[Effect of naringin of Drynaria Rhizome, a Chinese medical component of Zhuanggu Jianxi Recipe containing serum on caveolin-p38MAPK signal pathway in IL-1β induced rabbit degenerated chondrocytes]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of naringin of Drynaria Rhizome, a Chinese medical component of Zhuanggu Jianxi Recipe (ZJR) containing serum on caveolin-p38MAPK signal factors (such as caveolin-1, p-p38, p-ATF-2, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in IL-1β induced rabbit degenerated chondrocytes, and further to explore its mechanism for protecting articular cartilages.

METHODS

Naringin of Drynaria Rhizome was obtained and analyzed by HPLC-TOF/MS. Four weeks old New Zealand rabbits were killed and their bilateral knee joints were isolated aseptically. CDs were isolated and then cultured in vitro. The second generation of CDs were used for later experiment. The effect of naringin on CDs proliferation was detected by MTT assay. The effect of naringin on the expression of IL-1β-induced collagen II in CDs was detected by immunohistochemical method. The effect of naringin on caveolin-1, p-p38, and p-ATF-2 protein in IL-1β-induced CDs was detected by Western blot. The effect of naringin on mRNA expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in IL-1β-induced CDs was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTS

The appearance time of naringin in flow graphs of naringin standard solution and ZJR containing serum was 23.5 min, and the molecular weight ranged between 581.0 and 581.5 m/z. Naringin could promote the proliferation of CDs, and inhibit the effect of IL-1β on collagen II in CDs. Compared with the model group, naringin could reduce the expression of caveolin-1, p-p38, p-ATF-2, IL-1β, and TNF-α in IL-1β induced CDs (P < 0.05), which was approximate to the level of the normal group.

CONCLUSIONS

Naringin could not only promote the proliferation of CDs, but also protect IL-1β-induced CDs. Its mechanism might be associated with decreasing the expression of caveolin-1, p-p38, and p-ATF-2 proteins, inhibiting caveolin-p38MAPK signal pathway, and further reducing mRNA expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in the downstream of caveolin-p38MAPK signal pathway.

Treatment of traumatic spondylolisthesis of the lower cervical spine with concomitant bilateral facet dislocations: risk of respiratory deterioration

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to retrospectively examine 36 cases of bilateral cervical facet dislocations (BCFD) of the lower cervical spine who were at risk for respiratory deterioration.

METHODS

The cases of 36 subjects with BCFD of the lower cervical spine who failed to achieve closed reduction were retrospectively studied. The extents of neurological injuries included posterior neck pain without neurological deficit (n=2), incomplete spinal cord injury (ISCI) (n=21), and complete spinal cord injury (CSCI) (n=13).

RESULTS

Among the subjects, 26 (72.22%) had dyspnea, 6 required mechanical ventilation due to respiratory muscle paralysis, 11 required tracheostomy, and 9 required intubation. All patients received posterior approach reduction, stabilization, and fusion treatment for BCFD in one operative session. For the 26 quadriparetic patients with dyspnea, priority was given to treating their respiratory problems. For the other 10 patients without dyspnea, surgical treatment for irreducible lower cervical spine dislocation was given priority. After an average follow-up period of 63 months, 21 complications were found, but all patients exhibited fusion. Twenty-one patients with ISCI exhibited improvements in their conditions of 1 or 2 grades on the American Spinal Injury Association scale, whereas those with CSCI did not improve. All 26 apnea cases improved. The majority (26) of the 36 cases with BCFD of the lower cervical spine suffered dyspnea.

CONCLUSIONS

Although further study is required, our study suggests that the posterior surgical approach to the cervical spine is safe and effective for patients with traumatic spondylolisthesis of the lower cervical spine concomitant with BCFD who are at risk of respiratory deterioration.

[Effects of Eucalyptus grandis leaf litter at its early stage of decomposition on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Cichorium intybus]

From March to May, 2010, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Eucalyptus grandis leaf litter at its early stage of decomposition on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Cichorium intybus. Four treatments with different application rate of the leaf litter, i.e., 0 g x pot(-1) (CK), 30 g x pot(-1) (A1), 60 g x pot(-1) (A2), and 90 g x pot(-1) (A3), were installed. Each pot contained 12 kg soil mixed with the leaf litter, and then, C. intybus was sown. The growth indicators of the C. intybus were measured at the 30, 45, 60, and 75 d after sowing, and the photosynthetic characteristics of the C. intybus in treatment A3 were studied after the seedlings third leaf fully expanded. At each measured time, the biomass accumulation and leaf area growth of C. intybus in treatments A1, A2, and A3 were inhibited significantly. At the early stage of the leaf litter decomposition, the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments of the C. intybus seedlings was inhibited significantly, and the inhibition effect was getting stronger with the increasing amount of the leaf litter addition. The diurnal change of the seedlings photosynthetic rate in all treatments showed a bimodal curve with midday depression, the stomatal conductance and water use efficiency had the same variation trend with the net photosynthetic rate, and the total diurnal photosynthesis decreased in the order of CK > A1 > A2 > A3. The GC-MS analysis showed there were 33 kinds of small molecule compounds released gradually with the decomposition of the leaf litter, among which, allelopathic substance terpenoid dominated.

Pr3+-doped heavy metal germanium tellurite glasses for irradiative light source in minimally invasive photodynamic therapy surgery

Pr3+-doped medium-low phonon energy heavy metal germanium tellurite (NZPGT) glasses have been fabricated and the intense multi-peak red fluorescence emissions of Pr3+ are exhibited. Judd-Ofelt parameters Ω2 = 3.14 × 10(-20)cm(2), Ω4 = 10.67 × 10(-20)cm(2) and Ω6 = 3.95 × 10(-20)cm(2) indicate a high asymmetrical and covalent environment in the optical glasses. The spontaneous emission probabilities A(ij) corresponding to the 1D2→3H4, 3P0→3H6, and 3P0→3F2 transitions are derived to be 1859.6, 6270.1 and 17276.3s(-1), respectively, and the relevant stimulated emission cross-sections σ(em) are 5.20 × 10(-21), 14.14 × 10(-21) and 126.77 × 10(-21)cm(2), confirming that the effectiveness of the red luminescence in Pr3+-doped NZPGT glasses. Under the commercial blue LED excitation, the radiant flux and the quantum yield for the red fluorescence of Pr3+ are solved to be 219μW and 11.80%, respectively. 85.24% photons of the fluorescence in the visible region are demonstrated to be located in 600-720nm wavelength range, which matches the excitation band of the most photosensitizers (PS), holding great promise for photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment and clinical trials.

Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human semen

Some persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been found in human semen but until this point it was unclear whether polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) could be detected in human semen. In this study, PBDEs were found for the first time in human semen samples (n=101) from Taizhou, China. The concentrations of total PBDEs (∑PBDEs) varied from 15.8 to 86.8 pg/g ww (median=31.3 pg/g ww) and 53.2 to 121 pg/g ww (median=72.3 pg/g ww) in semen and blood samples, respectively. The ∑PBDE level in semen was about two times lower than in human blood, which was different in the distribution in the two matrices from other POPs. A correlation of ∑PBDE concentration was found between paired semen and in blood. The results suggest that semen could be used to detect PBDE burden in human body as a non-invasive matrix. In addition, the levels of BDE-209 and BDE-153, especially the latter, were much higher in blood than in semen, while the levels of BDE-28, BDE-47 and BDE-99 were comparable in the two matrices, suggesting that low brominated congeners could be more easily transferred to semen than high brominated congeners. Considering different toxicities among the PBDE congeners, it might be more significant to measure PBDEs in semen than in blood for evaluating male reproduction risks of PBDEs.

Lower extremity radicular pain after prophylactic intrathecal saline injection through a subarachnoid catheter following accidental dural puncture

We describe a case in which severe lower extremity radicular pain occurred after administration of 0.9% saline into the subarachnoid space through a catheter that had been left for 20 h following inadvertent dural puncture in an obstetric patient. A 42-year-old (G8P7) woman was admitted for repeat cesarean delivery. Accidental dural puncture occurred during epidural placement. Following a slow 10-mL intrathecal injection of 0.9% normal saline an epidural catheter was advanced into the subarachnoid space. Spinal anesthesia was used for cesarean delivery and the subarachnoid catheter was kept in place for 20 h. Before catheter removal, an additional 10 mL of 0.9% saline was slowly administered into the intrathecal space. Almost instantly, the patient complained of back pain that progressed to lower extremity radicular pain and paresthesia; symptoms began to resolve after 10 min. Subsequently, the patient developed a postdural puncture headache that persisted for three days. The patient's radiculitis and paresthesia likely resulted from an acute increase in intrathecal pressure after saline administration or from direct catheter irritation. Although both intrathecal saline administration and subarachnoid catheter placement have been previously proposed as ways to prevent postdural puncture headache, their efficacy remains controversial, and we advise caution with these techniques.

Effects of beta-cypermethrin on male rat reproductive system

To study adverse effects and underlying mechanisms of beta-cypermethrin (β-cyp) on male reproductive system, the 15-day intact male adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats assay was used as an in vivo test. Male adult SD rats were treated by oral gavage with 0, 15 and 30mgβ-cyp/kgBW for 15 days. After 15-day treatments, the testes, epididymis and seminal vesicles were excised and weighed, respectively. One testis was used for testicular sperm head counts, and the other was for immunohistochemistry test to characterize the expression of androgen receptors (ARs). There were substantial decreases of both sperm head counts and daily sperm production after β-cyp exposure. The expression of AR decreased significantly in rats treated with 15 and 30mgβ-cyp/kgBW, and the gray scale pixel values in the three groups (0, 15 and 30mgβ-cyp/kgBW) were 113.79±13.58, 96.09±5.95 and 77.27±5.44, respectively. These findings suggested β-cyp has significant adverse effects on the reproductive system. Reducing the expression of AR is a potential mechanism of decreased sperm production caused by β-cyp.

Biodegradation of organic compounds from coking wastewater with UASB reactor

The UASB reactor was applied for biodegradation of organic compounds in coking wastewater. The influent pH ranged between 6.8 and 7.2, and stirring speed and temperature were controlled at 2 r/min and 30±1°C, respectively. The reactor was successfully started up in 133 days. When the influent COD was 2,600 mg/L (VLR was 2.6 kg/m(3) d), the removal rate of COD was about 54% and the effluent VFA was below 400 mg/L. GC/MS analysis indicated that the coking wastewater mainly contained aniline, phenol, o-phenol, p-cresol, benzoic acid, indole, quinoline etc. Twenty four kinds of organic compounds were detected in the influent, and 20 kinds of organic compounds were completely removed in the UASB reactor. The biodegradation of organic compounds followed Grau second-order kinetics. It was proved to be an effective and feasible method for coking wastewater anaerobic treatment.

Selective elimination of alloreactivity from immunotherapeutic T cells by photodynamic cell purging and memory T-cell sorting

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT), especially in the mismatched setting, carries a high risk of life-threatening GvHD because of activation of donor T cells by Ag present on host cells. Removal of mature donor T cells can prevent GvHD but leads to delayed immune reconstitution, and an increased incidence of opportunistic infections and disease relapse. These findings demonstrate the vital role of donor T cells in providing graft-versus-tumor (GvT) and anti-pathogen effects as well as facilitating immune reconstitution. It has been well documented that GvHD can be separated from GvT effects, making it possible potentially to eliminate GvHD while preserving the immunotherapeutic benefits of donor T cells. Over the past decade, major attempts have been made to reduce GvHD incidence without loss of GvT effect, especially in the haplo-identical setting. Novel techniques to deplete host-reactive donor T cells selectively have been explored. This review focuses on the use of the photodynamic cell purging (PDP) process and of sorting memory T cells for the selective elimination of alloreactivity. Minimizing the threat of GvHD while maximizing the beneficial GvT effect would broaden the scope and effectiveness of alloSCT.

A survey of microbial contamination of food contact surfaces at broiler slaughter plants in Taiwan

Microbial contamination levels at broiler slaughter plants were investigated at three major slaughter plants in Taiwan during the summer and winter. The microbial contamination levels in chicken carcasses and on food contact surfaces were examined using the swab method. The results indicated that the bacterial counts were affected by the slaughter processing plant, processes, and season (P < 0.05). The bacterial counts on food contact surfaces of the equipment before operation were not significantly lower than those after processing. Regardless of the bacterial type, bacterial counts of chicken carcasses generally decreased from the scalding step to the washing step before evisceration and then increased. The cleaning procedures for food contact surfaces should be evaluated, and special attention should be given to utensils used during processing, such as gloves, baskets, and hand tools.

[Screening of bioactive peptide that mimic the epitope of gastric cancer associated antigen]

AIM

To screen bioactive peptides that mimic the epitope of gastric cancer associated antigen.

METHODS

Anti-gastric cancer monoclonal antibody (mAb) MG7 was purified by ion chromatography, and then coated on ELISA plate. By using the mAb as selective molecular, a 12-meres phage displaying peptide library was biopanned, and the positive clones were selected.

RESULTS

12 positive phage clones were selected.

CONCLUSION

A candidate mimic epitope of gastric cancer associated antigen was identified, which provided the foundation for developing tumor peptide vaccine.

Expression of cDNA fragment encoding MGr1-Ag1 detected by MDR related antibody MGr1 in gastric cancer

AIM: To analyze the distribution and significance of the possible cDNA fragments encoding MGr1-Ag1 in human gastric cancer.

METHODS: We investigated MGr1-Ag1 expression in gastric cancer using in situ hybridization(ISH) techniques in 42 cases of gastric carcinomas in cryostatic sections collected from Xijing Hospital.

RESULTS: MGr1-Ag1 mRNA was positive in cytoplasm of gastric glandulous epithelia with intensive staining in 50.00% (21/42) cases with gastric cancer, and 71.42% (30/42) cases in paracancerous gastric tissues. Eleven of 16 (68.75%) cases were well differentiated, 8/14 (57.14%) cases were moderately differentiated and 1/10 (10.00%) cases were poorly differentiated. The positive rate of MGr1-Ag1 mRNA in gastric cancer was significantly different from that in paracancerous gastric tissues (71.42%). There was no significant difference in positive rate of MGr1-Ag1 mRNA among normal, paracancerous gastric tissues, well and moderately differentiated tissues, but the positive rate in the poorly differentiated tissues was low, being significantly different from that in well or moderately differentiated tissues.

CONCLUSION: MGr1-Ag1 mRNA is mainly localized in epithelial cells, and the level of its expression is correlated with the tumor differentiation.

T-Cell recovery in adults and children following umbilical cord blood transplantation

T-cell reconstitution following allogeneic stem cell transplantation may involve thymic education of donor-derived precursors or peripheral expansion of mature T cells transferred in the graft. T cell-receptor excision circles (sjTRECs) are generated within the thymus and identify new thymic emigrants and those that have not divided. We measured quantitative and qualitative immunologic reconstitution and sjTREC levels in adult and pediatric recipients of umbilical cord blood transplants (UCBTs). sjTRECs were detected at normal levels in all children, starting 12 months after transplantation. sjTRECs were not detected until 18 months after transplantation in adults, and then only at a 3-fold lower level than expected for age. We used complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) spectratyping to measure changes in T cell-receptor diversity occurring with restoration of thymic function. T-cell repertoires were skewed in adults and children at 12 to 18 months after transplantation but recovered to near-normal diversity at 2 to 3 years post-UCBT. T-cell repertoires appeared more diverse earlier in children (at 1 to 2 years post-UCBT) than in adults (at 3 to 4 years post-UCBT). We conclude that early T-cell recovery after UCBT occurs primarily through peripheral expansion of adoptively transferred donor T cells and results in skewing of the T-cell repertoire. The reappearance of sjTREC-containing cells after UCBT is associated with increasing numbers of phenotypicaly naive T cells, improved mitogen and recall antigen responses, and diversification of the T-cell repertoire. The delay in central T-cell recovery in adults relative to children may be due to differences in thymic function resulting from age-related atrophy, graft-versus-host disease, or the pharmacologic effects of prophylaxis and treatment of graft-versus-host disease.

Identification of tumor associated single-chain Fv by panning and screening antibody phage library using tumor cells

AIM: To study the feasibility of panning and screening phage-displaying recombinant single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) of anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies for fixed whole cells as the carriers of mAb-binding antigens.

METHODS: The recombinant phage displaying libraries for anti-colorectal tumor mAb MC3Ab, MC5Ab and anti-gastric tumor mAb MGD1 was constructed. Panning and screening were carried out by means of modified fixation of colorectal and gastric tumor cells expressed the mAb-binding antigens. Concordance of binding specificity to tumor cells between phage clones and parent antibodies was analyzed. The phage of positive clones was identified with competitive ELISA, and infected by E. coli HB2151 to express soluble ScFv.

RESULTS: The ratio of positive clones to MC3-ScF-MC5-ScFv and MGD1-ScFv were 60%, 24% and 30%. MC3-ScFv had M_r 32000 confirmed by Western blot. The specificity to antigen had no difference between 4 positive recombinant phage antibodies and MC3Ab.

CONCLUSION: The modified process of fixing whole tumor cells is efficient, convenient and feasible to pan and screen the phage-displaying ScFv of anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies.

Expression and identification of recombinant soluble single-chain variable fragment of monoclonal antibody MC3

AIM: To generate soluble single chain variable fragments (ScFv) of monoclonal antibody MC3 recognizing colorectal and gastric carcinomas.

METHODS: mRNA was isolated from the hybridoma cell line producing MC3 and the DNAs encoding variable domains of heavy and light chains (VH and VL) of the antibody were amplified separately by RT-PCR and assembled into ScFv DNA with a linker DNA.The ScFv DNA was ligated into the phagemid vector pCANTAB5E and the ligated sample was transformed into E. coli TG1.The transformed cells were infected with M13KO7 helper phage to yield recombinant phages. After two rounds of panning with gastric carcinoma cell line AGS highly expressing MC3-binding antigen, the phage clones displaying ScFv fragments of the antibody were selected by ELISA. 4 phage clones showing strong signal in ELISA were used to infect E. coli HB2151 to express soluble ScFvs. The soluble ScFvs were identified by Dot blot and Western blot, and their antigen-binding activity was assayed by ELISA. The VH and VL DNAs of the ScFv DNA derived from phage clone 19 were sequenced.

RESULTS: The VH, VL and ScFv DNAs were about 340 bp, 320 bp and 750 bp respectively. After two rounds of panning to the recombinant phages, 18 antigen-positive phage clones were selected from 30 preselected phage clones by ELISA. All the soluble ScFvs derived from the 4 out of the 18 antigen-positive phage clones were about M_r32000 and concentrated in periplasmatic space under the given culture condition. The soluble ScFvs could bind the antigen, and they shared the same binding site with MC3. The sequences of the VH and VL DNAs of the MC3 ScFv showed that the variable antibody genes belonged to the IgG1 subgroup, κ-type.

CONCLUSION: The soluble ScFv of MC3 is successfully produced, which not only provides a possible novel targeting vehicle for in vivo and in vitro study on associated cancers, but also offers the anuibody a stable genetic source.

Twenty-one-gauge needles provide more cellular samples than twenty-five-gauge needles in fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid but may not provide increased diagnostic accuracy

The technique of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of the thyroid is important to evaluate malignancy in thyroid nodules. Eighty-five percent of thyroid FNA procedures lead to sufficient cellular material for diagnosis. With more cells aspirated, the chance of sufficiency for diagnosis increases. Large-bore needles lead to more cellular material being aspirated but bloodier specimens that may interfere with cytologic interpretation. Small-bore needles may result in too few cells for diagnosis. We conducted a randomized prospective study contrasting 21-gauge and 25-gauge needles in the evaluation of 50 consecutively enrolled nodules at our institution. In our investigation, 21-gauge needles more frequently provided superior biopsy specimens (50%) than did 25-gauge needles (18%). In the remaining specimens (32%), the 21-gauge and 25-gauge needles provided similar cellular material. The rate of sufficient samples was the same. We conclude that use of 21-gauge needles results in more cellular specimens but may not result in increased diagnostic accuracy.

[Repair and reconstruction of massively damaged wounds]

OBJECTIVE

To report repair and reconstruction of massively damaged wound under unusual condition.

METHODS

One hundred and forty-seven patients with deep tissue defects were admitted from January 1993 to December 2000, among them, 96 cases suffered from electrical injury, 18 cases with hot press injury, 18 cases with deep burns as a result of CO poisoning or epileptic seizure, 6 cases caused by chemical producing necrosis and wound infection, 3 cases with radiation injuries, 2 cases with chemical burn, 2 cases with explosive injury, 2 cases with frostbite. One hundred and seventy five wounds in 147 patients were repaired by transfer of local flap, forearm conversal island skin flap, pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, delto-pectoral skin flap, latissimus dorsi skin flap, gastroecnemius myocutaneous flap, anterior and posterior tibial artery island skin flap, and so on. The wound defect ranged from 1 cm x 1 cm to 20 cm x 28 cm, and the flaps were 1.5 cm x 2.0 cm to 22 cm x 30 cm. The necrotic tendon was replaced with acellular allogenic tendon simultaneously in 7 cases.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-nine flaps were survival with first intention, while necrosis of the tip of flap occurred in 6 cases. The transplantation of acellular allogenic tendon in all cases were survival. The function and configuration in 28 cases were satisfactory after 4 months to 8 years follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Various types of flaps are choosen according to the position, defect range and degree of wound, which is an ideal method to restore the function and to improve patients' living condition.

Triptolide, a novel immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory agent purified from a Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F

Triptolide is a diterpenoid triepoxide purified from a Chinese herb Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook F (TWHF). TWHF has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than two thousand years. However, its potential value was recognized by the western medicine only after investigators observed the effectiveness of TWHF in the treatment of leprosy and rheumatoid arthritis. Triptolide has been identified as the major component responsible for the immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects of TWHF. Triptolide inhibits both Ca(2+)-dependent and Ca(2+)-independent pathways and affects T cell activation through inhibition of interleukin-2 transcription at a site different from the target of cyclosporin A. Triptolide also has inhibitory effects on a variety of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators and on the expression of adhesion molecules by endothelial cells. Triptolide is effective for the treatment of a variety of autoimmune diseases and in prevention of allograft rejection and graft-versus-host disease in both animals and humans. Moreover, triptolide possesses antitumor and male anti-fertility effect. However, the toxicities of triptolide may be associated with renal, cardiac, hematopoietic and reproductive systems. Currently available data suggest that triptolide is a promising immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory agent and should be explored further in autoimmune diseases and transplantation.

Graft-versus-host disease prevention by rapamycin: cellular mechanisms

Understanding the cellular mechanisms that lead to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) may lead to alternative approaches in the prevention or therapy of this disease process. In this manuscript, we investigated the mechanisms of action of the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin for the prevention of GVHD. GVHD-free long-term survival was achieved in BALB/c (H2d, Mls-2a, Mls-3a) recipients of B10.D2/nSnJ (H-2d, Mls-2a, Mls-3a) bone marrow and spleen cells after a 30-day course of high-dose rapamycin (5 mg/kg per day). Low responses to recipient and third-party cells in a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) were observed as well as decreased mature T-cell numbers in the spleen. This low response was not due to defective interleukin (IL)-2 production, because exogenous IL-2 did not improve the responses in the MLR. However, GVHD-free long-term survival was associated with a large number of infiltrating mononuclear cells in the target organs of GVHD. This observation suggested the possibility that these cells were responsible for suppressing the immune response. Regulatory cells, which could suppress both antirecipient and third-party responses in vitro, were demonstrated to be present in the spleens of these GVHD-free long-term survivors. These results suggest that in addition to impaired cellular immune function, the presence of non-specific regulatory cells (ie, suppression) may contribute to maintenance of GVHD-free long-term survival induced by short-course rapamycin.

Effects of aflatoxin and carotenoids on growth performance and immune response in mule ducklings

The purpose of this study was to investigate if carotenoids could alleviate the adverse effects caused by aflatoxin with respect to growth performance and immune response. In two experiments, a total of 320 mule ducklings were assigned to 5 treatments, i.e. control, aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) 200 ppb, AFB(1) +beta-carotene (BC) 200 ppm, AFB(1)+BC 400 ppm, and AFB(1)+astaxanthin (AS) 200 ppm. In experiment 1, the addition of beta-carotene or astaxanthin in the diet containing AFB(1) 200 ppb resulted in a significant decrease in average daily gain as compared with the control. AFB(1) 200 ppb alone and the addition of BC or AS on top of AFB(1) resulted in a significantly lower daily feed intake than for the control group. There were no significant differences in relative organ weights among treatment groups. Both treatments of BC 400 ppm and AS 200 ppm had significantly more macrophages harvested per duck than the control and AFB(1) 200 ppb treatments. However, there were no significant differences among treatments in percentages of phagocytotic macrophages and number of Candida albican phagocytized by phagocytotic macrophages. In experiment 2, blood biochemical parameters and antibody titers were evaluated. There were no significant differences among treatments in total bilirubin content and alkaline phosphatase activity in the serum or in antibody titers against fowl cholera. However, AFB(1) treatment had the highest activities of AST and ALT in the serum. The addition of BC 400 ppm on top of AFB(1) significantly reduced ALT activity as compared with the AFB(1) 200 ppb treatment. These results suggest that carotenoids could provide a slightly toxic alleviating effect on growth performance, enhance the chemotaxis ability of macrophages, and reduce ALT activity elevated by AFB(1).

Prevention of graft-versus-host disease by a novel immunosuppressant, PG490-88, through inhibition of alloreactive T cell expansion

BACKGROUND

PG490-88 is a water soluble, semisynthetic derivative of a novel compound PG490 (triptolide) purified from the Chinese herb Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook F.

METHODS

PG490-88 was administrated into recipient mice in a model (B10.D2-->BALB/c) of lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) to study the effects of PG490-88 on GVHD and on the various steps involved in the pathological course of GVHD.

RESULTS

Injection of PG490-88 i.p. at a dose of 0.535 mg/kg/day for the first 3 weeks after transplantation protected all the recipients from developing GVHD up to 100 days after transplantation. PG490-88 inhibited in vivo both CD4+Vbeta3+ and CD8+Vbeta3+ T cell (alloreactive T cells in this model) expansion in the spleen by 64.09 and 34.02%, respectively, at the time when Vbeta3+ cell expansion was in the logarithmic phase (day 3 after transplantation). Intracellular cytokine staining without further in vitro activation demonstrated 47.42% inhibition of IL-2 production among CD4+ spleen cells in PG490-88-treated mice as compared to GVHD control on day 3 after transplantation. In contrast, CD25 (alpha chain of interleukin-2 receptor) expression did not differ.

CONCLUSIONS

PG490-88 is highly effective in prevention of murine GVHD. The immunosuppressive effect of PG490-88 is mediated by inhibition of alloreactive T cell expansion through interleukin-2 production.

Chromium-induced glucose uptake, superoxide anion production, and phagocytosis in cultured pulmonary alveolar macrophages of weanling pigs

The dose-dependent effects of chromium chloride (CrCl3) and chromium picolinate (CrPic) were evaluated for their glucose uptake, superoxide anion (O2-) production, activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and phagocytosis of incubated pulmonary alveolar macrophages in medium containing no or 5 x 10(-8)M insulin. Glucose uptake was found to increase in cells treated with 20 microg/L CrCl3. Incubation with 20 microg/L of CrPic enhanced glucose uptake and O2- production in an insulin-dependent manner. However, the inclusion of CrPic to 100 microg/L in the medium absent of insulin also increased O2- production. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was not affected by either the addition of Cr or insulin. The phagocytosis of Escherichia coli by macrophages was enhanced significantly (p < 0.05) in medium containing 10-100 microg/L CrCl3 or 20-100 microg/L CrPic in the presence of insulin. These results suggest that the addition of 10-20 microg/L CrCl3 enhances directly the cellular activity of macrophages, whereas the effect of CrPic requires the cooperative action of insulin in enhancing their glucose uptake and phagocytosis.

Managing an animal health emergency in Taipei China: foot and mouth disease

Taipei China had been free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) over 68 years before the disease occurred in March 1997. The first suspected case was recorded on a pig farm in the Hsinchu Prefecture on 14 March 1997. Based on clinical signs, gross histopathological findings, and results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction tests, diagnosis of FMD was confirmed by the Taiwan Animal Health Research Institute on 19 March 1997 and was reconfirmed by the FMD World Reference Laboratory in Pirbright (United Kingdom), on 25 March 1997. By the end of July 1997, 6,147 pig farms (about a quarter of the pig farms in Taipei China), were affected. The disease was well under control within two months by means of stamping-out and blanket vaccination. The Government purchased 21 million doses of inactivated oil-adjuvant FMD vaccine, which allowed for two injections per pig and one injection of other cloven-hoofed animals. Before the vaccine was used, the stamping-out policy was implemented, ensuring that all pigs in the affected farms were destroyed. After blanket vaccination, a partial stamping-out policy was adopted, i.e. only pigs showing clinical signs were destroyed.