Metallic Orthodontic Materials Induce Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis of Metallothioneins.

Background: Due to the long-term contact with metallic elements of orthodontic appliances, the potential influence of released metal ions on living organisms and the type of induced changes was investigated.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four young domestic pigs classified in two groups (experimental and control) were chosen as the object of this study. In the experimental group of animals, two metal plates consisting of orthodontic bands representing the mass of orthodontic appliance were mounted on the internal side of the cheek for six months.

[The role of adipose tissue in the pathogenesis and clinical manifestation of Graves' orbitopathy].

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is a inflammatory disease of connective tissue with autoimmune background considered as extrathyroidal component of the Graves' disease. Despite a progress in understanding of some elements of the pathogenesis it still remains one of the most complex topics of clinical endocrinology. Clinical symptoms of the orbitopathy derive from the discrepancy between limited space of the orbit and expansion of pathologically affected orbital tissues.

The soluble CTLA-4 receptor: a new marker in autoimmune diseases.

A soluble form of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (sCTLA-4) was recently found and shown to possess B7 binding activity. sCTLA-4 is generated by alternatively spliced mRNA. The mRNA encoding sCTLA-4 consists of 3 exons: exon 1 encodes a leader peptide, exon 2 the ligand binding domain, and exon 4 the cytoplasmic tail, but it lacks the transmembrane domain encoded by exon 3.

BMP-4 and BMP-6 involvement in the osteogenic properties of the HeLa cell line.

The heterotopically induced ossicles are used in our research on bone tissue. The ossicles are formed in the thigh muscle of BALB/c mice under the influence of injected suspension of 3 x 10(6) HeLa cells. We postulate that the mechanism of bone induction is based on the secretion of bone morphogenetic proteins BMP-4 and BMP-6 by the grafted HeLa cells.