OBJECTIVETo study the effects of meconium-stained amniotic fluid on the cord blood IgE level in neonates.

METHODSA total of 404 neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid who were born by cesarean delivery between August 2003 and August 2005 (meconium-stained group) and 256 neonates with normal amniotic fluid delivered by cesarean (control group) were enrolled in this study. The meconium-stained group consisted of 80 cases of mild, 62 cases of moderate and 262 cases of severe meconium-stained amniotic fluid. The cord blood IgE level was measured using ELISA.

RESULTSThe cord blood IgE level in the meconium-stained group was statistically higher than that in the control group (t = 4.03, P < 0.01). There were significant differences between the mild and severe meconium-stained subgroups and the control group for the cord blood IgE level (F=4.28, P < 0.01). The cord blood IgE level in neonates with premature rupture of the membrane between the meconium-stained and the control groups was statistically different. Sexes, gestational age, birth weight and birth order were not associated with the IgE level of cord blood.

CONCLUSIONSThe cord blood IgE levels in neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid increase. Premature rupture of the membranes may be associated with an increase of cord blood IgE level.

Amniotic Fluid ; Asthma ; etiology ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant, Newborn ; immunology ; Meconium ; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

B-Lymphocytes ; chemistry ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; immunology ; Receptors, IgE ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of the levels of galectin-3 (Gal-3) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with asthma whose have different serum levels of 25-hydroxyl-vitamin D₃[25(OH)D₃].

METHODSFifty children with asthma between January 2013 and December 2014 were enrolled as the asthma group, and they were classified into 25(OH)D₃sufficient (n=7), insufficient (n=12) and deficient subgroups (n=31) according to the serum levels of 25(OH)D₃. Twenty children with abnormal airway or tracheal foreign bodies served as the control group. The levels of 25(OH)D₃, Gal-3 and total IgE in serum and Gal-3 levels in BALF were measured using ELISA.

RESULTThe serum levels of 25(OH)D₃in the asthma group were lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The 25(OH)D₃deficient subgroup displayed the highest percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF, followed by the 25(OH)D₃insufficient subgroup and the 25(OH)D₃sufficient subgroup (P<0.05). The percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF in the three subgroups were all higher than in the control group (P<0.05). In children with asthma, serum levels of 25(OH)D₃were negatively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r=-0.683, -0.795 and -0.670 respectively; P<0.05); and a negative correlation was also seen between serum 25(OH)D₃levels and serum Gal-3 and total IgE levels (r=-0.759 and -0.875 respectively; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe children with asthma have low serum levels of 25(OH)D₃. 25(OH)D₃and Gal-3 may be involved in the airway inflammation and the development of asthma.

Asthma ; etiology ; metabolism ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Galectin 3 ; analysis ; blood ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Male ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; physiology

OBJECTIVEThe pathogenesis of bronchiolitis has not been fully identified. Immune function abnormality following virus infection may be associated with the pathogenesis. CD40 and CD40 ligand (CD40L) is a pair of co-stimulatory molecules in immunoreaction. They might play an important role in the development of bronchiolitis. This study aimed to investigate the expression of CD40 and CD40L in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in children with bronchiolitis and explore their possible roles in the disease.

METHODSThirty children with bronchiolitis, 26 children with bronchopneumonia and 30 healthy children (control) were enrolled. Flow cytometry was used to detect CD40 and CD40L expression in PBMCs. Total serum IgE level was measured using ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, CD40L expression significantly increased in the bronchiolitis and bronchopneumonia groups (P< 0.05). The CD40L expression in the bronchiolitis group was significantly higher than that in the bronchopneumonia group (P< 0.05). A significantly increased CD40 expression was also found in the bronchiolitis group when compared with the bronchopneumonia and the control group (P< 0.01). Total serum IgE level in the bronchiolitis group was significantly higher than the bronchopneumonia and the control groups (P< 0.01). CD40 and CD40L expression was positively correlated with serum IgE level in the bronchiolitis group (r=0.607, r=0.819, respectively; P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCD40 and CD40L expression in PBMCs and serum IgE level increased and there is a positive correlation between CD40 and CD40L expression and serum IgE level in children with bronchiolitis. Over-expression of CD40 and CD40L may play an important role in the development of bronchiolitis.

Bronchiolitis ; etiology ; immunology ; CD40 Antigens ; blood ; physiology ; CD40 Ligand ; blood ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; chemistry ; Male

Although rabbits are common domestic pets, severe respiratory allergic reactions to rabbits in households are unusual. Ory c 1, a 17-kDa glycoprotein found in saliva and fur, has previously been identified as a major rabbit allergen. In this report, we describe the cases of three patients with rabbit allergy who presented with asthma and/or rhinitis while living in households with detectable levels of serum-specific IgE and major IgE binding components. Three patients with rabbit allergy and 18 unexposed nonatopic healthy controls were enrolled. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for serum-specific IgE and IgG4 to rabbit epithelium and inhibition ELISA were performed followed by sodium dodecye sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and IgE immunoblotting. All three patients with rabbit allergy had high serum-specific IgE antibody levels compared with controls. The results of the inhibition ELISA showed significant inhibition with the addition of rabbit epithelium, whereas no significant inhibition was noted with the addition of cat and dog epithelia. Two IgE-binding components with molecular weights of 16 kDa and 67.5 kDa were identified by IgE immunoblotting. In conclusion, rabbit exposure may induce IgE-mediated bronchial asthma and/or rhinitis in domestic settings.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Allergens/*blood ; Animals ; Asthma/*immunology/metabolism ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity/*immunology/metabolism ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate/immunology ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E/*blood/*chemistry ; Immunoglobulin G/chemistry ; Male ; Rabbits ; Rhinitis/*immunology/metabolism

OBJECTIVESTo investigate HEV infection in swine and the genotype relationship between swine and human HEV.

METHODSAnti-HEV IgG antibody was detected in the sera of swine using enzyme linked immunoassay (EIA), and HEV RNA was amplified by reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR). The Vector NTI Suite 7 and TreeView softwares were used for nucleotide sequences phylogenetic analysis of HEV isolated from human and swine.

RESULTSThe anti-HEV IgG positive rate was 16.67% (18/108). Among the 18 anti-HEV IgG positive sera, 2 sequences (11.11%, called S18 and S43, respectively) of HEV ORF1 (102-387bp) were amplified, with the identity of 99% between them. They had 76% to 77%, 78%, 76% to 79%, 85% to 86%, 77%, 80%, 79% and 75% - 79% homology at the nucleotide level with human HEV genotypes 1 to 8, respectively. One (S18) of them was also amplified out in ORF2 region (5,994-6 297bp) and showed 76% to 78%, 74%, 74% to 77%, and 85% to 94% identity with human HEV genotypes 1 to 4 at the nucleotide level, respectively.

CONCLUSIONHEV sequences isolated from swine belong to human HEV genotype 4.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Base Sequence ; Hepatitis E ; transmission ; veterinary ; Hepatitis E virus ; classification ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Molecular Sequence Data ; RNA, Viral ; chemistry ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; virology

Animals ; Asthma/pathology* ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Incidence ; Lung/pathology* ; Mice ; Pollen/chemistry* ; Populus/adverse effects* ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Without appropriate culture systems for hepatitis E virus (HEV), sufficient natural viral proteins are difficult to generate for use in serological tests. Therefore, it is important to produce large amounts of HEV recombinant proteins in an economical way. The present study developed ELISAs using 2 truncated forms of the HEV open reading frame (ORF) 2 protein in order to detect anti-HEV IgG in serum samples. METHODS: Two truncated forms of the ORF2 protein were expressed in Escherichia coli and were purified by Ni2+-chelate-affinity chromatography (Qiagen, Germany). Two ELISAs were developed using these proteins and were compared with DIA.PRO HEV IgG ELISA kit (DIA.PRO. Italy) in 220 serum samples. RESULTS: High yields of the target proteins were obtained through codon optimization. The concentration and purity of the proteins were improved with Amicon filters (EMD Millipore, USA). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting analysis of the resultant proteins showed a protein band of approximately 60 kDa corresponding to ORF2.1 (amino acids 112-660) and a protein band of approximately 55 kDa corresponding to ORF2.2 (amino acids 112-607). Positive agreement, negative agreement, and concordance of the 2 in-house ELISAs compared with DIA.PRO HEV IgG ELISA kit were 87%, 99.5%, and 98.1%, respectively (kappa=0.899, P=0.625). CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed ELISAs are useful for detecting anti-HEV IgG in serum samples and are highly concordant with DIA.PRO HEV IgG ELISA kit.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Antibodies/*blood ; *Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Escherichia coli/metabolism ; Hepatitis E virus/*metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*blood ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis/immunology/isolation & purification ; Sequence Alignment ; Viral Proteins/chemistry/*immunology/metabolism

PURPOSE: Japanese hop (Humulus spp.) and mugwort (Artemisia spp.) are notable causes of autumn pollinosis in East Asia. However, Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts, which are widely used for the diagnosis, have not been standardized. This study was performed to standardize Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Allergen extracts were prepared in a standardized way using locally collected Humulus japonicus and purchased Artemisia vulgaris pollens. The immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivities of prepared extracts were compared with commercial extracts via IgE immunoblotting and inhibition analyses. Intradermal skin tests were performed to determine the bioequivalent allergy unit (BAU). RESULTS: The IgE reactive components of the extracts via IgE immunoblotting were similar to those of commercial extracts. A 11-kDa allergen showed the strongest IgE reactivity in Japanese hop, as did a 28-kDa allergen in mugwort pollen extracts. Allergenic potencies of the investigatory Japanese hop and mugwort extracts were essentially indistinguishable from the commercial ones. Sums of erythema of 50 mm by the intradermal skin test (SigmaED50) were calculated to be 14.4th and 13.6th three-fold dilutions for Japanese hop and mugwort extracts, respectively. Therefore, the allergenic activity of the prepared extracts was 90827.4 BAU/mg for Japanese hop and 34412 BAU/mg for mugwort. CONCLUSION: We produced Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts using a standardized method. Standardized Japanese hop and mugwort pollen extracts will facilitate the production of improved diagnostic and immunotherapeutic reagents.
Allergens/*analysis/*immunology ; Antibody Specificity ; *Artemisia ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity/blood/immunology ; Cross Reactions ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/*immunology ; Pollen/*chemistry/*immunology ; Reference Standards ; Republic of Korea ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and mechanism of BSDW on the model of allergic rhinitis and the model of guinea pigs by histamine shocking in guinea pigs.

METHODUsing the model of allergic rhinitis in guinea pigs caused by 10% TDI, we observed the effect of BSDW on physiological and pathological symptoms of allergic rhinitis in guinea pigs, the effect of the levels of serum IgE and serum and nasal histamine. Using the model of guinea pigs by histamine shocking, we observed the effect of BSDW on physiological symptoms in guinea pigs.

RESULTBSDW significantly relieved the pathological symptoms of allergic rhinitis in guinea pigs, alleviated the hyperplasia of columnar epithelium, decreased the number of monocyte and eosinocyte compared with the model group. It also reduced the levels of serum IgE, and decreased the release of serum and nasal histamine. BSDW significantly prolonged the occurent time of gasping, eclampsia and death caused by shock, reduced the times of gasping in the model of guinea pigs by histamine shocking.

CONCLUSIONBSDW has significant effect against allergy. The mechanism relates to its effects of decreasing the levels of serum IgE and inhibiting the release of serum and nasal histamine.

Administration, Intranasal ; Animals ; Anti-Allergic Agents ; pharmacology ; Asarum ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Histamine ; blood ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Male ; Nasal Mucosa ; immunology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; immunology ; Scutellaria ; chemistry ; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate