Immunity to Chlamydia pneumoniae induced by vaccination with DNA vectors expressing a cytoplasmic protein (Hsp60) or outer membrane proteins (MOMP and Omp2)

Immune responses induced by intramuscular DNA immunization with Chlamydia pneumoniae genes coding for the major outer membrane protein (MOMP), cysteine-rich outer membrane protein 2 (Omp2) or the heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) were studied. BALB/c mice were vaccinated intramuscularly three times at 3-week intervals and challenged intranasally 2 weeks after the last injection. Immunization with pmomp or phsp60 showed 1.2-1.5 log reduction in the mean lung bacterial counts after the challenge. Specific antibodies were detected only in sera of the mice immunized with pomp2 and phsp60. Although immunization with pomp2 resulted in a strong serum antibody response against Omp2 protein, it failed to protect the mice. Immunization with any of the three vaccines did not reduce the severity of histologically assessed pneumonia, but resulted in significantly higher lymphoid reaction in the lung indicating immunological memory.     

Atrial natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus

The aim of this study was to measure plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in preterm infants with a patent ductus arteriosus before and after closure with indomethacin. Atrial natriuretic peptide was measured in 28 preterm infants with clinical and echocardiographic evidence of a patent ductus arteriosus and in eight preterm infants who did not develop clinical evidence of a patent ductus arteriosus. Plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide was measured by radioimmunoassay. In 18 infants the patent ductus arteriosus closed after one course of indomethacin; atrial natriuretic peptide levels decreased from median 1240 pg/ml (range 201-5483 pg/ml) to 266 pg/ml (range 62-1108 pg/ml). In four infants the patent ductus arteriosus closed after two courses of indomethacin and two infants had surgical ligation after indomethacin treatment failed. The patent ductus arteriosus closed spontaneously in four infants (atrial natriuretic peptide median level 152 pg/ml, range 61-495 pg/ml). In the eight infants without patent ductus arteriosus, atrial natriuretic peptide level was median 224 pg/ml (range 38-876 pg/ml). Measurement of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration has a role in predicting when indomethacin treatment is indicated.     

Increase of Plasma Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFβ) During Immunotherapy with IL-2

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a lymphokine with pleiotropic activities on the immune system. When administered in vivo, besides inducing unrestricted tumor cytotoxicity, it is also responsible for the secondary release of other lymphokines, such as IL-1, TNF, and marrow growth factors, which may mediate some of the clinical toxicities (as well as therapeutic effects) seen during IL-2 immunotherapy. Among the clinical effects of IL-2, we previously reported thrombocytopenia and IL-2-induced in vitro inhibition of platelet aggregatiori accompanied by rapid secretion of alpha-granule components such as platelet factor 4 (PF4) and beta-thromboglobulin. Platelets coiistitute one of the largest storage forms of TGFβ. Preliminary evaluation of this factor in patients receiving IL-2 had indicated that plasma TGFβ activity increased in cancer patients following IL-2 therapy. We report a more detailed study of the quantitation of TCFβ activity, in the plasma of 23 cancer patients treated with IL-2 immunotherapy. Of interest, we found that although elevation of the bioactive form of TGFβ occurred in most patients during IL-2 therapy, it was significantly higher in patients with clinical regression of tumor (p =,004). In the first 2 weeks of therapy increase of plasma TGFP activity appeared to correlate with a decrease of platelet counts, suggesting that the factor may derive from the storage form of TGFβ contained therein.     

Immunolocalization of transforming growth factor-beta1 and tenascin in human secondary cataract

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to investigate the distribution of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein tenascin in secondary cataract and anterior subcapsular cataract. METHODS: Twenty-four pseudophakic human eyes with secondary cataract, obtained at autopsy 1 d to 10 yr (mean 2.4 yr) after cataract surgery, were studied. Additionally, a specimen from an anterior subcapsular cataract was included. Immunohistochemistry was used to localize TGF-beta1 and tenascin in secondary cataract and in anterior subcapsular cataract. RESULTS: Polyclonal antibody to TGF-beta1 immunolabelled spindle-shaped cells in the plaques of secondary cataract in all eyes. Instead, the cells present in Soemmering's ring cataract were not labelled. The ECM in the plaques of secondary cataract was immunoreactive for tenascin in all eyes. In anterior subcapsular cataract spindle-shaped cells and ECM showed similar immunoreactivity. CONCLUSION: Spindle-shaped cells that are immunolabelled with TGF-beta1 and ECM showing tenascin-like-immunoreactivity are present in secondary cataract and in anterior subcapsular cataract, thus implicating a possible role in secondary cataract.     

大孔树脂吸附法富集野菊花总黄酮的工艺研究

目的研究大孔树脂吸附法富集野菊花总黄酮的工艺条件及参数。方法以野菊花总黄酮为考察指标,考察大孔树脂富集野菊花总黄酮的最佳工艺条件。结果野菊花提取液(50mg生药/mL)5mL上大孔树脂柱(150mm×10mm),吸附30min后,先用100mL蒸馏水洗脱除去杂质,然后用70%乙醇100mL洗脱,洗脱速度为2mg/mL,洗脱剂用量为9倍量树脂,树脂可重复使用3次,采用此条件为最佳工艺。结论AB-8型大孔树脂在所确定的工艺条件下,可较好的吸附分离野菊花总黄酮。其70%乙醇洗脱物中总黄酮质量分数达4.34%以上,总黄酮收率为84.47%以上。采用此法可以较好的富集野菊花中的有效成分。     

单核细胞向巨噬细胞分化过程中CD44mRNA表达和黏附功能的变化

目的探讨单核细胞向巨噬细胞分化过程中CD44 mRNA表达和黏附功能的变化。方法应用豆蔻佛波醇乙酯(PMA)诱导单核细胞系U937向巨噬细胞分化;应用RT-PCR分析U937细胞CD44 mRNA表达变化,并以β-actin作为内参进行半定量评价,并对主要条带进行测序;应用荧光染料BCECF/AM作为探针,测定黏附于激活的内皮细胞上的U937细胞数目。结果与对照组比较,PMA诱导的U937细胞CD44 mRNA总体表达显著增加(P=0.01037),异构体/标准CD44比例显著上升(P=0.0005551),测序结果显示PMA刺激后显著增加的是947 bp(V8 V9 V10)和1208 bp(V7 V8 V9 V10)CD44异构体。同时,PMA刺激后U937细胞黏附功能显著增加(P=0.0029)。结论单核细胞向巨噬细胞分化过程中CD44 mRNA,特别是947bp(V8 V9 V10)和1208 bp(V7 V8 V9 V10)CD44异构体的表达显著增加,可能与细胞黏附功能的增强相关。     

Need for follow up in coeliac disease

The use of follow up studies was evaluated in 128 patients with coeliac disease during their first visit to a department for adults. The original diagnosis had been made in childhood in all patients. Fifty eight (45%) of the subjects were following a gluten free diet, 23 (18%) were following a gluten free diet but with occasional gluten consumption, and 47 (37%) had adopted an unrestricted, gluten containing diet for a mean of 11.2 years. There was no correlation in individual subjects between the presence of symptoms, biochemical and immunological abnormalities, severity of histological findings, and the amount of dietary gluten, despite the greater frequency of symptoms in the group following an unrestricted diet than in the other two groups. Short stature and epilepsy with cerebral calcifications only occurred in patients following an unrestricted diet. As only diagnosis based on two or three biopsy samples and regular follow up correlated positively with dietary compliance, it is suggested that a histologically confirmed diagnosis of coeliac disease and regular lifelong follow up are essential in the management of these patients.     

Pathological complications of non-survivors of newborn extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

The pathology was reviewed of the early deaths identified from the first 50 neonates treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during its introduction to the UK. Fifteen neonates died during or shortly after ECMO between August 1989 and June 1992. Data on 12 are presented (three did not have a postmortem examination). The clinical diagnoses at referral for ECMO were as follows: persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (six infants), primary congenital pneumonia (one infant), community acquired pneumonia (two infants), birth asphyxia (one infant), respiratory distress syndrome (one infant), and meconium aspiration syndrome (one infant). In our group, at necropsy, five had significant haemorrhage (three intracranial, one pulmonary, one pericardial and intraventricular). Three of five infants with evidence of haemorrhage also had signs of sepsis. Six infants had evidence at necropsy of systemic sepsis, five showed evidence of severe anoxic brain injury, and four infants had cerebellar haemorrhages. Three infants had evidence of myocardial ischaemia. It is difficult to discriminate between the relative influence of the primary diagnosis, the mode of treatment, and the severity of presentation in the genesis of this pathology. It is likely that the extent and severity of some of the findings represent a pathological progression that would have been interrupted by the death of the patient, had ECMO not been instituted.