Low-affinity immunoglobulin gamma Fc region receptor III-B (FcγRIIIB, CD16B) deficiency in patients with blood and immune system disorders.

Low-affinity immunoglobulin gamma Fc region receptor III-B (FcγRIIIB) deficiency is present in ˜0·05% of the general population. Among our patients, FcγRIIIB deficiency was less frequent in those with immune-system disorders (one of 1815 patients, 0·05%) than in those with blood disorders (nine of 2147 patients, 0·42%, P = 0·023): mainly primary immune thrombocytopenia (4·34%), therapy related myeloid neoplasms (1·16%) and myelodysplastic syndrome with excess blasts (1·28%). Four of the nine (44·4%) patients with blood disorders were diagnosed with or quickly evolved to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), suggesting that FcγRIIIB deficiency could be an adverse prognostic factor for progression to AML that should be confirmed in large multicentre studies.

Clinical relevance of pretransplant anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies: does C1q-fixation matter?

Unlabelled: Anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (DSA) identified by single antigen bead array (SAB) are questioned for their excess in sensitivity and lack of event prediction after transplantation.

Population And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated specific types of preformed DSA (class I, class II or C1q-fixing) and their impact on graft survival. Kidney transplantations performed across negative CDC-crossmatch were included (n=355).

Human leucocyte antigen-C in B chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

This study aimed at characterising the distribution of human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-C alleles in a large group of patients with B chronic lymphocytic leukaemia from Southeastern Spain. Ninety-eight adult patients and 194 geographically and ethnically matched controls were studied. HLA-C was determined by polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) and PCR-sequence-specific oligonucleotides (SSO) methods.

Biochemical and immunologic features of an outbreak of Legionnaires disease: comparative study between community-acquired pneumonias.

Legionella pneumophila has been recognized as an important cause of community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia. This study evaluates the interrelationship between that patients group with Legionnaires disease (LD) and the possible factors that may predispose hosts to acquire this infection. Likewise, we search for preliminary biochemical and immunologic evidences that could help physicians to differentiate between LD and other pneumonias.

HLA class I and class II frequencies in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma from southeastern Spain: the role of HLA-C in disease prognosis.

Available data have led to a controversy on the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and cutaneous malignant melanoma susceptibility or prognosis. Moreover, the influence of HLA-C on melanoma has not yet been well established. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to analyze the possible influence of the HLA system on melanoma susceptibility and prognosis in the Spanish population.

HLA class II genotypic frequencies in atopic asthma: association of DRB1*01-DQB1*0501 genotype with Artemisia vulgaris allergic asthma.

Different human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles have been associated with the development of atopic asthma. To determine whether HLA class II alleles are associated with atopic asthma in a population from southeast Spain (Murcia region), 213 atopic asthmatic patients and 150 controls were selected for HLA typing. Significant association of the DRB1*01 and DQB1*0501 alleles was found in Artemisia vulgaris allergic patients (p(c) = 0.

Flow cytometric quantification of apoptosis and proliferation in mixed lymphocyte culture.

Background: The one-way mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) is the classic culture used for studying the allogenic immunoresponse in vitro, but stimulator and responder cell identifications and quantification of apoptotic or proliferative responder cells are unreliable.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were labeled with 5- (and 6-) carboxy fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) and stimulated with allogenic unlabeled irradiated cells in unidirectional cultures. Apoptosis was determined by the 7-aminoactinomycin D technique, and the absolute number of each cell population was calculated by adding a fixed number of cells stained with propidium iodide as the reference standard for each test.