In vitro stimulation with nontuberculous mycobacteria induced a stronger cytokine response in leukocytes isolated from individuals with latent tuberculosis compared to those isolated from active tuberculosis or cystic fibrosis patients.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and opportunistic environmental non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can cause severe infection. Why latent tuberculosis infection advances to active disease, and why some individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) develop pulmonary infections with NTM is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effector function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from individuals with active or latent tuberculosis, individuals with CF with or without pulmonary NTM-infection and healthy controls, by measuring cytokine response to in vitro stimulation with different species of NTMs.

Antisecretory factor in breastmilk is associated with reduced incidence of sepsis in preterm infants.

Background: Antisecretory Factor (AF) is a protein present in breastmilk that regulates inflammatory processes. We aimed to investigate the level of AF in mothers' own milk (MOM) in relation to sepsis and other neonatal morbidities in preterm infants.

Methods: Samples of breastmilk and infant plasma were collected at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after birth from 38 mothers and their 49 infants born before 30 weeks gestation.

Changes in Antisecretory Factor in Human Milk During the Postpartum and Length of Gestation.

Background: Preterm infants are more susceptible to inflammatory complications than term infants. Human milk contains numerous bioactive components protecting the newborn infant. Antisecretory factor, a protein regulating secretory and inflammatory processes by complex binding with complement factors, is present in human milk.

Bladder/bowel dysfunction in pre-school children following febrile urinary tract infection in infancy.

Background: An association between bladder-bowel dysfunction (BBD) and urinary tract infection (UTI) is well-known. However, a question less explored is whether children with UTI early in life also have increased prevalence of BBD after they are toilet-trained. In this study, consecutively selected children with pyelonephritis during their first year of life were assessed for BBD at pre-school age.

Th17 associated cytokines in sputum samples from patients with cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease leading to chronic bacterial airway infection and inflammation. T helper 17 (Th17) cells are identified by their production of interleukin (IL)-17A, which recruit neutrophils to the site of airway infection. IL-23 is an important inducer of IL-17 and IL-22 production.

Elevated intracranial pressure after head trauma can be suppressed by antisecretory factor-a pilot study.

Background: Control of intracranial pressure (ICP) is a key element in neurointensive care for directing treatment decisions in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The anti-inflammatory protein antisecretory factor (AF) has been demonstrated to reduce experimentally induced high ICP in animal models. This report describes the first steps to investigate the uptake, safety, and influence of AF for reduction of elevated ICP in patients with TBI in a clinical setting.

Increased level of compleasomes in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with herpes simplex encephalitis.

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a common cause of viral encephalitis (HSV-1) characterised by pronounced inflammation and elevated intracranial pressure. We have shown in a rat model that HSV-1 infection causes an interaction between complement factors and proteasomes, leading to formation of proteasome/complement complexes (compleasomes). Exposure of the proteasome regulatory subunit antisecretory factor 1 (AF1) leads to a decrease in intracranial pressure.

Reaction of complement factors and proteasomes in experimental encephalitis.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) encephalitis causes a deleterious inflammation and elevated intracranial pressure. As a step towards examining the origin of the inflammation, we here report the response of circulating proteasomes and complement factors in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in rats infected with HSV-1. Infection was via the nasal route, with 1.

Interaction of Proteasomes and Complement C3, Assay of Antisecretory Factor in Blood.

Antisecretory factor (AF) is a protein complex which inhibits inflammation and regulates fluid transport. In this article, two new immunoassays (ELISA) are developed. The first ELISA establishes a 26S proteasome concentration of 0.

Genotyping of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from lung transplant recipients and aquatic environment-detected in-hospital transmission.

Lung infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is common in lung transplant recipients and may lead to severe complications. Bacteriological surveillance aims to detect transmission of microbes between hospital environment and patients. We sought to determine whether genotyping of P.

Diet-induced antisecretory factor prevents intracranial hypertension in a dosage-dependent manner.

Intake of specially processed cereal (SPC) stimulates endogenous antisecretory factor (AF) activity, and SPC intake has proven to be beneficial for a number of clinical conditions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the dosage relationship between SPC intake and plasma AF activity and to further correlate achieved AF levels to a biological effect. SPC was fed to rats in concentrations of 5, 10 or 15% for 2 weeks.

Specially processed cereals diet increases plasma levels of active antisecretory factor and up-regulates rat hepatic glutathione S-transferase mu.

Objective: Antisecretory factor (AF) inhibits pathologic fluid secretion and inflammation. AF is expressed in most tissues and is secreted into the blood. Challenge with bacterial enterotoxins increases AF activity.

Development of monoclonal antibodies for detection of Antisecretory Factor activity in human plasma.

Antisecretory Factor (AF) is expressed in most tissues and can be demonstrated in plasma and other body fluids. Most of the AF in plasma is in an inactive form and activation of AF occurs after exposure to bacterial toxins or after intake of various dietary components. Patients with chronic diseases involving disturbances in inflammatory and secretory processes may benefit from an AF-inducing diet.

Identification of flotillin-1 as an interacting protein for antisecretory factor.

Antisecretory factor (AF) also named S5a/Rpn10 was originally identified through its capacity to inhibit intestinal hypersecretion and was later shown to be a component in the proteasome complex. AF is also a potent anti-inflammatory agent and can act as a neuromodulator. In this study we used yeast two-hybrid screens, with yeast strain PJ692A transformed with the bait vector pGBKT7 (AF aa 1-105) against yeast strain Y187 pretransformed with human brain or placenta cDNA libraries, to identify AF-binding proteins.

Immunohistochemical staining patterns using epitope-specific antibodies indicate conformation variants of antisecretory factor/S5a in the CNS.

Antisecretory factor (AF/S5a/Rpn10) was originally identified through its ability to counteract pathological secretion. AF is also a potent anti-inflammatory agent, a neuromodulator, and an important component of the proteasome. Human AF has a calculated molecular mass of 41 kDa and a pI of 4.

Food-induced antisecretory factor activity is correlated with small bowel length in patients with intestinal resections.

Specially processed cereals (SPC) can increase antisecretory factor (AF) activity in humans with an intact intestine. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether AF synthesis could be induced in patients who had been subjected to intestinal resections. Eight patients with varying extents of intestinal resections due to Crohn's disease and six healthy controls participated.

Cholera toxin protects against action by Clostridium difficile toxin A. The role of antisecretory factor in intestinal secretion and inflammation in rat.

Unlabelled: The protein antisecretory factor (AF) inhibits intestinal fluid secretion induced by the cholera toxin (CT) and Clostridium difficile toxin A (CDA). The present work investigated whether CT-induced AF protects against the enterotoxin action by CDA. Rats were pretreated perorally with CT or buffer as control, whereafter CDA-induced fluid secretion and cytotoxicity was tested in vivo in ligated intestinal loops; the mucosal level of AF was estimated using the Western blot technique.

Tonsillectomy--clinical consequences twenty years after surgery?

Tonsillectomy (T) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on children. Long-term follow-up studies concerning its consequences are lacking. This study is the first study done on a group of patients that underwent T in their childhood, about 20 years ago.