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Biomedical subjects

P Venge

Publications and source records attributed to P Venge.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Elevated serum levels of lactoferrin and eosinophil cationic protein in schizophrenic patients.

The serum levels of lactoferrin, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), lysozyme and beta 2-microglobulin have been measured in schizophrenic patients in an attempt to elucidate the activity and turnover of neutrophil and eosinophil granulocytes, macrophages/monocytes and lymphocytes, respectively. Serum-lactoferrin and serum-ECP levels were significantly (P less than 0.001) higher in the patient group as compared to healthy controls in contrast to blood cell counts and serum-lysozyme and serum- beta 2-microglobulin levels which all were within normal limits. The results were not affected by anti-psychotic therapy. A significant correlation was found between serum-ECP and serum-lactoferrin levels which may suggest a common underlying cause of the elevated levels. The findings suggest an increased eosinophil and neutrophil activity and/or turnover in schizophrenia and may have a bearing on the well-known altered inflammatory response associated with this syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Kinetic studies of phagocytosis. III. The complement-dependent opsonic and anti-opsonic effects of normal and sle sera.

The influence of serum on phagocytosis related to the complement system was examined by means of a kinetic phagocytosis method using IgG-coated particles, isolated polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes (PMNs), fresh serum, in vitro activated sera and in vivo activated sera. The previously described opsonic properties of C3b and C4b were confirmed by the enhancement of phagocytic rate by the opsonization of IgG particles with C3 and C4. An anti-opsonic effect of serum was revealed by the initial inhibition of PMN phagocytosis of IgG-coated particles in the presence of fresh serum. In vitro activated norma fresh serum and in vivo activated SLE sera mediated a prolonged or even irreversible inhibition of phagocytosis dependent on the degree of complement activation. Investigation of this anti-opsonic effect of serum, which was heat-labile, suggested that it was caused by an inhibition of the interaction between the Fc receptor and IgG mediated by the C1q component of the C1 complex.

Complement Activating Enzymes↗
PubMed1981

Activation of blood coagulation during inhalation challenge tests.

Bronchial challenge tests were performed in 16 asthmatic subjects. Eight developed an immediate and eight a dual asthmatic response. In all patients serial blood samples were analysed for plasma recalcification time and Factor XII activation rate. In all instances a profound shortening of the recalcification time was found, but only in patients with a dual response could an increased activation rate of Factor XII be detected. A positive correlation, although weak, was found between the time of maximum shortening of recalcification time and the time of onset of the late reaction. The study suggests a relationship between activation of blood coagulation factors and the type of asthmatic response elicited after challenge test.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Radioimmunoassay of serum myoglobin in neuromuscular diseases.

Radioimmunoassay of serum myoglobin was performed in 85 patients with muscular symptoms. Elevated levels were found in 93% of patients with myogenic myopathy, in 54% with myasthenia gravis and in 50% with neurogenic myopathy. All 11 patients with polymyositis had elevated myoglobin concentrations. In six of seven patients with polymyositis, who were followed up with repeated determinations, a clear relationship between myoglobin levels and clinical course was found. In general serum myoglobin seemed to be a more sensitive indicator of muscle disease than creatine kinase.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Hemodialysis-induced increase in serum lactoferrin and serum eosinophil cationic protein as signs of local neutrophil and eosinophil degranulation.

Transient reduction in circulating polymorphonuclear granulocytes and eosinophils were observed early in hemodialysis. About a threefold increase in serum-lactoferrin occurred 2 h from the start of hemodialysis. Increments of the serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were observed as early as 1 h after initiation of hemodialysis, reaching maximum levels (about a fourfold increase from initial levels) 1 h later. When fresh blood was circulated through a dialyzer without having a patient in the circuit considerable increases of lactoferrin and ECP were also found. The intracellular contents of lactoferrin and ECP in granulocytes isolated from peripheral blood were unaffected throughout the dialysis period. Sera obtained at different times during dialysis induced no release of granular proteins from isolated granulocytes in vitro. The raised serum concentrations of lactoferrin and ECP during dialysis suggest that a local degranulation of neutrophils and eosinophils may take place probably in the dialyzer.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Serum and urinary myoglobin in alcoholics.

The serum levels of myoglobin were measured in 106 male alcoholics. Subnormal levels were found in 31% of the alcoholics with no alcohol consumption for the last 2--4 weeks, while none of them had elevated levels. Of the alcoholics on ambulatory control and with varying current alcohol intake. 18% had increased levels compared to healthy controls. Serial myoglobin levels were determined in 19 patients following the cessation of heavy drinking sprees. Despite the fact that none of the patients had clinical evidence of acute myopathy, marked myoglobin elevations were noted in five patients; their serum levels gradually declined and normalized with 4--7 days. Comparing the three groups, similar frequencies of subnormal or elevated serum CK levels were observed. Myoglobin levels were not raised due to impaired glomerular filtration rates. No correlation was found between serum myoglobin and laboratory signs of liver affection. Although hypophosphatemia, hypomagnesemia and hypokalemia were occasionally noted, decreased serum electrolytes did not have any relation to elevated serum myoglobin. A transient, slightly increased urinary excretion of myoglobin parallel with increased excretion of beta 2-microglobulin was observed in 2/17 alcoholics, suggesting that instances of myoglobinuria in alcoholics with heavy recent drinking may be due to a transient minor tubular dysfunction.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Effect of hyaluronic acid on phagocytosis of opsonized latex particles.

In an in vitro model system using isolated human granulocytes high molecular weight hyaluronic acid stimulated the initial rate of phagocytosis of complement-opsonized latex particles. This specific quality was dependent on the molecular size and occurred at low concentrations (1-10 mg/l) of hyaluronic acid. However, at high concentrations (> 100 mg/l) hyaluronic acid inhibited the initial rate of phagocytosis of both IgG- and complement-opsonized particles. The latter effect was shared with chrondoitin sulphate, heparan sulphate and heparin. The results suggest that hyaluronic acid may be instrumental in controlling inflammatory processes.

Chondroitin Sulfates↗
PubMed1980

The influence of serum on random migration and chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leucocytes: methodological evaluation using sera from infection-prone patients and normals.

The effects on normal polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) of chemotactic and chemokinetic factors in sera from normal subjects and infection-prone patients were examined by means of the leading-front technique, using a modified Boyden chamber. The analysis scheme used made it possible to differentiate between chemotactic and chemokinetic factors and demonstrated that different factors account for the major chemotactic and chemokinetic activities of serum. The major chemotactic activity of unactivated serum was heat-labile, and the chemotactic activity of factor XII-deficient sera was normal, suggesting the major chemotactic activity to be distinct from C5a and factor XII-dependent pathways. The existence of both heat-stable and heat-labile chemokinetic factors was shown. The possibility that the reduced chemokinetic effect of several patient sera was caused by abnormal levels of the serum proteins alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 2-macroglobulin and albumin was excluded.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Sequential studies on serum-levels of lysozyme, lactoferrin and eosinophil cationic protein in alcoholics after alcohol withdrawal.

12 male alcoholics were followed for 16 d after alcohol withdrawal with respect to the number of the different circulating blood cells and to serum levels of leucocyte markers such as beta 2-microglobulin, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), lactoferrin and lysozyme. The results suggest a direct toxic effect of ethanol on the neutrophil granulocytes as indicated by high S-lactoferrin levels. Relatively low levels of S-lysozyme as compared to S-lactoferrin could suggest a reduced activity of the monocytes/macrophages. The eosinophils and lymphocytes seemed quite unaffected by ethanol. Increased haematopoietic activity after withdrawal was indicated by increasing cell numbers in the peripheral blood and by increasing serum levels of lactoferrin and lysozyme. The increasing monocyte/macrophage activity after withdrawal as suggested by S-lysozyme levels was closely related (P less than 0.001) to the increased thrombopoietic activity as evaluated by peripheral thrombocyte counts. This latter finding could point to a direct relationship between monocyte/macrophage activity and thrombocyte production.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Neutrophil function in infection-prone children.

Seven variables connected with the function of the neutrophil granulocyte were studied in 24 children who had undue susceptibilities to infections. The phagocytosis rate of IgG-coated latex particles by the patients' neutrophils was significantly reduced compared with an age-matched control group. The chemokinetic effect of patients' sera on normal polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes was reduced too, especially in heated (56 degrees C, 30 min) serum. Spontaneous chemotactic activity in the patients' sera was significantly lower than in sera from healthy adults and from the age-matched control group. A functional index based on the 7 variables of neutrophil function was constructed. The score of the functional index was correlated to the severity of the patients' clinical condition and discriminated well between normal children and those with undue susceptibility to infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Regulation of granulocyte function by hyaluronic acid. In vitro and in vivo effects on phagocytosis, locomotion, and metabolism.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) stimulated the function of polymorphonucler leukocytes (PMN) both in vitro and in vivo. Stimulation in vitro was achieved by the incubation of PMN and HA in heparinized whole blood at concentrations of HA between 5 and 500 microgram/liter. The stimulation of the PMN function was demonstrated by an increase rate of phagocytosis of complement- and/or immunoglobulin (Ig)G-coated latex particles, increased adherence to nylon wool, increased random migration and chemotactic response, increased chemiluminescence during phagocytosis, and raised levels of intracellular ATP. The effect of HA in vivo was demonstrated, after subcutaneous administration of HA (5-20 mg) to healthy volunteers, by an enhanced rate of phagocytosis of the subsequently isolated neutrophils. The duration of the effect of one administration was approximately 1 wk with maximum effect on days 2-4. HA injections to patients with increased susceptibility to bacterial infections and impaired neutrophil function demonstrated an enhanced neutrophil function also in these individuals. HA may therefore be a new principle by which resistance to infections can be enhanced.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗