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Biomedical subjects

K Saha

Publications and source records attributed to K Saha.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Polyethylene glycol precipitates in serum during and after erythema nodosum leprosum--study of their composition and anticomplementary activity.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitates obtained from sera were characterized and quantitated in 20 borderline lepromatous (BL) and polar lepromatous (LL) patients with moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) before and four weeks after treatment with anti-ENL drugs, e.g., cortisone, clofazimine, chloroquine, or aspirin. Although the clinical severity of ENL subsided, there was no significant clearance of material that precipitates with PEG from the circulation. These precipitates had variable anticomplementary properties.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

A quick method of demonstrating bacillaemia in patients with lepromatous leprosy and ultrastructural studies of the circulating acid-fast bacilli.

While studying circulating immune complexes (CIC) in the sera of lepromatous patients by the polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation technique, we found (by light microscopy) abundant acid-fast bacilli (AFB), morphologically similar to those seen in slit skin smear preparations from these patients, precipitated with the PEG precipitated materials. Both solid and non-solid AFB could be readily identified. Ultrastructures of these AFB in the PEG aggregates showed some similarity with those detected in the PEG precipitates prepared from armadillo-derived lepromin under identical conditions. The most striking difference between the AFB in the test sera and that in the armadillo-derived lepromin was the absence of any transverse band in the former. This suggested that the AFB in the patients' circulation were not in division stage. Furthermore, electron-dense material were deposited on the AFB co-precipitated from the patients' sera, which were not found on the AFB co-precipitated from the armadillo-derived lepromin.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Breakdown product of factor B as an index of complement activation in lepromatous leprosy and its relation with bacillary load.

Serum complement profile studied in 50 lepromatous leprosy patients with various bacillary loads demonstrated significantly decreased C3 levels in patients with high bacteriological index (2+ to 4+) as compared with those with lesser bacterial load. In contrast, mean serum levels of C1q and C4 components remained unchanged. The concentration of factor B breakdown product (Ba) and its ratio to factor B increased with the bacterial density and more so in patients with erythema nodosum leprosum. A significant negative correlation was found between serum C3 and Ba levels in most lepromatous patients. Analysis of the data suggested the alternative pathway as the possible mechanism of complement activation in lepromatous leprosy.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Identification of components of IC purified from human sera. II. Demonstration of mycobacterial antigens in immune complexes isolated from sera of lepromatous patients.

Immune complexes have been purified from sera of patients with lepromatous leprosy, using solid phase conglutinin and analysed by SDS-PAGE. Some of their components have been immunologically identified after electrophoretic blotting on nitrocellulose. First, immunoglobulins, complement components (C1q, C1s, C3) and CRP were found in IC. Secondly, one mycobacterial antigen of 67 kD was directly identified in IC while two other components (20 kD and 14.4 kD) of possible M. leprae origin were also found in IC. This study suggests that lepromatous patients develop a good antibody response against some M. leprae antigens (33 kD and 12 kD), which are rapidly eliminated from circulation, while other M. leprae antigens (e.g. 67 kD) can persist in relative antigen excess, within circulating IC.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1982

High incidence of IgG class of Epstein-Barr virus capsid antibody in Indian patients of lepromatous leprosy.

Low levels of Epstein-Barr virus capsid (EBVC) antibody of the IgG class were detected in the sera of 19 of 23 (82.6%) lepromatous leprosy patients and six of 38 (16%) healthy controls. In contrast, heterophile antibody was found in only six of 43 (14%) lepromatous patients and three of 41 (7%) normal subjects. Overlap of the two types of antibody occurred only in one normal serum. It is inferred that the presence of EBVC antibody against an unbiquitous virus in lepromatous patients who often suffer from impairment of cell-mediated immunity might be due to past infection leading to persistence of the virus in their lymphoid cells and subsequent production of specific anti-viral antibody. Further, the striking finding of low incidence and titre of EBVC antibody in the normal Indian adults is consistent with the rarity of EB virus-associated disease, such as Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and infectious mononucleosis in India.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Autoantibodies in thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease).

Autoantibodies, organ and non-organ specific, were studied in 10 patients of thromboangiitis obliterans by immunofluorescence technique and compared with age matched controls without peripheral vascular disease and patients of other peripheral vascular diseases. Organ specific autoantibodies (various classes of immunoglobulins IgM, IgG, IgA) and C3 component were observed in the diseased vessels of thromboangiitis obliterans. Antibodies, antiarterial, were present in the sera of these patients. Among the non-organ specific antibodies (ANA and AMA), only ANA were found in the sera of patients. Presence of autoantibodies in patients of thromboangiitis obliterans strongly point out of that probably this disease entity is an autoimmune disorder.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1982

Serum immunoglobulins an autoantibodies during and after erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL).

Sera from 20 patients with lepromatous leprosy complicated by erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) were collected at the time of acute reaction and then after clinical cure four weeks later. Anti-ENL drugs used were: prednisolone (11 patients), chloroquin (6 patients), and clofazimine (3 patients). Immunoglobulins M, G, and A and autoantibodies, namely, antithyroglobulin antibody (ATA), antinuclear antibody (ANA), and rheumatoid factor (RF), were measured in these 20 paired serum samples. The mean serum concentration of IgG showed a significant elevation after clinical subsidence of the reaction, mainly in the prednisolone treated group; while those of IgM and IgA varied only marginally. Autoantibodies were detected in nine patients. Of these, three patients developed these antibodies only after remission of the reaction. Treatment with prednisolone and chloroquin, although causing subsidence of ENL, resulted in an increased incidence of ATA and/or ANA. Furthermore, it was observed that longer duration of illness, higher age group, and history of repeated attacks of ENL predisposed these patients to enhanced autoantibody formation.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Natural resistance against tetanus in patients with lepromatous leprosy.

Tetanus antitoxin levels in the sera of unimmunized lepromatous patients, often suffering from many ulcerations on their limbs due to physical and thermal trauma, but not developing clinical tetanus, were studied. Sera from 40 such patients with no history of immunization against tetanus, 35 unimmunized matched controls and 12 immunized controls were tested for the presence of tetanus antitoxin by the passive haemagglutination technique. 45% of patients, 17% of controls and all the immunized patients showed adequate serum antibody levels. Eight of the 22 leprosy patients, with no detectable antitoxin on their sera, were immunized with a single dose of tetanus toxoid and all showed sero-conversion four weeks later. 2-Mercaptoethanol (2ME) treatment of these sera showed both IgM and IgG classes of specific antibody in all groups but the level of mature antibody of IgC class was higher in the immunized group. Neutralization test further confirmed the presence of protective antibodies in these sera.

Adult↗