Prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody in an area endemic for hepatitis B virus and human T cell leukaemia virus

To clarify the prevalence of concurrent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human T cell leukaemia virus (HTLV), we measured HCV antibody in the population of a district endemic for HBV and HTLV infection. Blood samples were collected in June 1990 from 579 inhabitants of four islands of Uwa Bay in the southwest of Ehime Prefecture in Japan. Anti-HCV antibody against C100-3 protein was detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (Ortho Diagnostics). Thirteen of the 579 inhabitants (2.2%) were positive for anti-HCV, and this prevalence rate was not significantly different from the frequency of anti-HCV in Tokyo blood donors. A total of 11% (64 of 579) of the subjects were positive for HBsAg and 3.3% (19 of 579) were positive for anti-HTLV. These frequencies of HBsAg and anti-HTLV positivity were distinctly higher than the respective means of Japanese. All anti-HCV positive individuals were negative for HBsAg and anti-HTLV, while 54% (7 of 13) had increased alanine aminotransferase levels. These data suggest that the prevalence of HCV infection is not high even in an area endemic for HBV and HTLV infection.     

T Cell Receptor Vβ Repertoires of Angioimmunoblastic Lymphadenopathy-like T Cell Lymphoma

To elucidate the pathogenesis of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy-like T cell lymphoma (AILD-T) we investigated the T cell receptor Vβ gene repertoires of four AILD-Ts and compared them with those of other histological types of lymphomas and three cases with reactive disorders. All lymphoma patients had rearrangement bands detected by Southern blot analysis. Only 1 of the 4 cases of AILD-T showed a single predominant usage of Vβ 20 gene by PCR with 20 different Vβ specific primers and the others had repertoires somewhat restricted but similar to reactive lesions. Subsequent sequencing of this PCR product revealed that only 2 of 7 clones were identical. These results suggest the monoclonal malignant cells in AILD-T are scant and that the infiltrating T cells show a reactive pattern. In the only AILD-T case with a single dominant Vβ usage, the relationships of this repertoire and lymphoma cells seems to be of some consequence.     

IgE and atopy in perinatally HIV-infected children

Elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and increased prevalence of atopy is reported in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The elevated serum IgE may be attributed to polyclonal stimulation of B cells or IgE production against allergens, viruses, fungi and bacteria. This study investigates the prevalence of atopy in perinatally HIV-infected children, and the relationships between serum IgE (and other serum immunoglobulins) with atopy, CD4+ cell count and HIV-disease stage. Serum immunoglobulin levels, epicutaneous skin test for common aeroallergens, clinical Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classification, CD4+ cell counts and allergy history were extracted from the charts of perinatally HIV-infected children on highly active antiretroviral therapy. The prevalence of atopy (52%) and the pattern of aeroallergen sensitivity were comparable with the US pediatric population. Serum IgE levels did not correlate with clinical disease stage. However, in non-atopic patients, serum IgE levels increased with disease progression (p = 0.02). There was an inverse relationship between the prevalence of elevated serum IgE levels and atopy with progression of disease (p = 0.019). Serum IgE did not correlate with atopy, CD4+ cell count, or duration of HIV infection or levels of serum immunoglobulins. This is the first study to show no increased prevalence of atopy in perinatally HIV-infected children compared with the general population. In advanced stages of HIV, elevated serum IgE may be specific for antigens other than those known as allergens.     

Effects of Carbamazepine on Murine Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses

Summary: Oral administration of carbamazepine (CBZ)(15, 10, or 5 mg/kg) to mice significantly decreased both humoral and cellular immune responses evaluated by enumeration of direct and indirect plaque-forming spleen cells (PFC) and delayed–type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as compared with those observed in normal control animals. Moreover, spleen T cells obtained from CBZ–treated donor mice were capable of decreasing both PFC and DTH responses of normal spleen cells transferred into lethally irradiated recipient animals. The immunodepressor effect of CBZ was observed even though administration of CBZ induced augmentation of spleen cellularity.     

Response of V beta 8.1+ T cell clones to self Mls-1a: implications for the origin of autoreactive T cells.

Clonal deletion and anergy are two major mechanisms of self-tolerance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying clonal deletion and anergy, as well as the threshold of TCR affinity/avidity required for these processes, are not known. Expression of the V beta 8.1 TCR correlates with the reactivity of the T cells to the minor lymphocyte stimulating locus-1a (Mls-1a) and T cells expressing this TCR are deleted in the thymus of Mls-1a mice. Similarly, in TCR V beta 8.1 transgenic mice, the number of CD4+CD8-T cells is reduced in Mls-1a mice. However, small numbers of CD4+CD8-T cells remain in the periphery of adult Mls-1a transgenic mice. We have generated T cell clones from TCR V beta 8.1 transgenic mice by stimulation of lymph node T cells with C57BL/6 alloantigens. Interestingly, CD4+CD8-V beta 8.1+ clones isolated from the transgenic mice of Mls-1a background responded to the self-antigen Mls-1a, to which they did not respond in primary assay. Reactive patterns of the clones were compared with clones derived from Mls-1b mice. Proliferation and cytokine production of the clones from Mls-1a mice to the self-antigen Mls-1a were generally reduced when compared with clones from Mls-1b mice. More importantly, T cell clones from Mls-1a mice required more Mls-1a antigen for their activation, and were more susceptible to the inhibitory effects of anti-CD4 antibody on the proliferative responses to Mls-1a than those from Mls-1b mice. These results suggest that the T cell receptor on clones derived from Mls-1a mice have functional but reduced affinity/avidity for self-antigen Mls-1a.     

应用单克隆抗体检测肺癌病人外周血中T细胞亚群

本文应用单克隆抗体检测33例原发性肺癌病人治疗前后外周血中T淋巴细胞亚群变化。结果提示:肺癌病人外周血中T细胞亚群明显有别于正常人,主要表现为T_H细胞降低和T_S细胞升高以及T_H/T_S比值明显倒置。短期观察结果表明,肺癌病人外周血中T_S细胞持续升高和T_H/T_S比值持续降低者,预后不良。临床检测T细胞亚群变化及它们的动态变化可作为判断宿主抗肿瘤免疫功能状态、病情发展和预后的敏感指标。     

Characterization of T cell epitopes in αs1-casein in cow''s milk allergic, atopic and non-atopic children

BACKGROUND: One to two percent of infants suffer from IgE-mediated allergic reactions against cow's milk proteins. Most children develop clinical tolerance, but approximately 15% are still allergic by the age of 10 years. Little is known about the T cell epitopes in individual cow's milk protein in relation to allergy and tolerance. OBJECTIVE: To identify T cell epitopes in alphas1-casein, the most abundant milk protein, and to investigate T cell responses toward these epitopes in allergic, atopic and non-atopic children. METHODS: Allergen-specific T cell lines (TCLs) were derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 11 cow's milk allergic, nine atopic and nine non-atopic children. T cell responses were measured to alphas1-casein and to overlapping peptides (18-mers), spanning the alphas1-casein molecule. Proliferation was determined by incorporation of (3)H-thymidine, and cytokine production (IL-10, IL-13 and IFN-gamma) was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Four main regions (amino acid (AA) residues 43-66, 73-96, 91-114 and 127-180) in the alphas1-casein molecule were immunogenic to T cells, among which the AA residues 133-156 spanned the immunodominant part. Only subtle differences were found in peptide recognition between the subject groups. Some of the peptides induced slightly Th1- or Th2-skewed cytokine responses. The increased levels of IL-10 in response to alphas1-casein observed in TCLs from atopic children appeared not to be linked to recognition of specific IL-10-inducing epitopes. CONCLUSIONS: The immunodominant sequence in alphas1-casein is spanned by AA residues 133-156. Tolerance towards alphas1-casein in atopic children may be mediated by an overall induction of IL-10 and not by recognition of certain T cell epitopes. The identified T cell epitopes in children with cow's milk allergy may be useful targets in developing peptide immunotherapy.     

Pseudo-Oversensing of the T Wave by an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator: A Nonclinical Problem

Two patients are described who had pseudo-oversensing of T waves during follow-up testing of the Medtronic PCD. Each patient exhibited appropriate T wave sensing following closely coupled spontaneous QRS complexes to subthreshold stimuli without having T wave sensing following sensed or paced complexes. One patient also revealed T wave sensing following fusion beats. The occurrence of T wave sensing in these unique clinical situations was due to the auto-adjusting sensitivity threshold function used by the PCD. Recognition of this normal sensing function will prevent inappropriate reprogramming of the sensitivity or postpace refractory period, interventions that could potentially lead to ventricular tachyarrhythmia undersensing.     

Development of mucosal immune function in man: potential for Gl disease states

The human mucosal immune system is structurally mature and has all the necessary cellular components to generate an immune response at birth. However, in the absence of dietary antigens and bacterial flora, there are no secondary follicles in the Peyer's patches and virtually no immunoglobulin A plasma cells in the lamina propria. Reactive follicle centers develop after birth but it takes 2 years for mucosal IgA plasma cell density to reach adult levels. T cells are present in the epithelium and lamina propria at birth, albeit at a lower frequency than later in life and there are major differences in phenotype between T cells in fetal intestine and postnatal intestine. There is no information on the impact of the massive antigenic challenge at birth on the mucosal immune system. Well-documented deficiencies in the ability of the blood T cells of the neonate to produce interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma may also occur in the intestine. It is still an open question whether it is better to try to prevent immunological sensitization of the newborn by avoiding potential allergens (i.e. cow's milk), or whether early exposure (as happens when premature infants are given formula feeds) might tolerize the infant. Hydrolysed cow's milk formulae are probably less antigenic than whole cow's milk and have been widely used in the treatment of cow's milk allergy. Some thought is now being given as to whether the prophylactic use of hydrolysates can reduce cow's milk allergy in ‘at-risk’ infants.