Longitudinal biobanks-based study on the joint effects of infections, nutrition and hormones on risk of prostate cancer.

Background To evaluate the individual and combined effects of enterolactone, vitamin D, free testosterone, Chlamydia trachomatis and HPV-18 on the risk of prostate cancer in a large population-based biochemical material that combined three Nordic serum sample banks. Material and methods A joint cohort of 209 000 healthy men was followed using cancer registry linkages. From this cohort altogether 699 incident cases of prostate cancer were identified.

The effect of proatherogenic pathogens on adipose tissue transcriptome and fatty acid distribution in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

Background: Chronic infections have been demonstrated to maintain low-grade systemic inflammation and associate with atherosclerosis. We studied the inflammation- and lipid homeostasis-related effects of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) and Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) infections on the epididymal and inguinal adipose tissue (AT) transcriptomes and fatty acid distribution in apolipoprotein (apo) E-deficient mice. Chow-fed apoE-deficient mice were exposed to 1) chronic intranasal infection with C.

Influenza C virus infection in military recruits--symptoms and clinical manifestation.

Due to the lack of rapid diagnostic tests, clinical features of Influenza C virus infections are poorly characterized. Respiratory infections in military recruits in eastern Finland were monitored between July 2004 and December 2005 in order to study the epidemiology and clinical picture of infections caused by this virus. Blood samples were obtained at entry and at the end of the military service, and during each episode of respiratory infection to measure antibody responses against 10 viral and 2 bacterial pathogens.

Corn mint (Mentha arvensis) extract diminishes acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in vitro and in vivo.

Corn mint ( Mentha arvensis ) provides a good source of natural phenols such as flavone glycosides and caffeic acid derivatives, which may have prophylactic properties against inflammations. This study investigated whether corn mint extract would be beneficial against a universal respiratory tract pathogen, Chlamydia pneumoniae , infection. The extract inhibited the growth of C.

Effects of coadministration of natural polyphenols with doxycycline or calcium modulators on acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in vitro.

Besides small molecules from medicinal chemistry, natural products are still major sources of innovative therapeutic agents for various conditions, including infectious diseases. Here we present the first attempt to design a combination treatment targeted against Chlamydia pneumoniae infection using coadministration of natural phenolics with calcium (Ca(2+)) modulators, and also the concomitant administration of these compounds with doxycycline. An in vitro acute C.

Periodontopathogen- and host-derived immune response in acute coronary syndrome.

Owing to molecular mimicry, periodontal pathogen carriage may result in a systemic cross-reactive immune response with the host. The analyses were performed to investigate if serum antibody levels to human heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) are associated with the antibody levels and salivary carriage of two periodontal pathogens, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis, as well as with the dental status in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ACS patients (n = 141) were monitored at baseline when entering to hospital, and after 1 week, 3 months and 1 year.

Antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in serum and peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis.

The specifics of inflammation created by infection with Chlamydia trachomatis could be favourable to the genesis of endometriosis. To investigate this hypothesis, we studied the association between Chlamydia trachomatis specific IgG and IgA antibodies in serum and the peritoneal fluid of 51 women undergoing laparoscopic surgery. There was no significant difference between women with and without endometriosis with respect to the incidence of IgG and IgA in serum or the peritoneal fluid.

The effect of proatherogenic microbes on macrophage cholesterol homeostasis in apoE-deficient mice.

Background: Pathogens such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) and Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) associate with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases by inducing inflammation. We hypothesized that the pathogens affect the vascular wall by disturbing cholesterol homeostasis and endothelial function.

Methods: Aa- and Cpn-infections were induced in apoE-deficient mice by intravenous and intranasal applications, respectively.

The association of body mass index, waist and hip circumference, and waist-hip ratio with Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG antibodies and high-sensitive C-reactive protein at 31 years of age in Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966.

Background: Viruses and bacteria like Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori have been suggested to have a role in pathogenesis of overweight and obesity.

Objective: We studied whether C. pneumoniae-specific IgG antibodies are associated with elevated body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, and/or waist-hip ratio (WHR), and whether the risk is more pronounced in the simultaneous presence of an ongoing inflammation as measured by elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels.

Interleukin-6-174 G/C promoter polymorphism is associated with persistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in young men.

A promoter polymorphism -174 G/C in the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene has been associated with differences in serum IL-6 levels and a risk for inflammatory conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases. We investigated whether this polymorphism is associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae, a common causative agent of respiratory infection with tendency for persistent infections, in 867 Finnish military recruits. IgG seropositivity in arrival and departure serum samples during 6-12 months of military service was considered as persistence of antibodies and a possible prolonged or chronic infection.

Association of IL-6 and IL-6R gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to respiratory tract infections in young Finnish men.

Interleukin-1 (IL-6) is an important mediator of inflammatory response in the respiratory tract during an infection, and the action of IL-6 is mediated by an IL-6 receptor. Several polymorphisms in the IL-6 and IL-6R genes have been associated with different inflammatory disease states. We studied the association between 2 IL-6 (IL6A and IL6B) and 5 IL-6R gene polymorphisms (IL6R1 to IL6R5) and respiratory infections in 511 Finnish military recruits whose respiratory infectious episodes were followed during 6 months of service.

Elevated MMP-8 and decreased myeloperoxidase concentrations associate significantly with the risk for peripheral atherosclerosis disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Matrix metalloproteinases are responsible for degradation and remodelling of extracellular matrix and exert important roles in initiation and progression of inflammatory diseases. We aimed to examine the role of Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their regulators in degenerative arterial diseases. Serum samples were collected from patients with arterial disease (n = 126), who underwent surgery because of symptomatic aorto-occlusive disease (AOD, n = 18), carotid artery stenosis (n = 67) or abdominal arotic aneurysm (n = 41).

Rapamycin can inhibit the development of Chlamydia pneumoniae, which might partly contribute to the prevention of in-stent restenosis.

Background: Rapamycin, an immunosuppressive and antiproliferative drug, is used to prevent neointima formation to reduce the risk of in-stent restenosis with rapamycin eluting-stents. Chronic infection of Chlamydia pneumoniae has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, and could play an important role in the mechanism of restenosis. We examined the effect of rapamycin on the growth of C.

Quantification of Chlamydia pneumoniae in cultured human macrophages and HL cells: comparison of real-time PCR, immunofluorescence and ELISA methods.

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an intracellular gram-negative bacterium, which replicates only in eukaryotic cells. Quantification of C. pneumoniae in cell culture is needed when studying e.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is associated with elevated body mass index in young men.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is said to be associated with obesity. We studied the association between C. pneumoniae infection and inflammation and increased BMI in 891 Finnish military recruits.

Low mannose-binding lectin levels and MBL2 gene polymorphisms associate with Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies.

Objective: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) has been shown to inhibit infection of host cells by Chlamydia pneumoniae in vitro. We studied if MBL levels and MBL2 polymorphisms associate with the presence of C. pneumoniae antibodies in vivo.

Chlamydia antibodies and self-reported symptoms of oligo-amenorrhea and hirsutism: a new etiologic factor in polycystic ovary syndrome?

Objective: To investigate whether the systemic inflammation induced by chlamydial infections might be associated with symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: Nested case-control study.

Setting: A questionnaire including questions about hirsutism and oligo-amenorrhea was distributed to a representative sample of women (at age 31) from the general population-based Northern Finland Birth Cohort.

Effects of CD14, TLR2, TLR4, LPB, and IL-6 gene polymorphisms on Chlamydia pneumoniae growth in human macrophages in vitro.

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium, which causes respiratory infections in humans. It can infect various cell types, e.g.

Serum chlamydial lipopolysaccharide as a prognostic factor for a new cardiovascular event.

Background: Infections caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae are considered to participate in inflammatory processes leading to coronary artery disease. After a primary infection, the bacteria remain dormant intracellularly causing a chronic inflammatory stimulus.

Materials And Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 235 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 108 patients with unstable angina pectoris (UA).

Chlamydial and periodontal pathogens induce hepatic inflammation and fatty acid imbalance in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

Periodontitis and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection are independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of C. pneumoniae and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans infection on hepatic inflammation and lipid homeostasis of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

Beneficial effect of clarithromycin in patients with acute coronary syndrome and complement C4 deficiencies.

Objectives: We sought to examine the role of complement component C4 deficiencies on the effect of antibiotic treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Design: Patients with ACS (n=144) were randomly divided to receive a three-month treatment of clarithromycin or placebo and followed for major adverse coronary and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) for 404.5 median days (range 138-924 days).

Weight at birth and infancy in relation to adult leukocyte count: a population-based study of 5619 men and women followed from the fetal period to adulthood.

Context: Impaired fetal growth is associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease and diabetes in adulthood, but the underlying mechanism is unclear.

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the relation between early growth (weight at birth and first year) and adult total leukocyte count, the primary cell effectors of inflammation.

Design: This was a birth cohort study (Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966) with participants prospectively and longitudinally followed up from birth to age 31 yr.

Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA is present in peripheral blood mononuclear cells during acute coronary syndrome and correlates with chlamydial lipopolysaccharide levels in serum.

Chlamydia pneumoniae can possibly trigger and maintain inflammation in coronary arteries. Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA and chlamydial lipopolysaccharide (cLPS) were measured 3 times during a 1-y period in 97 patients with acute coronary syndrome. Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was detected in 8 (8.

Chlamydial lipopolysaccharide (cLPS) is present in atherosclerotic and aneurysmal arterial wall--cLPS levels depend on disease manifestation.

Background: The role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in peripheral atherosclerosis disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remains unclear. Chlamydial lipopolysaccharide (cLPS) detection is a method used conventionally in routine chlamydial diagnosis of gynecological or ophthalmic samples.

Methods: We compared cLPS concentrations, as well as other markers of bacterial load, in plaques and sera of patients operated on for carotid artery stenosis (n=110), aorto-occlusive disease (n=22), or AAAs (n=50) at the Helsinki University Central Hospital.