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Biomedical subjects

A Saxon

Publications and source records attributed to A Saxon.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Interleukin 6 is essential for antibody secretion by human in vivo antigen-induced lymphoblastoid B cells.

In vivo immunization of normal subjects with a variety of antigens generates circulating lymphoblastoid (LB) B cells, which in vitro spontaneously secrete significant levels of specific antibody. Since activation and initial differentiation of these cells occurs in vivo, they provide a useful model for the study of the later stages of B cell maturation. In the present study, we investigated the requirement of interleukin 6 (IL-6) for the "spontaneous" in vitro production of IgG-Tet by LB B cells. Addition of IL-6 to cultures of LB B cells in medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum failed to increase the levels of IgG-Tet produced in vitro. However, addition of anti-IL-6 antibodies decreased IgG-Tet production as much as 70%, and this inhibition could be reversed by the addition of IL-6. LB B cells cultured in serum-free medium in order to restrict endogenous IL-6 production secreted only low levels of antibody, unless exogenous IL-6 was added. Addition of 2.5 units/ml of IL-6 to serum-free cultures induced an increase in IgG-Tet secretion nearly comparable to that seen in cultures supplied with serum. The magnitude of the increase in IgG-Tet secretion in response to exogenous IL-6 was inversely related to the number of cells in culture, which was due in part to increased endogenous IL-6 production in cultures with higher cell concentrations. Experiments including hydroxyurea in serum-free cultures indicated that IL-6-dependent enhancement of LB B cells' IgG-Tet secretion was not primarily mediated by cell growth. These observations suggest that in vivo generated LB B cells are not totally committed to antibody secretion, and that IL-6 is essential for in vivo antigen-induced LB B cells to reach the antibody-secreting stage.

Antibodies↗

Functional human T cell-B cell hybridomas established from fusion of normal T cells and an EBV-transformed B cell line.

Human T cell-B cell hybridomas containing 92 chromosomes were derived by fusing normal stimulated CD-depleted T cells with the EBV-transformed human B cell line 729-HF. These hybridomas coexpressed the T cell surface markers CD3, CD8, and CD2 and the B cell surface antigens CD19, CD20, CD23, DR, and DQ. They weakly and variably expressed surface IgM and TCR. Genomic analysis revealed the presence of rearranged Ig genes as well as beta-T cell receptor genes that could be ascribed to the B and T cell parent, respectively. Analysis of TCR rearrangement suggests that the T-B hybridomas are, in fact, subclones of a single dominant clone. Although the hybrids expressed CD8 and not CD4, following preincubation with PWM, some the of clones induced IgG synthesis from normal B cells while the parent B cell line failed to demonstrate this activity. Stimulation of the hybridomas with PMA down-regulated the T cell lineage-specific antigen display (CD3, CD8, and TCR) and increased IgM production from the hybrids without changing B cell surface antigen display. These hybridomas may be useful to dissect the steps involved in the ultimate commitment of a cell to the B or T cell lineages and will be made available to interested investigators.

Antigens, CD↗

A distinct subset of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies is associated with inflammatory bowel disease.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) have recently been demonstrated to be of importance in Wegener's granulomatosis and certain other forms of vasculitis associated with glomerulonephritis. With a fixed-cell ELISA, we demonstrated that ANCAs occur in the serum of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involving the colon. In a blinded study, sera from 21 of 25 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and five of 25 patients with Crohn's disease had binding in the fixed-cell ELISA. The five reactive sera from patients with Crohn's disease were associated with the presence of clear colonic involvement. The presence of ANCA in patients with UC was not influenced by disease distribution or activity. Indeed, such antibodies were present in four subjects with UC more than 5 years after colectomy. The IBD-associated ANCAs were distinct from ANCAs reported in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis since the pattern of staining on indirect immunofluorescence exhibited a nongranular perinuclear distribution (P-ANCA). The P-ANCA observed in IBD did not react with myeloperoxidase and thus was distinct from the P-ANCA observed in vasculitis with cresentric glomerulonephritis. IBD and, in particular, UC, is associated with a distinct subset of P-ANCA, which may have important diagnostic and potential pathophysiologic implications.

Adult↗

Soluble CD23 containing B cell supernatants induce IgE from peripheral blood B-lymphocytes and costimulate with interleukin-4 in induction of IgE.

The role of soluble fragments of CD23 and their relationship to interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the in vitro production of IgE by normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was examined. Most donors' cells were induced to produce IgE in vitro by IL-4 during a 9- to 21-day culture. This stimulation was not observed in the absence of T cells. Inability of IL-4 to induce IgE in nonresponding cultures was associated with a failure to express CD23 on Lev-19+ natural killer cells; CD23 expression on B cells and monocytes was equivalent in responding and nonresponding subjects. Concentrated supernatants from Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell lines containing soluble fragments (sCD23) of the low-affinity Fc epsilon R (Fc epsilon R-II, CD23) induced IgE from all donors' cells in the absence of T cells. The sCD23 containing supernatants were demonstrated to be devoid of IL-4, and their effect could not be abrogated by anti-IL-4. IgE induction by both IL-4 and sCD23-containing supernatant were blocked by anti-CD23 monoclonal antibody. Affinity absorption of sCD23 removed the IgE-inducing activity. The cells most responsive to the sCD23 material were small, resting B cells rather than large in vivo activated cells. IL-4 synergized with sCD23-containing supernatant in the T cell-depleted cultures, and limiting dilution analyses demonstrated that IL-4 caused a more than tenfold increase in the precursor frequency of cells capable of responding to sCD23-containing supernatant with IgE production. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that IL-4 has multiple effects in the ultimate induction of human IgE including (1) commitment of B cells to IgE and (2) the generation of natural killer cell sCD23 fragments that subsequently drive IgE-committed cells to IgE synthesis.

Adult↗

Elevated serum interleukin-6 associated with a failure in B cell differentiation in common variable immunodeficiency.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6/B cell stimulatory factor 2) has been found to drive activated human B-lymphocytes through the final stages of differentiation to become immunoglobulin-producing cells. Most patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) have B-lymphocytes that fail to differentiate into high-rate immunoglobulin-secreting cells in vivo and in vitro. In view of (1) the known effects of IL-6 to promote B-lymphocyte terminal differentiation and (2) the defect in differentiation in B-lymphocytes of patients with CVI, we believed that it was important to analyze the role of this cytokine in patients with CVI. Using an IL-6-dependent murine hybridoma cell line in a bioassay, serum IL-6 levels were determined in 17 patients with CVI and in eight normal control subjects. Thirteen of the 17 patients with CVI exhibited serum IL-6 levels that were twofold to 18-fold higher than the range (mean, +2 SD) of normal control subjects. Spontaneous IL-6 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with CVI was significantly higher than that from normal control subjects, whereas lipopolysaccharide maximally stimulated IL-6 production by PBMCs of patients with CVI or PBMCs of normal control subjects was equivalent. A substance inhibitory of IL-6 bioactivity was found in equivalent amounts in sera of both patients and normal control subjects. Sera from patients with CVI with high IL-6 bioactivity were found to have saturated this IL-6 inhibitory substance, thus resulting in large amounts of free IL-6 in the sera. These studies suggest that the failure of B cells from patients with CVI to terminally differentiate into high-rate immunoglobulin-secreting cells cannot be attributed to a decrease in the serum levels of IL-6 and that the increased circulating IL-6 levels in patients with CVI result from hyperproduction rather than decreased use of IL-6. The persistently elevated levels of IL-6 observed in some patients with CVI may secondarily result in the induction of the neoplastic and autoimmune phenomena associated with this disease.

Agammaglobulinemia↗

B-cell dysfunction following human bone marrow transplantation: functional-phenotypic dissociation in the early posttransplant period.

We investigated the defect in humoral immunity that occurs following bone marrow transplantation (BMT). B cells from BMT recipients were tested for their ability to undergo the sequential steps of activation (RNA synthesis on stimulation with anti-mu or PMA), proliferation (DNA synthesis on stimulation with anti-mu plus B cell growth factor [BCGF], phorbol myristate acetate [PMA], or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I [SAC] strain bacteria) and differentiation (Ig synthesis stimulated by T cell replacing factor [TRF]). B-cell maturation-associated cell surface markers were simultaneously investigated. "Early" (less than 10 months) posttransplant patients demonstrated defective B-cell activation and also failed to undergo normal proliferation and differentiation. Despite their functional impairment, the early patients' B cells displayed an "activated" phenotype with increased proportions of B cells displaying CD23 (a BCGF receptor) and decreased proportions of Leu 8+ B cells. Furthermore, these patients were uniquely distinguished by the fact that their B cells only weakly (if at all) expressed the CD19 antigen. In contrast, B cells from "late" patients (greater than or equal to 10 months post-BMT) activated and proliferated normally and displayed a normal cell surface phenotype, yet were unable to differentiate to high rate Ig secretion with TRF. Our results suggest a phenotype/function dissociation in early posttransplant period. With time, B cells in BMT patients acquire a normal surface phenotype and can activate and proliferate normally, yet still demonstrate a block in terminal differentiation.

Adolescent↗

Binding the low affinity Fc epsilon R on B cells suppresses ongoing human IgE synthesis.

Our results support the hypothesis that binding the low affinity Fc epsilon R (Fc epsilon R-II, CD23) on IgE-secreting B cells, directly suppresses IgE production. IgE production from AF-10/U266 (a human IgE plasmacytoma) decreased upon incubation with anti-IgE mAb or IgE:anti-IgE immune complexes (IgE-IC). Synthesis was suppressed a maximum of 51% with 10 micrograms/ml of IgE-IC after a 24-h incubation. Spontaneous in vitro IgE synthesis from the B cells of highly atopic individuals was also inhibited in a similar fashion. This effect was isotype specific as IgA or IgG immune complexes did not alter IgE production from AF-10 nor did IgE-IC affect IgA or IgG synthesis from lymphoblastoid cell lines making IgG (GM1500 and RPMI 8866) or IgA (GM1056). U266/AF-10 cells displayed both membrane IgE (greater than 90%) and Fc epsilon R-II (23%). To evaluate the role of these membrane proteins in the observed suppression of IgE synthesis, we treated U266/AF-10 cells with IgE-IC that bound Fc epsilon R-II but could not bind membrane IgE, as the mAb used was directed against an idiotypic determinant on the myeloma IgE (PS) used to make the IgE-IC. Suppression was maximal (greater than 50%) with these complexes at 0.1 micrograms/ml and at a 1/1 ratio of mAb anti-IgE to human myeloma IgE. When IgE-IC were used that were constructed with heat denatured IgE or F(ab')2 fragments of IgE, suppression was abrogated indicating IgE-Fc epsilon R binding was required. Neither PS IgE nor mAb 5.1 (the components of IgE-IC) alone affected IgE synthesis. Furthermore, a mAb binding directly to CD23 suppressed IgE synthesis from AF-10 up to 60%. Using limiting dilution analysis, we determined that IgE production per AF-10 cell was constant (0.9 pg/cell/24 h), independent of cell density and cells incubated with IgE-IC were uniformly suppressed. To clarify the mechanism of IgE-IC-induced suppression on AF-10 cells, we assessed both the proliferative rate and cell cycle distribution upon incubation with IgE-IC. There was no correlation between IgE production and [3H]TdR incorporation by AF-10 cells incubated with IgE-IC or anti-CD23 mAb. The distribution of cells within the cell cycle was unaffected by these treatments, with 60% of the cells in G1. These results define a direct role for the Fc epsilon R-II on B cells in the regulation of ongoing IgE synthesis.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Inability of oral bovine transfer factor to eradicate cryptosporidial infection in a patient with congenital dysgammaglobulinemia.

A 31-year-old man with dysgammaglobulinemia Type I (deficient IgG, IgA, and elevated IgM) and persistent cryptosporidiosis was treated over a 13-week period with oral bovine transfer factor from calves immunized with cryptosporidia. Spiramycin was added toward the end of the treatment period. This patient failed to show clinical response although there was a decrease in the stool oocyst count from the value just prior to therapy. Bovine transfer factor alone and in combination with spiramycin failed to eradicate the infection in this man with well-documented stable cryptosporidiosis.

Administration, Oral↗

Anaphylaxis to infusion of autologous bone marrow: an apparent reaction to self, mediated by IgE antibody to bovine serum albumin.

A case of anaphylaxis during autologous bone marrow infusion is reported. The patient was demonstrated to be skin test positive to fetal calf serum used in the cryopreservation of his bone marrow cells. The patient's serum was demonstrated to contain IgE antibody directed against bovine serum albumin. A second aliquot of the patient's bone marrow preparation was depleted of contaminating bovine proteins, and the patient successfully received a transplant and was engrafted. Clinicians need to be aware that the increasing use of biologic response modifiers, both as whole cells and effector molecules manipulated or produced in vitro, may lead to cryptic reactions to xenogeneic proteins.

Adult↗

Failure of B cells in common variable immunodeficiency to transit from proliferation to differentiation is associated with altered B cell surface-molecule display.

B cells from patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) were investigated as to their surface-molecule display and their functional ability to transit through defined in vitro developmental stages. Patients' B cells were analyzed by dual color-flow cytometry and found to have an abnormal surface-molecule display characterized by depressed Leu 8 and CD21 expression. Membrane immunoglobulin (mu, delta, and light chain) were normally displayed. The lack of Leu 8 and CD21 expression did not represent the normal loss of these antigens from B cells with activation because the cells did not demonstrate enhanced display of activation markers, nor did they demonstrate enhanced display of early B cell molecules, such as common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigen or CD5. Small resting B cells from the patients were isolated and tested for their ability to respond functionally to a series of activation, proliferation, and differentiation signals. B cells from 14 of 17 patients failed to transit from proliferation to differentiation with increased immunoglobulin production when B cells were stimulated with T cell replacing factor +/- phorbol myristate acetate. Cells of one patient failed to proliferate, whereas B cells from the remaining two patients with CVI did not undergo activation (size change and RNA synthesis) when they were exposed to antimu antibody or low-dose phorbol myristate acetate. These studies demonstrate that most patients with CVI have B cells displaying an altered-surface phenotype that is associated with a specific functional defect in transiting from cell proliferation to differentiation and immunoglobulin production.

Adult↗

Aztreonam in the management of gram-negative infections in penicillin-allergic patients: a review.

Penicillins and cephalosporins, which are well-tolerated by most patients, can result in hypersensitivity reactions. This factor not only limits the use of beta-lactam antibiotics but also presents challenges to the selection of alternative drugs because of the potential for cross-reactivity. Evidence suggests that aztreonam, the prototype of the new monobactam class of beta-lactam antibiotics, may be a safe alternative antibiotic for managing Gram-negative infections in penicillin-allergic patients.

Aztreonam↗

The utility of detecting of autoantibodies against neutrophil cytoplasmic components in Wegener's granulomatosis.

Establishing the diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) can be very difficult, especially early in the disease or in limited forms of this illness where renal and/or pulmonary involvement does not occur. Recent reports have suggested that tests to measure levels of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are useful in the diagnosis and management of WG. We developed an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) utilizing neutrophil granules and their fractions to detect such antibodies. We identified the major antigen in patients with WG as contained in a protein peak of 25-30,000 molecular weight. ELISA testing of patient, normal control, and disease control sera showed that the ELISA test suffered from a lack of specificity. It detected positive results in 19 of 49 disease control sera that were primarily from patients with diseases such as lupus erythematosus. Visual examination, by indirect immunofluorescence using patients' sera to stain normal fixed neutrophils, identified the coursely speckled (granule associated) WG binding pattern in seven of eight WG patients and this was distinguishable from the pattern of binding in non-WG sera. While the techniques such as the ELISA and flow cytometry are useful in identifying sera with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, positive sera should still be examined by visual fluorescence microscopy when entertaining the diagnosis of WG. Under these circumstances, tests for ANCA will be very useful in the diagnosis and management of WG.

Autoantibodies↗

Retinoic acid induces the differentiation of B cell hybridomas from patients with common variable immunodeficiency.

Human-human B cell hybridomas constructed from B lymphocytes of common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) patients and the nonsecreting cell line WIL2/729 HF consistently secrete low levels of Ig and appear to retain a defect characteristic of the CVI patient's B cells. We assessed the differentiative capacity of retinoic acid (RA) on these hybridomas, as well as on hybridomas constructed from normal B cells and from patients with selective IgA deficiency. RA at concentrations varying between 10(-5) and 10(-9) M augmented IgM secretion 4-20-fold from four of four CVI hybridomas tested, but did not affect Ig secretion from normal or IgA-deficiency hybridomas. In support of this elevated Ig secretion, RA enhanced the de novo synthesis of biosynthetically labeled light (kappa) and heavy (mu) Ig (up to 4- and 15-fold, respectively) in the CVI hybridoma line JK32.1. The increase in IgM synthesis/secretion could not be accounted for by RA-induced alteration in the cell cycle. In inducing this increase in IgM production, RA was found to affect two aspects of Ig gene expression: (a) the steady-state levels of heavy and light chain mRNAs were enhanced, and (b) the processing of mu heavy chain transcripts to the secreted mRNA form became favored over the membrane mRNA form. We also show that expression of Leu-17 (CD38), a surface marker that is re-expressed in the late pre-plasma stage of B cell development, was increased by RA from less than 20% to greater than 90% of the total cell population, with a concomitant 4-10-fold augmentation in the mean fluorescence intensity. Changes in both Leu-17 expression and de novo Ig synthesis were prominent by 24 h, but could be observed as early as 8 h after induction. Taken together, our study demonstrates that RA affects a marked alteration in the differentiated state of the CVI hybridoma clones. This finding suggests that retinoids can enhance the functional capabilities of B cells with defects in maturation and support further studies to evaluate their clinical potential in CVI.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Human natural killer (NK) cells produce a late-acting B-cell differentiation activity.

The supernatant of unstimulated purified NKH-1 bearing human natural killer (NK) cells was found to enhance ongoing immunoglobulin synthesis. This NK-Cell supernatant (NKSN) enhanced IgE, IgG, and IgA synthesis from corresponding B-cell lines without increasing thymidine incorporation or cell number. Separation of NKH-1+ cells into CD3- or CD3+ cells showed that this activity was produced by the CD3- population. Recombinant human interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, interferon (INF)-beta 1, INF-gamma, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, or partially purified low molecular weight B-cell growth factor (BCGF) failed to provide the same enhancement of Ig synthesis. While the NKSN contained small amounts of IL-6 (0.1 U/ml) and IL-6 could increase Ig synthesis in vitro, the optimal IL-6 enhancement was far less than that observed with NKSN. NKSN also enhanced ongoing Ig synthesis from in vivo activated B cells obtained from peripheral blood or bone marrow but failed to induce Ig synthesis from resting or in vitro activated B cells. These results demonstrate that human NK (CD3-, NKH-1+) cells can produce B-cell differentiation activity capable of regulating Ig production in vivo, which appears to be distinct from the activity of previously described cytokines.

Antibody Formation↗

Expression of Fc epsilon receptors and surface and cytoplasmic IgE on human fetal and adult lymphopoietic tissue.

The appearance during ontogeny of IgE-positive and Fc epsilon receptor (FcER)-bearing cells was studied. Monoclonal antibody to the constant region (Fc) of IgE (CIA-E-7.12) was used to detect cytoplasmic and surface IgE. A monoclonal antibody to the low-affinity Fc epsilon receptor (FcER-II = CD23) and immune complexes composed of human IgE and mouse monoclonal anti-human IgE Fc were used to detect FcER. Cryostat sections of human fetal tissues (liver, lung, spleen, and thymus) from 11 to 22 weeks gestation as well as adult tonsil tissues were examined for IgE, FcER, and other lymphoid markers by immunoperoxidase staining. Although both IgE- and FcER-positive cells were present in adult tissues, we found that, in contrast to an earlier report, such cells were not present in the fetal tissues examined. The in situ location of FcER on cells in human lymphoid tissues revealed that the FcER-bearing cells were localized predominantly in the germinal centers (mature B cell and macrophage areas) of the tonsil follicles with some staining in the mantle (resting and less mature B cell areas).

Adult↗

AIDS: state of the art, spring 1988.

In this article I have addressed many of the AIDS issues of concern to immunologists and allergists, both as citizens, physicians, and as specialists. HIV infection (AIDS) is going to be with us for some time to come. However, I think some solace can be gained from the fact that the human race has faced many such contagions in the past for example, bubonic plague, cholera, syphilis, and most recently, polio, to name a few. We are very fortunate today to have the scientific and medical tools that have provided us with tremendous insight into the basic and clinical aspects of this disease. These tools and a large cadre of dedicated people who have declared a war on AIDS will provide the answers.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗