Characterization of dendritic cells generated in vivo by an E. coli derived chimeric dual receptor agonist.

Background: Progenipoietin-4 (ProGP-4) is an E. coli derived chimeric growth factor that activates the human Flt3 and G-CSF receptors. ProGP-4 possesses cross-species activity and treatment of mice with ProGP-4 results in increases in the number of WBC and Class II+/CD11c+ cells in both spleen and peripheral blood.

Selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 reverses inflammation and expression of COX-2 and interleukin 6 in rat adjuvant arthritis.

Prostaglandins formed by the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes are important mediators of inflammation in arthritis. The contribution of the inducible COX-2 enzyme to inflammation in rat adjuvant arthritis was evaluated by characterization of COX-2 expression in normal and arthritic paws and by pharmacological inhibition of COX-2 activity. The injection of adjuvant induced a marked edema of the hind footpads with coincident local production of PGE2.

The effect of continuous corticosterone administration on lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of the Fischer 344 rat as determined by two color flow cytometric analyses.

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of continuous corticosterone administration on lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of Fischer 344 rats. Pellets which released corticosterone over a 21 day period (0.07 mg/day, 0.

The effect of Lasso herbicide on human immune function as measured by in vitro assays.

Using in vitro assays, this study was undertaken to determine whether the components of Lasso herbicide formulation had an effect on the human immune system. Mononuclear cells from human peripheral blood were exposed to analytical alachlor, alachlor conjugated to human serum albumin or Lasso formulation over a concentration range from .01 microM-1.

In vitro immunologic studies on a population of workers exposed to phthalic and tetrachlorophthalic anhydride.

In vitro radioallergosorbent tests have not been useful in identification of subjects with symptomatic allergic responses to acid anhydrides. By using phthalic anhydride or tetrachlorophthalic anhydride conjugated to human serum albumin, a study was undertaken to determine whether histamine release from basophils or lymphocyte transformation correlated with clinical symptoms, circulating anhydride specific IgE, and skin test reactivity. The data demonstrate that only histamine release from basophils correlated with symptoms and skin test reactivity.