The furcocercus cercariae of Neodiplostomum seoulense (Digenea: Neodiplostomidae) penetrate the skins of tadpoles and shed their tails. The speculated mechanism of this tail loss was physical efforts required to produce a vigorous zigzag motion during skin penetration; no other mechanism has been proposed. We examined the relationship between the host serum and cercarial tail loss. Cercariae of N. seoulense were collected from experimentally infected Segmentina hemisphaerula, and lots of 300 cercariae were cultured in medium 199 contained several types of sera. Cercarial tail degradation was induced in all media, but all the cercariae cultured except those cultured in media containing fetal bovine serum (FBS) died within 48 hr. After 72 hr cultivation in media containing FBS, cercarial tail degradation was induced in 67.0%; in continuous cultivation 13.3% of larvae survived for 7 days. Tail degradation did not occur in the absence of serum and when serum was heat inactivated at 56 degrees C for 30 min. The addition of 20 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blocked cercarial tail degradation completely. Moreover, the addition of 20 mM MgCl2 restored tail degradation blocked by EDTA. These results suggest that the alternative complement pathway is related with the N. seoulense cercarial tail degradation induced by serum.
Trematoda/*physiology ; Tail/*physiology ; Larva/parasitology ; Complement System Proteins/immunology/*physiology ; Anura/parasitology ; Animals

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis (OMDT) induced by trichloroethylene (TCE) and some immunity indexes in workers occupationally exposed to TCE.

METHODSThe blood samples from 8 cases with medicamentosa-like dermatitis in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks after admitting to hospital were examined for liver function, immunoglobulin and some complement indexes. Thirty nine workers occupationally exposed to TCE were investigated for urinary TCE and some immuno-complement indexes. The TCE concentrations of air in workplaces were monitored.

RESULTSC3d-CIC and C3 of patients before admission were (92.86 ± 44.80) mg/L and 0.91 ± 0.19 mg/L, respectively. C3d-CIC and C3 of patients before discharge were (52.41 ± 17.75) mg/L and (1.14 ± 0.22) mg/L, respectively. There were significant differences between admission and discharge (P < 0.05). The average TCE concentration in 4 workplaces was (351.96 ± 36.72) mg/m(3), which was higher than the occupational exposure limits (OELs). The number of workers exposed to the TCE concentration-time weighted and TCA in urine over OELs were 28.21% and 56.41% of total subjects, respectively. The serum IgG and CIC levels of patients before discharge were (10.03 ± 1.21) mg/L and 103.50 ± 29.17 mU/L, which were significantly lower than those (17.21 ± 1.85) mg/L and (227.46 ± 111.67) mU/L of patients before admission (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe type II and III hypersensitivity may be associated with OMDT and the organ injure induced by TCE.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Complement System Proteins ; immunology ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; Trichloroethylene ; toxicity ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Complement System Proteins ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; analysis ; Infant ; Male ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; immunology

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis is the most common leukocytoclastic small-vessel vasculitis in children and mainly involves the small vessels in the skin, joints, digestive tract, and kidneys. Its pathogenesis is still unclear. Currently, it is believed that environmental factors can cause autoimmune dysfunction and lead to the deposition of IgA-containing immune complexes on the wall of arterioles on the basis of genetic factors. This article reviews the research advances in the role of immune factors in the pathogenesis of IgA vasculitis.
Autoantibodies ; analysis ; Complement System Proteins ; physiology ; Cytokines ; physiology ; Glycosylation ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; analysis ; Immunoglobulin E ; metabolism ; Vasculitis ; etiology ; immunology

The understanding of main mechanisms that determine the ability of immune privilege related to Sertoli cells (SCs) will provide clues for promoting a local tolerogenic environment. In this study, we evaluated the property of humoral and cellular immune response modulation provided by porcine SCs. Porcine SCs were resistant to human antibody and complement-mediated formation of the membrane attack complex (38.41+/-2.77% vs. 55.02+/-5.44%, p=0.027) and cell lysis (42.95+/-1.75% vs. 87.99 +/-2.25%, p<0.001) compared to immortalized aortic endothelial cells, suggesting that porcine SCs are able to escape cellular lysis associated with complement activation by producing one or more immunoprotective factors that may be capable of inhibiting membrane attack complex formation. On the other hand, porcine SCs and their culture supernatant suppressed the up-regulation of CD40 expression (p<0.05) on DCs in the presence of LPS stimulation. These novel findings, as we know, suggest that immune modulatory effects of porcine SCs in the presence of other antigen can be obtained from the first step of antigen presentation. These might open optimistic perspectives for the use of porcine SCs in tolerance induction eliminating the need for chronic immunosuppressive drugs.
Animals ; Antibodies, Heterophile/immunology ; Antibody Formation/*immunology ; Antigens, CD40/immunology ; Aorta/cytology ; Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Survival/immunology ; Complement Membrane Attack Complex/immunology ; Complement System Proteins/immunology ; Dendritic Cells/cytology/immunology ; Endothelial Cells/cytology/immunology ; Epitopes/immunology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance/*immunology ; Immunity, Cellular/*immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Sertoli Cells/cytology/*immunology ; Swine ; *Tissue Engineering ; Transplantation, Heterologous

Sertoli cells (SC) are known to contain immunoprotective properties, which allow them to survive as allografts without the use of immunosuppressive drugs. Experiments were designed to determine which factors are related to prolonged survival of allogeneic SC. Balb/c derived Sertoli (TM4) and colon cancer (CT-26) cell lines were implanted beneath the kidney capsule of non-immunosuppressed C57BL/6 mice and compared their survival as allografts. Compared to TM4 graft, which survived more than 7 days after transplantation, CT-26 showed massive infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells, necrosis and enlargement of draining lymph nodes. Cultured cell lines showed no differences in their expression patterns of FasL, TGF beta1, clusterin and two complement regulatory proteins (CRP, i.e., membrane cofactor protein, MCP; decay accelerating factor, DAF), but protectin (CD59), another member of CRP was expressed only on TM4. These results suggest that CD59 and unknown factors may contribute to the prolonged survival of SC in non-immunoprivileged sites.
Transplantation, Homologous/immunology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/*immunology ; Sertoli Cells/*immunology/*transplantation ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Male ; Graft Survival/*immunology ; Female ; Fas Ligand Protein/*immunology ; Complement System Proteins/*immunology ; Clusterin/*immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Survival ; Animals

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of activated complement on the secretory function of peritoneal macrophage (PMphi) in the production of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), especially in the role of different G-protein subtypes in this process after burns.

METHODSThe mice inflicted by 18% TBSA full-thickness scald was established and employed as the model. And the mice were divided into A (the complements were preserved and activated) and B (with intraperitoneal injection of CVF to deplete complement before scald) groups. The plasma of the mice in the two groups was collected at 6 postburn hour (PBH) and cultured with PMphi from normal mice. The PMphi were pretreated with pertussis toxin (PT) and with cholera toxin (CT). The NO and TNF-alpha levels in the supernatant of normal PMphi culture with different pretreatment were measured by Greiss assay.

RESULTSThe NO and TNF-alpha contents in group A [(80 +/- 12) micromol/L, (46 +/- 6)%] were obviously higher than those in group B [(34 +/- 5) micromol/L, (26 +/- 5)%, P < 0.01]. The NO content produced by PMphi (45 +/- 10 micromol/L) in A group decreased (P < 0.01), while the TNF-alpha activity (58 +/- 10)% increased by PT pretreatment (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the NO content produced by PMphi (105 +/- 18 micromol/L) in group A increased (P < 0.01), while the TNF-alpha activity (27 +/- 6)% decreased by CT pretreatment (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThese results indicates that the secretory function of normal PMphi can be enhanced by complement activation after thermal injury, which might partly be due to the effect of activated complement components through complement receptor coupled G-protein. In the secretory function of complement stimulated Mphi, Gi protein has a major role in the production of NO, Gs protein is mainly involved in the secretion of TNF-alpha.

Animals ; Burns ; immunology ; metabolism ; Complement Activation ; Complement System Proteins ; metabolism ; Female ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Macrophage Activation ; immunology ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; secretion ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the variation of bone marrow complement level in cytopenia patients with positive BMMNC-Coombs test (CBCPC), and probe the role of complement in destroying hematopoietic cells of CBCPC patients.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-four patients with CBCPC and twenty-three healthy donors as controls were enrolled in this study. The levels of CH50, C3, C4, C5b-9 were tested with ELISA. The auto-antibodies on bone marrow hematopoietic cells (BMHC) were examined with flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe level of C5b-9 in bone marrow (BM) of untreated CBCPC patients [(119.8+/-54.0) microg/L] was significantly higher than that of recovered patients [(100.7+/-33.4) microg/L] or normal controls [(93.9+/-28.8) microg/L] (P<0.05). The levels of CH50 in BM of untreated or recovered CBCPC patients [(33.3+/-11.5) kU/L, (30.8+/-10.3) kU/L] were significantly higher than that of normal controls [(24.1+/-6.4) kU/L] (P<0.05). The level of C3 in BM of untreated or recovered CBCPC patients [(4.9+/-2.2) mg/L], (5.0+/-3.5) mg/L] was significantly lower than that of normal controls [(7.0+/-5.6) mg/L] (P<0.05). The level of complement in peripheral blood was consistent with that in BM. CH50 in BM of CBCPC patients was negatively correlated with their C3 (r=-0.303, P=.0007) and positively correlated with their C5b-9 (r=0.241, P=0.003) levels. The level of C5b-9 in BM of CBCPC patients was higher in the BMHC-IgM positive group [(117.6+/-55.7) microg/L] than in the BMHC- IgM negative group [(99.2+/-26.2) microg/L] (P<0.05). The positive rate of CD34(+)-IgG or CD34(+)-IgM of CBCPC patients was positively correlated with their C5b-9 level (r=0.593, P=0.000, r=0.326, P=0.049). The reticulocyte percentage (r=0.421, P=0.000) and serum indirect bilirubin level (r=0.230, P=0.032) of CBCPC patients were positively correlated with their CH50 level.

CONCLUSIONSThe hematocytopenia of CBCPC patients might be related to the hematopoietic cells destruction caused by auto-antibody activated complements.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow Cells ; immunology ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Complement System Proteins ; metabolism ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancytopenia ; immunology ; metabolism ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Local activation of the complement system plays a role in target organ damage. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of cyclosporine (CsA)- induced renal injury on the complement system in the kidney. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice fed a low salt (0.01%) diet were treated with vehicle (VH, olive oil, 1mL/kg/day) or CsA (30mg/kg/day) for one or four weeks. Induction of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity was evaluated with renal function and histomorphology. Activation of the complement system was assessed through analysis of the expression of C3, C4d, and membrane attack complex (MAC), and the regulatory proteins, CD46 and CD55. CsA treatment induced renal dysfunction and typical morphology (tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis) at four weeks. RESULTS: CsA-induced renal injury was associated with increased the expression of C3, C4d, and MAC (C9 and upregulation of complement regulatory proteins (CD 46 and CD55). Immunohistochemistry revealed that the activated complement components were mainly confined to the injured tubulointerstitium. CONCLUSION: CsA-induced renal injury is associated with activation of the intrarenal complement system.
Animals ; Antigens, CD45/analysis ; Antigens, CD46/analysis ; Antigens, CD55/analysis ; Complement C3/analysis ; Complement C4b/analysis ; Complement Membrane Attack Complex/analysis ; Complement System Proteins/*analysis ; Cyclosporine/*toxicity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Immunity, Innate/drug effects ; Immunoblotting ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunosuppressive Agents/toxicity ; Kidney/*drug effects/immunology/pathology ; Kidney Diseases/*chemically induced/immunology ; Mice ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Peptide Fragments/analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of rosa roxburghii tratt preparation on immune function of arseniasis patients caused by burning coal.

METHODSAccording to the diagnosis standard for endemic arseniasis(WS/T 211-2001), 62 cases of arseniasis patients who resided in endemic arseniasis area in Guizhou province were selected and divided stratified randomly into two groups: rosa roxburghii tratt juice treatment group and superoxide dismutase(SOD)-enriched rosa roxburghii tratt juice treatment group, with 31 patients in each group.Each patient took 120 ml/d rosa roxburghii tratt preparation or SOD-enriched rosa roxburghii tratt orally for one month. Another 30 healthy residents from a neighbour township 12 km away where arsenic was not prevalent were selected as controls. A 2 ml blood and 50 ml urine samples were collected from individuals and the urine arsenic contents, peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) T cell), serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA) and complement (C3, C4) were detected. The differences between more than two groups on above indicators were compared. The correlations between urinary arsenic and immune parameters were analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the rosa roxburghii tratt juice group, SOD-enriched rosa roxburghii tratt juice before intervention group and the control group, the levels of urine arsenic were (76.55 ± 23.02) , (72.60 ± 25.91) and (26.33 ± 11.30) µg/g Cr respectively and IgG were (11.31 ± 1.68), (11.35 ± 1.94) and (9.23 ± 1.75) g/L respectively. The differences were statistically significant(F values were 82.01, 13.82, both P values < 0.05). After intervention with rosa roxburghii tratt preparation, the levels of urine arsenic were (53.21 ± 16.51) and (51.72 ± 17.70)µg/g Cr, both decreased than before intervention (t values were 5.80 and 3.78, both P values < 0.05). The levels of CD3(+) were (44.47 ± 7.14)%, (43.44 ± 6.61)% and (70.78 ± 5.26)%, CD4(+) were (29.87 ± 5.67)%, (29.42 ± 5.87)% and (46.08 ± 5.87)%, CD4(+)/CD8(+) were(1.25 ± 0.42), (1.22 ± 0.39) and (1.79 ± 0.26) and C4 were (0.13 ± 0.08), (0.13 ± 0.09) and (0.20 ± 0.11) g/L respectively among the two treatment group before intervention and the control group. The differences were significant (F values were 178.04, 76.71, 23.13 and 5.26, all P values < 0.05). After intervention, the levels of CD3(+) were (59.73 ± 7.38)% and (66.31 ± 7.57)%, CD4(+) were (34.00 ± 7.97)% and (39.11 ± 5.81)%, CD4(+)/CD8(+) were (1.41 ± 0.37) and(1.58 ± 0.26), all increased than before intervention(t values were 12.47, 25.18, 5.41, 10.47, 3.22 and 5.05, all P values < 0.05). The levels of urine arsenic and CD3(+), CD4(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+), C4 were inversely correlated correlation, while positive correlation existed between the level of urine arsenic and IgG(r values were -0.68, -0.56, -0.51, -0.43 and 0.36, all P values < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe level of urinary arsenic level is closely related to immune function suppression in arseniasis patients caused by burning coal, rosa roxburghii tratt preparation can effectively improve immune function of arseniasis patients.

Adult ; Arsenic ; urine ; Arsenic Poisoning ; etiology ; immunology ; China ; Coal ; Complement System Proteins ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rosa ; chemistry ; Superoxide Dismutase ; pharmacology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology