Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) modulates Leydig cell extracellular matrix components.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic factor that plays multiple roles during mammalian development. We previously demonstrated that in the postnatal testes, the HGF receptor, c-met, is expressed by Leydig cells and HGF increases the steroidogenetic activity of the cells. In the present article, we report that HGF modifies the composition of the extracellular matrix of cultured Leydig cells. We show that HGF increases the metabolic activity of isolated Leydig cells; in particular, the factor increases urokinase plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinase 2 secretion. We have also shown that the levels of active transforming growth factor beta are increased by HGF. On the contrary, using the Western blotting technique, a strong reduction in the amount of fibronectin present in the culture medium of cells cultured in the presence of HGF has been detected. The presented data demonstrate that HGF modulates several functional activities of Leydig cells, further supporting the hypothesis that this factor has a relevant role in the regulation of mammalian spermatogenesis.

Bombesin: a possible role in wound repair.

During tissue regeneration and wound healing of the skin, migration, proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes are important processes. Here we assessed the effect of a neuropeptide, bombesin, on keratinocytes during regeneration from scratch wounding. Bombesin purified from amphibian skin, is homologous of mammalian gastrin-releasing peptide and is active in mammals. Its pharmacological effects mediate various physiological activities: hypertensive action, stimulating action on gastric secretion, hyperglycemic effect or increased insulin secretion. In vitro it shows a hyperproliferative effect on different experimental models and is involved in skin repair. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of Bombesin in an in vitro experimental model on a mechanically injured human keratinocyte monolayer. We evaluated different mediators involved in wound repair such as IL-8, TGFbeta, IL-1, COX-2, VEGF and Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 (TLR2 and TLR4). We also studied the effects of bombesin on cell proliferation and motility and its direct effect on wound repair by observing the wound closure after mechanical injury. The involvement of the bombesin receptors neuromedin receptor (NMBR) and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R) was also evaluated. Our data suggest that bombesin may have an important role in skin repair by regulating the expression of healing markers. It enhanced the expression of IL-8, TGFbeta, COX-2 and VEGF. It also enhanced the expression of TLR2, while TLR4 was not expressed. Bombesin also increased cell growth and migration. In addition, we showed that NMBR was more involved in our experimental model compared to GRP-R.

Uptake of Malassezia furfur by human dermal fibroblasts: effect of ketoconazole and cytoskeleton inhibitors.

We showed the ability of human dermal fibroblasts to take up Malassezia furfur and the effect of ketoconazole and cytoskeleton inhibitors, including cytochalasin D and colchicine, on invasivity. Engulfment was evaluated by May Grunwald Giemsa stain and confirmed by acridine orange staining and electron microscopy. Both revealed the different steps of engulfment, including a fusion event between lysosomes and phagosomes containing M. furfur. Subinhibitory concentrations of ketoconazole (5 microg/ml) reduced the invasive capacity compared to controls (52.0+/-6.3 vs 10.0+/-1.2). M. furfur induced changes in the cytoskeleton of human dermal fibroblasts, with signs of disaggregation of actin fibres. We also studied the effect of the cytoskeleton inhibitors, cytochalasin D (1 microg/ml) and colchicine (1 microg/ml), on engulfment. Cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin polymers, inhibited the uptake of M. furfur by human dermal fibroblasts. Colchicine, a microtubule inhibitor, reduced the uptake of M. furfur less markedly. This suggests that the process of engulfment is F-actin-dependent, but the integrity of microtubules is also important in "non-professional" phagocytic cells such as dermal fibroblasts.

Malassezia furfur invasiveness in a keratinocyte cell line (HaCat): effects on cytoskeleton and on adhesion molecule and cytokine expression.

The lipophilic yeast Malassezia furfur is a member of the cutaneous microbiota, also associated with several chronic diseases such as pityriasis versicolor, folliculitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, and some forms of atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and confluent and reticulate papillomatosis. In this study we determined the immunomodulatory and invasive capacity of M. furfur in a human keratinocyte cell culture, HaCat. At a yeast cell to HaCat ratio of 30:1, M. furfur penetration was only 30% with poor phagolysosome fusion and with cytoskeleton modification. Transglutaminase I gene expression was also inhibited, supporting the hypothesis that M. furfur causes an initial break in the barrier function of the epidermis. Moreover, we demonstrated that M. furfur modulates proinflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokine synthesis by downregulating IL-1alpha and by inhibiting IL-6 and TNF-alpha and by upregulating IL-10 and TGF-beta1. The suppressed inflammatory response induced by M. furfur may play a role in chronic disease.

Histopathological features and modulation of type IV collagen expression induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and porins on mouse skin.

BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is responsible for serious infections in the immunocompromised host. Many skin lesions induced by P. aeruginosa have been described. Few investigations have been performed on the local action of P. aeruginosa components. OBJECTIVES: To shed light on the "in vivo" activity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and porins extracted from P. aeruginosa, by verifying their effects after inoculation in mouse skin through the observation of histological changes and immunohistochemical expression of collagen IV. RESULTS: Both substances were able to induce a similar inflammatory process and a characteristic reversible change in collagen IV distribution. Interestingly, a fibroblast increase was observed at 24 h in the skin treated with porins, while it appeared later in the skin treated with LPS. Besides these changes, porins particularly increased collagen edema, together with disgregation of hypodermal structures. Moreover "in vitro", porins were able to stimulate fibloblasts 3T3 to convert 72 kDa type IV collagenase into the activated 62 kDa form and to release the 92 kDa collagenase. CONCLUSION: LPS and porins, released by gram-negative bacteria during cell growth and lysis, interact with the host at target cells, such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts and immunocompetent cells, thus contributing significantly to the pathogenesis of P aeruginosa skin infections.

UVA irradiation induces L-isoaspartyl formation in melanoma cell proteins.

It has been reported that UVA effects are partly mediated by production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, oxidative stress increases protein damage, involving the occurrence of isoaspartyl residues, a product of protein deamidation/isomerization reactions. This work was undertaken in order to study the effects of UVA irradiation, mediated by oxidation, on sensitive protein targets. Melanoma cells exposed to UVA rays have been chosen as a model for monitoring the occurrence of L-isoaspartyl sites. A dramatic increase of these abnormal residues, specifically recognized and methylated by the enzyme L-isoaspartate(D-aspartate) O-methyltransferase (PCMT; EC 2.1.1.77), can be detected after exposure of M14 cells to raising doses of UVA. The effect of UVA on NO and TBARS accumulation, as well as on DNA fragmentation, has also been investigated. NO formation parallels the increase in isoaspartyl formation, while lipid peroxidation occurs only at the highest UVA doses. No DNA fragmentation has been detected under the employed experimental conditions. These results, as a whole, indicate that protein damages are one of the early events on UVA-induced cell injury. The endogenous activity of PCMT remains remarkably stable under UVA treatment, suggesting that this enzyme might play a crucial role in the repair and/or disposal of damaged proteins in UVA-irradiated cells.

Porin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces apoptosis in an epithelial cell line derived from rat seminal vesicles.

Micromolar concentrations of porin, purified from the outer membranes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, induced in vitro the classic morphological and biochemical signs of apoptosis in an epithelial cell line (SVC1) derived from the rat seminal vesicle secretory epithelium. The programmed cell death (PCD) was p53 independent and associated with significant decrease of bcl-2 expression, a marked increase of c-myc transcriptional activity, and an absence of the mRNA coding for tissue transglutaminase. The Ca(2+) influx, caused by the porin treatment of SVC1 cells, appears to play an important role in the triggering of apoptosis in our biological model. The possibility that the porin property of inducing PCD plays a role in the infertility of individuals chronically infected by gram-negative bacteria is discussed.

Recent advances on the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP). The adhesion molecules.

Oral Lichen Planus is a chronic inflammatory pathology with not well defined etiology, characterized by an immunoreactivity directed against the keratinocytes of basal layer and mediated by a cellular infiltrate of T-lymphocytes. This immunoreactivity is caused by a modification of basal keratinocytes surface antigens, with activation of antigen-presenting cells allowing the recognition on non-self antigens by CD4 lymphocytes. The migration of T-cells at the sites of the damage and their interactions with leucocytes and keratinocytes represent a key effect of pathogenesis of OLP, and are mediated by specific cell surface adhesion molecules. Recent studies in molecular biology, with the discovery and the definition of cell adhesion receptors, have greatly contributed to clarify the pathogenic mechanism of OLP; these molecules regulate immune functions such as adhesion to endothelial cells, lymphocytes migration into extravasal tissues at the site of immune response and T-cell interactions with target cell antigens. The adhesion molecules have been classified into various families, differing on the basis of their molecular structure: the Immunoglobulin Superfamily (ICAM 1-3, PECAM-1, VCAM-1), the Selectins (ELAM-1, LECAM-1, GMP-140), the Integrins (LEA-1) and others. In this paper, the principal classes of adhesion molecules which are involved in the immune response are described and their importance in the pathogenesis of Lichen Planus is underlined.

Lipoteichoic acid and protein-A from Staphylococcus aureus stimulate release of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by human dermal fibroblasts.

In this study we demonstrated that Staphylococcus aureus lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and protein-A (PA) induce the release from human dermal fibroblasts of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a proliferation factor of epithelial cells (including keratinocytes). In contrast, LPS and porins from Pseudomonas aeruginosa did not stimulate HGF production. Recombinant human IL-1 beta induced HGF release. This production was synergistically enhanced when in association with LTA (by more than twice) and PA (by about two-thirds). Controls were performed in the presence of bacterial components alone. In previous studies we have shown that LPS and porins are inducers of IL-1 alpha and beta and other cytokines from human monocytes. Therefore it is possible that in inflammatory cutaneous foci and infected wounds, bacterial components may induce HGF release from dermal human fibroblasts. LTA and PA act directly, while LPS and porins act indirectly, through the release of cytokines by monocytes/macrophages. HGF plays an important role in the repair of cutaneous tissue during gram-positive and gram-negative infections.