Significant correlations between anti-single stranded (ss) DNA antibody and anti-lymphocyte antibody (ALA) were found in the sera of patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (r=0.45, P<0.001), and inactive SLE (r=0.44, P<0.005). However, there was no significant correlation between anti-double stranded (ds) DNA antibody and ALA. Cross reactivity of ALA to anti-ssDNA antibody was ruled out by absorption study of anti-ssDNA antibody. Cytotoxic activity of ssDNA immune complex was excluded by examining the changes of cytotoxic activity of SLE serum that contains several amounts of ssDNA immune complexes formed in vitro.

View full abstract

Lymphocyte blastogenesis by stimulation of PHA was compared in 17 normal subjects and 11 patients with cancer. The blastogenesis was measured by incorporation of ³H-thymidineinto lymphocytes, using microplate assay. It was disclosed that the blastogenesis was significantly decreased in patients with cancer than normal subjects. When indomethacin was added to this system at the concentration of 1μg/ml, the lymphocyte blastogenesis in patients with cancer was increased by 42.0%, while the blastogenesis in normal subjects was increased by 17.6%. These results might suggest that prostaglandin secretion by adherent cell is at least partly responsible for the depression of the blastogenesis in patients with cancer.

View full abstract

The synthesis of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM) by mononuclear cells (MNC) from peripheral blood and synovial fluid in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was studied emploing radioimmunoassay. The correlations between Ig synthesis rates and clinical data were also studied.
The decreased synthesis of IgM by peripheral MNC, and of IgA by synovial fluid MNC, was characteristic of RA patients. A coincidence was found between the synthesis of IgM by peripheral MNC and the decreased serum IgM levels in RA patients. Furthermore, significant correlation was found between IgM synthesis rates by synovial fluid MNC and (a) blood sedimentation rate and (b) sensitized sheep red blood cell agglutination test. In contrast, Igsynthesis rates by peripheral blood MNC did not correlate with the clinical data. These data suggest the significant role of the synovial fluid MNC.

View full abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to compare T and B cell functions between old individuals over 70 years of age and young under 35 years.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes from each age group were subdivided into T cell enriched and B cell enriched fractions. Immumoglobulin (Ig) production by the lymphocytes, which were mixtures of T and B cell fractions derived from the two groups, was assessed by measuring IgG secreted into the medium after 8 days culture in the presence of various concentrations (0-20μl/ml) of pokeweed mitogen (PWM). IgG production by combinations of “young” T cells/“old” B cells was less than by “young” T cells/“young” B cells combinatiions. Combinations of “old” T cells/ “old” B cells secreted a smaller amount of IgG than “old” T cells/“young” B cells combinations. The results indicate an impaired IgG production by “old” B cells in response to PWM.
At high concentration of PWM (5-20μl/ml), IgG production was greater in “old” T cells/“young” B cells combinations compared to “young” T cells/“young” B cells combinations, suggesting either an incresed helper or decreased suppressor activity of the “old” T cells.
Proliferative responsiveness to PWM was compared between “old” and “young” B cells cultivated with mitomycin-C (MMC) treated T cells from either group by measuring ³H-thymidine uptake after 4 days of culture. “Old” B cells always showed a lower uptake of ³H-thymidine than “young” counterparts, when both B cells were cocultivated with either “old” or “young” MMC treated T cells. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between ³H-thymidine uptake and IgG production in cultures of MMC treated T cells/B cells combinations in the presence of PWM at 1μl/ml. These results suggest that impaired Ig production by “old” B cells stimulated by PWM would be ascribable to defective earlier steps of proliferative response of “old” B cells themselves.

View full abstract

The present series consisted of patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy in our Department of Surgery between January 1965 and December 1980. Comparing the cellmediated immunity before and one month after operation, splenectomy increased lymphocyte PHA blasttransformation rate, peripheral lymphocyte count, thrombocyte count and PPD skin reaction, but did not increase the PHA skin reaction. Immunochemotherapy with levamisole and splenectomy in the cases of advanced gastric cancer gave greater increase in the postoperative cell-mediated immunity. Comparing the cumulative survial rates for 90 cases of upper and middle gastric cancer stage III (34 had splenectomy combined with gastrectomy; 33 cases did not) and stage IV (18 cases had splenectomy combined with gastrectomy; 5 cases did not), the rates in the non-splenectomy group were always higher than those in the splenectomy group. When the survival rates were calculated by limiting the cases to stage IV, the values in the splenectomy group were always higher than those of the nonsplenectomy group.

View full abstract

Twenty-two children underwent splenectomy for congenital spherocytosis or chronic thrombocytopenia. The splenectomized patients have been recognized to be susceptible to severe infections. The patients were studied immunologically one week before operation, three times during the first postoperative month, two months, one and two years later.
The activity of the phagocytosis-stimulating peptide, tuftsin, was decreased in the serum of 10 of 12 splenectomized patients. A transitory rise in neutrophils and serum IgA was seen postoperatively. Moderate decline in serum IgM conentration was observed for one year. The in vitro lymphocyte transformation response to PHA fell in the short postoperative period. The lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood were normal. The quantitative NBT test and the release of superoxide anion O_??_ which were done in 12 cases revealed no decrease by splenectomy except one case with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
These immunological abnormalities such as tuftsin deficiency and serum IgM decrease may cause the severe bacterial infections after splenectomy in childhood.

View full abstract

N-(2-carboxyphenyl)-4-chloroanthranilic acid disodium salt (CCA) was used as an immunomodulator to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the correlation between clinical effects and various immunological parameters was studied. Thirteen patients with classical or definite RA were treated orally with CCA, 240mg/day.
Before treatment, the peripheral blood lymphocytes of the RA patients showed a low response to Con A or PHA stimulation in vitro, and an increased number of Tγ cells. After treatment for more than 4 weeks with CCA, Con A and PHA response were increased and Tγ cell counts were decreased. PPD skin test was also augmented in almost half of the patients treated with CCA.
The clinical effects of CCA were not necessarily accompanied with improvement of PPD skin test and Con A or PHA response. In effective cases, however, immunological parameters examined were deviated than those of ineffective cases, and the effective cases were clinically more active. It suggests that CCA might act as an immunomodulator on the cases more deviated in these immunological parameters.

View full abstract

Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was applied for measurement of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) released from the cultured lymphocytes of normal subjects and patients with SLE.
The peripheral blood lymphocytes (1×10⁶ cells/ml) were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 20% fetal calf serum at 37°C for 7days in 5% CO₂ incubator.
IgA, G, and M levels in supernatant of the culture of normal subject (N=20) were 284±294 (Mean±SD), 303±203, and 59±68, respectively. In patients with active SLE (N=13), IgA and IgG levels in supernatant were significantly higher than those in normal subjects (IgA 699±830, IgG 1777±1286), however, in patients with well controled disease (N=7) Igs levels were similar to those of normal subjects.
When the lymphocytes of normal subjects were stimulated with PWM, IgM and IgG levels markedly increased with unchanged IgA levels. In patients with active disease, all Igs levels decreased rather than those of non-stimulated cultures.
When the lymphocytes were stimulated with Con A and PHA, Igs production were markedly suppressed in both two groups. However the degree of suppression by both Con A and PHA in patients with active disease were statistically weaker than those in normal subject.
The results indicated 1) EIA can detect the small amount of Igs released from cultured lymphocytes, 2) in vitro Igs production and the effects of PWM in patients with SLE may reflect some T-cell defects and disease activity, and 3) this simple method may be available for evaluation of immunological disorders.

View full abstract

A well encapsulated thymoma, consisting of spindle-shaped epithelial cells and lymphoid cells, was surgically removed for a mediastinal mass. Then a 61-year-old man developed recurrent sore throats and persistent productive cough. He was diagnosed bronchiectasis by bronchogram and immunodeficiency by markedly reduced each class of Ig (120mg% IgG, 21mg% IgM, 11mg% IgA and less than 25IU/ml IgE). Numbers of peripheral blood lymph-cytes (PBL) were normal. E rosetting lymphocytes were 67% of PBL and surface Ig bearing lymphocytes were 3% of PBL. This result was suggested that Ig producing B lymphocytes decreased.
Lymphocyte stimulation with mitogens revealed a normal mitotic response to PHA and PWM, but a low response to Con A. Skin tests of PPD, Candida and DNCB were negative.
He developed recurrent Gram-positive coccal infection and candidiasis of respiratory tract at end stage. He died of cardiac failure.
The histopathologic findings: The germinal centers of spleen and any lymph nodes were not demonstrated and cell components of these paracortical areas were markedly reduced. The funfal vegetations with weak inflammatory reaction were demonstrated in cardiac muscle, lung and kidneys.
We think this syndrome is consisted of both humoral and cellular immunodeficiency.

View full abstract

A 30-year-old housewife was admitted to the Kyushu University Hospital in December 1979, because of generalized edema and ascites. Six years before admission she was diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus by symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon, polyarthralgia, photosensitivity and facial erythema. In 1975, at her first admission to this hospital, proteinuria was found and histological examination of renal specimen revealed minimal change. Administration of corticosteroid hormone relieved these symptoms. In 1976, at her second admission, she was pregnant and manifested nephrotic syndrome. After the delivery profuse proteinuria was improved by the increased dose of corticosteroid. However, nephrotic syndrome relapsed sometimes, ascites and peripheral edema were prominent.
On this admission, nephrotic syndrome did not respond to large dose of prednisolone for three months. The second renal histological specimen showed diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis, and then the patient was treated with chlorambucil, 6 mg per day combined with prednisolone. The level of serum albumin was elevated several weeks after the combination therapy. Generalized edema and ascites lessened gradually and she had been well with this maintenance therapy. No side effects were seen except for transient leukopenia, which were recovered soon after the discontinuance of chlorambucil.
As described above, chlorambucil was one of the useful drug for the treatment of steroidresistant lupus nephritis.

View full abstract

Monoclonal IgM with antibody activity for human albumin was isolated. Binding between ¹²⁵I-IgM and HSA, BSA, fragments of HSA were studied.
In contrast of rabbit anti-HSA IgG, the monoclonal IgM did not cross react with BSA. Binding between the monoclonal IgM and HSA fragments showed that the monoclonal IgM was directed to at least three antigenetic sites of HSA.
Mechanisms of recognition of antigenic sites by the monoclonal IgM and possibility of restricted heterogeneity of the monoclonal antibody were discussed.

View full abstract