endothelial cell NOS; macrophages, foam cells, and smooth muscle cells immunostained strongly for inducible NOS and nitrotyrosine residues. The data indicate that L-arginine prevents xanthoma formation and reduces atherosclerosis in LDL receptor knockout mice fed a high-cholesterol diet. The abrogation of the beneficial effects of L-arginine by L-NA suggests that the antiatherosclerotic actions of L-arginine are mediated by NOS. The data suggest that L-arginine may be beneficial in familial hypercholesterolemia.

  5. Auto-mobilized adult hematopoietic stem cells advance neovasculature in diabetic retinopathy of mice

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    TIAN Bei; LI Xiao-xin; SHEN Li; ZHAO Min; YU Wen-zhen

    2010-01-01

    Background Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can be used to deliver functionally active angiostatic molecules to the retinal vasculature by targeting active astrocytes and may be useful in targeting pre-angiogenic retinal lesions. We sought to determine whether HSC mobilization can ameliorate early diabetic retinopathy in mice.Methods Mice were devided into four groups: normal mice control group, normal mice HSC-mobilized group, diabetic mice control group and diabetic mice HSC mobilized group. Murine stem cell growth factor (murine SCF) and recombined human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-csf) were administered to the mice with diabetes and without diabetes for continuous 5 days to induce autologous HSCs mobilization, and subcutaneous injection of physiological saline was used as control. Immunohistochemical double staining was conducted with anti-mouse rat CD31 monoclonal antibody and anti-BrdU rat antibody.Results Marked HSCs clearly increased after SCF plus G-csf-mobilization. Non-mobilized diabetic mice showed more HSCs than normal mice (P=0.032), and peripheral blood significantly increased in both diabetic and normal mice (P=0.000).Diabetic mice showed more CD31 positive capillary vessels (P=0.000) and accelerated endothelial cell regeneration. Only diabetic HSC-mobilized mice expressed both BrdU and CD31 antigens in the endothelial cells of new capillaries.Conclusion Auto-mobilized adult hematopoietic stem cells advance neovasculature in diabetic retinopathy of mice.

  6. Constitutive activation of p38 MAPK in tumor cells contributes to osteolytic bone lesions in multiple myeloma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jing; He, Jin; Wang, Ji; Cao, Yabing; Ling, Jianhua; Qian, Jianfei; Lu, Yong; Li, Haiyan; Zheng, Yuhuan; Lan, Yongsheng; Hong, Sungyoul; Matthews, Jairo; Starbuck, Michael W; Navone, Nora M; Orlowski, Robert Z.; Lin, Pei; Kwak, Larry W.; Yi, Qing

    2012-01-01

    Bone destruction is a hallmark of multiple myeloma and affects more than 80% of patients. However, current therapy is unable to completely cure and/or prevent bone lesions. Although it is accepted that myeloma cells mediate bone destruction by inhibition of osteoblasts and activation of osteoclasts, the underlying mechanism is still poorly understood. This study demonstrates that constitutive activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in myeloma cells is responsible for myeloma-induced osteolysis. Our results show that p38 is constitutively activated in most myeloma cell lines and primary myeloma cells from patients. Myeloma cells with high/detectable p38 activity, but not those with low/undetectable p38 activity, injected into SCID or SCID-hu mice caused bone destruction. Inhibition or knockdown of p38 in human myeloma reduced or prevented myeloma-induced osteolytic bone lesions without affecting tumor growth, survival, or homing to bone. Mechanistic studies showed that myeloma cell p38 activity inhibited osteoblastogenesis and bone formation and activated osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in myeloma-bearing SCID mice. This study elucidates a novel molecular mechanism—sactivation of p38 signaling in myeloma cells—by which myeloma cells induce osteolytic bone lesions and indicates that targeting myeloma cell p38 may be a viable approach to treating or preventing myeloma bone disease. PMID:22425892

  7. Trypanosoma cruzi: Correlations of Biological Aspects of the Life Cycle in Mice and Triatomines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lima Valdirene S

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available The infection pattern in Swiss mice and Triatomine bugs (Rhodnius neglectus of eleven clones and the original stock of a Trypanosoma cruzi isolate, derived from a naturally infected Didelphis marsupialis, were biochemically and biologically characterized. The clones and the original isolate were in the same zymodeme (Z1 except that two clones were found to be in zymodeme 2 when tested with G6PDH. Although infective, neither the original isolate nor the clones were highly virulent for the mice and lesions were only observed in mice infected with the original stock and one of the clones (F8. All clones and the original isolate infected bugs well while only the original isolate and clones E2 and F3 yielded high metacyclogenesis rates. An observed correlation between absence of lesions in the mammal host and high metacyclogenesis rates in the invertebrate host suggest a evolutionary trade off i.e. a fitness increase in one trait which is accompanied by a fitness reduction in a different one. Our results suggest that in a species as heterogeneous as T. cruzi, a cooperation effect among the subpopulations should be considered.

  8. Oral Administration of Pentoxifylline Reduces Endometriosis-Like Lesions in a Nude Mouse Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perelló, Maria; González-Foruria, Iñaki; Castillo, Paola; Martínez-Florensa, Mario; Lozano, Francisco; Balasch, Juan; Carmona, Francisco

    2017-06-01

    Recent reports consider endometriosis to be an immunological disorder, thus suggesting potential efficacy of immunomodulators for its treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of oral administration of pentoxifylline on endometriosis-like lesions in a heterologous mice model. Human endometrial tissue obtained from women (n = 5) undergoing surgery for benign conditions was implanted in nude female mice (n = 30). The animals were distributed into 3 experimental groups receiving: saline 0.1 mL/d (control, group 1); pentoxifylline 100 mg/kg/d (group 2), and pentoxifylline 200 mg/kg/d (group 3). After 28 days, the number of implants and the total volume of surgically extracted tissue were recorded. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to assess the area of endometriosis and vascularization of endometriosis-like lesions. Cytokine levels in peritoneal fluid samples were measured. Macroscopic quantification showed a trend to dose-dependent reduction in the number of the endometriosis-like lesions after 28 days. The volume was significantly reduced in group 3 versus group 2 and controls (399.10 ± 120.68 mm 3 vs 276.75 ± 94.30 mm 3 and 145.33 ± 38.20 mm 3 , respectively; P = .04). Similarly, the mean area of endometriosis was significantly lower in group 3 (0.12 ± 0.08 mm 2 ) versus group 2 (1.35 ± 0.43 mm 2 ) and control (2.84 ± 0.60 mm 2 ; P = .001). Vascularization and cytokine levels were also reduced posttreatment. Our results suggest that the oral administration of pentoxifylline may be an alternative to current therapies for endometriosis. Nonetheless, further studies are required.

  9. Protective effects of escin against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tian; Zhao, Shanshan; Wang, Yucun; Yang, Yujiao; Yao, Le; Chu, Liuxiang; Du, Hanhan; Fu, Fenghua

    2014-12-01

    Escin, a natural mixture of triterpenoid saponin isolated from the seed of the horse chestnut, is reported to have a potent antiulcer activity against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions. This study investigated the possible mechanisms underlying the gastroprotective effect of escin against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in mice. Gastric ulceration was induced by a single intragastric administration of indomethacin (18 mg/kg). The mice underwent intragastric treatment with escin at doses of 0.45, 0.9 or 1.8 mg/kg. Gastric lesion was estimated morphometrically and histopathologically 6 h after the indomethacin administration. The antioxidative parameters in gastric mucosa were measured. Moreover, the activity of myeloperoxidase and the contents of TNF-α, P-selectin and VCAM-1 in gastric tissues were determined. The results showed that escin protected gastric tissues against indomethacin-induced gastropathy as demonstrated from a reduction in the ulcer index and an attenuation of histopathologic changes. Escin caused significant reductions of the contents of malondialdehyde, TNF-α, P-selectin, VCAM-1 and myeloperoxidase activity. The altered activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the stomach tissues were also ameliorated by escin treatment. The present study demonstrated that escin had a protective effect against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in mice, not only by virtue of its antioxidant potential, but also due to its anti-inflammatory effect.

  10. Role for Lyt-2+ T cells in resistance to cutaneous leishmaniasis in immunized mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farrell, J.P.; Muller, I.; Louis, J.A.

    1989-01-01

    The role of Lyt-2+ T cells in immunologic resistance to cutaneous leishmaniasis was analyzed by comparing infection patterns in resistant C57BL/6 mice and susceptible BALB/c mice induced to heal their infections after sub-lethal irradiation or i.v. immunization, with similar mice treated in vivo with anti-Lyt-2 antibodies. Administration of anti-Lyt-2 mAb resulted in a dramatic reduction in the number of lymphoid cells expressing the Lyt-2+ phenotype. Such treatment led to enhanced disease in both resistant C57BL/6 and irradiated BALB/c mice, as assessed by lesion size, but did not affect the capacity of these mice to ultimately resolve their infections. In contrast, anti-Lyt-2 treatment totally blocked the induction of resistance in i.v. immunized mice. These results suggest, that Lyt-2+ T cells may play a role in immunity to a Leishmania major infection and that their relative importance to resistance may depend on how resistance is induced

  11. Development of a reactive stroma associated with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in EAF2 deficient mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura E Pascal

    Full Text Available ELL-associated factor 2 (EAF2 is an androgen-responsive tumor suppressor frequently deleted in advanced prostate cancer that functions as a transcription elongation factor of RNA Pol II through interaction with the ELL family proteins. EAF2 knockout mice on a 129P2/OLA-C57BL/6J background developed late-onset lung adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, B-cell lymphoma and high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. In order to further characterize the role of EAF2 in the development of prostatic defects, the effects of EAF2 loss were compared in different murine strains. In the current study, aged EAF2(-/- mice on both the C57BL/6J and FVB/NJ backgrounds exhibited mPIN lesions as previously reported on a 129P2/OLA-C57BL/6J background. In contrast to the 129P2/OLA-C57BL/6J mixed genetic background, the mPIN lesions in C57BL/6J and FVB/NJ EAF2(-/- mice were associated with stromal defects characteristic of a reactive stroma and a statistically significant increase in prostate microvessel density. Stromal inflammation and increased microvessel density was evident in EAF2-deficient mice on a pure C57BL/6J background at an early age and preceded the development of the histologic epithelial hyperplasia and neoplasia found in the prostates of older EAF2(-/- animals. Mice deficient in EAF2 had an increased recovery rate and a decreased overall response to the effects of androgen deprivation. EAF2 expression in human cancer was significantly down-regulated and microvessel density was significantly increased compared to matched normal prostate tissue; furthermore EAF2 expression was negatively correlated with microvessel density. These results suggest that the EAF2 knockout mouse on the C57BL/6J and FVB/NJ genetic backgrounds provides a model of PIN lesions associated with an altered prostate microvasculature and reactive stromal compartment corresponding to that reported in human prostate tumors.

  12. Stromal Activation Associated with Development of Prostate Cancer in Prostate-Targeted Fibroblast Growth Factor 8b Transgenic Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa D. Elo

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Expression of fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF-8 is commonly increased in prostate cancer. Experimental studies have provided evidence that it plays a role in prostate tumorigenesis and tumor progression. To study how increased FGF-8 affects the prostate, we generated and analyzed transgenic (TG mice expressing FGF-8b under the probasin promoter that targets expression to prostate epithelium. Prostates of the TG mice showed an increased size and changes in stromal and epithelialmorphology progressing fromatypia and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mouse PIN, mPIN lesions to tumors with highly variable phenotype bearing features of adenocarcinoma, carcinosarcoma, and sarcoma. The development of mPIN lesions was preceded by formation of activated stroma containing increased proportion of fibroblastic cells, rich vasculature, and inflammation. The association between advancing stromal and epithelial alterations was statistically significant. Microarray analysis and validation with quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that expression of osteopontin and connective tissue growth factor was markedly upregulated in TG mouse prostates compared with wild type prostates. Androgen receptor staining was decreased in transformed epithelium and in hypercellular stroma but strongly increased in the sarcoma-like lesions. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that disruption of FGF signaling pathways by increased epithelial production of FGF-8b leads to strongly activated and atypical stroma, which precedes development of mPIN lesions and prostate cancer with mixed features of adenocarcinoma and sarcoma in the prostates of TG mice. The results suggest that increased FGF-8 in human prostate may also contribute to prostate tumorigenesis by stromal activation.

  13. 6-Hydroxydopamine and radiofrequency lesions of the lateral entorhinal cortex facilitate an operant appetitive conditioning task in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gauthier, M; Soumireu-Mourat, B

    1981-07-02

    The entorhinal cortex seems heterogeneous as dopaminergic terminals are present only in the anterior part of the lateral entorhinal cortex. In order to clarify the interaction of this cortex with the hippocampus in memory processes, the effects of either 6-hydroxydopamine or radiofrequency bilateral lesions were compared. Both lesions enhance the retention of a Skinner task with continuous reinforcement schedule. Involvement of dopamine in memory processes is discussed.

  14. Surgical management of degenerative meniscus lesions: the 2016 ESSKA meniscus consensus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaufils, Ph; Becker, R; Kopf, S; Englund, M; Verdonk, R; Ollivier, M; Seil, R

    2017-02-01

    A degenerative meniscus lesion is a slowly developing process typically involving a horizontal cleavage in a middle-aged or older person. When the knee is symptomatic, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy has been practised for a long time with many case series reporting improved patient outcomes. Since 2002, several randomised clinical trials demonstrated no additional benefit of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy compared to non-operative treatment, sham surgery or sham arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. These results introduced controversy in the medical community and made clinical decision-making challenging in the daily clinical practice. To facilitate the clinical decision-making process, a consensus was developed. This initiative was endorsed by ESSKA. A degenerative meniscus lesion was defined as a lesion occurring without any history of significant acute trauma in a patient older than 35 years. Congenital lesions, traumatic meniscus tears and degenerative lesions occurring in young patients, especially in athletes, were excluded. The project followed the so-called formal consensus process, involving a steering group, a rating group and a peer-review group. A total of 84 surgeons and scientists from 22 European countries were included in the process. Twenty questions, their associated answers and an algorithm based on extensive literature review and clinical expertise, were proposed. Each question and answer set was graded according to the scientific level of the corresponding literature. The main finding was that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy should not be proposed as a first line of treatment for degenerative meniscus lesions. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy should only be considered after a proper standardised clinical and radiological evaluation and when the response to non-operative management has not been satisfactory. Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee is typically not indicated in the first-line work-up, but knee radiography should be used as

  15. Surgical Management of Degenerative Meniscus Lesions: The 2016 ESSKA Meniscus Consensus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaufils, P; Becker, R; Kopf, S; Englund, M; Verdonk, R; Ollivier, M; Seil, R

    2017-06-01

    Purpose  A degenerative meniscus lesion is a slowly developing process typically involving a horizontal cleavage in a middle-aged or older person. When the knee is symptomatic, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy has been practised for a long time with many case series reporting improved patient outcomes. Since 2002, several randomised clinical trials demonstrated no additional benefit of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy compared to non-operative treatment, sham surgery or sham arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. These results introduced controversy in the medical community and made clinical decision-making challenging in the daily clinical practice. To facilitate the clinical decision-making process, a consensus was developed. This initiative was endorsed by ESSKA. Methods  A degenerative meniscus lesion was defined as a lesion occurring without any history of significant acute trauma in a patient older than 35 years. Congenital lesions, traumatic meniscus tears and degenerative lesions occurring in young patients, especially in athletes, were excluded. The project followed the so-called formal consensus process, involving a steering group, a rating group and a peer-review group. A total of 84 surgeons and scientists from 22 European countries were included in the process. Twenty questions, their associated answers and an algorithm based on extensive literature review and clinical expertise, were proposed. Each question and answer set was graded according to the scientific level of the corresponding literature. Results  The main finding was that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy should not be proposed as a first line of treatment for degenerative meniscus lesions. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy should only be considered after a proper standardised clinical and radiological evaluation and when the response to non-operative management has not been satisfactory. Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee is typically not indicated in the first-line work-up, but

  16. Modulation of radiation induced DNA damage by natural products in hemopoietic tissue of mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jayakumar, S.; Bhilwade, H.N.; Chaubey, R.C.

    2014-01-01

    Ionizing radiation is known to induce oxidative stress through generation of ROS leading to a variety of DNA lesions. However, the most dangerous DNA lesions which are responsible for the origin of lethal effects, mutagenesis, genomic instability and carcinogenesis are the DSBs. During recent years efforts are being made to identify phytochemicals, antioxidants or neutraxeuticals which can reduce harmful effect of radiation during accidental exposure or prevent normal tissue injury during radiotherapy. In the present study, we have investigated the radioprotective role of curcumin, a dietary antioxidant, taurine, malabaricone-C, and umbelliferone, for their radioprotective properties in hemopoietic cells of mice. Groups of mice-were fed 1% of curcumin in diet for three weeks. Similarly other groups of mice were injected i.p. with 50 mg/kg body weight of taurine for five consecutive days. After the completion of the treatment mice pre-treated with curcumin and taurine were exposed to 3 Gy of gamma rays. Malabaricone-C was tested for its radiomodulation potential in vitro, in spleenocytes of mouse. Spleenocytes were isolated and treated with different concentrations (0.5-25 ìM) of malabaricone-C. Immediately after irradiation, alkaline comet assay were performed using standard procedures. Twenty four post radiation exposure mice were sacrificed for micronucleus test. Results of these studies showed significant reduction in DNA damage by curcumin. The micronucleus data showed marginal increase in the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes in curcumin fed group as compared to the controls. Mice receiving curcumin for 3 weeks in diet followed by gamma radiation (3 Gy), showed approximately 50% reduction in the frequency of micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. Pre-treatment of mice with taurine significantly (p < 0.01) reduced the frequency of gamma rays induced mn-PCEs in bone marrow tissue. Malabaricone-C at 1.5 ìM concentration showed very good protection

  17. Experimental Granulomatous Pulmonary Nocardiosis in BALB/C Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mifuji Lira, Roque M.; Limón Flores, Alberto Yairh; Salinas Carmona, Mario César

    2016-01-01

    Pulmonary nocardiosis is a granulomatous disease with high mortality that affects both immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients. The mechanisms leading to the establishment and progression of the infection are currently unknown. An animal model to study these mechanisms is sorely needed. We report the first in vivo model of granulomatous pulmonary nocardiosis that closely resembles human pathology. BALB/c mice infected intranasally with two different doses of GFP-expressing Nocardia brasiliensis ATCC700358 (NbGFP), develop weight loss and pulmonary granulomas. Mice infected with 109 CFUs progressed towards death within a week while mice infected with 108 CFUs died after five to six months. Histological examination of the lungs revealed that both the higher and lower doses of NbGFP induced granulomas with NbGFP clearly identifiable at the center of the lesions. Mice exposed to 108 CFUs and subsequently to 109 CFUs were not protected against disease severity but had less granulomas suggesting some degree of protection. Attempts to identify a cellular target for the infection were unsuccessful but we found that bacterial microcolonies in the suspension used to infect mice were responsible for the establishment of the disease. Small microcolonies of NbGFP, incompatible with nocardial doubling times starting from unicellular organisms, were identified in the lung as early as six hours after infection. Mice infected with highly purified unicellular preparations of NbGFP did not develop granulomas despite showing weight loss. Finally, intranasal delivery of nocardial microcolonies was enough for mice to develop granulomas with minimal weight loss. Taken together these results show that Nocardia brasiliensis microcolonies are both necessary and sufficient for the development of granulomatous pulmonary nocardiosis in mice. PMID:27303806

  18. Experimental Granulomatous Pulmonary Nocardiosis in BALB/C Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roque M Mifuji Lira

    Full Text Available Pulmonary nocardiosis is a granulomatous disease with high mortality that affects both immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients. The mechanisms leading to the establishment and progression of the infection are currently unknown. An animal model to study these mechanisms is sorely needed. We report the first in vivo model of granulomatous pulmonary nocardiosis that closely resembles human pathology. BALB/c mice infected intranasally with two different doses of GFP-expressing Nocardia brasiliensis ATCC700358 (NbGFP, develop weight loss and pulmonary granulomas. Mice infected with 109 CFUs progressed towards death within a week while mice infected with 108 CFUs died after five to six months. Histological examination of the lungs revealed that both the higher and lower doses of NbGFP induced granulomas with NbGFP clearly identifiable at the center of the lesions. Mice exposed to 108 CFUs and subsequently to 109 CFUs were not protected against disease severity but had less granulomas suggesting some degree of protection. Attempts to identify a cellular target for the infection were unsuccessful but we found that bacterial microcolonies in the suspension used to infect mice were responsible for the establishment of the disease. Small microcolonies of NbGFP, incompatible with nocardial doubling times starting from unicellular organisms, were identified in the lung as early as six hours after infection. Mice infected with highly purified unicellular preparations of NbGFP did not develop granulomas despite showing weight loss. Finally, intranasal delivery of nocardial microcolonies was enough for mice to develop granulomas with minimal weight loss. Taken together these results show that Nocardia brasiliensis microcolonies are both necessary and sufficient for the development of granulomatous pulmonary nocardiosis in mice.

  19. Comparison of clinical and pathological features of lung lesions of systemic IgG4-related disease and idiopathic multicentric Castleman's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terasaki, Yasuhiro; Ikushima, Soichiro; Matsui, Shoko; Hebisawa, Akira; Ichimura, Yasunori; Izumi, Shinyu; Ujita, Masuo; Arita, Machiko; Tomii, Keisuke; Komase, Yuko; Owan, Isoko; Kawamura, Tetsuji; Matsuzawa, Yasuo; Murakami, Miho; Ishimoto, Hiroshi; Kimura, Hiroshi; Bando, Masashi; Nishimoto, Norihiro; Kawabata, Yoshinori; Fukuda, Yuh; Ogura, Takashi

    2017-06-01

    The lung lesion [immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-L] of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a condition that occurs together with IgG4-RD and often mimics the lung lesion [idiopathic multicentric Castleman's disease (iMCD-L)] of idiopathic multicentric Castleman's disease (iMCD). Because no clinical and pathological studies had previously compared features of these diseases, we undertook this comparison with clinical and histological data. Nine patients had IgG4-L (high levels of serum IgG4 and of IgG4 + cells in lung specimens; typical extrapulmonary manifestations). Fifteen patients had iMCD-L (polyclonal hyperimmunoglobulinaemia, elevated serum interleukin-6 levels and polylymphadenopathy with typical lymphadenopathic lesions). Mean values for age, serum haemoglobin levels and IgG4/IgG ratios were higher in the IgG4-L group and C-reactive protein levels were higher in the iMCD-L group. All IgG4-RD lung lesions showed myxomatous granulation-like fibrosis (active fibrosis), with infiltration of lymphoplasmacytes and scattered eosinophils within the perilymphatic stromal area, such as interlobular septa and pleura with obstructive vasculitis. All 15 lung lesions of iMCD, however, had marked accumulation of polyclonal lymphoplasmacytes in lesions with lymphoid follicles and dense fibrosis, mainly in the alveolar area adjacent to interlobular septa and pleura without obstructive vasculitis. Although both lesions had lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, lung lesions of IgG4-RD were characterized by active fibrosis with eosinophilic infiltration within the perilymphatic stromal area with obstructive vasculitis, whereas lung lesions of iMCD had lymphoplasmacyte proliferating lesions mainly in the alveolar area adjacent to the perilymphatic stromal area. These clinicopathological features may help to differentiate the two diseases. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Adenovirus-mediated sphingomyelin synthase 2 increases atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE KO mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao Yarui

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2 contributes to de novo sphingomyelin (SM biosynthesis. Its activity is related to SM levels in the plasma and the cell membrane. In this study, we investigated the possibility of a direct relationship between SMS and atherosclerosis. Methods The Adenovirus containing SMS2 gene was given into 10-week ApoE KO C57BL/6J mice by femoral intravenous injection. In the control group, the Adenovirus containing GFP was given. To confirm this model, we took both mRNA level examination (RT-PCR and protein level examination (SMS activity assay. Result We generated recombinant adenovirus vectors containing either human SMS2 cDNA (AdV-SMS2 or GFP cDNA (AdV-GFP. On day six after intravenous infusion of 2 × 1011 particle numbers into ten-week-old apoE KO mice, AdV-SMS2 treatment significantly increased liver SMS2 mRNA levels and SMS activity (by 2.7-fold, 2.3-fold, p Conclusions Our results present direct morphological evidence for the pro-atherogenic capabilities of SMS2. SMS2 could be a potential target for treating atherosclerosis.

  1. P2Y6 receptor potentiates pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages and exhibits differential roles in atherosclerotic lesion development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo A Garcia

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: P2Y(6, a purinergic receptor for UDP, is enriched in atherosclerotic lesions and is implicated in pro-inflammatory responses of key vascular cell types and macrophages. Evidence for its involvement in atherogenesis, however, has been lacking. Here we use cell-based studies and three murine models of atherogenesis to evaluate the impact of P2Y(6 deficiency on atherosclerosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Cell-based studies in 1321N1 astrocytoma cells, which lack functional P2Y(6 receptors, showed that exogenous expression of P2Y(6 induces a robust, receptor- and agonist-dependent secretion of inflammatory mediators IL-8, IL-6, MCP-1 and GRO1. P2Y(6-mediated inflammatory responses were also observed, albeit to a lesser extent, in macrophages endogenously expressing P2Y(6 and in acute peritonitis models of inflammation. To evaluate the role of P2Y(6 in atherosclerotic lesion development, we used P2Y(6-deficient mice in three mouse models of atherosclerosis. A 43% reduction in aortic arch plaque was observed in high fat-fed LDLR knockout mice lacking P2Y(6 receptors in bone marrow-derived cells. In contrast, no effect on lesion development was observed in fat-fed whole body P2Y(6xLDLR double knockout mice. Interestingly, in a model of enhanced vascular inflammation using angiotensin II, P2Y(6 deficiency enhanced formation of aneurysms and exhibited a trend towards increased atherosclerosis in the aorta of LDLR knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS: P2Y(6 receptor augments pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages and exhibits a pro-atherogenic role in hematopoietic cells. However, the overall impact of whole body P2Y(6 deficiency on atherosclerosis appears to be modest and could reflect additional roles of P2Y(6 in vascular disease pathophysiologies, such as aneurysm formation.

  2. Mice lacking desmocollin 1 show epidermal fragility accompanied by barrier defects and abnormal differentiation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chidgey, M; Brakebusch, C; Gustafsson, E

    2001-01-01

    epidermis because environmental insults are more stringent and wound healing is less rapid than in neonatal mice. This dermatitis is accompanied by localized hair loss associated with formation of utriculi and dermal cysts, denoting hair follicle degeneration. Possible resemblance of the lesions to human...

  3. Alteration of strain background and a high omega-6 fat diet induces earlier onset of pancreatic neoplasia in EL-Kras transgenic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheon, Eric C; Strouch, Matthew J; Barron, Morgan R; Ding, Yongzeng; Melstrom, Laleh G; Krantz, Seth B; Mullapudi, Bhargava; Adrian, Kevin; Rao, Sambasiva; Adrian, Thomas E; Bentrem, David J; Grippo, Paul J

    2011-06-15

    Diets containing omega-6 (ω-6) fat have been associated with increased tumor development in carcinogen-induced pancreatic cancer models. However, the effects of ω-6 fatty acids and background strain on the development of genetically-induced pancreatic neoplasia is unknown. We assessed the effects of a diet rich in ω-6 fat on the development of pancreatic neoplasia in elastase (EL)-Kras(G12D) (EL-Kras) mice in two different backgrounds. EL-Kras FVB mice were crossed to C57BL/6 (B6) mice to produce EL-Kras FVB6 F1 (or EL-Kras F1) and EL-Kras B6 congenic mice. Age-matched EL-Kras mice from each strain were compared to one another on a standard chow. Two cohorts of EL-Kras FVB and EL-Kras F1 mice were fed a 23% corn oil diet and compared to age-matched mice fed a standard chow. Pancreata were scored for incidence, frequency, and size of neoplastic lesions, and stained for the presence of mast cells to evaluate changes in the inflammatory milieu secondary to a high fat diet. EL-Kras F1 mice had increased incidence, frequency, and size of pancreatic neoplasia compared to EL-Kras FVB mice. The frequency and size of neoplastic lesions and the weight and pancreatic mast cell densities in EL-Kras F1 mice were increased in mice fed a high ω-6 fatty acid diet compared to mice fed a standard chow. We herein introduce the EL-Kras B6 mouse model which presents with increased frequency of pancreatic neoplasia compared to EL-Kras F1 mice. The phenotype in EL-Kras F1 and FVB mice is promoted by a diet rich in ω-6 fatty acid. Copyright © 2010 UICC.

  4. Increased synthesis of heparin affin regulatory peptide in the perforant path lesioned mouse hippocampal formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, F R; Lagord, C; Courty, J

    2000-01-01

    differentiation in vivo. Here we have investigated the expression of HARP mRNA and protein in the perforant path lesioned C57B1/6 mouse hippocampal formation from 1 to 35 days after surgery. This type of lesion induces a dense anterograde and terminal axonal degeneration, activation of glial cells, and reactive...... axonal sprouting within the perforant path zones of the fascia dentata and hippocampus as well as axotomy-induced retrograde neuronal degeneration in the entorhinal cortex. Analysis of sham- and unoperated control mice showed that HARP mRNA is expressed in neurons and white and gray matter glial cells...... as well as vascular and pial cells throughout the normal, adult brain. Lesioning induced high levels of HARP mRNA in astroglial-like cells in the denervated zones of fascia dentata and hippocampus as soon as day 2 postlesion. This expression reached maximum at day 4, and declined toward normal at day 7...

  5. Investigation and identification of etiologies involved in the development of acquired hydronephrosis in aged laboratory mice with the use of high-frequency ultrasound imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Springer, Danielle A.; Allen, Michele; Hoffman, Victoria; Brinster, Lauren; Starost, Matthew F.; Bryant, Mark; Eckhaus, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Laboratory mice develop naturally occurring lesions that affect biomedical research. Hydronephrosis is a recognized pathologic abnormality of the mouse kidney. Acquired hydronephrosis can affect any mouse, as it is caused by any naturally occurring disease that impairs free urine flow. Many etiologies leading to this condition are of particular significance to aging mice. Non-invasive ultrasound imaging detects renal pelvic dilation, renal enlargement, and parenchymal loss for pre-mortem identification of this condition. High-frequency ultrasound transducers produce high-resolution images of small structures, ideal for detecting organ pathology in mice. Using a 40 MHz linear array transducer, we obtained high-resolution images of a diversity of pathologic lesions occurring within the abdomen of seven geriatric mice with acquired hydronephrosis that enabled a determination of the underlying etiology. Etiologies diagnosed from the imaging results include pyelonephritis, neoplasia, urolithiasis, mouse urologic syndrome, and spontaneous hydronephrosis, and were confirmed at necropsy. A retrospective review of abdominal scans from an additional 149 aging mice shows that the most common etiologies associated with acquired hydronephrosis are mouse urologic syndrome and abdominal neoplasia. This report highlights the utility of high-frequency ultrasound for surveying research mice for age-related pathology, and is the first comprehensive report of multiple cases of acquired hydronephrosis in mice. PMID:25143818

  6. Depletion of macrophages in CD11b diphtheria toxin receptor mice induces brain inflammation and enhances inflammatory signaling during traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frieler, Ryan A; Nadimpalli, Sameera; Boland, Lauren K; Xie, Angela; Kooistra, Laura J; Song, Jianrui; Chung, Yutein; Cho, Kae W; Lumeng, Carey N; Wang, Michael M; Mortensen, Richard M

    2015-10-22

    Immune cells have important roles during disease and are known to contribute to secondary, inflammation-induced injury after traumatic brain injury. To delineate the functional role of macrophages during traumatic brain injury, we depleted macrophages using transgenic CD11b-DTR mice and subjected them to controlled cortical impact. We found that macrophage depletion had no effect on lesion size assessed by T2-weighted MRI scans 28 days after injury. Macrophage depletion resulted in a robust increase in proinflammatory gene expression in both the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres after controlled cortical impact. Interestingly, this sizeable increase in inflammation did not affect lesion development. We also showed that macrophage depletion resulted in increased proinflammatory gene expression in the brain and kidney in the absence of injury. These data demonstrate that depletion of macrophages in CD11b-DTR mice can significantly modulate the inflammatory response during brain injury without affecting lesion formation. These data also reveal a potentially confounding inflammatory effect in CD11b-DTR mice that must be considered when interpreting the effects of macrophage depletion in disease models. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Impact of Lesion Length on Functional Significance in Intermediate Coronary Lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morteza Safi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The present study aimed at assessing the role of lesion length in predicting Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR value for physiological evaluation of intermediate coronary lesions.Methods: In the current study, 68 patients with 83 coronary lesions were enrolled. All of the patients in this study underwent routine coronary angiography, according to appropriate indications. To evaluate physiologically significant intermediate coronary stenosis (defined between 40% and 70% on visual estimation, the Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR study was performed and the Quantitative Coronary Angiography (QCA data were also assessed for measurement of lesion length. The correlation between QCA data and FFR values was also examined.Results: Eighty-three lesions were evaluated from 68 patients. Stenosis was considered physiologically significant when FFR was lower than 0.75. The FFR was significant in twelve lesions (14.5%. There was a negative correlation between FFR value and lesion length (r = -0.294 and P = 0.013. Moreover, lesion length in physiologically significant FFR group (21.07  ± 6.9 was greater than that of the non-significant FFR group (15.23 ± 6.5 (P value < 0.05. Furthermore, the correlation between QCA data and FFR values was also investigated, yet, there was only a positive correlation between FFR and Minimum Luminal Diameter (MLD values (r = 0.248 and P value = 0.04. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC curve analysis for predicting the significant FFR value demonstrated that a lesion length greater than 17.5 mm was the best cut-off point for prediction of the significant FFR value with acceptable sensitivity and specificity of 83.3% and 68.8%, respectively.Conclusions: There is a negative correlation between lesion length and FFR value in intermediate coronary lesions. In addition, a lesion length greater than 17.5 mm is the best cut- off point for prediction of significant FFR values.

  8. Candesartan restores pressure-induced vasodilation and prevents skin pressure ulcer formation in diabetic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danigo, Aurore; Nasser, Mohamad; Bessaguet, Flavien; Javellaud, James; Oudart, Nicole; Achard, Jean-Michel; Demiot, Claire

    2015-02-18

    Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blockers have beneficial effects on neurovascular complications in diabetes and in organ's protection against ischemic episodes. The present study examines whether the AT1R blocker candesartan (1) has a beneficial effect on diabetes-induced alteration of pressure-induced vasodilation (PIV, a cutaneous physiological neurovascular mechanism which could delay the occurrence of tissue ischemia), and (2) could be protective against skin pressure ulcer formation. Male Swiss mice aged 5-6 weeks were randomly assigned to four experimental groups. In two groups, diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 200 mg.kg(-1)). After 6 weeks, control and STZ mice received either no treatment or candesartan (1 mg/kg-daily in drinking water) during 2 weeks. At the end of treatment (8 weeks of diabetes duration), C-fiber mediated nociception threshold, endothelium-dependent vasodilation and PIV were assessed. Pressure ulcers (PUs) were then induced by pinching the dorsal skin between two magnetic plates for three hours. Skin ulcer area development was assessed during three days, and histological examination of the depth of the skin lesion was performed at day three. After 8 weeks of diabetes, the skin neurovascular functions (C-fiber nociception, endothelium-dependent vasodilation and PIV) were markedly altered in STZ-treated mice, but were fully restored by treatment with candesartan. Whereas in diabetes mice exposure of the skin to pressure induced wide and deep necrotic lesions, treatment with candersartan restored their ability to resist to pressure-induced ulceration as efficiently as the control mice. Candesartan decreases the vulnerability to pressure-induced ulceration and restores skin neurovascular functions in mice with STZ-induced established diabetes.

  9. Fully automatic detection of deep white matter T1 hypointense lesions in multiple sclerosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spies, Lothar; Tewes, Anja; Suppa, Per; Opfer, Roland; Buchert, Ralph; Winkler, Gerhard; Raji, Alaleh

    2013-12-01

    A novel method is presented for fully automatic detection of candidate white matter (WM) T1 hypointense lesions in three-dimensional high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images. By definition, T1 hypointense lesions have similar intensity as gray matter (GM) and thus appear darker than surrounding normal WM in T1-weighted images. The novel method uses a standard classification algorithm to partition T1-weighted images into GM, WM and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As a consequence, T1 hypointense lesions are assigned an increased GM probability by the standard classification algorithm. The GM component image of a patient is then tested voxel-by-voxel against GM component images of a normative database of healthy individuals. Clusters (≥0.1 ml) of significantly increased GM density within a predefined mask of deep WM are defined as lesions. The performance of the algorithm was assessed on voxel level by a simulation study. A maximum dice similarity coefficient of 60% was found for a typical T1 lesion pattern with contrasts ranging from WM to cortical GM, indicating substantial agreement between ground truth and automatic detection. Retrospective application to 10 patients with multiple sclerosis demonstrated that 93 out of 96 T1 hypointense lesions were detected. On average 3.6 false positive T1 hypointense lesions per patient were found. The novel method is promising to support the detection of hypointense lesions in T1-weighted images which warrants further evaluation in larger patient samples.

  10. A rabies virus vampire bat variant shows increased neuroinvasiveness in mice when compared to a carnivore variant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mesquita, Leonardo Pereira; Gamon, Thais Helena Martins; Cuevas, Silvia Elena Campusano; Asano, Karen Miyuki; Fahl, Willian de Oliveira; Iamamoto, Keila; Scheffer, Karin Correa; Achkar, Samira Maria; Zanatto, Dennis Albert; Mori, Cláudia Madalena Cabrera; Maiorka, Paulo César; Mori, Enio

    2017-12-01

    Rabies is one of the most important zoonotic diseases and is caused by several rabies virus (RABV) variants. These variants can exhibit differences in neurovirulence, and few studies have attempted to evaluate the neuroinvasiveness of variants derived from vampire bats and wild carnivores. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuropathogenesis of infection with two Brazilian RABV street variants (variant 3 and crab-eating fox) in mice. BALB/c mice were inoculated with RABV through the footpad, with the 50% mouse lethal dose (LD 50 ) determined by intracranial inoculation. The morbidity of rabies in mice infected with variant 3 and the crab-eating fox strain was 100% and 50%, respectively, with an incubation period of 7 and 6 days post-inoculation (dpi), respectively. The clinical disease in mice was similar with both strains, and it was characterized initially by weight loss, ruffled fur, hunched posture, and hind limb paralysis progressing to quadriplegia and recumbency at 9 to 12 dpi. Histological lesions within the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis with neuronal degeneration and necrosis were observed in mice infected with variant 3 and those infected with the crab-eating fox variant. However, lesions and the presence of RABV antigen, were more widespread within the CNS of variant-3-infected mice, whereas in crab-eating fox-variant-infected mice, RABV antigens were more restricted to caudal areas of the CNS, such as the spinal cord and brainstem. In conclusion, the results shown here demonstrate that the RABV vampire bat strain (variant 3) has a higher potential for neuroinvasiveness than the carnivore variant.

  11. A recombinant bivalent fusion protein rVE confers active and passive protection against Yersinia enterocolitica infection in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Amit Kumar; Kingston, Joseph Jeyabalaji; Murali, Harishchandra Sripathy; Batra, Harsh Vardhan

    2014-03-05

    In the present study, a bivalent chimeric protein rVE comprising immunologically active domains of Yersinia pestis LcrV and YopE was assessed for its prophylactic abilities against Yersinia enterocolitica O:8 infection in murine model. Mice immunized with rVE elicited significantly higher antibody titers with substantial contribution from the rV component (3:1 ratio). Robust and significant resistance to Y. enterocolitica infection with 100% survival (Penterocolitica O:8 against the 75%, 60% and 75% survival seen in mice immunized with rV, rE, rV+rE, respectively. Macrophage monolayer supplemented with anti-rVE polysera illustrated efficient protection (89.41% survival) against challenge of Y. enterocolitica O:8. In contrast to sera from sham-immunized mice, immunization with anti-rVE polysera provided complete protection to BALB/c mice against I.P. challenge with 10(8)CFU of Y. enterocolitica O:8 and developed no conspicuous signs of infection in necropsy. The histopathological analysis of microtome sections confirmed significantly reduced lesion size or no lesion in liver and intestine upon infection in anti-rVE immunized mice. The findings from this study demonstrated the fusion protein rVE as a potential candidate subunit vaccine and showed the functional role of antibodies in protection against Y. enterocolitica infections. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Isolated corneal papilloma-like lesion associated with human papilloma virus type 6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Choul Yong; Kim, Eo-Jin; Choi, Jong Sun; Chuck, Roy S

    2011-05-01

    To report a case of a corneal papilloma-like lesion associated with human papilloma virus type 6. A 48-year-old woman presented with a 2-year history of ocular discomfort and gradual visual deterioration in her right eye. Ophthalmic examination revealed an elevated, semitranslucent, well-defined vascularized mass approximately 4 × 2.5 mm in size localized to the right cornea. The surface of the mass appeared smooth and many small, shallow, and irregular elevations were noted. An excisional biopsy was performed. The underlying cornea was markedly thinned, and fine ramifying vasculature was also noted on the exposed corneal stroma. Typical koilocytic change was observed on the histopathologic examination. Polymerase chain reaction revealed the existence of human papilloma virus type 6 DNA. Here we describe a case of an isolated corneal papilloma-like lesion. Although the corneal extension of the limbal or the conjunctival papillomas has been commonly observed, an isolated corneal papilloma-like lesion with underlying stromal destruction has only rarely been reported.

  13. Concurrent fibroadenoma and intraductal papilloma - A recurring complex lesion in a premenarcheal girl.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alessandrini, Lara; Gobbi, Dalia; Zanon, Giovanni Franco; Dall'Igna, Patrizia; Cecchetto, Giovanni; Alaggio, Rita

    2013-02-15

    Breast diseases are rare in childhood and adolescence, most lesions being fibroadenomas and papillomas. We report the case of an 11-year old girl with a complex breast lesion with hybrid features of fibroadenoma and intraductal papilloma with an early recurrence. Microscopically, the lesion was composed of dilated ducts showing intraluminal papillary projections with small to broad fibrovascular stalks. The typical leaf-like appearance of fibroadenoma was determined by the presence at the periphery of ducts compressed and distorted by the prominent stromal component. Despite its florid epithelial hyperplasia and mild cytological atypia (more evident in the relapse), immunohistochemical staining for p63 and smooth muscle actin highlighted a continuum outer myoepithelial layer, confirming the non-invasive appearance of the lesion. Two pathogenetic links have been hypothesized: one is based on the morphological continuum between these two entities, which may represent different evolutive stages in the same lesion; the other is based on epithelial/mesenchymal interactions. The possible malignant transformation of such complex lesion is also discussed, along with its differential diagnoses. The relevance of this case lies in its rarity, as well as in the therapeutic strategies related to its biological potential and to the necessity of a conservative treatment, due to the young age of the patient. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  14. Human papillomavirus in oral lesions Virus papiloma humano en lesiones orales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joaquín V. Gónzalez

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Growing evidence suggests a role for human papillomavirus (HPV in oral cancer; however its involvement is still controversial. This study evaluates the frequency of HPV DNA in a variety of oral lesions in patients from Argentina. A total of 77 oral tissue samples from 66 patients were selected (cases; the clinical-histopathological diagnoses corresponded to: 11 HPV- associated benign lesions, 8 non-HPV associated benign lesions, 33 premalignant lesions and 25 cancers. Sixty exfoliated cell samples from normal oral mucosa were used as controls. HPV detection and typing were performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR using primers MY09, 11, combined with RFLP or alternatively PCR using primers GP5+, 6+ combined with dot blot hybridization. HPV was detected in 91.0% of HPV- associated benign lesions, 14.3% of non-HPV associated benign lesions, 51.5% of preneoplasias and 60.0% of cancers. No control sample tested HPV positive. In benign HPV- associated lesions, 30.0% of HPV positive samples harbored high-risk types, while in preneoplastic lesions the value rose to 59.9%. In cancer lesions, HPV detection in verrucous carcinoma was 88.9% and in squamous cell carcinoma 43.8%, with high-risk type rates of 75.5% and 85.6%, respectively. The high HPV frequency detected in preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions supports an HPV etiological role in at least a subset of oral cancers.Crecientes evidencias sugieren que el virus Papiloma humano (HPV tiene un rol en el cáncer oral; sin embargo su participación es todavía controvertida. Este estudio evalúa la frecuencia de ADN de HPV en una variedad de lesiones orales de pacientes de Argentina. Se seleccionaron 77 muestras de tejido oral de 66 pacientes (casos; el diagnóstico histo-patológico correspondió a: 11 lesiones benignas asociadas a HPV, 8 lesiones benignas no asociadas a HPV, 33 lesiones premalignas y 25 cánceres. Como controles se usaron 60 muestras de células exfoliadas de mucosa oral normal. La

  15. Effect of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide on healing of retinal photocoagulation lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomoto, Hiroyuki; Lavinsky, Daniel; Paulus, Yannis M; Leung, Loh-Shan; Dalal, Roopa; Blumenkranz, Mark S; Palanker, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (TA) on healing of retinal photocoagulation lesions using drug and laser dosing typically employed in clinical practice. Laser burns with a 267-μm retinal beam size at 532-nm wavelength were applied to 40 eyes of Dutch belted rabbits. Barely visible to intense lesions were produced with pulses of 5, 10, 20, and 50 milliseconds and power of 175 mW. Eyes received intravitreal injections of either 2 mg TA/50 μL or balanced salt solution administered either 1 week before or immediately after laser treatment. Lesion grades were assessed acutely ophthalmoscopically and by a masked observer histologically at 1, 3, 7, 30, and 60 days. Both TA groups demonstrated significant reduction in retinal thickness throughout follow-up compared with balanced salt solution groups (P salt solution groups contracted much more than in the TA groups, especially the more intense burns, and this difference persisted to 2 months. The healing rate of the barely visible burns was not significantly affected by TA compared with the balanced salt solution control eyes. Triamcinolone acetonide injection previously or concurrently with photocoagulation significantly decreases laser-induced edema but interferes with lesions healing, thereby leaving wider residual scarring, especially persistent in more intense burns.

  16. Comparison of 99mTc-annexin A5 with 18F-FDG for the detection of atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Yan; Morita, Koichi; Tamaki, Nagara; Kuge, Yuji; Zhao, Songji; Inubushi, Masayuki; Strauss, H.W.; Blankenberg, Francis G.

    2007-01-01

    99m Tc-annexin A5, a marker of ongoing apoptosis, and 18 F-FDG, a marker of the increased metabolism of inflammatory cells, are supposed to be useful in the detection of metabolically active atheroma. This study reports a comparison of the intralesional distribution of these tracers in relation to lesion development in ApoE-/- mice. Male ApoE-/- mice (n = 12-14/group) were maintained on a Western-type diet after the age of 5 weeks. At 25 weeks, 99m Tc-annexin A5 or 18 F-FDG was injected and the aortas were harvested for autoradiography (ARG) and Oil Red O staining. Regional radioactivity accumulation was compared in relation to the Oil Red O staining score (ranging from 0 to 3, a semiquantitative parameter for evaluating lesion development). Both 99m Tc-annexin A5 and 18 F-FDG showed preferential uptake into atherosclerotic lesions, with higher uptake levels for 18 F-FDG (mean, 56.07 %ID x kg/m 2 ) than for 99m Tc-annexin A5 (mean, 10.38 %ID x kg/m 2 ). The regional uptake levels of each tracer correlated with the Oil Red O staining score (r = 0.65, p 99m Tc-annexin A5; r = 0.56, p 18 F-FDG). The uptake ratios of advanced lesions (score >0.5) to early lesions (score 99m Tc-annexin A5 than for 18 F-FDG (f = 4.73, p = 0.03). Both 99m Tc-annexin A5 and 18 F-FDG accumulate in atherosclerotic lesions and correlate with the severity of each lesion. The higher absolute uptake levels of 18 F-FDG may be advantageous for lesion detection, whereas the preferential uptake of 99m Tc-annexin A5 in advanced lesions may be a useful indicator of late-stage lesions or vulnerable plaque transformation. (orig.)

  17. Anti-diabetic effects of Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides-chromium (III) complex in type 2 diabetic mice and its sub-acute toxicity evaluation in normal mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Cong; Chen, Zhongqin; Pan, Yuxiang; Gao, Xudong; Chen, Haixia

    2017-10-01

    Polysaccharides are important bioactive ingredients from Inonotus obliquus. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize a novel I. obliquus polysaccharides-chromium (III) complex (UIOPC) and investigate the anti-diabetic effects in streptozotocin (STZ) induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice and sub-acute toxicity in normal mice. The molecular weight of UIOPC was about 11.5 × 10 4  Da with the chromium content was 13.01% and the chromium was linked with polysaccharides through coordination bond. After treatment of UIOPC for four weeks, the body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, plasma insulin levels of the diabetic mice were significantly reduced when compared with those of the diabetic mice (p < 0.05). The results on serum profiles and antioxidant enzymes activities revealed that UIOPC had a positive effect on hypoglycemic and antioxidant ability. Histopathology results showed that UIOPC could effectively alleviate the STZ-lesioned tissues in diabetic mice. Furthermore, high dose administration of UIOPC had no obviously influence on serum profiles levels and antioxidant ability of the normal mice and the organ tissues maintained organized and integrity in the sub-acute toxicity study. These results suggested that UIOPC might be a good candidate for the functional food or pharmaceuticals in the treatment of T2DM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A tumefactive multiple sclerosis lesion in the brain: An uncommon site with atypical magnetic resonance image findings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Min Sun; Kim, Hyun Sook; Kim, Jae Hoon; Kim, Eun Kyung; Choi, Yun Sun [Eulji Hospital, Eulji University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-11-15

    Tumefactive multiple sclerosis (MS) is a rare type of demyelinating disease. Typical magnetic resonance (MR) image findings show incomplete ring enhancement with a mild mass effect. This lesion is otherwise indistinguishable from other mass-like lesions in the brain. Knowledge of the MR imaging findings for tumefactive MS is thus helpful for correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy. In this report we describe the MR image findings for pathology-confirmed tumefactive MS in an uncommon location, alongside a discussion of its aggressive features.

  19. Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia-acquired port-wine-stain-like lesions: attempt at treatment with the argon laser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasyk, K A; Elsenety, E N; Schelbert, E B

    1988-01-01

    An unusual case of angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) simulating port-wine stain in a 50-year-old woman is reported. The lesions of ALHE are typically papules or subcutaneous masses that range from light pink to red-brown in color. In addition to the usual histologic findings of ALHE, the biopsy in our patient showed some fibrin-like material and fibrous long-spacing collagen on ultrastructural examination. This unusual lesion necessitates biopsy because the differential diagnosis includes port-wine stain, sarcoidosis, lupus erythematosus, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (mycosis fungoides). Many different forms of treatment have been attempted for ALHE including radiotherapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, corticosteroids, and antibiotics. The lesions in our patient responded to argon laser therapy and surgical excision, though there has been recurrence on the border of the treated area. Because laser energy is noncumulative in the tissues and effective in removing the lesions, we recommend it as the treatment of choice for these lesions.

  20. Intraosseous osteolytic lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adler, C.P.; Wenz, W.

    1981-10-01

    Any pathological damage occurring in a bone will produce either an osteolytic or osteosclerotic lesion which can be seen in the macroscopic specimen as well as in the roentgenogram. Various bone lesions may lead to local destructions of the bone. An osteoma or osteoplastic osteosarcoma produces an osteosclerotic lesion showing a dense mass in the roentgenogram; a chondroblastoma or an osteoclastoma, on the other hand, induces an osteolytic focal lesion. This paper presents examples of different osteolytic lesions of the humerus. An osteolytic lesion seen in the roentgenogram may be either produced by an underlying non-ossifying fibroma of the bone, by fibrous dysplasia, osteomyelitis or Ewing's sarcoma. Differential diagnostic considerations based on the radiological picture include eosinophilic bone granuloma, juvenile or aneurysmal bone cyst, multiple myeloma or bone metastases. Serious differential diagnostic problems may be involved in case of osteolytic lesions occurring in the humerus. Cases of this type involving complications have been reported and include the presence of an teleangiectatic osteosarcoma as well as that of a hemangiosarcoma of the bone.

  1. Maintenance of Macrophage Redox Status by ChREBP Limits Inflammation and Apoptosis and Protects against Advanced Atherosclerotic Lesion Formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent Sarrazy

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Enhanced glucose utilization can be visualized in atherosclerotic lesions and may reflect a high glycolytic rate in lesional macrophages, but its causative role in plaque progression remains unclear. We observe that the activity of the carbohydrate-responsive element binding protein ChREBP is rapidly downregulated upon TLR4 activation in macrophages. ChREBP inactivation refocuses cellular metabolism to a high redox state favoring enhanced inflammatory responses after TLR4 activation and increased cell death after TLR4 activation or oxidized LDL loading. Targeted deletion of ChREBP in bone marrow cells resulted in accelerated atherosclerosis progression in Ldlr−/− mice with increased monocytosis, lesional macrophage accumulation, and plaque necrosis. Thus, ChREBP-dependent macrophage metabolic reprogramming hinders plaque progression and establishes a causative role for leukocyte glucose metabolism in atherosclerosis.

  2. Orally administered sodium 4-phenylbutyrate suppresses the development of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, Kazuhiko; Nimura, Satoshi; Hideshima, Yuko; Nabeshima, Kazuki; Nakashima, Manabu

    2017-12-01

    Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) exerts therapeutic effects in a wide range of pathologies. A previous study by the present authors revealed that intraperitoneal administration of PBA suppresses the onset of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. In the present study, the effects of orally administered PBA are investigated, as this route of administration is more clinically relevant. The therapeutic efficacy of PBA (10 mg/12 h) in mice with experimental colitis was assessed based on the disease activity index, production of inflammatory cytokines, colon length and histopathological investigations. The results of the present study demonstrated a significantly higher survival rate in the PBA-treated group compared with the PBA-untreated (DSS control) group (P=0.0156). PBA treatment improved pathological indices of experimental colitis (P<0.05). Furthermore, the oral administration of PBA significantly inhibited the DSS-induced shortening of the colon (P<0.05) and overproduction of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 (both P<0.05) as measured in colonic lavage fluids. A marked attenuation of the DSS-induced overproduction of tumor necrosis factor was also observed. For histopathological analysis, a marked decrease in mature goblet cells and increase in enlarged nuclei of the absorptive cells was observed in colon lesions of DSS control mice as compared with normal untreated mice. However, in the PBA-treated mice, no such lesions were observed and the mucosa resembled that of DSS-untreated mice. The results of the present study, combined with those results of a previous study, suggest that oral and intraperitoneal administration of PBA have similar preventative effects on DSS-induced colitis, achieved by suppressing its pathogenesis.

  3. Periodontal bone lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linden, L.W.J. van der.

    1985-01-01

    In the course of life the periodontum is subject to changes which may be physiological or pathological. Intraoral radiographs give insight into the hard structures of the dentomaxillar region and provides information on lesions in the bone of the periodontum in that they show radiopacities and radiolucencies caused by such lesions. In this thesis the relation is investigated between the true shape and dimensions of periodontal bone lesions and their radiographic images. A method is developed and tested of making standardized and reproducible radiographs suitable for longitudinal studies of periodontal lesions. Also the possibility is demonstrated of an objective and reproducible interpretation of radiographic characteristics of periodontal bone lesions. (Auth.)

  4. Bone lesions in Chinese POEMS syndrome patients: imaging characteristics and clinical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fengdan; Huang, Xufei; Zhang, Yan; Li, Jian; Zhou, Daobin; Jin, Zhengyu

    2016-01-01

    Objective. Bone lesion is crucial for diagnosing and management of polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, and skin change (POEMS) syndrome, a rare plasma cell disorder. This study is to compare the effectiveness of X-ray skeletal survey (SS) and computed tomography (CT) for detecting bone lesions in Chinese POEMS syndrome patients, and to investigate the relationship between bone lesion features and serum markers. Methods. SS and chest/abdomen/pelvic CT images of 38 Chinese patients (26 males, 12 females, aged 21-70 years) with POEMS syndrome recruited at our medical center between January 2013 and January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Bone lesions identified by CT were further categorized according to the size (10 mm) and appearance (osteosclerotic, lytic, mixed). The percentage of plasma cells in bone marrow smears, type of immunoglobulin, platelet (Plt), and levels of serum bone metabolic markers and inflammatory factors including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH), beta-isomerized C-telopeptide (β-CTx), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were also recorded. Results. Of the 38 POEMS syndrome patients, the immunoglobulin heavy chain isotypes were IgA in 25 patients (65.8%; 25/38) and IgG in 13 patients (34.2%; 13/38), and the light chain isotypes were λ in 35 patients (92.1%; 35/38) and κ in 3 patients (7.9%; 3/38). There were 23 patients with thrombocytosis. More patients with bone lesions were detected by CT than by SS (97.4% vs. 86.8%). The most commonly affected location was the pelvis (89.5%), followed by the spine, clavicle/scapula/sternum/ribs, skull, and long bones. Of the 38 POEMS syndrome patients, 35 (94.6%) had osteosclerotic and 32 (86.5%) had mixed lesions. Osteosclerotic lesions were typically scattered, variable in size, and plaque-like, whereas mixed lesions were pouch-shaped or soup bubble-like with a clear sclerotic margin and were

  5. Comparative Study of Experimentally Induced Cancer of the Kidney in Mice and Rats with X-Rays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maldague, P. [Cancer Institute, University of Louvain (Belgium)

    1969-11-15

    Local irradiation of a kidney in rats and mice results in the development of radiation- induced cancers in the irradiated kidney. The production of these cancers is considerably greater in rats than in mice, and their frequency depends on: (1) The X-ray dose absorbed by the kidney; (2) The latency period which is longer for carcinomas than for sarcomas; and (3) The degree and extent of renal radiation- induced lesions. A study of the relationship between dose and carcinogenic effect has enabled us to define three types of X-ray dose: (a) An ineffective dose of 570 rads at which the inducement of cancer is zero; (b) An optimum dose of 1700 rads at which the frequency of renal tumours is maximal (85%); and (c) Excessive doses between 7000 and 14 000 rads after which the frequency of radiation-induced cancers of the kidney approaches zero. Studies of the latent period have shown that radiation-induced cancers of the kidney in mice do not appear until 790 days after irradiation, whereas in rats the first cancers appear after 280 days. As regards the mechanism of the inducement of renal cancer by radiation, we have been able to establish that cancers of the kidney only develop from visible renal lesions. Radiation-induced cancers have not been observed in rats or mice whose kidneys were morphologically and functionally normal. (author)

  6. Elastofibroma dorsi: typical radiological features

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haykir, R.; Karakose, S.; Karabacakoglu, A.

    2007-01-01

    Full text: Elastofibroma dorsi is a rare benign and slow-growing fibro-proliferative lesion. It has a characteristic location (periscapular region) and a specific imaging appearance (sonography, CT, MRI) allowing accurate prospective diagnosis. The recognition of this benign lesion avoids unnecessary biopsy and/or surgery. We report two cases of bilateral elastofibroma dorsi illustrating characteristic imaging features on ultrasound, CT and MRI

  7. Managing Carious Lesions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schwendicke, F; Frencken, J E; Bjørndal, L

    2016-01-01

    should be prioritized, while in shallow or moderately deep lesions, restoration longevity becomes more important. For teeth with shallow or moderately deep cavitated lesions, carious tissue removal is performed according toselective removal to firm dentine.In deep cavitated lesions in primary......The International Caries Consensus Collaboration undertook a consensus process and here presents clinical recommendations for carious tissue removal and managing cavitated carious lesions, including restoration, based on texture of demineralized dentine. Dentists should manage the disease dental...

  8. Comparative brain stem lesions on MRI of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, neuromyelitis optica, and multiple sclerosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhengqi Lu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Brain stem lesions are common in patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM, neuromyelitis optica (NMO, and multiple sclerosis (MS. OBJECTIVES: To investigate comparative brain stem lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI among adult patients with ADEM, NMO, and MS. METHODS: Sixty-five adult patients with ADEM (n = 17, NMO (n = 23, and MS (n = 25 who had brain stem lesions on MRI were enrolled. Morphological features of brain stem lesions among these diseases were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with ADEM had a higher frequency of midbrain lesions than did patients with NMO (94.1% vs. 17.4%, P<0.001 and MS (94.1% vs. 40.0%, P<0.001; patients with NMO had a lower frequency of pons lesions than did patients with MS (34.8% vs. 84.0%, P<0.001 and ADEM (34.8% vs. 70.6%, P = 0.025; and patients with NMO had a higher frequency of medulla oblongata lesions than did patients with ADEM (91.3% vs. 35.3%, P<0.001 and MS (91.3% vs. 36.0%, P<0.001. On the axial section of the brain stem, the majority (82.4% of patients with ADEM showed lesions on the ventral part; the brain stem lesions in patients with NMO were typically located in the dorsal part (91.3%; and lesions in patients with MS were found in both the ventral (44.0% and dorsal (56.0% parts. The lesions in patients with ADEM (100% and NMO (91.3% had poorly defined margins, while lesions of patients with MS (76.0% had well defined margins. Brain stem lesions in patients with ADEM were usually bilateral and symmetrical (82.4%, while lesions in patients with NMO (87.0% and MS (92.0% were asymmetrical or unilateral. CONCLUSIONS: Brain stem lesions showed various morphological features among adult patients with ADEM, NMO, and MS. The different lesion locations may be helpful in distinguishing these diseases.

  9. Evaluation of colonic lesions and pitfalls in CT colonography: A systematic approach based on morphology, attenuation and mobility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mang, Thomas; Gryspeerdt, Stefaan; Schima, Wolfgang; Lefere, Philippe

    2013-01-01

    Computed tomographic colonography is a reliable technique for the detection and classification of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions of the colon. It is based on a thin-section CT dataset of the cleansed and air-distended colon, acquired in prone and supine position. Two-dimensional and 3D projections are used in combination for image interpretation. The evaluation of CT colonography datasets is based on two steps, lesion perception to detect a polyp candidate and image interpretation to correctly characterize colonic filling defects. A thorough knowledge of the morphologic and attenuation characteristics of common colonic lesions and artifacts facilitates characterization of the findings. The purpose of this review article is to give an overview of the key CT colonographic imaging criteria to correctly characterize common colorectal lesions and to identify typical pitfalls and pseudolesions

  10. Virological and clinico-pathological features of orf virus infection in experimentally infected rabbits and mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cargnelutti, J F; Masuda, E K; Martins, M; Diel, D G; Rock, D L; Weiblen, R; Flores, E F

    2011-01-01

    Many aspects of the biology of orf virus (ORFV) infection remain poorly understood and attempts to establish animal models have yielded conflicting and non-reproducible results. We herein describe the characterization of ORFV infection and disease in rabbits and mice. A protocol of intradermal inoculation was employed to inoculate 10(8.5)TCID₅₀/mL of ORFV strain IA-82 in the skin of ears, of the back and labial commissures. All inoculated rabbits presented a clinical course characterized by erythema, macules, papules/vesicles or pustules that eventually dried originating scabs. Local signs started around days 3 and 4 post-inoculation (pi) and lasted 3-10 days. Virus was recovered from lesions between days 2 and 14pi. Histological examination of lesions revealed focal proliferative dermatitis with ballooning degeneration and eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in keratinocytes, histological hallmarks of contagious ecthyma in sheep. A similar, albeit milder clinical course occurred in 5/10 inoculated mice; virus was recovered from lesions from three animals. Inoculated lambs - used as controls - developed severe lesions of contagious ecthyma. VN tests performed at day 28pi failed to detect neutralizing antibodies in all inoculated animals. In contrast, convalescent rabbit sera were positive by ELISA at dilutions from 100 to 400. These results show that rabbits are susceptible to ORFV infection and thus may be used to study selected aspects of ORFV biology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Augmented atherogenesis in ApoE-null mice co-exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shan, Qiuli; Wang, Jing; Huang, Fengchen; Lv, Xiaowen; Ma, Min; Du, Yuguo

    2014-01-01

    2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants found as complex mixtures in the environment throughout the world. Therefore, humans are ubiquitously and simultaneously exposed to TCDD and PCBs. TCDD and PCBs alone have been linked to atherosclerosis. However, the effects of interactions or synergism between TCDD and PCBs on atherogenesis are unknown. We investigated the possible enhanced atherogenesis by co-exposure to TCDD and PCBs and the potential mechanism(s) involved in this enhancement. Male ApoE −/− mice were exposed to TCDD (15 μg/kg) and Aroclor1254 (55 mg/kg, a representative mixture of PCBs) alone or in combination by intraperitoneal injection four times over six weeks of duration. Our results showed that mice exposed to TCDD alone, but not Aroclor1254 alone, developed atherosclerotic lesions. Moreover, we found that atherosclerotic disease was exacerbated to the greatest extent in mice co-exposed to TCDD and Aroclor1254. The enhanced lesions correlated with several pro-atherogenic changes, including a marked increase in the accumulation of the platelet-derived chemokine PF4, and the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine MCP-1 and the critical immunity gene-RIG-I. Our data demonstrated that co-exposure to TCDD and Aroclor1254 markedly enhanced atherogenesis in ApoE −/− mice. Significantly, our observations suggest that combined exposure to TCDD and PCBs may be a greater cardiovascular health risk than previously anticipated from individual studies. - Highlights: • Augmented atherogenesis was found in ApoE −/− mice co-exposed to Aroclor1254 and TCDD. • Enhanced expression of PF4, MCP-1 and RIG-I correlated with augmented lesions. • POPs combination may be a greater cardiovascular health risk than individual POPs

  12. Augmented atherogenesis in ApoE-null mice co-exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shan, Qiuli [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Wang, Jing, E-mail: avaecn@gmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Huang, Fengchen [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Lv, Xiaowen [Feed Safety Reference Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhongguancun South Street 12, Beijing 100081 (China); Ma, Min [Laboratory of Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Du, Yuguo [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China)

    2014-04-15

    2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants found as complex mixtures in the environment throughout the world. Therefore, humans are ubiquitously and simultaneously exposed to TCDD and PCBs. TCDD and PCBs alone have been linked to atherosclerosis. However, the effects of interactions or synergism between TCDD and PCBs on atherogenesis are unknown. We investigated the possible enhanced atherogenesis by co-exposure to TCDD and PCBs and the potential mechanism(s) involved in this enhancement. Male ApoE{sup −/−} mice were exposed to TCDD (15 μg/kg) and Aroclor1254 (55 mg/kg, a representative mixture of PCBs) alone or in combination by intraperitoneal injection four times over six weeks of duration. Our results showed that mice exposed to TCDD alone, but not Aroclor1254 alone, developed atherosclerotic lesions. Moreover, we found that atherosclerotic disease was exacerbated to the greatest extent in mice co-exposed to TCDD and Aroclor1254. The enhanced lesions correlated with several pro-atherogenic changes, including a marked increase in the accumulation of the platelet-derived chemokine PF4, and the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine MCP-1 and the critical immunity gene-RIG-I. Our data demonstrated that co-exposure to TCDD and Aroclor1254 markedly enhanced atherogenesis in ApoE{sup −/−} mice. Significantly, our observations suggest that combined exposure to TCDD and PCBs may be a greater cardiovascular health risk than previously anticipated from individual studies. - Highlights: • Augmented atherogenesis was found in ApoE{sup −/−} mice co-exposed to Aroclor1254 and TCDD. • Enhanced expression of PF4, MCP-1 and RIG-I correlated with augmented lesions. • POPs combination may be a greater cardiovascular health risk than individual POPs.

  13. Distinctive cellular immunity in genetically susceptible BALB/c mice recovered from Leishmania major infection or after subcutaneous immunization with killed parasites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liew, F.Y.; Dhaliwal, J.S.

    1987-01-01

    Genetically susceptible BALB/c mice are refractory to further infection after recovery from Leishmania major infection after a sublethal dose of gamma-irradiation. In contrast, mice immunized with killed promastigotes s.c. develop exacerbated lesions after infection. Both groups of mice produce only a low level of specific antibody and no detectable cytotoxic T cells, but do have a strong antigen-specific DTH, which is adoptively transferable with Lyt-1+2-, L3T4+ T cells. Kinetic and histological studies revealed that mice immunized s.c. developed Jones-Mote hypersensitivity, peaking at 15 hr. with little mononuclear cell infiltration at the site of antigen administration; whereas mice that had recovered from infection developed tuberculin-type of reactivity, peaking at 24 to 48 hr, with intense mononuclear cell infiltration. Splenic T cells from recovered mice, when injected into the footpads of normal recipients together with live promastigotes, were able to retard lesion development; whereas T cells from s.c. immunized mice, when similarly transferred, accelerated disease progression. Antigen-specific culture supernatant of spleen cells from recovered mice also activated normal resident peritoneal macrophages to kill intracellular L. major amastigotes and tumor cells. Culture supernatants of spleen cells from s.c. immunized or normal mice were devoid of such activities. Part of the macrophage-activating potential can be inhibited by antibody specific for IFN-gamma. These results therefore demonstrate that whereas the Jones-Mote reaction is correlated with disease exacerbation, the tuberculin-type of DTH may be protective. Furthermore, in vivo immunity is directly related to the capacity of T cells to produce macrophage-activating factor

  14. Human papillomavirus in oral lesions Virus papiloma humano en lesiones orales

    OpenAIRE

    Joaquín V. Gónzalez; Rafael A. Gutiérrez; Alicia Keszler; Maria Del Carmen Colacino; Lidia V. Alonio; Angélica R. Teyssie; Maria Alejandra Picconi

    2007-01-01

    Growing evidence suggests a role for human papillomavirus (HPV) in oral cancer; however its involvement is still controversial. This study evaluates the frequency of HPV DNA in a variety of oral lesions in patients from Argentina. A total of 77 oral tissue samples from 66 patients were selected (cases); the clinical-histopathological diagnoses corresponded to: 11 HPV- associated benign lesions, 8 non-HPV associated benign lesions, 33 premalignant lesions and 25 cancers. Sixty exfoliated cell ...

  15. Early atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation in mice with diet-induced type 2 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bartels, E D; Bang, C A; Nielsen, L B

    2009-01-01

    and the median lesion area was 8.0 times higher than in fat-fed wild-type mice (P = 0.001). Intracellular adhesion molecule-1 staining of the aortic endothelium was most pronounced in the fat-fed apoB transgenic mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that diet-induced type 2 diabetes causes early......BACKGROUND: Obesity and type 2 diabetes increase the risk of atherosclerosis. It is unknown to what extent this reflects direct effects on the arterial wall or secondary effects of hyperlipidaemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of obesity and type 2 diabetes on the development...

  16. Increased susceptibility to chemotherapeutic alkylating agents of mice deficient in DNA repair methyltransferase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiraishi, A; Sakumi, K; Sekiguchi, M

    2000-10-01

    O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase plays vital roles in preventing induction of mutations and cancer as well as cell death related to alkylating agents. Mice defective in the MGMT: gene, encoding the methyltransferase, were used to evaluate cell death-inducing and tumorigenic activities of therapeutic agents which have alkylation potential. MGMT(-/-) mice were considerably more sensitive to dacarbazine, a monofunctional triazene, than were wild-type mice, in terms of survival. When dacarbazine was administered i.p. to 6-week-old mice and survival at 30 days was enumerated, LD(50) values of MGMT(-/-) and MGMT(+/+) mice were 20 and 450 mg/kg body wt, respectively. Increased sensitivity of MGMT(-/-) mice to 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosou rea (ACNU), a bifunctional nitrosourea, was also noted. On the other hand, there was no difference in survival of MGMT(+/+) and MGMT(-/-) mice exposed to cyclophosphamide, a bifunctional nitrogen mustard. It appears that dacarbazine and ACNU produce O(6)-alkylguanine as a major toxic lesion, while cyclophosphamide yields other types of modifications in DNA which are not subjected to the action of the methyltransferase. MGMT(-/-) mice seem to be less refractory to the tumor-inducing effect of dacarbazine than are MGMT(+/+) mice. Thus, the level of O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity is an important factor when determining susceptibility to drugs with the potential for alkylation.

  17. Effects of High Fat Feeding and Diabetes on Regression of Atherosclerosis Induced by Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Gene Therapy in LDL Receptor-Deficient Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Willecke

    Full Text Available We tested whether a high fat diet (HFD containing the inflammatory dietary fatty acid palmitate or insulin deficient diabetes altered the remodeling of atherosclerotic plaques in LDL receptor knockout (Ldlr-/- mice. Cholesterol reduction was achieved by using a helper-dependent adenovirus (HDAd carrying the gene for the low-density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr; HDAd-LDLR. After injection of the HDAd-LDLR, mice consuming either HFD, which led to insulin resistance but not hyperglycemia, or low fat diet (LFD, showed regression compared to baseline. However there was no difference between the two groups in terms of atherosclerotic lesion size, or CD68+ cell and lipid content. Because of the lack of effects of these two diets, we then tested whether viral-mediated cholesterol reduction would lead to defective regression in mice with greater hyperglycemia. In both normoglycemic and streptozotocin (STZ-treated hyperglycemic mice, HDAd-LDLR significantly reduced plasma cholesterol levels, decreased atherosclerotic lesion size, reduced macrophage area and lipid content, and increased collagen content of plaque in the aortic sinus. However, reductions in anti-inflammatory and ER stress-related genes were less pronounced in STZ-diabetic mice compared to non-diabetic mice. In conclusion, HDAd-mediated Ldlr gene therapy is an effective and simple method to induce atherosclerosis regression in Ldlr-/- mice in different metabolic states.

  18. Wound healing delays in α-Klotho-deficient mice that have skin appearance similar to that in aged humans - Study of delayed wound healing mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamauchi, Makoto; Hirohashi, Yoshihiko; Torigoe, Toshihiko; Matsumoto, Yoshitaka; Yamashita, Ken; Kayama, Musashi; Sato, Noriyuki; Yotsuyanagi, Takatoshi

    2016-05-13

    Skin atrophy and delayed wound healing are observed in aged humans; however, the molecular mechanism are still elusive. The aim of this study was to analyze the molecular mechanisms of delayed wound healing by aging using α-Klotho-deficient (kl/kl) mice, which have phenotypes similar to those of aged humans. The kl/kl mice showed delayed wound healing and impaired granulation formation compared with those in wild-type (WT) mice. The skin graft experiments revealed that delayed wound healing depends on humoral factors, but not on kl/kl skin tissue. The mRNA expression levels of cytokines related to acute inflammation including IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were higher in wound lesions of kl/kl mice compared with the levels in WT mice by RT-PCR analysis. LPS-induced TNF-α production model using spleen cells revealed that TNF-α production was significantly increased in the presence of FGF23. Thus, higher levels of FGF23 in kl/kl mouse may have a role to increase TNF-α production in would lesion independently of α-Klotho protein, and impair granulation formation and delay wound healing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. The effect of aging on efferent nerve fibers regeneration in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verdú, E; Butí, M; Navarro, X

    1995-10-23

    This study evaluates the influence of aging on nerve regeneration and reinnervation of target organs in mice aged 2, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months. In animals of each age group the sciatic nerve was subjected to crush, section or section and suture. Reinnervation of plantar muscles and sweat glands (SG) was evaluated over three months after operation by functional methods. Reappearance of SG secretion and motor responses occurred slightly earlier in young than older mice. The degree of motor and sudomotor reinnervation, with respect to preoperative control values, was also significantly higher in young than old animals. The differences were more pronounced after 12 months of age. The degree of recovery progressively decreased with the severity of the lesion, differences being more marked in older mice. Neurorraphy improved recovery, comparatively more in older than in young mice. These results indicate that, after injuries of peripheral nerves, axonal regeneration and reinnervation are maintained throughout life, but tend to be more delayed and slightly less effective with aging.

  20. Enhanced urinary bladder and liver carcinogenesis in male CD1 mice exposed to transplacental inorganic arsenic and postnatal diethylstilbestrol or tamoxifen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waalkes, Michael P.; Liu Jie; Ward, Jerrold M.; Diwan, Bhalchandra A.

    2006-01-01

    Pregnant CD1 mice received 85 ppm arsenite in the drinking water from gestation day 8 to 18, groups (n = 35) of male offspring were subsequently injected on postpartum days 1 through 5 with diethylstilbestrol (DES; 2 μg/pup/day) or tamoxifen (TAM; 10 μg/pup/day), and tumor formation was assessed over 90 weeks. Arsenic alone increased hepatocellular carcinoma (14%), adenoma (23%) and total tumors (31%) compared to control (0, 2 and 2%, respectively). Arsenic alone also increased lung adenocarcinoma, adrenal cortical adenoma and renal cystic tubular hyperplasia compared to control. Compared to arsenic alone, arsenic plus DES increased liver tumor incidence in mice at risk 2.2-fold and increased liver tumor multiplicity (tumors/liver) 1.8-fold. The treatments alone did not impact urinary bladder carcinogenesis, but arsenic plus TAM significantly increased formation of urinary bladder transitional cell tumors (papilloma and carcinoma; 13%) compared to control (0%). Urinary bladder proliferative lesions (combined tumors and hyperplasia) were also increased by arsenic plus TAM (40%) or arsenic plus DES (43%) compared to control (0%) or the treatments alone. Urinary bladder proliferative lesions occurred in the absence of any evidence of uroepithelial cytotoxic lesions. Urinary bladder lesions and hepatocellular carcinoma induced by arsenic plus TAM and/or DES overexpressed estrogen receptor-α, indicating that aberrant estrogen signaling may have been a factor in the enhanced carcinogenic response. Thus, in male CD1 mice, gestational arsenic exposure alone induced liver adenoma and carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, adrenal adenoma and renal cystic hyperplasia. Furthermore, DES enhanced transplacental arsenic-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. In utero arsenic also initiated urinary bladder tumor formation when followed by postnatal TAM and uroepithelial proliferative lesions when followed by TAM or DES

  1. Suppression of neutrophil accumulation in mice by cutaneous application of geranium essential oil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oshima Haruyuki

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies suggested that essential oils suppressed the adherence response of human neutrophils in vitro and that intraperitoneal application of geranium oil suppressed the neutrophil accumulation into peritoneal cavity in vivo. Usually, essential oils are applied through skin in aromatherapy in inflammatory symptoms. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of cutaneous application of essential oils on the accumulation of neutrophils in inflammatory sites in skin of mice. Methods Inflammation with accumulation of inflammatory cells was induced by injection of curdlan, a (1→3-β-D-glucan in skin or peritoneal cavity of mice. Essential oils were applied cutaneously to the mice immediately and 3 hr after intradermal injection of curdlan. The skin with inflammatory lesion was cut off 6 hr after injection of curdlan, and the homogenates were used for myeloperoxidase (MPO: a marker enzyme of neutrophil granule assay. Results The MPO activity of the skin lesion induced by curdlan was suppressed dose-dependently by cutaneous application of geranium oil. Other oils such as lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree oils also suppressed the activity, but their activities seemed weaker than geranium. Juniper oil didn't suppress the activity Conclusion Cutaneous application of essential oils, especially geranium oil, can suppress the inflammatory symptoms with neutrophil accumulation and edema.

  2. Effects of x rays on the morphology and physiology of the CNS blood vessels of mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gladysz, J [Akademia Medyczna, Poznan (Poland)

    1974-01-01

    Irradiation of the CNS of mice with 4000 to 7600 R produces transitional disorder of the permeability of vascular walls, followed by a permanent (irreversible) degenerative lesion of blood capillaries and the surrounding astrogial cells. Intensity of this alterations may however not be the same in different terminal blood vessels. It is very likely that the above described lesion appearing in the acute phase can be the main cause of further alterations in the CNS which are observed in late phase of postradiation disease.

  3. Scavenger receptor deficiency leads to more complex atherosclerotic lesions in APOE3Leiden transgenic mice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Winther, M.P.J. de; Gijbels, M.J.J.; Dijk, K.W. van; Gorp, P.J.J. van; Suzuki, H.; Kodama, T.; Frants, R.R.; Havekes, L.M.; Hofker, M.H.

    1999-01-01

    Apolipoprotein (apo) E3Leiden is a dysfunctional apo E variant associated with familial dysbetalipoproteinemia in humans. Transgenic mice carrying the APOE3Leiden gene develop hyperlipidemia and are highly susceptible to diet-induced atherosclerosis. An early step in atherosclerosis is foam cell

  4. Immunohistochemistry Evaluation of TGF-β1, SOX-9, Type II Collagen and Aggrecan in Cartilage Lesions Treated with Conditioned Medium of Umbilical Cord Mesencyhmal Stem Cells in Wistar Mice (Rattus novergicus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bintang Soetjahjo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to be used as treatment options for any cartilage lesion. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of conditioned medium from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC on damaged cartilage through the expression of proteins TGF-β1, SOX-9, type II collagen and aggrecan, which are known to be related to chondrogenesis. UC-MSC were isolated from 19-days-pregnant Wistar mice and were cultured using the standard procedure to obtain 80% confluence. Subsequently, the culture was confirmed through a microscopic examination that was driven to be an embryoid body to obtain a pre-condition medium. This research utilized 3-month-old male Wistar mice and was categorized into 6 groups (3 control and 3 treatment groups. Each animal had surgery performed to create a femur condyle cartilage defect. The treatment groups were administered a dose of stem cells at 1 mL/kg. Next, immunohistochemical (IHC staining was performed to examine the expression of TGF-β1, SOX-9, type II collagen and aggrecan in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th month of evaluation. The results were analyzed statistically using ANOVA test. For each of the treatment groups, there was increased expression (p < 0.05 in all proteins TGF-β1, SOX-9, type II collagen and aggrecan when compared with control groups at the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th month of evaluation. Pre-conditioned medium from UC-MSC potentially increases the expression of TGF-β1, SOX-9, type II collagen and aggrecan in the damaged cartilage of Wistar mice.

  5. Transcriptional profiles of cytokine/chemokine factors of immune cell-homing to the parasitic lesions: a comprehensive one-year course study in the liver of E. multilocularis-infected mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junhua Wang

    Full Text Available Pathogenesis of chronically developing alveolar echinococcosis (AE is characterized by a continuous, granulomatous, periparasitic infiltration of immune cells surrounding the metacestode of Echinococcus multilocularis (E.multilocularis in the affected liver. A detailed cytokine and chemokine profile analysis of the periparasitic infiltrate in the liver has, however, not yet been carried out in a comprehensive way all along the whole course of infection in E. multilocularis intermediate hosts. We thus assessed the hepatic gene expression profiles of 18 selected cytokine and chemokine genes using qRT-PCR in the periparasitic immune reaction and the subsequent adjacent, not directly affected, liver tissue of mice from day 2 to day 360 post intra-hepatic injection of metacestode. DNA microarray analysis was also used to get a more complete picture of the transcriptional changes occurring in the liver surrounding the parasitic lesions. Profiles of mRNA expression levels in the hepatic parasitic lesions showed that a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response, characterized by the concomitant presence of IL-12α, IFN-γ and IL-4, was established very early in the development of E. multilocularis. Subsequently, the profile extended to a combined tolerogenic profile associating IL-5, IL-10 and TGF-β. IL-17 was permanently expressed in the liver, mostly in the periparasitic infiltrate; this was confirmed by the increased mRNA expression of both IL-17A and IL-17F from a very early stage, with a subsequent decrease of IL-17A after this first initial rise. All measured chemokines were significantly expressed at a given stage of infection; their expression paralleled that of the corresponding Th1, Th2 or Th17 cytokines. In addition to giving a comprehensive insight in the time course of cytokines and chemokines in E. multilocularis lesion, this study contributes to identify new targets for possible immune therapy to minimize E. multilocularis-related pathology and to

  6. Imiquimod induced ApoE-deficient mice might be a composite animal model for the study of psoriasis and dyslipideamia comorbidity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Xinran; Zhang, Lei; Lin, Yan; Wang, Yan; Liu, Weihong; Li, Xue; Li, Ping

    2017-10-01

    Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of developing lipid metabolism disturbances. Both psoriasis and dyslipideamia not only closely interact in disease development, but occur as mutual side effects in some medicine treatment. The interactive mechanism of the two diseases is complicated and still unclear. Here, we proposed applying imiquimod on the dorsal skin of ApoE -/- mice to establish a composite animal model which formed psoriasiform skin lesions under hyperlipidemic condition. By comparison with corresponding wild-type(C57BL/6) mice, the composite mice model was evaluated by skin pathological features, lipid levels, immune inflammatory factors in order to clarify the diseases interplay mechanism. In addition, IL-17 mAb treatment was applied to observe the effect of IL-17 antibody on the composite animal model. The results verified that imiquimod-induced ApoE -/- mice model presented keratinocyte hyperplasia, parakeratosis, inflammatory cells infiltration and elevated serum lipid levels, and also reflected the complex interaction between inflammation and lipid metabolism. IL-17 mAb could inhibit psoriasis skin lesions with lipid accumulation via STAT3 pathway, but no influence on elevated serum cholesterol. Imiquimod-induced ApoE -/- mice model presented the pathological features of psoriasis and dyslipideamia, which could be an ideal composite animal model for the study of pathogenesis and pharmacotherapeutics of psoriasis and dyslipideamia comorbidity. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Accumulation of immunoglobulin-containing cells in the gut mucosa and presence of faecal immunoglobulin in severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice with T cell-induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bregenholt, S; Brimnes, J; Reimann, J

    1998-01-01

    and IgG2b were found to accumulate in colon segments displaying the most severe histopathology, including inflammatory cellular infiltration, epithelial hyperplasia and ulcerative lesions. Compared with colon segments of normal C.B-17 mice, the lesional scid colon shows increased levels of cells positive...

  8. Arthroscopic Anterior Shoulder Stabilization With Incorporation of a Comminuted Bony Bankart Lesion

    OpenAIRE

    Lansdown, Drew; Bernardoni, Eamon D.; Cotter, Eric J.; Romeo, Anthony A.; Verma, Nikhil N.

    2017-01-01

    Bony Bankart lesions are a common finding in patients with anterior glenohumeral dislocation. Although there are no defined guidelines, small bony Bankart fractures are typically treated arthroscopically with suture anchors. The 2 main techniques used are double- and single-row suture anchor stabilization, with debate over superiority. Biomechanical studies have shown improved reduction and stabilization with the double-row over the single-row suture anchor technique; however, this has not be...

  9. Benign fibroosseous lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cansu Köseoğlu Seçgin

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Benign fibroosseous lesions represent a group of lesions that share the same basic evolutive mechanism and are characterized by replacement of normal bone with a fibrous connective tissue that gradually undergoes mineralization. These lesions are presented by a variety of diseases including developmental, reactive-dysplastic processes and neoplasms. Depending on the nature and amount of calcified tissue, they can be observed as radiolucent, mixed or radiopaque. Their radiographic features could be well-defined or indistinguishable from the surrounding bone tissue. They can be asymptomatic as in osseous dysplasias and can be detected incidentally on radiographs, or they can lead to expansion in the affected bone as in ossifying fibroma. All fibroosseous lesions seen in the jaws and face are variations of the same histological pattern. Therefore, detailed clinical and radiographic evaluation in differential diagnosis is important. In this review, fibroosseous benign lesions are classified as osseous dysplasia, fibrous dysplasia and fibroosseous tumors; and radiographic features and differential diagnosis of these lesions are reviewed taking into account this classification.

  10. Alzheimer's disease pathological lesions activate the spleen tyrosine kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schweig, Jonas Elias; Yao, Hailan; Beaulieu-Abdelahad, David; Ait-Ghezala, Ghania; Mouzon, Benoit; Crawford, Fiona; Mullan, Michael; Paris, Daniel

    2017-09-06

    The pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by dystrophic neurites (DNs) surrounding extracellular Aβ-plaques, microgliosis, astrogliosis, intraneuronal tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation. We have previously shown that inhibition of the spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) lowers Aβ production and tau hyperphosphorylation in vitro and in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that Aβ-overexpressing Tg PS1/APPsw, Tg APPsw mice, and tau overexpressing Tg Tau P301S mice exhibit a pathological activation of Syk compared to wild-type littermates. Syk activation is occurring in a subset of microglia and is age-dependently increased in Aβ-plaque-associated dystrophic neurites of Tg PS1/APPsw and Tg APPsw mice. In Tg Tau P301S mice, a pure model of tauopathy, activated Syk occurs in neurons that show an accumulation of misfolded and hyperphosphorylated tau in the cortex and hippocampus. Interestingly, the tau pathology is exacerbated in neurons that display high levels of Syk activation supporting a role of Syk in the formation of tau pathological species in vivo. Importantly, human AD brain sections show both pathological Syk activation in DNs around Aβ deposits and in neurons immunopositive for pathological tau species recapitulating the data obtained in transgenic mouse models of AD. Additionally, we show that Syk overexpression leads to increased tau accumulation and promotes tau hyperphosphorylation at multiple epitopes in human neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells, further supporting a role of Syk in the formation of tau pathogenic species. Collectively, our data show that Syk activation occurs following Aβ deposition and the formation of tau pathological species. Given that we have previously shown that Syk activation also promotes Aβ formation and tau hyperphosphorylation, our data suggest that AD pathological lesions may be self-propagating via a Syk dependent mechanism highlighting Syk as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of AD.

  11. The diagnostic value of double-contrast-technique cystography in the evaluation of benign and malignant lesions of the urinary bladder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beyer, D.; Koester, R.; Schuett, H.

    1979-01-01

    Cystography by double-contrast-technique as simple and quick method of evaluating benign and malignant lesions of the urinary bladder is being described. 301 examinations were reviewed and are being discussed in regard to diagnostic value, indication, complication and radiation exposure of this method. A few typical cases are being demonstrated to illustrate the value of this method in the spectrum of other diagnostic methods in the workup of urinary bladder lesions. (orig.) [de

  12. Effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to lethal whole-body. gamma. irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Onoue, M.; Uchida, K.; Yokokura, T.; Takahashi, T.; Mutai, M.

    1981-11-01

    The effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to 2-kR whole-body ..gamma.. irradiation was studied using germfree, monoassociated, and conventionalized ICR mice. The germfree mice were monoassociated with 1 of 11 bacterial strains, which were isolated from the fresh feces of conventional mice, 2 weeks prior to irradiation. All mice died within 3 weeks after irradiation. Monoassociation with Fusobacterium sp., Streptococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, or Pseudomonas sp. significantly reduced the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. In contrast, monoassociation with Clostridium sp., Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, or Lactobacillus acidophilus significantly prolonged the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. This suggests that the latter organisms may perform some activity to protect the mice from radiation injury. In this histopathological autopsy examination, the main lesions were hypocellularity in hematopoietic organs and hemorrhage in various organs. Neither karyorrhexis nor desquamation of intestinal mucosal cells was observed in any mice. From these observations, it is suggested that the death of these mice was related to hematopoietic damage. Bacterial invasion into various organs was observed in conventionalized and Pseudomonas-, E. coli-, or S. faecalis-monoassociated mice but not in Clostridium-, B. pseudolongum-, L. acidophilus-, or Fusobacterium-monoassociated mice.

  13. Effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to lethal whole-body γ irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onoue, M.; Uchida, K.; Yokokura, T.; Takahashi, T.; Mutai, M.

    1981-01-01

    The effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to 2-kR whole-body γ irradiation was studied using germfree, monoassociated, and conventionalized ICR mice. The germfree mice were monoassociated with 1 of 11 bacterial strains, which were isolated from the fresh feces of conventional mice, 2 weeks prior to irradiation. All mice died within 3 weeks after irradiation. Monoassociation with Fusobacterium sp., Streptococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, or Pseudomonas sp. significantly reduced the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. In contrast, monoassociation with Clostridium sp., Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, or Lactobacillus acidophilus significantly prolonged the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. This suggests that the latter organisms may perform some activity to protect the mice from radiation injury. In this histopathological autopsy examination, the main lesions were hypocellularity in hematopoietic organs and hemorrhage in various organs. Neither karyorrhexis nor desquamation of intestinal mucosal cells was observed in any mice. From these observations, it is suggested that the death of these mice was related to hematopoietic damage. Bacterial invasion into various organs was observed in conventionalized and Pseudomonas-, E. coli-, or S. faecalis-monoassociated mice but not in Clostridium-, B. pseudolongum-, L. acidophilus-, or Fusobacterium-monoassociated mice

  14. The relative effects of cavitation and nonlinear ultrasound propagation on HIFU lesion dynamics in a tissue phantom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khokhlova, Vera A.; Bailey, Michael R.; Reed, Justin; Kaczkowski, Peter J.

    2004-05-01

    The relative importance of the effects of acoustic nonlinearity and cavitation in HIFU lesion production is studied experimentally and theoretically in a polyacrylamide gel. A 2-MHz transducer of 40-mm diameter and 45-mm focal length was operated at different regimes of power, and in cw or duty-cycle regimes with equal mean intensity. Elevated static pressure was applied to suppress bubbles, increase boiling temperature, and thus to isolate the effect of acoustic nonlinearity in the enhancement of lesion production. Experimental data were compared with the results of simulations performed using a KZK acoustic model combined with the bioheat equation and thermal dose formulation. Boiling and the typical tadpole-shaped lesion shifting towards the transducer were observed under standard atmospheric pressure. No boiling was detected and a symmetric thermal lesion formed in the case of overpressure. A delay in lesion inception time was registered with overpressure, which was hypothesized to be due to suppressed microbubble dynamics. The effect of acoustic nonlinearity was revealed as a substantial decrease in the lesion inception time and an increase in the lesion size for high-amplitude waves under both standard and overpressure conditions. [Work supported by ONRIFO, NASA/NSBRI, NIH Fogarty, and CRDF grants.

  15. Lesions of juxtacortical origin (surface lesions of bone)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenan, S.; Abdelwahab, I.F.; Klein, M.J.; Hermann, G.; Lewis, M.M.

    1993-01-01

    A large variety of tumor and tumor-like conditions have been shown to originate from the surface of bone. Most surface lesions are associated with periosteal reaction. The periosteum is a multipotential membrane. Its cellular composition may give rise to a variety of both neoplasms and tumor-like conditions. To avoid misinterpretation, the orthopedist, radiologist, and pathologist should be familiar with the entire spectrum of surface lesions. A better understanding of the natural history and biological behavior at different lesional maturity stages and correlation of the history with the radiographic and pathological findings is essential to establish the correct diagnosis. A history of injury of blunt trauma is very important. A stress fracture may produce a periosteal reaction acd callus that can be difficult to distinguish from osteosarcoma. In this review article, the authors wish to describe and define each term by its anatomy and radiographic features while discussing the entire spectrum of surface lesions. All the illustrative cases in this review article have been proven histologically. (orig.)

  16. Heterogeneity of mammary lesions represent molecular differences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Namba, Ruria; Gregg, Jeffrey P; Maglione, Jeannie E; Davis, Ryan R; Baron, Colin A; Liu, Stephenie; Carmack, Condie E; Young, Lawrence JT; Borowsky, Alexander D; Cardiff, Robert D

    2006-01-01

    Human breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, histopathologically, molecularly and phenotypically. The molecular basis of this heterogeneity is not well understood. We have used a mouse model of DCIS that consists of unique lines of mammary intraepithelial neoplasia (MIN) outgrowths, the premalignant lesion in the mouse that progress to invasive carcinoma, to understand the molecular changes that are characteristic to certain phenotypes. Each MIN-O line has distinguishable morphologies, metastatic potentials and estrogen dependencies. We utilized oligonucleotide expression arrays and high resolution array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to investigate whole genome expression patterns and whole genome aberrations in both the MIN-O and tumor from four different MIN-O lines that each have different phenotypes. From the whole genome analysis at 35 kb resolution, we found that chromosome 1, 2, 10, and 11 were frequently associated with whole chromosome gains in the MIN-Os. In particular, two MIN-O lines had the majority of the chromosome gains. Although we did not find any whole chromosome loss, we identified 3 recurring chromosome losses (2F1-2, 3E4, 17E2) and two chromosome copy number gains on chromosome 11. These interstitial deletions and duplications were verified with a custom made array designed to interrogate the specific regions at approximately 550 bp resolution. We demonstrated that expression and genomic changes are present in the early premalignant lesions and that these molecular profiles can be correlated to phenotype (metastasis and estrogen responsiveness). We also identified expression changes associated with genomic instability. Progression to invasive carcinoma was associated with few additional changes in gene expression and genomic organization. Therefore, in the MIN-O mice, early premalignant lesions have the major molecular and genetic changes required and these changes have important phenotypic significance. In contrast, the changes

  17. TAP1-deficiency does not alter atherosclerosis development in Apoe-/- mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Kolbus

    Full Text Available Antigen presenting cells (APC have the ability to present both extra-cellular and intra-cellular antigens via MHC class I molecules to CD8(+ T cells. The cross presentation of extra-cellular antigens is reduced in mice with deficient Antigen Peptide Transporter 1 (TAP1-dependent MHC class I antigen presentation, and these mice are characterized by a diminished CD8(+ T cell population. We have recently reported an increased activation of CD8(+ T cells in hypercholesterolemic Apoe(-/- mice. Therefore, this study included TAP1-deficient Apoe(-/- mice (Apoe(-/-Tap1(-/- to test the atherogenicity of CD8(+ T cells and TAP1-dependent cross presentation in a hypercholesterolemic environment. As expected the CD8(+ T cell numbers were low in Apoe(-/-Tap1(-/- mice in comparison to Apoe(-/- mice, constituting ~1% of the lymphocyte population. In spite of this there were no differences in the extent of atherosclerosis as assessed by en face Oil Red O staining of the aorta and cross-sections of the aortic root between Apoe(-/-Tap1(-/- and Apoe(-/- mice. Moreover, no differences were detected in lesion infiltration of macrophages or CD3(+ T cells in Apoe(-/-Tap1(-/- compared to Apoe(-/- mice. The CD3(+CD4(+ T cell fraction was increased in Apoe(-/-Tap1(-/- mice, suggesting a compensation for the decreased CD8(+ T cell population. Interestingly, the fraction of CD8(+ effector memory T cells was increased but this appeared to have little impact on the atherosclerosis development.In conclusion, Apoe(-/-Tap1(-/- mice develop atherosclerosis equal to Apoe(-/- mice, indicating a minor role for CD8(+ T cells and TAP1-dependent antigen presentation in the disease process.

  18. Brain response to traumatic brain injury in wild-type and interleukin-6 knockout mice: a microarray analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Christian Bjørn; Penkowa, Milena; Borup, Rehannah

    2005-01-01

    Traumatic injury to the brain is one of the leading causes of injury-related death or disability. Brain response to injury is orchestrated by cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, but the full repertoire of responses involved is not well known. We here report the results obtained with microarrays...... in wild-type and IL-6 knockout mice subjected to a cryolesion of the somatosensorial cortex and killed at 0, 1, 4, 8 and 16 days post-lesion. Overall gene expression was analyzed by using Affymetrix genechips/oligonucleotide arrays with approximately 12,400 probe sets corresponding to approximately 10...... in the initial tissue injury and later regeneration of the parenchyma. IL-6 deficiency showed a dramatic effect in the expression of many genes, especially in the 1 day post-lesion timing, which presumably underlies the poor capacity of IL-6 knockout mice to cope with brain damage. The results highlight...

  19. IL-4 deficiency is associated with mechanical hypersensitivity in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurcan Üçeyler

    Full Text Available Interleukin-4 (IL-4 is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic cytokine that induces opioid receptor transcription. We investigated IL-4 knockout (ko mice to characterize their pain behavior before and after chronic constriction injury (CCI of the sciatic nerve as a model for neuropathic pain. We investigated opioid responsivity and measured cytokine and opioid receptor gene expression in the peripheral and central nervous system (PNS, CNS of IL-4 ko mice in comparison with wildtype (wt mice. Naïve IL-4 ko mice displayed tactile allodynia (wt: 0.45 g; ko: 0.18 g; p<0.001, while responses to heat and cold stimuli and to muscle pressure were not different. No compensatory changes in the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF, IL-1β, IL-10, and IL-13 were found in the PNS and CNS of naïve IL-4 ko mice. However, IL-1β gene expression was stronger in the sciatic nerve of IL-4 ko mice (p<0.001 28 days after CCI and only IL-4 ko mice had elevated IL-10 gene expression (p = 0.014. Remarkably, CCI induced TNF (p<0.01, IL-1β (p<0.05, IL-10 (p<0.05, and IL-13 (p<0.001 gene expression exclusively in the ipsilateral spinal cord of IL-4 ko mice. The compensatory overexpression of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic cytokines IL-10 and IL-13 in the spinal cord of IL-4 ko mice may explain the lack of genotype differences for pain behavior after CCI. Additionally, CCI induced gene expression of μ, κ, and δ opioid receptors in the contralateral cortex and thalamus of IL-4 ko mice, paralleled by fast onset of morphine analgesia, but not in wt mice. We conclude that a lack of IL-4 leads to mechanical sensitivity; the compensatory hyperexpression of analgesic cytokines and opioid receptors after CCI, in turn, protects IL-4 ko mice from enhanced pain behavior after nerve lesion.

  20. Bone lesions in Chinese POEMS syndrome patients: imaging characteristics and clinical implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fengdan Wang

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Bone lesion is crucial for diagnosing and management of polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, and skin change (POEMS syndrome, a rare plasma cell disorder. This study is to compare the effectiveness of X-ray skeletal survey (SS and computed tomography (CT for detecting bone lesions in Chinese POEMS syndrome patients, and to investigate the relationship between bone lesion features and serum markers. Methods. SS and chest/abdomen/pelvic CT images of 38 Chinese patients (26 males, 12 females, aged 21–70 years with POEMS syndrome recruited at our medical center between January 2013 and January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Bone lesions identified by CT were further categorized according to the size (10 mm and appearance (osteosclerotic, lytic, mixed. The percentage of plasma cells in bone marrow smears, type of immunoglobulin, platelet (Plt, and levels of serum bone metabolic markers and inflammatory factors including alkaline phosphatase (ALP, calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH, beta-isomerized C-telopeptide (β-CTx, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, and interleukin (IL-6 levels were also recorded. Results. Of the 38 POEMS syndrome patients, the immunoglobulin heavy chain isotypes were IgA in 25 patients (65.8%; 25/38 and IgG in 13 patients (34.2%; 13/38, and the light chain isotypes were λ in 35 patients (92.1%; 35/38 and κ in 3 patients (7.9%; 3/38. There were 23 patients with thrombocytosis. More patients with bone lesions were detected by CT than by SS (97.4% vs. 86.8%. The most commonly affected location was the pelvis (89.5%, followed by the spine, clavicle/scapula/sternum/ribs, skull, and long bones. Of the 38 POEMS syndrome patients, 35 (94.6% had osteosclerotic and 32 (86.5% had mixed lesions. Osteosclerotic lesions were typically scattered, variable in size, and plaque-like, whereas mixed lesions were pouch-shaped or soup bubble-like with a clear sclerotic margin and were

  1. Occipital neuralgia associates with high cervical spinal cord lesions in idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kissoon, Narayan R; Watson, James C; Boes, Christopher J; Kantarci, Orhun H

    2018-01-01

    Background The association of trigeminal neuralgia with pontine lesions has been well documented in multiple sclerosis, and we tested the hypothesis that occipital neuralgia in multiple sclerosis is associated with high cervical spinal cord lesions. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 29 patients diagnosed with both occipital neuralgia and demyelinating disease by a neurologist from January 2001 to December 2014. We collected data on demographics, clinical findings, presence of C2-3 demyelinating lesions, and treatment responses. Results The patients with both occipital neuralgia and multiple sclerosis were typically female (76%) and had a later onset (age > 40) of occipital neuralgia (72%). Eighteen patients (64%) had the presence of C2-3 lesions and the majority had unilateral symptoms (83%) or episodic pain (78%). All patients with documented sensory loss (3/3) had C2-3 lesions. Most patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (6/8) had C2-3 lesions. Of the eight patients with C2-3 lesions and imaging at onset of occipital neuralgia, five (62.5%) had evidence of active demyelination. None of the patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (3/3) responded to occipital nerve blocks or high dose intravenous steroids, whereas all of the other phenotypes with long term follow-up (eight patients) had good responses. Conclusions A cervical spine MRI should be considered in all patients presenting with occipital neuralgia. In patients with multiple sclerosis, clinical features in occipital neuralgia that were predictive of the presence of a C2-3 lesion were unilateral episodic symptoms, sensory loss, later onset of occipital neuralgia, and progressive multiple sclerosis phenotype. Clinical phenotype predicted response to treatment.

  2. Experimental demyelination and axonal loss are reduced in MicroRNA-146a deficient mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martin, Nellie A.; Molnar, Viktor; Szilagyi, Gabor T.

    2018-01-01

    Background: The cuprizone (CPZ) model of multiple sclerosis (MS) was used to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) related to in vivo de- and remyelination. We further investigated the role of miR-146a in miR-146a-deficient (KO) mice: this miRNA is differentially expressed in MS lesions and promotes differ...

  3. HYPERVASCULAR LIVER LESIONS IN RADIOLOGICALLY NORMAL LIVER.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amico, Enio Campos; Alves, José Roberto; Souza, Dyego Leandro Bezerra de; Salviano, Fellipe Alexandre Macena; João, Samir Assi; Liguori, Adriano de Araújo Lima

    2017-01-01

    The hypervascular liver lesions represent a diagnostic challenge. To identify risk factors for cancer in patients with non-hemangiomatous hypervascular hepatic lesions in radiologically normal liver. This prospective study included patients with hypervascular liver lesions in radiologically normal liver. The diagnosis was made by biopsy or was presumed on the basis of radiologic stability in follow-up period of one year. Cirrhosis or patients with typical imaging characteristics of haemangioma were excluded. Eighty-eight patients were included. The average age was 42.4. The lesions were unique and were between 2-5 cm in size in most cases. Liver biopsy was performed in approximately 1/3 of cases. The lesions were benign or most likely benign in 81.8%, while cancer was diagnosed in 12.5% of cases. Univariate analysis showed that age >45 years (p3 nodules (p=0.003) and elevated alkaline phosphatase (p=0.013) were significant risk factors for cancer. It is safe to observe hypervascular liver lesions in normal liver in patients up to 45 years, normal alanine aminotransaminase, up to three nodules and no personal history of cancer. Lesion biopsies are safe in patients with atypical lesions and define the treatment to be established for most of these patients. As lesões hepáticas hipervasculares representam um desafio diagnóstico. Identificar fatores de risco para câncer em pacientes portadores de lesão hepática hipervascular não-hemangiomatosa em fígado radiologicamente normal. Estudo prospectivo que incluiu pacientes com lesões hepáticas hipervasculares em que o diagnóstico final foi obtido por exame anatomopatológico ou, presumido a partir de seguimento mínimo de um ano. Diagnóstico prévio de cirrose ou radiológico de hemangioma foram considerados critérios de exclusão. Oitenta e oito pacientes foram incluídos. A relação mulher/homem foi de 5,3/1. A idade média foi de 42,4 anos. Na maior parte das vezes as lesões hepáticas foram únicas e com

  4. Characteristic lesions in mouse retina irradiated with accelerated iron particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malachowski, M.J.; Philpott, D.E.; Corbett, R.L.; Tobias, C.A.

    1981-01-01

    A program is underway to determine the radiation hazards of HZE particles using the Bevalac, a heavy-ion accelerator at LBL. Our earlier work with helium, carbon, neon, and argon particles, and exposure to rats to HZE particles in space flight demonstrated some deleterious biological effects. TEM studies have shown that some visual cells were missing and dislocated; these were termed channel lesions. Recently obtained is evidence that a single iron HZE particle may affect a series of cells. Mice were irradiated with 0.1, 0.3, 1, 10, or 25 rad of 590 MeV/amu initial kinetic energy iron particles in groups of 10 animals per dose point. Irradiated and control animals were sacrificed at intervals from one week to two years postirradiation. The eye samples were dehydrated, critical points dried with freon, fractured, and Au-Pd coated for SEM, or plastic embedded, sectioned, and stained for TEM. Additionally, dry fractured samples viewed with the SEM were embedded in plastic, sectioned, and stained for the TEM. Characteristic tunnel shaped lesions were observed with the SEM. Stereo pairs showed tunnels of various lengths up to 100 μm. Light microscopy of serially cut sections from the same material had vacuoles (V) extending the same length. TEM of the same specimen and specimens prepared only for TEM exhibited large vacuoles, greater than or equal to 2 μm, in the inner segment (IS) and outer segment (OS) layers. Severe membrane disruption was found bordering the vacuoles and gross nuclear degeneration (ND) and loose tissue (LT) were seen in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). The number of lesions increased with increasing dose. Microscopy of the control retina failed to demonstrate similar lesions

  5. The Typicality Ranking Task: A New Method to Derive Typicality Judgments from Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameel, Eef; Storms, Gert

    2016-01-01

    An alternative method for deriving typicality judgments, applicable in young children that are not familiar with numerical values yet, is introduced, allowing researchers to study gradedness at younger ages in concept development. Contrary to the long tradition of using rating-based procedures to derive typicality judgments, we propose a method that is based on typicality ranking rather than rating, in which items are gradually sorted according to their typicality, and that requires a minimum of linguistic knowledge. The validity of the method is investigated and the method is compared to the traditional typicality rating measurement in a large empirical study with eight different semantic concepts. The results show that the typicality ranking task can be used to assess children’s category knowledge and to evaluate how this knowledge evolves over time. Contrary to earlier held assumptions in studies on typicality in young children, our results also show that preference is not so much a confounding variable to be avoided, but that both variables are often significantly correlated in older children and even in adults. PMID:27322371

  6. Stance disturbance in multiple sclerosis: brainstem lesions and posturographic assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Schalek

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available

    Background. Balance disorders are commonly evidenced during the course of multiple sclerosis (MS. The aim of this study is to report characteristics of MS patient stance control disorders, measured by means of posturography and related to the brainstem lesions.

    Methods. Thirty-eight patients affected by MS, mildly to moderately disable according to Kurtzke’s Expanded Disability Status Scale, underwent a complete clinical neurological and vestibular evaluation and brain MRI scanning. All patients were then tested on a static posturography platform (Tetrax, Israel in four conditions: eyes open and closed standing on a firm surface and on a foam pad.

    Results. Clinical and/or MRI evidence of brainstem involvement was observed in 55.3 % of patients. When brainstem lesion was detected, Fourier analysis showed a typical pattern characterized by inversion of the  0- 0.1 Hz and  0.1 - 0.25 Hz. frequency bands.

    Conclusions. MS leads to pervasive postural disturbances in the majority of subjects, including the visuo-vestibular loops and proprioception involving vestibulo-spinal pathways in at least 55.3 % of patients. Our results may also suggest the presence of Fourier inversion in patients with brainstem lesions.


  7. [Diverse histological lesions in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvatore, Ermanno; Luciani, Remo; Di Palma, Annamaria; Aversano, Arturo; Stellato, Davide; Liuzzi, Marco; Iele, Emilio; Martignetti, Vinicio; Spagnuolo, Enrico; Morrone, Luigi

    2011-01-01

    Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a rare autoimmune disorder. It can be secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or occur in the absence of autoimmune disease. The hallmark of this so-called primary APS is the presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies. Renal involvement in primary APS is caused by thrombosis within the renal vasculature. Recently, nonthrombotic glomerulonephritic renal lesions have been described in primary APS as a new histological entity. We here report a patient with primary APS in whom both lesion types were present. A 58-year-old Caucasian man with no significant past medical history presented to our nephrology unit with diffuse edema. Urinalysis showed proteinuria exceeding 400 mg/dL. The autoantibody panel (p-ANCA, c- ANCA, anti-nucleus, anti-DS-DNA) was negative except for anticardiolipin antibodies, which tested positive in two different samples. The diagnostic workup included a kidney biopsy that revealed thrombotic lesions compatible with primary APS and a typical pattern of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. The kidney is a major target in APS but the exact mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of APS nephropathy has been poorly recognized. The use of kidney biopsy is a fundamental diagnostic tool in this setting, with possible implications also from a prognostic and therapeutic viewpoint.

  8. Effects of metallothionein on zinc metabolism in lethal-milk mutant mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grider, A. Jr.

    1986-01-01

    The lethal-milk mice (C57BL/6J-Im) exhibit various pleiotropic effects, including a congenital otolith defect, production of zinc-deficient milk, and clinical signs of a systemic Zn deficiency by one year of age. The clinical signs include alopecia, dermatitis, and skin lesions. The systemic zinc deficiency may be due to increased levels of metallothionein (MT) in the intestine and/or liver of Im mice. The untreated Im mice contain twice as much intestinal MT as do C57BL/6J-(+/sup im//+ /sup Im/) (B6) controls. This was determined by a sulfhydryl assay, by the 109 Cd-saturation/hemolysate method, and by the 65 Zn-binding assay. Various concentrations of Cd or Zn were added to the drinking water three days before assaying for MT. Compared to B6 mice, the Im mice exhibited more MT in their liver by the 65 Zn-MT binding assay (3-fold) and by the 109 Cd-saturation/hemolysate method (18-fold). The effects of the two zinc treatments did not differ significantly between Im and B6 mice. The retention and excretion of 65 Zn (administered intraperitoneally) were determined over a 14-day period, but the results did not different between the Im and B6 mice. The increased concentrations of MT within the Im mice was not significantly different for the intestine and liver. Based on these data and other studies, the Im mice may exhibit alterations in zinc homeostasis due to some deregulation of MT metabolism, including the inner ear of the fetus, the lactating mammary gland, and the intestine and liver of adults by one year of age

  9. Effects of metallothionein on zinc metabolism in lethal-milk mutant mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grider, A. Jr.

    1986-01-01

    The lethal-milk mice (C57BL/6J-Im) exhibit various pleiotropic effects, including a congenital otolith defect, production of zinc-deficient milk, and clinical signs of a systemic Zn deficiency by one year of age. The clinical signs include alopecia, dermatitis, and skin lesions. The systemic zinc deficiency may be due to increased levels of metallothionein (MT) in the intestine and/or liver of Im mice. The untreated Im mice contain twice as much intestinal MT as do C57BL/6J-(+/sup im//+ /sup Im/) (B6) controls. This was determined by a sulfhydryl assay, by the /sup 109/Cd-saturation/hemolysate method, and by the /sup 65/Zn-binding assay. Various concentrations of Cd or Zn were added to the drinking water three days before assaying for MT. Compared to B6 mice, the Im mice exhibited more MT in their liver by the /sup 65/Zn-MT binding assay (3-fold) and by the /sup 109/Cd-saturation/hemolysate method (18-fold). The effects of the two zinc treatments did not differ significantly between Im and B6 mice. The retention and excretion of /sup 65/Zn (administered intraperitoneally) were determined over a 14-day period, but the results did not different between the Im and B6 mice. The increased concentrations of MT within the Im mice was not significantly different for the intestine and liver. Based on these data and other studies, the Im mice may exhibit alterations in zinc homeostasis due to some deregulation of MT metabolism, including the inner ear of the fetus, the lactating mammary gland, and the intestine and liver of adults by one year of age.

  10. Hepatoprotective Effects of Met-enkephalin on Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Lesions in Male CBA Mice

    OpenAIRE

    Martinić, Roko; Šošić, Hrvoje; Turčić, Petra; Konjevoda, Paško; Fučić, Aleksandra; Stojković, Ranko; Aralica, Gorana; Gabričević, Mario; Weitner, Tin; Štambuk, Nikola

    2014-01-01

    Recent histopathological investigations in patients with hepatitis suggested possible involvement of Met-enkephalin and its receptors in the pathophysiology of hepatitis. Consequently, we evaluated the potential hepatoprotective effects of this endogenous opioid pentapeptide in the experimental model of acetaminophen induced hepatotoxicity in male CBA mice. Met-enkephalin exhibited strong hepatoprotective effects in a dose of 7.5 mg/kg, which corresponds to the protective dose reported for se...

  11. Localization of lesions in aphasia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hojo, Kei; Watanabe, Shunzo; Tasaki, Hiroichi; Sato, Tokijiro; Metoki, Hirobumi.

    1984-01-01

    Using a microcomputer, the locus and extent of the lesions, as demonstrated by computed tomography for 127 cases with various types of aphasia were superimposed onto standardized marices. The relationship between the foci of the lesions and the types of aphasia was investigated. Broca aphasics (n=39) : Since the accumulated site of the lesions highly involved the deep structures of the lower part of the precentral gyrus as well as the insula and lenticular nucleus, only 60% of the Broca aphasics had lesions on these areas. This finding has proved to have little localizing value. Wernicke aphasics (n=23) : The size of the lesion was significantly smaller than Broca's aphasia. At least 70% of the patients had the superior temporal lesions involving Wernicke's area and subcortical lesions of the superior and middle temporal gyri. Amnestic aphasics (n=18) : The size of the lesion was smaller than any other types. While there was some concentration of the lesions (maximum 40%) in the area of the subcortical region of the anterior temporal gyrus adjacent to Wernicke's area and the lenticular nucleus, the lesions were distributed throughout the left hemisphere. Amnestic aphasia was thought to be the least localizable. Conduction aphasics (n=11) : The lesions were relatively small in size. Many patients had posterior speech area lesions involving at least partially Wernicke's area. In particular, more than 80% of the conduction aphasics had lesions of the supramarginal gyrus and it's adjacent deep structures. Global aphasics (n=36) : In general, the size of the lesion was very large and 70% of the global aphasics had extensive lesions involving both Broca's and Wernicke's areas. However, there were observations showing that the lesions can be small and confined. (J.P.N.)

  12. Clearly delineated lesion in a case of Wallenberg's syndrome by magnetic resonance imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okumiya, Noriya; Yamaguchi, Takenori; Miyashita, Takeshi; Kozuka, Takahiro

    1985-01-01

    Diagnosis of Wallenberg's syndrome has been made by typical neurological symptoms and signs which are compatible with those of lesion in the lateral aspect of medulla oblongata. Although X-ray CT is an extraordinary useful measure for detecting lesions in the central nervous system, brainstem lesion is difficult to be evaluated by it because of varieties of artifact. A recent advance in techniques of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) made it possible to produce fairly good images of infratentorial structure without artifact. But, there are no reports on patients with Wallenberg's syndrome whose lesion was clearly delineated by MRI. A 44 year-old man with a history of hypertension was referred to our hospital because of vertigo, pain on the right side of the face, disturbance of swallowing and hiccup 22 days after onset. On admission, neurological examination revealed right Horner's sign, decreased gag reflex and cerebellar ataxia on the right side, and dissociated sensory impairment on the right side of the face and left extremities. Clinical diagnosis of Wallenberg's syndrome was made, but X-ray CT showed no definite lesion in the infratentorial structure. Cerebral angiography revealed occlusion of the right vertebral artery without reflux of contrast media from the left vertebral artery. Then, there was no visualization of the right posterior inferior cerebellar artery. MRI using Magnetom (0.35 Tesla of static magnetic field produced by superconducting magnet) clearly delineated low intensity area in the right lateral aspect of the medulla oblongata. This is the first case of Wallenberg's syndrome whose anatomical lesion was demonstrated by MRI. (author)

  13. Unscheduled DNA synthesis in spleen cells of mice exposed to low doses of total body irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tuschl, H.; Kovac, R.; Hruby, E.

    1983-07-01

    Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced by UV irradiation of spleen cells obtained from C 57 Bl mice after repeated total body irradiation of 0.05 Gy 60 Co (0.00125 Gy/mice) and determined autoradiographically. An enhancement in the ability for repair of UV induced DNA lesions was observed in cells of gamma irradiated animals. While the amount of 3 H-thymidine incorporated per cell was increased, the percentage of labeled cells remained unchanged. The present results are compared with previous data on low dose radiation exposure in men. (Author) [de

  14. Analysis of acetylation stoichiometry suggests that SIRT3 repairs nonenzymatic acetylation lesions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weinert, Brian T; Moustafa, Tarek; Iesmantavicius, Vytautas

    2015-01-01

    or suppresses acetylation. Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we measured acetylation stoichiometry in mouse liver tissue and found that SIRT3 suppressed acetylation to a very low stoichiometry at its target sites. By examining acetylation changes in the liver, heart, brain, and brown adipose tissue...... of fasted mice, we found that SIRT3-targeted sites were mostly unaffected by fasting, a dietary manipulation that is thought to regulate metabolism through SIRT3-dependent deacetylation. Globally increased mitochondrial acetylation in fasted liver tissue, higher stoichiometry at mitochondrial acetylation...... functions as a protein repair factor that removes acetylation lesions from lysine residues....

  15. Cholinergic degeneration is associated with increased plaque deposition and cognitive impairment in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Bettina; Mørk, Arne; Plath, Niels

    2013-01-01

    mice was not due to a more extensive cholinergic degeneration since the reduction in choline acetyltransferase activity was similar following SAP treatment in APP/PS1 mice and Wt. Interestingly, plaque load was significantly increased in SAP treated APP/PS1 mice relative to sham lesioned APP/PS1 mice....... Additionally, APP/PS1 mice treated with SAP showed a tendency towards an increased level of soluble and insoluble Aß1-40 and Aß1-42 measured in brain tissue homogenate. Our results suggest that the combination of cholinergic degeneration and Aß overexpression in the APP/PS1 mouse model results in cognitive...... decline and accelerated plaque burden. SAP treated APP/PS1 mice might thus constitute an improved model of Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology and cognitive deficits compared to the conventional APP/PS1 model without selective removal of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons....

  16. Pathology of Serially Sacrificed Female B6C3F1 Mice Continuously Exposed to Very Low-Dose-Rate Gamma Rays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, I B; Komura, J; Tanaka, S

    2017-03-01

    We have previously reported on life span shortening as well as increased incidence rates in several neoplasms in B6C3F1 mice that were continuously exposed to 21 mGy/day of gamma rays for 400 days. To clarify whether the life shortening was due to early appearance of neoplasms (shortened latency) or increased promotion/progression, 8-week-old female specific-pathogen-free B6C3F1 mice were gamma-ray irradiated at a low dose rate of 20 mGy/day for 400 days. At 100 days postirradiation, 60-90 mice were sacrificed, and thereafter every 100 days alongside the age-matched nonirradiated controls, for 700 days. Additional groups were allowed to live out their natural life span. Pathological examination was performed on all mice to identify lesions, non-neoplastic and neoplastic, as well as to determine the cause of death. Body weights were significantly increased in irradiated mice from sacrifice days 200-500. Incidence rates for spontaneously occurring non-neoplastic lesions, such as adrenal subcapsular cell hyperplasia, fatty degeneration of the liver, atrophy and tubulostromal hyperplasia of the ovaries, were significantly increased in irradiated mice. Significantly increased incidence rates with no shortening of latency periods were observed in irradiated mice for malignant lymphomas, hepatocellular adenomas/carcinomas, bronchioloalveolar adenomas, harderian gland adenoma/adenocarcinoma. Shortened latencies with significantly increased incidence rates were observed for adrenal subcapsular cell adenomas and ovarian neoplasms (tubulostromal adenoma, granulosa cell tumors) in irradiated mice. Life span shortening in mice exposed to 20 mGy/day was mostly due to malignant lymphomas. Multiple primary neoplasms were significantly increased in mice exposed to 20 mGy/day from sacrifice days 400-700 and in the life span group. Our results confirm that continuous low-dose-rate gamma-ray irradiation of female B6C3F1 mice causes both cancer induction (shortened latency) and

  17. Analysis of pulmonary coin lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, O; Kim, K. H.; Oh, K. K.; Park, C. Y.

    1979-01-01

    For A long time the solitary pulmonary nodule has remained a difficult problem to solve and has attracted a great deal of attension in recent years. Circumscribed coin lesions of the lung were generally peripheral in location with respect to the pulmonary hilus. Because of this, important clinical problem in management and diagnosis arise. Such a lesion is discovered through roentgenologic examination. So the roentgenologists is the first be in a position to offer advise. This presentation is an attempt to correlate a useful diagnosis with roentgenologic findings of pulmonary coin lesion which enables us to get differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesion. Histologically proven 120 cases of the pulmonary coin lesion during the period of 8 years were reviewed through plain film, tomogram, bronchoscopy, variable laboratory findings, and clinical history. The results are as follows: 1. Male to female sex ratio was 3 : 1. In age distribution, most of the malignant pulmonary coin lesion appeared in 6th decade (39%) and 5th decade (27%). In benign lesion, the most cases were in 3 rd decade. 2. Pathological cell type are as follows: Primary bronchogenic cancer 43.3%, tuberculoma 25.8%, inflammatory lesion 17.5%, benign tumor 10%, and bronchial adenoma, harmartoma, A.V. malformation, mesothelioma, are 1 case respectively. As a result benign and malignant lesion showed equal distribution (49.1% : 50.3%). 3. In symptom analysis ; cough is the most common (43.5%) symptom in malignant lesion, next follows hemoptysis (20.9%) and chest pain (14.5%). In benign lesion, most of the patient (32.7%) did not complain any symptom. 4. In malignant lesion, the most common nodular size was 4 cm (32.3%), and in benign lesion 2 cm sized coin was most common (39.3%). 5. In general, margin of nodule was very sharp and well demarcated in benign lesion (83.3%), and in malignant lesion that was less demarcated and poorly defined. 6. Most case of calcification (82.7%) was seen in benign

  18. Helicobacter bilis Infection Alters Mucosal Bacteria and Modulates Colitis Development in Defined Microbiota Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atherly, Todd; Mosher, Curtis; Wang, Chong; Hostetter, Jesse; Proctor, Alexandra; Brand, Meghan W; Phillips, Gregory J; Wannemuehler, Michael; Jergens, Albert E

    2016-11-01

    Helicobacter bilis infection of C3H/HeN mice harboring the altered Schaedler flora (ASF) triggers progressive immune responsiveness and the development of colitis. We sought to investigate temporal alterations in community structure of a defined (ASF-colonized) microbiota in normal and inflamed murine intestines and to correlate microbiota changes to histopathologic lesions. The colonic mucosal microbiota of healthy mice and ASF mice colonized with H. bilis for 3, 6, or 12 weeks were investigated by fluorescence in situ hybridization targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA genes of total bacteria, group-specific organisms, and individual ASF bacterial species. Microbial profiling of ASF and H. bilis abundance was performed on cecal contents. Helicobacter bilis-colonized mice developed colitis associated with temporal changes in composition and spatial distribution of the mucosal microbiota. The number of total bacteria, ASF519, and helicobacter-positive bacteria were increased (P attachment, or by invasion, and this interaction is differentially expressed over time.

  19. Probiotic microbes sustain youthful serum testosterone levels and testicular size in aging mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theofilos Poutahidis

    Full Text Available The decline of circulating testosterone levels in aging men is associated with adverse health effects. During studies of probiotic bacteria and obesity, we discovered that male mice routinely consuming purified lactic acid bacteria originally isolated from human milk had larger testicles and increased serum testosterone levels compared to their age-matched controls. Further investigation using microscopy-assisted histomorphometry of testicular tissue showed that mice consuming Lactobacillus reuteri in their drinking water had significantly increased seminiferous tubule cross-sectional profiles and increased spermatogenesis and Leydig cell numbers per testis when compared with matched diet counterparts This showed that criteria of gonadal aging were reduced after routinely consuming a purified microbe such as L. reuteri. We tested whether these features typical of sustained reproductive fitness may be due to anti-inflammatory properties of L. reuteri, and found that testicular mass and other indicators typical of old age were similarly restored to youthful levels using systemic administration of antibodies blocking pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-17A. This indicated that uncontrolled host inflammatory responses contributed to the testicular atrophy phenotype in aged mice. Reduced circulating testosterone levels have been implicated in many adverse effects; dietary L. reuteri or other probiotic supplementation may provide a viable natural approach to prevention of male hypogonadism, absent the controversy and side-effects of traditional therapies, and yield practical options for management of disorders typically associated with normal aging. These novel findings suggest a potential high impact for microbe therapy in public health by imparting hormonal and gonad features of reproductive fitness typical of much younger healthy individuals.

  20. Mycobacterium-Host Cell Relationships in Granulomatous Lesions in a Mouse Model of Latent Tuberculous Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Ufimtseva

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Tuberculosis (TB is a dangerous infectious disease characterized by a tight interplay between mycobacteria and host cells in granulomatous lesions (granulomas during the latent, asymptomatic stage of infection. Mycobacterium-host cell relationships were analyzed in granulomas obtained from various organs of BALB/c mice with chronic TB infection caused by in vivo exposure to the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG vaccine. Acid-fast BCG-mycobacteria were found to be morphologically and functionally heterogeneous (in size, shape, and replication rates in colonies in granuloma macrophages, dendritic cells, and multinucleate Langhans giant cells. Cord formation by BCG-mycobacteria in granuloma cells has been observed. Granuloma macrophages retained their ability to ingest damaged lymphocytes and thrombocytes in the phagosomes; however, their ability to destroy BCG-mycobacteria contained in these cells was compromised. No colocalization of BCG-mycobacteria and the LysoTracker dye was observed in the mouse cells. Various relationships between granuloma cells and BCG-mycobacteria were observed in different mice belonging to the same line. Several mice totally eliminated mycobacterial infection. Granulomas in the other mice had mycobacteria actively replicating in cells of different types and forming cords, which is an indicator of mycobacterial virulence and, probably, a marker of the activation of tuberculous infection in animals.

  1. Mycobacterium-Host Cell Relationships in Granulomatous Lesions in a Mouse Model of Latent Tuberculous Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) is a dangerous infectious disease characterized by a tight interplay between mycobacteria and host cells in granulomatous lesions (granulomas) during the latent, asymptomatic stage of infection. Mycobacterium-host cell relationships were analyzed in granulomas obtained from various organs of BALB/c mice with chronic TB infection caused by in vivo exposure to the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Acid-fast BCG-mycobacteria were found to be morphologically and functionally heterogeneous (in size, shape, and replication rates in colonies) in granuloma macrophages, dendritic cells, and multinucleate Langhans giant cells. Cord formation by BCG-mycobacteria in granuloma cells has been observed. Granuloma macrophages retained their ability to ingest damaged lymphocytes and thrombocytes in the phagosomes; however, their ability to destroy BCG-mycobacteria contained in these cells was compromised. No colocalization of BCG-mycobacteria and the LysoTracker dye was observed in the mouse cells. Various relationships between granuloma cells and BCG-mycobacteria were observed in different mice belonging to the same line. Several mice totally eliminated mycobacterial infection. Granulomas in the other mice had mycobacteria actively replicating in cells of different types and forming cords, which is an indicator of mycobacterial virulence and, probably, a marker of the activation of tuberculous infection in animals. PMID:26064970

  2. Ultrasound-guided, vacuum-assisted biopsy in evaluation of breast lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luczynska, E.; Kocurek, A.; Dyczek, S.; Skotnicki, P.; Stelmach, A.; Herman, K.

    2008-01-01

    changes, p=0.004), all of them were circumscribed, and statistically more often oval than lobulated in shape (75 vs 11; p=0.004), and also more frequently those lesions were hypoechoic (78 vs 8 with mixed echogenicity; p=0.0048). The other changes were divided into three groups: proliferating (in 47 samples: hyperplasia non atypica and adenosis), involuting (in 79 samples: fibrosclerosis, fibrosism atrophy, cysts and microcysts, fibrocystic disease and benign mammary dysplasia) and inflammatory lesions (in 5 samples). Conclusions. 1. Any mass located in the breast that is visible in ultrasound examination and is not a typical benign lesion must be verified. 2. Although vacuum-assisted biopsy is considered to be a good method for the assessment of equivocal changes, its limitations are high costs and, under Polish conditions, availability. (author)

  3. Mechanism of infectivity of a murine leukemia virus in adult mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levy, R.L.; Barrington, M.H.; Lerner, R.A.; Dixon, F.J.

    1976-01-01

    Infection of adult BALB/c mice with murine leukemia virus (MuLV) induces typical thymic lymphomas. Expression of virus was measured by using a radioimmunoassay for murine P-30, a virion core protein. Nineteen days after injection of MuLV-S into adult mice, there were 0.3μg P-30/ml of serum. X-irradiation permitted the early expression of high levels of viremia, when given before or after MuLV-S administration, and it also hastened the development of lymphomas. Seventeen to 21 days after injection of MuLV-S into x-irradiated (600 rads) adult mice, there were 2.7 μg of P-30/ml of serum. The virus produced by infected adult mice was infectious and oncogenic when given to newborn mice. Several lines of evidence are presented that suggest the mechanism by which x-irradiation permits early expession of virion proteins and lymphomas is not immunosuppression

  4. Effect of Vomeronasal Organ Removal From Male Mice on Their Preference for and Neural Fos Responses to Female Urinary Odors

    OpenAIRE

    Pankevich, Diana E.; Cherry, James A.; Baum, Michael J.

    2006-01-01

    Four experiments were conducted to determine whether vomeronasal organ (VNO) inputs in male mice mediate the rewarding properties of estrous female urinary odors. Sexually naive male mice with either an intact (VNOi) or lesioned (VNOx) VNO preferred to investigate female urine over water in Y-maze tests. Subsequently, VNOi males ran significantly more quickly and remained in nasal contact longer with estrous female urine than with male urine, whereas VNOx males investigated these odors equall...

  5. What is typical is good: The influence of face typicality on perceived trustworthiness

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sofer, C.; Dotsch, R.; Wigboldus, D.H.J.; Todorov, A.T.

    2015-01-01

    The role of face typicality in face recognition is well established, but it is unclear whether face typicality is important for face evaluation. Prior studies have focused mainly on typicality's influence on attractiveness, although recent studies have cast doubt on its importance for attractiveness

  6. Increased synthesis of heparin affin regulatory peptide in the perforant path lesioned mouse hippocampal formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, F R; Lagord, C; Courty, J

    2000-01-01

    Heparin affin regulatory peptide (HARP), also known as pleiotrophin or heparin-binding growth-associated molecule, is a developmentally regulated extracellular matrix protein that induces cell proliferation and promotes neurite outgrowth in vitro as well as pre- and postsynaptic developmental...... differentiation in vivo. Here we have investigated the expression of HARP mRNA and protein in the perforant path lesioned C57B1/6 mouse hippocampal formation from 1 to 35 days after surgery. This type of lesion induces a dense anterograde and terminal axonal degeneration, activation of glial cells, and reactive...... axonal sprouting within the perforant path zones of the fascia dentata and hippocampus as well as axotomy-induced retrograde neuronal degeneration in the entorhinal cortex. Analysis of sham- and unoperated control mice showed that HARP mRNA is expressed in neurons and white and gray matter glial cells...

  7. Uterine Vascular Lesions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijayakumar, Abhishek; Srinivas, Amruthashree; Chandrashekar, Babitha Moogali; Vijayakumar, Avinash

    2013-01-01

    Vascular lesions of the uterus are rare; most reported in the literature are arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Uterine AVMs can be congenital or acquired. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports of acquired vascular lesions of the uterus following pregnancy, abortion, cesarean delivery, and curettage. It can be seen from these reports that there is confusion concerning the terminology of uterine vascular lesions. There is also a lack of diagnostic criteria and management guidelines, which has led to an increased number of unnecessary invasive procedures (eg, angiography, uterine artery embolization, hysterectomy for abnormal vaginal bleeding). This article familiarizes readers with various vascular lesions of the uterus and their management. PMID:24340126

  8. Lead and radiation induced hepatic lesions in Swiss albino mice and their inhibition by vitamin E

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gajawat, Sunita; Goyal, P.K.

    2002-01-01

    The present study has been carried out to access the protective role of vitamin E against hepato-toxicity induced by lead and radiation. The present study demonstrates that the application of vitamin E prior to lead and gamma radiation exposure is quite potential to provide protection against hepatic lesions induced by such teratogens

  9. Metabolism of 14C-tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TRCP) in rats and mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, J.M.; Herr, D.W.; Burka, L.T.; Matthews, H.B.

    1990-01-01

    TRCP, a flame retardant, has been demonstrated to produce a dose-, sex-, and species-dependent lesion in the hippocampal region of the brain, following subchronic oral administration. This lesion is more common and more severe in female F344 rats than in male F344 rats, and is not observed in B6C3F1 mice. The present investigation of the metabolism of TRCP was designed to detect sex and species variations that might account for differences in toxicity. Elimination of TRCP-derived radioactivity was more rapid in mice, which excreted >70% of an oral dose of 175 mg/kg in urine in 8 hr vs ∼40% for male or female rats. However, the metabolic profile of TRCP-derived radioactivity in urine was similar for both species. The major metabolite in urine of rats and mice was identified as bis(2-chloroethyl) carboxymethyl phosphate. Two additional metabolites common to both species were bis(2-chloroethyl) hydrogen phosphate and the glucuronide of bis(2-chloroethyl) 2-hydroxyethyl phosphate. The major sex-related variation consisted of up to 2-fold higher levels of TRCP present in plasma of female rats (vs male rats) 5-30 min following an oral dose of 175 mg/kg. TRCP metabolism in rats was not induced or inhibited by 9 daily 175 mg/kg doses. Toxicity, as evidenced by seizures, was potentiated in male rats pretreated with inhibitors of aldehyde dehydrogenase

  10. Effects of Lavender, Lemon and Eucalyptus Essential Oil on Th2 related Factors of DNCB-induced Atopy dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim, Hyeon-Ah

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose : To investigate the effects of the lavender, lemon and eucalyptus oil mixture on the atopy dermatitis skin lesions induced on NC/Nga Mice by dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB. Material and Method : For this purpose, we fabricated the oil mixture blending three essential oils (lavender, lemon, eucalyptus : ELL with one carrier oil (jojoba and apply it on the atopic dermatitis skin lesions of NC/Nga Mice. Atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice was induced by DNCB treatment on the dorsal skin of mice for 8 weeks. The mixture of ratio of each essential oil drop was 1 (eucalyptus : 2 (lemon : 2 (lavender and this mixture was blended with jojoba oil 50ml (0.025%. The ELL-ointment was supplied for 8 weeks. We evaluated the effects of ELL on cell viability of mouse lung fibroblast, clinical skin features and severity, the level of serum Immunoglobulin (Ig E & Ig G1, Interleukin (IL-4, IL-13 and Interferon (IFN-. Results : ELL showed safety on the cell viability of mouse lung fibroblast compared with control group. The cell viability was measured by SRB method. The effects of ELL on clinical skin features and severity in DNCB-induced dermatitis model of NC/Nga mice was significant compared with control group. EEL also showed significant effects on clinical symptom score compared with control group. Serum IgE & IgG1 level and development of atopy dermatitis skin lesions were evaluated. Serum IgE & IgG1 production was significantly down-regulated in EEL group compared with control group. ELL also down-regulated the levels of IL-4 and IL-13, and up-regulated the level of IFN- compared with control group significantly. Conclusion : ELL was effective on atopy dermatitis by modulating Th2 related factors.

  11. Long-term engraftment of bone marrow-derived cells in the intimal hyperplasia lesion of autologous vein grafts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diao, Yanpeng; Guthrie, Steve; Xia, Shen-Ling; Ouyang, Xiaosen; Zhang, Li; Xue, Jing; Lee, Pui; Grant, Maria; Scott, Edward; Segal, Mark S

    2008-03-01

    Intimal hyperplasia of autologous vein grafts is a critical problem affecting the long-term patency of many types of vascular reconstruction. Within intimal hyperplasia lesions, smooth muscle cells are a major component, playing an essential role in the pathological process. Given that bone marrow-derived cells may differentiate into smooth muscle cells in the neointima of injured arteries, we hypothesized that the bone marrow may serve as a source for some of the smooth muscle cells within intimal hyperplasia lesions of vein grafts. To test this hypothesis, we used an established mouse model for intimal hyperplasia in wild-type mice that had been transplanted with bone marrow from a green fluorescent protein (GFP+/+) transgenic mouse. High-resolution confocal microscopy analysis performed 2 and 8 weeks after grafting demonstrated expression of GFP in 5.4 +/- 0.8% and 11.9 +/- 2.3%, respectively, of smooth muscle cells within intimal hyperplasia lesions. By 16 weeks, GFP expression in smooth muscle cells was not detected by immunohistochemistry; however, real-time PCR revealed that 20.2 +/- 1.7% of the smooth muscle cells captured from the neointima lesion by laser capture microdissection at 16 weeks contained GFP DNA. Our results suggest that bone marrow-derived cells differentiated into smooth muscle cells within the intimal lesion and may provide a novel clinical approach for decreasing intimal hyperplasia in vein grafts.

  12. Paucity of natural killer and cytotoxic T cells in human neuromyelitis optica lesions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saadoun, Samira; Bridges, Leslie R.; Verkman, A. S.; Papadopoulos, Marios C.

    2013-01-01

    Neuromyelitis optica is a severe inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Most patients with neuromyelitis optica have circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against the astrocytic water channel protein aquaporin-4 (AQP4), which are pathogenic. Anti-AQP4 IgG-mediated complement-dependent astrocyte toxicity is a key mechanism of central nervous system damage in neuromyelitis optica, but the role of natural killer and cytotoxic T cells is unknown. Our objective was to determine whether natural killer and cytotoxic T cells play a role in human neuromyelitis optica lesions. We immunostained four actively demyelinating lesions, obtained from patients with anti-AQP4 IgG positive neuromyelitis optica, for Granzyme B and Perforin. The inflammatory cells were perivascular neutrophils, eosinophils and macrophages, with only occasional Granzyme B+ or Perforin + cells. Greater than 95% of inflamed vessels in each lesion had no surrounding Granzyme B+ or Perforin + cells. Granzyme B+ or Perforin+ cells were abundant in human spleen (positive control). Although natural killer cells produce central nervous system damage in mice injected with anti-AQP4 IgG, our findings here indicate that natural killer-mediated and T cell-mediated cytotoxicity are probably not involved in central nervous system damage in human neuromyelitis optica. PMID:23108041

  13. Infectious Chikungunya Virus in the Saliva of Mice, Monkeys and Humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joy Gardner

    Full Text Available Chikungunya virus (CHIKV is a reemerging, ordinarily mosquito-transmitted, alphavirus that occasionally produces hemorrhagic manifestations, such as nose bleed and bleeding gums, in human patients. Interferon response factor 3 and 7 deficient (IRF3/7-/- mice, which are deficient for interferon α/β responses, reliably develop hemorrhagic manifestations after CHIKV infection. Here we show that infectious virus was present in the oral cavity of CHIKV infected IRF3/7-/- mice, likely due to hemorrhagic lesions in the olfactory epithelium that allow egress of infected blood into the nasal, and subsequently, oral cavities. In addition, IRF3/7-/- mice were more susceptible to infection with CHIKV via intranasal and oral routes, with IRF3/7-/- mice also able to transmit virus mouse-to-mouse without an arthropod vector. Cynomolgus macaques often show bleeding gums after CHIKV infection, and analysis of saliva from several infected monkeys also revealed the presence of viral RNA and infectious virus. Furthermore, saliva samples collected from several acute CHIKV patients with hemorrhagic manifestations were found to contain viral RNA and infectious virus. Oral fluids can therefore be infectious during acute CHIKV infections, likely due to hemorrhagic manifestations in the oral/nasal cavities.

  14. The Protective Effect of Apamin on LPS/Fat-Induced Atherosclerotic Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soo-Jung Kim

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Apamin, a peptide component of bee venom (BV, has anti-inflammatory properties. However, the molecular mechanisms by which apamin prevents atherosclerosis are not fully understood. We examined the effect of apamin on atherosclerotic mice. Atherosclerotic mice received intraperitoneal (ip injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2 mg/kg to induce atherosclerotic change and were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks. Apamin (0.05 mg/kg was administered by ip injection. LPS-induced THP-1-derived macrophage inflammation treated with apamin reduced expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1, and intracellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM-1, as well as the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB signaling pathway. Apamin decreased the formation of atherosclerotic lesions as assessed by hematoxylin and elastic staining. Treatment with apamin reduced lipids, Ca2+ levels, and TNF-α in the serum from atherosclerotic mice. Further, apamin significantly attenuated expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, TGF-β1, and fibronectin in the descending aorta from atherosclerotic mice. These results indicate that apamin plays an important role in monocyte/macrophage inflammatory processing and may be of potential value for preventing atherosclerosis.

  15. Extensive immune-mediated hippocampal damage in mice surviving infection with neuroadapted Sindbis virus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, Takashi; Griffin, Diane E.

    2003-01-01

    Viral infections of the central nervous system and immune responses to these infections cause a variety of neurological diseases. Infection of weanling mice with Sindbis virus causes acute nonfatal encephalomyelitis followed by clearance of infectious virus, but persistence of viral RNA. Infection with a neuroadapted strain of Sindbis virus (NSV) causes fatal encephalomyelitis, but passive transfer of immune serum after infection protects from fatal disease and infectious virus is cleared. To determine whether persistent NSV RNA is associated with neurological damage, we examined the brains of recovered mice and found progressive loss of the hippocampal gyrus, adjacent white matter, and deep cerebral cortex associated with mononuclear cell infiltration. Mice deficient in CD4 + T cells showed less tissue loss, while mice lacking CD8 + T cells showed lesions comparable to those in immunocompetent mice. Mice deficient in both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells developed severe tissue loss similar to immunocompetent mice and this was associated with extensive infiltration of macrophages. The number of CD4 + cells and macrophage/microglial cells, but not CD8 + cells, infiltrating the hippocampal gyrus was correlated with the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling positive pyramidal neurons. These results suggest that CD4 + T cells can promote progressive neuronal death and tissue injury, despite clearance of infectious virus

  16. Left ventricular dysfunction with reduced functional cardiac reserve in diabetic and non-diabetic LDL-receptor deficient apolipoprotein B100-only mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bosch Fatima

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Lack of suitable mouse models has hindered the studying of diabetic macrovascular complications. We examined the effects of type 2 diabetes on coronary artery disease and cardiac function in hypercholesterolemic low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient apolipoprotein B100-only mice (LDLR-/-ApoB100/100. Methods and results 18-month-old LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 (n = 12, diabetic LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 mice overexpressing insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II in pancreatic beta cells (IGF-II/LDLR-/-ApoB100/100, n = 14 and age-matched C57Bl/6 mice (n = 15 were studied after three months of high-fat Western diet. Compared to LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 mice, diabetic IGF-II/LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 mice demonstrated more calcified atherosclerotic lesions in aorta. However, compensatory vascular enlargement was similar in both diabetic and non-diabetic mice with equal atherosclerosis (cross-sectional lesion area ~60% and consequently the lumen area was preserved. In coronary arteries, both hypercholesterolemic models showed significant stenosis (~80% despite positive remodeling. Echocardiography revealed severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction and anteroapical akinesia in both LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 and IGF-II/LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 mice. Myocardial scarring was not detected, cardiac reserve after dobutamine challenge was preserved and ultrasructural changes revealed ischemic yet viable myocardium, which together with coronary artery stenosis and slightly impaired myocardial perfusion suggest myocardial hibernation resulting from chronic hypoperfusion. Conclusions LDLR-/-ApoB100/100 mice develop significant coronary atherosclerosis, severe left ventricular dysfunction with preserved but diminished cardiac reserve and signs of chronic myocardial hibernation. However, the cardiac outcome is not worsened by type 2 diabetes, despite more advanced aortic atherosclerosis in diabetic animals.

  17. Distinct focal lesions of the femoral head: imaging features suggesting an atypical and minimal form of bone necrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Theodorou, Daphne J.; Theodorou, Stavroula J.; Resnick, Donald; Haghighi, Parviz

    2002-01-01

    Heading AbstractObjective. To document the imaging findings observed in patients with an unusual pattern of abnormality of the femoral head, most likely representing osteonecrosis.Design and patients. The imaging findings in 11 patients (10 men, 1 woman; age range 32-55 years) with a distinct lesion of the femoral head were reviewed with particular attention to the morphologic appearance, location, and extent of the lesion(s) in the proximal femur.Results. The 16 lesions identified in these patients extended to the subchondral area. Articular collapse was not evident in any hip. Radiography and CT showed areas of mixed bone sclerosis and osteolysis surrounded by sclerotic margins. On MR imaging, the signal intensity characteristics of the osseous lesion(s) were most commonly similar to those of fluid. Histopathologic findings, available in two hips, were typical of osteonecrosis. There was evidence of correlation of the site of the lesion with the known general distribution and anastomoses of arteries supplying the femoral head.Conclusion. A distinct, focal lesion of the femoral head is believed to represent an atypical form of bone necrosis. Its restriction to a small portion of the femoral head may relate to localized vascular anatomy. Recognition of the quite characteristic imaging findings can prevent misdiagnosis and may have implications for the prediction of the natural course of the disease. (orig.)

  18. Genetic Disruption of Circadian Rhythms in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Causes Helplessness, Behavioral Despair, and Anxiety-like Behavior in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landgraf, Dominic; Long, Jaimie E.; Proulx, Christophe D.; Barandas, Rita; Malinow, Roberto; Welsh, David K.

    2016-01-01

    Background Major depressive disorder is associated with disturbed circadian rhythms. To investigate the causal relationship between mood disorders and circadian clock disruption, previous studies in animal models have employed light/dark manipulations, global mutations of clock genes, or brain area lesions. However, light can impact mood by noncircadian mechanisms; clock genes have pleiotropic, clock-independent functions; and brain lesions not only disrupt cellular circadian rhythms but also destroy cells and eliminate important neuronal connections, including light reception pathways. Thus, a definitive causal role for functioning circadian clocks in mood regulation has not been established. Methods We stereotactically injected viral vectors encoding short hairpin RNA to knock down expression of the essential clock gene Bmal1 into the brain's master circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Results In these SCN-specific Bmal1-knockdown (SCN-Bmal1-KD) mice, circadian rhythms were greatly attenuated in the SCN, while the mice were maintained in a standard light/dark cycle, SCN neurons remained intact, and neuronal connections were undisturbed, including photic inputs. In the learned helplessness paradigm, the SCN-Bmal1-KD mice were slower to escape, even before exposure to inescapable stress. They also spent more time immobile in the tail suspension test and less time in the lighted section of a light/dark box. The SCN-Bmal1-KD mice also showed greater weight gain, an abnormal circadian pattern of corticosterone, and an attenuated increase of corticosterone in response to stress. Conclusions Disrupting SCN circadian rhythms is sufficient to cause helplessness, behavioral despair, and anxiety-like behavior in mice, establishing SCN-Bmal1-KD mice as a new animal model of depression. PMID:27113500

  19. Genetic Disruption of Circadian Rhythms in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Causes Helplessness, Behavioral Despair, and Anxiety-like Behavior in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landgraf, Dominic; Long, Jaimie E; Proulx, Christophe D; Barandas, Rita; Malinow, Roberto; Welsh, David K

    2016-12-01

    Major depressive disorder is associated with disturbed circadian rhythms. To investigate the causal relationship between mood disorders and circadian clock disruption, previous studies in animal models have employed light/dark manipulations, global mutations of clock genes, or brain area lesions. However, light can impact mood by noncircadian mechanisms; clock genes have pleiotropic, clock-independent functions; and brain lesions not only disrupt cellular circadian rhythms but also destroy cells and eliminate important neuronal connections, including light reception pathways. Thus, a definitive causal role for functioning circadian clocks in mood regulation has not been established. We stereotactically injected viral vectors encoding short hairpin RNA to knock down expression of the essential clock gene Bmal1 into the brain's master circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In these SCN-specific Bmal1-knockdown (SCN-Bmal1-KD) mice, circadian rhythms were greatly attenuated in the SCN, while the mice were maintained in a standard light/dark cycle, SCN neurons remained intact, and neuronal connections were undisturbed, including photic inputs. In the learned helplessness paradigm, the SCN-Bmal1-KD mice were slower to escape, even before exposure to inescapable stress. They also spent more time immobile in the tail suspension test and less time in the lighted section of a light/dark box. The SCN-Bmal1-KD mice also showed greater weight gain, an abnormal circadian pattern of corticosterone, and an attenuated increase of corticosterone in response to stress. Disrupting SCN circadian rhythms is sufficient to cause helplessness, behavioral despair, and anxiety-like behavior in mice, establishing SCN-Bmal1-KD mice as a new animal model of depression. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

  20. DNA vaccination with a plasmid encoding LACK-TSA fusion against Leishmania major infection in BALB/c mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maspi, N; Ghaffarifar, F; Sharifi, Z; Dalimi, A; Khademi, S Z

    2017-12-01

    Vaccination would be the most important strategy for the prevention and elimination of leishmaniasis. The aim of the present study was to compare the immune responses induced following DNA vaccination with LACK (Leishmania analogue of the receptor kinase C), TSA (Thiol-specific-antioxidant) genes alone or LACK-TSA fusion against cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Cellular and humoral immune responses were evaluated before and after challenge with Leishmania major (L. major). In addition, the mean lesion size was also measured from 3th week post-infection. All immunized mice showed a partial immunity characterized by higher interferon (IFN)-γ and Immunoglobulin G (IgG2a) levels compared to control groups (pTSA fusion. Mean lesion sizes reduced significantly in all immunized mice compared with control groups at 7th week post-infection (pTSA and TSA groups than LACK group after challenge (pTSA antigens against CL. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that a bivalent vaccine can induce stronger immune responses and protection against infectious challenge with L. major.

  1. Major contribution of the medial amygdala to hypertension in BPH/2J genetically hypertensive mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Kristy L; Palma-Rigo, Kesia; Nguyen-Huu, Thu-Phuc; Davern, Pamela J; Head, Geoffrey A

    2014-04-01

    BPH/2J mice are recognized as a neurogenic model of hypertension primarily based on overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system and greater neuronal activity in key autonomic cardiovascular regulatory brain regions. The medial amygdala (MeAm) is a forebrain region that integrates the autonomic response to stress and is the only region found to have greater Fos during the night and daytime in BPH/2J compared with BPN/3J mice. To determine the contribution of the MeAm to hypertension, the effect of neuronal ablation on blood pressure (BP) was assessed in BPH/2J (n=7) and normotensive BPN/3J mice (n=7). Mice were preimplanted with radiotelemetry devices to measure 24-hour BP and cardiovascular responses to stress, before and 1 to 3 weeks after bilateral lesions of the MeAm. Baseline BP was 121±4 mm Hg in BPH/2J and 101±2 mm Hg in BPN/3J mice (PstrainBPH/2J mice (PlesionBPH/2J mice was similar during both day and night, suggesting that the MeAm has tonic effects on BP, but the pressor response to stress was maintained in both strains. Midfrequency BP power was attenuated in both strains (PlesionBPH/2J mice (PlesionBPH/2J mice, which is independent of its role in stress reactivity or circadian BP influences.

  2. Clinical and pathological findings of concurrent poxvirus lesions and aspergillosis infection in canaries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reza, Kheirandish; Nasrin, Askari; Mahmoud, Salehi

    2013-03-01

    To investigate clinical, pathological and mycological findings in canaries, in which pox lesions and Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) infection were observed simultaneously. This study was performed on a breeding colony (about 100 canaries) affected by fatal wasting disease. Necropsy was undertaken on 10 severely affected canaries, and gross lesions were recorded. Samples from internal organs displaying lesions were obtained for histopathological evaluation. Tracheal swap samples of internal organs of the all infected animals with lesions at necropsy were cultured in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar for mycological examination. At necropsy, caseous foci were determined in the lungs, on the air sacs, liver, spleen, heart. Swelling of the eyelids, diffuse hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissue with small papular lesions of the skin were other typical necropsy findings. Histopathologically, pathognomonic eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, which called Bollinger bodies, in both skin cells and vacuolated air way epithelial cells confirmed canary pox infection. Moreover, histopathological examination of the white-yellowish caseous foci revealed necrotic granulomatous reaction consisting of macrophages, heterophil leukocytes and giant cells encapsulated with a fibrous tissue. After the culture of the tissue samples, the formation of bluish green colonies confirmed A. fumigatus infection. Canary pox has been known as the disease that can result in high losses in a short time, as a re-emerging disease that has not been present during recent years in canary flocks in Iran. So, the current paper provides useful information to prevent misdiagnosed of canary pox disease which can cause secondary mycotic infection.

  3. Uptake by J774 macrophages of very-low-density lipoproteins isolated from apoE-deficient mice is mediated by a distinct receptor and stimulated by lipoprotein lipase

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, W.L.; Sman van der - Beer, F. de; Vlijmen, B.J.M. van; Vark, L.C. van; Hofker, M.H.; Havekes, L.M.

    1997-01-01

    Apolipoprotein (apo) E-deficient mice display marked accumulation in the plasma of VLDL deficient in both apoE and apoBl00 but containing apoB48, apoA-1, apoCs, and apoA-IV. Since apoE-deficient mice develop severe atherosclerotic lesions with lipid-laden macrophages, we reasoned that the uptake of

  4. Pigment epithelium derived factor inhibits the growth of human endometrial implants in nude mice and of ovarian endometriotic stromal cells in vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanmei Sun

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis is a prerequisite for the formation and development of endometriosis. Pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF is a natural inhibitor of angiogenesis. We previously demonstrated a reduction of PEDF in the peritoneal fluid, serum and endometriotic lesions from women with endometriosis compared with women without endometriosis. Here, we aim to investigate the inhibitory effect of PEDF on human endometriotic cells in vivo and in vitro. We found that PEDF markedly inhibited the growth of human endometrial implants in nude mice and of ovarian endometriotic stromal cells in vitro by up-regulating PEDF expression and down-regulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF expression. Moreover, apoptotic index was significantly increased in endometriotic lesions in vivo and endometriotic stromal cells in vitro when treated with PEDF. In mice treated with PEDF, decreased microvessel density labeled by Von Willebrand factor but not by α-Smooth Muscle Actin was observed in endometriotic lesions. And it showed no increase in PEDF expression of the ovary and uterus tissues. These findings suggest that PEDF gene therapy may be a new treatment for endometriosis.

  5. Genetic ablation of soluble TNF does not affect lesion size and functional recovery after moderate spinal cord injury in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ellman, Ditte Gry; Degn, Matilda; Lund, Minna Christiansen

    2016-01-01

    Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is followed by an instant increase in expression of the microglial-derived proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) within the lesioned cord. TNF exists both as membrane-anchored TNF (mTNF) and as cleaved soluble TNF (solTNF). We previously demonstra......, and MHCII), lesion size, and functional outcome after moderate SCI were comparable between genotypes. Collectively, our data demonstrate that genetic ablation of solTNF does not significantly modulate postlesion outcome after SCI....

  6. Decreased Secondary Lesion Growth and Attenuated Immune Response after Traumatic Brain Injury in Tlr2/4−/− Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandro M. Krieg

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Danger-associated molecular patterns are released by damaged cells and trigger neuroinflammation through activation of non-specific pattern recognition receptors, e.g., toll-like receptors (TLRs. Since the role of TLR2 and 4 after traumatic brain injury (TBI is still unclear, we examined the outcome and the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators after experimental TBI in Tlr2/4−/− and wild-type (WT mice. Tlr2/4−/− and WT mice were subjected to controlled cortical injury and contusion volume and brain edema formation were assessed 24 h thereafter. Expression of inflammatory markers in brain tissue was measured by quantitative PCR 15 min, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h after controlled cortical impact (CCI. Contusion volume was significantly attenuated in Tlr2/4−/− mice (29.7 ± 0.7 mm3 as compared to 33.5 ± 0.8 mm3 in WT; p < 0.05 after CCI while brain edema was not affected. Only interleukin (IL-1β gene expression was increased after CCI in the Tlr2/4−/− relative to WT mice. Inducible nitric oxide synthetase, TNF, IL-6, and COX-2 were similar in injured WT and Tlr2/4−/− mice, while the increase in high-mobility group box 1 was attenuated at 6 h. TLR2 and 4 are consequently shown to potentially promote secondary brain injury after experimental CCI via neuroinflammation and may therefore represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of TBI.

  7. Modulatory influence of Aloe vera against radiation and cadmium induced hepatic lesions in Swiss albino mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harsha, Radha; Purohit, R.K.

    2012-01-01

    The major objectives in radiobiology has been the development of agents that can mitigate the damage produced by ionizing radiation to normal tissues and thus reduces the side effects caused by radiation and improvement of cancer radiotherapy. The various agents have drawn attention of researchers as they provide wider acceptability and least side effects. The current study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of Aloe vera against radiation and cadmium induced changes in the liver of Swiss albino mice. For the study healthy male Swiss albino mice (6 to 8 weeks old) were selected from an inbred colony and kept in polypropylene cages. They were provided with standard mice feed and tap water ad libitum. The animals were exposed to 3.0 and 6.0 Gy of gamma radiation with or without cadmium chloride treatment. The animals of experimental groups were administered Aloe vera juice seven days prior to irradiation or cadmium chloride treatment. The animals of each group were autopsied at each post treatment interval of 1, 2, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days of treatment. The various biochemical parameters estimated were total proteins, glycogen, cholesterol, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, DNA and RNA. After routine procedure, histopathological changes were also observed. The changes in various biochemical parameters were observed in the form of increase of decrease in values. The histopathological changes observed on day-1 after exposure to 3.0 Gy were distortion of hepatic architecture, intracellular oedema, narrower sinusoids, cytoplasmic degranulation, vacuolation and pycnotic nuclei. The changes were more marked on day-4 and continued up to day-14. But on day-28 the sign of recovery was observed. After exposure to a higher dose (6.0 Gy) similar changes were noticed but they were more pronounced and there was late manifestation of recovery. In the combined treatment of radiation and cadmium chloride synergistic effects were observed. The liver of Aloe vera treated

  8. The differential mice response to cat and snake odor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira Crisanto, Karen; de Andrade, Wylqui Mikael Gomes; de Azevedo Silva, Kayo Diogenes; Lima, Ramón Hypolito; de Oliveira Costa, Miriam Stela Maris; de Souza Cavalcante, Jeferson; de Lima, Ruthnaldo Rodrigues Melo; do Nascimento, Expedito Silva; Cavalcante, Judney Cley

    2015-12-01

    Studies from the last two decades have pointed to multiple mechanisms of fear. For responding to predators, there is a group of highly interconnected hypothalamic nuclei formed by the anterior hypothalamic nucleus, the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus and the dorsal premammillary nucleus—the predator-responsive hypothalamic circuit. This circuit expresses Fos in response to predator presence or its odor. Lesion of any component of this system blocks or reduces the expression of fear and consequently defensive behavior when faced with a predator or its cue. However, most of the knowledge about that circuit has been obtained using the rat as a model of prey and the cat as a source of predator cues. In the present study, we exposed mice to strong cat or snake odors, two known mice predators, and then we used the rat exposure test (RET) to study their behavior when confronted with the same predator's odor. Our data point to a differential response of mice exposed to these odors. When Swiss mice were exposed to the cat odor, they show defensive behavior and the predator-responsive hypothalamic circuit expressed Fos. The opposite was seen when they faced snake's odor. The acute odor exposure was not sufficient to activate the mouse predator-responsive hypothalamic circuit and the mice acted like they were not in a stressful situation, showing almost no sign of fear or defensive posture. This leads us to the conclusion that not all the predator cues are sufficient to activate the predator-responsive hypothalamic circuit of mice and that their response depends on the danger that these predators represent in the natural history of the prey.

  9. Influence of indigenous microbiota on experimental toxoplasmosis in conventional and germ-free mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascimento, Bruna B; Cartelle, Christiane T; Noviello, Maria de L; Pinheiro, Breno V; de Almeida Vitor, Ricardo W; Souza, Danielle da G; de Vasconcelos Generoso, Simone; Cardoso, Valbert N; Martins, Flaviano Dos S; Nicoli, Jacques R; Arantes, Rosa M E

    2017-08-01

    Toxoplasmosis represents one of the most common zoonoses worldwide. Its agent, Toxoplasma gondii, causes a severe innate pro-inflammatory response. The indigenous intestinal microbiota promotes host animal homoeostasis and may protect the host against pathogens. Germ-free (GF) animals provide an important tool for the study of interactions between host and microbiota. In this study, we assessed the role of indigenous microorganisms in disease development utilizing a murine toxoplasmosis model, which includes conventional (CV) and GF NIH Swiss mice. CV and GF mice orally inoculated with T. gondii had similar survival curves. However, disease developed differently in the two animal groups. In CV mice, intestinal permeability increased and levels of intestinal pro-inflammatory cytokines were altered. In GF animals, there were discrete epithelial degenerative changes and mucosal oedema, but the liver and lungs displayed significant lesions. We conclude that, despite similar survival curves, CV animals succumb to an exaggerated inflammatory response, whereas GF mice fail to produce an adequate systemic response. © 2017 The Authors. International Journal of Experimental Pathology © 2017 International Journal of Experimental Pathology.

  10. SKIBO diseases: a concept to avoid bloody diagnostic procedures in ambiguous skeletal lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freyschmidt, J.; Freyschmidt-Paul, P.

    2001-01-01

    In cases with an ''atypical'' radiologic pattern-osteolytic as well as osteosclerotic or mixed - the radiologist should pay attention to the patient's skin. There he will often find specific changes that are the key to a correct interpretation of the radiologic abnormalities. In such cases the synopsis is of more value in differential diagnosis than more or less unspecific histologic findings. Entities with a non-arbitrary conjunction of changes of the skin and bones we call SKIBO diseases. Some of them have a high potential for mimicking malignant bone lesions, often with the consequence of unnecessary biopsies. In this article we present the typical dermatologic and radiologic signs and symptoms of neurofibromatosis, sarcoidosis and pustulotic arteroosteitis (PAO) with special focus on such skeletal lesions that may mimic malignancy. (orig.)

  11. Corticosteroid treatment ameliorates acute lung injury induced by 2009 swine origin influenza A (H1N1 virus in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chenggang Li

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The 2009 influenza pandemic affected people in almost all countries in the world, especially in younger age groups. During this time, the debate over whether to use corticosteroid treatment in severe influenza H1N1 infections patients resurfaced and was disputed by clinicians. There is an urgent need for a susceptible animal model of 2009 H1N1 infection that can be used to evaluate the pathogenesis and the therapeutic effect of corticosteroid treatment during infection. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We intranasally inoculated two groups of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice (using 4- or 6-to 8-week-old mice to compare the pathogenesis of several different H1N1 strains in mice of different ages. Based on the results, a very susceptible 4-week-old C57BL/6 mouse model of Beijing 501 strain of 2009 H1N1 virus infection was established, showing significantly elevated lung edema and cytokine levels compared to controls. Using our established animal model, the cytokine production profile and lung histology were assessed at different times post-infection, revealing increased lung lesions in a time-dependent manner. In additional,the mice were also treated with dexamethasone, which significantly improved survival rate and lung lesions in infected mice compared to those in control mice. Our data showed that corticosteroid treatment ameliorated acute lung injury induced by the 2009 A/H1N1 virus in mice and suggested that corticosteroids are valid drugs for treating 2009 A/H1N1 infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Using the established, very susceptible 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1 mouse model, our studies indicate that corticosteroids are a potential therapeutic remedy that may address the increasing concerns over future 2009 A/H1N1 pandemics.

  12. Fascioliasis - a contribution to the differential diagnosis of focal liver lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schleppi, V.; Neufang, O.; Scheerer, W.; Lossnitzer, K.

    1987-02-01

    The case of a 60 years old patient with a rare parasitosis, fascioliasis hepatica, is presented. The clinical, parasitologic, radiologic and histologic findings are discussed with reference to the literature. The diagnosis was established by examination of the faeces of the patient. The radiologic examinations document the extent of the organic involvement, in the presented case that of the liver. The finding of circumscribed hypodense liver lesions can be decisive for the further diagnostic proceedings only in the light of an appropriate history and typical laboratory findings.

  13. Seizure semiology and electroencephalography in young children with lesional temporal lobe epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Rui-Juan; Sun, Zhen-Rong; Cui, Tao; Shao, Xiao-Qiu

    2014-02-01

    This study aimed to discuss the clinical features of seizure semiology and electroencephalography (EEG) in young children with lesional temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Children with lesional TLE received presurgical evaluation for intractable epilepsy. They were followed up for more than one year after temporal lobectomy. We reviewed the medical history and video-EEG monitoring of children with TLE to analyze the semiology of seizures and EEG findings and compared the semiology of seizures and EEG findings of childhood TLE and adult TLE. A total of 84 seizures were analyzed in 11 children (aged 23-108 months). The age of seizure onset was from 1 month to 26 months (a mean of 17.6 months). All of the patients exhibited prominent motor manifestations including epileptic spasm, tonic seizure, and unilateral clonic seizure. Seven children manifested behavioral arrest similar to an automotor seizure in adult TLE but with a shorter duration and higher frequency. The automatisms were typically orofacial, whereas manual automatisms were rarely observed. The EEG recordings revealed that diffuse discharge patterns were more common in younger children, whereas focal or unilateral patterns were more typical in older children. All of the patients were seizure-free after temporal lobectomy with more than one-year follow-up. All of the children had a mental development delay or regression; however, there was improvement after surgery, especially in those with surgery performed early. In contrast to TLE in adults, young children with lesional TLE probably represent a distinct nosological and probably less homogeneous syndrome. Although they had generalized clinical and electrographic features, resective epilepsy surgery should be considered as early as possible to obtain seizure control and improvement in mental development. Copyright © 2013 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Tritium toxicity on postnatally developing mice testes: a qualitative and quantitative evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhatia, A.L.

    1982-01-01

    The present study is an attempt to evaluate the possible radiobiological effects of tritiated water (HTO) on the testes of Swiss albino mice during postnatal development. Mice were continuously irradiated with different doses providing 46, 93 and 185 kBq of HTO per ml drinking water (after a priming injection) from day 1 after brith up to 6 weeks of age. Qualitative and quantitative studies were made at 6 weeks old mice testes and were compared with the sham-irradiated controls. A dose-dependent damage is noticed in the testes in the form of various radiopathological lesions such as intertubular edema, necrotic and pycnotic cells at various stages, mild cytoplasmic vacuolation, fibrosis, sclerosis, cellular edema etc. The number of various germ cells at their different phases were greatly reduced. 185 kBq/ml affect severely the spermatogonia and spermatid populations. The primary spermatocyte level was maintained at the range 64 +- 3.5%

  15. Tritium toxicity on postnatally developing mice testes: a qualitative and quantitative evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhatia, A.L. (Rajasthan Univ., Jaipur (India). Radiation Biology Lab.)

    1982-11-01

    The present study is an attempt to evaluate the possible radiobiological effects of tritiated water (HTO) on the testes of Swiss albino mice during postnatal development. Mice were continuously irradiated with different doses providing 46, 93 and 185 kBq of HTO per ml drinking water (after a priming injection) from day 1 after brith up to 6 weeks of age. Qualitative and quantitative studies were made at 6 weeks old mice testes and were compared with the sham-irradiated controls. A dose-dependent damage is noticed in the testes in the form of various radiopathological lesions such as intertubular edema, necrotic and pycnotic cells at various stages, mild cytoplasmic vacuolation, fibrosis, sclerosis, cellular edema etc. The number of various germ cells at their different phases were greatly reduced. 185 kBq/ml affect severely the spermatogonia and spermatid populations. The primary spermatocyte level was maintained at the range 64 +- 3.5%.

  16. Ghost cell lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E Rajesh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Ghost cells have been a controversy for a long time. Ghost cell is a swollen/enlarged epithelial cell with eosnophilic cytoplasm, but without a nucleus. In routine H and E staining these cells give a shadowy appearance. Hence these cells are also called as shadow cells or translucent cells. The appearance of these cells varies from lesion to lesion involving odontogenic and nonodontogenic lesions. This article review about the origin, nature and significance of ghost cells in different neoplasms.

  17. Local inflammation, dissemination and coalescence of lesions are key for the progression towards active tuberculosis: the bubble model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clara ePrats

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The evolution of a tuberculosis (TB infection towards active disease is driven by a combination of factors mostly related to the host response. The equilibrium between control of the bacillary load and the pathology generated is crucial as regards preventing the growth and proliferation of TB lesions. In addition, some experimental evidence suggests an important role of both local endogenous reinfection and the coalescence of neighboring lesions.Herein we propose a mathematical model that captures the essence of these factors by defining three hypotheses: (i lesions grow logistically due to the inflammatory reaction; (ii new lesions can appear as a result of extracellular bacilli or infected macrophages that escape from older lesions; and (iii lesions can merge when they are close enough. This model was implemented in Matlab to simulate the dynamics of several lesions in a 3D space. It was also fitted to available microscopy data from infected C3HeB/FeJ mice, an animal model of active TB that reacts against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with an exaggerated inflammatory response.The results of the simulations show the dynamics observed experimentally, namely an initial increase in the number of lesions followed by oscillations, and an exponential increase in the mean area of the lesions. In addition, further analysis of experimental and simulation results show a strong coincidence of the area distributions of lesions at day 21, thereby highlighting the consistency of the model. Three simulation series removing each one of the hypothesis corroborate their essential role in the dynamics observed.These results demonstrate that three local factors, namely an exaggerated inflammatory response, an endogenous reinfection and a coalescence of lesions, are needed in order to progress towards active TB. The failure of one of these factors stops induction of the disease. This mathematical model may be used as a basis for developing strategies to stop the

  18. Local Inflammation, Dissemination and Coalescence of Lesions Are Key for the Progression toward Active Tuberculosis: The Bubble Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prats, Clara; Vilaplana, Cristina; Valls, Joaquim; Marzo, Elena; Cardona, Pere-Joan; López, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    The evolution of a tuberculosis (TB) infection toward active disease is driven by a combination of factors mostly related to the host response. The equilibrium between control of the bacillary load and the pathology generated is crucial as regards preventing the growth and proliferation of TB lesions. In addition, some experimental evidence suggests an important role of both local endogenous reinfection and the coalescence of neighboring lesions. Herein we propose a mathematical model that captures the essence of these factors by defining three hypotheses: (i) lesions grow logistically due to the inflammatory reaction; (ii) new lesions can appear as a result of extracellular bacilli or infected macrophages that escape from older lesions; and (iii) lesions can merge when they are close enough. This model was implemented in Matlab to simulate the dynamics of several lesions in a 3D space. It was also fitted to available microscopy data from infected C3HeB/FeJ mice, an animal model of active TB that reacts against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with an exaggerated inflammatory response. The results of the simulations show the dynamics observed experimentally, namely an initial increase in the number of lesions followed by fluctuations, and an exponential increase in the mean area of the lesions. In addition, further analysis of experimental and simulation results show a strong coincidence of the area distributions of lesions at day 21, thereby highlighting the consistency of the model. Three simulation series removing each one of the hypothesis corroborate their essential role in the dynamics observed. These results demonstrate that three local factors, namely an exaggerated inflammatory response, an endogenous reinfection, and a coalescence of lesions, are needed in order to progress toward active TB. The failure of one of these factors stops induction of the disease. This mathematical model may be used as a basis for developing strategies to stop the progression of

  19. Risk assessment of silica nanoparticles on liver injury in metabolic syndrome mice induced by fructose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jianmei; He, Xiwei; Yang, Yang; Li, Mei; Xu, Chenke; Yu, Rong

    2018-07-01

    This study aims to assess the effects and the mechanisms of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) on hepatotoxicity in both normal and metabolic syndrome mouse models induced by fructose. Here, we found that SiNPs exposure lead to improved insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome mice, but markedly worsened hepatic ballooning, inflammation infiltration, and fibrosis. Moreover, SiNPs exposure aggravated liver injury in metabolic syndrome mice by causing serious DNA damage. Following SiNPs exposure, liver superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in metabolic syndrome mice were stimulated, which is accompanied by significantly increased malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine levels as compared to normal mice. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that SiNPs were more readily deposited in the liver mitochondria of metabolic syndrome mice, resulting in more severe mitochondrial injury as compared to normal mice. We speculated that SiNPs-induced mitochondrial injury might be the cause of hepatic oxidative stress, which further lead to a series of liver lesions as observed in mice following SiNPs exposure. Based on these results, it is likely that SiNPs will increase the risk and severity of liver disease in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Therefore, SiNPs should be used cautiously in food additives and clinical settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Comparison of {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5 with {sup 18}F-FDG for the detection of atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Yan; Morita, Koichi; Tamaki, Nagara [Hokkaido University, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo (Japan); Kuge, Yuji [Hokkaido University, Department of Tracer Kinetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo (Japan); Hokkaido University, Department of Molecular Imaging, Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo (Japan); Kyoto University, Department of Patho-Functional Bioanalysis, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto (Japan); Zhao, Songji [Hokkaido University, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo (Japan); Hokkaido University, Department of Tracer Kinetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo (Japan); Inubushi, Masayuki [Hokkaido University, Department of Molecular Imaging, Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo (Japan); Strauss, H.W. [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Nuclear Medicine, New York, NY (United States); Blankenberg, Francis G. [Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Palo Alto, CA (United States)

    2007-11-15

    {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5, a marker of ongoing apoptosis, and {sup 18}F-FDG, a marker of the increased metabolism of inflammatory cells, are supposed to be useful in the detection of metabolically active atheroma. This study reports a comparison of the intralesional distribution of these tracers in relation to lesion development in ApoE-/- mice. Male ApoE-/- mice (n = 12-14/group) were maintained on a Western-type diet after the age of 5 weeks. At 25 weeks, {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5 or {sup 18}F-FDG was injected and the aortas were harvested for autoradiography (ARG) and Oil Red O staining. Regional radioactivity accumulation was compared in relation to the Oil Red O staining score (ranging from 0 to 3, a semiquantitative parameter for evaluating lesion development). Both {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5 and {sup 18}F-FDG showed preferential uptake into atherosclerotic lesions, with higher uptake levels for {sup 18}F-FDG (mean, 56.07 %ID x kg/m{sup 2}) than for {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5 (mean, 10.38 %ID x kg/m{sup 2}). The regional uptake levels of each tracer correlated with the Oil Red O staining score (r = 0.65, p < 0.05 for {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5; r = 0.56, p < 0.05 for {sup 18}F-FDG). The uptake ratios of advanced lesions (score >0.5) to early lesions (score <0.5) were significantly higher for {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5 than for {sup 18}F-FDG (f = 4.73, p = 0.03). Both {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5 and {sup 18}F-FDG accumulate in atherosclerotic lesions and correlate with the severity of each lesion. The higher absolute uptake levels of {sup 18}F-FDG may be advantageous for lesion detection, whereas the preferential uptake of {sup 99m}Tc-annexin A5 in advanced lesions may be a useful indicator of late-stage lesions or vulnerable plaque transformation. (orig.)

  1. NO-donating aspirin and aspirin partially inhibit age-related atherosclerosis but not radiation-induced atherosclerosis in ApoE null mice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoving, Saske; Heeneman, Sylvia; Gijbels, Marion J. J.; te Poele, Johannes A. M.; Bolla, Manlio; Pol, Jeffrey F. C.; Simons, Michelle Y.; Russell, Nicola S.; Daemen, Mat J.; Stewart, Fiona A.

    2010-01-01

    We previously showed that irradiation to the carotid arteries of ApoE(-/-) mice accelerated the development of macrophage-rich, inflammatory atherosclerotic lesions, prone to intra-plaque hemorrhage. In this study we investigated the potential of anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant intervention

  2. Oral White Lesions: Presentation and Comparison of Oral Submucous Fibrosis with Other Lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maqsood, A.; Aman, N.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To compare oral submucous fibrosis with other white oral lesions for presentation and associated factors. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The Departments of Oral Medicine and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Institute of Oral Health Sciences (DIKIOHS), Karachi, from May 2008 to May 2009. Methodology: Patients presenting with oral white lesions were selected by consecutive non-purposive sampling and clinico-demographic data was collected. For patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), additional information like duration of habits, maximal incisal opening (MIO), presence of any other associated lesion were noted. OSF was compared with other white lesions for any association between characteristic of subjects. Chi-square and independent t-tests for determining the statistical significance at p < 0.05. Results: OSF was present in 59.6% (n = 106) of the 178 patients; other white lesions were 40.4% (n = 72). The mean age of patients with OSF was 34 +- 12.7 years and 45.81 +- 16.2 years in patients with other white lesions, (p < 0.0001). Items containing areca nut were consumed more by patients with OSF, with a significant (p < 0.0001) compared to patients with other white lesions. Conclusion: OSF was the predominant white lesion in patients examined at DIKIOHS. Areca nut was found to be chewed more by patients with OSF and still longer by patients with SCC. (author)

  3. Reduced artefacts and improved assessment of hyperintense brain lesions with BLADE MR imaging in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalle, Thekla von; Fabig-Moritz, Claudia; Mueller-Abt, Peter; Zieger, Michael; Winkler, Peter [Department of Paediatric Radiology, Stuttgart (Germany); Blank, Bernd [Haematology and Immunology, Department of Paediatric Oncology, Stuttgart (Germany); Wohlfarth, Katrin [Siemens Healthcare Sector, Erlangen (Germany)

    2009-11-15

    Assessment of small brain lesions in children is often compromised by pulsation, flow or movement artefacts. MRI with a rotating blade-like k-space covering (BLADE, PROPELLER) can compensate for these artefacts. We compared T2-weighted FLAIR images that were acquired with different k-space trajectories (conventional Cartesian and BLADE) to evaluate the impact of BLADE technique on the delineation of small or low-contrast brain lesions. The subject group comprised 26 children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF 1), who had been routinely scanned at 1.5 T for optic pathway gliomas with both techniques and who had the typical hyperintense brain lesions seen in NF 1. Four experienced radiologists retrospectively compared unlabelled 4-mm axial images with respect to the presence of artefacts, visibility of lesions, quality of contour and contrast. Both techniques were comparable in depicting hyperintense lesions as small as 2 mm independent of contrast and edge definition. Pulsation and movement artefacts were significantly less common with BLADE k-space trajectory. In 7 of 26 patients (27%), lesions and artefacts were rated as indistinguishable in conventional FLAIR, but not in BLADE FLAIR images. BLADE imaging significantly improved the depiction of lesions in T2-W FLAIR images due to artefact reduction especially in the posterior fossa. (orig.)

  4. Reduced artefacts and improved assessment of hyperintense brain lesions with BLADE MR imaging in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalle, Thekla von; Fabig-Moritz, Claudia; Mueller-Abt, Peter; Zieger, Michael; Winkler, Peter; Blank, Bernd; Wohlfarth, Katrin

    2009-01-01

    Assessment of small brain lesions in children is often compromised by pulsation, flow or movement artefacts. MRI with a rotating blade-like k-space covering (BLADE, PROPELLER) can compensate for these artefacts. We compared T2-weighted FLAIR images that were acquired with different k-space trajectories (conventional Cartesian and BLADE) to evaluate the impact of BLADE technique on the delineation of small or low-contrast brain lesions. The subject group comprised 26 children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF 1), who had been routinely scanned at 1.5 T for optic pathway gliomas with both techniques and who had the typical hyperintense brain lesions seen in NF 1. Four experienced radiologists retrospectively compared unlabelled 4-mm axial images with respect to the presence of artefacts, visibility of lesions, quality of contour and contrast. Both techniques were comparable in depicting hyperintense lesions as small as 2 mm independent of contrast and edge definition. Pulsation and movement artefacts were significantly less common with BLADE k-space trajectory. In 7 of 26 patients (27%), lesions and artefacts were rated as indistinguishable in conventional FLAIR, but not in BLADE FLAIR images. BLADE imaging significantly improved the depiction of lesions in T2-W FLAIR images due to artefact reduction especially in the posterior fossa. (orig.)

  5. Topical application of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene results in the generation of multiple melanocytic nevi in C3H/HeN mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elmets, Craig A.; Yusuf, Nabiha; Hamza, Sate; Iranikakh, Nasser; Smith, Jeffrey; Volk, Andrea L.; Skelton, Henry; Smith, Kathy

    2004-01-01

    Melanocytic nevi are a common dermatological problem for which there are few in vivo models. It has been postulated that environmental factors contribute to their development. Experiments were therefore conducted to determine whether application of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to the skin of mice would result in the development of melanocytic nevi. One hundred microliters of a 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1.0% solution of DMBA was applied to the dorsal skin of C3H/HeN mice. The mice were then observed for the appearance of pigmented lesions. Histological examination revealed perifollicular accumulations of nevus cells, which were S-100-protein and HMB-45-positive, confirming their melanocytic origin. Pigmented lesions did not occur in animals treated with vehicle alone. Dose response studies revealed both greater numbers of nevi and lesions with larger diameters as the dose of DMBA was increased from 0.1% to 0.5%. In no instance was an invasive melanoma observed even after 40 weeks. The fact that melanocytic nevi can be produced by topical application of DMBA suggests that xenobiotics may play a previously unrecognized role in the development of this common benign neoplasm. Because this is one of the only animal models for melanocytic nevi, further examination of this model may facilitate identification of the molecular and biochemical mechanisms that lead to the development of pigmented nevi and the factors that promote their evolution into invasive melanomas

  6. Imaging review of lipomatous musculoskeletal lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burt Ashley M.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Lipomatous lesions are common musculoskeletal lesions that can arise within the soft tissues, bone, neurovascular structures, and synovium. The majority of these lesions are benign, and many of the benign lesions can be diagnosed by radiologic evaluation. However, radiologic differences between benign and malignant lipomatous lesions may be subtle and pathologic correlation is often needed. The use of sonography, computed tomography (CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI is useful not only in portraying fat within the lesion, but also for evaluating the presence and extent of soft tissue components. Lipomas make up most soft tissue lipomatous lesions, but careful evaluation must be performed to distinguish these lesions from a low-grade liposarcoma. In addition to the imaging appearance, the location of the lesion and the patient demographics can be utilized to help diagnose other soft tissue lipomatous lesions, such as elastofibroma dorsi, angiolipoma, lipoblastoma, and hibernoma. Osseous lipomatous lesions such as a parosteal lipoma and intraosseous lipoma occur less commonly as their soft tissue counterpart, but are also benign. Neurovascular and synovial lipomatous lesions are much rarer lesions but demonstrate more classic radiologic findings, particularly on MRI. A review of the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic characteristics of these lesions is presented.

  7. Viral replication and lung lesions in BALB/c mice experimentally inoculated with avian metapneumovirus subgroup C isolated from chickens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Li; Zhu, Shanshan; She, Ruiping; Hu, Fengjiao; Wang, Jing; Yan, Xu; Zhang, Chunyan; Liu, Shuhang; Quan, Rong; Li, Zixuan; Du, Fang; Wei, Ting; Liu, Jue

    2014-01-01

    Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) emerged as an important respiratory pathogen causing acute respiratory tract infection in avian species. Here we used a chicken aMPV subgroup C (aMPV/C) isolate to inoculate experimentally BALB/c mice and found that the aMPV/C can efficiently replicate and persist in the lungs of mice for at least 21 days with a peak viral load at day 6 postinoculation. Lung pathological changes were characterized by increased inflammatory cells. Immunochemical assay showed the presence of viral antigens in the lungs and significant upregulation of pulmonary inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were detected following inoculation. These results indicate for the first time that chicken aMPV/C may replicate in the lung of mice. Whether aMPV/C has potential as zoonotic pathogen, further investigation will be required.

  8. Phytosterols inhibit the tumor growth and lipoprotein oxidizability induced by a high-fat diet in mice with inherited breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llaverias, Gemma; Escolà-Gil, Joan Carles; Lerma, Enrique; Julve, Josep; Pons, Cristina; Cabré, Anna; Cofán, Montserrat; Ros, Emilio; Sánchez-Quesada, José Luis; Blanco-Vaca, Francisco

    2013-01-01

    Dietary phytosterol supplements are readily available to consumers since they effectively reduce plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Several studies on cell cultures and xenograft mouse models suggest that dietary phytosterols may also exert protective effects against common cancers. We examined the effects of a dietary phytosterol supplement on tumor onset and progression using the well-characterized mouse mammary tumor virus polyoma virus middle T antigen transgenic mouse model of inherited breast cancer. Both the development of mammary hyperplastic lesions (at age 4 weeks) and total tumor burden (at age 13 weeks) were reduced after dietary phytosterol supplementation in female mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. A blind, detailed histopathologic examination of the mammary glands (at age 8 weeks) also revealed the presence of less-advanced lesions in phytosterol-fed mice. This protective effect was not observed when the mice were fed a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. Phytosterol supplementation was effective in preventing lipoprotein oxidation in mice fed the high-fat diet, a property that may explain - at least in part - their anticancer effects since lipoprotein oxidation/inflammation has been shown to be critical for tumor growth. In summary, our study provides preclinical proof of the concept that dietary phytosterols could prevent the tumor growth associated with fat-rich diet consumption. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Hock lesions and free-stall design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weary, D M; Taszkun, I

    2000-04-01

    We compared the prevalence and severity of skin lesions on the hocks of lactating dairy cows in southern British Columbia, comparing 20 farms using three common bedding surfaces: sawdust, sand, and geotextile mattresses. Skin lesions were scored at five positions on the hock. For each position we noted if the lesion showed inflammatory attributes, and then assigned a severity score. Of the 1752 lactating cows scored, 1267 cows (73%) had at least one hock lesion. Of those cows with lesions, 87% had lesions on both legs, 76% had lesions on more than one location on the hock, and 78% had a lesion of at least moderate severity (i.e., evidence of skin breakage or an area of hair loss >10 cm2). Lesions were most prevalent on farms that used geotextile mattresses (91% of cows) and least common on farms that used sand (24% of cows). Moreover, lesions on cows from farms using mattresses were more numerous and more severe than those on cows from sand-bedded farms. The prevalence and severity of lesions on farms using sawdust was intermediate. Lesions also varied in relation to location on the hock. For farms using geotextile mattresses, lesions were more common and more severe on the lateral surfaces of both the tuber calcis and the tarsal joint. On farms using sawdust, lesions were common on the dorsal surface of the tuber calcis and the lateral surfaces of both the tuber calcis and the tarsal joint. Lesions were rare on all five positions for cows from sand-bedded farms. Among the 10 farms sampled using sawdust, we found a significant negative relationship between the length of the stall and severity of lesions. For cows with lesions, the number and severity of lesions increased with age.

  10. Detection of mouse endogenous type B astrocytes migrating towards brain lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gema Elvira

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Neuroblasts represent the predominant migrating cell type in the adult mouse brain. There are, however, increasing evidences of migration of other neural precursors. This work aims at identifying in vivo endogenous early neural precursors, different from neuroblasts, able to migrate in response to brain injuries. The monoclonal antibody Nilo1, which unequivocally identifies type B astrocytes and embryonic radial glia, was coupled to magnetic glyconanoparticles (mGNPs. Here we show that Nilo1–mGNPs in combination with magnetic resonance imaging in living mice allowed the in vivo identification of endogenous type B astrocytes at their niche, as well as their migration to the lesion site in response to glioblastoma, demyelination, cryolesion or mechanical injuries. In addition, Nilo1+ adult radial glia-like structures were identified at the lesion site a few hours after damage. For all damage models used, type B astrocyte migration was fast and orderly. Identification of Nilo1+ cells surrounding an induced glioblastoma was also possible after intraperitoneal injection of the antibody. This opens up the possibility of an early identification of the initial damage site(s after brain insults, by the migration of type B astrocytes.

  11. Neuronal erythropoietin overexpression protects mice against age-related hearing loss (presbycusis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monge Naldi, Arianne; Belfrage, Celina; Jain, Neha; Wei, Eric T; Canto Martorell, Belén; Gassmann, Max; Vogel, Johannes

    2015-12-01

    So far, typical causes of presbycusis such as degeneration of hair cells and/or primary auditory (spiral ganglion) neurons cannot be treated. Because erythropoietin's (Epo) neuroprotective potential has been shown previously, we determined hearing thresholds of juvenile and aged mice overexpressing Epo in neuronal tissues. Behavioral audiometry revealed in contrast to 5 months of age, that 11-month-old Epo-transgenic mice had up to 35 dB lower hearing thresholds between 1.4 and 32 kHz, and at the highest frequencies (50-80 kHz), thresholds could be obtained in aged Epo-transgenic only but not anymore in old C57BL6 control mice. Click-evoked auditory brainstem response showed similar results. Numbers of spiral ganglion neurons in aged C57BL6 but not Epo-transgenic mice were dramatically reduced mainly in the basal turn, the location of high frequencies. In addition, there was a tendency to better preservation of inner and outer hair cells in Epo-transgenic mice. Hence, Epo's known neuroprotective action effectively suppresses the loss of spiral ganglion cells and probably also hair cells and, thus, development of presbycusis in mice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Intraperitoneal Infection of Wild-Type Mice with Synthetically Generated Mammalian Prion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinhe Wang

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The prion hypothesis postulates that the infectious agent in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs is an unorthodox protein conformation based agent. Recent successes in generating mammalian prions in vitro with bacterially expressed recombinant prion protein provide strong support for the hypothesis. However, whether the pathogenic properties of synthetically generated prion (rec-Prion recapitulate those of naturally occurring prions remains unresolved. Using end-point titration assay, we showed that the in vitro prepared rec-Prions have infectious titers of around 104 LD50/μg. In addition, intraperitoneal (i.p. inoculation of wild-type mice with rec-Prion caused prion disease with an average survival time of 210-220 days post inoculation. Detailed pathological analyses revealed that the nature of rec-Prion induced lesions, including spongiform change, disease specific prion protein accumulation (PrP-d and the PrP-d dissemination amongst lymphoid and peripheral nervous system tissues, the route and mechanisms of neuroinvasion were all typical of classical rodent prions. Our results revealed that, similar to naturally occurring prions, the rec-Prion has a titratable infectivity and is capable of causing prion disease via routes other than direct intra-cerebral challenge. More importantly, our results established that the rec-Prion caused disease is pathogenically and pathologically identical to naturally occurring contagious TSEs, supporting the concept that a conformationally altered protein agent is responsible for the infectivity in TSEs.

  13. Oropharynx lesion biopsy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... as papilloma) Fungal infections (such as candida) Histoplasmosis Oral lichen planus Precancerous sore (leukoplakia) Viral infections (such as Herpes simplex) Risks Risks of the procedure may ... Throat lesion biopsy; Biopsy - mouth or throat; Mouth lesion biopsy; Oral cancer - biopsy ...

  14. Topological characteristics of brainstem lesions in clinically definite and clinically probable cases of multiple sclerosis: An MRI-study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brainin, M.; Omasits, M.; Reisner, T.; Neuhold, A.; Wicke, L.

    1987-01-01

    Disseminated lesions in the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres and confluent lesions at the borders of the lateral ventricles as seen on MRI are both considered acceptable paraclinical evidence for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Similar changes are, however, also found in vascular diseases of the brain. We therefore aimed at identifying those additional traits in the infratentorial region, which in our experience are not frequently found in cerebrovascular pathology. We evaluated MR brain scans of 68 patients and found pontine lesions in 71% of cases with a clinically definite diagnosis (17 out of 24) and in 33% of cases with a probable diagnosis (14 out of 43). Lesions in the medulla oblongata were present in 50% and 16%, respectively, and in the midbrain in 25% and 7%, respectively. With rare exceptions all brainstem lesions were contiguous with the cisternal or ventricular cerebrospinal fluid spaces. In keeping with post-mortem reports the morphological spectrum ranged from large confluent patches to solitary, well delineated paramedian lesions or discrete linings of the cerebrospinal fluid border zones and were most clearly depicted from horizontal and sagittal T2 weighted SE-sequences. If there is a predilection for the outer or inner surfaces of the brainstem, such lesions can be considered an additional typical feature of multiple sclerosis and can be more reliably weighted as paraclinical evidence for a definite diagnosis. (orig.)

  15. Inhibition of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation in epidermal p53 gene of UV-irradiated mice by alpha-tocopherol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, W.; Barthelman, M.; Martinez, J.; Alberts, D.; Gensler, H.L.

    1997-01-01

    Mutations or alterations in the p53 gene have been observed in 50-100% of ultraviolet light (UV)-induced squamous cell carcinoma in humans and animals. Most of the mutations occurred at dipyrimidine sequences, suggesting that pyrimidine dimers in the p53 gene play a role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. We previously showed that topical alpha-tocopherol prevents UV-induced skin carcinogenesis in the mouse. In the present study we asked whether topical alpha-tocopherol reduces the level of UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the murine epidermal p53 gene. Mice received six dorsal applications of 25 mg each of alpha-tocopherol, on alternate days, before exposure to 500 J/m2 of UV-B irradiation. Mice were killed at selected times after irradiation. The level of dimers in the epidermal p53 gene was measured using the T4 endonuclease V assay with quantitative Southern hybridization. Topical alpha-tocopherol caused a 55% reduction in the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the epidermal p53 gene. The rate of reduction of pyrimidine dimers between 1 and 10 hours after irradiation was similar in UV-irradiated mice, regardless of alpha-tocopherol treatment. Therefore, the lower level of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in UV-irradiated mice treated with alpha-tocopherol than in control UV-irradiated mice resulted from the prevention of formation of the dimers, and not from enhanced repair of these lesions. Our results indicate that alpha-tocopherol acts as an effective sunscreen in vivo, preventing the formation of premutagenic DNA lesions in a gene known to be important in skin carcinogenesis

  16. Inter-algorithm lesion volumetry comparison of real and 3D simulated lung lesions in CT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robins, Marthony; Solomon, Justin; Hoye, Jocelyn; Smith, Taylor; Ebner, Lukas; Samei, Ehsan

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to establish volumetric exchangeability between real and computational lung lesions in CT. We compared the overall relative volume estimation performance of segmentation tools when used to measure real lesions in actual patient CT images and computational lesions virtually inserted into the same patient images (i.e., hybrid datasets). Pathologically confirmed malignancies from 30 thoracic patient cases from Reference Image Database to Evaluate Therapy Response (RIDER) were modeled and used as the basis for the comparison. Lesions included isolated nodules as well as those attached to the pleura or other lung structures. Patient images were acquired using a 16 detector row or 64 detector row CT scanner (Lightspeed 16 or VCT; GE Healthcare). Scans were acquired using standard chest protocols during a single breath-hold. Virtual 3D lesion models based on real lesions were developed in Duke Lesion Tool (Duke University), and inserted using a validated image-domain insertion program. Nodule volumes were estimated using multiple commercial segmentation tools (iNtuition, TeraRecon, Inc., Syngo.via, Siemens Healthcare, and IntelliSpace, Philips Healthcare). Consensus based volume comparison showed consistent trends in volume measurement between real and virtual lesions across all software. The average percent bias (+/- standard error) shows -9.2+/-3.2% for real lesions versus -6.7+/-1.2% for virtual lesions with tool A, 3.9+/-2.5% and 5.0+/-0.9% for tool B, and 5.3+/-2.3% and 1.8+/-0.8% for tool C, respectively. Virtual lesion volumes were statistically similar to those of real lesions (.05 in most cases. Results suggest that hybrid datasets had similar inter-algorithm variability compared to real datasets.

  17. Optimization of a Clinically Relevant Model of White Matter Stroke in Mice: Histological and Functional Evidences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Abdullah S.; Satriotomo, Irawan; Fazal, Jawad A.; Nadeau, Stephen E.; Doré, Sylvain

    2015-01-01

    Background and Purpose White matter (WM) injury during stroke increases the risk of disability and gloomy prognosis of post-stroke rehabilitation. However, modeling of WM loss in rodents has proven to be challenging. Methods We report improved WM injury models in male C57BL/6 mice. Mice were given either endothelin-1 (ET-1) or L-N5-(1-iminoethyl)ornitine (L-NIO) into the periventricular white matter (PVWM), in the corpus callosum (CC), or in the posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC). Anatomical and functional outcomes were quantified on day 7 post injection. Results Injection of ET-1 or L-NIO caused a small focal lesion in the injection site in the PVWM. No significant motor function deficits were observed in the PVWM lesion model. We next targeted the PLIC by using single or double injections of L-NIO and found that this strategy induced small focal infarction. Interestingly, injection of L-NIO in the PLIC also resulted in gliosis, and significant motor function deficits. Conclusions By employing different agents, doses, and locations, this study shows the feasibility of inducing brain WM injury accompanied with functional deficits in mice. Selective targeting of the injury location, behavioral testing, and the agents chosen to induce WM injury are all keys to successfully develop a mouse model and subsequent testing of therapeutic interventions against WM injury. PMID:27512724

  18. Psychological problems, self-esteem and body dissatisfaction in a sample of adolescents with brain lesions: A comparison with a control group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pastore, Valentina; Colombo, Katia; Maestroni, Deborah; Galbiati, Susanna; Villa, Federica; Recla, Monica; Locatelli, Federica; Strazzer, Sandra

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to describe psychological problems, self-esteem difficulties and body dissatisfaction in a sample of adolescents with acquired brain lesions and to compare them with an age- and gender-matched control group. In an experimental design, the psychological profile of 26 adolescents with brain lesions of traumatic or vascular aetiology, aged 12-18 years, was compared with that of 18 typically-developing subjects. Moreover, within the clinical group, patients with TBI were compared with patients with vascular lesions. The psychological and adaptive profile of the adolescents was assessed by a specific protocol, including CBCL, VABS, RSES, EDI-2 and BES. Adolescents with brain lesions showed more marked psychological problems than their healthy peers; they also presented with a greater impairment of adaptive skills and a lower self-esteem. No significant differences were found between patients with traumatic lesions and patients with vascular lesions. Adolescents with acquired brain lesions were at higher risk to develop psychological and behavioural difficulties. Furthermore, in the clinical sample, some variables such as the long hospitalization and isolation from family and peers were associated to a greater psychological burden than the aetiology of the brain damage.

  19. Immunoregulatory actions of epithelial cell PPAR gamma at the colonic mucosa of mice with experimental inflammatory bowel disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohapatra, Saroj K; Guri, Amir J; Climent, Montse; Vives, Cristina; Carbo, Adria; Horne, William T; Hontecillas, Raquel; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep

    2010-04-20

    Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors are nuclear receptors highly expressed in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) and immune cells within the gut mucosa and are implicated in modulating inflammation and immune responses. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of targeted deletion of PPAR gamma in IEC on progression of experimental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the first phase, PPAR gamma flfl; Villin Cre- (VC-) and PPAR gamma flfl; Villin Cre+ (VC+) mice in a mixed FVB/C57BL/6 background were challenged with 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for 0, 2, or 7 days. VC+ mice express a transgenic recombinase under the control of the Villin-Cre promoter that causes an IEC-specific deletion of PPAR gamma. In the second phase, we generated VC- and VC+ mice in a C57BL/6 background that were challenged with 2.5% DSS. Mice were scored on disease severity both clinically and histopathologically. Flow cytometry was used to phenotypically characterize lymphocyte and macrophage populations in blood, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Global gene expression analysis was profiled using Affymetrix microarrays. The IEC-specific deficiency of PPAR gamma in mice with a mixed background worsened colonic inflammatory lesions, but had no effect on disease activity (DAI) or weight loss. In contrast, the IEC-specific PPAR gamma null mice in C57BL/6 background exhibited more severe inflammatory lesions, DAI and weight loss in comparison to their littermates expressing PPAR gamma in IEC. Global gene expression profiling revealed significantly down-regulated expression of lysosomal pathway genes and flow cytometry results demonstrated suppressed production of IL-10 by CD4+ T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of IEC-specific PPAR gamma null mice. Our results demonstrate that adequate expression of PPAR gamma in IEC is required for the regulation of mucosal immune responses and prevention of experimental IBD, possibly by modulation of

  20. Immunoregulatory actions of epithelial cell PPAR gamma at the colonic mucosa of mice with experimental inflammatory bowel disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saroj K Mohapatra

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors are nuclear receptors highly expressed in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC and immune cells within the gut mucosa and are implicated in modulating inflammation and immune responses. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of targeted deletion of PPAR gamma in IEC on progression of experimental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the first phase, PPAR gamma flfl; Villin Cre- (VC- and PPAR gamma flfl; Villin Cre+ (VC+ mice in a mixed FVB/C57BL/6 background were challenged with 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS in drinking water for 0, 2, or 7 days. VC+ mice express a transgenic recombinase under the control of the Villin-Cre promoter that causes an IEC-specific deletion of PPAR gamma. In the second phase, we generated VC- and VC+ mice in a C57BL/6 background that were challenged with 2.5% DSS. Mice were scored on disease severity both clinically and histopathologically. Flow cytometry was used to phenotypically characterize lymphocyte and macrophage populations in blood, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Global gene expression analysis was profiled using Affymetrix microarrays. The IEC-specific deficiency of PPAR gamma in mice with a mixed background worsened colonic inflammatory lesions, but had no effect on disease activity (DAI or weight loss. In contrast, the IEC-specific PPAR gamma null mice in C57BL/6 background exhibited more severe inflammatory lesions, DAI and weight loss in comparison to their littermates expressing PPAR gamma in IEC. Global gene expression profiling revealed significantly down-regulated expression of lysosomal pathway genes and flow cytometry results demonstrated suppressed production of IL-10 by CD4+ T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN of IEC-specific PPAR gamma null mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that adequate expression of PPAR gamma in IEC is required for the regulation of mucosal

  1. Immunoregulatory Actions of Epithelial Cell PPAR γ at the Colonic Mucosa of Mice with Experimental Inflammatory Bowel Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohapatra, Saroj K.; Guri, Amir J.; Climent, Montse; Vives, Cristina; Carbo, Adria; Horne, William T.; Hontecillas, Raquel; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep

    2010-01-01

    Background Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors are nuclear receptors highly expressed in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) and immune cells within the gut mucosa and are implicated in modulating inflammation and immune responses. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of targeted deletion of PPAR γ in IEC on progression of experimental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methodology/Principal Findings In the first phase, PPAR γ flfl; Villin Cre- (VC-) and PPAR γ flfl; Villin Cre+ (VC+) mice in a mixed FVB/C57BL/6 background were challenged with 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for 0, 2, or 7 days. VC+ mice express a transgenic recombinase under the control of the Villin-Cre promoter that causes an IEC-specific deletion of PPAR γ. In the second phase, we generated VC- and VC+ mice in a C57BL/6 background that were challenged with 2.5% DSS. Mice were scored on disease severity both clinically and histopathologically. Flow cytometry was used to phenotypically characterize lymphocyte and macrophage populations in blood, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Global gene expression analysis was profiled using Affymetrix microarrays. The IEC-specific deficiency of PPAR γ in mice with a mixed background worsened colonic inflammatory lesions, but had no effect on disease activity (DAI) or weight loss. In contrast, the IEC-specific PPAR γ null mice in C57BL/6 background exhibited more severe inflammatory lesions, DAI and weight loss in comparison to their littermates expressing PPAR γ in IEC. Global gene expression profiling revealed significantly down-regulated expression of lysosomal pathway genes and flow cytometry results demonstrated suppressed production of IL-10 by CD4+ T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of IEC-specific PPAR γ null mice. Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrate that adequate expression of PPAR γ in IEC is required for the regulation of mucosal immune responses and prevention of

  2. Host resistance of CD18 knockout mice against systemic infection with Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Huaizhu; Prince, Joseph E.; Brayton, Cory F.; Shah, Chirayu; Zeve, Daniel; Gregory, Stephen H.; Smith, C. Wayne; Ballantyne, Christie M.

    2003-01-01

    Mice with targeted mutations of CD18, the common beta2 subunit of CD11/CD18 integrins, have leukocytosis, impaired transendothelial neutrophil emigration, and reduced host defense to Streptococcus pneumoniae, a gram-positive extracellular bacterium. Previous studies using blocking monoclonal antibodies suggested roles for CD18 and CD11b in hepatic neutrophil recruitment and host innate response to Listeria monocytogenes, a gram-positive intracellular bacterium. We induced systemic listeriosis in CD18 knockout (CD18-ko) and wild-type (WT) mice by tail vein injection with Listeria. By 14 days postinjection (dpi), 8 of 10 WT mice died, compared with 2 of 10 CD18-ko mice (P Listeria organisms in livers and spleens were similar in both groups at 20 min postinfection. By 3, 5, and 7 dpi, however, numbers of Listeria organisms were significantly lower in livers and spleens of CD18-ko mice than in WT mice. Histopathology showed that following Listeria infection, CD18-ko mice had milder inflammatory and necrotizing lesions in both spleens and livers than did WT mice. Cytokine assays indicated that baseline interleukin-1beta and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) levels were higher in CD18-ko mice than in WT mice and that CD18-ko splenocytes produced higher levels of interleukin-1beta and G-CSF than WT splenocytes under the same amount of Listeria stimulation. These findings show that CD18 is not an absolute requirement for antilisterial innate immunity or hepatic neutrophil recruitment. We propose that the absence of CD18 in the mice results in the priming of innate immunity, as evidenced by elevated cytokine expression, and neutrophilic leukocytosis, which augments antilisterial defense.

  3. Follow-up of bone lesions in an experimental multiple myeloma mouse model: Description of an in vivo technique using radiography dedicated for mammography

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vanderkerken, K.; Goes, E.; Raeve, H. de; Radl, J.; Camp, B. van

    1996-01-01

    The evolution of bone lesions in transplantable C57BL/KaLwRij 5T mouse myeloma (MM) has been followed in vivo. Mice were anaesthetised and a radiograph of the pelvis and hind legs was performed by a radiograph dedicated for mammography. This is the first description of an in vivo technique under

  4. Apples are not the only fruit: The effects of concept typicality on semantic representation in the anterior temporal lobe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna M. Woollams

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Intuitively, an apple seems a fairly good example of a fruit, whereas an avocado seems less so. The extent to which an exemplar is representative of its category, a variable known as concept typicality, has long been thought to be a key dimension determining semantic representation. Concept typicality is, however, correlated with a number of other variables, in particular age of acquisition and name frequency. Consideration of picture naming accuracy from a large case-series of semantic dementia patients demonstrated strong effects of concept typicality that were maximal in the moderately impaired patients, over and above the impact of age of acquisition and name frequency. Induction of a temporary virtual lesion to the left anterior temporal lobe, the region most commonly affected in semantic dementia, via repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation produced an enhanced effect of concept typicality in the picture naming of normal participants, but did not affect the magnitude of the age of acquisition or name frequency effects. These results indicate that concept typicality exerts its influence on semantic representations themselves, as opposed to the strength of connections outside the semantic system. To date, there has been little direct exploration of the dimension of concept typicality within connectionist models of intact and impaired conceptual representation, and these findings provide a target for future computational simulation.

  5. Artefactual skin lesions in children and adolescents: review of the literature and two cases of factitious purpura.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ring, Hans Christian; Miller, Iben M; Benfeldt, Eva; Jemec, Gregor B E

    2015-01-01

    Self harm is a great diagnostic and treatment challenge. In addition, psychocutaneous conditions are rare in the pediatric population and may therefore be misdiagnosed. Dermatitis artefacta is a psychocutaneous syndrome, which is a subgroup of the general spectrum of self-inflicted skin lesions. Dermatitis artefacta encompasses an array of different clinical manifestations, including purpura. Factitious purpura has rarely been reported in children. Case report and review of the literature. We describe two Caucasian patients (9-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl) with striking purpuric lesions diagnosed as factitious purpura. The clinical lesions were similar, but the underlying psychological problems differed significantly (depression and stress). The current state of knowledge of dermatitis artefacta in children and adolescents was reviewed. The presence of purpura in children and adolescents typically causes extensive intervention programs due to the possible serious pathological consequences. The two cases demonstrate a need for a high degree of attention to psychological disturbances, lesional evolution, and distribution once the suspicion is established. © 2014 The International Society of Dermatology.

  6. Fascioliasis - a contribution to the differential diagnosis of focal liver lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schleppi, V.; Neufang, O.; Scheerer, W.; Lossnitzer, K.

    1987-01-01

    The case of a 60 years old patient with a rare parasitosis, fascioliasis hepatica, is presented. The clinical, parasitologic, radiologic and histologic findings are discussed with reference to the literature. The diagnosis was established by examination of the faeces of the patient. The radiologic examinations document the extent of the organic involvement, in the presented case that of the liver. The finding of circumscribed hypodense liver lesions can be decisive for the further diagnostic proceedings only in the light of an appropriate history and typical laboratory findings. (orig.) [de

  7. Viral replication and lung lesions in BALB/c mice experimentally inoculated with avian metapneumovirus subgroup C isolated from chickens.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Wei

    Full Text Available Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV emerged as an important respiratory pathogen causing acute respiratory tract infection in avian species. Here we used a chicken aMPV subgroup C (aMPV/C isolate to inoculate experimentally BALB/c mice and found that the aMPV/C can efficiently replicate and persist in the lungs of mice for at least 21 days with a peak viral load at day 6 postinoculation. Lung pathological changes were characterized by increased inflammatory cells. Immunochemical assay showed the presence of viral antigens in the lungs and significant upregulation of pulmonary inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were detected following inoculation. These results indicate for the first time that chicken aMPV/C may replicate in the lung of mice. Whether aMPV/C has potential as zoonotic pathogen, further investigation will be required.

  8. Marchiafava-Bignami disease: computed tomography and magnetic resonance evidence of the reversibility of the lesions; Enfermedad de Marchiafava-Bignami: reversibilidad de las lesiones radiologicas en TC y Rm

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vazquez, V.; Belda, J.; Mola, S. [Hospital Vega Baja. Orihuela (Spain); Gilabert, A. [Hospital de La Arrixaca. Murcia (Spain)

    1999-05-01

    We present a case of Marchiafava-Bignami disease with a favorable outcome in a 53-year-old man with a history of chronic alcoholism. the diagnosis was made in the early stages of the disease on the basis of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) and rapid therapeutic measures were initiated, leading to the improvement of the patient. The CT and MR images revealed the early stages of the typical demyelination of the corpus callosum and the subsequent reversibility of the lesions. (Author) 10 refs.

  9. A new background distribution-based active contour model for three-dimensional lesion segmentation in breast DCE-MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Hui; Liu, Yiping; Qiu, Tianshuang [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Zhao, Zuowei, E-mail: liuhui@dlut.edu.cn [Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027 (China); Zhang, Lina [Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027 (China)

    2014-08-15

    Purpose: To develop and evaluate a computerized semiautomatic segmentation method for accurate extraction of three-dimensional lesions from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images (DCE-MRIs) of the breast. Methods: The authors propose a new background distribution-based active contour model using level set (BDACMLS) to segment lesions in breast DCE-MRIs. The method starts with manual selection of a region of interest (ROI) that contains the entire lesion in a single slice where the lesion is enhanced. Then the lesion volume from the volume data of interest, which is captured automatically, is separated. The core idea of BDACMLS is a new signed pressure function which is based solely on the intensity distribution combined with pathophysiological basis. To compare the algorithm results, two experienced radiologists delineated all lesions jointly to obtain the ground truth. In addition, results generated by other different methods based on level set (LS) are also compared with the authors’ method. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is evaluated by several region-based metrics such as the overlap ratio. Results: Forty-two studies with 46 lesions that contain 29 benign and 17 malignant lesions are evaluated. The dataset includes various typical pathologies of the breast such as invasive ductal carcinoma, ductal carcinomain situ, scar carcinoma, phyllodes tumor, breast cysts, fibroadenoma, etc. The overlap ratio for BDACMLS with respect to manual segmentation is 79.55% ± 12.60% (mean ± s.d.). Conclusions: A new active contour model method has been developed and shown to successfully segment breast DCE-MRI three-dimensional lesions. The results from this model correspond more closely to manual segmentation, solve the weak-edge-passed problem, and improve the robustness in segmenting different lesions.

  10. Voluntary wheel running increases bile acid as well as cholesterol excretion and decreases atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meissner, Maxi; Lombardo, Elisa; Havinga, Rick; Tietge, Uwe J F; Kuipers, Folkert; Groen, Albert K

    2011-10-01

    Regular physical activity decreases the risk for atherosclerosis but underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We questioned whether voluntary wheel running provokes specific modulations in cholesterol turnover that translate into a decreased atherosclerotic burden in hypercholesterolemic mice. Male LDLR-deficient mice (8 weeks old) had either access to a voluntary running wheel for 12 weeks (RUN) or remained sedentary (CONTROL). Both groups were fed a western-type/high cholesterol diet. Running activity and food intake were recorded. At 12 weeks of intervention, feces, bile and plasma were collected to determine fecal, biliary and plasma parameters of cholesterol metabolism and plasma cytokines. Atherosclerotic lesion size was determined in the aortic root. RUN weighed less (∼13%) while food consumption was increased by 17% (p=0.004). Plasma cholesterol levels were decreased by 12% (p=0.035) and plasma levels of pro-atherogenic lipoproteins decreased in RUN compared to control. Running modulated cholesterol catabolism by enhancing cholesterol turnover: RUN displayed an increased biliary bile acid secretion (68%, p=0.007) and increased fecal bile acid (93%, p=0.009) and neutral sterol (33%, p=0.002) outputs compared to control indicating that reverse cholesterol transport was increased in RUN. Importantly, aortic lesion size was decreased by ∼33% in RUN (p=0.033). Voluntary wheel running reduces atherosclerotic burden in hypercholesterolemic mice. An increased cholesterol turnover, specifically its conversion into bile acids, may underlie the beneficial effect of voluntary exercise in mice. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Effects of (-)-sesamin on motor and memory deficits in an MPTP-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease treated with l-DOPA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, T T; Shin, K S; Kim, K S; Park, H J; Kim, H J; Lee, K E; Lee, M K

    2016-12-17

    The present study investigated the effects of (-)-sesamin on motor and memory deficits in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD) with l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA). MPTP-lesioned (30mg/kg/day, 5days) mice showed deficits in memory including habit learning memory and spatial memory, which were further aggravated by daily treatment with 25mg/kg l-DOPA for 21days. However, daily treatment with (-)-sesamin (25 and 50mg/kg) for 21days ameliorated memory deficits in an MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD treated with l-DOPA (25mg/kg). Both (-)-sesamin doses reduced decreases in the retention latency time in the passive avoidance test, latency to fall of rotarod test and distance traveled in the open field test, and attenuated decreases in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunopositive cells, dopamine, and its metabolites in the substantia nigra-striatum. (-)-Sesamin reduced increases in the retention transfer latency time in the elevated plus-maze test and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) expression and reduced decreases in the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus. In contrast, daily treatment with 10mg/kg l-DOPA for 21days ameliorated memory deficits in MPTP-lesioned mice, and this effect was further improved by treatment with (-)-sesamin (25 and 50mg/kg). These results suggest that (-)-sesamin protects against habit learning memory deficits by activating the dopamine neuronal system, while spatial memory deficits are decreased by its modulatory effects on the NMDAR-ERK1/2-CREB system. Accordingly, (-)-sesamin may act as an adjuvant phytonutrient for motor and memory deficits in patients with PD receiving l-DOPA. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Protective effect of tetrahydrocoptisine against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Weifeng; Huang, Huimin; Niu, Xiaofeng; Fan, Ting; Mu, Qingli; Li, Huani

    2013-01-01

    Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to gastric ulcer and the present work was aimed to examine the protective effect of tetrahydrocoptisine (THC) in the model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice. Fasted mice treated with ethanol 75% (0.5 ml/100 g) were pre-treated with THC (10 or 20 mg/kg, ip), cimetidine (100 mg/kg, ip) or saline in different experimental sets for a period of 3 days, and animals were euthanized 4 h after ethanol ingestion. Gross and microscopic lesions, immunological and biochemical parameters were taken into consideration. The results showed that ethanol induced gastric damage, improving nitric oxide (NO) level, increased pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α and IL-6) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, as well as the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the ethanol group. Pretreatment of THC at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg bodyweight significantly attenuated the gastric lesions as compared to the ethanol group. These results suggest that the gastroprotective activity of THC is attributed to reducing NO production and adjusting the pro-inflammatory cytokine, inhibited neutrophil accumulation and NF-κB expression. - Highlights: • THC decreased ethanol-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine release. • THC inhibited the production of NO in serum and gastric tissue. • THC reduced NF-κB expression and MPO accumulation in ethanol-induced gastric tissue

  13. Protective effect of tetrahydrocoptisine against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Weifeng, E-mail: liwf@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Huang, Huimin; Niu, Xiaofeng, E-mail: niuxf@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Fan, Ting; Mu, Qingli; Li, Huani

    2013-10-01

    Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to gastric ulcer and the present work was aimed to examine the protective effect of tetrahydrocoptisine (THC) in the model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice. Fasted mice treated with ethanol 75% (0.5 ml/100 g) were pre-treated with THC (10 or 20 mg/kg, ip), cimetidine (100 mg/kg, ip) or saline in different experimental sets for a period of 3 days, and animals were euthanized 4 h after ethanol ingestion. Gross and microscopic lesions, immunological and biochemical parameters were taken into consideration. The results showed that ethanol induced gastric damage, improving nitric oxide (NO) level, increased pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α and IL-6) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, as well as the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the ethanol group. Pretreatment of THC at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg bodyweight significantly attenuated the gastric lesions as compared to the ethanol group. These results suggest that the gastroprotective activity of THC is attributed to reducing NO production and adjusting the pro-inflammatory cytokine, inhibited neutrophil accumulation and NF-κB expression. - Highlights: • THC decreased ethanol-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine release. • THC inhibited the production of NO in serum and gastric tissue. • THC reduced NF-κB expression and MPO accumulation in ethanol-induced gastric tissue.

  14. Vorapaxar treatment reduces mesangial expansion in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waasdorp, Maaike; Duitman, JanWillem; Florquin, Sandrine; Spek, C Arnold

    2018-04-24

    Twenty years after the onset of diabetes, up to 40% of patients develop diabetic nephropathy. Protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) has recently been shown to aggravate the development of experimental diabetic nephropathy. PAR-1 deficient mice develop less albuminuria and glomerular lesions and PAR-1 stimulation induces proliferation and fibronectin production in mesangial cells in vitro . Vorapaxar is a clinically available PAR-1 inhibitor which is currently used for secondary prevention of ischemic events. The aim of this study was to investigate in a preclinical setting whether vorapaxar treatment may be a novel strategy to reduce diabetes-induced kidney damage. While control treated diabetic mice developed significant albuminuria, mesangial expansion and glomerular fibronectin deposition, diabetic mice on vorapaxar treatment did not show any signs of kidney damage despite having similar levels of hyperglycemia. These data show that PAR-1 inhibition by vorapaxar prevents the development of diabetic nephropathy in this preclinical animal model for type I diabetes and pinpoint PAR-1 as a novel therapeutic target to pursue in the setting of diabetic nephropathy. 22 C57Bl/6 mice were made diabetic using multiple low-dose streptozotocin injections (50 mg/kg) and 22 littermates served as non-diabetic controls. Four weeks after the induction of diabetes, 11 mice of each group were assigned to control or vorapaxar treatment. Mice were sacrificed after 20 weeks of treatment and kidney damage was evaluated.

  15. Lesion activity assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekstrand, K R; Zero, D T; Martignon, S

    2009-01-01

    in response to cariogenic plaque as well as lesion arrest. Based on this understanding, different clinical scoring systems have been developed to assess the severity/depth and activity of lesions. A recent system has been devised by the International Caries Detection and Assessment System Committee...

  16. Midline thalamic reuniens lesions improve executive behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, J A; Abela, A R; Chudasama, Y

    2017-03-14

    The role of the thalamus in complex cognitive behavior is a topic of increasing interest. Here we demonstrate that lesions of the nucleus reuniens (NRe), a midline thalamic nucleus interconnected with both hippocampal and prefrontal circuitry, lead to enhancement of executive behaviors typically associated with the prefrontal cortex. Rats were tested on four behavioral tasks: (1) the combined attention-memory (CAM) task, which simultaneously assessed attention to a visual target and memory for that target over a variable delay; (2) spatial memory using a radial arm maze, (3) discrimination and reversal learning using a touchscreen operant platform, and (4) decision-making with delayed outcomes. Following NRe lesions, the animals became more efficient in their performance, responding with shorter reaction times but also less impulsively than controls. This change, combined with a decrease in perseverative responses, led to focused attention in the CAM task and accelerated learning in the visual discrimination task. There were no observed changes in tasks involving either spatial memory or value-based decision making. These data complement ongoing efforts to understand the role of midline thalamic structures in human cognition, including the development of thalamic stimulation as a therapeutic strategy for acquired cognitive disabilities (Schiff, 2008; Mair et al., 2011), and point to the NRe as a potential target for clinical intervention. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. MALIGNANCY IN LARGE COLORECTAL LESIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Eduardo Oliveira dos SANTOS

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Context The size of colorectal lesions, besides a risk factor for malignancy, is a predictor for deeper invasion Objectives To evaluate the malignancy of colorectal lesions ≥20 mm. Methods Between 2007 and 2011, 76 neoplasms ≥20 mm in 70 patients were analyzed Results The mean age of the patients was 67.4 years, and 41 were women. Mean lesion size was 24.7 mm ± 6.2 mm (range: 20 to 50 mm. Half of the neoplasms were polypoid and the other half were non-polypoid. Forty-two (55.3% lesions were located in the left colon, and 34 in the right colon. There was a high prevalence of III L (39.5% and IV (53.9% pit patterns. There were 72 adenomas and 4 adenocarcinomas. Malignancy was observed in 5.3% of the lesions. Thirty-three lesions presented advanced histology (adenomas with high-grade dysplasia or early adenocarcinoma, with no difference in morphology and site. Only one lesion (1.3% invaded the submucosa. Lesions larger than 30 mm had advanced histology (P = 0.001. The primary treatment was endoscopic resection, and invasive carcinoma was referred to surgery. Recurrence rate was 10.6%. Conclusions Large colorectal neoplasms showed a low rate of malignancy. Endoscopic treatment is an effective therapy for these lesions.

  18. Cholinergic Basal Forebrain Lesion Decreases Neurotrophin Signaling without Affecting Tau Hyperphosphorylation in Genetically Susceptible Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turnbull, Marion T; Coulson, Elizabeth J

    2017-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, irreversible neurodegenerative disease that destroys memory and cognitive function. Aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein are a prominent feature in the brain of patients with AD, and are a major contributor to neuronal toxicity and disease progression. However, the factors that initiate the toxic cascade that results in tau hyperphosphorylation in sporadic AD are unknown. Here we investigated whether degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) and/or a resultant decrease in neurotrophin signaling cause aberrant tau hyperphosphorylation. Our results reveal that the loss of BFCNs in pre-symptomatic pR5 (P301L) tau transgenic mice results in a decrease in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and reduced TrkB receptor activation. However, there was no exacerbation of the levels of phosphorylated tau or its aggregation in the hippocampus of susceptible mice. Furthermore the animals' performance in a hippocampal-dependent learning and memory task was unaltered, and no changes in hippocampal synaptic markers were observed. This suggests that tau pathology is likely to be regulated independently of BFCN degeneration and the corresponding decrease in hippocampal neurotrophin levels, although these features may still contribute to disease etiology.

  19. Neural network ensemble based CAD system for focal liver lesions from B-mode ultrasound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Virmani, Jitendra; Kumar, Vinod; Kalra, Naveen; Khandelwal, Niranjan

    2014-08-01

    A neural network ensemble (NNE) based computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system to assist radiologists in differential diagnosis between focal liver lesions (FLLs), including (1) typical and atypical cases of Cyst, hemangioma (HEM) and metastatic carcinoma (MET) lesions, (2) small and large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions, along with (3) normal (NOR) liver tissue is proposed in the present work. Expert radiologists, visualize the textural characteristics of regions inside and outside the lesions to differentiate between different FLLs, accordingly texture features computed from inside lesion regions of interest (IROIs) and texture ratio features computed from IROIs and surrounding lesion regions of interests (SROIs) are taken as input. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used for reducing the dimensionality of the feature space before classifier design. The first step of classification module consists of a five class PCA-NN based primary classifier which yields probability outputs for five liver image classes. The second step of classification module consists of ten binary PCA-NN based secondary classifiers for NOR/Cyst, NOR/HEM, NOR/HCC, NOR/MET, Cyst/HEM, Cyst/HCC, Cyst/MET, HEM/HCC, HEM/MET and HCC/MET classes. The probability outputs of five class PCA-NN based primary classifier is used to determine the first two most probable classes for a test instance, based on which it is directed to the corresponding binary PCA-NN based secondary classifier for crisp classification between two classes. By including the second step of the classification module, classification accuracy increases from 88.7 % to 95 %. The promising results obtained by the proposed system indicate its usefulness to assist radiologists in differential diagnosis of FLLs.

  20. Squamous cell hyperplastic foci: precursors of cutaneous papillomas induced in SENCAR mice by a two-stage carcinogenesis regimen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binder, R L; Johnson, G R; Gallagher, P M; Stockman, S L; Sundberg, J P; Conti, C J

    1998-10-01

    We have conducted a series of experiments to characterize the lesions that are precursors of cutaneous papillomas in SENCAR mice initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and promoted with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The first grossly detectable lesions at sites where papillomas subsequently developed were papules, slightly raised areas of skin ranging in diameter from 0.25 to approximately 1.5 mm. Papules were first detected in DMBA-initiated mice 21 days after the start of dosing with TPA. Of 78 DMBA/TPA-induced papules tracked during 15 weeks of TPA treatments, 68% progressed to papillomas, 9% persisted as papules, and 22% completely regressed. Histological evaluation of serial sections of 69 DMBA/TPA-induced papules revealed that they were focal hyperplastic lesions that we refer to as squamous cell hyperplastic foci (SCHF). These hyperproliferative lesions appeared to progress through two distinct stages. Stage I SCHF were characterized as regular hyperplastic foci involving the interfollicular epidermis and the outer root sheaths of 1 or more hair follicles down to the level of the sebaceous glands. Stage II SCHF were foci of irregular epithelial hyperplasia with increased fibrovascular stroma and involved from 3 to >10 hair follicles. Prominent dilated capillaries and inflammatory cell infiltrates were frequently associated with both stage I and II SCHF. Ha-ras gene codon 61 mutations were detected in 7 of 10 stage I SCHF and 13 of 14 stage II SCHF microdissected from histological sections and 7 of 7 of whole papules by mutation-specific PCR analysis. These data provide molecular evidence that SCHF are foci of initiated cells. Further study of these lesions may contribute to more fully defining the sequence of molecular and cellular changes necessary for tumorigenesis in mouse skin. SCHF may also have utility as early indicators of potential skin tumorigenicity in cancer bioassays.

  1. Age-dependent effect of apolipoprotein E4 on functional outcome after controlled cortical impact in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mannix, Rebekah C; Zhang, Jimmy; Park, Juyeon; Zhang, Xuan; Bilal, Kiran; Walker, Kendall; Tanzi, Rudolph E; Tesco, Giuseppina; Whalen, Michael J

    2011-01-01

    The apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) gene leads to increased brain amyloid beta (Aβ) and poor outcome in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, its role in childhood TBI is controversial. We hypothesized that the transgenic expression of human APOE4 worsens the outcome after controlled cortical impact (CCI) in adult but not immature mice. Adult and immature APOE4 mice had worse motor outcome after CCI (P<0.001 versus wild type (WT)), but the Morris water maze performance was worse only in adult APOE4 mice (P=0.028 at 2 weeks, P=0.019 at 6 months versus WT), because immature APOE4 mice had performance similar to WT for up to 1 year after injury. Brain lesion size was similar in adult APOE4 mice but was decreased (P=0.029 versus WT) in injured immature APOE4 mice. Microgliosis was similar in all groups. Soluble brain Aβ(40) was increased at 48 hours after CCI in adult and immature APOE4 mice and in adult WT (P<0.05), and was dynamically regulated during the chronic period by APOE4 in adults but not immature mice. The data suggest age-dependent effects of APOE4 on cognitive outcome after TBI, and that therapies targeting APOE4 may be more effective in adults versus children with TBI.

  2. CT diagnosis of sellar and juxtasellar lesions, 3. Non-tumorous lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kobayashi, Tatsuya [Nagoya Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine

    1982-08-01

    A study is made of the usefulness and limitations of the CT diagnosis of sellar and juxtasellar lesions other than tumors. This study is based on 112 verified cases at Nagoya University Hospital from October, 1976, to December, 1981. The lesions included in this study are classified into four groups: vascular, inflammatory, traumatic lesion, and congenital anomaly. Although cerebral angiography is the cardinal method for the diagnosis of vascular lesions, CT is useful for the evaluation of a giant aneurysm, the localization of bleeding, or infarction by a ruptured aneurysm. Radiation brain necrosis, a special form of vascular lesion, can also be diagnosed if the critical analysis is made after previous irradiation. CT findings are helpful for the local diagnosis of acute inflammatory lesions, such as basal meningitis or abscess, but specific diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical signs and CSF study. Abnormal CT findings are obtained from a chronic inflammatory process, such as arachnoiditis adhesiva, glanuloma, or mucocele. Differential diagnosis is necessary with brain tumors. The CT findings of an arachnoid cyst are often diagnostic. Metrizamide or air cisternography, either combined with CT or without it, is important for the diagnosis of basal meningoencephalocele and hypothalamic hamaroma. Pneumocephalus and an intracranial foreign body resulting from a head injury can be diagnosed by plain skull and CT. The diagnosis of CSF leakage or prolapse cerebri associated with a skull-base fracture has been most difficult, but even it is possible by a combination of polytomography and high-resolution CT with metrizamide cisternography.

  3. Osteotoxicity after chronic dietary administration of 13-CIS-retinoic acid, retinyl palmitate or selenium in mice exposed to tumor initiation and promotion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsyth, K.S.; Gensler, H.L.; Watson, R.R.

    1989-01-01

    In view of the clinical trials of retinoids as therapeutic agents for premalignant skin lesions, a radiographic study was undertaken to measure skeletal toxicities after chronic dietary administration of retinoids in mice exposed to tumor initiation and promotion. CD-1 mice were initiated with 0.15 moles of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and promoted twice daily with 8 nmoles of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate for 23 weeks. Diets were supplemented with 60 IU, 200 IU, or 700 IU or retinyl palmitate (RP) per g diet. After 5 weeks, the 700 IU of RP/g diet was lowered to 350 IU/g diet. Administration of these diets to mice during the 23 weeks of tumor promotion results in a 0-fold, 2-fold, or 10-fold increase in bone fractures, respectively. Osteoporotic bone lesions identified on radiographs rose 0-fold, 0-fold, and 10-fold at the respective doses, whereas metaphyseal flares increased O-fold, 1.4-fold, and 3.6-fold. Bone deformities was augmented O-fold, 1.8-fold and 2.9-fold at the respective doses. Addition of selenium did not alter the bone toxicity of RP. 13-cis-retionic acid (CRA) was less toxic at 700 IU/g diet than was RP at that dose, as evidence by the death of 12 of 70 mice by the 6th week of dietary RP and no deaths in the 35 mice fed 700 IU CRA/g diet for 23 weeks. CRA at 700 IU/g diet resulted in 3/4 as many osteoporotic bones, 1/3 as many bone fractures, 4/5 as many metaphyseal flares, and a similar number of bone deformities as mice fed 700/350 IU/g diet. At the dose of 200 IU/g food, osterotoxicities were similar in the mice fed diets supplemented with RP and CRA

  4. Perinatal Hypercholesterolemia Exacerbates Atherosclerosis Lesions in Offspring by Altering Metabolism of Trimethylamine-N-Oxide and Bile Acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trenteseaux, Charlotte; Gaston, Anh-Thu; Aguesse, Audrey; Poupeau, Guillaume; de Coppet, Pierre; Andriantsitohaina, Ramaroson; Laschet, Jamila; Amarger, Valérie; Krempf, Michel; Nobecourt-Dupuy, Estelle; Ouguerram, Khadija

    2017-11-01

    Experimental studies suggest that maternal hypercholesterolemia may be relevant for the early onset of cardiovascular disease in offspring. We investigated the effect of perinatal hypercholesterolemia on the atherosclerosis development in the offspring of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice and the underlying mechanism. Atherosclerosis and related parameters were studied in adult male or female apolipoprotein E-deficient mice offspring from either normocholesterolemic or hypercholesterolemic mothers and normocholesterolemic fathers. Female born to hypercholesterolemic mothers had more aortic root lesions than female born to normocholesterolemic mothers. Lesions in whole aorta did not differ between groups. Higher trimethylamine-N-oxide levels and Fmo3 hepatic gene expression were higher in female born to hypercholesterolemic mothers offspring compared with female born to normocholesterolemic mothers and male. Trimethylamine-N-oxide levels were correlated with the size of atherosclerotic root lesions. Levels of hepatic cholesterol and gallbladder bile acid were greater in male born to hypercholesterolemic mothers compared with male born to normocholesterolemic mothers. At 18 weeks of age, female born to hypercholesterolemic mothers showed lower hepatic Scarb1 and Cyp7a1 but higher Nr1h4 gene expression compared with female born to normocholesterolemic mothers. Male born to hypercholesterolemic mothers showed an increase in Scarb1 and Ldlr gene expression compared with male born to normocholesterolemic mothers. At 25 weeks of age, female born to hypercholesterolemic mothers had lower Cyp7a1 gene expression compared with female born to normocholesterolemic mothers. DNA methylation of Fmo3, Scarb1 , and Ldlr promoter regions was slightly modified and may explain the mRNA expression modulation. Our findings suggest that maternal hypercholesterolemia may exacerbate the development of atherosclerosis in female offspring by affecting metabolism of trimethylamine-N-oxide and

  5. TLR3 deficiency renders astrocytes permissive to herpes simplex virus infection and facilitates establishment of CNS infection in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reinert, Line; Harder, Louis Andreas; Holm, Christian

    2012-01-01

    Herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) are highly prevalent neurotropic viruses. While they can replicate lytically in cells of the epithelial lineage, causing lesions on mucocutaneous surfaces, HSVs also establish latent infections in neurons, which act as reservoirs of virus for subsequent reactivation......, it is not known what cell type mediates the role of TLR3 in the immunological control of HSV, and it is not known whether TLR3 sensing occurs prior to or after CNS entry. Here, we show that in mice TLR3 provides early control of HSV-2 infection immediately after entry into the CNS by mediating type I IFN...... responses in astrocytes. Tlr3-/- mice were hypersusceptible to HSV-2 infection in the CNS after vaginal inoculation. HSV-2 exhibited broader neurotropism in Tlr3-/- mice than it did in WT mice, with astrocytes being most abundantly infected. Tlr3-/- mice did not exhibit a global defect in innate immune...

  6. Cryptosporidium parvum infection in SCID mice infected with only one oocyst: qPCR assessment of parasite replication in tissues and development of digestive cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadia Benamrouz

    Full Text Available Dexamethasone (Dex treated Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID mice were previously described as developing digestive adenocarcinoma after massive infection with Cryptosporidium parvum as soon as 45 days post-infection (P.I.. We aimed to determine the minimum number of oocysts capable of inducing infection and thereby gastrointestinal tumors in this model. Mice were challenged with calibrated oocyst suspensions containing intended doses of: 1, 10, 100 or 10(5 oocysts of C. parvum Iowa strain. All administered doses were infective for animals but increasing the oocyst challenge lead to an increase in mice infectivity (P = 0.01. Oocyst shedding was detected at 7 days P.I. after inoculation with more than 10 oocysts, and after 15 days in mice challenged with one oocyst. In groups challenged with lower inocula, parasite growth phase was significantly higher (P = 0.005 compared to mice inoculated with higher doses. After 45 days P.I. all groups of mice had a mean of oocyst shedding superior to 10,000 oocyst/g of feces. The most impressive observation of this study was the demonstration that C. parvum-induced digestive adenocarcinoma could be caused by infection with low doses of Cryptosporidium, even with only one oocyst: in mice inoculated with low doses, neoplastic lesions were detected as early as 45 days P.I. both in the stomach and ileo-caecal region, and these lesions could evolve in an invasive adenocarcinoma. These findings show a great amplification effect of parasites in mouse tissues after challenge with low doses as confirmed by quantitative PCR. The ability of C. parvum to infect mice with one oocyst and to develop digestive adenocarcinoma suggests that other mammalian species including humans could be also susceptible to this process, especially when they are severely immunocompromised.

  7. Cryptosporidium parvum infection in SCID mice infected with only one oocyst: qPCR assessment of parasite replication in tissues and development of digestive cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benamrouz, Sadia; Guyot, Karine; Gazzola, Sophie; Mouray, Anthony; Chassat, Thierry; Delaire, Baptiste; Chabé, Magali; Gosset, Pierre; Viscogliosi, Eric; Dei-Cas, Eduardo; Creusy, Colette; Conseil, Valerie; Certad, Gabriela

    2012-01-01

    Dexamethasone (Dex) treated Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) mice were previously described as developing digestive adenocarcinoma after massive infection with Cryptosporidium parvum as soon as 45 days post-infection (P.I.). We aimed to determine the minimum number of oocysts capable of inducing infection and thereby gastrointestinal tumors in this model. Mice were challenged with calibrated oocyst suspensions containing intended doses of: 1, 10, 100 or 10(5) oocysts of C. parvum Iowa strain. All administered doses were infective for animals but increasing the oocyst challenge lead to an increase in mice infectivity (P = 0.01). Oocyst shedding was detected at 7 days P.I. after inoculation with more than 10 oocysts, and after 15 days in mice challenged with one oocyst. In groups challenged with lower inocula, parasite growth phase was significantly higher (P = 0.005) compared to mice inoculated with higher doses. After 45 days P.I. all groups of mice had a mean of oocyst shedding superior to 10,000 oocyst/g of feces. The most impressive observation of this study was the demonstration that C. parvum-induced digestive adenocarcinoma could be caused by infection with low doses of Cryptosporidium, even with only one oocyst: in mice inoculated with low doses, neoplastic lesions were detected as early as 45 days P.I. both in the stomach and ileo-caecal region, and these lesions could evolve in an invasive adenocarcinoma. These findings show a great amplification effect of parasites in mouse tissues after challenge with low doses as confirmed by quantitative PCR. The ability of C. parvum to infect mice with one oocyst and to develop digestive adenocarcinoma suggests that other mammalian species including humans could be also susceptible to this process, especially when they are severely immunocompromised.

  8. Penicillin kills Chlamydia following the fusion of bacteria with lysosomes and prevents genital inflammatory lesions in C. muridarum-infected mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maud Dumoux

    Full Text Available The obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia exists as two distinct forms. Elementary bodies (EBs are infectious and extra-cellular, whereas reticulate bodies (RBs replicate within a specialized intracellular compartment termed an 'inclusion'. Alternative persistent intra-cellular forms can be induced in culture by diverse stimuli such as IFNγ or adenosine/EHNA. They do not grow or divide but revive upon withdrawal of the stimulus and are implicated in several widespread human diseases through ill-defined in vivo mechanisms. β-Lactam antibiotics have also been claimed to induce persistence in vitro. The present report shows that upon penicillin G (pG treatment, inclusions grow as fast as those in infected control cells. After removal of pG, Chlamydia do not revert to RBs. These effects are independent of host cell type, serovar, biovar and species of Chlamydia. Time-course experiments demonstrated that only RBs were susceptible to pG. pG-treated bacteria lost their control over host cell apoptotic pathways and no longer expressed pre-16S rRNA, in contrast to persistent bacteria induced with adenosine/EHNA. Confocal and live-video microscopy showed that bacteria within the inclusion fused with lysosomal compartments in pG-treated cells. That leads to recruitment of cathepsin D as early as 3 h post pG treatment, an event preceding bacterial death by several hours. These data demonstrate that pG treatment of cultured cells infected with Chlamydia results in the degradation of the bacteria. In addition we show that pG is significantly more efficient than doxycycline at preventing genital inflammatory lesions in C. muridarum-C57Bl/6 infected mice. These in vivo results support the physiological relevance of our findings and their potential therapeutic applications.

  9. The effects of chloramphenicol and 60Co irradiation on the experimental mycosis in mice inoculated intragastrically with two kinds of pathogenic yeast-like fungi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitamura, Isamu

    1975-01-01

    Two kinds of pathogenic yeast, Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans were inoculated into the stomachs of mice. The effects of intragastric administration of chloramphenicol (CM) and systemic irradiation with 60 Co on the acceralation of infection were studied in intragastrically inoculated mice. When Cryptococcus neoformans were simply inoculated, it was difficult for them to reside in the alimentary canal to cause infection. In case of candida albicans inoculated simply, they were also unable to induce infection though they remained in the alimentary canal for a long time. In the experiment combining intragastric administration of the fungi and CM some mice contracted the disease and died. The effect of CM in causing infection was not proved. In the experiments combining 60 Co irradiation and intragastric administration of CM and fungi, a high incidence of fungus infection was noted with both Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. Fungus lesions were observed in many organs, and in all of the mice which died systemic fungus lesions were noted. It was shown that systemic irradiation with 60 Co had a specific effect on facilitating the infection. In these studies no difference was observed in the incidence of the fungus disease in respect of the origin of the causative fungi. (J.P.N.)

  10. Cigarette smoke exposure promotes arterial thrombosis and vessel remodeling after vascular injury in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroeter, Marco R; Sawalich, Matthias; Humboldt, Tim; Leifheit, Maren; Meurrens, Kris; Berges, An; Xu, Haiyan; Lebrun, Stefan; Wallerath, Thomas; Konstantinides, Stavros; Schleef, Raymond; Schaefer, Katrin

    2008-01-01

    Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. However, in terms of the vessel wall, the underlying pathomechanisms of cigarette smoking are incompletely understood, partly due to a lack of adequate in vivo models. Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice were exposed to filtered air (sham) or to cigarette mainstream smoke at a total particulate matter (TPM) concentration of 600 microg/l for 1, 2, 3, or 4 h, for 5 days/week. After exposure for 10 +/- 1 weeks, arterial thrombosis and neointima formation at the carotid artery were induced using 10% ferric chloride. Mice exposed to mainstream smoke exhibited shortened time to thrombotic occlusion (p < 0.01) and lower vascular patency rates (p < 0.001). Morphometric and immunohistochemical analysis of neointimal lesions demonstrated that mainstream smoke exposure increased the amount of alpha-actin-positive smooth muscle cells (p < 0.05) and dose-dependently increased the intima-to-media ratio (p < 0.05). Additional analysis of smooth muscle cells in vitro suggested that 10 microg TPM/ml increased cell proliferation without affecting viability or apoptosis, whereas higher concentrations (100 and 500 microg TPM/ml) appeared to be cytotoxic. Taken together, these findings suggest that cigarette smoking promotes arterial thrombosis and modulates the size and composition of neointimal lesions after arterial injury in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. The application of anti-ESAT-6 monoclonal antibody fluorescent probe in ex vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging in mice with pulmonary tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Feng; Zhang, Haoling; Zhu, Zhaoqin; Li, Cong; Shi, Yuxin; Zhang, Zhiyong

    2014-09-01

    Here, we aimed to assess the feasibility of anti-ESAT-6 monoclonal antibody (mAb) coupling with IR783 and rhodamine fluorescent probe in the detection of ESAT-6 expression in tuberculosis tissue of mice using near-infrared fluorescence imaging. IR783 and rhodamine were conjugated to the anti-ESAT-6 mAb or IgG. Mice in the experimental group were injected with fluorescence-labeled mAb probe, and mice in the control group were injected with fluorescence-labeled non-specific IgG antibody. Twenty-four hours later, the lung tissue of mice was examined using ex vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging. In addition, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was calculated by measuring the signal intensities of the pulmonary lesions, normal lung tissue and background noise. The frozen lung tissue section was examined under fluorescence microscopy and compared with hemoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The ex vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging showed that the fluorescence signal in the lung tuberculosis lesions in the experimental group was significantly enhanced, whereas there was only a weak fluorescence signal or even no fluorescence signal in the control group. CNR values were 64.40 ± 7.02 (n = 6) and 8.75 ± 3.87 (n = 6), respectively (t = 17.01, p fluorescence accumulation distribution detected under fluorescence microscopy was consistent with HE staining of the tuberculosis region. In conclusion, anti-ESAT-6 mAb fluorescent probe could target and be applied in specific ex vivo imaging of mice tuberculosis, and may be of further use in tuberculosis in living mice. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. VEGF Promotes Malaria-Associated Acute Lung Injury in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carapau, Daniel; Pena, Ana C.; Ataíde, Ricardo; Monteiro, Carla A. A.; Félix, Nuno; Costa-Silva, Artur; Marinho, Claudio R. F.; Dias, Sérgio; Mota, Maria M.

    2010-01-01

    The spectrum of the clinical presentation and severity of malaria infections is broad, ranging from uncomplicated febrile illness to severe forms of disease such as cerebral malaria (CM), acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) or severe anemia (SA). Rodent models that mimic human CM, PAM and SA syndromes have been established. Here, we show that DBA/2 mice infected with P. berghei ANKA constitute a new model for malaria-associated ALI. Up to 60% of the mice showed dyspnea, airway obstruction and hypoxemia and died between days 7 and 12 post-infection. The most common pathological findings were pleural effusion, pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, consistent with increased lung vessel permeability, while the blood-brain barrier was intact. Malaria-associated ALI correlated with high levels of circulating VEGF, produced de novo in the spleen, and its blockage led to protection of mice from this syndrome. In addition, either splenectomization or administration of the anti-inflammatory molecule carbon monoxide led to a significant reduction in the levels of sera VEGF and to protection from ALI. The similarities between the physiopathological lesions described here and the ones occurring in humans, as well as the demonstration that VEGF is a critical host factor in the onset of malaria-associated ALI in mice, not only offers important mechanistic insights into the processes underlying the pathology related with malaria but may also pave the way for interventional studies. PMID:20502682

  13. Combined Inhibition of the BMP pathway and the RANK-RANKL axis in a Mixed Lytic/blastic Prostate Cancer Lesion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Virk, Mandeep S.; Alaee, Farhang; Petrigliano, Frank A.; Sugiyama, Osamu; Chatziioannou, Arion F.; Stout, David; Dougall, William C.; Lieberman, Jay R.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of combined inhibition of RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) activity in a mixed lytic/blastic prostate cancer lesion in bone. Human prostate cancer cells (C4 2b) were injected into immunocompromised mice using an intratibial injection model to create mixed lytic/blastic lesions. RANK-Fc, a recombinant RANKL antagonist, was injected subcutaneously three times a week (10mg/kg) to inhibit RANKL and subsequent formation, function and survival of osteoclasts. Inhibition of BMP activity was achieved by transducing prostate cancer cells ex vivo with a retroviral vector expressing noggin (retronoggin; RN). There were three treatment groups (RANK-Fc treatment, RN treatment and combined RN and RANK-Fc treatment) and two control groups (untreated control and empty vector control for the RN treatment group). The progression of bone lesion and tumor growth was evaluated using plain radiographs, hind limb tumor size, 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose and 18F-fluoride micro PET-CT, histology and histomorphometry. Treatment with RANK-Fc alone inhibited osteolysis and transformed a mixed lytic/blastic lesion into an osteoblastic phenotype. Treatment with RN alone inhibited the osteoblastic component in a mixed lytic/blastic lesion and resulted in formation of smaller osteolytic bone lesion with smaller soft tissue size. The animals treated with both RN and RANK-Fc demonstrated delayed development of bone lesions, inhibition of osteolysis, small soft tissue tumors and preservation of bone architecture with less tumor induced new bone formation. This study suggests that combined inhibition of the RANKL and the BMP pathway may be an effective biologic therapy to inhibit the progression of established mixed lytic/blastic prostate cancer lesions in bone. PMID:21073986

  14. Breast lesion characterization using whole-lesion histogram analysis with stretched-exponential diffusion model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chunling; Wang, Kun; Li, Xiaodan; Zhang, Jine; Ding, Jie; Spuhler, Karl; Duong, Timothy; Liang, Changhong; Huang, Chuan

    2018-06-01

    Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been studied in breast imaging and can provide more information about diffusion, perfusion and other physiological interests than standard pulse sequences. The stretched-exponential model has previously been shown to be more reliable than conventional DWI techniques, but different diagnostic sensitivities were found from study to study. This work investigated the characteristics of whole-lesion histogram parameters derived from the stretched-exponential diffusion model for benign and malignant breast lesions, compared them with conventional apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and further determined which histogram metrics can be best used to differentiate malignant from benign lesions. This was a prospective study. Seventy females were included in the study. Multi-b value DWI was performed on a 1.5T scanner. Histogram parameters of whole lesions for distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC), heterogeneity index (α), and ADC were calculated by two radiologists and compared among benign lesions, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and invasive carcinoma confirmed by pathology. Nonparametric tests were performed for comparisons among invasive carcinoma, DCIS, and benign lesions. Comparisons of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to show the ability to discriminate malignant from benign lesions. The majority of histogram parameters (mean/min/max, skewness/kurtosis, 10-90 th percentile values) from DDC, α, and ADC were significantly different among invasive carcinoma, DCIS, and benign lesions. DDC 10% (area under curve [AUC] = 0.931), ADC 10% (AUC = 0.893), and α mean (AUC = 0.787) were found to be the best metrics in differentiating benign from malignant tumors among all histogram parameters derived from ADC and α, respectively. The combination of DDC 10% and α mean , using logistic regression, yielded the highest sensitivity (90.2%) and specificity (95.5%). DDC 10% and α mean derived from

  15. How typical are 'typical' tremor characteristics? : Sensitivity and specificity of five tremor phenomena

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Stouwe, A. M. M.; Elting, J. W.; van der Hoeven, J. H.; van Laar, T.; Leenders, K. L.; Maurits, N. M.; Tijssen, M. Aj.

    Introduction: Distinguishing between different tremor disorders can be challenging. Some tremor disorders are thought to have typical tremor characteristics: the current study aims to provide sensitivity and specificity for five 'typical' tremor phenomena. Methods: Retrospectively, we examined 210

  16. Concordance between fine-needle aspiration and core biopsies for osseous lesions by lesion imaging appearance and CT attenuation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, John; Weissberg, Zoe; Bevilacqua, Thomas A; Yu, Gordon; Weber, Kristy; Sebro, Ronnie

    2018-04-01

    To compare the concordance between fine-needle aspiration and core biopsies for osseous lesions by lesion imaging appearance and CT attenuation. Retrospective review of 215 FNAs of osseous lesions performed in conjunction with core biopsy at our institution over a 6-year period (2011-2016). FNAs were interpreted independently of core biopsies. We assessed if FNA in conjunction with core biopsy increased diagnostic accuracy compared to core biopsy alone. We also calculated the concordance between FNA and core biopsy by lesion appearance, lesion CT attenuation, lesion histology, lesion location and FNA needle gauge size. Core biopsy alone provided the diagnosis in 207/215 cases (96.3%), however, the FNA provided the diagnosis in the remaining 8/215 cases (3.7%) where the core biopsy was non-diagnostic. There were 154 (71.6%) lytic lesions, 21 (9.8%) blastic lesions, 25 (11.6%) mixed lytic and blastic lesions and 15 (7.0%) lesions that were neither lytic nor blastic. The concordance between FNA and core biopsy for lytic osseous lesions (136/154 cases, 88.3%) was statistically significantly higher than that for blastic osseous lesions (13/21 cases, 61.9%) [P = 4.2 × 10 -3 ; 95% CI (0.02, 0.50)]. The concordance between FNA and core biopsy was higher for low-attenuation- (110/126) than high-attenuation (58/77) lesions (P = 0.028). The concordance between FNA and core biopsy was also higher for metastases (102/119 cases, 85.7%) than non-metastases (78/96, 81.3%) [P = 0.487; 95% CI (- 0.15, 0.065)]. There was no difference in the rate of concordance between FNA and core biopsy by lesion location or FNA needle gauge size (P > 0.05). FNA with core biopsy increases diagnostic rate compared to core biopsy alone or FNA alone. The concordance between FNA and core biopsy is higher for lytic lesions than for blastic lesions; and higher for low-attenuation lesions than for high-attenuation lesions.

  17. Epidermal hydrogen peroxide is not increased in lesional and non-lesional skin of vitiligo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zailaie, Mohammad Z

    2017-01-01

    It is widely believed that the loss of the epidermal melanocytes in vitiligo is basically due to excessive oxidative stress. Previous research work described abnormal elevation of the absolute concentration of the epidermal hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in lesional and non-lesional skin of vitiligo. Based on this finding, our primary research objective was to use this feature as a screening marker in individuals at a great risk of developing vitiligo. Ninety-six patients of non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) of varying durations, skin phototypes, and treatment modalities (psoralen UVA-, narrow band UVB-treated) were recruited for this study. Raman spectroscopic measurements, using an external probehead, of the lesional and non-lesional skin were obtained, and the resulting spectra were analyzed using the Opus software package of the MultiRam spectrometer and the intensity of the peak at 875 cm -1 that represents the absolute concentration of H 2 O 2 was calculated. Contrary to previous reports, in patients of skin phototype IV, the absolute concentrations of H 2 O 2 in non-lesional and lesional NSV of all groups were non-significantly decreased compared to normal control. In patients of NSV of skin phototype V, the decrease in the absolute concentrations of H 2 O 2 was not significant in the untreated group, and a slight non-significant increase in the NBUVB-treated group was noted. However, in the PUVA-treated group, the non-lesional skin demonstrated significant increase in the absolute concentration of H 2 O 2 , whereas the lesional skin showed only a slight non-significant increase compared to normal control. In NSV patients of skin phototype VI who were previously treated with PUVA, the non-lesional skin showed a slight non-significant increase in the absolute concentration of H 2 O 2 ; however, the lesional skin showed a marked significant decrease compared to normal control and the non-lesional skin. Thereof, one can conclude that the epidermal H 2 O 2 is not

  18. Specificity in Sociality: Mice and Prairie Voles Exhibit Different Patterns of Peer Affiliation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beery, Annaliese K.; Christensen, Jennifer D; Lee, Nicole S.; Blandino, Katrina L.

    2018-01-01

    Social behavior is often described as a unified concept, but highly social (group-living) species exhibit distinct social structures and may make different social decisions. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are socially monogamous rodents that often reside in extended family groups, and exhibit robust preferences for familiar social partners (same- and opposite-sex) during extended choice tests, although short-term preferences are not known. Mice (Mus musculus) are gregarious and colonial, but in brief laboratory tests of social preference they typically prefer social novelty. This preference for novel vs. familiar peers may represent a species-specific difference in social decision-making between mice and prairie voles. However, the tests used to measure preferences in each species differ markedly in duration and degree of contact, such that the behaviors cannot be directly compared. We assessed whether social preferences for novelty or familiarity differed between mice and prairie voles of both sexes when assessed with matching protocols: the sociability/social preference test (SPT) typically used in mice (short, no direct contact), and the partner preference test (PPT) used in voles (long, direct contact). A subset of voles also underwent a PPT using barriers (long, no direct contact). In the short SPT, behavior did not differ between species. In the longer test, pronounced partner preferences emerged in prairie voles, but mice exhibited no social preferences and rarely huddled. No sex differences were evident in either test. Direct physical contact was required for partner preferences in huddling time in voles, but preference for the partner chamber was evident with or without contact. Both prairie voles and mice are social, but they exhibit important differences in the specificity and extent of their social behavior. While mice are often used to study social approach and other behaviors, voles are a more suitable species for the study of selective social

  19. Specificity in Sociality: Mice and Prairie Voles Exhibit Different Patterns of Peer Affiliation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annaliese K. Beery

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Social behavior is often described as a unified concept, but highly social (group-living species exhibit distinct social structures and may make different social decisions. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster are socially monogamous rodents that often reside in extended family groups, and exhibit robust preferences for familiar social partners (same- and opposite-sex during extended choice tests, although short-term preferences are not known. Mice (Mus musculus are gregarious and colonial, but in brief laboratory tests of social preference they typically prefer social novelty. This preference for novel vs. familiar peers may represent a species-specific difference in social decision-making between mice and prairie voles. However, the tests used to measure preferences in each species differ markedly in duration and degree of contact, such that the behaviors cannot be directly compared. We assessed whether social preferences for novelty or familiarity differed between mice and prairie voles of both sexes when assessed with matching protocols: the sociability/social preference test (SPT typically used in mice (short, no direct contact, and the partner preference test (PPT used in voles (long, direct contact. A subset of voles also underwent a PPT using barriers (long, no direct contact. In the short SPT, behavior did not differ between species. In the longer test, pronounced partner preferences emerged in prairie voles, but mice exhibited no social preferences and rarely huddled. No sex differences were evident in either test. Direct physical contact was required for partner preferences in huddling time in voles, but preference for the partner chamber was evident with or without contact. Both prairie voles and mice are social, but they exhibit important differences in the specificity and extent of their social behavior. While mice are often used to study social approach and other behaviors, voles are a more suitable species for the study of

  20. Decrease of virulence for BALB/c mice produced by continuous subculturing of Nocardia brasiliensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almaguer-Chávez, Janeth A; Welsh, Oliverio; Lozano-Garza, Hector G; Said-Fernández, Salvador; Romero-Díaz, Víktor J; Ocampo-Candiani, Jorge; Vera-Cabrera, Lucio

    2011-10-26

    Subculturing has been extensively used to attenuate human pathogens. In this work we studied the effect of continuous subculturing of Nocardia brasiliensis HUJEG-1 on virulence in a murine model. Nocardia brasiliensis HUJEG-1 was subcultured up to 130 times on brain heart infusion over four years. BALB/c mice were inoculated in the right foot pad with the bacteria subcultured 0, 40, 80, 100 and 130 times (T0, T40, T80 T100 and T130). The induction of resistance was tested by using T130 to inoculate a group of mice followed by challenge with T0 12 weeks later. Biopsies were taken from the newly infected foot-pad and immunostained with antibodies against CD4, CD8 and CD14 in order to analyze the in situ immunological changes. When using T40, T80 T100 and T130 as inoculums we observed lesions in 10, 5, 0 and 0 percent of the animals, respectively, at the end of 12 weeks. In contrast, their controls produced mycetoma in 80, 80, 70 and 60% of the inoculated animals. When studying the protection of T130, we observed a partial resistance to the infection. Immunostaining revealed an intense CD4+ lymphocytic and macrophage infiltrate in healing lesions. After 130 in vitro passages of N. brasiliensis HUJEG-1 a severe decrease in its virulence was observed. Immunization of BALB/c mice, with these attenuated cells, produced a state of partial resistance to infection with the non-subcultured isolate.

  1. Decrease of virulence for BALB/c mice produced by continuous subculturing of Nocardia brasiliensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ocampo-Candiani Jorge

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Subculturing has been extensively used to attenuate human pathogens. In this work we studied the effect of continuous subculturing of Nocardia brasiliensis HUJEG-1 on virulence in a murine model. Methods Nocardia brasiliensis HUJEG-1 was subcultured up to 130 times on brain heart infusion over four years. BALB/c mice were inoculated in the right foot pad with the bacteria subcultured 0, 40, 80, 100 and 130 times (T0, T40, T80 T100 and T130. The induction of resistance was tested by using T130 to inoculate a group of mice followed by challenge with T0 12 weeks later. Biopsies were taken from the newly infected foot-pad and immunostained with antibodies against CD4, CD8 and CD14 in order to analyze the in situ immunological changes. Results When using T40, T80 T100 and T130 as inoculums we observed lesions in 10, 5, 0 and 0 percent of the animals, respectively, at the end of 12 weeks. In contrast, their controls produced mycetoma in 80, 80, 70 and 60% of the inoculated animals. When studying the protection of T130, we observed a partial resistance to the infection. Immunostaining revealed an intense CD4+ lymphocytic and macrophage infiltrate in healing lesions. Conclusions After 130 in vitro passages of N. brasiliensis HUJEG-1 a severe decrease in its virulence was observed. Immunization of BALB/c mice, with these attenuated cells, produced a state of partial resistance to infection with the non-subcultured isolate.

  2. 125I-β-CIT imaging study of striatal dopamine transporters in mice model of parkinsonism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Zhenguo; Sun Wenshan; Weng Zhongfang; Chen Shengdi; Shen Minghua; Zhu Chengmo

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To detect the activity of striatal dopamine transporters (DAT) in lesions of different order of severity of MPTP-induced mice model of parkinsonism by autoradiography with 125 I-β-CIT and to evaluate the clinical use of the β-CIT imaging for DAT detection. Methods: With regard to the different duration (days) of MPTP treatment, the C57BL mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, that is MPTP 1, 3, 5 and 7 day groups and control group treated with normal saline instead of MPTP. Two hours after intravenous administration with 125 I-β-CIT of 148 kBq, the brain tissue sections were imaged by autoradiography. The levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites were measured by high performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). The tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cells and fibres in the substantia nigra and striatum of the mice were observed by means of immunohistochemical technique. Results: As compared with control group, the radioactivity ratios of striatum to cortex (ST/CX) in 4 MPTP-treated groups were significantly reduced, by 20%, 42%, 45% and 52%, respectively. The concentrations of DA in the striatum of 4 MPTP-treated groups were remarkably decreased, by 47%, 75%, 95% and 95%, respectively. The gradual loss of DA neurons and fibres in the substantia nigra and striatum in 4 MPTP-treated groups was observed under microscopy. Conclusions: The functional abnormality of DAT paralleled the changes observed in neurochemistry and neuropathology studies in the lesions of different order of injury of the MPTP-treated mice. The β-CIT scanning for the activity of DAT may be useful for diagnosing PD at earlier phase and for monitoring the progression of the disease

  3. A typical MR imaging of multiple sclerosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katagiri, Shinako; Kan, Shinichi; Ikeda, Toshiaki; Nishiyama, Syougo; Nishimaki, Hiroshi; Matsubayashi, Takashi; Hata, Takashi

    1995-01-01

    MR imaging is very useful in detecting the intracranial lesion of multiple sclerosis (MS). We present six patients of MS with atypical MR imaging findings. Six patients aged 27-56 years (mean 36 years), and sexuality of six patients were 2 men and 4 females. Three patient's clinical course had episodes of optic neuritis. The plaque's size of the predominant lesion of the patients ranged from 3.0 to 9.0 cm in diameter. The plaques were oval, elliptically and other shaped. At acute stage, MR imaging detected perfocal edema and focal mass effect in three cases of our study. Two out of six cases showed multiple irregularly enhancing lesion with Gadolinium-DTPA. Plaques of all cases did not disappear completely in final MR imaging study. (author)

  4. Improved efficiency in clinical workflow of reporting measured oncology lesions via PACS-integrated lesion tracking tool.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevenster, Merlijn; Travis, Adam R; Ganesh, Rajiv K; Liu, Peng; Kose, Ursula; Peters, Joost; Chang, Paul J

    2015-03-01

    OBJECTIVE. Imaging provides evidence for the response to oncology treatment by the serial measurement of reference lesions. Unfortunately, the identification, comparison, measurement, and documentation of several reference lesions can be an inefficient process. We tested the hypothesis that optimized workflow orchestration and tight integration of a lesion tracking tool into the PACS and speech recognition system can result in improvements in oncologic lesion measurement efficiency. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A lesion management tool tightly integrated into the PACS workflow was developed. We evaluated the effect of the use of the tool on measurement reporting time by means of a prospective time-motion study on 86 body CT examinations with 241 measureable oncologic lesions with four radiologists. RESULTS. Aggregated measurement reporting time per lesion was 11.64 seconds in standard workflow, 16.67 seconds if readers had to register measurements de novo, and 6.36 seconds for each subsequent follow-up study. Differences were statistically significant (p workflow-integrated lesion management tool, especially for patients with multiple follow-up examinations, reversing the onetime efficiency penalty at baseline registration.

  5. A disappearing neonatal skin lesion.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hawkes, Colin Patrick

    2012-01-31

    A preterm baby girl was noted at birth to have a firm, raised, non-tender skin lesion located over her right hip. She developed three similar smaller lesions on her ear, buttock and right knee. All lesions had resolved by 2 months of age.

  6. Lesion patterns in patients with cryptogenic stroke with and without right-to-left-shunt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feurer, R; Sadikovic, S; Esposito, L; Schwarze, J; Bockelbrink, A; Hemmer, B; Sander, D; Poppert, H

    2009-10-01

    Despite numerous studies, the role of patent foramen ovale (PFO) as a risk factor for stroke due to paradoxical embolism is still controversial. On the assumption that specific lesion patterns, in particular multiple acute ischaemic lesions on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, indicate a cardioembolic origin, we compared the MRI findings in stroke patients with right-to-left shunt (RLS) and those without. The records of 486 patients with diagnosis of cerebral ischaemia were reviewed. For detection of RLS, contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler (c-TCD) was carried out in all patients. An MRI scan of the brain was performed in all patients. Affected vascular territories were divided into anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, vertebrobasilar artery system including posterior cerebral artery, brain stem and cerebellar stroke, and strokes occurring in more than one territory. We did not find a specific difference in neuroradiological lesion patterns in patients with RLS compared with patients without RLS. In particular, 23 of 165 patients (13.9%) with RLS showed multiple ischaemic lesions on MRI in comparison with 45 of 321 patients (14.0%) without RLS (P = 0.98). These findings also applied for the subgroup of cryptogenic strokes with and without RLS. We found no association between an ischaemic lesion pattern that is considered as being typical for stroke due to cardiac embolism and the existence of PFO. Therefore, our findings do not provide any support for the common theory of paradoxical embolism as a major cause of stroke in PFO carriers.

  7. Progression and Regression of Hepatic Lesions in a Mouse Model of NASH Induced by Dietary Intervention and Its Implications in Pharmacotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhi-Ming Ding

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Understanding of the temporal changes of hepatic lesions in the progression and regression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH is vital to elucidation of the pathogenesis of NASH, and critical to the development of a strategy for NASH pharmacotherapy. There are challenges in studying hepatic lesion progression and regression in NASH patients due to the slow development of NASH in humans, one being the requirement for multiple biopsies during the longitudinal follow-up. Here we studied lesion progression and regression in the diet-induced animal model of NASH by application or removal of the pathogenic diet for multiple time periods. Male C57BL/6 mice fed Western diet developed progressive hepatic steatosis/macrovesicular vacuolation, inflammation, and hepatocyte degeneration, as well as perisinusoidal fibrosis and occasionally portal fibrosis as early as 2 months after initiation of the Western diet. In the same period, the mice exhibited elevated ALT (alanine aminotransferase and AST (aspartate aminotransferase enzyme activities, CK18 (cytokeratin−18, PIIINP (N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen, and TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase−1. Hepatic steatosis diminished rapidly when the Western diet was replaced by normal rodent chow diet and hepatic inflammation and hepatocyte degeneration were also reduced. Interestingly, perisinusoidal fibrosis and portal fibrosis regressed 8 months after chow diet replacement. To understand pharmacotherapy for NASH, mice with established NASH hepatic lesions were treated with either FXR agonist obeticholic acid (Ocaliva, or CCR2/5 antagonist Cenicriviroc. Similar to the diet replacement, metabolic modulator Ocaliva markedly reduced steatosis/macrovesicular vacuolation, hepatic inflammation, and hepatocyte degeneration effectively, but exhibited no significant effect on liver fibrosis. Anti-inflammation drug Cenicriviroc, on the other hand, markedly decreased inflammation and hepatocyte

  8. Diffuse cavitary lung lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grunzke, Mindy; Garrington, Timothy [University of Colorado Denver, Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, CO (United States); The Children' s Hospital, Rick Wilson Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Aurora, CO (United States); Hayes, Kari [The Children' s Hospital, Pediatric Radiology, Aurora, CO (United States); Bourland, Wendy [Children' s Hospital at St. Francis, Warren Clinic, Inc., Tulsa, OK (United States)

    2010-02-15

    An 11-year-old girl presented with a 2-month history of progressively worsening cough, daily fevers, and weight loss. A chest radiograph revealed multiple cystic cavitary lung lesions. An extensive infectious work-up was negative. Chest CT verified multiple cavitary lung lesions bilaterally, and [F-18]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) positron emission tomography with CT (PET/CT) showed increased uptake in the lung lesions as well as regional lymph nodes. Subsequent biopsy of an involved lymph node confirmed classical Hodgkin lymphoma, nodular sclerosis type. This case represents an unusual presentation for a child with Hodgkin lymphoma and demonstrates a role for {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in evaluating a child with cavitary lung lesions. (orig.)

  9. Diffuse cavitary lung lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grunzke, Mindy; Garrington, Timothy; Hayes, Kari; Bourland, Wendy

    2010-01-01

    An 11-year-old girl presented with a 2-month history of progressively worsening cough, daily fevers, and weight loss. A chest radiograph revealed multiple cystic cavitary lung lesions. An extensive infectious work-up was negative. Chest CT verified multiple cavitary lung lesions bilaterally, and [F-18]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ( 18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography with CT (PET/CT) showed increased uptake in the lung lesions as well as regional lymph nodes. Subsequent biopsy of an involved lymph node confirmed classical Hodgkin lymphoma, nodular sclerosis type. This case represents an unusual presentation for a child with Hodgkin lymphoma and demonstrates a role for 18 F-FDG PET/CT in evaluating a child with cavitary lung lesions. (orig.)

  10. New function for an old enzyme: NEP deficient mice develop late-onset obesity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthias Becker

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization (WHO there is a pandemic of obesity with approximately 300 million people being obese. Typically, human obesity has a polygenetic causation. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP, also known as neprilysin, is considered to be one of the key enzymes in the metabolism of many active peptide hormones. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: An incidental observation in NEP-deficient mice was a late-onset excessive gain in body weight exclusively from a ubiquitous accumulation of fat tissue. In accord with polygenetic human obesity, mice were characterized by deregulation of lipid metabolism, higher blood glucose levels, with impaired glucose tolerance. The key role of NEP in determining body mass was confirmed by the use of the NEP inhibitor candoxatril in wild-type mice that increased body weight due to increased food intake. This is a peripheral and not a central NEP action on the switch for appetite control, since candoxatril cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Furthermore, we demonstrated that inhibition of NEP in mice with cachexia delayed rapid body weight loss. Thus, lack in NEP activity, genetically or pharmacologically, leads to a gain in body fat. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In the present study, we have identified NEP to be a crucial player in the development of obesity. NEP-deficient mice start to become obese under a normocaloric diet in an age of 6-7 months and thus are an ideal model for the typical human late-onset obesity. Therefore, the described obesity model is an ideal tool for research on development, molecular mechanisms, diagnosis, and therapy of the pandemic obesity.

  11. T-Cell Mediated Immune Responses Induced in ret Transgenic Mouse Model of Malignant Melanoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abschuetz, Oliver [Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim , Heidelberg 69120 (Germany); Osen, Wolfram [Division of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Center, Heidelberg 69120 (Germany); Frank, Kathrin [Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim , Heidelberg 69120 (Germany); Kato, Masashi [Unit of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu University, Aichi 487-8501 (Japan); Schadendorf, Dirk [Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen 45122 (Germany); Umansky, Viktor, E-mail: v.umansky@dkfz.de [Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim , Heidelberg 69120 (Germany)

    2012-04-26

    Poor response of human malignant melanoma to currently available treatments requires a development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Their evaluation should be based on animal models that resemble human melanoma with respect to genetics, histopathology and clinical features. Here we used a transgenic mouse model of spontaneous skin melanoma, in which the ret transgene is expressed in melanocytes under the control of metallothionein-I promoter. After a short latency, around 25% mice develop macroscopic skin melanoma metastasizing to lymph nodes, bone marrow, lungs and brain, whereas other transgenic mice showed only metastatic lesions without visible skin tumors. We found that tumor lesions expressed melanoma associated antigens (MAA) tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein (TRP)-1, TRP-2 and gp100, which could be applied as targets for the immunotherapy. Upon peptide vaccination, ret transgenic mice without macroscopic melanomas were able to generate T cell responses not only against a strong model antigen ovalbumin but also against typical MAA TRP-2. Although mice bearing macroscopic primary tumors could also display an antigen-specific T cell reactivity, it was significantly down-regulated as compared to tumor-free transgenic mice or non-transgenic littermates. We suggest that ret transgenic mice could be used as a pre-clinical model for the evaluation of novel strategies of melanoma immunotherapy.

  12. What Is Typical Is Good : The Influence of Face Typicality on Perceived Trustworthiness

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sofer, Carmel; Dotsch, Ron; Wigboldus, Daniel H J; Todorov, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    The role of face typicality in face recognition is well established, but it is unclear whether face typicality is important for face evaluation. Prior studies have focused mainly on typicality’s influence on attractiveness, although recent studies have cast doubt on its importance for attractiveness

  13. Mapping pathological phenotypes in Reelin mutant mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caterina eMichetti

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD are neurodevelopmental disorders with multifactorial origin characterized by social communication and behavioural perseveration deficits. Several studies showed an association between the reelin gene mutation and increased risk of ASD and a reduced reelin expression in some brain regions of ASD subjects, suggesting a role for reelin deficiency in ASD etiology. Reelin is a large extracellular matrix glycoprotein playing important roles during development of the central nervous system. To deeply investigate the role of reelin dysfunction as vulnerability factor in ASD, we investigated the behavioural, neurochemical and brain morphological features of reeler male mice. We recently reported a genotype-dependent deviation in ultrasonic vocal repertoire and a general delay in motor development in reeler pups. We now report that adult male heterozygous reeler mice did not show social behaviour and communication deficits during male-female social interactions. Wildtype and heterozygous mice also showed a typical light/dark locomotor activity profile, with a peak during the central interval of the dark phase. However, when faced with a mild stressful stimulus (a saline injection only heterozygous mice showed an over response to stress. At the end of the behavioural studies, we conducted high performance liquid chromatography and magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy to investigate whether reelin mutation influences brain monoamine and metabolites levels in regions involved in ASD. Low levels of dopamine in cortex and high levels of glutamate and taurine in hippocampus were detected in heterozygous mice, in line with clinical data collected on ASD children. Altogether, our data detected subtle but relevant neurochemical abnormalities in reeler mice supporting this mutant line, particularly male subjects, as a valid experimental model to estimate the contribution played by reelin deficiency in the global ASD

  14. Neuron-specific caveolin-1 overexpression improves motor function and preserves memory in mice subjected to brain trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egawa, Junji; Schilling, Jan M; Cui, Weihua; Posadas, Edmund; Sawada, Atsushi; Alas, Basheer; Zemljic-Harpf, Alice E; Fannon-Pavlich, McKenzie J; Mandyam, Chitra D; Roth, David M; Patel, Hemal H; Patel, Piyush M; Head, Brian P

    2017-08-01

    Studies in vitro and in vivo demonstrate that membrane/lipid rafts and caveolin (Cav) organize progrowth receptors, and, when overexpressed specifically in neurons, Cav-1 augments neuronal signaling and growth and improves cognitive function in adult and aged mice; however, whether neuronal Cav-1 overexpression can preserve motor and cognitive function in the brain trauma setting is unknown. Here, we generated a neuron-targeted Cav-1-overexpressing transgenic (Tg) mouse [synapsin-driven Cav-1 (SynCav1 Tg)] and subjected it to a controlled cortical impact model of brain trauma and measured biochemical, anatomic, and behavioral changes. SynCav1 Tg mice exhibited increased hippocampal expression of Cav-1 and membrane/lipid raft localization of postsynaptic density protein 95, NMDA receptor, and tropomyosin receptor kinase B. When subjected to a controlled cortical impact, SynCav1 Tg mice demonstrated preserved hippocampus-dependent fear learning and memory, improved motor function recovery, and decreased brain lesion volume compared with wild-type controls. Neuron-targeted overexpression of Cav-1 in the adult brain prevents hippocampus-dependent learning and memory deficits, restores motor function after brain trauma, and decreases brain lesion size induced by trauma. Our findings demonstrate that neuron-targeted Cav-1 can be used as a novel therapeutic strategy to restore brain function and prevent trauma-associated maladaptive plasticity.-Egawa, J., Schilling, J. M., Cui, W., Posadas, E., Sawada, A., Alas, B., Zemljic-Harpf, A. E., Fannon-Pavlich, M. J., Mandyam, C. D., Roth, D. M., Patel, H. H., Patel, P. M., Head, B. P. Neuron-specific caveolin-1 overexpression improves motor function and preserves memory in mice subjected to brain trauma. © FASEB.

  15. Post-weaning high-fat diet results in growth cartilage lesions in young male rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel S Haysom

    Full Text Available To determine if a high-fat diet (HF from weaning would result in a pro-inflammatory state and affect joint cartilage, we fed male rats either HF or Chow diet post-weaning, and voluntary wheel exercise (EX or cage only activity (SED after 9 weeks of age. At 17 weeks body composition, plasma biomarkers and histomorphology scores of femoro-tibial cartilages of HF-SED, HF-EX, Chow-SED and Chow-EX groups were compared. Food intake and activity were not significantly different between groups. HF diet resulted in significantly higher weight gain, %fat, fat:lean ratio, and plasma leptin, insulin and TNFα concentrations, with significant interactions between diet and exercise. No abnormal features were detected in the hyaline articular cartilage or in the metaphyseal growth plate in all four groups. However, collagen type X- positive regions of retained epiphyseal growth cartilage (EGC was present in all HF-fed animals and significantly greater than that observed in Chow-fed sedentary rats. Most lesions were located in the lateral posterior aspect of the tibia and/or femur. The severity of lesions was greater in HF-fed animals. Although exercise had a significantly greater effect in reducing adiposity and associated systemic inflammation in HF-fed rats, it had no effect on lesion incidence or severity. Lesion incidence was also significantly associated with indices of obesity and plasma markers of chronic inflammation. Clinically, EGC lesions induced by HF feeding in rats from very early in life, and possibly by insufficient activity, is typical of osteochondrosis in animals. Such lesions may be the precursor of juvenile osteochondritis dissecans requiring surgery in children/adolescents, conservative management of which could benefit from improved understanding of early changes in cellular and gene expression.

  16. Comparative nephrotoxicity of native or Co-60 gamma rays irradiated crotoxin in mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rocha, Andre Moreira; Alves, Glaucie J.; Aires, Raquel da Silva; Turibio, Thompson O.; Thomazi, Gabriela O. Coelho; Spencer, Patrick J.; Nascimento, Nanci do, E-mail: andrerocha@usp.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Nascimento-Rocha, Josefa M.; Magalhaes Filho, Asterio Souza, E-mail: 0304@prof.itpacporto.com.br [Instituto Tocantinense Presidente Antonio Carlos Porto (ITPAC), Porto Nacional, TO (Brazil)

    2015-07-01

    Snake venoms are complex mixtures of proteins and peptides with a wide spectrum of physiological targets such as the blood coagulation and cardiovascular systems and the motor end plate among others. Acute renal failure is a common complication in accidents with the South American rattlesnake. The toxin involved in this pathology is the crotoxin, a major component of the venom in terms of concentration and toxicity. Snake venoms, when irradiated with {sup 60}Co gamma rays present a significant decrease in toxicity while the immunogenic properties of its components are preserved. The use of irradiated venom is an attractive alternative for antisera production since it might reduce the appearance of renal lesions improving the welfare and lifespan of those animals employed on antivenom production. At the present work, we have compared the effects of native and irradiated crotoxin on the mice renal function. Tubular lesions were observed in all the samples from the animal group injected with native crotoxin. Animals injected with the irradiated toxin presented alteration only after 30 minutes and 1 hour after injection. These data suggest that the onset of the renal lesions is delayed and that the severity of the lesions might be lower when using irradiated crotoxin. (author)

  17. Comparative nephrotoxicity of native or Co-60 gamma rays irradiated crotoxin in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rocha, Andre Moreira; Alves, Glaucie J.; Aires, Raquel da Silva; Turibio, Thompson O.; Thomazi, Gabriela O. Coelho; Spencer, Patrick J.; Nascimento, Nanci do; Nascimento-Rocha, Josefa M.; Magalhaes Filho, Asterio Souza

    2015-01-01

    Snake venoms are complex mixtures of proteins and peptides with a wide spectrum of physiological targets such as the blood coagulation and cardiovascular systems and the motor end plate among others. Acute renal failure is a common complication in accidents with the South American rattlesnake. The toxin involved in this pathology is the crotoxin, a major component of the venom in terms of concentration and toxicity. Snake venoms, when irradiated with 60 Co gamma rays present a significant decrease in toxicity while the immunogenic properties of its components are preserved. The use of irradiated venom is an attractive alternative for antisera production since it might reduce the appearance of renal lesions improving the welfare and lifespan of those animals employed on antivenom production. At the present work, we have compared the effects of native and irradiated crotoxin on the mice renal function. Tubular lesions were observed in all the samples from the animal group injected with native crotoxin. Animals injected with the irradiated toxin presented alteration only after 30 minutes and 1 hour after injection. These data suggest that the onset of the renal lesions is delayed and that the severity of the lesions might be lower when using irradiated crotoxin. (author)

  18. Bone Abnormalities in Mice with Protein Kinase A (PKA) Defects Reveal a Role of Cyclic AMP Signaling in Bone Stromal Cell-Dependent Tumor Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, S; Shapiro, J M; Saloustros, E; Stratakis, C A

    2016-11-01

    Protein kinase A (PKA) is an important enzyme for all eukaryotic cells. PKA phosphorylates other proteins, thus, it is essential for the regulation of many diverse cellular functions, including cytoplasmic trafficking and signaling, organelle structure and mitochondrial oxidation, nuclear gene expression, the cell cycle, and cellular division. The PKA holoenzyme is composed of 2 regulatory and 2 catalytic subunits. Four regulatory (R1α, R1β, R2α, and R2β) and 4 catalytic subunits (Cα, Cβ, Cγ, and Prkx) have been identified, giving rise to mainly PKA-I (when the 2 regulatory subunits are either R1α or R1β), or PKA-II (when the 2 regulatory subunits are either R2α or R2β). Mutations in the PKA subunits can lead to altered total PKA activity or abnormal PKA-I to PKA-II ratio, leading to various abnormalities in both humans and mice. These effects can be tissue-specific. We studied the effect of PKA subunit defects on PKA activity and bone morphology of mice that were single or double heterozygous for null alleles of the various PKA subunit genes. Bone lesions including fibrous dysplasia, myxomas, osteo-sarcomas, -chondromas and -chondrosarcomas were found in these mice. Observational and molecular studies showed that these lesions were derived from bone stromal cells (BSCs). We conclude that haploinsufficiency for different PKA subunit genes affected bone lesion formation, new bone generation, organization, and mineralization in variable ways. This work identified a PKA subunit- and activity-dependent pathway of bone lesion formation from BSCs with important implications for understanding how cyclic AMP affects the skeleton and its tumorigenesis. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  19. A typical MR imaging of multiple sclerosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Katagiri, Shinako; Kan, Shinichi; Ikeda, Toshiaki; Nishiyama, Syougo; Nishimaki, Hiroshi; Matsubayashi, Takashi; Hata, Takashi [Kitasato Univ., Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Medicine

    1995-06-01

    MR imaging is very useful in detecting the intracranial lesion of multiple sclerosis (MS). We present six patients of MS with atypical MR imaging findings. Six patients aged 27-56 years (mean 36 years), and sexuality of six patients were 2 men and 4 females. Three patient`s clinical course had episodes of optic neuritis. The plaque`s size of the predominant lesion of the patients ranged from 3.0 to 9.0 cm in diameter. The plaques were oval, elliptically and other shaped. At acute stage, MR imaging detected perfocal edema and focal mass effect in three cases of our study. Two out of six cases showed multiple irregularly enhancing lesion with Gadolinium-DTPA. Plaques of all cases did not disappear completely in final MR imaging study. (author).

  20. Imaging inflammatory acne: lesion detection and tracking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cula, Gabriela O.; Bargo, Paulo R.; Kollias, Nikiforos

    2010-02-01

    It is known that effectiveness of acne treatment increases when the lesions are detected earlier, before they could progress into mature wound-like lesions, which lead to scarring and discoloration. However, little is known about the evolution of acne from early signs until after the lesion heals. In this work we computationally characterize the evolution of inflammatory acne lesions, based on analyzing cross-polarized images that document acne-prone facial skin over time. Taking skin images over time, and being able to follow skin features in these images present serious challenges, due to change in the appearance of skin, difficulty in repositioning the subject, involuntary movement such as breathing. A computational technique for automatic detection of lesions by separating the background normal skin from the acne lesions, based on fitting Gaussian distributions to the intensity histograms, is presented. In order to track and quantify the evolution of lesions, in terms of the degree of progress or regress, we designed a study to capture facial skin images from an acne-prone young individual, followed over the course of 3 different time points. Based on the behavior of the lesions between two consecutive time points, the automatically detected lesions are classified in four categories: new lesions, resolved lesions (i.e. lesions that disappear completely), lesions that are progressing, and lesions that are regressing (i.e. lesions in the process of healing). The classification our methods achieve correlates well with visual inspection of a trained human grader.