[Relationship between intestinal permeability and antibodies against food antigens in IgA nephropathy].

Elevated antibody titers to food antigens and increased intestinal permeability in IgA nephropathy (IgA NP) suggest that these factors may be interdependent and play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In 1989 IgA and IgG antibodies against eight common food antigens were examined in the sera of 35 IgA NP patients and 12 controls using the ELISA method. Intestinal permeability was determined in 29 IgA NP patients and 20 controls using the 51Cr-EDTA test.

Do intestinal hyperpermeability and the related food antigens play a role in the progression of IgA nephropathy? I. Study of intestinal permeability.

Intestinal permeability was investigated by using 51Cr-EDTA as a probe molecule in 29 patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgA NP) and 20 healthy controls in 1990. Intestinal permeability was significantly higher in the IgA NP patients than in the controls (IgA NP, 3.86 +/- 0.

Changes in adhesion molecule expression and function in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia after in vitro interferon-alpha stimulation.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 10 B-CLL patients were investigated after 24 hours of in vitro interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) stimulation. The constitutional expression of the L-selectins (LECAM-1), LFA-1/CD11a, VLA alpha-4/CDw49d and ICAM-1/CD54 adhesion molecules was detected, and changes in their density after IFN-alpha stimulation were compared to results obtained by the high endothelial venule (HEV)-binding assay and a carbohydrate (phosphonomannan core polysaccharide: PPME and fucoidin) immobilization test. The LECAM-1 and ICAM-1 molecules were expressed on the great majority of CLL cells, while the LFA-1 and VLA-4 alpha-chains were expressed by only a small number of cells.

Expression and function of L-selectin molecules (LECAM-1) in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Background: The notion that adhesion molecules play a crucial role in lymphoma/leukemia dissemination is widely accepted. Individual cases of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) show well-defined variables in the extent and pattern of peripheral blood and nodal involvement. The L-selectin adhesion molecule (TQ1/Leu-8, LAM series and LECAM-1) initiates the attachment of lymphocytes to the high endothelial venules (HEVs), and as a consequence the entrance of lymphocytes from the blood into the peripheral lymph node (recirculation which may be operative in lymphoma/leukemia dissemination as well).

Expression of an adhesion molecule and homing in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: II. L-selectin expression mediated cell adhesion revealed by immobilized analogue carbohydrates in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and monoclonal lymphocytosis of undetermined significance.

The L-selectin mediated adhesion of freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to phosphonomonoester core polysaccharide (PPME) and fucoidin derivatized gels was investigated in seven cases of monoclonal lymphocytosis of undetermined significance (B-MLUS) and 12 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: B-CLL, patients with peripheral lymphocytosis (LY-patients), lymph node enlargement (LN-patients) and splenomegaly (SM-patients). PBMCs isolated from the peripheral blood of 10 healthy donors served as controls. The binding to PPME and fucoidin correlated well (n = 19, P = 0.

[Immunologic studies in myelodysplastic syndrome].

Myelodysplastic syndrome is a clonal stem-cell disease, which predominantly involves myeloid cell lines. However, several observations refer to a possible pathological condition of the lymphoid system as well. Because of these controversial data, we investigated 25 patients with MDS at our clinic.

[T-lymphocyte subgroups and the activity of human natural killer cells in non-Hodgkin lymphoma of moderate and high malignancy].

T-lymphocyte subgroups and the percentage and the activity of Human Natural Killer cells (HNK) were investigated by the authors in their 24 patients suffering with low grade and 24 with high grade malignancies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). According to their observations, the ratio of CD3, CD4, Leu-7, and HNK cells as well as the release by HNK cells of 51Cr bound to target cells decreased, depending on the pathological stage. The tests were performed with monoclonal antibodies.

T-lymphocyte subgroups and the activity of human natural killer (HNK) cells in low-grade and high-grade malignant cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

T-lymphocyte subgroups and the percentage and activity of Human Natural Killer (HNK) cells were investigated in 24 patients suffering from low-grade and 24 patients with high-grade malignancies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The ratio of CD3, CD4, Leu-7, and HNK cells as well as the release by HNK cells of the 51Cr bound to target cells were found decreased, depending on the pathological stage. The tests were performed with OKT-monoclonal sera.

Changes of T-lymphocyte-subsets and their consequences in B-CLL.

The distribution of T-lymphocyte subsets of 18 patients with lymphocytic leukaemia tested with monoclonal antibodies as well as E-rosettes formations and EAC-rosettes formations were studied. The patients classified according to RAI (stages 0-II. and III-IV.

Immune complex nephropathies in patients with malignant tumours.

The authors have studied the incidence of changes related to immune complex glomerulonephritis in postmortem kidney specimens from 23 patients with malignant tumours (18 solid tumours and 5 leukaemias), using light microscopy and immunofluorescence. As revealed by light microscopy, 4 kidneys had diffuse, 2 focal mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis and 1 IgA glomerulonephritis. Granular deposition of immunoglobulin in the mesangium was observed in 5 kidneys, on 3 occasions together with C3.

Course and transformation of polycythaemia vera in relation to therapy.

The fate of the polycythaemic patient depends on the treatment employed which may determine the nature of the transformation commonly occurring late in the course of the disease. Treatment is, on the other hand, aimed at prevention of the most frequent complications, that is of thromboembolic processes. In the last 30 years the authors treated a total of 118 PV patients, of whom 60 have died.

Lymphocyte subpopulations and immunoglobulins in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

Data gained from observations of the humoral and cellular immunity of 22 patients with ITP (11 in remission and 11 splenectomised) are presented. The amount of T-lymphocytes according to E-rosetting decreased significantly. In tests performed with monoclonal sera the amount of OKT-4 cells was significantly lower then normal, and the ratio of OKT-4/OKT-8 was also reduced.

Serum beta-2 microglobulin in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Serum-beta-2-microglobulin was measured by radioimmunoassay in 25 patients with chronic lymphocellular leukaemia in stages III-IV according to the Rai classification. A significant positive correlation was found between the absolute lymphocyte count and the serum-beta-2-microglobulin level. No similar relationship was observed between the score indicative of organ infiltration and the beta-2-microglobulin valve.

Iron turnover in patients with chronic uraemia treated with hemodialysis.

Radio-iron kinetic tests were performed in 7 patients with end-stage renal disease treated by hemodialysis; the study could be completed in 6 patients. The incorporation of radio-iron into the erythrocytes was 21% on average in patients with acute anemia. The red cell life-span determined in 4 patients became significantly shorter in 3 patients.

A critical analysis of the gastric secretory response of patients with duodenal ulcer in dependence of their age and duration of complaints.

The different parameters of the basal and maximal gastric secretory responses were measured in 120 patients with duodenal ulcer. The correlations between the different gastric secretory parameters [volume, H+ concentration, basal acid output (BAO), maximal acid output (MAO), maximal acid output-basal acid output, basal acid output . maximal acid output X 100] were studied in these patients, in dependence of their age and duration of complaints.

Fasting biochemical parameters and their relationship to anthropometric measurements in childhood obesity.

Fasting plasma immunoreactive insulin, triglyceride, free fatty acid, cholesterol, glycerol, blood glucose, lactate, pyruvate level, and lactate/pyruvate ratio were measured and an intravenous glucose tolerance test was done in obese and control children. The levels of most of the metabolites and the glucose tolerance were similar in the two groups except for the higher immunoreactive insulin and triglyceride levels in the obese group. Further metabolic alterations could be detected when the obese children were divided into subgroups on the basis of fasting insulin and triglyceride levels, and of glucose tolerance.