Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a cytokine that induces apoptosis in various cell types via its binding to TNF-receptors (TNF-R). Involvement of ICE-like protease in the induction of TNF-alpha mediated apoptosis in murine macrophage was investigated using ICE inhibitor YVAD-cmk (Tetrapeptide-Acetyl-Try-Val Ala-Asp-Chloromethyl ketone). Macrophages treated with TNF showed a time dependent decrease in cell viability with a simultaneous increase in the percent of cells showing apoptotic morphology and an increase in percent DNA fragmentation, a quantitative measure of apoptosis. However, incubation of macrophage in medium containing TNF and YVAD-cmk had inhibitory effect on the TNF-induced apoptosis of macrophage. This finding suggests that ICE-like protease may be involved in the induction of apoptosis in macrophage by TNF-alpha.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Novel peptides enhance the production of nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression in murine macrophage.

Bioactive novel polypeptide of anuran skin has a wide range of antimicrobial properties against the infection and tumour cell. Macrophages are known to produce the Nitric oxide (NO) by a variety of cells upon activation. NO produced by the activated macrophages an important mediator for antimicrobial and tumoricidal activity. In-vitro macrophage exposed with medium alone, containing LPS, containing polypepeptides and LPS plus polypeptides for 24 h showed enhanced production of NO with respect to control and LPS treated and significant increase in NO production in LPS plus polypeptide. Western blot and PCR analysis also showed that increased production of protein expression and mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). These findings suggest that novel polypeptides are potent activating agent for enhanced production of NO through activation of iNOS gene.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of chronic anal fissure with topical glyceryl trinitrate: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Topical glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) may produce healing of anal fissure by decreasing the high resting anal sphincter pressure in these patients. The present study assessed the efficacy of GTN in chronic anal fissure in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. METHOD: Patients with chronic anal fissure (for more than 8 weeks) underwent measurement of maximum anal resting pressure (MARP) before and 12 minutes after application of either 0.2% GTN or placebo ointment in a randomized manner. They then received twice-daily local application of their respective ointment for 6 weeks. Symptoms and healing of fissure were assessed; patients were evaluated at 3 months for evidence of relapse. RESULTS: 19 adult patients (12 men) were studied; 10 received GTN and 9 placebo. Mean (SD) MARP decreased from 131.0 (32.3) cm H2O to 93.5 (28.4) cm H2O (p<0.05) with GTN and from 150.5 (36.9) cm H2O to 142.8 (35.0) cm H2O (p=ns) with placebo. Fissure healed in 7 of 10 patients treated with GTN and 2 of 9 patients treated with placebo (p<0.05). There was no relapse of fissure in either group. CONCLUSION: Local application of GTN was effective in healing chronic anal fissure.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Small islands awash in a sea of troubles.

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Americas↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intestinal trematode infection in North Bihar.

Reports of intestinal trematode infections are not common from Bihar, India. However, we herewith report one case of fasciolopsiasis from North Bihar, India. A 14 years old girl presented with diarrhea, vomiting, generalized pain abdomen and loss of weight. Routine stool examination and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed fasciolopsis buski in large numbers. Her rural life style and food habit (ingestion of raw vegetables- caltrops and water chest nuts) supported the cause of infestation. Despite treatment with praziquantel, the patient died after two days. Mild infestations of Fasciolopsis buski may pass on unnoticed. However, heavy infestations may cause considerable prostration, illness and even death in younger age groups. Awareness regarding this parasitic infestation (endemic in some regions), especially in the rural set up is still a much needed entity.

Adolescent↗