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Biomedical subjects

P Bernell

Publications and source records attributed to P Bernell.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Decrease in helper (T4+) lymphocytes following cimetidine treatment for duodenal ulcer.

We studied the possible in vivo influence of cimetidine on peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) subpopulations defined with monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) in eight haematologically normal patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcers before cimetidine treatment, 1 week after the start, and finally 1 week following cessation of therapy. After cimetidine had been given for 3-5 weeks there was a significant decrease, compared with pretreatment numbers, in the proportion of T3+ cells (64.6 +/- 8.1 (mean +/- s.d.) v 51.0 +/- 7.8%) and in T4+ cells (47.3 +/- 4.3 v 30.8 +/- 4.7%). The number of T8+ cells was not affected (20.3 +/- 4.3 v 20.1 +/- 6.7%). These changes resulted in a significant reduction in the T4/T8 ratio (2.46 +/- 0.8 v 1.67 +/- 0.6). The total numbers of lymphocytes and monocytes as well as the percentage of B1+ lymphocytes did not change significantly. The observed decrease in T4/T8 ratio after cimetidine treatment is explained by a reduction in the number of T4+ cells and the appearance of a new subpopulation of T3-, T4-, T8-, B1-lymphocytes. The underlying mechanism, however, is not clear. Cimetidine does not seem to have a direct receptor-modulating effect, since in vitro exposure of normal lymphocytes to the drug did not change the proportions of the T cell subsets.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increase of serum interleukin-2 and regression of myeloma after rhGM-CSF treatment of drug induced bone marrow aplasia.

Recombinant human granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) was administered to a patient with multiple myeloma (IgA, stage IIA) who had a chemotherapy-induced bone marrow aplasia with granulocytopenia complicated by severe pneumonia and septicemia. The rhGM-CSF was given as i.v. infusions, 300-400 micrograms daily, for three weeks. The patient responded both hematologically and clinically with improved granulocyte counts and clearance of massive pulmonary infiltrates. We also observed a partial remission of the myeloma with decreasing s-IgA levels and reduced plasma cell infiltration of the bone marrow during a period of up to four months after the rhGM-CSF treatment. Immunological studies performed during and after cytokine administration showed an increase in serum interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels and HLA-DR positive T-lymphocytes indicating an activation of the immune system. It is suggested that rhGM-CSF induced immunological changes which may have contributed to the partial regression of the myeloma.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma in serum of multiple myeloma patients.

The levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were examined in serum from 32 patients with multiple myeloma and 33 healthy controls using sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The detection limits for TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were 80 pg/ml and 200 pg/ml, respectively. All samples were obtained at the time of diagnosis, before treatment. In sera from 8 of the myeloma patients the TNF-alpha concentrations were above the detection limit with a maximum value of 1.0 ng/ml. Overall, the TNF-alpha levels of the myeloma patients did not differ from the levels of the control group. Detectable amounts of IFN-gamma were found in 17 of the patient sera with 10.7 ng/ml as the top value. In contrast, the control group showed significantly lower s-IFN-gamma levels without detectable amounts in any of the samples (p less than 0.01). High IFN-alpha levels in 4 patients coincided with intercurrent infections but were not accompanied by a parallel increase of the TNF-alpha levels. The TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma values were compared with the serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin, calcium and creatinine, the M-component, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the degree of plasma cell infiltration of the bone marrow, the degree of skeletal destructions and with patients survival. No significant correlations could be observed between TNF-alpha or IFN-gamma and these variables of myeloma activity. We conclude that detection of serum TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels in multiple myeloma appears to be without any clinical value.

Aged↗