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Biomedical subjects

J R Urmson

Publications and source records attributed to J R Urmson.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1980

Hereditary angioneurotic edema: immunochemical 'activity' without clinical expression.

An 11-year-old white female with focal glomerulonephritis was found to have an absence of functional C1 esterase inhibitor. C1 esterase inhibitor measured by immunochemical means, however, was only slightly reduced. After an initial time period marked by variable hypocomplementemia, presumably due to immune complex formation associated with the nephritis, immunochemical signs of active and severe hereditary angioneurotic edema (HANE) developed. These have been unremitting for 3 1/2 years. Clinical signs of HANE, however, have never developed. Thus, during this time, there have been no clinical abnormalities despite the fact that free C1 esterase activity has been persistently present in this patient's serum and serum levels of functional C1 esterase inhibitor, C2 and C4 have been continuously less than 2% of normal. It appears, therefore, that this patient has an unusual form of HANE mainifested solely by the complement alterations seen during symptomatic attacks but without clinical expression of that serologic activity.

Angioedema↗
PubMed1979

Complement alterations in inflammatory bowel disease.

A prospective evaluation of the activity of the complement system was undertaken in 32 patients at the time of diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, before the onset of therapy. Serum classical pathway components and function were normal, while significant abnormalities of the alternative pathway were found. Depressions of serum properdin and properdin convertase were noted in association with diminished consumption of C3--C9 after reaction with cobra venom. These abnormalities of alternative pathway integrity were most significant in regional enteritis and in ulcerative colitis with extraintestinal complications. Sequential studies extending into clinical remission revealed resolution of all significant abnormalities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Activation of the alternative pathway of complement in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Sequential studies in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia have demonstrated that at diagnosis or relapse there is defective utilization of complement by the alternative pathway. Thus, the sera of 17/18 patients fail to completely consume C3 to C9 when incubated with zymosan or cobra venom factor (CoF). This underutilization is due to a specific inhibitor of C3 activation which has been partially isolated. By remission, the inhibotor disappears and the CoF and zymosan assays return to normal. In addition, serum levels of C3 and factor B are elevated at the time of diagnosis or relapse but fall to below 3 S.D. from the mean in nearly 60 per cent of the cases during induction therapy. Similarly, serum C4 levels which are normal at diagnosis fall to less that 3 S.D. from the mean in 7/12 cases during treatment. Low C3 levels correlate well with factor B values, suggesting that if C3 to C9 are utilized after the inhibitor has been eliminated, such utilization occurs primarily through the alternative pathway. Presumably, as illustrated by the low C4 levels, this activity is mediated by the ampliciation loop of the alternative pathway involving classical pathway generation of C3b.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Complement changes during granulocyte adhesion.

The granulocyte adherence assay was investigated as a potential in vitro model of filtration leukapheresis to study the effects produced on the complement system by passing anticoagulated blood through columns packed with nylon fibers. Complement activation per se was found not to be a prerequisite for the simple attachment of neutrophils to nylon fibers in this system, because none of the complement components studied were consumed in blood freely flowing through or incubated within adherence columns. Moreover, concentrations of the B antigenic determinant of C3 were unchanged, an indication that this pivotal component had not been cleaved. Although not required for adherence, complement activation is probably initiated by the process of neutrophil attachment, because chemotactic activity was generated. The precise nature of this activity was not identified, but information from previous studies of filtration leukapheresis and granulocyte adherence suggests the possibility of complement origin.

Cell Adhesion↗