| 1. |
- Ahrné, Siv, et al.
(författare)
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The normal Lactobacillus flora of healthy human rectal and oral mucosa.
- 1998
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Ingår i: Journal of applied microbiology. - 1364-5072. ; 85:1, s. 88-94
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Lactobacillus flora of the rectal and oral mucosa was sampled from 42 healthy volunteers. Species identification was carried out by numerically comparing API 50CH fermentation patterns with type strains, using an SJ-similarity cut-off level of 79%. For the largest groups, identity was further confirmed by DNA-DNA hybridizations against the type strain of the species. Seventeen lactobacilli clusters were defined, of which most were found both on rectal and oral mucosa. The largest taxa were Lactobacillus plantarum, Lact. rhamnosus and Lact. paracasei ssp. paracasei, which were isolated from 52%, 26% and 17% of the individuals, respectively. Most isolates were tested for their capacity to adhere to the human colonic cell line HT-29 in the absence and presence of methyl-alpha-D-mannoside. Mannose-sensitive adherence to HT-29 cells was encountered in two-thirds of the Lact. plantarum isolates, but infrequently among isolates of other taxa. The results suggest that Lact. plantarum is a major colonizer of the human gastrointestinal mucosa, and that its capacity to adhere to mannose-containing receptors may be of some ecological importance.
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| 2. |
- Inkinen, Ritva, et al.
(författare)
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Relative increase of biglycan and decorin and altered chondroitin sulfate epitopes in the degenerating human intervertebral disc.
- 1998
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 25:3, s. 506-514
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Proteoglycans are major components of the extracellular matrix of the intervertebral disc. They are vital for the biomechanical properties of the tissue, and are subject to changes in disc degeneration. We aimed to further define these changes and their relationship to normal aging.METHODS: Normal discs (age 13-53 years, n = 6) were analyzed from 5 different sites across the sagittal anterior-posterior direction. Degenerated anterior annulus fibrosus was collected from 7 patients aged 39-46 years. Extracted proteoglycans were separated using agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and detected with toluidine blue staining and Western blotting.RESULTS: The center of the disc showed the highest level of total proteoglycans, but lowest levels of decorin and biglycan. Western blots displayed reduced signal for both glycanated and nonglycanated biglycan and decorin after adolescence, while an increased signal of biglycan was observed in degenerated annuli. The 7D4(-) and 3B3(-) epitopes on native chondroitin sulfate chains were present in the large proteoglycans of intervertebral discs, but their signal intensity had no correlation to degeneration. Chondroitinase ABC digestion of the blots brought up 7D4(+) signal in the small proteoglycans of degenerated, but not in healthy tissue. Decrease or total loss of 2B6(+) epitope (indicating 4-sulfated stubs of chondroitin sulfate chains) were found in the large proteoglycans of all degenerated annuli.CONCLUSION: Human intervertebral disc degeneration involves the accumulation of decorin and biglycan relative to other uronic acid containing proteoglycans, the disappearance of 4-sulfated core region in aggrecan-like large proteoglycans, and the emergence of a core structure in the chains of small proteoglycans reacting with the 7D4 antibody; these findings indicate a fundamental alteration in matrix properties that may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.
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| 3. |
- Fulda, S., et al.
(författare)
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Chemosensitivity of solid tumor cells in vitro is related to activation of the CD95 system
- 1998
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cancer. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 76:1, s. 105-114
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have identified the CD95 system as a key mediator of chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in leukemia and neuroblastoma cells. Here, we report that sensitivity of various solid tumor cell lines for drug-induced cell death corresponds to activation of the CD95 system, Upon drug treatment, strong induction of CD95 ligand (CD95-L) and caspase activity were found in chemosensitive tumor cells (Hodgkin, Ewing's sarcoma, colon carcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma) but not in tumor cells which responded poorly to drug treatment (breast carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma). Blockade of CD95 using F(ab')(2) anti-CD95 antibody fragments markedly reduced drug-induced apoptosis, suggesting that drug-triggered apoptosis depended on CD95-L/receptor interaction. Moreover, drug treatment induced CD95 expression, thereby increasing sensitivity for CD95-induced apoptosis, Drug-induced apoptosis critically depended on activation of caspases (ICE/Ced-3-like proteases) since the broad-spectrum inhibitor of caspases zVAD-fmk strongly reduced drug-mediated apoptosis, The prototype substrate of caspases, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, was cleaved upon drug treatment, suggesting that CD95-L triggered autocrine/paracrine death via activation of caspases, Our data suggest that chemosensitivity of solid tumor cells depends on intact apoptosis pathways involving activation of the CD95 system and processing of caspases. Our findings may have important implications for new treatment approaches to increase sensitivity and to overcome resistance of solid tumors. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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| 4. |
- Liu, Y X, et al.
(författare)
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Localization and distribution of tissue type and urokinase type plasminogen activators and their inhibitors Type 1 and 2 in human and rhesus monkey fetal membranes
- 1998
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Ingår i: Placenta. - : Saunders Elsevier. - 0143-4004 .- 1532-3102. ; 19:2-3, s. 171-180
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fetal membranes consist of 10 distinct layers including components of amnion, chorion and decidua, the latter being of maternal origin. They form mechanically integrated sheets capable of retaining amniotic fluid and play an essential role in protecting fetal growth and development in the pregnant uterus. The extracellular matrix, substrate for plasminogen activators (PAs), is an important supportive framework of the fetal membranes. Fetal membranes from women with preterm premature rupture of membranes may differ in their protease activity compared with normal membranes. To identify the presence of PAs and their inhibitors (PAI) and their possible role in the process of fetal membrane rupture, this study investigated the distribution and localization of both protein and mRNA for tissue (t) and urokinase (u) PA and their inhibitors type 1 (PAI-1) and type 2 (PAI-2) in amniochorion of human and rhesus monkey using conventional and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. In situ hybridization analysis showed that the distribution and localization of mRNAs for tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 were similar in the fetal membranes of human and rhesus monkey; no obvious species difference was observed. Evidence of tPA mRNA was detected in amniotic epithelium, trophoblast cells and nearly all cells of the decidual layer. Strong expression of uPA mRNA was noted in the decidual cells which increased in intensity as the abscission point was approached. Weak staining in chorion laeve trophoblast was also detected. In situ hybridization experiments showed PAI-1 mRNA to be concentrated mainly in the decidual cells, some of which were interposed into the maternal-facing edge of the chorion laeve. Maximal labelling of the decidua occurred towards the zone of abscission. Weak expression of PAI-1 mRNA was also noted in some cells of the chorion laeve. The distribution of PAI-2 mRNA in amniochorion was also concentrated in the cells of the decidual layer, maximum expression of the mRNA was in the level of abscission. No detectable amount of mRNAs for tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 was found in the fibroblast, reticular and spongy layers. Distribution of the proteins of tPA, uPA and PAI-1 in the fetal membranes of these two species was consistent with the distribution of their mRNA. Anti-PAI-2 immunofluorescence was found to be strongly concentrated in the amniotic epithelium, but PAI-2 mRNA was negative in this layer, suggesting that the epithelium-associated PAI-2 is not of epithelial origin. These findings suggest that a local fibrinolysis in fetal membranes generated by precisely balanced expression of PAs and their inhibitors via paracrine or autocrine mechanisms may play an essential role in fetal membrane development, maturation and in membrane rupture. Following an analysis of the distribution and synthesis of activators and inhibitors it was found that they may play a role in abscission during the third stage of labour.
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| 5. |
- Mattsby-Baltzer, Inger, 1949, et al.
(författare)
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IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha, fetal fibronectin, and endotoxin in the lower genital tract of pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis.
- 1998
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Ingår i: Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349. ; 77:7, s. 701-6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In our studies on women with bacterial vaginosis (BV) in early pregnancy a strong association has been found between BV and the levels of endotoxin or interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) in the lower genital tract. In the present study we investigated if an association could be found between BV and other cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF) or fetal fibronectin (FFN). The cytokine-inducing capacity of endotoxins present in the cervical mucus was explored in a monocytic cell assay.Cervical mucus or cervicovaginal fluid was collected from women with (BV) and without BV (nonBV) attending a family planning unit for first trimester abortion. The concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF and FFN were determined by quantitative enzyme immunoassays. TNF was determined in 63 women (BV, n=25) out of whom 37 (BV, n=11) were analyzed for IL-1beta and the remaining 26 for IL-6 (BV, n=14). FFN was determined in another 36 women (BV, n= 19). The cytokine-inducing capacity of endotoxin-containing cervical mucus and purified endotoxin of Prevotella bivia were studied by an in vitro cell assay using a human monocytic cell line (THP-1).IL-lbeta and IL-6 were found in almost all women. The levels of IL-1beta, but not IL-6, TNF or FFN, were significantly increased in women with BV compared with the nonBV women (p<0.05). Purified endotoxin from P. bivia, and cervical mucus from BV women containing high levels of endotoxin were able to induce a cytokine response (IL-6) in monocytic cells in vitro.BV is associated with increased levels of IL-1beta in the lower genital tract of pregnant women in the first trimester. The ability of BV-associated endotoxins to induce cytokine production in monocytic cells may partly explain the increased IL-1beta levels.
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| 6. |
- Wiklund, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Prediction of cancer incidence
- 1998
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this paper a method for predicting future number of cancer diagnoses is derived. The method is based on estimation of the cumulative hazard of cancer diagnosis and cumulative hazard of population mortality. The estimation of cancer hazard is done non-parametrically, while the population death hazard is assumed to follow the Gompertz-Makeham distribution. The prediction is based on the assumption that cancer incidence and population mortality in the prediction intervals are derived. Also, prediction intervals, based on non-parametric bootstrap, are presented. The method is applied to predict number of colon cancer diagnoses among females in the northern part of Sweden. It has shown to detect and adjust for changes in population age structure, and to provide good predictions in situation where the cancer incidence and population mortality are stable during the prediction period.
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