Bacteriophages provide regulatory signals in mitogen-induced murine splenocyte proliferation.

The aim of this investigation was to reveal the regulatory properties of bacteriophage preparations in a model of mitogen-induced splenocyte proliferation in mice. We showed that sepharose 4B-purified preparations of the Staphylococcus aureus phage A20/R exhibited costimulatory activity in splenocyte proliferation induced by suboptimal (0.25 microg/ml) concentrations of ConA.

Effect of phage therapy on the turnover and function of peripheral neutrophils.

The aim of this investigation was to establish the impact of phage therapy on the turnover and function of circulating neutrophils in 37 patients with suppurative bacterial infections. We determined the levels of circulating neutrophils and their precursors before therapy, after 3 weeks of therapy, and at a distant time interval (3 months) following the beginning of therapy. In addition, we measured the ability of neutrophils to phagocytize Staphylococcus aureus in vitro.

Bacteriophage therapy of bacterial infections: an update of our institute's experience.

1307 patients with suppurative bacterial infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria of different species were treated with specific bacteriophages (BP). BP therapy was highly effective; full recovery was noted in 1123 cases (85.9%).

Effective phage therapy is associated with normalization of cytokine production by blood cell cultures.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of phagotherapy on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) serum levels and the ability of blood cells to produce these cytokines in culture. Fifty one patients with long-term, suppurative infections of various tissues and organs were enrolled. The ability of cells to secrete cytokines was tested using whole blood cell cultures, unstimulated or stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E.

[Successful treatment with bacteriophage in purulent cerebrospinal meningitis in a newborn].

The subject of this report is the case of purulent meningitis in new-born caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. As the intensive antibiotic therapy turned out to be ineffective phage therapy was applied. Oral administration of specific phage preparate for the period of 5 weeks resulted in complete sterilization of cerebrospinal fluid and unquestionable improvement of child's health.

[The study on biology of bacteriophages and their usage in the treatment of bacterial diseases and on the influence of different bacteriophages on cytokine production by leukocytes in human peripheral blood].

The authors showed the examinations of the biology bacteriophages and using them in the treatment of the bacteriology infection and influence difference bacteriophages in producing cytokinins by leukocytes of human peripheral blood.

Effect of outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Shigella on interleukin 2 (IL-2) production by spleen cells of mice.

The kinetics of interleukin (IL-2) release from mouse spleen cells incubated with different doses of outer membrane proteins (OMP) from Shigella was investigated. OMP induced very low activity of IL-2 after 2 and 4 h, and only a slightly higher level of the cytokine was detected after 6 h. However, IL-2 activity increased markedly after 20 and 24 h of incubation, and doses of 5 and 10 micrograms of OMP were found to be the most effective.

Induction of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 by outer membrane proteins of Shigella in spleen cells and macrophages of mice.

The ability of outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Shigella flexneri to induce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) production by spleen cells and macrophages of mice was investigated. Treatment of spleen cells with OMP resulted in the release of only traces of TNF activity. In contrast, macrophages treated with OMP produced moderate levels of TNF.

[Studies of humoral immunity induced by proteins of the cell wall of Hafnia alvei].

It was found that cell wall proteins (CWP) of Hafnia alvei applied intraperitoneally to mice are inducing, beside previously detected cellular immunity, also humoral immunity. Applying ELISA immunoenzymatic test in which a conjugate enabling demonstration of IgG antibodies was applied, it was found that CWP of Hafnia alvei induce appearance of specific antibodies in a high titer, but their presence in mouse serum is short and independent from applied doses of CWP. Humoral immunity induced by CWP can be transferred passively to nonimmunized animals by application of high level immune serum, which protected fully the animals against infection with homological strains of Hafnia alvei even in dilution 1:100.

Humoral response in mice immunized with outer membrane proteins of Hafnia alvei. Protective activity of anti-OMP-antibodies.

Intraperitoneal immunization of mice with outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Hafnia alvei induced in the animals a synthesis of specific antibodies. The antibody levels, determined by ELISA test, were found to be relatively low in the sera of mice immunized with a single dose (5 micrograms) of OMP and after a second immunization. However, they were higher in mice immunized with three doses of OMP.

Fraction of spleen cells responsible for suppression of cellular immune response to SRBC in mice treated with outer membrane proteins of Shigella.

Effect of splenocytes isolated from mice immunized with suppressive dose of OMP from Shigella on delayed hypersensitivity, induced in mice with sheep red blood cells was investigated. Only the population of T lymphocytes was found to suppress the delayed hypersensitivity, as measured by the footpad reaction. The results suggest that OMP of Shigella are able to induce in the spleens of animals active T cells which are responsible for the suppression of cellular response induced by SRBC.

Effect of outer membrane proteins from Shigella on humoral immunity induced in mice by SRBC.

Shigella flexneri outer membrane proteins (OMP) which had been earlier found to exert immunomodulatory effect on cell mediated immune response were also found to act as immunomodulator of the humoral immune response. Effects of OMP were investigated in the experiments in vitro and in vivo, where the level of humoral immune response, measured as the number of plaque-forming cells (PFC) to SRBC in the spleen was evaluated. We demonstrate that small doses of OMP (1-5 micrograms) stimulate, whereas higher doses (10-50 micrograms) suppress the humoral immunity.

Some biological properties of outer membrane proteins of Hafnia.

Outer membrane proteins (OMP) isolated from four antigenically different strains of Hafnia alvei were tested for the toxicity, pyrogenicity, ability to induce Shwartzman reaction as well as for their influence on the leukocyte system. LD50 doses for the studied preparations determined on inbred mice were 18, 20, 28 and 34 mg/kg. These differences in the toxicity of the preparations were reflected in manifestation of Shwartzman reaction; more toxic preparations induced strongest necrohemorrhagic changes at the site of injection.

Studies on immunity in mice immunized with outer membrane proteins of Hafnia.

Nonspecific protection induced in mice after administration outer membrane proteins of Hafnia alvei against infection with homologous and heterologous bacteria was transferred into other mice with lymphocytes isolated from spleens of mice immunized with outer membrane proteins. It was also found that mice sensitized with outer membrane proteins derived from H. alvei or with living bacteria induced in animals delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) in homologous and heterologous systems.

Immunogenic and protective properties of outer membrane proteins of Hafnia alvei.

Outer membrane proteins (OMP) extracted from antigenically distinct or related strains of Hafnia alvei containing defined composition of major proteins proved to be immunogenic. Intraperitoneal immunization of mice with a single dose of such preparations protected the animals against homologous and heterologous Hafnia strains. The OMP preparations were also found to induce protection with varying intensity against Escherichia, Proteus, Shigella and Salmonella.

Studies on nonspecific protection induced with OMP of Shigella flexneri and other genera of Enterobacteriaceae.

Outer membrane proteins (OMP) isolated from Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Salmonella typhimurium were tested for their protective activity. Each OMP preparate given to mice intraperitoneally in a single injection (5 micrograms/per mouse) protected the animals not only in homologous but also in varying intensity in heterologous systems. Evidence was obtained that this nonspecific protection is cell mediated.

Genetic and molecular characterization of pR351 plasmid from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strain.

A pR351 plasmid (Tc Ap Cb) conferring drug resistance of naturally occurring E. coli strain was examined. Conjugation and transduction experiments have indicated that this plasmid is R plasmid aggregate consisting of three independent plasmids: a) conjugative plasmid pR351 A (SuTc) fi- (F) belonging to incompatibility group L, b) conjugative plasmid pR351 B (SuApCb) fi- (F) belonging to incompatibility O, and c) non-conjugative plasmid pR351 C (ApCb).

Hafnia alvei lipopolysaccharides: isolation, sugar composition and SDS-PAGE analysis.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of 33 strains of Hafnia alvei were isolated and purified. LPS content of the dry bacterial mass ranged from 1.2 to 4.

Outer membrane protein composition of Hafnia alvei.

The outer membrane proteins (OMP) obtained from 33 strains of Hafnia of different origin, were analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. About 21 protein bands could be distinguished in OMP of each strain. The major proteins of the outer membrane were of apparent molecular weight 34.

Phagocytic and bactericidal properties of macrophages of mice immunized with outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Shigella.

Macrophages obtained from peritoneal exudates of mice immunized with the single doses (1 and 5 micrograms) of OMP were shown to have stronger phagocytic as well as bactericidal properties in relation to Shigella flexneri bacilli than nonactivated macrophages. Macrophages from the animals immunized with 10, 20 and 30 micrograms OMP doses showed phagocytic and bactericidal properties similar to those of nonactivated macrophages while the immunization with the dose 50 micrograms resulted in their suppression. Likewise, activity of macrophages from mice immunized twice or three times with various doses of OMP did not differ much from that obtained after immunization with single OMP doses.

Some biological properties of outer membrane proteins of Shigella.

Outer membrane proteins (OMP) derived from two antigenically different representatives of Shigella (Sh. flexneri 3a and Sh. sonnei phase I) were tested for the toxicity, pyrogenicity, ability to induce Shwartzman reaction as well as for their influence on the leukocyte system.

Effect of outer membrane proteins of Shigella on delayed hypersensitivity in mice to sheep red blood cells.

Small doses of outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Shigella flexneri injected intraperitoneally into mice 1 to 3 days before or 3 days after sensitization of animals with sheep erythrocytes were found to increase delayed hypersensitivity as measured by the footpad reaction. In contrast, administration of higher doses of OMP resulted in suppression of hypersensitivity response. Cell transfer experiments showed that the spleen cells from sensitized and OMP treated mice transferred stimulating and suppressing activity to normal recipients.

Effect of slime extract from Pseudomonas aeruginosa on cell mediated immunity induced in mice by Salmonella typhimurium.

Immunity of mice intraperitoneally treated with slime extract and 24 h later intravenously immunized with live Salmonella typhimurium cells, was studied. The induced immunity was evaluated by determining the number of bacteria in the spleens and mortality of the animals. Slime extract in the dose of 200 micrograms/mice was found to suppress the immunity which manifested itself by enhanced proliferation of bacterial in the spleens and increased mortality as compared to control animals.