Histological and biochemical study on the effect of the neuropeptide [substance P] and its antagonist [spantide] on the lymphoid tissue of the lung and spleen of rats

The role of substance P in immune regulation has been reported by numerous studies, however it is complex and not fully elucidated. This study focused on its role in the mediation of release of cytokines and immunoglobulins and initiation of proliferative changes in the lymphoid tissue of the lung and spleen. Ninety rats were divided into three groups, each of thirty: Group I was injected with endotoxin free water [as control], Group II was injected with substance P and Group III was injected with substance P and spantide. Fifteen rats from each group were sacrificed after two hours and the other 15 after one week. The levels of interleukins I and 6 and immunoglobulins G and M were determined. Histological examination was performed for the spleen and lung revealing that the proliferation of the lymphoid tissue in both organs was more marked in the group sacrificed after one week. Interleukins I and 6 and immunoglobulins G and M showed significant increase in group II as compared with group I and III after two hours of injection as well as after one week. These findings suggested that the substance P-mediated release of interleukins I and 6 with production of immunoglobulins G and M and the proliferation of lymphoid tissue of the lung and spleen can be partially inhibited by spantide

Proteolytic enzyme activity in children with acute leukemia: study on gingival crevicular fluid

To study the role of the proteolytic enzymes [collagenase and elastase], in facilitating and aggravating gin gival infiltration by leukemic cells in acute leukemic patients, 10 non-treated acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL], 10 non-treated acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia [ANLL] patients and 10 comparable healthy controls with no evidence of periodontal disease were studied regarding clinical dental examination [plaque index [PI], gingival index [GI], probing pocket depth [PPD] and gingival overgrowth index [GOI], gingival crevicular fluid sampling and biochemical study [Latent and free collagenase and elastase enzyme activities]. The results showed no significant differences in PI of both ALL and ANLL patients as compared to the controls and while they showed a significant increase in GI, PPD, GOI, collagenase activity [free and latent] and elastase activity in both ALL and ANLL as compared to the controls and when compared to each other. It was concluded that: detectable increase in gingival inflammation, pocket depth and gingival hyperplasia being a common oral finding in acute leukemic patients and high collagenase and elastase activities in acute leukemia suggest a significant role for these enzymes in generating paths for the leukemic cells infiltration into oral tissues, then, periodontal destruction leading to the release of these proteolytic enzymes resulting in more periodontal destruction

Prolonged intrahepatic cholestasis in patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis and chronic viral hepatitis: role of associated active schistosomiasis

Among 50 patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis [SHF] and superimposed chronic viral hepatitis [CVH], prolonged intraheptic cholestasis [IHC] was found in 27 patients. In those patients with IHC, the frequency of active S. mansoni infection and serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha] were significantly higher than in patients without jaundice [P<0.05]. After 4 courses of praziquantel [PZQ] therapy, there was a significant improvement in the clinical, biochemical and histopathological evidences of IHC in parallel with cure of active schistosomal infection and a significant decrease in serum TNF alpha levels [P<0.05]. In conclusions active S. mansoni infection with subsequent enhanced immune response is a possible etiological factor for the development of prolonged IHC in patients with SHF and superimposed CVH. Repeated course of PZQ therapy may help in the clearance of jaundice in these patients

Study of bile composition and antinucleating activity of bile in Egyptian patients with mixed gall stones

This study included two groups, one group of ten control subjects and a second group of ten patients suffering from mixed gall stones. The bile of all subjects was analyzed for glycoproteins, total bile acids, cholesterol, bicarbonate, total and ionized calcium, pH and antinucleating activity. The biochemical parameters studied except for bile acids were significantly increased in bile from patients with mixed gall stones as compared to normal bile. No statistical correlation was found between the decreased level of bile acids and the level of any of the studied parameters. The antinucleating activity of calculus bile was significantly decreased in those patients when compared to normal bile. It was concluded that calculus nucleation and growth is not caused by a single factor, but is mostly caused by a combination of multiple different factors whose roles are sharing in stone formation and in some way are connected. However, the relative role played by each factor in the nucleation and growth of stones can be deduced