Both faulty regulation of apoptosis and the inappropriate expression of several interleukins have been considered important defects of lymphocytes in the human autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We therefore tested the in vitro effect of recombinant interleukin (IL-)-2, 4, 7, and 15 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with SLE and from healthy volunteers. Intracellular Bcl-2 and Bax expression was measured by fluorocytometry and the rate of apoptosis was determined by the TUNEL technique and propidium iodide staining. IL-2, IL-4, IL-7 and IL-15 led to a significant increase in Bcl-2 and a reduction in cell death rates, which was even more pronounced in SLE. Bax levels remained unchanged. Interestingly, the high ex vivo Bcl-2 content of lymphocytes from some SLE patients was maintained after growth factor withdrawal. Anti-apoptotic cytokine signaling may significantly influence the deregulation of cell death in SLE lymphocytes. Cell Death and Differentiation (2000) 7, 966 ± 972.
Chondrocyte toxicity and necrosis were seen with electron microscopy after incubation of human adult cartilage biopsy specimens in ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin. In vitro exposure of chondrocytes to fluoroquinolones did not affect apoptosis as determined by flow cytometry. While the immediate clinical significance of this finding remains unclear, the possibility of long-term cartilage damage after fluoroquinolone treatment cannot be excluded.
Objective-To determine the presence of adhesion molecules on monocytes/ macrophages (Mφ) from peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory joint diseases (rheumatoid (RA) and reactive arthritis (ReA)) in order to improve our understanding of the possible mechanisms underlying the inflammatory process.
Methods-Whole
The cytokine profile of CD4 , CD8 T cells, gd T cells and natural killer (NK) cells (CD94 CD3 ± ) was studied in a patient with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The otherwise healthy, human immunodeficiency virus-negative patient acquired the disease in Tuscany, Italy. Diagnosis was made by demonstration of high concentrations of antibodies against Leishmania antigens in serum. Flow cytometry for the detection of intracellular interferon-g (IFN-g), interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin was performed, followed by treatment with liposomal amphotericin B. CD4 cells were identified as major cytokine-expressing cells, capable of producing both type 1 and type 2 cytokines. A high frequency of IL-4-and IL-13-expressing CD8 cells was noted. NK cells and gd T cells, thought to be involved in innate host defences against Leishmania, expressed IFN-g and TNF-a. Ten per cent of gd T cells expressed IL-10, predominantly together with IFN-g, suggesting additional immune-regulatory roles for this T-cell subset in VL.
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