Sera from patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration have been shown to contain high titers of antibody to human Purkinje cells. It is not known, however, whether these sera react with cerebellar material from species other than man. The present study was conducted to determine whether cerebellar tissue of nonhuman species could be used to screen human sera for anticerebellar antibodies and whether similarities in cerebellar antigens between nonhuman and human material might permit attempts to transmit cerebellar degeneration to experimental animals by passive transfer of patient sera. Sections of human, monkey, pig, sheep, cat, rabbit, and rat cerebellar tissue were overlaid with serial dilutions of positive sera from patients with cancer and with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and were stained using indirect immunofluorescence methods. All sera stained specific Purkinje cells when reacted with monkey, pig, and rabbit cerebellar sections, but not all sera stained sheep, cat, or rat tissue. Immunofluorescent labeling of animal cerebellar tissue was less bright than that obtained with human cerebellar sections, and anticerebellar antibody titers were invariably lower when assayed with nonhuman than with human material. Although human anticerebellar antibodies react with cerebellar tissue from other animal species, patient-to-patient variation in staining is sufficiently great that not all patient sera might be suitable for passive transfer experiments, and that attempts to identify anticerebellar antibodies by reacting patient sera with nonhuman cerebellar tissue could be negative where these antibodies are in fact present and could be demonstrated using human material.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Single-dose pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone in healthy Chinese adults.

The pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone were investigated in six healthy mainland Chinese adults (four males and two females). A single 1.0-g dose was administered intravenously or intramuscularly in a two-way crossover design. Plasma and saliva samples were collected on 11 occasions between 0 and 36 h after dosing. Ceftriaxone was not detected in any saliva samples. The mean volume of distribution and mean elimination half-life of ceftriaxone in plasma were 8.5 liters and 8.1 h, respectively. The mean total body clearance after intravenous administration was 0.68 liter/h. The mean Tmax and Cmax after intramuscular injection were 1.4 h and 131 micrograms/ml, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curves after intravenous and intramuscular administrations were 1,507 and 1,493 micrograms X h/ml, respectively. The bioavailability for a 1.0-g intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone was calculated to be 100%. These pharmacokinetic parameters for ceftriaxone in healthy Chinese adults were very similar to those previously reported in the literature. Thus, ceftriaxone may be administered to treat Chinese patients without any major modification in the standard dosing regimen.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Respiratory syncytial virus-specific IgE responses following infection: evidence for a predominantly mucosal response.

In order to determine whether IgE production occurs predominantly at mucosal or systemic sites, we studied the production of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-specific antibody in serum and nasopharyngeal secretions (NPS) from 41 patients with RSV infection using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RSV-IgE was found in higher titer in samples of NPS than in simultaneously obtained serum specimens at all phases of illness. Despite the excess dilution incurred in the collection process, RSV-IgE was frequently detected in NPS specimens while it was undetectable in serum. In 20 selected subjects, ratios of RSV antibody in NPS:serum were 2.00 for RSV-IgE, 2.42 for RSV-IgA, and 0.01 for RSV-IgG. Also the geometric mean value of ratios of RSV-IgE:RSV-IgG was 1.74 in NPS and 0.05 in serum, while the geometric mean value of ratios of RSV-IgA:RSV-IgG were 1.85 in NPS and 0.09 in serum. These data suggest that IgE production occurs predominantly at mucosal surfaces.

Antibodies, Viral↗

PubMed1985

Defective regulation of immune responses in croup due to parainfluenza virus.

In order to determine if defects in regulation of immune responses play a role in the pathogenesis of croup, we studied 37 infants and children with either croup or upper respiratory illness alone due to parainfluenza virus (PV). PV-specific IgE responses were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cell-mediated immune responses to PV antigen were studied by in vitro lymphocyte transformation assays, and suppressor cell function was determined by addition of histamine to lymphocyte transformation assays. In comparison to patients with upper respiratory illness alone, patients with croup had increased production of PV-specific IgE antibody, increased lymphoproliferative responses to PV antigen, and diminished histamine-induced suppression of lymphocyte transformation responses to PV. These results suggest that a defect in suppressor function exists among croup patients. Similar defects have been demonstrated in bronchiolitis and atopic diseases, providing an immunologic link between the three illnesses.

Antibody Formation↗