Fever-like temperature induces maturation of dendritic cells through induction of hsp90

Fever is a phylogenetically conserved biological phenomenon and a common consequence of infection. Here, we examine in vitro and in vivo the effect of febrile temperature on dendritic cells (DC), a key antigen-presenting cell in the immune system. Elevated temperatures are observed to cause immature DC to mature, specifically through elevation of intracellular levels of hsp90. Surprisingly, even brief exposure to elevated temperatures has a powerful effect on the immunostimulatory capacity of DC. These results bear on the mechanisms of the salutary effects of fever as well as of behavioral elevations of temperature such as saunas and warm blankets.     

Food Allergy Herbal Formula-1 (FAHF-1) blocks peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model

BACKGROUND: Peanut allergy is a major cause of fatal and near-fatal anaphylactic reactions to foods. There is no curative therapy for this condition. Traditional Chinese medicines have been reported to have antiallergic properties, which might be useful for treating peanut allergy. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a Chinese herbal formula, FAHF-1, on peanut anaphylactic reactions in a mouse model of peanut allergy. METHODS: Mice were sensitized with freshly ground whole peanut in the presence of cholera toxin and boosted 1 and 3 weeks later. FAHF-1 treatment was initiated 1 week later and continued for 7 weeks. After treatment, mice were challenged with peanut, and anaphylactic symptoms, body temperatures, and plasma histamine and IgE levels were measured. T-cell proliferative responses and cytokine production were also determined. RESULTS: FAHF-1 completely blocked peanut-induced anaphylactic symptoms and markedly reduced mast cell degranulation and histamine release. Peanut-specific serum IgE levels were significantly reduced by 2 weeks of treatment at the time of challenge, and they remained lower 4 weeks after discontinuation of treatment. FAHF-1 significantly reduced peanut-induced lymphocyte proliferation as well as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 synthesis but not IFN-gamma synthesis. No toxic effects on liver or kidney functions were observed, nor was there any overall immune suppression. CONCLUSION: FAHF-1 protected peanut-sensitized mice from anaphylactic reactions and significantly reversed established IgE-mediated peanut allergy. This suggests that FAHF-1 might prove valuable for the treatment of peanut allergy.     

Bronchial epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma

Epithelial-myoepithelial tumor is extremely rare as a pulmonary neoplasm. Only 20 cases have been reported to date, of which 14 were malignant. We report a case of intrabronchial epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma in a 73-year-old man with a history of heavy smoking. The tumor was well-circumscribed and caused distal airway obstruction. Histologically, the tumor showed glandular and solid architecture. The glands were composed of an inner layer of epithelial cells and an outer layer of myoepithelial cells. The solid areas consisted of spindle-shaped myoepithelial cells. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for p53 and c-Kit (CD117). Focal atypia and increased mitotic activity were present, but no vascular invasion or nodal metastasis was identified.     

Molecular characterization of a strain of cucumber mosaic virus based on coat protein and movement protein genes

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) A strain (CMV-A) isolated from Amaranthus tricolor was partially characterized at molecular level. Complete coat protein (CP) and movement protein (MP) ORFs were cloned and sequenced. The 657 bp region of CP gene and the 840 bp region of MP gene encode 218 and 276 amino acids, respectively. CP, at nucleotide level, showed 90-98% sequence identity with the CMV subgroup I and less than 80% with the CMV subgroup II, it showed at amino acid level 92-96% identity with the subgroup I and 74-87% with the subgroup II. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities of MP ranged in 91-94% and 92-96%, respectively with the subgroup I but in 81-83% with the subgroup II. Phylogenetic trees generated from nucleotide and amino acid sequences of both CP and MP genes identified the virus strain as a member of the subgroup IB. CMV-A CP also displayed a remarkably higher homology with Indian strains of CMV than with other CMV strains and formed a separate cluster within the subgroup IB.     

Functional evidence of decreased tumorigenicity associated with monochromosome transfer of chromosome 14 in esophageal cancer and the mapping of tumor-suppressive regions to 14q32

Despite the abundant evidence of high allelic loss of chromosome arm 14q in human cancers, tumor-suppressor genes mapped to this chromosome have yet to be identified. To narrow the search for candidate genes, we performed monochromosome transfer of chromosome 14 into an esophageal carcinoma cell line, SLMT-1 S1. Statistically significant suppression of the tumorigenic potential of microcell hybrids containing the transferred chromosome 14 provided functional evidence that tumor-suppressive regions of chromosome 14 are essential for esophageal cancer. Tumor segregants emerging in nude mice during the tumorigenicity assay were analyzed by detailed PCR-microsatellite typing to identify critical nonrandomly eliminated regions (CRs). A 680-kb CR mapped to 14q32.13 and an approximately 2.2-Mb CR mapped to 14q32.33 were delineated. Dual-color BAC FISH analysis of microcell hybrids and tumor segregants verified the selective loss of the 14q32.13 region. In contrast, similar transfers of an intact chromosome 11 into SLMT-1 S1 did not significantly suppress tumor formation. These functional complementation studies showing the correlation of tumorigenic potential with critical regions of chromosome 14 validated the importance of the 14q32 region in tumor suppression in esophageal cancer. The present study also paved the path for further identification of novel tumor-suppressor genes that are relevant to the molecular pathogenesis of esophageal cancer.     

Prevalence of six types of human papillomavirus in inverted papilloma and papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: an evaluation by polymerase chain reaction.

AIMS: To study the prevalence of high risk oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) in inverted papilloma and papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. METHODS: Ten cases of inverted papilloma and 20 cases of papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder from Chinese patients in Hong Kong were examined for the presence of HPV type 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 33 genomes using the polymerase chain reaction and HPV type specific primer probe combinations on paraffin wax embedded biopsy specimens. RESULTS: Of the 10 cases of inverted papilloma, cases 1 and 6 showed the presence of HPV types 16 and 18, respectively. Six of the 20 papillary transitional cell carcinomas were positive for HPV type 18. The other HPV types were not detected. CONCLUSIONS: HPV type 18 was found in 60% and 30% of cases of inverted papilloma and papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, respectively. These tumours were rarely associated with HPV types 6, 11, 16, 31, and 33. The role of HPV type 18 in oncogenesis of inverted papilloma and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder requires further studies.     

Parvovirus B19 replication in human umbilical cord blood cells.

The human parvovirus B19 is now known to be one of the causative agents of nonimmune hydrops fetalis and spontaneous abortions in pregnant women. The presence of the viral proteins and antibodies in fetuses of B19-infected women suggests that the virus can cross the placental barrier. In order to gain an insight into the mechanism of intrauterine fetal infection and the virus-induced hydrops fetalis, we examined whether human umbilical cord blood cells were permissive for B19 replication. Cord blood cells were infected with B19 in vitro, and Southern blot analyses of low M(r) DNA isolated from these cells revealed the presence of the characteristic replicative intermediates of B19 DNA. In addition, B19 genome expression in cord blood cells was detected by Northern blot analysis. Quantitative DNA dot blot analysis of culture supernatants documented complete assembly and release of B19 progeny virions in these cells. The progeny virions were biologically active in secondary infections of normal human bone marrow cells. The human umbilical cord blood cells may be a useful alternative to bone marrow and fetal liver culture systems for further studies on B19 since the need for bone marrow donors is obviated and, unlike fetal tissues, there are no ethical questions associated with the experimental use of cord blood because it is normally discarded. These studies also suggest that the umbilical cord blood may be a site for active replication of parvovirus B19 in vivo and may thus provide a means for transmission of the virus during intrauterine fetal infections.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for quantification of busulfan in plasma after derivatization by tetrafluorothiophenol

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed and validated for the determination of busulfan in plasma. Busulfan was extracted in toluene, derivatized by 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorothiophenol to obtain di-TFTP-butane, the derivatization product was then re-extracted in toluene and injected into the HPLC system with ultraviolet detection (wavelength: 275 nm). Recovery from extraction was 80%, the limit of quantification was 50 ng/ml and linearity ranged from 50 to 2000 ng/ml. In addition, forty-two samples obtained from pediatric patients treated with busulfan were analyzed by the HPLC and GC-MS assays based on the same derivatization procedure. The correlation between the di-TFTP-butane concentrations was highly significant (p<0.0001), demonstrating that the two methods were in good agreement.     

Primary carcinoma of the frontal sinus

A case of Primary Carcinoma of the Frontal Sinus.