Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Prokopowicz.
Among 30 pregnant women with EPH-gestosis activity of myeloperoxidase was significantly decreased and activity of acid phosphatase was not much increased. Results of scientific researches can confirm the fact of weakness of anti-infection immunity among women with EPH-gestosis in compare with healthy pregnant women.
Disturbances in hemostasis in cancer disease frequently occur. This clinical situation may contribute to the spread and metastasis of cancer. The determination of inhibitors controlling hemostasis especially during treatment may be of value for the evaluation of effectiveness of treatment and balancing of hemostasis. Twenty four patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease were introduced to our studies. The level of antithrombin III (AT-III) and alpha-2-antiplasmin (alpha-2-AP) in sera were determined before, during and after treatment with MOPP. We found decrease of AT-III concentration before treatment, and chemotherapy increased the level of this inhibitor but still below the level of control. Alpha-2-AP concentration was higher in patients and MOPP application decreased the level below the values found in controls. The determination of concentration of both inhibitors may be important for the evaluation of the effect of treatment in understanding how the disturbances of hemostasis may be equilibrated.
In 24 patients with Hodgkin's disease the activity of acid phosphatase was determined in granulocytes. Its level was only half that in the control group. The causes of this low activity of this enzyme may be increased number of cells without it, exocytosis, and possible influence of substances secreted by the neoplasm. It is suggested that the determination of this activity may be indirectly useful for verification of the efficacy of the antibacterial mechanisms, and also of antitumour resistance of the host.
In concentrations from 2.5 x 10(3) to 480 x 10(3) ng/ml AFP is able to increase the phagocytic index and the phagocytizing percentage of human blood platelets in vitro conditions. This effect is dependent on the dose of AFP and time of incubation.
Neutrophil myeloperoxidase activity has been studied in twenty one patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. The presented data indicate no differences in total MPO activity, whereas we observed some differences in the percentage of granulocytes with different degree of scores. Changes in the intensity of reaction may indicate the possibility of exocytosis as a mechanism releasing MPO from the cell to the surrounding area. In peripheral, circulating neutrophils, such a phenomenon seems to be of no avail and may disorganise anti-cancer defence.
26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicate by infection of urinary tract, have been decreased bactericidal activity of granulocytes. No changes has been noted in the bactericidal activity of plasma. These results suggested that neutrophils in rheumatoid synovial membrane plays important role of inflammation processes.
In 26 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis complicated by urinary tract infections the normal lysozyme activity has been observed in the blood serum. After 14 days lasting therapy with nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs no changes in the enzyme activity have been observed.
The percent of bacteria engulfed by blood platelets, surviving in them and killed was determined in these cells taken from 22 patients with pneumonia before the treatment and from 14 patients after the treatment. The mean percent of bacteria phagocytosed by platelets collected before the treatment was 6.28 and by those after the treatment 5.01, being considerably higher than in the control group (3.42). The mean percent of bacteria surviving in platelets taken before the treatment equalled 3.10 and after the treatment 2.36 being also higher than in the control group (1.32). The mean percent of bacteria killed by platelets taken before the treatment was 3.18 and by those taken after the treatment 2.65, being also higher than in the control group. These results seem to indicate that in cases of pneumonia the blood platelets are involved into the antibacterial activity.
In 26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated by infection of urinary tract the phagocytic function of granulocytes has been evaluated. The results obtained indicate that the phagocytic function of peripheral blood granulocytes is in patients with rheumatoid arthritis normal. Above function is not altered by infections of urinary tract.
In 1981, a new low-molecular-weight protease inhibitor, FUT-175 (nafamstat mesilate), was synthesized. Its preventive action against acute experimental pancreatitis (AEP) was detected. We studied the effect of FUT-175 on the blood count and aggregability of platelets in AEP in dogs. At 30 min after induction of AEP, the sensitivity to ADP increased more than two times in untreated animals. An evident decrease in platelet count of about 37% was noted in these dogs at 6 h after AEP induction. Treatment of AEP with FUT-175 prevented these changes. We assume that the positive effect of FUT-175 against AEP depends at least in part on its influence on platelet aggregation.
MPO activity in the neutrophils has been evaluated in 25 patients with lung carcinoma. Surprisingly for us we observed no differences between patients and controls in the total MPO activity. However, we noted the increase in the percentage granulocytes with the first and fourth degree of scores in cancer patients in comparison to normal adults. The highest activity was characterized by the distribution of this enzyme not only in granules but also outside them. Any changes in the total activity of MPO may reflect the balance between the factors which may stimulate it as tumor promoters enhancing the production of superoxide anion or the inhibitory effect of plasma. Diffuse enzymatic reaction may be due to some functional abnormalities of phagocytosis or membrane damage by the MPO system. The role of MPO in anticancer mechanisms is briefly discussed.
Serum antithrombin III and alpha-2-plasmin inhibitor concentrations has been evaluated in 26 patients with lung carcinoma. We observed a twofold decrease in antithrombin III level and no differences between test and control groups in alpha-2-plasmin inhibitor concentrations. Evidently, the decreased antithrombin III level may reflect its consumption because of enhanced plasma thrombin activity, whereas normal alpha-2-plasmin inhibitor may result in no induction of secondary fibrinolysis followed by the stimulation of the coagulation system or no conditions for primary increased fibrinolysis. It seems possible, that the antithrombin III level in the serum may at least partly reflect the tendency for hypercoagulability and spreading of cancer.
On the basis of a previously elaborated method for testing the phagocytic ability of human blood platelets we have undertaken studies for testing the distribution of peroxidase in phagocytizing platelets. Our findings confirmed the distribution of peroxidase in the dense tubular system and in granules in regular blood platelets. In the course of phagocytosis we noted the presence of peroxidase less evidently in both subcellular structures during the first of 5 minutes. In the next steps we observed the localization of this enzyme mainly near the phagolysosome. The change of this localization and the role of this enzyme in unspecific immunity against bacteria and neoplasia is briefly discussed.
Serum concentration of alpha-2-macroglobulin, alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-antichymotrypsin was evaluated in 26 patients with lung carcinoma. We observed an evident decrease in alpha-2-M and alpha-1-antitrypsin level and no differences between tested and control groups in alpha-1-antichymotrypsin concentration. The deficiency of protease inhibitors may be due to the increased level of protease activity in malignant cells. Infiltration of granulocytes near tumor and released enzymes from them may exhaust proteolytic inhibitory capacity, too. Increased protease activity is associated with transformation and uncontrolled proliferation, therefore antiproteases may be accepted as anticancerogenic factors. Further investigations are needed to bring us closer to understanding this question.
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Lysozyme activity was determined in undiluted and diluted sera of 41 patients suffered from Hodgkin's disease and of 40 healthy individuals. Blood was collected before chemotherapy, midway of its course, just after completion of chemotherapy and three weeks and three months later. Lysozyme activity was evidently increased as well in undiluted as in diluted sera in all our tested patients. These findings may be interpreted by the presence of immune complexes in sera which may stimulate the release of lysozyme from viable neutrophils. High activity in diluted sera probably is related to the increased concentration of lysozyme inhibitors. The applied chemotherapy did not significantly change the activity of the lysozyme during its course of even after its completion as found by three-month observation. The enhanced lysozyme activity in sera of patients may be at least in part to compensate decreased antibacterial and anticancer mechanisms.
In comparative studies made in patients with pneumonia we have treated 14 cases with Latamoxef and 16 cases with Ceftazidime. We have focused attention on the side effects of these drugs and on the phagocytic capacity of granulocytes. In our patients we have noted a decrease of bactericidal activity of plasma and granulocytes and an elevated NBT reduction capability of resting granulocytes. The other tested function of the granulocytes exhibited only small variations. The applied therapy caused the bactericidal activity to be increased in granulocytes and plasma. Both drugs had no harmful effect on the phagocytic activities of granulocytes.