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Biomedical subjects

J M Fine

Publications and source records attributed to J M Fine.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Diversity and relative inaccuracy of internal images of antigen group A revealed by IEF analysis].

The diversity of a polyclonal anti-idiotypic response (Ab2) to a murine monoclonal anti-A (Ab1) was investigated after purification of two Ab2 populations. One was eluted from human polyclonal anti-A column and the other from Ab1. Analysis of the Ab specificity, as well as screening of the clonotypic distribution, were achieved after splitting Ab by IEF; this was followed by immunoblotting and probing with various anti-ABH mAb. The first population reacted with almost all the murine anti-ABH mAb, as well as with four human anti-A mAb, and consequently consisted of Ab2 beta. The second was composed of "true" Ab2 directed against Ab1. In the first population internal images mimicked either A Ag, or H Ag, or some epitopes common to both. This study demonstrates the plurality of internal images-bearing Ig molecules, some mimicking completely, and some only partially or even unfaithfully the nominal A determinant. The analysis of this idiotypic cascade proves the existence of a degeneracy of the initial restricted antigenic specificity. The consequences of such a process are discussed.

Animals↗

Sarcoidosis complicated by HIV infection: three case reports and a review of the literature.

We report three cases of sarcoidosis complicated by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and review four other isolated case reports in the literature. There is clinical overlap of both diseases, including symptoms, pulmonary function abnormalities, and lymphocyte function. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in these patients showed a lymphocytic alveolitis without pathogens. BAL lymphocyte subset analysis showed markedly depressed CD4+/CD8+ ratios in three patients. These data were clinically useful for distinguishing the CD8+ alveolitis associated with HIV infection from the CD4+ alveolitis associated with sarcoidosis. Three patients improved with corticosteroid therapy. Two patients with BAL-documented CD8+ alveolitis tolerated discontinuation of steroids. One patient's sarcoidosis improved without therapy concurrent with the diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma. Another patient developed sarcoidosis 1 yr after manifesting HIV positive serology. BAL can be used to distinguish the lymphocytic alveolitis of sarcoidosis from that associated with HIV infection. Patients with active sarcoidosis complicated by HIV infection can be effectively treated with corticosteroid therapy.

Adult↗

A sensitive double-diffusion microassay suitable for the detection of idiotype-antiidiotype precipitates.

Using agarose gel coated on GelBond film sheets and using Coomassie blue stain followed by silver stain, a sensitive double-diffusion microassay has been developed for detecting small amounts of precipitate forming during idiotype-antiidiotype reactions. The sensitivity of the method is 10-100 times greater than classical immunodiffusion tests. Other advantages include the need for minimal amounts of unconcentrated sample, the absence of radioactive or toxic substrates, no interference due to a second or third antibody coat such as are used in immunoenzymatic techniques, and the possibility of a direct evaluation of qualitative data such as identity, cross-reactivity or non-identity. As little as 40 ng antibody could be detected, corresponding to an antibody concentration of 8 micrograms/ml, making the microassay useful for rapid screening of idiotype-antiidiotype precipitates during routine analysis of hybridoma supernatants.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

[Detection and quantification of weak concentrations of antigens using a sensitive and direct method of demonstrating immunoprecipitation reactions].

Using agarose gel coated on GelBond film sheets, and using Coomassie blue stain followed by silver stain, a sensitive microassay has been developed for detecting small amounts of antigen-antibody precipitates, and for quantitating low concentrations of antigen. In order to obtain a high sensitivity, antigen-antibody ratios were adjusted imperatively close to the equivalence in double-diffusion, and for quantitative estimation, single radial immunodiffusion was performed, according to Mancini, by measuring circles at the end point. The use of a double staining procedure allows to detect as little as 8 micrograms/ml antigen by Ouchterlony and 200 ng/ml by Mancini technique. The sensitivity of the method is 100 times greater than classical techniques and other advantages such as the need for minimal amounts of unconcentrated samples, the absence of radioactive labelling, and the absence of interference due to a second or a third antibody coat, make this assay useful for analyzing and quantitating monoclonal antibodies obtained by hybridoma or B-cell immortalization.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Epithelium removal alters responsiveness of guinea pig trachea to substance P.

Removal of epithelium from mammalian tracheae has been shown to enhance responsiveness to a variety of contractile and relaxant agents. One of the most dramatic shifts reported has been for guinea pig tracheal tissue denuded of epithelium and treated with substance P. We investigated whether this shift in responsiveness was because of 1) removal of an epithelium-associated enzyme, neutral endopeptidase, which degrades substance P and 2) loss of an epithelium-derived noncyclooxygenase relaxant factor. Using a muscle bath preparation we performed concentration-response curves with substance P and acetylcholine on indomethacin-treated tissues with and without intact epithelium and with and without pretreatment with the neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, phosphoramidon. Epithelium removal potentiated the mean agonist concentration calculated to causes 30% of the maximal contractile response by 148-fold for substance P and by 7-fold for acetylcholine. Phosphoramidon potentiated the contractile response to substance P, but not to acetylcholine, by both the epithelium-intact and denuded tissues (P less than 0.05). However, the degree of enhancement by phosphoramidon was much greater in the intact tissues. With phosphoramidon treatment, therefore, the difference in responsiveness to substance P between the intact and denuded tissues was reduced from 148-fold to 18-fold. This effect of phosphoramidon suggests that the hyperresponsiveness to substance P of epithelium-denuded airway tissue is largely because of removal of neutral endopeptidase. Because all tissues were treated with indomethacin, the leftward shifts in substance P and in acetylcholine responsiveness induced by epithelium removal further suggest that an epithelium-derived noncyclooxygenase factor other than neutral endopeptidase also modulates the contractile response to substance P and to acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine↗

Potential bronchoconstrictor stimuli in acid fog.

Acid fog is complex and contains multiple stimuli that may be capable of inducing bronchoconstriction. These stimuli include sulfuric and niric acids, the principal inorganic acids present; sulfites, formed in the atmosphere as a reaction product of sulfur dioxide and water droplets; fog water itself, a hypoosmolar aerosol; the organic acid hydroxymethanesulfonate, the bisulfite adduct of formaldehyde; and gaseous pollutants, e.g., sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, ozone. Given this complexity, evaluation of the respiratory health effects of naturally occurring acid fog requires assessment of the bronchoconstrictor potency of each component stimulus and possible interactions among these stimuli. We summarize the results of three studies that involve characterization of the bronchoconstrictor potency of acid fog stimuli and/or their interaction in subjects with asthma. The results of the first study indicate that titratable acidity appears to be a more important stimulus to bronchoconstriction than is pH. The results of the second study demonstrate that sulfite species are capable of inducing bronchoconstriction, especially when inhaled at acid pH. The results of the third study suggest that acidity can potentiate hypoosmolar fog-induced bronchoconstriction.

Acid Rain↗

Clinical and biological features in the 12 months preceding onset of AIDS in HIV-infected subjects.

Biological markers of HIV infection were studied in 17 asymptomatic HIV seropositive subjects in the 12 months preceding the onset of the disease. No single marker of HIV infection preceded the development of AIDS. Therefore, the clinical care of asymptomatic seropositive subjects should include a number of tests to evaluate HIV activity and immune suppression.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Comparative study of sturgeon oocyte soluble proteins by isoelectric focusing.

1. Soluble caviar (oocyte) proteins of four sturgeon species from the Caspian sea, Acipenser stellatus (Sevrouga), Acipenser guldenstadti (Ossietre), Acipenser nudiventris (Chipe) and Huso huso (Belouga) were studied by isoelectric focusing. 2. Isoelectric focusing patterns of these proteins differ from one species to another and allow the identification of the specific origin of caviar. 3. Moreover, this technique allowed the discrimination of a subspecies, Acipenser guldenstadti persicus from the species. 4. This biochemical characterization of caviar proteins allowing identification of sturgeon species producing caviar could be added to data used in fraud tests.

Animals↗

[Genetic variants of human albumin: structural characterization of allotypes used as references for electrophoretic classification].

Eight different types of genetic variants of albumin are observed in the French population. The analysis of electrophoretic patterns of sera containing these variants, performed a three different pHs (8.6, 5.0 and 6.9) after addition of a reference protein (transferrin), allows the identification each variant by a quantitative estimation of its relative mobilities. The accuracy and reproducibility of the technique make it a useful reference method, commonly employed for studying European variants. The samples used as references for five genetic variant types, proalbumins Christchurch and Lille, albumins Vanves, B and Reading, were subjected to sequence analysis to determine the nature and localization of their structural change. Together with the mutations of albumins Gent and Roma previously described, the data presented here make available seven reference specimens for which the structural changes are characterized out of the eight variants known to exist in France.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Serum neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin concentrations in monoclonal gammopathies.

Serum neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin concentrations were investigated in 46 patients with multiple myeloma and in 28 patients with asymptomatic monoclonal gammopathy followed for long periods (median 9.6 years) and showing an absence of evolution. Seventy-two per cent of the patients with multiple myeloma showed beta 2-microglobulin concentrations higher than 3 mg/l with a mean of 6.84 mg/l, whereas all the patients with asymptomatic monoclonal gammopathies had concentrations lower than 3 mg/l with a mean of 1.64 mg/l. Concerning serum neopterin concentrations, 91% of the patients with multiple myeloma had values with in pathological limits (greater than 8 nmol/l) with a mean of 34 nmol/l, whereas all but one of the patients with asymptomatic monoclonal gammopathy had normal values with a mean of 5.19 nmol/l. The differences thus observed in these two groups of patients are highly significant (p less than 0.001). Serum neopterin concentration, unrelated to renal insufficiency, seems to be useful in the differentiation of malignant or benign asymptomatic monoclonal gammopathies.

Biopterins↗

Acidity potentiates bronchoconstriction induced by hypoosmolar aerosols.

Naturally occurring fogs are usually hypoosmolar with respect to body fluids and can be quite acidic. Because both hypoosmolarity and acidity can cause bronchoconstriction, we studied whether there was a positive interaction between these stimuli in 12 subjects with asthma. We administered the following aerosols: hypoosmolar saline (30 mOsm) at pH 5.5, 3 hypoosmolar acids (0.005 M H2SO4, 0.01 M HNO3 and a 1:1 mixture of 0.005 M H2SO4 and 0.01 M HNO3, all 30 mOsm) at pH 2, and isoosmolar 0.005 M H2SO4 (300 mOsm) at pH 2. Each aerosol was administered on a separate day and was inhaled through a mouthpiece during tidal breathing. Specific airway resistance (SRaw) was measured before and after the subjects inhaled aerosols delivered at as much as 5 doubling nebulizer outputs. For each aerosol challenge, an output-response curve was generated, and the nebulizer output required to increase SRaw by 100% above baseline (PO100) was calculated. Mean values of PO100 were significantly lower for each of the hypoosmolar acids than for hypoosmolar saline (1.65 + 0.43 g/min [mean + SEM] for saline compared with 0.95 + 0.11, 1.05 + 0.20, and 0.90 + 0.14 for H2SO4, HNO3, and a 1:1 mixture of the two; all p values less than 0.025). Mean values of PO100 did not differ among the 3 acids studied. For 7 of 12 subjects, all 3 acids caused a leftward shift in the output-response curve from the curve generated for hypoosmolar saline aerosol. Isoosmolar H2SO4 did not increase SRaw by 100% in any subjects, even at the maximal nebulizer output that delivered a concentration of H2SO4 in excess of 40 mg/m3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗