MicroRNA-155 modulates P2R signaling and Th2 priming of dendritic cells during allergic airway inflammation in mice.

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are the professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the lung. They are known to be key players in the induction and maintenance of allergic asthma by cross-linking innate and adaptive immune responses. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to influence cell fate and function by translational suppression or induction of messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation.

Chronic hypoxia impairs extracellular nucleotide metabolism and barrier function in pulmonary artery vasa vasorum endothelial cells.

Vascular remodeling plays a pivotal role in a variety of pathophysiological conditions where hypoxia and inflammation are prominent features. Intravascular ATP, ADP and adenosine are known as important regulators of vascular tone, permeability and homeostasis, however contribution of purinergic signalling to endothelial cell growth and angiogenesis remains poorly understood. By using vasa vasorum endothelial cells (VVEC) isolated from pulmonary artery adventitia of control and chronically hypoxic neonatal calves, these studies were aimed to evaluate the effect of hypoxia on biochemical and functional properties of microvascular endothelial network at the sites of angiogenesis.

Homing-associated molecules CD73 and VAP-1 as targets to prevent harmful inflammations and cancer spread.

Homing-associated molecules are of fundamental importance for proper functioning of our immune system as they direct the cells to sites of inflammation to create an immune response. However, they are also responsible for harmful cell trafficking, which takes place in acute and chronic inflammations as well as in tumor progression and metastatic spread of cancer. Therefore, these molecules are potential targets for developing drugs to prevent harmful inflammation and metastases of cancer.

Clever-1/Stabilin-1 regulates lymphocyte migration within lymphatics and leukocyte entrance to sites of inflammation.

Clever-1/Stabilin-1 is a scavenger receptor present on lymphatic and sinusoidal endothelium as well as on a subset of type II macrophages. It is also induced on vasculature at sites of inflammation. However, its in vivo function has remained practically unknown and this work addresses those unknown aspects.