Interleukin-2 and interleukin-2 receptors in children with rheumatic carditis

This study aimed to assess the role of interleukin-2 [IL-2] and IL-2 receptors [IL-2R] in the pathogenesis of rheumatic carditis. Three groups of children were studied. Group I included 15 children with active rheumatic carditis; Group II included 15 children with inactive rheumatic carditis and group III was composed of 20 healthy control children. Before phytohemagglutinin [PHA] stimulation, group I showed higher mean values of IL-2 and IL-2R than the other two groups. After stimulation, the control group had significantly higher mean values than both rheumatic groups. The mean percent change of IL-2 receptors was higher in controls compared to active and inactive rheumatic carditis. Thus, under resting conditions, there is increased production of IL-2 and IL-2R in rheumatic carditis. This increase is higher in active than in inactive disease. This underlying immunological abnormalities might lead to activation of helper T cells producing more immune complexes and producing tissue damage

immunogenetic risk factors in the siblings of children with type I diabetes

Despite the abrupt clinical onset of type I Diabetes Mellitus [IDDM], the pathological autoimmune destruction of beta cell occurs in genetically susceptible individuals during an asymptomatic period: the prediabetic phase. Oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT] assay of islet cell autoantibodies [ICA] and insulin autoantibodies [IAA] were tested in 30 diabetic children and in 30 of their siblings; while determination of HLA-DQ Typing was done for the siblings of diabetic children. There were significant differences in frequencies of ICA[+] and IAA[+] in the siblings when compared with controls. Also there was negative correlation between the frequencies of ICA[+] and IAA[+] with the age in both groups. There was significant difference in the association of both autoantibodies in the sibling group, while it was absent in diabetic one. Certain susceptible DQ genotypes [DQw8 and DQw2] were detected in the siblings in significant difference when compared with controls. IDDM = Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; OGTT= Oral Glucose Tolerance Test; ICA= Islet Cell Autoantibodies; IAA= Insulin Autoantibodies; FBS= Fasting Blood Sugar

Lymphocytotoxic activity in untreated Hodgkin's disease

This work included 45 patients with untreated Hodgkin's disease. Sera from 14 patients [31%] contained lymphocytotoxic serum factors [LT] as judged from at least 50% lysis of lymphocytes of 23 randomly selected normal individuals. Lymphocytotoxic sera were more frequently encountered in patients with B symptoms, advanced disease, or mixed cellularity/lymphocyte depletion histopathologic characteristics. LT were often found in patients with large and tumor-involved spleens. The ability of patient's serum to inhibit control lymphocyte response to concanavalin stimulation was significantly higher in the group of LT-positive patients as compared to LT-negative patients. In conclusion, the presence of LT in patients with untreated Hodgkin's disease may play a role in the immunodeficiency of the disease, and could be used as a parameter for the prognosis of the disease

Chemiluminescence and chemotactic activity of the neutrophils in the elderly and the effect of vitamin C

This work included 20 male healthy elderly persons aged from 65 to 80 years and 7 young healthy control subjects. Both the elderly and the young individuals were non smokers and of the same socioeconomic standard. All of them were not allowed to receive any drugs for 10 days prior to blood sampling and neutrophil isolation. Specific tests were performed including measuring the chemotactic index, the [NBT] reduction test and a more recent and specific test [chemiluminescence which measured the phagocytosis and intracellular killing]. The results showed that chemotactic index and NTB reduction were inferior in the elderly group in comparison with young controls, while there was no difference as regard chemiluminescence test. The tests were repeated again 10 days after oral administration of 1.5 mg vitamin C/day in divided doses to only 10 of the elderly subjects who showed the least neutrophil functions. The results showed significant increase in all neutrophil function tests after vitamin C. It was suggested that combined effects of aging and malnutrition particularly hypovitaminosis C might lead to a profound impairment of neutrophil functions. Also, the detection of subclinical vitamin C deficiency and the addition of the vitamin to those suffering from infection is of particular importance to resist the predilection for infection in the aging population