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Biomedical subjects

M Ishaq

Publications and source records attributed to M Ishaq.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Malondialdehyde as a sensitive marker of inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the serum were estimated by MDA-TBA (Thiobarbituric Acid) spectro colorimetric assay method in 23 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and were compared with those in 18 healthy subjects. It was found that the mean levels of MDA (265.15 +/- 68.8 n moles/100 ml) in patients with RA were found to be significantly elevated when compared to the mean of that of controls (128.76 +/- 37.8 n moles/100 ml). This study reveals that MDA assessment appears to be a sensitive marker of inflammation in this chronic auto immune disorder and would help in understanding the nature of inflammatory damage at a cellular level.

Adult↗

Tri-primer PCR can distinguish free and cloned viral DNA in a single reaction.

A polymerase chain reaction based method is described which distinguishes free and cloned JC virus (JCV) DNA in a single reaction. The method utilizes three primers and amplifies DNA fragments of two different sizes, one specific for free and another specific for pBR322 cloned viral DNA. The procedure was used to simultaneously detect the presence of free and contaminating cloned JCV DNA in brain tissues.

Base Sequence↗

Detection of antibodies to serum IgA and IgG in peptic ulcer cases by indirect haemagglutination test.

Autoantibodies to serum IgA and IgG were detected in 206 peptic ulcer patients (196 duodenal ulcer and 10 gastric ulcer) and 52 healthy age and sex-matched controls by indirect haemagglutination test. A significantly increased mean titre of autoantibodies to serum IgA was observed in the peptic ulcer patients. Forty-eight (24.61%) duodenal ulcer cases had autoantibody titre values above mean +/- 2 SD of controls. Titres of autoantibodies to serum IgG were significantly increased only in the gastric ulcer cases. The results suggest an immunologic abnormality in a sizeable fraction of these cases.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

Normalization of impaired response of platelets to prostaglandin E1/I2 and synthesis of prostacyclin by insulin in unstable angina pectoris and in acute myocardial infarction.

The minimal inhibitory concentration of prostaglandin E1 (used as a probe for prostacyclin [PGI2]) needed to inhibit platelet aggregation (36 +/- 16 nM) in normal volunteers (n = 40) increased (64 +/- 30 nM) in patients (n = 46) with acute coronary artery disease. Bolus injection of insulin in 20 patients, 0.1 U/kg body weight 4 times a day (every 6 hours) for 7 days decreased the minimal inhibitory concentration of prostaglandin E1 from 64 +/- 30 to 26 +/- 12 nM (p less than 0.001). Twenty other patients who received only saline solution had no decrease in minimal inhibitory concentration of the prostanoid. The bolus injection of insulin also increased the plasma level of PGI2 (9 +/- 2 pM) two-fold in these patients (28 +/- 10 pM). Administration of aspirin inhibited the insulin-induced increase of plasma prostanoid level. Patients in the placebo group had no increase in plasma PGI2 level. The bolus injection of insulin administered only once to another group of patients (n = 6) demonstrated that the hormonal effects were maximally increased within an hour of insulin administration, and were directly related to the increased insulin level in plasma. These results indicated the feasibility of using physiologic quantities of insulin for controlling of platelet aggregation through resensitization of platelet response to prostaglandin and increased synthesis of PGI2 in vivo in acute coronary artery disease.

Angina, Unstable↗

JC virus DNA is present in many human brain samples from patients without progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Sections of normal and diseased brain and kidney tissues were screened for the presence of JC virus (JCV) DNA by using the polymerase chain reaction. As expected, all samples obtained from patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) tested positive when multiple JCV-specific primer and probe combinations were used. Unexpectedly, more than 50% of non-PML-affected brains were also found to harbor low levels of JCV DNA. To confirm that the positive signals seen in the tissue sections were not the result of contamination, amplified DNA was cloned and sequenced and in some cases was shown to represent strains of JCV not identified previously. Two predominant regulatory region configurations of JCV have been detected in the human host: archetype JCV, which is excreted in the urine of normal and immunocompromised individuals, and "PML-type" JCV found in diseased brains. This latter group of variants appears to derive from archetype JCV by the deletion and duplication of sequences within the promoter-enhancer region. In the present study, the archetype strain of JCV was identified only in normal kidney samples; JCV DNA found in non-PML-affected brain specimens and in kidney tissue from patients with PML resembled that of strains isolated from PML-affected brain tissue. Our findings indicate that JCV reaches the brain more frequently than previously thought and may persist at this site without causing demyelinating disease. A subsequent episode of prolonged immunodeficiency or a direct interaction with an immunocompromising agent (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus type 1) might activate the latent JCV infection and lead to the development of PML.

Base Sequence↗

ECG and enzymatic indicators of therapeutic success after intravenous streptokinase for acute myocardial infarction--a pilot study.

The effect of intravenous streptokinase (SK) on time course of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) release and rapid reduction in ST-segment elevation as two non-invasive markers of reperfusion was prospectively studied in 83 patients with first anterior wall AMI (SK group, n = 61; control group, n = 22). CK-MB evidence of reperfusion in the SK group was significantly higher than that in the control group (80% versus 32%; P 0.0001). The rapid resolution of sum of ST segment elevations as an evidence of reperfusion was found in 82% patients in SK group versus 23% in the control group (P 0.0001). Both CK-MB and rapid resolution of ST segment elevations as evidences of reperfusion were found in 69% patients in SK and 14% in the control group (P 0.0001). The proportions of patients with non-invasive evidence of reperfusion with half-dose SK (750,000 units) regimen were comparable to that reported in the literature with full dose SK (1.5 million) regimen. Thus, serial CK-MB and ECG analysis in patients with AMI undergoing streptokinase therapy provides a non-invasive means for assessing therapeutic success. A dose of 750,000 units of SK was found clinically satisfactory using previously validated non-invasive markers of coronary reperfusion and produced results previously reported with 1.5 million units of SK.

Creatine Kinase↗

Autoimmunity in amoebiasis.

Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) and symptomatic intestinal amoebiasis cases were assessed by indirect haemagglutination assay for auto-reactive IgG and IgA class of antibodies in response to healthy human serum IgG and IgA. The present results indicated the presence of autoreactive IgG and IgA class of antibodies in ALA and intestinal amoebiasis respectively.

Autoimmunity↗

Role of pure and biologically active amoebal RNA in assessment of lymphokines: a report of 55 ALA cases.

Amoebic liver abscess cases (55) were assessed for release of lymphokines (LMIF) using pure and biologically active amoebal RNA of axenic Entamoeba histolytica (NIH: 200) obtained with cesium chloride centrifugation. Lymphokines released by T lymphocytes in response to both amoebal RNA and whole amoebic lysate (WAL) were tested by leukocyte migration inhibition test (LMIT) on blood samples from amoebic liver abscess cases. A significant increase was observed in the release of lymphokine and 100% positivity was observed with amoebal RNA compared to whole amoebic extract with a positivity of only 78%. The difference between means leukocyte migration inhibition of the above two with regards to release of lymphokine was highly significant (P less than 0.001). This shows that patients had high degree of leukocyte sensitization to amoebal RNA of E. histolytica compared to whole amoebic lysate. These findings suggest that the amoebal RNA plays an important role as a potent antigen in the elicitation of cell mediated immune responses in amoebic liver abscess cases.

Adult↗

Detection of autoreactive antibodies to serum IgG and IgA in amoebic liver abscess cases.

Assessment of autoreactive antibodies in response to healthy human serum IgA and IgG was performed by indirect haemagglutination assay on serum samples from 81 amoebic liver abscess cases for IgA and 70 for IgG. Appropriate controls were taken simultaneously. IgA, IgG were isolated and purified from a healthy human serum through Sephadex G-200 and protein A CL 4B sepharose chromatography. These immunoglobulins were used for the detection of its own antibodies in amoebic liver abscess cases. This revealed that 43.20% and 48.50% of the cases were positive for IgA and IgG respectively, where as only 19.35% and 28.30% of the controls were in positive category (IgA and IgG respectively). The mean titres with standard deviation of the autoreactive antibodies to serum IgA both in ALA cases and controls shows a highly significant difference between tests and controls (P less than 0.001). Similarly the mean titres with standard deviation both in ALA and controls for the serum IgG differed significantly (P less than 0.001). This suggests the presence of autoreactive antibodies against serum IgA and IgG in amoebic liver abscess cases.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

Serum sialic acid and glycoprotein levels in some Libyan cancer patients.

Sialic acid is a common conjugate of some serum glycoproteins and glycolipids. Elevated levels of serum sialic acid and alterations in serum glycoproteins have been observed in certain types of cancer. In this study sialic acid concentration in the sera of patients with various types of cancer was determined. In addition to this, serum glycoproteins were also analysed by electrophoretic method. Our results indicate that serum sialic acid levels are generally raised in all types of cancer studied. This increase was more pronounced in case of lung, bronchogenic, intestinal and breast cancer. Some alterations in the serum glycoprotein profiles were also observed, particularly in bronchogenic and gall bladder cancer where an additional band in the low molecular weight region was present and in lung, breast and lymphoma where a band in the middle molecular weight region was found missing when compared with normals.

Journal Article↗

Detergent dissection of membrane proteins of Entamoeba histolytica and its effect on lymphokine release in in vitro.

Fifty-two amoebic liver abscess cases were assessed for the release of lymphokines (LMIF) using detergent dissected membrane proteins (DDMP) of axenic Entamoeba histolytica (NIH:200) obtained with sodium deoxycholate treatment. Lymphokines release by T lymphocytes in response to both DDMP and whole amoebic lysate (WAL) was tested by leukocyte migration inhibition test on blood samples from amoebic liver abscess cases. A significant increase was noted in the release of LMIF and 100% positivity was observed with DDMP compared to whole amoebic extract with a positivity of 73%. The difference between means of the above two with regards to release of LMIF was found to be highly significant (P less than 0.005). This shows the patients had high degree of leukocyte sensitization to surface antigens of E. histolytica compared to the whole amoebic lysate. These findings suggest that the antigens shed might have important role as a potent antigen in elicitation of CMI response in amoebic liver abscess cases.

Adult↗

cDNA sequences encoding rabbit latent kappa 1 b5 and b6 Ig L chains.

Regulation of rabbit Ig C kappa 1 L chain gene expression is thought to be under allelic control. Four nominal allotypic variants designated b4, b5, b6, and b9 have been found to be co-dominantly expressed at the C kappa 1 gene locus. Latent allotypes are nonallelic and appear as unexpected and transitory molecules in the serum as well as on B cell surfaces. To determine the mechanism of latent kappa 1 allotype expression, rabbits were initially induced to produce latent b5 and b6 allotypes by infection with Trypanosoma brucei and RNA was extracted from the lymph nodes of these rabbits. The polymerase chain reaction using allele specific oligonucleotide primers was used to detect and amplify the mRNA encoding the latent b5 and b6 sequences. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the cloned products revealed that the latent b5 and b6 cDNA sequences were identical to their nominal allelic counterparts, b5 and b6, respectively. Thus, the identification of transcripts encoding latent b5 and b6 sequences rules out serologic artifacts and idiotypic mimicry as explanations of latent allotype expression.

Animals↗

HLA-DR antigens in gastric carcinoma.

Serological HLA typing of 56 gastric carcinoma patients and 53 healthy controls was performed by the long two-stage microlymphocytotoxic test. There was a significantly increased frequency of DR3 antigen (P less than 0.01) in the patients compared to controls. Relative risk analysis revealed a risk of 3.22 for subjects with DR3 antigen for predisposition to gastric carcinoma.

Adult↗

Spinal cord dysfunction complicating meningococcal meningitis.

A 29 year old male developed paraplegia during the acute phase of meningococcal meningitis. Possible mechanisms for this unusual complication are discussed and the literature regarding spinal cord complications of pyogenic meningitis is reviewed.

Acute Disease↗

Therapeutic implications of ofloxacin in the treatment of typhoid fever caused by multiply resistant Salmonella typhi.

The antibiotic of choice for the treatment of typhoid fever in most parts of the world is still chloramphenicol. Ampicillin and cotrimoxazole have been used in recent years. Selection of antimicrobials for therapy has been complicated by the emergence of Salmonella typhi strains resistant to the above mentioned antibiotics. Blood and/or bone marrow cultures of 30 adult patients grew S. typhi that was resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. However, these strains were sensitive to cefotaxime, ceftrioxone, aztreonam and ofloxacin. Ofloxacin 400 mg twice a day was given orally to these patients for 14 days. All patients recovered with no untoward side effect. We concluded that ofloxacin can be used as a drug of choice for typhoid fever, in those adult patients who are infected with S. typhi resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin and cotrimoxazole.

Adult↗

Large-scale isolation of plasmid DNA using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.

A rapid procedure for the large-scale isolation of plasmid DNA is described. The method utilizes cetyltrimethylammonium bromide to precipitate the plasmid following extraction of DNA by lysozyme digestion and boiling. The plasmid is then purified by passing through the spin column pZ523. The purity and yield of the plasmid obtained with this method is similar to that isolated by cesium chloride-ethidium bromide gradient centrifugation. The method does not involve any phenol-chloroform extractions and takes five to six hours for completion after growth of the bacterial cells. The plasmid obtained is amenable to digestion with various restriction endonucleases, can be used for cloning with high efficiency and is also suitable as template for dideoxy sequencing.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗