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Biomedical subjects

G Janossy

Publications and source records attributed to G Janossy.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Cyclosporin A prevents the in vivo development of murine prothymocytes from uncommitted (Thy-1-) precursor cells.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is known to cause atrophy of the thymic medulla in normal mice. We show that medullary regeneration in lethally irradiated animals reconstituted with syngeneic marrow is also inhibited. For such animals, thymic cortical development is apparently normal. However, if the marrow is depleted of either Thy-1+ or Lyt-1+ cells, thymic regeneration is severely inhibited by CsA. This is not a permanent process, since thymic regeneration proceeds normally if the drug is withdrawn. CsA is only effective at preventing thymic regeneration if it is given at the time of grafting; after a delay of 3 days it is ineffective. We conclude that CsA inhibits the development of prothymocytes (pre-T cells) from common stem cells in the marrow. The significance of these findings with reference to T-cell ontogeny and clinical bone marrow (BM) transplantation is discussed.

Animals↗

Variable corticosteroid sensitivity of thymic cortex and medullary peripheral-type lymphoid tissue in myasthenia gravis patients: structural and functional effects.

The thymus has been studied in myasthenia gravis patients to assess the effects of previous immunosuppression on total yields of cell suspension, immunohistology and culture responses. The reduction in cell yields by pretreatment with corticosteroid was very variable. In 16 of 32 cases, cortical, medullary and total cell numbers were all greatly reduced ('depleted cases'), whereas in the others, they were within or near the typical range for untreated myasthenics. Cortical thymocytes were even more depleted than precursor thymic blasts. Thus the interpatient differences in sensitivity to corticosteroid recently described for mature T cells also affected immature cortical thymocytes and their differentiating medullary progeny. In the medulla, mature (CD3+) T lymphocytes and germinal centres were enriched by the loss of cortex and appeared relatively healthy, but somewhat depopulated. Concomitantly, in-vitro T-cell responses to acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and production of anti-AChR antibody and total IgG by thymic cells were usually well within the typical range (assessed per 10(6) cells). Moreover, the total productivity of the entire thymus was reduced almost entirely by the cellular depopulation rather than by decreased function per surviving cell. Thus the main actions of this alternate day therapy with corticosteroids were apparently on total peripheral cell numbers, and perhaps on activated cells and effector mechanisms too, and its thymic effects were inessential.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of ricin A chain-containing immunotoxins directed against CD19 and CD22 antigens on normal and malignant human B-cells as potential reagents for in vivo therapy.

Ricin A chain-containing immunotoxins (IT-As) specific for the human B-cell antigens, CD22 and CD19, were constructed using the monoclonal antibodies, HD6 and HD37, respectively. IT-As were prepared by coupling intact antibodies, F(ab')2, or Fab' fragments to native or chemically deglycosylated ricin A chain. The IT-As were then evaluated for cytotoxicity to normal and neoplastic human B-cells in vitro with the major objective of appraising their suitability for in vivo therapy of human B-cell tumors. The IT-As prepared with both the HD6 and HD37 antibodies were specifically toxic to normal B-cells and to most of the neoplastic B-cell lines tested. However, the IT-As prepared from HD6 were generally more potent than those prepared from HD37. On Daudi cells, to which the two antibodies bound in similar numbers and with similar affinities, IT-As prepared with intact HD6 antibody or its Fab' fragment were 10-fold and 1.5- to 4-fold more potent, respectively, than the corresponding HD37 IT-As. The IT-As constructed from intact HD6 antibody and native or deglycosylated A chain reduced protein synthesis in Daudi cells by 50% at a concentration of 1.2 X 10(-11) M indicating that they were only 5-fold less toxic to the cells than ricin itself. Intact HD37 IT-As produced equivalent inhibition of protein synthesis at 1.5 X 10(-10) M. With both antibodies, IT-As constructed from the Fab' fragments were 10- to 20-fold less potent than their intact antibody counterparts. Different neoplastic B-cell lines varied in sensitivity to the IT-As. In most cases, their sensitivity correlated with the levels of CD19 and CD22 antigens expressed. Neither HD6 nor HD37 IT-As affected the ability of normal human bone marrow cells to form granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units in soft agar, suggesting that both antigens are absent from these progenitor cells. Examination of sections of frozen human tissues using immunoperoxidase staining procedures indicated that the antibodies did not bind to a panel of normal tissues lacking B-lymphocytes. These results suggest that HD6 and HD37 IT-As are candidates for in vivo therapy in humans with certain B-cell tumors. However, HD6 IT-As are more potent, reduce protein synthesis more completely, and hence appear to be the ITs of choice for treating tumors expressing the CD22 antigen.

Antigens, CD↗

Loss of CD45R and gain of UCHL1 reactivity is a feature of primed T cells.

A group of mAb recognizing the 200- and/or 220-kDa determinants (CD45R) of the leukocyte common Ag such as 2H4, WR16, MD4.3, and SN130 cross-block each other showing that they recognize a closely related epitope. The antibody UCHL1 reacts with a 180-kDa determinant of the leukocyte common Ag and exhibits a reciprocal T subset distribution pattern to the CD45R group. Peripheral blood T cells were 40% positive for UCHL1 and 58 to 65% positive for the CD45R antibodies; less than 1% of cells stained for both. On activation of CD45R+,UCHL1- T cells by PHA, up to 40% of cells became positive for both CD45R and UCHL1 by day 3. By day 7, CD45R+,UCHL1- cells fell from 90 to less than 21% whereas UCHL1+,CD45R- cells rose from 2 to 93%. Conversely, PHA-stimulated UCHL1+,CD45R- cells remained UCHL1+,CD45R- during the 7 days in culture showing that phenotypic change was unidirectional from CD45R+ to UCHL1+. In primary allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions, activated CD45R+ T cells also showed a change to UCHL1+. When these cells were rechallenged by the original alloantigen, the UCHL1+ cells showed 7- to 20-fold greater proliferation than the CD45R+ cells on day 3 after rechallenge. The recovery of virtually all alloantigen induced secondary proliferative response in the UCHL1+,CD45R- T cell population suggests that UCHL1 identifies a primed population of T cells which may include memory cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Double and triple staining methods for studying the proliferative activity of human B and T lymphoid cells.

New methods for double and triple colour labelling using monoclonal antibodies to the proliferation-associated markers 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and Ki67 are described. In order to make incorporated BrdU accessible to most anti-BrdU antibodies, mild denaturation of the DNA is needed, and this is usually obtained by exposing the cells to acid or base. This procedure destroys most cellular antigens, including nuclear TdT and Ki67. In this study we show that fixation in cold methanol, instead of 70% ethanol, for 30 min followed by immersion in 7 X 10(-3) N NaOH for 10-15 s allows BrdU staining with the simultaneous detection of nuclear, cytoplasmic and membrane antigens as well as preservation of morphological detail. This method is optimal for detection of nuclear Ki67 and TdT. These reagents together with antibodies to membrane antigens can be included in triple colour labelling using second layers conjugated to FITC, TRITC and colloidal gold. With these methods it is now possible to characterize the phenotype of dividing cell populations such as precursors in central lymphoid tissues and germinal centre blasts in peripheral lymphoid organs.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Recombinant interleukin 2 and anti-Tac influence the growth of enriched multipotent hemopoietic progenitors: proposed hypotheses for different responses in early and late progenitors.

Experiments were designed to evaluate the effect of recombinant IL-2 on growth of hemopoietic precursors from different sources (normal cord blood and bone marrow, and PB from CGL patients). For this purpose, combined cell sorting techniques and multipotent colony forming cell assays were used. A monoclonal antibody BI-3C5, which recognizes an antigen present on early lympho-myeloid cells as well as on all colony forming cells (CFU-GEMM assay), was used to enrich the studied populations. Double colour immunofluorescence techniques were performed to analyse the expression of Tac antigen on early progenitors. The results showed that rIL-2 had a stimulatory effect on growth of enriched progenitors from the three sources and surprisingly that addition of anti-Tac did not abolish this effect. On the contrary, anti-Tac enhanced even more growth of these sorted BI-3C5 precursors, suggesting a ligand action of the antibody. More interestingly, a low percentage of cord cells (1 in 1000) expressed both BI-3C5 and Tac antigens. The vast majority of cells did not concomitantly express both markers. The double labelled cells had a lymphoid-like morphology, high nucleus/cytoplasmic ratio and 2-3 nucleoli. The results will be discussed focusing on early and late "stem" cell growth.

Adult↗

Differential expression of MHC class II antigens in chronic B-cell disorders.

Cells from the peripheral blood of 22 patients with chronic B-cell disorders were examined for the expression of surface MHC class II antigens. We made use of well-characterized monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) specific for HLA-DP, -DQ and -DR molecules (B7/21, Tü22, RFDR1 and RFDR2) and of another McAb, RFD1, associated with the class II system. By using indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry we found both non-coordination and heterogeneity in expression of MHC class II antigens but generally with a hierarchy of positivity: DR greater than DQ greater than DP. This suggests a sequence of gradual acquisition of HLA-D antigens and indicates distinct differences in maturation arrest of the individual cases. However, after treatment with phorbol ester TPA and calcium ionophore A23187, all cases expressed the previously absent molecules indicating that the structural genes for these products remained intact. TPA and A23187 increased both the number of positive cells in most cases and the fluorescence staining intensities of all class II markers including RFD1. Thus, leukaemic cells may express different combinations of class II antigens reflecting: (i) a predetermined order of gradual acquisition of class II molecules; (ii) differences in the stages of maturation arrest; and (iii) in the cases of disordered expression a desynchronized regulation of these markers.

Adult↗

Autologous bone marrow transplantation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia--preclinical immunologic studies.

Immunologic aspects of autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT), immunodiagnosis, patient monitoring, and the purging of bone marrow have been studied in individual patients. It was demonstrated that the most sensitive method for detecting lymphoid cells which show the phenotypes of ALLs of B or T lineage was double immunofluorescence staining for nuclear terminal transferase (TdT) and B or T lineage antigens. With the help of these sensitive tests in the presence of rabbit complement (C'), MAbs CD10 (RFAL3 of IgM class), CD19 (SB4 of IgM class), and their cocktail were capable of eliminating greater than 3 log blast cells of B lineage ALL in 84%, 75.5%, and 90% of cases, respectively. The same reagents lysed 26.8%, 0%, and 45% of blasts in the presence of human C'. CD7 (RFT2, IgG2) eliminated greater than 3 log T-ALL blast cells in 73% of cases. The proliferative fractions of leukemic blasts were also TdT+ and sensitive to lysis with MAb and C'. On the basis of these observations MABs were selected for purging in 36 patients undergoing ABMT in first remission (10 patients considered to be at a high risk of relapse), second and third remissions (23 and 2 patients), and without entering into remission (1 patient). The efficacy of eliminating the MAb-reactive cells from the bone marrow inoculum was also documented in five patients. By the use of sensitive immunologic assay (TdT/cytoplasmic CD3 double staining) in patients with T-ALL, no residual leukemia (less than 10(-4] could be detected at the time of transplantation. Following an observation period of 5-34 months, 24 of the 36 patients are alive and well with no procedure-related mortality.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Leukaemia and lymphoma treatment with autologous bone marrow transplantation: preclinical studies.

Following the limited success of T-cell depletion in patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), recent interest is focused on autologous BMT. The selection of sensitive methods for detecting residual lymphoid malignancy, the choice of very efficient complement-fixing lytic monoclonal antibodies against residual disease, and the "tailoring" of these antibodies (or their cocktails) to individual patients lead to a very high remission rate in acute lymphoid leukaemia (ALL) of bad prognosis and second remission. The future of this extension of chemotherapy toward BMT seems to be promising, but controlled trials are required to show that the purging of bone marrow contributes to this good result. Very efficient antibodies for elimination of B lymphoma cells are also available.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Proliferation of normal and malignant human immature lymphoid cells.

In this study, the proliferative activity of human B and T cell precursors in central lymphoid organs, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells, and permanent cell lines was investigated with double- and triple-color-labeling methods for the analysis of cell cycle-associated features such as 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and the expression of a nuclear proliferation-associated antigen, Ki67, together with the phenotypic profile of the cells. In infant and regenerating bone marrow (BM), 41.5% +/- 4.0% of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT+) cells were Ki67+, and 30.0% +/- 4.0% incorporated BrdU. A similar proportion of TdT+ dividing cells was observed in adult BM. The proliferative activity of the B cell progenitors reached the peak at the pre-B stage: 80.8% +/- 7.6% and 35.3% +/- 6.1% of c mu +, RFB7- cells were Ki67+ and BrdU+, respectively. In contrast, greater than 95% of surface immunoglobulin-positive BM lymphocytes were resting cells. In infant thymus the highest dividing capacity (95% Ki67+, 60% to 90% BrdU+) was observed in large cortical thymocytes (TdT+, CD1-, cCD3+), and TdT+, CD1+ cortical thymocytes also showed a high proliferative activity (74.3% +/- 2.3% Ki67+, 22.0% +/- 1.0% BrdU+), but TdT-, mCD3+ thymic lymphocytes were mainly resting cells (less than 5% Ki67+, less than 1% BrdU+). The proliferative activity of null and common ALL blasts was significantly lower than that of normal BM TdT+ cells (15.5% +/- 4.2% Ki67+, 6.2% +/- 2.1% BrdU+; P less than .001). Dividing ALL blasts were TdT+ and expressed surface antigens detected by CD10 and/or CD19 antibodies. In T cell-ALL, the percentages of Ki67+ and BrdU+ blasts were also lower than those found in the corresponding normal immature thymocytes (13.0% +/- 3.1% and 2.4% +/- 1.3%, respectively; P less than .001). Thus, ALLs derive from actively proliferating lymphoid precursors but have a lower dividing capacity than the corresponding normal cell types. In ALL cases with heterogeneous expression of markers such as cmu and CD1, dividing blasts were distributed among both negative and positive populations, thus indicating that blasts with signs of differentiation also remain within the dividing pool.

Adolescent↗

Correlation of immunophenotype with rearrangement of T cell antigen receptor beta and gamma genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia of adults.

The structure of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) and T cell antigen receptor (TCR) beta and gamma chain genes was studied in 38 cases of adult and two cases of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Seven cases of T-ALL all showed clonally rearranged TCR beta and gamma genes; only one of these also contained rearranged IgH genes. All precursor B cell ALLs and one case of unusual B cell ALL/lymphoma had clonally rearranged IgH genes, but a high proportion (22 of 32, 69%) of precursor B cell ALLs also had rearrangement of TCR beta and/or gamma genes. TCR beta gene rearrangement was less common in more mature precursor B cell ALL, expressing cytoplasmic IgM (pre-B-ALL) (0 of 5) than in other precursor B cell ALL cases (15 of 27). In the precursor B cell ALLs overall, 10 (32%) had rearrangement of both beta and gamma genes, while 7 (22%) had rearrangement of TCR gamma genes only. A further 5 (16%), all expressing one or more unusual immunophenotype markers, had TCR beta gene rearrangement without detectable gamma gene rearrangement. These observations, together with certain characteristics of constant-joining region usage of both TCR genes (a preference for rearrangement into the C beta 2 and C gamma 1 genes), distinguishes these "inappropriate" rearrangements from those found in T-ALL and suggests that they have arisen through a differentiation arrest which is not part of a normal T cell developmental program.

Acute Disease↗

Characterization of prothymocytes with cloning capacity in human bone marrow.

The identity of human bone marrow (BM)-derived T cell precursors with colony forming capacity has led to controversy because of contamination with mature clonogenic T cells. We achieved 2 Log elimination of mature T cells from BM using a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies: CD2, CD3, CD4, CD6, and CD8 followed by two successive baby rabbit C' treatment. T cell depleted BM can generate colonies of CD2+, CD3+, Ti+, mostly CD4+, in the presence of PHA, rIL2, and a prothymocyte differentiating activity derived from phytohemagglutinin (PHA) induced mononuclear cells. These precursors could be enriched three- to sixfold by percoll gradient centrifugation and then significantly bypass the number of contaminant mature T cells as shown by limiting dilution analysis. Colony generation by marrow precursors was inhibited by the addition of autologous T cells. This inhibition was mostly caused by the T8+ subset. CFU-TL growth was dramatically inhibited by eliminating CD7+ cells suggesting their positivity for this surface marker. These precursors needed major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II-positive cells for optimal growth but lack DR themselves.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗

The cytoplasmic expression of CD3 antigens in normal and malignant cells of the T lymphoid lineage.

Anti-CD3 (T3) Ab reacting with different proportions of thymocytes (anti-CD3a: UCHT1, anti-CD3b: T10B9, and anti-CD3c: OKT3) were tested for cytoplasmic (cCD3) and membrane (mCD3) expression in the bone marrow, thymus, and blood in man and selected primates. The expression of cCD3a and cCD3c in the perinuclear and Golgi area of large, BrdU-incorporating, strongly TdT+ thymic blasts probably represents one of the earliest signs of T cell commitment, because these blast cells are CD1-, CD4-, CD8-, and mCD3-. The cCD3+, TdT+ cells are normally restricted to the thymus and are absent among the TdT+ cells of bone marrow. The anti-CD3b Ab used, T10B9, co-caps and co-modulates with the other anti-CD3 Ab and is a T cell-specific reagent at a membrane level but does not bind to perinuclear cCD3. Instead, this reagent cross-reacts with a filamentous cytoplasmic network in non-T cells in man and in primates S. oedipus and M. rhesus despite their T cell negativity for mCD3. The characteristics of all T-ALL cases studied: cCD3+, CD7+ along with nuclear TdT+ suggest lineage fidelity to early thymic blasts. As a marked contrast, cCD3 is absent in common ALL and in AML, including cases that concomitantly express CD7 and myeloid antigens. Thus, the cCD3, TdT combination provides a very sensitive assay for residual T-ALL blasts outside the normal thymus.

Adult↗