αβ and γδ T cell subsets in chronic renal failure in children on dialysis treatment

BACKGROUND: Impaired immunity, particularly cell-mediated, is one of the features of chronic renal failure. This also concerns impaired T cell dependent responsiveness. METHODS: The expression of T cell surface antigens (CD3, CD25, TCRalphabeta, TCRgammadelta) was evaluated on peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells using two-color flow cytometry in 10 children on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and in 13 children on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) with polysulfone and cuprophane dialysers. RESULTS: In HD children absolute numbers of leukocytes, lymphocytes, CD3+, alphabeta, gammadelta T cells and a percentage of gammadelta T cells were decreased versus healthy children. Also, we observed a relative increase of CD3+, CD3+/CD25+ and alphabeta T cells after sessions with cuprophane membranes, and an increase of CD3+/CD25+, alphabeta T cell percentages after sessions with the polysulfone membranes. Additionally we found a decrease of both relative and absolute numbers of gammadelta T cells after HD with polysulfone. In CAPD children we found declined absolute numbers of total lymphocytes, CD3+ and alphabeta T cells and higher relative values of CD3+ and alphabeta T cells versus controls. CONCLUSIONS: The T cell depletion in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients primarily results from uremic-related toxicities, rather than from CAPD or HD-related incompatibilities. We showed a significant decrease of gammadelta T cells in CRF patients on HD, that may be partly responsible for impaired T-dependent responsiveness in that group. The intradialytic changes of gammadelta Tcells may result from a different degree of biocompatibility during the application of various dialysis membranes.     

γδ lymphocytes in mumps meningitis patients

Flowcytometric analysis on T-cell subpopulations in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 10 children with mumps meningitis (MM) revealed that the proportion of lymphocytes which bore the γδ T-cell receptor for antigen was significantly higher in CSF than in autologous and heterologous blood samples. γδ T-cell values in CSF of MM patients were also significantly higher than those calculated in CSF specimens from nine children with non-inflammatory neurological disorders. Whether and how the expanded CSF γδ T-lymphocyte subset, either CD8 ⁺ or double-negative (CD4^-/CD8^-), contributes to the eradication of mumps virus infection from the central nervous system represents a central focus of our ongoing research.     

Selective compartmentalization of γσ-T lymphocytes in human breastmilk

Abstract In human breastmilk, T lymphocytes with γδ-receptor (TCR) are more frequent than those with αβ-TCR, in comparison with peripheral blood. Differential representation has also been demonstrated for subpopulations of γδ-T cells. Reactivity was visualized with three monoclonal antibodies against Vδ1, Vδ2 and Vγ2 on T cells from the breastmilk and peripheral blood of 12 women who had recently given birth. Confirming the results with Vδ1, it was found that Vδ1 ( p < 0.01) and Vγ2 ( p < 0.05) but not Vδ2 were overrepresented on T cells in milk as compared with blood. This selective compartmentalization seems to reflect the homing of certain cells to the mammary gland.     

Peripheral blood γδ T cells in human listeriosis

A phenotypical analysis carried out by direct immunofluorescence and two-colour cytofluorometry showed that the number of lymphocytes bearing the γδ T-cell receptor heterodimer was increased in the blood of eight children with Listeria monocytogenes infection, mainly due to an expansion of cells identified by monoclonal antibodies which recognize Vγ2 gene products. These findings are further evidence that γδ T cells are in some way involved in the immune response directed against human intracellular pathogens.     

Influence of perinatal risk factors on CD3+/TCR αβ and CD3+/TCR γδ lymphocytes in cord blood of preterm neonates

Abstract Background : The aim of the study was the evaluation of CD3+/TCR αβ and CD3+/TCR γδ lymphocytes in the cord blood of the preterm neonates. Methods : The study included 26 term neonates as a control group delivered both by spontaneous labor and by cesarean section and 41 preterm neonates: (i) by cesarean section due to abruptio placentae, (ii) by cesarean section due to the danger of intrauterine asphyxia, (iii) by cesarean section due to preterm rupture of membrane (PROM), and (iv) by spontaneous labor. Immunological analysis was performed in the flow cytometer FACScan, using anti‐CD3, anti‐TCR αβ and anti‐TCR γδ monoclonal antibodies from Becton Dickinson (San Jose, California USA). Results : It was shown that the way of delivery does not influence the value of CD3+/TCR αβ lymphocytes. A decrease of the percentage and number of CD3+/TCR γδ lymphocytes was found in neonates delivered by elective cesarean section. However, the danger of intrauterine fetal asphyxia, as a reason for preterm delivery, influenced a considerable increase of the number of CD3+/TCR αβ and CD3+/TCR γδ lymphocytes. Perinatal risk factors (abruptio placentae, PROM) were related to the lowest number of CD3+/TCR γδ lymphocytes in the blood of the preterm neonates. Conclusion : The obtained results suggest that in spite of considerable immaturity, both a term and preterm neonate is prepared for the immune response and is able to activate cell mechanisms. The precise mechanism that links CD3+/TCR αβ and CD3+/TCR γδ lymphocytes and pathological condition of preterm birth remains unclear.     

Plasma β-Endorphin, Adrenocorticotropin Hormone, and Cortisol in Autism

Plasma levels of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones β-endorphin (BE), adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), and cortisol were measured in autistic (N = 48), mentally retarded/cognitively impaired (MR/CI, N = 16), and normal control (N= 26) individuals. Comparison of log transformed data from the three groups revealed that levels of BE and ACTH were significantly higher (p < .05) in the autistic individuals than in normal controls. The higher means in the autistic group were due to significantly higher plasma levels of BE and ACTH, indices of acute stress response, in the more severely affected individuals. The data support the idea that individuals with severe autism have a heightened response to acute stressors rather than chronic hyperarousal or elevated basal stress response system functioning.     

Incidence,population, and survival of cystic fibrosis in the UK, 1968-95

The UK Cystic Fibrosis Survey holds data on all people resident in the UK who were diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis and born either since 1968 or before 1968 and alive in 1977. Thus, incidence may be reported from 1968 and prevalence from 1977.The previous estimates are updated to the end of 1995 from data held in the database on 23 August 1996.
The incidence is now calculated as one in 2415 live births. The 1992 mid-year population was 6500 people with 65% aged under 16 years. Births outnumber deaths by 160 per year, which suggests a population of 7750 by the year 2000, with all the increase being in the adult age range.
The survival of successive cohorts continues to be better than earlier cohorts, the linear descent of the curves is still evident. The infant mortality rate for cystic fibrosis is now under 20 per thousand per year and early childhood mortality is under five per thousand per year.
The crude mortality rate for 1995 was 21 per thousand per year, but the standardised mortality ratio was about 3300.

     

Bovine β-Lactoglobulin in the Human Milk

ABSTRACT. Human milk samples ( n =232) collected during the whole lactation period from 25 healthy, Swedish mothers were analyzed by radioimmunologic method for content of bovine β-lacto-globulin. Detectable amounts (5-800 μ/1) were found in 93 of 232 milk samples (40%). Six mothers had no detectable β-lactoglobulin in their breast milk on any occasion. Two mothers had measurable /Mactoglobulin in all their milk samples. No correlation was found between daily cow's milk intake and concentration of β-lactoglobulin in the milk samples. Six mothers with allergic symptoms such as asthma, hay-fever, eczema all had detectable amounts of β-lactoglobulin in their milk. Of 19 mothers without allergy, 13 had detectable amounts. This difference did not show statistical significance. The presence of symptoms in the infant such as diarrhoea, vomiting, colic, exanthema was significantly correlated to high levels of β-lactoglobulin in the milk. Bovine β-lactoglobulin was also detected in 7 of 13 serum samples. The two mothers with detectable β-lactoglobulin in all milk samples had the highest serum values, and their infants suffered from gastro-intestinal symptoms, weight decline and exanthema.     

Influence of Bacillus Calmette-Guèrin vaccination at birth and 2 months old age on the peripheral blood T-cell subpopulations [gamma/delta (γδ) and alpha-beta (αβ) T cell]

The neonatal immune system is immature and may be affected by Bacillus Calmette-Guèrin (BCG) vaccine. We investigated the influence of BCG given at two different ages on the peripheral blood (PB) T-cell subpopulations. Forty full term healthy newborns were randomly chosen. Twenty of them were vaccinated with BCG at birth (group I) and the remaining at the age of 2 months (group II). The cell analysis were carried out before (pre-BCGI and pre-BCGII), and 2 months after (post-BCGI and post-BCGII) the vaccination. The analysis of the gamma/delta and alpha/beta T-cell receptor (TCR) antigens was done by two-colour flowcytometer. The purified protein derivative (PPD) response was investigated 2 months after vaccination. The results showed that although T-cell (TCR+ cell) counts showed no difference in PB before and after vaccination in both study groups, the total lymphocyte and non-T cell (TCR- cell) populations increased significantly whereas alphabetaT-cell population significantly decreased after vaccination. On the contrary, gammadeltaT-cell counts in PB increased significantly 2 months after vaccination in group I but not in group II. Total lymphocyte and non-T cell counts in vaccinated infants at 2 months of age (post-BCGI) were significantly higher than in unvaccinated infants of the same age whereas alphabetaT-cell count in vaccinated infants was significantly low. However, total T-cell and gammadeltaT-cell counts showed no difference. PPD positivity was similar in both study groups (61% in group I, 66% in group II). Neither alphabetaT- nor gammadeltaT-cell counts were different in PPD positive and PPD negative infants. Our study shows that BCG causes marked quantitative changes in the PB T-cell subpopulations in young infants.     

Urinary β2 microglobulin in the newborn

ABSTRACT. Twelve full-term, healthy newborn infants had daily urinary β2 microglobulin, albumin and creatinine levels measured during the first five days of life.
A marked elevation in urinary β2 microglobulin was demonstrated. There was a marked variation from day to day with a range of 20–11,000μg/l. The relatively steady creatinine and albumin excretion levels suggest there is a true increased excretion of β2 microglobulin in the neonatal period with a tendency for the excretion rate to rise during the first five days of life.     

An Infant with Simultaneous β-Lactamase-Positive Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis and β-Lactamase-Negative H. influenzae Septicemia, Escherichia coli Pyelonephritis, and Herpes Encephalitis

ABSTRACT. We describe an infant with meningitis and septicemia due to infection with two different strains of Haemophilus infitenzae , with a urinary tract infection due to Escherichia coli and in whom herpes virus encephalitis was diagnosed within three days. Acinetobacter cal-coaceticus septicemia developed three weeks later. No immunological deficiency could be demonstrated in the patient who recovered finally, albeit with sequelae due to encephalitis.