Anti-P30 IgA antibodies as prenatal markers of congenital toxoplasma infection

This study extends a previous study and confirms that the detection of anti-P30 IgA antibodies is very helpful in the diagnosis of acute acquired or congenital toxoplasmosis. Moreover, we demonstrate that an anti-P30 IgA response can be mounted in the fetuses infected by Toxoplasma gondii during their intra-uterine life as early as week 23 of gestation. A double-sandwich ELISA described in our previous work was used to detect anti-P30 IgA antibodies in 1378 human serum samples collected from 551 patients, including 162 fetuses whose mothers had been infected by T. gondii during pregnancy, 46 congenitally infected and 90 uninfected newborns and 253 women suspected of having been infected during pregnancy, including the mothers of fetuses and newborns previously described. Anti-P30 IgA antibodies were detected in all cases of acute toxoplasmosis but in no case of chronic toxoplasmosis: in the majority of cases, the IgA antibody titre fell below cut-off in 3-9 months. Among the 46 congenitally infected newborns, anti-P30 IgA antibodies were detected in sera of 41 infected newborns (38 at birth, two in the first months of life, one in the seventh month of life), while anti-P30 IgM antibodies were detected in only 30 cases at birth and in one case during the first month of life. Among 162 fetuses, anti-P30 IgA response was observed in five infected fetuses, but was not detected in either 152 uninfected fetuses or in five fetuses considered as infected. The absence or presence of anti-P30 IgA antibodies in the fetus is discussed in relation to the date of maternal infection and collection of the fetal blood. It clearly appears from our study that the combined testing of both IgM and IgA in the fetus and the newborn is essential for a more efficient diagnosis of infection.     

Changes in Hemodynamics and Respiration in Rats with Different Resistance to Acute Hypoxia

Effects of acute hypoxia on hemodynamics and respiration were studied in acute experiments on narcotized rats. The animals were divided into groups characterized by high, low-, and medium- resistance to hypoxia by the time of respiration arrest during inhalation of gas mixture containing 3% O2. Hemodynamic parameters of highly resistant animals were higher than in low-resistant rats throughout the entire hypoxic period. The development of a rare (with prolonged inspiratory phase) respiratory rhythm in highly resistant rats is an adaptive reaction, which allows them longer tolerate hypoxia compared to low-resistant animals.     

Increase of chemokine interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) in the serum of patients with autoimmune liver diseases and increase of its mRNA expression in hepatocytes

To clarify the role of IP-10 in autoimmune liver diseases, we studied the serum levels of IP-10 in 14 patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), 23 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and 65 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (20 type B and 45 type C). The hepatic expression of IP-10 mRNA and the correlation between the serum levels of IP-10 and clinical parameters were also evaluated. In addition to 20 healthy controls, 16 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were included as an extrahepatic inflammatory disease. The serum level of IP-10 was significantly (P < 0.02) higher in patients with AIH, PBC, and chronic hepatitis B and C than in healthy controls, and it was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in patients with AIH, PBC, and chronic hepatitis B and C. The serum level of IP-10 was not elevated in RA patients. After successful treatment of AIH and chronic hepatitis C, the serum level of IP-10 decreased to the same level as in healthy volunteers. As we previously showed in cases with chronic hepatitis B or C, in situ hybridization in both AIH and PBC cases demonstrated the expression of IP-10 mRNA in hepatocytes around focal or lobular necrosis surrounded by infiltrating mononuclear cells, whereas IP-10 mRNA was not expressed in areas around the damaged bile ducts in PBC cases. The present results suggest that IP-10 is specifically produced by hepatocytes in inflammatory areas irrespective of the aetiology of hepatitis, and that IP-10 may help to recruit T cells to the hepatic lesions in autoimmune liver diseases as well as in chronic viral hepatitis.     

Primary biliary cirrhosis and coronary atherosclerosis: Protective antioxidant effect of bilirubin

Increased concentration of lipid peroxidation products in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis is related to elevation of serum lipid content, but not to activation of lipid peroxidation. Hyperbilirubinemia in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis is accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of lipid peroxidation products and increase in antioxidant activity of blood serum. Antioxidants play a major role in the prevention of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that the absence of increased risk of atherosclerosis in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis is due to inhibition of lipid peroxidation in blood serum by antioxidant compound bilirubin. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 1, pp. 23–28, January, 2008     

Clinicopathological study of a hilar nodule in the livers of long-term survivors with biliary atresia

With the application of liver transplantation for patients with biliary atresia (BA), we have had the opportunity to review the clinicopathologic features of the native livers from 10 transplanted BA patients. A single large nodule at porta hepatis (hilar nodule) was noted in three of 10 patients, and an ill-defined nodule-like lesion at porta hepatis was present in two other patients. The three BA patients with hilar nodules were long-term survivors, compared to the patients with nodule-like and those without nodules. The hilar nodules measured between 5.0 cm and 8.0 cm and histologically, they were partly surrounded by fibrous septa with relatively well-preserved liver architectures and fewer inflammatory cells at the portal triads when compared to the surrounding cirrhotic lesions. No nuclear or cellular atypia was observed. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index was higher in the surrounding cirrhotic lesions than the hilar nodules. The nodule-like lesions at porta hepatis also showed similar light microscopic and immunohistochemical features as the hilar nodules. These hilar nodules did not seem to contain any malignant potential. The benign histology with relatively well-preserved liver architecture and the preferential site of occurrence at porta hepatis where bile seemed to flow more smoothly, suggested possible residues of less-affected hepatic tissues.     

三氧化二锑诱导急性早幼粒细胞白血病细胞凋亡的研究

目的 研究锑剂三氧化二锑（Sb2O3)对早幼粒细胞白血病细胞株NB4凋亡的诱导作用，以寻求早幼粒细胞白血病治疗的新方法。方法 采用细胞生长曲线，形态学及硝基四氮唑蓝（NBT）还原试验，判定NB4细胞的生长，分化及功能。采用细胞周期分析和DNA电泳研究细胞凋亡。结果 Sb2O3能诱导早幼粒白血病细胞凋亡，且具有时间，剂量依赖性。结论 Sb2O3能有效地诱导早幼粒白血病细胞凋亡，提示锑剂诱导细胞半亡的疗法，有望成为临床治疗早幼粒细胞白血病的新方法。     

The histological changes in transbronchial biopsy after treatment of acute lung rejection in heart-lung transplants

Transbronchial lung biopsies taken during episodes of acute lung rejection in heart-lung transplant patients were examined histologically. When the diagnosis was confirmed by microscopy, the patients were treated with augmented immunosuppression by high-dose corticosteroids. A second biopsy was obtained an average of 23.5 days after commencement of treatment. These biopsies were examined to determine the histological changes caused by treatment. In most cases, there were both quantitative and morphological differences between the infiltrates in acute rejection and in the remaining perivascular infiltrates after treatment. In acute rejection, 26 of 28 biopsies contained perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates, lymphocytes being large and blast-like. Although 20 of 28 follow-up biopsies still contained perivascular infiltrates, they were smaller and the lymphocytes smaller in size. Half the biopsies in rejection contained neutrophils, but less than half contained eosinophils in the perivascular infiltrates. After treatment, all these cells were less numerous. Another feature of treated rejection was the presence of haemosiderin around vessels suggesting earlier acute vascular injury. However, haemosiderin persists long after the cellular infiltrate has disappeared and cannot be considered a reliable feature of recently treated acute lung rejection. The bronchiolar infiltrates showed a similar pattern of responses to the perivascular infiltrates.     

A human B cell differentiation antigen selectively expressed on mature B cells identified by a monoclonal antibody (HB-2)

A monoclonal IgM antibody (HB-2), produced against a membrane antigen on the Raji, B cell line, reacted by indirect immunofluorescence with 2 to 40% of lymphoblasts from the B cell lines, Raji, Daudi, SN-1036, and SB but not with other types of cell lines, including pre-B, myeloid, melanoma, or T cells. HB-2 antibody reacted with 10 ± 3% of normal blood mononuclear cells, and was unreactive with monocytes, granulocytes, platelets, or erythrocytes. Two-color immunofluorescence revealed that HB-2 antigen expression was confined to cells bearing surface Ig. An interesting finding was the fact that 25% of plasmablasts induced by pokeweed mitogen also expressed the HB-2 antigen. However, pre-B and plasma cells from normal bone marrow did not express the HB-2 antigen either on their membrane surface or in their cytoplasm. Analysis of 85 leukemias revealed that the HB-2 antigen was expressed on acute and chronic B cell leukemias and Burkitt's lymphomas, but not on malignacies of pre-B, T, myelocytic, or plasma cells. The results suggest that expression of the HB-2 antigen is confined to mature B cells.     

多发性骨髓瘤患者血清IL-6活性与急性相蛋白浓度的相关性研究

运用敏感的B_9细胞增殖试验检测了81例多发性骨髓瘤(MM)患者血清IL-6活性,同时分析了标本的几种急性相蛋白含量,结果表明,68％MM患者血清中IL-6活性大于5μ/ml(正常对照为5μ/ml以下),几种急性相蛋白中C-反应性蛋白(CRP)在MM时升高(P<0.01),平均达正常对照组的17倍以上,MM患者补体C_4与正常对照组无差异(p>0.05),C_3、白蛋白及转铁蛋白在MM时分别比正常下降24.42％、38.83％和32.80％,且与疾病分期有关,在血清IL-6大于5μ/ml的55例中,IL-6活性与CRP、C_3、白蛋白的相关系数分别为0.46,-0.34和-0.29,IL-6与转铁蛋白浓度相关不明显。本文结果提示:CRP、C_3及白蛋白等含量的变化可作为反映MM病情的简易而敏感的指标。     

Liberation of histamine and serotonin and vascular permeability in an acute aseptic inflammatory focus

Degranulation of mast cells of a peritoneal suspension and of the mesentery of the small intestine and liberation of histamine and serotonin in albino rats with acute aseptic peritonitis were shown to begin during the first minute after injury and to reach a maximum at the fifth minute. By the 15th minute the concentrations of the free amines had fallen sharply and did not differ significantly from the initial levels. The dynamics of the immediate phase of increased vascular permeability corresponded to the dynamics of the free amines. The most marked increase in vascular permeability was observed at the 10th–15th minutes. By the 20th minute it was appreciably lower. Preliminary exhaustion of histamine and serotonin reserves reduced the degree of disturbance of vascular permeability only during the first 15 min after application of the inflammatory agent. It is conculted that histamine and serotonin cause disturbance of vascular permeability in acute aseptic peritonitis chiefly during the first 15 min after injury.Department of Pathological Physiology, Khar'kov Medical Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. D. Ado.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 84, No. 12, pp. 660–664, December, 1977.