Giulia Montagner

Comparative effects between electronic and cigarette smoke in human keratinocytes and epithelial lung cells

Information about the harmful effects of vaping is sparse and inconsistent, therefore, since the use of electronic cigarettes (e-CIGs) has become increasingly popular as a tool to limit tobacco smoking, it is urgent to establish the toxicity of the commercial e-CIGs. Skin (HaCaT) and lung (A549) cells, the main targets of cigarette smoke (CS), were exposed to e-CIG vapor and CS using an in vitro system. The cytotoxic effect of the exposure was analyzed in both cell types by ultrastructural morphology, Trypan Blue exclusion test and LDH assay. In addition, pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured by the Bio-Plex assay. The cytotoxic components of e-CIG were restrained to the flavoring compound and, to a lesser extent, to nicotine although their effects were less harmful to that of CS. Humectants alone exhibited no cytotoxicity but induced the release of cytokines and pro-inflammatory mediators. Based on our results, we can state that exposure to e-CIG vapors results in far less toxic than exposure to CS. In fact, besides the deleterious effect of flavor and nicotine, even the humectants alone are able to evocate cytokines release. This study will hopefully promote the development of safer e-CIGs to help people quit smoking.

Uptake by human glioma cell lines and biological effects of a peptide-nucleic acids targeting miR-221

MicroRNAs are a family of small noncoding RNAs regulating gene expression by sequence-selective mRNA targeting, leading to a translational repression or mRNA degradation. The oncomiR miR-221 is highly expressed in human gliomas, as confirmed in this study in samples of low and high grade gliomas, as well in the cell lines U251, U373 and T98G. In order to alter the biological functions of miR-221, a peptide nucleic acid targeting miR-221 (R8-PNA-a221) was produced, bearing a oligoarginine peptide (R8) to facilitate uptake by glioma cells. The effects of R8-PNA-a221 were analyzed in U251, U373 and T98G glioma cells and found to strongly inhibit miR-221. In addition, the effects of R8-PNA-a221 on p27Kip1 (a target of miR-221) were analyzed in U251 and T98G cells by RT-qPCR and by Western blotting. No change of p27Kip1 mRNA content occurs in U251 cells in the presence of PNA-a221 (lacking the R8 peptide), whereas significant increase of p27Kip1 mRNA was observed with the R8-PNA-a221. These data were confirmed by Western blot assay. A clear increment of p27Kip1 protein expression in the samples treated with R8-PNA-a221 was detected. In addition, R8-PNA-a221 was found able to increase TIMP3 expression (another target of miR-221) in T98G cells. These results suggest that PNAs against oncomiRNA miR-221 might be proposed for experimental treatment of human gliomas.

Cytokines profile and peripheral blood mononuclear cells morphology in Rett and autistic patients.

A potential role for immune dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been well established. However, immunological features of Rett syndrome (RTT), a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder closely related to autism, have not been well addressed yet. By using multiplex Luminex technology, a panel of 27 cytokines and chemokines was evaluated in serum from 10 RTT patients with confirmed diagnosis of MECP2 mutation (typical RTT), 12 children affected by classic autistic disorder and 8 control subjects. The cytokine/chemokine gene expression was assessed by real time PCR on mRNA of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Moreover, ultrastructural analysis of PBMCs was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Significantly higher serum levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-9, IL-13 were detected in RTT compared to control subjects, and IL-15 shows a trend toward the upregulation in RTT. In addition, IL-1β and VEGF were the only down-regulated cytokines in autistic patients with respect to RTT. No difference in cytokine/chemokine profile between autistic and control groups was detected. These data were also confirmed by ELISA real time PCR. At the ultrastructural level, the most severe morphological abnormalities were observed in mitochondria of both RTT and autistic PBMCs. In conclusion, our study shows a deregulated cytokine/chemokine profile together with morphologically altered immune cells in RTT. Such abnormalities were not quite as evident in autistic subjects. These findings indicate a possible role of immune dysfunction in RTT making the clinical features of this pathology related also to the immunology aspects, suggesting, therefore, novel possible therapeutic interventions for this disorder.

High levels of apoptosis are induced in human glioma cell lines by co-administration of peptide nucleic acids targeting miR-221 and miR-222.

The biological activity of a combined treatment of U251, U373 and T98G glioma cell lines with two anti-miR PNAs, directed against miR‑221 and miR‑222 and conjugated with an ocataarginine tail (R8-PNA-a221 and R8-PNA-a222) for efficient cellular delivery, was determined. Apoptosis was analyzed, and the effect of the combined treatment of glioma cells with either or both PNAs on the reversion of drug-resistance phenotype was assessed in the temozolomide-resistant T98G glioma cell line. Selectivity of PNA/miRNA interactions was studied by surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based Biacore analysis. Specificity of the PNA effects at the cellular level was analyzed by RT-qPCR. These experiments support the concept that the effects of R8-PNA-a221 and R8-PNA-a222 are specific. The studies on apoptosis confirmed that the R8-PNA-a221 induces apoptosis and demonstrated the pro-apoptotic effects of R8-PNA-a222. Remarkably, increased pro-apoptotic effects were obtained with the co-administration of both anti-miR‑221 and anti-miR‑222 PNAs. In addition, co-administration of R8-PNA-a221 and R8-PNA-a222 induced apoptosis of TMZ-treated T98G cells at a level higher than that obtained following singular administration of R8-PNA-a221 or R8-PNA-a222.

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity of a temporin B peptide analogue on an in vitro model of cystic fibrosis

Natural peptides with antimicrobial properties are deeply investigated as tools to fight bacteria resistant to common antibiotics. Small peptides, as those belonging to the temporin family, are very attractive because their activity can easily be tuned after small modification to their primary sequence. Structure‐activity studies previously reported by us allowed the identification of one peptide, analogue of temporin B, TB_KKG6A, showing, unlike temporin B, antimicrobial activity against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. In this paper, we investigated the antimicrobial and anti‐inflammatory activity of the peptide TB_KKG6A against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Interestingly, we found that the peptide exhibits antimicrobial activity at low concentrations, being able to downregulate the pro‐inflammatory chemokines and cytokines interleukin (IL)‐8, IL‐1β, IL‐6 and tumor necrosis factor‐α produced downstream infected human bronchial epithelial cells. Experiments were carried out also with temporin B, which was found to show pro‐inflammatory activity. Details on the interaction between TB_KKG6A and the P. aeruginosa LPS were obtained by circular dichroism and fluorescence studies. Copyright

Regulation of IL-8 gene expression in gliomas by microRNA miR-93

BackgroundDifferent strategies have been proposed to target neoangiogenesis in gliomas, besides those targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). The chemokine Interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been shown to possess both tumorigenic and proangiogenic properties. Although different pathways of induction of IL-8 gene expression have been already elucidated, few data are available on its post-transcriptional regulation in gliomas.MethodsHere we investigated the role of the microRNA miR-93 on the expression levels of IL-8 and other pro-inflammatory genes by RT-qPCR and Bio-Plex analysis. We used different disease model systems, including clinical samples from glioma patients and two glioma cell lines, U251 and T98G.ResultsIL-8 and VEGF transcripts are highly expressed in low and high grade gliomas in respect to reference healthy brain; miR-93 expression is also increased and inversely correlated with transcription of IL-8 and VEGF genes. Computational analysis showed the presence of miR-93 consensus sequences in the 3′UTR region of both VEGF and IL-8 mRNAs, predicting possible interaction with miR-93 and suggesting a potential regulatory role of this microRNA. In vitro transfection with pre-miR-93 and antagomiR-93 inversely modulated VEGF and IL-8 gene expression and protein release when the glioma cell line U251 was considered. Similar data were obtained on IL-8 gene regulation in the other glioma cell line analyzed, T98G. The effect of pre-miR-93 and antagomiR-93 in U251 cells has been extended to the secretion of a panel of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, which consolidated the concept of a role of miR-93 in IL-8 and VEGF gene expression and evidenced a potential regulatory role also for MCP-1 and PDGF (also involved in angiogenesis).ConclusionIn conclusion, our results suggest an increasing role of miR-93 in regulating the level of expression of several genes involved in the angiogenesis of gliomas.

Incorporation of Naked Peptide Nucleic Acids into Liposomes Leads to Fast and Efficient Delivery

The delivery of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) to cells is a very challenging task. We report here that a liposomal formulation composed of egg PC/cholesterol/DSPE-PEG2000 can be loaded, according to different encapsulation techniques, with PNA or fluorescent PNA oligomers. PNA loaded liposomes efficiently and quickly promote the uptake of a PNA targeting the microRNA miR-210 in human erythroleukemic K562 cells. By using this innovative delivery system for PNA, down-regulation of miR-210 is achieved at a low PNA concentration.

Phloridzin derivatives inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in human cystic fibrosis IB3-1 cells

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most diffuse autosomal recessive genetic disease affecting Caucasians. A persistent recruitment of neutrophils in the bronchi of CF patients contributes to exacerbate the airway tissue damage, suggesting that modulation of chemokine expression may be an important target for the patients well being thus the identification of innovative anti-inflammatory drugs is considered a longterm goal to prevent progressive tissue deterioration. Phloridzin, isolated from Malus domestica by a selective molecular imprinting extraction, and its structural analogues, Phloridzin heptapropionate (F1) and Phloridzin tetrapropionate (F2), were initially investigated because of their ability to reduce IL-6 and IL-8 expression in human CF bronchial epithelial cells (IB3-1) stimulated with TNF-α. Release of these cytokines by CF cells was shown to be controlled by the Transcription Factor (TF) NF-kB. The results of the present investigation show that of all the derivatives tested, Phloridzin tetrapropionate (F2) is the most interesting and has greatest potential as it demonstrates inhibitory effects on the expression and production of different cytokines involved in CF inflammation processes, including RANTES, VEGF, GM-CSF, IL-12, G-CSF, MIP-1b, IL-17, IL-10 and IP-10, without any correlated anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects.

Development and characterization of K562 cell clones expressing BCL11A-XL: Decreased hemoglobin production with fetal hemoglobin inducers and its rescue with mithramycin

Induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is considered a promising strategy in the treatment of β-thalassemia, in which production of adult hemoglobin (HbA) is impaired by mutations affecting the β-globin gene. Recent results indicate that B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 11A (BCL11A) is a major repressor of γ-globin gene expression. Therefore, disrupting the binding of the BCL11A transcriptional repressor complex to the γ-globin gene promoter provides a novel approach for inducing expression of the γ-globin genes. To develop a cellular screening system for the identification of BCL11A inhibitors, we produced K562 cell clones with integrated copies of a BCL11A-XL expressing vector. We characterized 12 K562 clones expressing different levels of BCL11A-XL and found that a clear inverse relationship does exist between the levels of BCL11A-XL and the extent of hemoglobinization induced by a panel of HbF inducers. Using mithramycin as an inducer, we found that this molecule was the only HbF inducer efficient in rescuing the ability to differentiate along the erythroid program, even in K562 cell clones expressing high levels of BCL11A-XL, suggesting that BCL11A-XL activity is counteracted by mithramycin.

An antisense peptide nucleic acid against Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibiting bacterial-induced inflammatory responses in the cystic fibrosis IB3-1 cellular model system

Discovery of novel antimicrobial agents against Pseudomonas aeruginosa able to inhibit bacterial growth as well as the resulting inflammatory response is a key goal in cystic fibrosis research. We report in this paper that a peptide nucleic acid (PNA3969) targeting the translation initiation region of the essential acpP gene of P. aeruginosa, and previously shown to inhibit bacterial growth, concomitantly also strongly inhibits induced up-regulation of the pro-inflammatory markers IL-8, IL-6, G-CSF, IFN-γ, IP-10, MCP-1 and TNF-α in IB3-1 cystic fibrosis cells infected by P. aeruginosa PAO1. Remarkably, no effect on PAO1 induction of VEGF, GM-CSF and IL-17 was observed. Analogous experiments using a two base mis-match control PNA did not show such inhibition. Furthermore, no significant effects of the PNAs were seen on cell growth, apoptosis or secretome profile in uninfected IB3-1 cells (with the exception of a PNA-mediated up-regulation of PDGF, IL-17 and GM-CSF). Thus, we conclude that in cell culture an antimicrobial PNA against P. aeruginosa can inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines otherwise induced by the infection. In particular, the effects of PNA-3969 on IL-8 gene expression are significant considering the key role of this protein in the cystic fibrosis inflammatory process exacerbated by P. aeruginosa infection.