Inhibition of anaphylaxis-like reaction and mast cell activation by water extract from the fruiting body of Phellinus linteus.

Mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reaction is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. Phellinus linteus has been used as a traditional herb medicine in oriental countries and is known to have anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic activities. However, roles of Phellinus linteus in the mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions have not fully been examined. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of water extract from the fruiting body of Phellinus linteus (WEPL) on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis-like reactions. Oral administration of WEPL inhibited the compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis-like reaction and ear swelling response. WEPL also inhibited the anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE-mediated passive systemic and cutaneous anaphylaxis. WEPL had no cytotoxicity on rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC). WEPL dose-dependently reduced histamine release from RPMC activated by compound 48/80 or anti-DNP IgE. Moreover, WEPL decreased the compound 48/80-induced calcium uptake into RPMC. Furthermore, WEPL increased the level of intracellular cAMP and significantly inhibited the compound 48/80-induced cAMP reduction in RPMC. These results suggest that WEPL may serve as an effective therapeutic agent for allergic diseases.

Inhibitory effects of Agaricus blazei on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis-like reactions.

Agaricus blazei is a medicinal mushroom native to Brazil. It used to be a source of anti-tumor and immunmoactive compounds and considered a health food in many countries. However, its specific effect against mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions is still unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Agaricus blazei water extract (ABWE) on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis-like reactions. We examined whether ABWE could inhibit systemic anaphylaxis-like reaction, ear swelling response, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, and mast cell activation. ABWE inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis-like reaction, ear swelling response, and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis-like reaction in mice. ABWE also inhibited anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. ABWE dose-dependently inhibited compound 48/80-induced or anti-DNP IgE-mediated histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC). Moreover, pretreatment with ABWE reduced compound 48/80-induced calcium uptake into RPMC. When ABWE was added, the level of intracellular cAMP in RPMC showed a significant increase compared with that of control cells. In addition, ABWE significantly inhibited compound 48/80-induced cAMP reduction in RPMC. These results propose that ABWE may be beneficial in the treatment of mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions.

Different brain activation patterns to pain and pain-related unpleasantness during the menstrual cycle.

BACKGROUND: The changes in the functional magnetic resonance imaging signal during anticipation, pain stimulation, and the poststimulation periods were investigated to determine whether changes in sex hormones affect brain activity. METHODS: Eighteen participants were examined twice, once in the follicular phase and once in the luteal phase. Half the participants were tested first during the follicular phase, and the other half were tested first in the luteal phase. RESULTS: The pain and unpleasantness ratings were significantly higher in the luteal phase than in the follicular. During the anticipation of pain, the prefrontal cortices were activated during the follicular phase, whereas the parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala were activated during the luteal phase. During the pain stimulation, putamen and cerebellum and precentral gyrus involving motor preparation and defense mechanism related to antinociceptive behavior were activated during the follicular phase, whereas the thalamus was activated during the luteal phase. During the poststimulation periods, the prefrontal cortices were activated during the follicular phase, whereas parahippocampal gyrus was activated during the luteal phase. The temporal pole was activated during the anticipation, pain stimulation, and poststimulation periods of the luteal phase. CONCLUSIONS: During surgical and medical procedures, requirements of anesthetic and analgesic and anxiolytic drugs may be reduced during the follicular phase and increased during the luteal phase. These results highlight the need to consider the effects of the sex hormones in women when designing clinical or neuroimaging studies or when treating patients for pain and pain-related unpleasantness.

Roles of TNF-alpha and IgE in the late phase of contact hypersensitivity induced by trimellitic anhydride.

Trimellitic anhydride (TMA) is widely used industrially to make epoxy and alkyd resins, plasticizers and surfactants. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is induced by repeated TMA challenge and the role of TNF-alpha and IgE in the TMA-induced CHS. The repetition of the challenge enlarged the extent of an early and a late phase of CHS in TNF-alpha+/+ (B6129SF2/J) and Balb/c mice. In the late phase of TMA-induced CHS, the peak of ear swelling responses by single challenge showed at 24 h after challenge, but the peak was observed at 8 h after repeated challenge. In the TNF-alpha knockout TNF-alpha-/- (B6;129S-Tnftm1Gk1) mice, the repetition of the TMA challenges enlarged the extent of the late phase of CHS, but less than those in TNF-alpha+/+ mice. Injection of anti-TNF-alpha antibody into the peritoneal cavity of Balb/c mice significantly decreased the extent of the late phase of CHS. Subcutaneous injection of anti-IgE antibody into Balb/c mice also decreased the extent of the late phase of CHS in dose-dependent manner. Histologically, infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and eosinophils was more pronounced in repeatedly TMA-challenged TNF-alpha+/+ and Balb/c mice than in the TNF-alpha-/- mice and anti-TNF-alpha or anti-IgE antibodies treated Balb/c mice. These results indicate that mice sensitized by TMA could possibly offer a useful model to study the mechanism of CHS, and TNF-alpha and IgE may act as potential modulators in the late phase of TMA-induced CHS. Neutralization of TNF-alpha and IgE by anti-TNF-alpha or anti-IgE antibodies may provide therapeutic tools for the treatment of TMA-induced CHS.

Inhibitory effects of Morus alba on compound 48/80-induced anaphylactic reactions and anti-chicken gamma globulin IgE- mediated mast cell activation.

We investigated the effects of hot-water extract from the root bark of Morus alba (HEMA) on anaphylactic reactions. Using in vitro and in vivo experiments, we examined whether HEMA could inhibit compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic shock and anti-chicken gamma globulin (CGG) IgE-mediated rat peritoneal mast cell activation. HEMA significantly inhibited systemic anaphylaxis induced by the compound 48/80 in mice. HEMA also significantly inhibited the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis activated by anti-CGG IgE. HEMA had no cytotoxicity on rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC). Moreover, HEMA dose-dependently inhibited mast cell degranulation, histamine release and calcium uptake into RPMC induced by the compound 48/80 or anti-CGG IgE. When HEMA was added, the level of intracellular cAMP in RPMC showed a transient and significant increase (5-fold) compared with that of control cells. HEMA also inhibited significantly the compound 48/80-induced cAMP reduction in RPMC. These results suggested that HEMA inhibits the compound 48/80- or anti-CGG IgE-induced mast cell activation and its inhibitory effects on mast cell activations were favorably comparable to disodium cromoglycate. And HEMA is a candidate for effective therapeutic tools of allergic diseases.

Inhibitory effects of Houttuynia cordata water extracts on anaphylactic reaction and mast cell activation.

The present study was investigated the effect of Houttuynia cordata THUNB water extract (HCWE) on mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions. The mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reaction is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. HCWE has been used as a traditional medicine in Korea and is known to have an antioxidant and anti-cancer activities. However, its specific effect of mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions is still unknown. We examined whether HCWE could inhibit compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis, IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), and mast cell activation. The oral administration of HCWE inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis in mice. HCWE also inhibited the local allergic reaction, PCA, activated by anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibody in rats. HCWE reduced the compound 48/80-induced mast cell degranulation and colchicine-induced deformation of rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC). Moreover, HCWE dose-dependently inhibited histamine release and calcium uptake of RPMC induced by compound 48/80 or anti-DNP IgE. HCWE increased the level of intracellular cAMP and inhibited significantly the compound 48/80-induced cAMP reduction in RPMC. These results suggest that HCWE may be beneficial in the treatment of mast cell-mediated anaphylactic responses.

Hypoplasia of the left portal vein territory of the human liver: a case study.

Although reports of hypoplasia or absence of the liver of left lobe are not few, descriptions of the intrahepatic vessels are rare but valuable for discussion of the pathogenesis. The present report demonstrates a case of the left surgical lobe hypoplasia that is characterized by 1) the scar-like lobe with few parenchymal tissue and dilated bile ducts, 2) no Spiegel's lobe with the portal vein stuck to the inferior vena cava, 3) unusual configurations of the right hepatic vein and the 8th segmental portal vein branch, 4) the hepatic groove on S8, and 5) the trifurcation pattern of the portal vein primary division. According to the macroscopic and histological observations, we hypothesized that the secondary abnormal peritoneal fusion occurred in utero and/or during the postnatal growth, and that it involved the left portal vein and other adjacent structures, resulting in severe atrophy of the left surgical lobe.