Extrinsic allergic alveolitis: comparative study of the bronchoalveolar lavage profiles and radiological presentation.

Introduction: Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) is an immunologically mediated interstitial lung disease. The abnormalities in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cell counts are almost always seen in patients with EAA according to the stage of the disease. The aim of this retrospective study was to find out how the BAL lymphocyte count, percentage of lymphocytes expressing HLA-DR, CD4/CD8 T cell ratio in BAL fluid, and the concentration of immunoglobulin G in serum correspond to the inflammatory activity of the disease.

Effect of acute hyperglycemia and/or hyperinsulinemia on polymorphonuclear functions in healthy subjects.

Abnormal immune functions of polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells occur in a variety of pathophysiological conditions. There exists a close link between glucose metabolism and PMN functions. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of short-term hyperglycemia and/or hyperinsulinemia on phagocytosis and respiratory burst of PMN cells in healthy subjects in vivo.

[CD38 antigen as a marker for immunological follow-up in HIV-positive patients].

Background: HIV infection causes chronic activation of cytotoxic CD8+ T-lymphocytes, which is partly responsible for the hallmark of the disease--progressive loss of CD4+ T-lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to evaluate an influence of HIV infection and long-term antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on expression of the activation molecules CD38 on CD8+ T-lymphocytes.

Methods: A group of 16 HIV-positive patients treated with HAART was followed for 12 months.

[Viability of parathyroid gland tissue measured by flow cytometry].

Background: Postoperative hypoparathyroidism after the total parathyroidectomy (PTX) remains a problem, no matter our experiences with 243 operations on parathyroid glands (PG). Implantation of "fresh" tissue, cryopreservation and reimplantation of cryopreserved tissue are performed with uncertain results. The aim of this project was to compare viability of cryopreserved tissue of parathyroid glands with "fresh" tissue obtained during parathyreoidectomy and with tissue from cadaverous donors.

Cd38 expression on Cd8+ T cells in Human immunodeficiency virus 1-positive adults treated with HAART.

The aim of this study was to assess whether the density of CD38 antigen expression on CD8+ T cells can be used as a marker of activation of the immune system in Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1)-positive patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). T cell subsets, expression of CD38 antigen on CD8+T cells, HIV-1 viral load and stage of the disease were analyzed at baseline and after 12 months of HAART in 24 HIV-1-infected patients. Our data showed that the use of HAART is effective in reducing plasma viral load and in achieving a stable CD4+ count and percentage of CD8+/CD38+ cells.

[Analysis of the inflammation reaction and selected indicators of immunity in patients with an infected diabetic ulcer].

Background: Patients with diabetes represent 50 to 70% of patients who undergo nontraumatic foot or leg amputation, caused mostly by infection and necrosis of soft tissues accompanied with osteomyelitis. Signs and symptoms of infections may often be absent in patients with infected foot ulcers--the syndrome of "diabetic foot" (DF). The course and consequences of the infection may be influenced by the immune system dysfunction.

[Non-specific immune responses in patients with chronic diabetic foot syndrome and chronic bacterial infection].

Chronic bacterial ulcers infection is a frequent cause of non-healing diabetic foot. The major factors of a non-specific immune response are phagocytic cells including polymporphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes, and humoral systems (complement). PMN leukocytes remove microorganisms by phagocytosis a part of it is intracellular killing and degradation in a process requiring energy and associated with "respiratory burst".

Cell-cell contacts with epithelial cells modulate the phenotype of human macrophages.

Interactions of macrophages with epithelium represent one of the pathways involved in regulating local immune mechanisms. We studied the effect of cell-cell contact with an epithelial monolayer on the phenotype of macrophages. Human monocytes and THP-1 macrophages were co-cultured with monolayers of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs), the alveolar type II-like cell line A549, renal adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (RA), and the lung fibroblast strain HFL-1.

[Changes in cellular immunity after administration of nucleotides].

Background: Nucleotide deficiency in the diet of experimental animals reduces cellular immunity, and conversely it is assumed that an increased intake could improve the immunity also in humans.

Methods And Results: The authors administered to 12 women with malignant tumours the dietetic preparation Preventan containing nucleotides, 1 x 1 mg/day, and followed up for four weeks some immunological parameters. There was a considerable decline of CRP and conversely an increase in the number of T-lymphocytes (CD3+), T-lymphocyte helpers (CD4+) and suppressor/cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CD8+), almost to double values.

Flow cytometry cross-match before kidney transplantation in relation to early postransplant rejection.

The aim of this study was to compare flow cytometry cross match (FCXM) results in patients before first kidney transplantation with the incidence of rejection episodes and kidney graft survival after transplantation. Sera of 51 patients obtained immediately before transplantation were tested on spleen cells of respective kidney donors. We found no correlation between a positive FCXM result before transplantation and the occurrence of immunological complications after transplantation.

[Genetic diagnosis of phenylketonuria. IV. Mutations of phenylalanine hydroxylase gene in Caucasian and Gypsy populations in Czech and Slovakia Republics].

Direct sequencing was conducted on the regions of the exon 7 and 12 in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene amplified by the polymerase chain reaction, using solid-phase technology involving the biotin streptavidin system. A novel mutation and seven previously known mutations were identified in the PAH genes among 15 Caucasians and 10 Gypsies in the Czech and Slovakia republics, affected with classical phenylketonuria (PKU). Two of these substitutions (R243X and G272X) resulted in the generation of a premature stop codon, and a single base transition of G to A at codon 261 resulted in the substitution of Arg for Gln (R261Q).

Gypsy phenylketonuria: a point mutation of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene in Gypsy families from Slovakia.

A direct mutational analysis of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (PAH) in Gypsy families with phenylketonuria (PKU) has not yet been presented. However, they obviously represent a group at high risk for this inherited disease. We analyzed the PAH loci of 65 Gypsies originating from Eastern Slovakia by a combination of PCR amplification, direct sequencing and ASO hybridization.

[Genetic diagnosis of phenylketonuria: identification of the mutations of phenylalanine hydroxylase gene by PCR direct sequencing].

To investigate the mutations of the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene in Orientals, direct sequencing was conducted on DNA fragments amplified by the polymerase chain reaction, using solid phase technology involving the biotin-streptavidin system. Four mutations possibly associated with phenylketonuria (PKU) were identified in a Chinese and four Japanese patients. A novel Arg158 (CGG)-to-Trp158 (TGG) mutation was identified in exon 5 of the PAH gene in a Chinese PKU patient.