[Effects of Fructus Psoralea and Brucea javanica on the level of IL-2 and NK cell in rats infected with Pneumocystis carinii].

SD rat model of PCP was established by subcutaneous injection with dexamethasone. The treatment groups received Fructus Psoralea (FP, 10.0 mg/kg), Brucea javanica (BJ, 1.2 mg/kg) and a mixture of the two Chinese herbs(FP 5mg/kg, BJ 0.6 mg/kg) respectively. By means of detecting the level of IL-2 in sera and NK cells in spleens, the effect of FP and BJ on the level of IL-2 and NK cells in rats with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was observed, with SMZco treatment group (TMP 50 mg/kg, SMZ 250 mg/kg) and groups of infected and normal rats as controls. Compared with the infected group, the level of IL-2(526.1 +/- 5.5) pg/ml and NK cells (27.1% +/- 0.8%) significantly increased in the FP group (P < 0.01), followed by the FP/BJ combination group [(314.7 +/- 6.7) pg/ml, 22.9% +/- 0.9%) (P < 0.05)], and BJ group [(285.4 +/- 6.1) pg/ml, 20.7% +/- l.0%) (P < 0.05)]. Chinese herbs Fructus Psoralea and Brucea javanica show an immune regulatory action on the PCP rats.

Increase in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)- and CD56+ cell-mediated killing of endometrial stromal cells by mycobacteria; a possible role in endometriosis immunotherapy?

BACKGROUND: Immunological therapies have shown promising results in the treatment of endometriosis. Mycobacteria are one of the most common immune therapies used in other diseases. We have assessed the effects of mycobacteria in altering the ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and natural killer (NK) cells to kill endometrial stromal cells using an in vitro model. This may have implications in the immunotherapy of endometriosis. METHODS: Primary cultures of endometrial stromal cells were grown from female patients and PBMCs were extracted from healthy female volunteers. Effector cells (PBMCs or NK cells) were exposed to varying concentrations of mycobacteria before their ability to kill cultured endometrial cells was tested using a 51Cr-release assay. RESULTS: Treatment of effector cells with the Connaught Substrain Bacillus of Calmette and Guérin (BCG) led to increased killing of target cells by PBMCs and NK cells. The optimal concentration for treatment of effector cells with Connaught BCG was approximately 0.1 multiplicities of infection (m.o.i.). There was a trend towards increased killing after treatment with Pasteur BCG. CD56+ (NK) cells treated with BCG at 0.1 m.o.i. showed increased killing of target cells compared with untreated effector cells. CONCLUSIONS: Endometrial stromal cells are susceptible to killer cells activated by mycobacteria. This in vitro work suggests a possible role for mycobacteria in the immunotherapy of endometriosis.

NK cells, but not NKT cells, are involved in Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (PEA) causes T cell- and Kupffer cell (KC)-dependent liver injury in mice. TNF-alpha as well as IL-18 and perforin are important mediators of liver damage following PEA injection. In this study, we focus on the role of NK and NKT cells in PEA-induced liver toxicity. Depletion of both NK and NKT cells by injection of anti-NK1.1 Ab as well as depletion of NK cells alone by anti-asialo GM1 Ab protected mice from PEA-induced hepatotoxicity, whereas mice lacking only NKT cells were susceptible. Additionally, we observed infiltration of NK cells, T cells, and neutrophils into liver parenchyma after injection of PEA. The number of NKT cells, however, remained unchanged. The increase in intrahepatic NK cells depended on KCs and the TNF-alpha-dependent up-regulation of the adhesion molecule VCAM-1 in the liver, but not on NKT cells. PEA also augmented the cytotoxicity of hepatic NK cells against typical NK target cells (YAC-1 cells). This effect depended on KCs, but not on TNF-alpha or NKT cells. Furthermore, only weak expression of MHC class I was detected on hepatocytes, which was further down-regulated in PEA-treated mice. This could explain the susceptibility of hepatocytes to NK cell cytolytic activity in this model. Our results demonstrate that NK cells, activated and recruited independently of NKT cells, contribute to PEA-induced T cell-dependent liver injury in mice.

Influence of blood transfusion on bactericidal activity of human leukocytes and sera against Yersinia enterocolitica and Salmonella typhimurium.

Patients undergoing joint surgery and blood transfusion were studied. Serum and leukocyte bactericidal tests in vitro against Salmonella typhimurium and Yersinia enterocolitica were carried out preoperatively as well as on the 1st, 3rd and 7th days after the operation. The serum complement (C3 and C4) concentrations were determined at the same intervals. It was found that after blood transfusion the bactericidic activity of sera and the serum C3 complement concentrations were increased. In contrast the killing ability of leukocytes was suppressed.