Structural-and-functional alterations in the arterial wall and clinical manifestations of nonspecific aortoarteritis.

The authors studied structural-and-functional properties of the arterial wall, also assessing elastic properties of the common femoral artery and the brachial artery flow-dependent dilatation (FDD) index in a total of thirty-six patients presenting with nonspecific aortoarteritis (NAA). The overwhelming majority of the patients, i. e., twenty-four (89%), showed a statistically significant decrease in the FDD as compared with the control-group patients (P<0.05). We revealed a statistically reliable (P=0.0005) inverse correlation between the level of systolic arterial pressure and an increase in the rigidity index of the common femoral artery wall. Also determined was a correlation of the femoral artery wall rigidity (systolic AP equalling 140 mm Hg and higher) and the brachial artery flow-dependent dilatation index (r=-0.61). All the patients suffering from non-specific aortoarteritis were diagnosed as having a decrease in the elasticity values, accompanied by an increase in systolic arterial pressure (r=0.36; P=0.07). Comparing the level of systolic arterial pressure with the values of the distensibility coefficient and compliance coefficient revealed a weak inverse correlation (r=-0.28 and 0.21, respectively). Evaluating the impact of duration of the disease on the distensibility coefficient, compliance coefficient and the rigidity index made it possible to detect a statistically significant (P=0.0039) direct correlation between the rigidity index and the duration of non-specific aortoarteritis. To a leaser degree, the duration of the inflammatory process influenced the distensibility coefficient and compliance coefficient (r=-0.28; r=-0.30, respectively; P=0.06).

Changes in antigenic characteristics of erythrocytes and number metaphase chromosome in bone marrow cells after experimental and clinical bone marrow transplantation.

Transplantation of allogenic bone marrow from HLA-identical sibs to patients with acute and chronic leukemia receiving immunosuppressive therapy is associated with the appearance of erythrocytes simultaneously carrying donor and recipient antigenic markers: AB0 system, rhesus factor and its subtypes, M and N antigens. Integration of genes responsible for each antigen is realized independently presumably at the level of stem cell, which ensures long-term (>3 years) repopulation of these erythrocytes. Experiments on inbred mice showed that transplantation of allogenic bone marrow is associated with an increase of chromosome number in 39% bone marrow cells 4 days after transplantation, which indicate the possibility of integration of whole chromosomes.

[Dystrophin gene expression in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy after myoblast transplantation]. / Ekspressiia gena distrofina u bol'nykh miodistrofiei Diushenna posle transplantatsii mioblastov.

Based on originally designed technique of myoblast cultivation and in accordance with the approved by the Russian Ministry of Health "one muscle treatment" protocol of myoblast transplantation to the Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, the first in Russia clinical trial of this gene correction method was carried out. Immonologically related myoblast cultures (30 to 90 million cells per patient) were injected after all preliminary procedures into tibialis anterior muscles of four boys selected from a group of volunteer recipients (Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients) based on the analysis of a number of surface antigens in donor-recipient pairs. The condition of the patients remained satisfactory during the whole period of post-transplantation follow-up (from 6 months to 1.5 years). Six months after myoblast transplantation the presence of donor DNA or dystrophin synthesis was demonstrated in muscle biopsies of three out of four patients. This result confirms efficacy and safety of the procedure used.

[HLA-antigens and some pathogenetic aspects of reactive arthritis]. / HLA-antigeny i nekotorye patogeneticheskie aspekty reaktivnykh artritov.

AIM: Investigation of associations of reactive arthritis (ReA) with histocompatibility antigens class I and II and determination of new approaches to assessment of association ReA with antigen HLA B27. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 118 ReA patients with associated intestinal and 82 ReA patients with associated urogenital infection were studied. The infection was identified bacteriologically, with agglutination reaction, enzyme immunoassay, direct and indirect immunofluorescence, culturing. HLA-antigens were studied in lymphocytotoxic test: locus A, B and C in all the patients, DR in 65 patients. RESULTS: ReA triggers were intracellularly parasite bacteria: facultative parasites in the enterocolitic variant (Yersinia, as a rule), obligate parasite in the urogenital (Chlamidia, as a rule). HLA B27 antigen was discovered in 77.5% of patients (RR 45.8), HLA DR1--in 48.4% of patients (RR 3.3). In urogenital variant HLA B27 antigen occurred more frequently than in enterocolitic: 87.8% (RR 95.6) versus 70.3% (RR 31.5); p < 0.01). In HLA-B27-positive patients compared to HLA-B27-negative ones there were higher ESR (p < 0.001), leukocyte count (p < 0.05), concentrations of CRP and alpha-2-globulins (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In HLA-B27-subjects optimal conditions exist for generalization of obligate parasites and favorable for production of facultative ones. The degree of association of ReA with HLA B27 antigens is dependent on adaptive features of microorganisms appearing in the process of evolution--obligaty and facultativeness of their internal parasitivity.

[Clinical and hematological significance of antigranulocyte autoantibodies]. / Kliniko-gematologicheskoe znachenie antigranulotsitarnykh autoantitel.

Sera of thirty patients with acute and chronic immune neutropenias for different target cells: polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL), macrophages, T and B lymphocytes are studied. An increase of the level of antigranulocyte antibodies is associated with a decrease of PMNL count, whereas a decrease of these antibodies' level is paralleled by an increase of the neutrophil count. It is noteworthy that the sera of patients with acute neutropenias contain autoantibodies similar to antibodies to CD13 antigen, which react mainly with the neutrophils. The sera of patients with chronic neutropenias contain antibodies similar to anti-CD45 antibodies and react with all target cells.

[Immunological and hematological reconstruction of recipients in bone marrow transplantation from closely related donors]. / Immunologicheskaia i gematologicheskaia rekonstruktsiia retsipienta pri transplantatsii kostnogo mozga ot blizkorodstvennogo donora.

Erythrocyte chimerism, graft versus host reaction, and course of disease were studied in patients subjected to bone marrow transplantation from 40 HLA identical sibs and 7 monozygotic twins. Disease relapses were observed in 35% of patients after allogenic and much more often in those after isogenic bone marrow transplantation. Relapses occurred in all patients subjected to transplantation from monozygotic twins. These results may be explained by the genetic and biological deficiencies of bone marrow cells from HLA identical sibs. 15% of recipients developed an acute graft versus host reaction after transplantation from HLA identical sibs; this is three times less than after transplantation from genetically unrelated donors, as reported elsewhere.

[Solid-phase method in determination of blood groups and rhesus factor]. / Tverdofaznyi metod opredeleniia grupp krovi i rezus-faktora.

A new method for identification of blood group and Rh factor on polystyrene plates has been developed. For blood group identification the test serum is fixed with fruglumines, for Rh factor identification antiglobulin serum is fixed with 10% gamma-globulin. Blood group and Rh factor were identified in 38 donors; the data indicate a high activity and reliability of typing test plates.

[The phenomenon of the enhancement of the formation of lymphocytotoxic alloimmune antibodies during the use of plasmapheresis]. / Fenomen usileniia obrazovaniia limfotsitotoksicheskikh alloimmunnykh antitel pri primenenii plazmafereza.

Apheresis was applied in 17 patients with hypoplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic renal failure and other diseases sensitized to HLA. Apheresis was done for removal of anti-HLA antibodies and prevention of nonhemolytic transfusion reactions. Multiple massive apheresis led to a marked decrease in the antibody level. After the first or second apheresis with removal of 700.0-2000.0 ml of plasma weekly half of the patients showed increasing titres of lymphocytotoxic antibodies.

[Autolymphocytotoxins in the differential immunodiagnosis of chronic lympholeukemia and malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at the leukemization stage]. / Autolimfotsitotoksiny v differentsial'noi immunodiagnostike khronicheskogo limfoleikoza i zlokachestvennoi nekhodzhkinskoi limfomy v stadii leikemizatsii.

The authors have investigated the possibility of using sera with cold auto-lymphocytotoxic antibodies for the differential diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and malignant non-Hodgkin's disease (MNHD) at the stage of leukemization. The new rapid immunologic method was approved in the diagnosis of 40 CLL and 52 MNHD patients. The high informative value of this method has permitted the authors to recommend its use as an additional procedure for the differential diagnosis of the above lympho-proliferative diseases.

[Preparation of universal anti-rhesus sera using soluble synthetic group A and B substances]. / Poluchenie universal'nykh syvorotok antirezus s pomoshch'iu rastvorimykh sinteticheskikh gruppovykh veshchestv A i B.

Isohemagglutinins alpha and beta were neutralized by soluble synthetic group A and B substances in group ++anti-rhesus sera. The investigations conducted have shown that water-soluble polymers A and B are efficient agents for the preparation of universal ++anti-rhesus sera. The neutralizing properties of synthetic and natural group A and B substances were comparatively studied.