Development of a magnetic sensing device for tooth displacement under orthodontic forces

We have developed a system for measuring tooth displacement from orthodontic force. Eight small magnetic sensors and a magnet are combined to measure three-dimensional displacement. Sensors, arranged cubically in the three planes of space, are placed in the mouth and fixed to the posterior teeth by a splint. A magnet is placed in the center of the eight sensors and attached to a front tooth that is subjected to orthodontic force. Sensors detect the magnet's movement as target tooth displacement. The system was designed to achieve displacement resolution of 1 microm. The mean percentage of measurement errors was determined to be less than 1% in a 600-cubic-microm volume from calibration. The system was tested clinically on human teeth. Although the oral environment, with high temperature and humidity, was not agreeable with the sensors, this system was stable and accurate enough for quantitative measurement of tooth displacement. The advantage of this system is the ability to detect tooth trajectories by decomposing displacement into translation and rotation and to determine the position of the center of rotation from these parameters.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase deficiency does not affect the susceptibility of mice to atherosclerosis but increases collagen content in lesions

BACKGROUND

Although endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is antiatherogenic, the role of inducible NOS (iNOS) in the development of atherosclerosis is not established.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We compared the susceptibility of iNOS knockout (iNOS(-/-)) and wild-type (iNOS(+/+)) mice to the development of atherosclerosis induced by feeding an atherogenic diet for 15 weeks. Plasma lipid level, atherosclerotic lesion size, and cellular density in the lesions were all similar in the 2 strains (lesion size: iNOS(+/+) 285+/-73x10(3) microm(2), iNOS(-/-) 293+/-82x10(3) microm(2), n=10). iNOS mRNA was detected in the lesions of iNOS(+/+) but not iNOS(-/-) mice through RT-PCR. Immunohistochemically, iNOS(+/+) mice showed iNOS staining in macrophages and medial smooth muscle cells in the lesions. Nitrotyrosine staining showed a similar distribution, whereas it was absent in iNOS(-/-) mice. There was no apparent difference in the intensity or distribution of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 staining in the lesions of the 2 strains. However, the lesions of iNOS(+/+) mice showed a markedly decreased extracellular collagen content compared with those of iNOS(-/-) mice

CONCLUSIONS

iNOS induction does not affect the development of atherosclerosis in mice fed an atherogenic diet, but the resulting lesions show decreased levels of extracellular collagen and may be more fragile.

Ammonia as an accelerator of tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells in Helicobacter pylori infection

The mechanism by which Helicobacter pylori induces apoptosis remains unclear. In a previous study using biopsy samples, we found a significant correlation between the urease activity of an H. pylori strain and the apoptosis level induced by this strain. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether urease and/or the ammonia generated by urease can induce apoptosis. Human gastric epithelial cell lines were cocultured with H. pylori, and the levels of apoptosis and ammonia production were measured. The medium was supplemented (or not supplemented) with urea and cytokines. While a large amount of ammonia (>30 mM) accumulated in the coculture containing urease-positive H. pylori and urea, no significant degree of apoptosis occurred. In the presence of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), however, a marked acceleration of apoptosis was found in this coculture. Such enhancement of apoptosis was also induced by the addition of 4 to 8 mM ammonia to the cell culture without either H. pylori or urea but containing TNF-alpha. These results suggested that ammonia accelerates cytokine-induced apoptosis in gastric epithelial cells, while ammonia or urease molecules alone are unable to induce a significant degree of apoptosis.

Inter- and/or intra-organ distribution of mitochondrial C3303T or A3243G mutation in mitochondrial cytopathy

Fatal infantile mitochondrial cytopathy associated with a C3303T mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UuR)) gene has been reported clinically, biochemically and genetically. Here we have analyzed the percentage of this mutation in various autopsied tissues, and also in single muscle fibers using a micromanupulator, to evaluate the correlation between the pathology and heteroplasmic condition using polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism. A 5-month-old Japanese girl was admitted to our hospital showing generalized muscle weakness, hepatomegaly, and cardiomegaly with lactic acidosis, and died at 6 months of age. Skeletal muscle showed severe degenerating myopathy found to be full of ragged-red fibers (RRFs), an increased number of lipid droplets, and severe cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deficiency. Microscopically hepatocytes showed massive accumulation in lipid droplets, and the heart muscle showed a network pattern suggesting metabolic cardiomyopathy. The activities of respiratory chain enzyme complex I and complex IV in the skeletal muscle were significantly decreased to 23.4% and 5.0%, respectively, of the control value. The percentage of C3303T mutation in the patient tissues were variable, and ranged from 25% in the pancreas to 99% in the spinal cord. By single fiber analysis, the percentages of C3303T mutation in RRFs with COX negative (group 1; 42.4+/-7.0) and with COX positive (group 2; 58.2+/-5.8) were significantly higher than in non RRFs with normal COX staining (group 3; 10.7+/-6.3) (both P>0.001). Our patient showed a fatal infantile form of encephalopathy, myopathy and cardiomyopathy associated with widely distributed C3303T mutation in all of somatic cells.

Binding of small alcohols to a lipid bilayer membrane: does the partitioning coefficient express the net affinity?

The total vapor pressures at 26 degreesC of binary (water-alcohol) and ternary (water-alcohol-vesicle) systems were measured for six short chain alcohols. The vesicles were unilamellar dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC). The data was used to evaluate the effect of vesicles on the chemical potential of alcohols expressed as the preferential binding parameter of the alcohol-lipid interaction, gamma23. This quantity is a thermodynamic (model-free) measure of the net strength of membrane-alcohol interactions. For the smaller investigated alcohols (methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol) gamma23 was negative. This is indicative of so-called preferential hydration, a condition where the affinity of the membrane for water is higher than the affinity for the alcohol. For the longer alcohols (1-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol) gamma23 was positive and increasing with increasing chain length. This demonstrates preferential binding, i.e. enrichment of alcohol in the membrane and a concomitant depletion of the solute in the aqueous bulk. The measured values of gamma23 were compared to the number of alcohol-membrane contacts specified by partitioning coefficients from the literature. It was found that for the small alcohols the number of alcohol-membrane contacts is much larger than the number of preferentially bound solutes. This discrepancy, which is theoretically expected in cases of very weak binding, becomes less pronounced with increasing alcohol chain length, and when the partitioning coefficient exceeds approximately 3 on the molal scale (10(2) in mole fraction units) it vanishes. Based on this, relationships between structural and thermodynamic interpretations of membrane partitioning are discussed.

MR imaging of the anterior cruciate ligament: value of thin slice direct oblique coronal technique

PURPOSE

The value of the thin slice direct oblique coronal technique, which is parallel to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), was assessed in the evaluation of ACL injury in comparison with conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A thin slice direct oblique coronal technique was developed and applied clinically to 62 patients after conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images had been obtained. MR images of these 62 patients (24 with tears and 38 without tears) with an arthroscopic correlation were evaluated by three radiologists who were unaware of the arthroscopic results. The diagnostic accuracy of these new images was compared with that of oblique sagittal and coronal images by ROC analysis.

RESULTS

Conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images for the diagnosis of ACL tears revealed accuracies of 82%, 84%, and 84%, sensitivities of 92%, 92%, and 96% and specificities of 76%, 79%, and 76% for the three reviewers, respectively. On thin slice direct oblique coronal images, specificities of 97%, 97%, and 97%, sensitivities of 96%, 96%, and 96%, and accuracies of 97%, 97%, and 97% were obtained, respectively. Diagnostic ability was significantly better with direct oblique coronal images (mean area under the ROC curve [Az]=0.99) than with conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images (Az=0.91) (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The addition of thin slice direct oblique coronal images significantly improved specificity and accuracy in the diagnosis of ACL tears.

A microwave exciter for Cs frequency standards based on a sapphire-loaded cavity oscillator

A low noise and highly stable microwave exciter system has been built for Cs atomic frequency standards using a tunable sapphire-loaded cavity oscillator (SLCO), which works at room temperature. This paper discusses the successful implementation of a control system for locking the SLCO to a long-term reference signal and reports an upper limit of the achieved frequency tracking error 6 x 10(-15) at tau = 1 s.

CTP:2,3-di-O-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycero-1-phosphate cytidyltransferase in the methanogenic archaeon Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus

CDP-2,3-di-O-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycerol synthase (CDP-archaeol synthase) activity was discovered in the membrane fraction of the methanoarchaeon Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus cells. It catalyzed the formation of CDP-2,3-di-O-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycerol from CTP and 2,3-di-O-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycero-1-phosphate (unsaturated archaetidic acid). The identity of the reaction product was confirmed by thin layer chromatography, fast atom bombardment-mass spectroscopy, chemical analysis, and by UV spectroscopy. One mole of the product was formed from approximately 1 mol of each of the reactants. The enzyme showed maximal activity at pH 8.5 and 55 degrees C in the presence of Mg(2+) and K(+) ions. By in vivo pulse labeling of phospholipids with (32)P(i), CDP-archaeol was found to be an intracellular intermediate. A cell-free homogenate of M. thermoautotrophicus, when incubated with l-serine, converted the product of CDP-archaeol synthase reaction to a product with the same chromatographic mobility as archaetidylserine. It was concluded from these results that both CDP-archaeol and CDP-archaeol synthase were involved in cellular phospholipid biosynthesis. Among various synthetic substrate analogs, both enantiomers of unsaturated archaetidic acid possessing geranylgeranyl chains showed similar levels of activity, while archaetidic acid with saturated or monounsaturated isoprenoid or straight chains was a poor substrate, despite having the same stereostructure as the fully active substrate. The ester analogs with geranylgeranioyl chains showed significant activities. These results suggest that the enzyme dose not recognize ether or ester bonds between glycerophosphate and hydrocarbon chains nor the stereostructure of the glycerophosphate backbone but mainly targets substrates with geranylgeranyl chains.

Effect of interferon treatment on serum 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase levels in hepatitis C-infected patients

Interferon (IFN) is widely used for patients with hepatitis C. Less than half of treated patients respond to IFN therapy, however, and increased resistance to IFN is particularly observed in genotype 1b patients. Recently, genotype 1b patients with the wild type sequence in the NS5A gene were shown to be resistant to therapy, suggesting that the NS5A protein may be involved to IFN resistance. Thus, we investigated the serum 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2',5'-OAS) levels before and during IFN treatment. In addition, other biochemical markers and NS5A mutations were also examined in 30 HCV genotype 1b-positive patients. Before IFN treatment, 2',5'-OAS activity in sera was significantly lower in wild type patients than in mutant type patients. All patients were subsequently enrolled in IFN therapy, and 2',5'-OAS activity was elevated both in wild and mutant type patients, irrespective of the number of mutations in NS5A. Logistic regression analysis revealed that clearance of serum HCV RNA was independently related to the pretreatment viral load and NS5A mutations, but not to serum 2',5'-OAS activity. We concluded that the NS5A protein, that is associated with the outcome of IFN therapy, affects the kinetics of IFN-induced molecules, such as 2', 5'-OAS. 2',5'-OAS activity does not, however, seem to be related to long-term virological response to IFN therapy.

Straight-chain fatty alcohols in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus

Two straight-chain fatty alcohols (n-hexadecanol and n-octadecanol) were found in the neutral lipid fraction extracted from Pyrococcus furiosus cells. They were identified by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography, mass and infrared spectra, and chemical modification. The fatty alcohols accounted for 54% of the neutral lipid of the cell.

Primary LAMP-2 deficiency causes X-linked vacuolar cardiomyopathy and myopathy (Danon disease)

"Lysosomal glycogen storage disease with normal acid maltase" which was originally described by Danon et al., is characterized clinically by cardiomyopathy, myopathy and variable mental retardation. The pathological hallmark of the disease is intracytoplasmic vacuoles containing autophagic material and glycogen in skeletal and cardiac muscle cells. Sarcolemmal proteins and basal lamina are associated with the vacuolar membranes. Here we report ten unrelated patients, including one of the patients from the original case report, who have primary deficiencies of LAMP-2, a principal lysosomal membrane protein. From these results and the finding that LAMP-2-deficient mice manifest a similar vacuolar cardioskeletal myopathy, we conclude that primary LAMP-2 deficiency is the cause of Danon disease. To our knowledge this is the first example of human cardiopathy-myopathy that is caused by mutations in a lysosomal structural protein rather than an enzymatic protein.

[A case of acupuncture needle dermatitis]

A 65-year-old female visited our clinic with painful red vesicular dermatitis of the forehead and around the left eye. She had received acupuncture for headache and shoulder stiffness 6 days before visiting our clinic. A patch test with nickel sulfate gave positive results. We treated her with the greater occipital nerve block and trigger point injection which relieved her pain. We reached the diagnosis of greater occipital trigeminal syndrome with contact dermatitis from the acupuncture needle.

[A case of femoral nerve palsy with malignant lymphoma]

A 52-year-old woman developed right inguinal mass in January, 1998. Biopsy of the mass revealed malignant lymphoma. Chemotherapies were done from February to May, and radiation therapies were done from November to December. She began to suffer from right femoral nerve palsy at the end of April, 1999. Pelvic MRI demonstrated small mass at right lower abdomen. Right abdominal mass became palpable in October, and we diagnosed as relapse of malignant lymphoma. Chemotherapy slightly relieved the femoral nerve palsy. Although mononeuropathy from malignant lymphoma is rare, we should take it into account in differential diagnosis of mononeuropathy.

Dietary nucleic acids promote a shift in Th1/Th2 balance toward Th1-dominant immunity

BACKGROUND

Dietary sources of nucleic acids and their relative components are known to affect host immune function; however, it has not yet been clarified whether such dietary nucleic acids influence the pathogenesis of allergic reaction.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the effect of dietary nucleic acids on Th1/Th2 balance.

METHODS

Both human flora-associated and specific pathogen-free BALB/c mice were maintained on either nucleic acid-free, or -supplemented diets. The effects of nucleic acids on both in vivo antibody levels and in vitro splenocyte cytokine production were compared using these mice.

RESULTS

Supplementation of nucleic acids caused a reduction in the serum antibody levels of total IgM, IgG, IgG1, and IgE in the human flora-associated mice without affecting the composition of intestinal flora. In contrast, there was no significant difference of the serum IgG2a levels between nucleic acid-free and -supplemented mice. Such a phenomenon as that, the supplementation of dietary nucleic acids reduces the serum IgE or IgG1 levels, but not the IgG2a level, was also seen in the specific pathogen free mice. Moreover, when the mice were systematically challenged with ovalbumin, the supplementation of nucleic acids also suppressed the serum ovalbumin-specific IgE and IgG1 antibody levels as well as in vitro IL-4 and IL-10 secretion, while enhancing both the serum ovalbumin-specific IgG2a antibody levels and in vitro IFN gamma secretion.

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that dietary nucleic acids may play an important role in promoting a shift in Th1/Th2 balance toward Th1-dominant immunity.

A novel synthetic anti-acute pancreatitis agent, IS-741

A novel synthetic drug, IS-741, inhibited cell adhesion in vitro and neutrophil in vivo. Thus, IS-741 inhibited the magnification of pancreatic lesion as well as progression to multiple organ failure in acute pancreatitis models. Furthermore, IS-741 at identical plasma concentrations equally improved the survival rates in animals of various species with severe acute pancreatitis. Based on these observations, it was considered that IS-741 inhibited tissue destruction by neutrophil after inhibiting neutrophil infiltration into the pancreas or other important organs in acute pancreatitis. It was also considered that IS-741 demonstrated various anti-acute pancreatitis effects by interrupting a vicious cycle of inflammation. Therefore, IS-741 is expected to become a useful drug for treating acute pancreatitis and multiple organ failure in clinical settings.

A new method for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of tooth displacement under the application of orthodontic forces using magnetic sensors

The purpose of this study was to develop a new method for the quantitative and qualitative measurement of tooth displacement under load and to clarify the relationship between the force system acting on a tooth and a resultant movement. A combination of eight magnetic sensors and a magnet was employed to measure three-dimensional displacement. Two sets of sensors and a magnet were placed in front and at the back of a front tooth subjected to orthodontic forces. Magnets and sensors were fixed to the subject tooth and posterior teeth, respectively. Sensors detected displacements of two magnets extended from the subject tooth separately in real time. The tooth trajectories projected on the sagittal plane were studied. From displacements of two magnets, angle of tooth rotation, the position of center of rotation and the amount and direction of displacement of an arbitrary point on the tooth could be calculated with high accuracy. Also, the location of center of resistance could be determined. It was found that the center of rotation is moving substantially even with a small difference in the level of force application. Furthermore, a small amount of displacement of the center of resistance was observed with varying the force magnitude.

Heterogeneous presentation in A3243G mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene

AIMS

To clarify the phenotype-genotype relation associated with the A3243G mitochondrial DNA mutation.

METHODS

Five unrelated probands harbouring the A3243G mutation but presenting different clinical phenotype were analysed. Probands include Leigh syndrome (LS(3243)), mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke like episodes (MELAS(3243)), progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO(3243)), and mitochondrial diabetes mellitus (MDM(3243)). Extensive clinical, histological, biochemical, and molecular genetic studies were performed on five families.

RESULTS

All patients showed ragged red fibres (RRF), and focal cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deficiency except for the patient with MDM(3243). The mutation load was highest in the proband with LS(3243) (>90%), who also presented the highest proportion of RRF (68%) and COX negative fibres (10%), and severe complex I plus IV deficiency. These proportions were lower in the probands with PEO(3243) and with MDM(3243).

CONCLUSION

The most severe clinical phenotype, LS(3243), was associated with the highest proportion of the A3243G mutation as well as the most prominent histological and biochemical abnormalities.

Accuracy verification of the photostereometric system KKN/1B developed for intraoperative measurement of knee movement immediately after total knee arthroplasty

The function and integrity of the knee joint following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is determined at first by the design and implantation of the prosthesis, and later by the tension of soft tissues surrounding it. Accurate post-TKA motion data obtained intraoperatively could be used not only to optimize implantation techniques from a kinematic standpoint, but also to improve prosthetic design. We therefore developed a system specifically geared to photostereometric measurement of 6 d.o.f. knee motion. A total of eight LEDs are mounted on the prosthetic components in two sets of four by means of connecting measuring-bows. The positions of the LEDs are detected in three-dimensions by two sets of three linear CCD cameras, located bilaterally relative to the knee. The position and orientation of the femoral component relative to the tibial one are estimated from the positions of all LEDs in the sense of least-squares. Based upon results of various accuracy validation experiments performed after precise camera calibration, static overall accuracy and spatial resolution were considered to lie within 0.52 and 0.11 mm, respectively, at any point on the femoral articular surface.

Plaunotol suppresses interleukin-8 secretion induced by Helicobacter pylori: therapeutic effect of plaunotol on H. pylori infection

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that gastric mucosal injury induced by Helicobacter pylori infection is mediated by interleukin-8 (IL-8).

METHODS

We studied the effect of plaunotol, a drug extracted from the Plau-noi tree of Thailand, and reported it to be effective in the treatment of ulcers, of IL-8 secretion induced by H. pylori and of the inhibitory adhesion activity of the bacterium to gastric epithelial cells. Moreover, the therapeutic effect of plaunotol on H. pylori infection was assessed by using the gnotobiotic murine model.

RESULTS

Plaunotol inhibited the growth of H. pylori (1.5 x 10(4) c.f.u./mL) at high doses (24-48 microg/mL), but not at low doses (3-6 microg/mL). Interleukin-8 secretion induced by H. pylori was inhibited by coculture with plaunotol in a dose-dependent manner. The adhesion of H. pylori to MKN45 cells was also suppressed by coculture with plaunotol in a dose-dependent manner. An in vivo study showed that plaunotol improved histological gastritis and decreased the H. pylori antibody titre.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that plaunotol has a therapeutic effect on gastritis induced by H. pylori.

The effect of Helicobacter pylori on cell proliferation and apoptosis in gastric epithelial cell lines

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori has been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and malignant lymphoma. It is not known whether the bacterium stimulates cell proliferation directly or if apoptosis induced by H. pylori leads to a hyperproliferative response.

AIM

To clarify the precise mechanism of H. pylori action on gastric epithelial cell growth, we compared the response of two cell lines, Kato III (p53 deletion) and MKN 45 (p53 wild type), to the organism. To determine the role of Helicobacter vacuolating cytotoxin in gastric mucosal injury, we examined the relation between vacuolating activity and apoptosis under several conditions.

METHODS

Five cytotoxic and four noncytotoxic strains of H. pylori were used, each with an inoculum of 10(7) cfu/mL. The effect on the growth in MKN 45 and Kato III cells was studied by MTT assay. Vacuolating cytotoxin activity was determined using RK-13 cells.

RESULTS

Neither cytotoxic nor noncytotoxic strains induced apoptosis, but death of MKN 45 cells was induced by pre-treatment with interferon-gamma and culture with TNF-alpha. In contrast, some strains of H. pylori increased proliferation of Kato III cells. Furthermore, cell death induced by cytotoxic strains, but not noncytotoxic strains, was significantly augmented by amoxycillin 5-50 g/mL (P=0.0016). On the other hand, acid-treated supernatant fluids from cultures of H. pylori showed enhanced vacuolating activity but did not induce cell death, suggesting that death is attributable to some factor other than the cytotoxin.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that H. pylori induces apoptosis by a means independent of vacuolating cytotoxin.

Plaunotol suppresses interleukin-8 secretion induced by Helicobacter pylori: therapeutic effect of plaunotol on H. pylori infection

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that gastric mucosal injury induced by Helicobacter pylori infection is mediated by interleukin-8 (IL-8).

METHODS

We studied the effect of plaunotol, a drug extracted from the Plau-noi tree of Thailand, and reported it to be effective in the treatment of ulcers, of IL-8 secretion induced by H. pylori and of the inhibitory adhesion activity of the bacterium to gastric epithelial cells. Moreover, the therapeutic effect of plaunotol on H. pylori infection was assessed by using the gnotobiotic murine model.

RESULTS

Plaunotol inhibited the growth of H. pylori (1.5 x 10(4) c.f.u./mL) at high doses (24-48 microg/mL), but not at low doses (3-6 microg/mL). Interleukin-8 secretion induced by H. pylori was inhibited by coculture with plaunotol in a dose-dependent manner. The adhesion of H. pylori to MKN45 cells was also suppressed by coculture with plaunotol in a dose-dependent manner. An in vivo study showed that plaunotol improved histological gastritis and decreased the H. pylori antibody titre.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that plaunotol has a therapeutic effect on gastritis induced by H. pylori.

The effect of sofalcone on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in a Helicobacter pylori-infected gnotobiotic murine model

BACKGROUND

Sofalcone has been reported to exert anti-ulcer and gastroprotective actions, but its exact mechanism of action remains unknown. In our laboratory, we found that indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers become worse when associated with Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS

We employed the H. pylori-infected gnotobiotic murine model to examine the effect of sofalcone on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in the presence of H. pylori infection. In vitro experiments were also done to evaluate the effects of sofalcone on H. pylori growth, adherence of H. pylori to the MKN45 cells (a human gastric epithelial cell line), and these cells' IL-8 production in the presence of H. pylori.

RESULTS

We found that sofalcone produced a significant improvement in ulcer size as well as a substantial reduction in the number of H. pylori colonies in H. pylori-infected gnotobiotic mice. In vitro sofalcone has a significant bacteriocidal effect against H. pylori and can also significantly prevent adherence of this bacterium to MKN45 cells, thus remarkably reducing IL-8 production of these cells in response to stimulation by H. pylori.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that sofalcone can improve ulcer healing by the mechanisms mentioned above.