Evaluation of in vivo immune complex formation and complement activation in patients receiving intravenous streptokinase

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldThe usefulness of several different methods for detecting immune complex formation and complement activation in the circulation were applied to samples from patients receiving intravenous Streptokinase therapy for myocardial infarction. Streptokinase is a foreign antigen and can cause immune reactions. We collected samples from 13 patients, before Streptokinase administration (baseline), at the end of infusion (1 h), 12 h later and on day 7. We measured IgG containing immune complexes (IgG-IC), free C3d and antibodies to Streptokinase by ELISA, and CR1, C3d and C4d on erythrocytes by flow cytometric assay. Antibodies to Streptokinase are common, as all but two of the patients had measurable antibody levels. During Streptokinase treatment there was a drop in antibody levels, most prominent in those patients who had high baseline levels. At the same time increased levels of free C3d and erythrocyte-bound C3d were observed. After 12 h free C3d was usually back to baseline level, but C3d on erythrocytes was still raised. These data indicate the formation of Streptokinase immune complexes in patients with high Streptokinase antibody levels, and show that these complexes are cleared rapidly from the circulation, leaving more persistent signs of complement activation. We conclude that free C3d is a good indicator of ongoing complement activation, whereas C3d on erythrocytes indicates that complement activation has recently taken place

Analysis of the two-way interaction between thymolytes and epithelial cells in human thymus

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN010735 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Pascaerte vande Zuyd-Zee tussche California, en Ilhas de Ladrones [cartographic material] /

A chart of the Pacific Ocean showing the coastlines of Tasmania, Carpentaria, New Guinea, Japan, California, and Pacific Islands.; From: De Zee-Atlas ofte water-wereld ... / P.Goos. Amsterdam, 1669.; Scale is given in English, French, Dutch, and Spanish miles.; Title in pictorial frame.; Nordenskiold, v.1i.80,[40].; Rex Nan Kivell Collection Map NK 1533.De Zee-atlas ofte water-wereld ... / Pieter Goo

Evaluation of in vivo immune complex formation and complement activation in patients receiving intravenous streptokinase

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldThe usefulness of several different methods for detecting immune complex formation and complement activation in the circulation were applied to samples from patients receiving intravenous Streptokinase therapy for myocardial infarction. Streptokinase is a foreign antigen and can cause immune reactions. We collected samples from 13 patients, before Streptokinase administration (baseline), at the end of infusion (1 h), 12 h later and on day 7. We measured IgG containing immune complexes (IgG-IC), free C3d and antibodies to Streptokinase by ELISA, and CR1, C3d and C4d on erythrocytes by flow cytometric assay. Antibodies to Streptokinase are common, as all but two of the patients had measurable antibody levels. During Streptokinase treatment there was a drop in antibody levels, most prominent in those patients who had high baseline levels. At the same time increased levels of free C3d and erythrocyte-bound C3d were observed. After 12 h free C3d was usually back to baseline level, but C3d on erythrocytes was still raised. These data indicate the formation of Streptokinase immune complexes in patients with high Streptokinase antibody levels, and show that these complexes are cleared rapidly from the circulation, leaving more persistent signs of complement activation. We conclude that free C3d is a good indicator of ongoing complement activation, whereas C3d on erythrocytes indicates that complement activation has recently taken place

Expression of cytokines, chemokines, and chemokine receptors in oral ulcers of patients with Behcet's disease (BD) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis is Th1-associated, although Th2-association is also observed in patients with BD.

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldOBJECTIVE: Although the pathogenesis of Behcet's disease (BD) is unknown, immune dysfunction appears to be involved. To improve understanding of the role of T cells and cytokines in BD, the current study analysed the localization and extent of expression of T cell subsets, cytokines, chemokines, and chemokine receptors in oral ulcers from BD patients and for comparison in oral ulcers from patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), as well as in healthy oral mucosa. METHODS: Biopsies from oral ulcers of 25 BD patients and 19 RAS patients and oral mucosa from six healthy volunteers were immunoperoxidase stained. RESULTS: Both CD4- and CD8-positive T cells were present in the oral ulcers of BD and RAS patients. The T helper (Th)1 cytokines interleukin (IL)-12, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and the Th1-associated chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR3 were increased in both patient groups as compared to normal controls, indicating the involvement of a Th1 immune response in the immunopathology of both BD and RAS. However, the Th2 cytokine IL-4 was only observed in oral ulcers of BD patients but not in RAS patients. CONCLUSION: This is the first study that shows the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as Th1-associated chemokine receptors, in the oral ulcers of BD patients, as well as RAS patients, at a protein level. However, the expression of the Th2 cytokine IL-4 within the oral lesions of only BD patients is suggestive of a more complex antigenic stimuli in BD patients compared with RAS patients

Do adults with high gliadin antibody concentrations have subclinical gluten intolerance?

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldGliadin antibodies of the IgG and IgA isotypes and IgG subclasses were measured in 200 adults who were randomly selected from the Icelandic National Register. Those with the highest gliadin antibody concentrations were invited with negative controls to participate in a clinical evaluation. Neither the study subjects nor the physicians who recorded and evaluated the clinical findings were aware of the antibody levels. Significantly higher proportion of the gliadin antibody positive individuals reported unexplained attacks of diarrhoea (p = 0.03), and IgA gliadin antibodies were associated with increased prevalence of chronic fatigue (p = 0.0037). The gliadin antibody positive group also showed significantly decreased transferrin saturation, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin compared with the gliadin antibody negative controls. Serum folic acid concentrations were significantly lower in the IgA gliadin antibody positive individuals. On blind global assessment 15 of the 48 participants were thought to have clinical and laboratory features that are compatible with gluten sensitive enteropathy, and 14 of these were in the gliadin antibody positive group (p = 0.013). Complaints that have not been associated with gluten intolerance had similar prevalence in both groups with the exception of persistent or recurrent headaches that were more common in the gliadin antibody positive group. These findings raise the possibility that a subclinical form of gluten intolerance may be relatively common