Major depressive disorder: probiotics may be an adjuvant therapy

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an extremely complex and heterogeneous condition. Emerging research suggests that nutritional influences on MDD are currently underestimated. MDD patients have been shown to have elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased oxidative stress, altered gastrointestinal (GI) function, and lowered micronutrient and omega-3 fatty acid status. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is likely contributing to the limited nutrient absorption in MDD. Stress, a significant factor in MDD, is known to alter GI microflora, lowering levels of lactobacilli and bifidobacterium. Research suggests that bacteria in the GI tract can communicate with the central nervous system, even in the absence of an immune response. Probiotics have the potential to lower systemic inflammatory cytokines, decrease oxidative stress, improve nutritional status, and correct SIBO. The effect of probiotics on systemic inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress may ultimately lead to increased brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It is our contention that probiotics may be an adjuvant to standard care in MDD.     

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor may be used as an early diagnostic marker in colorectal carcinomas

Recent genetic studies have identified many differentially expressed genes in colorectal carcinomas. For validation of up-regulated genes in colorectal carcinomas, we performed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Candidate markers were selected from gene expression data for 40 colorectal cancers and 35 matched normal mucosal samples. Based on intensive filtering, 9 genes were selected for the further evaluations. Among them, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), inhibin betaA, and chemokine ligand 10 were screened, and the results were compared with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in serum samples of 129 patients with colon cancer and 53 healthy control subjects. We found that the serum MIF level was significantly increased in patients with colorectal cancer. Compared with CEA, MIF was more sensitive in early cancer detection (47.3% vs 29.5%). However, the specificity was not as high as that of CEA (90.6% vs 100.0%). Our findings indicate that MIF may be used as a diagnostic marker in colorectal carcinomas.     

Active idiotype vaccination in multiple myeloma. GM-CSF may be an important adjuvant cytokine

The idiotypic surface bound immunoglobulin structures on the myeloma cells can be regarded as a tumor specific antigen. Naturally occurring humoral and cellular immunity against the idiotype has been demonstrated. Idiotype immunization in combination with GM-CSF induced a specific T cell response in all studied myeloma patients (n = 5). The T cell response could be characterized as a type I response (gamma-IFN production) which seemed preferentially to be MHC class I restricted. Patients with a low tumor burden might be those which most favourably respond to this kind of therapeutic intervention.     

Specific IgG antibody responses may be used to monitor leprosy treatment efficacy and as recurrence prognostic markers

Although curable, leprosy requires better diagnostic and prognostic tools to accompany therapeutic strategies. We evaluated the serum samples of leprosy patients from Venezuela and Brazil for reactivity against the specific recombinant proteins, ML0405 and ML2331, and the LID-1 fusion protein that incorporates both of these antigens. Antigen-specific IgG was highest in lepromatous leprosy patients (LL) and decreased across the disease spectrum, such that only a small subset of true tuberculoid patients (TT) tested positive. The impact of multidrug therapy (MDT) on these antibody responses was also examined. Several years after treatment, the vast majority of Venezuelan patients did not possess circulating anti-LID-1, anti-ML0405, and anti-ML2331 IgG, and the seropositivity of the remaining cases could be attributed to irregular treatment. At discharge, the magnitude and proportion of positive responses of Brazilian patients against the proteins and phenolic glycolipid (PGL)-I were lower for most of the clinical forms. The monthly examination of IgG levels in LL patient sera after MDT initiation indicated that these responses are significantly reduced during treatment. Thus, responses against these antigens positively correlate with bacillary load, clinical forms, and operational classification at diagnosis. Our data indicate that these responses could be employed as an auxiliary tool for the assessment of treatment efficacy and disease relapse.     

Development of an inexpensive legume-Rhizobium inoculation technology which may be used in aerial seeding

Encapsulation of seeds with alginate entrapped rhizobia (AER) bead has been developed as a new seed-applied inoculum technique for utilizing legume-Rhizobium symbiosis for the management and protection of natural ecosystems. Alginate beads trapped water and immobilized rhizobia which ensured germination of seeds and nodulation of seedlings. Incorporation of a synthetic polymer, Jalshakti, in alginate beads did not enhance symbiotic nitrogen fixation but sufficient number of rhizobia remain viable in them even after 30 weeks of storage reflecting suitability of these materials as carriers for rhizobia. Plant cultures raised from these beads were similar to or even better than the inoculated controls in symbiotic parameters indicating the effectiveness of seed-applied inoculum technique. Pelleting of seeds with these polymers after coating with gum arabic lead to substantial reduction in symbiotic association and viability of rhizobia. Experiments involving two legume-Rhizobium associations indicated that the encapsulation of seed with AER bead is a cheap, inexpensive and effective inoculation technique which may be used in aerial seeding.     

A peptide derived from a single-modified viroid-RNA can be used as an "in vivo" nucleolar marker

Viroids are small, single-stranded, circular, non-coding pathogenic RNAs. Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) is characterized by possesses rod-like structure and replicate in the host nuclei. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions with transit sequences or entire proteins can be used for deliberate labelling of particular cell compartments. Different GFP-fusions have been obtained to selectively illuminate different organelles and membranes in many cell types. However, as far as we know, examples for established efficient markers for nucleoli are scarce. In this work, a viroid-RNA was made translatable by inserting an ATG at position 1 and fused to the GFP. The results showed that the resultant fusion can be used as an efficient "in vivo" nucleolar marker in "real time" cellular observations. Thus, this construct can be a very useful tool to study processes related with nucleolus functions.     

A rapid binding assay for immunoglobulins which may be used as an alternative to ammonium sulfate precipitation methods

This paper describes the conditions under which a short column packed with Sephadex G-25 may be eluted centrifugally to separate labeled ligands from binding immunoglobulins in a manner which can yield quantitative binding information. This method may be used as an alternative to the classical binding assay involving ammonium sulfate precipitation. The advantage is a large saving in total assay time over that procedure. The column assay is applicable to antisera and purified polyclonal and monoclonal immunoglobulins. The restrictions are that the labeled ligands must be of molecular weight less than approximately 5000 Da.     

Vagus nerve stimulation may be used in the therapy of myocarditis

Although a large number of different causes have been identified as leading to myocarditis, inflammation plays a pivotal role in its pathological process. No specific methods are available in the therapy of myocarditis except symptomatic treatment. Vagus nerve stimulation has been found to lower the heart rate and recover the normal heart rhythm which may relieve the cardiac symptoms in myocarditis. Furthermore, the acetylcholine that secreted by vagus nerve stimulation was found to inhibit the production of such inflammatory cytokines as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β). Based on the above, we hypothesized that vagus nerve stimulation can be used in the therapy of myocarditis and lead to relief of symptoms and inhibition of inflammatory process which may kill two birds with one stone.     

Enhancing the immunogenicity of inactivated polio vaccines with chitosan used as an adjuvant

Addition of chitosan to inactivated trivalent polio vaccine or inactivated preparations of attenuated poliomyelitis viruses (Sabin strains) significantly increases immunogenicity of these inactivated poliomyelitis virus preparations. High neutralizing antibody titers are detected after two immunizations of mice and a single immunization of rats, as well as when the antigen dose was reduced by 4 times. Addition of chitosan as an adjuvant significantly induces cellular immunity.     

Resistance of propionibacteria to antibiotics used in the treatment of acne

Strains of propionibacteria resistant to clindamycin or clindamycin and erythromycin were isolated from four patients with acne, three of whom were receiving clindamycin. Four strains of P. acnes and one of P. granulosum with moderate levels of tetracycline resistance were isolated from 25 patients with acne being treated with tetracycline. A similar increase in tetracycline resistance was achieved by training sensitive strains in vitro. P. acnes was sensitive to sulphonamide and trimethoprim but some strains of P. granulosum were resistant to sulphonamide. Similar reports of clindamycin and erythromycin resistance from the USA suggest resistance may be increasing in isolates from patients with acne.     

Combination chemotherapy as an adjuvant treatment in operable breast cancer.

Prolonged cyclic combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil was evaluated as adjuvant treatment to radical mastectomy in primary breast cancer with positive axillary lymph nodes. After 27 months of study, treatment occurred in 24 per cent of 179 control patients and in 5.3 per cent of 207 women given combination chemotherapy (P less than 10(-6)), the advantage appearing statistically significant in all subgroups of patients. Patients with four or more positive axillary nodes had a higher per cent of relapses than those with fewer nodes. The initial new clinical manifestations occurred in distant sites in 81.5 per cent of relapsed patients. Long-term chemotherapy produced an acceptable toxicity, thus allowing the administration of a high percentage of drug dosage. These results should be considered with caution, since, at present, the effect of this therapy on survival and possible long-term side effects remain unknown.