It is known that DNA hypomethylation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor repressor (AhRR), one of the epigenetic markers of environmental pollutants, causes skin diseases. However, the function and ...mechanisms are still unknown. We aimed to determine whether AhRR is hypomethylated in PBMC of psoriasis patients, as well as to examine the expression of psoriasis-related inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobial peptides after 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) treatment in HaCaT cells overexpressing or silencing AhRR. AhRR was determined by qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and immunocytochemistry in skin tissue and HaCaT cells. DNA methylation of AhRR was performed by Infinium Human Methylation450 BeadChip in PBMC of psoriasis patients and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) in HaCaT cells. NF-κB pp50 translocation and activity were performed by immunocytochemistry and luciferase reporter assay, respectively. We verified
gene expression in the epidermis from psoriasis patients and healthy controls.
hypomethylation in PBMC of psoriasis patients and pAhRR-HaCaT cells was confirmed. The expression level of AhRR was increased in both TCDD-treated HaCaT cells and pAhRR-HaCaT cells. NF-κB pp50 translocation and activity increased with TCDD. Our results showed that
was hypomethylated and overexpressed in the lesional skin of patients with psoriasis, thereby increasing AhRR gene expression and regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines through the NF-κB signaling pathway in TCDD-treated HaCaT cells.
This article explores whether there are significant differences in the creativity level of future teachers in teaching design. In virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) experimental teaching ...environments, the K-DOCS creative power scale, the flow state scale, and the expert group assessment scale were used to investigate the mediation effect of flow, attention, and meditation on the creativity level. The results indicate that in the MR experimental teaching environment, the three factors have a moderate mediating effect on the creativity level of future teachers (n = 65), and meditation has a certain regulating effect on heart flow (0.175*); In the VR experimental teaching environment (n = 67), only the factor of heart flow has a moderate promotion effect on the creativity level of future teachers (0.822***). The study results indicate that the quality of future teachers' creative instructional design in the MR environment is higher than that in the VR environment. In addition more MR experimental teaching environments should be provided to cultivate the creativity level of future teachers in teaching design.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor, is important for xenobiotic metabolism and binds to various endogenous and exogenous ligands present in the skin. AhR is ...known to be associated with diseases in various organs; however, its functions in chronic inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis (PS), have recently been elucidated. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of AhR related to chronic inflammatory skin diseases, such as AD and PS, and the mechanisms of action of AhR on the skin immune system. The importance of AhR molecular biological pathways, clinical features in animal models, and AhR ligands in skin diseases need to be investigated. In conclusion, the therapeutic effects of AhR ligands are demonstrated based on the relationship between AhR and skin diseases. Nevertheless, further studies are required to elucidate the detailed roles of AhR in chronic inflammatory skin diseases.
Itching is a sensory phenomenon characterized by an unpleasant sensation that makes you want to scratch the skin, and chronic itching diminishes the quality of life. In recent studies, multiple ...transient receptor potential (TRP) channels present in keratinocytes or nerve endings have been shown to engage in the propagation of itch signals in chronic dermatological or pruritic conditions, such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis (PS). TRPV3, a member of the TRP family, is highly expressed in the epidermal keratinocytes. Normal TRPV3 signaling is essential for maintaining epidermal barrier homeostasis. In recent decades, many studies have suggested that TRPV3 contributes to detecting pruritus signals. Gain-of-function mutations in TRPV3 in mice and humans are characterized by severe itching, hyperkeratosis, and elevated total IgE levels. These studies suggest that TRPV3 is an important channel for skin itching. Preclinical studies have provided evidence to support the development of TRPV3 antagonists for treating inflammatory skin conditions, itchiness, and pain. This review explores the role of TRPV3 in chronic pruritus, collating clinical and experimental evidence. We also discuss underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and explore the potential of TRPV3 antagonists as therapeutic agents.
Particulate matter (PM2.5) is an environmental pollutant causing skin inflammatory diseases via epidermal barrier damage. However, the mechanism and related gene expression induced by PM2.5 remains ...unclear. Our aim was to determine the effect of PM2.5 on human skin tissue ex vivo, and elucidate the mechanism of T helper 17 cell‐related inflammatory cytokine and skin barrier function. We verified the expression levels of gene in PM2.5‐treated human skin tissue using Quantseq (3′ mRNA‐Seq), and Gene Ontology (GO) terms and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were performed. The PM2.5 treatment significantly enhanced the expression of Th 1, 2, 17 and 22 cell‐related genes (cut‐off value: │1.2 │ > fold change and p < 0.05). Most of all, Th17 cell‐related genes are upregulated and those genes are associated with skin epidermal barrier function and Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a xenobiotic receptor, pathway. In human keratinocyte cell lines, AhR‐regulated genes (e.g. AhRR, CYP1A1, IL6 and IL36G), Th17 cell‐related genes (e.g. IL17C) and epidermal barrier–related genes (e.g. SPRR2A and KRT71) are significantly increased after PM2.5. In the protein level, the secretion of IL‐6 and IL‐36G was increased in human skin tissue following PM2.5 treatment, and the expression of SPRR2A and KRT71 was significantly increased. PM2.5 exposure could ruin the skin epidermal barrier function via AhR‐ and Th17 cell‐related inflammatory pathway.
For the prolonged, controlled delivery of systemic drugs, we propose an implantable drug-delivery chip (DDC) embedded with pairs of a microchannel and drug-reservoir serving as a drug diffusion ...barrier and depot, respectively. We pursued a DDC for dual drugs: a main-purpose drug, diclofenac (DF), for systemic exposure, and an antifibrotic drug, tranilast (TR), for local delivery. Thus, the problematic fibrotic tissue formation around the implanted device could be diminished, thereby less hindrance in systemic exposure of DF released from the DDC. First, we separately prepared DDCs for DF or TR delivery, and sought to find a proper microchannel length for a rapid onset and sustained pattern of drug release, as well as the required drug dose. Then, two distinct DDCs for DF and TR delivery, respectively, were assembled to produce a Dual_DDC for the concurrent delivery of DF and TR. When the Dual_DDC was implanted in living rats, the DF concentration in blood plasma did not drop significantly in the later periods after implantation relative to that in the early periods before fibrotic tissue formation. When the Dual_DDC was implanted without TR, there was a significant decrease in the blood plasma DF concentration as the time elapsed after implantation. Biopsied tissues around the Dual_DDC exhibited a significant decrease in the fibrotic capsule thickness and collagen density relative to the Dual_DDC without TR, owing to the effect of the local, sustained release of the TR.
Sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) and potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) are associated with the transmission of peripheral pain. We investigated whether the increase of NKCC1 ...and KCC2 is associated with peripheral pain transmission in dorsal root ganglion neurons. To this aim, rats with persistent hyperalgesia were randomly divided into four groups. Rats in the control group received no treatment, and the rat sciatic nerve was only exposed in the sham group. Rats in the chronic constriction injury group were established into chronic constriction injury models by ligating sciatic nerve and rats were given bumetanide, an inhibitor of NKCC1, based on chronic constriction injury modeling in the chronic constriction injury + bumetanide group. In the experiment measuring thermal withdrawal latency, bumetanide (15 mg/kg) was intravenously administered. In the patch clamp experiment, bumetanide (10 µg/µL) and acutely isolated dorsal root ganglion neurons (on day 14) were incubated for 1 hour, or bumetanide (5 µg/µL) was intrathecally injected. The Hargreaves test was conducted to detect changes in thermal hyperalgesia in rats. We found that the thermal withdrawal latency of rats was significantly decreased on days 7, 14, and 21 after model establishment. After intravenous injection of bumetanide, the reduction in thermal retraction latency caused by model establishment was significantly inhibited. Immunohistochemistry and western blot assay results revealed that the immune response and protein expression of NKCC1 in dorsal root ganglion neurons of the chronic constriction injury group increased significantly on days 7, 14, and 21 after model establishment. No immune response or protein expression of KCC2 was observed in dorsal root ganglion neurons before and after model establishment. The Cl- (chloride ion) fluorescent probe technique was used to evaluate the change of Cl- concentration in dorsal root ganglion neurons of chronic constriction injury model rats. We found that the relative optical density of N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide (a Cl- fluorescent probe whose fluorescence intensity decreases as Cl- concentration increases) in the dorsal root ganglion neurons of the chronic constriction injury group was significantly decreased on days 7 and 14 after model establishment. The whole-cell patch clamp technique revealed that the resting potential and action potential frequency of dorsal root ganglion neurons increased, and the threshold and rheobase of action potentials decreased in the chronic constriction injury group on day 14 after model establishment. After bumetanide administration, the above indicators were significantly suppressed. These results confirm that CCI can induce abnormal overexpression of NKCC1, thereby increasing the Cl- concentration in dorsal root ganglion neurons; this then enhances the excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons and ultimately promotes hyperalgesia and allodynia. In addition, bumetanide can achieve analgesic effects. All experiments were approved by the Institutional Ethics Review Board at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Shihezi University, China on February 22, 2017 (approval No. A2017-169-01).
Cosmetic silicone implants for breast reconstruction often lead to medical complications, such as abnormally excessive fibrosis driven by foreign body granulomatous inflammation. The purpose of this ...study was to develop a silicone breast implant capable of local and controlled release of a glucocorticoid drug triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for the prevention of silicone-breast-implant-induced fibrosis in a Yorkshire pig model (in vivo). Implants were dip-coated in a TA solution to load 1.85 μg/cm2 of TA in the implant shell, which could release the drug in a sustained manner for over 50 days. Immunohistochemical analysis for 12 weeks showed a decline in tumor necrosis factor-α expression, capsule thickness, and collagen density by 82.2%, 55.2%, and 32.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the counts of fibroblasts, macrophages, and myofibroblasts in the TA-coated implants were drastically reduced by 57.78%, 48.8%, and 64.02%, respectively. The TA-coated implants also lowered the expression of vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin proteins, the major profibrotic fibroblast and myofibroblast markers, respectively. Our findings suggest that TA-coated silicone breast implants can be a promising strategy for safely preventing fibrosis around the implants.
Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is based on the production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Thus, CDT can be advantageous when it is cancer‐specific, in terms of ...efficacy and safety. Therefore, we propose NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe), a Fe‐containing metal–organic framework (MOF), as a carrier of Cu (copper)‐chelating agent, d‐penicillamine (d‐pen; i.e., the NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe)/d‐pen), as well as a catalyst with Fe‐metal clusters for Fenton reaction. NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe)/d‐pen in the form of nanoparticles was efficiently taken into cancer cells and released d‐pen in a sustained manner. The released d‐pen chelated Cu that is highly expressed in cancer environments and this produces extra H2O2, which is then decomposed by Fe in NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe) to generate •OH. Therefore, the cytotoxicity of NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe)/d‐pen was observed in cancer cells, not in normal cells. We also suggest a formulation of NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe)/d‐pen combined with NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe) loaded with the chemotherapeutic drug, irinotecan (CPT‐11; NH2‐MIL‐101(Fe)/CPT‐11). When intratumorally injected into tumor‐bearing mice in vivo, this combined formulation exhibited the most prominent anticancer effects among all tested formulations, owing to the synergistic effect of CDT and chemotherapy.
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