[The effect of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cell inactivation combined with levofloxacin on murine tuberculosis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of inactivation of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) combined with the administration of levofloxacin (LFX) on the cellular immune response of murine tuberculosis.

METHODS

Inactivation of Treg was achieved by intraperitoneal injection of anti-CD(25), clone PC61. Female C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups, PC61 alone, LFX alone, PC61 plus LFX, and the control, with 19 mice in each group. The LFX group and the control group were treated with rat-IgG isotope control. Mice were inoculated with H(37) Rv (1 x 10(6) CFU) via the tail vein 3 days later. From the 2nd day, the LFX group and the PC61 plus LFX group received intragastric administration of LFX at 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) per mouse for 45 days. Blood and spleen Tregs were measured by flow cytometry. The cellular immune response and pulmonary histopathology at different time points were also evaluated after infection.

RESULTS

At the 10th and 30th day, the ratio of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)/CD(4)(+)T cells in the spleen was (30 +/- 4)% and (17.3 +/- 1.6)% respectively in the control group, (21 +/- 4)% and (16.1 +/- 1.3)% respectively in the PC61 group, (44 +/- 6)% and (24.7 +/- 2.0)% respectively in the LFX group, (24 +/- 3)% and (10.4 +/- 1.0)% respectively in the PC61 plus LFX group. The differences were significant between groups (q = 3.62 - 5.56, P < 0.05), but the difference between the PC61 plus LFX group and the PC61 group at the 10th day. Same results were obtained from the peripheral blood. PC61 plus LFX therapy resulted in BCG specific cytokine response (IL-17, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha) from murine spleen cells at the 10th and the 30th day, and also in milder pathologic changes and the lowest mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The cellular immune response was enhanced by Treg inactivation and LFX therapy, which decreased the pathologic changes and the mortality of murine tuberculosis.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy diagnosis of cysticercosis. A case report

A case of cysticercosis was initially diagnosed by fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). A tender, hard mass in a muscle was clinically suspected of being a benign tumor. An FNAB smear showed many eosinophils and a part of cestode. After 10 minutes the patient felt a short-lived local hot sensation and pain. The diagnosis was confirmed on a histologic section of an incisional biopsy specimen from another site.

Protective effect of puerarin against myocardial reperfusion injury. Myocardial metabolism and ultrastructure

To ascertain the beneficial effect of puerarin on the myocardium against reperfusion injury, studies on myocardial metabolism and ultrastructure were made. Twelve dogs divided into two equal groups were placed on moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass, and their hearts were subjected to 140 minutes cold cardioplegic arrest and 60 minute reperfusion. In the control group, the hearts were perfused with crystalloid cardioplegic solution (CPS) every 20 minutes during arrest. In the treated group, the hearts received CPS containing puerarin (2 mg/kg). Myocardial oxygen consumption, lactate production, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) release, water content and ultrastructural alterations were determined before ischemia, during cardiac arrest and at reperfusion. The results showed that intermittent infusion of CPS containing puerarin significantly decreased myocardial lactate production during ischemia, as well as myocardial oxygen consumption, CPK release and water content during reperfusion. Under electronmicroscopy, the degree of ischemic damage judged by a scoring method was less pronounced in the puerarin group than in the control. The authors conclude that puerarin has protective effects on the function of hearts that have undergone long periods of arrest and reperfusion.

The protective effect of puerarin against myocardial reperfusion injury. Study on cardiac function

In order to find out if puerarin could protect the hearts from myocardial reperfusion injury after cardiac arrest, twelve dogs divided into two equal groups were placed on moderately hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and their hearts were subjected to 140 min of cold cardioplegic arrest and 60 min of reperfusion. In the control group, the hearts were perfused with a crystalloid cardioplegic solution (CPS) through the aortic root every 20 min during arrest. In the treated group, the hearts received CPS containing puerarin (2 mg/kg). Cardiac hemodynamic variables were monitored throughout the experiments. Left ventricular function curves were formed before ischemia and after 60 min of reperfusion. The results showed that the recovery of left ventricular function in the treated group was significantly better than that in the controls (81 +/- 11% versus 39 +/- 7%, P less than 0.01). Compared with preischemic values, the increase of coronary blood flow (CBF) at cardiac arrest in the puerarin-treated group was higher than that in the control group (214 +/- 11 versus 177 +/- 4 ml/min, P less than 0.01). The data indicate that puerarin has protective effects on the cardiac function after prolonged arrest and reperfusion.

Epidemic non-A, non-B hepatitis in Xinjiang. Clinical and pathologic observations

131 cases of epidemic hepatitis from two villages in Xinjiang, were admitted to the provisional infectious diseases hospital from February to April 1987. In 125 (95%) patients neither anti-HAV IgM nor anti-HBc IgM were positive. 118 (90%) were drinking water from a local stream of the Hotan River. The study was conducted on 125 patients aged from 5 to 90 years, with a mean of 26.4 years. There were slightly more males than females, a ratio of 1.5 to 1. The incubation period was roughly estimated to be 17 to 37 days (mean 24.8 days). All subjects were jaundiced. 12 patients (including 6 pregnant women) had cholestatic symptoms. Except one woman who died of postpartum bleeding, all patients ran a benign course without fulminant hepatic failure. Pathologic changes of liver biopsies from 35 cases included lobular damage and inflammation, ballooned hepatocytes with clear cytoplasm and delineated cell membrane which were named "clear cell". There were cholestasis of different degrees in the acute icteric stage and fatty changes in the convalescent stage. It was seen under the electron microscope that the livers of 8 cases had neither tubular structure nor sponge-like inclusions, but had nuclear changes including curled edge of nuclear membrane and nuclear heterochromatin condensed in masses. Liver biopsies were repeated in 7 cases followed up for 6-13 months, and hepatohistology was normal in 5. Of the other two cases there was one of each.

Cytologic diagnosis by transthoracic fine needle sampling without aspiration

The cytologic findings of transthoracic fine needle sampling without aspiration (fine needle capillary [FNC] sampling) are reported. Eleven patients were examined by FNC sampling while four were examined by the classic fine needle aspiration (FNA) method. In contrast to FNA sampling, FNC sampling produced less patient trauma and admixture of the sample with blood, while giving a better perception of the tumor and its consistency. The quality of the samples obtained by the FNC technique was equal to that of the FNA samples. The results demonstrate that fine needle sampling without aspiration may be used in the study of deep-seated as well as of superficial organs.

Giant retroperitoneal pleomorphic lipoma

A 65-year-old man developed a progressively enlarging abdominal mass that ultimately resulted in a weight gain of 25 kg., leg edema and an inability to walk. His condition was initially considered to be inoperable but exploration resulted in the removal of a 19.5 kg., 50 cm. intraabdominal pleomorphic lipoma. The patient remains well 4 years post-operatively.

[Verrucous carcinoma (carcinoma cuniculatum)--clinicopathologic study on 10 cases]

10 cases of verrucous carcinoma occurring in different sites were studied clinicopathologically. Clinically, the tumor grew slowly and presented as an ulcerous or cauliflower-like mass. The tumor, existing in the skin, had openings like the sinus tracts on the surface from which foul, grey and greasy material oozed out when pressured. There was no exudation if the lesion grew in the mucosa. Histologically, the tumor was composed of mature and well-differentiated squamous cells showing papilloma-like growth upwards, their epidermal rete showing spheroid expansions downwards. Prickle cell masses invaded into the soft tissue in the deeper layer. In view of the tumors having location either in the skin or mucosa with or without effusion, similar histologic features and biologic behavior, we suggest that the verrucous carcinoma and carcinoma cuniculatum be two different variants of the disease. Finally, its diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment are discussed with a review of the literature.