DNases improve effectiveness of antibiotic treatment in murine polymicrobial sepsis.

Introduction: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have various beneficial and detrimental effects in the body. It has been reported that some bacteria may evade the immune system when entangled in NETs. Thus, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of a combined DNase and antibiotic therapy in a murine model of abdominal sepsis.

Immunofluorescence Imaging of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Human and Mouse Tissues.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are released by neutrophils as a response to bacterial infection or traumatic tissue damage but also play a role in autoimmune diseases and sterile inflammation. They are web-like structures composed of double-stranded DNA filaments, histones, and antimicrobial proteins. Once released, NETs can trap and kill extracellular pathogens in blood and tissue.

Biliatresone induces cholangiopathy in C57BL/6J neonates.

Exposure to plant toxins or microbiota that are able to digest common food ingredients to toxic structures might be responsible for biliary atresia (BA). An isoflavonoid, biliatresone is known to effectively alter the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) development in BALB/c mice. Biliatresone causes a reduction of Glutathione (GSH) levels, SOX17 downregulation and is effectively countered with N-Acetyl-L-cysteine treatment in vitro.

Kigelia africana inhibits proliferation and induces cell death in stage 4 Neuroblastoma cell lines.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common solid pediatric tumors and especially high-risk NBs still account for about 12-15% of cancer related deaths in children. Kigelia africana (KA) is a plant used in traditional African medicine which has already shown its anti-cancer potential in several in vitro and in vivo studies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of KA fruit extract on stage 4 high-risk NB cells.

NET Release of Long-Term Surviving Neutrophils.

Background: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)-as double-edged swords of innate immunity-are involved in numerous processes such as infection, inflammation and tissue repair. Research on neutrophil granulocytes is limited because of their short lifetime of only a few hours. Several attempts have been made to prolong the half-life of neutrophils using cytokines and bacterial products and have shown promising results.

Markers of neutrophil activation and extracellular trap formation predict appendicitis.

Background: Although appendicitis is one of the most frequently occurring pediatric surgery emergencies, current biomarkers for diagnosis are unspecific and have low predictive values. Neutrophils are an essential component of the innate immune system involved during appendicitis. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate neutrophils and their activation markers in a prospective cohort study.

Therapeutic Targeting of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Improves Primary and Secondary Intention Wound Healing in Mice.

Background: Neutrophils are the first responders in wound healing after injury that mediate pro- and anti-inflammatory activities i.a. through the formation of extracellular traps (NETs).

The Inhibitory Effect of Curosurf and Alveofact on the Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps.

Background: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are a defense mechanism in which neutrophils cast a net-like structure in response to microbial infection. NETs consist of decondensed chromatin and about 30 enzymes and peptides. Some components, such as neutrophil elastase (NE) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), present antimicrobial but also cytotoxic properties, leading to tissue injury.

Lithocholic bile acid induces apoptosis in human nephroblastoma cells: a non-selective treatment option.

Lithocholic bile acid (LCA) has been reported to selectively kill cancer cells within many tumor cell lines including neuroblastoma or glioblastoma. Wilms' tumor shares similarities with neuro- and glioblastoma. Hence, the aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of LCA on nephroblastoma.

Markers of neutrophil activation and extracellular traps formation are predictive of appendicitis in mice and humans: a pilot study.

Appendicitis is one of the most frequent emergencies in pediatric surgery, yet current biomarkers for diagnosis are unspecific and have low predictive values. As neutrophils and extracellular traps (ETs) are an essential component of the immune defense against bacterial infections, and appendicitis is considered an inflammation reaction of the appendix, we hypothesized that neutrophil activation and NET formation play an essential role in appendicitis development and maintenance. Therefore, this pilot study aimed to establish a murine model of appendicitis and to evaluate ETs markers to diagnose appendicitis in mice and humans.

Development of an improved murine model of necrotizing enterocolitis shows the importance of neutrophils in NEC pathogenesis.

Various research models to induce necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in animals exist, yet significant differences in NEC severity between murine animal models and human patients persist. One possible explanation for the difference in severity may be the variance in neutrophil concentration among newborn humans (50-70%) in comparison to neonatal mice (10-25%). However, neutrophil activity has yet to be evaluated in NEC pathogenesis.

Degradation of Extracellular DNA Significantly Ameliorates Necrotizing Enterocolitis Severity in Mice.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most devastating diseases in neonates and is characterized by high morbidity and mortality. It has been suggested that neutrophils play a crucial role in NEC pathogenesis and contribute to the hyperinflammatory reaction after bacterial colonization, which ultimately induces NEC. The aim of this study was to investigate whether dissolution of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) by systemic DNase1 therapy reduces NEC manifestation and morbidity.

NEC is likely a NETs dependent process and markers of NETosis are predictive of NEC in mice and humans.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting premature and mature infants. It is hypothesized that NEC is the result of neutrophils' active role in hyperinflammation after bacterial gut colonization, through their nuclear DNA release and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to combat pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of NETs in NEC pathogenesis, as well as to identify and validate markers of NETosis to predict NEC.

Vincristine resistance in relapsed neuroblastoma can be efficiently overcome by Smac mimetic LCL161 treatment.

Purpose: In spite of good initial therapy response neuroblastomas often spread to distant organs or relapse after periods of remission. Dysregulation of apoptosis, a hallmark of cancer, is often effected by elevated levels of antiapoptotic signals leading to resistance against chemotherapeutic drugs. Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) are crucial cellular apoptosis regulators.

Degradation of Extracellular DNA by DNase1 Significantly Reduces Testicular Damage After Testicular Torsion in Rats.

Objective: To examine the effects of DNase1 treatment on testicular damage after testicular torsion (TT). It has been demonstrated that TT induces thrombus formation and that anticoagulation significantly reduces testicular damage after TT. It was hypothesized that these thrombi are dependent on neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and thus NETs disintegration would reduce testicular cell damage.

Smac mimetic LCL161 supports neuroblastoma chemotherapy in a drug class-dependent manner and synergistically interacts with ALK inhibitor TAE684 in cells with ALK mutation F1174L.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor during infancy and childhood.Outcome of high-risk and late-stage disease remains poor despite intensive treatment regimens.Suppressing inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) using Smac mimetics (SM) significantly sensitizes neuroblastoma (NB) cells for chemotherapy, however strongly dependent on the cytotoxic drug combined with SM.

Modulation of Thrombosis Significantly Reduces Testicular Damage after Testicular Torsion in Rats: Anti-Thrombotic Treatment and Testicular Torsion.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of thrombolysis and/or anticoagulation on testicular viability after testicular tortion (TT) was the aim of this study. It has been suggested that alterations of circulation during TT result in thrombus formation that might prevent sufficient perfusion after detorsion. Due to the narrow safety margin of testicular perfusion, even moderate disturbances in blood supply can cause major testicular damage.

Taurolidine specifically inhibits growth of neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro.

Background: Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric solid tumor with poor outcome for metastatic disease. Thus, novel therapeutic options are of main interest. The anti-neoplastic properties of taurolidine have been demonstrated on a variety of human cancer cells.

A chicken embryo model for the study of umbilical and supraumbilical body wall malformations.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND/PURPOSE; The embryology of ventral body wall malformations is only partially understood, although their incidence is relatively common. As only few experimental data exist on the development of those defects, the aim of our study was to compare the teratogenic effect of trypan blue (TB) and suramin (SA) in their capability to induce umbilical and supraumbilical abdominal wall malformations in a chicken egg model.

Materials And Methods: A total of 255 fertilized chicken eggs were incubated at 38 °C and 75% relative humidity.

Gut inflammation and expression of ICC in a fetal lamb model of fetoscopic intervention for gastroschisis.

Background: The pathogenesis of intestinal dysmotility in gastroschisis is not completely understood. Peel formation and disorganization of interstitial Cajal cells (ICC) have been proposed in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of prenatal coverage of gastroschisis on gut inflammation and expression of ICC in a fetal lamb model.

Abdominal wall incision with or without exteriorization of bowel: results from a fetal lamb model for the embryogenesis of gastroschisis.

Introduction: The embryogenesis of gastroschisis is not completely understood. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of a simple abdominal wall defect versus a defect including eviscerated intestine or omentum for the development of gastroschisis in a fetal lamb model.

Material And Methods: At mid-gestation (day 77) an abdominal wall defect was fetoscopically created with three different approaches in 19 German blackhead sheep.