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G Baatrup

Publications and source records attributed to G Baatrup.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Carrot Juice Intake Modulates Oncogenic and Inflammatory Pathways in Advanced Colorectal Adenomas: A Pilot Feasibility Study.

Carrots are a rich dietary source of carotenoids and polyacetylenes, bioactive compounds with demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties in experimental models. Epidemiological evidence suggests that carrot consumption is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer; however, clinical data linking carrot intake to molecular changes in premalignant colorectal tissue remain limited. In this pilot intervention study, 20 patients with advanced colorectal adenomas were enrolled. Fifteen participants consumed carrot juice daily for 21 days, while five served as untreated controls. Paired adenoma biopsies were collected before and after the intervention and were analyzed using gene expression microarrays to assess transcriptional responses. Carrot juice intake was well tolerated, with adherence exceeding 95% and no reported adverse events. Transcriptomic analysis revealed modulation of key pathways implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis, including downregulation of the WNT, PI3K-AKT, and MAPK signaling pathways, as well as cyclooxygenase-2-related inflammatory pathways and cytokine signaling. These changes were consistent with reduced oncogenic signaling and attenuation of inflammatory activity within adenoma tissue. In summary, short-term carrot juice consumption was associated with coordinated suppression of molecular pathways involved in colorectal adenoma progression. These findings provide preliminary clinical evidence that a whole-food dietary intervention may influence early carcinogenic processes and support the need for larger controlled studies evaluating clinical outcomes.

Journal Article

Effects of coagulation temperature on measurements of complement function in serum samples from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Blood samples from 15 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 15 healthy blood donors were allowed to coagulate for one hour at room temperature, followed by one hour at 4 or 37 degrees C. The complement activity of the serum samples was assessed by three different functional assays. Serum samples from patients with SLE obtained by coagulation at 37 degrees C had a lower complement activity than serum samples from blood coagulated at 4 degrees C when the capacity of the serum samples to solubilise precipitable immune complexes and to support the attachment of complement factors to solid phase immune complexes was determined. Haemolytic complement activity was not affected by the coagulation temperature. The content of C1q binding immune complexes in paired serum samples obtained after coagulation at 4 and 37 degrees C was similar and the size distribution of the immune complexes, determined by high performance gel permeation chromatography, was also similar. This study shows that the results of functional complement assays, applied to serum samples from patients with SLE cannot be compared unless the conditions for blood coagulation and serum handling are defined and are the same. The data also indicate that assays measuring complement mediated solubilisation of immune complexes and the fixation of complement factors to solid phase immune complexes are more sensitive indicators of complement activity than the haemolytic assay.

Adult

Immune complex modulation by plasma proteins. With special reference to the complement system and autoimmune diseases.

The complement (C) system consists of two activation pathways, the classical and the alternative, which may both be activated by immune complexes (IC). C activation products become attached to the IC during activation leading to profound changes in the properties of the complexes. The common terminal C pathway is not involved in activation mediated by fluid phase IC. The interaction between IC and C may lead to: 1) Increased solubility of the IC. 2) Enhanced phagocytosis and clearance of the IC. 3) Altered tissue distribution of the IC. 4) Generation of soluble C fragments which mediate inflammation. 5) Tissue damage by activation and/or lysis of bystanding cells. 6) Modulation of B-cell proliferation and differentiation. Activation of the C system by IC is an essential normal component in the clearance of invading foreign material. However, in conditions with a persistent high concentration of IC in the circulation or tissues, this activation may lead to chronic inflammatory disease. This thesis reviews certain aspects of the interactions between IC and C. The earlier work describes our development of an assay for measuring the C activity in patient sera by its ability to solubilize preformed, fluid phase IC (CMS assay). The CMS was found to be dependent upon the alternative pathway of C and facilitated by the classical. Further studies concerning the influence of C deficiencies or depletion of C factors, the concentration of divalent metallions, the temperature and the ionic strength were performed to characterize the reaction. The CMS assay, showed that serum from patients with SLE and other systemic persistent inflammatory diseases and infections exhibited a reduced capacity to solubilize IC. The CMS values correlated inversely to the disease activity in SLE patients. It was also for the first time demonstrated that serum from some SLE patients contained a CMS inhibitor and it is suggested that this inhibitor of CMS is endogenously formed incompletely C solubilized IC. This suggestion is based upon several lines of indirect evidence, and by HPLC size distribution analysis of the IC in SLE sera, which showed a reduction in IC size upon incubation with C. A negative correlation between the CMS capacity and the content of CMS inhibitory material was found. The CMS capacity did not correlate to the serum concentration of any of the C factors C3b/C3c, C4, Clq, factor B, factor H or factor I, nor did it correlate to the concentration of the degradation product C3dg. But a low concentration of one of the native C factors was associated with a reduced CMS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals

Inefficient binding of IgM immune complexes to erythrocyte C3b-C4b receptors (CR1) and weak incorporation of C3b-iC3b into the complexes.

The binding of soluble complement-reacted IgM immune complexes (IC) to erythrocyte (E) C3b-C4b receptors (CR1) and the incorporation of C3b-iC3b into solid phase IgM-IC was investigated. The optimal binding of liquid phase IgM-IC to E-CR1 was obtained with IC formed at moderate antibody excess, but the binding was low (2-3%) when compared to the binding of the corresponding IgG-IC (50-60%). Solid phase IC were prepared by coating microwells with heat-aggregated bovine serum albumin (BSA) followed by incubation with rabbit IgM anti-BSA antibody. The IC were reacted with human serum at 37 degrees C. The binding of C3b-iC3b was determined by use of biotinylated F(ab')2 antibodies to C3b-C3c and avidin-coupled alkaline phosphatase. The incorporation of C3b-iC3b into solid-phase IgM-IC increased when increasing amounts of IgM antibody were reacted with the antigen. The binding reaction was slow, reaching a maximum after about 2 h at 37 degrees C. The binding of C3b-iC3b to the IgM-IC was remarkably inefficient when compared to the incorporation into IgG-IC reacted with the same amounts of BSA-precipitating antibody.

Animals

Complement fixation by solid phase immune complexes. Reduced capacity in SLE sera.

We describe an ELISA for assessment of complement function based on the capacity of serum to support fixation of complement components to solid phase immune complexes (IC). Microplates were coated with aggregated bovine serum albumin (BSA) followed by rabbit anti-BSA IgG. The solid phase IC were reacted with human serum. The uptake of C3b, C4b and properdin was measured using biotinylated F(ab)2 antibodies to each of the proteins, avidin alkaline phosphatase, and paranitrophenyl phosphate. Serial samples obtained from 15 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were investigated. Out of 72 sera, 24 showed a reduced capacity to support incorporation of C4b into solid phase IC. Thirty-one of the sera showed low C3b binding and 59 of the sera a reduced uptake of properdin. The incorporation into solid phase IC of C3b and C4b as well as of C3b and properdin were closely correlated at high disease activity. In general, patients with severe disease manifestations showed low values in the uptake assays. Judging from the results obtained by analysis of serial samples, the uptake of C3b, C4b and properdin, complement mediated solubilization of fluid phase IC and the concentrations of C1q binding IC were useful indicators of disease activity in the patients. The concentrations of circulating C4, C3 and properdin varied less consistently according to disease activity. The concentrations of serum properdin were never found to be low, which was in contrast to the finding of reduced properdin uptake by solid phase IC in most of the samples.

Adult

Demonstration in human plasma of a lectin activity analogous to that of bovine conglutinin.

Evidence of the existence in human plasma of an activity analogous to that of bovine conglutinin is presented. The human plasma component was characterized antigenically and functionally. Human plasma was shown to agglutinate complement-coated erythrocytes in the presence of Ca2+, and this conglutination was inhibited by EDTA. The molecule also binds to complement-reacted solid phase IgG and to zymosan in the presence of Ca2+. The binding to complement is not inhibited by N-acetyl-D-mannosamine, but is inhibited by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, as previously shown for bovine conglutinin. Antibodies raised against bovine conglutinin cross-react with the human protein. The plasma concentration of the conglutinin-like protein showed a high inter-individual variation between apparently healthy donors. Unlike bovine conglutinin, the human conglutinin activity could not be demonstrated in serum but only in plasma. The activity was more stable in plasma containing metal-ion chelators like EDTA and citrate than in heparin or hirudin plasma.

Agglutination

Characterization of a lectin in human plasma analogous to bovine conglutinin.

The structural characteristics of a human plasma protein analogous to bovine conglutinin were studied. The protein was previously found to bind to complement-reacted IgG in a calcium-dependent and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine-inhibitable manner and it further shows cross-reactivity with anti-bovine conglutinin antibody. By gel permeation chromatography the conglutinin activity in human plasma was localized to fractions containing proteins of Mr at around 700,000. The conglutinin was localized by one ELISA for antigen determinants and by another for biological activity. When analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) under non-reducing conditions these fractions were shown to contain proteins of about 300,000. When human conglutinin-like protein, partially purified by affinity chromatography, was analysed unreduced by SDS-PAGE followed by western blotting, the cross-reacting anti-bovine conglutinin antibody bound to a protein with an Mr of 330,000. When the sample was reduced and alkylated before electrophoresis a band of 66,000 was immunostained. The 330,000 and 66,000 proteins were shown to be collagenase sensitive. 125I-iC3b was seen to bind to the 330,000 band when incubated with western blots of partially purified human conglutinin.

Animals

Interaction of complement-solubilized immune complexes with CR1 receptors on human erythrocytes. The binding reaction.

The binding of complement (C)-solubilized 125I bovine serum albumin (BSA) anti-BSA immune complexes (IC) to CR1 receptors on human red blood cells (RBC-CR1) was studied. The binding of IC to CR1 was strongly dependent on the molar antigen to antibody ratio, and IC formed in moderate antigen excess showed no binding. IC solubilized in 50% human serum in the presence of autologous RBC bound rapidly to RBC-CR1, with maximal binding within less than 1 min at 37 degrees C. Release of CR1-bound IC under these conditions occurred slowly, requiring more than 30 min. Only binding of 'partially' solubilized, e.g., anti C3c (C4c), and conglutinin-reactive IC occurred, whereas fully solubilized complexes (IC-C3dg, C4d) showed virtually no binding. Solubilization of IC in the presence of Mg-EGTA or in C2-deficient serum resulted in a markedly delayed binding of IC to RBC, indicating the importance of an intact classical pathway in preparing the IC for binding to RBC-CR1. C-solubilized IC could be absorbed to solid-phase conglutinin or antibody to C3c and C4c, and these ligands were able to inhibit the binding of solubilized IC to RBC. Heparin also exerted a marked, dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the binding of presolubilized IC to RBC-CR1, whereas the binding was unaffected by the addition of monosaccharides or by the concentration of Ca2+ or Mg2+ ions.

Animals

Serum and plasma fibronectin binds to complement reacted immune complexes primarily via Clq.

The binding of fibronectin to human Clq, C3b, and complement-reacted immune complexes (IC) was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Microplates were coated with BSA followed by incubation with rabbit-anti-BSA IgG or F(ab')2 fragments of rabbit anti-BSA. Incubation of the solid phase with serum at 37 degrees C caused attachment of Clq and C3b. Addition of EDTA to the serum inhibited the binding of C3b, but not Clq, whereas substitution of the anti-BSA IgG on the solid phase with the F(ab')2 fragments abrogated the Clq, but not the C3b binding. Fibronectin binding was observed after incubation of the solid-phase IC with serum or plasma at conditions where Clq was also bound, whereas only minor amounts of fibronectin bound to the solid phase IC via C3b. Purified fibronectin showed a dose-dependent binding to solid-phase IC pretreated with Clq or fibronectin-depleted serum, confirming that the binding of fibronectin to IC largely occurred via Clq. Significantly smaller amounts of fibronectin were bound to solid-phase IC incubated with plasma instead of serum, despite the higher fibronectin concentration in plasma. This difference was found not to be due to a fibrinogen-fibronectin interaction in plasma. Binding of fibronectin to preformed fluid phase IC incubated with serum was demonstrated by SDS-PAGE analysis of PEG-precipitated IC.

Antigen-Antibody Complex

The attachment of serum- and plasma-derived C3 to solid-phase immune aggregates and its relation to complement-mediated solubilization of immune complexes.

The interaction between immune aggregates and complement (C) was investigated. Solid-phase immune aggregates were prepared by coating microwells with heat-aggregated bovine serum albumin (BSA) followed by rabbit anti-BSA antibody. The immune aggregates were reacted with human serum or citrated plasma at 37 degrees C. The binding of C3 components was investigated with biotinylated F(ab')2 antibodies to C3c and C3d and avidin-coupled alkaline phosphatase. The form of the incorporated C3, whether C3b-iC3b or C3dg, can be deduced from the response with these two antibodies. The maximal binding of C3b-iC3b to the immune aggregates was observed within 5 min of incubation with serum or citrated plasma. The conversion to C3dg was evident by a decrease in bound anti-C3c concomitant with increasing anti-C3d reactivity within about 10 min of incubation. When the classical C pathway activation was inhibited, the binding of C3b-iC3b was delayed by 20-30 min, whereas stopping of the alternative pathway did not influence the initial kinetics of the reaction. The addition of human red blood cells had no measurable influence on the degradation of bound C3b-iC3b. 125I-labelled anti-BSA antibody bound to the solid-phase BSA was not released during the C3 incorporation. The incorporation of C3b into the immune aggregates was mediated equally well by serum and by citrated plasma. The incorporation of C3b-iC3b into immune complexes (IC) is thought to be responsible for the C-mediated solubilization (CMS) of IC. Citrated plasma, however, exerted no CMS capacity when measured by a radiometric assay. The CMS capacity of serum was inhibited by citrate, but could then be restored by adding Ca2+ and Mg2+, whereas no CMS could be demonstrated with citrated plasma to which divalent metal ions were added.

Antibodies

Circadian and diurnal variation of circulating immune complexes, complement-mediated solubilization, and the complement split product C3d in rheumatoid arthritis.

Nine patients with active classical rheumatoid arthritis (ARA criteria) were studied with reference to circadian variation of immunological and clinical parameters. Complement-mediated solubilization (CMS) of immune complexes (IC) and the level of circulating IC were found to be inversely related with low CMS and increased IC levels in the morning, and vice versa in the afternoon. Bed rest and exercise did not influence these fluctuations. The C3d concentration in plasma was increased but showed no diurnal or circadian periodic fluctuations when the levels were corrected for fluctuations in plasma albumin concentration. Clinical assessment by means of pain score exhibited marked variations, with high scores in the morning, and lower in the daytime, whereas measurements of Ritchie's joint index showed no consistent pattern. The circadian variations in CMS, serum IC and clinical parameters indicate the need to collect blood specimens and perform clinical examinations of patients at a fixed time of day.

Adult

Complement-mediated solubilization of immune complexes and their interaction with complement C3 receptors.

Some of the molecular events in the complement (C)-mediated solubilization of immune complexes (IC) have been clarified in recent years. The solubilization is primarily mediated by alternative C pathway proteins whereas factors in the classical pathway accelerate the process. Components of the membrane attack complex do not participate in the reaction. Besides affecting the size and solubility of circulating IC the interaction with C factors influences the reactivities of the complexes towards fluid phase reactants and mediates the reversible binding of IC to cellular C3 receptors. Our knowledge of the cellular localization, expression and structure of the C3 receptors, especially the C3b (CR1) receptor, has been considerably extended in the last few years, whereas our understanding of the physiological role of these receptors is still fragmentary. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that impaired solubilization of IC in patients with compromised C function may permit the complexes to deviate from their normal pattern of interaction with C3 receptors probably influencing both the organ distribution and clearance of IC and thereby also their phlogistic potentials.

Antigen-Antibody Complex

Persistently increased intestinal fraction of alkaline phosphatase.

Persistent elevation of the intestinal fraction of the alkaline phosphatase (API) as an isolated finding has to our knowledge not been reported previously. It was found in a boy followed during a period of 5.5 years. The only symptom was transient periodic fatigue observed at home, but not apparent during hospitalization. His blood type was O, RH+, Le (a-, b+) and he was a secretor of H-substance, which may be associated with rising API activity after fat-loading. In this case API was unchanged after fat-loading. Neither intestinal nor liver diseases were found, and no other cause for the elevated phosphatase activity could be demonstrated.

Alkaline Phosphatase

Complement-mediated solubilization of immune complexes. Solubilization inhibition and complement factor levels in SLE patients.

Thirty-two of 36 serum samples from 19 SLE patients showed reduced capacity to mediate complement-dependent solubilization of immune complexes (IC). SLE patients with nephritis exerted the lowest complement-mediated solubilization capacity (CMSC) whereas sera from patients with inactive disease gave the highest CMSC values, with three out of four samples within the normal reference range. Thirty-five of the 36 serum samples showed inhibition of CMSC in a newly developed CMSC inhibition assay. The strongest CMSC inhibition was exerted by sera from newly discovered cases of SLE who received no medical treatment and the lowest inhibition by sera from patients with inactive disease. There was a significant negative correlation between CMSC and CMSC inhibition (r = -0.67, P less than 0.001). Sera with low concentrations of C1q, C3, factor B or high C3d levels showed markedly reduced CMSC values. Pronounced CMSC inhibition was observed only in samples with normal or high factor H values. No significant correlation was found between CMSC or CMSC inhibition and circulating IC levels, but pronounced CMSC inhibition was registered only in strongly IC positive sera.

Adolescent

Solubilization of immune complexes in complement factor deficient sera and the influence of temperature, ionic strength and divalent cations on the solubilization reaction.

The complement-mediated solubilization (CMS) of immune complexes (IC) and the initial kinetics (IKS) of this reaction in human sera depleted of or deficient in C2, C3, C8, factors B, P and I were investigated. Sera depleted of B or P and those lacking native C3 or factor I showed virtually no CMS whereas the IKS and CMS capacity of a C8-deficient serum were within the reference range. The IKS of a C2-deficient serum was markedly retarded while the CMS capacity was normal. Addition of C2 normalized the kinetics of the reaction. There was a good correlation between the kinetics of CMS determined by a radioassay and kinetic data for the binding of C3b to preformed immune complexes. The CMS capacity reached maximum at 39-41 degrees C and at an ionic strength of approximately 0.20 mu. Selective chelation of Mg2+ completely abolished the CMS of IC. Maximal CMS was observed at Mg2+ concentration of about 2mM. Chelation of Ca2+ in serum by Mg2+-ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid reduced the CMS capacity by up to 50% and the IKS was markedly retarded. Varying the Zn2+ or Mn2+ ion concentrations in serum influenced neither the IKS nor the CMS capacity.

Antigen-Antibody Complex

A standardized method for quantitating the complement-mediated immune complex solubilizing capacity of human serum.

A standardized radioassay for measuring the complement-mediated immune complex solubilizing capacity (CMSC) and the initial kinetics of the solubilization (IKS) reaction is described. The total complement (C)-mediated solubilizing capacity was determined after incubation of diluted serum and 125I-BSA-anti-BSA. Percentage C-mediated solubilization (CMS) was measured after centrifugation by determining the distribution of radioactivity. The dependency of CMSC upon factors such as serum dilution and buffer system used, amount of IC added to serum, serum storage conditions and centrifugation conditions was investigated in order to optimize the assay. The CVt of the standardized assay was 0.10-0.17 depending upon the CMSC level measured. Treatment which inactivates C factors (heating), interferes with C activation (EDTA) or activates and consumes C components (zymosan) markedly reduces the CMSC. Preliminary investigation of pathological sera showed that both IKS and CMSC were clearly reduced in SLE sera. By contrast, rheumatoid arthritis sera exhibited normal IKS and only marginal reduction in CMSC.

Adolescent

Reduced complement-mediated immune complex solubilizing capacity and the presence of incompletely solubilized immune complexes in SLE sera.

Reduced complement-mediated solubilization (CMS) of pre-formed immune complexes (IC) was demonstrated in sera from 11 out of 12 SLE patients. The presence of incompletely solubilized endogeneous IC in SLE sera was indicated by the following findings: (1) When IC positive SLE sera with reduced CMS capacity were mixed with normal donor sera they inhibited the CMS of the latter sera. (2) Resuspended PEG (2.75%) precipitates obtained from SLE sera inhibited the CMS of normal donor sera. (3) Non-solubilized or incompletely complement solubilized IC in SLE sera give a strong response in the PEG-CC assay for IC. The IC activity of SLE sera was clearly reduced in this assay when the endogeneous IC were solubilized prior to testing. In contrast, sera of 14 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients exhibited normal CMS. IC which could be further solubilized by complement were not demonstrable although all RA sera were IC positive.

Adult

Human conglutinin-like protein.

The presence in human plasma of a molecule homologous to bovine conglutinin is indicated by the results of biological and immunochemical analysis. The human conglutinin-like protein shows calcium-dependent binding to complement-treated solid phase IgG and immunological cross-reaction with chicken anti-bovine conglutinin. The binding of the human protein to complement-treated IgG was inhibited by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine but not by other sugars. Analysis by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting showed reaction of anti-conglutinin with molecules of similar mobility to the monomer and hexamer of bovine conglutinin.

Animals