Effect of interleukin 1 on adrenal function in mice

Laboratory of Regulation of Immunopoiesis, Institute of Clinical Immunology, Siberian Branch, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. P. Kaznacheev.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 105, No. 3, pp. 311–313, March, 1988.     

Polyamines in Trichomonas vaginalis

Trichomonas vaginalis was grown in a modified Bushby's medium and putrescine, spermidine and spermine levels were determined in extracts from 24- and 48-h cultures and also in the culture media. All three polyamines were present in T. vaginalis extracts; the putrescine level and putrescine/spermidine ratio were much higher than those reported for other protozoa or for mammalian tissues. There were no significant differences between 24-h and 48-h amine levels per mg protein in these extracts, but amine levels per cell were higher at 24 than at 48 h. The spent culture media had a much higher putrescine content than corresponding uninoculated media and it was concluded that T. vaginalis secreted putrescine into the culture medium.     

Dissociated antibody responses to the S and pre-S2 regions of the hepatitis B virus after vaccination in hemophiliacs

The membranes of hepatocytes and the pre-S2 envelope protein of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) contain binding sites for polymerized human albumin, which is thought to act as a link between HBV and hepatocytes. Hence, anti-pre-S2 antibodies should prevent HBV uptake by the liver, and there is indeed preliminary evidence that they protect chimpanzees from HBV infection. To evaluate whether a plasma-derived vaccine containing the pre-S2 sequence induced an anti-pre-S2 response in 105 vaccinated hemophiliacs, anti-pre-S2 was measured in parallel with antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs). Eighty-five percent of the hemophiliacs had both anti-pre-S2 and anti-HBs when vaccination was completed, 13% had anti-HBs alone, and 2% (two cases) had anti-pre-S2 alone. Eighty-seven percent of anti-pre-S2-positive hemophiliacs compared with only 50% of anti-pre-S2-negative hemophiliacs (P less than 0.001) developed high anti-HBs titers (greater than or equal to 1,000 mlU/ml). This study demonstrates, therefore, that the antibody responses to the S and pre-S2 regions of HBV may be dissociated after vaccination in hemophiliacs and that higher anti-HBs titers are attained in anti-pre-S2-positive hemophiliacs.     

Multiple sulphatase deficiency presenting at birth

A new case of multiple sulphatase deficiency with onset at birth is described. The patient had many dysmorphic features and hydrocephalus, similar to one other case with early onset described in the literature. The new patient differed from the other case in having chondrocalcificans congenita, heart abnormalities and an abnormal fold of tissue present between the laryngeal inlet and the oesophagus. Excessive mucopolysacchariduria was present and there was profound deficiency of all sulphatases examined in plasma, leucocytes and cultured skin fibroblasts.     

Adjunct effect of loratadine in the treatment of acute sinusitis in patients with allergic rhinitis

H₁-blockers are often added to the standard treatment of acute sinusitis, but this is not supported by a controlled study. A multicentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was done in 139 allergic patients (15–65 years) to assess the adjunct efficacy of loratadine in acute exacerbation of rhinosinusitis. Sinusitis was diagnosed by symptoms and confirmed by rhinoscopy and sinus radiograph. Allergy was characterized by skin tests, RAST, and history. Patients were treated with antibiotics (14 days), oral corticosteroids (10 days), and loratadine (10 mg OD) or placebo (28 days). Treatment efficacy was assessed over 28 days by symptom scores quoted daily by patients. Physicians also rated total symptom scores at entry and at day 28. At entry, both groups had similar symptoms. Placebo-treated patients improved significantly, but patients who received loratadine had a significantly greater improvement in sneezing ( P =0.003) after 14 days, and in nasal obstruction ( P =0.002) after 28 days. Physicians found that patients receiving loratadine were significantly improved compared to placebo patients ( P =0. 0125). Loratadine in addition to standard therapy was found to improve the control of some symptoms of sinusitis.     

Possible coumarin-like mechanism of action for cephalosporins

Summary In three patients treated with cephalosporins (one patient with latamoxef, two patients with cefazedone) vitamin K₁ was injected to investigate whether this was followed by an increase in vitamin K₁ 2,3-epoxide plasma concentrations as compared to controls. Such a rise in K₁-epoxide concentrations in the plasma can be demonstrated following treatment with coumarins. This reflects an inhibition of the vitamin K₁-epoxide reductase in the liver. Coumarins are thought to induce hypoprothrombinaemia by such a mechanism. In all three patients we found a considerable increase in the vitamin K₁-epoxide plasma concentrations following injection of 10 mg vitamin K₁, whereas in normal subjects only traces of K₁-epoxide could be detected (<0.030 µg/ml). The K₁-epoxide concentrations found in our three patients treated with cephalosporins were 0.12, 0.16 and 0.19 µg/ml, respectively. This indicates that latamoxef or cefazedone might reduce clotting factor synthesis by a coumarin-like mechanism of action in these patients. Although the effect of cephalosporins in enhancing vitamin K₁-epoxide plasma concentrations is less than that of coumarins, it might cause severe hypoprothrombinaemia in the presence of latent vitamin K deficiency.Abbreviation PT prothrombin time - TT thrombin time - PTT partial thromboplastin time - PC platelet count - ICU intensive care unit - EEG electroencephalogram - K₁-epoxide vitamin K₁ 2,3-epoxide     

Molecular mechanisms of virus-induced carcinogenesis: the interaction of viral factors with cellular tumor suppressor proteins

Accumulating evidence indicates that tumor viruses represent a major etiological factor in a significant portion of human cancers. These cancers include human papillomavirus induced anogenital cancers, hepatitis B and C virus associated hepatocellular carcinomas, nasopharyngeal carcinomas and lymphomas linked to Epstein-Barr virus infection, and human T cell leukemia virus associated adult T cell leukemias. This review summarizes the recent progress made in understanding the molecular mechanisms of viral carcinogenesis, with a particular focus on the interaction of viral factors with cellular tumor suppressor proteins. The functional inactivation of tumor suppressor proteins may represent a common strategy by which several tumor viruses contribute to malignant cell transformation.Abbreviations EBV Epstein-Barr virus - E6AP E6-associated protein - HBV Hepatitis B virus - HCC Hepatocellular carcinoma - HPV Human papillomavirus - HTLV Human T cell leukemia virus - pRb Retinoblastoma protein - RB Retinoblastoma - SV40 Simian virus 40     

Identification of a novel HLA-DQB1*06 allele, DQB1*0618

We report here the identification of a novel DQB1*06 allele, DQB1*0618, found in a bone marrow donor. The new allele was detected during routine DNA-based HLA typing by an ambiguous pattern of probe hybridization, obtained by polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific oligonucleotides (PCR-SSO). Molecular cloning and sequencing confirmed that the new allele is identical to DQB1*0609 at exon 2 except for 3 nucleotide substitutions at positions 353, 356 and 367, also found in other alleles. These nucleotide changes may explain its anomalous reactivity.