Warren R. Jones

Monoclonal antibody production by hybridoma growth in Freund's adjuvant primed mice

Incomplete Freunds adjuvant was used as a priming agent prior to the injection of hybridoma cells in mice to expand monoclonal antibody production. Two hybridoma cell lines, FDO28B (IgG1) and FDO31C (IgM), which produce monoclonal antibodies reactive towards human placenta, were used. Monoclonal antibody was detected in the ascites fluids by agarose gel electrophoresis. It was found that the time interval between adjuvant priming and cell injection could be reduced to 1 day, allowing collection of ascites fluid containing monoclonal antibody within 2 weeks of priming. In addition, as few as 1 X 10(5) hybridoma cells were needed to collect approximately 5-7 ml of ascites fluid containing antibody detectable by gel electrophoresis. Thus priming with incomplete Freunds adjuvant enables production of large amounts of monoclonal antibody in a short time using a low number of hybridoma cells.

Effects of a smoking cessation program for pregnant women and their partners attending a public hospital antenatal clinic.

This study aimed to assess the effect of a hospital‐based smoking cessation intervention delivered by midwives during routine antenatal and postnatal care on the smoking habits of pregnant women and their partners. At the first antenatal visit, women in the intervention group (n=110) were given a demonstration of the immediate effects of smoking on foetal heart rate, brief smoking cessation advice and smoking cessation booklets for themselves and their partners; at delivery, they were given brief advice and a booklet about postpartum cessation. Compared with an historical control group who received usual care (n=110) and assuming those lost to follow‐up continued to smoke, biochemically‐verified maternal cessation sustained from at least 24 weeks gestation to late pregnancy was 6.4% in the intervention group and 1.8% in the comparison group. However, there was no difference between maternal quit rates at six months postpartum. Partners were more likely to try to quit in the intervention group, but quit rates did not differ. Exposure to the intervention was not associated with increased levels of psychological distress, as measured by the 12‐item General Health Questionnaire. We conclude that this type of intervention, when implemented by staff during routine care, is probably associated with a small improvement in maternal cessation in pregnancy, similar to that produced by minimal advice to quit smoking.

Cognitive and Social Influences on Smoking Behaviour During Pregnancy

Summary: Random sample of 292 women attending a hospital antenatal clinic for routine care was surveyed concerning smoking behaviour and beliefs about smoking in pregnancy. Among women who continued to smoke during their pregnancy, most had cut down. Many expressed a desire to quit, felt guilty about not being able to do so, but reported that smoking offered important benefits relating to relaxation and mood control. Forty (27.8%) of the 144 women who were smokers at the time they became pregnant had quit during pregnancy. In a multivariate analysis, a nonsmoking household, and being more convinced about the health effects of maternal smoking, were most strongly associated with successful cessation. These 2 variables alone were able to correctly classify 83.8% of women as quitters or continuing smokers. Implications for health promotion programmes and messages are discussed.

Occasional Review: Allergy to Coitus

Summary: : Acute systemic hypersensitivity reactions to semen are rare but may be life‐threatening. Chronic or recurrent local reactions are more common and may be misdiagnosed as infective or nonspecific vaginitis. The antigen(s) involved in these reactions reside in a glycoprotein fraction of seminal plasma. Allergic vulvovaginitis may also occur in sensitized women when they are exposed to exogenous allergens such as drugs, food and infective agents during sexual activity.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ULTRASOUND LOCATION OF PLACENTAL SITE IN EARLY PREGNANCY

The placenta was located by routine ultrasound scanning before 24 weeks gestation in 615 consecutive obstetric patients. A ‘low lying’ placenta was present in 175 (28 per cent) of the total group; the incidence decreasing from 32 per cent at 16 weeks gestation to 18 per cent at 24 weeks. Of 94 women with an initial ‘low lying’ placenta who were selected for rescanning, only five had a placenta praevia persisting beyond the 34th week. Patients with an early ‘low lying’ placenta had a significantly higher incidence of small‐for‐dates babies than those in whom the placenta remained clear of the internal cervical os on ultrasound scanning.

Identification of extra-villous trophoblast cells in human decidua using an apparently unique murine monoclonal antibody to trophoblast

SummaryMurine monoclonal antibodies were raised to human first trimester trophoblast cells. Eleven antibodies reacted with first trimester trophoblast, tested by immunoperoxidase staining on frozen sections, but only one had apparent specificity for trophoblast after examining reactivities with a panel of other cells and tissues. This antibody, designated FD0161G, bound selectively to syncytiotrophoblast and non-villous trophoblast in first trimester and term placentae. Villous cytotrophoblast was negative. This was clearly demonstrated on freeze-dried, paraffin embedded tissue sections which have superior architecture to frozen sections. FD0161G reacted with extra-villous trophoblast cells in human decidua which are also delineated by a monoclonal anti-cytokeratin antibody. Unlike the latter, however, FD0161G did not react with decidual glands. Thus FD0161G could be used as a specific probe for extra-villous trophoblast in decidual tissue

Autoimmune Disease and Pregnancy

Summary: Autoimmune diseases are relatively common in women, and tend to occur in the childbearing years. These disorders fall broadly into two groups:

Peritoneal fluid 6-keto prostaglandin F1α levels in women with endometriosis

Peritoneal fluid was collected from women undergoing investigations for infertility at laparoscopy performed during the luteal phase. The volume of fluid was recorded and concentrations of 6-keto prostaglandin F 1α were determined by radioimmunoassay. No difference was found in either the total amount or the concentration of 6-keto prostaglandin F 1α in the women with or without endometriosis. Furthermore, there was no difference in the volume of peritoneal fluid between these two groups of women. We conclude that 6-keto prostaglandin F 1α in peritoneal fluid is not associated with macroscopically visible endometriosis.

A longitudinal study of cell-mediated immunity in human pregnancy

Studies of cell-mediated immunity, comprising delayed hypersensitivity skin testing with four antigens, PHA and antigen-induced lymphocyte transformation and detection of the lymphokine, monocyte chemotactic factor, were undertaken in 14 women during pregnancy and in the post-natal period. Skin test reaction sizes to SKSD, PPD, Candida albicans extract and tetanus toxoid were not significantly different during pregnancy. In vitro lymphocyte transformation induced by PHA, SKSD and Candida albicans was enhanced during pregnancy. Monocyte chemotactic factor production was not significantly different during pregnancy. These in vitro tests were performed in the absence of autologous sera. These studies indicate that cell-mediated immune responses are normal during human pregnancy.

Pregnancy-specific β1-glycoprotein as a prognostic indicator in complications of early pregnancy

Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP-1) was measured by radioimmunoassay in patients admitted to the hospital with a clinical diagnosis of hemorrhage in early pregnancy. The results were compared with a normal range and were analyzed for their predictive value in determining prognosis. Six of the total study goup of 54 patients were subsequently proved not to be pregnant and had SP-1 levels below 10 microgram/L, the lower limit of sensitivity for pregnancy detection. Twenty-nine patients had SP-1 levels below the normal range for pregnancy and all had an abnormal outcome (ectopic pregnancy or abortion). The SP-1 level was normal in 29 cases, of which 10 had an abnormal outcome and 19 continued normally beyond the twentieth gestational week. Low SP-1 levels were found in all of the abnormal and none of the continuing pregnancies and may be taken as predictive of an unsuccessful outcome.