Oxidative damage in alveolar macrophages exposed to cigarette smoke extract and participation of nitric oxide in redox balance.

Nitric oxide (NO) acts in both pathological and biological processes. We investigated the role of NO in the regulation of cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress in rat alveolar macrophages (RAM). RAM collected from Wistar rats were cultured in 5% concentration cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for 1h.

Anti-inflammatory effects of LASSBio-998, a new drug candidate designed to be a p38 MAPK inhibitor, in an experimental model of acute lung inflammation.

We investigated the effects of LASSBio-998 (L-998), a compound designed to be a p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) inhibitor, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung inflammation in vivo. BALB/c mice were challenged with aerosolized LPS inhalation (0.5 mg/ml) 4 h after oral administration of L-998.

In vivo anti-inflammatory action of eugenol on lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury.

Eugenol, a methoxyphenol component of clove oil, suppresses cyclooxygenase-2 expression, while eugenol dimers prevent nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation and inflammatory cytokine expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. Our aim was to examine the in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of eugenol. BALB/c mice were divided into four groups.

Aspirin and indomethacin reduce lung inflammation of mice exposed to cigarette smoke.

Neutrophil accumulation response to cigarette smoke (CS) in humans and animal models is believed to play an important role in pathogenesis of many tobacco-related lung diseases. Here we evaluated the lung anti-inflammatory effect of aspirin and indomethacin in mice exposed to CS. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to four cigarettes per day during 4 days and were treated i.

Inhibition of B cell development by kalanchosine dimalate.

Kalanchoe brasiliensis (Kb) is a medicinal plant from the Crassulaceae family, used in folk medicine to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases. Here we show that short-term treatment of mice with a highly purified compound named kalanchosine dimalate (KMC), obtained from Kb, led to a strong and selective inhibition of B cell development in the bone marrow, without affecting the myeloid lineage development. Numbers of mature B lymphocytes in bone marrow or peripheral lymphoid organs were preserved in KMC treated mice.

Mate tea reduced acute lung inflammation in mice exposed to cigarette smoke.

Objective: Short-term cigarette smoke exposure has been associated with acute lung inflammation (ALI) and oxidative damage. We studied mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis infusion) as a possible nutritional resource for ALI.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice (n = 30) were administered with mate tea orally (150 mg/kg, CSMO), mate tea intraperitonially (150 mg/kg, CSMIP), or the vehicle (CS) and then exposed to cigarette smoke for 5 d (six cigarettes per day).

Selective blockade of lymphopoiesis induced by kalanchosine dimalate: inhibition of IL-7-dependent proliferation.

Lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis continuously generate mature cells from hematopoietic cell progenitors during the lifetime of the organism. The identification of new endogenous or exogenous substances that can act specifically on the differentiation of distinct cell lineages is of relevance and has potential therapeutical use. Kalanchoe brasiliensis (Kb) is a medicinal plant from the Crassulaceae family, used in folk medicine to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-dependent proinflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of the glycoinositolphospholipid (GIPL) from Trypanosoma cruzi.

We have demonstrated recently that the glycoinositolphospholipid (GIPL) molecule from the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is a TLR4 agonist with proinflammatory effects. Here, we show that GIPL-induced neutrophil recruitment into the peritoneal cavity is mediated by at least two pathways: one, where IL-1beta acts downstream of TNF-alpha, and a second, which is IL-1beta- and TNFRI-independent. Moreover, NKT cells participate in this proinflammatory cascade, as in GIPL-treated CD1d(-/-) mice, TNF-alpha and MIP-2 levels are reduced significantly.

Lysophosphatidylcholine produced by the phospholipase A2 isolated from Lachesis muta snake venom modulates natural killer activity as a protein kinase C effector.

We have showed that a phospholipase A(2) isolated from Lachesis muta snake venom, denoted LM-PLA(2)-I, had some biological effects. Here, we examined its effects on lymphocytes. Pre-incubation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes with LM-PLA(2)-I plus phosphatidylcholine (PC) stimulated the natural killer (NK) activity.

Nitric oxide levels and the severity of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

In this study, we evaluate the distribution of nitric oxide (NO) in the serum of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients, correlating it with parameters of the severity of the disease. Ninety-seven patients with mean age 11.7 years and disease duration 4.

Light cigarette smoke-induced emphysema and NFkappaB activation in mouse lung.

Light cigarette (LC) exposure is supposed to be less hazardous with a decreased incidence of cancer and tobacco-associated diseases. C57BL/6 mouse groups were subjected to smoke from 3, 6 or 12 LC for 60 days and compared with mice exposed to ambient air (EAA) in order to study lung injury by morphometrical and biochemical methods. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) analysis and histology and stereology were performed.

Kalanchosine dimalate, an anti-inflammatory salt from Kalanchoe brasiliensis.

This report describes the isolation and characterization of kalanchosine dimalate (KMC), an anti-inflammatory salt from the fresh juice of the aerial parts of Kalanchoe brasiliensis. KMC comprises the new metabolite kalanchosine (1) and malic acid (2) in a 1:2 stoichiometric ratio. Kalanchosine (1), 3,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxyoctanedioic acid, is the first naturally occurring dimeric bis(gamma-hydroxy-beta-amino acid) and is at least partially responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of K.

C-glycosylflavones from the aerial parts of Eleusine indica inhibit LPS-induced mouse lung inflammation.

The infusion of aerial parts (EI) of Eleusine indica Gaertn (Poaceae) is used in Brazil against airway inflammatory processes like influenza and pneumonia. Pre-treatment with 400 mg/kg of crude extract inhibited 98% of lung neutrophil recruitment in mice exposed to aerosols of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria, in a dose-dependent manner. At 400 microg/kg, schaftoside (6-C-beta-glucopyranosyl-8-C-alpha-arabinopyranosylapigenin) and vitexin (8-C-beta-glucopyranosylapigenin), isolated from EI, inhibited 62% and 80% of lung neutrophil influx, respectively.

Design, synthesis and antiinflammatory activity of novel phthalimide derivatives, structurally related to thalidomide.

As part of an ongoing effort to develop new thalidomide analogues as antiinflammatory lead-candidates, this paper describes the synthesis and antiinflammatory activity of novel N-phenyl-phthalimide functionalized derivatives (4a-d, 5a,b, 6a,b). The target compounds were assayed in an acute lung inflammatory model and all compounds were able to inhibit TNF-alpha production and subsequent neutrophil recruitment in the LPS-acute lung inflammatory model.

Mechanisms of increased survival after lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxic shock in mice consuming olive oil-enriched diet.

We examined the impact of dietary fatty acid intake on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxic shock. C57Bl/6J mice were fed for 6 weeks with a commercial laboratory chow (CC) or with test chows containing 7% (w/w) canola oil (CO), sesame oil (SeO), soybean oil (SO), or virgin olive oil (OO). The increase in body weight and energy consumption were similar for all diets tested.

Inhibition of interleukin-1beta reduces mouse lung inflammation induced by exposure to cigarette smoke.

We examined nuclear factor kappaB activation, release of inflammatory mediators and cellular infiltration in acute cigarette smoke inflammation models. One hour after exposure to one puff of cigarette smoke, alveolar macrophages from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of C57BL/6J mice showed an increased activity of nuclear factor kappaB-DNA binding but similar numbers as compared to that of BAL fluid from mice exposed to ambient air. Exposure to 1 cigarette/day for 1, 4 or 7 days led to an increase in interleukin-1beta and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels and to a progressive influx of nuclear factor kappaB-activated alveolar macrophages into the BAL fluid and lung tissue.