[Serum reactivity of antigen fractions of atypical mycobacteria in patients with lung diseases].

In connection with studies on the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis antigen fractions were isolated from 8 mycobacteria species, three out of each strain. These fractions were tested for their reactivity to serum antibodies by means of RIA-technique, using 40 selected sera from controls, and patients with sarcoidosis, tuberculosis and asthma. Comparing the results (average titer steps) sera from asthmatics showed the lowest and those from sarcoidosis patients the highest reactivities to the mycobacterial antigen fractions.

Lectins and their role in a new polyvalent bacterial vaccine against ARI.

The potency of the polyvalent bacterial vaccine (Infectvac) to prevent lethal infections with S. pneumoniae ATCC 6301 was examined. NMRI-mice were protected 2-5 times better than untreated controls.

[Rapid in vitro diagnosis of sarcoidosis using a RIA test].

The in-vitro test developed needs only 100 microliters serum and allows a diagnostic valuation within 3 days. Using special sarcoidosis antigen preparations the test showed better results than the Kveim test. There was not a false positive result in patients with tuberculosis and cancer.

Are lectins of Viscum album interesting tools in lung diseases? A review of recent results.

The data presented provide evidence that lectins isolated from different sources such as Abrus and Ricinus seeds and Viscum leaves are structurally related proteins and are probably homologues. The lectins have overall similarities in physical, chemical and biological properties. These proteins appear to be immunologically closely related and possess a high degree of conservation in their primary structures, anticipating a role in fundamental pathways common to all plants.

[Allogenic lung transplantations following pretreatment of recipients with donor-specific splenic antigens].

Lung transplantations were carried out in 20 not immunologically selected mongrel dogs which were pretreated with donor specific spleno-antigen mixture. The average survival time was double the size (12.3 days) as in a control group of untreated dogs after allogenic lung transplantation.

[Rapid cultivation of mycobacteria with a rotating incubator].

A method is described which allows a rapid primary culture of mycobacteria. The basic principle is a rotating incubator fitted with special cultures tubes and a synthetic liquid culture medium. So it is possible to accelerate the growth and multiplication and to get instance an average generation time of 10 hours in M.

[Complications of experimental lung transplantations].

Experimental lung transplantations are burdened with a very high rate of complications even is there is a strict consideration of sterile precautions. These complications occur predominantly directly in connection with organ rejection. Extrathoracic complications are rare and predominantly attributed to arterial embolism.

[Investigations for improving the microscopic detection of mycobacteria following rapid cultivation by means of a rotating incubator. I. Improvement of the fixation technique (author's transl)].

The optimal qualitative and quantitative identification by microscopy of mycobacteria cultivated in liquid medium in including several problems. Acridine-orange was used for staining in all investigations. Polyvinyl-alcohol (1--2.

[Experimental findings after application of Kveim antigen. III. Sensitization of mice with living and killed strains of Mycobacterium avium (author's transl)].

Mice were infected with Mycobacterium avium (serotype I and serotype II). The application of kveim antigen or two kinds of lipid fractions of Mycobacterium avium (serotype I or II) is followed in all cases by typical tissue reactions resembling positive kveim tests. Control animals which only received kveim antigen or lipid fractions of mycobacterium I showed in all cases negative kveim reactions.

[Morphologic studies on in experimental lung transplantations. II. Light microscopic and histochemical findings in the transplanted homologous dog lung].

Morphologic Studies (light-microscopy, enzyme histochemistry, semi thin-layer preparation) on homografted canine lungs with and without immuno-suppressive therapy (Azathioprin, resp. anti-thymocyte serum) reveal different findings from untreated control animals and those after immuno-suppressive treatment. Under Azathioprin as well as anti-thymocyte serum the signs of rejection are attenuated, and regular pulmonary tissue is maintained in larger areas.

[Experimental findings after application of Kveim antigen. II. Sensibilization of mice and guinea pigs by Mycobacterium avium (serotype I) (author's transl)].

Mice and guinea pigs were sensibilisized by intraperitoneal injection of Mycobacterium avium (serotype I). Three and five weeks later (guinea pigs) and four weeks later (mice) the animals received kveim antigen into the footpads (guinea pigs) and into the perianal fat tissue (mice). Three and five weeks later (guinea pigs) and four weeks later (mice) the exstirpated material was investigated by light microscopy and enzyme histochemistry.

[Catalases of mycobacteria as antigens. I. Isolation, purification and characterization of catalases from different mycobacteria (author's transl)].

Preparations of catalase isolated from the strains M. tuberculosis, M. kansasii and M.

[The use of mycobacteria in the estimation of the concentration of antibiotics, antimycotics and antituberculotics (author's transl)].

The possibility of using the rapid resistance test to determine the levels of antibiotic, antimycotic and antituberculotic drugs is systematically investigated. As a rule the incubation time reduced to seven days for tubercel bacilli results in a lower inhibitor concentration (MIC) than with other microbiological methods used in tuberculosis diagnostics due to a lower inactivation of the drugs. The MIC of antibiotics and antituberculotics is found between 0.

[Allergy and lectins: action between IgE-mediated histamine release and glycoproteins from Viscum album L. (mistletoe)].

Low-molecular constituents from Viscum album (toxic) release, in irritatively toxic manner, histamine from human leukocytes without destroying the cells (cytotox test). This histamine release is prevented by preincubation with viscum lectins. The viscum lectin blocks the Fc-portion of allergen-specific IgE against anti-IgE [125I].