Immunoglobulin subclasses and HLA alleles in immunoglobulin A deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: The term "IgA Deficiency (IgAD)" should be reserved for the individuals who do not have detectable disorders known to be associated with low IgA levels. IgG subclass deficiency or a lack of the IgG2 subclass that is specific against polysaccharide antigens, can be seen in many cases. METHODS: Forty-five patients (27 males and 18 females; mean age 8.6 years, range 6.3 to 12.8 years) with IgA deficiency who had been admitted to the Department of Pediatric Immunology in Uludag University School of Medicine, Turkey, were included in this study. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig) class and IgG subclass levels, and HLA haplotypes were prospectively determined in patients and healthy controls. RESULTS: Of the 45 patients with IgAD, 1 was found to have a low level of IgG in the serum. Serum Ig levels were also examined in the families of 22 patients. Five patients had low-normal levels of IgM, whilst one had low levels of IgA and IgG. The levels of IgG subclasses were assessed in 23 patients. One patient had a low level of IgG1; 2 had low levels of both IgG2 and IgG3, and 11 had low levels of IgG3. IgG subclass concentrations were found to be normal in control groups. HLA alleles were tested in 25 patients. An increased prevelence of HLA-A1, -B8, -B14, -DR1, -DR3, and -DR7 were previously observed in patients with IgA deficiency. In this study, HLA-A1 allel was found in 3 patients (12%), HLA-B14 in 3 patients (12%), HLA-DR1 in 10 patients (40%), HLA-DR7 in 4 patients (16%) and HLA-DR3 in 1 patient (4%). HLA-B8 allel was not found in any patient. Twenty-five children with normal IgA levels have chosen as a control group. They had HLA-DR1 (36%), HLA-DR7 (16%), HLA-B8 (8%), HLA-DR3 (16%). HLA-A1 was not found in any member of our control group. CONCLUSION: No statistically significant difference in HLA susceptibility alleles was found between patients and healthy controls. Our data suggest that there may be heterogenous HLA distribution patterns in IgA deficiency, or that HLA allel-associated tendency to IgA deficiency may be polygenic.

Relevance of FcgammaRIIIb genotype, IgG G2m(23) factor to the susceptibility of aggressive periodontitis / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the polymorphism of FcgammaRIIIb genotype, IgG G2m(23) factor and their associations with the susceptibility to aggressive periodontitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DNA of white blood cells and serum from 21 aggressive periodontitis patients and 26 healthy controls was extracted. Genotype of FcgammaRIIIb and phenotype of G2m(23) factor was determined by allele-specific PCR and dot immunobinding assay respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency of FcgammaRIIIb-NA1/NA1 genotype in aggressive periodontitis patients was significantly higher than in healthy controls (P < 0.05). The ratio of subjects with FcgammaRIIIb-NA1/NA1 genotype and positive G2m(23) factor was higher in aggressive periodontitis patients (11/21) than in health controls (5/26) (P < 0.05). However, no statistical difference in distribution of G2m(23) factor alone was observed between patients and controls.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This study indicates that FcgammaRIIIb-NA1/NA1 genotype may be a susceptible genotype to aggressive periodontitis in Chinese population. Subjects with FcgammaRIIIb NA1/NA1 genotype and positive G2m(23) factor may be more susceptible to aggressive periodontitis.</p>

Esquistossomose mansônica hepatoesplênica em adolescentes: carga parasitária residual após tratamento clínico-cirúrgico / Hepatosplenic mansonic schistosomiasis in adolescents: Residual parasitary burden after medical and surgical treatment

A esquistossomose na forma hepatoesplênica associada a varizes sangrentas do esôfago, hiperesplenismo e/ou hipoevolutismo, em adolescentes, tem sido tratada clinicamente com oxamniquime e cirurgicamente por esplenectomia, ligadura da veia gástrica esquerda e auto-implante esplênico. Nos casos de recidiva hemorrágica, os pacientes são incluidos no protocolo de escleroterapia endoscópica das varizes esofageanas. No seguimento pós-operatório desses pacientes tem sido observado a manutenção de hiperglobulinemia G e M, e, eosinnofilia, fazendo supor a possibilidade de manutenção de carga parasitária residual ou reinfecção. vinte e quatro pacientes, entre 11 e 20 anos, foram submetidos a biópsia retal e oograma quantitativo, além do Kato-Katz para verificação dessa possibilidade. Em 17 pacientes, o oograma foi negativo, entretanto, em sete, o exame foi positivo, dos quais, quatro apresentavam ovos viáveis. O Kato-Katz, com ovos viáveis foi igualmente, positivo nesses quatros pacientes. Observou-se associação positiva entre os elevados níveis séricos de imunoglobulina G e a positividade do oograma. Os achados indicam uma carga parasitária residual ou reinfecção em cerca de 17 por cento dos pacientes, o que poderia estar interferindo na evolução clínica desses pacientes

Alotipos Gm y Km en una muestra de población urbana chilena / Gm and Km allotypes in a chilean urban population sample

The sample included 460 controls of a case control study of typhoid fever. The G1m-G2m-G3m most frequent haplotypes were: za,..;g or 1,17;(-);21=0.4493;fn;b or 3;23;5,13=0.2522;f-,..;b or 3;(-);5,13=0.1389; zax;..;g or 1,2,17;(-);21=0.0685;za;..;b or 1,17;(-);5,13=0.0454;za;n;g or 1,17;23;21=0.0207;f;..;g or 3;(-);21=0.0129. The frequencies of Km alleles were 0.2391 and 0.7609 for Km1 and km3 respectively. These frequencies are within those found in Amerindian and Caucasian populations as expected from the origin of the Chilean population. Gm haplotypes did not differ from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, while a significant lack of homozygous Km1/km1 was found in Km

clinical and immunological study of slipped upper femoral epiphysis

Sixteen patients with 18 hips affected by SUFE with a mean age of 13.7 years were included in this study. IgM, IgG and IgA were measured by radial immunodiffusion. SUFE was treated with Moore's pins fixation. IgM was raised in 100% of cases, IgG in 87.5% and IgA in 75%. The overall results were satisfactory in 14 hips [77.8%]. Immunological mechanisms may play a role in SUFE. Results of surgical treatment of SUFE are affected by age, sex, degree of slipping, timing of surgery and period of follow up. Complications were chondrolysis, avascular necrosis, pin problems and shortening