Cross-reactive lysis of trinitrophenyl (TNP)-derivatized H-2 incompatible target cells by cytolytic T lymphocytes generated against syngeneic TNP spleen cells. (41/1197)

Normal spleen cells, when cultured with irradiated trinitrophenyl (TNP)-derivatized syngeneic spleen cells, develop cytotoxic effectors that lyse most effectiviely a TNP-derivatized target that is H-2 compatible with the effector. However, these effectors also lyse to a lesser extent TNP tumor and TNP spleen targets that are H-2 incompatible. This cross-reactive lysis correlates with the degree of cytolysis seen on the TNP-derivatized syngeneic target; it appears to be medicated by Thy 1.2-bearing cells and is inhibited by antisera to the K and/or D loci of the target cell and not by antisera to non-K or non-D surface antigens. Nonradiolabeled TNP-derivatized lymphoid cells syngeneic to either the stimulator or the target are able to competitively inhibit cross-reactive lysis, while TNP chicken red blood cells are unable to specifically inhibit lysis. These data on cross-reactive lysis of TNP-conjugated targets are most consistent with the altered-self hypothesis.  (+info)

ad and ay subtypes of hepatitis B antigen in a case of hypogammaglobulinaemia. (42/1197)

We describe the finding of d and y specificities of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in a case of hypogammaglobulinaemia of the 'common variable' type treated with fresh frozen plasma infusions. Absorption studies show that the two specificities are on separate particles, suggesting dual infection. It raises important questions regarding the relationship between HBsAg persistence and the immune status of the carrier.  (+info)

Immune inhibition of allogeneic lymphoma cells in the peritoneal cavity of mice. (43/1197)

Mice were sensitized with cells of normal spleen, transplantable syngeneic lymphomas, or allogeneic lymphomas differing for alloantigens specified by the major histocompatibility complex. From three to eleven days later, the allograft reactivity of these sensitized and appropriate control mice was evaluated in the peritoneal cavity by the disappearance of injected lymphoma cells or the inhibition of DNA synthesis. For the disappearance test, target cells were labeled with [125-I]-5-ido-2'-deoxyuridine before transfer. For the inhibition test, unlabeled target cells were transferred, but these cells were subsequently exposed to the DNA precursor [125-I]-5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine. In both procedures, cells were recovered from the peritoneal cavity without killing the hosts to measure retained radioactivity. Both tests were immunogenetically specific in detecting secondary allograft reactions, but the disappearance test was less sensitive. By inhibition of DNA synthesis, it was possible to detect primary and secondary reactions, the latter three to eight days after sensitization. Alloantigens associated with the H-2K-Ir regions of Murine Linkage Group IX were more immunogenic than those associated with the Ss-H-2D-Tla regions in eliciting antilymphoma reactions, and female mice responded better than males. It was concluded that the peritoneal inhibition test is sensitive enough to monitor transplantation immunity in vivo and could be applied to animals bearing tumors in sites other than the peritoneum and undergoing chemotherapy.  (+info)

Effect of macrophage depletion on immune effector mechanisms during corneal allograft rejection in rats. (44/1197)

PURPOSE: In rats, corneal allograft rejection is delayed for at least 100 days by clodronate liposomes. These liposomes selectively deplete macrophages. To investigate the immunologic basis for absence of graft rejection in treated rats, the effect of these liposomes on the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and antibody production after orthotopic corneal allotransplantation was determined. METHODS: Transplantations of corneal buttons from PVG rats were performed in AO rats. After surgery, one group received clodronate liposomes subconjunctivally at five time points, and the other group remained untreated. On postoperative day (POD) 3, 7, 12, or 17, rats were killed, the presence of CTLs was investigated at three different anatomic locations, and antibodies against donor antigens were tested. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the groups tested 3 and 7 days after surgery. But on POD 12 (the time of onset of rejection in the untreated group) and on POD 17, the CTL activities detected in the submandibular lymph nodes (P < or = 0.008) and the spleen (P < or = 0.009) were significantly less in the treated groups compared with the untreated groups. In the untreated groups complement-independent antibodies were present only on POD 17, whereas no antibodies were found in the treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: Local treatment with clodronate liposomes was shown to downregulate local and systemic CTL responses and to prevent the generation of antibodies. Local depletion of macrophages in the initiation phase of the immune response appears to lead to a less vigorous attack on the grafted tissue and therefore to promote graft survival.  (+info)

Modification of the immunogenicity and antigenicity of rat hepatoma cells. I. Cell-surface stabilization with glutaraldehyde. (45/1197)

gamma-Irradiated rat hepatoma cells are immunogenic in syngeneic WAB/Not rats, so that immunized animals are protected against tumour-cell challenge and circulating tumour-specific antibody is produced. Treatment of the immunizing cells with glutaraldehyde at concentrations of 0.001% or greater for 30 min rendered these cells non-protective in tumour-rejection tests and no longer able to induce significant formation of specific antibody. However, tumour-specific antigens were shown to be expressed upon treated cells; they specifically bound tumour-specific antibody from syngeneic immune sera assessed in indirect membrane-immunofluorescence tests. Also, these cells specifically absorbed antibody from immune or tumour-bearer sera, as demonstrated in the indirect membrane-immunofluorescence test or a complement-dependent 51Cr-release test. Alloantigen expression was not influenced by glutaraldehyde treatment, although glutaraldehyde-treated hepatoma cells failed to induce alloantibody formation in KX/Not rats. Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of treated cells, surface-labelled with 125I, indicated that extensive cross-linking of the surface protein occurred as a result of glutaraldehyde treatment. The present findings establish that although the expression of a tumour-specific antigen is necessary for the induction of immuno-protection against tumour-cell challenge, this alone is not a sufficient condition for eliciting tumour immunity.  (+info)

Crossmatch difficulties following the prophylactic use of Rh immune globulin. (46/1197)

With increasing demand for platelet transfusion the need to use platelets from Rh-positive persons for Rh-negative individuals often arises. The administration of Rho(D) immune globulin (human) in this situation has been recommended, but may cause serologic difficulties owing to the recipient's passive acquisition of antibodies other than anti-D.  (+info)

Bleeding risk and platelet transfusion refractoriness in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia who undergo autologous stem cell transplantation. (47/1197)

Therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia can be complicated by alloimmunization to histocompatibility antigens (HLA), with resultant refractoriness to platelet transfusions. Autologous peripheral blood or bone marrow stem cell transplantation (referred here collectively as 'autoBMT') is emerging as a standard consolidative strategy in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). We had noted life-threatening bleeding associated with platelet transfusion refractoriness following autoBMT; we therefore retrospectively analyzed 39 AML patients for this complication following BMT. All patients received high-dose chemoradiotherapy, followed by infusion of allogeneic sibling donor (n = 12, alloBMT) or autologous (n = 27, autoBMT) stem cells. HLA alloimmunization was assessed if patients were suspected of immune refractoriness to random donor platelet transfusions. Within 100 days of stem cell infusion, one of three alloBMT and six of 12 autoBMT recipients tested were HLA alloimmunized (not statistically significant, NS). Five of six HLA alloimmunized autoBMT patients experienced delayed bleeding, which contributed to their demise while still in remission (P < 0.001). Increased platelet requirements in HLA alloimmunized autoBMT recipients were observed between days 61 and 100 post-BMT, at a median of 211 platelet transfusions vs 0 in non-alloimmunized autoBMT patients (P < 0.01) and 17 in alloBMT patients. Our data suggest that platelet transfusion refractoriness, when associated with HLA alloimmunization, is a risk factor for increased platelet transfusion requirements, delayed bleeding, and poor outcome following autoBMT for AML.  (+info)

Histoincompatibility and maternal immunological status as determinants of fetoplacental weight and litter size in rodents. (48/1197)

Studies conducted upon inbred strains of mice, hamsters and rats have shown that following the interstrain matings the now familiar covert reactivity of pregnant females to the alloantigens of their conceptuses may benefit the latter in two ways; firstly, it exerts a significant influence upon placental weight, and indirectly upon the birth weight of the fetus-allogeneic placentas tending to be heavier than syngeneic placentas, and mothers specifically presensitized against alien paternal tissue antigens gestate fetuses with heavier placentas than normal females. Specifically tolerant mothers, on the other hand, produce smaller, F1 hybrid, fetoplacental (fp) units. The classic notion that the disparity between the birth weights of F1 hybrid and homozygous offspring is due to hybrid vigor has been challenged by the finding that DA and (DA times F1)F1 hybrid blastocysts transferred to the uteri of genetically tolerant (DA times F1)F1 hybrid rats produce fp units of similar weight Maternal immunological reactivity against the fetus qua allograft may make a significant contribution here. Additional support for the premise that maternal reactivity against fetal alloantigens in some way promotes the growth of the fp unit was afforded by the finding that excision of the para-aortic lymph nodes (which drain the uterine horns) from females before interstrain matings resulted in smaller fp units than in females subjected to sham operations. The finding with one rat strain combination that passive immunization of females with serum against their F1 hybrid conceptuses promoted the growth of the latter suggests that a humoral rather than a cellular immunity may be involved. Secondly, in the three species studied, it was observed that genetic disparity between a conceptus and its mother significantly improved its chances of implantation and development to term.  (+info)