No abstract available.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Humans* ; Interleukins*

No abstract available.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Humans* ; Interleukins*

Lipocortin represents a family of similar Ca++ depentent phospholipid-binding proteins capable of blocking the activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in vitro. Generally, these proteins are believed to inhibit the release of arachidonic acid from photopholipids and the formation of lipid mediators such as prostaglandin, leukotriene, and platelet activating factor. Lipocortin 1, initially identified as a glucocorticoid- responsive protein in macrophages and neutrophils has been implicated in transmembrane signal transduction during growth factor-mediated cell proliferation and transformation. To define the synthesis and its regulation, we investigated the expression of lipocortin 1 in both the mRNA and protein level in U937 cell line in the presence of several differentiation factors. The results were as follows. 1. The expression of lipocortin 1 and its mRNA was increased during TPA-induced differentiation of U937 cells to maximum of 2-fold and 5-fold respectively. Both the protein and mRNA levels decreased after 48 hours. 2. With the treatment with IFN-gamma, the expression of CD16 was increased. However, the protein and mRNA levels of lipocortin 1 were, not changed significantly. 3. Neither the dexamethasone or hydrocortisone have any effects on the expression of lipocortin 1 in both TPA-differentiated and undifferentiated U937 cells. The results from this study would give a light on defining the functional role of lipocortin 1 in macro-moncycle cell lineage and possibly some informative clues for the pathogenic mechanisms of the inflammatory diseases.
Annexin A1* ; Annexins* ; Arachidonic Acid ; Cell Lineage ; Cell Proliferation ; Dexamethasone ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Macrophages ; Neutrophils ; Phospholipases A2 ; Platelet Activating Factor ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; U937 Cells*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are different from those of normal controls and SLE patients and to find out any correlation with disease activity parameters of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Sera from 20 healthy normal persons, 16 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 16 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were collected and measured for IL-10 and IL-6. Various disease activity parameters were measured in RA patients. RESULTS: The serum level of IL-10 in RA patients was significantly elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. In RA patients there was no definite correlation between the disease activity parameters and serum IL-10 levels. Despite significant improvements in terms of various disease activity parameters, there was no significant change of serum IL-10 levels after treatment in RA patients. In seropositive RA patients, positive correlation was found between serun IL-10 and rheumatoid factor levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the serum IL-10 levels in patietns with RA are elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. There was no correlation between serum IL-10 levels and disease acivity parameters of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Rheumatoid Factor

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of IL-10 on development of collagen-induced arthritis, on humoral and cellular immunity and on the endogenous production of IL-10 in DBA/1J mice. METHODS: DBA/1J mice were immunized with chicken type II collagen in Freund s complete adjuvant. Murine recombinant IL-10 was given intraperitoneally twice a week from the day of second immunization (week 3) in doses of 0.002ug, 0. 02ug and 0. 2ug for 3 different groups, respectively. Dexamethasone was injected in one group to suppress the arthritis development and this group was used as negative control group. Levels of anti-collagen antibodies, serum IL-10 and stimulation indices of splenic monocytes to collagen were measured at the end of study. RESULTS: The 0. 02ug IL-10 and 0. 2ug IL-10 treated groups developed earlier and more severe arthritis (week 6 and 8) compared to that of the control group while the 0. 002ug IL-10 group has shown similar course to the control group in terms of incidence and severity of arthritis, At week 10, all groups with or without IL-10 injections developed arthritis with similar degree of severity while dexamethasone group showed far less incidence and severity of arthritis. The serum levels of anti-collagen antibody, IL-10 and spleen monocyte stimulation indices to collagen antigen showed no difference among control group, IL-10 injected groups and dexamethasone injected group. CONCLUSION: This study shows IL-10 could worsen the arthritis in CIA with the dosage used in this study without significant influence on the level of anti-collagen antibodies or stimulation indices of spenic monocyte to collagen.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Experimental* ; Chickens ; Collagen ; Collagen Type II ; Dexamethasone ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Interleukin-10* ; Mice ; Monocytes ; Spleen

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the basophil histamine releasability in response to IgE- and non- IgE-mediated stimuli in children with atopic asthma. Met: Basophil histamine releasability was measured in Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae)-sensitive atopic asthmatics, D.farinae-sensitive healthy atopics, non-atopic asthmatics, and healthy non-atopics. Basophils were stimulated with D.farinae, goat antihuman IgE antibody, formyl-Met-Leu-Phe(fMLP), and Calcium ionophore A23187. Histamine was measured by automated fluorometric technique. RESULTS: Sponianeous histamine release was higher in atopic asthmatics compared to healthy non-atopics. Histamine release by D.farinae and by anti-IgE antibody was higher in atopic asthmatics compared to the other groups. There was no difference in histamine release by fMLP among all groups. Histamine release by Calcium ionophore was higher in healthy atopics and non-atopic asthmatics compared to healthy non-atopics. The atopics showed correlation between histamine release by D.farinae, by anti-IgE antibody and total serum IgE levels. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous and IgE-mediated histamine release were related to the presence of both atopy and asthma, whereas non-IgE mediated histamine release was different depending on the stimuli.
Asthma* ; Basophils* ; Calcimycin ; Calcium ; Child* ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Goats ; Histamine Release ; Histamine* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outcome of asthma treatment has traditionally been assessed by measuring the conventional clinical parameters such as symptoms, expiratory flow rates and needs for medications. But none of them tells us whether the patients are actually able to function properly in their lives. Only assessment of the quality of life (QOL) can reflect the parts of patients lives affected by the disease. However, there is no measure to assess the quality of life of patients with any chronic diseases in Korea yet. We developed the QOL Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics and evaluated its measurement properties. METHOD: The questionnaire was composed of 18 items in four domains : i.e. activity limitation (6 items), symptoms (5 items), emotional function (3 items) and environmental stimuli (4 items). At our out-patient clinic, 32 adults with moderate to severe persistent bronchial asthma were enrolled. The study design consisted of 4 week unblinded single cohort with visits at 0 and 4 weeks, and the patients were asked to answer the questionnaire by self administration method at the two separate visits. Forced expiratory volume for 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded at each visit. According to the patients and physicians global assessment, the patients were divided into two groups, i.e. stable and changed (improved). The responsiveness, reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. RESULTS: The total QOL scores at the second visit in the changed group were significantly higher than those at the first visit. The score differences between the two visits in the changed group were higher than in the stable group. In the stable group, the responses to the questionnaire were reproducible. The QOL scores showed good longitudinal correlation with the expiratory flow rates, whereas FEV1 did not correlate with the QOL in cross-sectional analysis. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire proved to be reproducible, responsive and valid in the subjects. It could be recommended for the outcome evaluation of Korean asthmatics.
Adult ; Asthma ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Quality of Life* ; Self Administration ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

OBJECTIVES: Lipocortin-1 (LC-1), a member of annexin family of calcium-binding proteins induced by corticosteroid, originally evoked interest as one of the secondary messengers in the antiinflammatory action of corticosteroid, But the exact mechanism of LC-1 responsible for antiinflammatory effect is still unclear. We investigated the potential role of LC-1 in the effect of corticosteroid on amelioration of collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. METHODS: Four groups of DBA/1j mice were immunized by intradermal injection of 5mg/kg of type 2 collagen with complete Freunds adjuvant which was boostered on day 21 and 42. Group 1 received no treatment and group 2 received 1mg/kg dexamethasone intraperitoneally twice weekly from day 21. Group 3 and 4 were treated with 50 and 0.5microgram/kg of anti LC-1 monoclonal antibody subcutaneously and dexamethasone from day 21 twice weekly, respectively. The prevalence of arthritis and arthritis score were assessed twice weekly. At week 10, we measured serum anticollagen antibody levels and splenic mononuclear cell stimulation indices (SI) to collagen. RESULT: CIA started to develop after 4 weeks of collagen treatment in all groups. All mice of group 1 developed arthritis by the 9 week. Treatment with dexamethasone markedly inhibited arthritis development (P<0.05). Cotreatment of anti LC-1 monoclonal antibody and dexamethasone abolished the antiinflammatory effect of dexamethasone (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the serum levels of anticollagen antibody or splenic mononuclear cell SI among the groups. CONCLUSION: These findings support the hypothesis that LC-1 is involved, at least in part, in the antiinflammatory actions of corticosteroid in chronic inflammation, although the mechanism of which is unclear.
Animals ; Arthritis* ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; Collagen* ; Dexamethasone ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intradermal ; Mice ; Prevalence

No abstract available.
Asthma*