Plasmapheresis combined with somatostatin is a successful treatment of porphyrias.

During acute attacks of hepatic porphyria, levels of polypeptides, vasoactive intestinal peptides, neurotensin, substance P, pancreatic polypeptide, gastrin releasing polypeptide, gastrin, and motilin increased in the circulation while the clinical symptoms were evident. However, somatostatin decrease was not detected. Somatostatin belongs to a group of regulatory peptides that antagonize the action of endogenous steroid hormones, and decreasing their bioavailability decreases the rate of synthesis of delta-aminolevulinate synthase, alpha-aminolevunilic acid (ALA), and polypeptides.

Cytokine patterns in adults with AIDS.

Background: It has been reported that in HIV infected patients enhanced production of IL-4 and IL-10 in response to stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes with phytohemagglutinin is associated with disease progression. Some have proposed that a switch from a cytokine profile associated with CD4+ Th1 predominance (IL-2, IFN-G, TNF-B) to Th2 predominance (IL-4, IL-5) plays a major role in the progression of HIV infection. Others find no clear evidence for the dichotomy of Th1 and Th2 predominance in HIV infected patients Discrepant results have been reported in studied populations in which only a few cytokines have been examined.

Polypeptide levels increase during acute onset of hepatic porphyrias.

Hepatic porphyrias are characterized by neurological symptoms manifested by abdominal pain, neuropathies and mental aberrations. Porphyrins are ubiquitous and essential biochemical constituents of living beings acting as mediators of oxidation reaction in the metabolism of the steroid, drugs, environmental chemicals or as a mean of exchanging gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide between the environment and the tissue of the body using endogenous polypeptide properties. The different porphyrins arising from the arrangement of normal heme synthesis are characterized by an accumulation and excretion of specific intermediate porphyrins and/or of precursors exerting toxic effect, initiating cascades of generations of polypeptides, neurotransmitters and gut-brain axis peptide responsible for the symptoms of clinical status.

Immunomodulation in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a model for autoimmune disorders.

Seventeen multiple sclerosis (MS) patients progressing under conventional therapy (average treatment duration: 3 years) with performance status 3-4 (mean Disability Status Scale [DSS]: 82) who demonstrated circulating lymphokine inhibitor factors were selected for a monthly immunomodulatory protocol using plasmapheresis, followed by 3 days of human intravenous immunoglobulin, and low-dose methylprednisolone, cyclophosphamide, interferon-a, and interferon-g, as well as octreide. Twelve of the 17 patients presented with visual problems, 12 had lower extremity weakness or paraperesis/paralysis, and 6 had bladder/bowel dysfunction. Following 4 months of therapy, 4 recovered completely, 7 showed loss of paralysis/paraparesis, and 5 had improvement in lower extremity weakness.

Immunomodulation in the treatment of malignant disorders.

In this study, 91 patients with metastatic solid tumor were treated with an immunomodulatory regimen of interferons -a and -g as well as octreide in pulse administration, followed in selected patients by low dose perilymphatic administration of interleukin-2. Pharmacosensitivity studies of patient tumor directed concomitant chemotherapy. High levels of circulating interferon-a (> 50 IU/ml) and the presence of lymphokine inhibitor factor were identified prior to treatment.

Interferon inhibitor factor predicting success of plasmapheresis in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Interferons (IFN) are biological molecules with antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory actions. Plasmapheresis (PP) combined with IFN therapy in 24 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients was associated with a rapid increase in detectable IFN levels. We describe the presence of a detectable factor in the serum of MS patients which decreases the efficacy of IFN therapy in these patients.

Plasmapheresis combined with interferon: an effective therapy for multiple sclerosis.

The rationale for the use of interferon (IFN) in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) is based on its recognized antiviral and immunomodulating actions. The pathogenesis of MS is believed to be due to an immunologic response in a genetically predisposed individual, localized within the central nervous system white matter, and triggered by exposure to an environmental agent such as a virus. Based on our personal experience we find that the efficacy of IFN therapy is hampered in MS patients by the presence of an interferon inhibitor factor (IIF) in the patients' sera which we have isolated and characterized.

Clinical results of leukocyte interferon-induced tumor regression in resistant human metastatic cancer resistant to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy-pulse therapy schedule.

The efficacy of Human 6 IFN (HLIFN) given in a pulse fashion was determined in a phase II study. Ninety-one cancer patients were evaluated (9 myeloma, 12 breast, 14 prostate, 9 melanoma, 4 renal, 6 astrocytoma, 7 ovarian, 9 large bowel, 7 gastric, 14 head and neck). They all had advanced progressive cancer that was resistant to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Immunomodulatory activity of human leukocyte interferon in cancer patients: results obtained during pulse therapy schedule.

We evaluated and previously reported the efficacy of alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) in 84 cancer patients (19). IFN was administered in a pulse fashion given for 3 consecutive days every 4 weeks. We also evaluated the immunomodulatory effect of IFN which constitutes the basis for the current report.

Combined chemotherapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas with methotrexate, bleomycin, and hydroxyurea.

Thirty-two patients with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck not amenable to surgery or radiotherapy were treated with a combination of methotrexate 0.6 mg/kg IV weekly, bleomycin 15 mg IV weekly, and hydroxyurea 1,000 mg/m2 three oral doses weekly. Eleven complete responses and ten partial responses of more than 50% were observed.

Clinical trial with Corynebacterium parvum.

Corynebacterium parvum was administered to sixteen patients with malignant tumors submitted to repeated chemotherapy courses. A total of 428 injections of C. parvum at a dose of 3.

[Granulocyte transfusions. Technical data, granulocyte function and results].

A new method called "repetitive filtration leukopheresis" is described for granulocyte transfusion therapy. 23 patients received a total of 91 transfusions. All patients presented neutropenia of less than 300/mm3 and various kinds of infection resistant to antibiotic therapy.

[Treatment of disseminated oro-pharyngo-laryngeal epidermoid carcinomas with a combination of methotrexate and bleomycine in small doses].

In the previously published series of patients with generalized head and neck epidermoid carcinoma, a high dose combination of methotrexate (MTX) (0.4 mg/kg biw. i.