Association between cardiovascular disease and anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and antibodies against Chlamydia in Mexican population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1988 to April 2000, at the Immunology and Infectology Research Unit of Hospital de Infectología, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza (CMNR)--and at the Cardiovascular Surgery and Circulatory Care, Hospital General CMNR, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). Study subjects were 70 CVD hospitalized patients, older than 30 years, from both genders. Serum IgG and IgM antibodies against C. psitaccii, C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae were determined by microimmunofluorescence in study subjects and compared with those from 140 healthy individuals, matched by age and sex. Simple random sampling was used, for an expected prevalence of 50% and a 99% confidence level; the sample size was 110 subjects. The chi-squared test and odds ratios were used to compare proportions. RESULTS: IgG antibodies against C. pneumoniae were found in 94.3% (66/70) patients, as compared to only 37% (52/140) of healthy individuals (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An association between IgG antibodies against C. pneumoniae and CVD was found. This finding warrants further studies to evaluate the role of C. pneumoniae as a predictor of CVD. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.     

Angiographic effects of indocyanine green photobleaching by the diode laser.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cause of hypofluorescent spots detected by indocyanine green (ICG) videoangiography in areas subjected to ICG-enhanced transpupillary thermotherapy in pigmented rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 6 eyes, two similar areas were treated with transpupillary thermotherapy. A standard dose of ICG (0.5 mg/kg) was injected intravenously before treatment of the second area. Red-free photographs without further injection of ICG (first ICG videoangiography) were then performed. The first area was re-irradiated using the same parameters. Red-free photographs and a second ICG videoangiography, still without further injection of ICG, were performed. ICG was then re-injected and a third ICG videoangiography was obtained. Finally, fluorescein angiography was performed. RESULTS: The first ICG videoangiography demonstrated hyperfluorescence of the first area and normofluorescence of the second area. The second ICG videoangiography demonstrated hypofluorescence of the first area. The third ICG videoangiography showed hyperfluorescence of both areas. CONCLUSIONS: Hypofluorescence detected after re-irradiation is probably related to ICG photobleaching.     

Monosomy r(13). Report of a new case

We report a new case of monosomy r13 in a male newborn infant with prenatal diagnosis. He was the fourth child of a healthy couple of normal lineage. On physical examination typical dysmorphism and multiple congenital anomalies were found. Chromosome analysis revealed a 46, XY, r(13) (p11.2q32) /45, XY,13 karyotype. Our observations are almost identical to those of previously published reports and confirm that the clinical severity of the symptoms depends on the location of the chromosome breakpoint. The clinical and cytogenetics features of this disorder are reviewed.     

Bovine dialyzable leukocyte extract modulates the nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages in vitro

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) released from Gram-negative bacteria after infection initiate an exagerated response that leads to a cascade of pathophysiological events termed sepsis. Monocytes or macrophages produce many of the mediators found in septic patients. Targeting of these mediators, especially tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and nitric oxide (NO), has been pursued as a mean of reducing mortality in sepsis. Bovine dialyzable leukocyte extract (bDLE) is a dialysate of a heterogeneous mixture of low-molecular-weight substances released from disintegrated leukocytes of the blood or tissue lymphoid. In this study, to determine whether bDLE modulates NO and pro-inflammatory cytokine production, murine peritoneal macrophages were treated with bDLE (0.05 or 0.5 U/mL) before LPS (20 mg/mL) stimulation, and also LPS-stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages were treated with bDLE (0.05 or 0.5 U/mL) at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours. The bDLE significantly decreased NO production, and also decreased TNF-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 but increased IL-10 production in LPS-stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages. Our results demonstrate that bDLE plays an important role in modulating TNF-alpha, IL-6, and NO production through IL-10, and this may offer therapeutic potential in clinical endotoxic shock.     

Is the Val16Ala manganese superoxide dismutase polymorphism associated with the aging process?

Oxidative stress has been related to aging. Recent evidences suggest that a genetic dimorphism that encodes for either alanine or valine in superoxide dismutase (SOD2) is involved with oxidative stress. However, the current literature is still controversial, and the potential role of the Ala16Val polymorphism in human aging needs to be established. Here we investigated the role of the SOD2 polymorphism in: a) age-related mortality, b) morbidity (breast and prostate cancer), c) immunological markers, and d) DNA damage in peripheral blood cells. We did not find an association between SOD2 polymorphisms and mortality. However, the AA genotype was associated with increased risk for prostate and breast cancer, immunosenescence profile, as well as DNA damage. These data suggest that SOD2 presents characteristics that support the free radical theory of aging.     

Familial Mediterranean fever in Mexico City. A 20-year follow-up

Familial Mediterranean fever (MFF) is an autosomic recessive, inherited inflammatory disease principally seen in persons from the Mediterranean area. Clinical findings include fever, abdominal pain, and pleuritis. The most severe complication of MFF is renal amyloidosis, manifested as nephrotic syndrome, which evolves into chronic renal failure. In this study, we described clinical findings, evolution, and response to treatment in 52 patients diagnosed with MFF living in Mexico City in whom the most important clinical features were fever and abdominal pain. Differing from previous reported series of patients from the Mediterranean area, patient developed renal amyloidosis during the 20-year follow-up, which suggests that an environmental factor might have a significant influence in development of renal amyloidosis.     

A new role for monoamine oxidases in the modulation of macrophage-inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression

This report focuses on the modulatory role of endogenous H(2)O(2) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) gene expression in rat peritoneal macrophages. Exogenously added H(2)O(2) was initially found to inhibit the synthesis of NOS2, which prompted us to assess the effect of the activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) as H(2)O(2)-forming enzymes on NOS2 gene expression. In the presence of their substrates, tyramine for MAO and benzylamine for SSAO, intracellular synthesis of H(2)O(2) took place with concomitant inhibition of LPS/IFN-gamma-induced NOS2 protein synthesis, as detected by Western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence microscopy analyses. Pargyline and semicarbazide, specific inhibitors of MAO and SSAO, respectively, canceled this negative effect of MAO substrates on NOS2 expression. In the presence of Fe(2+) and Cu(2+) ions, inhibition of NOS2 expression was enhanced, suggesting the participation in this regulation of species derived from Fenton chemistry. In addition, the negative effect of H(2)O(2), generated by MAOs, was found to be exerted on NOS2 mRNA levels. These data offer a new insight in the control of NOS2 expression through the intracellular levels of H(2)O(2) and other reactive oxygen species (ROS). The hypothesis can be raised that the inhibition of NOS by H(2)O(2) could constitute a protective mechanism against the cytotoxic consequences of the activation of ROS-generating enzymes, thus providing a new, singular role for the MAO family of proteins.