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Evidence from the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study suggests that vitamin E and β-carotene supplement use may influence the risk of several cancers. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) are proteins involved in angiogenesis, an important requirement for tumor growth and metastasis. Thus, vitamin E and β-carotene may influence cancer risk through one or more VEGF. The ATBC Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, primary cancer prevention trial in which participants were assigned to 1 of 4 supplementation groups based on a 2 × 2 factorial design: 1) α-tocopherol (vitamin E); 2) β-carotene; 3) both; or 4) placebo. For the present study, 100 cancer-free participants with follow-up serum available were randomly selected from each intervention group. VEGF-A, -C, and -D concentrations were measured by ELISA in serum obtained at baseline and after at least 2 y of supplementation. Differences in change in VEGF levels from baseline to follow-up between intervention groups were assessed using the ANOVA test. Change in VEGF-A and VEGF-C concentrations between baseline and follow-up did not differ by intervention group (P = 0.45 and 0.29, respectively). The decrease in the serum VEGF-D concentration was greater in the men supplemented with α-tocopherol (-9.7 ± 2.5%) or β-carotene (-8.5 ± 2.7%) and tended to be greater in those supplemented with both (-6.8 ± 2.4%) compared to the placebo group, in which there was no change (-0.4 ± 3.0%) (P = 0.03). In this population of male smokers, supplementation with α-tocopherol or β-carotene was associated with a decrease in VEGF-D levels over time. Although the mechanism through which these supplements affect cancer etiolog remains unclear, our results support the hypothesis that vitamin E and β-carotene may influence cancer progression through VEGF-mediated lymphangiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral blood lymphocytes were obtained from 10 patients with advanced periodontitis and from 5 normal control subjects. The lymphocytes were cultured with dental plaque, supernatant of homologous fibroblast cytoplasm and Pokeweed-mitogen (PWM). The number of immunoglobulin-secreting cells (ISC) was assessed after 7 days using a reverse hemolytic plaque assay (RHPA). The stimulation levels of lymphocytes from periodontitis patients and control subjects stimulated with dental plaque and PWM were not statistically different (p>0.05). In contrast, the number of ISC produced after stimulation with fibroblast cytoplasm was increased significantly in the patients group (p<0.05). These data support the hypothesis that autologous substances play an important rôle in the cellular immune responses of patients with severe chronic inflammatory periodontal disease (CIPD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report on a retrospective study of the occurrence of chancroid in the city of Vienna during the past 10 years. After identifying two patients at the authors' department with chancroid in March 1988, the authors investigated the frequency with which this disease presented during the last 10 years. Of 32 patients, six presented between 1977 and 1980, and one patient in 1987. The remaining 25 patients were diagnosed within, a 4-month period in. 1981,. suggesting a limited outbreak, The source of this infection could be traced to Turkey; infected prostitutes contributed to further spread in Vienna. All patients were treated success fully with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim. Efficient control of this out break can be attributed to inpatient treatment of the prostitutes. Appropriate and timely treatment must be preceeded by careful and exact diagnosis of this disease whose clinical picture is constantly diverging from its classical form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]