ABSTRACT
Hydrostatic pressure (P) combined with membrane protein crosslinking (CL) by adenosine dialdehyde (AdA) can render tumor cells immunogenic. We have recently shown that PCL treatment of murine tumor cells augmented the presentation of MHC-restricted tumor-associated antigens and enhanced cell-mediated immunity. In cancer patients inoculated with autologous PCL-modified tumor cells, a significant delayed-type hypersensitivity response was elicited. Since the balance between cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity is reciprocally controlled by immunoregulatory cytokines, we have examined the proliferative response and cytokine secretion pattern in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated by autologous PCL-modified and unmodified tumor cells. These tumor cells were obtained from freshly resected tumor tissue of 16 patients with colon (8), lung (4) and renal (4) carcinomas. The results demonstrated that PCL-modified tumor cells promoted an increase in PBMC proliferation in 5 out of 8 (63%), 1 out of 4 (25%) and 4 out of 4 (100%) colon, lung and renal cell carcinomas. Fourteen of the above cultures were also analyzed for the secretion of interleukin-10 and interferon-gamma. Overall, a substantial decrease in IL-10 secretion was detected in 9 out of 14 (64%) cultures while a reciprocal increase in interferon-gamma secretion was noted in 8 out of 14 (57%) cultures. Our results confirmed that PCL-modified human tumor cells of different etiologies can modulate the pattern of cytokines released from stimulated autologous lymphocytes. Such a procedure could prove valuable in the production of autologous tumor vaccines.
Subject(s)
Cross-Linking Reagents/pharmacology , Interferon-gamma/metabolism , Interleukin-10/metabolism , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology , Lymphocyte Activation , Neoplastic Stem Cells/immunology , Pressure , Carcinoma/immunology , Carcinoma/pathology , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/immunology , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology , Colonic Neoplasms/immunology , Colonic Neoplasms/pathology , Humans , Hypersensitivity, Delayed/immunology , Kidney Neoplasms/immunology , Kidney Neoplasms/pathology , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Lung Neoplasms/immunology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplastic Stem Cells/drug effects , Tumor Cells, CulturedABSTRACT
Sixty-two samples of human normal and abnormal semen and 23 samples of washed sperm were illuminated for 4 minutes with a narrow band non-coherent infrared device (BioBeam). Immediately after illumination the following parameters were examined in comparison with appropriate controls: motility, viability and morphology, fructose content of semen, acrosome reaction of sperm, viscosity of seminal plasma and analysis of the protein pattern. The mean value of motility grade calculated for the total number of 62 semen samples was 2.58 +/- 0.79 versus 2.17 +/- 0.75 (non illuminated controls), P less than 0.005. The mean value of motility grade of 23 samples of washed sperm was 2.89 +/- 0.77 versus 2.43 +/- 0.62, respectively (P less than 0.01). In two illuminated seminal plasma specimens, the viscosity was decreased by 8.8% and 14.8%, the protein content and pattern remained, however, unchanged. Neither the percentages of motile, viable and morphologically normal sperm, nor the fructose content of semen were found to be affected by the illumination.
Subject(s)
Infrared Rays , Semen/radiation effects , Spermatozoa/radiation effects , Acrosome/physiology , Acrosome/radiation effects , Cell Survival/radiation effects , Fructose/metabolism , Humans , Male , Proteins/analysis , Semen/metabolism , Sperm Motility/radiation effects , Spermatozoa/cytology , Spermatozoa/physiology , ViscosityABSTRACT
Porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD), one of the enzymes in the pathway of heme synthesis, was found to be elevated in peripheral mononuclear cells of 60% of patients with epithelial tumors and metastatic spread, but only in 14% of patients with tumor and no evidence of metastases. The combination of both high lactic dehydrogenase and high PBGD afforded a sensitivity of 40%, but a specificity of 96% in diagnosing metastatic spread.
Subject(s)
Ammonia-Lyases/blood , Hydroxymethylbilane Synthase/blood , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/enzymology , Neoplasm Metastasis/enzymology , Adult , Aged , Breast Neoplasms/enzymology , Female , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/enzymology , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/enzymology , Male , Middle Aged , Ovarian Neoplasms/enzymologyABSTRACT
Tests for autoimmune antibodies (AA) were carried out in 70 patients suffering from chronic obstructive disease of the airways and in 18 healthy subjects, who served as a control group. AA were found in 55% of the patients with intrinsic asthma as compared to 21% of those with extrinsic asthma, 25% of the patients with bronchitis and 16% of the healthy controls. The difference between the intrinsic and the other groups was found to be statistically significant (p less than 0.05 - less than 0.02).
Subject(s)
Asthma/immunology , Autoantibodies , Adult , Aged , Airway Obstruction/immunology , Asthma/etiology , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Hypersensitivity, Immediate/immunology , Lung Diseases, Obstructive/immunology , Male , Middle Aged , Skin TestsABSTRACT
One hundred and twenty seven randomly selected Polish Jews were studied for their HLA polymorphism. Gene frequencies exceeding 0.1 were detected for A1, A2, Aw19, B14, Bw16 and Bw17. Significant gametic association was observed for (A1, Bw17), (A2, B27), (Aw26, Bw16), (Aw19, B13) and (A28, B14). Although a predominantly Caucasoid population, the Polish Jews show greater resemblance to Middle Eastern rather than to Northern European Caucasoids.
Subject(s)
HLA Antigens , Jews , Polymorphism, Genetic , Gene Frequency , Haploidy , Humans , Israel , Phenotype , Poland/ethnologyABSTRACT
The frequencies of 29 HLA antigens of the A amd B loci were studied in 130 Israeli Jews originating from Rumania. The antigens A1, A2, Aw19 and B14, Bw16 and Bw35 occurred with the highest frequencies. The most common haplotypes were (A1, B17), (Aw26, Bw16) and (A28, Bw22). These results are similar to those observed in Polish and Russian Jews.
Subject(s)
HLA Antigens , Jews , Polymorphism, Genetic , Gene Frequency , Humans , Israel , Phenotype , Romania/ethnologyABSTRACT
One hundred and twenty three Iraqi Jews, now living in Israel, were studied for their HLA polymorphism. Gene frequencies exceeding .1 were found for A1, A3, Aw19, B5, B12, and Bw35. A28, B8 and B14 were relatively rare whereas Aw25 and Bw37 were not found at all. Significant gametic associations occurred for (Aw23, Bw21), (Aw26, Bw16), (A11, B5), (A28, B8) and (A28, B7). The Iraqi Jewish population was found to be typical of Asiatics and Middle Easterners.