The Boots Co. Plc

Autoimmune disease in NZB/W F1 mice was treated from 23 weeks of age with the novel immunomodulator BTS 63155 and, for comparative purposes, the established immunosuppressive agent cyctosporin A. Both drugs significantly improved survival compared with untreated controls. Lupus nephritis was also significantly reduced in the drug–treated groups, and this was related to reduced glomerular deposition of IgG. Autoantibody (ANA) levels were lowered by treatment with cyclosporin A, but not by BTS 63155. This latter finding may indicate a different mode of action for the two drugs. In a long term study, neither drug effected a complete cure, as autoimmune disease recurred on withdrawal of drug treatment.

Most local barrier systems are designed primarily either to protect animals from airborne contamination (exclusion) or to ensure the safety of personnel (hazard containment). Few, other than isolators, are able to cope with the often conflicting demands to do both. The Positive Individually Ventilated system (PIV), which provides pressure adjustable, individual supply and exhaust ventilation to each cage has been tested with this in mind as well as the need to ensure that environmental conditions comply with the requirements of the Home Office Code of Practice (CoP). The results indicate that when compared with traditional open racking the system can reduce both the risk of animals becoming contaminated by airborne infection from the room and the risk of aeroallergens escaping from the cages into the room air. At the same time, environmental conditions within the cages are both less variable and less stressful to the occupants. Conditions of air temperature, relative humidity, ventilation rates, light intensity and (with appropriate air handling) sound levels, all comply with or are better than those required by the CoP. Even with the room air change rate set at only 8/h (8 ac/h) the air distribution system results in draught-free cage ventilation rates of around 50-120 ac/h. This means that with at least the PIV exhaust(s) linked directly into the air conditioning system of the building, the size of the latter and its associated running costs can be reduced by around 50%; this energy saving concept has been approved in principle by the Home Office. Additional benefits include the fact that bedding is kept much drier allowing further cost savings in bedding and associated labour costs. The system is thus beneficial to the animals in protecting them from airborne infection and other stresses. By providing a less variable environment it also helps to minimise the sort of interference with experiments which can arise from that source. Similarly, in accordance with the aims of 'The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations' (COSHH 1988) and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE 1990), by reducing dust levels in the room air, including allergens, it is also beneficial to the personnel working in the animal rooms.

Measurements have been performed on histological sections of normal, paralesional and affected skin of patients with solar keratoses in an attempt at quantification of the degree of dysplasia. Features of dysplasia, including the epidermal thickness, the nuclear fraction and nuclear size distribution and shape, have been individually derived and incorporated into a formula designed to reflect the degree of dysplastic change within the epidermis. Application of this 'index of dysplasia' has been shown to differentiate lesional epidermis from that of the surrounding and normal non-sun-exposed skin. In addition, this index correlated well with independent dermatopathologists' assessments of the degree of dysplasia.