Ecto-5'-nucleotidase (ecto-5'-NUC, EC 3.1.3.5., CD73) is a plasma membrane enzyme, which catalyzes the hydrolytic dephosphorylation of purine nucleotides to the corresponding nucleosides so that they can pass through the plasma membrane. The distribution of ecto-5'-NUC is heterogeneous, but all blood mononuclear cell (BMC) subpopulations investigated until now have had ecto-5'-NUC activity. Purified natural killer (NK) cells were prepared by fluorescence-activated cell sorting of CD16-positive cells (purity 94%). In purified NK cells the ecto-5'-NUC activity was less than 1 U/10(6) as estimated by a radioisotope method. Using a cytochemical assay, the proportion of cells with activity was less than 1%. The most likely explanation is that NK cells have no ecto-5'-NUC activity and that the very small ecto-5'-NUC activity observed in this study was caused by contaminating non-NK cells. NK cells thus constitute the only BMC subset known without ecto-5'-NUC activity.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

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Immunogenetics of rheumatoid arthritis and primary Sjögren's syndrome: DNA polymorphism of HLA class II genes.

We investigated the DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the Major Histocompatability Complex (MHC) class II genes: HLA-DRB, -DQA, -DQB, DPA, and -DFB in 24 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in 19 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (primary SS), and healthy Danes. The frequencies of DNA fragments associated with the following HLA class II genes were increased in RA when compared to normal controls: DRB1*04 (DR4) (relative risk, RR = 7.4, P less than 10(-3), DRB4*0101 (DRw53) (RR = 9.6, P less than 10(-3), DQA1*0301 (RR = 9.6, P less than 10(-3), DQB1*0301 (DQw7) (RR = 2.8, P less than 0.05, 'corrected' P greater than 0.05), and DQB1*0302 (DQw8) (RR = 4.5, P less than 10(-2). Negative associations were found between RA and DRB1*1501 (DR2/DRw15) (RR = 0.2, P less than 10(-2) and DQB1*0602 (DQw6) (RR = 0.2, P less than 10(-2), 'corrected' P greater than 0.05). The frequencies in RA of other HLA class II associated DNA fragments including DPA and DPB and the antigens DPw1-w6 defined by primed lymphocyte stimulation, did not differ significantly from those in controls. In primary SS, the frequency of HLA-B8 was significantly increased (RR = 9.0, P less than 10(-3). Positive associations were found between primary SS and DNA fragments associated with DRB1*03/13 (RR = 6.8, P less than 10(-3), DRB3*0101 (DRw52) (RR = 5.7, P less than 10(-2), DQA1*0501 (RR = 6.8, P less than 10(-3), DQB1*0201 (DQw2) (RR = 11.6, P less than 10(-5), and DQB1*0602 (DQw6) (RR = 2.7, P less than 0.05, 'corrected' P greater than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

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[Treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with extracorporeal radiation of the blood].

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Aged↗

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Hypogammaglobulinaemia in systemic lupus erythematosus: report of a case with evidence for spontaneously activated T suppressor cells.

A patient with hypogammaglobulinaemia associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a healthy HLA-A, B, C, D-identical and mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC)-negative sibling, and two mutually HLA-A, B, C, D-identical siblings were investigated. Blood mononuclear cells from the patient contained a high proportion of T lymphocytes with the suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype, and in vitro no development of Ig-secreting cells was observed in response to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), as opposed to cell cultures from the siblings. In cell cultures from the two healthy HLA-identical siblings, T-lymphocytes as well as monocytes/macrophages (M phi's) could be replaced with corresponding cells from the sibling without major alterations of the pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced B cell response. In PWM-stimulated co-cultures of B cells from the patient with healthy HLA-identical T cells, moderate numbers of IgM-secreting cells developed, but not IgG- or IgA-secreting cells. T cells from the patient co-cultured with healthy HLA-identical B cells suppressed their Ig-secretion; this effect was abolished by irradiation of the T cells. The in vitro generation of T suppressor cells by concanavalin A (ConA) was normal. No evidence for abnormal suppressor function of monocytes/macrophages was obtained. Thus in this patient, spontaneously activated T suppressor cells as well as defective B cells were associated with hypogammaglobulinaemia.

Adult↗

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Distal metacarpal bone mineral density by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Methodological investigation and application in rheumatoid arthritis.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning was performed along the axis of the third metacarpal bone of the non-dominant hand and including metacarpal bones 2, 3, 4 and 5. The Bone Mineral Density (BMD) was calculated for the distal 1/4 of each metacarpal bone. Ten patients with seropositive, erosive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 10 healthy, sex- and age-matched persons were investigated twice. The average BMD in RA patients was 73.6% of the value found in normals. The coefficient of variation on double determinations (in patients and controls) was 0.9-3.0%. We suggest that dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning with the scanning procedure proposed here may be an important instrument for the quantification of disease progression.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

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Weight reduction in obese patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with preservation of body cell mass and improvement of physical fitness.

OBJECTIVE: To reduce body weight in obese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) without loss of body cell mass (BCM) and without impairment of physical performance. METHODS: Nineteen overweight RA patients were studied before, during, and after a 12-week weight reducing regime consisting of reduced dietary energy intake, supplemented with a high-protein-low-energy powder preparation, and moderate physical training. Body composition was measured by a four compartment method, which by combining determinations of total body water and total body potassium allows a distinction between the two variable components of fat free mass (FFM): BCM and extracellular water (ECW). Physical fitness was measured by a bicycle exercise test. RESULTS: Mean weight loss during the study was 4.5 kg. The patients lost 9% of their initial fat mass, 3% of initial BCM and 5% of initial ECW. Physical fitness was slightly, but significantly, improved. CONCLUSION: The regime described was successful in achieving a significant weight loss with minimal loss of BCM and maintenance of physical fitness.

Adipose Tissue↗