| 1. |
- Boström, Elisabeth Almer, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Salivary resistin reflects local inflammation in Sjögrens syndrome
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 35:10, s. 2005-2011
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of resistin in primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) and its relation to local inflammation. METHODS: Blood and saliva were collected from 37 patients with pSS (duration of symptoms 12.6+/-1 yrs) and 32 healthy controls. Expression of resistin in salivary glands was visualized immunohistologically, and levels of resistin were detected by ELISA. Levels of resistin were evaluated at baseline and following oral dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) treatment (50 mg/day). The effect of DHEA treatment on the secretion of resistin was assessed in vitro in human leukocytes after challenge with insulin and lipopolysaccharide. RESULTS: Levels of resistin in saliva were significantly higher in patients with pSS than in controls, while circulating levels of resistin were similar in both groups. Resistin was expressed in the epithelial cells of striated ducts and in the lymphocytic foci. Resistin levels in saliva were related to the intensity of inflammation in the minor salivary glands of pSS patients. No changes of the levels of resistin in blood or saliva were observed during DHEA treatment. Exposure of naive leukocytes to DHEA in vitro induced significant expression of resistin compared to nonstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (p=0.031). CONCLUSION: We showed that levels of resistin are upregulated locally in the salivary glands of patients with pSS; and that the levels of resistin correspond to the intensity of lymphocytic inflammation in patients with pSS. We suggest that resistin is expressed in the salivary glands of patients with pSS and may be a driving factor of local inflammation.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Mattsson, Jan-Eric, 1949-, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic diversity and substrate preferences in Hypogymnia physodes in northern Europe
- 2006
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Genetic variation in lichens has mainly been examined in rare or threatened species or species with an otherwise fragmented geographical distribution. The main objectives have often been to compare the diversity between populations in relation to nature conservation issues. In addition, most studied species are sexual reproductive and, hence, produce small spores which may disperse over long distances. More common species have usually been neglected, although they are more easily collected, both because collecting results in a comparatively small disturbance of the populations and because they occur in a larger selection of habitats. Here we present a study on the genetic variation in the lichenized ascomycete Hypogymnia physodes in Northern Europe based on nrDNA data. The species was selected as it probably is the most common lichen in the area, it is corticolous, found on almost all woody plants in most habitats, and has a predominantly asexual dispersal mode. The material was collected in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden as a part of a larger project aiming at identifying localities with high biodiversity of interest for nature conservation projects. We examined the correlations between genetic diversity and substrate ecology as well as spatial distances. An important result is the large genetic variation within a mainly asexual lichen species. The results also show genetic similarity between specimens from similar substrates.
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| 4. |
- Mattsson, Jan-Eric, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic variation in relation to substratum preferences of Hypogymnia physodes
- 2009
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Ingår i: The Lichenologist. - 0024-2829 .- 1096-1135. ; 41, s. 547-555
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genetic variability and its relationship to substratum preferences within and among populations of the sorediate foliose lichen Hypogymnia physodes was investigated using sequence variation in the complete nrDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. A few samples of the putatively closely related, sorediate, H. tubulosa were also included. Samples were collected from each tree species in study sites in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden. In total, DNA sequences from 104 individuals of H. physodes and 16 of H. tubulosa were obtained. A group I intron situated at the end of the small subunit (SSU) of the nrDNA was detected in both species. Within-species variability was observed in both species: fifteen haplotypes were found for H. physodes and seven for H. tubulosa for the combined alignment of the intron and the ITS. Possible recombination within the total gene fragment was detected and hence the different regions (intron, ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2) were analysed separately. They show a different degree of variability both between each other and between the species. The number of haplotypes of H. physodes in the four regions are 5, 5, 1, and 5 and for H. tubulosa 5, 2, 1 and 2, respectively. A statistical parsimony estimation resulted in two unconnected networks; one containing all the samples of H. physodes and one containing all H. tubulosa samples. It was not possible to show different potentials of the different haplotypes for establishment on different substrata as the network of H. physodes indicates recombination within the ITS region which may be frequent enough to make this primarily clonally reproducing species to behave like a sexual species.
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| 5. |
- Rubio, Carlos A., et al.
(författare)
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Assessing the Size of Polyp Phantoms in Tandem Colonoscopies
- 2009
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Ingår i: Anticancer Research. - 0250-7005 .- 1791-7530. ; 29:5, s. 1539-1545
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The size of colorectal neoplastic polyps is important for their clinical management. Materials and Methods: The size of 12 polyp phantoms was assessed in tandem colonoscopies carried out by 7 endoscopists differing in years of clinical endoscopical experience. The endoscopists measured, with (n=5) or without (n=2) the aid of open forceps, the largest diameter of 12 polyp phantoms. Measurements in two independent trials were compared with the gold standard-size assessed at The Department Of Production Engineering, The Royal Institute of Technology. Results: In tandem trials, 99.4% (167/168) of the measurements underscored the gold standard size. In the 1st trial, the size in all 84 measurements was underestimated by -40% (range -34% to -45%) and in the 2nd trial the size in 83 of the 84 measurements was underestimated by -34% (range -24% to -42%). Neither the age of the participant, nor the years of experience with clinical endoscopy improved the results obtained. The participants significantly underestimated larger devices (>= 20 mm) whereas the smallest "polyps" were also underestimated, but with a lower degree of inaccuracy. The absolute difference between the golden standard size and the mean of all measurements performed on each polyp in 167 out of 168 measurements followed a regular downward trend. The volume of the devices was one of the confounding factors in size assessment. When compared to the gold standard size, the larger the "polyp" size, the higher the degree of underestimation. This may be crucial considering that the risk for colorectal adenomas to shelter an invasive growth is 46%, for adenomas measuring >= 2 cm, a limit accepted as a guideline worldwide for the management of patients with large colorectal polyps. Conclusion: Considering the clinical implications of the results obtained, the possibility of developing a method that would allow the assessment of the true size of polyps in clinical colonoscopy, is being explored.
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| 6. |
- Röme, Andrada, et al.
(författare)
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Critical Role of P-Selectin and Lymphocyte Function Antigen-1 in Radiation-Induced Leukocyte-Endothelial Cell Interactions in the Colon.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0012-3706. ; 50:12, s. 2194-2202
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Radiation therapy is frequently used in treating different types of tumors, although associated with serious side effects, such as fibrosis and complicated diarrhea. This study was designed to define the adhesive mechanisms behind radiotherapy-induced leukocyte recruitment in the colon. Methods All mice, except control animals, were radiated with a single dose of 20 Gy. Mice were pretreated with an isotype-matched control antibody or a monoclonal antibody directed against P-selectin. In separate experiments, lymphocyte function antigen-1–deficient animals were used. Leukocyte rolling and firm adhesion were determined by use of inverted intravital fluorescence microscopy 16 hours after radiation. Results It was found that immunoneutralization of P-selectin reduced leukocyte rolling by 83 percent and adhesion by 87 percent in radiated mice. Moreover, radiation-induced leukocyte adhesion in LFA-1-deficient mice was decreased by 94 percent compared with wild-type animals. Conclusions This study demonstrates that leukocyte rolling is mediated by P-selectin and that firm leukocyte adhesion is supported by lymphocyte function antigen-1 in radiation-induced enteritis. Moreover, P-selectin-dependent leukocyte rolling is a precondition for subsequent leukocyte adhesion in radiation-induced intestinal injury. Thus, targeting P-selectin and/or lymphocyte function antigen-1 may protect against pathologic inflammation in the colon induced by radiotherapy.
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| 7. |
- Simark-Mattsson, Charlotte, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Final pH affects the interference capacity of naturally occurring oral Lactobacillus strains against mutans streptococci.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Archives of oral biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1506 .- 0003-9969. ; 54:6, s. 602-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To establish the effects of three factors: previous caries experience; colonization of Streptococcus mutans; and final pH on autologous lactobacilli-mediated inhibition against a panel of mutans streptococci in young subjects with different caries experiences. DESIGN: The inhibition capacity was determined by the use of the agar overlay method and the final pH in culture medium was measured after 20 h. Using a logistic regression model, the risk of having an incomplete lactobacilli-mediated inhibition was calculated. RESULTS: All three factors significantly influenced the interference outcome in the order; final pH of the Lactobacillus strains, oral colonization of autologous S. mutans and caries experience. A high risk occurred at a lower pH and at a wider pH range for individuals with previous caries experience and autologous colonization of S. mutans compared with caries-free subjects who were not colonized. At a final pH of 4.0, this risk was approximately eight times higher than that of the latter group. Two mutans Streptococcus strains in the test panel demonstrated high individual predictive values of inhibition mediated by oral lactobacilli. CONCLUSIONS: Generation of a low pH either directly via organic acid production and/or production of bacteriocins or metabolites at a low pH may promote mutans Streptococcus growth inhibition, in vitro. Furthermore, a shift of pH range for the risk of incomplete inhibition of mutans streptococci suggests a less effective inhibition at a wider pH range for naturally occurring lactobacilli from individuals with earlier caries experience containing own S. mutans.
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| 8. |
- Simark-Mattsson, Charlotte, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Lactobacillus-mediated interference of mutans streptococci in caries-free vs. caries-active subjects.
- 2007
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Ingår i: European journal of oral sciences. - : Wiley. - 0909-8836 .- 1600-0722. ; 115:4, s. 308-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In order to assess whether naturally occurring oral lactobacilli have probiotic properties, lactobacilli were isolated from saliva and plaque from children and adolescents, with or without caries lesions. The interference capacities of these lactobacilli were investigated against a panel of 13 clinical isolates and reference strains of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, as well as against the subject's autologous mutans streptococci, using the agar-overlay technique. Lactobacillus-mediated inhibition differed significantly between the three subject groups (no caries, arrested caries, or active caries), demonstrating increased inhibition in subjects without present or previous caries experience compared to subjects with arrested caries or subjects presenting with frank lesions. Lactobacilli from subjects lacking S. mutans inhibited the growth of the test panel of mutans streptococci significantly better than lactobacilli from subjects who were colonized. Furthermore, subjects without caries experience harbored lactobacilli that more effectively repressed the growth of their autologous mutans streptococci. Twenty-three Lactobacillus spp. completely inhibited the growth of all mutans streptococci tested. Species with maximum interference capacity against mutans streptococci included Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Naturally occurring oral lactobacilli significantly inhibited the growth of both test strains of mutans streptococci and the subject's autologous mutans streptococci in vitro, and this effect was more pronounced in caries-free subjects.
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