Association of immune parameters with clinical outcome in stage III colon cancer: results of Southwest Oncology Group Protocol 9009.

Levamisole (LMS), utilized in the adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III colon cancer, is immunomodulatory. To determine whether alterations in immune parameters before, during and after 12 months of 5FU/LMS therapy correlate with disease-free survival, 38 patients enrolled on Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) protocol 8899 received extensive lymphocyte phenotypic analysis prior to therapy and 3, 6, 12 and 15 months after treatment initiation. The median follow-up of patients is 41 months.

Lysosome-associated membrane proteins h-LAMP1 (CD107a) and h-LAMP2 (CD107b) are activation-dependent cell surface glycoproteins in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells which mediate cell adhesion to vascular endothelium.

Lysosome-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs) are transmembrane lysosomal glycoproteins which are detectable at the cell surface of lymphocytes in patients with scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus. While these proteins have been shown to mediate adhesion of tumor cells to vascular endothelial selectins, the function of LAMPs expressed at the cell surface of peripheral blood lymphocytes has not been previously examined. In the present study, the role of lamp2 (CD107b) in lymphocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium and the factors which influence in vitro cell surface expression of both lamp1 (CD107a) and lamp2 (CD107b) are examined.

Vagal and sympathetic components of the heart rate reflex in chronic portal vein stenosis.

The effects of portal hypertension and portosystemic shunting on autonomic components of the heart rate (HR) baroreflex and on skeletal muscle blood flow changes were investigated using the chronic portal vein-stenosed rat. Phenylephrine- and sodium nitroprusside-induced changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP), HR, and skeletal muscle conductance (SMC) were assessed before and after muscarinic or beta-adrenoceptor blockade. Stenosed rats had lower MAP than sham-operated rats (90 +/- 3 vs.

Quantitation of CD62, soluble CD62, and lysosome-associated membrane proteins 1 and 2 for evaluation of the quality of stored platelet concentrates.

Background: Platelets become activated during storage, which results in secretion of granules, vesiculation of microparticles, secretion of protein, and a number of other biochemical and morphologic processes that decrease the utility of platelet concentrates stored for transfusion.

Study Design And Methods: To evaluate the quality of stored platelet concentrates, the cell surface expression of specific activation-dependent antigens (CD62 and lysosome-associated membrane proteins 1 and 2 [LAMP-1, LAMP-2]) on platelets stored in a hospital blood bank over a 7-day period was examined. Relative microparticle counts and the expression of CD62 by microparticles, as well as platelet concentrate supernatant levels of soluble CD62, were determined.

Natural killer cells and gamma delta T cells in scleroderma: relationship to disease duration and anti-Scl-70 antibodies.

Objectives: To examine the expression of the natural killer (NK) antigen CD56, and T cell receptor delta chain antigen (TCR delta), expressed on the gamma delta T cell subset, in patients with scleroderma, and to correlate levels of expression with clinical characteristics.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 15 patients with scleroderma and 11 controls were obtained from heparinised blood on a ficoll/hypaque gradient, stained with monoclonal antibodies, and examined by flow cytometry for expression of CD56 and TCR delta.

Results: Overall, the proportion of PBMCs expressing CD56 in the patient group (14.