ABSTRACT
The effects of oral administration of linoleic- and gamma-linolenic-acid-rich oils on the clinical and histopathological manifestations of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) were investigated in Lewis rats 7 d post-inoculation. gamma-Linolenic-acid-rich fungal (Mucor javanicus) oil at 500 mg/kg body weight abrogated clinical and histological signs of EAE although at doses of 200 and 1000 mg/kg body weight it was only effective in delaying the onset of clinical disease. Linoleic-acid-rich safflower-seed (Carthamus tinctorius) oil at 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg body weight decreased the severity of clinical EAE disease in a dose-dependent manner. The effects in healthy animals of orally administered gamma-linolenic-acid-rich fungal oil (500 mg/kg body weight) and linoleic-acid-rich safflower-seed oil (1000 mg/kg body weight) on splenic lymphocyte proliferative responses to the T-cell mitogen concanavalin-A (Con A), membrane fatty acid composition and lymphocyte sub-sets were also studied. Both treatments enhanced the T-cell proliferative response to Con A. There was no significant effect on the proportion of splenic CD8+ or CD4+ lymphocytes. Compositional studies on splenic phosphoglyceride fatty acids of oil-treated animals suggest the above responses were associated with increases in spleen dihomo-gamma-linolenic and arachidonic acids.
Subject(s)
Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/prevention & control , Mucor/chemistry , gamma-Linolenic Acid/administration & dosage , Administration, Oral , Animals , Cell Division , Concanavalin A/pharmacology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/immunology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism , Guinea Pigs , Lipid Metabolism , Mitogens/pharmacology , Rats , Rats, Inbred Lew , Safflower Oil , Spleen/immunology , Spleen/metabolism , T-Lymphocytes/physiology , alpha-Linolenic Acid/administration & dosageABSTRACT
The interactive roles of T cells, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules and antigen-presenting cells in the generation of autoimmunity is the subject of much discussion. A recent symposium contributed to the debate by inviting experts in several fields of immunology to answer specific questions relating to the mechanisms that trigger autoimmunity.
Subject(s)
Autoimmunity , Animals , Antigens, Bacterial/immunology , Autoantigens/immunology , Autoimmune Diseases/etiology , Autoimmune Diseases/genetics , Autoimmune Diseases/immunology , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/genetics , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/immunology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/genetics , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/immunology , Disease Models, Animal , Histocompatibility Antigens/genetics , Histocompatibility Antigens/physiology , Humans , Infections/complications , Infections/immunology , Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus/immunology , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C/genetics , Mice, Inbred BALB C/immunology , Mice, Inbred NOD/genetics , Mice, Inbred NOD/immunology , Mice, Transgenic , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/physiology , T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunologyABSTRACT
A heterogeneous group of 11 consecutive patients with leukaemia have been transplanted successfully with allogeneic marrow depleted of T lymphocytes by soy bean lectin agglutination and neuraminidase-treated sheep erythrocyte rosetting. Effective depletion was achieved, leaving less than 1% of donor T lymphocytes. Despite the small numbers of nucleated cells infused (mean 0.14 X 10(8)/kg) there was only moderately delayed recovery of peripheral blood counts and no graft failures have occurred. Standard methotrexate prophylaxis against graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was also employed in the first four transplants. Only one case of mild grade I (skin only) acute GVHD has occurred and there has been no chronic GVHD to date. The group of patients show an actuarial cumulative survival of 55% with two early infective deaths (days 42 and 44 post-transplant) and three late deaths, two with leukaemic relapse and the third with probable viral encephalitis. The longest survivor is now 1109 days post-transplant. This series indicates that lectin fractionation of donor marrow, previously employed mainly in children, can also be effective in minimizing GVHD in adults without endangering successful engraftment.
Subject(s)
Bone Marrow Transplantation , Lectins , Leukemia/therapy , Lymphocyte Depletion , Soybean Proteins , Adolescent , Adult , Cell Count , Child , Female , Graft vs Host Disease/etiology , Humans , Infections/etiology , Leukemia/complications , Lymphocyte Depletion/methods , Male , Middle Aged , Plant Lectins , Recurrence , Glycine max , T-LymphocytesABSTRACT
Histocompatibility antigen testing has been carried out in 20 unrelated normotensive English Caucasoids with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in 17 relatives, six of whom also had the disease. A strong association with the HLA-DRw6 antigen complex was found (P = 0.0036) but it was no longer significant after correction for the 52 antigens tested (P = 0.1701).
