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T L Vischer

Publications and source records attributed to T L Vischer.

126 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1970

Australia antigen and autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis.

The sera of 110 patients with chronic hepatitis and adequate controls were examined for antibodies to smooth muscle (S.M.), mitochondria (M.), and for antinuclear factors by the immunofluorescence method, and for Australia (Au(1)) antigen by a modified micro-Ouchterlony immunodiffusion technique. Twelve out of 13 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis had M. antibodies, two had antinuclear factor, and none had Au(1) in their sera. In chronic aggressive hepatitis 23.5% of the sera contained antinuclear factor, 13% S.M. antibodies, 10.5% M. antibodies, and 22% Au(1) antigen. Of the 12 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, one had antinuclear factor, one S.M. antibodies, and three Au(1) antigen.The most striking finding was a mutual exclusion between Au(1) antigen and M. and S.M. antibodies. None of the 33 patients with one or the other form of chronic hepatitis and M. or S.M. antibodies had Au(1) antigen; 22 out of 77 (28%) patients without such antibodies were positive.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An extended HLA-DQ-DR haplotype rather than DRB1 alone contributes to RA predisposition.

In the present study, we tested our hypothesis on the role of a DQ-DR haplotype in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) predisposition. Using two groups of patients and controls, one from The Netherlands and one from Switzerland, we found that DQA1*0301-homozygous and DQA1*0301//DQA1*0101/04-heterozygous individuals are highly predisposed to RA in both populations, while DQA1*0101/04-homozygous are not. The DQA1*0301-DRB1*0403/06/07 and DQA1*0301-DRB1*0901 haplotypes are not associated with RA by themselves but strongly increase the risk of developing disease in DQA1*0301- and DQA1*0101/04-heterozygous. DRB1 alleles carrying the motif DERAA in their third hypervariable region, i.e., *0103, *0402, *1102, *1103, *1301, and *1302, provide a long-lasting protection against RA in DQA1*0101/04- but not in DQA1*0301-positive individuals. These data show that considering both DQ and DR gives a better distinction between patients and controls than the shared epitope hypothesis.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Production of neutrophil activating peptide-1 (NAP-1/IL-8) by blood and synovial fluid mononuclear cells from patients with arthritis.

As polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) are predominant in inflammatory synovial fluids, we investigated the production of neutrophil-activating peptide-1 (NAP-1) by mononuclear cells (MC) from 15 synovial fluids and matched peripheral blood. MC were cultured for 24 h alone or with stimulants (ConA, LPS). NAP-1 was determined in the supernatants by a bioassay (elastase release from normal human PMN) and an immunoassay (sandwich ELISA with a mouse anti-NAP-1 mAb and an alkaline phosphatase labelled goat anti-NAP-1 pAb). The results showed a significant increase in NAP-1 production by synovial fluid MC when compared to peripheral blood MC. Both cell types produced more NAP-1 in the presence of added stimuli. The results obtained with the two methods of detection were in close agreement. No relationship was found between the amount of NAP-1 produced in 24 h and the number of synovial fluid leukocytes, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the diagnosis of the underlying arthritis or the treatment of the patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diet and fatty acids: can fish substitute for fish oil?

As fish oil has been shown to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis and in psoriasis, we examined whether a diet rich in fish has a similar effect on membrane and plasma lipids as a dietary fish oil supplement. Volunteers recruited by 2 rheumatology units in Switzerland formed three parallel groups eating respective diets during 2 months: a normal diet without fish; a normal diet including 700 g fish per week; a normal diet without fish but with additional fish oil (7.5 g daily). As outcome measures we determined the lipid composition of platelet-rich plasma, the serum cholesterol and triglycerides before the study and after 1 and 2 months of the designated diet. The relative amounts of both eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid increased significantly in the fish oil group and in the group with the fish diet; no change was seen in the control group. The effect on triglycerides, which were low at the beginning of the study, was minor and no change in cholesterol was seen. In conclusion, 4 to 6 meals with fish per week without any other dietary changes can induce similar changes in lipids as a supplement of fish oil.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lymphocytotoxic antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis: relation to HLA-DR2 and rheumatoid factors.

During a Swiss multicenter study on HLA-antigens in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the patients sera were tested for cytotoxic, complement fixing antibodies against autologous B- and T-lymphocytes (LCA). LCA were found in about 25% of the patients. Anti-B and cold-reacting LCA were more frequent than were anti-T and LCA reacting at 37 degrees. Most patients with anti-B had anti-T LCA as well. Among patients with LCA, 46.4% had the HLA-DR2 antigen as opposed to 21.2% of the patients without such antibodies (p = 0.0004). There was no difference between the two groups in regard to the other HLA-DR antigens. The patients with LCA had higher titers of rheumatoid factors and of antinuclear antibodies than those without these antibodies. There was no significant difference between the patients with LCA and those without in regard to severity of disease (radiological stage in relation to duration of disease), extra-articular involvement, the amount of circulating immune complexes, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Antilymphocyte Serum↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oral desensitization in the treatment of human immune diseases.

Oral desensitization or oral tolerance is induced by giving antigenic peptides by the mucosal route. In man only the oral route has been used up to now. Experiments in animal models of human autoimmune diseases, have shown that it is not necessary to use the primary antigen responsible for disease induction. Antigens implicated in secondary immune phenomenon can act similarly by means of the so-called "bystander suppression". Thus for diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) candidate antigens for desensitization are available. Many patients with MS have immunity to myelin basic protein (MBP). A recent controlled trial giving MBP to patients with MS is discussed (Weiner et al., Science 259, p. 1321, 1993). No clear-cut effect was obtained. Collagen II is used to induce experimental arthritis in rats; signs of immunity against it can be found in patients with RA. Collagen-induced arthritis has been successfully modified in animals by feeding of collagen II. In man one open uncontrolled trial and one other placebo controlled blind trial have been reported, and these are discussed (Trentham et al., Science 261, 1727, 1993). These trials suggest that oral desensitization might be useful and devoid of side effects. Subreum is a peptic E. coli extract containing heat shock protein 60. Its efficacy as a disease-controlling agent in RA has been documented (Clin. Exp. Rheum. 11, p. 121, 1993). It is given orally. Data suggesting that Subreum acts by oral desensitization are discussed. Considering the low incidence of side effects observed with oral desensitization, this therapeutic approach should also be tested in other forms of arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.

Administration, Oral↗