<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlamydia pneumoniae</Emphasis> induces aponecrosis in human aortic smooth muscle cells

Background  

The intracellular bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae is suspected to play a role in formation and progression of atherosclerosis. Many studies investigated cell death initiation versus inhibition by Chlamydia pneumoniae in established cell lines but nothing is known in primary human aortic smooth muscle cells, a cell type among others known to be involved in the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque. Type of cell death was analyzed by various methods in primary aortic smooth muscle cells after infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae to investigate a possible pathogenic link in atherosclerosis.     

Review of acid phosphatase in the diagnosis and prognosis of prostatic cancers

Acid phosphatase is a secretory product frequently utilized as a tumor marker for disseminated, late stage (D2) prostatic cancer. In the 40 years since this association has been recognized, this enzyme has been subjected to extensive biochemical and immunological characterizations. These techniques have also been adapted for rapid and specific determinations of the prostatic isoenzyme levels using a variety of techniques. Since acid phosphatase levels do not become significantly elevated until late stage cancer, newer markers such as prostate-specific antigen have been sought which appear earlier and may be more useful for the screening and monitoring of high risk populations. At this time it is appropriate to review the current and future status of acid phosphatase as a diagnostic aid.     

Ang-I(2-10)对大鼠急性心肌梗死后VEGF和bFGF表达及血管形成的影响

目的　观察血管紧张素Ⅰ (2 10 )对大鼠急性心肌梗死后 ,心肌细胞血管内皮细胞生长因子 (VEGF)和碱性成纤维细胞生长因子 (bFGF)表达和梗死区血管新生的作用。方法　选雄性大白鼠 45只 ,随机分为实验组、对照组和假手术组。实验组和对照组结扎左冠状动脉 45分钟后再灌注制成非透壁性心肌梗死模型。实验组给予血管紧张素Ⅰ (2 10 ) 5 0 pmol/kg·d ,而对照组和假手术组给予等量的蒸馏水 ,第 15天处死。免疫组织化学染色 ,光镜观察和图像分析处理 ,使用SPSS 10统计分析 3组数据。结果　实验组大鼠心肌细胞内bFGF和VEGF均比对照组表达明显增强 ,图像分析结果其灰度值下降 (为 81 2 4± 0 79比 90 2 9± 0 2 6 ;79 31± 0 72比 89 5 2± 0 5 6 ,P <0 0 0 1) ,微血管密度也明显增多(2 8 2 2± 1 0 1比 2 0 33± 0 83,P <0 0 0 1)。结论　血管紧张素Ⅰ (2 10 )可增强急性心肌梗死后心肌细胞表达VEGF和bFGF ,促进缺血区血管新生 ,发挥保护心肌的缺血性损伤作用。     

The effect of estrogen on the incorporation of 3H-thymidine by PHA-stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocytes

The effect of estrogen on the incorporation of tritiated thymidine by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated in 15 adult males. Varying concentrations of diethylstilbestrol diphosphate (DEP-S) were added to peripheral blood lymphocytes with and without PHA to study the effects of estrogen on blastogenesis. Maximum suppression of blastogenesis occurred after the addition of 500 mcg/ml culture of DEP-S. The absence and presence of DEP-S 500 mcg/ml culture resulted in a 52% reduction in lymphocytic reactivity (p.002). It was concluded that this reduction or suppression of lymphocytic blastogenesis in the presence of estrogen suggests that the palliative effects of estrogenic therapy in treating patients with hormone-dependent tumors may be countered by its adverse effect on the host's immunologic responsiveness to malignancy.     

Deficient expression of bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein in immunocompromised hosts: translational potential of replacement therapy

BPI (bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein) is a 55?kDa anti-infective molecule expressed in neutrophil and eosinophil granules and on some epithelial cells. BPI's high affinity for the lipid A region of endotoxin targets its opsonizing, microbicidal and endotoxin-neutralizing activities towards Gram-negative bacteria. Several immunocompromised patient populations demonstrate BPI deficiency, including newborns, those with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (as in cystic fibrosis and HIV infection) and those exposed to radiochemotherapy. BPI may be replenished by administering agents that induce its expression or by administration of recombinant BPI congeners, potentially shielding BPI-deficient individuals against Gram-negative bacterial infection, endotoxemia and its toxic sequelae.     

Parasites of fishes in the recently inundated ephemeral Lake Liambezi,Namibia

Lake Liambezi forms the periodic connection between the upper Zambezi, Kwando and Okavango rivers. A full parasitological assessment was conducted on 86 fish, representing 14 species in six families sampled in August 2011. Parasite diversity was low and dominated by species with complex life cycles involving intermediate hosts. Most prevalent were larval nematodes (Contracaecum sp.) infecting 12 and Trypanasoma sp. infecting nine of the 14 host species. The intra-erythrocytic parasite Babesiosoma mariae was found in the blood of Coptodon rendalli and Oreochromis andersonii with prevalence of 50% and 60%, respectively. The host-specific monogenean Annulotrema hepseti was recorded only from H. cuvieri with a prevalence of 100%. Notable absences were the copepod and branchiuran parasites that have direct lifecycles and usually occur in high prevalence and abundance in the region. Because parasites with direct life cycles can only be transported into the lake on the host fish, their absence suggests limited immigration of infected fishes into the lake. This suggests that internal recruitment dominates over immigration in the fish population dynamics in Lake Liambezi.     

C-myc反义RNA抑制血管平滑肌细胞增生的实验研究

观察血管内膜损伤后C－myc反义RNA在抑制血管平滑肌细胞的增生、迁移及防止动脉粥样硬化形成和血管再狭窄中的作用。选雄性日本大白兔36只,经球囊造成腹主动脉内膜损伤的同时,局部给予C－myc反义RNA、正义RNA及盐水,高胆固醇喂养12周处死,测量内膜厚度,计数增生细胞核抗原PCNA阳生细胞数。结果显示：盐水及正义对照组内膜明显增厚（317μm）,PCNA核阳性细胞数明显增多（63％）,可见明显的粥样斑块灶形成,而反义RNA治疗组内膜增厚仅为217μm,PCNA阳性细胞为30.5%,明显低于对照组,P＜0.01。结果表明：C－myc反义RNA具有显抑制VSMC增生,减轻粥样斑块形成的作用。