Historical overview of Taenia asiatica in Taiwan.

An overview of the epidemiological, biological, and clinical studies of Taenia and taeniasis in Taiwan for the past century is presented. The phenomenal observations that led to the discovery of Taenia asiatica as a new species, which differ from Taenia solium and Taenia saginata, are described. Parasitological surveys of the aborigines in Taiwan revealed a high prevalence of taeniasis, which might be due to the culture of eating raw liver of hunted wild boars. Chemotherapeutic deworming trials involving many patients with taeniasis were discussed. Praziquantel was found to be very effective, but sometimes complete worms could not be recovered from the feces after treatment, probably due to the dissolution of the proglottids. Atabrine, despite some side effects, can still be used, in properly controlled dosages, as the drug of choice for human T. asiatica infection if we need to recover the expelled worms for morphological examinations. Research results on the infection of T. asiatica eggs from Taiwan aborigines in experimental animals were also noted. Since the pig serve as the natural intermediate host of T. asiatica and the predilection site is the liver, a differential comparison of other parasitic pathogens that might cause apparently similar lesions is also presented.

Ling Zhi-8 mediates p53-dependent growth arrest of lung cancer cells proliferation via the ribosomal protein S7-MDM2-p53 pathway.

Ling Zhi-8 (LZ-8), an immunomodulatory protein, is derived from and has been cloned from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi or Ling Zhi); this protein exhibits immunomodulating and antitumor properties. We investigated the effects of recombinant LZ-8 protein (rLZ-8) on the proliferation of A549 human lung cancer cells. Here, we showed that rLZ-8 inhibits cell growth and that this is correlated with increased G(1) arrest. The treatment of A549 cells with rLZ-8 activated p53 and p21 expression, and both the G(1) arrest and the antigrowth effect were found to be p53 dependent. It was further demonstrated that rLZ-8 inhibited tumor growth in mice transplanted with Lewis lung carcinoma cells. Interestingly, rLZ-8 treatment was found to lead to nucleolar stress (or ribosomal stress) as evidenced by inhibition of precursor ribosomal RNA synthesis and reduced polysome formation in A549 cells. These changes resulted in an increasing binding of ribosomal protein S7 to MDM2 and a decreased interaction between MDM2 and p53. Taking these results together, we have identified a novel rLZ-8 antitumor function that positively modulates p53 via ribosomal stress and inhibits lung cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Our current results suggest that rLZ-8 may have potential as a therapeutic intervention for the treatment of cancers that contain wild-type p53 and high expression of MDM2.

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Tyrophagus putrescentiae allergy in allergic rhinitis caused by cross-reactivity not dual-sensitization.

Tyrophagus putrescentiae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus are causative factors for the development of airway hypersensitivity. The main objective in this study was to identify the cross-reactive allergens between T. putrescentiae and D. pteronyssinus and investigate their sensitization in patients with allergic rhinitis. The prevalence of sensitization to mites was determined by skin prick tests and histamine release assays. Both immunoblot and ELISA inhibition assays were performed by using the recombinant allergens of T. putrescentiae and D. pteronyssinus. The cross-reactive allergens were identified by using IgE-binding inhibition analysis. The correlations of specific IgE between T. putrescentiae and D. pteronyssinus to group 2 and group 3 mite allergens were compared. A total of 117 allergic rhinitis patients, aged between 16 and 40 years old were recruited to be included in this study. The results showed that 70% (82/117) of allergic rhinitis subjects had skin test positive reactions to D. pteronyssinus or T. putrescentiae. Among these mite-sensitive subjects, there were 81 subjects (81/82) sensitive to D. pteronyssinus and 34 subjects (34/82) sensitive to T. putrescentiae. Among the T. putrescentiae hypersensitive subjects, 97% (33/34) were also sensitized to D. pteronyssinus. In the IgE-binding inhibition analysis, 59% (13/22) subjects had IgE-binding activity of T. putrescentiae that was completely absorbed by D. pteronyssinus, especially components with MW at 16 kDa. In ELISA inhibition testing, 69% of IgE-binding was inhibited by rTyr p 2, and 45% inhibited by rTyr p 3. The titers of IgE antibodies to rTyr p 2 and rDer p 2 were well correlated, but not rTyr p 3 and rDer p 3. In conclusion, most T. putrescentiae sensitized subjects were also sensitized to D. pteronyssinus in young adult allergic rhinitis patients. The complete absorption of IgE binding activity by D. pteronyssinus indicates that T. putrescentiae hypersensitivity might be due to the cross-reactivity, not dual-sensitization of D. pteronyssinus and T. putrescentiae. The IgE-binding titers of group 2 allergens were well correlated and the binding activity of Tyr p 2 could be absorbed by Der p 2, suggesting that group 2 allergens are the major cross-reactive allergen of D. pteronyssinus and T. putrescentiae.

Prevalence of Tyrophagus putrescentiae hypersensitivity in subjects over 70 years of age in a veterans' nursing home in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Domestic mites are present in house dust samples throughout the world. Reports have shown a high prevalence of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Tp) sensitization in Europe and Asia, and its importance and clinical relevance in elderly subjects have grown rapidly. The main objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Tp sensitization in elderly subjects in a veterans' nursing home using mite allergen extracts and recombinant allergens. METHODS: A total of 199 subjects were enrolled in this study: 112 elderly subjects from a nursing home and 87 healthy young adults from the hospital staff as controls. The prevalence of Tp hypersensitivity was determined by specific IgE measurements and basophil histamine release. Immunoblotting with or without inhibition with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) was performed to identify the major allergens and species-specific allergen to Tp. RESULTS: It was determined that 39.3% (44/112) of the elderly population were sensitized to Tp and 17.9% (20/112) to Tp alone. There was a significantly higher prevalence of Tp hypersensitivity in elderly subjects in comparison with the young adult population. In the age association study of Tp and Dp sensitization, the elderly subjects were more sensitized to Tp than to Dp (p = 0.02). Among the elderly subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 45.8% (11/24) were Tp sensitive. The major allergens, Tyr p 2 and Tyr p 3, were identified with molecular weights of 16 kDa (53%) and 26 kDa (50%) as determined by ELISA and immunoblot inhibition analyses. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Tp sensitization was higher in elderly subjects, especially in patients with COPD. The high percentage of IgE-binding components to the allergens Tyr p 2 and Tyr p 3 indicated that both allergens may play a role in the pathogenesis of IgE-mediated allergic diseases in elderly populations.

Immunologic characterization and allergenicity of recombinant Tyr p 3 allergen from the storage mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae.

BACKGROUND: The involvement of the storage mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae in allergies has been increasingly reported in many countries. Molecular analysis has shown that group 3 mite allergens are homologous to trypsin. Similar allergens have not been identified in T. putrescentiae. Our aims were to characterize group 3 allergens in T. putrescentiae and to investigate their significance in allergenicity. METHODS: cDNAs of PreTyr p 3 and rTyr p 3 from T. putrescentiae were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Native Tyr p 3 (nTyr p 3) was purified from spent growth medium with an affinity column coupling of antibody. Biological activities of rTyr p 3 were compared with nTyr p 3 in terms of IgE activity, enzymatic activity and histamine release. RESULTS: Full-length cDNA of PreTyr p 3 encodes a 285-amino acid trypsin-like protease and acquires enzymatic activity after removing the pre- and pro-sequences. rTyr p 3 is a 26-kDa protein with equivalent IgE reactivity but weaker enzymatic activity than that of nTyr p 3. A limited level of cross-reactivity has been found between rTyr p 3, Der p 3 and Blomia. Eight of 10 T. putrescentiae-sensitized individuals showed >50% histamine release after triggering with rTyr p 3. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies demonstrate that Tyr p 3 is a frequent allergen (58%) in T. putrescentiae-sensitized patients. Since rTyr p 3 displays equivalent biological activities as nTyr p 3, the role of group 3 allergens can be studied using rTyr p 3 to elucidate the pathogenic effects and diagnostic applications of Tyr p 3.

Differential survival of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae exposed to low temperatures in Taiwan.

Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) differ in their distribution in Taiwan. The former species is distributed in the south of Taiwan, whereas the latter is found throughout the island. One possible explanation proposes that low temperatures in the winter prevent the expansion of Ae. aegypti. Hence, the impact of low temperatures on immatures of both species was studied in the laboratory and in the field. Our study showed that, under most conditions, Ae. aegypti were more sensitive to low temperatures than Ae. albopictus both in the laboratory and in the field. The survival rates at 10 degrees C for the first and fourth instars of Ae. albopictus were significantly better than those of Ae. aegypti. At 2.5 and 5.0 degrees C, the first instars of Ae. albopictus survived better than the same stadium of Ae. aegypti, but the fourth instars of Ae. aegypti survived better. Short exposures to low temperatures did not affect the acclimatization of Ae. aegypti immatures but longer exposures did increase the physiological adaptation to low temperatures. For Ae. albopictus, exposure to low temperatures increases the acclimatization of this species. In field experiments, Ae. aegypti larvae had a significantly higher mortality than Ae. albopictus during exposures to cold fronts in the 2004 winter. We conclude that low temperatures in northern and central Taiwan have a negative impact on the distribution of Ae. aegypti, but this factor alone is not sufficient to prevent this species from occupying the rest of Taiwan.

Systemic anaphylaxis after the ingestion of pancake contaminated with the storage mite Blomia freemani.

BACKGROUND: Systemic anaphylaxis after the ingestion of mite-contaminated food has rarely been reported. OBJECTIVE: To describe an 8-year-old boy in whom systemic anaphylaxis developed shortly after the ingestion of pancakes prepared with commercial pancake flour. METHODS: The patient underwent skin prick testing for house dust mites and with uncontaminated and mite-contaminated pancake flour. Specific IgE for mites and the main ingredients of the pancake flour were also evaluated, with titers for Der p 1, Der f 1, and Blo t 5 quantitated using immunochemical methods. A sample of pancake flour was examined microscopically for mites. RESULTS: The patient had positive skin prick test results to contaminated pancake flour extract (1 g/5 mL), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and Dermatophagoides farinae but a negative skin test response to uncontaminated pancake flour. The patient's serum specific IgE analysis was positive for antibodies to dust and storage mite allergens. There was no response, however, to the main ingredients of the pancake mix. Microscopic examination of the pancake flour revealed the storage mite Blomia freemani. Using an immunochemical assay, we found that the contaminated flour contained 5.4 microg/g of the allergen Blo t 5 but no Der p 1 or Der f 1. CONCLUSIONS: This patient's anaphylactic episode was the result of ingestion of the storage mite B. freemani. To our knowledge, this is the first reported systemic hypersensitivity reaction caused by this mite anywhere in the world.

Genetic relationships among populations of Aedes aegypti in Taiwan by using phenotypic and random amplified DNA-polymerase chain reaction markers.

An analysis of gene flow was conducted among collections of Aedes aegypti from 7 localities along the southwestern and southeastern coasts in Taiwan. Markers include 7 types of scaling patterns and 23 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) loci amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Differences in scaling pattern and in the frequencies of RAPD markers were detected among populations and cluster analyses revealed 2 main groups on each side of the Central Mountain Range. Regression analysis of geographic distances and pairwise F(ST) values estimated from RAPD markers showed that southwestern populations are isolated by distance and that populations within 15 km are panmictic. This is a shorter distance than detected among collections of Ae. aegypti in similar published studies from Mexico and Argentina.