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L H Perrin

Publications and source records attributed to L H Perrin.

87 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Measurement of virus antigens on the surface of HeLa cells persistently infected with wild type and vaccine strains of measles virus by radioimmune assay.

Persistent states of measles virus infection have been established in HeLa cells by using Edmonston strain virus and two types of measles virus vaccine (M-VAC and Schwarz). The absolute amount of surface viral antigens expressed on these cells infected separately with the three viruses has been assessed by a newly developed method which employs [125I]-labelled Fab fragments of immunoglobulin G (IgG) from immune human sera. This method was used to determine the level of viral antigenic expression on acutely infected HeLa cells harvested at a time when 95 to 100% of cells could be lysed by antiviral antibody and complement. From our data, more than 1 X 10(6) antibody molecules must bind to each cell infected with measles virus before complement dependent lysis can occur in a homologous test system. Persistently infected cells bind 2 to 3 times less antibody than acutely infected cells and correspondingly exhibit less susceptibility to humorally-mediated immune lysis.

Antigens, Viral↗

Circulating and intra-articular immune complexes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Correlation of 125I-Clq binding activity with clinical and biological features of the disease.

The correlation between the incidence and level of immune complexes in serum and synovial fluid and the various clinical and biological manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis has been studied. Immune complexes were quantitated using a sensitive radioimmunoassay, the 125I-Clq binding test, in unheated native sera and synovial fluids from 50 patients with seropositive (RA +) and 45 with seronegative (RA -) rheumatoid arthritis, 17 with other inflammatory arthritis, and 37 with degenerative and post-traumatic joint disease. The following observations were made: (a) when compared to the results from patients with degenerative and post-traumatic joint diseases, the 125I-Clq binding activity (Clq-BA) in synovial fluid was found to be increased (by more than 2 SD) in most of the patients with RA + (80%) and RA - (71%) and in 29% of patients with other inflammatory arthritis; the serum Clq-BA was also frequently increased in both RA + (76%) and RA - (49%) patients, but only exceptionally in patients with other inflammatory arthritis (6%); (b) a significant negative correlation existed between the Clq-BA and the immunochemical C4 level in synovial fluids from patients with RA + and RA -; (c) neither the serum nor the synovial fluid Clq-BA in rheumatoid arthritis significantly correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the clinical stage of the disease, or the IgM rheumatoid factor titer; and (d) the serum Clq-BA in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and extra-articular disease manifestations (40 +/- 34% in those with RA +,32 +/- 29% in those with RA -) was significantly increased as compared to the serum Clq-BA in patients with joint disease alone (24 +/- 30% in those with RA +, 10 +/- 13% in those with RA -). Experimental studies were carried out in order to characterize the Clq binding material in rheumatoid arthritis. This material had properties similar to immune complexes: it sedimented in a high molecular weight range on sucrose density gradients (10-30S) and lost the ability to bind Clq after reduction and alkylation, or after acid dissociation at pH 3.8, or after passage through an anti-IgG immunoabsorbant. DNase did not affect the Clq BA. These results support the hypothesis that circulating as well as intra-articular immune complexes may play an important role in some pathogenetic aspects of rheumatoid arthritis. The 125I-Clq binding test may also be of some practical clinical value in detecting patients who have a higher risk of developing vasculitis.

Adult↗

Complement breakdown products in plasma from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and patients with membranoproliferative or other glomerulonephritis.

A dynamic estimation of the involvement of the complement system in various diseases was obtained by the direct quantitation of breakdown products of C3 and of properdin factor B. The methods used were based, first on the separation of native and fragmented molecules according to their molecular size through a precipitation with polyethylene glycol and, secondly, on an immunochemical quantitation, using specific antisera for the major antigens of C3 and factor B. The sensitivity and the specificity of these methods were demonstrated by activation of complement in vitro with generation of C3 and factor B fragments. A clinical investigation was carried out in 41 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 31 with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), 26 with other types of glomerulonephritis, and 6 with severe alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. The following observations were made: (a) an elevated plasma level of C3d fragment of C3 was found in 68% of SLE patients, in 87% of MPGN patients, in 62% of patients with other hypocomplementemic nephritis, and in 15% of those with normocomplementemic nephritis, but in only 33% of patients with liver cirrhosis and very low levels of C3; (b) a significant difference was observed between the levels of C3 obtained with either anti-"native" C3 or anti-C3c sera for immunochemical quantitation, in patients with SLE or MPGN, indicating the presence of "altered" or fragmented C3 in plasma; (c) an elevated plasma level of Ba fragment of properdin factor B was found in 46% of SLE patients, in 67% of MPGN patients, in 50% of patients with other hypocomplementemic nephritis, and in 9% of patients with normocomplementemic nephritis, while the level of properdin factor B was only slightly decreased in these diseases; (d) in SLE and MPGN there was an inverse correlation between the levels of C3d and Ba and the level of C3 in plasma. The level of these fragments was directly correlated with the clinical manifestations of SLE; (e) some patients with a normal C3 level exhibited an elevated plasma concentration of C3 and factor B fragments, suggesting the coexistence of an increased synthesis with a hypercatabolism of complement components. Therefore, the quantitation of complement breakdown products by simple immunochemical methods provides additional information concerning the involvement of complement in disease and new features for the evaluation of the intensity of immune reactions during immune complex diseases.

Adolescent↗

Detection and quantitation in plasma and synovial fluid of a fragment of human C4 with alpha mobility generated during the activation of the complement system.

A newly identified fragment of human C4 was detected, using a particular antiserum, in human serum after activation by heat-aggregated immunoglobulins, but not after activation of the complement alternative pathway. This fragment was shown to have a sedimentation velocity of approximately 2.5S, to be heat stable, and to exhibit alpha mobility in immunoelectrophoresis. This C4alpha mobility fragment was not generated in human C4 deficient serum but was generated in human C2 deficient serum after incubation with heat-aggregated immunoglobulin. After precipitation of native C4 and its higher molecular weight fragments from serum by polyethylene glycol, it was possible to quantitate the lower molecular weight C4 alpha mobility fragment by radial immunodiffusion. In kinetic experiments, it was shown that the C4alpha mobility fragment was generated after some delay when compared to the disappearance of C4 hemolytic activity. Quantitation of the C4alpha mobility fragment may be of further use in human diseases for the evaluation of the catabolism of C4: joint fluids of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis contained high levels of the C4alpha mobility fragment, and low concentrations were found in patients with degenerative joint disease.

Animals↗

Complement activation in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. 125I-C1q binding capacity and complement breakdown products in serum and synovial fluid.

1. The detection and quantitation of immune complex-like material in synovial fluid and in serum from patients with joint diseases was done through the measurement of the capacity to bind radiolabeled C1q. It was found that 65% of synovial fluid samples from seropositive or seronegative RA patients had a high C1q binding capacity as compared to other joint diseases. Immune complex-like material was also detected in 63% of serum samples from seropositive RA patients. 2. The existence of C3 or C3PA breakdown products in synovial fluid from most of the synovial fluids from RA patients probably reflects an activation of the complement system occurring in both forms of the disease. C3PA breakdown products were never found in degenerative or post-traumatic joint diseases and only occasionally in other inflammatory arthritis. Apart from their pathogenic significance, these results may have some interest for the clinical investigation of patients with joint diseases.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Recombinant polypeptides for serology of malaria.

We have evaluated 3 molecularly defined polypeptides encoded by encloned Plasmodium falciparum genes for their ability to serve as antigens for detecting antimalaria antibodies. The recombinant proteins correspond to (i) a conserved part of 190-200 kDa schizont merozoite surface component, (ii) the carboxy terminal part of the P. falciparum aldolase, and (iii) the 5.1 antigen. Antibodies were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in a high percentage of sera from individuals from a malaria endemic area in The Gambia (up to 99% for some adult groups). These results were further improved, especially for detection of antimalaria antibodies in children, when a pool of all 3 polypeptides (ELISA MIXT) was used as antigen. This ELISA MIXT improves presently available assays for the detection of antimalaria antibodies directed against asexual blood stages in respect of standardization, sensitivity and specificity.

Adult↗

Measurement of serum haptoglobin as an indicator of the efficacy of malaria intervention trials.

Serum haptoglobin levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in Gambian children who participated in 3 malaria intervention trials with untreated or impregnated bed nets. In one study, in which a significant effect on clinical malaria was observed, the mean serum haptoglobin level was significantly higher in the intervention than in the control group. In the other 2 studies, in which no significant protection was observed, mean haptoglobin levels were similar in intervention and control groups. Measurement of serum haptoglobin may provide a useful indirect measure of the effectiveness of malaria control programmes.

Bedding and Linens↗

Complement activation in the adult respiratory distress syndrome following cardiopulmonary bypass.

We investigated complement fractions in patients after extracorporeal circulation for coronary bypass operations or cardiac valve replacement, and in two cases developing an adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after this type of intervention. The patients presenting an ARDS had significantly increased levels of C3d (p less than 0.001), the small molecular breakdown product of C3, associated with decreased levels of total classic haemolytic activity (p less than 0.05) and of the complement component C1q (p less than 0.001) when compared to a group of 10 patients who had uneventful evolution after bypass. However, all patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass had significantly increased levels of C3d (p less than 0.005 or less) associated with significant decrease of various complement components within 24 h after bypass, when compared to a control group of 5 patients investigated after aorto-iliac bypass graft surgery. We conclude that significant complement activation can persist in patients 24 h after bypass and--at higher levels--be a pathogenic and biological marker of ARDS after extracorporeal circulation.

Adult↗

Prekallikrein activation in the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Prekallikrein is the zymogen form of plasma kallikrein, a proteolytic enzyme of the contact system of blood coagulation, fibrinolysis and kinin formation. To assess whether prekallikrein was activated in the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), we examined plasma samples from 12 critically ill patients including five individuals with ARDS. Using the ratio between functional prekallikrein and prekallikrein-kallikrein antigen as an index for prekallikrein activation, we found that prekallikrein was extensively activated in patients with ARDS, while this was significantly less in the case of critically ill patients without ARDS. Following activation of prekallikrein in plasma, kallikrein reacts with its substrates and with protease inhibitors, among which the alpha 2-glycoprotein C1-inhibitor. Thus, we examined whether C1-inhibitor of critically ill individuals was modified in a way suggesting that it had reacted with kallikrein. Such a modification was found in the five patients with ARDS, while it was not detectable in the seven patients without ARDS. This observation further confirmed the activation of prekallikrein in patients with ARDS. We suggest that plasma kallikrein-mediated reactions, which include bradykinin release and neutrophil activation, may contribute to the pathogenesis of ARDS.

Adolescent↗