Richard F. Haines

Major histocompatibility complex antigens, maternal and paternal immune responses, and chronic habitual abortions in humans.

Women with recurrent consecutive spontaneous abortions of unknown etiology compared with those with recurrent spontaneous abortions of known etiology had a significantly, increased frequency of sharing HLA antigens at the A, B, and D/DR loci with their spouses. This major histocompatibility complex (MHC) homozygosity was generally associated with female (responder) and male (stimulator) hyporeactivity in mixed lymphocyte culture reactions. The results indicate that MHC homozygosity between spouses is associated with postfertilization pregnancy wastage in humans.

Immunosuppression with medroxyprogesterone acetate.

A potent synthetic progestin, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPG), was evaluated for immunosuppressive activity. The survival of dogs with renal allografts was significantly prolonged and serum creatinine was decreased in animals treated with large doses of MPG. Survival of dogs with renal allografts which received both medroxyprogesterone and azathioprine was markedly prolonged when compared with animals receiving azathioprine alone. In rabbits receiving MPG alone, skin allografts survived 1.7 to 2.8 times longer than controls. The primary humoral antibody response of rabbits to bovine γ-globulin was also suppressed. The influence of MPG on peripheral leukocyte count and the histology of lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus was studied in clogs. Although probably not as potent an immunosuppressive agent, as azathioprine or corticosteroids, MPG may be useful in humans because of its low toxicity.

Schizophrenia, narcolepsy, and HLA-DR15, DQ6

A strong association between HLA-DR2, DQ1 and narcolepsy-cataplexy has been known since 1986. In 1990 a subdivision (HLA-DR15, DQ6) was shown to be equally associated. Narcolepsy symptoms include rapid eye movement (REM)-sleep intrusion hallucinations during the day. Some narcoleptics may be so hallucinated that they become delusional and receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Fifty-six inpatient schizophrenics and 56 normal controls were compared to see if there was an excess of the narcolepsy-associated antigens (NAA) among schizophrenics. Patients had frequency of the NAA 3.89 times higher than controls. After a subset was studied by night (n = 9) and day (n = 7) polysomnography, two patients were found to be true narcoleptics. Their psychosis improved with treatment for narcolepsy. When NAA(+) and NAA(-) schizophrenics were compared, the NAA(+) subgroup had significantly higher Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores and more hospitalizations. There were no effects attributable only to gender or race. We conclude that narcolepsy can simulate schizophrenia in some cases, and that even in nonnarcoleptic patients, the HLA-DR15,DQ6 antigens mark a group of severe schizophrenics that merits further study.

Prolongation of skin homografts in rabbits, using cyclophosphamide

Summary 1. Cyclophosphamide can significantly prolong the survival of skin homografts in rabbits. 2. The histologic immune response in the regional lymph node and spleen was suppressed. 3. These results appeared to be a direct and specific effect of cyclophosphamide upon the immune mechanism, and not a nonspecific inhibition arising from a toxic state of the animals.

Major Histocompatibility Complex Antigens, Maternal and Paternal Immune Responses, and Chronic Habitual Abortions in Humans

Women with recurrent consecutive spontaneous abortions of unknown etiology compared with those with recurrent spontaneous abortions of known etiology had a significantly increased frequency of sharing HLA antigens at the A, B, and D/DR loci with their spouses. This major histocompatibility complex (MHC) homozygosity was generally associated with female (responder) and male (stimulator) hyporeactivity in mixed lymphocyte culture reactions. The results indicate that MHC homozygosity between spouses is associated with postfertilization pregnancy wastage in humans.