Measuring Lymphocyte Proliferation in Response to Specific Antigen and Mitogen Stimuli Using Flow Cytometry.

Background: We present a multivariate test system using flow cytometry after in-vitro lymphocyte stimulation using 5 mitogens and 7 antigens to describe in-vitro immunofunction.

Methods: The present work is a crucial step towards establishing a simple, CFSE-based, multivariate test system that can describe the dynamics of stimulus-induced lymphocyte proliferation with considerably more precision than is possible with the radionucleotide method using 3H-thymidine. Using multicolour flow cytometry, our method allows additional phenotyping of the proliferating cells and quantifies the proliferation behaviour by precisely resolving daughter generations and determining the precursor frequency.

Laboratory diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: advantages of a functional flow cytometric test in comparison to the heparin-induced platelet-activation test.

Nearly one third of patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) will progress to overt thrombosis. Owing to the severity of HIT, a reliable prompt diagnosis is mandatory. In this study 248 consecutive samples from patients referred to our laboratory for HIT diagnosis and 97 specimens from normal controls were prospectively evaluated in parallel using the heparin-induced platelet aggregation (HIPA) test and a flow cytometric (FC) test.

Changes in platelet membrane glycoproteins before bone marrow transplantation and after engraftment--a pilot study.

Thrombotic complications are observed in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation despite thrombocytopenia and impaired coagulation due to liver function disturbances. Endothelial cell damage which is involved in the pathogenesis of major transplant related complications like graft-versus-host disease, veno-occlusive disease, sepsis or microangiopathy may be a contributing factor. Little is known about platelet function in bone marrow transplant recipients.

Molecular defects of the RHCE gene in Rh-deficient individuals of the amorph type.

The deficiency of Rh proteins on the red blood cells from individuals of the Rhnull amorph type may be the result of homozygosity for a silent allele at the RH locus. This phenotype is also associated with the lack or reduced expression of glycoproteins (Rh50, CD47, LW, and glycophorin B), which interact with Rh polypeptides to form the multisubunit Rh membrane complex. In this study, we describe two molecular alterations affecting the RHCE gene in two unrelated Rhnull amorph individuals bearing Rh50 and CD47 normal transcripts.

Prognostic influence of blood transfusion on minimal residual disease in resected gastric cancer patients.

Background: The effect of blood transfusion on prognosis of resected cancer patients has been debated controversially. Therefore, we raised the hypothesis that transfusion-associated immunomodulation affects minimal residual disease after curative tumour resection, an unknown and uncontrolled phenomenon in all former studies which might significantly influence long-term prognosis.

Patients And Methods: 104 patients of a prospective study with curatively resected gastric cancer were stratified according to the immunocytochemical detection of disseminated tumour cells in bone marrow and the prognostic impact of allogeneic blood transfusion was tested.

The Rhesus D-negative phenotype is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in curatively (RO) resected gastric cancer patients.

Among gastric cancer patients, the Rhesus D-negative phenotype correlated with increased tumour recurrence [all patients, n = 83, P = 0.026; curatively (R0) resected patients, n = 51, P = 0.093] and reduced overall survival time (all patients, log-rank P = 0.

Perisurgical erythropoietin application in anemic patients with colorectal cancer: A double-blind randomized study.

Background: Blood transfusions are associated with higher postoperative morbidity and tumor recurrence rates in colorectal cancer surgery, To reduce the need for transfusions in patients with tumor-induced anemia who are not suitable for autologous blood donation, it was tested whether perisurgical erythropoietin application would be able to stimulate hematopoiesis adequately.

Methods: In a double-blind randomized study 150 IU/kg body weight erythropoietin was given subcutaneously every 2 days beginning 10 days before operation and continuing until postoperative day 2. Twenty patients were randomized into the erythropoietin group with three observed dropouts and 10 patients into the placebo group.

[Post-transfusion rise in thrombocytes: observations in a hematologic-oncologic patient sample].

Objective: Aim of the present analysis was the evaluation of clinical conditions and product-specific parameters influencing posttransfusion platelet increment.

Design: 400 single-donor platelet transfusions were analyzed for patient- and concentrate-specific factors influencing posttransfusion platelet increment. Statistical analysis was performed by the General Mixed Model Analysis of Variance.

Cryopreservation of human platelets with dimethyl sulfoxide: changes in biochemistry and cell function.

Background: The shelf life of liquid-stored platelet concentrates is limited to 5 days. Therefore, much work has been carried out in an attempt to establish the optimum method for cryopreservation. Among the various cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been shown to be the most effective.

Infections and immunological hazards of allogeneic bone transplantation.

Allogeneic transplantation of human cancellous and cortical bone is a controversially discussed concept in trauma and orthopaedic surgery. Biological and immunological arguments support transplantation of autologous material whenever this is technically possible. On the other hand, synthetic alloplastic materials for bone substitution are available free of immunological and hygienic hazards.

[Preoperative autologous blood donation and disposition. Possibilities and prerequisites].

Preoperative blood deposit can help to avoid the risks of homologous blood transfusions. However, it is necessary that prerequisites concerning medicine standard, organisation, technical questions and administrative aspects have to be fulfilled.

Blood transfusion-modulated tumor recurrence: first results of a randomized study of autologous versus allogeneic blood transfusion in colorectal cancer surgery.

Purpose: Allogeneic blood transfusions have reportedly been associated with a poor prognosis in patients with curatively resected cancer. To control for immunosuppression induced by a speculatively causal allogeneic blood transfusion, we designed a randomized study in which the control group received autologous blood transfusions not related to any condition of immunosuppression.

Patients And Methods: One hundred twenty patients with potentially curative resectable colorectal cancer and the capability to predeposit autologous blood were randomly selected to receive either standard allogeneic blood transfusion or predeposited autologous blood.

Single-donor platelet concentrates: changes of surface glycoproteins during storage.

Storage of single-donor platelet concentrates is currently limited to 5 days. During this period, however, numerous morphologic and biochemical changes have been observed. These changes result in functional impairment of stored platelets.

[Previous activation of platelets during storage: possible causes].

Stored single-donor platelets are characterized by a progressive cell activation. The data presented indicate that activation of plasma coagulation and complement system could contribute to this storage lesion process.

[Post-transfusional platelet increment: effect of clinical factors].

The results of platelet transfusions depend upon a variety of different conditions; besides alloimmunization, a lot of clinical factors are responsible for transfusion success. The present paper tries to work out clinical findings, which are related to successful or unsuccessful platelet transfusions. The following criteria could be identified to influence posttransfusion platelet increment: hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, diagnosis, antibiotics, number and time of previous platelet transfusions.

[Quality control of stored platelet concentrates by means of flow cytometry].

Storage of single-donor platelets is currently limited to 5 days. During this period, however, numerous morphologic and biochemical changes have been observed. The present study describes increased binding of anti-GMP 140 to stored single-donor platelet concentrates; this reveals a progressive activation process.

Complement activation during storage of single-donor platelet concentrates.

Single-donor platelets are stored up to 5 days prior to transfusion. Since contact of plasma to plastic surfaces may lead to complement activation, we investigated whether there is any increase in the complement factors C3a, C4a and C5a in routinely stored single-donor platelet concentrates. C3a levels increased about 40-fold during a 7-day storage.

Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on autologous blood donation before open heart surgery.

We studied the effects of four different doses of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on the amount of preoperative autologous blood donation. 43 patients prior to open heart surgery were randomized into 5 groups (100, 200, 400, 800 U/kg rhEPO i.v.

Beneficial effect of autologous blood transfusion on infectious complications after colorectal cancer surgery.

Homologous blood transfusion has been associated with an increased risk of postoperative infectious complications. To test the clinical consequences of this apparently immunosuppressive effect of homologous blood in a controlled trial, we designed a study in which the control group deposited autologous blood before their operations for use should transfusion be needed. We enrolled 120 patients with apparently curable colorectal cancer who were able to predeposit autologous blood (haemoglobin > 12.

Cellular immunity, HLA-class I antigens, and family history of psychiatric disorder in endogenous psychoses.

We found an increased lymphocyte proliferation after stimulation with an antigen "cocktail" in 49 schizophrenic patients and 37 patients suffering from affective psychosis, compared with 45 healthy control subjects. On the basis of this and other findings such as increased numbers of CD3+ and CD4+ cells, an increased ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells, and a reduced level of suppressor cell activity in schizophrenia and endogenous depression, we investigated the influence of the human leukocyte antigen-Class I (HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C) system on the altered immune function and evaluated the relationship to immune function of a family history of psychiatric disorders. A cluster analysis of cases with regard to the HLA-Class I antigens was first performed in a group of 133 healthy control subjects, and two immunogenetically different clusters were found; then 86 patients (49 schizophrenics, 37 affective psychoses) for whom immune functional data were available were assigned to the two HLA-I clusters that had been determined in the control subjects.

Investigations of the cellular immunity during depression and the free interval: evidence for an immune activation in affective psychosis.

1. Results of investigations of the immune function in affective disorders are conflicting. Some authors described an immune suppression, others an immune activation in major depression.

[Thrombocyte transfusion. Indications, side effects and problems].

The transfusion of platelet concentrates now represents one of the most common therapeutic measures employed in transfusion medicine. In particular the development of new, aggressive forms of chemotherapy has rapidly increased the need for platelet concentrates over the last few years. The aim of the present study is to describe the major indications and discuss briefly the side effects and problems associated with the transfusion of platelet concentrates.