Product Citations: 13

Local and systemic effects in e-cigarette users compared to cigarette smokers, dual users, and non-smokers.

In Respiratory Research on 4 June 2025 by Sompa, S. I., Ji, J., et al.

The use of electronic (e)-cigarettes in the long term has been associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases. Dual use of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes may increase these risks even more due to the combined exposure effects of these products. The aim of this study was to investigate the local and systemic effects of e-cigarette use for more than one year and compare them with healthy non-smokers, cigarette smokers, and dual users.
The clinical study was conducted among 22 healthy non-smokers, 20 e-cigarette users, 20 cigarette smokers, and 20 dual users. Participants were matched with age and BMI, had normal baseline lung function, and had no allergies. Exhaled FeNO and bronchial responsiveness were assessed along with reactive oxygen species (ROS), toll-like receptor (TLR) expression, and inflammatory cytokines in blood and sputum.
Exhaled FeNO was higher in e-cigarette users (14 ppb, p = 0.04) and lower in cigarette smokers (9 ppb, p = 0.04) compared to healthy non-smokers (11 ppb). Bronchial responsiveness was increased in e-cigarette users (1.9 mg, p = 0.01) and cigarette smokers (1.9 mg, p = 0.01) compared to healthy non-smokers (2.9 mg). ROS in blood and sputum in e-cigarette users (p = 0.005 and p = 0.04) and dual users (p = 0.003 and p = 0.04) were increased. Also, TLR2 expression in blood granulocytes in all exposed groups (p = 0.001), TLR2 and TLR4 expression in sputum in e-cigarette users (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03) and dual users (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.004) were increased. Moreover, the percentage of IL13 and IFNγ cytokine-producing T cells in blood were increased in e-cigarette users (p = 0.0001 and p < 0.0001) and dual users (p = 0.001 and p < 0.0001).
Our research indicates that both local and systemic inflammatory responses, along with innate immune receptor activity, were significantly altered in e-cigarette users and dual users. Notably, these alterations were detected in e-cigarette users within a short timeframe of just 1 to 3 years of use.
Not applicable.
© 2025. The Author(s).

  • FC/FACS
  • Homo sapiens (Human)

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are heterogeneous in morphology and transcriptome, resulting in varying therapeutic outcomes. In this study, we found that 3D spheroid culture of heterogeneous MSCs, which have undergone conventional 2D monolayer culture for 5-6 passages, synchronized the cells into a uniform cell population with dramatically reduced cell size, and considerably increased levels of immunosuppressive genes and growth factors. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of the cells revealed that 3D MSCs consisted of 2 major cell subpopulations and both expressed high levels of immunosuppressive factors, compared to 6 subpopulations in 2D MSCs. In addition, 3D MSCs showed a greater suppressive effect on T cells. Moreover, intravenous infusion of a large dose of 3D MSCs prior to imiquimod (IMQ) treatment significantly improved psoriatic lesion. Thus, our results indicate that 3D spheroid culture reprograms heterogeneous MSCs into a uniform immunosuppressive phenotype and promises a novel therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases.
© 2024 The Author(s).

  • Immunology and Microbiology

Polarization of HIV-1- and CMV-Specific IL-17-Producing T Cells among People with HIV under Antiretroviral Therapy with Cannabis and/or Cocaine Usage.

In Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) on 6 April 2024 by Castro, F. O. F., Guilarde, A. O., et al.

This study evaluated the influence of cannabis and/or cocaine use in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- and cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T-cell responses of people with HIV (PWH).
There was a higher percentage of IL-17-producing HIV-Gag-specific CD8+ T-cells in all drug users than that in PWH non-drug users. Stratifying the drug-user groups, increased percentages of IL-17-producing HIV-Gag-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were found in PWH cannabis plus cocaine users compared to PWH non-drug users. In response to CMV, there were higher percentage of IL-17-producing CMV-specific CD8+ T-cell in PWH cocaine users than that in PWH non-drug users. Considering all drug users together, there was a higher percentage of SEB-stimulated IL-17-producing CD4+ T-cells than that in PWH non-drug users, whereas cannabis users had higher percentages of IL-17-producing CD4+ T-cells compared to non-drug users.
Cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 37 PWH undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART) using cannabis (10), cocaine (7), or cannabis plus cocaine (10) and non-drug users (10) were stimulated with HIV-1 Gag or CMV-pp65 peptide pools, or staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and evaluated for IFN-γ- and/or IL-17A-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells using flow cytometry.
Cannabis plus cocaine use increased HIV-specific IL-17 producing T-cells and cocaine use increased IL-17 CMV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses which could favor the inflammatory conditions associated with IL-17 overproduction.

  • FC/FACS
  • Immunology and Microbiology
  • Plant Science

Pulmonary microbial invasion frequently occurs during AIDS progression in HIV patients. Inflammatory cytokines and other immunoregulatory factors play important roles in this process. We previously established an AIDS model of SIVmac239 infection in northern pig-tailed macaques (NPMs), which were divided into rapid progressor (RP) and slow progressor (SP) groups according to their AIDS progression rates. In this study, we performed 16S rDNA and transcriptome sequencing of the lungs to reveal the molecular mechanism underlying the difference in progression rate between the RPs and SPs. We found that microbial invasion in the RP group was distinct from that in the SP group, showing marker flora of the Family XI, Enterococcus and Ezakiella, and more Lactobacilli. Through pulmonary transcriptome analysis, we found that the transcription factor ZNF683 had higher expression in the SP group than in the RP group. In subsequent functional experiments, we found that ZNF683 increased the proliferation and IFNγ secretion ability of CD8+ T cells, thus decreasing SIV or HIV replication, which may be related to AIDS progression in SIVmac239-infected NPMs. This study helps elucidate the various complexities of disease progression in HIV-1-infected individuals.

  • FC/FACS
  • Biochemistry and Molecular biology
  • Immunology and Microbiology

Cumulative evidence suggests that abnormal differentiation of T lymphocytes influences the pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Thus, understanding the immune activation landscape of CP/CPPS would be helpful for improving therapeutic strategies. Here, we utilized BD™ AbSeq to digitally quantify both the protein and mRNA expression levels in single peripheral blood T cells from two CP/CPPS patients and two healthy controls. We utilized an integrated strategy based on canonical correlation analysis of 10 000+ AbSeq profiles and identified fifteen unique T-cell subpopulations. Notably, we found that the proportion of cluster 0 in the CP/CPPS group (30.35%) was significantly increased compared with the proportion in the healthy control group (9.38%); cluster 0 was defined as effector T cells based on differentially expressed genes/proteins. Flow cytometry assays confirmed that the proportions of effector T-cell subpopulations, particularly central memory T cells, T helper (Th)1, Th17 and Th22 cells, in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations of patients with CP/CPPS were significantly increased compared with those of healthy controls (P < 0.05), further confirming that aberration of effector T cells possibly leads to or intensifies CP/CPPS. Our results provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of CP/CPPS, which will be beneficial for its treatment.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  • FC/FACS
  • Homo sapiens (Human)
  • Biochemistry and Molecular biology
  • Cardiovascular biology
  • Immunology and Microbiology
View this product on CiteAb