Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a life-threatening autoimmune disease characterized by widespread fibrosis in the skin and several internal organs. Nudix Hydrolase 21 (NUDT2 or CFIm25) downregulation in fibroblasts is known to play detrimental roles in both skin and lung fibrosis. This study aims to investigate the upstream mechanisms that lead to NUDT21 repression in skin fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious studies implicate extracellular adenosine signaling in attenuating myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI). This extracellular adenosine signaling is terminated by its uptake into cells by equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs). Thus, we hypothesized that targeting ENTs would function to increase cardiac adenosine signaling and concomitant cardioprotection against IRI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProbiotic Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (DSM 17938) prolongs the survival of Treg-deficient scurfy (SF) mice and reduces multiorgan inflammation by a process requiring adenosine receptor 2A (A) on T cells. We hypothesized that L. reuteri-derived ecto-5'-nucleotidase (ecto-5'NT) activity acts to generate adenosine, which may be a central mediator for L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProbiotic DSM 17938 (DSM 17938) prolonges the survival of Treg-deficient scurfy (SF) mice and reduces multiorgan inflammation by a process requiring adenosine receptor 2A (A ) on T cells. We hypothesized that -derived ecto-5'-nucleotidase (ecto-5'NT) activity acts to generate adenosine, which may be a central mediator for protection in SF mice. We evaluated DSM 17938-5'NT activity and the associated adenosine and inosine levels in plasma, gut and liver of SF mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFibrosis of the skin and internal organs is a hallmark of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Although the pathogenesis of SSc is poorly understood, increasing evidence suggests that interleukins (IL)-4 and - 13 contribute to the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis by promoting collagen production and myofibroblast differentiation. Signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT6) is one of the most important downstream transcription factors activated by both IL-4 and IL-13.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Oncol
September 2022
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma presents a 5-year overall survival rate of 11%, placing an imperative need for the discovery and application of innovative treatments. Radiofrequency ablation represents a promising therapy for PDA, as studies show it induces coagulative necrosis and a host adaptive immune response. In this work we evaluated the effects of RFA treatment by establishing a syngeneic mouse model of PDA and performing tumor ablation in one flank.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite increasing availability and more successful interventional approaches to restore coronary reperfusion, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. During myocardial ischemia, the myocardium becomes profoundly hypoxic, thus causing stabilization of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF). Stabilization of HIF leads to a transcriptional program that promotes adaptation to hypoxia and cellular survival.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious studies implicated the neuronal guidance molecule netrin-1 in attenuating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, the tissue-specific sources and receptor signaling events remain elusive. Neutrophils are among the first cells responding to an ischemic insult and can be associated with tissue injury or rescue.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntestinal epithelial barrier repair is vital for remission in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Extracellular adenosine signaling has been implicated in promoting restoration of epithelial barrier function. Currently, no clinically approved agents target this pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSevere acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) presents typically with an initializing event, followed by the need for mechanical ventilation. Most animal models of ALI are limited by the fact that they focus on a singular cause of acute lung injury (ALI) and therefore fail to mimic the complex, multifactorial pathobiology of ARDS. To better capture this scenario, we provide a comprehensive characterization of models of ALI combining two injuries: intra tracheal (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a deadly chronic lung disease. Extracellular accumulation of adenosine and subsequent activation of the ADORA2B receptor play important roles in regulating inflammation and fibrosis in IPF. Additionally, alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs) expressing ADORA2B have been implicated in mediating adenosine's effects in IPF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine the clinical correlates and survival in patients with antifibrillarin antibodies (AFA) in a large international study population consisting of well-characterized systemic sclerosis (SSc) cohorts from Canada, Australia, and the United States.
Methods: Baseline clinical data from the prospective cohorts (Canadian Scleroderma Research Group, the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study, and the American Genetics versus Environment in Scleroderma Outcome Study) were investigated. Clinical variables were harmonized and sera were tested for AFA using a commercially available SSc profile line immunoassay, regardless of the immunofluorescence staining pattern.