IL-10 is an immunomodulatory cytokine with a critical role in limiting inflammation in immune-mediated pathologies. The mechanisms leading to IL-10 expression by CD4+ T cells are being elucidated, with several cytokines implicated. We explored the effect of IL-4 on the natural phenomenon of IL-10 production by a chronically stimulated antigen-specific population of differentiated Th1 cells. In vitro, IL-4 blockade inhibited while addition of exogenous IL-4 to Th1 cultures enhanced IL-10 production. In the in vivo setting of peptide immunotherapy leading to a chronically stimulated Th1 phenotype, lack of IL-4Rα inhibited the induction of IL-10. Exploring the interplay of Th1 and Th2 cells through co-culture, Th2-derived IL-4 promoted IL-10 expression by Th1 cultures, reducing their pathogenicity in vivo. Co-culture led to upregulated c-Maf expression with no decrease in the proportion of T-bet+ cells in these cultures. Addition of IL-4 also reduced the encephalitogenic capacity of Th1 cultures. These data demonstrate that IL-4 contributes to IL-10 production and that Th2 cells modulate Th1 cultures towards a self-regulatory phenotype, contributing to the cross-regulation of Th1 and Th2 cells. These findings are important in the context of Th1 driven diseases since they reveal how the Th1 phenotype and function can be modulated by IL-4.
Advanced hybrid component development in nanotechnology provides superior functionality in the application of scientific knowledge for the drug delivery industry. The purpose of this paper is to review important nanohybrid perspectives in drug delivery between nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) and hydrogel systems. The hybrid system may result in the enhancement of each component’s synergistic properties in the mechanical strength of the hydrogel and concomitantly decrease aggregation of the NLC. The significant progress in nanostructured lipid carriers–hydrogels is reviewed here, with an emphasis on their preparation, potential applications, advantages, and underlying issues associated with these exciting materials.
This study presents modeling and optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of Melastoma malabathricum with the objective of evaluating its phytochemical properties. This one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) procedure was conducted to screen for optimization variables whose domains included extraction temperature (XET), ultrasonic time (XUT), solvent concentration (XSC), and sample-to-liquid ratio (XSLR). Response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with Box–Behnken design (BBD) was applied to establish optimum conditions for maximum antioxidant extraction. Modeling and optimization conditions of UAE at 37 kHz, XET 32 °C for XUT 16 min and dissolved in an XSC 70% ethanol concentration at a XSLR 1:10 ratio yielded scavenging effects on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) at 96% ± 1.48 and recorded values of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) at 803.456 ± 32.48 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalents)/g, and 102.972 ± 2.51 mg QE (quercetin equivalents)/g, respectively. The presence of high flavonoid compounds was verified using TWIMS-QTOFMS. Chromatic evaluation of phytochemicals using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) revealed the presence of 14 phytocompounds widely documented to play significant roles in human health. This study provides a comparative evaluation with other studies and may be used for validation of the species’ potential for its much-acclaimed medicinal and cosmeceutical uses.
Introduction: The therapeutic potential of plant-based or herbal medicine has been widely embraced by the public as a prevention and remedy for many illnesses. Mitragyna speciosa is one of the medicinal plant that exhibit the opioid-like effects of analgesia. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and alpha-amylase enzyme inhibition of Mitragyna speciosa methanolic extract (MSME). Methods: The phytochemical composition of MSME was analyzed for secondary metabolites using UHPLC-TWIMS-QTOF-MS/MS. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant scavenging activities (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] and 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) [ABTS] assays) and α-amylase enzyme inhibition activities of MSME were analyzed in comparison to positive control Pterostilbene and acarbose, respectively. Results: Analysis of UHPLC-TWIMS-QTOF-MS/MS has characterized the presence of at least five different bioactive compounds, mostly derivatives of flavonoids and polyphenols. A significantly higher level of TFC (347.72±15.97 mg QE/g extract; p = 0.0005), but a significantly lower level of TPC (167.43±13.50 mg GAE/g extract; p = 0.002) was detected in MSME (1 mg/mL) compared to Pterostilbene. MSME presented antioxidant activity which has no significant difference compared to Pterostilbene as determined by DPPH (MSME IC50 = 4.34±1.79 µg/mL; p = 0.727) and ABTS (MSME IC50 = 4.25±1.59 µg/mL; p = 0.311) assays. Moreover, MSME also exhibited anti-diabetic effects through inhibition of α-amylase activity (IC50 = 0.01±7.18 mg/mL) which shows a significant difference (p = 0.009) compared to acarbose. Conclusion: This finding suggests that MSME has bioactive phytochemicals and exhibits potential antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties.
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