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Biomedical subjects

F Bonino

Publications and source records attributed to F Bonino.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

HBsAg/IgM complexes in serum of HBsAg carriers: partial characterization and clinical significance.

HBsAg bound to IgM was detected in serum of HBsAg carriers with a radioimmunoassay based on selective absorption of the immunoglobulin on a solid phase coated with antiserum to human IgM. High titers of HBsAg/IgM were found in sera with the highest HBsAg binding capacity of polymerized human serum albumin (poly-HSA) and of C1q. These findings and the inhibition of HBsAg/IgM reaction by addition of purified poly-HSA suggest that the IgM component of the complex might bind to poly-HSA fixed on to HBsAg particles and possibly represent antibody to the modified plasma protein. HBsAg/IgM was detected in 95 (87%) patients with acute HBsAg positive hepatitis during the acute phase of infection and persisted after the fourth week only in patients who developed chronic liver disease. HBsAg/IgM were detected in one out of 15 carriers of the HBsAg with superimposed Non B hepatitis. HBsAg/IgM were also present in 76% to 100% of sera from chronic carriers without any relation to the extent of viral replication and to presence of severity of liver disease. Persistence of HBsAg/IgM in patients with acute hepatitis B may provide a useful tool to predict transition of HBV infection to chronicity.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Complexes between HBsAg and IgM in serum of patients with acute hepatitis.

HBsAg bound to IgM was measured in the serum of HBsAg carriers with acute hepatitis using a radioimmunoassay based on selective absorption of IgM on solid phase coated with antiserum to human IgM. HBsAg/IgM was detected in 94 (100%) patients with acute type B hepatitis during the acute phase of infection and persisted after the fourth week only in 13 of them, who developed chronic liver disease. HBsAg/IgM was detected only in 1 patient out of 15 carriers of the HBsAg with superimposed non-B hepatitis. No activity was found in serum of 20 patients with acute HBsAg-negative hepatitis. The nature of the IgM component of the complex is uncertain, however, blocking experiments of the HBsAg/IgM reaction with polymerized human albumin suggest that the IgM component of the complex might represent antibody to the denatured protein. Persistent HBsAg/IgM complex detection in patients with acute type B hepatitis provides a useful tool to predict transition of HBV infection to chronicity. Its absence in patients with acute HBsAg-positive hepatitis is indicative of non-B hepatitis in chronic carriers of the HBsAg.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Hepatitis B virus replication and clinical outcome in carriers of HBsAg. Perspectives of treatment with DNA inhibitors.

HBV-DNA was measured by the spot hybridization technique in serial serum samples obtained from 47 HBsAg carriers followed up for a mean of 4 years. The levels of HBV-DNA were compared to the conventional HBV serology and immunopathology to determine the relation of active HBV replication to the outcome of hepatitis and the suitability of Italian HBsAg carriers for treatment with DNA inhibitors. HBV-DNA was found in 26 carriers (53%) and persisted with comparable serum levels in 24 of them throughout the follow up. The occurrence rate of an unfavorable outcome as determined by histological evidence of cirrhosis was 6% versus 44% (p less than 0.01) in carriers with active viral infection (greater than 1 ng/ml of HBV-DNA) and in patients with absent or low levels of viral DNA (less than 1 pg/ml), respectively. Progression of the liver disease could not be predicted on the basis of active HBV replication and was presumably related to factors other than synthesis of HBV. In many patients with inactive viral infection a primary pathogenic factor was the HBV-associated delta, an agent with a putative RNA genome against which DNA inhibitors have no rationale and possibly no effects. The majority of Italian carriers do not appear suitable for treatment with DNA inhibitors and they should be considered for a different therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Complexes of hepatitis B surface antigen and immunoglobulin M in the sera of patients with hepatitis B virus infection.

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) bound to immunoglobulin M (IgM) was detected in sera of HBsAg carriers by a radioimmunoassay based on selective absorption of the immunoglobulin on a solid phase coated with antiserum to human IgM. Isopycnic banding and rate-zonal sedimentation have shown that the reaction is related to particulate forms of the HBsAg complexed with IgM. The binding of IgM possibly occurred because of a selective affinity of these molecules to the surface of HBsAg particles. HBsAg/IgM was found transiently in 24 of 25 (96%) patients with acute self-limited hepatitis B and persistently in 6 of 25 patients whose acute hepatitis B progressed to chronicity. It was also found in 20 of 39 (51%) chronic HBsAg carriers with inactive and asymptomatic infection. The HBsAg/IgM phenomenon is not dependent on replication of hepatitis B virions; its persistence in patients with acute hepatitis B may provide complementary evidence of transition of the infection to chronicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Chronic hepatitis in carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen, with intrahepatic expression of the delta antigen. An active and progressive disease unresponsive to immunosuppressive treatment.

To assess the characteristics of chronic hepatitis in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers with intrahepatic delta antigen, the hepatic histologic findings of 137 patients were reviewed; 101 patients were followed for 2 to 6 years. The predominant liver disease was chronic active hepatitis in 93 patients or cirrhosis in 32; minor forms of chronic persistent or lobular hepatitis were seen in 12 patients. Eight of the 26 patients with an initial diagnosis of cirrhosis died during the follow-up period. Cirrhosis developed in 31 of 75 patients (41%) without nodular regeneration seen in the first biopsy specimen; 5 of these patients died. Treatment with prednisone or azathioprine did not induce histologic amelioration of delta hepatitis or prevent cirrhosis. Chronic HBsAg hepatitis with intrahepatic expression of the delta antigen is an active, progressive disease unresponsive to conventional immunosuppressive treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Delta hepatitis in inapparent carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen. A disease simulating acute hepatitis B progressive to chronicity.

Infection with the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-associated delta agent (delta) was determined in a series of Italian patients with a diagnosis of acute hepatitis B (HBsAg-positive) progressive to chronicity. Twenty-two of 27 (81%) and 12 of 18 (67%) patients collected, respectively, in Naples and Cagliari, where delta is highly endemic, developed immunoglobulin M antibody to delta and/or rising titers of immunoglobulin G anti-delta during the initial acute phase of the disease. In each of them, anti-delta increased to a high-titered plateau indicative of chronic delta infection. Delta markers were found in none of the 13 patients collected in Siena, where the prevalence of delta infection is low. The great majority of the patients with anti-delta and a progressive form of HBsAg-positive hepatitis lacked the IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. They were presumably unrecognized carriers of HBsAg who became infected by delta and developed hepatitis induced by this agent. In areas where delta is endemic, it may represent the true cause of seemingly type B hepatitis progressing to chronic HBsAg-positive liver disease.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1980

A solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for detection of HBeAg and anti-HBe.

A sensitive, reproducible and easily performed enzyme immunoassay (EIA) based on a sandwich technique is described for serological detection of HBeAg and anti-HBe. EIA appears to be 600 times more sensitive than immunodiffusion and counterimmunoelectrophoresis and its performance compares well with available radioimmunoassays.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1979

Radioimmunoassay for the detection of HBeAg and anti-HBe.

We describe a solid-phase radioimmunoassay, based on the "sandwich" principle, using anti-HBe1/anti-HBe2 containing IgG precoated to polystirene beads as the solid-phase, and 125I-anti-HBE as labelled antibody for the detection of HBeAg and a two steps competitive procedure for the detection of anti-HBe. Comparison of titre obtained by ID and RIA or reference sera containing HBeAg and anti-HBe revealed that RIA is about 200 fold more sensitive than ID in detecting both HBeAg and anti-HBe. Moreover an increase in the detection rate of HBeAg from 5.9% (ID) to 15% (RIA) and of anti-HBe from 47.8% (ID) to 74.2% (RIA) and consequently a reduction of the frequency of negative samples for both HBeAg and anti-HBe from 46.3% (ID) to 10.8% (RIA) was determined by testing sera from HBsAg asymptomatic carriers. With regard to specificity, the frequency of presumptive HBeAg positive samples not confirmed was of 1 out of 29 (3.4%). Technical improvements of sensitivity and specificity of the described RIA are under development.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1979

Normal lymphocyte interferon production in adult HBsAg-positive chronic active liver disease.

To challenge the hypothesis that interferon (IF) production in chronic hepatitis-B virus liver disease is defective, lymphocytes from 14 patients with chronic active liver disease (CALD); from nine patients with chronic inactive liver disease (CILD), and from six healthy chronic carriers (HCC) were stimulated by Newcastle Disease virus. The patients with CILD showed a weak IF response by comparison with the controls (P less than 0.0005), whereas IF production by CALD patients and the HCC did not statistically differ from IF production in the healthy hepatitis-B surface antigen negative subjects who served as controls. These results indicate that IF treatment of CALD does not rely on a completely proved background.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Incidence and significance of different types of connective tissue antibodies in adult and pediatric gastroenterological disorders.

The incidence of connective tissue antibodies was assessed in 3,000 adults and in 388 pediatric patients with gastroenterological disorders. Following a previous classification, connective tissue antibodies were distinguished in 5 different types, R1 and R2 reacting with reticulin components, KC with Kupffer cells, AC and Rs with intra- and extracellular mesenchymal antigens. R1 predominated in children and was observed only in patients with malabsorption; the great majority of them had celiac disease and an abnormal small bowel mucosa. Ac was rarely seen in children and occurred in several unrelated gastrointestinal diseases of the adult; its incidence, however, was significantly higher in disorders with idiopathic and secondary malabsorption. R2, KC and Rs were seen only occasionally in unrelated gastroenterological disorders without malabsorption. R1, therefore, seems to be strongly suggestive of a malabsorption syndrome with abnormal small bowel mucosa and AC is a nonspecific reaction occuring predominantly in primary and secondary malabsorption; the other connective tissue antibodies have no clinical significance in gastroenterological disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

A counterimmunoelectrophoretic technique for the detection of HBeAg/anti-HBeAg (e antigen/antibody) in human sera.

A counterimmunoelectrophoretic technique is presented for the serological detection of the e system. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis was found reproducible and easy to perform; it is quicker and more sensitive than immunodiffusion since out of 243 HBSAg positive carriers, it detected HBeAg or anti-HBe in other 42 (17.3%) sera in addition to the 96 positive by immundiffusion.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1977

Immunofluorescence detection of new antigen-antibody system (delta/anti-delta) associated to hepatitis B virus in liver and in serum of HBsAg carriers.

A new antigen-antibody system associated with the hepatitis B virus and immunologically distinct from the HB surface, core, and e systems is reported. The new antigen, termed delta, was detected by direct immunofluorescence only in the liver cell nuclei of patients with HBsAg positive chronic liver disease. At present, the intrahepatic expression of HBcAg and delta antigen appears to be mutually exclusive. No ultrastructural aspect corresponding to the delta antigen could be identified under the electron microscope. delta antibody was found in the serum of chronic HBsAg carriers, with a higher prevalence in patients with liver damage. The nuclear fluorescence patterns of HBcAg and delta antigen were similar; it is only possible to discriminate between the two antigens by using the respective specific antisera.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Prognostic significance of in-vitro complement fixation in liver biopsy specimens from patients with acute viral hepatitis type B.

The prognostic significance of in-vitro complement fixation (V.C.F.) by hepatitis-B core antigen/antibody immunocomplexes in hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive liver biopsy specimens was prospectively evaluated in 47 patients presenting with acute viral hepatitis type B. 34 of 37 V.C.F.-negative patients made an uneventful recovery and became HBsAg negative; in all patients with a V.C.F.-positive test chronic hepatitis and persistent antigenaemia developed. The V.C.F. test is a simple and reliable prognostic indicator of persistent infection and of progression of apparently acute hepatitis to a chronic liver disorder.

Acute Disease↗