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Biomedical subjects

A M Teppo

Publications and source records attributed to A M Teppo.

158 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Immunoelectrophoretic 'tailing' of albumin line due to albumin-IgG antibody complexes: a side effect of nitrofurantoin treatment?

The immunochemical analysis of sera of 10 patients in which immunoelectrophoresis showed a cathodic, elongated, 'tailing' albumin (TA) line is described. Eight of the 10 patients had been treated with nitrofurantoin, and withdrawal of the drug was followed by disappearance of the phenomenon in 5 cases. Most of the patients had polyclonally elevated IgG and IgA levels and a decreased albumin level; IgM; C3, C4, and C1-INH were normal. Antinuclear activity of IgG type was demonstrated in the sera of 9 patients. The TA phenomenon was due to noncovalently bound complexes between IgG and albumin. The combining sites of the IgG molecules were in the Fab fragment. The antibody-like activity of the IgG was directed towards autologous albumin. The anti-albumin activity remained unchanged after absorption of the antinuclear activity. The nitrofurantoin-induced albumin-anti-albumin system may prove useful as a human model of autoimmune response of known aetiology.

Aged↗
PubMed1970

Occurrence of ungulic acid in some epidermal tissues.

The lipids isolated from different animal tissues have been studied qualitatively, by TLC, for the occurrence of the ungulic acid fraction. This fraction was found in considerable amounts only in epidermal tissues and its keratinized derivatives. In the present study it was isolated from human keratinous epidermis, hair, and nails, pig bristles, wool, and feathers. The analytical results indicated that a lipid fraction from all of these sources contained ceramide, galactose, galactosamine, sulfate, and sialic acid in equimolar amounts, and that the fractions were similar to the ungulic acid isolated earlier from a horse's hoof.

Amino Alcohols↗
PubMed1969

New sialic acid-containing sulfolipid: "ungulic acid".

Human epidermis, hair, nails, and kidney as well as bovine and horses' hooves were found to contain a lipid fraction, which on thin-layer chromatography migrated slightly ahead of the cerebroside sulfate esters and gave the color reaction specific for sialic acid. This fraction was isolated from horse hoof, in which it constituted nearly half of the total lipids. The purified fraction contained sulfur, but no phosphorus. The IR spectrum revealed the presence of a sulfate group, which was also determined by the benzidine method. Thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography of the products of acid hydrolysis revealed the presence of sphingosine, galactose, galactosamine, and sialic acid. Fatty acid analysis showed that stearic acid was the major component, with minor amounts of palmitic and arachidic acids. The fraction isolated contained ceramide, sialic acid, galactose, galactosamine, and sulfate in equimolar amounts. We conclude that the new lipid is a ganglioside sulfate, which we have called "ungulic acid" because it was first separated and identified from a horse's hoof (Latin, ungula).

Amino Alcohols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The differential diagnosis of bacterial and aseptic meningitis using cerebrospinal fluid laboratory tests.

The lactate, lysozyme, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid-A protein concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid were measured in 11 patients with bacterial meningitis, 27 patients with aseptic meningitis and in 31 control patients. The mean concentration of each parameter was significantly higher (p less than or equal to 0.0001) in patients with bacterial meningitis than in those with aseptic meningitis or those without meningitis. The reliability of these tests in the differential diagnosis of bacterial and aseptic meningitis was compared with leucocyte counts in cerebrospinal fluid. Gram staining for bacteria, and protein and glucose levels. The cerebrospinal fluid lactate level proved to be more sensitive than lysozyme. C-reactive protein or serum amyloid-A protein and had a high degree of specificity.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antibodies to 90 kilodalton glycoprotein in childhood and adolescent celiac disease: relationship to reticulin antibodies.

Antibodies to 90 kilodalton (kDa) glycoprotein, a mannose-rich protein of skin and intestinal mucosa, were determined in 31 children or adolescents with untreated celiac disease, in 30 of these patients during gluten withdrawal, and in 17 patients on gluten challenge. Highly elevated antibody levels to 90 kDa glycoprotein were found in patients with untreated celiac disease. Close, positive correlation (r = 0.74, p less than 0.0005) was found between the age of these patients and the level of 90 kDa glycoprotein antibodies. The antibodies to 90 kDa glycoprotein behaved, compared with the reticulin antibodies, in a different manner kinetically. During gluten challenge antibodies to 90 kDa glycoprotein increased on an average 2.6 months later than the antibodies to reticulin. On the other hand, in patients undergoing gluten withdrawal the antibodies to reticulin markedly decreased or disappeared during the first 3 months on the diet, whereas the level of 90 kDa glycoprotein antibodies did not decrease until the 5th to 11th months on the diet. These results suggest that the antibodies reacting with the 90 kDa glycoprotein differ from those reacting with reticulin and that in celiac patients undergoing gluten challenge the synthesis of reticulin antibodies is an earlier event than the production of 90 kDa glycoprotein antibodies. The level of 90 kDa glycoprotein antibodies may reflect the extent of tissue damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical and metabolic characteristics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes: an epidemiological study from the Närpes community in western Finland.

Clinical and metabolic characteristics of all known Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients in a well-defined area in Western Finland are described. Retrospective data from the time of diagnosis and follow-up data were examined. Overall prevalence of diabetes was 25.4 cases per 1000 population. Patients were defined as having Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes based upon early insulin requirement and C-peptide levels. Applying these criteria 84% of the patients had Type 2 diabetes. Onset before the age of 40 years was observed in only 3% of Type 2 diabetic patients. This age limit therefore had a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 90% in correctly predicting Type 2 diabetes. At diagnosis, hypertension was observed in 2% of Type 1 and in 75% of Type 2 diabetic patients; the corresponding numbers at follow-up were 6 and 63%. At investigation, 27% of Type 1 and 22% of Type 2 diabetic patients had microalbuminuria. Retinopathy was observed in only 12% of Type 2 compared with 54% of Type 1 diabetic patients. The presence of retinopathy was associated with longer diabetes duration both among Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients. A significant decrease in C-peptide concentration was observed in Type 2 diabetic patients with increasing diabetes duration. The data therefore suggest that Type 2 diabetes is associated with a deterioration of beta-cell function with time.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Magnetic resonance imaging findings in Finnish Spitz dogs with focal epilepsy.

Eleven Finnish Spitz dogs with focal seizures and 3 healthy controls were evaluated. General clinical and neurological examinations, blood examination, urinalysis, cerebrospinal fluid examination, electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain were performed on all dogs. On EEG examination, focal epileptic activity was found in 7 of 11 dogs (64%), and generalized epileptic activity was observed in 4 of 11 dogs (36%). MRI (performed with 1.5 T equipment) detected changes in 1 epileptic dog. Mild contrast enhancement after gadolinium injection was identified in this dog's right parietal cortex. However, no such changes were observed in repeated magnetic resonance images. Special emphasis was given to seizure history to determine any correlations between seizure intervals and MRI findings. Our results indicate that Finnish Spitz dogs with focal seizures suffer from focal idiopathic epilepsy and have nondetectable findings on MRI or pathology. MRI showed poor sensitivity in detecting epileptogenic areas in our patients with focal seizures. Reversible MRI changes in 1 dog could have been caused by seizures.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Posttransplantation monitoring of high-density lipoprotein-associated serum amyloid A protein: a new diagnostic aid in the detection of renal allograft rejection.

The concentrations of serum amyloid A protein, a high-density lipoprotein-associated protein synthesized in the liver, were monitored in 66 recipients of cadaveric renal allografts. Acute graft rejection episodes were associated with dramatic elevations of serum amyloid A. Electrofocusing and immunoblotting of rejection sera showed a polymorphic serum amyloid A pattern similar to that obtained with control (apo) serum amyloid A isolated from the high-density lipoprotein fraction of plasma. Rejections in patients receiving cyclosporine alone as posttransplantation immunosuppressive medication were characterized by significantly higher serum amyloid A levels than in those receiving cyclosporine in combination with methylprednisolone. Due to the dramatic rejection-induced serum amyloid A elevation, limit values could be used which combined high sensitivity (87-96%) with reasonably high predictive value of a positive test (82%). The serum amyloid A test was applicable also in patients with initially nonfunctioning or poorly functioning grafts. It is concluded that monitoring of the serum amyloid A concentrations offers a valuable noninvasive aid in the early diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection, including patients with acute tubular necrosis of the graft.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum tumor necrosis factor does not correlate with changes in muscle volume in children with malignancies.

This study examined the connection between serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF) concentration and the development of cachexia in 12 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The changes in muscle thickness were used as criteria for malnutrition, estimated by an ultrasound method during the 16 weeks of chemotherapy subsequent to diagnosis. Serum TNF concentrations were elevated at diagnosis and gradually decreased toward the reference limits by week 16. There was no correlation between TNF and muscle thickness. The results were also compared to those obtained from 8 children with other malignancies in whom the mean relative weight remained below normal whereas in those with ALL it gradually increased to +15%. Thus, we found no evidence of the association between elevated serum TNF concentrations and cachexia in man.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Class specific rheumatoid factors and their complement binding property in the sera of patients suffering from recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis.

In this prospective study of 44 patients suffering from recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis we followed the changes in serum levels of rheumatoid factors (RF) of the main immunoglobulin classes and their complement binding property (C3BP) and studied the correlations of these variables with clinical and laboratory parameters of disease activity. The study showed that RFs of all immunoglobulin classes and C3BP fluctuated longitudinally correlating significantly with each other and with laboratory variables of disease activity. IgG-RFs, however, appeared to predict the erosiveness and to correlate best with the articular activity of the disease. Chrysotherapy was shown to decrease serum levels of all RF isotypes irrespectively of whether the patients responded to the therapy or not.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased plasma angiotensinogen in cardiac transplantation patients.

OBJECTIVES: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) stimulates the production of angiotensinogen (renin substrate, RS), an acute phase reactant and the precursor of the potent vasoconstrictor angiotensin II. This study assesses the effect of cardiac transplantation on plasma levels of angiotensinogen and interleukin 6. METHODS: Effects of cardiac transplantation on plasma levels of renin substrate and IL-6 were studied in twelve patients with NYHA IV end-stage heart failure. Renin substrate, IL-6, plasma renin activity, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A were determined 1 day before cardiac transplantation, and 1 day, 1 week, 4 weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively. Renin substrate was measured by both direct and indirect radioimmunoassay. An indirect assay measures intact renin substrate only, capable of releasing angiotensin I, while a direct assay measures both intact renin substrate and des-angiotensin I-renin substrate, the residue of renin substrate after cleavage of angiotensin I. RESULTS: Plasma renin substrate and IL-6 increased significantly on day 1 as compared with preoperative levels. Plasma renin substrate increased (measured by direct and indirect assay) by 64 and 50%, respectively, IL-6 levels by 43%. Plasma IL-6 returned to preoperative (normal) levels by 4-12 weeks. Plasma renin substrate levels remained elevated for the follow-up period of 12 weeks. The direct assay always gave higher values than the indirect assay, presumably due to consumption of renin substrate by renin. Consequently, a negative correlation between plasma renin activity and renin substrate measured with indirect assay was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that cardiac transplantation brings about an acute phase reaction, mediated partly by IL-6, with increased synthesis of acute phase proteins like renin substrate. This may result in increased angiotensin II levels. Considering the trophic effects of angiotensin II on vascular tissue, increased production of renin substrate may contribute to the development of proliferative cardiovascular changes in heart transplant recipients.

Adolescent↗