International journal of tissue reactions最新文献

The distribution in parts of the brain and internal organs of 125J-labeled leucopyrokinin (LPK), an insect myotropic peptide injected into the lateral brain ventricle was determined in rats. A high accumulation of this peptide in adrenals and in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of the brain was found. A lesser but significant LPK accumulation in other internal organs and parts of the brain was also observed. The significance of this effect for the biological activity of LPK in rats is discussed.

Patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the cervical spine were treated with very low-power modulated laser (LPL). Two applications were performed at an interval of 20 days. Changes in pain and ultrasound thickness of the soft connective tissue layer above the right and the left superior trapezium were studied. No worsening of pain was observed. Pain improved after the first application of LPL in 9 out of 14 patients, but the difference was not significant. Pain improvement remained stable between the first assessment and the second assessment, which was performed after 20 days. In comparison with the first application, at the second application the number of patients with improved pain after LPL increased to 12 out of 14 (p < 0.01). An appreciable difference in the thickness of the subcutaneous soft tissue layer overlying the two superior trapezia was demonstrated in all patients at the first examination. Comparison of the measurements before and after the application of LPL showed significant differences.

D-003 is a mixture of long-chain aliphatic primary acids isolated from sugar cane wax with cholesterol-lowering effects proven in animals and healthy human volunteers. D-003 reduced serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in rabbits, while it increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and did not affect triglycerides. D-003 inhibits cholesterol synthesis by regulating, instead of directly inhibiting, hydroxamethylglutaryl-CoA (HMGCoA) reductase activity. Although the ways in which D-003 and statins inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis are not identical, the strong competitive inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis induced by statins suggests that an enhanced decrease of LDL-C and TC caused by the combined therapy D-003 plus statins is not expected. Nevertheless, taking into account the differential effects of D-003 and statins in HDL-C and triglycerides in rabbits, potential benefits of such combined therapy on other lipid variables cannot been discarded. Fluvastatin is a statin that inhibits competitively HMGCoA reductase, like other members of this class. This study was undertaken to compare the cholesterol-lowering effects of D-003, fluvastatin and the combined therapy of D-003 plus fluvastatin in normocholesterolemic rabbits. Animals were randomly distributed into four groups of eight. One control group received the vehicle, two groups were treated with D-003 or fluvastatin at 5 mg/kg/day each, and the fourth group received the combined therapy of both drugs at 5 mg/kg/day each. Treatments were orally administered for 30 days. Body weight, food consumption and overall animal behavior were recorded to detect any warning sign resulting from combined therapy. After treatment, it was found that both D-003 and fluvastatin had significantly lowered LDL-C - D-003 by 81.5% (p < 0.01) and fluvastatin by 61.4% (p < 0.05). Combined therapy reduced LDL-C values (75.9%). Final values and percent changes reached in all groups were different from the control (p < 0.01). The reductions of TC were consistent with LDL-C decreases, so that D-003, fluvastatin and combined therapy significantly lowered TC by 48.4% (p < 0.01), 39.7% (p < 0.05) and 45.3%, respectively, values being different from those of the control (p < 0.01). The responses of LDL-C and TC to combined therapy were statistically similar, but less pronounced than those reached by D-003 alone. D-003 and combined therapy, but not fluvastatin alone, increased HDL-C (+21.5% and + 19.0%, respectively), these changes being significant versus the control (p < 0.05). In turn, fluvastatin and combined therapy, but not D-003 alone, lowered triglycerides (13.6% and 13.0%, respectively, p < 0.05 versus control). The effects of combined therapy on HDL-C were similar to those of D-003 alone, and the effects of combined therapy on triglycerides were similar to those of fluvastatin alone. The only advantage of combined therapy appears to be that it shows better ef

The purpose of the present study was (i) to compare secretory responses of prolactin and corticosterone to the acute stress of immobilization in male rats of the Lewis and Long Evans strains and (ii) to compare secretion of the two hormones in rats with fully developed adjuvant arthritis (AA) and their relationship with the intensity of the inflammatory reaction. A short immobilization of 5 min induced equal elevations of both hormones in both strains, but 20-min immobilization produced significantly stronger responses in Long Evans rats than in Lewis rats. AA inhibited prolactin secretion equally in both strains (from 11.6 +/- 1.3 ng/ml to 4.2 +/- 0.6 ng/ml in Lewis rats, p < 0.01, and from 3.7 +/- 0.6 to 2.12 +/- 0.1 ng/ml in Long Evans rats, p < 0.05), but caused a conspiciously larger elevation of corticosterone in the Long Evans than in the Lewis animals (11.5 +/- 1.2 microg/dl in Long Evans rats versus 5.1 +/- 0.5 microg/dl in Lewis rats, p < 0.01) while basal levels were similar. The larger corticosterone response in the Long Evans rats was associated with a stronger inflammatory reaction assessed by hind paw swelling (2.3 +/- 0.1 ml for Long Evans rats versus 1.8 +/- 0.08 ml for Lewis rats, p < 0.01) and plasma levels of nitric oxide (47.5 +/- 5.7 microM for Long Evans rats versus 28.7 +/- 2.5 microM for Lewis rats, p < 0.01) than in the Lewis males with lower corticosterone levels. In conclusion, there are significant, obviously genetically based, differences in the corticosterone responses to both immobilization and AA between the two strains, with the Long Evans rats reacting more strongly than the Lewis rats. The lack of the expected inverse relationship between corticosterone levels and the intensity of the inflammation indicates that the activity of corticosterone is not its primary determinant and that other important factors are involved.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory T-cell-mediated immune dermatosis, characterized by the cutaneous expression of adhesion molecules belonging to the beta1 and beta2 integrin subfamilies, such as intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, ICAM-3, lymphocyte function associated antigen (LFA)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and endothelial adhesion molecule (ELAM)-1. Cetirizine is a nonsedating, selective H1-receptor antagonist, whose therapeutic efficacy is probably the result of its effect on both the immediate allergic reaction and the late-phase allergic response. The aim of this study was to investigate adhesion molecule expression (ICAM-1, ICAM-3, VCAM-1, LFA-1 and ELAM-1) by using an immunophosphatase alkaline (APAAP) technique in a double-blind controlled study. Nineteen patients with active psoriasis vulgaris minima were randomized into two groups: group A (two men and six women, aged 22-59 years) was treated with cetirizine (30 mg a day, 3 times a day for 15 days) and group B (three men and eight women, aged 24-72 years) were administered placebo. Positive cells were counted by two independent and blinded observers and at least three adjacent high-power fields (250 X) were analyzed. In group A, ICAM-1-positive cells decreased from 75.8 (SE +/- 15.12) to 38.8 (SE +/- 7.57) ICAM-3-positive cells decreased from 61.7 (SE +/- 12.72) to 45.2 (SE +/- 9.44) and LFA-1 decreased from 103.9 (SE +/- 17.34) to 66.5 (SE +/- 8.63) after cetirizine treatment (p = 0.02). In group B, a nonsignificant reduction was found after placebo administration in the expression of adhesion molecules except for ELAM-1, which showed a slight variation, from 23.4 (SE +/- 3.56) to 21.5 (SE +/- 3.26). The reduction in the expression of adhesion molecules in psoriasis after cetirizine treatment suggests a possible inhibitory effect of this drug on some cell surface proteins and subsequently on the migration of inflammatory cells in psoriatic skin lesions. Our findings support its antiinflammatory effect in addition to its H1-blocking activity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiinflammatory effect of oatmeal extract oligomer on skin fragments stimulated by a neuromediator, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Skin fragments (from plastic surgery) were maintained in survival conditions for 6 h. To induce inflammation, VIP was placed in contact with dermis by culture medium. Histological analysis was then performed on hematoxylin- and eosin-stained slides. Edema was evaluated with semiquantitative scores. Vasodilation was studied by quantifying the percentage of dilated vessels according to scores and by measuring their surface by morphometrical image analysis. TNF-alpha dosage was made on culture supernatants. Vasodilation was significantly increased after application of VIP. After treatment with oatmeal extract oligomer, the mean surface of dilated vessels and edema were significantly decreased compared with VIP-treated skin. Moreover, treatment with this extract decreased TNF-alpha.

Secondary infections (SI) in skin lesions are common. In the present study 40 beta-hemolytic streptococci were isolated from 36 patients suffering from SI due to various skin diseases. Staphylococcus aureus coexisted with beta-hemolytic streptococci in 29 of these cases (81%), and beta-hemolytic streptococci were often associated with coagulase-negative staphylococci and gram-positive rods. Eighteen patients (50%) carried beta-hemolytic streptococci predominantly. In most cases of SI due to atopic dermatitis (AD), the predominant species was S. aureus, while in other skin diseases, S. aureus and beta-haemolytica streptococci were predominant in approximately 50% of the patients, except for SI due to tumors and viral diseases. The mean age of patients with SI and beta-hemolytic streptococci was 37 years and that of patients with SI and predominant S. aureus was 32 years. The lower mean age found for S. aureus was due to SI found in patients with AD. This study emphasizes the polymicrobial microbiology of SI.

Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) is a potent mitogen and chemoattractant for microvascular endothelial cells and glial cells in the retina and is thus involved in the development of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. However, relatively little is known about the regulation of PDGF-B gene expression in retinal cells. In this study, we cloned partial complementary DNAs (cDNAs) encoding bovine PDGF-B and examined the effects of angiotensin II (Ang II), which is also implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, on PDGF-B gene expression in bovine cultured retinal pericytes. Ang II was found to up-regulate PDGF-B messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in bovine retinal pericytes. Telmisartan, a newly developed Ang II type 1 receptor antagonist, or an antioxidant N-acetylcysteine significantly inhibited PDGF-B gene induction in Ang II-exposed pericytes. The present results suggest that Ang II-type 1 receptor interaction could stimulate PDGF-B gene expression in cultured retinal pericytes through intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and could thus be involved in the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Gluten or hydrolyzed gluten could be a suitable alternative to animal proteins in the wine clarification process, but their residues could represent a risk for individuals suffering from coeliac disease or allergic to cereal proteins. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of gluten in wines treated with gluten or its hydrolysate in the clarification process and to assess its antigenicity in commercial products. The presence of residual immunoreactive gluten was evaluated by electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting. Data obtained in several red and white wine samples showed that no residue was detectable in any of the red wines. In white wines, gluten reduced the protein content less completely, but most samples showed no immunoreactivity after the wine had been treated with gluten or its derivatives, either alone or combined with bentonite, silica gel or tannins. The use of gluten derivatives coupled with bentonite was the most effective method of removing immunoreactive protein in white wines. In conclusion, the use of gluten derivatives in wine clarification seems to exclude a risk for subjects susceptible to coeliac disease or gluten allergy. However, it is recommended that wine producers continuously monitor the clarification process in order to protect the most sensitive individuals.

Forty-nine patients with tendonitis (patellar in 16, quadriceps in two, Achilles in 12, rotator cuff disease in 19) and 47 patients with tenosynovitis (acute tenosynovitis in 25, stenosing tenosynovitis in 22) underwent ultrasound (US) and Power Doppler (PD)-US examination. Spectral analysis of flow signals was performed in all patients. Ten patients (six with tendonitis, four with tenosynovitis) were rewired after medical therapy. Six healthy volunteers were also examined for control purposes. Three different patterns of flow distribution were found in patients with tendonitis and active tenosynovitis. The vessels of tendons without tendon sheaths began with great peduncles at the level of the peritendinous soft tissues and were then distributed inside the tendon (pattern I). A clear peritendinous hypervascular pattern was found in all active tenosynovitis, but no vessels were found inside the tendons (pattern II). In some cases of intratendinous or partial lesions PD-US revealed some vessels located near or inside the lesion (pattern II). On spectral analysis these vessels corresponded to arteries with a low resistance index or small venules. PD-US revealed a significant reduction of flow signals in patients rewired after medical therapy. No pathological flow signals were found either in patients with stenosing tenosynovitis or in the control group. PD-US gives us an in vivo confirmation of tendon vascularity. Spectral analysis adds further information to gray-scale US.