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Biomedical subjects

A I Pick

Publications and source records attributed to A I Pick.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

The elusive antigen. Thoughts on the structure/function relationship of homogeneous human antibodies.

The rapid progress in the elucidation of antibody structure and function had a major impact on our understanding of monoclonal immunoglobulins. It appears that monoclonicity is a basic immunologic phenomenon, closely related to specificity. The amplification of this phenomenon, observed in pathological conditions such as the various plasma cell dyscrasias, has not been fully understood due to the lack of identifiable antigens capable of triggering this response. The functional and structural data accumulated from animal experiments and the clinical investigation of anti-dextran, anti-phosphorylcholine, anti-thioflavine and homogeneous anti-arsonate antibodies as well as of cold agglutinins, point to the presence of a common structure/function relationship in these molecules. Structural and serologic data, obtained from homogeneous antibodies isolated by us from the serum of patients with cancer of the colon and of the urinary bladder, revealed significant structural similarities expressed by HVR homology and cross-idiotypic specificity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1982

Serological and biochemical analyses of M components in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Serological and biochemical studies were performed on M components isolated from 3 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder (TCC). All were IgG1(K) proteins. 2 of the 3 belonged to the VKI subgroup, and these 2 also possessed cross-reactive idiotypic determinants. These findings are consistent with the ideas that M components in patients with a given kind of cancer may have restricted heterogeneity, and that the synthesis of an M component and the manifestation of a solid tumor may be related events in some patients who exhibit both abnormalities.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1981

Clinical and immunochemical studies of 20 patients with amyloidosis and plasma cell dyscrasia.

Amyloidosis associated with plasma cell dyscrasia (AAPCD) is a relatively rare clinical entity (4% of our patients with PCD) and its early recognition and distinction from multiple myeloma (MM) may be of great therapeutic and prognostic significance. Laboratory parameters, such as concentrations of normal polyclonal Ig, Bence-Jones proteins and serum monoclonal components (MC) showed in our patients lower MC concentrations than in MM, lambda-L-chains and of gamma-H-chains predominating. Sequential skeletal X-ray studies and bone marrow morphology remain essential diagnostic procedures. Due to the lack of efficient therapeutic agents for AAPCD and the great progress achieved in recent years in the treatment of secondary amyloidosis, the immunochemical analysis of the isolated amyloid fibril as well as of the surrounding 'ground substance' should be pursued in AAPCD. Our data support previous observations, that in AAPCD the amyloid fibril subunit is an L-chain fragment predominantly derived from lambda-L-chains which originates from the same clone as the MC. The localization of an enzymatic cleavage point on the L-chain, the detection of a specific proteolytic enzyme and the identification of additional components in the amyloid substance, may further elucidate the etiopathogenesis of AAPCD.

Amyloid↗
PubMed1981

Serum immunoglobulin levels in splenectomized Hodgkin patients and in subjects following post-traumatic splenectomy.

Mean serum immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA, IgM) in splenectomized Hodgkin's disease patients in remission were compared with a control group of splenectomized healthy subjects following trauma. The controls showed a higher IgA and lower IgM than the normal. The IgM of the Hodgkin's group were decreased below the normal but showed no difference from the control group. IgA and IgG levels were not significantly different from the levels in the splenectomized healthy subjects. These results suggest that changes in immunoglobulins in splenectomized Hodgkin patients could be attributed to the effect of the removal of the spleen.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Eosinophilic pleural effusion with high anti-DNA activity as a manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus.

A patient, known to have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), presented with an eosinophilic pleural effusion. It is believed that SLE was the cause of her pleural effusion as increased levels of anti-DNA activity were found in the pleural fluid. Eosinophilic pleural effusion is a previosuly unreported observation in SLE patients (so far as the authors are aware), and the existence of increased anti-DNA activity in the pleural fluid may have value as an additional aid in the diagnosis of this disease.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1980

Age related distribution of serum immunoglobulin concentration in 1003 healthy children and adults.

IgG, IgA and IgM serum concentrations were determined in 605 healthy children and 398 adults, using a radial immunodiffusion technique. IgG levels were found to be high at birth, fall sharply at two weeks of age, reach a minimum at 3 months and then gradually rise to adult levels which are attained by the age of 9 years. IgA and IgM are low at birth, rise gradually and reach adult levels by 17-18 years. No significant differences, between male and female subjects were found in each of the age groups studied.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Plasma cell dyscrasia. Analysis of 423 patients.

Present clinical and laboratory diagnostic criteria permit a more accurate diagnosis and closer follow-up of patients with plasma cell dyscrasias. A ten-year follow-up of a group of 423 patients showed that the indications for and the adjustment of treatment are more precise when these criteria are summarized into profiles based on each diagnostic category. M components may be an indication of the presence of another sometimes nonreticular malignant neoplasm. The improvement of the specificity and sensitivity of immunologic methods sheds additional light on mechanisms controlling the synthesis of homogeneous antibodies such as prevalence of IgM-K in mixed cryoglobulinemia and lambda-light chains in IgD myeloma, excretion of lambda-Bence Jones proteins in amyloidosis, and greater IgG-subclass restriction in multiple myeloma as compared with benign monoclonal gammopathy. The activation of additional clones (biclonal gammopathies) was found in 3% of our patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Depressed PHA transformation and acute leukemia in macroglobulinemia.

Two out of fifty-three patients with macroglobulinemia developed acute leukemia following chemotherapy. The Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) Transformation Index performed prior to the appearance of acute leukemia was found to be markedly depressed in these two patients in comparison with ten other patients with macroglobulinemia. In addition, a clone with monosomy 7 was detected in one of the currently reported patients when the leukemic process became apparent. The cytogenetic analysis was normal in the same patient 48 months earlier, when macroglobulinemia was diagnosed. The low PHA Transformation Index and the chromosomal hypodiploidy are of interest and their clinical significance merits further investigation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Systemic lupus erythematosus associated with mixed cryoglobulinaemia and circulating anticoagulant.

We describe a 30-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), in whom the only evidence of the disease, during the 10 years before diagnosis was established, was an accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and a positive Wassermann test. Her disease was characterized by the presence of an anticoagulant without indication of bleeding, mixed cryoglobulinaemia, steroid-resistant renal damage, and persistent false-positive tests for syphilis. The relationship between these results and the presence of anticoagulant, mixed cryoglobulinaemia and renal damage in patients with SLE are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Delayed hypersensitivity and lymphocytic transformation in patients with Hodgkin's disease and granulomas.

Noncaseating, sarcoid-like granulomas were found in the tissues of 9 out of 31 patients with Hodgkin's disease. In vivo and in vitro cell-mediated immunity was evaluated in patients with and without granulomas and compared to a group of 20 normal controls. Hodgkin's disease patients of both groups showed a significantly reduced in vivo and in vitro response when compared to the control group. However, when patients in stages IIIB and IV were eliminated and patients in stages I, II, and IIIA examined separately, a positive skin test response to one or more antigens was elicited in 85.7% of patients with granulomas, while a markedly decreased-dose dependent response was observed in patients without granulomas. In vitro lymphocyte blastic transformation by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was severely impaired in both groups of patients as determined by dose-responses curves. These results indicate that Hodgkin's disease patients with granulomas have a significantly better skin test response than those without granulomas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Pleural effusion--presenting sign in multiple myeloma.

A patient with multiple myeloma in whom recurrent right pleural effusion was the presenting sign of the disease is reported. An IgA (k) monoclonal component was found in both the pleural effusion and the serum. The bone marrow specimen was interpreted as typical for multiple myeloma and the pleural fluid contained numerous plasma cells. Treatment with cyclophosphamide was followed by clinical improvement and the disappearance of the pleural effusion.

Aged↗