Oxidative stress such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the inflamed joint have been indicated as being involved as inflammatory mediators in the induction of arthritis. Correlations between extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) and inflammatory arthritis have been shown in several animal models of RA. However, there is a question whether the over-expression of EC-SOD on arthritic joint also could suppress the progression of disease or not. In the present study, the effect on the synovial tissue of experimental arthritis was investigated using EC-SOD over-expressing transgenic mice. The over-expression of EC-SOD in joint tissue was confirmed by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The degree of the inflammation in EC-SOD transgenic mice was suppressed in the collagen-induced arthritis model. In a cytokine assay, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as, IL-1beta, TNFalpha, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) was decreased in fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) but not in peripheral blood. Histological examination also showed repressed cartilage destruction and bone in EC-SOD transgenic mice. In conclusion, these data suggest that the over-expression of EC-SOD in FLS contributes to the activation of FLS and protection from joint destruction by depressing the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and MMPs. These results provide EC-SOD transgenic mice with a useful animal model for inflammatory arthritis research.
Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental/blood/*enzymology/metabolism ; *Arthritis, Rheumatoid/enzymology/pathology ; Fibroblasts/metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Inflammation/pathology ; Interleukin-1beta/blood/metabolism ; Joints/enzymology/pathology ; Matrix Metalloproteinases/blood/metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; *Superoxide Dismutase/genetics/metabolism ; Synovial Fluid/*enzymology ; Synovial Membrane/pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between fibrotic focus (FF) and carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX in invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) of the breast.

METHODSIn 167 cases of IDC, the FF was assessed morphologically, and expression of ER, PR and CA IX was evaluated using MaxVision immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe expression of CA IX in IDC with and without FF was 56.3% (45/80) and 28.7% (25/87) respectively, with significant difference (P=0.001). In IDC with FF, the CA IX expression of tumor cells in tumors with CA IX-positive fibroblasts (35/40, 87.5%) was significantly (P<0.001) higher than that in tumors with CA IX-negative fibroblasts (10/40, 25.0%). In IDC with FF, the CA IX expression of fibroblasts of FF in grade 3 IDC (23/33, 69.7%) was significantly (P=0.006) higher than that in grade 1+2 tumors (17/47, 36.2%). The ER and PR expression of tumor cells in tumors containing CA IX-negative fibroblasts was 72.5% (29/40) and 65.0% (26/40) respectively, whereas the ER and PR expression of tumor cells in tumors containing CA IX-positive fibroblasts was 50.0% (20/40) and 42.5% (17/40) respectively; the difference was statistically significant (for both ER and PR, P=0.04). The age of patients with tumors containing CA IX-negative fibroblasts was significantly (P=0.002) older than those containing CA IX-positive fibroblasts. The FF diameter/tumor diameter in tumors containing CA IX-positive fibroblasts was significantly larger than those containing CA IX-negative fibroblasts. (3) For the groups of tumor size≤2 cm and tumor size between 2 cm to 5 cm, the diameter of the fibrotic focus was significantly (P<0.01) smaller than the fibrotic focus size of tumors>5 cm in size.

CONCLUSIONSCA IX expression is correlated with FF, and that in fibroblasts of FF correlated with patients' age, tumor grade, hormone receptors and FF diameter/tumor diameter. CA IX expression in FF might be a marker for poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer.

Age Factors ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carbonic Anhydrase IX ; Carbonic Anhydrases ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; enzymology ; pathology ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Proteins ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism

Apoptosis has an important role in maintaining tissue homeostasis in cellular stress responses such as inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and oxidative stress. T-cell death-associated gene 51 (TDAG51) is a member of the pleckstrin homology-like domain family and was first identified as a pro-apoptotic gene in T-cell receptor-mediated cell death. However, its pro-apoptotic function remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the role of TDAG51 in oxidative stress-induced apoptotic cell death in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). TDAG51 expression was highly increased by oxidative stress responses. In response to oxidative stress, the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species was significantly enhanced in TDAG51-deficient MEFs, resulting in the activation of caspase-3. Thus, TDAG51 deficiency promotes apoptotic cell death in MEFs, and these results indicate that TDAG51 has a protective role in oxidative stress-induced cell death in MEFs.
Animals ; *Apoptosis ; Embryo, Mammalian/*cytology ; Fibroblasts/enzymology/*metabolism/pathology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Intracellular Space/metabolism ; Mice ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/metabolism ; *Oxidative Stress/genetics ; Reactive Oxygen Species/*metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transcription Factors/*deficiency/genetics/metabolism

The action mode of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) is still under debate, although it has long been used in treatment of several dermatologic diseases including Hansen's disease. In this study, we tested the effect of DDS as an antioxidant on paraquat-induced oxidative stress in non-phagocytic human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs). Overall, preincubation of HDFs with DDS prevented the oxidative stress and the resulting cytotoxic damages caused by paraquat in these cells. The specific effects of DDS in paraquat-treated HDFs are summarized as follows: a) reducing the expression of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) by inhibiting paraquat-induced activation of PKC; b) inhibiting paraquat-induced decreases in mitochondrial complex protein levels as well as in membrane potentials; c) consequently, inhibiting the generation of cytosolic and mitochondrial superoxide anions. Taken together, these findings suggest that DDS would suppress the radical generation in non-phagocytic HDFs during oxidative stress, and that DDS might have the extended potential to be used further in prevention of other oxidative stress-related pathologies.
Biphenyl Compounds/metabolism ; Cell Death/drug effects ; Cell Survival/drug effects ; Dapsone/*pharmacology ; *Diploidy ; Enzyme Activation/drug effects ; Fibroblasts/*cytology/drug effects/enzymology/*metabolism ; Free Radical Scavengers/metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic/drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondria/drug effects/pathology ; NADPH Oxidase/genetics/metabolism ; Paraquat/toxicity ; Phagocytosis/drug effects ; Picrates/metabolism ; Protein Kinase C/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species/*metabolism ; Superoxides/metabolism

AIMTo study the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the supernatant of U937 cells stimulated with LPS and dexamethasone on matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in the synoviocyte from patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).

METHODSFibroblast-like cells (FLS) from the joint tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis were cultured and incubated for 24 h with LPS (1 mg.L-1) or the supernatant of U937 cells stimulated with LPS (1 mg.L-1) for 24 h. Dexamethasone was added to the supernatant of U937 cells and FLS was incubated for 24 h. The activity of MMP-9 was analyzed by gelatin zymography. Protein expression of MMP-9 was detected by Western blot using special polyclonal antibodies. The mRNA expression of MMP-9 was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of MMP-9 was not markedly changed in FLS treated with LPS. The MMP-9 activity, MMP-9 secretion and MMP-9 mRNA expression were significantly increased in FLS cultured with the supernatant from U937 cell treated with LPS. Dexamethasone markedly inhibited the activity, protein secretion and mRNA expression of MMP-9 in FLS cultured with the supernatant from U937 cell stimulated with LPS, and the inhibitory effects were increased as the concentration of dexamethasone increased.

CONCLUSIONLPS did not directly affect the expression of MMP-9 in FLS, but it was found to indirectly cause the increase of MMP-9 expression in FLS by stimulating U937 cell. Dexamethasone was found to inhibit this increase of MMP-9 expression.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; pathology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Fibroblasts ; pathology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; drug effects ; genetics ; Synovial Membrane ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; U937 Cells

Triptolide (TPT), an active compound extracted from Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii , has been used in therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, after synovial fibroblasts from rheumatoid arthritis (RASFs) were treated with TPT, we investigated its effect on the differentiation of Th17 cells. Firstly, the mRNA level of cyclooxygenase (COX) wad detected by qRT-PCR and the protein level of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was tested by ELISA in RASFs treated with different concentrations (0, 10, 50, 100 nmol L-1 ) of TPT. Then after TPT pre-treated RASFs and RA CD4 + T cells wer e co-cultured for 3 days in the presence or absence of PGE2, IL-17 and IFN-gamma production in CD4 T cell subsets were detected by flow cytometry. The results showed TPT decreased the mRNA experssion of COX2 and the secretion of PGE2 in RASFs in a dose-dependent manner(P <0. 05). We further found that differentiation of Thl7 cells was downregulated in a dose-dependent manner, and exogenous PGE2 could reverse the inhibition of Th17 cell differentiation(P <0. 05). Taken together, our results demonstrated that TPT inhibited the mRNA level of COX2 and the secretion of PGE2 in RASFs, which partly led to impaired Th17 cell differentiation in vitro.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; immunology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dinoprostone ; metabolism ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; pharmacology ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; immunology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Synovial Fluid ; drug effects ; Th17 Cells ; drug effects ; pathology