Cytokine gene polymorphisms and atopic disease in two European cohorts. (ECRHS-Basel and SAPALDIA)

Background

Avoidance of allergens is still recommended as the first and best way to prevent allergic illnesses and their comorbid diseases. Despite a variety of attempts there has been very limited success in the area of environmental control of allergic disease. Our objective was to identify a non-invasive, non-pharmacological method to reduce indoor allergen loads in atopic persons' homes and public environments. We employed a novel in vivo approach to examine the possibility of using aluminum sulfate to control environmental allergens.

Methods

Fifty skin test reactive patients were simultaneously skin tested with conventional test materials and the actions of the protein/glycoprotein modifier, aluminum sulfate. Common allergens, dog, cat, dust mite, Alternaria, and cockroach were used in the study.

Results

Skin test reactivity was significantly reduced by the modifier aluminum sulfate. Our studies demonstrate that the effects of histamine were not affected by the presence of aluminum sulfate. In fact, skin test reactivity was reduced independent of whether aluminum sulfate was present in the allergen test material or removed prior to testing, indicating that the allergens had in some way been inactivated.

Conclusion

Aluminum sulfate was found to reduce the in vivo allergic reaction cascade induced by skin testing with common allergens. The exact mechanism is not clear but appears to involve the alteration of IgE-binding epitopes on the allergen. Our results indicate that it may be possible to diminish the allergenicity of an environment by application of the active agent aluminum sulfate, thus producing environmental control without complete removal of the allergen.     

肌肉注射可调控胰岛素基因对糖尿病小鼠降糖作用

为研究四环素调控的胰岛素表达载体肌肉直接注射后对实验性糖尿病小鼠的降糖作用,构建了质粒prTA-tet4-rhINS.以链脲佐菌素(STZ)诱导Balb/C小鼠成糖尿病模型,300 μg质粒注射至小鼠的股部肌肉,并同时在饮水中加入不同浓度强力霉素（Dox）,监测小鼠末梢血糖、体重,测定血清人胰岛素、C肽水平.用RT-PCR检测小鼠肌肉注射部位组织中人胰岛素原mRNA水平的表达情况.结果表明：质粒prTA-tet4-rhINS注射后,给予Dox可显著降低糖尿病小鼠的血糖,血清人胰岛素、C肽水平相应升高,体重增加.效果持续大约二周.小鼠肌肉组织中有人胰岛素原mRNA表达.降糖效果和基因表达程度随Dox浓度增加而增强.质粒prTA-tet4-rhINS对STZ诱导的糖尿病小鼠高血糖起到明显的降低作用.在糖尿病小鼠肌肉组织能很好地表达,并受Dox调控.     

Floral biology and pollinators of three co-occurring Cistus species (Gistaceae)

BOSCH, J., 1992. Floral biology and pollinators of three co-occurring Cistus species (Cistaceae). The pollination of three species of Cistus, Cistus albidus L., Cistus salvifolius L. and Cistus monspeliensis L. is studied. Insect visitors were censused and some were captured to analyse pollen distribution on their bodies. Floral phenology, breeding systems, some aspects of floral biology (pollen and nectar production, pollen-ovule ratios) and floral morphology were also studied for each species. Flowers of C. albidus produce more pollen and nectar than the other two species studied, and attract more insects, especially those with higher nutritional requirements. All three species are highly self-incompatible, but C. salvifolius and C. monspeliensis show some features that hinder xenogamy, and they have lower pollen-ovule ratios than C. albidus. As a result, this latter species apparently receives higher levels of cross-pollination, but at the cost of a higher investment to attract and reward reliable pollinators.