Here we describe a human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) seronegative patient from South India with a chronic, progressive spastic paraparesis from which HTLV-I has been isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes. HTLV-I pol and tax viral sequences were detected in DNA from fresh peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and liquid hybridization techniques. Southern blot analysis of the PCR products demonstrated a low copy number of HTLV-I at the level of one viral copy per 10,000 fresh PBL.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo investigate the cellular immune effects of the interferon inducer, Poly ICLC, in humans, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with multiple sclerosis receiving Poly ICLC as part of a preliminary clinical trial were studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell phenotype analysis using fluoresceinated monoclonal antibodies and flow microfluorometry showed decreases in the percentages and absolute numbers of all lymphocyte subsets 24 h after infusion. These changes returned toward baseline at 48 h except the percentage of CD-4 positive cell which increased above baseline levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), the cause of inapparent infections and T-cell leukemias and lymphomas, has also been implicated in two chronic neurological diseases, tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) and HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM). We initiated a search for a neurotropic variant of HTLV-1 that might be responsible for these chronic progressive myelopathies by cloning and sequencing a provirus from a T-cell line from an individual with TSP. The LTRs and genes of the TSP provirus differ from HTLV-1 by 20-30 nucleotides in each region, but none of the substitutions ostensibly affect functional sites with the exception of the env gene.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) and other chronic-progressive myelopathies have been clearly associated with increased serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibody titers to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). However, little is known about the cellular immune function in TSP. In the present study, activated T lymphocytes were found in the peripheral blood of patients with TSP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe immune response to matrix (M) protein of measles virus was examined in patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and controls. Antibodies specific for M and nucleocapsid (NC) proteins in 11 serum and 8 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with SSPE were quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay by using affinity-purified measles virus proteins. Geometric mean anti-NC antibody titers were higher in the serum (6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) is a slowly progressive myelopathy associated with increased serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibodies to the human T-lymphotropic retrovirus type I (HTLV-I) (ref. 1), and has been observed in many regions of the world. A similar condition known as HTLV-I-associated myelopathy occurs in the Kagoshima prefecture of Japan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEleven cloned and uncloned measles virus-specific T cell lines were generated from peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from a patient with multiple sclerosis and were assayed for measles polypeptide specificity. Three clones reacted specifically with the fusion (F) protein and one recognized the hemagglutinin (HA). Two reacted with whole virus but not with any of the purified proteins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMyelin basic protein (BP)-specific T-cell lines and clones have been derived from SJL/J mice which had been sensitized with BP in complete Freund's adjuvant. Cell lines which were initiated and maintained in the presence of BP were specific for this antigen. Cell lines specific for tuberculin-purified protein derivative (PPD) were also established.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLymphocyte phenotypes have been measured in 20 normal females, 19 normal males, 3 females with acute exacerbations of MS and 21 females and 17 males with chronic progressive MS. Using a FACS IV, lymphocytes were gated by light scattering properties, and fluorescence was analyzed using a log amplifier. No abnormalities were found in the 3 females with acute exacerbations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cellular immune response to measles virus, as measured by lymphocyte proliferation in normal individuals, is considerably lower than that to mumps or vaccinia viruses, and stable multiple sclerosis patients do not differ significantly from the norm. The response to these viruses was studied in 28 twin sets both concordant and discordant for multiple sclerosis. Normal responses to mumps and vaccinia viruses occurred throughout.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe role of the immune response to measles virus in acute infection or in disease states associated with this virus is of major interest. The viral genome-specified surface antigens of measles, the hemagglutinin and fusion proteins, are likely to be of paramount importance with respect to the host immune response to the virus. This report describes initial studies aimed at assessing the immune response to the major surface glycoprotein, the hemagglutinin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA proliferative assay employing virus-infected, fixed monolayers was used to examine the response of PBL and lymphocyte subpopulations to measles, mumps, and vaccinia viruses. The response obtained in this assay was shown to be virus specific. In individuals previously exposed to mumps or vaccinia viruses, a substantial proliferative response was elicited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA hybrid between a murine myeloma cell line and spleen cells from a mouse immunized with measles has been produced. Two stable clones produce antibody with identical immunochemical and biological properties. This antibody reacts with the 76,000 mol.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA solid-phase radioimmunoassay was used to determine the specificity of IgG antibodies from normal sera, sera and CSF from patients with SSPE for the structural polypeptides of measles virus. The polypeptide specificity of antibodies from these sources were qualitatively similar; these results indicate antigenic cross-reactivity between SSPE-derived (Mantooth) and non-SSPE-derived strains of measles virus and stimulation of antibody formation by comparable antigens.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSera from two multiparous wives of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were used to detect B cell antigens in other patients. With serum X, 11 of 16 patients were positive as compared with ten of 16 controls (.05 less than P less than .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCSF IgM levels have been measured by radioimmunoassay in 56 patients with MS, 62 patients with other neurologic diseases, and 31 normal controls. Forty-eight percent of the patients with MS had a raised CSF IgM level compared with 5 percent of the patients with other diseases. The IgM level did not correlate with the IgG level.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA radioimmunoassay (RIA) for quantitating IgG, IgA and IgM in unconcentrated CSF has been developed. The amounts and percentages of these immunoglobulins in CSF from 31 normal individuals were determined. Using these values as normal, CSF from patients with syphilis, encephalitis, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), and multiple sclerosis (MS) was studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe disposition of 5-[4-14C]azacytidine, administered i.v. as a bolus or continuous infusion, was studied in cancer patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurification of target cells responsive to granulopoietic regulators would be of importance in understanding their mechanism of action. Previous studies have shown that mouse marrow could be enriched 3- to 7-fold with respect to agar colony forming cells (CFU-C) by appropriately scheduled doses of Methotrexate. To further increase this enrichment, such marrow has been subjected to centrifugation through an isokinetic gradient of Ficoll in culture medium.
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