Higher increase in PPD-reactive T cell frequencies in patients without pre-existing immunity before therapy.

<p>The increase of PPD and SEB-reactive CD69 positive IFN-γ producing T cells between baseline and the maximum value during BCG-instillations was quantified for all patients and results were stratified for patients with negative and positive PPD-status before therapy. Medians and interquartile ranges are indicated.</p

No measurable effect of systemically induced PPD-response on treatment success.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Recurrence-free survival depending on PPD-status before therapy. (<b>B</b>) The increase of percentages of IFN-γ producing CD4 T cells among all specific T cells after stimulation with PPD between baseline and maximum value was compared in non-responders (white circles, n=8) and responders (black circles, n=10).</p

Bladder cancer patients before BCG-therapy and healthy controls do not differ in their baseline PPD-reactivity.

<p>(<b>A</b>) The percentage of individuals with pre-existing immunity towards PPD (≥0.05% CD69 positive interferon-γ (IFN-γ) or interleukin 2 (IL-2) producing CD4 T cells) and (<b>B</b>) PPD-reactive T cell frequencies of IFN-γ or IL-2 producing CD4 T cells were quantified in bladder cancer patients before BCG-therapy (n=18) and in age-matched healthy controls (n=54). In one patient, the baseline value was not available. However, as this patient did not have any specific immunity one week after start of therapy, baseline immunity was considered below detection limit. T cell frequencies of each individual (circles) as well as the median value and interquartile range (IQR) are shown, and the detection limit (0.05% reactive CD4 T cells) is represented by a dotted line.</p

Effect of Cecropin B on cell membranes of 486P bladder cancer cells and ZF07 fibroblasts as visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Representative example of an untreated 486P bladder cancer cell showing a smooth surface. 486P cells treated with 65 μM Cecropin B reveal a disrupted cell membrane with only small islands of intact surface left (arrow). In contrast, untreated ZF07 fibroblasts and () fibroblasts after incubation with 65 μM Cecropin B do not display any changes in cell morphology with no observable damage to the cell membrane.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Antimicrobial peptides of the Cecropin-family show potent antitumor activity against bladder cancer cells"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2490/8/5</p><p>BMC Urology 2008;8():5-5.</p><p>Published online 3 Mar 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2276511.</p><p></p