ABSTRACT
Human infections with Lophomonas blattarum are rare. However, the majority of the infections occurred in China, 94.4% (136 cases) of all cases in the world. This infection is difficult to differentiate from other pulmonary infections with similar symptoms. Here we reported a case of L. blattarum infection confirmed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid smear on the microscopic observations. The patient was a 21-year-old female college student. The previous case which occurred in Chongqing was 20 years ago. We briefly reviewed on this infection reported in the world during the recent 20 years. The epidemiological characteristics, possible diagnostic basis, and treatment of this disease is discussed in order to provide a better understanding of recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of L. blattarum infection.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Young Adult , Lung Diseases, Parasitic/diagnosis , Parabasalidea/isolation & purification , Protozoan Infections/parasitologyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of IL-13 on the differentiation and expression of transcription factor c-fos of human erythroleukemia cell line (HEL) cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to observe the mRNA expression of IL-13 receptor a 1, GP i b, vWF and c-fos, and Western blot and cytometry were used to analyse their protein expression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>IL-13 receptor a 1 was expressed on HEL cells. IL-13 (100 ng/ml ) up-regulated the mRNA expression of GP II b and vWF. The ratio of luminous absorption (LA) of GP I b to p-actin bands ( AB) was 1. 303 in control group, whereas was 2. 912 in experiment group; being 2. 23-fold higher than that in control group (P < 0. 05). The ratio of LA to AB for vWF was 0.217 in control group, and 0. 506 in experiment group; indicating a 2. 33-fold increase in experiment group (P <0. 05). The protein expression of GP I b and vWF was significantly increased in experiment group, compared with that in control group. IL-13 inducing the increased expression of c-fos mRNA and protein of HEL cells peaked at 30 min and 60 min, respectively. The ratio of LA to AB for c-fos was also increased at 30 min and 60 min (P <0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>IL-13 prompts the differentiation of HEL cells and up-regulates the expression of c-fos.</p>