Comprehensive characterization of immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Previous studies have suggested a geographical pattern of immunoglobulin rearrangement in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), which could be as a result of a genetic background or an environmental antigen. However, the characteristics of Ig rearrangements in the population from the South of France have not yet been established. Here, we studied CLL B-cell repertoire and mutational pattern in a Southern French cohort of patients using an in-house protocol for whole sequencing of the rearranged immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes.

Predictive factors and impact of full donor T-cell chimerism after reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

This study investigated the kinetics of CD3+-T cell chimerism (TCC) in 102 patients receiving reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RIC-allo-SCT) from an HLA-identical sibling. Patients with full donor TCC at day 30 had a higher incidence of grade 2-4 acute GVHD compared to patients in mixed TCC (cumulative-incidence, 61% vs. 35%; p=0.

IL-10 promoter and IL4-Ralpha gene SNPs are associated with immediate beta-lactam allergy in atopic women.

Background: Allergic reactions to beta-lactam antibiotics represent the most frequent cause of immunological drug reactions.

Objective: This study evaluates the involvement of genetic susceptibility factors in patients with immediate allergic reactions to beta-lactams. We examined 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of genes coding proteins implicated in immunoglobulin (Ig)E synthesis regulation.

Polymorphism of HLA-DMA and DMB alleles in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To evaluate the contribution of HLA-DM alleles to susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Caucasian population.

Methods: HLA-DMA and DMB alleles were studied in 73 patients with SLE, 147 randomly selected controls, and 86 HLA-DRB1 genotype matched controls by oligotyping of polymerase chain reaction amplified genomic DNA with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes.

Results: There was a significant presence of HLA-DMA*0103, DMA*0104, and DMB*0102 in the SLE patients compared with the randomly selected controls.

T-cell immune constitution after peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation in complete DiGeorge syndrome.

Complete DiGeorge syndrome (cDGS) is a congenital disorder characterized by typical facies, thymic aplasia, susceptibility to infections, hypoparathyroidism and conotruncal cardiac defect. Fetal thymus or post-natal thymus tissue transplantations and human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-genoidentical bone marrow transplantations were followed in a few cases by immune reconstitution. More recently, a peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation (PBMCT) was performed with an HLA-genoidentical donor and followed by a partial T-cell engraftment and immune reconstitution.

Response to treatment and disease progression linked to CD4+ T cell surface CC chemokine receptor 5 density in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 vertical infection.

The factors governing interindividual variability in disease progression among children vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remain unclear. Because it has recently been shown in infected adults that the density of CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) molecules at the surface of nonactivated (human leukocyte antigen [HLA]-DR(-)) CD4+ T cells correlates with disease progression, the same correlation was sought in children. HLA-DR(-)CD4+ T cell surface CCR5 density was constant over time and correlated with the bioclinical stage and with the CD4 cell slope observed before antiretroviral treatment.

Reduced intensity conditioning: enhanced graft-versus-tumor effect following dose-reduced conditioning and allogeneic transplantation for refractory lymphoid malignancies after high-dose therapy.

Non-myeloablative regimens have been proven to allow engraftment following allogeneic stem cells transplantation (allo-SCT) with minimal procedure-related toxicity. Conventional allo-SCT may produce remissions in patients with relapsed and refractory lymphoid malignancies (LM) but these good results may be achieved at the cost of high treatment-related morbidity and mortality. Application of allo-SCT using less intensive regimens may temper the frequency of these complications, allowing a potent graft-versus-tumor effect (GVT).

CD4 T cell surface CCR5 density as a host factor in HIV-1 disease progression.

Objective And Design: We have recently shown that the number of CCR5 molecules at the surface of peripheral blood CD4 T cells (CCR5 density) correlates with the viral RNA plasma level in HIV-1-infected individuals. As viral load is a strong predictor of outcome in HIV infection, the present study examines the correlation between CCR5 density and HIV-1 disease progression.

Methods: Using a quantitative flow cytometry assay, we measured CCR5 density in HIV-1-infected adults and control healthy volunteers.

CD4+ T cell surface CCR5 density as a determining factor of virus load in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

The intensity of expression of the chemokine receptor CCR5 is involved in in vitro cell infectability by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 R5 isolates. Because CCR5 expression varies among individuals, the hypothesis that this expression could determine virus load in HIV-1-infected persons was tested. The mean number of CCR5 molecules per cell was measured on peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocytes (CCR5 density) from HIV-1-infected, asymptomatic, nontreated adults.

Polymorphism of the HLA-DMA and DMB genes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To determine whether the HLA-DMA and DMB genes, whose encoded molecules are involved in HLA class II-restricted antigen presentation, contribute to the genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: One hundred ninety-one RA patients, 147 control subjects, and 218 HLA-DRB1 genotype-matched control subjects were oligotyped for DMA and DMB genes.

Results: DMA*0103 and DMB*0104 were significantly increased in the RA patients compared with the randomly selected and the matched controls, thus indicating a direct influence of the DM genes.

Generic HLA-DRB1 gene oligotyping by a nonradioactive reverse dot-blot methodology.

HLA-DRB1 allelic specificities can be determined using SSOs annealing to their complementary PCR-amplified target DNA. To perform HLA-DR oligotyping routinely for donors and recipients of bone marrow transplantation, a "reverse" dot-blot technique has been developed that consists in the hybridization of labeled PCR-amplified target DNA to SSOs that have been first attached to nitrocellulose membranes. The 15 oligonucleotides chosen enabled the following HLA-DRB1 "generic" specificities to be defined: DR1, BON, 2, 3, 4, 11, 11 JVM, 12, 13, 13 HAG, 14, 7, 8, 9, 10.