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ABSTRACT: Complement activation plays a relevant role in the development of tissue damage under inflammatory conditions, and clinical and experimental observations emphasize its contribution to inflammatory vasculitides. Statins have recently been shown to reduce cardiovascular morbidity independently of plasma cholesterol lowering and in vitro studies support a direct anti-inflammatory action of these drugs. The aim of this study was to verify the in vivo effect of fluvastatin on complement-mediated acute peritoneal inflammation. The effect of oral treatment with fluvastatin was investigated in normo-cholesterolaemic rats that received intraperitoneal injection of either yeast-activated rat serum (Y-act RS) or lipopolysaccharide to induce peritoneal inflammation monitored by the number of PMN recruited in peritoneal fluid washes. In addition, vascular adherence and extravasation of leucocytes were evaluated by direct videomicroscopy examination on mesentery postcapillary venules topically exposed to Y-act RS. The number of PMN in the peritoneal washes of rats treated with fluvastatin was 38% lower than that of untreated animals (P < 0.05) 12 h after LPS injection, and was even lower (56%) in rats treated with Y-act RS already 8 h after injection (P < 0.02). Firm adhesion to endothelium and extravasation of leucocytes evaluated under direct videomicroscopy observation were significantly inhibited in fluvastatin treated rats (77% and 72%, respectively; P < 0.01), 120 min after treatment with Y-act RS. Our results demonstrate that fluvastatin inhibits in vivo complement-dependent acute peritoneal inflammation and suggest a role for statins in preventing the inflammatory flares usually associated with complement activation in chronic diseases, such as SLE or rheumatoid arthritis.
Clinical & Experimental Immunology 02/2004; 135(2):186-93. · 3.36 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: May anti-phospholipid or other autoantibodies interfere with trophoblast-endothelial cells interaction in women with unexplained pregnancy losses?
The sera of 72 women with recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA) containing antibodies to endothelial cells (28), trophoblast (14), and cardiolipin (10) or lacking antibodies (25), and 26 controls were examined in an inhibition assay of trophoblast adhesion to endothelial cells using an ELISA based on the recognition of trophoblast by antibodies to cytokeratin.
Adhesion of trophoblast to endothelial cells was time- and dose-dependent. Patients and control sera inhibited trophoblast adhesion with mean values of 37% and 7%, respectively. Inhibition above 2SD of the mean control value was still observed in 58% of the patients sera and 8% of the control sera. Sera containing antibodies to endothelial cells had higher inhibitory effect (38%) than those with antibodies to trophoblast (23%) and cardiolipin (28%) or lacking antibodies (26%).
Antibodies and other undefined factors in the sera of women with RSA inhibit adhesion of trophoblast to endothelial cells.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y.: 1989) 09/1999; 42(2):116-23. · 3.05 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Trophoblasts and endothelial cells represent a potential target for antibodies in women with recurrent spontaneous abortions. These antibodies have been shown to be associated with anti-phospholipid antibodies. Are they also present in women with unexplained pregnancy losses in the absence of anti-phospholipid antibodies?
The anti-trophoblast antibodies were tested by an immunofluorescence assay on cells purified from pooled first-trimester placentae, whereas the anti-endothelial cell antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) on cells isolated from the umbilical vein and were cultured to confluence. The cytotoxicity of trophoblasts was evaluated in a homologous system. The expression of adhesion molecules on endothelial cells was quantitated by ELISA using specific monoclonal antibodies, and the expression of tissue factor was quantitated by a chromogenic assay measuring the formation of factor Xa.
Complement-fixing antibodies to trophoblast represent a better marker to discriminate patients with recurrent spontaneous abortions from controls and are cytotoxic for the target cells. Anti-endothelial antibodies are also present in these patients and exhibit pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulant activities.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y.: 1989) 10/1997; 38(3):205-11. · 3.05 Impact Factor
