Investigations of the methodology of lymphocyte transformation test by application to lymph-node cells of guinea pigs (author's transl)]

An apparatus derived from data in the literature about different sample harvesters and constructed in our workshop is described. The advantages for the analysis of lymphocyte transformation test of lymph-node cells of guinea pigs is demonstrated. We could show the reproducibility of results after stimulation of cells by mitogens and antigens (bovine gamma globulin, human serum albumin). The optimal experimental conditions for the culture of lymph-node cells of guinea pigs are described.     

Pre- and postoperative reactivity of breast cancer patients to tumor associated antigens and HEP in the macrophage electrophoresis mobility (MEM) test

27 female patients with breast cancer and 23 with benign breast diseases have been investigated with the MEM-test. Antigens used in these experiments were human encephalitogenic protein (HEP) and 3M KC1 tissue extracts from carcinomas of breast and kidney. Preoperative examination of the patients showed an accuracy of the test of 89% (breast cancer extract) and 86% (HEP) respectively. The control persons gave less than 9% false positive tests. The results obtained with the extract from kidney cancer demonstrate the organ specificity (3% positive responses). Follow-up studies were carried out with cancer patients. We found, beginning with a delay, a strong decrease of reactivity 5 to 8 weeks after surgical treatment and later again increased reactivity in some patients. We suppose a relation between this restoration of MEM-reactivity and development of recurrent cancer whereby follow-up studies can get some clinical importance. The investigation of frequency distribution of MEM values obtained shows a division into low values of about 0% and high values of about 10% mobility inhibition without overlapping. The reasons are discussed regarding the levels of the patient and the test principle.     

Pancreatic transplant imaging

Forty-four clinical episodes of suspected (pancreas) transplant rejection in 17 pancreatic transplantation patients were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical impression of acute graft rejection, chronic rejection, or nonrejection in each episode was correlated with the results of 19 nuclear medicine, 12 ultrasound (US), and 44 magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies. US was found to be a moderately sensitive (82%) method of detecting graft rejection. US also was effective in identifying intra- and peripancreatic fluid accumulations. Nuclear medicine imaging was also a sensitive technique (86%) and the only modality that provided physiologic information regarding graft perfusion. MR imaging allowed correct prediction of the presence or absence of graft rejection in 39 of 44 cases (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 76%) and was an effective means of detecting pathologic fluid collections. Nuclear medicine, US, and MR imaging are all believed to be sensitive methods of detecting graft rejection and are complementary adjuncts to the clinical evaluation of pancreatic transplants.     

Additive suppressive effect of Freund's complete adjuvant on the specific inhibition of anti-DNP immunoreaction (author's transl)

Injection of DNP 38-Ficoll in 0,9 per cent saline causes a specific suppression of the secondary anti-DNP reaction in AJ-mice to the same antigen. This suppression is amplified by injection of the tolerogen in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) or by simultaneous injection of the tolerogen and FCA. --This additive suppressive effect of FCA is distinctly better if there are used small doses of tolerogen. Possible mechanisms interpreting these results are discussed.     

Characterization of a series of monoclonal antibodies against human T cells

A set of 6 monoclonal antibodies is characterized reacting only with human T-cells but not with B lymphocytes. The antibody BL-T1 binds to the E receptor, being there on all mature T cells and on the majority of thymocytes. All respectively the majority of peripheral T cells but only subpopulations of thymocytes are recognized by the monoclonals BL-T2, BL-T3, BL-T4 and BL-T5. For identification and quantification of mature human T cells especially the antibody BL-T2 is suitable. The antigen recognized by BL-E1 is missing on peripheral B lymphocytes but expressed not only on T cells but also on erythrocytes, monocytes and a fraction of granulocytes. The monoclonals discussed are compared with the monoclonals for identification of leucocyte differentiation antigens (cluster of differentiation) characterized on the 1st Int. Workshop on Human Leucocyte Differentiation Antigens (Paris, 1982).