Andrew E. Strong¹, Anne-Christine Thierry², Pascal Cousin³, Corinne Moulon⁴, Stéphane Demotz⁵

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 49-59, 2006

Abstract Chemokines constitute a protein family that exhibit a variety of biological activities involved in normal and pathological physiological processes. CCL11 (eotaxin), CCL19 (MIP-3b), CCL22 (MDC), CXCL11 (I-TAC) and CXCL12 (SDF-1a) chemokines, modified with the Alexa Fluor^® 647 fluorescent dye at specific positions along their sequence, were produced by a chemical route and their biological activities were characterized. In a migration assay, fluorescent chemokines were as biologically active as the unmodified forms. All labeled chemokines specifically stained cell lines transfected with the appropriate human chemokine receptors. The specificity of binding was further established by showing that the… More >

Franca Cattani¹, Anatolia Gallese¹, Marco Mosca¹, Pasquale Buanne¹, Leda Biordi², Sandro Francavilla³, Gino Coletti⁴, Luigi Pellegrini¹, Gabriella Melillo¹, Riccardo Bertini^1,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 42-48, 2006

Abstract The recruitment of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMN) into a challenge site, and their subsequent activation, are thought to play a role in the elicitation of the contact hypersensitivity (CHS) response. The present study investigated the role played by CXCR2 activity in tissue PMN infiltration and subsequent triggering of CHS. Our results show that the cutaneous infiltration by PMN, induced by hapten challenge was dramatically inhibited in sensitized, CXCR2-deficient (CXCR2^-/-) mice. Inhibition of PMN recruitment into the hapten-challenged ears of CXCR2^-/- mice was associated with a consistent reduction of the CHS response (ear swelling) in CXCR2^-/- mice as… More >

Angela Garau¹, Riccardo Bertini², Marco Mosca², Cinzia Bizzarri², Roberto Anacardio², Sara Triulzi¹, Marcello Allegretti², Pietro Ghezzi¹, Pia Villa^1,3

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 35-41, 2006

Abstract The chemokine receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2 present on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), bind the chemokine CXC ligand 8 (CXCL8)/interleukin-8 (IL-8), and have a key role in PMN recruitment in inflammation. Based on the structure of reparixin, a small-molecular-weight allosteric inhibitor of CXCR1, we designed a dual inhibitor of CXCR1 and CXCR2 with a longer in vivo half-life, DF2156A. This molecule inhibited human and rat PMN migration in response to CXCR1 and CXCR2 ligands and showed an elimination half-life following i.v. administration, of 19 hours. In a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion induced by temporary (90 min) More >

Chantal A. A. Van der Graaf^1,2, Mihai G. Netea^1,2, Servaas A. Morré³, Martin Den Heijer⁴, Paul E. Verweij^2,5, Jos W. M. Van der Meer^1,2, Bart Jan Kullberg^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 29-34, 2006

Abstract Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 is an important pattern recognition receptor for Candida albicans, playing a role in innate host defense. We investigated whether there is an association between the TLR4 Asp299Gly or TLR4 Thr399Ile polymorphism, and the occurrence of Candida bloodstream infection. We performed a case-control study, involving 43 patients with a Candida bloodstream infection and 166 healthy individuals. TLR4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms were assessed, as well as cytokine production after stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with Candida albicans. We observed that the prevalence of TLR4 Asp299Gly polymorphism was found to be higher in patients with Candida… More >

Elena Westphal^1,*, Mona Herzberg^2,*, Ingo Neumann^1,**, Li Beibei¹, Claudia Pilowski¹, Chen Li¹, Karl Werdan¹, Harald Loppnow^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 19-28, 2006

Abstract Inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), may be involved in the local inflammation occurring in the vessel wall. Vascular smooth muscle cells express the unprocessed IL-1β precursor molecule. Invading leukocytes, such as monocytes or polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) may activate the IL-1β precursor during atherogenesis. Thus, we investigated the capacity of PMN to process IL-1β and IL-18 precursors. Processing was analyzed using Western blot and bioassay for IL-1-activity was performed. As few as 80 to 400 PMN/mL detectably processed preIL-1β. PMN also cleaved the caspase-1 substrate preIL-18. The preIL-1β and… More >

Stéphane Potteaux¹, Virginie Deleuze², Régine Merval¹, Michel F. Bureau^2,3, Bruno Esposito¹, Daniel Scherman^2,3, Alain Tedgui¹, Ziad Mallat¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 13-18, 2006

Abstract Objectives. Interleukin (IL)-10 has anti-atherogenic properties. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in IL-10 protection against atherosclerosis in vivo remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined the effect of IL-10 cDNA in vivo electrotransfer on diet-induced, endothelial activation. Methods. C57BL/6J mice were fed an atherogenic diet for 10 days. Expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 was examined in the aortic sinus, a region predisposed to atherogenesis in mice, using immunohistochemistry. NF-κB activation was examined using a monoclonal antibody that selectively reacts with the activated form of the p65 subunit. Results. We detected a low basal expression More >

Jean-Philippe Bastard¹, Mustapha Maachi¹, Claire Lagathu¹, Min Ji Kim¹, Martine Caron¹, Hubert Vidal², Jacqueline Capeau¹, Bruno Feve³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 4-12, 2006

Abstract It now appears that, in most obese patients, obesity is associated with a low-grade inflammation of white adipose tissue (WAT) resulting from chronic activation of the innate immune system and which can subsequently lead to insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and even diabetes. WAT is the physiological site of energy storage as lipids. In addition, it has been more recently recognized as an active participant in numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes. In obesity, WAT is characterized by an increased production and secretion of a wide range of inflammatory molecules including TNF-α and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which… More >

Didier Fradelizi, Jacques Bertoglio, Vincent Praloran, Mireille Viguier

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.2, pp. 143-143, 2006

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

Thomas Makris, Georgios Stavroulakis, Demetrios Papadopoulos, Ioannis Paizis, Panagiota Krespi, Caterina Tsoukala, Antonios Hatzizacharias, Vasilios Votteas

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.2, pp. 137-141, 2006

Abstract White coat hypertension (WCH) or isolated clinic hypertension is generally accepted to be a benign condition, although some reports have suggested that it may be associated with an increased cardiovascular event rate or other cardiovascular alterations. It has been previously shown that essential hypertension (EH) is associated with abnormalities in haemostatic/fibrinolytic balance and endothelial function. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of WCH on fibrinolytic balance and endothelial function by measuring plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator antigen (tPA), fibrinogen, and thrombomodulin. These markers were determined in More >

Carita Eklund¹, Arja Nenonen^2,3,4, Katriina Kukkonen-Harjula³, Patrik Borg³, Mikael Fogelholm^3,5, Seppo Laine⁶, Heini Huhtala⁷, Terho Lehtimäki⁴, Mikko Hurme^1,8

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.2, pp. 131-135, 2006

Abstract Elevated plasma concentration of C-reactive protein has emerged as an important predictor of future cardiovascular diseases and metabolic abnormalities in apparently healthy individuals. Obese individuals tend to have elevated C-reactive protein concentrations. Weight loss induces a change in this protein, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in regulating genes might affect this change, since C-reactive protein concentration is known to be approximately 40-50% heritable. Our aim was to study the association between the IL6 -174(G/C), IL1B +3954(C/T) and CRP +1059(G/C) single nucleotide polymorphisms, and CRP concentrations in obese men during a weight reduction program. We genotyped 72… More >