BackgroundDendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent professional antigen-presenting cells for naive T cells to link innate and acquired immunity. Klotho, an anti-aging protein, participates in the regulation of Ca2+ dependent migration in DCs. Vitamin E (VitE) is an essential antioxidant to protect cells from damage and elicits its inhibitory effects on NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response. However, the roles of VitE on mouse DC functions and the contribution of klotho to those effects both are unknown. The present study explored the effects of VitE on klotho expression, maturation, ROS production and migration in DCs.MethodsThe mouse bone marrow cells were isolated and cultured with GM-CSF to attain bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs). Cells were stimulated with LPS (100 ng/ml) in the presence or absence of VitE (500 µM). RT-PCR and immunoprecipitation methods were employed to determine klotho expression, ELISA to determine cytokine release, flow cytometry to analyze number of CD86+CD11c+ cells, the intracellular expression of cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and a transwell migration assay to trace migration.ResultsKlotho transcript level and this hormone secretion in DC supernatant were enhanced by VitE treatment and further increased in the presence of NF-κB inhibitor Bay 11-7082 (10 µM). Moreover, VitE treatment inhibited IL-12p70 protein expression of, ROS accumulation in and CCL21-dependent migration of LPS-triggered mature DCs, these effects were reversed following klotho silencing.ConclusionThe up-regulation of klotho by VitE could contribute to the inhibitory effects of VitE on NF-κB-mediated DC functional maturation. The events might contribute to immunotherapeutic effect of VitE on the pathophysiology of klotho-related disease.

This paper sets out to examine the conceptualization of life, one of the most complicated concepts that require a number of domains to get mapped, in 600 English and Vietnamse propaganda slogans addressing social policies and purposeful activities in life, mostly collected from street banners and the Internet. The research is based on the principles of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 2003) and Metaphor Identification Procedure (Pragglejaz group, 2007; Steen, 1999, 2009). The study aims at finding the conceptual preferences that English-speaking people and Vietnamese people have for life and trying to justify the similarities and differences in the way life is conceptualized in the two languages from social and cultural perspectives. The results suggest that metaphors of life are frequently used in both English and Vietnamese slogans on an almost equal basis. Specifically, life is conceptualized as A LIVING ORGANISM, AN OBJECT, PATH-SCHEMA, BUILDING AND WAR/STRUGGLE and some other isolated domains. Though most source domains are fundamentally similar, the distribution and frequency of use, the number of metaphorical linguistic expressions and even the minor cases reveal a great deal of cultural variation, which is mostly connected with the history of Vietnam and Western countries, and the lifestyles of their people.

Copper nanoparticles (nCu) have a wide range of applications in many different fields of life. In poultry farming, nCu is well-known as a feed additive to stimulate the development, a good antimicrobial agent and a suppressor of diarrhea. The aim of this study is to perform the analysis of biosafety of nCu. In this study, chickens were treated with drinking water containing 2 mg/L or 1000 mg/L nCu. After 5 weeks of treatment, the survival rate, dry body weight, Cu content in serum and liver tissues of chickens were examined. Liver and kidney functions were also determined by measuring serum levels of ALT, AST, and creatinine. As a result, chickens treated with drinking containing 2 mg/L nCu had no changes in liver and kidney functions as well as their body weights. However, treatment of chickens with 1000 mg/L nCu caused accumulationof Cu in the serum and liver and increase of the serum levels of ALT and AST compared with control group. Apparently they sick and did not develop properly. In conclusion, nCu concentration at 2 mg/L may be recommended for the agricultural, feed and medicine formulations to meet biological safety.ALT, AST, creatinine, nCu, chicken.