ABSTRACT
Leukocyte-endothelial adhesion is a key step to initiate post-ischemic reperfusion injury in many organs. In this study, we found that the expressions of P-selectin mRNA and protein were increased in the ipsilateral hemisphere with a peak at 8 h after hypoxia-ischemia in immature brain. Such temporal profiles of P-selectin expression followed by hypoxia-ischemia are consistent with a role in the subsequent brain injury. Because fucoidin is known to inhibit P/L-selectin mediated leukocyte adhesion, we examined whether the treatment of fucoidin attenuates hypoxia-ischemia-induced neural damages. Treatment with fucoidin exhibited a substantial neuroprotective effect in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited the leukocyte adhesion significantly, as revealed by myeloperoxidase activity. These results suggest that anti-adhesion strategy may be an effective therapeutic application for the perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
Subject(s)
Anticoagulants/therapeutic use , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/drug therapy , Polysaccharides/therapeutic use , Recombinant Fusion Proteins , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Blotting, Western/methods , Brain/drug effects , Brain/pathology , Cerebral Infarction/drug therapy , Cerebral Infarction/pathology , Disease Models, Animal , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Functional Laterality , Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor , Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors/metabolism , Interleukin-3 , P-Selectin/genetics , P-Selectin/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis , Rats , Recombinant Proteins , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Little is known about the prevalence of naturally acquired IgG antibodies to the capsular polysaccharides of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal IgG) in Korea. In the present study, we investigated transplacental transfer and age-related levels of pneumococcal IgG to provide background seroepidemiologic data for S. pneumoniae in Korea. One hundred thirty eight sera were assayed by ELISA for IgG to pneumococcal polysaccharide capsular serotypes 14 and 19, the predominant serotypes for under 15 yr of age in Korea. The subjects were divided into 7 subgroups according to age. The cord/maternal geometric mean titer of pneumococcal were 4.47+/-5.88/5.21 +/- 5.88 for serotype 14, and 4.68 +/- 5.55/6.55 +/- 6.92 for serotype 1 9 (mean +/- standard deviation, microg/mL). After birth, the geometric mean titers of pneumococcal IgG for serotypes 14 and 19 expressed in microg/mL were 1.18+/-2.12 and 1.41+/-2.17 in the 0-6 months group, 0.27+/-0.19 and 0.69+/-0.93 in 7-12 months, 0.21+/-0.22 and 0.64+/-1.32 in 1-2 yr, 0.69+/-0.78 and 2.65+/-2.46 in 3-6 yr, 2.52+/-2.72 and 8.29+/-4.24 in 7-10 yr, respectively. In conclusion, reduced transplacental transfer and very low serum concentrations of pneumococcal IgG may contribute to the susceptibility of neonates, infants, and young children to S. pneumoniae infection.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Bacterial/metabolism , Bacterial Capsules/immunology , Immunoglobulin G/metabolism , Maternal-Fetal Exchange , Streptococcus pneumoniae/immunology , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Pneumococcal Vaccines/immunology , Pregnancy , Vaccines, Conjugate/immunologyABSTRACT
Numerous types of cells have been shown to undergo apoptosis when exposed to oxidant agent such as hydrogen peroxide. In order to understand the functional relationship between the anti- and pro-apoptotic regulatory proteins in the cells under oxidant stress, we have studied the level of expression of apoptosis regulatory proteins, bcl-2 and bax, in human leukemia HL-60 cells. The exposure of HL-60 cells to different concentrations of H2O2 for 6 h resulted in a typical apoptosis of the cells as characterized by flow cytometry, cell cycle analysis, and DNA fragmantation. There was a block in G1 to S transition and apoptotic cells were mainly derived from S and G2 cells. Kinetic study demonstrated that the levels of both bcl-2-mRNA and -protein expression were decreased with the progression of cellular apoptosis whereas the level of bax-mRNA was unchanged but the expressed bax-protein was not detectable. Cycloheximide, a nonspecific translation inhibitor, did not prevent the hydrogen peroxide-mediated apoptosis in HL-60 cells. These results suggest that the regulation of bcl-2, but not of bax are important factor in the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis/drug effects , Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology , Oxidants/pharmacology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics , Blotting, Western , Cycloheximide/pharmacology , DNA Fragmentation , DNA, Neoplasm/drug effects , DNA, Neoplasm/genetics , DNA, Neoplasm/metabolism , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Flow Cytometry , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects , HL-60 Cells , Humans , Protein Synthesis Inhibitors/pharmacology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/drug effects , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , bcl-2-Associated X ProteinABSTRACT
The case of a cyanotic infant with a rare combination of atypical pulmonary artery sling, imperforate anus, absence of the left kidney, interruption of the inferior vena cava, left side hemihypertrophy and diffuse-type pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is described. The clinical features were confusing, because of compounding abnormalities involving the respiratory tract and pulmonary circulation. The diagnostic approach to the etiology of cyanosis is discussed and the embryonic origin of pulmonary artery sling is reviewed.
Subject(s)
Arteriovenous Fistula/pathology , Pulmonary Artery/pathology , Arteriovenous Fistula/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Infant , Male , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
Hypoglassia or aglossia is an uncommon anomaly, either of which may occur as an isolated finding or in association with other deformations, especially limb anomalies. Their genetic background is uncertain, and drug induced teratogen has not been clearly identified. We experienced a case of congenital aglossia with situs inversus in a female infant aged twelve days. Her initial complaints at admission were feeding difficulty and weight loss. In a review of literature, the association with situs inversus is very rare and only three cases have been reported until now.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Multiple , Situs Inversus , Tongue/abnormalities , Abnormalities, Multiple/diagnosis , Abnormalities, Multiple/embryology , Abnormalities, Multiple/genetics , Electrocardiography , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Situs Inversus/diagnosis , Tongue/embryologyABSTRACT
Visceral heterotaxy syndrome causes abnormal arrangement of thoracoabdominal organs and severe complex cardiac anomalies by abnormal laterality. The purpose of the present study is to analyze the incidence and pattern of heterotaxy syndrome in etretinate and all-tran retinoic acid treated pregnant DDY mice. Pregnant DDY mice were intragastrically given a single dose of 15 mg/kg of etretinate at day 6, 7 of gestation, 30 mg/kg of etretinate at day 7 of gestation and 20 mg/kg of all-trans retinoic acid at day 7 of gestation. The incidence of visceral heterotaxy was highest in the etretinate 15 mg/kg treated group on day 7 of gestation (38.5%). The major cardiovascular anomalies in heterotaxy syndrome were common atrium, common atrioventricular valve, atrioventricular septal defect, transposition of great arteries, pulmonary atresia, pulmonary artery hypoplasia and aortic arch anomalies. Atrial situs of heterotaxy syndrome were right isomerism, solitus-like, inversus-like and left atrial aplasia, but right isomerism was observed most frequently. The results suggest that retinoic acid exerts a significant effect on the determination of atrial situs during the development of mouse embryo.
