Esculentin 1-21: a linear antimicrobial peptide from frog skin with inhibitory effect on bovine mastitis-causing bacteria.

Mastitis, or inflammation of the mammary gland, is the most common and expensive illness of dairy cows throughout the world. Although stress and physical injuries may give rise to inflammation of the udders, infections by bacteria or other microorganisms remain the major cause, and infusion of antibiotics is the main treatment approach. However, the increased emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens and the production of milk contaminated with antibiotics has become a serious threat in the livestock.

Effect of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionophore A23187 on interleukin-2 levels and proliferation of activated T lymphocytes from patients with lepromatous leprosy.

The immunodeficiency present in patients with lepromatous leprosy is characterized by the limited proliferation of T lymphocytes, and is explained in part by the impaired synthesis of interleukin-2 (IL-2). Diacylglycerol (DAG) and calcium produce the activation of PKC, ERK and JNK kinases, implying a normal IL-2 response. Phorbol esters, such as PMA, can substitute for DAG and are mitogenic to human T and B cells activating several cytokine-encoding genes.

Recognition of Mycobacterium leprae antigens with antibodies present in sera from patients with lepromatous leprosy.

A great diversity of antigens from Mycobacterium leprae have been described. One practical approach should be to utilize them as markers to indicate when a household contact is at risk of becoming infected and then moving to an active form of leprosy. For this purpose, sonic extracts of M.