Reparixin, an inhibitor of CXCL8 receptor CXCR1 and CXCR2 activation, has been shown to attenuate inflammatory responses in various injury models. In the present study, the hypertension-related functional roles of reparixin were examined in hypertensive animals. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) at the age of 18 weeks were administered a subcutaneous injection of reparixin (5 mg/kg) daily for 3 weeks (SHR-R, n=5). Control groups consisted of normal saline-treated SHR (SHR-N, n=5) and normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKY-N, n=5). Reparixin effectively decreased systolic blood pressure and increased the blood flow. The thoracic aorta wall thickness was significantly decreased in SHR-R compared to SHR-N. Expressions of CXCL8, CCL2, 12-lipoxygenase (LO) and endothelin (ET)-1 were significantly decreased in SHR-R thoracic aorta tissues compared to SHR-N. Furthermore, expression of angiotensin II subtype I receptor (AT1R) protein was decreased in SHR-R thoracic aorta tissues compared to SHR-N. In addition, the plasma levels of nitric oxide were slightly elevated in SHR-R compared to the levels in SHR-N. These findings indicate that inhibition of hypertension-related mediators by reparixin results in the reduction of blood pressure in SHR. Therefore, these results suggest that reparixin-mediated blockade of CXCL8 receptor activation attenuates vascular hypertension in SHR.

Kook MH, et al. Korean J Intern Med. 2014 Jan;29(1):123-125. http://dx.doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2014.29.1.123

Mothers play a key role in ensuring their children’s healthy life. This study aimed to identify the maternal factors affecting problematic smartphone use in children. We adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design using structured questionnaires. Participants were fourth to sixth grade elementary school students in Korea (n = 184). The following maternal factors were evaluated: maternal mediation, children’s perception of mothers’ smartphone use, mother–child communication, and parenting style. Data regarding maternal factors’ effect on problematic smartphone use were analyzed by computing descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis using SPSS Win 27.0. The results show that the maternal factors that influenced problematic smartphone use in children were maternal control over smartphone usage (odds ratio (OR) = 5.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33–19.60), smartphone usage time for social network service (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.10–2.01), and problematic mother–child communication (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.00–1.14). Therefore, to promote appropriate smartphone use among school children, it is necessary to develop an intervention comprising maternal supervision of their children’s smartphones, guidance provision for social network service usage, and strategies for the reinforcement of positive mother–child communication.

Nitric oxide (NO) synthesis is strongly induced during interleukin (IL)-2 treatment of mice and humans. Although this free radical can act as a cytotoxic effector molecule against cancer cells, immunosuppressive effects have also been suggested. We evaluated the effects of curcumin on IL-2-induced NO synthesis and IL-2-induced antitumor responses in a mouse ascites tumor model. Curcumin inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and NO production, and thereby enhanced the proliferation and cytotoxic activity of cocultured lymphocytes and macrophages during IL-2 stimulation which we earlier established as an in vitro model of IL-2-induced NO synthesis. Curcumin also decreased apoptosis of cocultured lymphocytes and macrophages during IL-2 stimulation. In contrast, the curcumin-induced changes in proliferation and apoptosis were not observed in cultures of lymphocytes alone, macrophages alone, and cocultured lymphocytes/iNOS-knock out macrophages, all of which produced little nitrite during IL-2 stimulation. In conjunction with IL-2 treatment, oral curcumin administration significantly inhibited IL-2 therapy-induced urinary nitrite/nitrate excretion and iNOS expression of tumor tissues, and further increased the IL-2 therapy-induced prolongation of survival in a murine Meth-A ascites tumor model. Curcumin may be useful as an adjunct to increase the antitumor activity of IL-2 therapy.