22 Collectively, the results suggest that continued exposure to high levels of IFN-α may reign in the NK cell response to prevent collateral damage. Similar mechanisms may be operative in acute HCV infection, which is known to induce high levels of type

I IFN-induced genes without evidence of significant liver injury throughout the incubation phase of 1-2 months.23 Thus, IFN-α-induced NK cell refractoriness may contribute to the often observed, but in its mechanisms not yet understood, clinically asymptomatic nature of acute HCV infection. The authors thank Dr. Xiongce Zhao, NIDDK, for statistical analysis. Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article. “
“Medical treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) requires chronic administration and causes side effects. Recently, anti-inflammatory selleck inhibitor effects of phototherapy were reported in animal models. The present study evaluated whether phototherapy

improves dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in a mouse model of IBD. Mice were divided into four equal groups: Control, DSS, DSS + light low (LL), and DSS + light high (LH) groups. Normal fluorescent light intensity in the Control and DSS groups was 200 lux. Artificial light intensities were as follows: DSS + LL group, 1000 lux; DSS + LH group, 2500 lux. Interleukin-2 receptor After administering selleck chemicals phototherapy for 7 days, we evaluated disease activity index (DAI), histological score, colon length/weight, serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) level, and serum and colonic cytokines in the mice. DAI and histological scores were significantly lower in the DSS + LL group than in the DSS group (both, P < 0.05). Colon length and weight were significantly higher in the DSS + LL group

than in the DSS group (both, P < 0.05). Serum interleukin (IL)-6, TNF-α, and IL-17 in the DSS + LL group were significantly lower, and serum and colonic IL-10 were significantly higher in the DSS + LL group than in the DSS group (all, P < 0.05). Serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) levels in the DSS + LH group were significantly increased compared with those in the DSS + LL and DSS groups. Artificial light phototherapy suppressed DSS-induced colitis in mice by suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. "
“Liver fibrosis and its endstage, cirrhosis, represent a major public health problem worldwide. Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a central event in hepatic fibrosis. However, the proteins that control HSC activation are incompletely understood.