[Suppressor T-lymphocytes in continuously progressive juvenile schizophrenia]. / T-limfotsity supressory pri iunosheskoi nepreryvno tekushchei shizofrenii.

The study of T lymphocyte suppressors in juvenile continuously progressive schizophrenia showed that the number of suppressor cells in patients was significantly decreased as compared to a group of mentally normal donors; 20.4% and 28.9% respectively. The parallel study of the number of suppressor cells in the peripheral blood and the proliferative activity of T lymphocytes upon their stimulation with mitogenic lectins of PHA and Con A demonstrated that in the mentally normal donors, these parameters were inversely correlated, whereas in the patients with juvenile continuously progressive schizophrenia, there was no such correlation between the above indices. The data obtained are indicative of the impaired regulatory activity of T lymphocyte suppressors in this group of schizophrenic patients.

[Classes of immunoglobulins responsible for serum antithymocyte activity in healthy subjects and mental pathology]. / Klassy immunoglobulinov, obuslovlivaiushchie antitimotsitarnuiu aktivnost' syvorotki krovi v norme i pri psikhicheskoí patologii.

The antilymphocytic activity of the serum was examined in schizophrenic patients and in mentally healthy donors using the method of fluorescent antibodies. It was found that the antithymocytic activity of both the schizophreniacs and the healthy subjects was due to immunoglobulins G and M. The number of thymocytes showing fluorescence under the action of IgG was found to be approximately the same in both groups of the persons examined. When use was made of fluorescein-labelled IgM the number of fluorescent thymocytes was found to be three times greater in the patients than in the healthy subjects. It is suggested that the differences revealed may be associated with an increased avidity of the IgM antibodies, or with disturbances of the synthesis of immunoglobulins in the patients.

[Antithymic factor in schizophrenia patients]. / Antitimicheskii faktor u bol'nykh shizofreniei.

The paper concerns results of the studies, accomplished according to the WHO project within the framework of international collaboration in biological psychiatry. It was demonstrated that the blood sera of mental patients and normals possess antithymic activity. However there are statistically significant differences between the groups of patients and normals with regard to the level of sera antithymic activity (0,22 +/- 0,05 in normals and 0,47 +/- 0,04 in patients, p < 0,05). The medium level of antithymic activity in the group of schizophrenic patients depends upon the duration of the disease. The level of sera antithymic activity was significantly higher (p < 0,05) in the group of patients with a duration of the disease less than 5 years and lower in patients with a duration of the process over 5 years.

Antithymic immune factor in schizophrenia. A World Health Organization study.

Six WHO Collaborating Centre took part in the study of the antithymic activity of blood sera of patients suffering from schizophrenia. Blood serum specimens from 118 schizophrenic patients and 62 mentally healthy donors were investigated. Statistically significant differences between schizophrenic patients and the controls were found (p < 0.05). It is probable that as with other biological phenomena described in schizophrenia, antithymic activity is one of the biological factors, in combination with other factors, predisposing towards the development of the schizophrenic process.

[Nature of antigens antibodies to which are detected in the serum of schizophrenic patients]. / K voprosu o antigenov, antitela k kotorym obnaruzhivaiutsia v syvorotke krovi bol'nykh shizofreniei.

The study was conducted by the immune absorption method. The serum activity before and after absorption was studied with the cytotoxic test and the fluorescent antibody method. The studies demonstrated that antibodies, detected in the blood serum of patients and normals differ not only qualitatively but also quantitatively. It was established as well that antibodies detected in normals may be completely absorbed by the brain and thymus of mice or by similar human tissues. In absorption of antibodies in patients by tissues of mice, the activity of the sera entirely disappears. On the contrary, the brain tissue and human thymocytes only insignificantly decrease the serum titres in patients.

[Quantitative assessment of antithymocyte antibodies in schizophrenia]. / Kolichestvennaia otsenka antitimotsitarnykh antitel pri shizofrenii.

The use of the method of fluorescent antibodies and cytotoxic tests showed that the blood serum of schizophrenic patients and normals possess an antithymocytic activity. However, the level of this activity in patients exceeds the corresponding indices in normals (p less than 0.02). The use of indirect immunofluorescent methods permitted to demonstrate that the antithymic antibody titres in schizophrenic patients is much higher than in normals. The amount of the cytotoxic index is in direct correlation with the level of antithymic antibodies determined by the fluorescent antibody method.

[Effect of schizophrenic patients' serum on DNA synthesis in cultures of PHA stimulated lymphocytes]. / Izuchenie vliianiia syvorotki krovi bol'nykh shizofreniei na sintez DNK v kul'turakh limfotsitov, stimulirovannykh FGA.

The authors studied the influence of the blood sera of schizophrenic patients on the DNA synthesis in a PHA stimulated lymphocyte culture of normal donors. It was established that in 13 of the 15 studied patients the blood sera contained factors, inhibiting the DNA synthesis in lymphocytes in normals. The reactivity of lymphocytes on the PHA was in an inverse correlation with the figure of the cytotoxic index. The assumption is being made that the inhibiting action of the serum is conditioned by the presence of antibodies to thymocytes and T-lymphocytes.

Studies on human brain-thymus cross-reactive antigens.

Antigens shared by human brain and thymocytes and by human and mouse tissues were studied with rabbit anti-human thymocyte antiserum (RAHT). It was found that cytotoxicity of RAHT serum against mouse thymus cells was not absorbed by mouse liver or bone marrow cells. Human brain and thymus cells completely absorbed the anti-thymocyte activity from this antiserum. It was suggested that human brain had antigenic determinants identical or very similar to those found on human thymocytes. Activity of RAHT antiserum against mouse thymus cells was completely removed by an absorption of mouse brain and thymocytes. These results demonstrated that there were shared antigenic determinants between human and mouse tissues.