Influences of nasal lavage collection-, processing- and storage methods on inflammatory markers--evaluation of a method for non-invasive sampling of epithelial lining fluid in cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases.

Background: Non-invasive sampling of airway epithelial-lining-fluid by nasal lavage (NL) is an emerging method to monitor allergy, infection and inflammation in patients with respiratory diseases. However, the influences of collection-, processing- and storage-methods have not been sufficiently evaluated and standardized.

Methods: Influences of repeated NL, centrifugation setups, repeated freezing and thawing, and protease inhibitors on mediator concentration were evaluated in healthy controls and CF patients, which serve as a model for chronic bacterial infection and inflammation.

BCR-ABL- and Ras-independent activation of Raf as a novel mechanism of Imatinib resistance in CML.

Although the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor Imatinib has undoubtedly revolutionized the therapy of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), acquired drug resistance remains a common problem in CML therapy. Resistance often arises from second-line mutations in BCR-ABL or overexpression of the BCR-ABL protein but in ~20% of CML cases resistance mechanisms do not involve altered BCR-ABL function. Imatinib-resistant CML cell lines have been widely used for comparative proteome/genome-wide expression screens in order to decipher resistance mechanisms but a clearcut molecular mechanism or molecular player in BCR-ABL-independent resistance to Imatinib has not yet evolved from those studies.

Confirmation of the biological significance of transthyretin as a biomarker for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma by its protein interaction partners.

We previously identified transthyretin (TTR) and its posttranslational modifications as a down-regulated marker in mycosis fungoides (MF), a benign subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). In order to more precisely understand the biological role of TTR in the etiology of MF, it is essential to clarify the pathways of progression by identifying further interacting proteins. This study is the first to combine blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) with surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) to detect new TTR interaction partners and to determine whether these TTR interaction partners can themselves be used as biomarkers.

Identification of a 27 kDa protein in patients with anaphylactic reactions to mango.

Mango fruit has become increasingly popular in recent years. We report on 2 patients who developed anaphylactic reactions after the ingestion of fresh mango. Allergy to mango was confirmed by a positive skin prick test result and positive cellular allergen stimulation test results.