Donor cell chimerism evaluation in cerebrospinal fluid by short tandem repeat analysis following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell count, morphology and flow cytometric evaluations are used to investigate central nervous system (CNS) involvement in leukemia/lymphoma. We performed CSF short tandem repeat (STR) analysis to monitor CSF chimerism status and evaluate for disease involvement in 11 asymptomatic pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients with hemato-lymphoid neoplasms and high risk for or history of CNS involvement. Eighteen (64%) of the samples with median CSF cell count of 1/mm with 90% lymphocytes gave conclusive STR results, suggesting that this DNA-based method can be used in monitoring CSF chimerism status after HSCT with an acceptable yield.

Bortezomib use in a pediatric cardiac transplant center.

Data are limited on the efficacy and safety of bortezomib for the treatment of AMR following OHT for pediatric acquired or CHD. Retrospective chart review identified patients who received bortezomib for acute (n = 3, within two wk of diagnosis) and chronic (n = 1, three months after diagnosis) AMR or as part of a desensitization regimen (n = 1). Bortezomib was associated with a 3-66% reduction in class I DSA and a 7-82% reduction in class II DSA.

Differentiation of alloreactive versus CD3/CD28 stimulated T-lymphocytes using Raman spectroscopy: a greater specificity for noninvasive acute renal allograft rejection detection.

Acute rejection (AR) remains problematic in renal transplantation. As a marker, serum creatinine is limited, warranting a more effective screening tool. Raman spectroscopy (RS) can detect T-cell activation with high sensitivity.

Raman spectroscopic differentiation of activated versus non-activated T lymphocytes: an in vitro study of an acute allograft rejection model.

Acute rejection (AR) remains a significant complication in renal transplant patients. Using serum creatinine for AR screening has proven problematic, and thus a noninvasive, highly sensitive and specific test is needed. T cells from human peripheral blood were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy.

Influence of carbohydrate and age on lymphocyte function following a marathon.

The influence of 6% carbohydrate ingestion and age on PHA-induced lymphocyte proliferation and in vitro cytokine production was studied in 48 runners following a competitive marathon. Runners were randomly assigned to carbohydrate (C; n = 23) and placebo (P; n= 25) groups, with blood samples taken before, immediately after, and 1.5 hr post-race.

Clinical, autoimmune, and HLA characteristics of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before 5 years of age.

Background: Little is known about auxologic, autoimmune, and HLA characteristics specific to children with early-onset diabetes (EOD). HLA subtypes have been shown to play an important part in the determination of islet-cell autoimmunity and in the pace and intensity of the beta-cell destructive process.

Objectives: Our goals were to: 1) outline auxologic, autoimmune, and HLA class II characteristics of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before 5 years of age (EOD); 2) evaluate differences between EOD and later-onset or non-age-stratified type 1 diabetes; and 3) investigate the relation between type 1 diabetes-related HLA subtypes and markers of diabetic autoimmunity in EOD.

Maternal modulation of neonatal immune system development.

Changes in programming of neonatal immune development were effected through maternal immune modulation (Leishmania major inoculation). In progeny of these dams, immune profiles in both blood and spleen were changed throughout the neonatal period and were pronounced after weaning. White blood cell (WBC) and lymphocyte counts in blood of 45-day-old progeny were two-fold less than control animals.

Ontogenic development of Th1 and Th2 cytokine capabilities in random bred mice.

Neonatal mouse Th1 capabilities mature by postnatal day 5. Neonatal T cells have been reported to exhibit a bias towards Th2 cytokine production when co-cultured with adult antigen presenting cells (APC). We studied mouse T cells co-cultured with contemporary APC to evaluate neonatal cytokine production capabilities.

Sex differences in photoperiod control of antigen-specific primary and secondary humoral immunity in Siberian Hamsters.

Photoperiod was hypothesized to mediate T cell-dependent B cell production of IgM and IgG. Antigens induced production of specific immunoglobulins; serum IgM but not IgG, was higher in males in long vs. short days (16 vs.