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P Varga

Publications and source records attributed to P Varga.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

The expression of a progesterone-induced immunomodulatory protein in pregnancy lymphocytes.

PROBLEM: The immunological effects of progesterone are mediated by a protein, named the progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF). The PIBF blocks NK activity in vitro and therefore prevents the abortive effect on high NK activity in mice. Increased NK activity has been suggested to play a role in pregnancy termination; thus NK inhibitory effect of the PIBF should contribute to the maintenance of normal gestation. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between n vivo PIBF-producing capacity and in vitro cytotoxic activity of pregnancy lymphocytes, as well as the clinical status or the outcome of pregnancy. METHOD: Lymphocytes of 168 pregnant women (96 normal pregnancies, 16 showing clinical symptoms of threatened preterm pregnancy termination, 46 recurrent aborters, and 10 women sampled at the onset of spontaneous abortion or preterm delivery) were isolated on Ficoll-Paque gradient. The lymphocytes were tested for reactivity with a PIBF-specific antibody by immunocytochemistry, and simultaneously for cytotoxic activity to human embryonic fibroblast targets. RESULTS: The percentage of PIBF-positive lymphocytes in peripheral blood of healthy pregnant women was significantly higher than in that of women at risk for premature pregnancy termination. In peripheral blood of patients undergoing spontaneous pregnancy termination at the time of sampling, and in those of women showing symptoms of premature pregnancy termination we found lower than normal percentage of PIBF-positive cells. PIBF expression of the lymphocytes showed an inverse correlation with NK activity, and the rate of PIBF positive lymphocytes was related to the outcome of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a strong relationship between PIBF producing capacity as well as NK activity of the lymphocytes and the success of gestation.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1993

Discrete subvalvular aortic stenosis in the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

Various congenital cardiac malformations have been described in patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann (BW) syndrome, including reversible obstructive subaortic stenosis in one patient. We herein present a case of a 2.5-year-old black boy with BW syndrome and discrete subvalvular aortic stenosis of the membraneous type. Such association of these two entities has previously not been documented.

Aortic Stenosis, Subvalvular↗
PubMed1991

Natural lymphocyte cytotoxicity of women with different symptoms of toxemia.

Natural cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes from 113 pregnant women presenting one or more symptoms of the toxemic triad (E, P or H) was tested. According to the clinical symptoms, groups EH + H, EP + P and PH + EPH were formed. The control group consisted of 56 healthy pregnant patients. Significantly increased cytotoxicity was observed in toxemic pregnancies with proteinuria (group EP + P, 35.8 +/- 14.3%, P less than 0.001) and with proteinuria and hypertension (group PH + EPH, 27.2 +/- 13.3%, P less than 0.001%), but not in the group with hypertension (EH + H, 13.0 + 9.9%), compared to that of controls (11.0 + 11.5%). The relative number of patients with cytotoxicity greater than or equal to 40% was also higher in groups with proteinuria presenting with or without other symptoms of the disease. Increased cytotoxicity in proteinuric form of gestosis seemed to be independent of the incidence of low birthweight deliveries and intra-uterine growth retardation.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Body composition in hypertensive elderly and middle-aged patients.

The occurrence of hypertension, leading to various life-threatening complications in the elderly is a widely recognized problem. The changes of body composition were determined in 120 control and untreated hypertensive subjects of various ages. In middle-aged hypertensive males, the total blood volume and plasma volume increased significantly compared to those of the healthy controls, while this increase was not significant in the case of hypertensive middle-aged females. In contrast, in the elderly hypertensive male subjects, the volume of all fluid components decreased, except the total body fat and the vascular volumes. There was a slight, statistically non-significant, increase in all the vascular volumes except in the red cell mass. The elderly hypertensive females showed the same tendency compared to the healthy controls of the same age. The vascular compartments seem to be decreased in elderly males, compared to those of the middle-aged males, while slightly increased in elderly females.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1989

ELISA test for the detection of an immunological blocking factor in human pregnancy serum.

We have previously shown that progesterone-treated lymphocytes of healthy pregnant women can produce a 34 kDa protein, progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) capable of blocking lymphocyte function in vitro. Lymphocytes of women with idiopathic threatened pre-term delivery failed to produce this factor. On the assumption that the PIBF appears in the serum of healthy pregnant women but not in that of women at risk for immunologically based abortion of pre-term delivery, an ELISA has been designed for detecting the blocking factor in serum samples. Sera obtained at the time of delivery, as well as those from women with pre-term deliveries or miscarriages, contained significantly less PIBF than sera of 209 healthy pregnant women. Data obtained by testing sera of women at 16 weeks gestation whose pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortion showed that the predictive value of the test depended on the time interval between blood sampling and the onset of abortion. In 11 of 13 women with uterine contractions the outcome of pregnancy was predictable by normal or lower than normal levels of PIBF in the sera taken at the time the symptoms were presented. The data suggest that determination of PIBF in pregnancy serum might contribute to the diagnosis of immunologically bases pre-term disruption of pregnancy.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1989

Lymphocytic progesterone receptors in normal and pathological human pregnancy.

The progesterone receptor-specific monoclonal antibody (MoAb) mPRI was tested for its reactivity towards peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of 49 healthy pregnant women, nine pregnant women with clinical symptoms of threatened preterm delivery, seven women with recurrent spontaneous abortion, ten women in labour and ten women with spontaneous abortion. Lymphocytes of 12 healthy age-matched non-pregnant volunteers were used as controls. Lymphocytes of nine healthy pregnant women at the 1st trimester of pregnancy and those of two non-pregnant donors were tested for the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors by enzyme immunoassay. PBL of healthy pregnant women contained significantly more positive cells than those of non-pregnant controls. Furthermore, the number of receptor-containing cells increased in parallel with gestational age. In blood samples drawn during labour, as well as in those obtained from women with spontaneous abortion or clinical symptoms of threatened pre-term delivery, the percentage of positively stained lymphocytes was significantly lower than normal pregnancy values. This was also the case in peripheral blood of pregnant women with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortions.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1989

Blood laboratory parameters of carefully selected healthy elderly people.

Hematological and biochemical parameters were measured in carefully selected healthy elderly (50 males and 50 females, aged 60-97 years) and young (10 males and 10 females, aged 18-23 years) populations. Most of the parameters measured did not show any age-related variations. It means that any deviation from the present normal ranges established for healthy young subjects should be considered as pathologic in the case of elderly, too. Some parameters showed age-specific changes and hence there is a possibility that their actual normal ranges might be extended towards the upper limit (globulin, IgG, IgA, CIC, C3, BUN, AP for females), or towards the lower limit (creatinine clearance, albumin). Verification of these modifications may indicate that a lot of unnecessary investigations in the case of elderly could be avoided.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Membrane fluidity of trophoblast cells and susceptibility to natural cytotoxicity.

This study examines the relationship between membrane lipid microviscosity and susceptibility of villous trophoblast to lysis by natural cytotoxic cells. Trophoblast-enriched cell suspensions prepared from term human placentae were treated with cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS)--a modulator of membrane lipid microviscosity. CHS-treated cells were more susceptible targets for natural lymphocyte cytotoxicity than were untreated controls. In binding experiments, increased binding of lymphocytes to CHS-treated target cells was found. Preincubation with progesterone prevented membrane rigidification by CHS. Progesterone, cortisol, and estriol restored the impaired resistance of CHS-treated trophoblast cells to lysis. We determined microviscosity and progesterone concentration in villous surface membranes, prepared from placentae from idiopathic spontaneous abortions and normal first-trimester pregnancies. An inverse relationship was found between progesterone content and microviscosity of the membranes. Microviscosity of the membranes from abortion placentae was significantly higher (P less than .01) and progesterone concentration was significantly lower (P less than .001) than those in the membranes of normal first trimester placentae.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1988

The blocking effect of PGE2 on lymphocyte reactivity in vitro is influenced by high concentrations of human serum.

PGE2 solubilized in human serum as well as dialyzed or heat inactivated human serum was tested for modulating natural cytotoxicity as compared to PGE2 solubilized in culture medium. PGE2 dissolved in human serum failed to affect cytotoxicity, while that solubilized in dialyzed or heat inactivated serum suppressed in vitro cytotoxic activity of the lymphocytes similarly to PGE2 in culture medium. It is concluded that the immunomodulatory potential of PGE2 observed in vitro is inhibited by high concentrations of human serum and that in vitro findings with this compound might not reflect the situation in vivo.

Blood Physiological Phenomena↗