Increased Levels of Serum Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Is Associated with Activated Peripheral Dendritic Cells in Type 2 Diabetes Subjects (CURES-99)

Background: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with growth factor–like properties for monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs). In the present study, serum GM-CSF levels and the activation status of DCs were studied in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects. Methods: Study subjects were recruited from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study. Healthy controls (n = 45) and T2DM patients (n = 45) were included in the study. Serum levels of GM-CSF, interleukin-1b, interleukin- 6, and tumor necrosis factor-a were measured. Enumeration of circulating DCs (myeloid [m] and plasmocytoid [p]) and its surface antigen expression were quantified by flow cytometry. Results: The serum GM-CSF levels were significantly higher among diabetes subjects compared with subjects without diabetes and showed a positive correlation with glycated hemoglobin (r = 0.208, P = 0.018). The serum GM-CSF levels were lower in subjects on combined insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA) treatment (1.09 pg/mL) compared with those taking OHA alone (1.9 pg/mL). The increased GM-CSF levels were associated with the activated phenotype of mDCs and pDCs, as determined by up-regulation of the lineage markers. Conclusion: The activated state of mDCs and pDCs seen among diabetes subjects might be due to the increased levels of GM-CSF and other pro-inflammatory cytokines

(E)-2-({2-[(E)-(Hy­droxy­imino)­meth­yl]phen­oxy}meth­yl)-3-p-tolyl­acrylonitrile

In the title compound, C18H16N2O2, the hy­droxy­ethanimine group is essentially coplanar with the ring to which it is attached (C—C—N—O torsion angle = −176.9°). Mol­ecules are linked into cyclic centrosymmetric R 2 2(6) dimers via O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds

(Z)-4-{1-[(2-Hy­droxy­ethyl)­amino]­ethyl­idene}-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one

In the title compound C14H17N3O2, the dihedral angle between the rings is 16.68 (13)°. Although the compound crystallizes in the keto form, the possibility of keto-enamine–enol-imine tautomerism is explained by a strong intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond

2-Hy­droxy­ethyl 4-hy­droxy­benzoate

In the title compound, C9H10O4, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the –CO2 unit is 11.93 (8)° and the conformation of the 2-hy­droxy­ethyl side chain is gauche [O—C—C—O = −71.91 (17)°]. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

Methyl (E)-2-({2-[(E)-(hy­droxy­imino)­meth­yl]phen­oxy}meth­yl)-3-phenyl­acrylate

In the title compound, C18H17NO4, the hy­droxy­ethanimine group is essentially coplanar with the ring to which it is attached [C—C—N—O torsion angle = 179.94 (14)°]. The mol­ecules are linked into cyclic centrosymmetric R 2 2(6) dimers via O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds and the crystal packing is further stabilized by C—H⋯O inter­actions

Identification & differentiation of Mycobacterium avium & M. intracellulare by PCR- RFLP assay using the groES gene

Background & objectives: We report a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) – restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay using mycobacterial groES as a target to identify Mycobacterium avium and M. intracellulare in clinical samples. Methods: The assay was standardized using M. avium and M. intracellulare standard strains obtained from ATCC and was tested with 45 M. avium-M. intracellulare complex (MAC) clinical isolates (Of which 31 were from HIV+ individuals). The standard and clinical strains were typed with HPLC based mycolic acid fingerprinting. Results: Three polymorphisms (BamHI, BstNI and HgaI) were identified for inter-species differentiation among standard strains; of which, only HgaI was found to be useful in clinical isolates. Of the 45 isolates, 25 were M. avium and 20 were M. intracelluare. MAC isolates, which could not be differentiated by HPLC analysis, were also typed by this method. Interpretation & conclusions: The use of mycobacterial groES as a PCR-RFLP target for M. avium and M. intracellulare is a simple and rapid method that can complement HPLC in their differentiation

Effect of Filarial Infection on Serum Inflammatory and Atherogenic Biomarkers in Coronary Artery Disease (CURES-121)

Helminth infections can potentially confer protection against metabolic disorders, possibly through immunomodulation. In this study, the baseline prevalence of lymphatic filariasis (LF) among subjects without (N = 236) and with (N = 217) coronary artery disease (CAD) was examined as part of the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiological Study (CURES). The prevalence of LF was not significantly different between CAD− and CAD+ subjects. The LF antigen load and antibody levels indicated comparable levels of infection and exposure between the groups. Within the CAD group, LF+ and LF− subjects had no significant difference in the intimal medial thickness and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein values. However, LF infection was associated with augmented levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 among CAD+ subjects. The LF infection had no effect on serum adipocytokine profile. In conclusion, unlike type-2 diabetes, there is no association between the prevalence of LF and CAD and also no evidence of protective immunomodulation of LF infection on CAD in the Asian Indian population