Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Link

Publications and source records attributed to H Link.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Protection by milk immunoglobulin concentrate against oral challenge with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is a common cause of traveler's diarrhea. Prophylaxis against traveler's diarrhea has been associated with side effects from bismuth subsalicylate and the development of resistance to antimicrobial agents. We undertook a double-blind controlled trial in which a bovine milk immunoglobulin concentrate with high titers of antibodies against enterotoxigenic E. coli was used as prophylaxis against E. coli challenge in volunteers. Lyophilized milk immunoglobulins were prepared from the colostrum of cows immunized with several enterotoxigenic E. coli serotypes and fimbria types, E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin, and cholera toxin. As a control, an immunoglobulin concentrate with no anti-E. coli activity was prepared. Ten volunteers received buffered immunoglobulin concentrate against enterotoxigenic E. coli, and 10 received the control immunoglobulin concentrate, dissolved in water, three times a day. No side effects were observed. On the third day of immunoglobulin prophylaxis, the volunteers were given 10(9) colony-forming units of enterotoxigenic E. coli H10407 (O78:H11). This strain produces colonization factor antigen I and heat-labile and heat-stable enterotoxins. None of the 10 volunteers receiving the immunoglobulin concentrate against E. coli had diarrhea, but 9 of the 10 controls did (P less than 0.0001). All volunteers excreted E. coli H10407. We conclude from these preliminary results that milk immunoglobulin concentrate may be an effective prophylaxis against traveler's diarrhea.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

HLA-DR-expressing cells and T-lymphocytes in sural nerve biopsies.

Thirty-five sural nerve biopsies were stained immunohistochemically for HLA-DR antigen. HLA-DR was expressed on nonmyelinating Schwann cells, macrophages, vascular endothelium, and perineurium. By means of double immunofluorescence staining the identity of the HLA-DR presenting structures was confirmed. HLA-DR expression was found in all biopsies and thus was not restricted to any particular type of neuropathy. The HLA-DR expression appeared to correlate with severity and activity of the neuropathy. HLA-DR-expressing macrophages wrapping myelinated fibers were prominent in primary demyelinating neuropathies. T-cells were found in 6 out of 15 nerves examined. Their presence correlated with moderate to strong HLA-DR expression of nonmyelinating Schwann cells, and they occurred during active disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Treatment with natural human interferon alpha of a CML-patient with antibodies to recombinant interferon alpha-2b.

A patient with Philadelphia-chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia developed interferon antibodies on treatment with recombinant interferon alpha-2b. Clinically this event corresponded with progressive disease. No cross-reactivity of antibodies with human leukocyte interferon was found by Western blot. Treatment was switched to human leukocyte interferon with an obvious clinical effect: WBC was reduced and platelet count stabilized, but the effect was transient and no hematologic remission was achieved. Human leukocyte interferon may be an alternative in CML-patients with neutralizing antibodies to recombinant interferon alpha.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1988

CNS-borreliosis selectively affecting central motor neurons.

A patient is described having Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetal infection clinically affecting central motor neurons selectively and without any sensory impairment. Diagnosis was based on elevated B. burgdorferi IgG antibody titers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and titer normalization at clinical recovery. This occurred promptly and was complete after penicillin treatment despite 14 months of progressive central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction, favouring the hypothesis of the presence of the organism within the CNS. CSF findings characteristic of neuroborreliosis were registered, including parallel occurrence of mononuclear pleocytosis, severe blood-brain barrier damage and marked CSF IgM index elevation of prolonged duration. Some earlier reports of CNS manifestations related to B. burgdorferi are reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Distribution of group-specific component subtypes in multiple sclerosis.

Genetic subtypes of group-specific component (Gc), a protein possibly influencing susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus infection, were assessed by isoelectric focusing of plasma from 88 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and related to frequencies among 3394 control individuals subjected to paternity studies. We found no clear association between MS and frequencies of phenotypes or alleles of Gc protein.

Humans↗
PubMed1988

Occurrence and isotype of antibodies against peripheral nerve myelin in serum from patients with peripheral neuropathy and healthy controls.

Antibodies against peripheral nerve myelin have previously been demonstrated in serum from patients with peripheral neuropathy and IgM paraproteinaemia, and a causal relationship has been suggested. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), anti-myelin antibodies were found in sera from eight of 16 patients with polyneuropathy and paraproteinaemia, but also in 17% of 109 patients with peripheral neuropathy lacking monoclonal immunoglobulin, including five of 10 patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and in 16% of 142 blood donors. The antibodies were mostly of IgM class in the two neuropathy groups, while blood donors had mostly IgA antibodies, and a few subjects of each group had antimyelin antibodies of two different isotypes. Western blot confirmed the ELISA results in a majority of antibody positive sera and revealed a 25-30 kD myelin target antigen for sera from the three groups, and for some of the non-paraproteinaemic sera also a 100 kD myelin target antigen. Our results demonstrate that the presence of serum autoantibodies against peripheral nerve myelin does not necessarily indicate a pathological event.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[Induction and intensive combined therapy of acute myeloid leukemia in adults].

In a prospective multicenter study the efficacy and toxicity of an induction therapy with daunorubicin, cytosine-arabinoside and VP 16-213, followed by an intensified consolidation with high-dose cytosine-arabinoside and daunorubicin, is evaluated in adult patients with acute myelogenous leukemia. The upper age limit for inclusion in the study was 50 years. Within the first two years of this study 91 patients were enrolled. In 84 patients who have finished the remission induction therapy the rate of complete remissions is 67%. The median survival time of all patients is 22 months and the probability of survival is 46% after 24 months. So far 34 patients in complete remission have been given one or two courses of the intensified consolidation therapy with high-dose cytosine-arabinoside and daunorubicin. The probability of relapse-free survival in these patients is 46% after 22 months and the median remission duration is 20 months.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rh GM-CSF) after bone marrow transplantation.

Bone marrow transplantation improves the chances of survival in a variety of hematological malignancies. However, infectious complications during the post-transplant phase contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality. To reduce the duration of granulocytopenia, which is approximately 20 days after BMT, in this study patients with ALL, relapsed or high-grade NHL, relapsed or refractory HD, or Neuroblastoma stage III/IV, were given rh GM-CSF to assess the effects on hematological and immunological reconstitution after conditioning therapy and BMT. The results of 9 patients are presented. After autologous BMT and subsequent rh GM-CSF therapy, a peripheral blood neutrophil count of 500/microliters was reached within 8-12 days, i.e., between 7 and 10 days earlier than would have been expected without rh GM-CSF. Furthermore, it appeared that rh GM-CSF was useful in case of insufficient bone marrow regeneration post autologous transplant. The influence of rh GM-CSF after allogeneic BMT is not yet clear. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the potential of this promising new drug after BMT.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Oligoclonal IgG bands in cerebrospinal fluid. Principles for demonstration and interpretation based on findings in 1114 neurological patients.

Unconcentrated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from 1114 consecutive patients were examined for presence of oligoclonal IgG bands (OB) by agarose isoelectric focusing (AIF) followed by protein transfer to nitrocellulose membrane, immunolabeling, and avidinbiotin-peroxidase staining (avidin-biotin AIF). Oligoclonal bands were demonstrated in CSF from all 58 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), eight of 29 with aseptic nervous system infections, and 9% of 1014 with other neurological disorders (OND) considered as noninflammatory at primary clinical evaluation. Comparative examination of all specimens in another laboratory by conventional AIF after concentration of CSF revealed lower frequencies of OB in all diagnostic groups. In addition to the high sensitivity of avidinbiotin AIF, which enables detection of OB by separation of 5 microL of unconcentrated CSF even when the CSF IgG level is around the lower normal range, the procedure also has optimal specificity since IgG exclusively is detected. Avidin-biotin AIF may be the method preferred for routine examination of CSF for OB. Demonstration of OB in CSF is valuable especially in MS, where, in contrast to diagnostic aids such as evoked potentials and neuro-imaging, it establishes inflammatory type of nervous system involvements. Oligoclonal IgG bands in CSF from patients with OND reflect intrathecal immune response and should lead to investigations of infectious etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Increased reactivity to HTLV-I in inflammatory nervous system diseases.

The presence of IgG antibodies reacting with purified and disrupted human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) was examined by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in sera from 49 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 21 patients with aseptic meningoencephalitis (AM), 12 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GB), and 30 patients with tension headache (TH). This was also assessed in the concentrated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of most of these patients, as well as in sera of 60 blood donors (BD). Standardized amounts of serum IgG and CSF IgG were used in ELISA. For sera, higher reactivity with HTLV-I was found in all four patient groups compared with the BD group, but no significant differences were observed among the four groups. There was higher reactivity with HTLV-I in the CSF of patients with MS, AM, and GB compared to findings in patients with TH. Ten serum (2 MS, 3 GB, 3 TH, 2 BD) and 3 CSF (1 MS, 1 GB, 1 TH) specimens considered positive by ELISA for HTLV-I were found negative on confirmatory Western blot analysis. We extended this study to analyze the in vitro production of anti-HTLV-I-IgG antibodies by the 24-hour cultivation of unstimulated lymphocytes from peripheral blood and CSF of 6 additional patients with MS directly in HTLV-I antigen-coated wells of microtiter plates. This was followed by determination of specific antibodies by ELISA in the same wells. No antibody production was measurable. Our data do not favor the hypothesis of an HTLV-I-related human retrovirus in the etiology of MS.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

CSF neopterin as marker of disease activity in multiple sclerosis.

Levels of neopterin, a factor known to be released from macrophages and monocytes at increased rates in cellular immune reactions, were higher in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 10 of 12 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) during exacerbations in comparison with remissions. This significant elevation in CSF during exacerbations was not reflected in serum. These results indicate that determination of neopterin in CSF may be a useful marker of disease activity in MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Viral IgM antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in patients with multiple sclerosis and controls.

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 28 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 14 with other neurological diseases (OND) and 31 control subjects with tension headache were analysed for presence of IgM antibodies against measles, mumps and varicellae zoster by a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This technique excluded false positive reaction due to possible presence of rheumatoid factor. Twelve of the 28 patients with MS had IgM antibodies in serum and 4 in CSF, the latter always being accompanied by presence of corresponding IgM antibodies in serum. Six patients had mumps specific IgM, 5 had measles specific IgM and 3 varicellae specific IgM. In 2 patients, viral IgM antibodies were demonstrated in serum against 2 different viruses. Among the 14 OND patients, one with Wilson's disease had demonstrable serum IgM varicellae antibodies and one with radicultis had elevated serum and CSF measles and varicellae IgM antibodies. Among 31 controls, 2 had IgM antibodies in serum, one against varicellae and one against mumps. No correlations were found between viral IgM antibodies and CSF IgM index, serum IgM levels or blood-brain barrier state. Our data show that MS may be accompanied by a systemic IgM response against the 3 viruses tested, occasionally against 2 of the 3 different viruses simultaneously. The occurrence in MS of virus-specific IgM may be a reflection of viral reactivation and/or polyclonal B cell activation.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Immunoblot detection of oligoclonal anti-myelin basic protein IgG antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis.

Migration properties and occurrence of antibodies against myelin basic protein (MBP) in paired CSF and serum specimens from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were demonstrated after agarose isoelectric focusing, immunoblot transfer, and immunoperoxidase staining. Oligoclonal IgG antibody bands directed against MBP were found in the CSF of 9 of 28 patients with MS (32%), but not in the CSF of any of 34 patients with other neurologic diseases. No serum showed anti-MBP antibody bands. The CSF anti-MBP antibodies migrated to the anodal region of the IgG area in a different fashion from oligoclonal IgG and anti-measles IgG antibodies, which were detected in parallel. The anti-MBP bands were transient in three of seven patients whom we studied consecutively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of serum and CSF for detection of IgG reactivity against MBP showed absorbance values above 2 standard deviations of controls in 44% of the MS patients and in 21% of those with other neurologic diseases. Results of this assay correlated partly with those of the immunoblot assay. ELISA positive and immunoblot negative results might be due to a broad polyclonal anti-MBP antibody response.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Contribution of CSF studies to diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

Current principles for optimal examination of CSF regarding cell counting, evaluation of blood-brain barrier (BBB) function, intra-BBB synthesis of IgG, IgA and IgM, demonstration of oligoclonal IgG bands, determination of immune complexes and levels of myelin basic protein are reviewed. The importance for clinical as well as research purposes of accurately performed examinations regarding these variables is underlined. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by elevated mononuclear cell count in about one third of the patients, elevated CSF/serum albumin ratio as evidence of BBB damage in around 10%, elevated CSF IgG index, equal to (CSF/serum IgG): (CSF/serum albumin), in about 70% and presence of oligoclonal bands demonstrable by electrophoresis or isoelectric focusing in almost every patient. These variables are recommended for the routine evaluation of CSF, especially when a diagnosis of MS is suspected. Additional tests advisable for the well-equipped laboratory include determination of CSF IgM index, which is elevated in about 50%, and of myelin basic protein level, which is frequently increased during clinical exacerbations. CSF abnormalities are registered more frequently than abnormal evoked potentials, and at a frequency similar to that found by advanced neuroimaging, but only CSF studies have the potential to disclose the inflammatory character of nervous system lesions and intra-BBB immune response which are characteristic for MS. Documentation of an intra-BBB immune response by CSF studies will thus also in the future have diagnostic implications, and continue to be highly relevant for research regarding etiology and pathogenesis of MS.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗