Seroprevalence of Schistosoma mansoni in Puerto Ricans with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is unknown. These diseases have a higher incidence in industrialized countries and their pathogenesis involves an over-reaction of the immune system. A genetic factor is believed to predispose to the development of chronic inflammation in response to an unidentified stimulus. Exposure to infections in childhood may modulate future immune responses. Parasitosis, particularly Schistosomiasis, stimulate Th2 immune responses. It has been hypothesized that the absence of these parasitic infections, as seen in economically developed countries, favors a Th1 response that may result in the clinical appearance of Crohn's disease later in life. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni antibodies in Puerto Ricans with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and controls. METHODS: Serum from 92 Puerto Ricans with IBD and 106 controls was screened for S. mansoni adult microsomal antigens (MAMA) using the FAST:ELISA assay. Those positive were confirmed with an enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot test. RESULTS: Seven serum samples (3 UC and 4 controls) were positive for S. mansoni antibodies. There was no significant difference between groups in gender, municipality of origin or seroprevalence of Schistosomiasis. The control group was slightly older than the IBD group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not demonstrate an inverse relation between Schistosomiasis and IBD. However, the decreasing prevalence of Schistosomiasis in the general population of Puerto Rico may account for this result.

Pharmacology of SK&F R-105058 and R-106114, N-ethyl carbamate ester prodrugs of fenoldopam.

The pharmacology of SK&F R-105058 and SK&F R-106114, N-ethyl carbamate ester prodrugs of fenoldopam, was evaluated in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. The selective dopamine 1 (DA1) antagonist, SCH 23390, significantly attenuated the renal vasodilator effects of SK&F R-82526, the active enantiomer of fenoldopam. This dose of SCH 23390 also significantly attenuated the increase in renal blood flow and decrease in renal vascular resistance induced by the administration of either SK&F R-106114 or SK&F R-105058. The cholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine, at a dose that significantly enhanced the renal effects of acetylcholine, did not alter the in vivo renal vasodilator effects of SK&F R-105058 or prevent conversion of SK&F R-105058 to fenoldopam. Thus, these data indicate that the renal vasodilator activity of fenoldopam prodrugs involves activation of DA1 receptors and that, unlike other carbamate ester prodrugs, conversion to the parent compound is unlikely to involve cholinesterase.