Phosvitins are the principal phosphoproteins in the eggs of oviparous vertebrates. They have an e... more Phosvitins are the principal phosphoproteins in the eggs of oviparous vertebrates. They have an exceptionally high serine content and most, or even all, of the serine residues are esterified to phosphate. The phosphorylated residues tend to occur in uninterrupted runs of as many as 28 phosphoserines (as inXenopus phosvitin). This unique structural feature gives phosvitins extraordinary properties and can be
Activation of histamine H1 receptor (H1R) is a well-known hallmark of allergic and inflammatory p... more Activation of histamine H1 receptor (H1R) is a well-known hallmark of allergic and inflammatory pathology. Both types of bradykinin receptors (B1R and B2R) are also known to contribute significantly to the latter and some sort of functional interaction between them and H1R has been alluded to in the past. Here we use an experimental model of rat paw oedema formation to examine the effect of exogenously added histamine on the gene expression of H1R and bradykinin receptors B1R and B2R, alone or in combination to rupatadine, a second generation antihistamine agent. Histamine-induced oedema formation was monitored with a plethysmometer. The gene expression of H1R, B1R and B2R was analyzed with both conventional and real-time PCR. Rupatadine fumarate was used in pure form and administered intraperitoneally, prior to histamine injection into the paw. Microscopy of haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of paw tissue was used to examine effects on tissue architecture. Histamine injection...
To study possible ocular surface and lacrimal drainage changes in women being on adjuvant chemoth... more To study possible ocular surface and lacrimal drainage changes in women being on adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-Fluorouracil 600 mg/m2, Epirubicin 60-90 mg/m(2), Cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2) (FEC) regimen for breast cancer. Sixty one consecutive women with early stage breast cancer (median age 58 years - interquartile range 22) were included in this study. They all underwent mastectomy followed by 6 cycles of tri-weekly administration of FEC regimen and were free of ocular surface, eyelid and tear film symptomatic disease at baseline. None of them had pre- or coexisting treatment with other chemotherapeutic agent or radiotherapy. Slit lamp examination of the ocular surface, Schirmer test I (without topical anesthesia) and tears Break up Time test (BUT) were performed before the initiation of treatment and immediately after the third therapeutic cycle. From 61 women 39.34% had significant conjunctival hyperemia, 41.0% lid margin abnormalities, 4.92% blepharitis, 6.56% madarosis, 3.28% ...
Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
Pulpitis is a typical inflammatory disease of dental pulp, characterized by the local accumulatio... more Pulpitis is a typical inflammatory disease of dental pulp, characterized by the local accumulation of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines and chemokines. In addition to serving as intercellular messengers mediating the inflammatory response, cytokines and chemokines induce the expression and stimulate the activity of molecular and cellular agents which participate actively in destructive and reparative processes in the pulp. It is the balance between these processes which eventually determines the extent of pulp inflammation and the viability of the affected tooth. Over the last decade, a number of studies have attempted to correlate cytokine gene expression in the pulp with various stages of inflammation, with possible diagnostic applications in mind. A small survey of relevant information is presented in this paper.
ABSTRACT Cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) is responsible for the initial biotransformation of profol,... more ABSTRACT Cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) is responsible for the initial biotransformation of profol, an extensively metabolized intravenous anesthetic. In this study we examined the effect of the apparently functional CYP2B6 c.516G>T polymorphism on the distribution of propofol concentrations, quantified by GC/MS analysis following a single bolus dose, in the blood of 44 Greek women undergoing oocyte retrieval. Univariate analysis using age, height, weight and smoking status as covariates, as well as the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test, revealed a strong trend of association of the T allele with high propofol concentrations determined in whole blood, shortly after a single bolus dose. Propofol concentrations which were higher than one standard deviation of the mean were almost invariably associated with carriage of the T allele.
Phosvitins are extensively phosphorylated serine-rich proteins that are derived from a large hepa... more Phosvitins are extensively phosphorylated serine-rich proteins that are derived from a large hepatic phosphoglycolipoprotein, vitellogenin, and are deposited, after suitable processing, in the eggs of oviparous vertebrates. Despite their widespread occurrence and apparent importance for early embryonic development, very few phosvitins have been sequenced thus far, including no teleost protein. We used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-assisted approach to isolate a vitellogenin cDNA clone, complementary to mRNA synthesized in the liver of estrogen-treated rainbow trout. This clone contains a sequence that corresponds to the composition of a phosvitin previously characterized in our laboratory. The amino terminus was identified by amino acid sequencing of the protein. The carboxyl terminus was inferred from homology with other phosvitin-specific sequences from chicken, Xenopus, and lamprey. Trout phosvitin appears to be a small, 53-residue-long protein displaying the long runs of serines that are characteristic of all phosvitins described so far.
To study the effect of acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight in vivo, on the integ... more To study the effect of acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight in vivo, on the integrity of corneal and conjunctival tissue as well as on the gene expression of the receptor for platelet activating factor (PAFR). New Zealand albino rabbits were immobilized opposite a 300 W Osram Ultra-Vitalux® light bulb with an emission radiation spectrum similar to that of normal sunlight at noon, and exposed to ultraviolet B radiation in the range of the reported threshold for corneal damage. Corneal and third eyelid tissue samples were removed from exposed eyes at 2, 6 and 24 h following the end of the exposure to the bulb light and were subsequently processed for histochemical staining and RNA extraction. The gene expression of PAFR was detected with real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Some epithelial shedding was detected in the corneal tissue as a result of acute exposure to artificial sunlight. In the eyelid conjunctiva, a marked accumulation of eosinophils was noticed, as early as 2 h post-exposure, apparently directed toward the upper part of the epithelial layer. This effect appears to subside by hour 24. No statistically significant changes in gene expression were detected in the corneal tissue, whereas in the third eyelid, PAFR gene expression was significantly induced, most prominently at t = 2 and 6 h post-exposure. Acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight induced a marked infiltration of eosinophils into the epithelial layer of the conjunctiva but no gross alterations in the cornea or the third eyelid. The gene expression of PAFR was upregulated, as an effect of light exposure, in the third eyelid but not in the cornea.
ABSTRACT Purpose Acute exposure of ocular and periocular tissues to natural or artificial light c... more ABSTRACT Purpose Acute exposure of ocular and periocular tissues to natural or artificial light can induce inflammatory responses, attributed mainly to the UVB range of the spectrum. In this study, we have used a model of acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight, to study possible alterations in the architecture of corneal and conjunctival tissue as well as in the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and platelet activating factor (PAFR) in these tissues. Methods New Zealand albino rabbits were immobilized opposite a 300W light bulb and exposed for 30 min to an equivalent of 7,500 Jm-1 of UVB irradiation, in the range of the reported threshold for corneal damage. Corneal and conjunctival tissue samples were removed from exposed eyes at 2, 6 and 24 hours following the end of the exposure to the bulb light, and were subsequently processed for histochemical staining or RNA extraction. The gene expression of TNF and PAFR was monitored with RT-PCR. Results Histopathological examination revealed minor changes in the corneal architecture. A distinctive eosinophilic infiltration was observed, as early as 2 hrs post-exposure, in the conjunctiva of the third eyelid, both in the epithelial layer and the basal lamina, which had apparently subsided by t = 24 hrs. The gene expression of TNF and PAFR was monitored with RT-PCR. Conclusion Acute exposure to artificial sunlight caused a marked accumulation of eosinophils in rabbit conjunctival epithelium but only minor changes in the corneal epithelium. Neither TNF nor PAFR gene expression was affected appreciably
Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, 2006
Blood transfusions have been shown in the past to compromise wound healing in experimental models... more Blood transfusions have been shown in the past to compromise wound healing in experimental models of colonic anastomosis. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) has been proposed to play a major role in the process of colonic wound healing, and its expression is believed to be modulated by interleukin-2 (IL2). According to an earlier report, the postoperative administration of the histamine receptor-2 antagonist ranitidine increases the blood levels of soluble IL2 receptor in humans undergoing abdominal surgery and could thus affect molecular determinants of colonic anastomosis. In this study we examined the effect of blood transfusions, with and without ranitidine administration, on the gene expression of TGFbeta(1) and the specificity-conveying alpha subunit of the receptor for IL2, in rat perianastomotic tissue. Analysis of gene expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed a tendency for downregulation of both genes, albeit in a statistically nonsignificant manner. This effect was not prevented by the postoperative administration of ranitidine. On the other hand, there appears to be a significant correlation between expression of TGFbeta(1) and that of IL2 receptor alpha subunit, irrespective of treatment.
There is mounting evidence that tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is involved in the early phase of in... more There is mounting evidence that tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is involved in the early phase of inflammatory response, but its relation to histamine action is unclear. In this study we examined the effect of drugs interfering with TNF expression (thalidomide) and activity (infliximab) and compared it to that of a H1R histamine receptor antagonist (loratadine) in a model of histamine-induced
Phosvitins are the principal phosphoproteins in the eggs of oviparous vertebrates. They have an e... more Phosvitins are the principal phosphoproteins in the eggs of oviparous vertebrates. They have an exceptionally high serine content and most, or even all, of the serine residues are esterified to phosphate. The phosphorylated residues tend to occur in uninterrupted runs of as many as 28 phosphoserines (as inXenopus phosvitin). This unique structural feature gives phosvitins extraordinary properties and can be
Activation of histamine H1 receptor (H1R) is a well-known hallmark of allergic and inflammatory p... more Activation of histamine H1 receptor (H1R) is a well-known hallmark of allergic and inflammatory pathology. Both types of bradykinin receptors (B1R and B2R) are also known to contribute significantly to the latter and some sort of functional interaction between them and H1R has been alluded to in the past. Here we use an experimental model of rat paw oedema formation to examine the effect of exogenously added histamine on the gene expression of H1R and bradykinin receptors B1R and B2R, alone or in combination to rupatadine, a second generation antihistamine agent. Histamine-induced oedema formation was monitored with a plethysmometer. The gene expression of H1R, B1R and B2R was analyzed with both conventional and real-time PCR. Rupatadine fumarate was used in pure form and administered intraperitoneally, prior to histamine injection into the paw. Microscopy of haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of paw tissue was used to examine effects on tissue architecture. Histamine injection...
To study possible ocular surface and lacrimal drainage changes in women being on adjuvant chemoth... more To study possible ocular surface and lacrimal drainage changes in women being on adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-Fluorouracil 600 mg/m2, Epirubicin 60-90 mg/m(2), Cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2) (FEC) regimen for breast cancer. Sixty one consecutive women with early stage breast cancer (median age 58 years - interquartile range 22) were included in this study. They all underwent mastectomy followed by 6 cycles of tri-weekly administration of FEC regimen and were free of ocular surface, eyelid and tear film symptomatic disease at baseline. None of them had pre- or coexisting treatment with other chemotherapeutic agent or radiotherapy. Slit lamp examination of the ocular surface, Schirmer test I (without topical anesthesia) and tears Break up Time test (BUT) were performed before the initiation of treatment and immediately after the third therapeutic cycle. From 61 women 39.34% had significant conjunctival hyperemia, 41.0% lid margin abnormalities, 4.92% blepharitis, 6.56% madarosis, 3.28% ...
Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
Pulpitis is a typical inflammatory disease of dental pulp, characterized by the local accumulatio... more Pulpitis is a typical inflammatory disease of dental pulp, characterized by the local accumulation of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines and chemokines. In addition to serving as intercellular messengers mediating the inflammatory response, cytokines and chemokines induce the expression and stimulate the activity of molecular and cellular agents which participate actively in destructive and reparative processes in the pulp. It is the balance between these processes which eventually determines the extent of pulp inflammation and the viability of the affected tooth. Over the last decade, a number of studies have attempted to correlate cytokine gene expression in the pulp with various stages of inflammation, with possible diagnostic applications in mind. A small survey of relevant information is presented in this paper.
ABSTRACT Cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) is responsible for the initial biotransformation of profol,... more ABSTRACT Cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) is responsible for the initial biotransformation of profol, an extensively metabolized intravenous anesthetic. In this study we examined the effect of the apparently functional CYP2B6 c.516G>T polymorphism on the distribution of propofol concentrations, quantified by GC/MS analysis following a single bolus dose, in the blood of 44 Greek women undergoing oocyte retrieval. Univariate analysis using age, height, weight and smoking status as covariates, as well as the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test, revealed a strong trend of association of the T allele with high propofol concentrations determined in whole blood, shortly after a single bolus dose. Propofol concentrations which were higher than one standard deviation of the mean were almost invariably associated with carriage of the T allele.
Phosvitins are extensively phosphorylated serine-rich proteins that are derived from a large hepa... more Phosvitins are extensively phosphorylated serine-rich proteins that are derived from a large hepatic phosphoglycolipoprotein, vitellogenin, and are deposited, after suitable processing, in the eggs of oviparous vertebrates. Despite their widespread occurrence and apparent importance for early embryonic development, very few phosvitins have been sequenced thus far, including no teleost protein. We used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-assisted approach to isolate a vitellogenin cDNA clone, complementary to mRNA synthesized in the liver of estrogen-treated rainbow trout. This clone contains a sequence that corresponds to the composition of a phosvitin previously characterized in our laboratory. The amino terminus was identified by amino acid sequencing of the protein. The carboxyl terminus was inferred from homology with other phosvitin-specific sequences from chicken, Xenopus, and lamprey. Trout phosvitin appears to be a small, 53-residue-long protein displaying the long runs of serines that are characteristic of all phosvitins described so far.
To study the effect of acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight in vivo, on the integ... more To study the effect of acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight in vivo, on the integrity of corneal and conjunctival tissue as well as on the gene expression of the receptor for platelet activating factor (PAFR). New Zealand albino rabbits were immobilized opposite a 300 W Osram Ultra-Vitalux® light bulb with an emission radiation spectrum similar to that of normal sunlight at noon, and exposed to ultraviolet B radiation in the range of the reported threshold for corneal damage. Corneal and third eyelid tissue samples were removed from exposed eyes at 2, 6 and 24 h following the end of the exposure to the bulb light and were subsequently processed for histochemical staining and RNA extraction. The gene expression of PAFR was detected with real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Some epithelial shedding was detected in the corneal tissue as a result of acute exposure to artificial sunlight. In the eyelid conjunctiva, a marked accumulation of eosinophils was noticed, as early as 2 h post-exposure, apparently directed toward the upper part of the epithelial layer. This effect appears to subside by hour 24. No statistically significant changes in gene expression were detected in the corneal tissue, whereas in the third eyelid, PAFR gene expression was significantly induced, most prominently at t = 2 and 6 h post-exposure. Acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight induced a marked infiltration of eosinophils into the epithelial layer of the conjunctiva but no gross alterations in the cornea or the third eyelid. The gene expression of PAFR was upregulated, as an effect of light exposure, in the third eyelid but not in the cornea.
ABSTRACT Purpose Acute exposure of ocular and periocular tissues to natural or artificial light c... more ABSTRACT Purpose Acute exposure of ocular and periocular tissues to natural or artificial light can induce inflammatory responses, attributed mainly to the UVB range of the spectrum. In this study, we have used a model of acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight, to study possible alterations in the architecture of corneal and conjunctival tissue as well as in the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and platelet activating factor (PAFR) in these tissues. Methods New Zealand albino rabbits were immobilized opposite a 300W light bulb and exposed for 30 min to an equivalent of 7,500 Jm-1 of UVB irradiation, in the range of the reported threshold for corneal damage. Corneal and conjunctival tissue samples were removed from exposed eyes at 2, 6 and 24 hours following the end of the exposure to the bulb light, and were subsequently processed for histochemical staining or RNA extraction. The gene expression of TNF and PAFR was monitored with RT-PCR. Results Histopathological examination revealed minor changes in the corneal architecture. A distinctive eosinophilic infiltration was observed, as early as 2 hrs post-exposure, in the conjunctiva of the third eyelid, both in the epithelial layer and the basal lamina, which had apparently subsided by t = 24 hrs. The gene expression of TNF and PAFR was monitored with RT-PCR. Conclusion Acute exposure to artificial sunlight caused a marked accumulation of eosinophils in rabbit conjunctival epithelium but only minor changes in the corneal epithelium. Neither TNF nor PAFR gene expression was affected appreciably
Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, 2006
Blood transfusions have been shown in the past to compromise wound healing in experimental models... more Blood transfusions have been shown in the past to compromise wound healing in experimental models of colonic anastomosis. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) has been proposed to play a major role in the process of colonic wound healing, and its expression is believed to be modulated by interleukin-2 (IL2). According to an earlier report, the postoperative administration of the histamine receptor-2 antagonist ranitidine increases the blood levels of soluble IL2 receptor in humans undergoing abdominal surgery and could thus affect molecular determinants of colonic anastomosis. In this study we examined the effect of blood transfusions, with and without ranitidine administration, on the gene expression of TGFbeta(1) and the specificity-conveying alpha subunit of the receptor for IL2, in rat perianastomotic tissue. Analysis of gene expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed a tendency for downregulation of both genes, albeit in a statistically nonsignificant manner. This effect was not prevented by the postoperative administration of ranitidine. On the other hand, there appears to be a significant correlation between expression of TGFbeta(1) and that of IL2 receptor alpha subunit, irrespective of treatment.
There is mounting evidence that tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is involved in the early phase of in... more There is mounting evidence that tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is involved in the early phase of inflammatory response, but its relation to histamine action is unclear. In this study we examined the effect of drugs interfering with TNF expression (thalidomide) and activity (infliximab) and compared it to that of a H1R histamine receptor antagonist (loratadine) in a model of histamine-induced
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