Substance P (SP), a member of the tachykinin family of neuropeptides, is an important immunomodulator of lymphocyte and monocyte/macrophage function. We have examined the effects of SP on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) in vitro. Human monocytes isolated by Ficoll gradient followed by adherence were maintained in vitro for 10 days and infected with HIV-1. The addition of SP resulted in a 2- to 8-fold-enhanced HIV-1 expression in the MDMs isolated from 7 of 13 healthy donors as determined by reverse transcriptase (RT) activity and p24 protein expression assays, as compared to control cultures incubated with HIV-1 alone. There was no correlation observed, however, between SP-stimulated TNF production and HIV-1 expression in MDMs obtained from a subset of these donors. These effects of SP on HIV-1 expression in MDMs in vitro may have in vivo implications relevant to modulation of monocyte/macrophage functions, to HIV-1 infection of monocytes/macrophages, and to the immunopathogenesis of HIV-1 infection.

IgE antibodies specific for staphylococcal superantigens (SAg) have been implicated in the pathology of several allergic diseases such as rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, asthma, and aspirin intolerance. We sought to determine whether SAg-specific IgE levels associate with clinical parameters in patients with aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA), as compared with patients with aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA) and nonatopic controls. Eighty patients with AIA, 62 patients with ATA, and 52 normal controls were enrolled in this study. Total serum IgE and IgE specific for staphylococcal enterotoxin A, staphylococcal enterotoxin B, and staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) were measured using the CAP system (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden). The prevalence of staphylococcal enterotoxin B-specific IgE and TSST-1-specific IgE was significantly higher in the asthma patients than in the healthy controls. The prevalence of SEB-specific IgE was slightly higher in patients with AIA than in those with ATA (22.5% versus 14.5%), although this difference was not statistically significant. No significant difference in staphylococcal enterotoxin A-specific or TSST-1-specific IgE was found between AIA and ATA subjects. Total serum IgE levels were higher in asthma patients with detectable SAg-specific serum IgE than in those without. Airway hyperresponsiveness, as measured by PC20 methacholine, was significantly increased in asthma patients with detectable SAg-specific IgE than in asthma patients without (p = 0.038). There were no significant differences in other clinical parameters between AIA and ATA patients with and without detectable SAg-specific antibody responses. These findings suggest that the staphylococcal SAg may contribute to airway inflammation and the development of airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma.

These data suggest that the development of childhood asthma is associated with episodes of fever, antibiotic use, and acute gastroenteritis during infancy.

Three exopolysaccharide-producing bacteria, designated strains DRP28T, DRP29 and DRP31, were isolated from the rhizoplane of Angelica sinensis from the Geumsan, Republic of Korea. Cells were straight rods, Gram reaction-negative, aerobic, non-motile, and catalase- and oxidase- positive. Flexirubin-type pigments were absent. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that these bacteria belong to the genus Mucilaginibacter in the phylum Bacteroidetes. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to strains of recognized species of the genus Mucilaginibacter were 93.8–97.4 %. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH). The strains contained MK-7 as the major isoprenoid quinone. Strains DRP28T, DRP29 and DRP31 formed a single, distinct genomospecies with DNA G+C contents of 41.9–42.7 mol% and DNA hybridization values of 82.6–86.8 %; the strains exhibited DNA–DNA hybridization values of only 20.4–41.3 % with related species of the genus Mucilaginibacter. On the basis of evidence presented in this study, strains DRP28T, DRP29 and DRP31 were considered to represent a novel species of the genus Mucilaginibacter, for which the name Mucilaginibacter polysacchareus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DRP28T ( = KACC 15075T  = NBRC 107757T).

In a large number of allergic individuals, inhalant allergens are important causative and triggering agents in respiratory allergies. It is essential to survey the pollen and mold around the patient’s environment for the diagnosis and treatment of airborne allergy. Rotorod samplers were installed at well‐ventilated places in seven collecting stations in Seoul, the capital of Korea, which has a population of 12 million. Airborne particles carrying allergens were collected daily from each station for 2 years (1 October 1995 to 30 September 1997). After being stained with Calberla’s fuchsin, they were identified, counted and recorded. The weather in Seoul was also recorded. Pollen was found from the middle of February through to the end of December. The peak date for pollen was 12 May (peak mean daily count: 701 grains/m3/day) and for mold it was 23 June (peak mean daily count: 936 spores/m3/day). Alder, birch, pine, oak, maple, elm, juniper, willow, and gingko trees were prevalent during the tree season, lasting from the middle of February to late July. Then sagebrush, ragweed, Japanese hop, and pigweed followed during the weed season, which lasts from the middle of July to the end of December. In skin prick test results, house dust mite was the most common positive allergen in Seoul, followed by cockroach. Among the pollens, mugwort was the most common positive, followed by ragweed mix, alder, birch, and grasses mix. Among the molds, there were high counts of Cladosporium and Alternaria during the year, excluding January. Ascospore of Leptospheria was highest during the monsoon season.