Kidney Toxicity Induced by 13 Weeks Exposure to the Fruiting Body of Paecilomyces sinclairii in Rats

Paecilomyces sinclairiis (PS) is known as a functional food or human health supplement. However concerns have been raised about its kidney toxicity. This study was performed to investigate the kidney toxicity of PS by 13 week-oral administration to rats. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and kidney damage biomarkers including beta-2-microglobulin (beta2m), glutathione S-transferase alpha (GST-alpha), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), calbindin, clusterin, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and osteopontin were measured during or after the treatment of PS. BUN, creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not changed by PS. However, kidney cell karyomegaly and tubular hypertrophy were observed dose-dependently with higher severity in males. KIM-1, TIMP-1 and osteopontin in kidney and urine were increased dose dependently in male or at the highest dose in female rats. Increased urinary osteopontin by PS was not recovered at 2 weeks of post-exposure in both genders. Cystatin C in kidney was decreased at all treatment groups but inversely increased in urine. The changes in kidney damage biomarkers were more remarkable in male than female rats. These data indicate that the PS may provoke renal cell damage and glomerular filtration dysfunction in rats with histopathological lesions and change of kidney damage biomarkers in kidney or urine. Kidney and urinary KIM-1 and cystatin C were the most marked indicators, while kidney weight, BUN and creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not influenced.

The Relation of Food-Specific IgE to Recurrent Wheezing Attack

PURPOSE: There were some reports that IgE-mediated food hypersensitivity is associated with subsequent development of atopic disease in wheezy infants. So we carried out this study to show whether the food specific IgE antibodies are useful to predict recurrent wheezing attack in wheezy infants. METHODS: A total of 190 children younger than 4-year-old were enrolled in this study. They were divided into 3 groups according to the number of experienced wheezing attacks as 1st, 2nd and more than 3rd attack group. There were 30 age-matched controls who had not wheezing nor family members of allergy. We measured peripheral blood eosinophil count, total serum IgE level, RAST f1(egg white), f2(milk), D1(Dp) and D2(Df) from the all participants. RESULTS: The proportion of patients having more than 250/mm3 cosinophils in each group increased as increasing wheezing attacks(P0.05). There was no significant difference in RAST f1 levels among the four groups. In contrast, the proportion of positive RAST f1 increased significantly as the number of wheezing attacks increased(P0.05). CONCLUSION: Egg white specific IgE antibody appear to be a risk factor for recurrent wheezing in infants and young child.

Tuberculin Response in Infants after BCG Vaccination during Neonatal Stage

PURPOSE: Mantoux test was widely used to identify the tuberculosis. But no reliable method exists for distinguishing tuberculin reactions caused by previous BCG vaccination from those caused by mycobacterial infections. So we studied Mantoux response in infants who had received BCG vaccination in the first month of life. METHODS: Mantoux testing was carried out in 143 healthy infants aged from 3 to 15months who had received BCG vaccination in the first month of life. Among them, 81 received Japan 172 strain BCG vaccination with multiple puncture method and 62 Copenhagen 1331 strain with intradermal method. RESULTS: The mean Mantoux reactions in the Japan 172 strain group were as follows : 10.0mm at 3 months, 9.7mm at 4-6months, 11.4mm at 7-9months, and 10.5mm at 10-15months. The mean Mantoux reactions in the Copenhagen 1331 strain group were as follows : 7.6mm at 3 months, 7.5mm at 4-6months, 7.5mm at 7-9months, and 6.8mm at 10-15months. Infants who received Japan strain had significantly larger sized induration in all ages. About 50% of Japan strain BCG-vaccinated infants had more than 10mm of tuberculin reaction. CONCLUSION: Infants who received Japan strain had significantly larger sized tuberculin reaction in all ages. Although the size of induration is more than 10mm in Tokyo strain BCG-vaccinated child, vaccine effect should be generally considered.