Ethanol precipitates of Cephalobus sp. (Nematoda: Cephalobidae) inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus pyogenes var. aureus

Dried ethanol precipitates prepared from nematodes incubated for 7, 8, 15, 21 and 22 days produced significant inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus. The 7 and 15 day precipitates showed a linear increase in inhibition. Microscopic observation indicated that plates incubated for 8, 15, and 20 days had the greatest fraction of molting nematodes. Molting was correlated with inhibition

Significance of Levels of Specific Immunoglobulins to DNA in SLE Patients' Sera Detected by Solid Phase Radioimmunoassay

A solid phase radioimmunoassay was developed for detecting the quantity of double-stranded and single-stranded DNA antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and other connective tissue diseases. The assay system employs a solid support 96-well, flex-vinyl microtiter plate to which bovine methyl albumin is layered, followed by denatured or native calf thymus DNA. A 1:80 dilution of patients' sera was added to respective wells followed by tritiated high affinity anti-IgG, -IgA, or IgM.Denatured DNA (single-stranded DNA) bound to methylated bovine serum albumin had less than 5% reannealment to the double-stranded form and provided a better substrate for Ab binding than double-stranded DNA, producing a linear binding curve.Of 58 patients diagnosed as having systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), only 11 having active SLE had IgG antibody levels of> 5.0 μg/ml to single-strand DNA. Renal involvement of some degree was found in all 11 with the high concentrations of IgG antibodies to DNA correlating with severe involvement. Patients with 1gM antibodies to DNA alone had more benign types of SLE with little renal involvement.No abnormal levels of IgA Ab to either single-strand DNA or double-strand DNA were found in SLE patients' sera. Corticosteroid and/or immunosuppressant treatment caused a marked drop in the IgM Ab level to DNA within 10 days while IgG Ab to DNA remained high for up to 30 days.Quantitation of IgG and 1gM Ab to single-strand DNA provides a useful method for diagnosing severe SLE with possible renal involvement and monitoring the course of the disease during therapy

Immunological Involvement in Porcine Bioprosthetic Valve Degeneration: Preliminary Studies

Preliminary animal model studies have indicated that porcine bioprosthetic valves can be recognized by the immune system. This report presents the results of a preliminary investigation on the implanted valves of 27 patients. While none of the 27 demonstrated an immune response to porcine serum proteins, five patients developed antibodies against the implanted valve leaflets. Cells were enzymatically eluted from a degenerated bioprosthetic valve and were classified by means of monoclonal antibodies. Although these cells were not found to be of T-lymphocyte lineage, they did express la determinants and had the morphologic appearance of plasma cells. We therefore conclude that some bioprosthetic valve dysfunction may be immunologically mediated

Significance of Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) Immunofluorescent Patterns and Titers in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Nephritis

Seventy-three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) nephritis were studied for up to eight years using sequential serologic and renal function tests and renal biopsies. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) patterns and titers were classified into two systems: nonparticulate and particulate. We found a close relationship between disease activity and changes in titers of the nonparticulate peripheral homogeneous system. These changes predicted imminent flare-up or immunosuppressive induced remission of nephritis. Patients with the thready ANA pattern (part of the particulate system) as the main pattern showed a predominant association with membranous glomerulopathy and better renal function than those without threads. The association of the thready pattern with relatively benign disease suggests that patients with this pattern may represent a benign subset in the spectrum of renal SLE