ASSOCIATION OF TEMPORAL LOBE INFLAMMATORY LEUKOENCEPHALOPATHY WITH TWO B CELL MALIGNANCIES.

Identification of etiological connections among virtually distinct diseases in a patient may be sometimes challenging. We report a unique case with two B cell malignancies and an inflammatory leukoencephalopathy. Three days prior to admission, the elderly male patient developed fatigue, headaches, recurrent vomiting, memory disturbances, depression and somnolence.

Antibodies to mycobacterial stress protein in patients with orofacial granulomatosis.

Immunoglobulin G antibody titers to the mycobacterial stress protein with molecular weight of 65 kDa (mSP65) were determined by ELISA in sera from 10 patients with orofacial granulomatosis (OFG). Four patients with confirmed Crohn's disease had serum antibodies to mSP65 with titers ranging from 400-950. Of six remaining patients, three patients had serum antibodies to mSP65, with titers ranging from 180-850, whilst no serum antibody to this antigen could be detected in 3 patients.

Elevated IgA salivary antibody levels to mycobacterial 65 kDa stress protein in patients with oral candidosis.

Salivary IgA antibody levels to cytoplasmic protein extract of Candida albicans (CSE) and to mycobacterial 65 kDa stress protein (mSP65) were determined by ELISA in 25 patients with chronic atrophic oral candidosis and in 23 controls with clinically healthy oral mucosa. The results showed significantly elevated anti-CSE and anti-mSP65 antibody levels in patients when compared with healthy controls (P < 0.001).

The immunogenicity of outer membrane proteins of haemin-depleted Porphyromonas (Bacteroides) gingivalis W50 in periodontal disease.

The antigens from outer membrane protein extracts of Porphyromonas gingivalis (W50), grown under different haemin concentrations, were examined for binding with serum antibodies from patients with severe progressive periodontitis or from periodontally healthy control subjects. P. gingivalis was grown under haemin limitation (0.

Serum zinc levels in patients with burning mouth syndrome.

The serum zinc levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 30 patients with burning mouth syndrome, (BMS) and in 30 control subjects with clinically healthy oral mucosa. The mean value of serum zinc levels in the patient group was found to be significantly lower (mean +/- SD = 12.13 +/- 1.

T cell proliferative responses to molecular fractions of periodontopathic bacteria.

Soluble antigenic preparations of Veillonella parvula and Bacteroides gingivalis were separated by SDS-PAGE and used after electroblotting and solubilization for in vitro lymphocyte stimulation in 13 patients with severe periodontitis and 12 controls. The cellular responses of controls and patients to V. parvula antigens were represented by four main proliferation-inducing fractions with 74-66, 52-46, 22-19 and 12 kD mol.

Elevated antibody levels to mycobacterial 65-kDa stress protein in patients with superficial candidiasis.

Antibody levels to the mycobacterial 65-kDa stress protein (mSP65) were determined by ELISA in sera from patients with chronic atrophic oral candidiasis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, Candida albicans-infected or noninfected oral lichen planus, or recurrent aphthous ulceration and from subjects with clinically healthy oral mucosa. The results showed significantly elevated anti-mSP65 antibody levels in patients with oral or vulvovaginal candidiasis and in patients with Candida-infected lesions of lichen planus when compared with patients with noninfected lichen planus or recurrent oral ulceration and with matched healthy controls (P less than .001).

Identification of immunodominant antigens of Candida albicans in patients with superficial candidosis.

The aims of this study were to identify the immunodominant protein antigens of Candida albicans in patients with superficial infections of the oral and vaginal mucosa. Cytoplasmic protein extract from C. albicans was analyzed by the immunoblot technique using sera from 20 patients with chronic atrophic oral candidosis, from 8 patients with vulvovaginal candidosis, and from 20 control subjects.

Detection of immunodominant antigens of periodontopathic bacteria in human periodontal disease.

Sonicated whole cell extracts and outer membrane proteins (OMP) from Bacteroides gingivalis and Veillonella parvula were analysed by the immunoblot technique using sera from 103 patients with various forms of periodontal disease and from 31 control subjects. B. gingivalis sonicate contained 12 major bands (75-14 kDa) of which the 46, 27 and 14 kDa antigens reacted more frequently with sera from adult and young adult patients with severe periodontitis compared with sera from controls and mild periodontitis patients.

Antigens of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans identified by immunoblotting with sera from patients with localized human juvenile periodontitis and generalized severe periodontitis.

Sonicated whole cell extracts and outer membrane proteins from this bacterium were analysed using sera from 31 young patients with localized juvenile periodontitis, 55 young adults with generalized severe periodontitis and from 31 healthy control subjects. The sonicate contained 13 major bands (14-78 kDa); a greater proportion of sera from patients with generalized periodontitis reacted with 40 and 70 kDa antigens when compared with sera from localized juvenile periodontitis and controls. In contrast, a lower proportion of sera from localized juvenile periodontitis reacted with the 29 kDa antigen when compared with severe periodontitis and controls.

In vitro lymphocyte proliferation by carbamazepine, carbamazepine-10, 11-epoxide, and oxcarbazepine in the diagnosis of drug-induced hypersensitivity.

In vitro lymphocyte proliferation induced by carbamazepine (CBZ) was evaluated in nine patients with hypersensitivity to this drug. Lymphocytes from all hypersensitive patients responded by significantly enhanced DNA synthesis to CBZ when patients were compared with 33 tested control subjects. However, lymphocytes from five of six hypersensitive patients were not stimulated by carbamazepine-10, 11-epoxide, and oxcarbazepine (OXC), and this was confirmed clinically in two CBZ hypersensitive patients with OXC therapy.

Immunoglobulin A1 and A2 subclass of salivary antibodies to Candida albicans in patients with oral candidosis.

Immunoglobulin A antibody titres to a cytoplasmic protein extract of Candida albicans were determined by ELISA in saliva from 20 patients with oral candidosis and 21 controls. Patients had significantly increased levels of salivary IgA anti-Candida antibodies when compared with controls (P less than 0.001).

Expression of blood group H antigen type 2 chain by oral carcinoma cells after radiotherapy.

The blood group H antigen type 2 was investigated immunohistochemically in sections of 44 surgical specimens from the oral mucosa. These comprised 35 squamous cell carcinomas obtained from 22 patients and 9 specimens of clinically healthy mucosa. The carcinoma specimens included 10 primary lesions and 25 recurrent lesions from patients who had undergone radiotherapy.

Expression of blood group H antigen by normal, benign, and carcinoma cells of the oral epithelium: immunohistochemical study using monoclonal antibody RS13.

The H antigen was investigated by an indirect immunoperoxidase method in sections of 65 surgical specimens from the oral mucosa. These comprised 29 squamous cell carcinomas, 28 benign lesions, and 8 specimens of clinically healthy mucosa. A monoclonal antibody (RS13) was used to identify the H antigen.

Serum IgG antibodies to lipopolysaccharides in various forms of periodontal disease in man.

Serum IgG antibody titres to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from two strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were significantly elevated in juvenile periodontitis compared with other types of periodontal disease and with controls (p less than 0.05). The highest antibody titres to Bacteroides gingivalis LPS were in juvenile periodontitis, but this difference was significant only against the control group (p less than 0.

Relationship between the serum autoantibody titers and the clinical activity of pemphigus vulgaris.

With human tonsillar epithelium as a substrate for the indirect immunofluorescence assay, a statistically significant relationship was demonstrated between the clinical activity of the disease and the autoantibody titers in seventy-eight serum samples obtained from patients with pemphigus vulgaris. High pemphigus antibody titers were associated with severe ulceration, intermediate titers with moderate lesions, and low titers with mild pemphigus. However, the sequential studies revealed that this relationship was not always consistent throughout the course of the disease, and in three out of fourteen patients the correlation was either poor or negative.

Identification of pemphigus-like antigens expressed by SCaBER cells.

Indirect immunofluorescence revealed the presence of pemphigus-like antigenic activity on SCaBER cell monolayers after incubation with sera from patients with pemphigus vulgaris. In contrast, no fluorescence was observed after incubation of the cells with sera from patients with bullous pemphigoid, systemic lupus erythematosus or healthy individuals. In order to identify this pemphigus-like antigen, the SCaBER cell membrane proteins were solubilized in non-ionic detergent, separated according to their molecular weight by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and electrophoretically transferred to nitrocellulose sheets.

Oral epithelial cells as the origin of pemphigus antigen in human saliva.

Absorption of pemphigus sera with normal human saliva or with scraped oral epithelial cells abolished the intercellular antibody titres, as revealed by indirect immunofluorescence. No pemphigus antigenic activity was detected on either human or macaque salivary glands, suggesting that the pemphigus antigen in saliva is a product of the epithelial lining of the oral mucosa. Indirect immunofluorescence on primary cultures of normal oral mucosa demonstrated that pemphigus antigen is synthesized by human oral epithelial cells.

Expression of the CA1 determinant by carcinomas and by non-malignant epithelial cells in oral lesions.

The expression of the Ca antigen was investigated in 5 groups of oral lesions comprising 7 squamous cell carcinomas, 2 pre-invasive carcinomas, 7 lesions of types believed to predispose to carcinoma, 19 lesions of types that do not predispose to carcinoma and 5 biopsies of normal oral mucosa. Using an indirect immunoperoxidase method, the neoplastic epithelium reacted positively with the Ca1 antibody in only 4 out of 7 oral squamous cell carcinomas and the reaction varied between the specimens as to the intensity and number of positively stained cells. Several benign oral lesions specifically bound the Ca1 antibody in areas of epithelium showing infiltration with inflammatory cells.

Topical acyclovir in the management of recurrent herpes labialis.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% acyclovir ointment was carried out for thirty-one episodes of herpes labialis in thirteen patients experiencing severe, frequent recurrences. In addition, these patients continued to use acyclovir ointment or placebo for the treatment of twenty-two further episodes. Treatment was initiated by the patients as soon as possible after onset of prodromal symptoms, and continued five times a day for 5 days.

Direct immunofluorescence on cytological smears in oral pemphigus.

Direct immunofluorescence was performed on washed oral epithelial smears from thirteen patients with pemphigus vulgaris, thirteen patients with other oral diseases and from ten subjects with clinically healthy oral mucosa. The intercellular deposition of IgG was observed on cytological smears from oral smears from oral lesions in all patients with other oral diseases and from healthy controls, did not show any fluorescence. Therefore, direct immunofluorescence on cytological smears may be of value in the diagnosis of pemphigus.

The role of TG lymphocytes in cell-mediated immunity in patients with periodontal disease.

Blood mononuclear cell suspensions from patients with a severe form of periodontal disease failed to respond by in vitro stimulation to a sonicate from the oral bacterium, Veillonella alcalescens. The proliferative response could be restored by the depletion of TG cells by rosetting with IgG-coated ox erythrocytes and by reconstitution of the cell suspension with 10% plastic-adherent monocytes. Small but statistically significant restoration of the Veillonella response was also achieved by the addition of indomethacin or mefenamic acid to unfractionated cell cultures, indicating only a minor role of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in the expression of suppressor cells.