Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Shohat.
Lymphocytes were obtained from a lymph node biopsy from a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in whom B and T lymphocytes were present in equal percentages in the peripheral blood. The lymphocytes were examined for rosette formation with mouse and sheep erythrocytes in order to determine whether the leukemic process was of the B or T cell type.
Adenovirus and other usually benign viral infections may occasionally be associated with severe fulminant disease, often accompanied by acute acquired cellular immunodeficiency. Thymic humoral factor derived from calf thymuses has been demonstrated to have the capacity to restore the immunocompetence of immature, incompetent T cells. This factor was used in the treatment of a 3 1/2-year-old boy who was critically ill with an adenovirus infection and presented evidence of immunocellular deficiency. Within less than 48 hours after the institution of treatment with thymic humoral factor there was a dramatic, progressive clinical improvement, with restoration of the cellular immunocompetence. It is suggested that thymic humoral factor may be beneficial in the treatment of severe viral infections associated with depressed cellular immunocompetence.
Four children with lymphoproliferative malignant disease, two with acute lymphocytic leukemia in remission and two with Hodgkin's disease, were treated with a Thymic Hormone, THF, for disseminated varicella infecition. It is suggested that THF increased significantly the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes and T-rosette forming lymphocytes in 3 out of 4 children, who developed the varicella at the time of impaired cellular immunity. On the other hand, in the fourth child, with Hodgkin's disease, who had a normal number of T-rosettes, a decreased absolute number of lymphocytes as well as T-rosettes was observed over a course of 14 days THF treatment, although the percent of T-cells has not changed significantly. All of the four children recovered, including the child who was at high risk, with a marked lymphopenia, severe bilateral pneumonitis, hepatitis secondary infected skin lesions and psudomonas sepsis. It is indicated that THF therapy may restore the depressed cellular immunity in immunosuppressed children with malignant disease, and has its value as a supportive immunotherapy in life-threatening disseminated varicella infection.
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In a comparative experimental study, excisions of a transplanted Lewis lung carcinoma in BDF1 mice were performed by means of the CO2 laser and conventional methods, namely common scalpel and diathermy. The results showed a significant reduction in tumor recurrence and animal mortality rates (27.5% vs. 75% and 45%) after tumor excision with the laser in the early stage (5th day) of tumor development. This finding, in addition to the surgical properties of the CO2 laser, suggests that early excision using this modality is a rational treatment of this type of tumor.
Cultures of normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) were treated with withaferin A and examined by an electron microscope. The compound was found to affect the spindle microtubules of cells in metaphase. There were no intact pole-to-pole microtubules or pole-to-kinetochore microtubules found in the treated cells; the centrioles were located in the center. Furthermore, cells at interphase were also affected, the membrane system of the cells being damaged.
Mouse sarcoma 180 (S-180) solid and ascites tumor cells were treated in vivo and in vitro with withaferin A and observed with the electron microscope. The compound was found to effect this spindle microtubules of cells in metaphase. An interesting finding was the double membranes surrounding the chromosomes in the treated cells; probably the nuclei were reconstructed directly from the metaphase stage in the in vivo withaferin A-treated cells. In addition the membranes of the cells in interphase were affected by in vivo or in vitro treatment with the compound.
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The local graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR) test was used to assess the cellular immune competence of lymphocytes obtained from 29 patients with malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract before and after removal of the tumor. Prior to removal most patients showed impairment of cellular immune competence; 10 to 14 days after surgery there was an improvement in a considerable number of patients. However, when tested four months later, the GVHR was again negative in some patients. The possible factors leading to deficiency in cellular immune competence and the value of the local GVHR test in the long-term follow-up of patients who have had malignant disease are discussed.
Two patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) showed impairment of cell-mediated immunity, as indicated by a low T cell number, decreased intracellular cyclic AMP levels of peripheral blood lymphocytes, negative graft-vs.-host reaction in vivo, negative skin reactions to common antigens and, in one of the patients, abnormal reactions in migration inhibition factor tests. Since some of the impaired T cell functions in one of the patients were reconstituted in vitro by the administration of thymus humoral factor (THF), a thymic hormone shown in an earlier study to regulate maturation of T lymphocytes in in vitro and in vivo animal models, a course of THF administration was given to both patients in this study. In vitro and in vivo assays, which reflect T cell competence, were performed before and after a daily schedule of THF administration that lasted for 10 days in one patient and 21 days in the other. The results of this preliminary trial suggested that THF was capable of reconstituting the impaired T cell functions in both patients after a short term of treatment. These preliminary results should encourage additional long-term therapeutic trials with THF in SSPE patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity.
The local graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) and the spontaneous rosette-forming cell (RFC) test were used to test the functional activity of lymphocytes in blood obtained from twenty normal donors and thirty patients with malignant tumours. The lymphocytes of all twenty control donors gave a positive GVHR and had normal RFC values. In twenty-two of the thirty patients with malignancies the GVHR was negative; of these, only five had low RFC values. In the remaining eight patients the GVHR was positive and RFC values were normal. It is concluded that the local GVHR constitutes a sensitive test for measurement of the functional activity of lymphocytes, while the RFC test can only be used as a quantitative test.
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