Apmis

Hoff, Gerd Eva; Høiby, Niels

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02549.xpmid: 81590

Sixty‐three different antigens of Neisseria meningitidis groups A, B and C were demonstrated by means of crossed immunoelectrophoresis against rabbit antiserum. The group‐specific polysaccharides A and C were identified in the immunoprecipitate pattern. The majority of the remaining antigens were common to all three groups of meningococci. A clearcut rise in antibodies was found in all of 27 patients with meningococcal meningitis or septicaemia. These antibodies were directed against both group‐specific antigens and common antigens. No such rise was seen among the 22 patients with purulent meningitis of non‐meningococcal etiology. Altogether 15 precipitins were detected in the patients with meningococcal disease. Nine of these antibodies could be identified by comparison with the rabbit antiserum. The antibody rise was semiquantified by means of a scoring system. The rise in the precipitin score of antibodies against common antigens in patients infected with group B meningococci was significantly higher than in patients infected with group A meningococci.

Rubin, Bent; HØIer‐Madsen, M.; RØPke, Carsten

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02550.xpmid: 309269

The present results show that mouse bone marrow (BM) cells responded in vitro against phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), In addition, BM cell suspensions contained relatively many cells with ADCC (antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity) activity. BM cells were fractionated according to various cell surface characteristics. The results of these experiments were compared with previously published reports, showing that pre‐T and pre‐B cells could be separated on Ig anti‐Ig columns (Ig = immunoglobulin). The combined results showed that pre‐T cells may fractionate together with cells with the following characteristics: they displayed ADCC activity and had Fc receptors (FcR) and/or membrane Ig. Pre‐B cells fractionated with cells with the following characteristics‐, they responded to LPS but had no ADCC activity. They were not adherent and/or phagocytic and were Ig‐, FcR‐ and C3 receptor (C3R) negative.

Wiik, Allan; Permin, Henrik

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02551.xpmid: 309270

Sera from 21 rheumatoid arthritis patients with accompanying neutropenia (2000 neutrophils/μ1) and 45 rheumatoid arthritis patients without neutropenia were studied for the occurrence of IgD granulocyte‐specific antinuclear antibodies. Such antibodies were found in 67 per cent of the neutropenic and 18 per cent of the non‐neutropenic cases (p<0.001). The titres of IgD granulocyte‐specific antinuclear antibodies varied independently of the titres of IgD and complement‐fixing granulocyte‐specific antinuclear antibodies, but showed some covariation with granulocyte‐specific antinuclear antibodies of the IgA and IgM classes most probably reflecting a broad polyclonal antibody response to phagocyte nuclear antigens in the serologically highly active neutropenic cases. Gel filtration studies on selected sera containing IgD granulocyte‐specific antinuclear antibodies indicated participation of these antibodies in immune complexes. It is thus possible that IgD granulocyte‐specific antinuclear antibodies may have some significance for the rheumatoid inflammatory processes.

Buschard, Karsten; Rygaard, JøRgen

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02552.xpmid: 152048

Following a single injection of 200 mg streptozotocin/kg BW, 25 out of 25 normal mice became diabetic, whereas 12 (= 20%) out of 59 athymic nude mice did not develop diabetes.

Buschard, Karsten

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02553.xpmid: 212930

The study describes passive transfer of diabetes mellitus by transplantation of spleen cells from donor mice infected with a diabetogenic encephalomyocarditis virus. Inbred normal C57 mice were used as both donors and recipients, and other recipients were C57 athymic, nude mice. Transplants were made in two series after 12 and 22 days duration of infection of the donors, respectively. All recipients became diabetic. The possibility of virus transfer with the spleen cell transplant is discussed, and found to be highly improbable. The fact that passive cellular transfer can be effected points to a decisive significance of the thymus dependent lymphocyte system in the pathogenesis of the primary diabetes.

Skaug, Kjell; Gaarder, Per Ivar

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02554.xpmid: 360776

Absorption of sera with protein A rich staphylococci eliminated unwanted secondary IgM staining caused by rheumatoid factors in the indirect immunofluorescence test for rubella virus antibodies. The absorption did not lower the sensitivity for IgM rubella antibodies as compared with the haemagglutination inhibition test on the IgM serum fractions obtained by ultracentrifugation.

Schiøtz, P. O.; Nietsen, H.; Høiby, N.; Glikmann, Grace; Svehag, S.‐E.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02555.xpmid: 707104

12 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients chronically infected with mucoid P. aeruginosa and presenting multiple precipitins in serum against this bacterium and 12 patients without P. aeruginosa infection were examined for occurrence of soluble immune complexes in their sputum sol phase by a complement consumption assay and a solid phase rheumatoid factor binding assay. The correlation between the results obtained in the two assays was significant (r = 0.625, p<0.01). The patients chronically infected with P. aeruginosa showed a significantly (p<0.01) higher frequency of immune complex activity in their sputum sol phase, as compared to the patients without P. aeruginosa lung infection. These findings point to the possibility that chronic lung infection with mucoid P. aeruginosa in CF may be an immune complex disease.

Schalén, Cluës; Christensen, Paul; Grubb, R.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02556.xpmid: 101020

Lancefield extract of streptococci group A type 15 precipitates certain human sera and agglutinates red cells coated with some IgG anti‐Rh antibodies. The frequency of precipitation varies between populations. The serum component in the precipitate is IgG. The results indicate that an iso‐allotypic marker is detected by the extract.

PyhäLä, Liisa; Rimaila‐PäRnäNen, Eija; KekomäKi, Riitta; Kostiainen, Ella; Cantell, Kari

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02557.xpmid: 696330

Daily subcutaneous injections of 5 to 10 million units of partially purified human leukocyte interferon were given to newborn rabbits for 2 weeks or 1 month. The control groups received mock interferon, saline or nothing. The interferon treatment had no overt effect on the development of the animals during the period of treatment. The rabbits treated with interferon had leukocytosis, splenomegaly and prolonged postnatal extramedullary hematopoiesis in the liver and spleen. Certain immune responses were also demonstrated in the rabbits treated with interferon and mock interferon preparations. Platelet counts and the serum‐ASAT, ‐ALAT, ‐LD and alkaline phosphatase values were normal.

Arvilommi, H.; RäSäNen, Liisa; Laatikainen, Aino; KarhumäKi, Eliisa

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1978.tb02558.xpmid: 308763

When human blood lymphocytes are cultured in vitro without any intended stimulus, they produce activities in the supernatant resembling lymphokine. This phenomenon was further investigated in the present study, where it has been demonstrated by physicochemical characterization and inhibition experiments that leukocyte migration inhibitory activity in the supernatants is due to leukocyte inhibitory factor (LIF). When T and B lymphocytes were purified by carbonyl iron and SRBC‐rosette sedimentation, only B cells produced LIF and leukocyte chemotactic lymphokine(s) in subsequent cultures. B cells elaborated lymphokines without the help of T cells, the need for co‐operation of monocytes was also unlikely. T cells were inactive even when reconstituted with monocytes and platelets.