Effects of ethanol on human natural killer cell activity: in vitro and acute, low-dose in vivo studies.

Chronic use of ethanol may cause a variety of immunological abnormalities in humans. In this study, we have determined the effects of an acute, low dose of ethanol (0.5 g/kg), administered either intravenously or orally, to normal, nonalcoholic male volunteers, on natural killer cell (NK) activity.

Effects of the opioid antagonist naloxone on human natural killer cell activity in vitro.

Studies from several groups have shown that exogenous opiates as well as endogenous opioids may have direct or indirect effects on natural killer cell (NK) activity. Both enhanced and reduced NK activity have been reported in different in vivo and in vitro studies. The present study was performed to determine the effects of the opioid antagonist, naloxone, on human NK activity in vitro.

Epstein-Barr virus in exfoliated cells from the postnasal space. Viral detection by polymerase chain reaction is not a useful means of screening for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in high-risk populations.

There is a high incidence of undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NCP) in certain populations, including Greenland Eskimos. The cancer appears to have a causal association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is regularly found in NPC epithelial cells. With the aim of developing a method of screening or facilitating early diagnosis of NPC, we used the polymerase chain reaction to examine exfoliated nasopharyngeal cells for EBV in 54 Greenland and 17 white Danish subjects, none of whom was suspected of having NPC.

Human papillomavirus types 11 and 16 detected in nasopharyngeal carcinomas by the polymerase chain reaction.

Most nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) are of the nonkeratinizing or undifferentiated types, which are consistently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The smaller group of highly differentiated, keratinizing NPCs seems to be only infrequently associated with EBV. In order to examine whether these rare tumors were related to another oncogenic virus, the authors used the polymerase chain reaction to examine paraffin-embedded sections of 15 keratinizing NPCs for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, and 18 genomic sequences.

Familial clusters of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and salivary gland carcinomas in Greenland natives.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and anaplastic salivary gland carcinoma (SGC), both associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), are common among Inuit from Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. Because immigrant studies have shown that factors acting early in life are important for the development of NPC, the authors interviewed new patients in Greenland with either NPC or SGC about their lifestyles during childhood and additional cases in their families.

Methods: On admission, new patients from Greenland with either NPC or SGC were interviewed about childhood life-style, family size, and other cases of NPC or SGC within the family.