Curvularia dacryocystitis: report of two cases

Two cases of ocular mycosis caused by the genus Curvularia are reported. In these cases, the infection was localised to the lacrimal sac only and presented in the form of acute to chronic dacryocystitis. Interestingly, neither of the hosts was immunocompromised. The authors have not been able to find a similar presentation of ocular mycosis caused by Curvularia localised to the lacrimal sac in the literature. The relevant literature pertaining to ocular involvement with this fungus is discussed. The authors recommend the use of oral fluconazole for a minimum of two weeks for the treatment of such infections as a good therapeutic response was obtained with this agent in both their cases.     

Activation of murine bone-marrow derived macrophages in vitro with Thymosin-alpha-1 to tumoricidal state: a comparative study on normal and tumour-bearing hosts

The present investigation establishes the ability of Thymosin alpha l (T alpha l) to activate murine bone-marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) in vitro to tumoricidal state with concomitant release of NO, TNFalpha and IL-1. The T alpha l-induced cytotoxicity and the secretion of soluble lytic factors were both dose- and time dependent. BMDMs cultured from the Dalton's Lymphoma bearing mice (DL-BMDMs) exhibited reduced cytolytic activity towards DL-tumour target cells on activation with T alpha l as compared to the BMDMs obtained from normal mice (N-BMDMs). The DL-BMDMs displayed enhanced TNFalpha and IL-1 release as compared to the N-BMDMs when treated with T alpha l. On the other hand, it is observed that the production of NO and the expression of iNOS was higher in the N-BMDMs as compared to the DL-BMDMs on treatment with T alpha l. Although T alpha l could trigger the tumoricidal functions of BMDMs from normal and DL-tumor bearing hosts, the progressive growth of DL-tumour in ascitic form leads to an alteration in the antitumour response of macrophages. These observations further suggest that a disregulation in the production of inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha, IL-1 and the inhibition of NO production in response to DL growth may mutually contribute in explaining the tumour-induced immunosuppression as observed in the DL-bearing mice.     

Activation of murine macrophages by tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, interferon-gamma and cisplatin

Murine peritoneal macrophages were rendered tumoricidal to Dalton's lymphoma (DL) cells on incubation with recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha (rTNF-alpha), recombinant interleukin-1 (rIL-1) and cisplatin in vitro. Simultaneous treatment of macrophages with suboptimal doses of rTNF-alpha and rIL-1 had additive effect on the activation of macrophages. Priming of macrophages with recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN-gamma) significantly enhanced the rTNF-alpha and rIL-1-induced macrophage cytotoxicity. Cisplatin was found to up-regulate rIL-1-induced macrophage activation but inhibited the activation of macrophages with rTNF-alpha. These studies indicate the potential of appropriate combination of these Biological Response Modifiers (BRMs) against neoplasia.     

Mechanism of thymocyte apoptosis induced by serum of tumor-bearing host: the molecular events involved and their inhibition by thymosin alpha-1

The observations presented in this paper indicate that serum of Dalton's lymphoma (DL) bearing mice contained certain soluble factor(s) that augmented the induction of apoptosis in thymocytes in a time- and dose-dependent manner. DL-ascitic fluid and DL-conditioned medium could also induce apoptosis of thymocytes in vitro, though the magnitude of the same was consistently lower than that induced by serum of DL-bearing mice. It was observed that the interaction of FasL and TNFalpha with their respective receptors could trigger apoptosis in thymocytes. Elucidation of the signal transduction mechanism revealed involvement of protein tyrosine kinase, protein kinase C and ser/thr phosphatases with concomitant increase in the level of protein products of apoptosis associated genes p53, bax, bad, fas and fas ligand and cleavage of N-terminal 23 kDa fragment of Bcl-2 that exhibited Bax-like death effector properties. Further, we report, for the first time, the ability of thymosin alpha-1, an immunopotentiating thymic hormone, to antagonize apoptosis in thymocytes induced by factors present in serum of DL-bearing mice. The underlying mechanism of tumor serum induced apoptosis inhibition by thymosin alpha-1 was also analyzed. The signal transduction cascade evoked by thymosin alpha-1 involves activation of protein kinase C with a decrease in the level of protein products of proapoptotic genes like bax and bad and increase in the protein products of bcl-2 gene.     

Effect of interferon-gamma priming on the activation of murine peritoneal macrophages to tumouricidal state by cisplatin, IL-1, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF): production of IL-1 and TNF.

The effect of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) priming of murine peritoneal macrophages on the activation to tumouricidal state by cisplatin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-IL-1 and TNF was investigated. Cisplatin-, LPS-, IL-1- or TNF-treated IFN-gamma-primed macrophages showed significantly enhanced tumouricidal activity and binding to tumour cells, compared with unprimed treated or untreated macrophages. Macrophages treated with cisplatin, LPS, IL-1 and TNF produced released and membrane-associated IL-1 and TNF activity which was significantly enhanced after priming with IFN-gamma. These observations suggest the use of IFN-gamma along with these biological response modifiers in designing immunotherapeutic protocols for treatment of malignancy.     

Variations in collateral contributions to the blood supply to the sternum

The blood supply of the sternum plays a major role in healing of the sternum after sternotomy. The sternal blood supply is derived mainly from the medial horizontal branches of the internal thoracic artery (ITA). The ITA is usually described as giving off sternal, anterior intercostal and perforating branches supplying their respective areas. The aim of the present study was to describe variations in the arterial branching pattern of collateral contributions to the sternum. The study was conducted on 30 fresh specimens of anterior thoracic wall in which cellulose acetate butyrate was injected into the ITA. The branches of the ITA in the first to sixth intercostal spaces were dissected and any additional artery supplying the sternum in each intercostal space was observed. In the present study, the ITA gave off non-collateral branches - sternal, anterior intercostal and perforating. The ITA was also found to have branches which divided into two to supply two destinations which could establish collateral flow to the sternum: (1). A sterno-intercostal branch (1-12 mm in length) divided and diverged in a Y or T shape. The medial limb supplied the sternum and the lateral limb supplied the adjoining thoracic wall, anastomosing with the terminal part of the posterior intercostal artery. (2). A sterno-perforating branch supplied the sternum either anteriorly or posteriorly before perforating and supplying the pectoral region and anastomosing with the thoracoacromial artery. This study reinforces the practice of ligating branches of the ITA close to its trunk as they have the potential to develop collateral blood supply. In the present study the posterior intercostal artery was at times found to supply the sternum directly or via its collateral branch and was named the persistent posterior intercostal artery.     

Thromboangitis obliterans: a clinical study with special emphasis on venous involvement.

Sixty-one cases of thromboangitis obliterans (TAO) were studied during 1969-70. Nearly all were males, smokers, of poor socio-economic status. Average age of presentation was 34.2 years. A majority (64%) presented with claudication pain. About one fifth gave history of migratory thrombophlebitis and venography and histological investigations suggested that sixty per cent had venous involvement. Nearly half the patients had involvement of upper limb vessels. Clinical and arteriographic studies showed femoral-popliteal junction to be the commonest site of block. No evidence of coronary artery disease, cerebral vascular disease, abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism was seen in these patients. Arteriographic findings were unlike atherosclerosis obliterans (ASO). From this study we conclude that thromboangitis obliterans (TAO) is a separate and distinct clinical and pathologic entity and the incidence of venous involvement is very high if venographic investigations are combined with clinical examination.     

Helicobacter pylori stimulates inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and activity in a murine macrophage cell line

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Helicobacter pylori uniquely colonizes the human stomach and produces gastric mucosal inflammation. High-output nitric oxide production by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is associated with immune activation and tissue injury. Because mononuclear cells comprise a major part of the cellular inflammatory response to H. pylori infection, the ability of H. pylori to induce iNOS in macrophages was assessed. METHODS: H. pylori preparations were added to RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, and iNOS expression was assessed by Northern blot analysis, enzyme activity assay, and NO2- release. RESULTS: Both whole H. pylori and French press lysates induced concentration-dependent NO2- production, with peak levels 20-fold above control. These findings were paralleled by marked increases in iNOS messenger RNA and enzyme activity levels. iNOS expression was synergistically increased with interferon gamma, indicating that the H. pylori effect can be amplified by other macrophage-activating factors. Studies of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content and polymyxin B inhibition of LPS suggested that the H. pylori effect was attributable to both LPS- dependent and -independent mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: iNOS expression in macrophages is activated by highly stable H. pylori products and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-associated gastric mucosal disease. (Gastroenterology 1996 Dec;111(6):1524-33)