ABSTRACT
Since the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic, the potential contamination of the induced sputum obtained from asthmatic patients in routine is a question of concern. The goal of this study was to assess this contamination using a saliva sample collection device. One hundred seventy-five sputum samples of asthmatic patients without fever were tested. We did not identify any positive PCR on sputum samples from asthmatic patients reporting chronic/episodic respiratory symptoms similar to what is seen in case of COVID-19. This technique was useful to evaluate the contamination of sputum samples generated during the pandemic.
ABSTRACT
We revisited the action of a carotenoid, the lycopene, on the expression of proinflammatory genes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and metalloprotease (MMP9) activity. THP1 and Caco2 cell lines were used as in vitro models for the two main cell types found in intestine tissue, that is, monocytes and epithelial cells. Proinflammatory condition was induced using either phorbol ester acetate (PMA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor (TNF). In THP1 cells, short term pretreatment (2 h) with a low concentration (2 µM) of lycopene reinforce proinflammatory gene expression. The extent of the effect of lycopene is dependent on the proinflammtory stimulus (PMA, LPS or TNF) used. Lycopene enhanced MMP9 secretion via a c-AMP-dependent process, and reduced ROS production at higher concentrations than 2 µM. Cell culture media, conditioned by PMA-treated monocytes and then transferred on CaCo-2 epithelial cells, induced a proinflammatory state in these cells. The extent of this inflammatory effect was reduced when cells has been pretreated (12 h) with lycopene. At low concentration (2 µM or less), lycopene appeared to promote an inflammatory state not correlated with ROS modulation. At higher concentration (5 µM-20 µM), an anti-inflammatory effect takes place as a decrease of ROS production was detected. So, both concentration and time have to be considered in order to define the exact issue of the effect of carotenoids present in meals.
