Involvement of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C in children

The aim of the study was to assess the role of selected elements of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C in children. The study comprised 20 children with chronic hepatitis C (group 1), nine healthy hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositive children (group 2) and 18 healthy children (control group). We evaluated the expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and TLR4 on peripheral blood neutrophils, and generation of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10, IL-12 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils. The performed tests demonstrated higher expression of TLR2 and TLR4 on stimulated neutrophils and of TLR4 on non-stimulated neutrophils in group 1 in comparison to HCV seropositive children and controls. In group 1, the expression of TLR2 after granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) stimulation showed positive correlation with alanine aminotransferase and asparate aminotransferase activities, while the expression of TLR2 without stimulation and of TLR4 after GCSF stimulation also correlated with necrosis. IL-12 generation by lipopolysachcharide-stimulated neutrophils was higher in group 1 versus controls. In group 1, maximum chemiluminescence (CL) without pre-activation, both spontaneous and after formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylanine and phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA) stimulation, was significantly lower than in the controls. CL after tumour necrosis factor-alpha pre-activation and PMA stimulation was still lower than in the controls, however, after opsonized zymosane stimulation it was significantly higher than in the controls. Our studies suggest the involvement of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C in children. Neutrophils demonstrate increased expression of TLR2 and TLR4 (correlating with the features of hepatocytic damage and intensification of necrosis), inhibition of oxygen metabolism, and after TNF-alpha pre-activation higher ability to produce ROS.

The effect of LPS on neutrophils from patients with high risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus in relation to IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12 production and apoptosis in vitro

Innate immunity includes neutrophil inflammatory function, tissue destruction and regulatory cytokine production. Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is postulated to be a key mechanism for neutrophil elimination during inflammation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the neutrophil apoptosis in relation to IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12 production in vitro by neutrophils of patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM)1 and the first-degree relatives of patients with DM1. The early stage of neutrophils apoptosis was assessed morphologically, and the later stage by DNA-binding dye propidium iodide, both after treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), insulin or anti-CD95 antibody (Ab) as stimulators. CD16 (FcgammaRIII) receptor expression was also evaluated. Production of IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12 cytokine was evaluated in supernatant after neutrophil incubation for 21 h in culture medium alone, in medium in the presence of LPS, insulin or anti-CD95 antibody (Ab). Cytokine concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method using commercially available kits. Our study demonstrates that LPS inhibits the early stage of apoptosis (as evaluated morphologically) of healthy donors' neutrophils. The LPS-dependent early apoptosis inhibition of neutrophil of patients with DM1 or in prediabetics was decreased in comparison with control. The later stage of apoptosis of neutrophils treated in vitro with anti-CD95 Ab of patients suffering from DM1 was decreased in comparison with prediabetics and healthy donors (propidium iodide (PI) staining). LPS-induced production of anti-apoptotic cytokines IL-8, IL-10 by neutrophils of prediabetic and patients with DM1 was increased. The formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-induced proapoptotic reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) production was significantly higher in DM1 patients. We have concluded that neutrophils from prediabetic and diabetic patients demonstrated the misbalance in anti-apoptotic IL-8 and IL-10 cytokine and proapoptotic ROI production. LPS-dependent IL-12 overproduction by neutrophils is responsible for the switch in T helper Th1/Th2 balance to Th1 and in this way may participate in inflammation and autoimmune DM1 progression.

[Parameters of peripheral whole blood neutrophil activity in women with pregnancy induced hypertension]

OBJECTIVES

Pregnancy induced hypertension is believed to be a state of neutrophil overactivity, however all previous studies were done on isolated cells.

DESIGN

To study neutrophil activity in whole blood of PIH women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Neutrophil activity was estimated without isolation, in peripheral whole blood of 23 PIH women and 26 normal pregnant controls. The chemiluminescence test was performed without any stimulation and upon stimulation of neutrophils with fMLP, OZ and PMA, before and after pre-activation with TNF-alpha. The results were corrected according to the haemoglobin concentration and (%) of neutrophils. The percentage of whole blood neutrophils indicating expression of selectins CD18, CD11b, integrin CD62L and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of these molecules were studied on flow-cytometry.

RESULTS

The study revealed that neutrophil chemiluminescence was not significantly higher in PIH women and after correction coefficient used it was even lower in PIH patients. TNF-alpha preactivation had no influence on chemiluminescence results. Expression of CD11b expressed as MFI value was significantly increased while that of CD62L, expressed as (%) of positive cells and MFI value--decreased in PIH patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes of neutrophil CD11b and CD62 expression indicate increased activity of these cells in PIH women, however low production of reactive oxygen species estimated by corrected chemiluminescence test especially after TNF-alpha pre-activation, indicates that this form of their reactivity is rather "exhausted" during PIH.

Levels of mannose binding lectin in early pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus type 1--preliminary report

The complement system plays an important role as a product of innate and acquired immune reaction. It can be activated via three different routes: the classical pathway, the alternative pathway and the lectin pathway. MBL (mannose-binding lectin) is considered to be a pathogen recognising receptor (PRR), an important factor in recognising pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP). The aim of study was to evaluate MBL in early pregnancy of diabetic mothers. Higher values of MBL were observed in diabetic non-pregnant women compared to healthy non-pregnant. Subjects early pregnancy seems to decrease MBL values in both diabetic and healthy pregnant women.

[Peripheral blood neutrophils reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) production in early pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus type I]

The components of maternal innate immune system are activated in pregnancy. Increased number of circulating neutrophils and monocytes, reactive oxygen intermediate production (ROI), increased expression of the adhesion molecules can be observed. The activation status and neutrophils response to stimulators in pregnant diabetic women's comprise, to some extend, both situations pregnancy and diabetes, combined effect of both seems to be very intriguing.

AIM OF STUDY

Evaluation production of ROI on peripheral blood neutrophils in early pregnancy of diabetic mothers.

MATERIAL

12 pregnant diabetic women demonstrating good glycemic control and without major complications before pregnancy were studied at 8-12 weeks of first gestation, 11 healthy pregnant women match for weeks of gestation, age and parity; 11 healthy non-diabetic women; 13 diabetic, non-pregnant women, were also studied.

METHODS

ROI production was evaluated with chemiluminescence method using standard stimuli fMLP, PMA, OZ and also after 15 min. priming with TNF-alpha. We used MLX Microtiter Plate Luminometr DYNEX, USA. with computer program Revelation 97. For statistic analysis Fisher, Kolmogorow-Smirnow and Wilcoxon tests were used (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

1. Peripheral blood neutrophils of healthy pregnant, diabetic and pregnant diabetic women independently from the stimuli used showed an increase in ROI production 2. Peripheral blood neutrophils change their activity, evaluate by ROI production during pregnancy, diabetes and pregnancy complicated by diabetes. 3. Peripheral blood neutrophils of pregnant diabetes women do not show expected impairment of their function.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes type 1 with good glycemic control and pregnancy, change the production of ROI by peripheral blood neutrophils but these events do not sum up in diabetic pregnancies.

[The assessment of the effectiveness of the shark liver oil in recurrent aphthous stomatitis treatment: clinical and immunological studies]

There is no specific and effective treatment for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), which is connected with its unexplained etiology. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical efficiency and immunomodulation of the shark liver oil in treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Twenty-five patients with severe disease received treatment with shark liver oil during a three-month period. The frequency of occurrence of RAS decreased from 1.56 before treatment to 0.95 after treatment and the number of lesions per month was significantly reduced during the third month of treatment and two months after treatment. During two months after treatment 4 patients had no ulcers and an improvement was exhibited in all except 3 of the remaining patients. The treatment had an influence on some immunological parameters. A better response of neutrophils to OZ and PMA were seen. The B cell and T CD3/HLA DR+ cell percentage returned to normal values. A significantly increased percentage of T cells was observed as compared to the before treatment value. The level of C4 and the hemolytic activity of the complement system decreased after treatment and neared the normal values. The shark liver oil contains compounds that have a positive immunomodulation action and alleviate the course of disease.

[Evaluation of peripheral blood neutrophils activity in women with endometriosis]

Authors evaluated the neutrophils ability of creating reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) in peripheral blood of 14 patients with endometriosis. These tests were performed using the chemiluminescence method. Enhanced ROI production and in vivo priming phenomenon of neutrophils in endometriosis were reported. The observed increase in oxygen activity of neutrophils was statistically significant only in reaction with the use of fMLP. However performed neutrophils preactivation with TNF-alpha followed by the chemiluminescence test revealed the occurrence of in vivo neutrophil activation in women with endometriosis. Reported data confirm the existence of local inflammatory reaction in the course of endometriosis.

[Evaluation of the generation of interleukin-10 by peripheral blood lymphocytes in women with endometriosis]

The aim of study was the evaluation of generating the IL-10 by peripheral blood lymphocytes in women with endometriosis according to the stage of of the disease. Cytokine was estimated by immunoenzymatic method Elisa. The generation of IL-10 by peripheral blood lymphocytes was lower in patients with all stages of endometriosis than in control group. Decreased IL-10 generating observed in our study was not statistically significant, but it may correlate with disorders of immunological cell response. It may also play a role in a development and progression of endometriosis.

Activated T lymphocytes from patients with high risk of type I diabetes mellitus have different ability to produce interferon-gamma, interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 and undergo anti-CD95 induced apoptosis after insulin stimulation

Type I Diabetes mellitus (DM1) is the effect of T cell dependent autoimmune destruction of insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas islet. T cells are activated in response to islet dominant autoantigens, the result being the development of DM1. Insulin is one of the islet autoantigens responsible for activation of T lymphocyte functions, inflammatory cytokine production and development of DM1. The experiments reported in this study have shown the spontaneous increase of CD95 molecule expression on lymphocytes of the first-degree relatives of DM1 patients. The autoantigen insulin is responsible for stimulation in vitro of potentially hazardous 'memory' lymphocytes to produce interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) interleukins. Insulin induced stimulation of lymphocytes in vitro was observed in patients at high risk of developing diabetes mellitus (prediabetics). Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulates lymphocytes of all groups in the same way. Stimulated lymphocytes in second cultures undergo apoptosis induced with anti-Fas specific antibodies. The deletion in vitro of resting peripheral lymphocytes is nonfunctional. Insulin activated T lymphocytes, which undergo apoptosis were not observed in peripheral blood of healthy people and in patients with DM1. This observation suggests that insulin is involved as autoantigen in DM1 progression in patients with high risk of diabetes type I. The autoreactive T lymphocytes may persist in peripheral blood of patients with high risk DM1. Defective elimination of autoreactive T cells may result in autodestructive damage of islets beta cells in the prediabetic stage and disease progression to DM1.

[Effect of maternal labor and mode of delivery on function of neonatal cord blood neutrophils]

There are data to suggest that the method of delivery modifies the immunological balance of newborn infants. In this study, an effect of maternal labor and mode of delivery on the neutrophil activity was evaluated in healthy full-term neonates. Neutrophils were obtained from cord blood of two group neonates: 14 vaginally delivered and 12 delivered by elective cesarean section without preceding labor. Neutrophil functions were studied by measuring the chemotaxis, chemiluminescence and phagocytosis activity and by investigating the expression of phagocyte receptors CD11b on neutrophils using receptor-specificMoAbs and immunofluorescence flow cytometry. Infants born by elective cesarean section had significantly higher chemiluminescence activity, chemotaxis and higher expression of CD11b receptors than those delivered vaginally. We suggest that physiological changes associated with stress during labor could explain these differences observed in neutrophil functions.

[Recurrent aphthous ulcers: the etiology with special reference to immunological theories]

The etiopathology of recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) is still unknown. Many local and systemic factors can participate in pathogenesis of recurrent aphthous ulcers. The authors discuss major theories of RAU etiology and especially concentrate on the role of immune system disorders.

[Evaluation of the hormonal replace therapy (HRT) effect on generation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) by neutrophil in peripheral blood of menopausal women]

About 30% of women population in Poland is already in the perimenopausal age. HRT (hormonal replacement therapy) is the best way of diminishing the unfavorable symptoms of this state.

AIM OF STUDY

The effect of HRT on ROI production by neutrophils before and after HRT, to determinate it's antioxidative influence on cells.

MATERIAL

We have examined 40 women both from the Dept. of Menopausal Disease in the Research Institute Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital (RIPMMH) and Out Patient Menopausal Clinic of RIPMMH with average age of 49.8; between October 1997 and January 1998.

METHODS

We determined ROI generation by luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence, using standard stimuli like fLMP, PMA and OZ. We used Luminometer 1251, manufactured by Pharmacia-LKB. For statistic evaluation Fisher test, Kolmogorow-Smirnow test and T-student test were used.

RESULTS

We found that estrogen-progestagen therapy had a suppressive effect on generation of ROI by neutrophils in vitro and in vivo after using receptor dependent and non-dependent stimuli. ROI generation by neutrophils of peripheral blood induced by PMA, a receptor dependent stimuli, is diminished, both, after HRT or as an effect of estrogen-progestagen action in vitro. The results suggest direct inhibition effect on the neutrophil ability to ROI generation.

IL-12, IL-6 and IFN-gamma production by lymphocytes of pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis remission during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with progressive activity. The RA remission was observed in women during pregnancy, but the mechanism responsible for remission is hypothetical only and concerns mechanisms of immune regulation such as lymphocyte subpopulations and interleukin production.

AIMS

The lymphocyte subpopulations and interleukin production in vitro in a group of healthy non-pregnant women, healthy pregnant women and pregnant women suffering from RA may help towards a better understanding of regulation of the immune processes.

METHODS

The investigations were performed in trimester III--2 days after delivery and 6 weeks after delivery. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated on Gradisol gradient and analysed immediately or after having been cultured for 72 hours in RPMI medium supplemented with 10% FCS. The cultures were terminated after 72 h, supernatants stored at -72 degrees C for interleukin evaluation. The concentrations of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors R-I, R-II were estimated in non-stimulated and PHA (Sigma, 5 microg/ml) stimulated culture supernatants using ELISA Endogen kits according to the manufacturer's instructions.

RESULTS

The general pattern of T cell subpopulation distribution was similar in all analysed groups. Decreased IFN-gamma, IL-12 and increased IL-6 production by lymphocytes after PHA stimulation was found in trimester III in pregnant women with RA as compared to healthy pregnant woman.

CONCLUSION

The obtained results suggest that in pregnant women with RA the TH1 cell response predominates, contrary to healthy pregnant women with TH2 type functional response. These phenomena were not observed after delivery.