We previously demonstrated that Bordetella (B.) bronchiseptica antigen (Ag) showed high immunostimulatory effects on mouse bone marrow cells (BMs) while Mycoplasma (M.) hyopneumoniae Ag showed low effects. The focus of this study was to determine if B. bronchiseptica Ag can enhance the M. hyopneumoniae Ag-specific immune response and whether the host's immune system can recognize both Ags. MTT assay results revealed that each or both Ags did not significantly change BM metabolic activity. Flow cytometry analysis using carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester showed that B. bronchiseptica Ag can promote the division of BMs. In cytokine and nitric oxide (NO) assays, B. bronchiseptica Ag boosted production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in M. hyopneumoniae Ag-treated BMs, and combined treatment with both Ags elevated the level of NO in BMs compared to that from treatment of M. hyopneumoniae Ag alone. Immunoglobulin (Ig)G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using the sera of Ag-injected mice clearly indicated that B. bronchiseptica Ag can increase the production of M. hyopneumoniae Ag-specific IgG. This study provided information valuable in the development of M. hyopneumoniae vaccines and showed that B. bronchiseptica Ag can be used both as a vaccine adjuvant and as a vaccine Ag.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Bordetella bronchiseptica* ; Bordetella* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Flow Cytometry ; Immune System ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Mice* ; Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Nitric Oxide ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vaccines

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is one of the causative bacteria that can induce chronic enzootic pneumonia, resulting in low production in the swine industry. Potentiation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus-induced pneumonia by M. hyopneumoniae has also been recognized. Although some available vaccines have been developed for prevention of M. hyopneumoniae infection, protective immunity is still poor. In this study, in order to provide valuable information on vaccine antigen, we investigated the immunogenicity of M. hyopneumoniae on mouse spleen cells. Concanavalin A (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used for generation of activated T and B lymphocytes. M. hyopneumoniae made clusters of spleen cells and also affected the cellular activity and viability of spleen cells by alone or with mitogens. Of particular interest, it induced a significant increase in production of TNF-alpha in ConA-treated spleen cells, meaning T helper 1 response. In addition, cell size and mitochondrial membrane potential of M. hyopneumoniae-treated spleen cells were measured by flow cytometric analysis. M. hyopneumoniae did not affect the cell size by alone, whereas ConA or LPS profoundly increased the cell size. Taken together, M. hyopneumoniae significantly affect the cellular activity and cytokine production of spleen cells by alone or in a combination of ConA. This study provides valuable information for production of the vaccine against M. hyopneumoniae.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes ; Bacteria ; Cell Size ; Concanavalin A ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Mice* ; Mitogens ; Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia ; Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome ; Spleen* ; Swine ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vaccines

Bone marrow is a hematological and immunological organ that provides multiple immune cells, including B lymphocytes, and thus plays a critical role in the efficacy of vaccine. We previously demonstrated that Bordetella (B.) bronchiseptica antigen has high immunogenicity in spleen cells, a peripheral immune organ. In this study, we investigated the immunogenicity of B. bronchiseptica antigen in bone marrow cells, a central immune organ. B. bronchiseptica antigen increased the cellular activity of bone marrow cells and significantly enhanced the production of nitric oxide, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. Bone marrow cells primed with B. bronchiseptica antigen in vivo were harvested and stimulated with the same antigen in vitro. The stimulation of B. bronchiseptica antigen significantly increased the cellular activity and proliferation rate of the primed cells. B. bronchiseptica antigen also greatly induced the production of antigen-specific antibody in the primed cells. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that B. bronchiseptica antigen can stimulate bone marrow cells, a central immune organ, and recall the immune response of the primed bone marrow cells.
B-Lymphocytes ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Marrow Cells* ; Bordetella ; Bordetella bronchiseptica* ; Interleukin-6 ; Memory* ; Nitric Oxide ; Spleen ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND/AIMS: MDCT, which provides high resolution and various reconstructing images, has recently become widely available and is a promising tool for imaging the bile duct with precision. In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of multidetector computerized tomography (MDCT) for a common bile duct (CBD) stone, this study compared the diagnostic accuracy of MDCT with that of ERCP. METHODS: The medical records of the patients undergoing both MDCT and ERCP consecutively from June 2006 to January 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. One hundred and sixty four patients (164 cases) were enrolled in this study. The final diagnoses were based mainly on the ERCP findings. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of MDCT and ERCP for choledocholithiasis were identified and compared. RESULTS: Of the 164 cases, 47 cases were diagnosed with choledocholithiasis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy for choledocholithiasis were 89.4%, 98.3%, 95.5%, 95.8%, 95.7% in MDCT and 97.9%, 99.1%, 97.9%, 99.1%, 98.8% in ERCP, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the diagnostic accuracy between the two methods (p=0.206). CONCLUSIONS: MDCT has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing stones in the bile duct and should be performed in preference to ERCP in patients suspected of having choledocholithiasis.
Bile Ducts ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Choledocholithiasis ; Common Bile Duct* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Schwannoma in colorectum is a rare subepithelial polyp of mesenchymal origin, which is derived from the neural sheath, and most of reported cases were removed surgically. We, herein, describe two cases of schwannoma of the cecum, which were removed by endoscopic mucosal resection. A 34-year-old man and a 62-year-old man presented with abdominal discomfort and bowel habit change. The patients were diagnosed with a subepithelial tumor in the cecum on colonoscopy and underwent endoscopic mucosal resection under a tentative impression as neuroendocrine tumor, such as carcinoid tumor. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the colonic lesion to be a benign schwannoma.
Carcinoid Tumor ; Cecum ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurilemmoma ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Polyps