Tranilast administration reduces fibrosis and improves fatigue resistance in muscles of mdx dystrophic mice
Background:
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe and progressive muscle-wasting disorder caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene that result in the absence of the membrane-stabilising protein dystrophin. Dystrophic muscle fibres are susceptible to injury and degeneration, and impaired muscle regeneration is associated with fibrotic deposition that limits the efficacy of potential pharmacological, cell- and gene-based therapies. Novel treatments that can prevent or attenuate fibrosis have important clinical merit for DMD and related neuromuscular diseases. We investigated the therapeutic potential for tranilast,...
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - January 30, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Kristy SwiderskiMichelle TodorovStefan GehrigTimur NaimAnnabel CheeDavid StapletonRené KoopmanGordon Lynch Source Type: research
Molecular constituents of the extracellular matrix in rat liver mounting a hepatic progenitor cell response for tissue repair
Conclusion:
Transcriptional profiling and immunodetection, including three-dimensional reconstruction, generated a detailed overview of the extracellular matrix constituents expressed in a second tier of defense to liver injury. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - December 20, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Peter VestentoftPeter JelnesJesper AndersenThi TranTenna JørgensenMorten RasmussenJette BornholdtLene GrøvdalCharlotte JensenLotte VogelSnorri ThorgeirssonHanne Bisgaard Source Type: research
Matrix regulation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: the role of enzymes
Repairing damaged tissues is an essential homeostatic mechanism that enables clearance of dead or damaged cells after injury, and the maintenance of tissue integrity. However, exaggeration of this process in the lung can lead to the development of fibrotic scar tissue. This is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as fibronectin, proteoglycans, hyaluronic acid, and interstitial collagens. After tissue injury, or a breakdown of tissue integrity, a cascade of events unfolds to maintain normal tissue homeostasis. Inflammatory mediators are released from injured epithelium, leadi...
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - November 26, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Deborah ClarkeAlan CarruthersTomas MustelinLynne Murray Source Type: research
Experimental liver fibrosis research: update on animal models, legal issues and translational aspects
Liver fibrosis is defined as excessive extracellular matrix deposition and is based on complex interactions between matrix-producing hepatic stellate cells and an abundance of liver-resident and infiltrating cells. Investigation of these processes requires in vitro and in vivo experimental work in animals. However, the use of animals in translational research will be increasingly challenged, at least in countries of the European Union, because of the adoption of new animal welfare rules in 2013. These rules will create an urgent need for optimized standard operating procedures regarding animal experimentation and improved ...
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - October 1, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Christian LiedtkeTom LueddeTilman SauerbruchDavid ScholtenKonrad StreetzFrank TackeRené TolbaChristian TrautweinJonel TrebickaRalf Weiskirchen Source Type: research
The role of mouse strain differences in the susceptibility to fibrosis: a systematic review
In humans, a number of genetic factors have been linked to the development of fibrosis in a variety of different organs. Seeking a wider understanding of this observation in man is ethically important. There is mounting evidence suggesting that inbred mouse strains with different genetic backgrounds demonstrate variable susceptibility to a fibrotic injury. We performed a systematic review of the literature describing strain and organ specific response to injury in order to determine whether genetic susceptibility plays a role in fibrogenesis. Data were collected from studies that were deemed eligible for analysis based on ...
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - September 25, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Louise WalkinSarah HerrickAngela SummersPaul BrenchleyCatherine HoffRon KorstanjePeter Margetts Source Type: research
MicroRNA profiling implicates the insulin-like growth factor pathway in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice
Conclusions:
We conclude that altered microRNA expression in macrophages is a feature which putatively influences the insulin-like growth factor signaling component of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - August 29, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Lisa HoneymanMark BazettTomasz TomkoChristina Haston Source Type: research
Direct isolation of myofibroblasts and fibroblasts from bleomycin-injured lungs reveals their functional similarities and differences
Conclusions:
This is the first study showing a direct isolation method of myofibroblasts and fibroblasts from injured lungs. We demonstrated functional similarities and differences between myofibroblasts and fibroblasts in terms of both their proliferative capacity and the expression levels of genes for collagen, collagen synthesis enzymes, and chemokines. Thus, this direct isolation method has great potential for obtaining useful information from myofibroblasts and fibroblasts. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - August 8, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Taisuke AkamatsuYosifumi AraiIsao KosugiHideya KawasakiShiori MeguroMakiko SakaoKiyoshi ShibataTakafumi SudaKingo ChidaToshihide Iwashita Source Type: research
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): a tale of fat and sugar?
The global diffusion of the so-called Western diet, which is enriched in fat and carbohydrates, such as fructose, has been proposed to be an underlying cause of the increased prevalence of metabolic conditions, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This Smart Card summarizes the main metabolic and hepatic histological features of rodent models fed with diets combining high fat and fructose. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - July 18, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Lisa Longato Source Type: research
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): a tale of fat and sugar?.
The global diffusion of the so-called Western diet, which is enriched in fat and carbohydrates, such as fructose, has been proposed to be an underlying cause of the increased prevalence of metabolic conditions, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This Smart Card summarizes the main metabolic and hepatic histological features of rodent models fed with diets combining high fat and fructose. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - July 18, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Lisa Longato Source Type: research
The role of interleukin 17 in Crohn's disease-associated intestinal fibrosis
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that IL-17A, but not IL-17E, is pro-fibrotic in CD. Further studies are needed to clarify whether the therapeutic blockade of IL-17A through the anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody secukinumab is able to counteract the fibrogenic process in CD. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - July 8, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Paolo BiancheriSylvia PenderFrancesca AmmoscatoPaolo GiuffridaGianluca SampietroSandro ArdizzoneAmir GhanbariRenata CurciarelloAlessandra PasiniGiovanni MonteleoneGino CorazzaThomas MacDonaldAntonio Di Sabatino Source Type: research
Cellular re- and de-programming by microenvironmental memory: why short TGF-ß1 pulses can have long effects
Conclusions:
We demonstrated that short TGF-beta1 pulses can exert long-lasting effects on fibroblasts by changing their microenvironment, thus leaving an imprint and creating a reciprocal feed-back loop. Therefore, the ECM might act as mid-term memory for pathobiochemical events. We would expect this microenvironmental memory to be dependent on matrix turnover and, as such, to be erasable. Our findings contribute to the current understanding of fibroblast induction and maintenance, and have bearing on the development of antifibrotic drugs. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - June 19, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Ariel TanSebastian KressLeticia CastroAllan SheppardMichael Raghunath Source Type: research
Cellular re- and de-programming by microenvironmental memory: why short TGF-beta1 pulses can have long effects
Conclusions:
We demonstrated that short TGF-beta1 pulses can exert long-lasting effects on fibroblasts by changing their microenvironment, thus leaving an imprint and creating a reciprocal feed-back loop. Therefore, the ECM might act as mid-term memory for pathobiochemical events. We would expect this microenvironmental memory to be dependent on matrix turnover and, as such, to be erasable. Our findings contribute to the current understanding of fibroblast induction and maintenance, and have bearing on the development of antifibrotic drugs. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - June 19, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Ariel TanSebastian KressLeticia CastroAllan SheppardMichael Raghunath Source Type: research
Neutrophil roles in left ventricular remodeling following myocardial infarction
Polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs; neutrophils) serve as key effector cells in the innate immune system and provide the first line of defense against invading microorganisms. In addition to producing inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and undergoing a respiratory burst that stimulates the release of reactive oxygen species, PMNs also degranulate to release components that kill pathogens. Recently, neutrophil extracellular traps have been shown to be an alternative way to trap microorganisms and contain infection. PMN-derived granule components are also involved in multiple non-infectious inflammatory processes, inclu...
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - June 3, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Yonggang MaAndriy YabluchanskiyMerry Lindsey Source Type: research
Platelet-derived growth factor alpha and beta receptors have overlapping functional activities towards fibroblasts
Conclusions:
PDGFRalpha and PDGFRbeta neutralising antibodies can be a useful tool in studying PDGFR isoform-specific cellular events. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - May 10, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Johanna DonovanXu ShiwenJill NormanDavid Abraham Source Type: research
Biglycan fragmentation in pathologies associated with extracellular matrix remodeling by matrix metalloproteinases
Conclusion:
We demonstrated that the specific tissue remodeling product of MMPs-degraded biglycan, namely the neo-epitope BGM, is correlated with pathological ECMR. This assay represents both a novel marker of ECM turnover and a potential new tool to elucidate biglycan role during the pathological processes associated with ECMR. (Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair)
Source: Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair - May 1, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Federica GenoveseNatasha BarascukLise LarsenMartin LarsenArkadiusz NawrockiYili LiQinlong ZhengJianxia WangSanne VeidalDiana LeemingMorten Karsdal Source Type: research
