Mitigation of septic shock in mice and rhesus monkeys by human chorionic gonadotrophin-related oligopeptides

The marked improvement of several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases during pregnancy has drawn attention to pregnancy hormones as potential therapeutics for such disorders. Low molecular weight fractions derived from the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) have remarkable potent immunosuppressive effects in mouse models of diabetes and septic shock. Based on these data we have designed a set of oligopeptides related to the primary structure of hCG and tested these in models of septic shock in mice and rhesus monkeys. We demonstrate that mice exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated subsequently with selected tri-, tetra-, penta- and hepta-meric oligopeptides (i.e. MTR, VVC, MTRV, LQGV, AQGV, VLPALP, VLPALPQ) are protected against fatal LPS-induced septic shock. Moreover, administration of a cocktail of three selected oligopeptides (LQGV, AQGV and VLPALP) improved the pathological features markedly and nearly improved haemodynamic parameters associated with intravenous Escherichia coli-induced septic shock in rhesus monkeys. These data indicate that the designed hCG-related oligopeptides may present a potential treatment for the initial hyperdynamic phase of septic shock in humans.

Strain-dependent induction of cytokine profiles in the gut by orally administered Lactobacillus strains

Different Lactobacillus strains are frequently used in consumer food products. In addition, recombinant lactobacilli which contain novel expression vectors can now be used in immunotherapeutic applications such as oral vaccination strategies and in T cell tolerance induction approaches for autoimmune disease. Both for food and clinical applications of lactobacilli, proper selection of wild type strains is crucial. For that purpose, eight different common Lactobacillus strains were analysed with respect to mucosal induction of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, IgA-producing plasma cells in the gut, as well as systemic antibody responses against a parenterally administered antigen. Immunohistochemical analysis of cytokine-producing cells in the gut villi showed no significant induction of the cytokines IL-1alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-4 or IL-10 after oral administration of wild type Lactobacillus strains. In contrast, oral administration of L. reuteri and L. brevis induced expression of the proinflammatory/Th1 cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-2 and/or IL-1beta. Oral administration of these two strains and L. fermentum also significantly enhanced the IgG response against parenterally administered haptenated chicken gamma globulin (TNP-CGG). The five other strains did not show this adjuvanticity. L. reuteri induced relatively high levels of IgG2a compared to L. murines, a nonadjuving Lactobacillus strain. These findings imply that different Lactobacillus strains induce distinct mucosal cytokine profiles and possess differential intrinsic adjuvanticity. This suggests that rational Lactobacillus strain selection provides a strategy to influence cytokine expression and thereby influence immune responses.