ABSTRACT
The study was conducted to find out the expression and function of TNF-alpha converting enzyme [TACE] in the articular cartilage of osteoarthritis [OA] patients. The cartilage was examined to investigate the post-translational regulation of TNF- alpha production by TACE in those OA patients. RT-PCR for TACE and TNF- alpha mRNA were performed on articular cartilages from 38 OA patients and 20 healthy controls. The function of TACE in OA affected cartilages was investigated by using TACE inhibitor, which was added in different concentrations to OA cartilage organ cultures and the released cytokines and soluble cytokine receptor in culture supernants were measured with ELISA. Expression of TACE and TNF- alpha mRNA by RT-PCR was detected in all OA affected cartilages, but not in normal cartilages. TACE inhibitor in high concentrations significantly reduced the release of TNF- alpha, sTNF-RII and IL-8 from chondrocytes from OA patients and normal peripheral blood monocytes from healthy controls. TACE is an important regulator of the secretion of TNF- alpha from articular chondrocytes of OA patients
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood , Chondrocytes , Cartilage, Articular , RNA/immunology , Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
Immunoprecipitation analysis of total HeLa cells RNA extract byprotein A-Sheparose purified autoantibodies and pCp 32P-3' end labeling RNAs revealed that U1, U2, U4 and U5 snRNAs are related with anti-Sm or U1nRNP autoantibodies, while the hY1, hY3, hY4 and hY5 scRNAs were related to anti-SSA/Ro autoantibodies present in sera of patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. The authors detected molecular snRNAs and scRNAs specificities by autoantibodies in 71 sera, the molecular RNA specificity for anti-Sm (U1, U2, U4 and U5 snRNAs) was present in 39 percent; anti-SSA/Ro sera reacted against scRNAs (hY1, hY3, hY4 and hY5) in 36 percent, then anti-U1nRNP sera recognized U1 snRNA in 13 percent of sera and anti-rRNP related with rRNA were recognized in 8 percent. Twenty-nine SLE sera were RNA negative. A molecular characterization of the autoantibodies in sera from SLE patients may be a useful tool for clinical and laboratory diagnosis of SLE, and the use of autoantibodies es molecular probes allows to continue exploring some basic mechanism of gene expression
Subject(s)
Humans , RNA, Small Nuclear/analysis , RNA, Small Nuclear/immunology , Autoantibodies/blood , Autoantibodies/immunology , HeLa Cells , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/immunology , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood , Precipitin Tests , RNA/analysis , RNA/immunologyABSTRACT
The RNA rich fraction of adult L. carinii worms was evaluated in evoking a protective response in infected rats. The RNA immunization was seen to be effective in limiting the microfilaraemia in peripheral blood as well as the adult worm burden. The antibodies to both RNA antigen and adult worm antigen were high in this group of animals at the peak of infection. The RNA immunization was seen to evoke hyperresponsiveness in lymphocytes to mitogens like adult worm antigen, PHA and Con A.
Subject(s)
Animals , Antibodies, Helminth/biosynthesis , Antigens, Helminth/immunology , Filariasis/prevention & control , Filarioidea/genetics , Immunity, Cellular , Immunization , Microfilariae/immunology , RNA/immunology , Rats , Rats, Inbred StrainsABSTRACT
New Zealand rabbits were used to demonstrate the in vitro and in vivo transfer of reactivity, including immunological memory, to a synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 586-606 of the gp-160 protein of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). The transfers were mediated by immune poly (A)+ RNA from lymphoid organs(spleen and mesenteric nodules) harvested after immunization of a sheep with the peptide (8subcutaneous injections plus glucan and complete Freund's adjuvant using a total of 1750 *g peptide). Immunological reactivity was detected by the leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) test for cellular immunity. A dose of 150 *g poly (A) RNA ml-1 10 *******7 leukocytes -1 or 2.0 *g poly(A)+ RNA ml-1 10*******7 leukocytes-1 was used for in vitro transfer. For in vivo transfer the recipient rabbits received 3,000 *g poly(A)- RNA or 20*g poly(A)+ RNA. The mean non-adherence index(NAI) obtained in vitro was 10ñ7 for leukocytes treated with poly (A)- RNA and 60ñ10 leukocytes treated with poly(A)+ RNA. The poly(A)+ RNA fravction induced a primary-like response and memory cells in vivo. The poly (A)- RNA fraction had no effect. Since sheep are refractory to, and rabbits are sensitive to HIV-1, we suggest the use of this animal model for testing the immunomodulating effect of anti-HIV-1 immune poly(A)+ RNA
Subject(s)
Animals , Rabbits , Male , Female , HIV-1/immunology , Immunologic Memory , Lymphocytes/immunology , Membrane Glycoproteins/immunology , Poly A/immunology , RNA/immunology , HIV-1/genetics , Immunization, Secondary , Leukocyte Adherence Inhibition Test , Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics , Sheep , VaccinationABSTRACT
Serological studies in 110 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have shown that autoantibodies to DNA and RNA had subspecificity to adenosine (30.9%), cytidine (79%), guanosine (44.5%), thymidine (20%) and uracil (56.3%). It was also observed that DNA antibodies are heterogenous and that antibody with specificity for both the native confirmation as well as exposed nucleoside of the denatured molecule were present in sera of most of the patients with SLE. There was also alteration in the pattern of antibody to nucleoside in some patients who were treated with steroids or immunosuppressive drugs.