Dermal delivery of topically applied oligonucleotides via follicular transport in mouse skin.

Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides formulated in cream preparations are being examined in the clinic as topical therapy for psoriasis. To produce their intended anti-inflammatory effects, these large anionic molecules must penetrate the stratum corneum and reach the living epidermis and dermis. A topically applied phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide targeted to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 recently was shown to modulate cytokine-inducible target gene expression in engrafted human skin.

Topical delivery of anti-sense oligonucleotides using low-frequency sonophoresis.

Purpose: Topical delivery of oligonucleotides, though attractive for the treatment of skin disorders, is limited by the low permeability of the stratum corneum. Herein, we assessed the potential of low-frequency ultrasound (20 kHz, 2.4 W/cm2) in delivering therapeutically significant quantities of anti-sense oligonucleotides into skin.

Activation of aPKC is required for vanadate-induced phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt), but not p70S6k in mouse epidermal JB6 cells.

Vanadium is a metal widely distributed in the environment. Although vanadate-containing compounds exert potent toxic effects on a wide variety of biological systems, the mechanisms by which vanadate mediates adverse effects are not well understood. The present study investigated the vanadate-induced phosphorylation of Akt and p70S6K, two kinases known to be vital for cell survival, growth, transformation, and transition of the cell cycle in mammals.

Induction of neutrophil apoptosis and secondary necrosis during endotoxin-induced pulmonary inflammation in mice.

The present study investigated the relationship between apoptotic and necrotic cell death and their role in pulmonary inflammatory response to endotoxin. Pulmonary administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) caused a rapid increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha and inflammatory cell influx in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids. Control mice showed only resident alveolar macrophages with no apoptosis, whereas LPS-treated mice showed clear apoptosis of BAL cells.