Campylobacter jejuni induces diverse kinetics and profiles of cytokine genes in INT-407 cells

To examine the kinetic ability of embryonic human epithelial INT-407 cells to express messenger ribonucleic acid [mRNA] for various cytokines and chemokines in response to Campylobacter jejuni [C. jejuni] stimulation. In an experimental single-blind study, cultured embryonic human epithelial INT-407 cells were treated with different concentrations of viable C. jejuni, its sonicated, and filtered supernatant. A modified non-radioactive in situ hybridization using probe cocktails was used to measure mRNA levels for the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin [IL]- 1beta, IL-6, interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma], tumour necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, transforming growth factor [TGF]-beta1, and IL-8, and the anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10. The study was carried out from September 2005 to March 2007 at the Department of Microbiology; Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Arabian Gulf University; Bahrain. Viable C. jejuni, sonicated bacteria and filtered supernatant induced high mRNA expression for the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta IL-6, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, and IL-8, which peaked at the 12 hours post stimulation. Anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA expression were induced maximally at 3 hours post stimulation mainly by sonicated bacteria and filtrated supernatant, however, not with living bacteria. Untreated embryonic human epithelial INT-407 cells expressed low amount of mRNA for the various cytokines and chemokines at all time points. For each cytokine, 4 samples were used per time hour. This study demonstrated that embryonic human epithelial INT-407 cells in response to viable C. jejuni or its cytotoxins can alter cytokine and chemokine mRNA expression patterns and kinetics suggesting a potential role for theses mediators in the immunopathogenesis of the infection caused by this pathogen, which might be relevant for future immunotherapeutic interventions during severe bacterial infections

Human papillomavirus infection among women attending health facilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain

To investigate the occurrence of human papillomavirus [HPV] infection and the associated risk factors in Bahrain's female population. This study was carried out between March to December 2004, which includes cervical scrapings for Pap smear and HPV-DNA testing using polymerase chain reaction[PCR] and restriction fragment length polymorphism [RFLP] analysis, obtained from 100 women attending the Gynecology Clinic at Salmaniya Medical Center and Sheikh Sabah Health Center in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We distributed questionnaires that include the sociodemographic data as well as information on risk factors such as smoking, parity, and the contraceptive used. Eleven women [11%] with normal cytology were HPV-positive. The RFLP analysis detected HPV-types 16, 18, 45, 62 and 53. Positive women were significantly older [43.3 +/- 10.1 years] than negatives [36.5 +/- 9.9 years; P=0.04], however, there was no difference in age of first sexual contact [positive: 18.1 +/- 5.7 years versus negative: 20.6 +/- 4.4 years]. Polygamy, smoking and hormonal contraception was not identified as risk factors, but positive women showed higher parity. In this study on HPV infection in Bahrain, the 11% positivity with high risk HPV types, in the presence of normal cytology suggests that in addition to the cervical cancer screening program, offer of HPV testing deserves consideration