Down-regulation of IL-8 by high-dose vitamin D is specific to hyperinflammatory macrophages and involves mechanisms beyond up-regulation of DUSP1

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is current interest in vitamin D as a potential anti-inflammatory treatment for chronic inflammatory lung disease, including cystic fibrosis (CF). Vitamin D transcriptionally up-regulates the anti-inflammatory gene DUSP1, which partly controls production of the inflammatory chemokine IL-8. IL-8 is overabundant in CF airways, potentially due to hyperinflammatory responses of CF macrophages. We tested the ability of vitamin D metabolites to down-regulate IL-8 production in CF macrophages.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

CF and healthy monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) were treated with two vitamin D metabolites, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD3 ) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2 D3 ), or paricalcitol, synthetic analogue of 1,25(OH)2 D3 . 25OHD3 was tested at doses of 25-150 nM, whereas 1,25(OH)2 D3 and paricalcitol at doses of up to 100 nM. IL-8 was stimulated by bacterial virulence factors. As potential anti-inflammatory mechanism of vitamin D metabolites, we assessed up-regulation of DUSP1.

KEY RESULTS

MDM from patients with CF and some healthy donors showed excessive production of stimulated IL-8, highlighting their hyperinflammatory phenotype. Vitamin D metabolites down-regulated stimulated IL-8 only in those hyperinflammatory MDM, and only when used at high doses (>100 nM for 25OHD3 , or >1 nM for 1,25(OH)2 D3 and paricalcitol). The magnitude of IL-8 down-regulation by vitamin D metabolites or paricalcitol was moderate (∼30% vs. >70% by low-dose dexamethasone). Transcriptional up-regulation of DUSP1 by vitamin D metabolites was seen in all tested MDM, regardless of IL-8 down-regulation.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Vitamin D metabolites and their analogues moderately down-regulate IL-8 in hyperinflammatory macrophages, including those from CF. This down-regulation appears to go through DUSP1-independent mechanisms.

Evaluation of New Antibacterial Drugs and their Combinations in a Murine Model to Identify Short Duration Alternative Chemotherapy for Leprosy

The objective of the research is to test the efficacy of new drugs and drug combinations in mice infected with Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) as alternative to current WHO MDT. Individual drugs tested were Rifampicin (RMP), Rifapentine (RPT) and Moxifloxacin (MOXI). Drug combinations were RMP, Clarithromycin (CLARI), Minocycline (MINO) and RMP, MINO and Ofloxacin (OFLO). RPT drug combinations were RPT, CLARI, MINO and RPT, OFLO, MINO. Both the drugs and drug combinations were used as daily regimen and intermittent regimen. WHO MB MDT served as a positive control. Mice pre-inoculated with M. leprae were allotted to daily and intermittent groups and administered selected drugs and drug combinations. At the end of 12 months post sub-inoculation, mice were sacrificed and the proportion % of viable bacilli were counted using Spearman and Karber method. It was noted that RMP, RPT and Moxifloxacin indicated a range of 89.99% to 99.99% bactericidal effect when used in daily or intermittent doses in both normal and TR mice. Drug combinations showed bactericidal effect comparable to that of WHO MDT. From the study it was concluded that if the present duration of MDT has to be shortened then daily dose regimen with RMP/MINO/OFLO or RPT/CLARI/MINO are recommended for a clinical trial.

Evaluation of anti-bacterial activity of Rifapentine, Clarithromycin, Minocycline, Moxifloxacin, Ofloxacin and their combinations in Murine Model of Rifampicin Resistant Leprosy

Leprosy, a debilitating disease of the skin and peripheral nerves is caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) and is treated by multidrug therapy (MDT) comprising of Dapsone, Rifampicin and Clofazimine. Resistance to any of these drugs poses a threat to the current disease control strategies. With the emergence of Rifampicin resistance in leprosy, it is important that alternative drugs need to be tested to develop a treatment strategy to combat drug resistant leprosy. In the current study, we have investigated WHO MDT, Rifapentine, Clarithromycin, Minocycline, Moxifloxacin, Ofloxacin and their combinations in intermittent and daily dose regimens in rifampicin resistant strains of M. leprae through mouse foot pad experiments in order to determine the loss in viability of M. leprae in response to these drugs and their combinations. Our findings suggest that WHO MDT is still the best combination in Rifampicin resistance cases. Combination of Moxifloxacin with Minocycline and Clarithromycin may also be taken up for clinical trials in cases with Rifampicin resistant leprosy. Rifapentine and Moxifloxacin can be effective alternative drugs to replace Rifampicin where required either in daily dose shorter duration regimens or intermittent dose longer regimen to treat resistant strains.

Engaging private providers and Ayurvedic practitioners in Bilaspur, India: did it increase TB case detection?

To find 'missing' tuberculosis (TB) cases, in November 2014 we trained private practitioners (PPs) and Ayurvedic practitioners (APs; Indian system of medicine) in Bilaspur district, India, to identify patients with presumptive TB and refer them to sputum microscopy centres. To reinforce this training, we sent weekly text message reminders during January-March 2015. All 50 APs and 23 of 29 PPs participated. The number of patients with presumptive TB referred by the PPs and APs increased from 38 (January-March 2014) to 104 (January-March 2015), and the number of smear-positive TB patients diagnosed increased from 5 to 16, a 220% increase. While the intervention increased the number of referrals, it did not impact case detection at district level, due to the short duration of the intervention and the non-dominant private sector.

Effectiveness of Paliperidone Depot in Seriously Violent Men With Comorbid Schizophrenia and Dissocial Personality Disorder in a Uk High-Security Hospital

Introduction

High-security hospital patients are often complex in presentation characterised by treatment resistance, medication non-concordance and history of violence. Paliperidone is licensed as both an oral and depot antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia. Whilst there is data for the effectiveness of paliperidone palmitate (PP), there are no studies involving patients in forensic settings or those with comorbid personality disorder.

Objective

To determine the effects of PP on violence, aggression and personality pathology.

Aim

To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of PP.

Methods

This was a retrospective service evaluation involving 11 patients. Medical records and interviews with the treating psychiatrist were used to formulate clinical global impression (CGI) and to identify incidents of violence. The effect on personality symptom domains; cognitive-perceptual, impulsive-behavioural dyscontrol and affective dysregulation was ascertained, as well as engagement with occupational and psychological therapies.

Results

Six patients were being prescribed PP. All 6 showed improvement in the CGI score with benefits in the symptom domains. Two patients demonstrated a reduction in violence risk and 2 remained incident-free. There was improvement in engagement with therapies. Benefits were also seen in aspects of personality for those who had discontinued PP.

Conclusions

This pragmatic study of a small but complex patient group demonstrated that PP was effective in reducing symptoms of schizophrenia. Additionally and for the first time, it was shown that PP was also effective in reducing violence as well as improving personality pathology dimensions in a comorbid patient. This could have significant implications for management of high-security patients.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Cisplatin in the modern era: The backbone of first-line chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer

The treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may be changing, but the cisplatin-based doublet remains the foundation of treatment for the majority of patients with advanced NSCLC. In this respect, changes in practice to various aspects of cisplatin use, such as administration schedules and the choice of methods and frequency of monitoring for toxicities, have contributed to an incremental improvement in patient management and experience. Chemoresistance, however, limits the clinical utility of this drug in patients with advanced NSCLC. Better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cisplatin resistance, identification of predictive markers and the development of newer, more effective and less toxic platinum agents is required. In addition to maximising potential benefits from advances in molecular biology and associated therapeutics, modification of existing cisplatin-based treatments can still lead to improvements in patient outcomes and experiences.

Intensified tuberculosis case finding amongst vulnerable communities in southern India

India mainly uses passive case finding to detect tuberculosis (TB) patients through the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP). An intensified case finding (ICF) intervention was conducted among vulnerable communities in two districts of Karnataka during July-December 2013; 658 sputum smear-positive TB cases were detected. The number of smear-positive cases detected increased by 8.8% relative to the pre-intervention period (July-December 2012) in intervention communities as compared to an 8.6% decrease in communities without the ICF intervention. ICF activities brought TB services closer to vulnerable communities, moderately increasing TB case detection rates.

Elucidation of rice rhizosphere metagenome in relation to methane and nitrogen metabolism under elevated carbon dioxide and temperature using whole genome metagenomic approach

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization is one of the key processes of biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial ecosystem in general and rice ecology in particular. Rice rhizosphere is a rich niche of microbial diversity influenced by change in atmospheric temperature and concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2). Structural changes in microbial communities in rhizosphere influence the nutrient cycling. In the present study, the bacterial diversity and population dynamics were studied under ambient CO2 (a-CO2) and elevated CO2+temperature (e-CO2T) in lowland rice rhizosphere using whole genome metagenomic approach. The whole genome metagenomic sequence data of lowland rice exhibited the dominance of bacterial communities including Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Planctomycetes. Interestingly, four genera related to methane production namely, Methanobacterium, Methanosphaera, Methanothermus and Methanothermococcus were absent in a-CO2 but noticed under e-CO2T. The acetoclastic pathway was found as the predominant pathway for methanogenesis, whereas, the serine pathway was found as the principal metabolic pathway for CH4 oxidation in lowland rice. The abundances of reads of enzymes in the acetoclastic methanogenesis pathway and serine pathways of methanotrophy were much higher in e-CO2T (328 and 182, respectively) as compared with a-CO2 (118 and 98, respectively). Rice rhizosphere showed higher structural diversities and functional activities in relation to N metabolism involving nitrogen fixation, assimilatory and dissimilatory nitrate reduction and denitrification under e-CO2T than that of a-CO2. Among the three pathways of N metabolism, dissimilarity pathways were predominant in lowland rice rhizosphere and more so under e-CO2T. Consequently, under e-CO2T, CH4 emission, microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) and dehydrogenase activities were 45%, 20% and 35% higher than a-CO2, respectively. Holistically, a high bacterial diversity and abundances of C and N decomposing bacteria in lowland rice rhizosphere were found under e-CO2T, which could be explored further for their specific role in nutrient cycling, sustainable agriculture and environment management.

Safety and long-term effects of renal denervation: Rationale and design of the Dutch registry

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous renal denervation (RDN) has recently been introduced as a treatment for therapy-resistant hypertension. Also, it has been suggested that RDN may be beneficial for other conditions characterised by increased sympathetic nerve activity. There are still many uncertainties with regard to efficacy, safety, predictors for success and long-term effects. To answer these important questions, we initiated a Dutch RDN registry aiming to collect data from all RDN procedures performed in the Netherlands.

METHODS

The Dutch RDN registry is an ongoing investigator-initiated, prospective, multicentre cohort study. Twenty-six Dutch hospitals agreed to participate in this registry. All patients who undergo RDN, regardless of the clinical indication or device that is used, will be included. Data are currently being collected on eligibility and screening, treatment and follow-up.

RESULTS

Procedures have been performed since August 2010. At present, data from 306 patients have been entered into the database. The main indication for RDN was hypertension (n = 302, 99%). Patients had a mean office blood pressure of 177/100 (±29/16) mmHg with a median use of three (range 0-8) blood pressure lowering drugs. Mean 24-hour blood pressure before RDN was 157/93 (±18/13) mmHg. RDN was performed with different devices, with the Simplicity™ catheter currently used most frequently.

CONCLUSION

Here we report on the rationale and design of the Dutch RDN registry. Enrolment in this investigator-initiated study is ongoing. We present baseline characteristics of the first 306 participants.

Morphology, epidemiology, and phylogeny of Babesia: An overview

Babesiosis is a tick-borne hemoprotozoan disease of domestic and wild animals. The disease is caused by various species of Babesia and some species of Babesia have also zoonotic significance. The parasite in vertebrate hosts’ remains in erythrocytes and the morphology of Babesia spp. is not uniform in all vertebrate hosts. With the advancement of science, particularly the use of molecular techniques made it easy to study the evolution of parasites and thereby reclassifying Babesia spp. as per their phylogeny and to establish the relation of one isolate of Babesia spp. with isolates throughout the world. An attempt also made in this communication to enlighten the readers regarding relationship of one isolate of Babesia spp. of a particular area to another isolate of Babesia spp. of that area or other parts of the world and phylogenetic classification of Babesia spp. was also discussed. It has been concluded that as the study on Babesia is complex in nature so monitoring of the infection with the use of modern techniques is very much needed to control the infection. Second, more research work on phylogenetic relationship of Babesia spp. isolated from different hosts is needed, particularly in India to know the evolution of Babesia spp. of a particular area, as it has great importance to study the trans boundary diseases of animals.

Retention in pre-antiretroviral treatment care in a district of Karnataka, India: how well are we doing?

SETTING

Antiretroviral treatment (ART) Centre in Tumkur district of Karnataka State, India. There is no published information about pre-ART loss to follow-up from India.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the proportion lost to follow-up (defined as not visiting the ART Centre within 1 year of registration) and associated socio-demographic and immunological variables.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study involving a review of medical records of adult HIV-infected persons (aged ⩾15 years) registered in pre-ART care during January 2010-June 2012.

RESULTS

Of 3238 patients registered, 2519 (78%) were eligible for ART, while 719 (22%) were not. Four of the latter were transferred out; the remaining 715 individuals were enrolled in pre-ART care, of whom 290 (41%) were lost to follow-up. Factors associated with loss to follow-up on multivariate analysis included age group ⩾45 years, low educational level, not being married, World Health Organization Stage III or IV and rural residence.

CONCLUSION

About four in 10 individuals in pre-ART care were lost to follow-up within 1 year of registration. This needs urgent attention. Routine cohort analysis in the national programme should include those in pre-ART care to enable improved review, monitoring and supervision. Further qualitative research to ascertain reasons for loss to follow-up is required to design future interventions.

Impact of intensified case-finding strategies on childhood TB case registration in Nepal

SETTING

Seven intervention districts with intensified childhood tuberculosis (TB) case-finding strategies implemented by a non-governmental organisation and seven control districts under the National Tuberculosis Programme, Nepal.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the differences in childhood TB case registrations and case registration rates per 100 000 population between two time periods (Year 1 = March 2012-March 2013 and Year 2 = March 2013-March 2014) in intervention and control districts.

DESIGN

Retrospective record review using routinely collected data.

RESULTS

Childhood TB cases increased from 271 to 360 between Years 1 and 2 in the intervention districts (case registration rate from 18.2 to 24.2/100 000) and from 97 to 113 in the control districts (13.4 to 15.6/100 000): the increases were significantly higher in the intervention districts compared with the control districts. The increases were also significantly higher in children aged 0-4 years and in those with smear-negative pulmonary TB and extra-pulmonary TB. Of the various case-finding strategies, household contact screening, private-public mix services and mobile health chest camps produced the highest yield of TB.

CONCLUSION

A package of intensified case-finding strategies in children was associated with an increase in childhood TB case registrations in Nepal. Additional diagnostic approaches to increase case registrations also need to be considered.