Type of headache at onset and risk for complications in reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.

Background: In a recent Italian study, 30% of patients with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) presented without thunderclap headache (TCH), and tended to present more severe forms of RCVS than patients with TCH. We aimed to analyze the risk for complications of RCVS in patients with and without TCH at onset.

Methods: In a pooled cohort of 345 French patients with RCVS, we compared patients with and without TCH at onset regarding rates of neurological complications, and the functional outcome at 3 months.

Predictors of outcome in 176 South African patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Objective: Identify novel prognostic factors for patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Design And Setting: Prospective cohort study conducted in a single tertiary care centre in South Africa.

Patients: 176 African women with newly diagnosed PPCM were studied.

Long-term outcome of peripartum cardiomyopathy in a population with high seropositivity for human immunodeficiency virus.

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare cardiomyopathy with a high risk of mortality. The present study assessed clinical outcome and mortality over a 2-year period in an African cohort of 80 PPCM patients.

Methods: A prospective study over a 2-year period at a tertiary center, where 80 consecutive women presenting with PPCM were enrolled on first diagnosis.

Reversal of IFN-gamma, oxLDL and prolactin serum levels correlate with clinical improvement in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Aim: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is characterized by acute onset of heart failure of unknown aetiology. We aimed to identify mechanisms involved in initiation and progression of the disease.

Methods And Results: Serum markers related to cardiac function, apoptosis, oxidative stress, remodelling, inflammation and the nursing hormone prolactin were analyzed in PPCM patients and healthy controls.

A cathepsin D-cleaved 16 kDa form of prolactin mediates postpartum cardiomyopathy.

Postpartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a disease of unknown etiology and exposes women to high risk of mortality after delivery. Here, we show that female mice with a cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of stat3 develop PPCM. In these mice, cardiac cathepsin D (CD) expression and activity is enhanced and associated with the generation of a cleaved antiangiogenic and proapoptotic 16 kDa form of the nursing hormone prolactin.

[Interrelationship between lower limb varicosity, the grade of connective tissue dysplasia and atrial fibrillation in patients with coronary artery disease].

Purpose: To determine interrelationship between lower limb varicosity, the clinical grade of non-differentiated dysplasia of the connective tissue and atrial fibrillation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Material And Methods: Altogether 156 coronary patients were examined. Persistent atrial fibrillation was present in 58 and chronic in 38 patients.

Current issues in the diagnosis and management of peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a form of heart failure that occurs in women within 1 month pre- and 5 months postdelivery. The syndrome carries a high mortality and predisposing factors are not known. The incidence and prevalence of peripartum cardiomyopathy appear to be increasing and this article aims to alert clinicians to consider a possible diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy, outlines the current treatment options, and describes recent advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of this condition.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy: inflammatory markers as predictors of outcome in 100 prospectively studied patients.

Aims: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a disorder of unknown aetiology with a course and outcome that is largely unpredictable. We evaluated the prognostic role of multiple inflammatory markers in the plasma of a large cohort of African patients with PPCM.

Methods And Results: The study of 100 patients with newly diagnosed PPCM was single-centred, prospective, and longitudinal.

Outcome of subsequent pregnancy in patients with documented peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Subsequent pregnancy in 6 patients with previous peripartum cardiomyopathy resulted in reduction of ejection fraction by >10% in 5 patients at 1 month postpartum. Two patients with impaired ejection fraction at onset of subsequent pregnancy died 3 months postpartum due to heart failure despite optimal medical therapy. Deterioration of left ventricular function occurred uniformly postpartum and was accompanied by elevation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha plasma levels from 2.

Mannose-binding lectin: comparison of two assays for the quantification of MBL in the serum of pediatric patients.

Individuals with mannose-binding lectin (MBL)-deficiency are at an increased risk from infections with mannose-bearing microorganisms. We have investigated two quantitative research assays for measuring MBL protein in serum for routine diagnosis. The evaluation of 817 serum samples with a nephelometric assay revealed two deficiencies, a number far below the postulated 5-10% of the population.

A long-term validation of the modernised DC-ARC-OES solid-sample method.

The validation procedure based on ISO 17025 standard has been used to study and illustrate both the longterm stability of the calibration process of the DC-ARC solid sample spectrometric method and the main validation criteria of the method. In the calculation of the validation characteristics depending on the linearity(calibration), also the fulfilment of predetermining criteria such as normality and homoscedasticity was checked. In order to decide whether there are any trends in the time-variation of the analytical signal or not, also the Neumann test of trend was applied and evaluated.

Expression and function of sialoadhesin in rat alveolar macrophages.

Alveolar macrophages (Amφ) represent an immunologically distinct sub-population within the reticuloendothelial system. Phagocytosis and possibly antigen presentation by Amφ are essential components of specific and innate primary immune defence processes against inhaled material. The mφ-restricted sheep erythrocyte receptor sialoadhesin (Sn) is a member of the immunglobulin superfamily and binds specifically to sialic acid-containing structures such as selectins and was originally identified as the sheep erythrocyte receptor (SER) responsible for sialic acid-dependent binding of native sheep erythrocytes (SE) to resident murine bone marrow macrophages in rosetting assays.

Self-renewal, maturation, and differentiation of the rat myelomonocytic hematopoietic stem cell.

Hematopoiesis is viewed as a differentiating system emanating from a pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell capable of both self-renewal and differentiation. By identifying and characterizing a novel and highly specific in vitro mitogenic response to the N-acetyl glucosamyl/sialic acid specific, stem cell-binding lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), we demonstrate the existance of a rare (0.1%), plastic adherent precursor in rat bone marrow capable of proliferation (two to seven divisions) in response to WGA.

Galectin-3 inhibits granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-driven rat bone marrow cell proliferation and GM-CSF-induced gene transcription.

The expression of galectin-3 (formerly known as IgE-binding protein or Mac-2) in rat bone marrow (BM) was investigated by FACS, immunocytochemical and immunoblot analysis. The functional significance of rat recombinant galectin-3 on mouse recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-driven proliferation of macrophage progenitors and gene transcription was further examined. Immunocytochemical analysis of in situ BM sections demonstrated galectin-3 in myelopoietic cells and surrounding stroma, whereas erythropoietic and lymphopoietic environments essentially lacked galectin-3 expression.

Soybean agglutinin binds a 160-kDa rat macrophage membrane glycoprotein and enhances cell differentiation and activation.

Mature macrophages (M phi) differ from other rat leukocytes by their ability to bind soybean agglutinin (SBA). In this study we identify the SBA-binding structure on rat bone marrow-derived M phi (BMDM phi). Precipitation of iodinated membrane proteins from rat bone marrow cells (BMC) and BMDM phi with SBA revealed a major glycoprotein of Mr 160 kDa on BMDM phi but not on BMC.

Immunophenotyping of human bone marrow-derived macrophages.

In vitro cultured cells derived from human bone marrow stimulated with macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) or granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were investigated for their immunophenotypic surface characteristics by flow cytometry. Approximately 80-90% of the cells showed morphological and histochemical features of macrophages and bore CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD14, CD29, CD32, CD33, CD44, CD45, CD54, CD64, CD71, HLA-DR antigen. The expression of CD4, CD25 and CD45RO were detected only in low density.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha induction of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression is inhibited by interferon-gamma in a monocytic cell line.

Regulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen expression by cytokines has been suggested to play a major role in the initiation and propagation of immune and autoimmune processes. The analysis of class II gene regulation benefits greatly from the existence of mutants with defects in regulatory factors. We report the establishment of a subclone of the human monocytic cell line U937, termed C119/9, with unusual cytokine regulation of MHC class II expression.

Expression of MHC class II antigens on rat bone marrow cells and macrophages, and their modulation during culture with murine GM-CSF or M-CSF.

Flow cytometric analysis employing MRC OX 6 and MRC OX17 monoclonal antibodies recognizing determinants on RT1.B or RT1.D molecules, equivalent to murine I-A and I-E, respectively, was used to detect rat MHC class II antigen (Ag) expression.

Phenotype and function of peripheral and prostatic lymphocytes in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In a previous report, we demonstrated intense lymphocytic infiltration of all benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) tissues analyzed in conjunction with HLA-DR expression on normally MHC-class-II-negative prostate epithelial cells. The composition of these infiltrates (70 to 80% CD3+ T-cells, but no granulocytes) resembles the situation seen in immune responses against altered self or self rather than against foreign antigens (infection). In the present study, phenotypic and functional immunoassays were used in order to investigate whether T-cells in BPH are indeed activated, and whether this activation is systemic or restricted locally to the prostate.

Ligation of N-acetylgalactosamine-containing structures on rat bone marrow cells enhances myeloid differentiation and murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-induced proliferation.

Previously we have reported the differentiation-dependent expression of a soybean agglutinin (SBA)-binding structure on rat bone marrow cells (BMCs) during their differentiation into macrophages (m phi s). In the present study we tried to analyze the functional role of the SBA-binding structure in BMC proliferation and differentiation. Addition of SBA to BMC cultures driven into m phi differentiation by recombinant murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF), resulted in a two- to threefold increased proliferation rate compared with rmGM-CSF alone.

T-T cell interactions in patients with endocrine autoimmunity. Definition of antiergotypic T lymphocytes.

T-T cell interactions are known to be of importance in the generation of immune responses and have been postulated to play a role in autoimmunity. Antiergotypic T lymphocytes are cells, which react with other activated T cells, which they may consecutively neutralize. Antiergotypic T cells have been described to play a role in animal models of autoimmunity and have been found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha augments the expression of Fc IgE receptor (Fc epsilon RII/CD23) on human monocytic cell lines and down-regulates interleukin-4-driven Fc epsilon RII expression on monocytes.

We investigated the expression of the low affinity Fc IgE receptor (Fc epsilon RII/CD23) on the human monocytic cell lines U937, THP-1, Mono-Mac-6, and cultured human peripheral blood monocytes under stimulation with human tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and other cytokines. Fc epsilon RII was demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis employing the anti-Fc epsilon RII monoclonal antibody 3-5. TNF-alpha alone had a weak but significant stimulating effect on the Fc epsilon RII expression on the cell lines U937 and THP-1, and very modestly on Mono-Mac-6 cells.

Lectin binding to chronic inflammatory gingival tissue: possible adhesion mechanisms based on lectin-carbohydrate interactions.

In this study, we analyzed the expression of different leukocyte surface antigens, of the adhesion molecules ELAM-1 and GMP-140 and binding of various lectins and neoglycoproteins in inflamed gingival tissue. Cell suspensions from collagenase-digested gingiva were analyzed by flow cytometry in a FACScan. The expression of ELAM-1, GMP-140, carbohydrate structures and lectins in gingival specimens was also studied by immunohistochemistry.

Suramin affects human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro: inhibition of T cell growth and modulation of cytokine secretion.

Suramin, a polyanionic compound, which has been in clinical use for the treatment of African trypanosomiasis for several decades, has recently been introduced in clinical oncology. Its effects on the immune system seemed therefore of interest. In the present study we tried to elucidate in vitro how suramin affected different functions of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Lectin binding of rat bone marrow cells during colony-stimulating factor type 1--induced differentiation: soybean agglutinin as a marker of mature rat macrophages.

Rat bone marrow cells (BMC) cultured in the presence of murine colony-stimulating factor type 1 (CSF-1) differentiate within 7 days into a cell population containing 96-100% macrophages (M phi). In this study, binding of 10 different fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated lectins to cultured BMC at various stages of differentiation into M phi was investigated. Only soybean agglutinin (SBA) showed a binding pattern that was significantly correlated to M phi differentiation.