Johanna T. Teräsjärvi, Laura Toivonen, Jussi Mertsola, Ville Peltola, Qiushui He
{"title":"ST2 and IL-33 polymorphisms and the development of childhood asthma: a prospective birth cohort study in Finnish children","authors":"Johanna T. Teräsjärvi, Laura Toivonen, Jussi Mertsola, Ville Peltola, Qiushui He","doi":"10.1111/apm.13411","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13411","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The ST2/IL-33 signaling pathway has an important role in the host inflammatory response. Here we aimed to study the association of <i>ST2</i> and <i>IL-33</i> polymorphisms with serum soluble (s) ST2 and IL-33 concentrations in healthy Finnish children and, in addition, their association with childhood asthma. In total, 146 children were followed from birth to the age 7 years for the development of asthma. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in <i>ST2</i> and <i>IL-33</i> were determined, and associations of the SNP variants with serum levels of sST2 and IL-33 at age of 13 months and with recurrent wheezing and childhood asthma at 7 years of age were analyzed. Children with <i>ST2</i> rs1041973 AC/AA genotypes had significantly lower level of serum sST2 (2453 pg/mL; IQR 2265) than those with CC genotype (5437 pg/mL; IQR 2575; p = < 0.0001). Similar difference was also observed with <i>ST2</i> rs13408661. No differences were observed between subjects with studied <i>IL-33</i> SNPs. Children who carried genetic variants of <i>ST2</i> rs1041973 or rs13408661 seemed to have a higher risk of asthma. In contrast, children who carried genetic variants of <i>IL-33</i> rs12551268 were less often diagnosed with asthma. Even though these SNPs seemed to associate with asthma, the differences were not statistically significant.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 7","pages":"515-525"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/apm.13411","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140575733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring the immune-modulating properties of boswellic acid in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis","authors":"Alireza Shadab, Mohammad Abbasi-Kolli, Esmaeil Yazdanpanah, Seyed-Alireza Esmaeili, Rasoul Baharlou, Bahman Yousefi, Dariush Haghmorad","doi":"10.1111/apm.13406","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13406","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition where the central nervous system loses its myelin coating due to autoimmune inflammation. The experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) simulates some aspects of human MS. Boswellic acids are natural compounds derived from frankincense extract, known for their anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this research was to investigate therapeutic potential of boswellic acids. Mice were divided into three groups: low-dose (LD), high-dose (HD), and control groups (CTRL). Following EAE induction, the mice received daily doses of boswellic acid for 25 days. Brain tissue damage, clinical symptoms, and levels of TGF-β, IFN-γ, and IL-17 cytokines in cell cultured supernatant of lymphocytes were assessed. Gene expression of transcription factors in brain was measured using real-time PCR. The levels of brain demyelination were significantly lower in the treatment groups compared to the CTRL group. Boswellic acid reduced the severity and duration of EAE symptoms. Furthermore, boswellic acid decreased the amounts of IFN-γ and IL-17, also the expression of T-bet and ROR-γt in brain. On the contrary, it increased the levels of TGF-β and the expression FoxP3 and GATA3. Our findings suggest that boswellic acids possess therapeutic potential for EAE by modulating the immune response and reducing inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 6","pages":"452-464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140334490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of nitrofurantoin against Escherichia coli in a murine urinary tract infection model","authors":"Marit Gaastra Maaland, Lotte Jakobsen, Luca Guardabassi, Niels Frimodt-Møller","doi":"10.1111/apm.13409","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13409","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The antimicrobial agent nitrofurantoin is becoming increasingly important for treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to widespread occurrence of multidrug-resistant <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Despite many years of use, little data on nitrofurantoin pharmacokinetics (PK) or -dynamics (PD) exist. The objective of this study was to (i) evaluate the pharmacokinetics of nitrofurantoin in a mouse model and (ii) use that data to design an in vivo dose fractionation study in an experimental model of UTI with <i>E. coli</i> for determination of the most predictive PK/PD index. Nitrofurantoin concentrations in urine were approximately 100-fold larger than concentrations in plasma after oral administration of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg nitrofurantoin. The area under the curve over the minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC) was weakly correlated to bacterial reduction in urine (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.24), while no such correlation was found for the time that nitrofurantoin stayed above the MIC (T > MIC). Increasing size of single-dose treatment was significantly correlated to eradication of bacteria in the urine, while this was not apparent when the same doses were divided in 2 or 3 doses 8 or 12 h apart. In conclusion, the results indicate that nitrofurantoin activity against <i>E. coli</i> in urine is driven by AUC/MIC.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 7","pages":"492-498"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/apm.13409","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140334491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 variants using stable high-frequency mutation sites","authors":"Yu Fu, Xiaobai He, Quan Fang, Fei Kong, Yan Zhang, Ting Fu, Liang Chen, YanXin Liu, Zhen Wang, Jianxin Lyu, Linjie Chen","doi":"10.1111/apm.13388","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13388","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Respiratory infectious viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, undergo rapid genetic evolution, resulting in diverse subtypes with complex mutations. Detecting and differentiating these subtypes pose significant challenges in respiratory virus surveillance. To address these challenges, we integrated ARMS-PCR with molecular beacon probes, allowing selective amplification and discrimination of subtypes based on adjacent mutation sites. The method exhibited high specificity and sensitivity, detecting as low as 10<sup>4</sup> copies/mL via direct fluorescence analysis and ~10<sup>6</sup> copies/mL using real-time PCR. Our robust detection approach offers a reliable and efficient solution for monitoring evolving respiratory infections, aiding early diagnosis and control measures. Further research could extend its application to other respiratory viruses and optimize its implementation in clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 5","pages":"348-357"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140130591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elina Saarela, Marjo Renko, Matti Uhari, Tytti Pokka, Heikki Kauma, Terhi S. Ruuska
{"title":"Multiplex PCR for respiratory bacteria in acute care","authors":"Elina Saarela, Marjo Renko, Matti Uhari, Tytti Pokka, Heikki Kauma, Terhi S. Ruuska","doi":"10.1111/apm.13403","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13403","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical utility of multiplex PCR for detecting bacterial respiratory pathogens in nasopharyngeal samples. Acutely ill adults in the emergency department with respiratory infection symptoms, fever, chest pain or poor general condition were enrolled for this cohort study. Samples were stored at –70 °C until being analysed with multiplex PCR for seven respiratory bacteria. Of the 912 patients enrolled, those with positive bacterial samples (n = 130, 14%) were significantly younger than those with a negative finding (55.5 years vs 62.2 years, p < 0.001), and their mean C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration was higher (110 mg/L vs 59 mg/L, p < 0.0001). Patients with a positive respiratory bacterial finding had a higher probability of pneumonia (35% vs 13%, p < 0.001) and a higher likelihood of receiving a prescription for antibiotics than those with a negative finding (79% vs 59%, p < 0.0001). Positive detection of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> was associated with a 4.5-fold risk of pneumonia in a multivariate model and detection of an atypical respiratory pathogen with a 9-fold risk. Bacterial PCR performed on nasopharyngeal samples appeared to offer a valuable addition to the diagnostics of infections in adults in acute care.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 6","pages":"444-451"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/apm.13403","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140118573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zi-feng Lu, Chou-Yi Hsu, Nada Khairi Younis, Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa, Elena A. Matveeva, Yassien Hussain Owaied Al-Juboory, Mohaned Adil, Zainab H. Athab, Mustafa Nasrat Abdulraheem
{"title":"Exploring the significance of microbiota metabolites in rheumatoid arthritis: uncovering their contribution from disease development to biomarker potential","authors":"Zi-feng Lu, Chou-Yi Hsu, Nada Khairi Younis, Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa, Elena A. Matveeva, Yassien Hussain Owaied Al-Juboory, Mohaned Adil, Zainab H. Athab, Mustafa Nasrat Abdulraheem","doi":"10.1111/apm.13401","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13401","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifaceted autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation and joint destruction. Recent research has elucidated the intricate interplay between gut microbiota and RA pathogenesis, underscoring the role of microbiota-derived metabolites as pivotal contributors to disease development and progression. The human gut microbiota, comprising a vast array of microorganisms and their metabolic byproducts, plays a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis. Dysbiosis of this microbial community has been linked to numerous autoimmune disorders, including RA. Microbiota-derived metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), tryptophan derivatives, Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), bile acids, peptidoglycan, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), exhibit immunomodulatory properties that can either exacerbate or ameliorate inflammation in RA. Mechanistically, these metabolites influence immune cell differentiation, cytokine production, and gut barrier integrity, collectively shaping the autoimmune milieu. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the intricate crosstalk between microbiota metabolites and RA pathogenesis and also discusses the potential of specific metabolites to trigger or suppress autoimmunity, shedding light on their molecular interactions with immune cells and signaling pathways. Additionally, this review explores the translational aspects of microbiota metabolites as diagnostic and prognostic tools in RA. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects of translating these findings into clinical practice are critically examined.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 6","pages":"382-415"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140100879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Denis Depes, Ari Mennander, Paavo Immonen, Artturi Mäkinen, Heini Huhtala, Timo Paavonen, Ivana Kholová
{"title":"The autonomic nerves around the vein of Marshall: a postmortem study with clinical implications","authors":"Denis Depes, Ari Mennander, Paavo Immonen, Artturi Mäkinen, Heini Huhtala, Timo Paavonen, Ivana Kholová","doi":"10.1111/apm.13400","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13400","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aims to analyze the vein of Marshall (VOM) in human autopsy hearts and its correlation with clinical data to elucidate the morphological substrates of atrial fibrillation (AF) and other cardiac diseases. Twenty-three adult autopsy hearts were studied, assessing autonomic nerves by immunohistochemistry with tyrosine hydroxylase (sympathetic nerves), choline acetyltransferase (parasympathetic nerves), growth-associated protein 43 (neural growth), and S100 (general neural marker) antibodies. Interstitial fibrosis was assessed by Masson trichrome staining. Measurements were conducted via morphometric software. The results were correlated with clinical data. Sympathetic innervation was abundant in all VOM-adjacent regions. Subjects with a history of AF, cardiovascular cause of death, and histologically verified myocardial infarction had increased sympathetic innervation and neural growth around the VOM at the mitral isthmus. Interstitial fibrosis increased with age and heart weight was associated with AF and cardiovascular cause of death. This study increases our understanding of the cardiac autonomic innervation in the VOM area in various diseases, offering implications for the development of new therapeutic approaches targeting the autonomic nervous system.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 6","pages":"430-443"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/apm.13400","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140100881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lailema Ahmady, Manisha Gothwal, Muhammed Mushthaque Mukkoli, Vinay Kumar Bari
{"title":"Antifungal drug resistance in Candida: a special emphasis on amphotericin B","authors":"Lailema Ahmady, Manisha Gothwal, Muhammed Mushthaque Mukkoli, Vinay Kumar Bari","doi":"10.1111/apm.13389","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13389","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Invasive fungal infections in humans caused by several <i>Candida</i> species, increased considerably in immunocompromised or critically ill patients, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. <i>Candida albicans</i> is the most prevalent species, although the frequency of these organisms varies greatly according to geographic region. Infections with <i>C. albicans</i> and non-albicans <i>Candida</i> species have become more common, especially in the past 20 years, as a result of aging, immunosuppressive medication use, endocrine disorders, malnourishment, extended use of medical equipment, and an increase in immunogenic diseases. Despite <i>C. albicans</i> being the species most frequently associated with human infections, <i>C. glabrata</i>, <i>C. parapsilosis</i>, <i>C. tropicalis</i>, and <i>C. krusei</i> also have been identified. Several antifungal drugs with different modes of action are approved for use in clinical settings to treat fungal infections. However, due to the common eukaryotic structure of humans and fungi, only a limited number of antifungal drugs are available for therapeutic use. Furthermore, drug resistance in <i>Candida</i> species has emerged as a result of the growing use of currently available antifungal drugs against fungal infections. Amphotericin B (AmB), a polyene class of antifungal drugs, is mainly used for the treatment of serious systemic fungal infections. AmB interacts with fungal plasma membrane ergosterol, triggering cellular ion leakage via pore formation, or extracting the ergosterol from the plasma membrane inducing cellular death. AmB resistance is primarily caused by changes in the content or structure of ergosterol. This review summarizes the antifungal drug resistance exhibited by <i>Candida</i> species, with a special focus on AmB.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 5","pages":"291-316"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140093376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fang Zhou, Leilei Jiang, Xuankai Sun, Zhen Wang, Jialin Feng, Ming Liu, Zhao Ma
{"title":"Surgery of enlarging lesions after stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases in patients with non-small cell lung cancer with oncogenic driver mutations frequently reveals radiation necrosis: case series and review","authors":"Fang Zhou, Leilei Jiang, Xuankai Sun, Zhen Wang, Jialin Feng, Ming Liu, Zhao Ma","doi":"10.1111/apm.13402","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13402","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In brain metastases, radiation necrosis (RN) is a complication that arises after single or multiple fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS/FSRS), which is challenging to distinguish from local recurrence (LR). Studies have shown increased RN incidence rates in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with oncogenic driver mutations (ODMs) or receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This study investigated enlarging brain lesions following SRS/FSRS, for which additional surgeries were performed to distinguish between RN and LR. We investigated seven NSCLC patients with ODMs undergoing SRS/FSRS for BM and undergoing surgery for suspicion of LR on MRI imaging. Descriptive statistics were performed. Among the seven patients, six were EGFR+, while one was ALK+. The median irradiation dose was 30 Gy (range, 20–35 Gy). The median time to develop RN after SRS/FSRS was 11.1 months (range: 6.3–31.2 months). Moreover, gradually enlarging lesions were found in all patients after 6 months post-SRS/FSR. Brain radiation necrosis was pathologically confirmed in all the patients. RN should be suspected in NSCLC patients when lesions keep enlarging after 6 months post-SRS/FSRS, especially for patients with ODMs and receiving TKIs. Further, this case series indicates that further dose reduction might be necessary to avoid RN for such patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 6","pages":"375-381"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140100880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Understanding the biofilm development of Acinetobacter baumannii and novel strategies to combat infection","authors":"Naji Naseef Pathoor, Akshaya Viswanathan, Gulshan Wadhwa, Pitchaipillai Sankar Ganesh","doi":"10.1111/apm.13399","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apm.13399","url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> (<i>A. baumannii</i>) is a Gram-negative, nonmotile, and aerobic bacillus emerged as a superbug, due to increasing the possibility of infection and accelerating rates of antimicrobial agents. It is recognized as a nosocomial pathogen due to its ability to form biofilms. These biofilms serve as a defensive barrier, increase antibiotic resistance, and make treatment more difficult. As a result, the current situation necessitates the rapid emergence of novel therapeutic approaches to ensure successful treatment outcomes. This review explores the intricate relationship between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in <i>A. baumannii</i>, emphasizing the role of key virulence factors and quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms that will lead to infections and facilitate insight into developing innovative method to control <i>A. baumannii</i> infections. Furthermore, the review article looks into promising approaches for preventing biofilm formation on medically important surfaces and potential therapeutic methods for eliminating preformed biofilms, which can address biofilm-associated <i>A. baumannii</i> infections. Modern advances in emerging therapeutic options such as antimicrobial peptide (AMPs), nanoparticles (NPs), bacteriophage therapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and other biofilm inhibitors can assist readers understand the current landscape and future prospects for effectively treating <i>A. baumannii</i> biofilm infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":8167,"journal":{"name":"Apmis","volume":"132 5","pages":"317-335"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140038653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}