Epithelial-fibroblast interactions in IPF: Lessons from in vitro co-culture studies.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial disease that is characterized by increased cellular proliferation and differentiation together with excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition leading to buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis) and remodeling in the lungs. The activated and differentiated (myo)fibroblasts are one of the main sources of tissue remodeling in IPF and a crucial mechanism known to contribute to this feature is an aberrant crosstalk between pulmonary fibroblasts and the abnormal or injured pulmonary epithelium. This epithelial-fibroblast interaction mimics the temporal, spatial and cell-type specific crosstalk between the endoderm and mesoderm in the so-called epithelial-mesenchymal trophic unit (EMTU) during lung development that is proposed to be activated in healthy lung repair and dysregulated in various lung diseases including IPF. To study the dysregulated lung EMTU in IPF, various complex in vitro models have been established. Hence, in this review, we will provide a summary of studies that have used complex (3-dimensional) in vitro co-culture, and organoid models to assess how abnormal epithelial-fibroblast interactions in lung EMTU contribute to crucial features of the IPF including defective cellular differentiation, proliferation and migration as well as increased ECM deposition.

Understanding fibroblast-immune cell interactions via co-culture models and their role in asthma pathogenesis.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease involving airway inflammation and fibrosis. Fibroblasts are the main effector cells important for lung tissue production which becomes abnormal in asthmatics and is one of the main contributors to airway fibrosis. Although fibroblasts were traditionally viewed solely as structural cells, they have been discovered to be highly active, and involved in lung inflammatory and fibrotic processes in asthma. In line with this, using 2D and 3D in vitro co-culture models, a complex interaction between lung fibroblasts and various immune cells important for the pathogenesis of asthma have been recently uncovered. Hence, in this review, we provide the first-ever summary of various studies that used 2D and 3D in vitro co-culture models to assess the nature of aberrant immune cell-fibroblast interactions and their contributions to chronic inflammation and fibrotic mechanisms in asthma pathogenesis.

[Profiles of IgG responses against CSP, GLURP and LSA-3NR2 in urban malaria (Dakar): relations with haemoglobin levels and parasite densities]. / Profils des réponses IgG dirigées contre CSP, GLURP et LSA-3NR2 dans le paludisme urbain à Dakar : influence sur l'hémoglobinémie et les parasitémies circulantes.

Malaria remains a major health problem in sub- Saharan African countries despite substantial decreases in morbidity and mortality due to sustained control programs. Vaccines candidates were mainly tested in rural endemic setting; however increasing proportion of the population is living in urban area. Evaluation of the qualitative or quantitative immune responses to key targets of anti-Plasmodium immunity requires further investigation in urban area. In a cohort of 144 patients with mild malaria living in Dakar, we analyzed IgG responses against target antigens of P. falciparum: CSP, LSA-3NR2 and GLURP by ELISA. A mean age of 15 yrs (4-65 yrs) was found and patients were separated in 59 adults (<15yrs) and 85 children (≤15 yrs). Parasites densities (0,01-15%) did not differ between the two age groups. In contrast, haemoglobin levels appeared lower in children (4.5-16.6 g/dl) (p<0.01). For the immune results, the most recognized antigens were GLURP and CSP compared to LSA-3NR2. Levels of IgG against these antigens were significantly different between the two age groups and they were positively correlated (rho = 0.32; p<0.001). In addition, levels of IgG anti-GLURP were associated with low parasitemia (≤1%) and absence of anemia (≥11g/dl), particularly in adults (p<0.001). In a multiple regression analysis, no significant relationship was found between parasite densities and IgG responses against all the tested antigens. Our study shows the implication of IgG anti-GLURP in humoral immune response against the parasite. The present work contributes to determine IgG levels that can be used as relevant immunologic biomarkers in urban clinical malaria.

Etude des relations entre le diabete de type 1 et les parodontites chez des enfants senegalais

Introduction : Le diabete sucre ou diabete de type 1 est une affection metabolique frequente qui concerne a la fois les adultes et les enfants. Il se traduit par des atteintes du parodonte qui aboutissent a des pertes dentaires. L'objectif de cette etude etait d'evaluer les relations entre le diabete sucre de type 1 et la survenue de la parodontite chez l'enfant au Senegal. Patients et methode : Il s'agit d'une etude transversale a vise etiologique qui a porte sur 50 enfants diabetiques de type 1 et 50 non diabetiques ages de 6 a 15 ans. L'etat bucco-dentaire et parodontal a ete evalue dans les deux groupes. La presence de parodontite etait objectivee par l'existence de toute poche parodontale 3 mm sur les incisives permanentes et premieres molaires qui ont fait leur eruption complete. L'evaluation du niveau d'hygiene a ete effectue avec l'indice de plaque de Silness et Loe; le saignement evalue par l'indice de Loe et Silness. Resultats : Le niveau socio-economique des parents des enfants diabetiques et non diabetiques etait similaire. L'hygiene buccale des enfants diabetiques etait significativement plus defectueuse que celle des non diabetiques (p= 0;00) et les parodontites etaient statistiquement plus importantes chez les diabetiques. Il y avait une correlation significative et positive entre l'age et la survenue de parodontite chez les enfants ages de 13-15 ans (p=0;00) mais il n'y a pas de relation avec l'equilibre glycemique; ni avec l'anciennete du diabete. Conclusion : Le diabete de type I se traduit se traduit chez l'enfant et l'adolescent senegalais par des parodontites. Cette atteinte n'est pas en rapport avec l'equilibre glycemique; ni avec l'anciennete du diabete

[Influence of orthodontic anomalies on periodontal condition]. / Influence des anomalies orthodontiques sur l'état parodontal.

INTRODUCTION: Three main reasons are routinely cited to justify the provision of orthodontic treatment: improvement of facial and dental aesthetics and of dental health and function. However, association between malocclusions and periodontal condition is still controversial. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the correlation between certain orthodontic anomalies and periodontal condition. MATERIALS AND METHOD: One hundred and one subjects were included in this study. Information regarding oral hygiene habits and accessibility to professional oral health care were obtained from each subject. Malocclusions were assessed with the Indice of Orthodontc Treatment Need (IOTN) and the Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON) and periodontal with the Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Need (CPITN). Spearman Rank correlation order was used to test for any association between malocclusions and periodontal condition. Significance was set at the 5% level. RESULTS: Contact point displacements (malpositions) are positively and significantly correlated to CPITN in the mandibular arch. There was also significant negative correlation between spacing and CPITN in the maxilla. Openbite and overjet assessed by IOTN have a significant positive correlation with the periodontal condition as assessed by the CPITN. In contrast no correlation was found with dental crossbite (IOTN and ICON). At last, there was significant correlation between overbite and periodontal condition. CONCLUSION: Significant correlations were found between malocclusions and periodontal condition. Within the limitation of this study one can suggest that malocclusions are risk marker for periodontal diseases. However, this study by virtue of its protocol cannot allow us to makeany inference about a cause/effect relationship between malocclusions and periodontal condition.

Nutrient adequacy and dietary diversity in rural Mali: association and determinants.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between nutrient adequacy and dietary diversity, and to assess and compare the determinants for the two constructs in an adult population in rural Mali. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study assessing food intake by a validated 7-day quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Two different dietary diversity indexes were created: food variety score (FVS), a simple count of food items, and diet diversity score (DDS) a count of food groups. Mean adequacy ratio, the mean ratio of intake to recommended intake (each truncated at one) of energy and nine nutrients, was calculated as an indicator of nutrient adequacy. Information on household and individual characteristics, including demography, socioeconomic conditions and food production strategies was obtained using precoded questionnaires. SETTING: Bafoulabé district, Kayes region, Western Mali. SUBJECTS: In total, 502 subjects (55% women) aged 15-45 y from 319 different households. RESULTS: Both FVS and DDS had a positive correlation with mean adequacy ratio (MAR). Multivariate analysis (linear regression) showed that the most important factors explaining MAR was the number of milk products, vegetables and green leaves consumed, as well as sex and the number of crops produced in the household. Dietary diversity was associated with socioeconomic status, residence and age. CONCLUSION: Dietary diversity is useful as an indicator of nutrient adequacy. It is important to examine how various food groups contribute to the nutrient adequacy of the diet in an area.