Sohei Shinka

Ascaris suum: Suppression of reaginic and hemagglutinating antibody responses in the mouse by crude extract and maintenance fluid

Abstract Intraperitoneal administration in mice of crude extract (CE) or maintenance fluid (MF) of Ascaris suum in Freunds incomplete adjuvant (FICA) in doses of 200 and 2 (CE) and 4 μg (MF) on Days −4, 0, and +4 relative to the day of the immunization with 10 μg of hen egg white lysozyme (HL) resulted in the suppression of anti-HL reaginic antibody responses at varying degrees depending on the dose and their time of administration. Hemagglutinating antibody responses were also affected but in a different manner. Treatment with CE on Day −4 resulted in complete suppression of reaginic antibody responses and some degree of suppression of hemagglutinating antibody responses depending on the size of the CE dose. In mice pretreated with MF, transient suppression was found only for reaginic antibody responses. In mice receiving the treatment of CE on Day 0, 200 μg of CE caused complete suppression of reaginic antibody responses, while 2 μg was less effective. Hemagglutinating antibody responses were also suppressed in proportion to the dose. Simultaneous treatment with MF did not cause any suppression of either reaginic or hemagglutinating antibody responses. In mice treated with CE on Day +4, reaginic antibody responses were not markedly suppressed and hemagglutinating antibody responses were also not altered. In contrast, treatment with MF on Day +4 resulted in suppression of reaginic antibody responses during the whole course of the primary response, but had no effect on hemagglutinating antibody responses. When MF was administered 7 days after the priming, no suppressive effect on the antibody responses was demonstrated. On the other hand, if a lower dose (1 μg of HL) was used for the priming, the effect of MF treatment with Day +4 was more pronounced in the primary reaginic antibody response and the secondary response was also affected. A comparable suppression of hemagglutinating antibody responses also was observed.

The effects of anesthesia and surgery on count and function of neutrophils.

The effects of anesthesia and surgery on neutrophil count, chemotaxis and neutrophil alkaline phosphatase (NAP) score were investigated in 10 patients who had elective spine surgery. Plasma levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol were measured and correlations between hormonal levels and neutrophil count and function were assessed.Neutrophil count started increasing after the initiation of surgery, reached the highest level at 3 hours after surgery, and decreased gradually toward preanesthetic level on 3rd postoperative day. The increase in band cell: segment cell ratio is prominent, whereas lymphocytes decreased significantly. Neutrophil chemotaxis and spontaneous migration were increased significantly from the end of operation to 1st postoperative day. NAP score, assumed to reflect the neutrophil phagocytic activity, lowered transiently during anesthesia, then increased 1.6 times more than preanesthetic level on 1st postoperative day. It was indicated that the increased cortisol release rather than adrenaline due to body r-esponse to surgical stress might induce neutrophilia, and that the elective spine surgery might not be deleterious to the neutrophil function.

Relationship between general or specific immunoreactivity and prognosis in postoperative patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

SummaryThe levels of a variety of immunological parameters were examined in 203 preoperative patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at various stages (I–IV). The changes in the peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) count, the serum level of immunosuppressive acidic protein and the degree of the skin reaction to purified protein derivative were associated significantly with the stage of HCC progression. However, the percentages of lymphocyte subsets, mitogenic responsiveness of PBL and serum immunoglobulin concentration remained at the levels of stage I. Further study demonstrated that in patients undergoing hepatic artery ligation, there were statistically significant correlations between the PBL count, immunosuppressive acidic protein concentration and intensity of the skin reaction to purified protein derivative, assayed 1 month after surgery, and the prognosis. HCC-specific immunity was examined in 34 patients treated by hepatic resection or hepatic artery ligation using in vitro responses of PBL to HCC extracts (ATS test). This test was performed using culture medium containing added arginine. None of the PBL from the patients showed a positive response to allogeneic HCC extracts, but the PBL from 12 patients (9 hepatic resections, 3 hepatic artery ligations) were stimulated significantly (SI ⩾ 2.5) with autologous HCC extracts. In 7 of 9 hepatic resection patients who were positive in the ATS test, tumor recurrence was identified. Statistical analysis indicated that the ATS test result was significantly correlated with tumor recurrence in hepatic resection patients. Autologous-PBL-stimulating activities were isolated in a fraction at pH 8.3 and in fractions at pH 6.7–7.0 by chromatofocusing of the crude extract. Although identification of the HCC-specific antigen remains to be done, use of the above fractions may simplify the ATS test procedure and improve its sensitivity.

IL‐1 and PGE2 Productions by the Regional Lymph Node Cells from DNFB‐sensitized Mice

Interleukin 1 (IL‐1) and Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are mainly produced by macrophage/monocytes. In this experiment, we investigated the immunological role of macrophage/monocytes in the lymph nodes (LNs) by measuring IL‐1 and PGE2 productions of regional LN cells from dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)‐sensitized and ‐tolerant mice. LN cells from sensitized mice produced IL‐1 in remarkable amounts after in vitro antigen stimulation. On the other hand, the LN cells from tolerant mice failed to produce IL‐1 or PGE2. These data indicate that, by modifying cytokine production, macrophage/monocytes in the regional LNs play a key role in the pathomechanism of contact hypersensitivity.

In vivo interaction between Trypanosoma gambiense and leucocytes in mice

Naturally occurring phagocytosis of Trypanosoma gambiense by mouse eosinophils and neutrophils was reported. In vivo and in vitro experiments using monoclonal antibodies confirmed that the phagocytosis is triggered by G1 class antibodies against variable surface antigen. Ultrastructural observation revealed the mode of entry and the intracellular fate of T. gambiense: initial attachment, pseudopodia formation and complete invagination. This phagocytosis resulted in the killing of T. gambiense by mouse eosinophils and neutrophils, suggesting that eosinophils and neutrophils give at least partial protection against infection with T. gambiense in combination with the specific antibodies.