Dietary supplementation with lactic acid bacteria attenuates the development of atopic-dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice in a strain-dependent manner.

Background: Dietary supplementation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a potential approach to the prevention and manipulation of allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the influence of different bacterial strains and their immunomodulating capacities is still largely unknown.

Methods: AD-like skin lesions were induced by sensitization to and repeated challenges with picrylchloride in the Th2-skewed NC/Nga mouse strain.

Optimization of liver biopsy RNA sampling and use of reference RNA for cDNA microarray analysis.

In this study, we used the rat liver as a model system to optimize the conditions for extracting RNA from liver biopsies for use in cDNA microarrays. We found that a 5-mm biopsy with a 16-gauge needle and storage in RNA later at 4 degrees C were optimal conditions for RNA extraction. The most important factor for the quantity and quality of RNA extraction was the sample diameter.

Expansion of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) reservoir in orally infected rats: inverse correlation with HTLV-1-specific cellular immune response.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) occurs in a small population of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected individuals. Although the critical risk factor for ATL development is not clear, it has been noted that ATL is incidentally associated with mother-to-child infection, elevated proviral loads, and weakness in HTLV-1-specific T-cell immune responses. In the present study, using a rat system, we investigated the relationships among the following conditions: primary HTLV-1 infection, a persistent HTLV-1 load, and host HTLV-1-specific immunity.