Absence of MHC class II antigen on mast cells at sites of inflammation in human skin.

Since the presence of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens has recently been reported on murine and human mast cells under various conditions, we have investigated their expression on mast cells in different types of cutaneous inflammation. Cryostat sections from lesional biopsies of patients with psoriasis, atopic eczema, chronic urticaria, lichen planus, bullous pemphigoid and urticaria pigmentosa were immunohistochemically stained with monoclonal antibodies against MHC class I and class II antigens using a double staining APAAP/toluidine blue methodology. While strongly positive staining with the antibody directed against MHC class I antigens was found on nearly all mast cells in normal skin and in inflammatory dermatoses, reactivity for HLA-DR and HLA-DQ antigens on mast cells could not be detected, except for less than 2% of cells with doubtful staining. Human mast cells therefore probably play no significant rôle as antigen-presenting cells in the conditions studied.

Pharmacokinetics of amikacin in gamma-irradiated mice.

Concentrations of amikacin in sera, investigated 24 h after irradiation with 9 Gy gamma-rays of mice, were monitored using TDX system (Abbott), based on the fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Pharmacokinetic parameters of disposition (distribution + elimination) of the drug were calculated from the obtained data. In irradiated mice fast and slow phases of amikacin disposition were noted. In contrary, in the non irradiated mice only one-fast phase of the drug disposition was observed. The dependence of the disposition parameters of the antibiotic to the postirradiation tubular dystrophia and vascular changes was discussed.

Detection of light chain restriction in chronic B-lymphoid leukaemia and B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The determination of immunoglobulin light chain restriction using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies is a rapid method for the detection of a neoplastic B-cell-population. Cytocentrifuge preparates of mononuclear blood cells from 42 patients with chronic B-lymphoid leukaemia and of lymph node aspirates from 24 patients with B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were examined using the alkaline phosphatase-antialkaline phosphatase (APAAP) method. Monoclonal antibodies from different commercial sources and rabbit polyclonal antibodies were used in this study. Staining with polyclonal antibodies demonstrated light chain restriction in 65 cases. The leukaemic cells of a patient with hairy cell leukaemia did not express light chain immunoglobulins. Monoclonal antibodies from two manufacturers demonstrated monotypic staining for light chains in all cases with light chain immunoglobulins. Monoclonal antibodies from four manufactures failed to show monotypic light chains in 5, 21, 25 and 28 of the 65 cases. All investigated antibodies detected a similar percentage of light chain-positive lymphocytes in 10 healthy persons. We conclude that not all investigated monoclonal antibodies are suitable for detection of light chain restriction in B-non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and chronic B-lymphoid leukaemias. However, using selected monoclonal antibodies or rabbit polyclonal antibodies the APAAP method is very sensitive for detection of light chain restriction in these disorders.

[Receptors for biologically active substances in the light of the studies using monoclonal antibodies]. / Receptory substancji biologicznie czynnych w swietle badan z uzyciem przeciwcial monoklonalnych.

This paper presents a review of studies on the structure and function of receptors for biologically active substances (hormones, drugs etc.). Application of the methods utilizing monoclonal antibodies are described and discussed.

Influence of phentolamine and other drugs on proliferation of hemopoietic stem cells and on postirradiation survival of Swiss mice.

The effect of combination of drugs composed of phentolamine (PHE), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), dopamine (DA), and haloperidol (HAL), which is known to inhibit differentiation of lymphocytes [15, 16, 17] on the hemopoietic stem cells forming colonies in the spleen (CFU-S) of mice was investigated. the mixture of drugs administered for 3 consecutive days produced more then twofold increase in transplantable CFU-S content in bone marrow of donor Swiss mice. Similar effect was observed after 5-HTP or PHE administered as single drugs. The other components of the mixture appeared to be ineffective. PHE injected into the recipients of bone marrow 1 h after its transplantation reduced the percentage of CFU-S in the phase of DNA synthesis (S-phase of the cell cycle) from approx. 61 to 40%. the above result in view of the simultaneous increase in CFU-S content in bone marrow of donor mice suggests that the inhibitory effect of PHE on differentiation of CFU-S exceeds its effect on their proliferation. The increase in the mean survival time of animals irradiated with 700 and 750 R 1 h after the last injection of PHE, administered alone or in combination with drugs for 3 consecutive days, was also observed. This effect was less pronounced than might be expected from the obtained increase in CFU-S content.

Postirradiation recovery of hemopoiesis in mice treated with Propionibacterium granulosum.

The effect of Propionibacterium granulosum on spontaneous regeneration of hemopoiesis in nonlethally (250 or 400 rads) irradiated mice was investigated and measured by peripheral blood leukocyte counts each 2 days after irradiation and incorporation of 3H-thymidine into spleen and thymus in vivo. P. granulosum injected intraperitoneally in a dose of 1.5 mg per mouse, 7 days before or 4 days after irradiation, resulted in accelerated recovery of hemopoiesis after nonlethal irradiation with significantly higher leukocytosis, as compared with a control non-treated with bacteria. This was accompanied by elevated spleen and thymus weight and higher incorporation of 3 H-thymidine into spleen cells.

Effect of beta-adrenergic stimulation by isoprenaline on proliferation and differentation of mouse bone marrow cells in vivo.

In CFW mice exposed to 550 R of X-rays 75 min after administration of isoprenaline (IPR) the number of endogenous spleen colonies was increased from 2.15 +/- 0.4 to 33 +/- 3.78 per spleen. In animals injected with hydroxyurea 15 min after IPR injection the number of endogenous spleen colonies did not exceed the normal values, giving evidence for rapid triggering of pluripotent stem cells from G0 into S phase. No changes in the number of colonies were observed when IPR was administered 30 min after or 16 hr before irradiation. However, 16 hr after administration of IPR, the maximal proliferative response of bone marrow cells (determined by autoradiography with 3H-TdR) was noted. An increase in erythropoietic activity (measured by 59Fe incorporation into erythrocytes) was also observed in animals treated with IPR. The above data indicate that the beta-adrenergic stimulation by IPR results in the increase of proliferative activity of hemopoietic stem cells and their enhanced differentiation towards erythropoiesis.

Recovery of hemopoiesis in lethally irradiated mice after treatment with propionibacteria.

Three investigated strains of propionibacteria (P. acnes, P. granulosum and P. avidum) injected intraperitoneally in doses of 1.5 mg per mouse, significantly prolonged survival of lethally (8.50 R) irradiated mice. P. granulosum, being the most effective in increasing survival of irradiated mice was chosen for the studies on the activity of bone-marrow pluripotent stem cells. The number of endogenous spleen colonies was significantly increased in mice injected with P. granulosum 3 days prior to or 4 hours after irradiation with 650 R. However, injection of P. granulosum to donors prior to bone-marrow transplantation significantly decreased the number of exogenous spleen colonies in recipients irradiated with 850 R. These results, together with the observed increase in number of CFU-S in peripheral blood and elevated relative spleen weight after injection of P. granulosum, suggest that propionibacteria stimulate migration of CFU-S from bone-marrow via peripheral blood into spleen. Stimulation of CFU-S proliferation and differentiation is also taken into account.

Effects of beta-adrenergic stimulation on bone-marrow function in normal and sublethally irradiated mice. I. The effect of isoproterenol on cAMP content in bone-marrow cells in vivo and in vitro.

The effect of isoproterenol (IPR) on bone-marrow cAMP content was investigated in vivo and in vitro. In unirradiated CFW mice, the bone-marrow cAMP content was found to be elevated by the administration of noradrenaline, adrenaline and isoproterenol. After IPR administration, the increase in cAMP was biphasic with maxima at 1 and 15 min. An increase in cAMP content was also noted in bone-marrow of sublethally-irradiated mice, but no further increase was observed 15 min after the administration of IPR. Elevation of cAMP by either IPR or radiation was prevented by pretreatment with the beta-adrenergic blocking agent--propranolol. IPR was also effective in increasing the cAMP content when added to suspension of bone-marrow cells. This effect was abolished by propranolol. IPR did not increase cAMP levels in bone-marrow cells isolated from irradiated animals. The results suggest that the differentiated bone-marrow cells have beta-adrenergic receptors.