Pharmacokinetic Parameters of Recombinant Human Cyclophilin A in Mice.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cyclophilin A (CypA) is an isomerase that functions as a chaperone, housekeeping protein, and cyclosporine A (CsA) ligand. Secreted CypA is a proinflammatory factor, chemoattractant, immune regulator, and factor of antitumor immunity. Experimental data suggest clinical applications of recombinant human CypA (rhCypA) as a biotherapeutic for cancer immunotherapy, stimulation of tissue regeneration, treatment of brain pathologies, and as a supportive treatment for CsA-based therapies. The objective of this study is to analyze the pharmacokinetics of rhCypA in a mouse model. METHODS: rhCypA was isotope-labeled with 125I and injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) or subcutaneously (s/c) into female mice as a single dose of 100 µg per mouse, equivalent to the estimated first-in-human dose. Analysis of 125I-rhCypA biodistribution and excretion was performed by direct radiometry of the blood, viscera, and urine of mice 0.5-72 h following its administration. RESULTS: rhCypA showed rapid and even tissue-organ distribution, with the highest tropism (fT = 1.56) and accumulation (maximum concentration, Cmax = 137-167 µg/g) in the kidneys, its primary excretory organ. rhCypA showed the lowest tropism to the bone marrow and the brain (fT = 0.07) but the longest retention in these organs [mean retention time (MRT) = 25-28 h]. CONCLUSION: This study identified promising target organs for rhCypA's potential therapeutic effects. The mode of rhCypA accumulation and retention in organs could be primarily due to the expression of its receptors in them. For the first time, rhCypA was shown to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain. These rhCypA pharmacokinetic data could be extrapolated to humans as preliminary data for possible clinical trials.

Are CDS spreads predictable during the Covid-19 pandemic? Forecasting based on SVM, GMDH, LSTM and Markov switching autoregression.

This paper investigates the forecasting performance for credit default swap (CDS) spreads by Support Vector Machines (SVM), Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Markov switching autoregression (MSA) for daily CDS spreads of the 513 leading US companies, in the period 2009-2020. The goal of this study is to test the forecasting performance of these methods before and during the Covid-19 pandemic and to check whether there are changes in the market efficiency. MSA outperforms all other methods most frequently. GMDH breaks the efficient market hypothesis more frequently (75%) than other methods. The change of the relative predictability during Covid-19 is small with some increase of the advantage of the investigated methods over a benchmark. We find that the market has been less efficient during Covid-19, however, there are no huge differences in prediction performances before and during the Covid-19 period.

CT and MRI Imaging of Theranostic Bimodal Fe3O4@Au NanoParticles in Tumor Bearing Mice.

Gold-containing nanoparticles are proven to be an effective radiosensitizer in the radiotherapy of tumors. Reliable imaging of nanoparticles in a tumor and surrounding normal tissues is crucial both for diagnostics and for nanoparticle application as radiosensitizers. The Fe3O4 core was introduced into gold nanoparticles to form a core/shell structure suitable for MRI imaging. The aim of this study was to assess the in vivo bimodal CT and MRI enhancement ability of novel core/shell Fe3O4@Au theranostic nanoparticles. Core/shell Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles were synthesized and coated with PEG and glucose. C57Bl/6 mice bearing Ca755 mammary adenocarcinoma tumors received intravenous injections of the nanoparticles. CT and MRI were performed at several timepoints between 5 and 102 min, and on day 17 post-injection. Core/shell Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles provided significant enhancement of the tumor and tumor blood vessels. Nanoparticles also accumulated in the liver and spleen and were retained in these organs for 17 days. Mice did not show any signs of toxicity over the study duration. These results indicate that theranostic bimodal Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles are non-toxic and serve as effective contrast agents both for CT and MRI diagnostics. These nanoparticles have potential for future biomedical applications in cancer diagnostics and beyond.

Adventurous tourism: acclimatization problems and decisions in trans-boundary travels.

As the twenty-first-Century Maritime Silk Road tourism program aims on development of new tourist routes with special interest on the polar regions of the Arctic and the Antarctic, as well as the Tibetan Plateau, management of climate risks in travels and their reduction is an important issue for achievement of its goals at national and local levels. Acclimatization is crucial for adventurous tourists, and especially for those traveling to extremely cold and highly elevated environments, when climate and weather in tourist destination differ significantly from those at home. The Acclimatization Thermal Strain Index for Tourism (ATSIT) is designed and used to measure numerically the physiological expenses a traveler pays during the acclimatization process. The purpose of the present study is to examine acclimatization consequences for travels from Beijing, capital of China, to destinations at the Arctic, the Antarctic, and the Tibetan Plateau, collectively referred to as the 3Polar regions, during the main seasons of winter and summer, and back. The results show that acclimatizing to cold involves greater physiological strain than adjustment to heat. Acclimatization load in winter is low for all travels from Beijing and back home. ATSIT projections detect the most harmful degree of discomfort for summer travels from Beijing. The greatest acclimatization impact comes when changing locales from hot and humid to cold and dry climatic conditions, which might cause high and very high physiological strain. Moreover, as many destinations in the 3Polar regions, mostly in the Tibetan Plateau, are located in mountains, a special acclimatization plan is required to weaken the threat of mountain sickness. The results will be helpful for warning stakeholders and the decision makers in the tourism sector of economies, and are expected to be translated into action for the development of proper intervention procedures in health control, to minimize population loss.

Screening of the Promising Direct Thrombin Inhibitors from Haematophagous Organisms. Part I: Recombinant Analogues and Their Antithrombotic Activity In Vitro.

The success in treatment of venous thromboembolism and acute coronary syndromes using direct thrombin inhibitors has stimulated research aimed at finding a new anticoagulant from haematophagous organisms. This study deals with the comparison between hirudin-1 from Hirudomedicinalis(desirudin), being the first-known and most well-studied natural anticoagulant, along with recombinant analogs of haemadin from the leech Haemadipsa sylvestris, variegin from the tick Amblyomma variegatum, and anophelin from Anopheles albimanus. These polypeptides were chosen due to their high specificity and affinity for thrombin, as well as their distinctive inhibitory mechanisms. We have developed a universal scheme for the biotechnological production of these recombinant peptides as pharmaceutical substances. The anticoagulant activities of these peptides were compared using the thrombin amidolytic activity assay and prolongation of coagulation time (thrombin time, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time) in mouse and human plasma. The preliminary results obtained suggest haemadin as the closest analog of recombinant hirudin-1, the active substance of the medicinal product Iprivask (Aventis Pharmaceuticals, USA) for the prevention of deep venous thrombosis in patients undergoing elective hip or knee replacement surgery. In contrast, variegin can be regarded as a natural analog of bivalirudin (Angiomax, The Medicines Company), a synthetic hirudin-1 derivative certified for the treatment of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and of patients with unstable angina pectoris after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

COVID-19 in Light of Seasonal Respiratory Infections.

A wide diversity of zoonotic viruses that are capable of overcoming host range barriers facilitate the emergence of new potentially pandemic viruses in the human population. When faced with a new virus that is rapidly emerging in the human population, we have a limited knowledge base to work with. The pandemic invasion of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus in 2019 provided a unique possibility to quickly learn more about the pathogenesis of respiratory viruses. In this review, the impact of pandemics on the circulation of seasonal respiratory viruses is considered. The emergence of novel respiratory viruses has often been accompanied by the disappearance of existing circulating strains. Some issues arising from the spread of pandemic viruses and underlying the choices of a strategy to fight the coronavirus infection are discussed.

The response ranges of pulmonary function and the impact criteria of weather and industrial influence on patients with asthma living in Vladivostok.

PURPOSE: To determine the response of pulmonary function (PF) to the influence of environmental factors in patients with different levels of asthma control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with controlled (136 people) and uncontrolled (96 people) asthma living in the conditions of monsoon climate and technogenic pollution in Vladivostok were examined. Discriminant analysis that provides the basis for dividing initial data into classes, as according to standards and expert estimates, was used to calculate ranges of PF response in asthma patients. The selection of discriminant functions with the highest values of constant and coefficient made it possible to identify the optimal quantitative ranges. RESULTS: Analysis of the discriminant value of Wilks' lambda (α) has shown that the intensity of PF response to climatic and technogenic factors varies depending on level of disease control (controlled asthma - α = 0.67-0.79, uncontrolled asthma - α =0.05-0.44). The criteria and ranges of PF response also differ depending on level of disease control. In controlled asthma, PF response reflects an adaptive-compensatory dependence. The reaction to the environmental factors is rather weak; therefore, it could be detected by only more sensitive examination method (body plethysmography). In uncontrolled asthma, the response to the influence of environment quality is active and could be clearly identified by spirography. CONCLUSIONS: The climatic and technogenic environment of Vladivostok causes strong pathogenic impact on patients with uncontrolled asthma. The effects of dust fraction 0-1 µm, deeply penetrating into respiratory organs, and day-to-day variability of wind speed, which induces weather sensitivity, are particularly adverse.

Insights into current clinical research on the immunogenicity of live attenuated influenza vaccines.

Introduction: Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) have been in use for more than three decades and are now licensed in many countries. There is evidence that LAIVs can have greater efficacy than inactivated influenza vaccines, especially against mismatched influenza, however, in recent years, a number of trials have found a lack of LAIV efficacy, mainly in relation to the H1N1 virus.Areas covered: In this review, we summarize the results of clinical research published in the past 5 years on the immunogenicity of LAIVs, with special attention to the mechanisms of establishing protective immunity and some factors that may influence immunogenicity and efficacy.Expert opinion: A number of recent clinical studies confirmed that the immune responses to LAIVs are multifaceted, involving different immune mechanisms. These trials suggest that the intrinsic replicative properties of each LAIV component should be taken into account, and the precise effects of adding a fourth vaccine strain to trivalent LAIV formulations are still to be identified. In addition, new data are emerging regarding the impact of pre-vaccination conditions, such as preexisting immunity or concurrent asymptomatic viral and bacterial respiratory infections, on LAIV immunogenicity, suggesting the importance of monitoring them during clinical trials or vaccination campaigns.

A Novel Role for GATA3 in Mesangial Cells in Glomerular Development and Injury.

BACKGROUND: GATA3 is a dual-zinc finger transcription factor that regulates gene expression in many developing tissues. In the kidney, GATA3 is essential for ureteric bud branching, and mice without it fail to develop kidneys. In humans, autosomal dominant GATA3 mutations can cause renal aplasia as part of the hypoparathyroidism, renal dysplasia, deafness (HDR) syndrome that includes mesangioproliferative GN. This suggests that GATA3 may have a previously unrecognized role in glomerular development or injury. METHODS: To determine GATA3's role in glomerular development or injury, we assessed GATA3 expression in developing and mature kidneys from Gata3 heterozygous (+/-) knockout mice, as well as injured human and rodent kidneys. RESULTS: We show that GATA3 is expressed by FOXD1 lineage stromal progenitor cells, and a subset of these cells mature into mesangial cells (MCs) that continue to express GATA3 in adult kidneys. In mice, we uncover that GATA3 is essential for normal glomerular development, and mice with haploinsufficiency of Gata3 have too few MC precursors and glomerular abnormalities. Expression of GATA3 is maintained in MCs of adult kidneys and is markedly increased in rodent models of mesangioproliferative GN and in IgA nephropathy, suggesting that GATA3 plays a critical role in the maintenance of glomerular homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide new insights on the role GATA3 plays in MC development and response to injury. It also shows that GATA3 may be a novel and robust nuclear marker for identifying MCs in tissue sections.

The influence of weather and climate on patients with respiratory diseases in Vladivostok as a global health implication.

PURPOSE: To identify the formation of meteopathic reactions in patients with respiratory diseases under the influence of extreme weather changes in Vladivostok. METHODS: The short-term meteopathic reaction in patients with respiratory diseases to the impact of "Weather Complex", consisting of nine weather parameters, on the day of patient's examination and on 1 and 2 days before the examination, was assessed. 146 acclimatized residents of Vladivostok (29 patients with chronic bronchitis, 51 patients with controlled asthma, 39 patients with uncontrolled asthma and 27 healthy volunteers) were examined. Pulmonary function (PF) was studied by spirography and by body plethysmography. RESULTS: The adaptive-compensatory response of PF in patients with respiratory diseases to weather decreases depending on the disease severity, resulting in the development of meteodependence. The impact of "Weather Complex" on a human body is primarily reflected in PF, and the reaction of metabolic parameters is manifested with a 1-2 days time lag. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, key factors in maintaining oxidative cell balance, play the most important role in the formation of a compensatory response to weather. In the light of the global health implication, recommendations are suggested to adjust the treatment of patients with respiratory pathology in specific conditions of abruptly changeable weather. CONCLUSIONS: The maritime monsoon climate creates an additional strain on both respiratory system and systems that ensure the peroxidation balance worsening bronchopulmonary pathology.

Rationale for vaccination with trivalent or quadrivalent live attenuated influenza vaccines: Protective vaccine efficacy in the ferret model.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The majority of seasonal influenza vaccines are trivalent, containing two A virus strains (H1N1 and H3N2) and one B virus strain. The co-circulation of two distinct lineages of B viruses can lead to mismatch between the influenza B virus strain recommended for the trivalent seasonal vaccine and the circulating B virus. This has led some manufacturers to produce quadrivalent influenza vaccines containing one strain from each B lineage in addition to H1N1 and H3N2 strains. However, it is also important to know whether vaccines containing a single influenza B strain can provide cross-protectivity against viruses of the antigenically distinct lineage. The aim of this study was to assess in naïve ferrets the potential cross-protective activity of trivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine (T-LAIV) against challenge with a heterologous wild-type influenza B virus belonging to the genetically different lineage and to compare this activity with effectiveness of quadrivalent LAIV (Q-LAIV) in the ferret model. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ferrets were vaccinated with either one dose of trivalent LAIV containing B/Victoria or B/Yamagata lineage virus, or quadrivalent LAIV (containing both B lineages), or placebo. They were then challenged with B/Victoria or B/Yamagata lineage wild-type virus 28 days after vaccination. The ferrets were monitored for clinical signs and morbidity. Nasal swabs and lung tissue samples were analyzed for the presence of challenge virus. Antibody response to vaccination was assessed by routine hemagglutination inhibition assay. All LAIVs tested were found to be safe and effective against wild-type influenza B viruses based on clinical signs, and virological and histological data. The absence of interference between vaccine strains in trivalent and quadrivalent vaccine formulations was confirmed. Trivalent LAIVs were shown to have the potential to be cross-protective against infection with genetically different influenza B/Victoria and B/Yamagata lineages. CONCLUSIONS: In this ferret model, quadrivalent vaccine provided higher protection to challenge against both B/Victoria and B/Yamagata lineage viruses. However, T-LAIV provided some cross-protection in the case of a mismatch between circulating and vaccine type B strains. Notably, B/Victoria-based T-LAIV was more protective compared to B/Yamagata-based T-LAIV.

Role of Acclimatization in Weather-Related Human Mortality During the Transition Seasons of Autumn and Spring in a Thermally Extreme Mid-Latitude Continental Climate.

Human mortality is closely related to natural climate-determined levels of thermal environmental stress and the resulting thermophysiological strain. Most climate-mortality research has focused on seasonal extremes during winter and summer when mortality is the highest, while relatively little attention has been paid to mortality during the transitional seasons of autumn and spring. The body acclimatizes to heat in the summer and cold in winter and readjusts through acclimatization during the transitions between the two during which time the body experiences the thermophysiological strain of readjustment. To better understand the influences of weather on mortality through the acclimatization process, the aim here is to examine the periods that link very cold and very warms seasons. The study uses the Acclimatization Thermal Strain Index (ATSI), which is a comparative measure of short-term thermophysiological impact on the body. ATSI centers on heat exchange with the body's core via the respiratory system, which cannot be protected. The analysis is based on data for a major city in the climatic region of the Russian Far East characterized by very hot summers and extremely cold winters. The results show that although mortality peaks in winter (January) and is at its lowest in summer (August), there is not a smooth rise through autumn nor a smooth decline through spring. A secondary peak occurs in autumn (October) with a smaller jump in May. This suggests the acclimatization from warm-to-cold produces more thermophysiological strain than the transition from cold-to-warm. The study shows that ATSI is a useful metric for quantifying the extent to which biophysical adaptation plays a role in increased strain on the body during re-acclimatization and for this reason is a more appropriate climatic indictor than air temperature alone. The work gives useful bioclimatic information on risks involved in transitional seasons in regions characterized by climatic extremes. This could be handy in planning and managing health services to the public and measures that might be used to help mitigate impacts.

Exogenous stimuli maintain intraepithelial lymphocytes via aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation.

The body's surfaces form the interface with the external environment, protecting the host. These epithelial barriers are also colonized by a controlled diversity of microorganisms, disturbances of which can give rise to disease. Specialized intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), which reside at these sites, are important as a first line of defense as well as in epithelial barrier organization and wound repair. We show here that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a crucial regulator in maintaining IEL numbers in both the skin and the intestine. In the intestine, AhR deficiency or the lack of AhR ligands compromises the maintenance of IELs and the control of the microbial load and composition, resulting in heightened immune activation and increased vulnerability to epithelial damage. AhR activity can be regulated by dietary components, such as those present in cruciferous vegetables, providing a mechanistic link between dietary compounds, the intestinal immune system, and the microbiota.

EphB-ephrin-B2 interactions are required for thymus migration during organogenesis.

Thymus organogenesis requires coordinated interactions of multiple cell types, including neural crest (NC) cells, to orchestrate the formation, separation, and subsequent migration of the developing thymus from the third pharyngeal pouch to the thoracic cavity. The molecular mechanisms driving these processes are unclear; however, NC-derived mesenchyme has been shown to play an important role. Here, we show that, in the absence of ephrin-B2 expression on thymic NC-derived mesenchyme, the thymus remains in the cervical area instead of migrating into the thoracic cavity. Analysis of individual NC-derived thymic mesenchymal cells shows that, in the absence of ephrin-B2, their motility is impaired as a result of defective EphB receptor signaling. This implies a NC-derived cell-specific role of EphB-ephrin-B2 interactions in the collective migration of the thymic rudiment during organogenesis.

Gata3-deficient mice develop parathyroid abnormalities due to dysregulation of the parathyroid-specific transcription factor Gcm2.

Heterozygous mutations of GATA3, which encodes a dual zinc-finger transcription factor, cause hypoparathyroidism with sensorineural deafness and renal dysplasia. Here, we have investigated the role of GATA3 in parathyroid function by challenging Gata3+/- mice with a diet low in calcium and vitamin D so as to expose any defects in parathyroid function. This led to a higher mortality among Gata3+/- mice compared with Gata3+/+ mice. Compared with their wild-type littermates, Gata3+/- mice had lower plasma concentrations of calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) and smaller parathyroid glands with a reduced Ki-67 proliferation rate. At E11.5, Gata3+/- embryos had smaller parathyroid-thymus primordia with fewer cells expressing the parathyroid-specific gene glial cells missing 2 (Gcm2), the homolog of human GCMB. In contrast, E11.5 Gata3-/- embryos had no Gcm2 expression and by E12.5 had gross defects in the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches, including absent parathyroid-thymus primordia. Electrophoretic mobility shift, luciferase reporter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that GATA3 binds specifically to a functional double-GATA motif within the GCMB promoter. Thus, GATA3 is critical for the differentiation and survival of parathyroid progenitor cells and, with GCM2/B, forms part of a transcriptional cascade in parathyroid development and function.

Tbx4 and tbx5 acting in connective tissue are required for limb muscle and tendon patterning.

Proper functioning of the musculoskeletal system requires the precise integration of bones, muscles, and tendons. Complex morphogenetic events ensure that these elements are linked together in the appropriate three-dimensional configuration. It has been difficult, however, to tease apart the mechanisms that regulate tissue morphogenesis. We find that deletion of Tbx5 in forelimbs (or Tbx4 in hindlimbs) specifically affects muscle and tendon patterning without disrupting skeletal development, thus suggesting that distinct cues regulate these processes. We identify muscle connective tissue as the site of action of these transcription factors and show that N-Cadherin and beta-Catenin are key downstream effectors acting in muscle connective tissue and regulating soft-tissue morphogenesis. In humans, TBX5 mutations lead to Holt-Oram syndrome, which is characterized by forelimb musculoskeletal defects. Our results suggest that a focus on connective tissue is required to understand the etiology of diseases affecting soft tissue formation.

ATX expression and LPA signalling are vital for the development of the nervous system.

Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted glycoprotein widely present in biological fluids, originally isolated from the supernatant of melanoma cells as an autocrine motility stimulation factor. Its enzymatic product, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), is a phospholipid mediator that evokes growth-factor-like responses in almost all cell types through G-protein coupled receptors. To assess the role of ATX and LPA signalling in pathophysiology, a conditional knockout mouse was created. Ubiquitous, obligatory deletion resulted to embryonic lethality most likely due to aberrant vascular branching morphogenesis and chorio-allantoic fusion. Moreover, the observed phenotype was shown to be entirely depended on embryonic, but not extraembryonic or maternal ATX expression. In addition, E9.5 ATX null mutants exhibited a failure of neural tube closure, most likely independent of the circulatory failure, which correlated with decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death. More importantly, neurite outgrowth in embryo explants was severely compromised in mutant embryos but could be rescued upon the addition of LPA, thus confirming a role for ATX and LPA signalling in the development of the nervous system. Finally, expression profiling of mutant embryos revealed attenuated embryonic expression of HIF-1a in the absence of ATX, suggesting a novel effector pathway of ATX/LPA.

Safety and immunogenicity of live attenuated influenza reassortant H5 vaccine (phase I-II clinical trials).

OBJECTIVE: Our studies aimed to evaluate in clinical trials the safety and immunogenicity of an H5 live influenza vaccine candidate obtained using classical reassortment techniques from a low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) A/Duck/Potsdam/1402-6/86(H5N2) virus and the cold-adapted (ca) donor strain A/Leningrad/134/17/57(H2N2). METHODS: During Phase I-II clinical trials, volunteers received intranasally two doses of reassortant influenza vaccine strain A/17/Duck/Potsdam/86/92 (H5N2) 21 days apart. Clinical examination of all vaccinees was conducted 7 days post-vaccination. Serum antibody responses were measured by hemagglutination-inhibition and microneutralization and local antibodies were estimated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. RESULTS: The vaccine was safe and of low reactogenicity with no febrile reactions. After revaccination 47.1-54.8% of subjects showed > or =fourfold seroconversions of Hamagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibodies to the hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of the A/17/Duck/Potsdam/86/92 (H5N2) virus and 29.4-30.8% were seroconverted to the HA antigen of the reverse genetics reassortant A/Indonesia/05/2005 x PR8 IBCDC-RG (H5N1). Virus-neutralizing antibody levels in sera of volunteers were similar to those shown in HAI test. The virus-specific nasal IgA antibody response after two vaccine doses demonstrated significant increases of > or =fourfold rise SIgA antibodies (65%) geometrical mean titers (16.0) and a rise in SIgA antibodies (2.8) compared with one dose. CONCLUSION: The live attenuated influenza vaccine candidate prepared using the LPAI A(H5N2) strain was well tolerated and elicited serum and local immune responses. There was evident cross-reactivity to the A(H5N1) strain in the HAI test.

Therapeutic efficacy of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is used to treat patients with primary antibody deficiencies and, at high doses, to treat a range of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. With high-dose IVIg (hdIVIg), immunomodulatory mechanisms act on a range of cells, including T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells. Here, we demonstrate that the treatment of M. tuberculosis-infected mice with a single cycle of hdIVIg resulted in substantially reduced bacterial loads in the spleen and lungs when administered at either an early or late stage of infection. Titration of the IVIg showed a clear dose-response effect. There was no reduction in bacterial load when mice were given equimolar doses of another human protein, human serum albumin, or maltose, the stabilizing agent in the IVIg preparation. HdIVIg in vitro had no inhibitory effect on the growth of M. tuberculosis in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. In addition, the effect of hdIVIg on bacterial loads was not observed in nude mice, suggesting the involvement of conventional T cells. Analysis of T cells infiltrating the lungs revealed only small increases in CD8(+) but not CD4(+) T-cell numbers in hdIVIg-treated mice. The mechanism of action of hdIVIg against tuberculosis in mice remains to be determined. Nevertheless, since hdIVIg is already widely used clinically, the magnitude and long duration of the therapeutic effect seen here suggest that IVIg, or components of it, may find ready application as an adjunct to therapy of human tuberculosis.

The concerted action of Meox homeobox genes is required upstream of genetic pathways essential for the formation, patterning and differentiation of somites.

The paraxial mesoderm of the somites of the vertebrate embryo contains the precursors of the axial skeleton, skeletal muscles and dermis. The Meox1 and Meox2 homeobox genes are expressed in the somites and their derivatives during embryogenesis. Mice homozygous for a null mutation in Meox1 display relatively mild defects in sclerotome derived vertebral and rib bones, whereas absence of Meox2 function leads to defective differentiation and morphogenesis of the limb muscles. By contrast, mice carrying null mutations for both Meox genes display a dramatic and wide-ranging synthetic phenotype associated with extremely disrupted somite morphogenesis, patterning and differentiation. Mutant animals lack an axial skeleton and skeletal muscles are severely deficient. Our results demonstrate that Meox1 and Meox2 genes function together and upstream of several genetic hierarchies that are required for the development of somites. In particular, our studies place Meox gene function upstream of Pax genes in the regulation of chondrogenic and myogenic differentiation of paraxial mesoderm.