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Biomedical subjects

E Linder

Publications and source records attributed to E Linder.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Subclass distribution and IgE responses after treatment in human schistosomiasis.

The IgG and IgA subclass distribution of specific antibodies as well as the distribution of total and specific IgE in 15 patients with schistosomiasis was determined in consecutive samples before and after initiation of treatment. An adult worm antigen preparation and a soluble egg antigen preparation were used as antigens in the ELISA assays. After initiation of treatment a rise was noted in certain subclasses and a correlation was found for specific IgG1 and IgG4 serum levels in the egg-excreting patients against adult worm antigen and for specific IgG4 and IgE levels in sera from the eight patients with a chronic disease. They also had a rise of the specific IgA1 titre and six of them also of specific IgA2. Members of eosinophilic granulocytes reached a peak after 2 weeks in seven of the eight patients. The increase of eosinophils was an early event as opposed to the incidence of peak of the determined specific isotypes. The associated rise in IgG1, IgG4 and IgE antibody concentrations and eosinophils may suggest a causal relation possibly induced by common interleukins.

Adolescent↗

Detection of Pneumocystis carinii in lung-derived samples using monoclonal antibodies to an 82 kDa parasite component.

Monoclonal antibodies against Pneumocystis carinii (PC) antigenic epitopes resistant to denaturing procedures were developed by immunization of mice with isolated parasites and a urea extract of infected human lung tissue. Paraffin sections of infected lung tissue were used as antigen in the screening for reactive clones. The target antigen was identified as an 82 kDa parasite specific component in immunoblotting. The antibody showed no cross-reactivity with human lung tissue and various rat tissues and failed to react with a number of parasites and fungi. The antigenic epitope recognized by the anti-82 kDa component was resistant to denaturing procedures involved in fixation and processing of tissues for histology. The antibodies could be used for identification of both cysts and trophozoites in fixed smears of infected lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from infected individuals.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

No evidence of hypersensitivity to dental restorative metals in oral lichen planus.

Twelve patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) suspected of dental restorative metal allergy were examined. All patients were patch tested with several metals including six different mercury compounds. One (8%) patient showed a positive patch test to two mercury compounds whereas no mercury allergy was found in a reference group of 17 patients suspected of dental restorative material allergy but without OLP lesions. The mercury allergic OLP patient was further tested on palatal mucosa but no reactions developed. Moreover, the energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis failed to show any contaminating metals in his OLP lesion. Mucosal biopsies were taken in close contact with amalgam fillings from nine OLP patients but these disclosed no evidence of lichenoid or dysplastic alterations. In OLP lesions, the immunofluorescence findings showed fibrinogen deposition, altered basement membrane and elastic fiber staining and intense Ulex europeaus I lectin fluorescence through all epithelial cell layers. Therefore, the present patch tests did not reveal increased frequency of mercury or other metal allergy in OLP patients and the mucosal biopsies failed to show any histologic or immunofluorescence alterations deviating from idiopathic OLP lesions.

Adult↗

Identification of schistosomal eggs. Description of an immunological spot assay for hatch fluid antigen.

A number of parasitic worms produce large numbers of eggs which may be identified by microscopy in the excretions of the host. Alternative identification methods would be useful for epidemiological purposes and this paper describes a non-microscopical method for the demonstration of schistosomal eggs, which is based on the release of soluble material from eggs during hatching in water. Substances present in hatch fluid from Schistosoma mansoni eggs were adsorbed to nitrocellulose paper and then visualized as small stained spots using horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled lectins or specific antibodies. In this way the number of living eggs present in the sample could be estimated. The method may be useful as a basis for the development of diagnostic assays.

Animals↗

Activation of complement by intermediate filaments of glomerular epithelial cells.

Glomerular visceral epithelial cells, podocytes, have been shown by immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase staining methods to bind serum complement (C) components in vitro. Binding of Clq, C4, and C3 was demonstrated and the C4 and C3 binding could be inhibited by EDTA. Thus complement binding had the capacity to cause antibody-independent activation of the "classical" C pathway. The C-binding structures had the same distribution as intermediate filaments (IMFs) of vimentin but not desmin or keratin types. By ultrastructural immunohistochemical staining C3 was observed in association with cytoskeletal IMFs.

Complement Activation↗

Schistosoma mansoni: visualization with fluorescent lectins of secretions and surface carbohydrates of living cercariae.

Attachment of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae was studied during their explorative movements along a glass surface using labeled lectins as markers. Fluorochrome-labeled lectins selectively labeled surface material produced at the cercarial attachment sites and part of the cercarial surface. The deposited secretions reacted with most of the lectins used but differences in the staining intensity were noted. Secreted material was visualized at the attachment sites within a few seconds after cercarial attachment. The deposited material appeared as "footprints" located at a constant distance from each other. The footprints were formed by a regular cercarial "looping" movement along the glass surface and led to a site of massive deposition of secretions partly covering the body.

Lectins↗

Complement activation by antigenic fractions of Entamoeba histolytica.

Complement (C) activation induced by Entamoeba histolytica in normal non-immune human serum was studied by testing in vitro the ability of different fractions of the trophozoites to cause C3 breakdown. Whole trophozoites were found to activate both alternative and classical C pathways. The antibody-independent classical pathway (MgEGTA inhibitable) C activating capacity was found to greatly increase after disruption of the cell membrane by sonication. Subsequent analysis after differential centrifugation and ion exchange chromatography of the membrane/particulate fractions showed, that this activity was not due to DNA, which has been shown to have the similar characteristics, but to other, as yet unidentified components. A rather homogenous membrane fraction obtained by elution with 0.4 M Tris-HCl, pH 8.1 (described as 4M) and some cytoplasmic constituents obtained after gel chromatography retained a moderate degree of alternative pathway C3 activating capacity seen with intact trophozoites. Thus, it seems, that serum contact to the outer surface of E. histolytica trophozoites leads to C activation via both pathways with cell death as the result and to subsequent release of more efficiently classical pathway activating components. These phenomena probably have an important role in the inflammatory process in invasive amoebiasis.

Animals↗

Immunologic findings of oral lichen planus.

Immunofluorescence (IFL) examination in lichen planus (LP) often reveals fibrin deposition in the basement membrane (BM) zone and colloid bodies (CB) giving a positive IgM fluorescence. Oral biopsies were taken from the involved buccal mucosa of 10 LP patients. IFL examination showed fibrin deposition in the BM area of all patients but in none of the seven controls. CB were found in the upper connective tissue of 5/10 oral and 3/3 skin specimens and they were always positive for fibrin, IgM and keratin. Positive staining with keratin antiserum suggests the epithelial origin of CB but the importance of fibrin and IgM staining remains unknown. Double IFL staining revealed that in areas of heavy fibrin deposition and CB formation the laminin and fibronectin staining was absent, suggesting a damage to BM. Moreover, IFL examinations with serum amyloid P (SAP) antiserum and basic fuchsin (BF) showed alterations indicating that upper connective tissue elastic fiber system is also involved in oral LP.

Colloids↗

Complement levels and C3 breakdown products in open-heart surgery: association of C3 conversion with the postpericardiotomy syndrome.

The role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of the post-pericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) was evaluated in a prospective study by measuring the levels of complement (C) components, total haemolytic complement activity and circulating C3 breakdown products in serial plasma and serum samples of 45 patients undergoing open-heart surgery. A consistent reduction in the levels of C3 and C4 but not of factor B was seen on the second post-operative day. During the second post-operative week the antigenic levels of each C component increased significantly. At this time six patients developed the post-pericardiotomy syndrome. Circulating C3 conversion products (C3bi and C3c) were demonstrated in the plasma samples from five of these patients by the immunofixation technique, the mean conversion percentage being 14.3 +/- 10.6. The samples from 15 of the 39 other patients also showed C3 conversion, but the mean percentage was significantly lower (4.5 +/- 6.1%, P less than 0.05). Before the second post-operative week C3 conversion was rare in both groups. The C3d levels of plasma samples, as detected by rocket immunoelectrophoresis, followed a similar pattern. Reduced total haemolytic complement activity was found in three patients suffering from the PPS. These results suggest a role for complement in the non-infectious, inflammatory response during the late post-operative period after open heart surgery, and especially in the post-pericardiotomy syndrome.

Adolescent↗

Demonstration of anti-keratin antibodies by ELISA using keratin or thiol-containing compounds in urea as antigens.

During the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the demonstration of anti-keratin antibodies (AKA) it was observed that rabbit anti-keratin antisera also reacted with polystyrene surfaces treated with beta-mercaptoethanol in 8 M urea (ME-urea). Sera from non-immunized rabbits or rabbits immunized with antigens unrelated to keratin failed to react. The specificity of the reaction was further assessed by absorption experiments and by testing affinity-purified AKA. IgM activity against ME-urea could be demonstrated in 62.5% of sera from patients with infectious mononucleosis and in 37.5% of sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and there was a good correlation to the presence of AKA. Coating of the solid phase with compounds containing free SH groups in 4-8 M urea generated the antigen of this ELISA. The exact molecular configuration of this presumptive synthetic antigen is obscure, but the ME-urea ELISA seems to provide a simple way to detect anti-keratin antibodies of a certain specificity.

Animals↗

Immunoglobulin deposits in bladder epithelium and vessels in interstitial cystitis: possible relationship to circulating anti-intermediate filament autoantibodies.

Sera from patients suffering from interstitial cystitis (IC) reacted with bright staining of the bladder epithelium and vascular endothelium when tested for autoantibodies by indirect immunofluorescence using normal bladder tissue as target antigen. When tested for autoantibodies using cultured cells as antigen the antibodies were found to be directed against cytoskeletal intermediate filaments (IMF). Sera from 43 IC patients had a high incidence and high titers of anti-IMF autoantibodies as compared to both healthy individuals and patients suffering from other urological or surgical diseases. The results suggest that anti-IMF autoantibodies may be involved in the perpetuating chronic type of tissue injury seen in these patients. The antibodies were of the IgM class. In vivo deposits of IgM in patient bladder biopsies localized similarly to the autoantibodies; epithelial tissue showed deposits in 19% and vascular tissue, deposits in more than 50% of the patients, often together with complement components Clq,C3, or C4. In addition, subendothelial deposits associated with fibrillar structures could be observed. The results suggest a possible relationship between the in vivo IgM deposits in the bladder epithelium and vascular endothelium, on one hand, and the presence of anti-IMF antibodies capable of reacting with these cell structures, on the other hand. However, as the autoantibodies have to gain access to intracellular structures in order to cause in vivo deposits, primary tissue injury has to be postulated.

Adult↗

Nephritogenic and non-nephritogenic epithelial antigens in autoimmune and passive Heymann nephritis.

The proximal tubular brush border (BB) membrane fraction isolated from rat kidneys contains antigens which induce anti-BB autoantibodies and autoimmune Heymann nephritis in immunized rats. Rabbits immunized with the BB membrane fraction form anti-BB antibodies which, after injection into rats, induce passive Heymann nephritis in rats. Various rat epithelia share antigens with renal tubular BB. However, it is still a controversial issue whether these nonrenal tissues can induce either autoimmune Heymann nephritis in rats or nephritogenic anti-BB antibodies by immunization of rabbits. To test this we have immunized rats and rabbits with different amounts of kidney BB membrane fraction and with tissue fractions known to contain antigens cross-reacting with kidney BB. Using immunohistologic, histologic, and electron microscopic techniques, we studied the development of kidney lesions typical of Heymann nephritis after active or passive immunization of rats. Rat and rabbit anti-BB antibodies were characterized by immunoprecipitation techniques. Both serum anti-BB antibodies and antibodies eluted from the kidneys of the nephritic rats bound to several nonrenal rat epithelia, suggesting that these tissues contain nephritogenic antigens. However, although immunization with 5 micrograms of BB membrane protein could induce glomerular lesions typical of autoimmune Heymann nephritis in a rat, none of the rats immunized with 50 to 600 times greater amounts of nonrenal tissue proteins developed these lesions. Similarly, antibodies from rabbits immunized with rat kidney BB membranes, but not from rabbits immunized with nonrenal epithelia, induced passive Heymann nephritis in rats. The results suggest that the nephritogenic activity is confined to kidney tissue.

Animals↗

Fluorescence microscopical visualization of elastic fibres using basic fuchsin.

We show that fluorescence microscopy after staining of tissue sections with basic fuchsin (BF) can be used successfully for the demonstration of elastic fibres. Using double staining with BF and antibodies reacting with microfibrils of elastic fibres (anti-SAP) we showed that BF reacts with the elastin core of elastic fibres and the elastin poor terminal branches of the subepidermal elastic fibre system. Small amounts of bound BF were easily seen by fluorescence microscopy (FL) but not by ordinary light microscopy. Both frozen sections and sections of paraffin embedded tissues could be stained. The BF-FL staining procedure is simple to perform and, due to its selectivity, it may be useful for detecting elastic fibres in various tissues at the light microscopical level.

Elastic Tissue↗

Renal involvement and circulating immune complexes in dermatitis herpetiformis.

A fine-needle kidney biopsy was performed on eleven patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) who had no previous signs or symptoms of renal disease. Of the eight patients whose biopsy specimens were representative, electron microscopic examination showed mesangial deposits in five. A subsequent conventional renal biopsy was obtained from one of these five, and immunofluorescence microscopy revealed IgA and complement deposits in the glomeruli. Renal involvement was not related either to the degree of jejunal villous atrophy or to the deposition of IgA and complement in the skin. Glomerular deposits, however, were associated with a high frequency of circulating IgA and IgG class immune complexes and IgA class antigliadin and antireticulin antibodies. These results suggest that, in DH, immune complexes or antibodies derived from the gut can be deposited in the kidney.

Adult↗