Interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 production by mononuclear cells from patients with advanced head and neck cancer

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with supraglottic laryngeal cancer before and after surgical treatment. METHODS: Fourteen patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer were studied. Cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated during the preoperative and late postoperative periods were stimulated with concanavalin A and Bacille Calmette-Guerin, and the supernatant concentrations of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 were measured. RESULTS: For non-stimulated cultures, the interferon-gamma levels produced by the preoperative period and the late postoperative period cultures were lower than the levels produced by the control group cultures. The interferon-gamma levels after stimulation with concanavalin A were higher in the late postoperative period cultures than in the preoperative evaluation cultures. Stimulation with Bacille Calmette-Guerin led to the production of similar levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by all cultures; thus, stimulation increased the levels of interferon-gamma produced by both the preoperative and postoperative cultures relative to the levels produced by the corresponding unstimulated cultures. CONCLUSION: Patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer exhibit an in vitro deficiency in interferongamma secretion by mononuclear cells. Stimulated cells seem to recover this function during the postoperative period

Interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 production by mononuclear cells from patients with advanced head and neck cancer

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with supraglottic laryngeal cancer before and after surgical treatment. METHODS: Fourteen patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer were studied. Cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated during the preoperative and late postoperative periods were stimulated with concanavalin A and Bacille Calmette-Guerin, and the supernatant concentrations of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 were measured. RESULTS: For non-stimulated cultures, the interferon-gamma levels produced by the preoperative period and the late postoperative period cultures were lower than the levels produced by the control group cultures. The interferon-gamma levels after stimulation with concanavalin A were higher in the late postoperative period cultures than in the preoperative evaluation cultures. Stimulation with Bacille Calmette-Guerin led to the production of similar levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by all cultures; thus, stimulation increased the levels of interferon-gamma produced by both the preoperative and postoperative cultures relative to the levels produced by the corresponding unstimulated cultures. CONCLUSION: Patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer exhibit an in vitro deficiency in interferongamma secretion by mononuclear cells. Stimulated cells seem to recover this function during the postoperative period

Pityriasis lichenoides: clinical and immunogenetic studies

Type of study: Prevalence study. Objectives: Despite pityriasis lichenoides is an uncommon dermatosis, we observed 12 cases in the last 3 years. By this means, we review clinical and histopathologic findings of all patients with pityriasis lichenoides seen at our Division. Furthermore, since pathogenic features of the disease are unknown, we performed HLA class I and II typings to search for possible immunogenetic markers for pityriasis lichenoides. Methods: Twenty-one patients with biopsy-proven diagnosis of pityriasis lichenoides were evaluated. HLA class I and II antigens were typed using conventional serological procedures. Results: Children and young adults were predominantly affected. Most of the cases were seen in fall and winter time. Typical disseminated lesions were observed more frequently. Both acute and chronic patterns were observed at histology. Compared to controls, the HLA-B17 antigen was overrepresented in patients (P< 0.005). Conclusions: Although pityriasis lichenoides remains a cutaneous disease of undetermined origin, our findings show that the disease is associated with the HLA-B17 antigen. .Modelo de estudo:Estudo de prevalência. Objetivos: Embora a pitiríase liquenóide seja uma dermatose incomum, 12 casos foram por nós observados nos últimos três anos. Assim, neste estudo, avaliamos os perfis clínicos e histopatológicos dos pacientes com pitiríase liquenóide, atendidos na Divisão de Dermatologia. Além disso, tipificamos os antígenos HLA de classes I e II nesses pacientes.Metodologia: Foram estudados 21 pacientes com diagnóstico clínico e histopatológico de pitiríase liquenóide. As tipificações dos antígenos de histocompatibilidade de classes I e II foram realizadas, utilizando-se métodos sorológicos. Resultados: A maioria dos casos ocorreu entre crianças e ou adultos jovens, no outono e inverno. As lesões típicas de forma disseminada foram as mais freqüentes. Os achados histopatológicos mostraram lesões dos tipos agudo e crônico. O antígeno HLA-B17 estava significantemente aumentado nos pacientes em relação aos controles (P<0,005).Conclusões: Embora a etiologia da pitiríase liquenóide não seja conhecida, os achados aqui relatados mostram que o marcador HLA-B17 é prevalente entre os doentes

Interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 production by mononuclear cells from patients with advanced head and neck cancer

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with supraglottic laryngeal cancer before and after surgical treatment. METHODS: Fourteen patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer were studied. Cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated during the preoperative and late postoperative periods were stimulated with concanavalin A and Bacille Calmette-Guerin, and the supernatant concentrations of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 were measured. RESULTS: For non-stimulated cultures, the interferon-gamma levels produced by the preoperative period and the late postoperative period cultures were lower than the levels produced by the control group cultures. The interferon-gamma levels after stimulation with concanavalin A were higher in the late postoperative period cultures than in the preoperative evaluation cultures. Stimulation with Bacille Calmette-Guerin led to the production of similar levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by all cultures; thus, stimulation increased the levels of interferon-gamma produced by both the preoperative and postoperative cultures relative to the levels produced by the corresponding unstimulated cultures. CONCLUSION: Patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer exhibit an in vitro deficiency in interferongamma secretion by mononuclear cells. Stimulated cells seem to recover this function during the postoperative period

Patients with psoriasis: psychosocial adaptation and personality features

A psoríase tem suscitado interesse na investigação por causa dos aspectos psicológicos e sociais de seus portadores. Objetivou-se avaliar as condições psicológicas e adaptativas de pacientes com psoríase e suas relações com variáveis demográficas e condições clínicas. Foram avaliados, no Ambulatório de Dermatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da FMRP - USP, 25 mulheres e 25 homens com idade entre 20-50 anos com diagnóstico de psoríase vulgar. Procedeu-se, em sessões individuais, à aplicação individual do Inventário Simplificado de Personalidade (ISP) e do Inventário de Qualidade de Vida (PDI), conforme as recomendações técnicas, e como complemento houve uma entrevista semi-estruturada. Os protocolos foram cotados e, comparados aos dados normativos, procedeu-se à quantificação e tratamento estatístico. Observou-se que 80% dos pacientes apresentaram tendência a desvio de traço de personalidade, predominando as escalas de Extroversão, Insanidade e Neuroticidade. A maioria relatou dificuldades de adaptação psicossocial, principalmente nas áreas de atividades rotineiras (p<0.001); Extensão psoriática, faixa etária entre 20 a 30 anos, insatisfação quanto à aparência física e desvios de Insanidade e Neuroticidade mostraram-se associados a prejuízos nas atividades rotineiras, relações pessoais e lazer. Os dados apontam a inter-relação de aspectos psíquicos, adaptação psicossocial e peculiaridades clínicas da doença.There has been increasing interest in the investigation of the psychological and social aspects of patients with psoriasis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the psychological and adaptive conditions of patients with psoriasis and their relations with demographic variables and clinical condition. Twenty-five women and 25 men aged 20-50 years with a diagnosis of vulgar psoriasis were evaluated at the University Hospital, FMRP-USP. The Simplified Personality Inventory (SPI) and the Quality of Life Inventory (QLI) were applied in individual sessions according to technical recommendations and complemented with a semi-structured interview. The protocols were examined and compared to the normative data and the data were quantified and analyzed statistically. Eighty percent of the patients were found to present a tendency to personality deviation, with a predominance of the Extroversion, Insanity and Neuroticism scales. Most patients were in the 20 to 30 year age range and reported difficulties in psychosocial adaptation, especially in areas of routine activities (p<0.001), psoriatic extension, dissatisfaction about their physical appearance and Insanity and Neuroticism deviations, in association with impairment of routine activities, personal relations and leisure. The data indicate an inter-relation between psychological aspects, psychosocial adaptation and the clinical peculiarities of the disease

Seropositivity to anti-phenolic glycolipid-I in leprosy cases, contacts and no known contacts of leprosy in an endemic and a non-endemic area in northeast Brazil.

The seroprevalence rates of IgM anti-phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) antibodies in four study groups with differing exposure to Mycobacterium leprae in Ceará, Brazil were investigated between March 2005 and August 2006. The first three groups in a high prevalence area included 144 cases of leprosy, their 380 contacts and 317 participants with no known leprosy contact. The fourth group in a low prevalence area consisted of 87 participants with no known leprosy contact living in an area in which no cases of leprosy had been reported in the previous 6 months. Seropositivity and levels of IgM antibodies to PGL-I were investigated using ELISA. The seropositivity levels of anti-PGL-I among the different clinical forms of leprosy cases were 61% for lepromatous, 25% for tuberculoid and 27% indeterminate. The levels of anti-PGL-I antibodies in the endemic area differentiated leprosy cases from non-cases. However, the seropositivity was similar among contact cases (15.8%) and no known leprosy contact cases from high (15.1%) and low (13.8%) prevalence areas. The seropositivity of both contacts and no known contacts was much higher than previously reported among no known contacts in other endemic areas. The study indicates that anti-PGL-I antibodies are not useful as immunological markers of household leprosy contacts and no known leprosy contacts in endemic areas

The recurrence of leprosy reactional episodes could be associated with oral chronic infections and expression of serum IL-1, TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-10

The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of leprosy reactional episodes could be associated with chronic oral infection. Thirty-eight leprosy patients were selected and divided into 2 groups: group I - 19 leprosy patients with oral infections, and group II - 19 leprosy patients without oral infections. Ten patients without leprosy, but presenting oral infections, were assigned to the control group. Leprosy patients were classified according to Ridley and Jopling classification and reactional episodes of the erythema nodosum type or reversal reaction were identified by clinical and histopathological features associated with serum IL-1, TNF-&#945;, IL-6, IFN-&#947; and IL-10 levels. These analyses were performed immediately before and 7 days after the oral infection elimination. Patients from group I presenting oral infections reported clinical improvement of the symptoms of reactional episodes after dental treatment. Serum IL-1, TNF-&#945;, IL-6, IFN-&#947; and IL-10 levels did not differ significantly before and after dental treatment as determined by the Wilcoxon test (p&gt;0.05). Comparison of the 2 groups showed statistically significant differences in IL-1 and IL-6 at baseline and in IL-1, IL-6 and IL-10 on the occasion of both collections 7 days after therapy. Serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels in group I differed significantly at baseline compared to control (Mann-Whitney test; p<0.05). These results suggest that oral infection could be involved as a maintenance factor in the pathogenesis of leprosy reactional episodes.O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar se os episódios reacionais da hanseníase podem estar associados a infecções orais crônicas. Trinta e oito pacientes com hanseníase foram selecionados e divididos em dois grupos: grupo I - 19 pacientes com hanseníase apresentando infecções orais, e grupo II & 19 pacientes com hanseníase sem infecções orais. Os pacientes foram classificados, quanto à forma clínica da doença, de acordo com Ridley and Jopling, e os episódios reacionais, tipo eritema nodoso e reação reversa, foram identificados pelas características clínicas, histopatológicas associadas à quantificação no soro de IL-1, TNF-&#945;, IL-6, IFN-&#947; e IL-10. Estas analises foram realizadas imediatamente antes e 7 dias após a resolução dos focos de infecção. Pacientes do grupo I aprentando infecções orais relataram melhora clínica dos sintomas dos episódios reacionais após o tratamento odontológico. Os níveis séricos de IL-1, TNF-&#945;, IL-6, IFN-&#947; e IL-10 não diferiram significantemente antes e após o tratamento odontológico, como determinado pelo teste Wilcoxon (p&gt;0,05). As comparações entre os grupos mostrou diferenças estatisticamente significantes nos níveis de IL-1 e IL-6 na coleta inicial e nos níveis de IL-1, IL-6 e IL-10 nas duas coletas 7 dias após o tratamento (teste Mann-Whitney; p<0,05). Estes resultados sugerem que infecções orais estão envolvidas na patogênese dos episódios reacionais da hanseníase, como fatores mantenedores

The vegetal biomembrane in the healing of chronic venous ulcers Biomembrana vegetal na cicatrização de úlceras venosas crônicas

BACKGROUND: The vegetal biomembrane has been used to treat cutaneous ulcers. OBJECTIVES: To assess the role of the vegetal biomembrane on the chronic venous ulcers treatment compared to treatment with collagenase cream. METHODS: Fourteen patients were selected to be treated with vegetal biomembrane and 7 with Fibrase®(CONTROL), followed clinically and photographically by the Wound Healing Index by ImageJ during 120 days and biopsied on the 1st and 30th days for histological examination. RESULTS: The vegetal biomembrane was better in promoting healing of the ulcers, especially on the inflammatory phase, confirmed by abundant exudation and wound debridement than the CONTROL group, on the 30th day. There was a greater tendency to angiogenesis followed by re-epithelialization with highest wound healing index on the 90th and 120th days. CONCLUSION: A combined analysis of clinical and histopathological findings suggests that the vegetal biomembrane acted as a factor inducing wound healing, especially on the inflammatory phase, confirmed by abundant exudation of the lesions promoting the transformation of the microenvironment of the chronic venous ulcers, and also stimulating angiogenesis and subsequent re-epithelialization.<br>FUNDAMENTOS: A biomembrana vegetal tem sido usada para tratamento de úlceras cutâneas. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a ação da biomembrana vegetal no tratamento de úlceras venosas crônicas, comparando-a ao tratamento à base de colagenase. MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados 14 pacientes tratados com biomembrana vegetal e sete com Fibrase® (grupo controle), acompanhados clínico-fotograficamente pelo índice de cicatrização das úlceras (ICU) por 120 dias, por meio do software ImageJ, e biopsiados no primeiro e 30º dias para estudo histopatológico. RESULTADOS: A biomembrana vegetal foi superior em relação ao controle na cicatrização das úlceras no 30º dia, especialmente na fase inflamatória, confirmada pela exsudação abundante e pelo desbridamento. Houve tendência superior à angiogênese seguida de reepitelização com maiores ICUs no 90º e 120º dias. CONCLUSÃO: A análise conjunta dos achados clínicos e histopatológicos sugere que a biomembrana vegetal atuou como um fator indutor da cicatrização, especialmente na fase inflamatória, confirmada pela exsudação abundante das lesões, promovendo a transformação do microambiente das úlceras venosas crônicas e estimulando a angiogênese e a posterior reepitelização