Intrauterine RAS programming alteration-mediated susceptibility and heritability of temporal lobe epilepsy in male offspring rats induced by prenatal dexamethasone exposure
ARCHIVES OF TOXICOLOGY
Authors: Hu, Shuwei; Yi, Yiwen; Jiang, Tao; Jiao, Zhexiao; Dai, Shiyun; Gong, Xiaohan; Li, Ke; Wang, Hui; Xu, Dan
Abstract
Partial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) has an intrauterine developmental origin. This study was aimed at elucidating the heritable effects and programming mechanism of TLE in offspring rats induced by prenatal dexamethasone exposure (PDE). Pregnant Wistar rats were injected subcutaneously with dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg day) from gestational day 9 to 20. The F1 and F2 generations of male offspring were administered lithium pilocarpine (LiPC) for electroencephalography and video monitoring in epilepsy or behavioral tests. Results showed that the PDE + LiPC group exhibited TLE susceptibility, which continued throughout F2 generation. Expression of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor (GR), CCAAT enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBP alpha), intrauterine renin-angiotensin system (RAS) classical pathway related genes, the H3K27ac level in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) promoter, as well as high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were increased, but glutamate dehydrogenase (GLUD) 1/2 expression were decreased, accompanied by increased glutamate levels in PDE fetal and adult rats, as well as in F1 and F2 offspring of the PDE + LiPC group. These consistent changes were also observed by treating the H19-7 fetal hippocampal cell line with dexamethasone and were reversed by GR inhibitor (RU486) and ACE inhibitor (enalaprilat). Our results confirmed that PDE-induced H3K27ac enrichment in the ACE promoter and enhanced the RAS classic pathway via activating GR-C/EBP alpha-p300 in utero, which caused changes of the HMGB1 pathway and glutamate excitatory damage. Intrauterine programming mediated by abnormal histone modification of hippocampal ACE could continue to adulthood and even F2 generation, which induced the heritability of TLE in male offspring rats.
Alarmins HMGB1, IL-33, S100A7, and S100A12 in Psoriasis Vulgaris
MEDIATORS OF INFLAMMATION
Authors: Borsky, Pavel; Fiala, Zdenek; Andrys, Ctirad; Beranek, Martin; Hamakova, Kvetoslava; Malkova, Andrea; Svadlakova, Tereza; Krejsek, Jan; Palicka, Vladimir; Borska, Lenka; Rehacek, Vit
Abstract
Background. Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic autoimmune disease associated with systemic inflammation. Increased levels of numerous cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and other molecules were found in the skin and in the circulation of psoriatic patients. Alarmins, also known as danger signals, are intracellular proteins, which are released to an extracellular space after infection or damage. They are the markers of cell destructive processes. Objective. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of selected alarmins (HMGB1, IL-33, S100A7, and S100A12) as potential biomarkers of severity of psoriasis and to explore possible relationships between these proteins for the purpose of better understanding their roles in the immunopathology of psoriasis. Methods. The serum levels of selected alarmins were measured in 63 psoriatic patients and 95 control individuals. The levels were assessed by the ELISA technique using commercial kits. The data were statistically processed with MedCalc version 19.0.5. Results. In psoriatic patients, we found significantly increased levels of HMGB1 (p<0.05), IL-33 (p<0.01), S100A7 (p<0.0001), and S100A12 (p<0.0001). In addition, we found a significant relationship between HMGB1 and S100A7 (Spearman's rho=0.276, p<0.05) in the patients and significant relationship between HMGB1 and IL-33 in the controls (Spearman's rho=0.416, p<0.05). We did not find any relationship between observed alarmins and the disease severity. Conclusions. The alarmins HMGB1, IL-33, S100A7, and S100A12 were significantly elevated in the serum of patients, which states the hypothesis that they play specific roles in the immunopathology of psoriasis. However, we have not yet found a relationship between observed alarmins and the disease severity. The discovery of the relationship between HMGB1 and S100A7 is a novelty that should be studied in the future to further clarify its role and importance.