An example from nature: Analogous to the surface structure of the lotus leaf, the micro‐ and nanostructured rough surfaces of a teflon‐coated mesh film engender it with both super‐hydrophobic and super‐oleophilic properties. The result is a variable film with contact angles of ≈150° for water and almost 0° for diesel oil, which makes it an ideal tool for the separation of oil and water (see figure).

Ähnlich wie beim Lotus‐Effekt verleihen die mikro‐ und nanostrukturierten rauen Oberflächen einem Teflon‐beschichteten maschigen Film superhydrophobe und superoleophile Eigenschaften. Man erhält einen variablen Film mit Kontaktwinkeln von etwa 150° für Wasser und nahezu 0° für Dieselöl. Deswegen sollte das System ideal für die Öl‐Wasser‐Trennung geeignet sein (siehe Bild).

One of the fastest growing fields in the pharmaceutical industry is the market for therapeutic glycoproteins. Today, these molecules play a major role in the treatment of various diseases, and include several protein classes, i.e., clotting factors, hormones, cytokines, antisera, enzymes, enzyme inhibitors, Ig-Fc-Fusion proteins, and monoclonal antibodies. Optimal glycosylation is critical for therapeutic glycoproteins, as glycans can influence their yield, immunogenicity and efficacy, which impact the costs and success of such treatments. While several mammalian cell expression systems currently used can produce therapeutic glycoproteins that are mostly decorated with human-like glycans, they can differ from human glycans by presenting two structures at the terminal and therefore most exposed position. First, natural human N-glycans are lacking the terminal Gal 1-3Gal (alpha-Gal) modification; and second, they do not contain the non-human sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). All humans spontaneously express antibodies against both of these glycan structures, risking increased immunogenicity of biotherapeutics carrying such non-human glycan epitopes. However, in striking contrast to the alpha-Gal epitope, exogenous Neu5Gc can be metabolically incorporated into human cells and presented on expressed glycoproteins in several possible epitopes. Recent work has demonstrated that this non-human sialic acid is found in widely varying amounts on biotherapeutic glycoproteins approved for treatment of various medical conditions. Neu5Gc on glycans of these medical agents likely originates from the production process involving the non-human mammalian cell lines and/or the addition of animal-derived tissue culture supplements. Further studies are needed to fully understand the impact of Neu5Gc in biotherapeutic agents. Similar concerns apply to human cells prepared for allo- or auto-transplantation, that have been grown in animal-derived tissue culture supplements.

CD33-related Siglecs (CD33rSiglecs) are a family of sialic acid–recognizing lectins on immune cells whose biologic functions are unknown. We studied in vivo functions of Siglec-F, the CD33rSiglec expressed on mouse eosinophils, which are prominent in allergic processes. Induction of allergic lung inflammation in mice caused up-regulation of Siglec-F on blood and bone marrow eosinophils, accompanied by newly induced expression on some CD4+ cells, as well as quantitative up-regulation of endogenous Siglec-F ligands in the lung tissue and airways. Taken together with the tyrosine-based inhibitory motif in the cytosolic tail of Siglec-F, the data suggested a negative feedback loop, controlling allergic responses of eosinophils and helper T cells, via Siglec-F and Siglec-F ligands. To pursue this hypothesis, we created Siglec-F–null mice. Allergen-challenged null mice showed increased lung eosinophil infiltration, enhanced bone marrow and blood eosinophilia, delayed resolution of lung eosinophilia, and reduced peribronchial-cell apoptosis. Anti–Siglec-F antibody cross-linking also enhanced eosinophil apoptosis in vitro. These data support the proposed negative feedback role for Siglec-F, represent the first in vivo demonstration of biologic functions for any CD33rSiglec, and predict a role for human Siglec-8 (the isofunctional paralog of mouse Siglec-F) in regulating the pathogenesis of human eosinophil-mediated disorders.

The role of histamine H(4) receptor (H(4)R) was investigated in a T-helper type 2 (Th2)-cell-mediated mouse skin inflammation model that mimics several of the features of atopic dermatitis. Treatment with two specific H(4)R antagonists before challenge with FITC led to a significant reduction in ear edema, inflammation, mast cell, and eosinophil infiltration. This was accompanied by a reduction in the levels of several cytokines and chemokines in the ear tissue. Upon ex vivo antigen stimulation of lymph nodes, H(4)R antagonism reduced lymphocyte proliferation and IL-4, IL-5, and IL-17 levels. One explanation for this finding is that lymph nodes from animals dosed with the H(4)R antagonist, JNJ 7777120, contained a lower number of FITC-positive dendritic cells. The effect of H(4)R antagonism on dendritic cell migration in vivo may be an indirect result of the reduction in tissue cytokines and chemokines or a direct effect on chemotaxis. In addition to anti-inflammatory effects, JNJ 7777120 also significantly inhibited the pruritus shown in the model. Therefore, the dual effects of H(4)R antagonists on pruritus and Th2-cell-mediated inflammation point to their therapeutic potential for the treatment of Th2-mediated skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis.