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Non-thermal plasma (NTP) has nonspecific antibacterial effects, and can be applied as an effective tool for the treatment of chronic wounds and other skin pathologies. In this study we analysed the effect of NTP on the healing of the full-thickness acute skin wound model in rats. We utilised a single jet NTP system generating atmospheric pressure air plasma, with ion volume density 5 · 10 17  m -3 and gas temperature 30-35 °C. The skin wounds were exposed to three daily plasma treatments for 1 or 2 minutes and were evaluated 3, 7 and 14 days after the wounding by histological and gene expression analysis. NTP treatment significantly enhanced epithelization and wound contraction on day 7 when compared to the untreated wounds. Macrophage infiltration into the wound area was not affected by the NTP treatment. Gene expression analysis did not indicate an increased inflammatory reaction or a disruption of the wound healing process; transient enhancement of inflammatory marker upregulation was found after NTP treatment on day 7. In summary, NTP treatment had improved the healing efficacy of acute skin wounds without noticeable side effects and concomitant activation of pro-inflammatory signalling. The obtained results highlight the favourability of plasma applications for wound therapy in clinics.

Aims: Very modest changes in mRNA stability can affect critical points in cellular energy pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of energy abundant substrates on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and PPAR-gamma coactivators (PGCs) mRNA's steady-state levels., Methods: Quantitative RT-PCR study was performed to assess the effect of zero or normal (5 mmol/l) glucose and/or oleic acid (0.3 mmol/l) on mRNA levels of (PPARs) (PGCs) in HepG2 cells., Results: PGC-1alpha mRNA was significantly upregulated in glucose deprived cells (123 % of the control level; p < 0.05), while PGC-1beta mRNA was significantly enhanced in oleate-fed cells (134 % and 160 % of control levels for zero glucose plus oleate and normal glucose plus oleate, respectively; p < 0.05) during the 0.5 h incubation. Upon the 4 h incubation, PPAR-gamma1 and PGC-1alpha mRNAs were significantly elevated in cells lacking glucose (142 % and 163 % of control levels, respectively; p < 0.05). Oleate significantly suppressed PPAR-alpha and PGC-1beta mRNA levels in glucose-deprived cells (58 % and 49 % of control levels, respectively; p < 0.05). PPAR-gamma1 and -gamma2 mRNAs were significantly superinduced when the cells were treated with cycloheximide, whereas PPAR-alpha and PGC-1alpha and-1beta mRNAs were destabilized. Upon actinomycin D treatment, glucose shortage significantly stabilized PPAR-alpha mRNA, while PGC-1alpha mRNA was destabilized by oleate in glucose-deprived cells., Conclusions: Our findings provide evidence that transcriptional processes that are under the control of energetic substrates are interconnected with concurrent translational processes that can change stability of mRNAs.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is emerging as one of the most common liver disorders claiming the urgent attention of both medical professionals and the public sphere because of the imminent epidemic of advanced liver injury that appendages epidemic of obesity. Recent research reveals simple triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes (i.e., liver steatosis) frequently becoming complicated by inflammation (i.e., non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH) that may progress into more advanced stages of the disease including cirrhosis or, eventually, hepatocellular carcinoma. The exact mechanisms of the progression of NAFLD into overt NASH and advanced disease stages are largely unknown. There is urgent need in terms of both intensive research pursuits and effective practical measures to deal with this common threat.