PMID: 

Bull Soc Belge Ophtalmol. 2000(277):71-3. PMID: 11126677

Abstract Title: 

Encephalomyelitis and bilateral optic perineuritis after influenza vaccination.

Abstract: 

We report the case of one patient suffering from headache, urinary retention, bilateral optic disc swelling and a mild bilateral visual defect after influenza vaccination. The presumptive diagnosis was encephalomyelitis with bilateral optic perineuritis caused by influenza vaccination. We stress on the interest to search for this aetiology in unexplained optic neuropathy.

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PMID: 

Rev Neurol (Paris). 2010 Dec ;166(12):1024-7. Epub 2010 Nov 10. PMID: 21067788

Abstract Title: 

[Bilateral optic neuropathy with loss of vision after an influenza vaccination in a patient suffering from mixed connective tissue disease].

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Optic neuropathy is a rare adverse reaction to vaccination.CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old-woman was hospitalized for bilateral optic neuropathy with loss of vision. The symptoms occurred 15 days after a seasonal influenza vaccination. Her past medical history included a mixed connective tissue disease with no immunosuppressive treatment for several years. Investigations did not reveal any obvious cause and the hypothesis of post-influenza vaccination bilateral optic neuropathy was retained although a complication of the connective tissue disease complication could not be ruled out. The patient was given intravenous methylprednisolone 1g daily. At a cumulative dose of 8 g, oral steroids were given and tapered off.DISCUSSION: Few similar case reports have been described in literature. The causal link between vaccination and optic neuropathy thus remains to be confirmed. Clinicians should however consider this etiology.

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PMID: 

Doc Ophthalmol. 1994 ;86(4):403-8. PMID: 7835178

Abstract Title: 

Bilateral optic neuritis with branch retinal artery occlusion associated with vaccination.

Abstract: 

A case of a 40-year old marine with bilateral optic neuritis and a branch retinal artery occlusion after vaccination is presented. Blood investigations showed no abnormalities. Cerebrospinal fluid studies revealed a lymphocytic pleocytosis and IgG antibodies against hepatitis A and rabies. Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were negative. A diagnosis of vaccine-induced auto-immune demyelinative optic neuritis was made. The clinical picture improved after systemic corticosteroid treatment.

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PMID: 

J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2009 Jan-Feb;46(1):47-9. PMID: 19213279

Abstract Title: 

Benign recurrent abducens (sixth) nerve palsy.

Abstract: 

Benign recurrent abducens nerve palsy is rare. Twenty-three cases in children have been reported in the literature and many of these cases followed immunization or were associated with viral illness. Most of the reported patients share the following features: spontaneous recovery within 6 months, ipsilateral recurrence, and painless palsy. The authors describe a Turkish child with recurrent abducens nerve palsy with no obvious etiology.

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PMID: 

Pediatrics. 2013 Oct ;132(4):e1035-8. Epub 2013 Sep 2. PMID: 23999961

Abstract Title: 

Anterior uveitis and cataract after rubella vaccination: a case report of a 12-month-old girl.

Abstract: 

Many reports associating uveitis after vaccination have been reported, including 2 cases after measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. We report the case of a 12-month-old girl who developed a unilateral anterior uveitis with rubeosis and cataract 3 months after an MMR vaccination at 9 months of age. Aqueous humor analysis showed the presence of more rubella-specific immunoglobulin G in the affected eye than in the unaffected one. This is the second report showing an association between MMR vaccine and anterior uveitis and the first supported by the presence of intraocular rubella antibodies.

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PMID: 

Dose Response. 2019 Jul-Sep;17(3):1559325819877271. Epub 2019 Sep 23. PMID: 31579126

Abstract Title: 

Different Effects of Melatonin on X-Rays-Irradiated Cancer Cells in a Dose-Dependent Manner.

Abstract: 

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of melatonin on the radiosensitivity of HeLa cells. Concentration from 10 to 1000µM of melatonin was used on HeLa cells before X-rays irradiation (IR). The cellular inactivation effect was analyzed by clonogenic assay, and cell growth was measured by MTT assay at various concentrations. Ten micrometer melatonin promoted the cell-killing effects of IR, while 1000-µM melatonin prevented IR-induced cellular inactivation. Further analysis revealed that 1000-µM melatonin protected the cells from IR-induced reactive oxygen species damage, as the oxidative stress measured by fluorescent microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting using 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetatestaining. This is further confirmed by melatonin receptor agonist, which has no antioxidant capacity. A 10-µM melatonin, on the contrary, enhanced the cell-killing effects of IR by activating c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling. c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase signaling activation was indicated byWestern blot of phosphorylated JNK. We used JNK inhibitor to further confirm the involvement of JNK signaling in the cell-killing enhancement of 10-µM melatonin administration. Our results suggest the importance of dose-dependent effects in melatonin application for radiotherapy.

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PMID: 

Stem Cells Int. 2019 ;2019:6403967. Epub 2019 Sep 5. PMID: 31582985

Abstract Title: 

Melatonin Rescued Reactive Oxygen Species-Impaired Osteogenesis of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Presence of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha.

Abstract: 

Accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can be induced by inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-), can significantly inhibit the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). This process can contribute to the imbalance of bone remodeling, which ultimately leads to osteoporosis. Therefore, reducing the ROS generation during osteogenesis of BMSCs may be an effective way to reverse the impairment of osteogenesis. Melatonin (MLT) has been reported to act as an antioxidant during cell proliferation and differentiation, but its antioxidant effect and mechanism of action during osteogenesis of MSCs in the inflammatory microenvironment, especially in the presence of TNF-, remain unknown and need further study. In our study, we demonstrate that melatonin can counteract the generation of ROS and the inhibitory osteogenesis of BMSCs induced by TNF-, by upregulating the expression of antioxidases and downregulating the expression of oxidases. Meanwhile, MLT can inhibit the phosphorylation of p65 protein and block the degradation of IBprotein, thus decreasing the activity of the NF-B pathway. This study confirmed that melatonin can inhibit the generation of ROS during osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and reverse the inhibition of osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro, suggesting that melatonin can antagonize TNF–induced ROS generation and promote the great effect of osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Accordingly, these findings provide more evidence that melatonin can be used as a candidate drug for the treatment of osteoporosis.

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PMID: 

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2019 Nov ;63(22):e1801377. Epub 2019 Sep 10. PMID: 31454158

Abstract Title: 

Tomatidine Reduces Palmitate-Induced Lipid Accumulation by Activating AMPK via Vitamin D Receptor-Mediated Signaling in Human HepG2 Hepatocytes.

Abstract: 

SCOPE: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, defined by hepatic over-accumulation of lipids without significant ethanol consumption. Pharmacological or bioactive food ingredients that suppress hepatic lipid accumulation through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, which plays a critical role in the regulation of lipid metabolism, are searched.METHODS AND RESULTS: It is found that tomatidine, the aglycone ofα-tomatine abundant in green tomatoes, significantly inhibits palmitate-provoked lipid accumulation and stimulates phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) in human HepG2 hepatocytes. The results also indicate that tomatidine can enhance triglyceride turnover and decline in lipogenesis by upregulating adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and downregulating fatty acid synthase (FAS) via the AMPK signaling-dependent regulation of transcription factors, element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1). Furthermore, mechanistic studies demonstrate that tomatidine-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation is due to CaMKKβ activation in response to an increase in intracellular Caconcentration. Finally, it is discovered that tomatidine functions as an agonist for vitamin D receptor to elicit AMPK-dependent suppression of lipid accumulation.CONCLUSION: The in vitro study suggests the potential efficacy of tomatidine as a preventive and therapeutic treatment in obesity-related fatty liver diseases.

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PMID: 

Chem Biol Interact. 2019 Nov 1 ;313:108826. Epub 2019 Sep 20. PMID: 31545954

Abstract Title: 

Tomatidine inhibits cell invasion through the negative modulation of gelatinase and inactivation of p38 and ERK.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Despite of the most effective surgical removal of malignant tumors, metastasis makes cancer treatment difficult. The studies on natural compounds to inhibit this metastasis have been actively performed until now. However, the effect of tomatidine on metastasis remains unclear.METHOD: The effect of tomatidine on antioxidative activity was measured with DPPH radical assay and reducing power assay. After treatment with tomatidine, the viability of human fibrosarcoma cells (HT1080 cells) was evaluated with MTT assay. The effect of tomatidine on the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9, gelatinases related to metastasis, was analyzed using gelatin zymography, western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Cell invasion assay was used to investigate anti-metastasis activity of tomatidine.RESULT: Tomatidine showed no DPPH radical scavenging effect and showed 8% of reduction power at 8 μM. Furthermore, tomatidine below 8 μM showed more than 80% of cell viability in MTT assay. The inhibition of tomatidine on MMP-2 activity and its protein expression levels were observed by gelatin zymography, western blot and immunofluorescence. It was observed that tomatidine inhibited notonly p38 and ERK but also cell invasion.CONCLUSION: Above results suggest that tomatidine could use as a potential candidate for cancer prevention and metastasis through the inhibitory effect on gelatinase.

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PMID: 

BMC Plant Biol. 2019 Oct 7 ;19(1):414. Epub 2019 Oct 7. PMID: 31590646

Abstract Title: 

Melatonin alleviates heat-induced damage of tomato seedlings by balancing redox homeostasis and modulating polyamine and nitric oxide biosynthesis.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Melatonin is a pleiotropic signaling molecule that plays multifarious roles in plants stress tolerance. The polyamine (PAs) metabolic pathway has been suggested to eliminate the effects of environmental stresses. However, the underlying mechanism of how melatonin and PAs function together under heat stress largely remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the potential role of melatonin in regulating PAs and nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis, and counterbalancing oxidative damage induced by heat stress in tomato seedlings.RESULTS: Heat stress enhanced the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damaged inherent defense system, thus reduced plant growth. However, pretreatment with 100 μM melatonin (7 days) followed by exposure to heat stress (24 h) effectively reduced the oxidative stress by controlling the overaccumulation of superoxide (O) and hydrogen peroxide (HO), lowering the lipid peroxidation content (as inferred based on malondialdehyde content) and less membrane injury index (MII). This was associated with increased the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants activities by regulating their related gene expression and modulating the ascorbate-glutathione cycle. The presence of melatonin induced respiratory burst oxidase (RBOH), heat shock transcription factors A2 (HsfA2), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), and delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) gene expression, which helped detoxify excess ROS via the hydrogen peroxide-mediated signaling pathway. In addition, heat stress boosted the endogenous levels of putrescine, spermidine and spermine, and increased the PAs contents, indicating higher metabolic gene expression. Moreover, melatonin-pretreated seedlings had further increased PAs levels and upregulated transcript abundance, which coincided with suppression of catabolic-related genes expression. Under heat stress, exogenous melatonin increased endogenous NO content along with nitrate reductase- and NO synthase-related activities, and expression of their related genes were also elevated.CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin pretreatment positively increased the heat tolerance of tomato seedlings by improving their antioxidant defense mechanism, inducing ascorbate-glutathione cycle, and reprogramming the PAs metabolic and NO biosynthesis pathways. These attributes facilitated the scavenging of excess ROS and increased stability of the cellular membrane, which mitigated heat-induced oxidative stress.

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