Many inflammatory diseases are characterized by an imbalance among lymphocyte populations, in particular Th1, Th2 and the recently described Th17 cells. The Th1/Th2 imbalance is linked to many factors, but certainly the role of cytokines is essential.In Th2 diseases IL-4 expression is predominant, while Th1 pathologies are characterized by high expression of IFN-γ and IL-12. Though today the therapeutical proposal for many inflammatory diseases aims to re-establish normal levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines, the pharmacological use of cytokines, which are very active molecules, is limited by the possible collateral effects. Therefore, our study aims to determine, in a murine model of allergic asthma, the possible therapeutic activity of low dose cytokines solutions, mechanically activated. We found that oral administration of low doses IL-12 plus IFN-γ is able to solve the bronchial hyperresponsiveness condition of mice, establishing normal cytokine levels. The anti-asthma activity was confirmed by histological analysis of lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell count. Serum ovalbumin-specific IgE was also significantly inhibited by treatment with low-dose activated cytokines solution. These findings may suggest a novel approach to diseases which involve a Th1/Th2 imbalance.

The innate immune system is present throughout the female reproductive tract and functions in synchrony with the adaptive immune system to provide protection in a way that enhances the chances for fetal survival, while protecting against potential pathogens. Recent data show that activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and 4 by low-molecular weight hyaluronic acid (LMW-HA) in the epidermis induces secretion of the antimicrobial peptide b-defensin 2. In the present work, we show that LMW-HA induces vaginal epithelial cells to release different antimicrobial peptides, via activation of TLR2 and TLR4. Further, we found that LMW-HA favors repair of vaginal epithelial injury, involving TLR2 and TLR4, and independently from its classical receptor CD44. This wound-healing activity of LMW-HA is dependent from an Akt/phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase pathway. Therefore, these findings suggest that the vaginal epithelium is more than a simple physical barrier to protect against invading pathogens: on the contrary, this surface acts as efficient player of innate host defense, which may modulate its antimicrobial properties and injury restitution activity, following LMW-HA stimulation; this activity may furnish an additional protective activity to this body compartment, highly and constantly exposed to microbiota, ameliorating the self-defense of the vaginal epithelium in both basal and pathological conditions.

BackgroundTo elucidate the effects of a solution containing interleukin-10 and anti-IL-1 antibody in modulating experimental intestinal inflammation.MethodsColitis was induced in BALB/c mice by oral administration of dextran sodium sulphate; mice were then treated with interleukin-10 plus anti-IL-1 antibody at low dosage. Transepithelial electrical resistance of isolated mouse colon and colon lengths were evaluated. Cytokines concentrations in organocultures supernatants and plasma samples were evaluated by Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay. Tight junction proteins were evaluated by immunofluorescence, respectively.ResultsOral administration of tested products restores intestinal barrier function during experimental intestinal inflammation in association with reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines, increased interleukin-10 plasma concentrations and a tight junction architecture restoration.ConclusionObtained results may contribute to modelling an interesting strategy for the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Superiore di Sanità, Rome; and the Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, ‡ Milan, ItalyWe have recently observed that oral administration of D-glucose saves animals from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced death. This effect is the likely consequence of glucose-induced activation of the sodiumdependent glucose transporter-1. In this study, we investigated possible hepatoprotective effects of glucose-induced, sodium-dependent, glucose transporter-1 activation. We show that oral administration of D-glucose , but not of either D-fructose or sucrose, prevents LPS-induced liver injury, as well as liver injury and death induced by an overdose of acetaminophen. In both of these models, physiological liver morphology is maintained and organ protection is confirmed by unchanged levels of the circulating markers of hepatotoxicity, such as alanine transaminase or lactate dehydrogenase. In addition, D-glucose was found to protect the liver from ␣-amanitin-induced liver injury. In this case, in contrast to the previously described models, a second signal had to be present in addition to glucose to achieve protective efficacy. Toll-like receptor 4 stimulation that was induced by low doses of LPS was identified as such a second signal. Eventually, the protective effect of orally administered glucose on liver injury induced by LPS, overdose of acetaminophen, or ␣-amanitin was shown to be mediated by the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10. Liver failure is one of the most devastating syndromes observed in clinical practice. It is associated with high overall mortality, ranging from 30% to 80%, depending on the underlying etiology. 1,2 The most common etiologies are acute viral hepatitis, drug overdose, idiosyncratic drug reactions, and ingestion of other toxins.3 Insulting agents can cause hepatocyte death through different mechanisms of action, and when the amount of functioning cells decreases to a level at which the organ is no longer capable of fulfilling its metabolic and synthetic tasks, hepatic failure takes place. 4 Recently we demonstrated, in a murine model of septic shock, that oral administration of D-glucose saves mice from death, most likely as a result of glucose-induced activation of the intestinal sodium-dependent glucose transporter-1 (SGLT-1).5 Using this model, we made preliminary observations that the liver, one of the organs most severely affected by lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN) treatment, was protected by oral administration of D-glucose. The expression of SGLT-1 on the apical membrane of enterocytes and the observation that protection from LPS shock was observed only on oral administration of D-glucose, but not on i.p. administration, suggested an important role of intestinal epithelial cells in protection from LPS-induced injury to the liver and other organs.Here, we report on a more extensive investigation on the hepatoprotective effect of orally administered D-glucose. Glucose was evaluated in LPS-induced shock, as well as in two other models of acute liver f...

BackgroundRecent studies demonstrated that engagement of sodium glucose transporter 1 (SGLT-1) by orally administered D-glucose protects the intestinal mucosa from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced injury. We tested whether SGLT-1 engagement might protect the intestinal mucosa from doxorubicin (DXR)- and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced injury in animal models mimicking acute or chronic mucositis.MethodsMice were treated intraperitoneally with DXR, alone or in combination with 5-FU, and orally with BLF501, a glucose-derived synthetic compound with high affinity for SGLT-1. Intestinal mucosal epithelium integrity was assessed by histological analysis, cellular proliferation assays, real-time PCR gene expression assays and Western blot assays. Student’s t-test (paired two-tailed) and χ2 analyses were used for comparisons between groups. Differences were considered significant at p < 0.05.ResultsBLF501 administration in mice treated with DXR and/or 5-FU decreased the injuries to the mucosa in terms of epithelial integrity and cellular proliferative ability. Co-treatment with BLF501 led to a normal expression and distribution of both zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and beta-catenin, which were underexpressed after treatment with either chemotherapeutic agent alone. BLF501 administration also restored normal expression of caspase-3 and ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM), which were overexpressed after treatment with DXR and 5-FU. In SGLT1-/- mice, BLF501 had no detectable effects. BLF501 administration in wild-type mice with growing A431 tumors did not modify antitumor activity of DXR.ConclusionsBLF501-induced protection of the intestinal mucosa is a promising novel therapeutic approach to reducing the severity of chemotherapy-induced mucositis.