Two HLA DRB 1 alleles confer independent genetic susceptibility to Graves disease: relevance of cross-population studies.

Recent studies of Graves disease (GD) employing genome scanning techniques excluded the major histocompatibility complex as a contributor to disease liability. These findings contradict earlier population association studies. Our own earlier studies have also emphasized that genetic variation in human populations may give novel clues to disease liability and manifestations.

Distribution of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)-related HLA alleles correlates with the difference in IDDM incidence in four populations of the Eastern Baltic region.

The high incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in Finland contrasts strikingly with the low rates in the neighbouring populations of countries in the Eastern Baltic region: Estonia, Latvia and Russia. To evaluate the possible contribution of genetic factors to these differences, the frequencies of HLA-DQB1 alleles and relevant DQB1-DQA1 or DQB1-DRB1 haplotypes associated with IDDM risk or protection were analysed among IDDM patients and control subjects from these four populations. An increased frequency of HLA-DQB1*0302, DQB1*02-DQA1*05 and DQB1*0302-DRB1*0401 was observed in subjects with IDDM in all studied populations, whereas the prevalence of DQB1*0301 and DQB1*0602 and/or *0603 was decreased among patients.

Chronic hepatitis C: T-helper1/T-helper2 imbalance could cause virus persistence in peripheral blood.

Interferon gamma (IFN gamma) and interleukin 4, 10 and 12 (IL-4, -10, -12) production was measured in whole peripheral blood (WPB) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 10 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. The level of IFN gamma in supernatants in mitogen-activated WPB was lower than in healthy donors. IL-10 served as a possible downregulative factor for IFN gamma, since its spontaneous IL-10 production was enhanced in CHC.

HLA class II genes in Latvian patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

PCR-based HLA genotyping was used to analyze the association of HLA-DR and -DQ genes in 127 juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients and 111 population-based controls from Latvia. The results show DQA1*03 to be positively associated in overall patients and DRB1*01-DQA1*0101-DQB1*0501 to be negatively associated with JRA in overall patients and in polyarthritis patients compared to controls. These data indicate the immunogenetic heterogeneity in the JRA patients, in the disease subgroups and in different ethnic groups.

Interferon gamma production in whole peripheral blood culture in acute hepatitis B.

Interferon gamma (IFNg) production in whole peripheral blood (WPB) and mononuclear (MN) cell culture in acute hepatitis B (AHB) was compared. IFNg production was induced by phytogem agglutinin and measured in the cell supernatants of 14 AHB patients in the course of the disease. There were some up-regulating factors of IFNg production that probably operated in WPB culture: the presence of autoerythrocytes as well as the low content of monocytes.

[HLA antigens in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis].

Antigens of I class HLA system (locus A and B) were investigated in 67 patients of Latvian nationality suffering from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Associations of HLA antigens with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis partially coincided with the ones revealed earlier. Typing established an increased incidence of antigen B27 (p less than 0.

[The immune status of children with differing intensities of caries].

The present paper reports on the results of the studies of the quantity, functional activity of immunocytes and interrelation between their parameters in healthy children (12-14) with healthy periodontium which were ascribed either to caries-resistant or caries-prone group. In all the subjects venous blood and mixed saliva were investigated. Immune state was described through its parameters interrelations.

[The lymphocytotoxic test as a method of identifying subpopulations of T lymphocytes using monoclonal antibodies].

The authors analyse the findings of the lymphocytotoxicity test with monoclonal antibodies and the indirect immunofluorescence method used for the assays of T lymphocyte subpopulations. The mean values of the total count of T lymphocytes, T helpers, T suppressors, as well as the immunoregulation index obtained by both methods have proved practically the same. The lymphocytotoxicity data have been in good correlation with the findings of indirect immunofluorescence in tests with all the monoclonal OCT antisera.

[Chronic T-cell lymphoid leukemia with helper cell phenotype].

Tumour cells of a patient with T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia had surface (E+, OKT3+, OKT4+, OKT8-, SIg-, Ia-) and cytochemical (properties positive reaction to acid phosphatase, acid nonspecific esterase and negative reaction to terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase) specific for T-helper lymphocytes. They had no activity of NK and K-cells, reacted weakly to mitogens (PHA, Con A, PWM) and allogenic cells. Con A and PWM stimulated synthesis of specific receptors (OKT3 and OKT4) on the surface of malignant cells, whereas PHA decreased the amount of above receptors.

[Isolation of purified populations of T- and B-lymphocytes under clinical conditions].

The authors present comparative characteristics of the methods of isolation of T- and B-lymphocytes in patients with chronic renal insufficiency. T-lymphocytes were obtained on columns with neilon cotton wool. B-cells were fractionated by repeated centrifugation in the gradient of phycol-urotrast density after staging E-rosette formation with the total lymphocyte pool.