Members of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) family are implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We have, therefore, performed a case-control study to investigate a plausible association between sarcoidosis and the polymorphisms in the IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) genes. Further, as a separate question, we explored whether the aforementioned genes of the IL-1 cluster are associated with IPF. Using PCR with sequence-specific primers, IL-1alpha -889, IL-1beta -511, IL-1beta +3953, and IL-1Ra intron 2 VNTR polymorphisms were determined in 348 white subjects of West Slavonic ancestry (95 patients with sarcoidosis, 54 patients with IPF, and 199 healthy control subjects). The IL-1alpha -889 1.1 genotype was significantly overrepresented in patients with sarcoidosis in comparison with control subjects (60.0 versus 44.2%, p = 0.012, p(corr) = 0.047). The distribution of IL-1beta -511, IL-1beta +3953, and IL-1Ra VNTR genotypes and alleles did not significantly differ between the cases and controls. No association between IPF and the investigated polymorphisms was found. Strong linkage disequilibrium between pairs of polymorphic loci was observed. Further population studies are warranted to confirm the observed association between sarcoidosis and the IL-1alpha polymorphism and also to explore mechanisms of IL-1alpha -889 participation in aberrant immune response in sarcoidosis.

Summary In first part of the paper the results of the experiments focused on obtaining mutants resistant to GF were stated. For the experiments two compatible strains of the dermatophyte Microspomm gypseum were used. The mutants could be obtained from the micro‐conidial strain 155 only. It was found that the spontaneous resistant mutants occur with a frequency 10−8. By the ultraviolet radiation the frequency of the mutants was increased about ten times. In total 13 spontaneous and 74 ultraviolet‐induced mutants were obtained. In all mutants the increase of the resistance was the same and in comparison with that of the wild strain 155 hundred times higher. Zusammenfassung Im ersten Teil der Arbeit sind die Ergebnisse der Experimente zur Erlangung griseo‐fulvinresistenter Mutanten wiedergegeben. Hierzu wurden 2 kompatible Stämme des Dermatophyten Microsporum gypseum verwendet. Die Mutanten erhielt man nur vom Mikrokonidien‐Stamm 155. Es wurde ermittelt, daß die spontanen resistenten Mutanten mit einer Häufigkeit von 10−8 vorkommen. Durch Ultraviolett‐Bestrahlung erhöhte sich die Häufigkeit der Mutanten etwa zehnfach. Insgesamt erhielt man 13 spontane und 74 ultraviolett‐induzierte Mutanten. Bei alien Mutanten war die Resistenzzunahme die‐selbe und im Vergleich mit dem Ausgangsstamm 155 hundertfach höher.

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The distribution of nuclei in macroconidia was investigated in 20 strains of the dermatophyte Microsporum gypseum by fluorescence microscopy. The macroconidia were characterized by the right-left and the central-marginal symmetry indices. In 18 strains the significant majority of the nuclei were situated in the basal part of the macroconidium, the remaining 2 strains showed a more or less uniform distribution of nuclei. All strains had higher numbers of nuclei in the central part of the macroconidium as compared with the periphery.