In vitro effects of drugs on production of mucins in rabbit tracheal epithelial cells expressing mucin gene

Rabbit tracheal epithelial cells, cultured on collagen-coated dishes in serumfree and hormone-supplemented medium, were found to incorporate [³H]glucosamine into high-molecular-weight components that were secreted in the medium. The chemical analysis of the secreted products resulted in a profile that resembled that of mucous glycoproteins (mucins). When examined by dot blot analysis, the total RNA isolated from these cells hybridized to an antisense 30-mer oligonucleotide corresponding to a rat intestine mucin peptide sequence, indicating that mucin gene was expressed in these cell lines. Lung and liver tissues of rabbit did not express this gene. Transmission electron microscopy exhibited secretory granules in these cells. The incorporation of [³H]glucosamine into mucins was inhibited by three aryl-N-acetyl-galactosaminides and a chemical carcinogen,N-nitroso-N-ethyl urea, whereas 5-azacytidine enhanced the proliferation of cells as well as the radiolabeling of mucins. Parasympathetic agent (pilocarpine), cholinergic antagonist (atropine), and-adrenergic agonist (isoproterenol) alone have little effect on the secretion of mucins. The cholinergic agonist, methacholine, was found to increase the production of mucins and addition of atropine to the medium before methacholine blocked this stimulation. Histamine was found to stimulate mucin production in these cells.The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.     

Characterization of autoantibodies against sulfatide from a V-gene phage-display library derived from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Sulfatide, ceramide galactosyl-3'-sulfate, is mainly present in nervous tissue, kidney, testis, red blood cells, platelets and granulocyte. Antibodies to sulfatide are present in many patients with demyelinating peripheral neuropathy, HIV infection and systemic lupus erythematosus and may account for some of the clinical manifestations. To evaluate the effect of such antibodies, we have constructed a phage-display antibody fragment library from the lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Sulfatide-reactive phage were selected by absorption and elution on sulfatide liposomes and soluble single chain variable fragment (ScFv) were isolated from individual colonies and tested in an ELISA assay for binding to bovine brain sulfatide. Five ScFv clones that bound sulfatide were isolated. Two of the clones, PH5 and PA38, bound sulfatide but not phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingomyelin or ceramide. These two clones also bound sulfatide from human red blood cells. The DNA encoding the fragments was sequenced, revealing predicted polypeptides of 19 kDa for PH5 containing only variable heavy (VH) sequences, and 31 kDa for PA38, with both VH and variable light (VL) sequences. Although they had similar antigen specificities, the VH domains of the two clones were derived from different heavy-chain families. The clustered mutational patterns in the complementarity-determining region (CDR) of the heavy chains in both clones suggest that the V-domains are the products of antigen-driven B cell clonal maturation leading to the development of sulfatide-binding specificity. These results show the presence of sulfatide-specific antibodies in lupus patients, and allow us to test the possibility that the interaction of the antibodies with sulfatide may contribute to some of the symptoms. In addition, the antibodies provide useful reagents to test the role of sulfatide in pathophysiological processes.     

Body growth in early diagnosed vesicoureteric reflux

Body growth was studied in 32 subjects with vesicoureteric reflux (VUR), diagnosed following the prenatal finding of urinary tract dilatation, who had normal renal filtration function and who received antibacterial prophylaxis by the first few days of life. They were followed for 1–5 years (mean 2.3 years). Most had persistent VUR during the 1st year of life. Body growth performance was compared with that of 94 subjects with VUR diagnosed and treated by us after the neonatal period. During the follow-up period, none of the patients with prenatally detected VUR had a height Z score below –2, nor a weight-for-height index below 90%, and 1 had variations in height Z score ≥1. The difference in the percentage of patients with prenatally detected VUR (1/32) and those with VUR diagnosed and treated after the neonatal period (20/94) who had variations in height Z score ≥1 was significant (P=0.035). Patients with prenatally detected VUR and normal renal filtration function, given antibacterial prophylaxis by the first few days of life, have normal body growth, although VUR still persists. Received: 19 March 1998 / Revised: 10 February 1999 / Accepted: 10 February 1999     

Apolipoprotein E polymorphisms and the risk of nonlesional temporal lobe epilepsy

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the inheritance of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) epsilon4 allele is a risk factor for nonlesional temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and to determine whether the newly described -491 A/T ApoE polymorphism may independently affect the risk of nonlesional TLE. METHODS: The study group consisted of 63 patients (35 women and 28 men; age at onset of epilepsy, 30.6 +/- 19.6 years; mean (+/-SD). All of them had received a diagnosis of nonlesional TLE after a detailed clinical, electroencephalographic, and brain magnetic resonance investigation. The ApoE polymorphisms were determined from blood samples by standard methods. The molecular study also was performed in 220 age- and sex-matched normal individuals. RESULTS: There were no differences between TLE patients and controls in either allelic or genotypic frequencies of the ApoE and -491A/T polymorphisms. Moreover, no effect of ApoE or -491A/T polymorphisms was found on the age at onset and severity of epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: The allelic and genotypic frequencies of ApoE polymorphisms in Italian patients with nonlesional TLE are comparable to control values, indicating that ApoE polymorphisms are not a significant genetic risk factor for the occurrence of nonlesional TLE.     

Effect of L-ascorbic add supplementation on testicular oxidative stress and endocrine disorders in mature male rats exposed to intensive swimming exercise

In order to investigate the ameliorative potential of L-ascorbic acid on intensive swimming exercise induced testicular oxidative stress, 18 Wistar male rats (age: 3 months, weight: 127.5 ± 5.3 g) were randomly divided into the following groups: (i) control group (CG,n = 6); (ii) experimental group (EG,n = 6); and (iii) supplemented group (SG,n = 6). An exercise protocol of 3 h swimming per day, five days per week was followed for 6 weeks in EG and SG with no exercise in CG. In SG, L-ascorbic acid was supplied orally at a dose of 25-mg/kg of bodyweight each day for 6 weeks. A significant decrease (P < 0.05) was noted in paired testicular weights, epididymal sperm count, testicular Δ⁵, 3β-hydroxyseroid dehydrogenase, 17β-hydroxyseroid dehydrogenase, plasma levels of testosterone luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, the numbers of preleptotine spermatocytes, midpachytene spermatocytes and stage 7 spermatids of stage VII seminiferous epithelium cycle in EG when compared with CG. A significant elevation (P < 0.05) in plasma corticosterone and testicular content of malondialdehyde along with a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in glutathione, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione-peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase were noted in testes of EG compared with CG. No significant change was noted in final bodyweight or numbers of spermatogonia-A among the groups. Furthermore, L-ascorbic acid supplementation restored the above parameters to the control level. Conclusion  It can be concluded that intensive swimming exercise induced oxidative stress causes dysfunctions in the male reproductive system, which can be protected by L-ascorbic acid.     

Tear film lipid layer thickness measurement from Ocular Surface Analyzer as a marker to monitor treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction in a study comparing physiological detergent-free eyelid wipes with conventional therapy: A randomized trial

Purpose:To compare the efficacy of physiological, non-detergent eyelid wipes with conventional lid hygiene in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).Methods:Fifty participants with MGD were recruited and randomized into two groups. Participants in group I used Evolve Pure™ Eyewipes twice a day to clean the eyelid debris along with standard therapy (antibiotic and lubricants) and participants in group II followed lid hygiene with warm compresses along with standard therapy. Symptoms, ocular surface assessment (lipid layer thickness, tear meniscus height, non-invasive tear film breakup time, and meibography), slit-lamp biomicroscopy (eyelash contamination, meibomian gland blockage, meibomian gland secretion, and meibomian gland telangiectasia) and tear film osmolarity were noted at baseline and 90 days after therapy.Results:Significant improvement in symptoms and signs of MGD was observed in both groups after treatment (P < 0.001); however, the clinical improvement was better with the use of eyelid wipes. Lipid layer thickness increased significantly in group I (P = 0.0006) and group II (P = 0.0002), which was maintained even after adjusting for sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, and severity score of symptoms and signs.Conclusion:Lipid layer thickness of the tear film is a sensitive marker in monitoring response to treatment in patients with MGD. The use of physiological detergent-free eyelid wipes is non-inferior to lid hygiene and warm compresses, which remains the mainstay for treatment of MGD; the clinical improvement with eyelid wipes was noted to be better.     

尿十联检验联合细菌定量检测在尿路感染诊断中的应用价值分析

目的 探究尿十联检验联合细菌定量检测在尿路感染诊断中的应用价值.方法 选取2017年9月至2019年12月期间来潮州市人民医院诊疗的疑似尿路感染患者258例以作研究对象,依据诊断方式不同划分为两组,研究组与对照组,各129例.对照组采取尿十联检验方式,研究组则基于对照组联用细菌定量检测,以此分析两组患者诊断后误诊及漏诊...