bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification of
Acinetobacter baumannii
Strains with Monoclonal Antibodies against the O Antigens of Their Lipopolysaccharides
Authors: Pantophlet Ralph , Brade Lore , Brade Helmut 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Despite the emergence of
Acinetobacter baumannii
strains as nosocomial pathogens, simple methods for their phenotypic identification are still unavailable. Murine monoclonal antibodies specific for the O-polysaccharide moiety of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of two
A. baumannii
strains were obtained after immunization with heat-killed bacteria. The monoclonal antibodies were characterized by enzyme immunoassay and by Western and dot blot analyses and were investigated for their potential use for the identification of
A. baumannii
strains. The antibodies reacted with 46 of the 80
A. baumannii
clinical isolates that were investigated, and reactivity was observed with 11 of 14 strains which were isolated during outbreaks in different northwestern European cities; no reactivity was observed with
Acinetobacter
strains of other genomic species, including the closely related genomic species 1 (
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
), 3, and 13 sensu Tjernberg and Ursing, or with other gram-negative bacterial strains. The results show that O-antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies such as the ones described are convenient reagents which can be used to identify
Acinetobacter
strains in clinical and research laboratories.
Detection of Cryptdin in Mouse Skin
Authors: Shirafuji Yoshinori , Oono Takashi , Kanzaki Hiroko , Hirakawa Satoshi , Arata Jirô 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
Defensins are widely distributed and broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides with activities against bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. Defensins have been isolated from granules of neutrophils from humans, rabbits, rats, and guinea pigs. They have also been found in lung macrophages as well as in Paneth cells of the human, rabbit, and mouse small intestine. The human β-defensin-2 was recently isolated from human skin. In this study, we detected the expression of mRNA for the defensin cryptdin in BALB/c mouse skin by means of reverse transcriptase PCR amplification. Expression was also detected in dispase-separated epidermis and cultured keratinocytes, but expression was not detected in fibroblasts. The expression of cryptdin mRNA was found to begin on embryonic day 17.5. As determined with specific primers, the cDNA sequence cloned from the skin was found to be identical to that previously reported for cryptdin-5. cDNA derived from cultured keratinocytes demonstrated the sequences of the cryptdin-6 and cryptdin-1 isoforms. In situ hybridization analysis showed that the mRNA of cryptdin was expressed in the suprabasal keratinocytes of the skin in embryonic and neonatal days and then shifted to the hair bulbs in the skin of adult mice.
Immunohematological Reference Ranges for Adult Ethiopians
Authors: Tsegaye Aster , Messele Tsehaynesh , Tilahun Tesfaye , Hailu Ermias , Sahlu Tefera , Doorly Ronan , Fontanet Arnaud L. , Rinke de Wit Tobias F. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 485 healthy working adult Ethiopians who are participating in a cohort study on the progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection to establish hematological reference ranges for adult HIV-negative Ethiopians. In addition, enumeration of absolute numbers and percentages of leukocyte subsets was performed for 142 randomly selected HIV-negative individuals. Immunological results were compared to those of 1,356 healthy HIV-negative Dutch blood donor controls. Immunohematological mean values, medians, and 95th percentile reference ranges were established. Mean values were as follows: leukocyte (WBC) counts, 6.1 × 10
9
/liter (both genders); erythrocyte counts, 5.1 × 10
12
/liter (males) and 4.5 × 10
12
/liter (females); hemoglobin, 16.1 (male) and 14.3 (female) g/dl; hematocrit, 48.3% (male) and 42.0% (female); platelets, 205 × 10
9
/liter (both genders); monocytes, 343/μl; granulocytes, 3,057/μl; lymphocytes, 1,857/μl; CD4 T cells, 775/μl; CD8 T cells, 747/μl; CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio, 1.2; T cells, 1,555/μl; B cells, 191/μl; and NK cells, 250/μl. The major conclusions follow. (i) The WBC and platelet values of healthy HIV-negative Ethiopians are lower than the adopted reference values of Ethiopia. (ii) The absolute CD4 T-cell counts of healthy HIV-negative Ethiopians are considerably lower than those of the Dutch controls, while the opposite is true for the absolute CD8 T-cell counts. This results in a significantly reduced CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio for healthy Ethiopians, compared to the ratio for Dutch controls.
Expression of Fas (CD95/APO-1) Ligand by Human Breast Cancers: Significance for Tumor Immune Privilege
Authors: O’Connell Joe , Bennett Michael W. , O’Sullivan Gerald C. , O’Callaghan Jim , Collins J. Kevin , Shanahan Fergus 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTBreast cancers have been shown to elicit tumor-specific immune responses. As in other types of cancer, the antitumor immune response fails to contain breast tumor growth, and a reduction in both the quantity and cytotoxic effectiveness of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is associated with a poorer prognosis. Fas ligand (FasL) induces apoptotic death of activated lymphocytes that express its cell surface receptor, FasR (CD95/APO-1). FasL-mediated apoptosis of activated lymphocytes contributes to normal immune downregulation through its roles in tolerance acquisition, immune response termination, and maintenance of immune privilege in the eye, testis, and fetus. In this report, we demonstrate that breast carcinomas express FasL. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we show that breast tumors constitutively express FasL at both the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. FasL expression is prevalent in breast cancer: 100% of breast tumors (17 of 17) were found to express FasL, and expression occurred over more than 50% of the tumor area in all cases. By immunohistochemistry, FasR was found to be coexpressed with FasL throughout large areas of all the breast tumors. This suggests that the tumor cells had acquired intracellular defects in FasL-mediated apoptotic signaling. FasL and FasR expression were independent of tumor type or infiltrative capacity. FasL expressed by tumor cells has previously been shown to kill Fas-sensitive lymphoid cells in vitro and has been associated with apoptosis of TILs in vivo. We conclude that mammary carcinomas express FasL in vivo as a potential inhibitor of the antitumor immune response.
Detection of Anti-VacA Antibody Responses in Serum and Gastric Juice Samples Using Type s1/m1 and s2/m2
Helicobacter pylori
VacA Antigens
Authors: Perez-Perez Guillermo I. , Peek Richard M. , Atherton John C. , Blaser Martin J. , Cover Timothy L. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Several different families of vacuolating toxin (
vacA
) alleles are present in
Helicobacter pylori
, and they encode products with differing functional activities.
H. pylori
strains containing certain types of
vacA
alleles have been associated with an increased risk for peptic ulcer disease. In this study, we tested serum samples and gastric juice from 19
H. pylori
-negative and 39
H. pylori
-positive patients for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reactivity with two different types of VacA antigens (types s1/m1 and s2/m2), which were purified from
H. pylori
60190 and 86-338, respectively. Both antigens were recognized better by serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) from
H. pylori
-positive persons than by serum IgG from
H. pylori
-negative persons (
P
< 0.01). The s1/m1 VacA antigen was better recognized by sera from patients carrying
vacA
type s1/m1 strains than by sera from patients carrying
vacA
type s2/m2 or s1/m2 strains (
P
< 0.01). Conversely, the s2/m2 VacA antigen was better recognized by sera from patients carrying type s2/m2 or s1/m2 strains (
P
= 0.03). Serum IgG anti-VacA antibodies were present more frequently in patients carrying type s1/m1 strains than in other
H. pylori
-positive patients (
P
= 0.0002). In addition, the highest levels of IgA anti-VacA antibodies were detected in the gastric juice of patients carrying type s1/m1 strains. These data indicate that different VacA isoforms have distinct antigenic properties and that multiple forms of VacA elicit antibody responses in
H. pylori
-positive humans.
Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide Preparations May Contain Non-C-Polysaccharide Contaminants That Are Immunogenic
Authors: Yu Xinhong , Sun Yan , Frasch Carl , Concepcion Nelydia , Nahm Moon H. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We measured the capacity to opsonize
Streptococcus pneumoniae
serotype 6B and estimated the concentration of immunoglobulin G anti-6B capsular polysaccharide (PS) antibodies in 25 pre- and postimmune sera from adults immunized with a pneumococcal PS vaccine. We first studied two postvaccination serum samples displaying less opsonophagocytic capacity than expected. The majority of anti-6B antibodies in the two samples reacted with the capsular PSs of several unrelated serotypes (2, 4, 9V, 19F, and 23F) and with the lysate of noncapsulated
S. pneumoniae
bacteria but not with C-PS. The non-type-specific antibodies accounted for at least one-half of anti-6B antibodies in 40% of prevaccination sera and 10% of postvaccination sera from adults. The non-type-specific antibodies could be demonstrated in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for pneumococcal antibodies to other serotypes (4, 9V, 18C, 19F, and 23F). The nonspecific antibodies appear to bind a contaminant(s) in the current preparations of capsular PS. ELISA for antibodies to pneumococcal capsules may not be serotype specific for some samples.
Effects of Amphetamine on Development of Oral Candidiasis in Rats
Authors: Freire-Garabal M. , Núñez M. J. , Balboa J. , Rodríguez-Cobo A. , López-Paz J. M. , Rey-Méndez M. , Suárez-Quintanilla J. A. , Millán J. C. , Mayán J. M. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of amphetamine (0.4 mg/kg of body weight/day) on the development of oral candidiasis in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were submitted to surgical hyposalivation in order to facilitate the establishment and persistence of
Candida albicans
infection. Treatment with drugs (placebo or amphetamine) was initiated 7 days before
C. albicans
inoculation and lasted until the end of the experiments, day 15 postinoculation. Establishment of
C. albicans
infection was evaluated by swabbing the inoculated oral cavity with a sterile cotton applicator on days 2 and 15 after inoculation, followed by plating on YEPD (yeast extract-peptone-dextrose) agar. Tissue injury was determined by the quantification of the number and type (normal or abnormal) of papillae on the dorsal tongue per microscopic field. A semiquantitative scale was devised to assess the degree of colonization of the epithelium by fungal hyphae. Our results show that amphetamine exacerbates
C. albicans
infection of the tongues of rats. Significant increases in
Candida
counts, the percentage of the tongue’s surface covered with clinical lesions, the percentage of abnormal papillae, and the colonization of the epithelium by fungal hyphae were found in amphetamine-treated rats compared to those found in the rats injected with a placebo. The last two parameters increased in rats treated with the placebo compared to the parameters of the untreated control rats.
Effect of Antiflagellar Human Monoclonal Antibody on Gut-Derived
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Sepsis in Mice
Authors: Matsumoto Tetsuya , Tateda Kazuhiro , Miyazaki Shuichi , Furuya Nobuhiko , Ohno Akira , Ishii Yoshikazu , Hirakata Yoichi , Yamaguchi Keizo 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the effect of antiflagellar human monoclonal antibody on gut-derived
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
sepsis. Mice were given a suspension of
P. aeruginosa
SP10052 in their drinking water and were simultaneously treated with ampicillin (200 mg/kg of body weight) to disrupt the normal bacterial flora. Cyclophosphamide was then administered to induce leukopenia and translocation of the
P. aeruginosa
that had colonized the gastrointestinal tract, thereby producing gut-derived generalized sepsis. In this model, intraperitoneal injection of 100 μg of antiflagellar human monoclonal antibody (SC-1225) per mouse for 5 consecutive days significantly (
P
< 0.01) increased the survival rate compared with that for mice treated with bovine serum albumin (BSA). Treatment with SC-1225 significantly reduced the average number of viable bacteria in portal blood, liver, and heart blood compared with the average number after treatment with BSA. Furthermore, the presence in serum of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 were evaluated as markers of severity of infection, and the results showed that the levels of these cytokines in mice treated with SC-1225 were significantly decreased in comparison with those in BSA-treated control mice. Although there was no significant difference in the number of bacteria that colonized the intestine, SC-1225 treatment significantly increased bacterial opsonophagocytosis by cultured peritoneal macrophages from mice with or without cyclophosphamide pretreatment. Our results indicate that antiflagellar human monoclonal antibody SC-1225 protects mice against gut-derived sepsis caused by
P. aeruginosa
and suggest that such an effect is due to its opsonophagocytic activity and the reduced motility of the translocated bacteria once the bacteria move from the intestine into the bloodstream.
Evaluation of Four Methods for Detection of Immunoglobulin M Antibodies to Dengue Virus
Authors: Branch Songee L. , Levett Paul N. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
Dengue has become hyperendemic in many islands of the Caribbean region. The performance in a diagnostic laboratory of four commercial assays for detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies was evaluated. Sera from 62 patients with dengue virus infection were studied. These included 18 patients from whom dengue virus type 2 was isolated in a 1997 outbreak (specimens collected a mean of 14 days after onset of symptoms), 8 patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever (mean time after onset, 11 days), and 36 patients in whom dengue was previously confirmed by serology (mean time after onset, 10 days). Thirty serum specimens from blood donors in a country where dengue is not endemic were used as negative controls. The methods evaluated were two IgM-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) (MRL Diagnostics, Cypress, Calif., and PanBio, Queensland, Australia), a dot ELISA dipstick assay (Integrated Diagnostics, Baltimore, Md.), and a rapid immunochromatographic assay for dengue IgG and IgM (PanBio IC). IgG antibodies were also detected by an ELISA method (MRL Diagnostics). The sensitivities of the four assays were as follows: MRL Diagnostics IgM ELISA, 98.4%; PanBio IgM ELISA, 85.5%; Integrated Diagnostics IgM dot ELISA, 96.8%; and PanBio IC, 83.9%. The specificities of all tests were 100%. Evidence of secondary dengue was found in all patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever and in 83% of the remaining patients. The MRL Diagnostics IgM ELISA appears to be more sensitive than the PanBio IgM ELISA, and this may be significant when IgM titers are low, particularly in patients with secondary dengue infections. The dot ELISA dipstick assay is equally sensitive and may be more appropriate for use in laboratories with lower workloads.
Inhibition of Cytokine Gene Expression by Sodium Salicylate in a Macrophage Cell Line through an NF-κB-Independent Mechanism
Authors: Lemay Serge , Lebedeva Tatiana V. , Singh Ajay K. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTMacrophage-derived cytokines and chemokines are involved at multiple steps of immune and inflammatory responses, and the transcriptional factor NF-κB appears to play a pivotal role in their coordinated upregulation. The anti-inflammatory agents salicylates have been proposed to act in part by inhibiting NF-κB. We have therefore studied the effects of sodium salicylate on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced κB-binding activity and on cytokine and chemokine gene expression in the RAW264.7 murine macrophage cell line and compared them to those of an established NF-κB inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). PDTC (100 μM) completely abrogated LPS-induced κB-binding activity and also profoundly inhibited the induction of interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and MCP-1 and, to a lesser extent, leukemia inhibitory factor, RANTES, and IL-1Ra. In contrast, sodium salicylate (15 to 20 mM) had no effect on NF-κB activation but, nevertheless, suppressed several LPS-induced cytokine and chemokine genes to a degree similar to that obtained with PDTC. However, compared to PDTC, sodium salicylate caused significantly less inhibition of IL-1Ra and IL-10 gene expression after LPS stimulation. Neither LPS-induced MIP-1α, MIP-1β, nor MIP-2 was significantly affected by PDTC or sodium salicylate, demonstrating that NF-κB is dispensable for the transcriptional regulation of these genes by LPS. In summary, these results suggest that both NF-κB-dependent and NF-κB-independent pathways are necessary for the induction by LPS of a complex cytokine and chemokine response. In the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line, suprapharmacological concentrations of sodium salicylate exert a potent inhibitory effect on LPS-induced cytokine gene induction but appear to accomplish this by interfering with NF-κB-independent pathways of activation.
A Simple Saliva-Based Test for Detecting Antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Schramm Willfried , Angulo Gustavo Barriga , Torres Patricia Castillo , Burgess-Cassler Anthony 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
This study was performed to determine the feasibility of using saliva as a diagnostic medium for the detection of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 under nonlaboratory conditions and to evaluate the performance characteristics of such a test. We developed for this purpose a self-contained kit (Saliva · Strip [ST]), which combines the collection and processing, as well as the analysis, of the specimen. The kit’s performance was evaluated in a blinded study. Saliva collection was facilitated with a specially designed device that contains a sample adequacy indicator, and immunochromatography test strips were used for the analysis. A total of 1,336 matched serum and saliva specimens (684 reactive and 652 nonreactive specimens) were tested. We tested sera using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and a rapid strip test. Sera reactive in one of the assays were also analyzed by Western blotting. Sensitivity and specificity were 99.4 and 99.4%, respectively, for ST, 100 and 99.1%, respectively, for EIA, and 99.7 and 100%, respectively, for the serum strip test. The saliva test performed well when HIV-2-positive sera or a low-titer performance panel (HIV-1) of serum or plasma specimens were diluted (1:2,000) in nonreactive saliva. Because the methodology we present here uses a noninvasively obtained medium, the methodology may be suitable for use in the field where laboratory support and personnel are limited, such as community outreach programs, doctors’ offices, surveillance studies, and community hospitals.
Long-Term Persistence of Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgM Antibodies against Human Cytomegalovirus in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients
Authors: Eing Bodo R. , Baumeister Horst G. , Kuehn Joachim E. , May Guenter 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
The retrospective analysis of 494 solid-organ transplant recipients revealed that during the follow-up period (mean duration, 3.2 years) 184 (88%) of 209 anti-human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) immunoglobulin A (IgA)-positive patients remained IgA positive, as did 128 (74.85%) of 171 anti-HCMV IgM-positive patients. We conclude that anti-HCMV IgA and IgM testing for management of clinically relevant HCMV infections in solid-organ transplant recipients is dispensable.
Dot Blot Assay for Detection of Antidiacyltrehalose Antibodies in Tuberculous Patients
Authors: Vera-Cabrera Lucio , Rendon Adrian , Diaz-Rodriguez Manuel , Handzel Vera , Laszlo Adalbert 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A simple dot blot test with diacyltrehalose (DAT) as the antigen was developed to detect anti-DAT antibodies in tuberculous patients. To enhance antigen-antibody reaction detection, rabbit serum raised against human immunoglobulins was used prior to incubation with a protein A-colloidal gold complex. With the dot blot system, it was possible to obtain a sensitivity similar to that of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a specificity of 97.14%, versus a specificity of 94.29% by the ELISA. We conclude that this simple and fast assay could be used in places where ELISA equipment is not easy available and that it might also be applicable with other
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
immunogenic antigens.
Deficient Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Expressing Target Cells in Perinatal HIV Infection
Authors: Ziegner Ulrike , Campbell Donald , Weinhold Kent , Frank Ian , Rutstein Richard , Starr Stuart E. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children, age-matched HIV-seronegative controls, and HIV-infected asymptomatic and symptomatic adults were compared for their ability to mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity against target cells expressing HIV or herpes simplex virus (HSV) antigens. Target cells consisted of CD4 lymphocytes purified from PBMC of HIV-seronegative adults and incubated with the IIIB strain of HIV, HUT78 cells chronically infected with IIIB, and HSV-infected human fibroblasts. PBMC of asymptomatic HIV-infected adults were generally able to lyse CD4 cells expressing HIV antigens. Direct correlation was found between the magnitude of lysis and absolute CD4 cell counts in these individuals. In contrast to these results, PBMC from HIV-infected children were generally unable to lyse IIIB-expressing CD4 cells, regardless of the children’s clinical status, age, or absolute CD4 cell counts. Cells from HIV-seronegative adults and children did not directly lyse these target cells either but, in contrast to cells of HIV-seropositive children, were able to mediate cell lysis when serum from an HIV-seropositive adult was added. However, effector cells from these HIV-infected children were able to mediate both ADCC against HSV-infected fibroblasts and NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against IIIB-infected HUT78 cells. Reduced ability of PBMC from vertically HIV-infected children to mediate ADCC against HIV antigen-expressing CD4 cells may contribute to rapid progression to AIDS.