Immunophenotypic and intracellular cytokine profile of Indian patients with tuberculosis with and without human immunodeficiency virus co-infection.

Background. Tuberculosis (TB) occurs in more than 50% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected Indian patients. This study was carried out to determine the immunophenotypic and intracellular cytokine profile of patients with HIV-TB co-infection. Patients and Methods. Fifteen patients with HIV-TB co-infection and 15 each with TB alone and healthy individuals were studied. Immunophenotypic analysis and intracellular cytokines were measured using appropriate antibodies on a flowcytometer. Results. Percentage of CD3+ did not differ significantly in the three groups. The ratio of CD4+ : CD8+ was reversed among patients with TB and HIV-TB. CD19+ and CD25+ were present on fewer cells of healthy individuals but this was not statistically significant. Significantly higher percentage of cells of patients with TB and HIV-TB were CD69 positive. Interferongamma (INF-g ) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) levels are significantly reduced in the CD4+ cells of patients with HIV-TB when compared with those with TB and healthy individuals. In CD8+ cells of patients with HIV-TB, levels of TNF-a are higher when compared with the other two groups. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) producing cells were not significantly different in any of the above subsets. Monocytes in individuals with HIV-TB had significantly higher interleukin-6 (IL-6) and TNF-a. Conclusions. T-helper cells among patients with HIV-TB have significantly lower cytokine production. T-suppressor cells and monocytes produce more TNF-a. These findings may be significant in view of recent attempts to treat HIV-TB coinfected patients with anti-TNF therapy.

In vivo qualitative changes of 31P NMR in stressed maize roots vis-à-vis carbon substrate determining the degree of stress.

High resolution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to investigate the changes in phosphate metabolism and intracellular pH in intact maize (Zea mays L) root segments to hyper osmotic shock. The results were compared with the happenings under field conditions, when the stress was given gradually. Effect of sugar substrate on adaptation of tissue to both kinds of situations was also studied. The hyper osmotic shock resulted in large vacuolar alkalinization and a decrease in pH across tonoplast membrane. There was gradual build up of phosphocholine and decrease in glucose 6P and UPDG levels. In gradual stress, the root segments were able to adapt to the stress and maintained pH gradient across tonoplast, with marginal alkalinization of vacuoles. The presence of sugar substrate reduced the impact of stress significantly, commensurate with the increased activity of plasmalemma H(+)-ATPase. The latter providing the driving force for uptake of organic molecules and ions required for osmoregulation.

The metabolic effects of estriol in female rat liver

The effects of estriol on oxygen uptake, glucose release, lactate and pyruvate production, beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate production in perfused rat liver as well as, carbon uptake in rat liver and intracellular calcium in isolated Kupffer cells were investigated. Basal oxygen consumption of perfused liver increased significantly in estriol or ethanol-treated rats. But these increased effects were blocked by gadolinium chloride pretreatment. In a metabolic study, pretreatment with estriol resulted in a decrease in glucose production and in glycolysis while an increase in ketogenesis. A more oxidized redox state of the mitochondria was indicated by increased ratios of perfusate [lactate]/[pyruvate] and decreased ratios of perfusate [beta-hydroxybutyrate]/[acetoacetate]. Carbon uptake of Kupffer-cell increased significantly in estriol-treated rats. But these increased uptake were not shown in rats pre-treated by gadolinium chloride blocking phagocytosis. In isolated Kupffer cells from estriol-treated rats, intracellular calcium was more significantly increased after addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than in controls. These findings suggest that the metabolic effects of estriol (two mg per 100 mg body wt) can be summarized to be highly toxic in rat liver, and these findings suggest that oral administration of estrogens may induce hepatic dysfunctions and play a role in the development of liver disease.

Erythrocyte sodium and Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in untreated hypertensives and their first degree relatives.

In this paper we report the erythrocyte sodium concentration and Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in 86 untreated hypertensives and their 77 first degree relatives and also in sex and age matched controls. There was significant increase in erythrocyte sodium both in the hypertensives and their first degree relatives (p < 0.01), whereas Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity was significantly reduced in the study group when compared with controls. The possibility of using these parameters as genetic markers is suggested.

Calcium- and zinc-binding proteins in intracellular transport

The complex mechanism of intracellular transport is regulated by free calcium in different manners. Calcium binding proteins regulate several aspects of the vesicle fusion mechanism mediated by NSF (N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion factor). At least in some regulated exocytosis, calcium-binding proteins are the trigger for fusion downstream of NSF, Still, calcium-binding proteins, such as annexins, may be part of a different fusion mechanism mediating some specific transport steps or working in parallel to the NSF-dependent fusion process. Calcium is not the only ion necessary for the function of factors involved in vesicular transport. A zinc requirement has been also proposed. One of the zinc-dependent factors is probably a protein with a cysteine-rich region that coordinates zinc and binds phorbol esters. Although protein kinase C is the more prominent family of proteins carrying this domain, the factor necessary for transport does not appear to function as a kinase.

Influence of norepinephrine-sensitive intracellular calcium stores on the relaxant response to diltiazem in rat aorta

La respuesta contráctil a la noradrenalina (NA) en la aorta de rata tiene un componente rápido inicial, atribuido a la liberación de calcio intracelular, y uno lento provocado por el subsiguiente influjo de calcio. La acción relajante del bloqueante de la entrada de calcio Diltiazem (DZ) 10 µM fue ensayada frente a diferentes tipos de respuesta a la NA 1 µM: a) Una respuesta a 1a NA en Ca= 1.35 mM, en la cual se producen ambos componentes rápido y lento, fue la disminuida en un 36 ñ 4%; b) mediante incubación previa con Prazosin 0.01µM se eliminó el componente rápido, apareciendo solamente el lento, con una magnitud similar a la respuesta obtenida en (a). Esta contracción fue atenuada en un 47 ñ 3%; c) el depósito intracelular de calcio fue vaciado por exposición a NA en una solución libre de calcio y con EGTA 2 mM. La exposición subsiguiente a CA= 1.35 mM provocó solamente un componente lento, el cual fue deprimido por DZ en un 61 ñ 4%. Como los protocolos precedentes sugierem un efecto relajante creciente del DZ a medida que el depósito intracelular de calcio se encuentra más vacío, se observó su efecto en una situación intermedia. El depósito fue vaciado como en (c) y luego rellenado por exposición breve a Ca=1.35mM. En este caso el DZ disminuyó la contracción 51 ñ 3% (20 segundos de relleno) y 41 ñ 3% (60 segundos de relleno). Se obtuvieron resultados similares con DZ o.1, 1 y 100 µM. Se concluye que la acción relajante del DZ sobre la contracción por NA en aorta de rata es inversamente proporcional a la cantidad de calcio intracelular que participa en dicha contracción