In vitro skin culture media influence the viability and inflammatory response of primary macrophages.

The replacement of animal models for investigation of inflammation and wound healing has been advancing by means of in vitro skin equivalents with increasing levels of complexity. However, the current in vitro skin models still have a limited pre-clinical relevance due to their lack of immune cells. So far, few steps have been made towards the incorporation of immune cells into in vitro skin and the requirements for immunocompetent co-cultures remain unexplored.

Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase (TIMP) Peptidomimetic as an Adjunctive Therapy for Infectious Keratitis.

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) has a key role in many biological processes, and while it is crucial for a normal immune response, excessive release of this enzyme can lead to severe tissue damage, as evidenced by proteolytic digestion and perforation of the cornea during infectious keratitis. Current medical management strategies for keratitis mostly focus on antibacterial effects, but largely neglect the role of excess MMP activity. Here, a cyclic tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) peptidomimetic, which downregulated MMP-9 expression both at the mRNA and protein levels as well as MMP-9 activity in THP-1-derived macrophages, is reported.