Biomedical subjects

T Ellingsen

Publications and source records attributed to T Ellingsen.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Differential effect of methotrexate on the increased CCR2 density on circulating CD4 T lymphocytes and monocytes in active chronic rheumatoid arthritis, with a down regulation only on monocytes in responders.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of orally administered methotrexate (MTX) on the density of CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) and CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) on circulating monocytes, and the coexpression of CXCR3 and CCR2 on CD4 T lymphocytes in patients with active chronic rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: All 34 patients with rheumatoid arthritis fulfilled the 1987 American Rheumatism Association criteria and were followed for 16 weeks after starting MTX. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analysed for CCR2 and CXCR3 density by three-colour flow cytometry before initiation of MTX and at week 12. RESULTS: 22 (65%) patients were non-responders, 12 (35%) patients responded to MTX by American College of Rheumatology (ACR)20% criteria, and 8 (24%) of these patients responded by ACR50%. In patients with active rheumatoid arthritis before starting MTX, CCR2 density on circulating monocytes, CD4(+) CXCR3(+) and CD4(+) CXCR3(-) T lymphocytes was increased compared with controls. During 12 weeks of MTX treatment, the CCR2 density on monocytes decreased significantly in the ACR50% group but not in the ACR20% and non-responder groups. The increased CCR2 density on CD4(+) CXCR3(+) and CD4(+) CXCR3(-) T lymphocytes was unaffected by the reduction in disease activity measured in relation to MTX treatment. The percentage of both monocytes and CD4(+) CXCR3(+) and CD4+ CXCR3(-) T lymphocytes among the peripheral circulating mononuclear cells did not change during MTX treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Active chronic rheumatoid arthritis is characterised by enhanced CCR2 density on circulating monocytes and CD4(+) CXCR3(+) and CD4(+) CXCR3(-) T lymphocytes. During MTX treatment, a decrease in CCR2 density on monocytes in the ACR50% responder group was associated with decreased disease activity. The increased CCR2 density on CD4(+) CXCR3(+) and CD4(+) CXCR3(-) T lymphocytes was uninfluenced by MTX and disease activity.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Urinary excretion of alpha-GST and albumin in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate or other DMARDs alone or in combination with NSAIDs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of methotrexate (MTX) and other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) alone or in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the urinary excretion of alpha-glutathione S-transferase (alpha-GST) and albumin in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS: Nineteen RA patients starting treatment with MTX were followed for 1 year with measurements of urinary alpha-GST, urinary albumin, and urinary and plasma creatinine at the start of treatment, and after 16, 28, and 52 weeks. A larger group of RA patients (n = 72) undergoing long-term treatment with different DMARDs was compared with 79 healthy controls regarding urinary alpha-GST and albumin. alpha-GST was quantified by an enzyme immunoassay. Urine albumin was measured turbidimetrically. RESULTS: The urine-alpha-GST/urine-creatinine ratio and the urine-albumin/urine-creatinine ratio did not change during 52 weeks of treatment with MTX. The long-term DMARD-treated RA patients and the healthy controls were comparable with regard to the urine-alpha-GST/urine-creatinine ratio and the urine-albumin/urine-creatinine ratio. All patients had preserved renal function as assessed by plasma creatinine, and none had proteinuria using urine dipstick methods. CONCLUSION: DMARD-treated RA patients with normal serum creatinine had no detectable renal injuries assessed by the urinary excretions of alpha-GST and albumin.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Plasma monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 is a marker for joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) level in plasma is described as a marker for joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: MCP-1 in plasma and synovial fluid (SF) was quantified by ELISA in 36 RA patients with synovitis of the knee at Day 1 and 30. Disease activity was assessed by the swollen joint count, Ritchie Articular Index (RAI), global assessment, pain on visual analog scale, Health Assessment Questionnaire, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: By linear regression analysis plasma MCP-1 levels correlated significantly with the swollen joint count (Day 1: R = 0.47, p = 0.005; Day 30: R = 0.53, p < 0.001) and the RAI (Day 1: R = 0.37, p = 0.03; Day 30: R = 0.41, p = 0.01). The correlations of swollen joint count and RAI with ESR and CRP were significant only on Day 30 for the ESR (R = 0.40, p = 0.02). No association was found between plasma MCP-1 levels and the ESR/CRP levels. MCP-1 levels in plasma in RA patients were elevated compared to controls (p < 0.001) and MCP-I levels in SF were higher than in plasma (p < 0.001). No correlation was found between SF MCP-1 levels and in vitro migration of mononuclear cells towards SF. MCP-1 appears to participate in the disease process in RA, and plasma MCP-1 may be useful in monitoring joint inflammation.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Migration of mononuclear cells in the modified Boyden chamber as evaluated by DNA quantification and flow cytometry.

In vitro migration of mononuclear cells in the modified Boyden chamber was evaluated using flow cytometry and DNA quantification (Hoechst 33258) of all adherent and nonadherent cells. The effects of different membrane pore sizes, cell concentrations and incubation times were studied. Pore sizes of 3 and 5 microm resulted in a reduction in the number of nonadherent cells compared with a pore size of 8 microm. Reducing the incubation time from 60 to 40 and 20 min resulted in too few migrating monocytes for analysis by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry showed that both monocytes and lymphocytes migrated and adhered to the membrane when using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to study monocyte migration. Migration of lymphocytes under these conditions is a novel observation. A substantial number of migrated cells could be identified by flow cytometry and quantified by DNA measurement as nonadherent below the membrane. Samples of synovial fluid (n = 49) and plasma (n = 133) as chemoattractants analysed in triplicate resulted in mean coefficient of variation (CV) values of 11 and 9%, respectively. Variation from assay to assay on the same day, using N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylanine (fMLP) 10(-7) M as chemoattractant resulted in a CV of 13%. Day-to-day variation, using fMLP 10(-7) M as chemoattractant and the same well on three different days, resulted in a CV of 21%. These results were obtained using a pore size of 5 microm, a PBMC concentration of 3 x 10(6)/ml and 60 min of incubation. The combination of DNA quantification and flow cytometry thus allowed characterization and quantification of subsets of migrating adherent as well as nonadherent mononuclear cells.

Antigens, CD↗

PubMed2000

In vitro migration of mononuclear cells towards synovial fluid and plasma from rheumatoid arthritis patients correlates to RANTES synovial fluid levels and to clinical pain parameters.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in vitro migration of mononuclear cells towards synovial fluid (SF) and plasma in relation to RANTES synovial fluid levels and clinical disease activity. METHODS: 31 RA patients with synovitis in one knee were included. Modified Boyden chamber technique was used to determine a migratory index defined as: 'In vitro migrating cells towards SF' divided by 'In vitro migrating cells towards plasma'. RANTES was quantified by ELISA. Disease activity was assessed by the swollen joint count, the Ritchie articular index (RAI), global assessment, pain on VAS, HAQ, ESR and CRP. RESULTS: A positive significant correlation was found between the migratory index and the RANTES levels in SF (r=0.48, p=0.006), the RAI (r=0.56, p=0.0001) and pain on VAS (r=0.43, p=0.04). The in vitro migration could be inhibited in 3 of 4 SF samples by neutralising antibodies towards RANTES (12-18%). CONCLUSION: The migratory index correlate to SF levels of RANTES and parameters for joint pain.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) in temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the localisation of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) in the inflamed vessel wall in temporal arteritis (TA) and to measure MCP-1 in plasma both in patients with TA and patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). METHODS: By immunohistochemical techniques MCP-1 was localised to the vessel wall in patients with TA. In TA, PMR, and healthy controls MCP-1 was quantified by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in plasma. RESULTS: MCP-1 was localised to the majority of mononuclear cells, some smooth muscle cells, and giant cells in the arterial biopsy specimens from 12 patients with histologically verified TA. In all sections, including the vasa vasorum, the endothelium stained positive. In the intima 73% (range 57-91%), in the media 49% (range 32-67%), and in the adventitia 74% (range of 62-91%) of all cells stained positive. In plasma MCP-1 was significantly raised in untreated TA (n=33) and untreated PMR (n=27) compared with healthy controls (n=12). Untreated TA plasma levels of MCP-1 (mean 391 pg/ml (range 82-778 pg/ml)) were similar to untreated PMR plasma levels (mean 402 pg/ml (range 29-1153 pg/ml)), and no significant difference was found between the two groups of patients. In both patients with TA and patients with PMR no correlation was found between the plasma level of MCP-1 and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, haemoglobin concentration, and CD4/CD8 ratio. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that MCP-1 plays a part in the disease processes of TA and PMR.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

[Bosnia].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Bosnia and Herzegovina↗

PubMed1996

Localization of monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF/MCP-1) in psoriasis.

The monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCAF) also termed MCP-1, a strong chemotactic factor towards monocytes, is produced by several cell types present in the skin. The in situ presence of MCAF/MCP-1 protein in the skin has, however, not yet been established. Using immunohistochemical techniques we have investigated the distribution of MCAF in skin from patients with different types of psoriasis and normal healthy volunteers. We report the novel finding that psoriasis has strong positive immunostaining for MCAF located to all the layers of the epidermis, except the stratum granulosum, in pustular, guttate and chronic plaque psoriasis. In the dermis, infiltrating cells in the perivascular aggregates and the blood vessels stained positive for MCAF. No significant differences were observed between the different subtypes of psoriasis except that strongly positive infiltrating cells were observed in the epidermal pustules in pustular psoriasis. In normals positive staining was observed in all the layers of the epidermis and in a few perivascular cells and blood vessels in the dermis. Where present in normal and diseased skin, eccrine ducts of sweat glands and sebaceous glands stained positive for MCAF. Arrector pili muscles were in all cases negative. These findings are consistent with a role for MCAF in attracting inflammatory cells, including monocytes, into the skin in psoriasis.

Chemokine CCL2↗

PubMed1992

Distribution of intraperitoneally injected microspheres labeled with the alpha-emitter astatine (211At) compared with phosphorus (32P) and yttrium (90Y) colloids in mice.

The alpha-emitter 211At was bound to polymer microspheres with a diameter of 1.8 microns. The distributions in mice of intraperitoneally injected 211At microspheres, 90Y silicate colloid, and 32P chromic phosphate colloid were compared. The microspheres with 211At spread rapidly in the peritoneal cavity and remained mainly on the intraperitoneal surfaces. Intraperitoneal injection of 90Y colloid resulted in high levels in intraperitoneal fat and the diaphragm, but 1 day after injection 8.5% of the injected dose per gram was found in blood and after 6 days 2.5% was observed in bone. The highest accumulation of 32P was found in liver and spleen. The injection of additional nonradioactive chromic phosphate colloid resulted in an even higher accumulation of 32P in spleen and liver. The same phenomenon was not observed with 211At microspheres. It is suggested that it is not only the particle size which is important in the distribution of intraperitoneally injected colloid, but the amount of colloid, the type of colloid, the addition or presence of other substances such as ascites, and the animal species might also influence the distribution. In conclusion, the intraperitoneal distribution of 211At-labeled microspheres in mice was favorable compared with 90Y and 32P colloid. These data must be viewed cautiously since the distribution might be different in other animal species or humans.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Response of rat myocardial mast cells to experimental ischemia.

The effects of ischemia on mast cells in the rat heart were studied. After 5 hours morphological signs of mediator release: granule dissolution, were observed. After 4 weeks the number of mast cells was significantly increased in comparison with nonischemic. Furthermore, 4 weeks after ischemia there was an increased number of regenerating mast cells. An increase in the number of mast cells and morphological signs of granule synthesis in the ventricular or septal muscle of the sham operated controls indicates that the surgical procedure itself can affect the mast cells of the heart generally. Morphological signs of granule synthesis were observed within mast cells of all experimental groups, and the figure was highly increased after 4 weeks of ischemia.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Monosized, magnetic polymer particles: their use in separation of cells and subcellular components, and in the study of lymphocyte function in vitro.

By employing the principles of "activated swelling", monosized, superparamagnetic polymer particles have been prepared ranging in size from 1-100 microns. Both during and after the swelling process, the particles can be modified to meet a series of specific demands making them potentially very interesting for many separation and assay purposes. Using monoclonal antibodies to direct the magnetic beads to their targets, immunomagnetic separation has turned out to be one of the most specific, reliable and, above all, the fastest technique available today to isolate particulate material for further studies. So far, most efforts have been concentrated on methodology for fractionation of cells in suspension, such as removal of tumour cells from bone marrow or isolation of lymphoid cells from peripheral blood. These studies have both established the parameters necessary for optimal performance and at the same time laid the groundwork for future developments making immunomagnetic separation an exciting new tool in many research areas. High speed and specificity are the most conspicuous features of immunomagnetic cell separation. These properties have been exploited in the successful development of a new technique for tissue typing of cells directly from peripheral blood specimens. Both higher sensitivity and specificity have been obtained. The same principles can be used for fast and safe quantification of cell populations and subpopulations in blood and cell suspensions. The functions of, and interactions between, peripheral blood cell populations or subpopulations in the immune response have also been studied with high precision. The significance of direct cell contact on the one hand, and soluble factors on the other, can now be established in detail. Immunomagnetic beads have also been used to study the interaction between various T lymphocyte membrane molecules in the early phases of the activation process. Finally, the usefulness of specially developed particles for the fractionation of subcellular components is described.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1984

Hydrophilic monodisperse particles as solid-phase material in immunoassays: comparison of shell-and-core particles with compact particles.

Hydrophilic monodisperse shell-and-core particles with a density of 1.07 were superior to heavier compact particles as a solid-phase material for immunoassays. The shell-and-core particles formed a semistable suspension for 24 h and were easily collected by centrifugation. The hydroxyl groups of the particles were activated with two sulfonyl chlorides. The most reactive one, tresyl chloride, gave rapid chemical coupling of antibodies, whereas tosyl chloride favored a rapid hydrophobic adsorption which was followed by slow chemical coupling. The solid-phase sheep antirabbit IgG made was used as a separation agent in several immunoassays and gave solid-phase primary antibodies by immunoadsorption of rabbit antibodies.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Excess antibody immunoassay for rat glandular kallikrein. Monosized polymer particles as the preferred solid phase material.

The development of an excess antibody assay for rat glandular kallikrein is described. This assay permits immunological determination of kallikrein as well as a simultaneous specific measurement of kallikrein enzymatic activity. The assay is based on coupling of immunopurified anti-kallikrein immunoglobulin to a solid phase. In a first incubation step, kallikrein was bound to the immobilized antibody. Determination of kallikrein was subsequently done in a second incubation step; immunologically by addition of iodinated anti-kallikrein antibody, or enzymatically by a kallikrein substrate. Enzymatic quantification could also be followed by immunological measurements on the same sample. Comparison of Sepharose, cellulose, and acrylate based polymer particles proved the latter to be the best matrix in this assay. The main advantage of the polymer particles was the low non-specific binding of labelled antibody.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effects of low-dose methotrexate on thymidylate synthetase activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

OBJECTIVE: Methotrexate (MTX) in low doses is widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and it is not known whether its effects are due to immunosuppressive and/or anti-inflammatory actions. High concentrations of MTX inhibit the activity of thymidylate synthetase (TS) and dihydrofolate reductase essential for DNA synthesis. This study investigated the effects of low-dose MTX on TS activity and proliferation in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). METHODS: The MTX concentrations in our experiments were chosen according to the plasma concentrations measured in 8 RA patients treated with MTX. The effect of MTX on TS activity and DNA synthesis were measured in stimulated normal PBMC and in PBMC obtained from 6 RA patients treated with oral MTX before and 2 hours after intake of their weekly MTX dose. The effect of MTX on the TS mRNA concentration was also investigated in order to elucidate its effect on TS production. RESULTS: Low-dose MTX significantly inhibited TS activity and the proliferation of stimulated PBMC independent of the mode of activation. Interestingly, the concentration of TS mRNA in normal PBMC was upregulated by the presence of MTX. Finally, there was no difference between TS activity measured before and after MTX intake in 6 RA patients on long-term MTX treatment. CONCLUSION: We show that low concentrations of MTX inhibit TS activity in vitro. An in vivo effect cannot, however, be proven given our study design. The role of these in vitro findings is discussed, particularly in relation to the in vivo effects of MTX.

Adult↗