Immunotherapy Weekly articles from August 2003

Immunotherapy Weekly archives from August 2003

Researchers discover novel mechanism of how anthrax impairs immunity.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In the first study of its kind, researchers led by Bali Pulendran, PhD, at the Emory Vaccine Center and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center have shown that anthrax lethal factor (LF) impairs the...

Gram-negative bacteria activate toll-like receptor TLR4, production of IL-12.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Macrophages produce IL-12 p70 specifically as a response to Gram-negative over Gram-positive bacteria, and detection of this product may help in diagnostics. "Purified components from bacteria...

Treatment of differentiation arrest in pre-B-cell stage with SLP-65 is curative.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SLP-65 given at the pre-B-cell stage doesn't allow arrest of differentiation or acute lymphoblastic leukemia type disease in a mouse model. According to a study from Germany, "Acute lymphoblastic...

Aflatoxin B[subscript]1 can stimulate and suppress the immune system.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Depending on the dose and the timing of administration, aflatoxin B[subscript]1 can either stimulate or suppress the immune system. "We investigated the effects of aflatoxin B-1 (AFB[subscript]1)...

HIV infection impairs B cell costimulatory function.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Infection with HIV disrupts CD28-dependent costimulatory pathways between B cells and helper T cells. "HIV infection leads to numerous immunologic defects, including impaired B cell function,"...

Tacrolimus dose must be altered in some cases of CYP3A5, MDR1 gene polymorphism.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In pediatric heart transplant patients, tacrolimus doses must be altered to counter altered blood concentrations in certain cases of CYP3A5 and MDR1 gene polymorphisms. "Tacrolimus is a substrate...

Immunotherapy effective for relapsed stem cell transplant recipients.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Immunotherapy can be effective for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients who relapse after stem cell allografting. Scientists in Austria described the case of a 35-year-old female AML patient "who...

Metal and transition metal ions can enhance mast cell activation.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Asthma may be exacerbated by mast cell activation initiated by metal ions in air pollution. "Upon contact with allergen, sensitized mast cells release highly active proinflammatory mediators....

Trace amounts of cashew nut in food can now be detected by sandwich ELISA.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Trace amounts of cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) in food can now be detected by sandwich ELISA. According to published research from the United States, "Trace amounts of cashew nut protein...

Early exposure to cat, dog allergen to reduce allergy later may be hard to prove.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- It may be difficult to design early cat and dog exposure experiments to prove reduced allergies later in life. According to recent research published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical...

Pediatric Ascaris infection is protective effect against wheezing.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ascaris parasite infection had a protective effect against wheezing and asthma in Ethiopian children. "Epidemiological studies in developing countries suggest that intestinal parasite infection may...

Plasterboard composition may effect mold growth.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers from Finland found that the composition of the core material of plasterboard, a commonly used building material, can alter the growth sporulation of harmful molds in the plasterboard. ...

Atopic dermatitis, subsequent pulmonary allergies may have other treatments.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Atopic dermatitis is frequently associated with later development of allergic rhinitis or asthma, and is linked to genetically determined immune regulation imbalances that might be targeted for...

Astrocytes in brain accumulate A beta 42; lysis creates amyloid plaque in brain.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Alzheimer disease is formed by slow accumulation of Abeta42 in astrocytes, followed by lysis and plaque formation. "Beta-Amyloid(1-42) (Abeta42), a major component of amyloid plaques, accumulates...

Histology, disease severity combine to form a sequence of events, grading system.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Disease severity and histological observation of primary visual cortex provide a grading system as well as a sequence of events in Alzheimer disease. "Progression of neuritic and Abeta pathology in...

Epidermal Langerhans cells bind and are activated by enterobacterial OmpA.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Epidermal Langerhans cells bind and are activated by enterobacterial OmpA from Klebsiella pneumoniae. "Outer membrane protein (OmpA) is highly represented and conserved in the Enterobacteriaceae...

Distribution agreement signed for Xolair.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AdvancePCS (ADVP) announced that its specialty pharmacy, AdvancePCS SpecialtyRx, has signed an agreement with Genentech, Inc., (DNA) to provide Xolair (omalizumab) for subcutaneous use to patients whose...

Flares are reduced by use of pimecrolimus cream at symptom onset.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Flares are reduced by use of pimecrolimus cream at onset of symptoms of atopic dermatitis. "Elidel is a steroid-free cream containing a 1% strength of the topical immunomodulator pimecrolimus....

Pemphigus herpetiformis and systemic lupus erythematosus can occur together.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pemphigus herpetiformis and systemic lupus erythematosus were treated by corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. "A female patient with coexistence of pemphigus herpetiformis and systemic lupus...

Allelic variation of ICOS gene doesn't appear linked with amino acid changes.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lack of amino acid level allelic variation in genes related to autoimmune disease, such as ICOS, may indicate that transcriptional regulation may be involved in disease. "The human chromosome...

Helicobacter pylori disease may be exacerbated by in vivo cell invasion.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Helicobacter pylori is found to be readily invasive in cell culture, but there is scant evidence for invasion coming from clinical samples so far. "In this review we evaluate the pros and cons of...

One of 3 BLM helicase complexes, BRAFT, contains 5 Fanconi anemia proteins.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- One of the three Bloom syndrome BLM helicase complexes, BRAFT, contains 5 of the Fanconi anemia proteins. "Bloom syndrome (BS) is a genetic disorder associated with dwarfism, immunodeficiency,...

Telomere resolvase, ResT, is a positionally dependent tyrosine recombinase.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Borrelia burgdorferi telomere structures are managed by ResT, and enzyme that is positionally dependent on a distance from the axis of symmetry to cleave. "An unusual feature of bacteria in the...

Study seeks women with recurring disease to test new antibody.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The University of California, Los Angeles, Jonsson Cancer Center is testing an experimental immune system-boosting antibody that could one day help women who have not responded to conventional...

CD8+ T lymphocytes are also increased in paratracheal lymph nodes.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- For smokers with COPD, there is also an increase in CD8+ T lymphocytes in the paratracheal lymph nodes. "Previous studies have shown an increased number of inflammatory cells and, in particular, of...

Clinical development of TRAIL Receptor-2 antibody begins.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Human Genome Sciences, Inc., (HGSI) announced it has received a clinical trial exemption (CTX) from the United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, allowing the company to...

HLA-A2 peptides are targets of HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T cells.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Naturally occurring peptides associated with HLA-A2 in ovarian cancer cell lines were identified by mass spectrometry and determined to be targets of HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T cells. According...

Naked plasmid DNA injection into solid tumors of mice characterized.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A team of researchers in Japan has characterized the disposition and gene expression in solid tumors and skeletal muscle after direct injection of naked plasmid DNA in mice. "Previous studies have...

Tumor escape strategies reviewed.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The methods by which tumors evade detection and elimination by the immune system have been outlined in a recent issue of the European Journal of Immunogenetics. According to recent research from...

HPV-16 recurrence is associated with differing T cell response to L1 and E7.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Specific T cell responses to HPV-16 proteins L1 and E7 are associated with different disease states and recurrence. "Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) L1 and E7 specific T cell responses were...

Acute respiratory failure with diagnosis of monocytic leukemia has poor outcome.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Acute respiratory failure can sometimes be caused by acute monocytic leukemia; outcome worsens after chemotherapy. According to a study from France, "Acute respiratory failure revealing acute...

Happy people may have more immunity to common cold.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- People who are energetic, happy and relaxed are less likely to catch colds, while those who are depressed, nervous or angry are more likely to complain about cold symptoms, whether or not they get...

Coronary risk factor C-reactive protein may only be involved in signaling damage.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Reduction of C-reactive protein levels may or may not reduce risk of coronary disease, even if it is a predictor of events. "C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant which is not...

Dendritic subset is inflamed mucosa associated, produces high TNF-alpha levels.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new subset of dendritic cells that is M-DC8+ and is in inflamed mucosa, produces high levels of TNFalpha, and may be responsible for Crohn disease. According to a study from Germany, "Recently, a...

Intestinal T cells are activated; expressing STAT3, STAT4, SOCS3.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Crohn disease intestinal T cells are specifically activated with expression of STAT3 and STAT4, as well as SOCS3. "Via cytoplasmic signal transduction pathways, cytokines induce a variety of...

BPI-ANCA in sera are responsible for lower resistance to P. aeruginosa.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies appear to be directly responsible for lowering cystic fibrosis patient's ability to kill Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to a study from Czech Republic,...

Epithelial cells increase conductance regulator expression after salmeterol.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Airway epithelial cells increase conductance regulator expression following salmeterol treatment. "PSD-95/Dlg-A/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains play an essential role in determining cell polarity. The Na+/H+...

Antimicrobial testing method results differ greatly when testing bonding agents.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two methods commonly used for determining antimicrobial properties of substances were found to have different results when testing tooth bonding agent activity against cariogenic bacteria. ...

Aspirin- and NSAID-induced asthma and sinusitis are not easily resolved.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Aspirin induced asthma and sinusitis can be severe and protracted, systemic corticosteroids can alleviate symptoms, aspirin desensitization is also an option. According to a study from the United...

CYP3A4 is inducible in liver cells by 1 alpha,25-dyhydroxyvitamin D-3.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HepG2 liver cell cultures treated with 1alpha,25-(OH)[subscript]2D-3 induce CYP3A4, a cytochrome involved in drug metabolism; it will perhaps serve as an in vitro model for the liver metabolism of...

Patient lung fibroblasts have slightly lower proliferative capacity.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients with emphysema have slightly lower capacity for proliferation of lung fibroblasts, compared with controls. According to recent research published in the journal Experimental Lung Research,...

Fresh enteroinvasive isolates are best recovered from xylose-lysine-deoxycholate.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The best recovery of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli from fecal samples is from the use of xylose-lysine-deoxycholate agar, in combination with MacConkey or eosine-methylene blue. "MacConkey,...

Verocytotoxin-producing E. coli O157 varies in beef suckler cows.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Several factors, including presence of wild geese during raising, may affect the degree of E. coli 0157 in beef. According to published research from Scotland, "A study was designed to investigate...

Immune cells may have common mechanisms, so mediator secretion can be regulated.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Immune cell exocytosis may have some common mechanisms that can be therapeutic targets for secretion modulation. According to a study from Canada, "Inflammatory cells secrete proteins from...

Maternal-fetal interface of placenta has cytotrophoblasts expressing B7H1.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- B7H1 protein was found to increase with each trimester and to be present in cytotrophoblasts, where it may protect against activated maternal leukocytes. "The human placenta utilizes both active...

New peanut allergy research gives hope for a cure.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new series of studies indicates that scientists are closer to finding a cure for peanut allergy, according to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). "Carefully reading labels, asking...

Pneumocystis jiroveci can infect normal babies or the immunocompromised.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Fungal infection with Pneumocystis jiroveci of the same genotypes can occur in immunocompetent infants or the immunocompromised. According to recent research from France, "This study describes the...

Infective complications relate to specific Th1, Th2 conditions pre and postop.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Low IL-4 producing CD4+ Th2 cells before a cancer operation, or low Th1 cells after more than a week following surgery are risk factors tied to infectious complications. "Malignancy and operation...

X-linked hyper-IGM syndrome may be associated with sclerosing cholangitis.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome patient had idiopathic sclerosing cholangitis, it later turned to gallbladder cancer. According to a study from Chile, "We report an 11-year-old male diagnosed with...

Cytokines, antioxidant capacity, but not leukocyte count, may help assess semen.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Leukocyte counts may not be useful in evaluating semen potential, but cytokines and antioxidant capacity in cases of male genital tract infection may prove more helpful. "Human semen contains...

Distribution of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotypes varies.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype C is more likely to be found with Porphyromonas gingivalis in subgingival pockets of normal Japanese adults. According to recent research from Japan,...

Corticosteroid therapy for Graves ophthalmopathy may work by lowering IL-18.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Corticosteroid therapy for Graves ophthalmopathy appears to work by decreasing serum IL-18. According to a study from Poland, "IL-18, a novel cytokine of the IL-1 family, and TGFbeta1 have been...

Immunologic response to psychological stress altered in HIV patients.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The immunologic response to psychological stress is altered during HIV infection. "Acute psychological stress in humans induces sudden alterations in catecholamine plasma levels and in the...

HIV protease inhibitors prevent mitochondrial hyperpolarization-induced T-cell apoptosis.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HIV protease inhibitors protect T cells from apoptosis induced by mitochondrial hyperpolarization. "A decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential has been hypothesized to be a marker of apoptotic...

Structural analysis of anti-HIV monoclonal antibody 447-52D Fv feasible.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Structural analysis of the anti-HIV monoclonal antibody 447-52D Fv is feasible, thanks to a novel E. coli-based expression model. "The Fv is the smallest antigen binding fragment of the antibody...

Allosensitization a problem needing resolution, tolerance induction may work.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In heart transplants, detection of allosensitization is not very sensitive, and there are many strategies being used to try to minimize sensitization; induction of tolerance may be the best future...

Diseased patients have interaction of bacterial LPS and their E, L selectins.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Gastritis, duodenal ulcer, or gastric cancer patients have interactions with Helicobacter pylori LPS and their E and L selectins. According to a study from England, "The deleterious effects of...

Lipopolysaccharide plus IL-2 activates lymphocytes from dyspeptic children.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Children with chronic dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori infection have lymphocytes responsive to bacterial LPS. "In this study, we assessed the proliferative response of peripheral blood...

RdxA mutation is not a good marker for determining metronidazole resistance.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Relatively few metronidazole resistant Helicobacter pylori have rdxA mutations; it is not a good marker for resistance, nor degree of resistance. "Metronidazole (Mtz) resistance in the gastric...

Transient apoptosis of lymphocytes following infection may be homeostatic.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In the rhesus macaque model, Helicobacter pylori infection is followed by transient apoptosis of gastric lymphocytes that may be part of normal homeostastis after T cell activation. "In vitro...

Two vacA genotypes are related to ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Helicobacter pylori with genotype vacA s2 is related to gastroesophageal reflux, more virulent vacA s1 is associated with peptic ulcer disease. According to a study from Brazil, "Infection with...

Neutrophils respond to cytokine withdrawal for apoptosis following infection.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Homeostasis of immune cells following infection may occur due to cytokine withdrawal and subsequent apoptosis. According to a study from Switzerland, "Neutrophils are constantly produced in large...

Yersinia virulence factor YopM complexes host RSK1 and stimulates PRK2.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Yersinia virulence factor YopM interacts with ribosomal S6 protein kinase 1, then the complex stimulates protein kinase C-like 2. "Pathogenic Yersinia contain a virulence plasmid that encodes genes...

Chemokine receptor CXCR1 is variably expressed following the menstrual cycle.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Human endometrium expresses chemokine receptors CXCR2 and CCR5 consistently, but CXCR1 variably dependent on the menstrual cycle. According to recent research published in the journal Biology of...

Respiratory burst activity involves Akt phosphorylation of p47(phox).
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Akt phosphorylation of p47(Phox) is essential for neutrophil respiratory burst activity. "Respiratory burst activity and phosphorylation of an NADPH oxidase component, p47(phox), during neutrophil...

Calcineurin/NFAT signaling requires an ITAM containing protein, CNAIP.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Immune cells appear to all express CNAIP, that contains an essential ITAM in its cytoplasmic tail that activates the calcineurin/NFAT signalling pathway. "We report in this study the identification...

Caspases are activated in several apoptotic pathways and antimicrobial immunity.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Caspase activation can be involved in several apoptotic pathways as well as antimicrobial immunity. According to a study from Ireland, "Members of the caspase family of cysteine proteases have been...

Two new HLA alleles, A*0108 and B*4031, have been found in European caucasoids.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two new HLA alleles, A*0108 and B*4031, have been found in European caucasoids. "Two new alleles, HLA-A*0108 and B*4031, were identified in north-western European Caucasoid subjects. A*0108 differed...

Genmab expands pipeline with hepatitis antibody.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genmab, A/S, announced that it has in-licensed all rights to a human antibody from Connex, GmbH, a privately owned German company currently in administration, and INSERM, the French National Institute...

Www.allelefrequencies.net catalogs allele frequencies of immune molecules.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new database catalogs allele frequencies of HLA alleles and soon other immunology compounds such as cytokines; it can be found at www.allelefrequencies.net. According to a study from North...

Anesthetic drug effects, side effects are due to ionic current alteration.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ion channels and ionic currents are altered by anesthesia, effects and side-effects of the drugs are related. "Ion channels regulate a diversity of physiological functions such as neuronal...

HFE and transferrin receptor TfR2 act together in intestinal crypt cells.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HFE and transferrin receptor TfR2 interact and are localized in small intestinal crypt cells that become iron absorbing enterocytes. According to a study from England, "Mutations in the HFE gene...

Antithymocyte globulin anti-equine antibodies are lowered with sirolimus or MMF.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sirolimus and mycophenylate mofetill were able to control the formation of anti-equine antibodies in kidney transplant patients receiving equine antithymocyte globulin much better than azathioprine. ...

Epstein Barr viral load can fluctuate without development of PTLD.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In renal transplant patients, EBV can have a fluctuating serological viral load without development of PTLD. "Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD), ranging from lymphoid hyperplasia...

Cysteine proteinase gene Llacys1 is similar to genes in other Leishmania.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The cysteine proteinase gene Llacys1 of L. amazoniensis is similar to genes in other Leishmania. A study from Brazil "describes the cloning and characterization of a gene encoding a cysteine...

Anti-CD66 mAb superior to anti-CD45 for pre-stem cell transplantation radioimmunotherapy.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An anti-CD66 monoclonal antibody (mAb) is superior to an anti-CD45 mAb for anti-leukemia radioimmunotherapy (RIT). RIT with radiolabelled mAbs "is an effective method of achieving myeloablation in...

Pseudocapillarization of human liver appears to occur as a function of age.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Histological changes such as pseudocapillarization occur as the human liver ages; may alter disease susceptibility. "Age-related changes in liver function are important because they may promote...

Pediatric patients still require care and attention to specific needs as teens.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Transfer of pediatric liver transplant patients to other physicians later in life requires knowledge of need for constant surveillance, and to assure patient compliance. According to recent...

Levels of mycophenolate mofetil vary widely depending on different factors.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Mycophenolate mofetil levels are different depending on disease and other combining drugs, thus must be monitored. "Pharmacologic interactions and absorption disturbances after transplantation may...

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 can be induced by urokinase.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In lung epithelial cells, uPA can induce PAI-1, its inhibitor, even if its urokinase catalytic activity is blocked. "The plasminogen/plasmin system, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), its...

Matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9 and eosinophils are more present in asthmatics.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9 and eosinophils are more present in asthmatics, less in COPD, and not in the healthy. "The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes, MMP-9, have relevance to chronic...

Ganciclovir and immunoglobulin work better against CMV than the antiviral alone.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lung transplant patients treated with a combination of ganciclovir and immunoglobulin against cytomegalovirus developed fewer cases of disease than ganciclovir given alone. "Despite the serious...

Rap 1 expression allows attachment to vascular endothelium and extravasation.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lymphocyte Rap 1 expression allows attachment to vascular endothelium under flow and extravasation, redistributing CXCR4 and CD44 to the leading edge and uropod. According to a study from Japan,...

CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are present and functional in mast cells.
August 6, 2003... 2003 AUG 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Both CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are functional in mast cells and transcription is altered by cannabinoids. According to a study from the United States, "Cannabinoid modulation of immune...