Short-Term Effects of Side-Stream Smoke on Nerve Growth Factor and Its Receptors TrKA and p75NTR in a Group of Non-Smokers
, Alessandra Pistilli 1,†, Desirée Bartolini 1,2, Eleonora Angelucci 3, Marco Dell’Omo 3, Gabriele Di Sante 1 and Mario Rende 1
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
In this manuscript, the authors investigated the impact of short-term exposure to side stream (SS) smoke on NGF and its receptors TrKA and p75NTR. It was found that during the early phases, the SS exposure induced an increase both in the percentage of p75NTR+ WBCs, in their mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) and in gene expression. They also observed a positive correlation between the urine cotinine level and the percentage of p75NTR+ WBCs. These results add the knowledge of the mechanisms and pathway involved in the very early stages of a short-term exposure to cigarette smoke and their impact on health of non-smokers. From my personal opinion, it can be accepted for publication in IJERPH after addressing the following questions:
1. Please don’t use abbreviations in the “Abstract” and “Keywords” parts. 2.The abbreviations should be defined upon the first mention. Please check all the abbreviations such as NGF, TrKA, p75NTR, etc.
3. Please check edits carefully. For example, In Figure2, 2 points of green line have no standard deviation (SD).
4. Table1 is confusing. Why does it contain only 10 female participates, what the male participates’ data?
1.
Author Response
Reviewer 1
From my personal opinion, it can be accepted for publication in IJERPH after addressing the following questions:
- Please don’t use abbreviations in the “Abstract” and “Keywords” parts.
2.The abbreviations should be defined upon the first mention. Please check all the abbreviations such as NGF, TrKA, p75NTR, etc.
We thank the reviewer; as suggested, we emendated all the abbreviations in the title and in abstract and keywords sections. We checked the rest of the manuscript defining the abbreviations where needed (introduction section).
- Please check edits carefully. For example, In Figure2, 2 points of green line have no standard deviation (SD).
We carefully checked finding that in Figure 1 two points of green line did not show standard deviation. Their SD were respectively 0.09 and 0.1 and for this reason overlapped with the symbols. We reduced the size of all the symbols and changed the colors of SD to address this issue.
- Table1 is confusing. Why does it contain only 10 female participates, what the male participates’ data?
As suggested, we modified table 1, showing males/females ratio instead of females number/percentage.
Reviewer 2 Report
Initial comments
This work, despite the fact that the “ Environmental tobacco smoke “ topic has already been extensively researched, adds many important and complex data that deserve to be published.
Title
Short-term effects of side-stream smoke on NGF and its receptors TrKA and p75NTR in a group of non-smokers
Wouldn't it be better to spell it out NGF ?
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)
Abstract:
Comment:
Line 21……NGF
Please put in full…...Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)
1. Introduction
Comment:
It is suitable
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Participants
Comment:
It is suitable
2.2. Home-Like Room Characteristics and SS Protocol
Comment:
It is suitable
2.3. Peripheral Blood collection and White Blood Cells isolation
Comment:
It is suitable
2.4. Serum Collection
Comment:
It is suitable
2.5. Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) Analysis of Urine Cotinine
Comment:
It is suitable
2.6. Serum NGF quantification
Comment:
It is suitable
2.7. TrKA and p75NTR analysis by FACS
Comment:
It is suitable
2.8. TrKA and p75NTR and cytokines Gene Expression RT-PCR
Comment:
It is suitable
2.9. Statistical Analysis
Comment:
It is suitable
3. Results
3.1. Urine cotinine levels after SS and smoke-free air exposure
Comment:
It is suitable
3.2. NGF and its receptors TrKA and p75NTR in WBCs after SS or SFA exposures
Comment:
It is suitable
3.3. Impact of SS on WBCs: NGF receptors and inflammatory cytokines
Comment:
It is suitable
4. Figures, Tables and Schemes
Comment:
It is suitable
5. Discussion
Comment:
It is suitable
6. Conclusions
Comment:
It is suitable
Supplementary Materials:
Comment:
It is suitable
References
Comment:
It is suitable
Thank you
Author Response
This work, despite the fact that the “Environmental tobacco smoke “ topic has already been extensively researched, adds many important and complex data that deserve to be published.
Title: Short-term effects of side-stream smoke on NGF and its receptors TrKA and p75NTR in a group of non-smokers. Wouldn't it be better to spell it out NGF ?
Line 21……NGF; Please put in full…...Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)
We thank the reviewer; as suggested, we emendated he NGF abbreviation in the title. We also checked the manuscript defining the abbreviations where needed and where suggested by reviewer 1 (abstract, keywords and introduction sections).
