scholarly journals Protective Effects of Medicinal Plant Decoctions on Macrophages in the Context of Atherosclerosis

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 280
Author(s):  
Eloïse Checkouri ◽  
Stéphane Ramin-Mangata ◽  
Nicolas Diotel ◽  
Wildriss Viranaicken ◽  
Claude Marodon ◽  
...  

Atherosclerosis is a hallmark of most cardiovascular diseases. The implication of macrophages in this pathology is widely documented, notably for their contribution to lipid accumulation within the arterial wall, associated with oxidative stress and inflammation processes. In order to prevent or limit the atherosclerosis damage, nutritional approaches and medicinal plant-based therapies need to be considered. In Reunion Island, medicinal plant-based beverages are traditionally used for their antioxidant, lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of our study was to assess the protective effects of eight medicinal plant decoctions in an in vitro model of RAW 264.7 murine macrophages exposed to pro-atherogenic conditions (oxidized low-density lipoproteins—ox-LDL—E. coli Lipopolysaccharides—LPS). The impact of polyphenol-rich medicinal plant decoctions on cell viability was evaluated by Neutral Red assay. Fluorescent ox-LDL uptake was assessed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Activation of NF-κB was evaluated by quantification of secreted alkaline phosphatase in RAW-Blue™ macrophages. Our results show that medicinal plant decoctions limited the cytotoxicity induced by ox-LDL on macrophages. Flow cytometry analysis in macrophages demonstrated that medicinal plant decoctions from S. cumini and P. mauritianum decreased ox-LDL uptake and accumulation by more than 70%. In addition, medicinal plant decoctions also inhibited NF-κB pathway activation in the presence of pro-inflammatory concentrations of E. coli LPS. Our data suggest that medicinal plant decoctions exert protective effects on ox-LDL-induced cytotoxicity and limited macrophage lipid uptake. Moreover, herbal preparations displayed anti-inflammatory properties on macrophages that can be of interest for limiting the atherosclerotic process.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wuyang Huang ◽  
Ky Young Cho ◽  
Di Meng ◽  
W. Allan Walker

AbstractAn excessive intestinal inflammatory response may have a role in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very preterm infants. Indole-3-lactic acid (ILA) of breastmilk tryptophan was identified as the anti-inflammatory metabolite involved in probiotic conditioned media from Bifidobacteria longum subsp infantis. This study aimed to explore the molecular endocytic pathways involved in the protective ILA effect against inflammation. H4 cells, Caco-2 cells, C57BL/6 pup and adult mice were used to compare the anti-inflammatory mechanisms between immature and mature enterocytes in vitro and in vivo. The results show that ILA has pleiotropic protective effects on immature enterocytes including anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and developmental regulatory potentials in a region-dependent and an age-dependent manner. Quantitative transcriptomic analysis revealed a new mechanistic model in which STAT1 pathways play an important role in IL-1β-induced inflammation and ILA has a regulatory effect on STAT1 pathways. These studies were validated by real-time RT-qPCR and STAT1 inhibitor experiments. Different protective reactions of ILA between immature and mature enterocytes indicated that ILA’s effects are developmentally regulated. These findings may be helpful in preventing NEC for premature infants.


mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Miquel ◽  
Marion Leclerc ◽  
Rebeca Martin ◽  
Florian Chain ◽  
Marion Lenoir ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTFaecalibacterium prausnitziiis an anti-inflammatory commensal bacterium identified on the basis of human clinical data. The mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects are still unknown. Gnotobiotic mice harboringF. prausnitzii(A2-165) andEscherichia coli(K-12 JM105) were subjected to 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced acute colitis. The inflammatory colitis scores and a gas chromatography-time of flight (GC/TOF) mass spectrometry-based metabolomic profile were monitored in blood, ileum, cecum, colon, and feces in gnotobiotic mice. The potential anti-inflammatory metabolites were testedin vitro. We obtained stableE. coliandF. prausnitzii-diassociated mice in whichE. coliprimed the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), allowing a durable and stable establishment ofF. prausnitzii. The disease activity index, histological scores, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and serum cytokine levels were significantly lower in the presence ofF. prausnitziiafter TNBS challenge. The protective effect ofF. prausnitziiagainst colitis was correlated to its implantation level and was linked to overrepresented metabolites along the GIT and in serum. Among 983 metabolites in GIT samples and serum, 279 were assigned to known chemical reactions. Some of them, belonging to the ammonia (α-ketoglutarate), osmoprotective (raffinose), and phenolic (including anti-inflammatory shikimic and salicylic acids) pathways, were associated with a protective effect ofF. prausnitzii, and the functional link was establishedin vitrofor salicylic acid. We show for the first time thatF. prausnitziiis a highly active commensal bacterium involved in reduction of colitis throughin vivomodulation of metabolites along the GIT and in the peripheral blood.IMPORTANCEInflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterized by low proportions ofF. prausnitziiin the gut microbiome. This commensal bacterium exhibits anti-inflammatory effects through still unknown mechanisms. Stable monoassociated rodents are actually not a reproducible model to decipherF. prausnitziiprotective effects. We propose a new gnotobiotic rodent model providing mechanistic clues. In this model,F. prausnitziiexhibits protective effects against an acute colitis and a protective metabolic profile is linked to its presence along the digestive tract. We identified a molecule, salicylic acid, directly involved in the protective effect ofF. prausnitzii. Targeting its metabolic pathways could be an attractive therapeutic strategy in IBD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 202 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney E. Price ◽  
Dustin G. Brown ◽  
Dominique H. Limoli ◽  
Vanessa V. Phelan ◽  
George A. O’Toole

ABSTRACT Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients chronically infected with both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus have worse health outcomes than patients who are monoinfected with either P. aeruginosa or S. aureus. We showed previously that mucoid strains of P. aeruginosa can coexist with S. aureus in vitro due to the transcriptional downregulation of several toxic exoproducts typically produced by P. aeruginosa, including siderophores, rhamnolipids, and HQNO (2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide). Here, we demonstrate that exogenous alginate protects S. aureus from P. aeruginosa in both planktonic and biofilm coculture models under a variety of nutritional conditions. S. aureus protection in the presence of exogenous alginate is due to the transcriptional downregulation of pvdA, a gene required for the production of the iron-scavenging siderophore pyoverdine as well as the downregulation of the PQS (Pseudomonas quinolone signal) (2-heptyl-3,4-dihydroxyquinoline) quorum sensing system. The impact of exogenous alginate is independent of endogenous alginate production. We further demonstrate that coculture of mucoid P. aeruginosa with nonmucoid P. aeruginosa strains can mitigate the killing of S. aureus by the nonmucoid strain of P. aeruginosa, indicating that the mechanism that we describe here may function in vivo in the context of mixed infections. Finally, we investigated a panel of mucoid clinical isolates that retain the ability to kill S. aureus at late time points and show that each strain has a unique expression profile, indicating that mucoid isolates can overcome the S. aureus-protective effects of mucoidy in a strain-specific manner. IMPORTANCE CF patients are chronically infected by polymicrobial communities. The two dominant bacterial pathogens that infect the lungs of CF patients are P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, with ∼30% of patients coinfected by both species. Such coinfected individuals have worse outcomes than monoinfected patients, and both species persist within the same physical space. A variety of host and environmental factors have been demonstrated to promote P. aeruginosa-S. aureus coexistence, despite evidence that P. aeruginosa kills S. aureus when these organisms are cocultured in vitro. Thus, a better understanding of P. aeruginosa-S. aureus interactions, particularly mechanisms by which these microorganisms are able to coexist in proximal physical space, will lead to better-informed treatments for chronic polymicrobial infections.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (37) ◽  
pp. 4946-4967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K. Kiss ◽  
Jakub P. Piwowarski

The popularity of food products and medicinal plant materials containing hydrolysable tannins (HT) is nowadays rapidly increasing. Among various health effects attributable to the products of plant origin rich in gallotannins and/or ellagitannins the most often underlined is the beneficial influence on diseases possessing inflammatory background. Results of clinical, interventional and animal in vivo studies clearly indicate the antiinflammatory potential of HT-containing products, as well as pure ellagitannins and gallotannins. In recent years a great emphasis has been put on the consideration of metabolism and bioavailability of natural products during examination of their biological effects. Conducted in vivo and in vitro studies of polyphenols metabolism put a new light on this issue and indicate the gut microbiota to play a crucial role in the health effects following their oral administration. The aim of the review is to summarize the knowledge about HT-containing products’ phytochemistry and their anti-inflammatory effects together with discussion of the data about observed biological activities with regards to the current concepts on the HTs’ bioavailability and metabolism. Orally administered HT-containing products due to the limited bioavailability of ellagitannins and gallotannins can influence immune response at the level of gastrointestinal tract as well as express modulating effects on the gut microbiota composition. However, due to the chemical changes being a result of their transit through gastrointestinal tract, comprising of hydrolysis and gut microbiota metabolism, the activity of produced metabolites has to be taken into consideration. Studies regarding biological effects of the HTs’ metabolites, in particular urolithins, indicate their strong and structure-dependent anti-inflammatory activities, being observed at the concentrations, which fit the range of their established bioavailability. The impact of HTs on inflammatory processes has been well established on various in vivo and in vitro models, while influence of microbiota metabolites on silencing the immune response gives a new perspective on understanding anti-inflammatory effects attributed to HT containing products, especially their postulated effectiveness in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and cardiovascular diseases.


2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 3059-3065 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Pitart ◽  
F. Marco ◽  
T. A. Keating ◽  
W. W. Nichols ◽  
J. Vila

ABSTRACTCeftazidime-avibactam and comparator antibiotics were tested by the broth microdilution method against 200Enterobacteriaceaeand 25Pseudomonas aeruginosastrains resistant to fluoroquinolones (including strains with the extended-spectrum β-lactamase [ESBL] phenotype and ceftazidime-resistant strains) collected from our institution. The MICs and mechanisms of resistance to fluoroquinolone were also studied. Ninety-nine percent of fluoroquinolone-resistantEnterobacteriaceaestrains were inhibited at a ceftazidime-avibactam MIC of ≤4 mg/liter (using the susceptible CLSI breakpoint for ceftazidime alone as a reference). Ceftazidime-avibactam was very active against ESBLEscherichia coli(MIC90of 0.25 mg/liter), ESBLKlebsiella pneumoniae(MIC90of 0.5 mg/liter), ceftazidime-resistant AmpC-producing species (MIC90of 1 mg/liter), non-ESBLE. coli(MIC90of ≤0.125 mg/liter), non-ESBLK. pneumoniae(MIC90of 0.25 mg/liter), and ceftazidime-nonresistant AmpC-producing species (MIC90of ≤0.5 mg/liter). Ninety-six percent of fluoroquinolone-resistantP. aeruginosastrains were inhibited at a ceftazidime-avibactam MIC of ≤8 mg/liter (using the susceptible CLSI breakpoint for ceftazidime alone as a reference), with a MIC90of 8 mg/liter. Additionally, fluoroquinolone-resistant mutants from each species tested were obtainedin vitrofrom two strains, one susceptible to ceftazidime and the other a β-lactamase producer with a high MIC against ceftazidime but susceptible to ceftazidime-avibactam. Thereby, the impact of fluoroquinolone resistance on the activity of ceftazidime-avibactam could be assessed. The MIC90values of ceftazidime-avibactam for the fluoroquinolone-resistant mutant strains ofEnterobacteriaceaeandP. aeruginosawere ≤4 mg/liter and ≤8 mg/liter, respectively. We conclude that the presence of fluoroquinolone resistance does not affectEnterobacteriaceaeandP. aeruginosasusceptibility to ceftazidime-avibactam; that is, there is no cross-resistance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 1051-1068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jèssica Latorre ◽  
José M. Moreno-Navarrete ◽  
Mónica Sabater ◽  
Maria Buxo ◽  
José I. Rodriguez-Hermosa ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Obesity is characterized by the immune activation that eventually dampens insulin sensitivity and changes metabolism. This study explores the impact of different inflammatory/ anti-inflammatory paradigms on the expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) found in adipocyte cultures, adipose tissue, and blood. Methods: We evaluated by real time PCR the impact of acute surgery stress in vivo (adipose tissue) and macrophages (MCM) in vitro (adipocytes). Weight loss was chosen as an anti-inflammatory model, so TLR were analyzed in fat samples collected before and after bariatric surgery-induced weight loss. Associations with inflammatory and metabolic parameters were analyzed in non-obese and obese subjects, in parallel with gene expression measures taken in blood and isolated adipocytes/ stromal-vascular cells (SVC). Treatments with an agonist of TLR3 were conducted in human adipocyte cultures under normal conditions and upon conditions that simulated the chronic low-grade inflammatory state of obesity. Results: Surgery stress raised TLR1 and TLR8 in subcutaneous (SAT), and TLR2 in SAT and visceral (VAT) adipose tissue, while decreasing VAT TLR3 and TLR4. MCM led to increased TLR2 and diminished TLR3, TLR4, and TLR5 expressions in human adipocytes. The anti-inflammatory impact of weight loss was concomitant with decreased TLR1, TLR3, and TLR8 in SAT. Cross-sectional associations confirmed increased V/ SAT TLR1 and TLR8, and decreased TLR3 in obese patients, as compared with non-obese subjects. As expected, TLR were predominant in SVC and adipocyte precursor cells, even though expression of all of them but TLR8 (very low levels) was also found in ex vivo isolated and in vitro differentiated adipocytes. Among SVC, CD14+ macrophages showed increased TLR1, TLR2, and TLR7, but decreased TLR3 mRNA. The opposite patterns shown for TLR2 and TLR3 in V/ SAT, SVC, and inflamed adipocytes were observed in blood as well, being TLR3 more likely linked to lymphocyte instead of neutrophil counts. On the other hand, decreased TLR3 in adipocytes challenged with MCM dampened lipogenesis and the inflammatory response to Poly(I:C). Conclusion: Functional variations in the expression of TLR found in blood and hypertrophied fat depots, namely decreased TLR3 in lymphocytes and inflamed adipocytes, are linked to metabolic inflammation.


1999 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 738-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Petersen ◽  
N. V. Jacobus ◽  
W. J. Weiss ◽  
P. E. Sum ◽  
R. T. Testa

ABSTRACT The 9-t-butylglycylamido derivative of minocycline (TBG-MINO) is a recently synthesized member of a novel group of antibiotics, the glycylcyclines. This new derivative, like the first glycylcyclines, theN,N-dimethylglycylamido derivative of minocycline and 6-demethyl-6-deoxytetracycline, possesses activity against bacterial isolates containing the two major determinants responsible for tetracycline resistance: ribosomal protection and active efflux. The in vitro activities of TBG-MINO and the comparative agents were evaluated against strains with characterized tetracycline resistance as well as a spectrum of recent clinical aerobic and anaerobic gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. TBG-MINO, with an MIC range of 0.25 to 0.5 μg/ml, showed good activity against strains expressing tet(M) (ribosomal protection), tet(A), tet(B),tet(C), tet(D), and tet(K) (efflux resistance determinants). TBG-MINO exhibited similar activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), penicillin-resistant streptococci, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (MICs at which 90% of strains are inhibited, ≤0.5 μg/ml). TBG-MINO exhibited activity against a wide diversity of gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, most of which were less susceptible to tetracycline and minocycline. The in vivo protective effects of TBG-MINO were examined against acute lethal infections in mice caused by Escherichia coli, S. aureus, andStreptococcus pneumoniae isolates. TBG-MINO, administered intravenously, demonstrated efficacy against infections caused byS. aureus including MRSA strains and strains containingtet(K) or tet(M) resistance determinants (median effective doses [ED50s], 0.79 to 2.3 mg/kg of body weight). TBG-MINO demonstrated efficacy against infections caused by tetracycline-sensitive E. coli strains as well asE. coli strains containing either tet(M) or the efflux determinant tet(A), tet(B), ortet(C) (ED50s, 1.5 to 3.5 mg/kg). Overall, TBG-MINO shows antibacterial activity against a wide spectrum of gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria including strains resistant to other chemotherapeutic agents. The in vivo protective effects, especially against infections caused by resistant bacteria, corresponded with the in vitro activity of TBG-MINO.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (10) ◽  
pp. 3561-3570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Johnson ◽  
Randall S. Singer ◽  
Richard E. Isaacson ◽  
Jessica L. Danzeisen ◽  
Kevin Lang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIncA/C plasmids are broad-host-range plasmids enabling multidrug resistance that have emerged worldwide among bacterial pathogens of humans and animals. Although antibiotic usage is suspected to be a driving force in the emergence of such strains, few studies have examined the impact of different types of antibiotic administration on the selection of plasmid-containing multidrug resistant isolates. In this study, chlortetracycline treatment at different concentrations in pig feed was examined for its impact on selection and dissemination of an IncA/C plasmid introduced orally via a commensalEscherichia colihost. Continuous low-dose administration of chlortetracycline at 50 g per ton had no observable impact on the proportions of IncA/C plasmid-containingE. colifrom pig feces over the course of 35 days. In contrast, high-dose administration of chlortetracycline at 350 g per ton significantly increased IncA/C plasmid-containingE. coliin pig feces (P< 0.001) and increased movement of the IncA/C plasmid to other indigenousE. colihosts. There was no evidence of conjugal transfer of the IncA/C plasmid to bacterial species other thanE. coli.In vitrocompetition assays demonstrated that bacterial host background substantially impacted the cost of IncA/C plasmid carriage inE. coliandSalmonella.In vitrotransfer and selection experiments demonstrated that tetracycline at 32 μg/ml was necessary to enhance IncA/C plasmid conjugative transfer, while subinhibitory concentrations of tetracyclinein vitrostrongly selected for IncA/C plasmid-containingE. coli. Together, these experiments improve our knowledge on the impact of differing concentrations of tetracycline on the selection of IncA/C-type plasmids.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijendra Kumar Suryawanshi ◽  
Khomendra Kumar Sarwa ◽  
Suhas Narayan Sakarkar ◽  
Chanchal Deep Kaur

Background: Rosuvastatin calcium is a statin class of drug having limited oral bioavailability of about 20%. This problem might be overcome by making the biform complex using cow ghee fraction as a bioavailability enhancer. Methods: A precise thermal fractionation technique was adopted to separate different fatty acids from cow ghee. Collected fractions were subjected to characterization over parameters reported for fatty acids. LC-MS and FTIR confirm the content variation in the collected fraction. Biform complex was prepared by fusion method with a constant ratio of drug and cow ghee fraction. The prepared complex was subjected to FTIR, DSC, and LC-MS study to confirm chemical composition characteristics. Drug content, in-vitro and ex-vivo permeation studies were also performed. The anti-inflammatory response was measured using the carrageenan paw-induced edema rat model. Lipid-lowering effect and inflammation marker analysis was also performed using ELISA specific kit. Results: The biform complex prepared with a thermal fraction at 30ºC of cow ghee show the highest in-vitro and ex-vivo permeation. The anti-inflammation response of the biform complex F1 was higher than other tested formulations with considerable lipid and lipoprotein lowering properties. Conclusions: This study confirms that the thermal fractionation method abled to separate cow ghee as per their fatty acid content. The complexion of rosuvastatin calcium with cow ghee thermal fraction enhances oral bioavailability followed by the anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering activity.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott M Gordon ◽  
Georgina Kemeh ◽  
Michael B Fessler ◽  
Alan T Remaley

Introduction: Statins, by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase and up regulating hepatic LDL receptors, effectively lower plasma LDL-C by as much as 50%, thus reducing future CVD events. However, the physiological effects of statins are diverse and not all are related to lowering of LDL-C. Goal: The goal of this study was to test our hypothesis that some of these pleiotropic alternative effects from statins may be driven by compositional changes to lipoproteins distinct from their cholesterol content. We, therefore, performed a small clinical pilot study to assess the impact of statins on lipoprotein associated proteins in healthy individuals. Methods: Ten subjects with normal LDL-C (<130 mg/dL) were given rosuvastatin (20 mg/day) for 28 days. Plasma samples collected at baseline and after treatment were used for lipid measurement, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) lipoprotein profiling and lipoprotein proteomics. Results: The effects of rosuvastatin treatment on clinical lipid measures and NMR profile were consistent with established findings. Proteomic analysis of FPLC fractions representing LDL, HDL-1 (large) and HDL-2 (small) identified a total of 124 different proteins. Spectral counting was used to compare relative protein detection before and after statin therapy. Significant protein changes were found in each lipoprotein pool: LDL = 9, HDL-1 = 9 and HDL-2 = 4. These changes included both increases and decreases in proteins involved in lipoprotein metabolism, complement regulation and acute phase response. The most dramatic effect of the treatment was a profound increase in alpha-1-antirypsin (A1AT) spectral counts association with HDL-1 particles. Quantitative measurement by ELISA revealed an average 5.7 fold increase in HDL-1 associated A1AT. Preliminary in vitro studies indicate a potential functional role for A1AT enriched HDL in the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), a pro-inflammatory component of vascular lesions. Summary: Based on these results, statins can significantly change the protein composition of both LDL and HDL. Some of these changes, such as the up regulation of A1AT on HDL, may convey anti-inflammatory functionality on lipoproteins and might contribute to some of the non-lipid lowering effects of statins.


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