Antibody activity to Propionibacterium acnes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in sarcoidosis

While increased levels of circulating antibody to various microorganisms have been reported in sarcoidosis patients, the pathogenesis of the disease is still unknown. In this report, the levels of antibody activities against Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in patients with sarcoidosis, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Each immunoglobulin class of antibody activity to P. acnes was corrected by albumin concentrations in BALF. The levels of whole immunoglobulin antibody activities to P. acnes in BALF were as follows: 412.3 +/- 443.9 O.D./albumin 1 mg (M +/- SD) in 31 untreated sarcoidosis patients, 556.6 +/- 341.8 in 10 sarcoidosis patients treated with prednisolone, and 231.5 +/- 156.8 in 16 control individuals. The levels of antibody activities were significantly elevated in untreated patients (p less than 0.05) and in treated patients (p less than 0.02) compared to those of controls. However, considering the treated vs. untreated patients, there was no significant difference in levels. The serum levels of whole immunoglobulin antibody activities were 0.484 +2- 0.191 O.D. in 38 untreated patients, 0.410 +/- 0.166 in 13 treated patients and 0.571 +/- 0.254 in 52 controls. The levels of antibody activity were significantly lower in treated patients than in the controls (p less than 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the untreated patients and controls. To assess the site of antibody production, the secretion ratio was calculated by dividing the levels in BALF to those in serum. For this purpose, each serum level of antibody activity was also corrected by serum albumin concentration as with BALF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Albumin mRNA expression in human liver diseases and its correlation to serum albumin concentration

The expression of aubumin mRNA in human liver samples was investigated in order to understand the molecular mechanism of albumin gene expression in various liver diseases. Albumin mRNA in acute hepatic failure and decompensated liver cirrhosis was reduced significantly compared to normal control liver (P<0.05). Serum albumin concentration is closely correlated with alnumin mRNA content (r=0.895, P<0.01). These data suggest that albunim concentration is mainly regulated at albumin mRNA level in the liver despite the presence of other regulatory mechanisms and that expression of albumin mRNA level is correlated with disease severity. But in several cases there was a discrepancy between albumin mRNA level and severity of liver disease, so further investigation of the regulatory factors of albumin gene expression should be performed. This Study was supported in part by a grant from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan.     

Resin adhesion to the ground primary enamel: influence of etching times and thermal cycling test.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of etching times and thermal cycling on resin adhesion on ground primary enamel. Two hundred bovine mandibular primary incisors were used. Materials used in this study were 40% phospholic acid gel, Photo Bond and Photo Clearfil A (Kuraray Co., Kurashiki, Japan) in PCA groups and 37% phospholic acid gel, Scotch Bond and Silux (3M Co., St. Paul, MN) in the Silux groups. The etching times were 0, 10, 20, 30 and 60 seconds. Shear bond strengths were tested. After the shear bond strength test, the test surfaces of the enamel and the resin specimens were observed using the SEM. The etching times that showed the highest bond strengths were 30 seconds both in the PCA non-thermal cycled group (80.10 +/- 13.01 MPa) and the PCA thermal cycled group (78.99 +/- 10.93 MPa), 20 seconds in the Silux non-thermal cycled group (76.77 +/- 12.99 MPa) and 60 seconds in the Silux thermal cycled group (63.61 +/- 19.64 MPa). The influence of thermal cycling test to the enamel-resin adhesion is relatively slight both in the PCA group and the Silux group.     

Results of drug sensitivity test of UFT, doxorubicin and cisplatin using human urogenital cancers transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice

Experimental chemotherapy with UFT, doxorubicin and cisplatin was performed against human urogenital cancers transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice. The tumor take was confirmed in 33 cell lines of human neoplasms which consisted of 10 renal cell carcinomas, 5 renal pelvic carcinomas, 3 ureteral carcinomas, 8 carcinomas of the urinary bladder, 3 prostatic carcinomas and 4 testicular tumors. These three antitumor agents were administered starting at day 14 after subcutaneous transplantation. These agents were administered following doses as used clinical practice for 6 weeks. Effect was evaluated by the inhibition rate calculated by the mean tumor weights of both treated and untreated groups. These results were as follows: Synergic action by combination therapy was observed 8 strains (6%); reduced effect was found 37 strains (28%) and immutable group was detected 87 strains (66%). Our results suggest that there is a necessity to perform drug sensitivity test for combination therapy as well as sensitivity test for single drug.     

Effect of sodium taurodihydrofusidate on nasal drug delivery: Differences in its concentration and penetrant molecular weight

The effect of sodium taurodihydrofusidate (STDHF) on drug permeation across nasal mucosa was studied in vitro using Ussing type diffusion chamber. Disodium cromoglicate (DSCG, M.W. 512.3) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FD) of different molecular weights (M.W. 4400-71200) were used as model drugs. Permeation profiles of DSCG and FDs showed a typical pseudo steady-state curve with short lag time. The permeability coefficient of FD (M.W. 9400) sigmodially increased with increasing STDHF concentration. It also enhanced the DSCG permeation. Interestingly the enhancement efficacy was independent of molecular weight of penetrants.     

Characteristics of primary cultured neurons from embryonic mutant El mouse cerebral cortex

To elucidate the differences between neurons of epileptogenic animals and those of normal animals, cellular characteristics of neurons of mutant strain El mice which are highly susceptible to seizures were investigated using immunocytochemical techniques. In neurons of 3-day primary cultures, the control ddY mouse neurons showed dividing stages in about 0.2% of neurofilament (NF)-positive neurons, whereas no dividing neurons were observed among the NF-positive El mouse neurons. In 7-day cultures, localization of GD3 ganglioside in the proliferating control ddY mouse neurons was observed, but there was no GD3 ganglioside in the mutant El mouse neuron. The content of GD3 ganglioside detected by high-performance thin-layer chromatography of El mouse cultured cells was ca. 1/4 of that of ddy mice. These findings suggest that neurons of the El mouse are differentiated earlier than those of the control ddY mouse.