Monroe M. Vincent

Transfer Factor for the Prevention of Varicella-Zoster Infection in Childhood Leukemia

Abstract Sixty-one patients with leukemia and no immunity to chickenpox were given dialyzable transfer factor or placebo and followed for 12 to 30 months in a double-blind trial designed to examine...

Effects of Adenine Arabinoside on Cellular Immune Mechanisms in Humans

In vitro lymphocyte blastogenic responses to the commonly employed mitogens, phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed, and concanavalin A, were evaluated when adenine arabinoside (ara-A) in a concentration of 3 μg/ml was added to the culture materials. Similarly, blastogenic and cytotoxic responses to cell cultures persistently infected with herpes simplex virus 1, herpes simplex virus 2, and varicella-zoster virus were determined in the presence of ara-A. No depression of these cellular immune responses by ara-A was demonstrated. This was in contrast to the effect of cytosine arabinoside, which at a concentration of 3 μg/ml severely inhibited these immune responses. Further studies examined lymphocyte blastogenic responses to the mitogens and blastogenic and cytotoxic responses specific for the herpes group virus infecting patients who were subsequently treated with ara-A; determinations were made before, during, and after treatment. In vitro responses during and after treatment with ara-A were unchanged or often enhanced as compared to pretreatment values. Therefore, the antiviral chemotherapeutic agent, ara-A, does not appear to depress the hosts cellular immune responses, which are vital to successful elimination of invading herpes group viruses.

Inhibitory effects of bilirubin on cellular immune responses in man

A significant depression in cell-mediated immunity as measured by lymphoproliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin and responsiveness to mixed lymphocyte culture was observed when adult lymphocytes or cord blood lymphocytes were incubated with increasing concentrations of bilirubin. The inhibitory effect of bilirubin could only be demonstrated with suboptimal concentrations of PHA (0.01 and 0.005%) and was more marked in premature infants than in term neonates or adults. This effect was partially reversible after short preincubation with bilirubin, but was more protracted with preincubations of 24 hours or more. Inhibition of MLC responsiveness of 80.1 plus or minus 5.1% was also demonstrated at a bilirubin concentration of 20 mg/dl. Specific cytotoxicity to rubella virus-infected cells, measured by a 51Cr-release microassay, was not found to be depressed. Bilirubin thus appears to have an inhibitory effect on immune responsiveness which is greater on the afferent limb than on the effrent limb of immunity.

Isolation from Man of “Avian Infectious Bronchitis Virus-like” Viruses (Coronaviruses) similar to 229E Virus, with Some Epidemiological Observations

Albert Z. Kapikian, Harvey D. James, Jr. Sara J. Kelly, Jane H. Dees, Horace C. Turner, Kenneth Mcintosh, Hyun Wha Kini,t Robert H. Parrott4 Monroe M. Vincent,^ and Robert M. Chanock From the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland.

Herpesvirus hominis Types I and II: A Specific Microindirect Hemagglutination Test

Summary A microindirect hemagglutination test (IHA) for the determination of type-specific antibody to Herpesvirus homin-is (Types I and II) was developed and evaluated in comparison to the quantitative microneutralization procedure. Paired human sera from 14 patients with complement-fixing antibody rises to herpesvirus were tested with all three methods. The IHA test, as described, appears to be rapid, simple and valuable technique for a detection of Type I and Type II herpesvirus infections and may be useful for classifying herpesvirus isolates. We wish to acknowledge the technical assistance of Mrs. Anita Ley, Mr. Melvin Hess, and Miss Sally Hensen.

Specific inhibitory factors of cellular immunity in children with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Employing a 51Cr release cytotoxicity microassay, and using both measles-and SSPE-infected target cells, four patients with documented SSPE were evaluated for specific cellular and humoral immunity. Mononuclear leukocytes from SSPE patients and control subjects exhibited comparable cytotoxicity. Serum and CSF from these SSPE patients inhibited the cellular response to SSPE-infected cells but not to measles-infected cells. Moreover, fresh whole serum alone from control donors produced significant 51Cr release from both cell lines, whereas SSPE whole serum was effective only against measles-infected cells. CSF from an additional ten patients with SSPE was examined for inhibitory activity: seven of these completely blocked and one partially blocked cell-mediated cytotoxicity to SSPE-infected cells. Preliminary characterization of the serum inhibitory factor suggested that it is IgM or antigen-antibody complexes. These data also suggest antigenic differences between the SSPE and measles viruses.

The Bentonite Flocculation Test for Detection of Plant Viruses and Titration of Antibody

Summary A flocculation test using a highly stable antibody-sensitized bentonite was used to detect plant viruses in both crude and purified preparations. Conversely, antisera could be titrated with bentonite suspensions coated with purified virus. In both systems, the bentonite flocculation test proved rapid, sensitive and specific.

The immunologic role of tonsillar tissues in local cell-mediated immune responses†

THE ROLE OF SECRETORY IMMUNOGLOBULINS in local immunity to infectious agents has been extensively examined, l Although secretory antibodies of the IgA class have been shown to be important in the protection of mucosal surfaces against certain infectious agents, relatively little information is available concerning the role of local cell-mediated immunity in such areas. Recent evidence, derived from animal studies, suggests that respiratory tract CMI is relatively independent of systemic CMI. 25 Recently, Jurgensen and associates, 6 in studies of local cell-mediated immunity in the human being, reported a good correlation between CMI in circulating lymphocytes and in cells obtained by bronchial alveolar lavage. Furthermore, these workers have shown that local CMI was best st imulated

Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity in Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus Infections in Man

Summary Cell-mediated cytotoxic activity in circulating mononuclear cells from patients with recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections with types 1 and 2 was examined employing target cells acutely infected with HSV in a 51Cr-release assay. Cytotoxicity was determined both when lesions were present and when lesions were absent in otherwise normal patients and was compared to levels of cytotoxicity in sero-positive individuals without histories of recurrences. When lesions were present, patients with recurrences had significantly higher levels of cytotoxicity than when lesions were absent. In the absence of lesions, cytotoxicity in patients with recurrences was not significantly different from levels in sero-positive individuals without recurrences. These patterns of cytotoxicity were observed in patients with both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections. These studies indicate that patients with recurrent HSV infections have intact cell-mediated immune responses, as measured by this assay; and that although the levels of response vary with activity of the underlying infection, the responses are equal to or greater than those observed in sero-positive individuals without recurrences.

Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity to viruses in patients with multiple sclerosis: Presence of a blocking factor

Abstract Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity to virus-infected target cells was investigated in 14 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) by using a 51Cr-release lymphocytotoxicity microassay. Lymphocytes from patients and normal controls were incubated with 51Cr-labeled target cells persistently infected with either measles, SSPE (subacute sclerosing panencephalitis) or rubella virus, and the culture supernatant fractions were assayed for released 51Cr in the presence or absence of serum from normal measles-immune individuals or from patients with MS. Specific immune release (SIR) was similar in both groups studied with all three virus strains in the absence of added serum. Serum from patients with MS, however, inhibited the SIR effected by normal or patient lymphocytes from measles or SSPE-infected cells but not from rubella-infected cells; normal immune serum did not inhibit the SIR from any of the target cell lines tested. Partial characterization of this blocking factor by fractionation on a Sephadex G-200 column revelas that it is associated with the 7S fraction. These data suggest a normal lymphocyte “killer” function in patients with MS but present evidence for a serum blocking factor(s) with specificity for measles and SSPE viruses in these patients.