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1.
Allergy ; 69(2): 237-45, 2014 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24127643

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Edema represents a key feature of nasal polyp (NP) disease. Members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family may be involved, but the precise role of VEGF-A, VEGF-B, placental growth factor (PlGF), and their receptors VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 in NP edema formation remains elusive. OBJECTIVE: Exploring the expression of VEGF family members and their receptors and their correlation with clinical, radiological, and edema markers in NP. METHODS: The expression of VEGF-A, VEGF-B, PlGF, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2 was measured in NP (n = 23) and control tissue (n = 22) at mRNA and protein level. Edema was evaluated by measuring albumin levels and wet/dry ratios. Computed tomography (CT) scans were scored using the Lund-Mackay scoring system. IL-5 mRNA expression was determined by real-time RT-PCR. Cell suspensions from NP (n = 10) and control tissue (n = 12) were stimulated in vitro with IL-1ß or TNFα. RESULTS: mRNA expression of VEGFR1 and VEGF-B was significantly higher in NP compared with control tissue. Expression levels of VEGF-B and VEGFR1 significantly correlated with NP albumin content (VEGF-B: P = 0.0208; VEGFR1: P = 0.0293), CT scan scores (VEGF-B: P = 0.0075; VEGFR1: P = 0.0068), and IL-5 mRNA (VEGF-B: P = 0.0027; VEGFR1: P = 0.0001). In vitro stimulation of control and NP tissue cell suspensions with IL-1ß or TNFα significantly reduced the expression of VEGFR2 in control tissue, without altering VEGFR1 and VEGF-B expression. hVEGF-B induced nitric oxide production in NP macrophages (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Expression levels of VEGFR1 and VEGF-B correlate with edema and clinical markers of NP disease and therefore represent potential therapeutic targets.


Subject(s)
Nasal Polyps/metabolism , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1/biosynthesis , Female , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Membrane Proteins/analysis , Membrane Proteins/biosynthesis , Nasal Polyps/pathology , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/analysis , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/biosynthesis , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B/analysis , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B/biosynthesis , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1/analysis , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2/analysis , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2/biosynthesis
2.
J Pathol ; 216(2): 236-44, 2008 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18729077

ABSTRACT

Recent evidence indicates that an imbalance between cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and blood vessel growth in the remote myocardium may contribute to heart failure in ischaemic heart disease. It remains, however, largely unknown which angiogenic factors are capable of stimulating vessel growth in the remote myocardium after myocardial infarction (MI) and whether systemic, rather than local, administration of such factors suffices to ameliorate post-MI cardiac recovery. We therefore analysed the effect of systemic placental growth factor (PlGF) delivery on myocardial recovery post-MI in mice. MI was induced by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary (LAD) artery in C57Bl6/J mice, followed by systemic injection of a PlGF adenovirus, resulting in elevated circulating levels of PlGF for 4 weeks. Functional and morphological analysis revealed that PlGF treatment induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and improved cardiac recovery at day 28 post-MI. PlGF stimulated angiogenesis in the infarct border and vessel enlargement in the remote myocardium. In this mouse model, capillary-to-cardiomyocyte ratios in the remote myocardium were maintained post-MI, but PlGF increased the vascular perfusion area in balance with the cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Overall, systemic delivery of PlGF improves cardiac performance and promotes adaptive remodelling of the post-MI heart.


Subject(s)
Adenoviridae/genetics , Genetic Therapy/methods , Myocardial Infarction/metabolism , Myocardium/metabolism , Pregnancy Proteins/genetics , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Coronary Vessels/pathology , Echocardiography , Female , Ligation , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Models, Animal , Myocardial Infarction/pathology , Myocardium/pathology , Placenta Growth Factor , Time , Transduction, Genetic/methods
4.
Allergy ; 56(12): 1129-36, 2001 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11736741

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the locules of anthers of flowering plants, tiny (1.5-2 microm) granules of sporopollenin may occur next to the pollen grains. Those granules, called orbicules, mostly occur on the radial and innermost tangential wall of secretory tapetum cells. METHODS: We have investigated the presence of orbicules in 15 important European allergenic species with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS: Orbicules were present in all species investigated of the families Betulaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Fagaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, and Urticaceae. However, in the Asteraceae and Oleaceae species studied, orbicules were lacking. In all Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae, and Urticaceae species, orbicules were attached to the pollen exine. These observations indicate the possibility of the dispersal of orbicules into the atmosphere during anthesis. CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis of the potential role of orbicules as possible important vectors of allergens is put forward, based on the comparison of our results with recent literature about the evidence of allergenic activity in the smaller micronic atmospheric aerosol fraction. Our results provide evidence that an in-depth investigation of the sites of allergens across the whole anther is required. We suggest that allergen researchers apply immunoelectron microscopy on whole anthers to determine whether orbicules possess allergens.


Subject(s)
Allergens/immunology , Plants/immunology , Allergens/ultrastructure , Asteraceae/ultrastructure , Betulaceae/ultrastructure , Biopolymers/immunology , Carotenoids/immunology , Chenopodiaceae/ultrastructure , Fagaceae/ultrastructure , Oleaceae/ultrastructure , Plants/ultrastructure , Poaceae/ultrastructure , Polygonaceae/ultrastructure , Species Specificity , Urticaceae/ultrastructure
5.
Rev Palaeobot Palynol ; 108(3-4): 151-174, 2000 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10704642

ABSTRACT

Orbicules were studied in 43 species belonging to 32 genera of the five tribes of the Ixoroideae (Rubiaceae). The orbicules were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), light microscopy (LM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Orbicules are present in all species investigated of the tribes Pavetteae, Octotropideae and Coffeeae. In the tribes Gardenieae and Aulacocalyceae orbicules were found in some species, while they were absent in others. 15 species out of 11 genera lack orbicules. Three orbicule types (III, V, and VI) could be distinguished, mainly on the basis of general morphological and ultrastructural variations. Orbicules that belong to type III (0.50-1.29µm) have perforations in their wall, a regular or irregular shape and two or three electron transparent cores. This orbicule type, exclusively found in all Pavetteae species investigated, can be divided into two subtypes. Orbicules of subtype IIIa are present in all genera related to Ixora, and orbicules of subtype IIIb in those genera related to Tarenna. Orbicules of type V (0.97-1.86µm) are present in Himalrandia tetrasperma (Aulacocalyceae), and in all Octotropideae genera investigated, except Feretia. Complexes of more than three individual orbicules characterize this type. They are irregularly shaped and have many perforations as well as sporopollenin granules on the orbicule wall. In all species investigated of tribe Coffeeae, type VI orbicules (0.56-1.60µm) are present. These orbicules are characterized by their embedded position towards the tapetal membrane, their aggregated form and by the presence of perforations as well as sporopollenin granules on their orbicule wall. In the tribe Gardenieae different types of orbicule were found (V, VI and orbicules that cannot be classified in our typology). Our results suggest that orbicule characters in the Ixoroideae may be systematically useful on tribal level.

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