A novel method for culturing sweat gland epithelia: comparison of normal and cystic fibrosis tissues.

A new method is described to produce epithelial sheets by direct explantation of human sweat glands onto matrigel-coated millipore filters. The method is applicable to whole glands, separated coils or ducts and to normal and CF tissues. Electrogenic transport studies show that epithelia develop sodium transporting capability, even when explants are derived from secretory coils.     

The effects of neuropeptide Y and its fragments upon basal and electrically stimulated ion secretion in rat jejunum mucosa.

1. The effects of acute or chronic morphine treatment on the changes in blood pressure and pulse rate in response to ganglionic stimulation or blockade and to vagal stimulation, and of isolated atria to field stimulation or noradrenaline, were studied. 2. In pithed rats, intravenously injected hexamethonium significantly depressed the blood pressure responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation. The ganglionic blocking effects of hexamethonium were significantly greater in chronically morphine-treated rats, but were not significantly affected by acute morphine administration in naive animals. 3. Intravenous administration of nicotine dose-dependently increased blood pressure and pulse rate. The magnitudes of these changes were not significantly affected by acute or chronic morphine pretreatment. 4. Studies with rat isolated atrial preparations revealed that the changes in atrial contractile rate and force in response to noradrenaline or field stimulation were not influenced by either acute or chronic morphine treatment. 5. Cervical vagal stimulation produced voltage- or frequency-dependent decreases in pulse rate and blood pressure. The responses were not significantly affected by chronic morphine treatment. 6. These findings suggest that the site of the changes in sympathetic function following prolonged exposure to the opiate appears to be on the preganglionic nerve fibres.     

Evidence for two leukotriene receptor types in the guinea-pig isolated ileum

Leukotriene (LT) receptors in the guinea-pig ileum were characterized using LTB4, LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 and the LT antagonists FPL 55712, ICI 198615 and (+/-)SKF 104353. LTB4 was inactive but the other LTs induced concentration-related contractions. LTC4 responses differed to those induced by LTD4 or LTE4. Inhibitors of LT metabolism had no significant effects on any LT responses. LTD4 contractions were inhibited by all three antagonists but a resistant response was apparent at concentrations of ICI 198615 greater than 10(-8) M. All three antagonists were weak/inactive against LTC4. LTE4 was a partial agonist which antagonized LTD4 responses but had little or no activity against LTC4 or histamine. These results suggest that two distinct LT receptor types exist on guinea-pig ileum. One type is predominantly activated by LTD4 and is antagonized by three structurally distinct LT antagonists and the partial agonist LTE4. The second type is predominantly activated by LTC4 and is insensitive to the LT antagonists.     

An open-label efficacy pilot study with pimecrolimus cream 1% in adults with facial seborrhoeic dermatitis infected with HIV

BACKGROUND: Seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD) is a common dermatosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, many of whom do not respond satisfactorily to conventional topical treatments such as corticosteroids and antifungals. OBJECTIVE: A pilot study to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of pimecrolimus cream 1% in HIV-positive patients with facial SD. METHODS: In a single-centre study, 21 HIV-infected patients with mild to severe SD were treated twice daily with pimecrolimus cream 1% for 14 days. Thereafter, treatment was discontinued and patients followed up for 5 weeks. Skin involvement at baseline and on days 7, 14, 21, 35 and 49 was assessed using a four-point clinical score and digital photography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Efficacy and safety of pimecrolimus cream 1% treatment and incidence of relapse in the follow-up phase. Results Marked improvement was seen in clinical parameters at day 7, with >or= 90% patients clear of symptoms at day 14. Relapse was observed at day 35 but signs were milder than at baseline. All patients responded to therapy, despite their immunological status. Pimecrolimus did not alter CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell counts or viral load during the treatment period. CONCLUSION: Pimecrolimus cream represents a new, effective therapeutic option for facial SD in HIV patients.     

Gliadin antibody detection in gluten enteropathy

Circulating antigliadin antibody has been described in patients with gluten enteropathy although the prevalence varies in different studies. It has been suggested that the investigation for antigliadin antibody might be useful as a screening test. The object of the present study was to evaluate two different techniques for assaying these antibodies — an indirect immunofluorescent method and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies were assayed in the sera of 102 patients in whom jejunal biopsies were also obtained. The specificity of both tests was greater than 95%, and the correlation between the presence of antibody and histology was significant (p < 0.005), though the sensitivity of each test was less than 70%.     

The effect of metal ions and antidiuretic hormone on oxygen consumption in toad bladder

1. The sodium-dependent oxygen consumption of pieces of toad bladder (Bufo marinus) has been investigated using an oxygen electrode.2. The effect of polyvalent cations (Ca(2+), Sr(2+), Mg(2+), Eu(3+), La(3+) and Mn(2+)) on sodium-dependent oxygen consumption has been measured. All cations inhibited oxygen consumption, the order of effectiveness being Ca(2+) > Sr(2+) > Mg(2+) > Mn(2+) > Eu(3+) > La(3+).3. Treatment of bladder pieces with antidiuretic hormone (50 m-u./ml.) decreased the effectiveness of Ca(2+) and Sr(2+) as inhibitors of sodium-dependent oxygen consumption. Mn(2+), Eu(2+) and La(2+) were more effective after hormonal treatment, while the effectiveness of Mg(2+) was unaltered.4. The results have been interpreted in terms of a model in which sodium entry to the transporting mechanisms of the epithelium is controlled by Ca(2+), and in which antidiuretic hormone alters Ca(2+) binding and so affects sodium transport.