Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is an extra-thyroidal complication of Graves' disease which can lead to vision loss in severe cases. Currently, treatments of GO are not sufficiently effective, so novel therapeutic strategies are needed. As platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB induces several effector mechanisms in GO orbital fibroblasts including cytokine production and myofibroblast activation, this study aims to investigate the roles of histone lysine methyltransferases (HKMTs) in PDGF-BB-activated GO orbital fibroblasts by screening with HKMTs inhibitors library.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman neutrophil peptides (HNPs) can induce cell proliferation and activation so their growth promoting activities may have potential clinical benefit. This study investigated the effects of HNPs on human dermal fibroblasts. Differential gene expression in HNP-treated cells and genes involved in regulating intracellular pathways were explored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHost defense peptides (HDPs) or antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short cationic amphipathic peptides of divergent sequences, which are part of the innate immune system and produced by various types of cells and tissues. The predominant role of HDPs is to respond to and protect humans against infection and inflammation. Common human HDPs include defensins, cathelicidin, psoriasin, dermcidin, and ribonucleases, but these peptides may be dysregulated in the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGraves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is an autoimmune eye disease with the characteristic symptoms of eyelid retraction and proptosis. Orbital fibroblast activation induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) stimulation plays a crucial role in GO pathogenesis, leading to excessive proliferation and extracellular matrix production by orbital fibroblasts. Currently, GO treatment options remain limited and novel therapies including targeted drugs are needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is a frequent extrathyroidal complication of Graves' hyperthyroidism. Orbital fibroblasts contribute to both orbital tissue inflammation and remodeling in GO, and as such are crucial cellular elements in active GO and inactive GO. However, so far it is largely unknown whether GO disease progression is associated with functional reprogramming of the orbital fibroblast effector function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis one of the most common isolates from patients with fungal infections. infection is usually treated with antifungal agents, but side effects of these agents are common. Trehalase is an essential enzyme involved in fungal metabolism, and the trehalase inhibitor, validamycin A, has been used to prevent fungal infections in agricultural products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis a common non- species found in patients with candidiasis and it sometimes develops antifungal resistance. Human beta-defensin-3 (hBD-3) is an antimicrobial peptide of immune system active against various types of microbes including . This study investigated antifungal activity of hBD-3 and its synergistic effect with a first-line antifungal agent on clinical isolates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Graves' orbitopathy (GO). It stimulates several processes, including hyaluronan synthesis, involved in orbital tissue volume expansion and may act synergistically with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. PDGF-BB is known to stimulate adipogenesis in orbital fibroblasts, but the effect of bFGF on adipogenesis in orbital fibroblasts is so far unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOrbital fibroblast activation is a central pathologic feature of Graves' Ophthalmopathy (GO). Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been proposed to contribute to GO, but their effects on orbital fibroblasts are largely unknown. We found that bFGF stimulated proliferation and hyaluronan production, but not IL-6 production by orbital fibroblasts, while VEGF hardly affected orbital fibroblast activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMast cells and their products are likely to be involved in regulating orbital fibroblast activity in Graves' Ophthalmopathy (GO). Histamine is abundantly present in granules of mast cells and is released upon mast cell activation. However, the effect of histamine on orbital fibroblasts has not been examined so far.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGraves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is an extra-thyroidal complication of Graves' disease (GD; Graves' hyperthyroidism) characterized by orbital tissue inflammation, expansion, remodeling and fibrosis. Although the initiating trigger of GO is still indistinct, excessive orbital fibroblast activity is at the heart of its pathogenesis. Orbital fibroblasts are activated by cellular interactions with immune cells and the soluble factors they secrete.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInvest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
August 2015
Purpose: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB has been identified as important factor in pathogenesis of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). It stimulates proliferation, cytokine, and hyaluronan production, and thyrotropin receptor expression by orbital fibroblasts. Therefore, the PDGF-pathway has been proposed as a target for pharmacological intervention in GO.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActivation of orbital fibroblasts resulting in excessive proliferation, cytokine and hyaluronan production and differentiation into adipocytes, is a main determinant of orbital tissue inflammation and tissue expansion in Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). During the last years we have shown that the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) isoforms PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB and PDGF-BB are increased in orbital tissue from GO patients with active and inactive disease. These PDGF isoforms exhibit the capacity to stimulate proliferation, hyaluronan and cytokine/chemokine production by orbital fibroblasts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGraefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol
July 2014
Background: Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) remains hard to treat. Excessive orbital fibroblast activation by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB contributes to GO. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) imatinib mesylate and dasatinib both target PDGF-receptor tyrosine kinase activity, albeit with a different potency.
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