Interleukin-4 inhibits the expression of Kit and tryptase during stem cell factor-dependent development of human mast cells from fetal liver cells.

Although interleukin-4 (IL-4) in mice is known to augment the proliferation of mast cells and to modulate the expression of certain mast cell protease transcripts, its effect on human mast cells is less well understood. The current study examined the effects of recombinant human IL-4 (rhuIL-4) on stem cell factor (SCF)-dependent fetal liver-derived human mast cells in liquid culture. In no case did rhuIL-4 augment proliferation of mast cells. rhuIL-4 selectively inhibited certain aspects of the development of mast cells in cultures of fetal liver cells with rhuSCF. These include lower numbers and percentages of cells expressing tryptase and surface Kit, smaller cells, and lower contents of cells for tryptase, histamine, and Kit. Development of metachromasia was not attenuated. The downregulation of Kit, the surface receptor for SCF, is probably a critical factor, because cells lacking this molecule would not be able to respond to SCF. In contrast to mast cell progenitors, mast cells already developed in vitro from fetal liver cells are relatively resistant to rhuIL-4, but are still dependent for survival on the presence of rhuSCF.

Screening of effects of selenomethionine-enriched yeast supplementation on various immunological and chemical parameters of skin and blood in psoriatic patients.

Selenium (Se) is known to affect the immune system, and decreased Se-levels in blood of patients with moderate or severe psoriasis have been reported. In this study, the effect of Se-supplementation (400 micrograms/day for 6 weeks as Se-yeast, containing about 70% selenomethionine, SeMet) on skin and blood Se-content, on skin glutathione peroxidase activity and on various chemical and immunological parameters of blood and skin was investigated in 7 psoriatic patients. Before the SeMet-supplementation, serum and blood Se-levels were at the normal range, but they increased 42-45% during the Se-dosage, while zinc levels remained unchanged. Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity in both normal and lesional psoriatic skin remained unchanged during the trial, although a small net Se-uptake was detected. At the same time, a slight but statistically significant increase in the number of CD4+ T-cells was observed in the reticular dermis of the psoriatic lesions whereas the numbers of CD8+, CD11c+, and CD1+ cells were not significantly altered. Also, a relatively high number of patients (3 out of 7) showed a strongly reduced number of gamma/delta T-lymphocytes or increased CD8+ T-cells (2 patients) in peripheral blood. However, SeMet-supplementation was not related to these abnormalities or to the number of other peripheral blood immunocytes or to serum immunoglobulin levels. In addition, no marked effect on the clinical condition of the patients was observed. This pilot study suggests that SeMet may be able to modulate the immunological mechanism of psoriatic lesions by increasing the number of CD4+ T-cells.

Recombinant human stem cell factor stimulates differentiation of mast cells from dispersed human fetal liver cells.

We have previously shown the development in vitro of tryptase+ human mast cells from fetal liver cells cocultured with murine 3T3 fibroblasts. In this study, recombinant human stem cell factor (rhuSCF), the ligand for the c-kit proto-oncogene product called Kit, stimulated the growth and differentiation primarily of mast cells from dispersed fetal liver cells, whereas recombinant human interleukin-3 (rhuIL-3) stimulated the differentiation of basophils along with other cell types. Cultures of fetal liver cells were initiated and maintained in the presence of rhuSCF or rhuIL-3 for up to 6 weeks. Metachromatic cells in cytospins were identified as mast cells primarily on the basis of tryptase expression, and as MCT or MCTC by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against tryptase and chymase, whereas basophils were metachromatic, polymorphonuclear, and lacked these proteases. Levels of tryptase and histamine were measured by radioimmunoassay, tryptase and chymase activities by peptide hydrolysis, and cell surface Kit by flow cytometry with the monoclonal antibody YB5.B8. The predominant presence of mast cells occurred only in the cultures supplemented with rhuSCF. The percentage and total number of mast cells increased over time with increasing concentrations of rhuSCF and reached a plateau at 55 ng/mL. At this concentration of rhuSCF, mast cells first appeared by day 7; by day 42, 106% of the starting number of cells were present and 85% of these were tryptase+, 31% being weakly chymase+. These mast cells appeared immature by ultrastructural criteria; most cells were mononuclear, but some had nuclei with deeply divided lobes. DNA synthesis in tryptase+ mast cells at days 21 and 28 of culture with rhuSCF was demonstrated by incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine. Calculated levels of histamine (1.2 pg/mast cell) and tryptase (0.9 pg/mast cell) were similar to those determined previously in coculture experiments with murine 3T3 fibroblasts. Chymase activity was undetectable in most cell extracts. On day 0, 4% to 20% of fetal liver cells expressed cell surface Kit. In the presence of rhuSCF, the percentages and total numbers of Kit+ cells and the apparent concentration of Kit per cell increased along with the number of tryptase+ cells. In the presence of rhuIL-3, toluidine blue+, tryptase- cells first and maximally appeared at day 14 (11% +/- 2.5%). The percentage of these toluidine blue+ cells then declined to about 6% by days 21 and 35, while the total number of positive cells declined over 10-fold. Kit+ cells in the presence of rhuIL-3 declined from 9% on day 3 to 2% on day 35.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Induction of Anaesthesia in Children by Intramuscular Administration of Methohexital (author's transl)]. / Narkoseeinleitung bei Kindern durch intramuskuläre Verabreichung von Methohexital.

5 mg/kilogram bodyweight of a 5 per cent solution of methohexital was given intramuscularly, together with a vagolytic agent, to 102 children aged 5 months -- 9 years before inhalation anesthesia. Premedication was omitted. The technique resulted in smooth induction of sleep and rapid recovery with few side-effects. With certain precautions the technique is suitable for day-case surgery in children.

Identification of 1,5-anhydroglucitol in thin-layer chromatograms.

The chromatographical characteristics of 1,5-anhydroglucitol in thin-layer chromatograms can be studied using the customary carbohydrate solvents. Both hydrogen peroxide and sodium metaperiodate oxidation reactions were tested in order to find a specific colour reaction for the detection of the compound. 1,5-anhydroglucitol was readily converted by periodate into an intermediate product which produced an intense orange-red colour with diphenylamine aniline reagent. According to data obtained from periodate oxidation, IR spectroscopy and mass fragmentography, the intermediate product was a dialdehyde compound with a C6 structure, possibly formed through cleavage at C2-C3. The formation of a compound of this kind without chain cleavage in the periodate oxidation of C6 carbohydrates is uncommon. Periodate oxidation followed by diphenylamine-aniline reaction affords a sensitive and specific method for the detection of 1,5-anhydroglucitol.

[Chlorprothixene for premedication in children: oral versus intramuscular route (author's transl)]. / Chlorprothixen als Prämedikation bei Kindern: Orale contra intramuskuläre Verabreichung

The effect of chlorprothixene (Taractan), a neuroleptic agent, administered either intramuscularly (1 mg/kg) or orally as a 4% solution (1,5-2 mg/kg), was compared in a double-blind study in 200 children between 11 months and 10 years of age. In addition, intramuscular 1-hyoscyamine (Bellafolin) was given to all patients 30 minutes before the induction of anaesthesia (0.005-0.01 mg/kg). With regard to antisalivary action, suppression of reflex irritability, frequency of post-anaesthetic vomiting, postoperative sedation and requirement of postoperative analgesics, there was no significant difference between the two methods. Preoperative sedation was slightly more pronounced with the intramuscular technique. An undesirable side-effect, hypotension, was observed more often after intramuscular than oral premedication. To obtain optimum effect, an interval of 2 hours between the oral premedication and induction of anaesthesia is recommended.