Laminin fragment P1 is increased in the lower respiratory tract of patients with diffuse interstitial lung diseases.

Laminin is a 900,000-dalton extracellular matrix glycoprotein involved in a variety of functions, including cellular movement, growth, and differentiation. The aim of this work was to investigate the presence and biologic significance of this substance in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of diffuse interstitial lung diseases (DILD). Levels of laminin fragment P1 (LFP) were measured by radioimmunoassay in BALF and sera from controls (n = 8) and patients with several types of DILD: sarcoidosis (n = 10), neoplastic pulmonary infiltration (n = 8), pulmonary fibrosis (n = 5), and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (n = 5). Furthermore, their relation to signs of alveolitis (cellular profiles and albumin concentration in BALF) and evidence of pulmonary fibroblast activation (BALF aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen) was examined. Laminin fragment P1 immunoreactivity was detectable in BALF, even in the control group, but patients with all types of DILD had higher concentrations than the control subjects. The serum levels of LFP were similar in all groups studied. Neutrophil and lymphocyte proportions were significantly higher in all DILD groups than in the control group. A positive correlation was seen between lymphocyte proportion and laminin fragment P1 in BALF. Moreover, in BALF a positive correlation was found between LFP and albumin and between LFP and the aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen. The BALF macrophage-associated laminin fragment P1 was significantly higher in the active sarcoidosis subgroup compared with the control group. Thus, laminin is a normal constituent of the epithelial lining fluid. The increase of laminin in BALF of patients with DILD suggests that laminin may contribute to their pathogenesis.

Semen characteristics and diabetes mellitus: significance of insulin in male infertility.

A study was made of semen quality and serum hormonal profiles (FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone) of patients with type I diabetes mellitus. Semen parameters and levels of prolactin and testosterone were significantly altered in the diabetic state. The concentration of insulin in serum and seminal plasma and the serum levels of FSH, LH, and testosterone were measured in 80 men classified in the following groups: fertile subjects, infertile normoglycemic subjects, subjects with carbohydrate intolerance, and excretory and secretory azoospermic subjects. In all groups, seminal insulin concentrations were higher than those obtained in serum. The hormone appears to freely cross the blood-testis barrier, there to be concentrated in the semen. The levels of insulin in serum and seminal plasma did not correlate with semen parameters and are not suitable markers of seminal quality. For unknown reasons, the concentrations of insulin in seminal plasma were lower in the subjects suffering from carbohydrate intolerance.

Immunohistochemical modifications of "B cells" in experimentally-induced pancreatic cancer--correlation with serum insulin values.

In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma induced in the Syrian hamster by N-nitrosobis (2-oxopropyl) amine (Bop) B cells persisted with focal dispersion in the tumor zone. The localization of these varied depending on whether the animals had initial or long standing tumors. In the animals with initial tumors, immunohistochemical techniques indicated the B cells formed part of the tumoral glands and/or were intimately related to the cells of the walls of the tumor glands or present in the stroma. Insulin values were high in these animals. In the longer-developed tumors, insulin levels tended to be lower and although B cells were seen forming part of the tumor glands, those in the tumoral stroma were predominant.

Experimental pancreatic adenocarcinoma: an immunohistochemical study for CA 19-9 and its correlation with serum levels.

Experimental pancreatic carcinoma induced in Golden Syrian Hamsters by subcutaneous injections of N-nitrosobis-(2-oxopropyl) amine (BOP) was studied during the different phases of its development by determination of serum CA 19-9 levels and tissue labeling with CA 19-9 TM. Significant differences were observed in the CA 19-9 values between the controls and animals with carcinoma (p less than 0.01) and between the latter and animals with cystic or cystic papillary lesions (p less than 0.01). Distribution of the deposits of CA 19-9 TM was different in the initial tumoral lesions and in the longer-developed tumors. An important correlation was observed between tissue deposits and serum levels of this tumor marker.

[Assessment of chemotactic activity in newborn infants and during the first year of life (author's transl)]. / Actividad quimiotáctica sérica en el recién nacido y primer año de vida.

Chemotactic activity in 58 full term newborn and in infants during the first year of life was studied. Samples were taken from cord blood and blood drawn at three and 15 days after birth and at one, three, six and 12 month of age. Chemotactic activity was assessed by Boyden's technique. It was found that samples obtained before the first month of life had a decrease of function as compared with those of the mothers. Chemotactic indexes were parallel to those of mothers by the end of the first year of life. These findings suggest that impairment of the function observed in infants may be due to a deficit in synthesis of complement factors.

[Development of the serum levels of complement during the first year of life]. / Evolución de lose niveles séricos de complemento durante el primer año de la vida.

Development of human C. system was studied by quantification of total serum hemolytical activity (CH50) and individual levels of C3, C4 and C5 in full term newborns. Comparison of results in newborn infants and their mothers sera is made. The ratios of neonatal-maternal sera concentrations were CH50, 0.29; C3, 0.61; C4, 0.51, and C5, 0.63. Serum concentrations of C3 and C4 reached maternal concentrations at twelve months of age. Serum concentrations of C4 and CH50 reached maternal levels at six months of age.

[Serum opsonic activity in newborns and through the first year of life (author's transl)]. / Actividad opsónica sérica en recién nacidos y primer año de la vida.

Serum opsonic capacity for "Staph. aureus" was studied in 58 full term infants at birth and through their 1st year of life. The comparison between serum opsonic activity from the infants and their mothers disclosed that infants had a significant decrease of the opsonic activity during the first three months of life. The study of serum levels of C3, C4, IgG and IgM, showed a significant correlation between opsonizationa and low levels of the complement components C3 and C4.