Immune Reactions In Patients Research Articles

Peculiarities of immune reactivity of patients with pollinosis

The immune reactivity of patients with pollinosis in remission is studied. The significant impairment of cellular and humoral immunity is found in patients with pollinosis. The obtained data that characterize the immune reactivity do not link with sex and regional settlement. The investigation reveals the necessity of immune correction in patients with pollinosis.

Proteoglycans and immune reaction in patients with early onset periodontitis

Proteoglycans and immune reaction in patients with early onset periodontitis

The effect of Milgamma NR and SperminR on in vitro cellular immune reactions in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

The effect of Milgamma NR and SperminR on in vitro cellular immune reactions in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

Proteoglycans and immune reaction in patients with early onset periodontitis

Proteoglycans and immune reaction in patients with early onset periodontitis

The effect of Milgamma N R and Spermin R on in vitro cellular immune reactions in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

The effect of Milgamma N R and Spermin R on in vitro cellular immune reactions in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

Role of Delayed Cellular Hypersensitivity and Adhesion Molecules in Amoxicillin-Induced Morbilliform Rashes

Morbilliform rashes induced by amoxicillin are though to be caused by a delayed cell-mediated immune reaction. The importance of amoxicillin skin tests is not well defined. A better understanding of the mechanisms of amoxicillin-induced morbilliform rashes can be obtained by performing cutaneous immunohistological studies on specimens from amoxicillin-induced morbilliform rashes and positive amoxicillin skin test results. Skin biopsy specimens were obtained from 5 patients who had developed an amoxicillin-induced morbilliform rash. All patients underwent amoxicillin prick, patch, and intradermal tests. Similar immunohistological investigations were performed on amoxicillin-induced morbilliform rashes and positive skin test biopsy specimens, with a special focus on the expression of adhesion molecules. Three of the 5 patients developed delayed positive results to intradermal and patch tests and 2 patients developed delayed positive results to prick tests. Amoxicillin-induced morbilliform rashes were well reproduced by skin tests, with similar immunohistological results in amoxicillin-induced morbilliform rashes and skin test biopsy specimens. Keratinocytes were activated and expressed CD54 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1); perivascular lymphocytes were mostly CD2+, CD3+, and CD4+ and exhibited CD11a through CD18 (leukocyte function-associated antigen 1) and often HLA-DR and/or CD62L (leukocyte endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1); and endothelial cells were activated with a strong expression of CD54 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1), CD62E (endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1), and CD31 (platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1) in lesser amounts. Findings of this clinical and immunohistochemical study support the theory of a T-cell-mediated immune reaction in patients with amoxicillin-induced morbilliform rashes, with a strong involvement of adhesion molecules both on endothelial and infiltrating cells. Our findings emphasize the importance of delayed readings of amoxicillin prick, intradermal, and patch tests.

A Phase I Trial of a Synthetic Mucin Peptide Vaccine: Induction of Specific Immune Reactivity in Patients with Adenocarcinoma

We tested a 105 amino acid synthetic mucin MUC-1 peptide that has 5 repeated immunodominant epitopes to evaluate toxicity and detect mucin-specific immune responses in patients with adenocarcinoma. We also studied the enhancement of these responses by vaccinating patients with the synthetic mucin peptide admixed with BCG. Mucins are glycoproteins present on the luminal surface of ductal epithelial cells and on tumors derived from them. The MUC-1 mucin is hypoglycosylated and nonpolarized on tumors and this exposes epitopes that can stimulate cytotoxic T-Cells (CTL). We vaccinated 63 patients with 100 μg of the 105aa mucin peptide mixed with BCG. Two additional vaccinations were given at 3-week intervals. All patients were able to tolerate vaccination, with most experiencing local ulceration at the vaccination site. All patients underwent hypersensitivity (DTH) testing with the 105aa and shorter mucin peptides, prior to vaccination. DTH responses were evaluated at 48 hr and the sites of highest peptide concentration were biopsied. Only 3 patients had a strong skin response to the long peptide. Examination of 55 biopsies showed intense T-Cell infiltration in 37 patients and lesser infiltration in 7. Seven of 22 patients tested had a 2- to 4-fold increase in mucin-specific CTLp. Serum levels of IL-6 were measured sequentially using the B9 hybridoma bioassay. Increasing serum levels of IL-6 correlated with constitutional symptoms (significance 0.001) and hypoalbuminemia (significance 0.007) but not with the extent of skin breakdown at vaccination sites. We conclude that mucin vaccination is safe and might serve to enhance specific responses to tumor antigens. IL-6 may be responsible for the constitution symptoms and hypoalbuminemia in these patients.

Paradoxical Enhancement of Tumor Growth in Mice with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency which Produce a Human Immunoglobulin G Reactive against Tumor Cells

Mice with severe combined immunodeficiency reconstituted with human splenic tissue (SCID‐sp) taken from 22 patients with advanced gastric cancer and 8 with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) received subsequent implants of COLO 205 human colon cancer cells. A human immunoglobulin G (IgG) reactive against COLO 205 cells (COLO 205‐reactive human IgG) was produced by SCID‐sp mice reconstituted with splenic tissue from 8 of the 22 gastric cancer patients, but from none of the ITP patients. Tumor growth in SCID‐sp mice which produced the COLO 205‐reactive human IgG was greater (tumor weight range, 106–143%) than that in the control SCID mice, while that in SCID‐sp mice reconstituted with splenic tissue from 8 ITP patients and that in SCID‐sp mice reconstituted with splenic tissue from the other 14 gastric cancer patients which did not produce the COLO 205‐reactive IgG were considerably lower and slightly lower, respectively, than those in the control SCID mice (tumor weight range, 56.7–108% and 79.4–119%, respectively). When the COLO 205‐reactive human IgG liters in the sera of the SCID‐sp mice, expressed as a ratio of the titers in the corresponding patient's serum, were plotted against the tumor weight in each SCID‐sp mouse, significant correlations were observed in those that received splenic tissues from 6 of the 8 patients in which the COLO 205‐reactive human IgG was produced. Furthermore, the tumor growth rates increased in proportion to the increased COLO 205‐reactive human IgG titers in SCID‐sp mice. Therefore, the SCID‐sp model should be useful to study the paradoxical tumor growth possibly due to impaired immune reaction in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Altered humoral immune reactivity in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis

慢性糸球体腎炎に伴う免疫系の異常の詳細と特殊性を検索することを目的として, 腎透析患者260人の血清中のウイルス22種類とマイコプラスマに対する自然抗体価を調べた. コンピューター解析の結果, 腎透析患者における自然抗体価は健常対照者と比べ12種では有意に低く, 逆に3種では高く, 8種に関してはほとんど変わらない事が明らかとなった. この23種の微生物に対する自然抗体価をもとにウオード法 (Ward method) を用いてクラスター分析 (Multivariate Cluster analysis) を行った結果, 三つのクラスターに分類出来ることが明らかになった. そのうちの一つには健常対照者の74%が含まれており, 腎透析患者の17%はこのクラスターに含まれたが大部分の腎透析患者は残りの二つのグループに属していた. これら三つの異なるグループの腎透析患者間に血中尿素窒素レベル・クレアチニン・透析期間など, 腎不全や血液透析に由来すると考えられる要因に関して有意な差は認められなかった. 従って, これらの腎透析患者の液性免疫反応の特殊性は尿毒症や透析に起因すると考えるよりは, むしろ外来微生物に免疫応答をする遺伝学的背景が大きく影響し, その異常な反応性が慢性糸球体腎炎の病因と大きく関わっている可能性が示唆された.

Time‐course studies of immediate and delayed immune reactivity in patients with atopic dermatitis treated with herbal drugs

We followed a number of in vitro parameters in nine adult patients with atopic dermatitis for a period of 3 weeks during which the patients took herbal drugs that are claimed to improve chronic eczema. The following investigations were performed weekly: blood leucocytes, circulating eosinophils, serum IgE, mitogen responsiveness of lymphocytes, interleukin 1 release, soluble interleukin 2 receptor levels in serum, and in vitro histamine release from basophils in blood. The study demonstrated increased levels of IgE in six patients, increased levels of soluble interleukin 2 receptor in six patients, and a significant correlation between the amount of IgE in serum and the maximal release of histamine from basophils in blood. In this open study five patients experienced a clinical worsening of their disease during the intake of herbal medicine. All other parameters were within normal levels. There was no significant change in the in vitro parameters during the observation period.

Influence of brachytherapy ( 192Ir afterloading) on cell-mediated immune reactions in patients with stage I endometrial cancer

The influence of radiation therapy on cell-mediated immune reactions in cancer patients seems to depend on source, dose, and area of irradiation, as well as on the variables reflected by the patient population investigated. In the present study we demonstrated that brachytherapy ( 192Ir afterloading), applied to patients with inoperable stage I endometrial cancer, has no immediate or sustained effect on lymphocyte function. Both lymphocyte mitogen response and natural killer cell (NK) activity are not significantly changed in terms of baseline values compared with test results during and after therapy. Brachytherapy, as used in this study, has no influence on cell-mediated immunity in patients with endometrial cancer stage I.

Immune reactions in patients with superficial bladder cancer after intradermal and intravesical treatment with bacillus Calmette-Guérin.

The immune reactivity of patients with strongly recurrent superficial bladder cancer was followed after combined intravesical and intradermal bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy. All patients in this study were previously treated without success with intravesical chemotherapy. The BCG treatment regimen consisted of weekly administrations with BCG (RIVM) for six consecutive weeks, both intravesically and intradermally. In this study, sera and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of patients were tested serially. Besides BCG-antigen-specific reactions, e.g. skin reactivity to purified protein derivatives of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (PPD), antibody formation and antigen stimulation of PBL in vitro, non-antigen-specific immune reactivities were also measured, e.g. mitogen response and spontaneous cytotoxic activity of PBL. In addition the antibody response to bladder carcinoma antigens and the cytotoxic activity of PBL for the bladder carcinoma cell line T24 and the natural-killer-sensitive K562 cell line were investigated. The results obtained from the various assays were evaluated for their prognostic value in relation to the length of the tumor-free interval after the BCG treatment. Because sera and PBL were only obtained during the first 6 months after the BCG treatment, the immune reactivity was compared to the clinical results at that same time. At 6 months after therapy 12 out of 40 BCG-treated patients were tumor-free whereas 28 out of 40 showed a recurrence. Skin reactivity to tuberculin PPD was measured in 40 patients during a period of 3-6 months after therapy. Of patients who showed a recurrence of the tumor within 6 months, 48% of them showed a transient response or developed no response at all to PPD. In the group of patients with a longer tumor-free period (n = 10), only one patient lost the response to tuberculin PPD. Although PBL of a limited number of patients were tested, it was observed that the cytotoxicity to the bladder carcinoma cell line T24, and the natural-killer-sensitive K562 cell line increased in a number of the patients (7 out of 14, and 9 out of 14 respectively). Reactivity of PBL to mitogens and subset distribution (ratio T-helper: T-suppressor/cytotoxic) were not influenced by the BCG treatment. Antibody response to mycobacterial antigen was detected in 9 out of 23 patients investigated. Of these 9 patients, 8 belonged to the group with a recurrence of the tumor within 6 months (n = 17). There was no correlation between the skin reactivity and the antibody response to tuberculin PPD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Changes in immune reactivity in patients with complicated forms of diabetes mellitus during hemosorption

Currently, it can be considered established that diabetes mellitus is accompanied by significant changes in the immune system. However, the literature data characterizing them are not only ambiguous, but also contradictory. There are reports on the likely role of changes in humoral reactivity in the pathogenesis of a number of complications of diabetes mellitus. Previously, there were reports on the use of hemosorption in patients with generalized microangiopathies, but the impact of hemosorption on the immune system in patients with complicated forms of diabetes has not been studied.

Humoral immunity in normal and complicated pregnancy

To evaluate the role of some immunological phenomena involved in the pathogenesis of preeclamptic toxaemia, we studied the humoral immune reactivity in patients with preeclamptic toxaemia during the third trimester of pregnancy, and three days and six weeks after delivery. The results were compared with those of patients with intrauterine growth retardation and with uneventful pregnancy. During the third trimester, patients with complicated preeclamptic toxaemia had significantly lower IgG, CH50, C4 and C3 levels than normal pregnants. Post-partum levels of IgM were significantly higher than in all other groups of patients. Circulating immune complexes were not detectable by a C1q binding assay in patients and controls. However, with a conglutinin binding assay and a granulocyte phagocytosis test complexes were demonstrable in patients with complicated preeclampsia (incidence 44% and 33%, respectively). In addition, 66% of these patients showed deposits of immunoglobulins and complement components in superficial blood vessels of the skin biopsy, suggestive of the presence of tissue deposits of immune complexes. This was found in about 30% of the other patient groups and in none of control pregnants. Allo-antibodies to lymphocytes were present in 63% of complicated preeclamptic toxaemia patients and 22% of normal pregnants. Our data show several changes in humoral immune reactivity in preeclamptic toxaemia which may contribute to the pathogenesis of this disorder.

Lymphokine production and lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma.

Prior studies of impaired cellular immune reactivity in patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC) suggest that immune deficiency associated with tumor growth may be related, in part, to alterations in immunoregulatory functions. To determine if production of soluble mediators of the immune response (lymphokines) is impaired in patients with HNSC, leukocyte migration inhibition in response to phytohemagglutinin was assessed in 32 patients with HNSC and 29 normal subjects and was correlated with levels of specific peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations to determine if quantitative levels of immunoregulatory lymphocyte subpopulations were related to in vitro lymphokine production. In the patients with cancer, leukocyte inhibitory factor production was consistently and significantly impaired and was directly related to levels of T4-positive (helper/inducer) lymphocytes. Substantial differences in levels of individual subpopulations were not detected among normal subjects and patients with cancer; however, the mean T4/T8 ratio was substantially increased in the patients with cancer. The findings confirm and extend prior observations of impaired cellular immune mechanisms in patients with HNSC and suggest that impaired lymphokine production may be related to quantitative and qualitative alterations in lymphocyte subpopulations.

Physiological and pathological influences of central nervous system on the immune system: A critical appraisal

There is considerable evidence of intricate links between central nervous and immune systems. This paper makes a critical assessment of these relationships. Recent experimental data on hypothalamic influences on Natural Killer activity in mice have been presented and the problems met with in defining causal nexuses discussed. Some information on immune reactivity in patients with mental disorders has briefly been reviewed.

The investigation of cellular and humoral immune reactivity in patients with tumours of the bladder.

The authors investigated the cellular immune reactivity by measuring the lymphocyte blast transformation, immune globulins and some glycoproteins in the sera of patients with papilloma and carcinoma of the bladder. They found a change in the cellular immune reactivity, but none in immune globulin concentration. Among the glycoproteins the acute phase reactant proteins changed significantly.

Improvement of impaired leukocyte migration inhibition by thymosin in patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma

In a preliminary study of the effects of SK-SD and thymosin on leukocyte migration inhibition in patients with squamous carcinoma of the head and neck, the cancer patients had significantly lower leukocyte migration inhibition to SK-SD than normal subjects. Thymosin increased the inhibition to SK-SD in the cancer patients to levels similar to those in normal subjects, and decreased the inhibition in normal subjects. These results confirm and extend the results of previous studies of the effects of thymosin in vitro, which show restoration of immune reactivity in patients with impaired cellular immunity and either no effect or a decrease in immune reactivity in subjects with normal cellular immunity. These combined observations provide a rationale for determining the clinical effects of thymosin in immunoincompetent patients with head and neck cancer and suggest that immunorestorative agents such as thymosin be used with caution in patients with normal cellular immunity.

Evaluation of delayed type immune reactivity in patients with acne vulgaris

The delayed-type immune reactivities of 39 patients suffering from moderate to severe papulopustular or nodulo-cystic forms of Acne vulgaris were compared with healthy acne-free controls. In vivo reactivity was assessed by skin testing with four common recall antigens. In vitro the afferent arm of the immune system was assayed by antigen and mitogen simulated lymphocyte transformation and the efferent arm by granulocyte random migration and by granulocyte responsiveness to a standard migration inhibitory lymphokine preparation. Spontaneous lymphocyte transformations were also evaluated. In acne patients the skin test reactivities were in general only slightly decreased. Their lymphocytes showed relatively normal responses to mitogen stimulation, but antigen responsiveness was significantly diminished. Furthermore the patients' lymphocytes showed increased spontaneous transformation. All these changes correlated, to some extent, with the severity of the disease. The granulocytes of acne patients showed increased random migration, of borderline significance, but the granulocyte responses to the lymphokine preparation were completely normal. The results suggest that immunologic abnormalities are mild and probably secondary to the inflammatory process.

C3b binding immune complexes and immunoconglutinins in human sera. Detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) designed to measure autoantibodies against C3b (immunoconglutinins: IK) also detects immune complexes (IC). Solid phase C3b, in addition to binding IK of IgG, IgM and IgA classes, bound aggregated human IgG, IgA and aggregated immunologically purified anti-tetanus toxoid antibodies as well as model complexes of tetanus toxoid-human anti-toxoid. Significant C3b binding IgG, IgM and IgA activities were seen in the sera of 20 SLE patients but not in sera from healthy blood donors. Ultracentrifugation analysis of two SLE sera revealed C3b binding IgG and IgA activities in both light (7S) and heavy (⩾11S) fractions. This indicates simultaneous presence of IK and IC in these sera. On the basis of the known relationship between IK and IC formation we suggest that the solid phase C3b ELISA may be of value in evaluating immune reactions in patients.