Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana Mart.

The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis Mart. (Sapindaceae) seeds, commonly called guarana, was assessed towards selected bacteria as well as in different antioxidant models.

Nuclear factor-kappaB regulates inflammatory cell apoptosis and phagocytosis in rat carrageenin-sponge implant model.

In the present study we investigated whether apoptosis and phagocytosis are regulated by nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in a model of chronic inflammation. The subcutaneous implant of lambda-carrageenin-soaked sponges elicited an inflammatory response, characterized by a time-related increase of leukocyte infiltration into the sponge and tissue formation, which was inhibited by simultaneous injection of wild-type oligodeoxynucleotide decoy to NF-kappaB. Molecular and morphological analysis performed on infiltrated cells demonstrated: 1) an inhibition of NF-kappaB/DNA binding activity; 2) an increase of polymorphonuclear leukocyte apoptosis correlated either to an increase of p53 or Bax and decrease of Bcl-2 protein expression; and 3) an increase of phagocytosis of apoptotic polymorphonuclear leukocytes by macrophages associated with an increase of transforming growth factor-beta1 and decrease of tumor necrosis factor-alpha as well as nitrite/nitrate production.

Gliadin increases iNOS gene expression in interferon-gamma-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells through a mechanism involving NF-kappa B.

Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the histological changes seen in coeliac disease. We have investigated the effect of peptic-tryptic digest of gliadin (Pt-G) and gliadin (G) on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma).

Nuclear factor kappa B is activated in small intestinal mucosa of celiac patients.

NF-kappa B regulates inflammatory and immune response by increasing the expression of specific genes. In celiac disease proinflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules, and enzymes whose gene expression is known to be regulated by NF-kappa B are involved. This study investigated the activation of NF-kappa B in inflamed mucosa from patients with untreated celiac disease.