This article updates the guidance published in 2015 for authors submitting papers to British Journal of Pharmacology (Curtis et al., 2015) and is intended to provide the rubric for peer review. Thus, ...it is directed towards authors, reviewers and editors. Explanations for many of the requirements were outlined previously and are not restated here. The new guidelines are intended to replace those published previously. The guidelines have been simplified for ease of understanding by authors, to make it more straightforward for peer reviewers to check compliance and to facilitate the curation of the journal's efforts to improve standards.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
HLA-B-associated transcript 3 (BAT3), also known as Scythe or BAG6, is a nuclear protein implicated in the control of apoptosis and natural killer (NK) cell-dendritic cell (DC) interaction. We ...demonstrate that BAT3 modulates the immune response by regulating the function of macrophages. BAT3 is released by macrophages in vitro and it down-regulates nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines release in IFN-γ and LPS stimulated macrophages. Furthermore, Mycobacterium tuberculosis-derived protein ESAT-6 (Rv3875) induced transient increase in the expression and release of BAT3 in macrophages. We show that induction of apoptosis by ESAT-6 is dependent on the cleavage of BAT3 by caspase-3 and proteasomal degradation. Our results also indicate that BAT3 regulates ESAT-6-induced apoptosis by interacting with anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2. Taken together, the data suggest that BAT3 plays a role in the early immune response to M. tuberculosis infection and may be a key protein associated with the fate of antigen presenting cells during infection.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an incurable disease which affects millions of people in industrialized countries. Anecdotal and scientific evidence suggests that Cannabis use may have a positive ...impact in IBD patients. Here, we investigated the effect of cannabigerol (CBG), a non-psychotropic Cannabis-derived cannabinoid, in a murine model of colitis. Colitis was induced in mice by intracolonic administration of dinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (DNBS). Inflammation was assessed by evaluating inflammatory markers/parameters (colon weight/colon length ratio and myeloperoxidase activity), by histological analysis and immunohistochemistry; interleukin-1β, interleukin-10 and interferon-γ levels by ELISA, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by western blot and RT-PCR; CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by a colorimetric assay. Murine macrophages and intestinal epithelial cells were used to evaluate the effect of CBG on nitric oxide production and oxidative stress, respectively. CBG reduced colon weight/colon length ratio, myeloperoxidase activity, and iNOS expression, increased SOD activity and normalized interleukin-1β, interleukin-10 and interferon-γ changes associated to DNBS administration. In macrophages, CBG reduced nitric oxide production and iNOS protein (but not mRNA) expression. Rimonabant (a CB1 receptor antagonist) did not change the effect of CBG on nitric oxide production, while SR144528 (a CB2 receptor antagonist) further increased the inhibitory effect of CBG on nitric oxide production. In conclusion, CBG attenuated murine colitis, reduced nitric oxide production in macrophages (effect being modulated by the CB2 receptor) and reduced ROS formation in intestinal epithelial cells. CBG could be considered for clinical experimentation in IBD patients.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Background and Purpose
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) acts via several targets, including cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, transient receptor potential vanilloid type‐1 (TRPV1) ion channels, ...peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha (PPAR α) and orphan G protein‐coupled receptor 55 (GRR55), all involved in the control of intestinal inflammation. Here, we investigated the effect of PEA in a murine model of colitis.
Experimental Approach
Colitis was induced in mice by intracolonic administration of dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS). Inflammation was assessed by evaluating inflammatory markers/parameters and by histology; intestinal permeability by a fluorescent method; colonic cell proliferation by immunohistochemistry; PEA and endocannabinoid levels by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry; receptor and enzyme mRNA expression by quantitative RT‐PCR.
Key Results
DNBS administration caused inflammatory damage, increased colonic levels of PEA and endocannabinoids, down‐regulation of mRNA for TRPV1 and GPR55 but no changes in mRNA for CB1, CB2 and PPARα. Exogenous PEA (i.p. and/or p.o., 1 mg·kg−1) attenuated inflammation and intestinal permeability, stimulated colonic cell proliferation, and increased colonic TRPV1 and CB1 receptor expression. The anti‐inflammatory effect of PEA was attenuated or abolished by CB2 receptor, GPR55 or PPARα antagonists and further increased by the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine.
Conclusions and Implications
PEA improves murine experimental colitis, the effect being mediated by CB2 receptors, GPR55 and PPARα, and modulated by TRPV1 channels.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Scientists who plan to publish in British Journal of Pharmacology (BJP) must read this article before undertaking a study. This editorial provides guidance for the design of experiments. We have ...published previously two guidance documents on experimental design and analysis (Curtis et al., 2015; Curtis et al., 2018). This update clarifies and simplifies the requirements on design and analysis for BJP manuscripts. This editorial also details updated requirements following an audit and discussion on best practice by the BJP editorial board. Explanations for the requirements are provided in the previous articles. Here, we address new issues that have arisen in the course of handling manuscripts and emphasise three aspects of design that continue to present the greatest challenge to authors: randomisation, blinded analysis and balance of group sizes.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
LINKED ARTICLES
This article is part of a themed section on The Pharmacology of Nutraceuticals. To view the other articles in this section visit ...http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.6/issuetoc
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
St John’s wort (SJW) extracts, prepared from the aerial parts of
Hypericum perforatum
, contain numerous pharmacologically active ingredients, including naphthodianthrones (e.g., hypericin and its ...derivatives), phloroglucinols derivatives (e.g., hyperforin, which inhibits the reuptake of a number of neurotransmitters, including serotonin), and flavonoids. Such extracts are widely used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression. As a monotherapy, SJW has an encouraging safety profile. However, relevant and, in some case, life-threatening interactions have been reported, particularly with drugs which are substrate of cytochrome P450 and/or P-glycoprotein. Well-documented SJW interactions include (1) reduced blood cyclosporin concentration, as suggested by multiple case reports as well as by clinical trials, (2) serotonin syndrome or lethargy when SJW was given with serotonin reuptake inhibitors, (3) unwanted pregnancies in women while using oral contraceptives and SJW, and (4) reduced plasma drug concentration of antiretroviral (e.g., indinavir, nevirapine) and anticancer (i.e., irinotecan, imatinib) drugs. Hyperforin, which is believed to contribute to the antidepressant action of St John’s wort, is also strongly suspected to be responsible of most of the described interactions.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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