Immunohistochemical characterization of the mononuclear cells in the brain of the rat with an experimental chronic Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection.

The distribution of T-cell subsets, B cells, and class II MHC antigens was examined within the CNS of rats chronically infected with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, using appropriate mouse monoclonal antibodies. The mononuclear infiltrates of the leptomeninges and the perivascular areas (Virchow-Robin spaces) were composed of IgM-producing plasma cells and Mott cells and T-helper/inducer cells. Cells defined phenotypically as suppressor/cytotoxic T cells were rare.

Thymopentin treatment in genital warts of long duration.

The immunomodulatory effect of thymopentin as therapy in genital warts of long duration and the proliferative responses of the patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigated in this pilot study. The observations in 6 patients suggest that subcutaneous injections of thymopentin (50 mg) beneficially influence the systems of therapy-resistant genital warts. The small number of patients and controls used in the assessment of the proliferation responses allows only a descriptive analysis of the results, but definitive trends can be observed in the Con A- and PHA-induced proliferation tests.

Autoantibodies to intermediate filaments in experimental infections with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.

Sera from rats with chronic Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection were tested for autoantibodies by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. All the sera contained IgM autoantibodies which reacted with blood vessel walls. On cultured vascular smooth muscle cells positive sera reacted with cytoplasmic filaments which were rearranged into perinuclear coils of filaments in colcemid-pretreated smooth muscle cells.

Antimetastatic effect of cimetidine on mice bearing a C3H mouse mammary adenocarcinoma: survival and lymphocyte function studies.

It has been reported that treatment with cimetidine, a histamine H2-receptor antagonist, increased survival and decreased the number of lung metastases in mice bearing the Lewis Lung carcinoma [29]. It was suggested that this effect was due to the ability of cimetidine to block histamine activation of suppressor lymphocytes and hence allow host defence mechanisms to inhibit tumour growth. In the present studies, C3H/He mice were implanted with a C3H mouse mammary adenocarcinoma on Day 0.