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Biomedical subjects

B Bang

Publications and source records attributed to B Bang.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate inhibits serum-induced NF-kappaB activation and induces apoptosis in ROS 17/2.8 osteoblasts.

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity affects cell survival in ROS 17/2.8 osteoblasts. Preventing NF-kappaB transcription activity with a potent NF-kappaB inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), results in apoptosis. Thus, we explored the effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), which potently blocks the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in serum-exposed condition, on the activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), especially, JNK/SAPK and p38 MAPK induction. PDTC transiently increased the phosphotransferase activity of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase1 (JNK1), which might in turn activates transcriptional activity of activating protein-1 (AP-1). The activation of JNK was completely decreased in dominant negative JNK1 transfected cells and the PDTC-induced cell death was attenuated in these cells. In addition, AP-1 activation was decreased in the JNK1 transfected cells, compared with vector-transfected cells. The NF-kappaB inhibitor also transiently activates p38 MAPK but SB203580, a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor, does not have any regulatory effect on PDTC-induced cell death, suggesting that the cell death is mediated by JNK not by p38 MAPK. Thus, overall, these results show that PDTC induces apoptosis and suggest that JNK/SAPK and subsequent AP-1 activation may be involved in the apoptotic pathway in ROS 17/2.8 osteoblasts.

Animals↗

[Immunosuppression induced by ultraviolet rays. Importance for development of non-melanoma skin cancer?].

Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in Denmark and it is mainly caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation of the skin not only causes DNA damage in skin cells, but it is also able to activate T cells that suppress the function of the immune system. The exact phenotype of these T cells is not known, but the mechanisms by which they are activated include: 1) Suppressed function of the Langerhans' cells, probably because of altered expression of co-stimulatory molecules; 2) induction of epidermal macrophages; and 3) an altered balance in epidermal cytokines, with increased levels of TNF-alpha and IL-10 and suppressed release of IL-12. The importance of a suppressed function of the immune system is stressed by the fact that patients with transplanted organs who receive immunosuppressive therapy have a markedly increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer.

Animals↗

Reduced 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Correlations to disease manifestations.

The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical and pathogenic significance of vitamin D metabolites in primary Sjögren's syndrome (primary SS). We measured blood concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 OH D) and calcitriol (1,25(OH)2D)vc in 41 patients and correlated the results with blood levels of various immune activation products, as well as with patients' clinical status. Levels of 25 OH D were slightly decreased as compared to normal controls and the reduced levels of 25 OH D were stable over the observed period of 2 years. Levels of 25 OH D correlated inversely with levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor, status indices for global disease, total exocrine disease, surface exocrine disease, internal organ exocrine disease, and mediator-induced disease. Levels of 1,25(OH)2D varied considerably and compared to normal control values. Levels of 1,25(OH)2D did not correlate with clinical/immunopathological status. In conclusion the inverse correlations found between levels of 25 OH D and measures of clinical and immunoinflammatory status support the notion that vitamin D metabolism may be involved in the pathogenesis of primary SS.

Adult↗

In cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, class II MHC molecules on CD1+ antigen-presenting cells are upregulated in involved compared with uninvolved epidermis.

CD1+ antigen-presenting cells in involved epidermis of patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma exhibit and enhanced functional capacity to activate autologous CD4+ T cells compared with CD1+ antigen-presenting cells from uninvolved and normal epidermis. Class II major histocompatibility complex molecules are involved in antigen presentation, and their expression on CD1+ Langerhans cells is known to vary. The expression of all three class II (HLA-DR, -DQ, -DP) molecules was therefore determined on CD1+ epidermal cells from both involved and uninvolved epidermis, using flow cytometry. The involved CD1+ epidermal cells exhibited a 1.5-1.6-fold, statistically significant increase in fluorescence intensity after staining of the class II molecules (HLA-DR, -DQ, -DP) compared with CD1+ epidermal cells from uninvolved epidermis. The autologous CD4+ T cells, activation was almost completely blocked by anti-HLA-DR, and partly by anti-HLA-DQ and anti-HLA-DP. In contrast, an antibody against class I, and an irrelevant control antibody, had no blocking effect. In a pokeweed mitogen assay it was demonstrated that autologous CD4+ T cells, activated by involved epidermal cells, demonstrated suppressor activity rather than helper activity. The suppressor activity was dependent on the presence of HLA-DR-positive epidermal cells. Thus, in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, class II molecules on the individual CD1+ antigen-presenting cell are upregulated in clinically involved compared with uninvolved epidermis, and these molecules are crucially involved in activation of CD4+ T cells.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

A study of neuropathy in HIV infection.

A prospective study of possible aetiological factors for neuropathy associated with HIV infection was performed in 80 patients and 28 homosexual controls. At entry to the study twelve patients (15 per cent) had evidence of a generalized neuropathy not due to any other cause and a further three patients developed symptomatic neuropathy during a mean (SD) follow-up of 20 (7.5) months. All but two of these neuropathies were of the distal symmetrical sensory type. Electrophysiology was consistent with an axonal pathology and nerve biopsy confirmed this as the major pathological change. Warming threshold was the diagnostic test most frequently abnormal, sometimes in the absence of other electrophysiological abnormalities. No association was seen with opportunistic infection (cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, Pneumocystis pneumonia, toxoplasmosis, Cryptococcus infection or tuberculosis). HIV proviral DNA could not be detected in paraffin sections of peripheral nerve in six patients with neuropathy. The presence of the neuropathy did not show significant correlation with depression of the number of CD4+ T cells in the blood, impaired T cell function tests, or IgG, IgM, or IgA levels. Immune complexes containing C1q, but not those containing IgG, IgM, IgA or C3c, were significantly more common among neuropathic patients (p = 0.01).

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

[Use of adsorption methods for plasma component apheresis].

Plasma-apheresis is a nonspecific and wasteful intervention requiring the use of potentially infectious and expensive replacement fluids. Selective removal of the unwanted plasma component circumvents most of the problems. For selective binding and removal of plasma components adsorption methods based on the principles of affinity chromatography have been useful. The ideal adsorption column still does not exist, but the number of clinical applications is increasing. The results vary, but the treatment has been used with success in hypercholesterolemia, and in patients with hemophilia with antifactor antibodies and patients with antibodies directed towards HLA-antigens awaiting renal transplantation. In conclusion selective plasma component-apheresis is an improvement in some diseases as compared to conventional plasma-apheresis. The technique is still being improved but large clinical trials examining the effects of plasma-component-apheresis have not yet been published.

Adsorption↗