[Appearance of anti-DNA antibodies after treatment with interferon in a patient with chronic type C viral hepatitis]. / Comparsa di anticorpi anti-DNA dopo trattamento con interferone in un paziente con epatite virale cronica di tipo C.

The development of autoantibodies and autoimmune reactions has been reported during and after interferon (IFN) therapy. We report the case of a 55-years-old woman who developed anti-DNA and anti-nuclear antibodies after a 9 months treatment with alpha-IFN for chronic hepatitis C. Autoantibodies appearance has not modified the response to therapy; no clinical sign of autoimmune disease is appeared in a 5 months follow-up. HLA typing didn't show a genetic predisposition for the development of autoimmune reactions.

[Sudden cardiac death in primary systemic amyloidosis. Description of a case]. / Morte cardiaca improvvisa in corso di amiloidosi primitiva ad interessamento sistemico: descrizione di un caso clinico.

Primary amyloidosis is usually a progressive disease involving many organs. The heart is frequently affected and almost 30 per cent of the patients have congestive heart failure. Cardiac arrhythmias are also common. We report a case of sudden cardiac death in a patient with primary amyloidosis.

Analysis of folate and vitamin B12 in beta thalassemia minor.

To evaluate whether anemia of heterozygote beta thalassemic subjects depends on folate or vitamin B12 deficiency, the serum values of these two vitamins were assessed in 176 adult subjects: 81 healthy heterozygote beta thalassemic subjects, 76 healthy normal controls and 15 subjects with microcytic iron deficient anaemia and no thalassemic trait. Mean serum folate and vitamin B12 levels in heterozygote beta thalassemic subjects were not statistically different when compared to control groups. No statistically significant correlation was found between mean serum levels of the two vitamins and hematocrit in beta thalassemic carriers and in normal subjects.

Average life expectancy of heterozygous beta thalassemic subjects.

In order to define the lifespan of heterozygous beta thalassemic subjects as compared to non thalassemic subjects, the authors prospectively studied all patients deceased during a period of 76 months at St. Camillo Hospital of Comacchio (Ferrara), located in the Po delta, a region with high prevalence of thalassemia minor. No statistically significant differences were found in the average life expectancy between the thalassemic and non thalassemic groups.

[Expression of the interleukin-2 receptor in T lymphocytes of the rheumatoid synovial membrane]. / Espressione del recettore per l'interleuchina-2 nei T-linfociti della membrana sinoviale reumatoide.

Indirect immunofluorescence was used to stain DR antigen and interleukin-2 receptor (Tac) of T-lymphocytes (Leu 4+). Tissue samples of synovial membrane were cut from arthroscopic biopsies of inflamed knees in four patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Consecutive cryostatic sections of rheumatoid sinovium were analysed using monoclonal antibodies. It was found that a high percentage of T-lymphocytes express DR antigen. In contrast the proportion of T cells expressing Tac was small. We conclude that T cell activation in synovial membrane is incomplete, and this disfunction may contribute to the chronic inflammation of RA.

Tissue antigen distribution in hepatocellular carcinoma.

An immunohistochemical study on 63 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) was performed for the demonstration of alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigens. AAT and AFP were also investigated in 54 cases of cirrhosis not associated with HCC. AAT was frequently expressed both in HCC (82.5%) and in cirrhosis (53.7%), whereas AFP was present in 41.2% of HCC and never detected in cirrhosis used as controls. These findings suggest that AFP is the more specific antigen for use as a marker of malignant cellular transformation. The HBsAg-positivity in 31.7% of HCC supports the hypothesis of a close link between virus B infection and the tumor.