Synergy between adjuvant arthritis and collagen-induced arthritis in rats.

Adjuvant arthritis (AA) in rats is susceptible to cell-mediated passive transfer. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats is susceptible to passive transfer with antibody to type II collagen. We report here the development of strikingly severe arthritis in Lewis rats as the result of synergy between passively transferred antibody to type II collagen from rats with CIA and concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated lymph node or spleen cells from syngeneic rats with AA.

Suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by mitoxantrone.

Treatment of rats with a developing or an established lesion of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) with mitoxantrone (Novantrone) suppressed the hind limb paralysis associated with the disease. Histopathological examination of the spinal cords of these rats showed that mitoxantrone-treated rats had reduced vascular lesions that are associated with EAE. Spleen cells derived from immunized rats that had been treated in vivo with mitoxantrone did not transfer disease when these cells were administered to naive syngenic recipients.

Pretreatment of rats with anticollagen IgG renders them resistant to active type II collagen arthritis.

Intravenous administration of 24 mg of affinity-purified rat anticollagen IgG induced a polyarthritis in recipient rats within 48 hr. This polyarthritis was transient and hind paw diameters returned to normal values within 12 days. IgG and C3 could be detected on the articular cartilage by immunofluorescence up to 16 days after antibody administration.

Passive transfer of collagen arthritis: studies with affinity-purified anticollagen IgG prepared in rabbits.

Affinity-purified rabbit anticollagen IgG failed to transfer arthritis to rats when it was injected intravenously. Immunofluorescence examination of the joints of the hind paws of recipient rats showed the deposition of rabbit IgG on the articular surfaces; however, C4 or C3 deposition was not detected. In recipient rats injected intravenously with equivalent amounts of rat anticollagen IgG, arthritis occurred within 48 hr; IgG, C4, and C3 could be detected on the articular surface.

Passive transfer of arthritis by purified anticollagen immunoglobulin: localization of 125I-labeled antibody.

Intravenous administration of purified 125I-labeled anti-type II collagen immunoglobulin results in a polyarthritis in the recipient rats. Whole-animal radioautography indicates that the antibody is present in the various tissues that contain Type II collagen. However, the polyarthritic lesion is limited to the front and hind paws.

Type II collagen-induced arthritis. Studies with purified anticollagen immunoglobulin.

Immunization of rats with native bovine type II collagen results in a polyarthritis by day 21 in approximately 40% of the rats. Sera of these rats contained anticollagen IgG, principally IgG2a. Small amounts of IgG2b were also detected, but IgG1 and IgG2c were absent.

Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the rat: inhibition by indomethacin.

A model for pulmonary fibrosis in the rat has been developed using intratracheal administration of bleomycin. The histopathologic features of the reaction are similar to those reported in the hamster model. Increases in vascular permeability are seen in the lung within 24 hours and persist over a 2-month period.

Falciparum malaria in seamen.

Three cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in seamen, all acquired while working off tropical West Africa, and all in patients coming in for treatment at a New Orleans hospital during one six-week period, are described in the context of the importance of considering recent travel history for arrival at the correct diagnosis and treatment. Two of the three patients whose cases are reported had taken some form of malarial chemoprophylaxis during their voyage.

Tyzzer's disease in free-living cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) in Maryland.

Complement-fixing (CF) antibody to Bacillus piliformis antigen was found in 9 of 14 (64%) serum samples obtained from cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) killed in the wild. CF antibody was not present in the serum of 8 cottontail rabbits trapped as juveniles in the same geographic areas and held in captivity for 4 years. Sero-negative cottontail rabbits died acutely with lesions typical of Tyzzer's disease following the intragastric administration of 10(3.

Coronary heart disease after mediastinal irradiation for Hodgkin's disease.

Attention is called to the development of coronary heart disease in two patients several years after they received mediastinal irradiation for Hodgkin's disease. One patient, a 33 year old man, died suddenly eight years after irradiation; necropsy disclosed marked narrowing of all three major coronary arteries. In addition to severe intima fibrous thickening, there also was considerable adventitial scarring of the coronary arteries.

Cardiac calcification due to myocardial abscess.

Dense calcification of an old abscess of the left ventricular wall was discovered in a patient with mitral and aortic valvular disease. In spite of the fact that myocarditis occurs in a variety of settings, calcification of a myocardial focus of infection is rare and has not been reported previously.