Research advances of the roles of sphingosine-1-phosphate in acute lung injury / 中华烧伤杂志

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is the main metabolite produced in the process of phospholipid metabolism, which can promote proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of cells, and maintain the barrier function of vascular endothelium. The latest researches showed that S1P can alleviate acute lung injury (ALI) and the inflammation caused by ALI, while the dosage of S1P is still needed to be considered. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been a emerging therapy with potential therapeutic effects on ALI because of their characteristics of self-replication and multi-directional differentiation, and their advantages in hematopoiesis, immune regulation, and tissue repair. S1P can promote differentiation of MSCs and participate in immune regulation, while MSCs can regulate the homeostasis of S1P in the body. The synergistic effect of S1P and MSC provides a new treatment method for ALI. This article reviews the production and biological function of S1P, receptor and signal pathway of S1P, the therapeutic effects of S1P on ALI, and the research advances of S1P combined with MSCs in the treatment of ALI, aiming to provide theoretical references for the development of S1P targeted drugs in the treatment of ALI and the search for new combined treatment schemes for ALI.

Assessment of primary health care: health professionals’ perspective / Evaluación de la atención primária em la salud: vision de los profissionales de la salud / Avaliação da Atenção Primária à Saúde: visão dos profissionais de saúde

Objective To assess primary health care attributes of access to a first contact, comprehensiveness, coordination, continuity, family guidance and community orientation. Method An evaluative, quantitative and cross-sectional study with 35 professional teams in the Family Health Program of the Alfenas region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection was done with the Primary Care Assessment Tool - Brazil, professional version. Results Results revealed a low percentage of medical experts among the participants who evaluated the attributes with high scores, with the exception of access to a first contact. Data analysis revealed needs for improvement: hours of service; forms of communication between clients and healthcare services and between clients and professionals; the mechanism of counter-referral. Conclusion It was concluded that there is a mismatch between the provision of services and the needs of the population, which compromises the quality of primary health care.


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Objetivo Evaluar la atención primaria de salud a través de las cualidades: Acesso de Primero Contacto, Intregidad, Coordinación, Longitudinalidad, Orientación Familiar, Orientación Comunitaria. Método Se trata de una evaluación cuantitativa y estudio transverso con 35 equipos de profesionales de la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia, de región de Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Para recopilar los datos, se utilizó el Instrumento de Evaluación de la Atención Primaria - Brasil , la versión Professional. Resultados Los datos revelaron un bajo porcentaje de especialistas médicos en Atencion Primaria de Salud. Los participantes evaluó las calidades con puntajes altos, con la excepción de Acceso Primero Contacto. El análisis de datos reveló una mejora necesidades: horarios de apertura de los servicios; las formas de comunicación entre el usuario y el servicio y entre el usuario y el profesional, la remissión y consulta. Conclusión Existe un desajuste entre la oferta de servicios y las necesidades de la población, lo que compromete la calidad de la Atención Primaria de Salud.
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Objetivo Avaliar a Atenção Primária à Saúde por meio dos atributos: Acesso de Primeiro Contato, Integralidade, Coordenação, Longitudinalidade, Orientação Familiar, Orientação Comunitária. Método Estudo avaliativo, quantitativo e transversal, realizado com 34 profissionais de equipes da Estratégia de Saúde da Família da microrregião de Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Para a coleta de dados, foi utilizado o Primary Care Assessment Tool – Brasil, versão profissionais. Resultados Os dados revelaram baixo percentual de profissionais médicos especialistas em Atenção Primária à Saúde. Os participantes avaliaram os atributos com altos escores, com exceção do Acesso de Primeiro Contato. A análise dos dados revelou necessidades de aperfeiçoamento: o horário de funcionamento dos serviços; as formas de comunicação entre usuário e serviço, e entre usuário e profissionais; o mecanismo de contrarreferência. Conclusão Existe um descompasso entre a oferta de serviços e as necessidades da população que compromete a qualidade da Atenção Primária a Saúde.
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Sphingosine-1 phosphate prevents ethanol-induced corneal epithelial apoptosis.

Background: Apoptosis is a programmed cell death in multicellular organisms, found in a wide variety of conditions, including inflammatory process, everywhere in the body, including the cornea and conjunctiva. Aim: To evaluate the effect of a new topical formulation of sphingosine-1 phosphate on preventing apoptosis of the corneal epithelium. Setting: Medical University. Materials and Methods: We tested several formulations suitable for topical application. Twenty-five rabbits were distributed among five groups. Group 1 comprised the controls. In Group 2, 20% ethanol was applied topically for 20 seconds; in Group 3, 50 μM topical sphingosine-1 phosphate was applied 2 hours prior to 20% ethanol application. In Group 4, 200 μM topical sphingosine-1 phosphate was applied 2 hours before the 20% ethanol application. In Group 5, only 200 μM topical sphingosine-1 phosphate was applied. Apoptosis was evaluated using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay. Pairwise comparisons were performed using t-tests with Scheffe's correction. Data were analyzed using STATA 9.0 statistical software. Results: A suspension of sphingosine-1 phosphate in the presence of Montanox 80 was stable and could be formulated without sonication. Epithelial apoptosis was detected only in Groups 2 and 3. Conclusion: Sphingosine-1 phosphate can prevent ethanol-induced apoptosis in the corneal epithelium of rabbits.

Effect of sphingosine and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate on the growth and dimethylsulfoxide-induced differentiation in the insect trypanosomatid Herpetomonas samuelpessoai

We investigated the effect of two modulators of protein kinase C, sphingosine and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), on the growth and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-induced differentiation in Herpetomonas samuelpessoai. Sphingosine did not stimulate the transformation of undifferentiated-promastigotes in differentiated-paramastigotes. PMA alone or in association with DMSO increased the number of paramastigotes in comparison to control cells. DMSO inhibited the parasite growth (35 percent) and several unusual morphological features resembling aberrant cell division were observed. Sphingosine did not significantly reduce the growth in contrast to PMA. Collectively, our results demonstrated that the reduction of the proliferation translates in an increase of the differentiation rate in the insect trypanosomatid H. samuelpessoai.

Sphingosine mediates FTY720-induced apoptosis in LLC-PK1 cells

FTY720, a synthetic sphingoid base analog, was examined as a new sphingosine kinase inhibitor, which converts endogenous sphingosine into its phosphate form. With 20 micrometer of FTY720, sphingosine accumulated in the LLC-PK1 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The FTY720 treated cells showed a high concentration of fragmented DNA, a high caspase-3 like activity and TUNEL staining cells. It was also found that the sphingosine and sphinganine level increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner within 12 h after the FTY720 treatment. The sphingosine kinase activity was reduced by FTY720 as much as other sphingosine kinase inhibitors, N, N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS), dl-threo-dihydrosphingosine (DHS). The fragmented DNA content as a result of the 20 micrometer of FTY720 treatment and by 5 micrometer of the exogenously added BSA-sphingosine complex indicated typical apoptosis. Under similar conditions, the accumulated sphingosine concentration in all the cells was almost identical even though the sphingosine distribution inside the cells was somewhat different. These results indicate that the FTY720 induced apoptosis is associated with the inhibition of the sphingosine kinase activity and is strongly associated with the successive accumulation of sphingosine.

Effect of ceramide on apoptosis and phospholipase D activity in FRTL-5 thyroid cells

Ceramide, a product of sphingomyelin hydrolysis, is now recognized as an intracellular lipid messenger, which mediates the effects of extracellular agents on cellular growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Recently, ceramide has been implicated in the regulation of phospholipase D (PLD). In this study, we examined the effects of ceramide on the activity and mRNA level of PLD during apoptotic process in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. C2-ceramide (N-acetyl sphingosine) induced apoptosis in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. Fluorescent staining showed that ceramide induced the typical features of apoptosis including condensed or fragmented nuclei. DNA fragmentation was also observed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Flow cytometric cell cycle analysis showed more clearly that ceramide induced apoptotic cell death in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. The treatment of FRTL-5 thyroid cells with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) resulted in an increased PLD activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. However, the TSH-induced increase in PLD activity was down-regulated within 2 h after ceramide treatment. Furthermore, the levels of PLD mRNA were found to be decreased throughout apoptotic process as inferred by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. However, the decreases in PLD mRNA levels were not correlated with those in PLD activities after ceramide treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that ceramide inhibits the PLD activity in an early apoptotic phase and down-regulation of the levels of PLD mRNA may be implicated in apoptotic process in FRTL-5 thyroid cells.