Immunological Abnormalities in a Child with Constitutional Aplastic Anemia

This case report describes a child with severe constitutional hypoplastic anemia and Seckel's syndrome. Immunological analysis on mononuclear peripheral blood cells revealed an abnormally low ratio of T-helper to T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells and a highly increased number of HLA-DR-positive T suppressor/cyiotoxic cells. Interferon-y and interleukin-2 production by mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was slightly reduced, and no spontaneous production of these lymphokines was seen. The immunological abnormalities demonstrated in this case of constitutional aplastic anemia may indicate common features with acquired aplastic anemia.     

Interleukin 2 and Alpha Interferon Induced in Vitro Modulation of Spontaneous Cell Mediated Cytotoxicity in Patients with Cancer of the Uterine Cervix Undergoing Radiotherapy

In vitro modulation of spontaneous cell mediated cytotoxicity by interferon and interleukin 2 was carried out using peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with cancer of the uterine cervix before and at different intervals after commencement of radiation treatment. A total of 150 patients with various stages of the disease were included and cytotoxicity was measured using the single cell cytotoxic assay. These results indicate a beneficial effect in vitro of interleukin 2 and interferon in augmenting spontaneous cell mediated cytotoxicity, a possibly vital anti-tumour immune mechanism in patients with relatively early cervix cancer. Natural killer cell, lymphokine activated killer cell and interferon activated killer cell activity was depressed immediately following radiotherapy. The activity of these cell types later on increased above pretreatment levels in patients with stages I, IIA and IIB. A similar rebound above pretreatment levels was not observed in patients with stages III and IV.     

Generation of procoagulant activity by mononuclear phagocytes: optimisation of an in vitro assay

Leucocyte procoagulant activity (PCA) has previously been advocated as a useful measurement of cell-mediated immune reactivity. The assay is, however, susceptible to inter- and intra-experimental variation. This investigation identifies several factors which influence the stability and reproducibility of the test. Major factors which affect the recalcification time of plasma, include plasma lability, medium/buffer pH and both the nature and concentration of the indicator cells used in the assay. C. parvum-induced mouse peritoneal exudate cells have been used as a novel source of mononuclear phagocytes in the generation of PCA. Their sensitivity as indicator cells has been demonstrated by their responsiveness to stimulation by phytomitogen, endotoxin, and lymphokine (macrophage procoagulant-inducing factor). A simple test based on antigen-induced PCA of these cells, has provided an in vitro index of in vivo sensitisation to sheep red blood cells. Optimisation and standardisation of conditions detailed in this report for estimating PCA, renders the assay of value in monitoring lymphocyte and macrophage activation.     

The use of human lymphoid cell line lymphokine preparations (LCL-LK) as working standards in the bioassay of human leucocyte migration inhibition factor (LIF)

The leucocyte migration inhibition test in agarose as described by Clausen (1971) was modified into a statistically designed assay of LIF activity using human polymorphonuclear leucocytes from single blood donors. Individual assays included a laboratory standard of lymphokine with LIF activity prepared from the culture supernatants of the RPMI 1788 human lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL-LK). Analysis of 157 LIF assays revealed simple criteria by which the acceptability of an individual assay could be judged before subjecting it to statistical analysis. The failure of LIF assays to meet these criteria of acceptability was particularly associated with low areas of control polymorph migration in the absence of lymphokine (‘spontaneous migration’).We demonstrate that the statistically designed assay permits the measurement, with precision, of LIF activity in units/ml by reference to a working standard of LCL-LK. We illustrate the use of this assay in the measurement of LIF activity generated by tuberculin-stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocytes.     

Histological changes of the liver in experimental graft-versus-host disease across minor histocompatibility barriers. VIII. Role of eosinophil infiltration

Abstract: Although eosinophil infiltrate has been recognized in hepatic graft-versus-host disease, its significance in relation to hepatic graft-versus-host disease lesions is unknown. In the present study, we analyzed hepatic eosinophil infiltration in relation to bile duct damage in experimental mouse graft-versus-host disease across minor histocompatibility barriers up to 14 months after transplantation. Portal eosinophil infiltration was found from 1 week after transplantation throughout the entire 14-month observation period. It was most striking during the early chronic stage of hepatic graft-versus-host disease between 2 to 7 months, with a peak at 5 months after transplantation. Microscopic and electron microscopic study revealed eosinophils infiltrated around the bile duct as well as in the bile duct epithelial layer. They were commonly found together with lymphocytes but were also occasionally found singly around the bile duct and in the bile duct epithelial layer. Bile duct epithelial cells in contact with and in the vicinity of eosinophils showed a variety of degenerative changes, occasionally associated with the presence of extracellular eosinophil granules. Bile duct epithelial cells with eosinophil infiltration just beneath the basement membrane frequently showed further characteristic severe degenerative changes with shedding or dropping-off into the lumen, which features were quite similar to those seen in the bronchial epithelium in asthma patients. These results indicate that not only lymphocytes but also eosinophils may be involved in the production of the bile duct injury in hepatic graft-versus-host disease, especially in its early chronic stage.     

三物降压汤对高血压病患者血压及淋巴因子激活的杀伤细胞的影响

目的：研究三物降压汤对血压、淋巴因子激活的杀伤（ＬＡＫ）细胞的影响及其可能机制。方法：用随机、单盲、自身、组间平行对照法用三物降压汤对轻度高血压病患者（n＝３０）进行为期８周的治疗观察，并与开搏通治疗组（n＝３０）比较。分别检测治疗前后的血压、ＬＡＫ细胞的增殖与活性、ＬＡＫ细胞表达的超氧化物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）样物质及其对自由基的清除能力，为进一步了解ＬＡＫ细胞与血压之间的关系，并观察了自发性高血压大鼠（ＳＨＲ）胸主动脉环对硝酸甘油和乙酰胆碱（Ａch）的舒张反应以及ＬＡＫ细胞与ＳＯＤ标准品对ＳＨＲ胸主动脉环对Ａch舒张反应的影响并与京都威斯特大鼠及经三物降压汤治疗后的ＳＨＲ比较。结果：三物降压汤在降血压同时，ＬＡＫ细胞增殖、活性、其所表达的ＳＯＤ及清除自由基效应均明显增加。结论：三物降压汤既能降血压又能调节免疫功能。     

多疗程异体LAK/rIL-2治疗中晚期肝癌33例分析

研究了异体ＬＡＫ／ｒＩＬ－２治疗方案,经治的３３例晚期肝癌中,ＣＲ１例（３％）,ＰＲ１０例（３０％）,总有效率３３％,副作用小。提示该治疗方案对中晚期肝癌是一种可行的有效治疗。     

CD3AK细胞和LAK细胞治疗晚期恶性肿瘤的临床和实验研究

将５１例晚期恶性肿瘤患者（男性２３例，女性２８例）分成两组，其中一组（３１例）以ＣＤ３ＭｃＡｂ（ＣＤ３单克隆抗体）和小剂量ＩＬ－２（５００ｕ／ｍｌ）共同诱导的ＣＤ３ＡＫ细胞治疗，另一组（２０例）输注大剂量ＩＬ－２（１０００ｕ／ｍｌ）诱导的常规ＬＡＫ细胞治疗，以探讨降低ＩＬ－２用量、提高杀伤细胞细胞毒活性的可能性。结果显示ＣＤ３ＡＫ组患者生活质量改善、症状缓解均优于ＬＡＫ组。ＣＤ３ＡＫ组ＰＲ＋ＭＲ率较ＬＡＫ组高２９．０％，Ｓ＋Ｐ率和死亡率分别较ＬＡＫ组低１２．４％和９．６％。同时比较了ＣＤ３ＡＫ细胞与ＬＡＫ细胞的体外增殖和细胞毒活性，结果表明ＣＤ３ＡＫ细胞增殖率高于ＬＡＫ细胞（Ｐ＜０．０１），靶细胞抑制率二者在０．０５水平无显著差异。提示ＣＤ３ＭｃＡｂ在刺激杀伤细胞活性，尤其在提高其增殖能力方面，具有显著的作用，ＣＤ３ＡＫ／ＩＬ－２能更有效地治疗晚期恶性肿瘤。     

Immunomodulatory activity of resveratrol: discrepant in vitro and in vivo immunological effects

trans-Resveratrol is a dietary polyphenolic compound present in grapes, which has been shown to exhibit strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemopreventive activities. In this study we have compared the in vitro and in vivo effects of resveratrol on the development of various cell-mediated immune responses, including mitogen/antigen-induced T cell proliferation, induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), interleukin-2 (IL-2) induced lymphokine activated killer cells, and cytokine production. We found significant suppression (>90%) of the mitogen/antigen-induced T cell proliferation and development of allo-antigen specific CTLs in vitro with resveratrol at a concentration of 25 microM. Intragastric administration of resveratrol (2 mg daily) to mice for 4 weeks showed no effect on age-related gain in body weight, peripheral blood cell counts (WBC, RBC, or platelets), or the cellularity of bone marrow or spleen. The CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in spleen or colony-forming units-total in the marrow also remained unaffected by treatment with resveratrol. Spleen cells, which were stimulated in vitro after being removed from mice which had been administered resveratrol for 2 or 4 weeks, showed no significant change in IL-2 or concanavalin A induced proliferation of T cells or production of IL-2 induced lymphokine activated killer cells. Further, the production of in interferon-gamma and IL-12 was not affected by administration of resveratrol, but production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was reduced. Even when conducted entirely in vivo, treatment with resveratrol was found to only marginally reduce allo-antigen induced T cell proliferation and the generation of CTLs in the draining lymph nodes. Thus, even though resveratrol strongly inhibits T cell proliferation and production of cytolytic cells in vitro, oral administration of resveratrol for 4 weeks does not induce hematologic or hematopoietic toxicity, and only marginally reduces the T cell-mediated immune responses.