Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor is Involved in the Proinflammatory Cytokine Response to Cadmium / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#To investigate involvement of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the immunomodulatory effects of cadmium (Cd).@*Methods@#The effect of Cd on AhR activation ( @*Results@#Cd increased @*Conclusion@#AhR signaling is involved in the lung leukocyte proinflammatory cytokine response to Cd. The relevance of the AhR to the cytokine response to Cd provides new insight into the mechanisms of Cd immunotoxicity.

Pulmonary immune responses to Aspergillus fumigatus in rats / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate immunologic mechanisms underlying Aspergillus fumigatus pulmonary infections in immunocompetent Dark Agouti (DA) and Albino Oxford (AO) rats recognized as being susceptible to some inflammatory diseases in different manners.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Lung fungal burden (quantitative colony forming units, CFU, assay), leukocyte infiltration (histology, cell composition) and their function (phagocytosis, oxidative activity, CD11b adhesion molecule expression) and cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-17 and -4 (IL-17 and IL-4) lung content were evaluated following infection (intratracheally, 1x10(7) conidia).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Slower reduction of fungal burden was observed in AO rats in comparison with that in DA rats, which was coincided with less intense histologically evident lung cell infiltration and leukocyte recovery as well as lower level of most of the their activities including intracellular myeloperoxidase activity, the capacity of nitroblue tetrazolium salt reduction and CD11b adhesion molecule expression (except for phagocytosis of conidia) in these rats. Differential patterns of changes in proinflammatory cytokine levels (unchanged levels of IFN-γ and transient increase of IL-17 in AO rats vs continuous increase of both cytokines in DA rats) and unchanged levels of IL-4 were observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Genetically-based differences in the pattern of antifungal lung leukocyte activities and cytokine milieu, associated with differential efficiency of fungal elimination might be useful in the future use of rat models in studies of pulmonary aspergillosis.</p>

Local proinflammatory effects of repeated skin exposure to warfarin, an anticoagulant rodenticide in rats / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effects of epicutaneous application of anticoagulant warfarin, by examining the presence of tissue injury and immune/inflammatory activity in exposed skin.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rats were exposed to warfarin by applying 10 μg of warfarin-sodium to 10-12 cm(2) skin (range 0.8-1 μg per 1 cm(2)) for 3 consecutive days. Tissue injury was evaluated by lipid peroxidation, histomorphological changes and signs of reparative activity in skin. T cell infiltration and selected aspects of epidermal cell activity were examined as indicators of immune/inflammatory skin response to warfarin application.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Repeated warfarin application exerted no effect on skin metabolic viability, but resulted in tissue injury (increased malondialdehyde, MDA, production, evident histo-morphological changes in epidermis and dermis depicting cell injury and death). Increased numbers of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA(+)) cells indicated reparative processes in injured skin. Infiltration of CD3(+) cells (T lymphocytes) along with the increased production of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) by epidermal cells from warfarin-treated skin and their co-stimulatory effect in an in vitro T-cell activation assay demonstrated immunomodulatory effects of epicutaneous warfarin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Presented data have documented tissue damage associated with immune/inflammatory activity in skin exposed to warfarin. Observed effects are relevant to immunotoxic potential of this anticoagulant in settings of external exposure.</p>

Gender differences in pulmonary inflammation following systemic cadmium administration in rats / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the presence of gender differences in pulmonary inflammation evoked by acute systemic cadmium administration in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Presence of basic indicators of lung inflammation (inflammatory cytokine lung content, leukocyte infiltration and activity of cells recovered from lungs by enzyme digestion) was analyzed and compared in animals of the two sexes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intraperitoneal administration of cadmium (1.0 mg/kg) resulted in higher cadmium content in lungs of female rats. Higher tumor necrosis factor (TNF) content was noted in lung homogenates of male rats, while interleukin-6 (IL-6) content was slightly, but significantly greater in lungs of female rats. Increased leukocyte infiltration was observed in lungs of male rats, mainly due to neutrophils. Increased responsiveness to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulation was noted in cells recovered from lungs of male rats. Rise in intracellular content of myeloperoxidase (MPO) was noted in lung cells from cadmium-treated rats of both sexes, but higher in cells from male rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Presented data documented a more intense pulmonary inflammatory response to systemic cadmium administration in males, with higher IL-6 levels in lungs of female individuals. These sex differences in proinflamatory activity of cadmium in lungs should be taken into consideration in studying the remote toxicity of this heavy metal.</p>