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Biomedical subjects

S Mackiewicz

Publications and source records attributed to S Mackiewicz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Microheterogeneity forms of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein as indicators of rheumatoid arthritis activity.

The microheterogeneity of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) has been studied in the sera of 48 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and of 12 healthy individuals. For each rheumatoid patient the disease activity has been assessed and each patient has been assigned to one of four activity grades: I, inactive; II, mildly active; III, moderately active; and IV, severe. Concanavalin A-affinity electrophoresis revealed three microheterogeneity variants of AGP: non-reactive with Con A, weakly reactive with Con A and strongly reactive with Con A. The relative amounts of AGP-variants observed in the healthy donors were similar to those observed in the patients with activity grade I, but differed significantly from patients with grades II, III and IV. The differences between the AGP-patterns of patients with activity grades II, III and IV were also statistically significant.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid

Microheterogeneity of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein in the detection of intercurrent infection in systemic lupus erythematosus.

We evaluated the clinical usefulness of determinations of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein microheterogeneity patterns in distinguishing patients who have active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from those who have SLE with intercurrent infection. We used agarose affinity electrophoresis with concanavalin A (Con A) as a ligand. Results were expressed as reactivity coefficients (RC), which are the ratios of variants reactive with Con A to the variants not reactive with Con A. No significant differences were found between the mean RC (+/- SD) in healthy individuals (1.35 +/- 0.26) and that in patients with various degrees of SLE activity. In contrast, a significantly higher mean RC was found in sera from patients with intercurrent infection (2.70 +/- 0.76) compared with each of the other groups studied (P less than 0.001). An RC greater than 2.25 was found in none of 42 sera from patients without infection and in 15 of 18 sera from patients with infection (sensitivity 83%, specificity 100%). C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also significantly higher in SLE patients with intercurrent infection than in patients with very active disease (P less than 0.05). Levels of CRP greater than 60 mg/liter were found in 3 of 42 SLE patients without infection and in 8 of 18 patients with infection (sensitivity 39%, specificity 93%). The results show that in SLE patients, the finding of a relative increase in Con A-bound serum alpha 1-acid glycoprotein is a more sensitive indicator of intercurrent infection than is the finding of increased levels of CRP.

C-Reactive Protein

C-reactive protein in management of children's burns.

Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in 48 children with scald burns were measured at 24-hour intervals. It was found that CRP levels were proportional to the area and depth of skin involved. In longitudinal studies the CRP levels were normal and admission, reached their peak at 48 hours and by 6 days had begun to fall. The response (CRP production) was increased and prolonged by infection. We conclude that sequential estimation of CRP serum levels is helpful in the management of scald burns in children.

Burns

Determination of lectin-sugar dissociation constants by agarose affinity electrophoresis.

Agarose crossed affinity electrophoresis (aff-EP) was employed for the determination of lectin-sugar dissociation constants (Ki). In the first dimension of the aff-EP increasing amounts of sugar (alpha-methyl-D-mannoside) were added to a given concentration of lectin (concanavalin A). Then the electrophoresis was run with alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, alpha 1-antitrypsin and alpha-fetoprotein as markers of lectin-sugar interactions. Mathematical equations for determination of the mechanisms and constants of lectin-sugar-glycoprotein interactions were developed. The mean value of the concanavalin A-alpha-methyl-D-mannoside dissociation constant calculated according to the introduced equations was 0.28 mM. In this system it was also possible to determine lectin-glycoprotein dissociation constants (K). The observed influence of the sugar on lectin-glycoprotein binding might be due to hydrophobic interactions since the addition of nonionic detergent caused reversal of this phenomenon.

Carbohydrates

Studies on microheterogeneity of acute-phase proteins in rheumatoid arthritis by using crossed affinoimmuno-electrophoresis with free concanavalin A.

Microheterogeneity of two acute-phase proteins: orosomucoid (alpha1-acid glycoprotein, AGP) and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACHT) were studied in the sera of 48 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 12 healthy individuals. Each rheumatoid patient was assigned to one of four activity grades. Cross affinoimmunoelectrophoresis (aff-EP) with free Concanavalin A (Con A) revealed three microheterogeneity variants of AGP and four microheterogeneity forms of ACHT. The relative amounts of AGP-variants and ACHT-variants observed in the healthy donors were similar to those observed in the patients with activity grade I, but they changed with the increase in the grade of rheumatoid activity. The differences were most significant for AGP. The comparison of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels with AGP-variant-O-non reactive with Con A showed significant correlation in respective rheumatoid activity grades.

Acute-Phase Proteins

Lectin inhibition system for determination of concanavalin A glycoprotein complexes dissociation constants in agarose affinity electrophoresis.

A new system for lectin-glycoprotein complexes dissociation constants (K) determination is presented. The system is based on agarose affinity electrophoresis where equal lectin (Con A) concentrations are inhibited by variable specific sugar (alpha-methyl-mannoside) amounts. Moreover, the system allows lectin-sugar inhibition constants (Ki) studies. For determination of mechanisms as well as K and Ki values calculations mathematical equations are developed. Values of K for two variants of alpha 1 acid-glycoprotein, two variants of alpha 1-antitrypsin, one variant of alphafetoprotein and Ki for Con A-alpha-MM are calculated according to the introduced equations and compared in a computed system. Moreover, the influence of sugar on lectin-glycoproteins interaction is demonstrated and discussed.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid

Comparison of three immunoassays for C-reactive protein determination.

Three widely used immunoassays for C-reactive protein (CRP) determination (RID. RIEP and LN--Behring) were compared. According to the CRP calcium dependent structural changes or ligand binding properties two buffer systems, Ca2+ rich and Ca2+ depleted, were used in all methods. In RID and RIEP mean values of studied samples were higher when Ca2+ depleted buffer was used (r = 0.94 and r = 0.88, respectively). However, in LN mean values of studied samples were higher when Ca2+ rich buffer was employed (r = 0.923). Comparison of RID and RIEP showed better correlation when Ca2+ depleted buffer was used with r = 0.913 and regression equation y = 0.92 chi + 2.76. Comparison of RID with LN gave similar results as in the case of RIEP and LN. In both cases mean values of studied samples were much higher in LN. Best correlation between RID and LN was obtained when RID was run in Ca2+ depleted buffer and LN performed in Ca2+ rich buffer (r = 0.845, y = 1.25 chi + 18.4). When RIEP and LN were compared highest correlation was obtained when Ca2+ rich buffer in both methods had been used (r = 0.84, y = 1.45 chi + 33.7). However, comparison of both methods run in Ca2+ depleted buffer yielded better regression equation: y = 1.05 chi + 26.1 with r = 0.795.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid

The effect of C-reactive protein on the PHA-induced proliferation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

The effect of CRP purified from ascites fluid originated from cancer patients on human peripheral blood lymphocytes was investigated. CRP was purified using 4-step procedure including absorption on Sepharose 4B, phosphocholine-Sepharose, DE-52 ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200. CRP was able either to inhibit or to enhance PHA-induced lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. The effects of added CRP depended on the time of its addition, dose of CRP and lymphocyte donor.

C-Reactive Protein

HLA antigens and rheumatoid arthritis.

One hundred twenty-five patients with rheumatoid arthritis were typed for 21 HLA antigens from A and B loci. The antigen frequencies found in patients were compared with the frequencies in a control population of 300 healthy individuals. No statistically significant differences were observed between patients and the control group.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid

Effect of cyclophosphamide on the immune response to sheep erythrocytes in the mouse. II. A study of enzyme activities in the draining lymph node.

Young adult CFW mice, injected with sheep erythrocytes, were treated with cyclophosphamide and sacrificed at different times. The activity of acid phosphatase and for non-specific esterase was measured by semi-quantitative methods in smears prepared from cell suspension of draining lymph node. In cyclophosphamide-treated mice was noted a significant decrease in acid phosphatase activity in lymphoid cells, expressed both as average activity in single lymphoid cell and a decrease in proportion of cells exhibiting enzyme activity. Also a short-term decrease was observed in activity of non-specific esterase caused both by disappearance of highly active large lymphoid and blast cells as well as decrease in percentage of enzyme-positive small lymphocytes.

Acid Phosphatase

Subpopulations of blood lymphocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations of 18 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were compared with those of 10 healthy donors using minor modifications of the mixed immunofluorescence and rosette test (1), rosette test using human 0 RhD erythrocytes coated with anti-RhD antibodies (2)and the miced rosette test (3). It was found that the percentages of lymphocytes exhibiting both immunoglobulin receptors and receptors for sheep erythrocytes, and lymphocytes with receptors for Fc part of IgG in the rheumatoid patients were increased. A hypothesis for the origin of these subpopulations is discussed.

Adult