We investigated the effects of tertiary amine local anesthetics (procaine and lidocaine), which are proposed to effect the plasma membrane, on human natural killer (NK) cells.
NK cell activity against K-562 was measured in a 4 h-⁵¹Cr release assay.
Procaine and lidocaine markedly inhibited human NK cell activity in a dose dependent manner. The inhibition was prompt and irreversible. Procaine inhibited not only the binding, but also NK cell activity when NK cells were preincubated with procaine before K-562 cells were added, whereas procaine inhibited NK cell activity without interfering with the binding when it was added after the binding was completed.
These findings suggest that the plasma membrane, possibly phospholipids, may play an important role for human NK cells to bind to and kill the target cells.

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Functions of T cells and B cells of a (hypo)-gammaglobulinemia patients were investigated, using pokeweed mitogen (PWM) induced immunoglobulin production system. As the B cell competence is required for T cell help among allogeneic individuals, T cells or B cells were tested in co-cultures not only with B cells or T cells of the third party individuals but also with B cells or T cells of patient family members. Detections of immunoglobulin secreting cells were performed by plaque assay using protein A coated sheep red blood cells. In three of four cases with common variable immunodeficiencies, B cell functions were disturbed, in another case T cell helper or suppressor function was disturbed and B cell function was slightly disturbed. In two cases with Bloom's syndrome and one case with 18 ring chromosome, B cell functions were disturbed.

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Paul-Bunnell (P-B) antigen in the chloroform-methanol extracts of the spleen and lymph nodes of patients with malignant lymphoma and leukemia was comprared with P-B antigen of erythrocyte of foreign species regarding their antigenic specificities.
Four different specificities of P-B antigen were defined serologically; called as BS, BH, BG and B antigen. Sheep RBC were shown to possess BS antigen only, whereas horse RBC had BH antigen in addition to BS antigen, and bovine RBC (BRBC) possessed all four P-B antigens. Goat RBC were also to possess BS antigen. However, BH, BG and B antigen were found on erythrocytes of some but not all individual goats.
The extracts of spleen and lymph nodes of patients with malignant lymphoma contained simutaneously BS, BH, BG and B antigen in most cases, like BRBC. Buffy coat of blood of patient with infectious mononucleosis in its early stage also contained all four P-B antigens.

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Murine peritoneal exudate cells were activated by OK 432 and produced the cytotoxic or cytostatic factors exhibiting a considerably potent anti-tumor activity: A significant reduction of DNA synthesis in syngeneic hepatoma cells was observed when tumor cells were incubated in the presence of culture supernatant taken from peritoneal exudate cells activated with OK 432 or LPS. The active substance was fractionated into a definitive fraction by gel filtration using a Sephadex G-75 column and this was further fractionated into two active fractions by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography.
These results suggested that OK 432 might suppress the tumor cell growth through activation of macrophages and production of cytotoxic or cytostatic factors from the activated macrophages.

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The purpose of the present study is to assess the proliferative responsiveness of T-lymphocyte to thyroglobulin in patients with chronic thyroiditis.
T-lymphocyte proliferative responses were, first of all, induced by thyroglobulin (TG)-pulsed antigen-presenting cells (APC). According to the state of serum anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, T-lymphocyte from about a half of sero-positive patients showed the proliferative response to TG-pulsed APC while those from most sero-negative patients and healthy individuals did not respond.
In contrast, even sero-negative patients, whose T-lymphocyte did not show proliferative responses to TG-pulsed APC, showed T-lymphocyte proliferative responses when thyroglobulin was added into the culture medium.
Since antigen-pulsed APC are considered to activate almost exclusively helper T-lymphocyte, the lymphocytes which respond to free thyroglobulin in the culture medium seem to belong to more than a single subset including helper T-lymphocyte.
Taken togather, these results suggest that T-lymphocyte which respond to TG-pulsed APC may play a significant role in the induction of anti-TG antibody production in patients with chronic thyroiditis.

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It is assumed that natural killer (NK) activity plays a significant role in immune surveillance mechanisms against cancer. In this regard, the present report describes experiments designed to investigate NK activity in cancer patients. Serum factor (s) involved in the modulation of NK mechanisms were also attempted to be determined.
Two groups were chosen for examination, i.e., a cancer patient group and a normal control group. NK activity was examined in patients with various untreated cancers. Comparison of the cancer patient group with normal controls revealed significant differences, with the patient group having lower NK activity.
Sera from cancer patients revealed suppression of NK activity in vitro. The active moiety was present in a high molecular weight fraction which eluted in the void volume of a Sephadex G-200 column. This fraction obtained from the sera of the cancer patients was active at concentration of 1.2 mg/ml, while the fraction prepared as control from normal sera showed no suppression. This fraction was further analysed by DEAE-sephacel chromatography from which suppressive factor (s) were separated.
It was concluded from the findings of PAGE and immunoelectrophoresis that α₂-macroglobulin is a suppressive factor on NK activity in cancer patients.

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Effects of the peripheral-blood lymphocytes and culture supernate of the lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on the formation of colonies originated from the human bone marrow CFU-C, a precursor cell of the granulocyte and macrophage system in man, were determined in order to clarify the pathomorphological state of SLE-related leukopenia. The methods employed were as follows: 2×10⁵ cells of the peripheral blood lymphocytes of the patients were added to an equal number of human bone marrow nucleated cells, and this mixture was embedded in 1.0ml of a 0.3% Agar gel added McCoy's 5A solution containing 20% foetal calf serum (FCS) and 10% culture supernate of the human placenta as a colony stimulating factor (CSF). This sample was then put into a culture plate. In certain experiments, 10% of the supernate of the culture in which 1×10⁶ cells of human bone marrow nucleated cells had been incubated for seven days with an equal number of the patients' peripheral blood lymphocytes was added to incubation medium and this was incubated for a further seven days in an incubator at 37°C under the presence of 5% CO₂. For calculation purposes the appearance of more than 40 cell masses in inverted-microscopy was defined as a colony. The results showed that the lymphocytes and culture supernate of the lymphocytes of the patients strongly inhibited the formation of colonies. And it suggests the possible linkage of immunological injury mediated by the lymphocytes to the occurrence of leukopenie in SLE patients.

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Two cases of Kimura's disease and review of the literature were reported. Both patients had multiple tumor-like swellings in the subcutaneous regions, lichen amyloidosis on the lower extremities, mild leukocytosis with marked peripheral blood eosinophilia and hyperimmunoglobulinemia E. They were diagnosed by biopsy evidence of granulomas. Subcutaneous granulomas were composed of hyperplastic lymphoid tissue which contained well-developed lymphoid follicles and infiltrates of eosinophils. In patient 1., granulomas were occurring on the temporal, preauricular, upper eye-lid regions and also in the oral cavity; the last one was the extremely rare site. He had a surgical excision of the temporal tumor. After the operation, the level of the peripheral blood eosinophilia was slightly improved but that of the serum IgE was unchanged. Now he has been treated with Inteban at the outpatient clinic and the hyperimmunoglobulinemia E state is improved, although the granulomas are yet present. In patient 2., granulomas were occurring on the occipital, buccal, cevical and submandibular regions and they were tend to be increased in size without treatment. So he has been taken Inteban for these 20 years and the clinical feature was almost stable. However, the serum IgE level was not decreased after Inteben treatment in this case.

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A 44-year-old female developed Raynaud's phenomenon and polyarthralgia in 1969. Xerostomia developed in 1974, and the patient was diagnosed as having SS, based on sicca symptoms and positive findings of Schirmer's tear test, Rose-Bengal staining, sialography and labial salivary gland biopsy. One month before admission palpitation on exertion and peripheral edema developed. In May 1981, she was admitted to this hospital because of exertional dyspnea.
The temperature was 37.0°C, and the pulse 68. The blood pressure was 140/98mmHg, and the peripheral venous pressure was 18.0cmH₂O. Physical examination revealed facial edema, distended jugular veins and lymphadenopathy. The second heart sound was increased at the pulmonary area and a Grade 3 holosystolic murmur was audible at the left sternal border. No rales were heard. Hepatosplenomegaly was noted, but no ascites was detected.
Laboratory data revealed a hematocrit of 33% and a white blood cell count of 3, 700 cells/mm³. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 16mm/hr. The unine was normal. Serological studies revealed hypergammaglobulinemia, 1+CRP, negative rheumatoid factor and LE cells, positive fluorescent anti-nuclear antibody and anti-DNA antibody (12.8 units/ml, RIA). Anti-RNP, anti-Sm, anti-SS-A and anti-SS-B antibodies were positive in immunodiffusion test. Serum complement level was normal. X-ray films of the chest revealed cardiomegaly with prominent pulmonary arteries and clear lung fields. Pulmonary function studies showed a normal vital capacity and a decreased diffusion capacity. The echocardiography demonstrated a dilated right atrium and ventricle. There was no pericardial effusion. Right cardiac catheterization and angiography showed precapillary pulmonary hypertension, 64/25mmHg (mean 38mmHg), with no evidence of either shunt disease or pulmonary embolism. The right heart failure disappeared by treatment with furosemide by the seventh hospital day.
This patient had a sicca symptom and twelve years' history of Raynaud's phenomenon and polyarthritis. No other symptoms of SLE or PSS developed during this period without corticosteroid therapy. Therefore, although anti-Sm antibody was positive, SLE was unlikely, and the patient was diagnosed as sicca syndrome alone with PH.
Collagen disease with PH and primary pulmonary hypertension with Raynaud's phenomenon have several clinical features in common, such as Raynaud's phenomenon, polyarthritis, leukopenia, hypergammaglobulinemia and positive rheumatoid factor. These similarities are also often found in SS. It is, therefore, suggested that subclinical SS might underlie the former two diseases, or that the three disorders had some common etiopathogenic processes which might contribute to the development of PH.

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A 28-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of precordial pain. She had a well established diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus 9 years ago, manifested by butterfly erythema, polyarthralgia, proteinuria, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. The patient was treated with 80mg prednisolone initially. She soon developed steroid-induced diabetes mellitus and prednisolone was tapered to 10mg/day. Her disease was clinically and serologically inactive for the last 5 years. However, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and mild diabetes mellitus persisted.
Electrocardiogram on admission revealed an antercseptal infarction. The S-GOT was 392 U per milliliter, the lactic dehydrogenase 2, 288 U per milliliter, the creatine phosphokinase 1, 843 U per milliliter, the total cholesterol 414mg per 100ml, the triglyceride 221mg per 100ml, and the creatinine 2.2mg per 100ml. The CRP was _??_, CH₅₀ 34.0 U per milliliter and immune complex was undetectable.
The coronary angiographic examination, performed on 52 nd hospital day, revealed 99% narrowing of the left anterior interventricular branch, and 50% and 75% stenoses of the posterior interventricular branch.
Although it was difficult to distinguish between atherosclerosis and arteritis by a coronary angiogram alone, together with clinical and serological findings, coronary atherosclercsis was considerd as the most probable cause of the myocardial infarction in this case.

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