PURPOSE: During the course of bacterial meningitis, TNF-alpha produced by macrophages and monocytes in response to LPS and other inflammatory and immune stimulation, is now recognized as a primary mediator in the pathogenesis of infection, injury and inflammation and in the process of host defence. TNF-alpha was increased vascular permeability by inducing morphologic and structural changes of endothelial cells by a direct toxic effect. The authers observed the concentration of CSF TNF-alpha, which was useful or not to differentiate bacterial meningitis from viral meningitis. METHODS: In 57 children with meningitis (10 bacterial meningitis, 47 viral meningitis) were studied, at Ewha Womans University Hospital from Jan. 1995 to Oct. 1995. In the time of diagnosis, chemistry, smear, culture, latex agglutination test, TNF-alpha of CSF were checked. In bacterial meningitis, Follow up spinal tapping was performed 48 hours, 1 week after treatement, in viral meningitis, follow up was performed 2 to 7 days after treatement. RESULTS: The positive rate of CSF TNF-alpha and mean concentration of CSF TNF-alpha were significantly different between two groups (bacterial meningitis : 90% (9/10), 1026 +/- 390.1pg/mL vs. viral meningitis : 6.3% (3/47), 12.6 +/- 61.9pg/mL) (P<0.01). Positive rate of the concentration of CSF TNF-alpha in the group of bacterial meningitis was changed 90% at pretreatement period, 80% at 48 hours after treatement, 10% at 7days after treatement. Changing of positive rate by the diagnositic method, the positive rate of culture of CSF was 10%, gram smear was 40%, latex agglutination was 50% at 48 hours after treatement. CONCLUSION: The concentration of CSF TNF-alpha was rapid and sensitive method of differentiation between bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis, which was reduced the use of excessive antivbiotics.
Agglutination ; Capillary Permeability ; Chemistry ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Latex ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Macrophages ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Bacterial* ; Meningitis, Viral ; Monocytes ; Spinal Puncture ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

PURPOSE: During the course of bacterial meningitis, TNF-alpha produced by macrophages and monocytes in response to LPS and other inflammatory and immune stimulation, is now recognized as a primary mediator in the pathogenesis of infection, injury and inflammation and in the process of host defence. TNF-alpha was increased vascular permeability by inducing morphologic and structural changes of endothelial cells by a direct toxic effect. The authers observed the concentration of CSF TNF-alpha, which was useful or not to differentiate bacterial meningitis from viral meningitis. METHODS: In 57 children with meningitis (10 bacterial meningitis, 47 viral meningitis) were studied, at Ewha Womans University Hospital from Jan. 1995 to Oct. 1995. In the time of diagnosis, chemistry, smear, culture, latex agglutination test, TNF-alpha of CSF were checked. In bacterial meningitis, Follow up spinal tapping was performed 48 hours, 1 week after treatement, in viral meningitis, follow up was performed 2 to 7 days after treatement. RESULTS: The positive rate of CSF TNF-alpha and mean concentration of CSF TNF-alpha were significantly different between two groups (bacterial meningitis : 90% (9/10), 1026 +/- 390.1pg/mL vs. viral meningitis : 6.3% (3/47), 12.6 +/- 61.9pg/mL) (P<0.01). Positive rate of the concentration of CSF TNF-alpha in the group of bacterial meningitis was changed 90% at pretreatement period, 80% at 48 hours after treatement, 10% at 7days after treatement. Changing of positive rate by the diagnositic method, the positive rate of culture of CSF was 10%, gram smear was 40%, latex agglutination was 50% at 48 hours after treatement. CONCLUSION: The concentration of CSF TNF-alpha was rapid and sensitive method of differentiation between bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis, which was reduced the use of excessive antivbiotics.
Agglutination ; Capillary Permeability ; Chemistry ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Latex ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Macrophages ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Bacterial* ; Meningitis, Viral ; Monocytes ; Spinal Puncture ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

The present study aimed at developing a natural compound with anti-allergic effect and stability under latex glove manufacturing conditions and investigating whether its anti-allergic effect is maintained after its addition into the latex. The effects of nine natural compounds on growth of the RBL-2H3 cells and mouse primary spleen lymphocytes were determined using MTT assay. The compounds included glycyrrhizin, osthole, tetrandrine, tea polyphenol, catechin, arctigenin, oleanolic acid, baicalin and oxymatrine. An ELISA assay was used for the in vitro anti-type I/IV allergy screening; in this process β-hexosaminidase, histamine, and IL-4 released from RBL-2H3 cell lines and IFN-γ and IL-2 released from mouse primary spleen lymphocytes were taken as screening indices. The physical stability of eight natural compounds and the dissolubility of arctigenin, selected based on the in vitro pharnacodynamaic screening and the stability evaluation, were detected by HPLC. The in vivo pharmacodynamic confirmation of arctigenin and final latex product was evaluated with a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) model and an allergen-specific skin response model. Nine natural compounds showed minor growth inhibition on RBL-2H3 cells and mouse primary spleen lymphocytes. Baicalin and arctigenin had the best anti-type I and IV allergic effects among the natural compounds based on the in vitro pharmacodynamic screening. Arctigenin and catechin had the best physical stability under different manufacturing conditions. Arctigenin was the selected for further evaluation and proven to have anti-type I and IV allergic effects in vivo in a dose-dependent manner. The final product of the arctigenin-containing latex glove had anti-type I and IV allergic effects in vivo which were mainly attributed to arctigenin as proved from the dissolubility results. Arctigenin showed anti-type I and IV allergic effects in vitro and in vivo, with a good stability under latex glove manufacturing conditions, and a persistent anti-allergic effect after being added into the latex to prevent latex allergy.
Animals ; Anti-Allergic Agents ; pharmacology ; Biological Products ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Furans ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Hypersensitivity ; prevention & control ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; prevention & control ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; prevention & control ; Latex ; Latex Hypersensitivity ; prevention & control ; Lignans ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

The protective effect of the Synadenium carinatum latex lectin (ScLL), and the possibility of using it as an adjuvant in murine model of vaccination against American cutaneous leishmaniasis, were evaluated. BALB/c mice were immunized with the lectin ScLL (10, 50, 100 microgram/animal) separately or in association with the soluble Leishmania amazonensis antigen (SLA). After a challenge infection with 10(6) promastigotes, the injury progression was monitored weekly by measuring the footpad swelling for 10 weeks. ScLL appeared to be capable of conferring partial protection to the animals, being most evident when ScLL was used in concentrations of 50 and 100 microgram/animal. Also the parasite load in the interior of macrophages showed significant reduction (61.7%) when compared to the control group. With regard to the cellular response, ScLL 50 and 100 microgram/animal stimulated the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction significantly (P < 0.05) higher than SLA or SLA plus ScLL 10 weeks after the challenge infection. The detection of high levels of IgG2a and the expression of mRNA cytokines, such as IFN-gamma, IL-12, and TNF-alpha (Th1 profiles), corroborated the protective role of this lectin against cutaneous leishmaniasis. This is the first report of the ScLL effect on leishmaniasis and shows a promising role for ScLL to be explored in other experimental models for treatment of leishmaniasis.
*Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/immunology ; Antibody Formation ; Antigens, Protozoan/immunology ; Cytokines/genetics/immunology ; Euphorbiaceae/*chemistry ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed/immunology ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Latex/chemistry ; Leishmania/immunology ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/*immunology/pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/genetics/immunology ; Plant Lectins/*immunology/isolation & purification ; Protozoan Vaccines/immunology/pharmacology ; Skin/pathology