In neutrophils, growth-related protein-alpha (CXCL1) and interleukin-8 (CXCL8), are potent chemoattractants (Cytokine 14:27-36, 2001; Biochemistry 42:2874-2886, 2003) and can stimulate myeloperoxidase release via activation of the G protein-coupled receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2. The role of CXCR1 and CXCR2 in the pathogenesis of inflammatory responses has encouraged the development of small molecul...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health problem and cigarette smoke is the main risk factor for the development of COPD. The characteristic changes in airway morphology, inflammatory cell infiltration and mediator expression in COPD may result from direct effects of cigarette smoke on airway cells. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key elements in pathogen recognition by the...

A major challenge for clinicians treating (arterio) venous leg ulcers is to decide between standard therapy and advanced interventions. Here, we developed a simple method to collect human material representative of the ulcer wound bed, which can be used to identify biomarkers for prognostic test development. Superficial surgical debridement was performed using a small vidal curette during the w...

The chemokine receptors, CXCR1 and CXCR2, couple to Gαi to induce leukocyte recruitment and activation at sites of inflammation. Upon activation by CXCL8, these receptors become phosphorylated, desensitized, and internalized. In this study, we investigated the role of different G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) in CXCR1- and CXCR2-mediated cellular functions. To that end, short hairpin ...

CXCL8 (IL-8) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory diseases. However, little is known about the signaling pathways that regulate CXCL8-induced chemotaxis. Here, we found that CXCL8 treatment of CXCR1- and CXCR2-over-expressing L1.2 cells (CXCR1-L1.2 and CXCR2-L1.2, respectively) induced the phosphorylation of Cbl and Akt. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor Tyrphost...

In-depth analysis of metabolomics diversity marine species through advanced mass spectrometric is one the most promising new tools for development drugs against mild and life-threatening diseases. Neurofibromas are a common type tumor in peripheral nervous system. Currently, there very limited treatment options neurofibromas. In our course exploring potential therapeutic agents neurofibroma tre...

High mortality in pregnant women (PR) is a characteristic of hepatitis E in developing countries. To understand the pathogenesis of HEV infection in self-limiting disease during pregnancy, we compared clinical (PR-patients) and subclinical-HEV-infections in pregnant women in the first (SC-PR-1) and later (2nd and 3rd, SC-PR-2+3) trimesters with the respective healthy controls and acute non-PR p...

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) non-structural (NS) 3/4A protein complex inhibits the retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) pathway by proteolytically cleaving mitochondria-associated CARD-containing adaptor protein Cardif, and this leads to reduced production of beta interferon (IFN-beta). This study examined the expression of CCL5 (regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted,...

Generalized osteoporosis is common in patients with inflammatory diseases, possibly because of circulating inflammatory factors that affect osteoblast and osteoclast formation and activity. Serum levels of the inflammatory factors CXCL8 and CCL20 are elevated in rheumatoid arthritis, but whether these factors affect bone metabolism is unknown. We hypothesized that CXCL8 and CCL20 decrease osteo...

CXCL8, one of the first chemokines found in the brain, is upregulated in the brains and cerebrospinal fluid of HIV-1 infected individuals suggesting its potential role in human immune deficiency virus (HIV)-associated neuroinflammation. Astrocytes are known to be the major contributors to the CXCL8 pool. Interleukin (IL)-1β activated astrocytes exhibit significant upregulation of CXCL8. In orde...