Bacteria displaying interleukin-4 mutants stimulate mammalian cells and reflect the biological activities of variant soluble cytokines.

We describe a novel procedure that allows the rapid determination of cytokine activity on cells that express their cognate receptor. The four-helix bundle cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) was inducibly expressed as a fusion with the E. coli outer-membrane protein intimin, such that IL-4 was presented on the surfaces of the bacteria.

Histone-specific Th0 and Th1 clones derived from systemic lupus erythematosus patients induce double-stranded DNA antibody production.

Objective: To investigate whether histone-specific T helper (Th) cells that are able to induce anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies can be isolated from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to characterize the cytokine secretion pattern of such Th clones.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from SLE patients and healthy donors were stimulated with autologous apoptotic cell material or purified histones, expanded with interleukin-2 (IL-2), and cloned by limiting dilution. Histone reactivity of clones was examined by histone-specific proliferation and cytokine release.

Wallstents versus plastic stents in malignant biliary obstruction: effects of stent patency of the first and second stent on patient compliance and survival.

Objectives: In prospective trials in patients with malignant biliary obstruction, it has been reported that Wallstents prolong stent patency, but this does not translate into a significant survival benefit. Compared with prospective trials, however, survival may be different in clinical practice because of differences in patient compliance. We report on a retrospective, long term analysis comparing Wallstents versus plastic stents.

Preferential recognition of specific DNA motifs by anti-double-stranded DNA autoantibodies.

Although antibodies (Ab) specific for double-stranded (ds) DNA are thought to be involved in the etiopathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the fine structure of their DNA targets remains elusive. We have adapted a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-assisted immunoprecipitation method to define the binding sites in DNA sequences recognized by high affinity anti-dsDNA Ab of SLE patients. SLE sera were used to bind templates from a pool of double-stranded oligonucleotides (ON).