Levels of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli in plaque on aged restorations of an ion-releasing and a universal hybrid composite resin

The purpose of this in vivo study was to evaluate the cariogenic microflora of plaque on aged restorations of a hydroxyl, fluoride, and calcium ion-releasing composite resin (IRCR) (Ariston pHc), and to compare it intra-individually with a universal hybrid composite resin and enamel. Each of 19 subjects received one proximal restoration of the IRCR, one proximal universal hybrid composite resin restoration (CR) and each subject had one non-filled proximal enamel control surface to make intra-individual comparisons possible. To avoid peak ion releases from the materials, aged restorations were studied. Plaque was collected from 57 surfaces using sterile applicator tips. Samples were cultured to determine the numbers of mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, and total microorganisms. The relative numbers for mutans streptococci (% of total bacteria) were: IRCR 0.59%, CR 0.40%, enamel 0.22%. Two outliers were found in the IRCR group. Excluding these outliers resulted in a relative number of 0.33%. Lactobacilli were detected in the plaque from only 9 surfaces and at very low relative proportions for all three surfaces: 0.01%. The enamel surfaces showed the lowest relative numbers of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, but the differences were not significant. It can be concluded that the ion release of the IRCR did not influence the growth of cariogenic microorganisms in dental plaque.     

Oxygen-dependent modulation of release and activity of polymorphonuclear leukocyte granule products

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes are important in the defense against the anaerobic microflora of infected gingival pockets. One part of this defense is release of antibacterial granule products by polymorphonuclear leukocytes into the pockets. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in releasing granule products under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes were exposed to serum-opsonized zymosan under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The levels of released granule products were determined by combining measurements of activity with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The level of released elaslase was twice as high in anaerobic as in aerobic reaction mixtures. A similar difference was not detected for mycloperoxidase. However, mycloperoxidase was inactivated after its release under aerobic conditions. The release of lactoferrin was as efficient under aerobic as under anaerobic conditions. The effect of aerobic conditions on the release of elastase and the inactivation of myeloperoxidase could be ascribed to oxidants formed in the mycloperoxidase-H₂O₂-chloride system. Also, the activity of the released cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase was inactivated by oxidants formed in the myeloperoxidase-H₂O₂-chloride system. These findings suggest that, in the anaerobic environment of the gingival pocket, elastase and possibly also other azurophilic granule products are released in higher amounts than under fully oxygenated conditions. In this environment, the released products may also escape inaclivation by the myeloperoxidase- H₂O₂-chloride system.     

Circulating soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in immunocompetent and renal transplant patients: correlation with cytomegalovirus disease and renal function.

The plasma levels of the soluble adhesion molecules, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), were measured before and after transplantation in 26 renal transplant recipients, and in 173 longitudinally collected samples in 17 of the patients. The patients were carefully monitored for the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and rejection. Forty healthy blood donors and 12 otherwise healthy subjects with symptomatic primary CMV infections served as controls. During CMV disease, plasma levels of sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 were elevated in both renal transplant patients and otherwise healthy subjects with CMV disease. The sVCAM-1 levels were strongly elevated before transplantation in renal transplant recipients and correlated with creatinine levels. Increased sVCAM-1 levels were also registered during rejection episodes. CMV disease, per se, is associated with markedly increased levels of sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1. There is also a correlation of sVCAM-1 levels with serum creatinine levels. Thus, the presence of CMV infection and renal function are factors that must be considered in further studies of soluble adhesion molecules.     

Four potential biomarkers as prognostic factors in stage III serous ovarian adenocarcinomas

The mortality rate for patients with ovarian carcinomas is high and the available prognostic factors are insufficient. The use of biomarkers may contribute to better prediction and survival for these patients. We aimed to study the gene and protein expressions for 7 potential biomarkers, to determine if it is possible to use them as prognostic factors. Genes selected from our previous microarray analysis (2006), CLU, ITGB3, TACC1, MUC5B, CAPG, PRAME and TROAP, were analyzed in 19 of the tumors with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR). We found that CLU and ITGB3 were more expressed in tumors from survivors and PRAME and CAPG were more expressed in tumors from deceased patients. None of the other 3 genes were significantly differently expressed. The protein expressions of CLU, ITGB3, PRAME and CAPG were analyzed in 43 of the tumors with western blot for semiquantitative analysis. We established that the mRNA and protein expressions correlated and that all 4 proteins were significantly differently expressed. Further, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to localize the expression of the proteins in the tumor samples. According to our results, the 4 biomarkers CLU, ITGB3, PRAME and CAPG may be used as prognostic factors for patients with stage III serous ovarian adenocarcinomas.     

T-cell activation. I. Evidence for a functional linkage between class I MHC antigens and the Tc-Ti complex

This paper examines the possibility of a functional linkage between class I MHC molecules and the T-cell receptor complex for antigen (T3-Ti). A newly developed anti-CD3 antibody (500A2) was used as an activation signal for EL4 lymphoma cells and allospecific cytotoxic T-cell clones (CTL), and the production of IL-2/IL-2 receptor in EL4 cells and serine esterase in CTL was determined. Anti-CD3 antibody-induced activation of both EL4 and CTL cells was enhanced in the presence of immunologically cross-linked and immobilized anti-H-2 (class I) antibody reactive against the H-2 haplotype of the responding T cells. A number of H-2-negative and H-2-positive EL4 subclones were generated and tested for anti-CD3 antibody-induced IL-2/IL-2 receptor production. Although both H-2-positive and -negative subclones expressed CD3 antigen and produced IL-2 after activation with the phorbol ester TPA, only the H-2-positive cell clones produced IL-2 and expressed IL-2 receptor after anti-CD3 antibody induction. Our results are compatible with the existence of a functional linkage between the class I and the CD3 molecules on the surface of T cells.     

Veto-like down-regulation of T helper cell reactivity in vivo by injection of semi-allogeneic spleen cells.

Injection of semiallogeneic (C57BL/6 X BALB/c) F1 MHC class II expressing spleen cells into C57BL/6 mice leads to a clonal deletion or anergy of recipient CD4+ T helper cells with specificity for the allogeneic MHC class II molecules on the injected cells whereas reactivity against third party allogeneic cells is not influenced. These observations were based on analyses in the recipient mice of proliferating CD4+ T cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR), limiting dilution (LD) cultures and measurements of IL-2 and IL-3 secretion.     

Comparison between radioimmunoassay and direct and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for determination of antibodies against Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide.

Levels of antibodies against Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide were determined in acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples obtained from 21 children with invasive H. influenzae type b infections and from 44 children vaccinated with two H. influenzae type b vaccines. Amounts of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA antibodies were measured by direct and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the total amount of antibodies was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Results obtained by ELISA were calculated by multiple-point parallel-line comparison and by endpoint analysis. A very good correlation was obtained between direct and indirect ELISA values. In the lower range of antibody concentrations, the correlation between ELISA values obtained by endpoint analysis and those obtained by multiple-point parallel-line comparison was poor, since the latter method of calculation yielded values of up to 1 microgram/ml in sera that were negative according to endpoint analysis. These sera with negative endpoint titers also had undetectable or very low antibody concentrations as measured by RIA. Consistent with this finding, in acute-phase and prevaccination sera with undetectable or low antibody concentrations as measured by RIA, ELISA values calculated by multiple-point parallel-line comparison were much higher. In sera with higher antibody concentrations, however, parallel-line comparisons showed good correlation between RIA and ELISA values. Although no reference method for measuring true antibody concentrations is available, ELISA values as calculated by multiple-point parallel-line comparison appear to overestimate antibody concentrations in sera containing low antibody concentrations, whereas ELISA values obtained by endpoint analysis are less well correlated with RIA values at higher concentrations.     

Experimental obstructive hydronephrosis in newborn rats. XI. A one-year follow-up study of renal function and morphology

Partial obstruction of the left ureter was created in two-day-old rats and its effects on kidney function were studied with 99mTc-DMSA and 99mTc-DTPA after one, two, three and six weeks, and after one year. Kidneys from animals sacrificed at the age of six weeks or one year were also examined histologically. The obstructed renal pelvis was enlarged by about 35 times and there was a delayed excretion of 99mTc-DTPA during forced diuresis, indicating significant, chronic obstruction. The renal DMSA-uptake ratio (left kidney/(left and right kidney] was reduced to about 40% from the first week of obstruction. The parenchymal weight ratio (expressed as above) was reduced to about 45% after both six weeks and one year. The glomerular filtration rate, examined during forced diuresis and calculated on the basis of uptake capacity, was lowered to 42% after six weeks but was not significantly reduced after one year of obstruction. The incidence figures for medullary hemorrhage or accumulation of iron pigment, and chronic inflammatory changes in the cortex were somewhat higher after one year of obstruction than after 6 weeks, but the lesions were patchy in both groups. We conclude that partial unilateral ureteric obstruction, created in the neonatal period, leads to a slight but permanent functional disturbance and parenchymal weight reduction without prominent structural parenchymal damage.     

The formation of hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan by oral bacteria

The capacity to form volatile sulfur compounds was tested in bacteria isolated from subgingival microbiotas and in a representative number of reference strains. A majority of the 75 tested oral bacterial species and 7 unnamed bacterial taxa formed significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide from L-cysteine. The most active bacteria were found in the genera Peptostreptococcus, Eubacterium, Selenomonas, Centipeda, Bacteroides and Fusobacterium. Methyl mercaptan from L-methionine was formed by some members of the genera Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, Porphyromonas and Eubacterium. When incubated in serum for 7 d, the most potent producers of hydrogen sulfide were Treponema denticola and the black-pigmented species, Bacteroides intermedius, Bacteroides loescheii, Porphyromonas endodontalis and Porphyromonas gingivalis. P. endodontalis and P. gingivalis also produced significant amounts of methyl mercaptan in serum. No other volatile sulfur compound was detected in serum or in the presence of L-cysteine and L-methionine. These findings significantly increase the list of oral bacteria known to produce volatile sulfur compounds.