Browsing by Subject "Allergy and Immunology"
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Item A Study of Some Aspects of the Role of Mast Cells in Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis(1994-06-01) Lee, Carol Hamberlin; Edward Orr; Robert Gracy; Laura S. LangLee, Carol Hamberlin, A Study of Some Aspects of the Role of Mast Cells in Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis. Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Sciences), June 1994, 141 pp., 6 tables, 29 illustrations, bibliography, 115 titles. Choroidal mast cells have been implicated in experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), an ocular inflammatory disease induced by S-antigen (Sag). Activation of ocular mast cells in Lewis rats was evaluated by determining changes in numbers of mast cells, levels of histamine, and wet weights of ocular tissues. A decrease in choroidal mast cells was confirmed statistically, and limbal mast cells were found to be activated earlier than choroidal mast cells. The ocular histamine distribution was altered during EAU, decreasing in the anterior eye, and increasing in the posterior eye. Retinal histamine levels increased when EAU symptoms occurred, but decreased while the disease was still intense. Levels of histamine methyltransferase, which degrades histamine, increased significiantly in retinal tissue when histamine levels fell. Signficant weight increases indicated edema, which can result from mast cell mediator action. Leflunomide, an immunomodulating drug that is known to affect mast cells in vitro, prevented induction of EAU. Leflunomide also suppressed changes in the mast cell-related parameters, histamine levels and wet weights. Mechanisms for activation of ocular mast cells in EAU were investigated. Results suggest that mast cell activation does not occur through mast cell surface IgE-antigen crosslinking. The adjuvant used, complete Freund’s adjuvant, is not conducive to IgE production. Histamine releasing factors, HRFs, are produced by various immune system cellular components. Preliminary efforts did not demonstrate HRF activity. Mast cell numbers, histamine levels, and wet weights were also evaluated in a milder form of EAU induced by M-peptide (Mpep), a peptide fragment of Sag. Mpep/EAU produces few disease symptoms in the anterior eye, but destroys the same retinal area as Sag/EAU—photoreceptor cells and their outer segments. Inflammation is less intense, restricted primarily to the target area. Mast cell numbers did not change, but histamine levels and wet weights changed significantly, suggesting that mast cells are also involved in Mpep/EAU. Overall, the results of this study add to evidence that mast cells are involved in pathogenesis of EAU. The results also point to topics of further investigation into the role of mast cells in EAU and in normal function in ocular tissues.Item Predictors for the Severity of Asthma in the Hospital Setting. An Epidemiologic Study Based on Hospital Records from the Texas Health Care Information Council(2005-04-01) Marruffo, MarcoMarruffo, Marco, Predictors for the Severity of Asthma in the Hospital Setting. An Epidemiologic Study Based on Hospital Records from the Texas Health Care Information Council. Doctor of Public Health (Epidemiology), May 2005, 118 pp., 40 tables, 3 figures, bibliography, 62 titles. The purpose of this research was to identify and assess prognostic factors for severity and risk of death among 27,383 hospitalized asthma patients in the state of Texas during 2002, by using the public available Texas Hospital Inpatient data, collected by The Texas Health Care Information Council (TCHIC)(TCHIC, 2002). Data was analyzed by means of multinomial logistic regression using minor risk as the reference group. Among other results severe asthma cases were 20% more likely to be females, 20% more probability to have HIV/AIDS, 5.5 times more chance to be obese, 4.2 times more likely to have esophageal reflux, 1.7 times more likely to be hypertensive, and 11.8 times more likely to have diabetes as compared to those without severe asthma (p [less than] 0.001). Obese were 2.8, diabetics 3.3, those with urinary tract infection 2.3, those with fever 3.1 and those with congestive heart failure 7.5 times more likely to have major risk of death due to asthma (p [less than] 0.001). The results of this study can be used to identify high risk groups to plan and applied control measures for tertiary prevention of severity and death due to asthma.Item Synergy 2011: Annual Research Report(2011-01-01)Item The Characterization of T Cell Responses Along the Respiratory Tract(2004-05-01) Ivey Jr., James A.; Brown, Mary B.; Fling, John; Wu, Ming-ChiIvey, James A., The Characterization of T Cell Responses Along the Respiratory Tract. Masters (Immunology). May, 2004. 63 pages. 2 tables, 10 figures. 55 titles. This research converged on T cell responses to respiratory agents, tobacco smoke and allergens in humans, and T cell responses to an extracellular bacterium, M. bovis, in calves. In the first chapter, we will discuss the basic functions of the immune system. In the second chapter, we will discuss the basic functions of the immune system. In the second chapter, we characterized the impact of tobacco smoke on T cell responses in atopic smokers and atopic nonsmokers. The results were inconclusive and the study was postponed until the proper allergens were found. We also characterized the T cell responses of calves infected with Mycoplasma bovis in the third chapter. The results showed an increase in T lymphocytes in the upper respiratory tract of infected calves, which correlated with sites of infection.