Vibha Yadav

T lymphocyte subset profile and serum alpha-1-antitrypsin in pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by the presence of non‐fully reversible airflow limitation. The study was undertaken to investigate the involvement of alpha‐1‐antitrypsin (α1AT) and T lymphocyte subsets in the pathogenesis of COPD. Blood samples of 50 subjects, including 25 healthy volunteers and 25 patients with COPD, were analysed. Serum trypsin inhibitory capacity (STIC) was determined by enzymatic assay. CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were enumerated in heparinized blood using a fluorescence activated cell sorter counter. The STIC in COPD patients was found to be decreased significantly than in controls (P < 0·01). In COPD patients with lower expression levels of α1AT, a highly significant decrease in the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes (P < 0·0009) and CD4/CD8 ratio was observed compared with control subjects (P < 0·008). The mean ± standard error of CD8+ lymphocytes was found to be little different (only marginally decreased) in COPD patients compared to healthy controls; however, an alteration in the individual count of CD8+ lymphocytes cells was observed in COPD patients. Using linear regression analysis, a negative correlation was observed between STIC and CD4+ lymphocytes and CD8+ lymphocytes (r = −0·40, P < 0·04; r = −0·42, P < 0·03, respectively) in COPD patients. An alteration in α1AT and T lymphocyte subsets in COPD patients suggested that interplay of these factors may be responsible for the progression of COPD.

Combinatorial effect of TIMP-1 and α1AT gene polymorphisms on development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE To study the role of α(1)AT and TIMP-1 gene polymorphisms in development of COPD. DESIGN AND METHODS Blood samples from total 408 subjects (217 COPD patients and 191 controls) were used for genotyping and estimating biolevels of α(1)AT, TIMP-1 and inflammatory cytokines. Data was analyzed to determine the role of interaction of TIMP-1 and α(1)AT genes; and interplay between various genotypes and biolevels of α(1)AT, TIMP-1 and inflammatory cytokines in development of COPD. RESULTS Significantly low levels of α(1)AT and TIMP-1 were observed in COPD patients as compared to controls (P = 0.001), where as the inflammatory cytokines were found to be increased in patients. PIM3 allele of α(1)AT gene in COPD patients was found to be associated with low levels of α(1)AT (P = 0.001), the effect being more pronounced when PIM3 combined with rs6609533 of TIMP-1 gene (P = 0.0001). Combination of genotypes rs6609533 of TIMP-1 and PIM3 of α(1)AT containing the risk alleles was over-represented in patients (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION The SNP rs6609533 of TIMP-1 gene interacted with PIM3 of α(1)AT to make a possible risk combination for development of COPD.

Investigations on anti-Aspergillus properties of bacterial products.

Aims:  To investigate the anti‐Aspergillus properties of bacterial products.

Efficacy of 2-(3,4-dimethyl-2,5-dihydro-1h-pyrrole-2-yl)-1-methylethyl pentanoate in a murine model of invasive aspergillosis.

ABSTRACT 2-(3,4-Dimethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-2-yl)-1-methylethyl pentanoate, an antifungal compound, was found to be nontoxic to RAW cells up to a concentration of 312.5 μg/ml, whereas amphotericin B was lethal to all cells at 37.5 μg/ml. The treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus-infected mice with a dose of 200.0 mg of compound/kg of body weight increased their survival rate by 60%, with a decrease in CFU in organ tissues. The protection afforded by the compound against experimental aspergillosis was found to be dose dependent.

Coordination chemistry of alkali and alkaline earth cations: X-ray structural analysis of calcium(picrate)2(2,2'-bipyridyl)2

Abstract Ca(Pic)2 (Pic = 2,4,6-trinitrophenolate) and 2,2′-bipyridyl (BIPY) react fast to produce Ca(Pic)2(BIPY)2 irrespective of whether the reaction medium is protic (alcoholic) or aprotic (acetone). Crystals of the title compound C32H20N10O14Ca, Mr = 808.7, are orthorhombic, space group Pbca, a = 24.154(5), b = 16.128(5),c = 18.068(6)A, V = 7038.5 A3, Z = 8, D x = 1.528, D m = 1.532 g cm−3 (flotation), for MoKa, = 2.53cm-1. X-ray data were collected at room temperature. R refined to 0.68 for 1263 observed reflections. The calcium ion is 8-coordinate, four N atoms of the two BIPY molecules and four O atoms of the two Pic anions constituting a distorted square antiprism. In the coordination polyhedron, the Ca-O distances (2.292 and 2.357 A) to phenoxide oxygens are shorter than the Ca-O nitro interactions (2.574 and 2.502 A) and Ca-N (2.492–2.578 A). The four binding groups are not symmetrically distributed around the cation. The nitro groups are severely rotated out of the plane of the ring. In both BIP...