Differential activation of CC chemokine receptors by AOP-RANTES.

RANTES (regulated on activation normal T cell expressed) has been found at elevated levels in biological fluids from patients with a wide range of allergic and autoimmune diseases and is able to attract several subtypes of leukocytes including eosinophils and monocytes into inflamed tissue. Amino-terminal modifications of RANTES produce receptor antagonists which are candidates for blocking this cellular recruitment. Met-RANTES has been shown to modulate inflammation in vivo, while AOP-RANTES is a potent inhibitor of R5 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains and has been shown to down-modulate CCR5 and prevent recycling of the receptor.

Helicobacter pylori infection and skin diseases.

There is increasing evidence for systemic effects of gastric H. pylori infection which may result in extragastrointestinal disorders. This review summarizes the available medical literature up to September 1999, identified through a MEDLINE research including own studies, regarding H.

Retiform hemangioendothelioma: another tumor associated with human herpesvirus type 8?

Retiform hemangioendothelioma is a rare low-grade angiosarcoma of the skin. It shares some clinical characteristics with Kaposi's sarcoma, a tumor with known human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) association. We report a case of retiform hemangioendothelioma in which we detected HHV-8 DNA sequences.

Activation of human eosinophil effector functions by CC chemokines.

Different kinds of mediators, particularly chemokines, are responsible for the attraction and activation of eosinophils to the site of inflammation. In the last decade, this new family of chemotactic cytokines have become interesting because of their restricted target cell specificity. This article focuses on the activation of eosinophil effector functions in response to different CC chemokines.

Eosinophil apoptosis is mediated by stimulators of cellular oxidative metabolisms and inhibited by antioxidants: involvement of a thiol-sensitive redox regulation in eosinophil cell death.

The mechanisms for induction of eosinophil apoptosis remain uncertain. The role of oxidative stress has not been investigated. The present study was undertaken to determine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and selective antioxidants in eosinophil apoptosis.

Suppression of interleukin-12 production by human monocytes after preincubation with lipopolysaccharide.

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a potent proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokine skewing T lymphocytes to express a type 1 cytokine pattern. Optimal expression of IL-12 mRNA and bioactivity in vitro requires specific priming of monocytes by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) before lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. We show here for the first time that the production of IL-12 by IFN-gamma- or GM-CSF-primed human monocytes can be completely suppressed by preincubation with LPS (from Escherichia coli Serotype 055:B5) for 6 to 24 hours before the priming procedure.

Birch pollen-related foods trigger atopic dermatitis in patients with specific cutaneous T-cell responses to birch pollen antigens.

Background: Patients with inhalant allergy caused by birch pollen frequently demonstrate immediate symptoms to cross-reactive fruits, vegetables, or both. The nature of late eczematous reactions to pollen related food antigens has not been investigated in detail.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to find out whether isolated late eczematous reactions to birch pollen-related food antigens can be observed in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who are highly sensitized to birch pollen antigens.

Maternal occupational exposure to chemical substances and the risk of infants small-for-gestational-age.

Background: The association between maternal occupational exposure to specific chemical substances (organic solvents, carbon tetrachloride, herbicides, chlorophenols, polychlorinated biphenyls, aromatic amines, lead and lead compounds, mercury and mercury compounds) and birth of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants was evaluated using data from a prospective cohort study of 3,946 pregnant women in West Germany from 1987 to 1988.

Methods: Occupational, medical, and psychosocial information was gathered through a questionnaire from pregnant women who were recruited between 15 and 28 gestational weeks. Exposure to chemical substances at the current workplace was assessed by a job-exposure matrix constructed by Pannett in 1985 and weighted for the number of working hours per week.

C5a suppresses the production of IL-12 by IFN-gamma-primed and lipopolysaccharide-challenged human monocytes.

IL-12 is a key mediator of the immune response, skewing T lymphocytes toward a type 1 cytokine pattern. Priming with IFN-gamma or GM-CSF is required for expression of IL-12p70 by cells in which IL-12 is inducible by bacterial products such as LPS. We here show for the first time that the production of bioactive IL-12 by human monocytes can be significantly suppressed by C5a if applied to IFN-gamma-primed monocytes before LPS stimulation.

Accuracy of frozen section measurements for the determination of Breslow tumour thickness in primary malignant melanoma.

Aims: Microstaging of primary malignant melanoma (MM) and the width of surgical margins depend mainly on Breslow tumour thickness (BTT). The use of frozen section (FS) measurements of BTT has been doubted, and previous reports have shown conflicting results regarding the comparability to paraffin sections (PS). To look for significant differences of BTT due to freezing or paraffin embedding, we evaluated a larger series of melanocytic lesions as far as possible excluding other technical influences.

Atopy patch test reactions are associated with T lymphocyte-mediated allergen-specific immune responses in atopic dermatitis.

Background: Positive test reactions to epicutaneous application of aeroallergens served as a model of 'early' eczema in atopic dermatitis (AD) in a number of dermato-immunological studies. However, no quantitative evaluation has been performed so far comparing specific T-cell activation parameters in the peripheral blood of AD patients with positive or negative atopy patch tests (APT).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate specific immunological parameters in patients with atopic dermatitis showing positive or negative atopy patch tests reactions.

Identification of two distinct deletion targets at 11q23 in cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Karyotypic and molecular data indicate that genetic alterations of the long arm of chromosome 11 (11q) are involved in the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma as well as of other malignancies. We have shown previously, by analysis of loss of heterozygosity (LOH), that a tumor-suppressor gene playing an important role in malignant melanoma is likely to be located within a 51-cM region at 11q23. Its loss appeared to be a late event in tumor progression and an indicator of a less favorable clinical outcome.

The biologic role of interleukin-8: functional analysis and expression of CXCR1 and CXCR2 on human eosinophils.

Chemokines play an important role in attracting granulocytes into sites of inflammation. Two chemokine subfamilies differ in their biologic activity for different granulocyte subsets. Whereas CXC chemokines such as interleukin-8 (IL-8) activate predominantly neutrophils, CC chemokines such as RANTES and eotaxin activate predominantly eosinophils.

IL-4-induced apoptosis in peripheral blood eosinophils.

Background: The regulation of eosinophil survival and apoptosis may play a major role in diseases demonstrating increased numbers of circulating and tissue eosinophils such as allergic reactions. Because few promoters of eosinophil apoptosis have been described so far, the objective of this study was to elucidate the role of endogenous factors on eosinophil survival and apoptosis.

Methods And Results: Highly purified peripheral blood eosinophils were analyzed in the time course from 24 up to 144 hours in culture.

Improvement of HLA class I and class II PCR-SSP typing by using timed-release activity of DNA polymerase.

Variable amounts of non-specific amplification may occur in HLA PCR-SSP typing, and this can be significantly reduced by the use of AmpliTaq Gold. In an effort to achieve an optimal balance between specificity and efficiency of the PCR amplification for both HLA alleles and the internal control, we designed a system of timed-release activity by combining two different Taq DNA polymerases. The reaction was started at a relatively low level of enzyme activity and as thermal cycling progressed more and more Ampli-Taq Gold was slowly activated for the reaction to continue.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis in chronic urticaria.

Background: Chronic urticaria and concurrent angioedema are frustrating problems for both physicians and patients.

Methods: 100 patients with chronic urticaria (mean duration 33.3+/-48.