Biomedical subjects

Wei Hsueh

Publications and source records attributed to Wei Hsueh.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Lysozyme-modified probiotic components protect rats against polymicrobial sepsis: role of macrophages and cathelicidin-related innate immunity.

Severe sepsis is associated with dysfunction of the macrophage/monocyte, an important cellular effector of the innate immune system. Previous investigations suggested that probiotic components effectively enhance effector cell functions of the immune system in vivo. In this study, we produced bacteria-free, lysozyme-modified probiotic components (LzMPC) by treating the probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus sp., with lysozyme. We showed that oral delivery of LzMPC effectively protected rats against lethality from polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture. We found that orally administrated LzMPC was engulfed by cells such as macrophages in the liver after crossing the intestinal barrier. Moreover, LzMPC-induced protection was associated with an increase in bacterial clearance in the liver. In vitro, LzMPC up-regulated the expression of cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) in macrophages and enhanced bactericidal activity of these cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that surgical stress or cecal ligation and puncture caused a decrease in CRAMP expression in the liver, whereas enteral administration of LzMPC restored CRAMP gene expression in these animals. Using a neutralizing Ab, we showed that protection against sepsis by LzMPC treatment required endogenous CRAMP. In addition, macrophages from LzMPC-treated rats had an enhanced capacity of cytokine production in response to LPS or LzMPC stimulation. Together, our data suggest that the protective effect of LzMPC in sepsis is related to an enhanced cathelicidin-related innate immunity in macrophages. Therefore, LzMPC, a novel probiotic product, is a potent immunomodulator for macrophages and may be beneficial for the treatment of sepsis.

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PubMed2006

Lipopolysaccharide induces CXCL2/macrophage inflammatory protein-2 gene expression in enterocytes via NF-kappaB activation: independence from endogenous TNF-alpha and platelet-activating factor.

CXCL2 (macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2)), a critical chemokine for neutrophils, has been shown to be produced in the rat intestine in response to platelet-activating factor (PAF) and to mediate intestinal inflammation and injury. The intestinal epithelium, constantly exposed to bacterial products, is the first line of defence against micro-organisms. It has been reported that enterocytes produce proinflammatory mediators, including tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and PAF, and we showed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and TNF activate nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in enterocytes. However, it remains elusive whether enterocytes release CXCL2 in response to LPS and TNF via a NF-kappaB-dependent pathway and whether this involves the endogenous production of TNF and PAF. In this study, we found that TNF and LPS markedly induced CXCL2 gene expression in IEC-6 cells, TNF within 30 min, peaking at 45 min, while LPS more slowly, peaking after 2 hr. TNF- and LPS- induced CXCL2 gene expression and protein release were completely blocked by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) and helenalin, two potent NF-kappaB inhibitors. NEMO-binding domain peptide, a specific inhibitor of inhibitor protein kappaB kinase (IKK) activation, a major upstream kinase mediating NF-kappaB activation, significantly blocked CXCL2 gene expression and protein release induced by LPS. WEB2170 (PAF antagonist) and anti-TNF antibodies had no effect on LPS-induced CXCL2 expression. In conclusion, CXCL2 gene is expressed in enterocytes in response to both TNF and LPS. LPS-induced CXCL2 expression is dependent on NF-kappaB activation via the IKK pathway. The effect of LPS is independent of endogenous TNF and PAF.

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PubMed2005

Tetrahydrobiopterin prevents platelet-activating factor-induced intestinal hypoperfusion and necrosis: Role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

OBJECTIVE: We reported previously that neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is the predominant NOS in rat small intestine and is down-regulated by platelet-activating factor (PAF). The severity of the bowel injury induced by PAF is inversely related to its suppressing effect on nNOS. Here, we investigated whether intestinal perfusion is regulated by nNOS and whether tetrahydrobiopterin, a co-factor and stabilizer of nNOS, reverses PAF-induced intestinal hypoperfusion and injury. SETTING: Animal laboratory. DESIGN: We first examined nNOS regulation of splanchnic blood flow by measuring the perfusion of the heart, lung, ileum, and kidney in rats after a nNOS inhibitor. We then examined the protective effect of tetrahydrobiopterin on PAF-induced bowel injury, mesenteric hypoperfusion, and systemic inflammation. SUBJECTS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. INTERVENTION: In part 1 of the experiment, rats were given 7-nitroindazole (a specific nNOS inhibitor, 50 mg.kg.day). In part 2 of the experiment, rats were treated with tetrahydrobiopterin (20 mg/kg) 5 mins before and 30 mins after PAF challenge (2.2 microg/kg, intravenously) MEASUREMENTS: Perfusion of the heart, lung, ileum, and kidney was measured at 1 and 4 days after 7-nitroindazole, using fluorescent microspheres. Intestinal injury and inflammation (myeloperoxidase content), blood perfusion, calcium dependent-NOS activity, and systemic inflammation (hypotension and hematocrit increase) were assessed 1 hr after PAF with and without tetrahydrobiopterin treatment. RESULTS: In part 1 of the experiment, 7-nitroindazole induced a long-lasting reduction of blood perfusion and inducible NOS expression selectively in the ileum but not in nonsplanchnic organs such as heart, lungs, and kidneys. In part 2, tetrahydrobiopterin protected against PAF-induced intestinal necrosis, hypoperfusion, neutrophil influx, and NOS suppression. It also reversed hypotension and hemoconcentration. Sepiapterin (2 mg/kg, stable tetrahydrobiopterin precursor) also attenuated PAF-induced intestinal injury. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that nNOS selectively regulates intestinal perfusion. Tetrahydrobiopterin prevents PAF-induced intestinal injury, probably by stabilizing nNOS and maintaining intestinal perfusion.

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PubMed2004

Macrophage inflammatory protein-2 mediates the bowel injury induced by platelet-activating factor.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent endogenous mediator of bowel inflammation. It activates neutrophils that are needed to initiate the inflammatory response. Macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), a critical C-X-C chemokine secreted by macrophages and epithelial cells, is a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils. Whereas MIP-2 has been previously shown to mediate the injury in various organs, its role in acute intestinal injury has never been assessed. In this study, we first investigated the effect of PAF on MIP-2 expression in the intestine. Anesthetized young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intravenously with either PAF (1.5 microg/kg) or saline. Sixty minutes later, ileal MIP-2 gene expression was determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and plasma and ileal MIP-2 protein was determined by ELISA. In a second step, we assessed the role of MIP-2 in PAF-induced bowel injury. Rats were pretreated with rabbit anti-rat MIP-2 antibodies or control IgG for 90 min and then injected intravenously with PAF (2.5 microg/kg) for 90 min. We found that, in the rat intestine, 1) MIP-2 mRNA was only minimally expressed constitutively in sham-operated animals; 2) MIP-2 mRNA was significantly upregulated in response to PAF; 3) MIP-2 protein plasma levels and local production of MIP-2 in the ileum were markedly induced by PAF; 4) the administration of anti-rat MIP-2 IgG, but not control rabbit IgG, markedly reduced PAF-induced bowel injury (injury scores of 0.19 +/- 0.09 vs. 1.12 +/- 0.43, P < 0.05), hypotension, and leukopenia but did not reduce PAF-induced hemoconcentration. Thus we conclude that MIP-2 mediates PAF-induced intestinal injury.

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PubMed2002

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: clinical considerations and pathogenetic concepts.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a disease affecting predominantly premature infants, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care units. Although several predisposing factors have been identified, such as prematurity, enteral feeding, and infection, its pathogenesis remains elusive. In the past 20 years, we have established several animal models of NEC in rats and found several endogenous mediators, especially platelet-activating factor (PAF), which may play a pivotal role in NEC. Injection of PAF induces intestinal necrosis, and PAF antagonists prevent the bowel injury induced by bacterial endotoxin, hypoxia, or challenge with tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF) plus endotoxin in adult rats. The same is true for lesions induced by hypoxia and enteral feeding in neonatal animals. Human patients with NEC show high levels of PAF and decreased plasma PAF-acetylhydrolase, the enzyme degrading PAF. The initial event in our experimental models of NEC is probably polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) activation and adhesion to venules in the intestine, which initiates a local inflammatory reaction involving proinflammatory mediators including TNF, complement, prostaglandins, and leukotriene C4. Subsequent norepinephrine release and mesenteric vasoconstriction result in splanchnic ischemia and reperfusion. Bacterial products (e.g., endotoxin) enter the intestinal tissue during local mucosal barrier breakdown, and endotoxin synergizes with PAF to amplify the inflammation. Reactive oxygen species produced by the activated leukocytes and by intestinal epithelial xanthine oxidase may be the final pathway for tissue injury. Protective mechanisms include nitric oxide produced by the constitutive (mainly neuronal) nitric oxide synthase, and indigenous probiotics such as Bifidobacteria infantis. The former maintains intestinal perfusion and the integrity of the mucosal barrier, and the latter keep virulent bacteria in check. The development of tissue injury depends on the balance between injurious and protective mechanisms.

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PubMed2002

Endotoxin, but not platelet-activating factor, activates nuclear factor-kappaB and increases IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta turnover in enterocytes.

Bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are important triggers of bowel inflammation and injury. We have previously shown that LPS activates the transcription factor nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in the intestine, which up-regulates many pro-inflammatory genes. This effect partly depends on neutrophils and endogenous PAF. However, whether LPS and PAF directly activate NF-kappaB in enterocytes remains controversial. In this study, we first investigated the effect of LPS and PAF on NF-kappaB activation in IEC-6 (a non-transformed rat small intestinal crypt cell line) cells, by electrophoresis mobility shift assay and supershift, and found that LPS, but not PAF, activates NF-kappaB mostly as p50-p65 heterodimers. The effect was slower than tumour necrosis factor (TNF). Both LPS and TNF induce the expression of the NF-kappaB-dependent gene inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which occurs subsequent to NF-kappaB activation. We then examined the effect of LPS and TNF on the inhibitory molecules IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta. We found that TNF causes rapid degradation of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta. In contrast, LPS did not change the levels of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta up to 4 hr (by Western blot). However, in the presence of cycloheximide, there was a slow reduction of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta, which disappeared almost completely at 4 hr. These observations suggest that LPS causes slow degradation and synthesis of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta and therefore activates NF-kappaBeta via at least two mechanisms: initially, through an IkappaB-independent mechanism, and later, via an increased turnover of the inhibitor IkappaB. NF-kappaBeta activation precedes the gene expression of iNOS (assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), suggesting that LPS up-regulates iNOS via this transcription factor.

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