APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica
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In eukaryotes mRNA transcripts are extensively processed by different post-transcriptional events such as alternative splicing and RNA editing in order to generate many different mRNAs from the same gene, increasing the transcriptome and then the proteome diversity. The most frequent RNA editing mechanism in mammals involves the conversion of specific adenosines into inosines by the ADAR family of enzymes. ⋯ Alteration in RNA editing has been connected to tumor progression and many other important human diseases. Analysis of many editing sites in various cancer types is expected to provide new diagnostic and prognostic markers and might contribute to early detection of cancer, the monitoring of response to therapy, and to the detection of minimal residual disease.
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Human renal epithelial cells might play an important role during the allograft rejection by producing chemokines in response to proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta produced by endothelial and epithelial cells early after transplantation. The production of chemokines allows inflammatory cells to be drawn into the kidney graft and therefore plays a critical role in the pathophysiologic processes that lead to the rejection of renal transplant. In this process, two chemokine superfamilies, the CC and the CXC chemokines, are the most important. ⋯ We showed in our study that in vitro, in unstimulated cells, basal mRNA expression of CXC chemokines (Groalpha, Grobeta, Grogamma, ENA-78 and GCP-2, IL-8) that attract neutrophils was detectable and expression of these genes and chemokine release were increased in TNF-alpha- and IL-1beta-induced renal epithelial cells. Most of the CC chemokines [monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage Inflammatory protein 1 beta (MIP-1beta), regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-3alpha)] showed detectable mRNA expression only after stimulation with proinflammatory cytokines and not in control cells. TNF-alpha seems to induce preferably the expression of RANTES, MCP-1, interferon-inducible protein (IP-10) and Interferon-Inducible T-cell Alpha Chemoattractant (I-TAC), while IL-1beta induces mainly IL-8 and epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide 78 (ENA-78).
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Staphylococci are a common cause of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI), and epidemiological typing is an important tool for effective infection control. This study evaluated by PFGE and rep-PCR whether Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from skin and catheter tips were related to specimens isolated from blood. A prospective observational study, carried out in a clinical surgical ward at a Brazilian hospital between September 2000 and November 2002, investigated non-tunneled central venous catheters from 179 patients. ⋯ MRSA isolates belonged to one PFGE pattern (type A- subtypes A(1), A(2) and A(3)), and to two rep-PCR patterns (a and b). MSSA isolates were distinguished in five PFGE (B to F) and in three rep-PCR (c, d and e) patterns. Both PFGE and rep-PCR methods indicated that the skin at the catheter insertion site was the origin of CR-BSI caused by S. aureus.
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Comparative Study
Serotonin content of normal and inflamed appendix: a possible role of serotonin in acute appendicitis.
The appendix is lined by a mucosa which has many neuroendocrine cells containing serotonin. Local release of serotonin can act as a mediator of inflammation. In this study we explored the serotonin content of the neuroendocrine cells of the appendixes removed for clinical diagnosis of appendicitis. ⋯ SNC serotonin reactivity was lower in the AA group compared with the other groups (p<0.001). The inflamed appendix is markedly depleted of serotonin in the epithelium and lamina propria. Local serotonin release from ECs and SNCs in the appendix may act as an inflammatory mediator in appendicitis and is likely to be the source of raised blood serotonin in AA.
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A total of 91 consecutive clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were collected at the Regional Hospital of Arkhangelsk, Russia, from May to December 2004, and examined for antimicrobial susceptibility, methicillin resistance and presence of Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) genes. Epidemiological typing was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were examined by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing. ⋯ Sequence type (ST) 239-III (n=11), ST1097-III (n=1) and ST8-IV (n=3) belong to CC8 of epidemic multiresistant MRSA, whereas ST426-MRSA-IV/CC395 (n=1) has not been reported previously. All MRSA strains were PVL negative. The overall results underline the necessity of microbiological sampling, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and epidemiological typing as a rational basis for antimicrobial treatment of S. aureus infections, and infection control measures to limit the spread of multiresistant MRSA and epidemic MSSA clones.