@article{RittnerWangGehringeretal.2014, author = {Rittner, Heike L. and Wang, Ying and Gehringer, Rebekka and Mousa, Shaaban A. and Hackel, Dagmar and Brack, Alexander}, title = {CXCL10 Controls Inflammatory Pain via Opioid Peptide- Containing Macrophages in Electroacupuncture}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0094696}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-112979}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Acupuncture is widely used for pain treatment in patients with osteoarthritis or low back pain, but molecular mechanisms remain largely enigmatic. In the early phase of inflammation neutrophilic chemokines direct opioid-containing neutrophils in the inflamed tissue and stimulate opioid peptide release and antinociception. In this study the molecular pathway and neuroimmune connections in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced hind paw inflammation and electroacupuncture for peripheral pain control were analyzed. Free moving Wistar rats with hind paw inflammation were treated twice with electroacupuncture at GB30 (Huan Tiao - gall bladder meridian) (day 0 and 1) and analyzed for mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds. The cytokine profiles as well as the expression of opioid peptides were quantified in the inflamed paw. Electroacupuncture elicited long-term antinociception blocked by local injection of anti-opioid peptide antibodies (beta-endorphin, met-enkephalin, dynorphin A). The treatment altered the cytokine profile towards an anti-inflammatory pattern but augmented interferon (IFN)-gamma and the chemokine CXCL10 (IP-10: interferon gamma-inducible protein) protein and mRNA expression with concomitant increased numbers of opioid peptide-containing CXCR3+ macrophages. In rats with CFA hind paw inflammation without acupuncture repeated injection of CXCL10 triggered opioid-mediated antinociception and increase opioid-containing macrophages. Conversely, neutralization of CXCL10 time-dependently decreased electroacupuncture-induced antinociception and the number of infiltrating opioid peptide-expressing CXCR3+ macrophages. In summary, we describe a novel function of the chemokine CXCL10 - as a regulator for an increase of opioid-containing macrophages and antinociceptive mediator in inflammatory pain and as a key chemokine regulated by electroacupuncture.}, language = {en} } @article{BuschWesthofenKochetal.2014, author = {Busch, Martin and Westhofen, Thilo C. and Koch, Miriam and Lutz, Manfred B. and Zernecke, Alma}, title = {Dendritic Cell Subset Distributions in the Aorta in Healthy and Atherosclerotic Mice}, series = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {9}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, number = {2}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0088452}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119907}, pages = {e88452}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Dendritic cells (DCs) can be sub-divided into various subsets that play specialized roles in priming of adaptive immune responses. Atherosclerosis is regarded as a chronic inflammatory disease of the vessel wall and DCs can be found in non-inflamed and diseased arteries. We here performed a systematic analyses of DCs subsets during atherogenesis. Our data indicate that distinct DC subsets can be localized in the vessel wall. In C57BL/6 and low density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice, CD11c+ MHCII+ DCs could be discriminated into CD103- CD11b+F4/80+, CD11b+F4/80- and CD11b-F4/80- DCs and CD103+ CD11b-F4/80- DCs. Except for CD103- CD11b- F4/80- DCs, these subsets expanded in high fat diet-fed Ldlr-/- mice. Signal-regulatory protein (Sirp)-α was detected on aortic macrophages, CD11b+ DCs, and partially on CD103- CD11b- F4/80- but not on CD103+ DCs. Notably, in FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-ligand-deficient (Flt3l-/-) mice, a specific loss of CD103+ DCs but also CD103- CD11b+ F4/80- DCs was evidenced. Aortic CD103+ and CD11b+ F4/80- CD103- DCs may thus belong to conventional rather than monocyte-derived DCs, given their dependence on Flt3L-signalling. CD64, postulated to distinguish macrophages from DCs, could not be detected on DC subsets under physiological conditions, but appeared in a fraction of CD103- CD11b+ F4/80- and CD11b+ F4/80+ cells in atherosclerotic Ldlr-/- mice. The emergence of CD64 expression in atherosclerosis may indicate that CD11b+ F4/80- DCs similar to CD11b+ F4/80+ DCs are at least in part derived from immigrated monocytes during atherosclerotic lesion formation. Our data advance our knowledge about the presence of distinct DC subsets and their accumulation characteristics in atherosclerosis, and may help to assist in future studies aiming at specific DC-based therapeutic strategies for the treatment of chronic vascular inflammation.}, language = {en} }