Cyclosporin A upregulates prostaglandin E2 production in human gingival fibroblasts challenged with tumor necrosis factor alpha in vitro

The effect of Cyclosporin A (CsA) on prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production in human gingival fibroblasts challenged with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was studied. TNF-α (1-100 ng/ml) dose-dependently stimulated PGE₂; formation in 24 h cultures. CsA (1-100 ng/ml) did not induce PGE₂; formation itself but potentiated TNF-α induced PGE; formation in gingival fibroblasts in a manner dependent on the concentrations of both CsA and TNF-α. TNF-α (10 ng/ml) stimulated the release of [³H]-arachidonic acid (A.A) from prelabelled fibroblasts that was potentiated by CsA (100 ng/ml). Addition of exogenous unlabelled AA (5-20 μM/ml) to the cells resulted in enhanced PGE₂: formation that was not potentiated by CsA (100 ng/mi). Furthermore. CsA (100 ng/ml) did not further increase the level of cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA induced by TNF-α (10 ng/ml). although PGE₂ formation was enhanced. The results indicate that CsA and TNF-α act in concert on PGE₂ formation in gingival fibroblasts. which may be of importance in the pathogenesis of gingival overgrowth induced by the drug.     

Immunoglobulin heavy chain Diversity genes rearrangement pattern indicates that MALT-type gastric lymphoma B cells have undergone an antigen selection process

Gastric MALT lymphoma usually develops from chronic gastritis, the vast majority of which (>90%) is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. We sequenced the third complementarity determining region (CDR3) of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in 19 gastric MALT lymphoma clones to determine the pattern of variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) gene utilization during immunoglobulin gene rearrangement.
DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded sections and the rearranged CDR3 regions were amplified using a semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (with primers complementary to the conserved framework-three segment of the variable region [FR3A] and J regions). The DNA used for cloning and sequencing was obtained after purification of monoclonal bands excised from polyacrylamide gels. The N-D-N region specific to each clone was compared with known germline D sequences.
Similarly to that observed in normal and leukaemic B cells, our series of gastric MALT lymphomas showed apparent preferential utilization of genes from the DXP family. In two cases no similarity between the CDR3 nucleotide sequences of the neoplastic clones and the known germline D sequences could be found. In 10/19 analysed alleles the lymphoma B-cell clones appeared to contain two D gene segments (D-D recombination), a rare occurrence in normal individuals but one which has been described as a significant event in the determination of idiotype expression and antigen-binding affinity. Remarkably, despite the use of different D and J segments, the resultant amino acid sequences matched in two patients, suggesting the presence of a common selecting antigen.
The observed pattern of D gene rearrangement suggests that MALT lymphoma B-cell clones have undergone antigen selection, which seems to indicate that the antigen stimulation plays a pivotal role in the development of the lymphoma.     

Chronic vitamin E treatment prevents defective endothelium-dependent relaxation in diabetic rat aorta

Summary We examined the effect in rats of 2 months of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus on relaxation and contraction of aortas in vitro. A further diabetic group was treated from time of diabetes induction with a 1% dietary supplement of vitamin E. Diabetes caused a 26.5% deficit (p<0.001) in maximum endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine in phenylephrine-precontracted aortas. This was 64.3% attenuated (p<0.01) by vitamin E treatment; maximum relaxation was not significantly altered compared to non-diabetic rats. Vitamin E treatment of non-diabetic rats did not significantly affect acetylcholine-induced relaxation. Diabetes or treatment did not significantly alter acetylcholine sensitivity. Endothelium-independent relaxation response to glyceryl trinitrate was not affected by diabetes or vitamin E treatment, indicating that vascular smooth muscle responses to nitric oxide remained unaltered. There was a 35.4% reduction in the maximum contractile response to phenylephrine with diabetes (p<0.05) which was unaffected by vitamin E treatment. The data suggest that the chronic deficit in nitric oxide-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation in diabetes depends largely upon excess activity of reactive oxygen species. Treatment with vitamin E to increase free radical scavenging specifically protected vascular endothelium although it had no effect on deficits in vascular smooth muscle contractile responses.Abbreviations NO Nitric oxide - ARI aldose reductase inhibitor - ACH acetylcholine - GTN glyceryl trinitrate - GSH reduced form of glutathione - EC₅₀ effective concentration for 50% of the maximal response     

Detection of IgA class antibody to hepatitis E virus in serum samples from patients with hepatitis E virus infection

A newly developed assay for IgA class antibody to hepatitis E virus (IgA anti-HEV) was used to study 145 serum samples collected during an outbreak of an enterically transmitted hepatitis that occurred in 3 villages in the lower Shebeli region of Southern Somalia between January, 1988 and November, 1989. A total of 52.4% of the afflicted patients were found positive for IgA anti-HEV, and 73.1% of these were also positive for IgM. Both antibodies disappeared during the convalescence period. Similar results were also seen in serum obtained from sporadic cases of acute waterborne hepatitis in Pakistan. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

维生素E对老年小鼠脾细胞转化反应及心,脑脂褐质含量的影响

目的探讨维生素Ｅ对老年小鼠细胞免疫功能及心、脑脂质过氧化反应的影响。方法３月龄幼年小鼠和１８月龄老年小鼠各饲以含维生素Ｅ（ＶｉｔＥ）５００×１０－６和３０×１０－６饲料８周后，测定血清ＶｉｔＥ水平、脾细胞转化反应和心、脑脂褐质含量。结果饲以含５００×１０－６ＶｉｔＥ饲料的老年小鼠脾细胞对刀豆蛋白Ａ（ＣｏｎＡ）和脂多糖（ＬＰＳ）的反应及血清ＶｉｔＥ水平均较饲以含３０×１０－６ＶｉｔＥ饲料者显著增高（Ｐ值＜０．０１）；心、脑组织中脂褐质含量则明显降低（分别为Ｐ值＜０．０１及０．０５）。结论膳食中补充较高剂量ＶｉｔＥ后，能显著提高老年小鼠血清ＶｉｔＥ水平，增强脾细胞转化反应，并明显抑制心、脑脂质过氧化，减少脂褐质形成     

Influence of age on faecal carriage of P-fimbriated Escherichia coli and other gram-negative bacteria in hospitalized neonates

The aerobic faecal flora of 953 infants aged over 5 days was studied on discharge from 22 neonatal wards in Swedish hospitals. Klebsiella/enterobacter was isolated from 74% of infants and dominated the aerobic gram-negative flora in 19 wards. Escherichia coli was carried by 42% and showed a slight dominance in two wards. Initially klebsiella/enterobacter dominated the flora but became increasingly mixed with and taken over by E. coli, carriage increasing from 21% in infants discharged after 5-7 days to 57% after 3 weeks or later. Among infants with E. coli, P-fimbriated strains were demonstrated in 23% (range 0-67) and were independent of age. Occasional clustering of such strains was observed in 3/22 wards during the study period. It is postulated that the general and local colonization patterns observed reflect differences between individual strains of E. coli and klebsiella in both their capacity for transmission and their persistence in the newborn gut. The role of P-fimbriae in intestinal colonization of neonates by E. coli was, however, not supported.     

P53、P16、Bcl-2基因及产物在原发性肺癌中的表达及其临床病理意义

目的 :探讨原发性肺癌 Mtp5 3、p16、Bcl- 2的异常表达与肺癌发生、发展的关系 ,以及它们之间的调控关系。 方法 :用免疫组化技术检测 (L SAB) 114例原发性肺癌组织中 p5 3、p16、Bcl- 2的表达。并用 PCR技术对 6 2例 p16蛋白丢失的肺癌组织中 p16外显子 2 (p16 E2 )的缺失进行分析。 结果:p5 3蛋白异常表达与肺癌组织学类型、分化程度无关 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,但与淋巴结转移情况有关 (P >0 .0 5 )。 p16蛋白阳性表达率与肺癌的组织学类型无关 ,但是其表达水平与非小细胞肺癌 (NSCL C)的细胞分化程度和淋巴结转移密切相关 (P <0 .0 5 )。 NSCL C中 p16E2的缺失率为 45 .2 %,其缺失水平随淋巴结转移和组织学分级的升高而升高 (P <0 .0 5 )。 SCL C(小细胞肺癌 )和正常肺组织中无 p16 E2的缺失。 Bcl- 2在小细胞肺癌中阳性率 6 2 .2 %显著高于 Sq Ca(鳞癌 )的 2 5 %和 Ad Ca(腺癌 )的 9.1%(P <0 .0 5 ) ,与细胞分化程度和淋巴结转移情况无关。另外 ,p5 3与 p16蛋白之间存在调控关系。 结论 :(1) p16、p5 3、Bcl- 2的异常参与肺癌的发生、发展过程。 (2 ) p16基因及产物的异常表达与 NSCL C的组织学分级和淋巴结转移相关 ,可能参与 NSCL C的发生、发展和转移过程。 (3) Bcl- 2反映 SCL C的分之生物学行为和临床