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Piotr Konieczny,1,* Anna Grazyna Goralczyk,1,* Radoslaw Szmyd,1,* Lukasz Skalniak,1,* Joanna Koziel,2 Francesca Larese Filon,3 Matteo Crosera,4 Agnieszka Cierniak,1 Ewa K Zuba-Surma,5 Julia Borowczyk,5 Eliza Laczna,5 Justyna Drukala,5 Elzbieta Pyza,6 Danuta Semik,6 Olga Woznicka,6 Andrzej Klein,1 Jolanta Jura11Department of General Biochemistry, 2Department of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; 3Department of Public Health Sciences, 4Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; 5Department of Cell Biology, 6Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland*These authors equally contributed to this workAbstract: The platinum (Pt)-group elements (PGEs) represent a new kind of environmental pollutant and a new hazard for human health. Since their introduction as vehicle-exhaust catalysts, their emissions into the environment have grown considerably compared with their low natural concentration in the earth crust. PGE emissions from vehicle catalysts can be also in the form of nanometer-sized particles (Pt nanoparticles [PtNPs]). These elements, both in their metallic form or as ions solubilized in biological media, are now recognized as potent allergens and sensitizers. Human skin is always exposed to toxic particles; therefore, in the present study we addressed the question of whether polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated PtNPs may have any negative effects on skin cells, including predominantly epidermal keratinocytes. In this study, PtNPs of two sizes were used: 5.8 nm and 57 nm, in concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, and 25 µg/mL. Both types of NPs were protected with polyvinylpyrrolidone. Primary keratinocytes were treated for 24 and 48 hours, then cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, morphology, metabolic activity, and changes in the activation of signaling pathways were investigated in PtNP-treated cells. We found that PtNPs trigger toxic effects on primary ker

Piotr Konieczny,1,* Anna Grazyna Goralczyk,1,* Radoslaw Szmyd,1,* Lukasz Skalniak,1,* Joanna Koziel,2 Francesca Larese Filon,3 Matteo Crosera,4 Agnieszka Cierniak,1 Ewa K Zuba-Surma,5 Julia Borowczyk,5 Eliza Laczna,5 Justyna Drukala,5 Elzbieta Pyza,6 Danuta Semik,6 Olga Woznicka,6 Andrzej Klein,1 Jolanta Jura11Department of General Biochemistry, 2Department of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; 3Department of Public Health Sciences, 4Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; 5Department of Cell Biology, 6Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland*These authors equally contributed to this workAbstract: The platinum (Pt)-group elements (PGEs) represent a new kind of environmental pollutant and a new hazard for human health. Since their introduction as vehicle-exhaust catalysts, their emissions into the environment have grown considerably compared with their low natural concentration in the earth crust. PGE emissions from vehicle catalysts can be also in the form of nanometer-sized particles (Pt nanoparticles [PtNPs]). These elements, both in their metallic form or as ions solubilized in biological media, are now recognized as potent allergens and sensitizers. Human skin is always exposed to toxic particles; therefore, in the present study we addressed the question of whether polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated PtNPs may have any negative effects on skin cells, including predominantly epidermal keratinocytes. In this study, PtNPs of two sizes were used: 5.8 nm and 57 nm, in concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, and 25 µg/mL. Both types of NPs were protected with polyvinylpyrrolidone. Primary keratinocytes were treated for 24 and 48 hours, then cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, morphology, metabolic activity, and changes in the activation of signaling pathways were investigated in PtNP-treated cells. We found that PtNPs trigger toxic effects on primary ker

Chemerin, a chemoattractant ligand for chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1) is predicted to share similar tertiary structure with antibacterial cathelicidins. Recombinant chemerin has antimicrobial activity. Here we show that endogenous chemerin is abundant in human epidermis, and that inhibition of bacteria growth by exudates from organ cultures of primary human skin keratinocytes is largely chemerin-dependent. Using a panel of overlapping chemerin-derived synthetic peptides, we demonstrate that the antibacterial activity of chemerin is primarily mediated by Val 66 -Pro 85, which causes direct bacterial lysis. Therefore, chemerin is an antimicrobial agent in human skin.