Cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in the peripheral blood of children born to human immunodeficiency virus-1-infected mothers.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are present at high activities in adult patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In this report, CTL effectors were identified in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of children born to HIV-1-infected mothers. These CTL killed HLA-matched HIV-1-infected H9 target cells or doubly transfected P815-A2-env, gag or nef mouse tumor cells, which expressed the viral antigens in association with HLA-A1/A3 or HLA-A2, respectively.

HLA linked immune response to S and pre-S2 gene products in hepatitis B vaccination.

In order to detect a possible HLA linked genetic control of human immune responses to hepatitis B virus, forty healthy adult persons of the same age typed for HLA-A, -B and -DR antigens, were vaccinated against virus hepatitis B and sequentially tested for anti-HBs and anti-pre-S2 antibodies. They received three injections of Hevac-B Pasteur vaccine, the second 1 month and the third 3 months after the first. Following the third immunization, 38 individuals (95%) had a protective level of anti-HBs antibodies and 17 (42.

[Immune status in infantile autism. Correlation between the immune status, autistic symptoms and levels of serotonin].

In sixteen autistic children high values of IgG and a high level of lymphocyte stimulation with PHA were observed. Principal component analysis showed: 1) a significant correlation between basic lymphocyte mitogenic activity and the clinical symptoms opposition and hyperactivity, 2) a significant correlation between high Ig levels, high PHA stimulation responses and the main autistic symptoms (withdrawal, inaffectivity, hypoactivity, mannerism, stereotypy and negatively echolalia), 3) a significant correlation with serotonin uptake by platelets and high immunological responses. Such correlations are strongly in favor of an immunologic component in autistic disease.

Respective roles of immune and nutritional factors in the priming of the immune response in the elderly.

Ninety-six institutionalized elderly (greater than 70 years old) (mean age: 82 +/- 7 years) subjects, negative for tetanus toxoid antibodies were primed with tetanus toxoid vaccination and dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). Correlations were studied between some immunological parameters, nutritional parameters prior to immunization and the immune response intensity after it. Levels of tetanus toxoid specific IgG (ELISA assay) were positively correlated with monocyte phagocytosis, DNCB response and prealbumin levels, and negatively correlated with total IgG, monocyte immune degradation and tetanus toxoid lymphocyte stimulation.

[Plasma zinc levels in elderly hospitalized subjects. Correlation with other nutritional and immunological markers and survival].

Plasma zinc levels were measured in 95 elderly patients hospitalized in a long stay unit and in 100 healthy controls under 65 years of age. Plasma zinc concentrations were significantly lower in the elderly patients, as compared to the younger subjects (p 0.001).

Human dialysable leucocyte extracts (transfer factor) in interstitial pneumonia. A retrospective trial in immunodeficient patients.

Thirty-six cases of interstitial pneumonia in acquired immunodeficient states were treated with transfer factor (Dialysable Leukocyte Extract) and studied retrospectively. The criteria of efficacity of this treatment were: rapidity of immediate improvement, improvement after failure of other immunostimulant therapy and demonstration of a dose-related effect. The mechanism of the therapeutic action is unclear.

Evidence for the presence of insulin binding sites in isolated rat intestinal epithelial cells.

Insulin receptors have been demonstrated in isolated rat intestinal epithelial cells. The specific binding of 125I-insulin was time--and temperature--dependent, the optimal temperature of study being 15 degrees. Dissociation of bound 125I-insulin by an excess of unlabelled hormone was rapid and attained 66 +/- 2% in 2 h.

[Immunological study of primary non-obstructive myocardiopathies. A report on 37 cases (author's transl)].

The pathogenicity of primary non-obstructive myocardiopathies remains unknown at the present time. Immunological disturbances have been demonstrated but their role is open to discussion. A comparison between 37 such patients and 37 control subjects with cardiac insufficiency, similar according to age and sex, gave the following results: circulating immune complexes levels, anti-organ or anti-tissue antibody levels, and the levels of serum complement and its fractions were the same in both groups.

Characterization of human dialyzable transfer factor from normal and chronic lymphoid leukemia sources.

Dialysates of lymphomonocytes can be roughly quantified through the use of optical density and measurements of RNA and protein contents. Dialysates of normal lymphocytes (N-TFd) contain about 224 +/- 67 mug of RNA-like material per 10(8) cells, 75 to 90% of which is eluted in fractions II and III on Biogel P10 chromatography. In contrast, dialysates of lymphocytes from patients suffering chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL-TFd) contain approximately 12 times less RNA-like material (about 27 +/- 11 mug per 10(8) lymphocytes) and have a different characteristic chromatographic pattern.

[Production of a dialysable transfer factor of cell mediated immunity by lymphoblastoid cells in continuous proliferation].

Four lymphoblastoid cell lines tested in this work contain normally a dialysable moiety having by ultraviolet spectroscopy, column chromatography (Biogel P 10) and chemically the same properties than human dialysable Transfer Factor (TFd), but unable to transfer cell mediated immune response against common antigens. Two of them are able to do so after incubation with minimal amounts of TFd. Production of a molecule identical to human TFd is possible in some lymphoblastoid cell lines after induction with TFd.