Protozoa complement

Our studies have shown that cotton dust extracts contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) (27). DNA is present in varying concentrations in cardroom cotton dust (28) and emanates from bacteria, fungi, protozoa and plant cells. DNA might be important in the pathogenesis of byssinosis, as minute amounts can cause complement conversion. 

Cooper EL. (2004) Commentary on Traditional and modem biomedical prospecting Part 11 — the benefits by Muller WEG Schroder HC, Wiens M, Perovic-Ottstadt S, Batel R, Muller IM. Anti-protozoa and antiviral activities of non-cytotoxic truncated and variant analogues of mussel defensin by Roch P, Beschin A, Bernard E. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 1 207-209. 

Functional expression of the human inositol synthase cDNA in yeast cells devoid of the INOl gene shows that it can complement inositol auxotrophy and excrete inositol (Ju et al., 2004). When grown in valproate (0.6 mM), these cells show a 35 and 25% decrease in synthase activity and inositol levels, respectively. However, valproate does not directly inhibit synthase activity at this concentration (0.6 mM) implying that this mood stabilizer works probably at the translational or transcriptional levels. Inositol synthase is present in a wide variety of organisms (protozoa, fiingi, plants and mammals) and has been... 

The protozoa can elicit humoral responses in which antigen-antibody complexes are formed and these can trigger coagulation and complement systems. Immune complexes have been found circulating in serum and deposited in the kidneys where they may contribute to conditions such as glomerulonephri-... 

TNFa is released in response to bacteria (endotoxins and LPS), viruses, protozoa, cytokines (GM-CSF, IL-1, IL-2, IFNy, and TNFa itself), immune complexes, complement component C5a, neuropeptide substance P, and reactive oxygen intermediates. Unhlce TNFa, sources of preformed TNFp have not been identified. ... 

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