Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to O Kandil.
Preliminary phytochemical screening of the plant Thymus capitatus exhibited the presence of saponins, resins, flavonoids, essential and fixed oils. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts (10-200 mg/ml) as well as saponin, resin and essential oil of the plant (10-5000 micrograms/ml inhibited the growth of several bacteria and fungi.
The present studies examined production of the cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and IL-6 by human monocyte-derived macrophages exposed to Pneumocystis carinii in vitro and the impact of concurrent macrophage infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) on these cytokine responses. Macrophages were infected with the HIV-1 BaL monocytotropic strain for 10 to 14 days and then exposed to P. carinii. At various times following P. carinii treatment, culture supernatants were harvested to assess the cytokine profile. Addition of P. carinii to HIV-uninfected macrophages resulted in augmented production of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-1 beta protein. By contrast, in HIV-infected macrophages exposed to P. carinii, only the release of IL-6 was increased compared with that for HIV-uninfected macrophages, while the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta decreased. This altered response was confirmed at the molecular level for TNF-alpha mRNA. Preventing physical contact between P. carinii and macrophages by a membrane filter inhibited all cytokine release. Substituting P. carinii with a preparation of P. carinii 95- to 115-kDa major membrane glycoprotein A yielded a response similar to that obtained by addition of intact P. carinii. These results suggest that HIV-1 infection of human macrophages modulates cytokine responses to P. carinii.
The effects of a concurrent HIV-1 and Mycobacterium avium infection in vitro were assessed in human peripheral blood-derived macrophages (M phi). M phi were infected with HIV-1Ba-L strain for 14 days then infected with M. avium (HIV/M. avium) or treated with LPS (HIV/LPS). At various times after M. avium or LPS treatment, Mo phi cultures were harvested for quantitation of HIV and M. avium replication, as well as M phi cellular viability. In addition, mRNA and supernatants were collected for assessment of induction of the cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6. M. avium multiplication was greater in HIV-infected M phi, whereas no difference in virus production, based on p24 and RT values, was observed between HIV-infected cells and HIV/M. avium or HIV/LPS M phi. M. avium infection of HIV-1-infected M phi also caused a decrease in viability of the M phi. HIV-1/M. avium-infected M phi had a 24 h delay in induction of TNF-alpha steady state mRNA when compared with HIV/LPS or M. avium only or LPS-only treated M phi. HIV infection also increased the amount and the length of induction of IL-1 beta and IL-6 steady state mRNA stimulated by either M. avium or LPS. In addition, prolonged and increased protein production of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1 beta was observed in HIV/M. avium-infected cells when compared with the other treatments. In direct contrast to M. avium infection, no significant differences in LPS-induced protein production of the three cytokines was observed between HIV-1-infected and -noninfected M phi. Treatment of HIV/M. avium-infected cells with human rGM-CSF did not increase either the time or quantity of induction of TNF-alpha mRNA or protein production in HIV/M. avium-infected M phi. The increase in M. avium numbers, dysregulation of cytokine production, and subsequent cell death seen in vitro in HIV/M. avium-infected human M phi may reflect part of the underlying cause of the highly disseminated M. avium disease pattern observed in AIDS patients.
IL-4 abrogates the IFN-gamma-mediated activation of peripheral blood monocytes (M. Lehn, W. Y. Weiser, S. E. Engelhorn, S. Gillis, and H. G. Remold, 1989, J. Immunol. 143, 3020). In contrast, in colostral macrophages IL-4 fails to inhibit IFN-gamma-induced increase of H2O2 production and of antileishmanial activity. Flow cytometric analysis shows that the number of IL-4 receptors (IL-4R) is 2.4 times higher on colostral macrophages than on peripheral blood monocytes and that 23% of the colostral macrophages have detectable IL-4R in contrast to 2% of the blood monocytes. Thus, colostral macrophages are functionally different from peripheral blood monocytes in their response to IL-4 and in the numbers of IL-4R. This difference could reflect specific requirements for their protective performance in the neonatal intestine.
Cells from the human monocytic cell-line THP1 were incubated prior to activation with IFN-gamma or LPS with varying amounts of p24, the main product of the HIV gag gene and the major component of the virus core. The IFN-gamma-dependent increase of mRNA for HLA-DR and for the heavy chain of cytochrome b was markedly decreased by p24 but not by gp120. This effect was abrogated by anti-p24 antibodies. On the other hand, preincubation of THP1 cells with p24 did not affect the accumulation of the LPS-dependent mRNA for TNF alpha and IL1-beta. These results indicate that p24 at concentrations similar to those found in the serum of HIV-infected individuals specifically affects IFN-gamma-induced activation markers.
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Analogues that are poor substrates for adenosine deaminase or purine nucleoside phosphorylase may mimic immunodeficiencies associated with the enzyme deficiencies, and their activities may be directed toward selected lymphocyte subpopulations. Four analogues were studied for their effects on primary antibody response to either a T-dependent (sheep erythrocytes) or T-independent (trinitrophenyl-conjugated Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide) antigen as well as effects on T-cytotoxic and natural killer cell activities in mice. The nucleosides were: an adenosine analogue, tubercidin; two deoxyadenosine analogues, 2-chloro, 2'-deoxyadenosine and 2-fluoroadenine arabinoside-5'-phosphate; and a deoxyguanosine analogue, 9-beta-D-arabinosylguanine. Drugs were given i.p. once daily for 3 consecutive days. Immune responses were determined in spleen cell suspensions 1 day after the last dose. Tubercidin inhibited both T-cytotoxic and natural killer cell activities at doses that did not reduce primary antibody response, whereas the reverse was true for 2-chloro, 2'-deoxyadenosine and 2-fluoroadenine arabinoside-5'-phosphate. At higher doses, T-cytotoxic lymphocytes appeared to be more sensitive than natural killer cells to the deoxyadenosine analogues. 9-beta-D-Arabinosylguanine did not selectively inhibit the immune responses at doses that clearly reduced the yield of spleen lymphocytes. Assuming the analogues mimic endogenous nucleosides, the results suggest that natural killer cells are more sensitive to adenosine than are those cells responsible for primary antibody response, whereas the reverse is true for deoxyadenosine.
We examined the effect of rotation-induced stress on (1) growth of lymphosarcoma tumors; (2) interleukin-2 (IL-2) production; (3) T cell subset distribution; and (4) cytotoxic T cell (CTL) function. In addition, we examined the levels of corticosterone and beta-endorphin as possible mediators of stress-induced immune alterations. Rotation stress induced progressive lymphosarcoma growth, while unstressed mice showed tumor regression after 2 weeks of growth. IL-2 production and CTL activity in stressed animals were significantly lower than controls during the first 2 weeks after initiation of stress. Spleen lymphocytes from stressed and control mice bearing the L3T4 antigen (helper/inducer T cell marker) remained unchanged, while in peripheral blood such cells decreased in stressed but not control animals. This latter pattern was also observed in Lyt 2 positive (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells of both spleen and peripheral blood. Corticosterone levels were elevated for an extended period following initiation of stress, while beta-endorphin levels remained similar to those of the controls. Although these data do not directly establish a causal link between immunoinhibition and tumor growth, they clearly demonstrate that stress inhibits a number of cell-mediated immune functions that may be relevant in this regard.
Garlic may play an invaluable role in the prevention and therapy of the major causes of death. Anecdotal, basic, and clinical research data are confirming the efficacy of this herb in the treatment of hyperlipemia, cancer, heavy-metal intoxication, infectious diseases, hypertension, free-radical damage, and immune deficiency states. Garlic's broad antimicrobial spectra and its ability to modulate immunity may play a strategic role in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome pandemic. A review of the literature supports a greater scrutiny of this herb's therapeutic potential.
We examined the effect of rotation-induced stress on the percentage distribution of NK-YAC-1 target-binding cells and natural killer (NK) cell activity from splenic lymphocytes of C3H/HeJ mice. Following a 6-day stress regimen, we observed a marked decline in both the percentage of target-binding cells and in NK cell activity. This decline was first evident 13 days after initiation of stress and persisted for 2 weeks. Our data indicate that intermittent rotation stress over a 6-day period results in a delayed but persistent deleterious effect on NK-YAC-1 target binding and NK cell activity.
Tubal dysfunction is certainly involved in some cases of infertility. Clinical diagnostic procedures for tubal patency are occasionally misleading and contradictory. Moreover, they provide no information on tubal function. The recovery of viable sperm in Douglas pouch aspirates (DPA) was used to evaluate tubal function in 94 infertile patients with different tubal findings at hysterosalpingography (HS) and laparoscopy. Sperm recovery in DPA of ten infertile patients with poor or negative postcoital Sims- Huhner test results demonstrated the limitation of this test for evaluation of sperm transport in the female genital tract. Laparoscopic aspiration of DP may be performed in infertile patients undergoing chromosalpingoscopy as a part of their infertility investigation. The procedure should be supplementary to other available diagnostic parameters.
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Cervical mucus was collected from 24 normal (control) women, and 45 cases fitted with Cu T200 IUDs. Glucose concentration was measured by spectrophotometry before and after insertion of the IUDs. In the control group, glucose concentration at midcycle was 1.802 +or- 0.235 mg/gm wet weight cervical mucus. Pre- and postinsertion mean values in Cu T200 users were 0.746 +or- 0.149 mg/gm and 0.487 +or- 0.045 mg/gm of mucus respectively. This decrease in mucus glucose concentration in Cu T200 users may be a factor by which this device affects sperm migration at the cervical level.
35 women of proven fertility who were scheduled for surgical sterilization by salpingectomy were selected for this study; 15 control patients, 10 patients using the Multiload (ML) Cu 250 IUD, and 10 fitted with nonmedicated IUDs. Increased copper concentration did not affect sperm receptivity by the cervical mucus, but did significantly affect sperm motility and survival. Nonmedicated IUDs did not interfere with sperm transport in the oviduct. ML Cu IUDs inhibited sperm transport in the oviduct. The effects of the ML Cu IUD on sperm migration were more evident at the tubal level than at the cervical level.
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During 42 months of study, 150 cases of laparoscopic ventrosuspension were performed at Al-Azhar University hospitals. In 98 patients (65.33%), the primary complaint was infertility. Retroversion of the uterus was the only abnormality detected during laparoscopic examinations. The remaining 52 patients (34.66%) had retroversion of the uterus concomitant with other conditions requiring surgery. Ventrosuspension was performed via the laparoscope by applying Falope rings (KLI, Newtown, Pennsylvania USA) to the round ligaments. These patients were followed up for 6-30 months. Pregnancy occurred in 29 infertile patients and improvement of backache, deep dyspareunia, congestive dysmenorrhea and leukorrhea occurred in 81.25%, 89.25%, 68.18% and 56.66%, respectively. The technique is simple and safe; it reduces the length of hospitalization and can be performed concomitant with other surgical procedures.
During the period June 1979--May 1981, 1582 diagnostic and operative laparoscopic procedures were performed at Al-Azhar University Endoscopy Unit and during field visits to several hospitals in Egypt, Sudan and Mauritania. Ninety-nine of these had had previous lower abdominal surgery. Laparoscopy was performed on 93 of these patients using a modified technique of laparoscopy. The modified technique involves direct visualization of the previous peritoneal scar with the scope before its careful puncturing with the trocar and cannula. The paper describes the technique, findings, complications, limitations of the procedure and its application.
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