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Biomedical subjects

U Forsum

Publications and source records attributed to U Forsum.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Phenotypic complexity in Mobiluncus.

A total of 74 Mobiluncus strains were collected from various laboratories and examined morphologically, biochemically and serologically. Repeated Gram-staining showed a greater variety of cell morphology than hitherto reported with some strains changing their appearance between long and short. All strains except two were motile. Sixty-five of 74 strains were designated M. curtisii and M. mulieris in contrast to atypical strains. In spite of this several of them reacted aberrantly in one or more tests. Biochemical tests and antigenic characterization by monoclonal antimobiluncus antibodies placed most but not all strains in their species groups. One atypical strain had the cellmorphology and biochemical profile of a M. mulieris but reacted only with anticurtisii antibodies. One M. mulieris had the cellmorphology and biochemical profile of a M. curtisii but reacted with an antimulieris antibody. We conclude that there is a greater variance in Mobiluncus' phenotypic appearance than has so far been appreciated.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1988

Experimental depletion of different renal interstitial cell populations.

To define different populations of renal interstitial cells and investigate some aspects of their function, we studied the kidneys of normal rats and rats with hereditary diabetes insipidus (DI, Brattleboro) after experimental manipulations expected to alter the number of interstitial cells. DI rats showed an almost complete loss of interstitial cells in their renal papillae after treatment with a high dose of vasopressin. In spite of the lack of interstitial cells, the animals concentrated their urine to the same extent as vasopressin-treated normal rats, indicating that the renomedullary interstitial cells do not have an important function in concentrating the urine. The interstitial cells returned nearly to normal within 1 week off vasopressin treatment, suggesting a rapid turnover rate of these cells. To further distinguish different populations of interstitial cells, we studied the distribution of class II MHC antigen expression in the kidneys of normal and bone-marrow depleted Wistar rats. Normal rats had abundant class II antigen-positive interstitial cells in the renal cortex and outer medulla, but not in the inner medulla (papilla). Six days after 1000 rad whole body irradiation, the stainable cells were almost completely lost, but electron microscopic morphometry showed a virtually unchanged volume density of interstitial cells in the cortex and outer medulla, as well as the inner medulla. Thus, irradiation abolished the expression of the class II antigen but caused no significant depletion of interstitial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Circulating class II transplantation antigen-expressing T lymphocytes in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus at diagnosis.

The occurrence of circulating class II antigen-expressing T lymphocytes was examined in 25 children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus using an indirect double immunofluorescence assay on prefixed cell samples. In order to exclude sensitization to heterologous insulin as a possible factor affecting the results, the patients were investigated at the day of clinical onset, before receiving insulin. An increased percentage of T cells (CD3+ cells) expressing class II antigens was seen in 19 out of 25 patients and class II expression was observed on cells within both the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets. No correlation was found between the levels of class II expressing T cells and the individual degree of metabolic derangement or indicators of recent infection. Re-testing of 16 patients after one year on insulin treatment revealed a significant decrease of class II expressing T cell levels. Our data suggest that the increased levels of class II expressing T cells seen in IDDM of recent onset directly reflects immune reactions that are related to the disease process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Rectal occurrence of Mobiluncus species.

The simultaneous occurrence of Mobiluncus spp in the vagina and rectum was studied in women attending a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) department. Of 43 women with bacterial vaginosis (BV), 32 had Mobiluncus spp in the vagina and 23 in the rectum. In 20 women the same Mobiluncus species was found concomitantly in the vagina and the rectum. Mobiluncus spp were found in the rectum only in two women with BV, one with candidal vaginitis, and one healthy woman. In a treatment study of 23 women, BV was cured in nine out of 10 treated with metronidazole and six out of 13 treated with tetracycline. After treatment Mobiluncus spp persisted in the vaginas of two out of 19 women and in the rectums of two out of 10.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed1988

Phenotypes of peripheral blood lymphoid cells in patients with asbestos-related pleural lesions.

Asbestos-related parietal pleural plaques develop slowly and are of little clinical significance. Other asbestos-related pleural reactions, for example acute exudative pleurisy and progressive pleural fibrosis, are of clinical importance. The pathogenesis of these reactions is unknown, but one hypothesis is that immunological disturbances are involved. To investigate this hypothesis a phenotypic characterization of lymphoid cells was performed in the peripheral blood of 45 patients with asbestos-related pleural lesions; 20 with pleural plaques (PP), 15 with diffuse pleural fibrosis (DPF), and 10 with benign asbestos pleural effusion (BAPE). Twenty-four healthy blood donors were used as controls. All asbestos groups together had a significantly higher percentage of B-cells than the controls. The percentage number of "helper/inducer" T-cells was significantly lower in the BAPE and DPF groups than in the control and PP groups. Thus, significant aberrations in peripheral blood lymphoid cells were found in patients with DPF and BAPE. This differed from patients with PP only who were similar to normals.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Effects of monoclonal anti-T cell antibodies on rat cardiac allografts.

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with different T lymphocyte antigens were administered to rats receiving heart allografts. Ox 19 antibodies (directed to the rat Ly 1 equivalent) and Ox 8 antibodies (directed to the rat CD8 equivalent) both prolonged graft survival, whereas W3/25 (anti-CD4), Ox 6 (anti-Ia), and W3/13 (anti-pan T) antibodies did not affect graft rejection. Immunohistological studies were carried out on spleen and graft specimens in order to analyse further the mechanisms behind the prolongation of graft survival. The observed almost complete absence of Ox 8-reactive cells in the spleen after treatment with Ox 8 antibodies corroborates earlier observations that injection of moderate amounts of Ox 8 antibodies leads to complete elimination of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells from peripheral lymphoid organs and blood. The present data on graft survival therefore both support the notion that suppressor/cytotoxic T cells are involved in graft rejection, and suggest that these cells are not the only ones involved. An unexpected and as yet unexplained finding was that Ox 8-reactive molecules were found in large numbers on various inflammatory cells as well as on certain myocytes in the grafted hearts that had experienced a prolonged graft survival due to treatment with Ox 8 or Ox 19 antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Bacterial vaginosis in women attending STD clinic: diagnostic criteria and prevalence of Mobiluncus spp.

The diagnostic criteria of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and the prevalence of Mobiluncus spp as detected by monoclonal antibodies were investigated in all new women patients attending the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic in Uppsala during a four month period. Of 455 patients, 164 fulfilled the generally accepted criteria for BV, but in 57 of them simultaneous infection with a recognised pathogen was diagnosed. BV was thus the only clinical diagnosis in 107 (24%) of the women. The sniff test and clue cells in the wet smear were the two criteria most relevant for the diagnosis of BV. The sniff test was positive in 95% (156) of the 164 patients with BV and negative in all other cases. The corresponding figure for the clue cells was 98% (160 of 164), but clue cells were also detected in 19 patients without BV. Though 99% (162) of women with BV had a vaginal pH of more than 4.5, so did 83 women without BV. Only 59% (96) of women fulfilling the criteria of BV had a characteristic discharge. Mobiluncus spp were present in 20% (90) of the 455 women and in 50% (53) of the 107 women with BV only. Of the 90 Mobiluncus spp isolates, M curtisii comprised 44% (40), M mulieris 34% (31), and both strains together 21% (19). Mobiluncus spp were detected with monoclonal antibodies in 35 women who had no motile curved rods on wet smear microscopy. Furthermore, Mobiluncus spp were often detected in women infected with recognised pathogens, as well as in a few women without signs of genital infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Immunological effects of ciclosporin in primary biliary cirrhosis: suppression of activated T cells and autoantibody levels.

The effects of ciclosporin (CS) on liver immunohistology and peripheral blood T lymphocyte distribution were studied in 5 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) receiving CS treatment for 6 months. Several significant immunological changes were seen during the course of treatment: the numbers of infiltrating T cells (Leu4+) and HLA-DR+ cells (mainly macrophage/dendritic-like) within the lobule parenchyma decreased; the total circulating T cell numbers increased and the percentage of activated, HLA-DR-expressing Leu2a+ ('suppressor/cytotoxic') T cells and Leu3a+ ('helper/inducer') T cells decreased. Moreover, using a highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay for antimitochondrial antibody (AMA), a selective decrease of IgM-type (but not IgG-type) AMA levels was observed in 4 patients. A reversal towards pretreatment values was observed for all these immunological parameters 3-6 months after withdrawal of therapy. We conclude that CS may inhibit both cell-mediated and antibody-mediated autoimmune mechanisms operating in PBC.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1986

Intralesional T lymphocyte phenotypes and HLA-DR expression in Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome.

An immunohistochemical double-staining technique was used to characterize the infiltrating mononuclear lymphocytes in frozen sections from 3 patients with Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. The in situ expression of HLA-DR antigens on different cell types was also investigated. The majority of mononuclear cells could be classified as T-lymphocytes because of their Leu 4 antigen expression. Most of the T-lymphocytes were confined to the helper/inducer lymphocyte subset since they reacted with Leu 3a antibodies. However, big infiltrates of suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes with the Leu 2a phenotype were noted in some specimens. These cells were situated between the ducts of the salivary glands. Virtually all mononuclear infiltrating cells carried HLA-DR antigens. HLA-DR expressing keratinocytes were found in the biopsy from one patient. The present study indicates that a local immune response may be important in the pathogenesis of the oro-facial lesions in Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1986

Improved yield of Mobiluncus species from clinical specimens after alkaline treatment.

Reference strains and clinical isolates of Mobiluncus species and bacteria in samples of vaginal discharge from patients with bacterial vaginosis were examined for resistance to alkaline solutions. A prolonged survival time in buffers of high pH was shown for Mobiluncus, especially for isolates designated as M. curtisii. In a clinical study, alkaline treatment increased the number of culture-positive samples four times as compared to conventional culture. The improved culture-yield in combination with a shortened time for processing the samples makes the method suitable for isolation of Mobiluncus in clinical samples.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed1986

Curved rods related to Mobiluncus--phenotypes as defined by monoclonal antibodies.

51 strains, including clinical isolates, type and reference strains of Mobiluncus, were studied as to phenotype and reactivity with a set of monoclonal antibodies to defined Mobiluncus antigens. Numerical analysis of phenotypic data and the reactivity with monoclonal antibodies showed that the bacteria are clustered to form the two main species, M. mulieris and M. curtisii, although some atypical variants occur. In indirect immunofluorescence assay, the unique antigens were fully exposed on the cell surface and could therefore be used as markers for specific microscopic identification of Mobiluncus in mixed vaginal samples from women attending an STD clinic. The monoclonal antibodies identified M. mulieris and M. curtisii, showing a high correlation with the detection of motile curved rods in wet smears and curved rods in Gram-stained preparations. 70% of the samples harbouring Mobiluncus as seen by direct identification with monoclonal antibodies were culture-positive when an elaborate dilution technique for culture was used.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Phenotypic characterisation of peripheral blood lymphoid cells in people exposed to fibrous zeolite.

Among inhabitants of the village of Karain in Turkey there is an extremely high incidence of malignant mesothelioma, most probably due to exposure to erionite, which is a fibrous zeolite and similar in appearance and properties to asbestos. This mineral may be found in the dust in the village. To characterise possible disturbances in the immune system of people exposed to fibrous zeolite, a phenotypic characterisation of lymphoid cells in the peripheral blood of 74 immigrants to Sweden from Karain was performed. Compared with normal controls, the mean percentages of Leu 4+ cells (Pan-T) and Leu 3a+ cells ("helper/inducer" T cells) were significantly decreased, whereas the mean percentage of Leu 2a+ cells ("suppressor/cytotoxic" T cells) was normal, leading to a significant reduction of the Leu 3a/Leu 2a subset ratio. The percentage of B cells (Leu 12+ cells) was significantly increased, whereas the percentages of both HLA-DR+ and HLA-DQ+ cells were normal. The percentage of natural killer cells (NK) and killer (K) cells as defined by the monoclonal anti-Leu 7 and anti-Leu 11b were also normal. These findings indicate that exposure to fibrous zeolite causes a numerical imbalance between the two phenotypically different T cell subsets similar to that seen in asbestos exposed individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in active rheumatoid arthritis--effects of different therapies on previously untreated patients.

Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subset levels were prospectively analyzed in previously untreated patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with different drug regimens. Before treatment the patient group had reduced numbers of Leu 2a+ lymphocytes compared with controls (p less than 0.001). During penicillamine and chloroquine treatment a marked reduction in absolute numbers of Leu 3a+ lymphocytes was seen (p less than 0.01), whereas treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs was characterized by increased absolute numbers of Leu 2a+ lymphocytes (p less than 0.02). Thus, there seems to be a predictable variation of T lymphocyte subsets in RA with certain drug regimens.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

HLA-DR expression, T lymphocyte phenotypes, OKM1 and OKT9 reactive cells in inflammatory myopathy.

Frozen muscle biopsy sections from 13 patients with inflammatory myopathy and from four healthy volunteers were characterized with a double immunohistochemical staining technique, utilizing a panel of antisera to cell surface antigens. The technique enables simultaneous visualization of HLA-DR reactive cells and other cell types, i.e., T lymphocytes. In inflammatory myopathy, large numbers of HLA-DR reactive "macrophage/dendritic" cells were shown. Almost all other inflammatory cells and endothelial cells also expressed HLA-DR, as did the sarcolemma in the vicinity of inflammatory foci. Large numbers of T lymphocytes were detected by alphaLeu-1 antibodies. In most instances, Leu-3a reactive T "helper" lymphocytes dominated over alphaLeu-2a reactive T "suppressor/cytotoxic" lymphocytes. Many T lymphocytes of both phenotypes appeared in close contact with HLA-DR expressing non-T cells. OKM1 and OKT9 antibodies, labeling macrophages and "proliferating" cells, respectively, were common among inflammatory cells. The findings provide basic data that are important for the understanding of inflammatory myopathy.

Adolescent↗