We have previously demonstrated that pretreatment of mice with Shigella dysenteriae sonicate enhanced their susceptibility to pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures and that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) was proconvulsive in this respect. The present study shows that TNF-alpha, at high concentrations, may also exert a suppressive effect on Shigella-mediated seizures. This implies that hi...

Mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID mice) lack functional B and T cells. Egg laying by Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum was delayed in SCID mice, but in a matter of weeks worm fecundity was equivalent to that in intact mice. SCID mice formed smaller hepatic granulomas and showed less fibrosis than did intact mice. The reduction in egg-associated pathology in SCID mice correlate...

AIM AND SCOPE The anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin E under moderate exercises has been evaluated. However, the effect of vitamin E succinate, which has more potent anti-inflammatory effect than other isomers of vitamin E has not been evaluated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin E succinate on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (...

PURPOSE To investigate the role of endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) in partial obstruction-induced dysfunction of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in mice ileum. MATERIALS AND METHODS Partial intestinal obstruction was induced surgically in male imprinting control region (ICR) mice. ICC networks were studied by Immunohistochemistry. Electrical activity was recorded by intracellular re...

To investigate in vivo adipose tissue production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and their soluble receptors: TNF receptor type I (sTNFR-I), TNF receptor type II (sTNFR-II), and IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), we determined arteriovenous differences in their levels across abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese subjects. Subjects had a median (interquartile range) age o...

Scorzonera species are used in different folk medicines to combat many diseases, including the illnesses connected with inflammation. Previous experiments showed anti-inflammatory activity of Scorzonera extracts in vivo. S. latifolia, S. cana var. jacquiniana, S. tomentosa, S. mollis ssp. szowitsii, S. eriophora, S. incisa, S. cinerea, and S. parviflora extracts were, therefore, evaluated for t...

BACKGROUND Pathological changes due to infection with Schistosoma haematobium include cytokine-mediated urinary tract inflammation. The involved cytokines may be excreted in urine and their presence in urine may therefore reflect S. haematobium-related urinary tract pathology. The present study, for the first time, reports on the relationship between selected cytokines in urine and infection wi...

OBJECTIVE We explored the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) on atherosclerotic progression, particularly on intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in apolipoprotein-E knockout (apoE(-/-)) mice and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS AND RESULTS ApoE(-/-) mice were treated with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) or DL-propargylglycine (PPG); HUVECs were pretreated with NaHS. ...

Influenza viral infection is well-known to predispose to subsequent bacterial superinfection in the lung but the mechanisms have remained poorly defined. We have established a murine model of heterologous infections by an H1N1 influenza virus and Staphylococcus aureus. We found that indeed prior influenza infection markedly increased the susceptibility of mice to secondary S. aureus superinfect...