The effect of NeOpuntia on blood lipid parameters--risk factors for the metabolic syndrome (syndrome X).

Metabolic syndrome (syndrome X) causes millions of cardiovascular complications and premature deaths every year. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of NeOpuntia, patented, dehydrated, Opuntia ficus-indica leaves, on blood lipid parameters and metabolic syndrome. Opuntia ficus-indica leaves are traditionally consumed as a vegetable.

Rubella virus infection dysregulates the pattern of p63 expression.

The effect of rubella virus (RV) on the expression of the p63 isoforms was investigated in Vero cells. The levels of all the TAp63 isoforms were elevated, while the expression of a approximately 73 kDa isoform corresponding to DeltaNp63alpha was downregulated in Vero cells infected with the To-336 strain of RV. A approximately 66 kDa isoform corresponding to TAp63beta was the predominant protein species in RV-infected cells.

Different staphylococcal strains elicit different levels of production of T-helper 1-inducing cytokines.

Cytokine production has been implicated in the pathogenic mechanisms of infections caused by the staphylococci, since these bacteria may act as strong cytokine inducers. To gain deeper insight into the Th1 immune response activated by these bacteria, we have analyzed the interferon (IFN), interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-18-inducing activities of different Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), S.

Impact of early cytomegalovirus infection and disease on long-term recipient and kidney graft survival.

Background: The impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease on long-term outcome after kidney transplantation is still unsettled.

Methods: Between 1994 and 1997, 397 consecutive first kidney graft recipients and 74 retransplants were included in the study and followed prospectively until December 31, 2001. CMV infection (CMV pp65 antigenemia) and CMV disease were recorded once weekly during the first 100 days after transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus infection induces production of human interleukin-10 in macrophages.

Earlier findings have suggested that the balance between interleukin-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels in serum may influence the outcome of cytomegalovirus infection in renal transplant recipients. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether human cytomegalovirus induces interleukin-10 production in macrophages. Experiments using human cytomegalovirus (strain 2006), ultraviolet-inactivated cytomegalovirus, and mock-infected differentiated THP-1 cells with or without ganciclovir or monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha antibodies were performed.

Pre-emptive therapy of CMVpp65 antigen positive renal transplant recipients with oral ganciclovir: a randomized, comparative study.

Background: About one-quarter of renal transplant patients will suffer from symptomatic cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease if no preventive therapeutic measures are taken. In this prospective, randomized single-centre study pre-emptive therapy with oral ganciclovir is compared with conventional deferred treatment.

Methods: Renal transplant recipients (n= 455) over 18 years of age were screened weekly for CMV pp65 antigenaemia during the first 12 weeks post-transplantation.

Effect of immune modulation on TT virus (TTV) and TTV-like-mini-virus (TLMV) viremia.

The present study was designed to investigate how two chronically replicating viruses, TT virus (TTV) and TTV-like mini virus (TLMV), interact with host defence systems. Successive serum samples from three groups of subjects, undergoing modifications of their antiviral defence, were tested by real-time PCR to measure changes in viral titers, and by sequence analyses to indicate whether increases in viremia could be attributed to infection with an unfamiliar strain: 1) in patients receiving immunosuppressants subsequent to kidney transplantation, viral titers tended to increase; 2) in soldiers undergoing extreme training known to cause immunosuppression, insignificant increases in titers were observed; and 3) interferon treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus caused a temporary decrease in TTV and TLMV titers. Increases in viremia were associated only occasionally with the appearance of novel strains.

The impact of cytomegalovirus infection and disease on rejection episodes in renal allograft recipients.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease are potential risk factors for acute allograft rejection in renal transplant recipients. The present study specifically addresses this issue. From October 1994 to July 1997, 477 consecutive renal allograft recipients (397 first transplants and 80 retransplants) were included in the study.

Induction of cytokine production by different Staphylococcal strains.

In light of the important role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections, we analyzed the cytokine production induced by different Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), S. epidermidis and S.

Cytomegalovirus DNA concentration in plasma predicts development of cytomegalovirus disease in kidney transplant recipients.

The clinical significance of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA detection in post-kidney transplantation infection surveillance was examined by comparing the performance of three assays for detection of CMV in blood: the test for CMV-pp65-antigen in leukocytes, which is routinely employed in our laboratory, the quantitative plasma CMV-DNA-polymerase chain reaction (PCR; Cobas Amplicor CMV Monitor test) and the qualitative plasma CMV-DNA-PCR (Amplicor CMV test). Thirteen kidney transplant recipients were monitored with serial samples taken over a period of 3 months following transplantation. The quantitative CMV-PCR was the test with highest sensitivity, 95.

Has cytomegalovirus infection any role in the development of atherosclerosis?

An interesting aspect of infection with several infectious agents is the possible association with some diseases apparently not associated with infections. One of the most exciting examples of this is the association of cardiovascular diseases with infection involving several different infectious agents. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the chief candidates that have been studied.

Simian virus 40 large T-antigen, but not small T-antigen, trans-activates the human cytomegalovirus major immediate early promoter.

Cytomegalovirus infection is a major cause of morbidity in immunocompromised patients. The major immediate early promoter/enhancer (MIEP) of the human cytomegalovirus controls the expression of the immediate early genes 1 and 2 which play a central role both in primary and reactivated human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-infections. Our previous studies have shown that co-infection of A549 cells with human cytomegalovirus and human polyomavirus BK resulted in enhanced expression of the immediate early genes 1 and 2 and that the early gene products of BK virus trans-activated the MIEP.

Human cytomegalovirus productively infects porcine endothelial cells in vitro.

Background: The possibility that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may infect porcine endothelial cells (ECs) was investigated. This may be relevant during xenotransplantation of porcine cells or organs into human recipients.

Methods: HCMV was inoculated into low-passage porcine ECs.

Prevalence of hepatitis A, B, C, and E antibody in flying airline personnel.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to detect the prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A, B, C, and E viruses in flying airline personnel, and to determine the necessity of hepatitis A vaccination to prevent such infections related to occupational exposure.

Methods: Antibodies against hepatitis A (HAV), B (HBV), C (HVC), and E (HEV) were tested for using standard enzyme immunoassay in airline personnel, 208 flying personnel, 199 ground crew, and 204 employees from companies not involved in travel activities.

Results: Prevalence of antibodies against HAV was less than 5% in each group, and there was no significant difference between the three groups.

Detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pp67-mRNA and pp65 antigenemia in relation to development of clinical HCMV disease in renal transplant recipients.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the recently introduced method based on detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pp67 mRNA in blood by the nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NucliSens), in comparison to semiquantitative detection of pp65 HCMV antigen in white blood cells, in relation to development of clinical HCMV disease.

Methods: Thirty patients, recipients of renal transplants, were monitored prospectively for the presence of pp67 mRNA, the presence and level of pp65 antigenemia, IgG and IgM antibodies, and the development of clinical HCMV disease. A total of 148 samples were examined during the observation period.

Human cytomegalovirus induces apoptosis in the hematopoietic cell line MO7e.

Several studies have shown that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) induces growth suppression of hematopoietic progenitors. In vitro studies have demonstrated that the HCMV-induced suppression is independent of viral protein production. Previous studies have indicated a link between HCMV infection and apoptosis in human cells.

A prospective study of the natural course of cytomegalovirus infection and disease in renal allograft recipients.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the single most frequent infectious complication in renal transplant recipients. Because no CMV-prophylaxis is given and ganciclovir is used only as deferred therapy for CMV disease at our center, we have been able to study the natural course of CMV infections. The aim was to assess risk factors for CMV infection and disease and thus identify subgroups of patients likely to benefit from CMV prophylaxis or preemptive therapy.

Pig endogenous retrovirus--a threat to clinical xenotransplantation?

Transplantation shows good results for patients with end-stage disease, but there is an increasing lack of organs. Xenotransplantation, the transfer of live animal cells, tissues, or organs to another species, offers a potential solution to this shortfall. Pig is regarded as the animal of choice for this purpose.

Human intestinal endothelium shows high susceptibility to cytomegalovirus and altered expression of adhesion molecules after infection.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes gastro intestinal disease with ulcerations, apparently as a consequence of cytopathic damage to endothelial cells (EC) and subsequent microvascular obliteration. In this study we showed that cultured human intestinal microvascular endothelial cells (HIMEC) are much more susceptible to HCMV infection than human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). When both cell types were challenged with a clinical isolate of HCMV (10 pfu per cell), 30% of HIMEC expressed HCMV immediate early proteins, but only 10% of HUVEC.

Human cytomegalovirus induced inhibition of hematopoietic cell line growth is initiated by events taking place before translation of viral gene products.

Bone marrow suppression with leukopenia is frequently observed during human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, and in vitro the cell colony formation of bone marrow progenitors is directly inhibited by HCMV. To better understand the mechanisms of HCMV's ability to directly inhibit the cell colony formation of hematopoietic cells, we examined the effect of HCMV infection on four hematopoietic cell lines, ML-3, HL-60, KG-1, and U-937. Similarly to the observed effect on hematopoietic progenitors, HCMV significantly inhibited the cell colony formation of KG-1 and U-937 cells, 40% and 30% respectively.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 inhibits in vitro differentiation and selected functions of human blood-derived monocytes.

We have studied the effect of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) infection on in vitro differentiation of blood-derived human monocytes into macrophages using morphological, functional and biochemical parameters that alter during macrophage differentiation. Purified preparations of HSV modified the monocyte-macrophage differentiation, in spite of the fact that the virus did not replicate in monocytes. Disappearance of expression of a monocyte-specific surface antigen and the typical development of morphological appearance were delayed in HSV- infected cells.