Solar inactivated Vibrio cholerae induces maturation of JAWS II dendritic cell line in vitro.

Solar disinfection (SODIS) has been shown to reduce the risk associated with the contraction of water borne diseases such as cholera. However, little or no research has been undertaken in exploring the role played by the immune system following the consumption of solar inactivated water pathogens. This study investigated the potential for solar inactivated Vibrio cholerae to induce the maturation of dendritic cells in vitro. Dendritic cells are professional antigen presenting cells found in mammals. However, only in their mature form are dendritic cells able to play their role towards a long lasting immune response. Three strains of V. cholerae were solar irradiated for 7 hours. Thereafter, the solar irradiated, non-solar irradiated, phosphate buffered saline prepared and heat/chemically inactivated cultures of V. cholerae as well as lipopolysaccharide and cholerae toxin-ß subunit were used to stimulate immature dendritic cells. After 48 hours, the dendritic cells were assessed for the expression of CD54, CD80, CD83, CD86, MHC-I and MHC-II cell surface markers. Results show that solar inactivated V. cholerae was able to induce maturation of the dendritic cells in vitro. These findings suggest that there may be an immunological benefit in consuming SODIS treated water.

Medicinal Plants in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine in the African Continent.

IMPACT STATEMENT: Medicinal plants are used by various traditional healers to alleviate the signs and symptoms associated with numerous diseases such as osteoarthritis, asthma, cancer, heart disease, tuberculosis, swollen ankles, bone fracture, malaria, convulsion, piles, hypertension, typhoid fever, diabetes, and anemia. Our research is relevant to communities that rely solely on traditional medicine for their well-being.

Cross-talk between primary osteocytes and bone marrow macrophages for osteoclastogenesis upon collagen treatment.

Homeostasis of osteoclast formation from bone marrow macrophages (BMM) is regulated by paracrine signals of the neighbourhood bone cells particularly mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), osteoblasts and osteocytes (OC). Besides paracrine cues, collagen and glycosaminoglycan are involved in controlling bone homeostasis. Towards this approach, different molecular weight collagens were reacted with MSC, OC and BMM to understand the bone homeostasis activity of collagen. The up-regulating effect of collagens on osteogenic cell growth was confirmed by the presence of mineralized nodules in the osteoblastogenic lineage cells and increased osteogenic stimulatory gene expression. The decreased BMM-derived TRAP+ osteoclasts number and osteoclastogenic regulatory gene expression of OC could demonstrate the exploitive osteoclastogenic activity of collagens. Osteoclastogenesis from BMM was triggered by paracrine cues of OC in some extend, but it was down-regulated by collagen. Overall, the effect of collagen on osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis may depend on the molecular weight of collagens, and collagen suppresses osteoclastogenesis, at least in part by downregulating the secretion of cytokines in OC.