Parviz Haghighi

Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis Produced by Adoptive Transfer of Splenocytes After Myocardial Infarction

One possible mechanism for neurohumoral activation after myocardial infarction may be the generation of an immune response against cardiac self-antigens. We hypothesize that if there is a T cell-mediated reaction to self-antigens, the transfer of splenic lymphocytes from postinfarct rats into syngeneic rats with normal hearts should result in a T cell-mediated autoimmune myocarditis in the healthy syngeneic rats. Rats were killed 6 weeks after coronary ligation. Splenocytes from animals with large and small infarcts were purified from spleens, activated with concanavalin A, and injected in varying doses into normal syngeneic rats. These recipient rats were killed 6 weeks later, and histopathological studies were performed. Our results demonstrate in vivo evidence of lymphocyte-mediated myocardial injury by adoptive transfer of sensitized lymphocytes from rats who developed congestive heart failure after acute myocardial infarction. The amount of infiltrate and necrosis in the recipient rats appeared directly related to the size of the infarct from the donor rats. This suggests that larger infarcts lead to a greater inflammatory response as well as a greater propensity for alteration of cardiac surface antigens or the emergence of previously sequestered antigens. None of the other organs (kidney, liver, lung, or brain) had evidence of infiltrates. Two-dimensional echocardiography did not reveal systolic dysfunction. This study provides direct evidence of autoimmune myocardial injury produced by adoptive transfer of concanavalin A-activated splenocytes after myocardial infarction. We propose that neurohumoral activation early in the postinfarction period triggers a series of specific inflammatory and immunological events that lead to formation of specific clones of T cells. When these are activated and transferred into normal rats, cardiac-specific cellular infiltration occurs, occasionally accompanied by myocardial necrosis. This model should help to further explore the link between neurohumoral activation after myocardial infarction and the subsequent immune alterations that might be associated with the development and/or progression of congestive heart failure. Additionally, this might be a useful model in which to study other immune-mediated cardiomyopathies.

Tropical Sprue and Subclinical Enteropathy: A Vision for the Nineties

Aside from infectious intestinal diseases with known etiology, there is a group of gastrointestinal disorders mainly affecting the small intestine of individuals predominantly living in and less often visiting or returning from the Third World, usually the tropics, and ranging from asymptomatic structural and/or functional abnormalities of the gastrointestinal mucosa (subclinical enteropathy, SE) to a fully symptomatic condition highlighted by malabsorption of nutrients with associated nutritional deficiencies responsive to folate and broad spectrum antibiotic treatment (tropical sprue, TS). Mounting evidence supports an infectious cause in many instances. The exact nature of the infection, whether initiated and/or perpetuated by enterotoxigenic coliform bacteria, virus(es) or a combination of these, is not clear. Further studies, including those using molecular techniques, are needed in order to clarify various aspects of these widely prevalent disorders.

Non-pulmonary Rhodococcus equi infections in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Rhodococcus equi, formerly known as Corynebacterium equi, was isolated repeatedly from the blood of two patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Neither of the patients had pneumonia while they were bacteraemic, whereas pneumonia has been present in all previously reported cases of human infection with R equi. One of our patients had diarrhoea and the organism was isolated from a stool culture; the other patient had a large granulomatous soft tissue mass in his pelvis caused by R equi. Both isolates were resistant to penicillin and one produced a beta-lactamase. Both patients were treated with vancomycin but only one recovered.

Effectiveness of curettage and electrodesiccation in the removal of basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinomas are slow-growing malignant skin tumors which have traditionally been successfully treated by curettage and electrodesiccation. Curettage and electrodesiccation is traditionally repeated two or three times, but there are no previous studies documenting the value for the repetitions. This study compares the efficacy of curettage and desiccation once and three times in removing basal cell tumors. The results suggest that these neoplasms have two distinct growth patterns. One is more invasive and incompletely removed by curettage-desiccation. The second pattern is removed by a single cycle of curettage and desiccation. It is hypothesized, based on a review of pertinent literature, that these growth patterns are related to immunologic interaction with tumor cells.

Hamartomatous polyps of the colon : Ganglioneuromatous, stromal, and lipomatous

Intestinal ganglioneuromas comprise benign, hamartomatous polyps characterized by an overgrowth of nerve ganglion cells, nerve fibers, and supporting cells in the gastrointestinal tract. This polyposis has been divided into 3 subgroups, each with a different degree of ganglioneuroma formation: polypoid ganglioneuroma, ganglioneuromatous polyposis, and diffuse ganglioneuromatosis. The ganglioneuromatous polyposis subgroup is not known to coexist with systemic disorders that often have an associated intestinal polyposis, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type IIb, neurofibromatosis type I, and Cowden syndrome. We report a case of ganglioneuromatous polyposis plus cutaneous lipomatosis in a 41-year-old man with no established systemic disease. However, he possessed unique anatomic findings in addition to his ganglioneuromatosis, suggesting that the ganglioneuromatosis-lipomatosis in our patient may represent an unrecognized syndrome. This case report and brief review of the literature provide an overview of intestinal ganglioneuromatosis in relation to the hereditary polyposis syndromes and describe the individual ganglioneuromatosis subgroups.

Angiosarcoma of the lung with fatal pulmonary hemorrhage

A patient with fatal pulmonary hemorrhage was found to have angiosarcoma of the lung at postmortem examination. This case, occurring in a man with a prior history of industrial exposure in South African copper mines, is the third well-described primary occurrence of this tumor in the lung.

Intracapsular origin of the long head of the biceps tendon

Abstract A developmental anomaly of the long head of the biceps tendon was found in a cadaveric shoulder. Findings on arthroscopy, routine MR imaging, and MR arthrography were compared and correlated with results of anatomic dissection. MR arthrography appears to be a very good diagnostic imaging method for depicting this anomaly prior to arthroscopy.

Melorheostosis of the axial skeleton with associated fibrolipomatous lesions

Two patients with melorheostotic-like lesions of the axial skeleton are described. In each case adjacent soft tissue masses containing both fatty and fibrous tissues were evident. The presence of such soft tissue tumors as well as other soft tissue abnormalities in melorheostosis emphasizes that the disease should not be regarded as one confined to bone. The precise pathogenesis of the osseous and soft tissue abnormalities in melorheostosis remains obscure.

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease: Portrait of a potentially preventable cancer from the third World

PURPOSE To review the recent progress in the understanding of clinical and laboratory characterization as well as management of immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID). DATA IDENTIFICATION A literature search was conducted using Index Medicus, MEDLINE (1962 to 1989), and bibliographies of identified relevant articles. STUDY SELECTION All international comprehensive reviews, reported epidemiologic or immunologic studies, and prospective clinical trials published or abstracted in English were selected. RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS A high incidence of lymphoma primarily in the gastro-intestinal tract in Third World countries has stimulated enormous epidemiologic and pathogenetic interests globally. IPSID, with a distinctive biologic marker (alpha heavy chain para-protein), affects the young underprivileged population of those countries. The initially benign-appearing antibiotic-responsive immunoproliferative lesions often evolve to fatal high-grade lymphomas. Roles of environmental and host factors in this evolutionary course are emerging. Recently demonstrated malignant potentials form the early onset of pathogenesis have given a new dimension to the traditional management strategy of IPSID. CONCLUSIONS Epidemiologic, immunologic, and pathogenetic data that have emerged over the last 25-year study of IPSID have improved our understanding about the complexity of infection-immunity-cancer interrelationships, comparable to those that have arisen from the study of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Early detection and institution of antimicrobial-based treatment regimens with judicious and consistent follow-up can save the lives of many young patients whose manpower is badly needed in Third World countries.

Sensitivity of chest radiography, computed tomography, and gallium scanning to metastasis of lung carcinoma

To determine the efficacy of radiologic techniques in preoperative staging of the mediastinum for lung carcinoma, the authors studied 45 patients with chest films supplemented with oblique views, esophagrams, gallium scans, and computed tomograms (CT). They interpreted the studies and correlated surgical findings using a modified classification of lymph node regions. The mediastinum was positive on chest films in 14 of the 21 cases with pathologically proved mediastinal metastases (33% false‐negative). Gallium scans in cases with a positive primary were positive in 12 of 15 cases with mediastinal or hilar metastases (20% false‐negative). Computed tomography showed nodes over 1 or 1.5 cm in size in or adjacent to the biopsy‐positive node region in 18 of 19 patients (5% false‐negative), extranodal mediastinal involvement, and 9 of 10 proven hilar metastases. Computed tomography is a sensitive screening technique in patients who would otherwise require an invasive staging procedure, but is not highly specific (false‐positive rate 38%).