Minor histocompatibility antigens HA-1-, -2-, and -4-, and HY-specific cytotoxic T-cell clones inhibit human hematopoietic progenitor cell growth by a mechanism that is dependent on direct cell-cell contact

HLA-identical bone marrow transplantation (BMT) may be complicated by graft-versus-host disease or graft rejection. Both complications are thought to be initiated by recognition of minor histocompatibility (mH) antigens by HLA-restricted mH-antigen-specific T lymphocytes. Using HLA- A2-restricted mH antigens HA-1-, -2-, and -4-, and HY-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones, we studied the recognition by these CTL clones of interleukin-2 (IL-2)-stimulated T cells (IL-2 blasts), BM mononuclear cells (BMMNCs), and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). We showed that, when IL-2 blasts from the BM donors who were investigated were recognized by the HA-1-, -2-, and -4-, and HY- specific CTL clones, their BMMNCs and HPCs were recognized as well by these CTL clones, resulting in antigen-specific growth inhibition of erythrocyte burst-forming units (BFU-E), colony-forming units- granulocyte (CFU-G), and CFU-macrophage (CFU-M). the HA-2-specific CTL clone, however, inhibited BFU-E and CFU-G growth from four donors to a lesser extent than from two other donors. We further investigated whether inhibitory cytokines released into the culture medium by the antigen-specific stimulated CTLs or by stimulated BMMNCs were responsible for suppression of HPC growth or whether this effect was caused by direct cell-cell contact between CTLs and HPCs. HPC growth inhibition was only observed after preincubation of BMMNCs and CTLs together for 4 hours before plating the cells in semisolid HPC culture medium. When no cell-cell contact was permitted before plating, neither antigen-stimulated CTL nor antigen-nonstimulated CTLs provoked HPC growth inhibition. Culturing BMMNCs in the presence of supernatants harvested after incubation of BMMNCs and CTL clones together for 4 or 72 hours did also not result in HPC growth inhibition. Both suppression of HPC growth and lysis of IL-2 blasts and BMMNCs in the 51Cr-release assay appeared to be dependent on direct cell-cell contact between target cells and CTLs and were not caused by the release of inhibitory cytokines into the culture medium by antigen-specific stimulated CTLs or by stimulated BMMNCs. Our results show that mH-antigen-specific CTLs can inhibit HPC growth by a direct cytolytic effect and may therefore be responsible for BM graft rejection after HLA-identical BMT.     

Modern approaches to the treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women in this country. Until recently, the traditional treatment has been radical surgery with or without radiation therapy for patients with primary breast cancer, and palliative endocrine therapy followed by chemotherapy for patients with advanced disease. These treatments have met with limited effectiveness in terms of eradicating the disease. Studies in the past decade have given cause for optimism for breast cancer patients. Adjuvant systemic therapy after local treatment appears promising for certain subsets of patients with primary breast cancer. The development of estrogen receptor assays has markedly changed our approach to the disease and improved patient care. Estrogen receptor is an important prognostic factor and is useful in planning appropriate therapy for patients with primary breast cancer as well as those with advanced disease. Further research is urgently needed to improve the dismal survival of certain women with this common malignancy.     

成釉细胞瘤及牙源性角化囊肿中ICAM-1和VCAM-1的表达

目的探讨细胞间黏附分子-1(ICAM-1)和血管细胞黏附分子-1(VCAM-1)在成釉细胞瘤(AB)及牙源性角化囊肿(OKC)中的表达及其与AB、OKC病理学特征的关系。方法对38例AB、10例OKC、7例正常口腔黏膜(NOM)组织进行免疫组织化学SP法检测,结合病例病理特征进行分析。结果ICAM-1和VCAM-1在AB、OKC和NOM3组表达组间比较,具有显著统计学差异(P<0.05)。ICAM-1在AB中的阳性率达65.2%,显著高于NOM(14.3%),OKC(60.0%)与NOM未见显著统计学差异。VCAM-1在AB中的阳性血管数也显著高于OKC和NOM。ICAM-1和VCAM-1表达与AB的组织病理分型、年龄、性别和发生部位无明显相关性(P>0.05)。结论细胞黏附分子ICAM-1和VCAM-1与AB及OKC的发生、发展及细胞分化与增殖有关。     

PATIENT ACCIDENTS IN HOSPITAL: INCIDENCE,DOCUMENTATION AND SIGNIFICANCE

SUMMARY Many previous studies of reported patient accidents in hospital used the accident report forms as the only data source, without questioning their reliability and despite 80% of the accidents being unwitnessed. This paper reports on three studies using data from patient interviews, staff questionnaires, medical and nursing notes and the accident report forms. The studies confirm that falls amongst elderly patients are the most common type of patient accident. However, patients' and staff's versions of the event often differed widely. Accident reports are stated to be required for legal purposes, but they were often incomplete and unreliable. Patient accidents and safety are too important to remain marginalised to mere compliance with out-of-date regulations. A new, ‘slim-line‘, more accurate but less time-consuming patient accident reporting system should be developed, for which improvement in patient safety is the main aim and legal considerations the secondary aim.     

癫痫患者全夜自然睡眠结构的研究

目的　观察癫痫患者发作间期全夜自然睡眠结构特点 ,并评价其与正常对照组睡眠结构的差异 ;评价发作类型、用药情况及是否记录到发作间电发放对睡眠结构的影响。方法　对 2 0名癫痫患者及 11名对照进行全夜自然睡眠多导监测 ,并结合患者的发作类型、是否记录到发作间电发放 (IIDs)及服用 AEDs的情况进行分组统计分析 ,评价各组患者与正常对照间各睡眠参数的差异。结果　癫痫患者组 ,记录到 IIDs组 ,及该组患者中部分性发作者和未服 AEDs者均较正常对照 TRT、RL 显著延长 (P<0 .0 5)。记录到 IIDs的患者睡眠效率显著下降 (P≤0 .0 5) ,其中部分性发作者入睡后觉醒次数较全身性发作者显著增多 (P<0 .0 5)。部分性发作者较全身性发作者NREM睡眠期转换次数有增高的趋势。不同用药癫痫患者睡眠脑电图较正常对照组睡眠破碎性增加。结论　癫痫患者与正常对照比较 RL延长 ;睡眠破碎性增加 ;记录到 IIDs的患者睡眠效率降低 ;部分性发作患者较全身性发作患者有 NREM期转换次数频繁的趋势 ;记录到 IIDs患者中服用 AEDs的情况对其睡眠结构无显著影响。     

Congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia: Report of three cases

Between January 1985 and June 1992, the Paediatric Department of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia has diagnosed congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia in three children, two of whom were siblings. The age of onset ranged from 1 to 3 years. All of them became transfusion-dependent before the age of 4 months. One of them was successfully treated with bone marrow transplantation.