Objective-Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) has come into focus as a potential therapeutic target in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma, as well as in B-cell lymphomas. SYK has also been involved in the signaling of immunoreceptors, cytokine receptors, and integrins. We therefore hypothesized that inhibition of SYK attenuates the inflammatory process underlying atherosclerosis and reduces plaque development. Methods and Results-Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice consuming a high-cholesterol diet supplemented with 2 doses of the orally available SYK inhibitor fostamatinib for 16 weeks showed a dose-dependent reduction in atherosclerotic lesion size by up to 59Ϯ6% compared with the respective controls. Lesions of fostamatinib-treated animals contained fewer macrophages but more smooth muscle cells and collagen-characteristics associated with more stable plaques in humans. Mechanistically, fostamatinib attenuated adhesion and migration of inflammatory cells and limited macrophage survival. Furthermore, fostamatinib normalized high-cholesterol diet-induced monocytosis and inflammatory gene expression.
Conclusion-We
In experimental models of pancreatitis lipid peroxidation products are increased possibly because of an enhanced generation of oxygen radicals. The purpose of this study was to determine whether lipid peroxidation products are increased in pancreatic tissue and serum of patients suffering from chronic or acute pancreatitis. In 20 patients undergoing operative treatment for chronic ( n = 11) and acute pancreatitis ( n = 9) the levels of malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, and reduced and oxidized glutathione were determined in resected tissue samples. The excised tissue was examined and evaluated by light microscopy. Shortly before operation the serum concentrations of malondialdehyde, a-amylase, and lipase were measured. Pancreatic tissue from eight organ donors who had no abdominal trauma or pancreatic disease served as control. In chronic pancreatitis, conjugated dienes as well as malondialdehyde concentrations in the tissue were significantly elevated. Reduced glutathione was significantly decreased, suggesting glutathione depletion due to oxidative stress. In acute pancreatitis only the tissue and serum malondialdehyde levels were significantly high, whereas conjugated dienes remained within the normal range. Serum malondialdehyde levels correlated significantly with tissue concentrations (r = 0.76; p < 0.05) but not with the clinical course or the enzyme levels. In chronic pancreatitis, the increased tissue levels of lipid peroxidation products and the changes in glutathione metabolism suggest ongoing peroxidation of lipids due to an enhanced generation of oxygen radicals. In hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis, however, oxygen radical-induced lipid peroxidation cannot be proven. Apparently, other pathomechanisms are involved in the development of the severe tissue damage.
A 63-year-old woman developed a pruritic exanthema on the extremities after one hour of work in her garden pond in Planegg, Southern Bavaria. As the appropriate vectors (ducks and snails) were present, we made the tentative diagnosis of cercarial dermatitis (swimmer's itch). By different serological methods (cercarial fluorescent antibody test, cercarial Hüllen reaction, circumoval precipitin test) antibodies against cercariae could be demonstrated in the serum of the patient 14 days later. Cercarial dermatitis appears worldwide, but in Central Europe the disease is often not recognized.
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