Hyper IgE syndrome: four case report.

Patients with hyper IgE syndrome (HIES) have varying degree of immunological unbalance that account for deficiency of total T and OKT8 lymphocytes. To investigate the role of immunostimulating drugs in HIES, thymostimulin (TP1) and levamisole were given in highly controlled groups of patients after a wash out period with disodium-chromoglycate (DSCG). Both drugs do not modify clinical picture whereas they do modulate some laboratory parameters as T lymphocyte total number, IgE plasmatic concentration, neutrophil chemotaxis. Furthermore TP1 had a worsening clinical effect in 3 of our patients. In our opinion we feel that the therapies proposed and employed so far for this rare disease must be critically analyzed.

Effect of etretinate on chemotaxis of neutrophils from patients with pustular and vulgar psoriasis.

The chemotactic activities of neutrophil granulocytes of patients with pustular and vulgar psoriasis were evaluated before and after treatment with etretinate. Control values before treatment were significantly different from those of vulgar psoriasis group but not from the pustular psoriasis group. The difference between the 2 groups with psoriasis was significant. Etretinate causes a significant reduction in neutrophil chemotaxis in pustular psoriasis patients and a less pronounced reduction in those with vulgar psoriasis.

Effects of Etretinate on the neutrophil chemotaxis in pustular psoriasis.

The chemotactic activity and other functional parameters both granulocytic and seroimmunologic are evaluated in patients with pustular psoriasis before and after treatment with Etretinate. Before treatment these parameters, and in particular the chemotactic activity of neutrophil granulocyte do not reach statistical difference from control subjects. Etretinate determines in all the cases a dramatic and statistically significant reduction of the chemotactic activity of neutrophil chemotaxis.

Effects of an antitumor multipeptide complex on immunocompetent and antigen-responsive cells.

The investigations, performed to study the possible mechanism of action of PTC, of its single constituents and of meta-levo-sarcolysin (m-L-SL) on the human immunocompetent system, are reported. The study entailed the evaluation of the effect of PTC, of its peptides and of m-L-SL on the various lymphocyte classes, employing all the more sophisticated immunological techniques such as: a) lymphocyte cultures stimulated with the various mitogens, (T and B lymphocytes); b) E rosettes (T lymphocytes); c) EA rosettes (lymphocytes with Fc receptors for IgG); d) EAC rosettes (lymphocytes with the C3 receptors); e) autoradiography and intracytoplasmic immunofluorescence (in vitro immunoglobulin neosynthesis); f) CdL (Complement-dependent Lymphocytotoxicity); g) LALI (Lymphocyte Antibody Lymphocytolytic Interaction); h) CML (antibody independent cytotoxicity i.e. Cell-Mediated Lympholysis). The evidence points out that the PTC effect on T and B lymphocytes is not comparable to that of m-L-SL which does not discriminate between the two lymphocyte populations while PTC, besides showing a scarce immunodepressive effect, preferentially affects B lymphocytes rather than T lymphocytes as shown also by the E rosette pattern. Significantly different appears also the influence of PTC, as compared with that of m-L-SL on the lymphocytes with Fc receptors for IgG (EA rosettes) and with receptors for the third component of complement (EAC rosettes) as well as on the cytotoxicity test and on the antibody dependent (LALI) and complement dependent (CdL) lytic effect. The data gleaned from this investigation allow evaluating both the effects of PTC on the immunocompetent system and the difference of its action from that of m-L-SL.