The effect of pentoxifylline on L-1 sarcoma tumor growth and angiogenesis in Balb/c mice.

Methyloxantines are present in many herbs and vegetal foods, among them in tea, coffee and chocolate. Previous studies revealed that theophylline and theobromine have anti-angiogenic properties. Anti-tumor properties of theobromine were also described. Pentoxifylline (3,7-dimethyl-1-(5-oxohexyl)xanthine, PTX) is a synthetic xanthine derivative. It is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and has various anti-inflammatory abilities. Pentoxifylline is widely used in therapy of inflammatory arterial diseases such as intermittent claudication of upper and lower limbs as well as in coronary heart disease. The aim of our research was to evaluate the effect of pentoxifylline (individually and in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sulindac), on L-1 sarcoma angiogenic activity and tumor formation in syngeneic Balb/c mice. Pre-incubation of tumor cells for 90 min with various PTX concentrations resulted in dose-dependent decrease of their ability to induce newly-formed blood vessels after transplantation into the skin of recipient mice. Administration of PTX to mice, recipients of tumor cells, slows tumor growth and reduces its volume. Synergistic inhibitory effect of PTX and sulindac, expressed as % of tumors sixth and thirteen day after subcutaneous grafting of L-1 sarcoma into syngeneic Balb/c mice, was observed.

[Prevalence of latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Mazovia Region using interferon gamma release assay after stimulation with specific antigens ESAT-6 and CFP-10]. / Ocena czestosci wystepowania zakazenia pratkiem gruzlicyw populacji województwa mazowieckiego na podstawie wynikutestu mierzacego uwalnianie interferonu gamma po stymulacjiswoistymi antygenami ESAT-6 i CFP-10.

INTRODUCTION: Over 8000 cases of tuberculosis (TB) are diagnosed annually in Poland. People infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) have a risk of active disease around 10% during whole life, the risk is biggest in the first two years after infection. Recognizing infection before TB disease occurred enables prophylaxis against its activation and ceases transmission of infection. Knowledge about proportion of infected people in the population is crucial to predict the number of new cases of active disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) was tested in 700 healthy adult inhabitants of Mazovia Region in different age groups, using both tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon gamma release assay (IGRA). Commercial test QuantiFERON(®)-TB-Gold In Tube (QFT) was used. All participants were mandatory BCG vaccinated according to Polish vaccination schedule. RESULTS: Twenty three per cent of participants tested positively for QFT, which was significantly less than positive results of TST (50.3%). Prevalence of positive QFT result increased with age, as does the incidence of TB in Poland. Positive QFT was most frequent in the oldest age group (48.8%) and rare in the youngest (7.1%). On the contrary, positive TST occurred more often in younger participants (45%), who rarely suffer from TB. Among people over 60, who have the highest TB incidence rate, only 33.8% tested positively with TST. Concordance between both tests was low, with kappa value 0.198. Prevalence of LTBI defined as positive QFT among health care workers (HCW) was significantly higher than in other participants (32.2% v. 20.4%, p 〈 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: LTBI was diagnosed in 23.3% of tested population of Mazovia Region. QFT is a better tool for diagnosing LTBI as it shows positive correlation with age, the same as incidence of TB disease does. Concordance between both tests is low. Prevalence of LTBI in HCW is higher than in other participants.