Allergen-Vaccine Immunotherapy And Its Effect On Immunological Markers In Asthmatic Children

Abstract: Allergen immunotherapy is the administration of gradually increasing quantities of an allergen vaccine to an allergic subject, reaching a dose which is effective in ameliorating the symptoms associated with subsequent exposure to the causative allergen. So allergy vaccine immunotherapy is a treatment that can modify allergic disease. In the present study we evaluated a period of one and half year of house dust mite immunotherapy on the concentrations of two immunologic markers: Eosinophil cationic protein (ECR) and nitric oxide (NO). We also compared the effect on asthma symptoms, allergen specific bronchial challenge test and the skin prick test. The immunotherapy was performed on 36 mite allergic, asthmatic children (age range from 6-15 years) were included in our study. Twenty of the cases were treated with sublingual immunotherapy (55.5%) and 17 cases were controls as they refused to receive the medication. Efficacy was evaluated clinically on asthma symptoms and by measuring the serum NO and ECP, allergen specific bronchial challenge test and the skin prick test. Results: The sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) group detected a significant improvement in asthma symptoms (P=0.001) and skin reactivity to dermatophagoides ptronyssinus (P=0.020) whereas the control group did not. The result of bronchial challenge to D pteronyssinus showed a similar pattern at baseline and after 2 years of treatment in both groups. The serum levels of NO and ECP were significantly reduced in the SLIT group (P=0.01 and P=0.018) compared to baseline, whereas the values remained the same in the control group. The result of bronchial challenge to D pteronyssinus showed similar results at baseline after 2 years of treatment in both groups. The tolerated allergen concentration increased in both groups (p<0.05). Lung function tests, total immunoglobulin (IgE) and specific IgE to D pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae did not change after 2 years of treatment in either group. Conclusion: The SLIT with D pteronyssinus improves the clinical parameters and the immunological parameters in mite allergic asthmatic children after one and half year of treatment. The skin prick test may be used as a marker of efficacy of therapy

Anti-Cripto Mab inhibit tumour growth and overcome MDR in a human leukaemia MDR cell line by inhibition of Akt and activation of JNK/SAPK and bad death pathways

Doxorubicin (DOX) selection of CCRF-CEM leukaemia cell line resulted in multidrug resistance (MDR) CEM/A7R cell line, which overexpresses MDR, 1 coded P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Here, we report for the first time that oncoprotein Cripto, a founding member of epidermal growth factor-Cripto-FRL, 1-Criptic family is overexpressed in the CEM/A7R cells, and anti-Cripto monoclonal antibodies (Mab) inhibited CEM/A7R cell growth both in vitro and in an established xenograft tumour in severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Cripto Mab synergistically enhanced sensitivity of the MDR cells to Pgp substrates epirubicin (EPI), daunorubicin (DAU) and non-Pgp substrates nucleoside analogue cytosine arabinoside (AraC). In particular, the combination of anti-Cripto Mab at less than 50% of inhibition concentrations with noncytotoxic concentrations of EPI or DAU inhibited more than 90% of CEM/A7R cell growth. Cripto Mab slightly inhibited Pgp expression, and had little effect on Pgp function, indicating that a mechanism independent of Pgp was involved in overcoming MDR. We demonstrated that anti-Cripto Mab-induced CEM/A7R cell apoptosis, which was associated with an enhanced activity of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase and inhibition of Akt phosphorylation, resulting in an activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway as evidenced by dephosphorylation of Bad at Ser136, Bcl-2 at Ser70 and a cleaved caspase-9

PORTUGALIAE ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA Electrochemical Deposition and Characterization of Poly(3,4- ethylene dioxythiophene), Poly(aniline) and their Copolymer onto Glassy Carbon Electrodes for Potential Use in Ascorbic Acid Oxidation

Abstract Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT), poly(aniline) (PANI) and their copolymer (PEDOT-PANI) were electrodeposited onto a glassy carbon electrode. The electrodeposition was performed using cyclic voltammetry from acidic solution containing appropriate monomer concentrations and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) as a wetting agent. The resulting polymer films were characterised using cyclic voltammetry in acidic and neutral phosphate buffer solutions and IR spectroscopy. The specific capacitance of the PEDOT-PANI co-polymer reaches up to 260 F g −1 and had good stability during cycling in mineral acid solution. IR spectroscopy confirms the formation of PEDOT-PANI copolymer. The polymers showed an electrochemical activity towards ascorbic acid oxidation. The oxidation current was linearly dependant up to 20 mM ascorbic acid concentration and the PEDOT activity was much higher than that for PANI and PEDOT-PANI copolymer