Effect of monovalent cations on the binding of amino acids to cholesterol.

The nature of the interaction between amino acids and cholesterol was shown by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography (RP-TLC) in the presence of monovalent cations of different concentration. The degree of interaction between amino acids and cholesterol was affected by different salt solutions and by applying cholesterol to the chromatographic plates at higher concentration. The relative strength of interaction was determined by statistical evaluation of the results in each case. The objectives of the investigations were to study the retention behaviour of biologically active amino acids on alumina supports impregnated with cholesterol and to characterize the effects of monovalent cations on the interaction between amino acids and cholesterol.

Treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis with intra-articular triamcinolone hexacetonide: evaluation of clinical effectiveness correlated with circulating ANA and T gamma/delta + and B CD5+ lymphocyte populations of synovial fluid.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were to assess the effect of intra-articular treatment with triamcinolone hexacetonide (TH) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to investigate whether treatment response correlates with the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in the serum and/or B CD5+ and T gamma/delta + lymphocytes in the synovial fluid. METHODS: A total of 37 patients (81% females, 56% ANA+) with oligoarticular JIA involving knees were treated with intra-articular injections of TH after failing to respond to NSAIDs for two months. Eighteen patients were treated within 6 months of onset, 19 were treated more than 6 months after onset. RESULT: Mean duration of remission was 13.9 months. Twelve patients (7 ANA+) had stable remission after a single injection; 13 patients (3 ANA+) experienced more than 6 months' remission but subsequently had a relapse; 12 patients (11 ANA+) had a relapse within six months of injection. Of 20 patients treated within 6 months of onset, 17 had stable remission whereas only 8 out of 17 who were treated during relapse attained stable remission (p = 0.03). The mean percentage of T gamma/delta + and of B CD5+ lymphocytes in synovial fluid was the same as in peripheral blood of normal subjects. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that local treatment with slow-release steroids is very effective in oligoarticular JIA. Prolonged remission was less likely in the presence of ANA positivity, probably because the disease is immunologically more active. Finally, our data suggest that the earlier the treatment, the easier it is to obtain a protracted, and possibly permanent, response.

CD69 expression on alpha-gliadin-specific T cells in coeliac disease.

Coeliac disease (CD) is a T-cell mediated immunological disease of the small intestine which is triggered in susceptible individuals by ingestion of gluten. The pathogenic mechanism of coeliac disease, and the role that alpha-gliadin specific T cells play in mucosal lesions and their involvement in peripheral blood is not yet explained at all. Previous studies have reported proliferative response to alpha-gliadin measured with the classic assay of 3HTdR incorporation. We analysed the activation antigen CD69 on T cells from CD patients and normal individuals following stimulation with alpha-gliadin and different antigens (tetanus toxoid, peptides unrelated to gliadin and PHA). CD69 coexpression with T cell CD3+ and proliferation marker Ki67 was evaluated with time. CD69 coexpression with T cell CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ was also evaluated. It was found that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of coeliac patients increased their percentage of CD69 positive T cells when stimulated with alpha-gliadin, in comparison with cells from controls. Significant T cell activation was found only in subjects not treated with the gluten free diet; a positive response was found also in two coeliac patients with selective IgA deficiency, anti-endomisium negative, without circulating IgA anti alpha-gliadin or anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies. The CD69 expression after stimulation was compared with the standard method of 3HTdR incorporation. Our data show that CD69 expression is useful to asses a specific T cell response to alpha-gliadin in coeliac disease. in a very short time. Moreover, the method allows to investigate T cell response at the lymphocyte subsets level, which represents a useful tool in the diagnosis of coeliac disease.

Prevalence of anencephaly in the region of Rijeka, Croatia.

This retrospective study determines the prevalence of anencephaly in the region of Rijeka, Croatia. Records of all spontaneous and therapeutic abortions terminated in medical institutions, all fetuses weighing more than 500 g or more than 22 weeks gestation (whether the product of abortion, therapeutic termination, stillborn or liveborn) and infants who died in the first year of life in the region of Rijeka, Croatia, during the 1963-2000 period were reviewed. There were 135,451 births; 22 of them were anencephalics (19 stillborn), which comprises 0.2% of all births and 2.1% of stillbirths. Annual prevalence of anencephaly varied in range from 0.00 to 7.42 per 10,000 births. In two cases pregnancy was electively terminated after ultrasonographic diagnosis of anencephaly. Fifteen anencephalics were female, six were male, and in one case sex was undetermined due to aplasia of genital organs. Associated congenital malformations were detected in 18 anencephalics. The importance of establishing national and international registers of congenital malformations in all countries is stressed. The authors suggested that the setting of obligatory reporting of all congenital malformations would be the first step toward this practice in Croatia, as well as in other developing countries.

Evidence of involvement of the mannose receptor in adhesion of Borrelia burgdorferi to monocyte/macrophages.

The mannose receptor (MR) plays an important role in the recognition of some pathogens in nonopsonic phagocytosis and in antigen presentation to T cells. We found that Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme borreliosis, adheres to monocyte-derived macrophages and to rat MR-transfected cells but not to untransfected cells. Antibodies to MR and sugars such as mannose, mannan, fucose, and some lectins significantly lowered the adhesion, confirming participation of the MR in the binding.

Flow cytometric assay for the evaluation of phagocytosis and oxidative burst of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes in myelodysplastic disorders.

BACKGROUND: Myelodysplastic syndromes are clonal diseases characterized by pancytopenia of variable degree. Neutropenia is common and several morphologic and functional abnormalities of polymorphonuclear neutrophilic granulocytes (PMNs) and/or monocytes have been described. On the basis of these observations, the phagocytic and oxygen intermediates production of PMNs and monocytes was determined in a group of forty-seven patients affected by myelodysplastic syndromes of varying severity. METHODS: A rapid, simple and reliable flow cytometric method was developed to evaluate, in a one-step procedure, the phagocytosis rate and the oxidative burst in PMNs and monocytes using a small amount of whole blood. RESULTS: Phagocytosis of PMNs and monocytes was not significantly reduced in refractory anemia (RA), while in refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) and in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) a clear decrease (p < 0.05) of this function was found in both PMNs and monocytes. The production of oxygen intermediates by PMNs and monocytes was significantly (p < 0.01) reduced in RA as well as in RAEB and in CMML. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates the presence in myelodysplastic syndromes of a severe reduction in phagocytosis and oxygen intermediates production (two crucial functions to protect the host against pyogenic agents) in both PMNs and monocytes. This observation could explain the severe morbidity and mortality from infections in patients affected by these hematological malignancies.

Study of IL-2, IL-6, TNF alpha, IFN gamma and beta in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with juvenile chronic arthritis.

In the last few years the important role played by various cytokines in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases has emerged. In the present study, serum and synovial fluid levels of IL-2, IL-6, TNF alpha, IFN beta and IFN gamma were evaluated in a group of 66 patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). At the same time the ESR, CRP, hemoglobin, immunoglobulins, platelet count and Ritchie index were measured. In the serum of pauciarticular patients, IL-6 and TNF alpha levels were only slightly elevated compared with controls, but there was no correlation between these cytokines and clinical and other laboratory parameters. Serum IL-2 and IFN gamma were undetectable. In contrast, in the synovial fluid IL-6 levels were very high in all of the patients examined and there was a significant correlation between synovial fluid IL-6 levels and Ritchie's articular index. TNF alpha tended to be elevated but to a lesser extent, while synovial fluid IL-2 and IFN gamma were undetectable or very low, as in the serum. In polyarticular and systemic patients, on the other hand, serum IL-6 was elevated and statistically correlated with the majority of the laboratory parameters and with the Ritchie articular index. TNF alpha levels were only slightly elevated; on the other hand, IL-2 and IFN gamma were undetectable. There was an inverse correlation between IFN beta levels and the Ritchie articular index and a significant correlation with hemoglobin levels. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that not only IL-1 (as shown in other studies), but also IL-6 and to a lesser extent TNF alpha play a central role in the pathogenesis of JCA. IFN beta on the other hand, would seem to play an anti-inflammatory role.

[Pseudodiastrophic dwarfism: a case report]. / Le nanisme pseudodiastrophique: a propos d'une observation.

On the occasion of one new possible observation of the pseudodiastrophic dworfism observed in a femal newborn, first child of young, non-consanguineous parents, authors discuss the differential diagnosis as well as the problem of genetic counselling in the present case since the child's father is a technician in radiology and exposed to X-rays during 7 years.