agar and Chronic-Disease

Topics: Acute Disease; Agar; Animals; B-Lymphocytes; Cells, Cultured; Chronic Disease; Colony-Forming Units Assay; Humans; Leukemia, Lymphoid; Methylcellulose; Multiple Myeloma

Murine models of acute and chronic lung infection have been used in studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa for assessing in vivo behavior and for monitoring of the host response. These models provide an important resource for studies of the initiation and maintenance of bacterial infection, identify bacterial genes essential for in vivo maintenance and for the development and testing of new therapies. The rat has been used extensively as a model of chronic lung infection, whereas the mouse has been a model of acute and chronic infection. Intratracheal administration of planktonic bacterial cells in the mouse provides a model of acute pneumonia. Bacteria enmeshed in agar beads can be used in the rat and mouse to reproduce the lung pathology of cystic fibrosis patients with advanced chronic pulmonary disease. Here, we describe the methods to assess virulence of P. aeruginosa using prototype and clinical strains in the Sprague-Dawley rat and the C57BL/6NCrlBR mouse by monitoring several measurable read-outs including weight loss, mortality, in vivo growth curves, the competitive index of infectivity, and the inflammatory response.

Topics: Acute Disease; Agar; Animals; Biological Assay; Chronic Disease; Colony Count, Microbial; Disease Models, Animal; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Inflammation; Kinetics; Lung; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Infections; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Respiratory Tract Infections; Survival Analysis; Virulence

Repeated challenge with antigen is involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of pulmonary diseases. Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience recurrent pulmonary colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa before establishment of chronic lung infection. To mimic recurrent lung infections in CF patients, the lungs of susceptible BALB/c mice were re-infected with P. aeruginosa 14 days after the initial infection. Singly-infected BALB/c mice, as well as non-infected mice, were used as controls. Decreased mortality and milder lung inflammation in re-infected BALB/c mice, as well as a tendency for improved clearance of bacteria, was observed when compared with singly-infected mice. The improved outcome in re-infected mice correlated with changes in CD4 cell numbers. Surface expression of LFA-1 on pulmonary CD4 cells was increased in re-infected compared with singly-infected mice. Moreover, resistance to re-infection was paralleled by a shift towards a Th1-dominated response and increased IL-12 production. No significant increase in serum IgG was observed in the re-infected mice. In conclusion, these results indicate a protective role for a Th1-dominated response, independent of antibody production, in chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection in CF.

Topics: Agar; Alginates; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Chronic Disease; Cytokines; Female; Glucuronic Acid; Hexuronic Acids; Immunoglobulin G; Interferon-gamma; Interleukin-12; Interleukin-4; Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Models, Animal; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Infections; Recurrence; Th1 Cells

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of two kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs, Isatis tinctoria L (ITL) and Daphne giraldii Nitsche (DGN), on a rat model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection mimicking cystic fibrosis (CF). Compared to the control group, both drugs were able to reduce the incidence of lung abscess (p < 0.05) and to decrease the severity of the macroscopic pathology in lungs (p < 0.05). In the great majority of the rats, the herbs altered the inflammatory response in the lungs from an acute type inflammation, dominated by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), to a chronic type inflammation, dominated by mononuclear leukocytes (MN). DGN also improved the clearance of P. aeruginosa from the lungs (p < 0.03) compared with the control group. There were no significant differences between the control group and the two herbal groups with regard to serum IgG and IgA anti-P. aeruginosa sonicate antibodies. However, the IgM concentration in the ITL group was significantly lower than in the control group (p < 0.03). These results suggest that the two medicinal herbs might be helpful to CF patients with chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection, DGN being the most favorable.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Chronic Disease; Culture Media; Cystic Fibrosis; Disease Models, Animal; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; Lung Diseases; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Infections; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew

The reliability of various in vitro techniques to identify Borrelia burgdorferi infection is still unsatisfactory. Using a high-power resolution videomicroscope and staining with the borrelia genus-specific monoclonal flagellar antibody H9724, we identified borrelial structures in skin biopsies of erythema chronicum migrans (from which borrelia later was cultured), of acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, and of morphea. In addition to typical borreliae, we noted stained structures of varying shapes identical to borreliae found in a "borrelia-injected skin" model; identical to agar-embedded borreliae; and identical to cultured borreliae following exposure to hyperimmune sera and/or antibiotics. We conclude that the H9724-reactive structures represent various forms of B. burgdorferi rather than staining artifacts. These "atypical" forms of B. burgdorferi may represent in vivo morphologic variants of this bacterium.

Topics: Acrodermatitis; Agar; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Artifacts; Bacteriological Techniques; Borrelia burgdorferi Group; Chronic Disease; Coloring Agents; Culture Media; Culture Techniques; Erythema Chronicum Migrans; Flagella; Granuloma Annulare; Humans; Immune Sera; Immunohistochemistry; Lyme Disease; Microscopy, Video; Scleroderma, Localized; Skin

Topics: Agar; Cerebral Infarction; Chronic Disease; Humans; Leukocyte Migration-Inhibitory Factors; Lymphokines; Methods; Multiple Sclerosis; Nephritis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Four children with chronic myeloproliferative disorders (three with Philadelphia [Ph1] chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia [CML] were studied with soft agar culture at diagnosis (before therapy) in an attempt to define abnormalities in granulopoiesis. The three patients with CML had elevated peripheral blood golony-forming cells (CFCs) and/or normal or decreased bone marrow CFCs (in those studied). Colony-stimulating activity (CSA) was markedly decreased or absent at diagnosis in all three. Maturation of myeloid cells eithin the colonies in agar was normal, indicating that no block in myeloid maturation was present. These findings are in general agreement with results previously reported in untreated adults with Ph1 chromosome-positive CML and further define the similarity with the adult form of the disease. One Ph1 chromosome-negative patient with a clinically similar chronic myeloproliferative disorder was studied and had similarly elevated peripheral blood CFCs. She had normal CSA with a similarly high WBC count. This finding was unexpected and suggests that, unlike the patients with CML, her monocytes were capable of elaboration CSA. This difference might prove helpful in the classification of this type of disorder in cases where the Ph1 chromosome abnormality is not present.

Topics: Adolescent; Agar; Bone Marrow; Cell Division; Child; Child, Preschool; Chromosomes, Human, 21-22 and Y; Chronic Disease; Clone Cells; Culture Media; Female; Granulocytes; Hematopoiesis; Humans; Leukemia, Myeloid; Leukocytes; Male; Myeloproliferative Disorders

Topics: Adult; Agar; Amino Acid Sequence; Amino Acids; Blood Protein Electrophoresis; Chromatography, Gel; Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Chronic Disease; Cyanosis; Drug Stability; Electrophoresis; Electrophoresis, Paper; Electrophoresis, Starch Gel; Female; Hemoglobins, Abnormal; Hot Temperature; Humans; Pedigree; Peptide Fragments; Saskatchewan; Solubility; Spectrophotometry; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Trypsin

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Agar; Brain Diseases; Child; Chronic Disease; Electrophoresis; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; gamma-Globulins; Humans; Male; Methods; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis; Optic Neuritis; Polysaccharides

Topics: Agar; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Electrophoresis; Glomerulonephritis; Humans; Isoenzymes; Malate Dehydrogenase; Methods; Pyelonephritis

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Agar; Age Factors; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Fatty Liver; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B Antigens; Hepatovirus; Humans; Immunodiffusion; Immunoelectrophoresis; Infant; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Diseases; Liver Regeneration; Male; Middle Aged; Sex Factors

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Agar; Age Factors; Aged; Bacteriological Techniques; Bacteriuria; Child; Chronic Disease; Culture Media; False Positive Reactions; Female; Gels; Humans; Male; Methods; Middle Aged; Pyelonephritis

Topics: Agar; Bacteria; Bacteriological Techniques; Blood; Bronchi; Bronchoscopy; Chronic Disease; Cough; Culture Media; Female; Humans; Lung Diseases; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Prospective Studies; Sex Factors; Smoking; Sputum

Topics: Acute Disease; Agar; Alanine; Alkaline Phosphatase; Amides; Aminohydrolases; Anilides; Cholestasis; Chronic Disease; Electrophoresis; Hepatitis; Humans; Isoenzymes; Leucine; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Diseases; Liver Neoplasms; Naphthalenes; Nitro Compounds; Pancreatic Diseases; Pancreatitis

Topics: Agar; Blood Protein Electrophoresis; Chronic Disease; Gels; Humans; Tonsillitis

Topics: Adult; Agar; Age Factors; Blood Protein Electrophoresis; Cell Count; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; Chemical Precipitation; Chronic Disease; Diagnosis, Differential; Electrophoresis; Female; gamma-Globulins; Gels; Humans; Lymphocytes; Male; Multiple Sclerosis; Sex Factors

Topics: Agar; Animals; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning; Chronic Disease; Dialysis; Glycosaminoglycans; Granuloma; Male; Rats; Sulfuric Acids

Topics: Agar; Bacteriological Techniques; Chronic Disease; Culture Media; Culture Techniques; Enterobacteriaceae; Humans; Lung Diseases; Methods; Neisseria; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Sputum; Staphylococcus; Streptococcus

Topics: Agar; Blood Protein Disorders; Chronic Disease; Dermatitis; Diagnosis, Differential; Electrophoresis; Female; Humans; Immunoelectrophoresis; Immunoglobulin G; Leg Dermatoses; Middle Aged; Pyoderma

Topics: Adult; Agar; Bronchial Diseases; Chronic Disease; Electrophoresis; Female; Gels; Humans; Lung Diseases; Male; Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Middle Aged; Pulmonary Emphysema; Respiratory Insufficiency; Trypsin Inhibitors

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Agar; Cholecystitis; Chronic Disease; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Glycoproteins; Heart Diseases; Humans; Immunodiffusion; Male; Methods; Rheumatic Diseases; Tonsillitis