scholarly journals Animal models of intestinal fibrosis: new tools for the understanding of pathogenesis and therapy of human disease

2012 ◽  
Vol 303 (7) ◽  
pp. G786-G801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Rieder ◽  
Sean Kessler ◽  
Miquel Sans ◽  
Claudio Fiocchi
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Intestinal Tract ◽  
Stricture Formation ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Intestinal Fibrosis ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Inflammatory Processes ◽  
Radiation Induced ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Postoperative Fibrosis

Fibrosis is a serious condition complicating chronic inflammatory processes affecting the intestinal tract. Advances in this field that rely on human studies have been slow and seriously restricted by practical and logistic reasons. As a consequence, well-characterized animal models of intestinal fibrosis have emerged as logical and essential systems to better define and understand the pathophysiology of fibrosis. In point of fact, animal models allow the execution of mechanistic studies as well as the implementation of clinical trials with novel, pathophysiology-based therapeutic approaches. This review provides an overview of the currently available animal models of intestinal fibrosis, taking into consideration the methods of induction, key characteristics of each model, and underlying mechanisms. Currently available models will be classified into seven categories: spontaneous, gene-targeted, chemical-, immune-, bacteria-, and radiation-induced as well as postoperative fibrosis. Each model will be discussed in regard to its potential to create research opportunities to gain insights into the mechanisms of intestinal fibrosis and stricture formation and assist in the development of effective and specific antifibrotic therapies.

scholarly journals Chronic Inflammation and Radiation-Induced Cystitis: Molecular Background and Therapeutic Perspectives

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Carole Helissey ◽  
Sophie Cavallero ◽  
Clément Brossard ◽  
Marie Dusaud ◽  
Cyrus Chargari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Randomized Trials ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Radiation Cystitis ◽  
Fibrotic Process ◽  
Radiation Induced ◽  
Therapeutic Irradiation ◽  
Underlying Pathophysiology

Radiation cystitis is a potential complication following the therapeutic irradiation of pelvic cancers. Its clinical management remains unclear, and few preclinical data are available on its underlying pathophysiology. The therapeutic strategy is difficult to establish because few prospective and randomized trials are available. In this review, we report on the clinical presentation and pathophysiology of radiation cystitis. Then we discuss potential therapeutic approaches, with a focus on the immunopathological processes underlying the onset of radiation cystitis, including the fibrotic process. Potential therapeutic avenues for therapeutic modulation will be highlighted, with a focus on the interaction between mesenchymal stromal cells and macrophages for the prevention and treatment of radiation cystitis.

scholarly journals Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Insights

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1016
Author(s):  
María Jesús Rodríguez-Sojo ◽  
Antonio Jesús Ruiz-Malagón ◽  
María Elena Rodríguez-Cabezas ◽  
Julio Gálvez ◽  
Alba Rodríguez-Nogales
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Exclusion ◽  
Intestinal Barrier ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Intestinal Barrier Function ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Host Health ◽  
Inflammatory Processes ◽  
Immunomodulatory Properties ◽  
Immunological Alterations

Probiotics microorganisms exert their health-associated activities through some of the following general actions: competitive exclusion, enhancement of intestinal barrier function, production of bacteriocins, improvement of altered microbiota, and modulation of the immune response. Among them, Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 has become one of the most promising probiotics and it has been described to possess potential beneficial effects on inflammatory processes and immunological alterations. Different studies, preclinical and clinical trials, have evidenced its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties and elucidated the precise mechanisms of action involved in its beneficial effects. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an updated overview of the effect on host health, mechanisms, and future therapeutic approaches.

scholarly journals Crocetin Mitigates Irradiation Injury in an In Vitro Model of the Pubertal Testis: Focus on Biological Effects and Molecular Mechanisms

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1676
Author(s):  
Giulia Rossi ◽  
Martina Placidi ◽  
Chiara Castellini ◽  
Francesco Rea ◽  
Settimio D'Andrea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Model ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Cellular Damage ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Adolescent Cancer ◽  
Radiation Induced ◽  
Vitro Model ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Infertility is a potential side effect of radiotherapy and significantly affects the quality of life for adolescent cancer survivors. Very few studies have addressed in pubertal models the mechanistic events that could be targeted to provide protection from gonadotoxicity and data on potential radioprotective treatments in this peculiar period of life are elusive. In this study, we utilized an in vitro model of the mouse pubertal testis to investigate the efficacy of crocetin to counteract ionizing radiation (IR)-induced injury and potential underlying mechanisms. Present experiments provide evidence that exposure of testis fragments from pubertal mice to 2 Gy X-rays induced extensive structural and cellular damage associated with overexpression of PARP1, PCNA, SOD2 and HuR and decreased levels of SIRT1 and catalase. A twenty-four hr exposure to 50 μM crocetin pre- and post-IR significantly reduced testis injury and modulated the response to DNA damage and oxidative stress. Nevertheless, crocetin treatment did not counteract the radiation-induced changes in the expression of SIRT1, p62 and LC3II. These results increase the knowledge of mechanisms underlying radiation damage in pubertal testis and establish the use of crocetin as a fertoprotective agent against IR deleterious effects in pubertal period.

scholarly journals Translational approaches to understanding metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea

2015 ◽  
Vol 309 (7) ◽  
pp. H1101-H1111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciano F. Drager ◽  
Vsevolod Y. Polotsky ◽  
Christopher P. O'Donnell ◽  
Sergio L. Cravo ◽  
Geraldo Lorenzi-Filho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Obstructive Sleep Apnea ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Sleep Apnea ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Metabolic Dysfunction ◽  
Significant Progress ◽  
Glucose And Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Obstructive Sleep ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Made In

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is known to be independently associated with several cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, myocardial infarction, and stroke. To determine how OSA can increase cardiovascular risk, animal models have been developed to explore the underlying mechanisms and the cellular and end-organ targets of the predominant pathophysiological disturbance in OSA–intermittent hypoxia. Despite several limitations in translating data from animal models to the clinical arena, significant progress has been made in our understanding of how OSA confers increased cardiovascular risk. It is clear now that the hypoxic stress associated with OSA can elicit a broad spectrum of pathological systemic events including sympathetic activation, systemic inflammation, impaired glucose and lipid metabolism, and endothelial dysfunction, among others. This review provides an update of the basic, clinical, and translational advances in our understanding of the metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular consequences of OSA and highlights the most recent findings and perspectives in the field.

scholarly journals Prebiotics, immune function, infection and inflammation: a review of the evidence

2008 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 633-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy R. Lomax ◽  
Philip C. Calder
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Intestinal Inflammation ◽  
Adaptive Immune System ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Inflammatory Conditions ◽  
Intestinal Infections ◽  
Inflammatory Processes ◽  
Irritable Bowel

β2-1 Fructans are carbohydrate molecules with prebiotic properties. Through resistance to digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract, they reach the colon intact, where they selectively stimulate the growth and/or activity of beneficial members of the gut microbiota. Through this modification of the intestinal microbiota, and by additional mechanisms, β2-1 fructans may have beneficial effects upon immune function, ability to combat infection, and inflammatory processes and conditions. In this paper, we have collated, summarised and evaluated studies investigating these areas. Twenty-one studies in laboratory animals suggest that some aspects of innate and adaptive immunity of the gut and the systemic immune systems are modified by β2-1 fructans. In man, two studies in children and nine studies in adults indicate that the adaptive immune system may be modified by β2-1 fructans. Thirteen studies in animal models of intestinal infections conclude a beneficial effect of β2-1 fructans. Ten trials involving infants and children have mostly reported benefits on infectious outcomes; in fifteen adult trials, little effect was generally seen, although in specific situations, certain β2-1 fructans may be beneficial. Ten studies in animal models show benefit of β2-1 fructans with regard to intestinal inflammation. Human studies report some benefits regarding inflammatory bowel disease (four positive studies) and atopic dermatitis (one positive study), but findings in irritable bowel syndrome are inconsistent. Therefore, overall the results indicate that β2-1 fructans are able to modulate some aspects of immune function, to improve the host's ability to respond successfully to certain intestinal infections, and to modify some inflammatory conditions.

Chronic stress impacts the cardiovascular system: animal models and clinical outcomes

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (12) ◽  
pp. H1476-H1498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeid Golbidi ◽  
Jefferson C. Frisbee ◽  
Ismail Laher
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Chronic Stress ◽  
Laboratory Findings ◽  
Important Group ◽  
Stress Markers ◽  
Random Fashion ◽  
Human Stress ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Psychosomatic Diseases

Psychological stresses are associated with cardiovascular diseases to the extent that cardiovascular diseases are among the most important group of psychosomatic diseases. The longstanding association between stress and cardiovascular disease exists despite a large ambiguity about the underlying mechanisms. An array of possibilities have been proposed including overactivity of the autonomic nervous system and humoral changes, which then converge on endothelial dysfunction that initiates unwanted cardiovascular consequences. We review some of the features of the two most important stress-activated systems, i.e., the humoral and nervous systems, and focus on alterations in endothelial function that could ensue as a result of these changes. Cardiac and hematologic consequences of stress are also addressed briefly. It is likely that activation of the inflammatory cascade in association with oxidative imbalance represents key pathophysiological components of stress-induced cardiovascular changes. We also review some of the commonly used animal models of stress and discuss the cardiovascular outcomes reported in these models of stress. The unique ability of animals for adaptation under stressful conditions lessens the extrapolation of laboratory findings to conditions of human stress. An animal model of unpredictable chronic stress, which applies various stress modules in a random fashion, might be a useful solution to this predicament. The use of stress markers as indicators of stress intensity is also discussed in various models of animal stress and in clinical studies.

scholarly journals Therapeutic Effects of Hydrogen in Animal Models of Parkinson's Disease

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyota Fujita ◽  
Yusaku Nakabeppu ◽  
Mami Noda
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Cellular Apoptosis ◽  
6 Hydroxydopamine

Since the first description of Parkinson's disease (PD) nearly two centuries ago, a number of studies have revealed the clinical symptoms, pathology, and therapeutic approaches to overcome this intractable neurodegenerative disease. 1-methy-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) are neurotoxins which produce Parkinsonian pathology. From the animal studies using these neurotoxins, it has become well established that oxidative stress is a primary cause of, and essential for, cellular apoptosis in dopaminergic neurons. Here, we describe the mechanism whereby oxidative stress evokes irreversible cell death, and propose a novel therapeutic strategy for PD using molecular hydrogen. Hydrogen has an ability to reduce oxidative damage and ameliorate the loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal pathway in two experimental animal models. Thus, it is strongly suggested that hydrogen might provide a great advantage to prevent or minimize the onset and progression of PD.

scholarly journals Lipocalin 2 as Putative Modulator of Local Inflammatory Processes in the Spinal Cord and Component of Organ Cross-talk After Spinal Cord Injury

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Behrens ◽  
Clara Voelz ◽  
Nina Müller ◽  
Weiyi Zhao ◽  
Tim Clarner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Blood Serum ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Lipocalin 2 ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Inflammatory Processes ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Sites Of Action

Abstract Lipocalin 2 (Lcn2), an immunomodulator, regulates various cellular processes such as iron transport and defense against bacterial infection. Under pathological conditions, Lcn2 promotes neuroinflammation via the recruitment and activation of immune cells and glia, particularly microglia and astrocytes. Although it seems to have a negative influence on the functional outcome in spinal cord injury (SCI), the extent of its involvement in SCI and the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully known. In this study, using a SCI contusion mouse model, we first investigated the expression pattern of Lcn2 in different parts of the CNS (spinal cord and brain), blood serum and in the liver. Interestingly, we could note a significant increase in Lcn2 throughout the whole spinal cord, in the brain, liver and in blood serum. This demonstrates the diversity of its possible sites of action in SCI. Further, genetic deficiency of Lcn2 (Lcn2-/-) significantly reduced certain aspects of gliosis in the SCI-mice. Taken together, our studies provide first valuable hints, suggesting that Lcn2 is involved in the local and systemic effects post SCI, and might modulate the impairment of different peripheral organs after injury.

scholarly journals Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Secretome for the Treatment of Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases: Latest Trends in Isolation, Content Optimization and Delivery Avenues

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1802
Author(s):  
Elena Munoz-Perez ◽  
Ainhoa Gonzalez-Pujana ◽  
Manoli Igartua ◽  
Edorta Santos-Vizcaino ◽  
Rosa Maria Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Stromal Cells ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Pharmacological Management ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
New Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Immune Mediated ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Inflammatory Processes

Considering the high prevalence and the complex pharmacological management of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), the search for new therapeutic approaches for their treatment is vital. Although the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been extensively studied as a potential therapy in this field, direct MSC implantation presents some limitations that could slow down the clinical translation. Since the beneficial effects of MSCs have been mainly attributed to their ability to secrete a plethora of bioactive factors, their secretome has been proposed as a new and promising pathway for the treatment of IMIDs. Formed from soluble factors and extracellular vesicles (EVs), the MSC-derived secretome has been proven to elicit immunomodulatory effects that control the inflammatory processes that occur in IMIDs. This article aims to review the available knowledge on the MSC secretome, evaluating the advances in this field in terms of its composition, production and application, as well as analyzing the pending challenges in the field. Moreover, the latest research involving secretome administration in IMIDs is discussed to provide an updated state-of-the-art for this field. Finally, novel secretome delivery alternatives are reviewed, paying special attention to hydrogel encapsulation as one of the most convenient and promising strategies.

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