Modulation of antibody responses against Gnathostoma spinigerum in mice immunized with crude antigen formulated in CpG oligonucleotide and montanide ISA720.

This study aimed to investigate the antibody responses in mice immunized with Gnathostoma spinigerum crude antigen (GsAg) incorporated with the combined adjuvant, a synthetic oligonucleotide containing unmethylated CpG motif (CpG ODN 1826) and a stable water in oil emulsion (Montanide ISA720). Mice immunized with GsAg and combined adjuvant produced all antibody classes and subclasses to GsAg except IgA. IgG2a/2b/3 but not IgG1 subclasses were enhanced by immunization with CpG ODN 1826 when compared with the control groups immunized with non-CpG ODN and Montanide ISA or only with Montanide ISA, suggesting a biased induction of a Th1-type response by CpG ODN.

Insulin secretion enhancing activity of roselle calyx extract in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Background And Objective: Our recent study revealed the antihyperglycemic activity of an ethanolic extract of roselle calyxes (Hibiscus sabdariffa) in diabetic rats. The present study had, therefore, an objective to investigate the mechanism underlying this activity.

Materials And Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were induced to be diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ).

Fine needle aspiration in a malignant lymphoepithelial lesion: a case report.

Background: A primary malignant lymphoepithelial lesion (MLEL) of the salivary gland is a rare tumor. Though histologic morphology of this lesion is well documented, the cytologic findings regarding fine needle aspiration (FNA) are not yet well described.

Case: A 56-year-old Thai woman from Udonthanee was admitted to Srinagarind Hospital with a 2-year history of a painless mass in the left parotid gland.

Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction, conventional and MRSA screen latex agglutination methods for detection of methicillin-resistant, -borderline and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is difficult and expensive to treat, therefore early screening is essential. Several phenotypic and genotypic methods are used to detect MRSA; however, the method of choice remains problematic. We have evaluated four phenotypic methods, broth microdilution (MIC), oxacillin disk agar diffusion (ODD), oxacillin screening salt agar (OSS), and a new rapid phenotypic (MRSA screen latex agglutination, MSLA) with the genotypic gold standard of PCR mecA detection to determine the most appropriate method for routine laboratory use.

Rituximab combined with CHOP for successful treatment of aggressive recurrent, pediatric B-cell large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

This report is the first to describe the successful treatment of a 14-year-old boy with aggressive recurrent, CD20-positive, B-cell large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient responded to three 4-week courses of rituximab (MabThera) given every 6 months and six cycles of CHOP given every 3 weeks in addition to a modified BFM 86 protocol. Transient neutropenia and lymphopenia occurred but with no clinical significance.

Expression of tenascin in bile duct cancer of hamster liver by combined treatment of dimethylnitrosamine with Opisthorchis viverrini infections.

Tenascin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein known to be an essential factor for the modulation of reciprocal interactions between the epithelium and mesenchyme during embryogenesis and tumourigenesis. The interactions between the expression of tenascin in the liver of Syrian golden hamster and the development of bile duct cancer in an Opisthorchis viverrini-associated cholangiocarcinoma model were investigated. The tenascin was expressed in connective tissues surrounding the dilated ducts, ductal rims and the stroma of cancers, and strongly in the stroma flame of necrotic cancer nodules.

Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical analysis of cholangiocarcinoma in immunized Syrian golden hamsters infected with Opisthorchis viverrini and administered with dimethylnitrosamine.

Utilizing the experimental model in Syrian golden hamsters, we explored the role of immunization in carcinogenesis. The animals, which were infected with liver flukes (Opisthorchis viverrini), and administered a subcarcinogenic dose of dimethylnitrosamine, developed cancer. Pre-immunizing with a crude somatic antigen did not reduce cancer development, but accelerated carcinogenesis.

Development of EIA for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in genital specimens.

A double antibody sandwich enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for chlamydial antigen detection was developed using a monoclonal antibody against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Chlamydia trachomatis as a coating antibody. Polyclonal rabbit antiserum against partially purified antigen from elementary body (EB) antibody and horse-radish peroxidase conjugated goat anti-rabbit antibody were used as the primary and secondary antibody respectively. The developed EIA could detect protein of partially purified EB at the lowest concentration of 250 ng/ml.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of metastatic transitional cell carcinoma to the liver.

A 63-year-old man presented with a three-month history of painless hematuria. A cystoscopic examination revealed a diffuse small nodulopapillary growth of the bladder mucosa. Biopsy resulted in the diagnosis of a transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), grade II.

Molar pregnancy--associated ectopic decidua: report of a case and review of the literature.

Ectopic or extrauterine decidual transformation is regularly associated with pregnancy. This phenomenon has been observed most often in the ovary and cervix. Sporadic reports have documented decidua formation of peritoneal surfaces, lymph nodes and other organs in pelvic and abdominal cavity.

Efficacy of ivermectin against Strongyloides stercoralis infection in jirds (Meriones unguiculatus).

The activity and distribution of ivermectin (IVM), a broad spectrum anthelmintic for various nematodes and arthropods, was tested against Strongyloides stercoralis infection in the jird (Meriones unguiculatus.) The pattern of IVM concentration in the serum of jirds after either low- (200 microg/kg) or high-dose (1000 microg/kg) treatment by intraperitoneal injection showed a typical single-peak profile with the maximum drug levels detected at 1 h followed by a rapid decline to undetectable values by 48 h posttreatment. With equivalent IVM doses, the serum levels in male jirds were significantly higher than those observed in female jirds at 1 and 12 h posttreatment (P < 0.

Strongyloides stercoralis: role of antibody and complement in immunity to the third stage of larvae in BALB/cByJ mice.

Mice immunized against Strongyloides stercoralis L3 were shown to kill greater than 90% of challenge larvae contained within diffusion chambers. The objective of the present study was to identify the host components responsible for immunity. Serum from unprotected, control mice and protected, immune mice in doses of 25-500 microliters was transferred into naive mice at the same time and location as larval challenge.

Strongyloides stercoralis: eosinophil-dependent immune-mediated killing of third stage larvae in BALB/cByJ mice.

Challenge worm survival was significantly reduced when BALB/cByJ mice were vaccinated against Strongyloides stercoralis infective third stage larvae (L3) regardless of whether the challenge infections consisted of systemically migrating L3 or L3 implanted in diffusion chambers. The only cell type that increased in number in diffusion chambers in immunized mice, 1 week after booster immunizations, was the eosinophil, and maximal levels of eosinophils were coincident with parasite killing. Mice were treated with mAb to eliminate IL-5 or granulocytes to assess the role that eosinophils play in larval killing.

Structural and molecular specificity of antibody responses in mice immune to third stage larvae of Onchocerca volvulus.

Immunization of mice with irradiated Onchocerca volvulus infective stage larvae (L3) has been demonstrated to confer protection against challenge infections with these larvae. Additionally, cytokine level measurements and cytokine depletion studies have shown that both IL-4 and IL-5 are important in generating a protective immune response against O. volvulus challenge infections, thus suggesting a dependency of protective immunity on IgG1, IgE and/or eosinophils.

The insulin-like growth factor I receptor protects tumor cells from apoptosis in vivo.

The role of the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) in programmed cell death has been investigated in vivo in a biodiffusion chamber, where the extent of cell death could be determined quantitatively. We found that a decrease in the number of IGF-IRs causes massive apoptosis in vivo in several transplantable tumors, either from humans or rodents. Conversely, an overexpressed IGF-IR protects cells from apoptosis in vivo.

Strongyloides stercoralis: protective immunity to third-stage larvae inBALB/cByJ mice.

A murine model system was developed to study the induction and mechanism of protective immunity to L3 of Strongyloides stercoralis. L3 were implanted in BALB/cByJ mice in diffusion chambers constructed with 0.1- or 2.

IL-4- and IL-5-dependent protective immunity to Onchocerca volvulus infective larvae in BALB/cBYJ mice.

A significant reduction in challenge worm survival occurred when BALB/cBYJ mice were vaccinated against Onchocerca volvulus infective third stage larvae (L3) by using irradiated O. volvulus L3. Challenge infections consisted of L3 implanted in diffusion chambers, which were used as a means to contain, and thus efficiently recover, the larvae from the host.

Induction of protective immunity against larval Onchocerca volvulus in a mouse model.

BALB/cBYJ mice were immunized against larval Onchocerca volvulus by subcutaneous injection of normal, irradiated, or freeze-thaw-killed Onchocerca sp. larvae. The mice received challenge infections of O.

Survival and development of larval Onchocerca volvulus in diffusion chambers implanted in primate and rodent hosts.

Third-stage larvae (L3) of Onchocerca volvulus were implanted in diffusion chambers in chimpanzees, mangabey monkeys, rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and inbred strains of mice, jirds, and rats for 3-63 days. At different times during the experimental period, larvae were recovered and assessed for their viability and development. Survival and growth rates were equal regardless of whether the implanted larvae were fresh or cryopreserved.

Identification of surrogate rodent hosts for larval Onchocerca lienalis and induction of protective immunity in a model system.

The objectives of this project were to screen a variety of inbred rodent species and strains to determine their usefulness as surrogate hosts for the study of the early larval development of Onchocerca lienalis and then to use a selected model to study the induction of protective immunity. In the primary screen, 6 strains of mice, 5 strains of rats, jirds, and multimammate rats were tested. Animals were infected with fresh O.