Interleukin-8 [IL-8] production by activated neutrophils in rheumatoid disease

lnterleukin-8 [IL-8] produced by neutrophils was estimated before and after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide [LPS] in four groups of subjects:-a- 12 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, b-8 patients with juvenile chronic arthritis [JCA], c-12 patients with osteoarthritis [OA] and d- 12 healthy controls. Neurorphil IL-8 production without stimulation by exogenous mitogen was significantly higher in different groups of patients than in the control group. The contrary was detected when neutrophils were stimulated by LPS. On the other hand, significantly higher levels of IL-8 were produced by neutrophils [with or without stimulation] from patients with active RA than from active JCA and OA. This may suggest that the higher levels of IL-8 released from neutrophils may be, at least in part, responsible for the different behaviour of RA with respect to JCA and OA. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role [if any] played by IL-8 in the pathogenesis of OA

Major histocompatibility complex antigens class II in childhood nephrotic syndrome

HLA class II antigens [DR, DQ] were studied in 24 nephrotic children using the microlymphotoxicity method. Twelve patients were steroid sensitive, and the other 12 were steroid resistant Renal biopsy was done in all the steroid resistant cases. HLA-DQ4 antigen was significantly higher among all nephrotic children [33% vs. 8% in controls, X[2c]= 3.97, P<0.05], relative risk was 5.5 [P<0.05] and etiologic fraction was 0.27. In the steroid sensitive group, HLA-DQ2 antigen was 75% vs. 33% in controls [X[2c]= 5.08, P<0.05]. The relative risk was significant and indicates that patients having DQ2 are 6 times more likely to respond to steroid therapy than those without the antigen. In the steroid resistant group, frequencies of HLA-DR9, DR12 and DR14 were increased, pointing to linkage of these antigens and resistance to steroid therapy. HLA-DR12 was 33% in patients vs. 4% in controls, [X[2c] = 4.21, P<0.05]. The relative risk of DR12 was 11.5 indicating that nephrotic patients having DR12 antigen are 11.5 times more liable to be steroid resistant. Our results support the important role of HLA antigens in the pathogenesis of NS, and shed light on the importance of HLA markers as prognostic factors in childhood nephrotic syndrome

Oxygen free radical and nitric oxide production in single or combined human schistosomiasis and fascioliasis

The levels of superoxide [O-2] and nitric oxide [NO] production by monocytes have been measured in 15 patients with S. Mansoni, 15 patients with Fasciola and 6 patients with combined infection as well as in control group [15]. The levels of both radicals were significantly higher in all patient groups than in the control group, indicating that these radicals may have a role in the immunity against such infections. Patients with chronic fascioliasis showed lower level of O-2 and NO than those with schistosomiasis. This may be due to the lodging of the mature Fasciola spp. away from the immune system and subsequently decreased amount of antigens reaching the circulation. In combined infection, the levels of these products were at the highest value, due to increased antigenic stimulation and cross reactivity between the 2 parasites which may have lead to augmented immune response

Defective monocyte phagocytic function as a possible genetic marker for heumatic susceptibility

The activity of the monocyte phagocytic system in children with rheumatic heart disease [RHD], their parents, their normal siblings and in nonrheumatic families was investigated. Phagocytic activity of isolated monocytes was assessed using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. The count per minute of emitted light was measured before and after stimulation with zymosan solution. The results indicate that one-third of the siblings of children with RHD were genetically free while two-thirds, as well as the parents, were heterozygous, and that children with RHD were homozygous for [a] mutant gene[s] responsible for the defective function of the monocyte phagocytic system. The findings are strongly suggestive of autosomal recessive inheritance

Degenerative joint disease: a new cartilage marker

The aim of the present study was to quantity COMP level in serum of patients with newly developed and late OA in attempt to the prognostic value of its serum measurement as a new cartilage marker. The study was carried out on thirty patients with OA diagnosed according to ARA criteria subdivided into 2 groups [IA and IB] representing early and late OA, and twenty healthy normal individuals as controls [II]. group IA, IB and II were subject to clinical evaluation, routine investigations and determination of serum Ca, phosphorus. uric acid, RF, and X-ray of the affected joints. COMP level estimation in serum was done to all patients and controls Serum concentration of COMP ranged from 1.53-2.1 microg/ml, 2.18-2.65 microg/ml, and -2.65 3.02 microg/ml in the control group, group IA and IB respectively. COMP serum levels is significantly increased in GIA and IB than control [p < 0001]. Also, the comparison is significant between IA and IB patients [p < 0.001] For uric acid, Ca, and phosphorus no difference could be demonstrated between IA and IB. Serum level of COMP is significantly higher in late OA, than early cases, yet both groups are higher than control. The determination of serum COMP may be tried as indicative of therapy in OA cases especially when using chondroprotective therapeutic agents

Interleukin-2 production and expression of interleukin-2 receptor by activated peripheral blood T-lymphocytes in hodgkin's disease

Patients with Hodgkin's disease [HD] often show. T-cell dysfunction irrespective of the stage and grade of the disease. This study investigated the relationship between peripheral blood lymphocytic interleukin-2 [IL-2] production and IL-2 receptor [IL-2R] expression and the clinical stage and pathological type of the disease before and after treatment in patients with Hodgkin's disease. Interleukin-2 production and IL-2R expression were estimated in total of 20 patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma and 15 apparently healthy individuals of matched age and sex. The patients group was selected to represent the various clinical stages and the different pathological types. There was a statistically significant decrease in IL-2 production [P<0.001] and IL-2R expression [P <0.001] after stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin [PHA] in untreated Hodgkin's lymphoma patients regardless of their clinical stage or pathological type as compared to the normal control group. There were significant decrease in the IL-2R expression and IL-2 production in patients with late clinical stages [III and IV] and pathological types [mixed cellularity and lymphocytic depletion] than in patients with early clinical stages [I and II] and pathological types [lymphocytic predominance and nodular sclerosis]. This may be due to expansion of the malignant cell clones and reduction in normal T cell mass. The improvement in the expression of IL-2R and the production of IL-2 after effective treatment suggests a regression in the mass of malignant cell clones with replacement of normal cell clones. The detection of IL-2 production and IL-2R expression in HD seems to be of some value in clinical management and monitoring of individual patients

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha [TNF] in human toxoplasmosis

Twenty-eight female patients [12 of them had obstetric troubles] and 17 healthy controls were the subjects in this work. According to IHA test and detection of IgM antibodies, three groups of patients were defined: group [I], patients with acute infection; group [II], patients with chronic infection and had high antibody titer and group [III], patients with chronic infections and had low antibody tine. Sera from patients as well as controls were tested for their level of immunologically reactive TNP-alpha using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. TNF-alpha levels in the sera of patients were significantly higher as compared to the healthy control group. Acute infection was associated with the highest levels of TNP- alpha, indicating that it may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute infection. In chronic infection, the level of TNF-alpha was correlated with IHA antibody titer, suggesting that antibodies against T. gondii may participate in TNF-alpha production

Response of cortisol and cytokines to lower abdominal surgery a comparative study between general anaesthesia and epidural analgesia

Thirty patients were allocated randomly to one of two groups according to the types of anesthesia, group I received general anesthesia and group II received epidural analgesia. Venous blood samples were collected from each patient before induction of anesthesia and 20 minutes after the start of surgery for the determination of serum interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, ceruloplasmin, C-reactive protein and cortisol levels. Lower abdominal surgical maneuvers resulted in increase in the level of the parameters tested, the only exception was cortisol which was refractory to change under epidural. All increases in the epidural group were significantly less than that in general anesthesia group. The results of this study showed that the complete afferent neuronal blockade achieved by regional analgesia for surgery of lower abdomen leads to suppression of the cortisol response to surgery and this many influence the value of cytokines studied

chemiluminescent response of macrophages in mice infected with schistosoma mansoni

Peritoneal phagocytic cells when stimulated by Schistosoma mansoni infection in this study, exhibited a sudden increase in oxygen consumption known as a respiratory burst. This resulted in the production of toxic oxygen metabolites [H[2] O[2] and others]. The level of the toxic oxygen metabolites [chemiluminescence/cells] in normal mice and in mice infected with S. mansoni was measured in vitro. One week, one and two months after infection, a highly significant increase in the levels of chemiluminescence/cell was observed when compared to that of the normal control group. These oxygen metabolites have long been known to have microbicidal activity, and may take part in the ecytotoxic role in cell-mediated immune response against all stages of schistosomal life cycle in this study

Schistosoma mansoni: production of tumour necrosis factor [TNF] in experimentally infected mice

TNF has been proposed as one of the macrophage derived cytotoxins, so the present work aimed at studying the influence of the different stages of Schistosoma mansoni life cycle on the active secretion of TNF by stimulated macrophages in mice. The results revealed that infection with S. mansoni induced a high significant increase in the TNF production at one week, one and two months of infection compared to normal controls. TNF production of one month infected group was significantly reduced in comparison with the one-week infected group. Two months after infection with S. mansoni insignificant increase in the TNF production was observed, coin-pared to that of the one-week infected group, and significantly increased with respect to the group of one-month post-infectior

Interleukin-2 level in mice infected with toxoplasma gondii

This work described the altered Interleukin-2 levels [IL-2] in mice infected with a virulent strain of Toxoplasma gondii and some possible mechanisms responsible for the alteration. To investigate this point, the effect of Toxoplasma infection was assessed shortly one week and then one month after invasion. Interleukin-2 production by stimulated Con A was reduced one week after infection and markedly depressed one month after infection with respect to normal controls. Unstimulated spleen cells from infected mice produced more IL-2 in vitro than stimulated cells. So, it can be concluded that IL-2 is one of the causes of immune suppression of Toxoplasmosis

Interleukin-1 production by monocytes from patients anaesthetized with halothane and isoflurane

Twenty female patients formed the population of this study. They were divided into two groups according to the anesthetic agent used for the maintenance of anesthesia. Group I was the halothane group and group II was the Isoflurane group. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of both anesthetics on the liberation of IL-1 from monocytes. The results showed that there were insignificant changes between the two groups in the spontaneous release of IL-1 either immediately or 24 hours postoperatively. But there was a significant difference between the two groups both after activation of monocytes and spontaneous index in the immediate postoperative period. After 24 hours, there was insignificant difference after activation and the stimulation index