[Superantigens and antigen recognition of T lymphocytes]. / Süperantijenler ve T lenfositlerinin antijeni tanimasi.

Superantigens are antigens which can stimulate T cells bound to MHC molecules. The conventional foreign antigens are recognized by the T cell within the MHC peptide binding groove. Superantigens differ from conventional antigens. They bind with high affinity to class II MHC molecules outside the antigen binding groove in the absence of antigen processing. The MHC class II/superantigen complexes on antigen presenting cells trigger the proliferation of T cells expressing the TcR-VB gene products. Superantigens can amplify or suppress immune responses. To date, two main groups of superantigens have been described, namely endogenous and exogenous superantigens. Exogenous superantigens are microbial toxins and other protein products. Endogenous superantigens are the products of unlinked genetic loci in mice the best known of which are the murine retroviral gene products. Toxins of S. aureus and S. pyogenes are the best known exogenous superantigens, implicated in Toxic Shock Syndrome.

[Anticardiolipin antibodies in autoimmune rheumatic diseases]. / Romatizmal otoimmün hastaliklarda antikardiyolipin antikorlarinin arastirilmasi.

In this study, ELISA and VDRL tests have been employed in order to detect ACL antibodies in sera samples obtained from 105 patients with SLE, RA, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, primary Sjögren's syndrome, vasculitis and pulmonary thromboemboli; Using by IFAT, AMA-type 5 and other autoantibodies, RIA anti-DNA antibodies were also tested in SLE patients. In sera obtained from the patients with RA; autoantibodies and RF have been investigated. In SLE cases, ACL antibodies were found to be positive in 55.5% of the patients. In RA cases the rate of ACL antibodies were found to be 51.7%. In SLE cases, the presence of IgG-ACL antibody was found to be in association with thrombosis and fetal loss; while IgM-ACL antibody was found to be in association with fetal loss only. Serologic parameters such as VDRL and AMA type 5 were significantly connected with the presence of ACL-IgG and IgM antibodies (p less than 0.05). In cases of RA connection was detected only between IgG-ACL antibody and thrombosis. Concerning the other rheumatic autoimmune diseases; ACL antibodies were detected in cases: 4 patients out of 11 scleroderma, 1 patient out of 7 vasculitis, 2 patients out of 5 primary Sjögren's syndrome, and 3 patients out of 6 pulmonary thromboemboli.

[Reproductive immunology]. / Reprodüktif immünoloji.

In this article, immunology of fetoplacental survival in pregnancy and immunologic mechanisms in infertility, abortions and preeclampsia are discussed. Rh incompatibility, pregnancy in renal transplant patients, autoimmune diseases and cancer in pregnancy are also reviewed.

[The immunologic processes of the etiopathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome]. / Sjögren sendromunun etyopatogenezinin immünolojik olarak incelenmesi.

In this study 32 Sjögren's syndrome cases--16 primary and 16 secondary--have been followed-up for 3 years in Hacettepe University Medicine Faculty Ophthalmology Department. The serum levels of rheumatoid factor and complement have been determined and autoantibodies have been looked for by the indirect immunofluorescence technique. The immunological processes that play a role in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome have been discussed with regard to the results of the study.

[Lymphocyte population and T lymphocyte subsets in brucellosis analyzed by monoclonal antibodies]. / Brusellozisde lenfosit popülasyonlari ve T-lenfosit alt gruplarinin monoklonal antikorlar ile degerlendirilmesi.

In this study, T-lymphocyte subsets and HLA-DR antigen (+) cells in the peripheral blood of 19 patients with acute brucellosis were determined and the results were compared to 19 healthy control subjects. Our findings suggest that exposure of the immune system to brucella microorganism and related antigens results in an increase in the circulating "activated" cell numbers (HLA-DR+) without significant alterations in the subpopulations of peripheral blood lymphocytes.

[Serological tests for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis]. / Toksoplazmozis tanisinda serolojik testlerin degerlendirilmesi.

There are number of tests that can be used in diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis. The clinical findings should always be supported by serological tests for a definitive diagnosis. A four fold use in the titre, or a titre of over 1:32 for IgM should be sought for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis. In this article the validity of the IgG and IgM antibody titres in diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis and congenital toxoplasmosis are discussed.

[Examination of the role of C. trachomatis in genitourinary infections using enzyme immunoassay and Giemsa staining]. / Genitoüriner sistem infeksiyonlarinda, enzim immunoassay ve giemsa boyama yöntemleri ile C. trachomatis rolünün arastirilmasi.

In the past decade C. trachomatis (serotype D-K) has been established as an important etiologic agent in genitouriner tract infections in both women and men. Laboratory diagnostic tests for Chlamydia include direct microbiologic isolation and serologic and cytologic techniques. In studies lasting from Oct. 11th 1985 - to the Feb. 21st 1986, a total of 600 people were tested in parallel by EIA and giemsa staining. These people comprised three groups. The largest group, 380 patients, had genitourinary infections, the second, control group, of 127 people were healthy and the third, risk group (contacts of infected or suspected people) of 93 people were also healthy. C. trachomatis was found in 10.7% of the patients group, 7.2% of the risk group and 1.5% of the control group.

[Selective IgA deficiency in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis]. / Sistemik lupus eritematozus ve romatoid artritli hastalarda IgA yetmezliginin arastirilmasi.

In this study, antinuclear antibody (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF) studied and IgA was determined with single radial immunodiffusion (RID) technic in the sera of 96 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 25 with rheumatoid arthritis and 100 normal individuals. In normal control group, the average level of IgA was found to be 212 mg/dl. In one patient (1: 100), IgA deficiency was detected with a level of 2.1 mg/dl, the average level of IgA in 96 patients with SLE was 320 +/- 16.25 mg/dl. In 3 patients of this group IgA deficiency was observed. According to this finding, the prevalence of IgA deficiency in the group of SLE ise 1: 32. This prevalence is higher than that of the normal population. The average level of IgA in 25 patients with RA 302.66 +/- 36.57 mg/dl. In this group we observed IgA deficiency only in one patient which means a prevalence of 1: 25, that is higher than the normal group. Reports indicate that the incidence of IgA deficiency in general populations may vary from 1: 400 up to 1: 3080. But in patients with SLE and RA, this may be encountered more frequently as we observed in our cases.

[Detection of antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence in patients with alopecia areata]. / Alopecia areatali hastalarda serumda indirekt immunofluoresan yöntemle antikorlarin saptanmasi.

Autoantibodies were studied by indirect immunofluorescence method in the sera of 40 patients with alopecia areata. Autoantibodies to parietal cells of the stomach and the antinuclear antibodies were found to be positive in 4 and in 1 case respectively.

[Mechanism of immune response]. / Bagisiksal yanitin olus mekanizmasi.

The mechanism of immune response is not yet very well understood. In the formation of immune response the macrophage, B and T lymphocytes are effective. In the interaction of these cells the physical and soluble secretory factor of the macrophages and T cells induce the differentiation and proliferation of the T and B cells. The immune response genes which are found in major histocompatibility complex genes influence the formation of immune response as well.

[The value of antibody coated bacteria in the evaluation of the level of urinary tract infections]. / Idrar yolu enfeksiyonlarinin düzeyini belirlemede antikorla kapli bakterinin degeri.

In 51 female and 43 male patients urinary tract infections (UTI) were detected by urinary cultures. The levels of UTI were detected by clinical and by physical studies, and by laboratory and X ray findings. In 42 of the patients, lower level UTI and in 52 patients upper level UTI were found. In 57.4% of the cases E. coli and in the remainder, proteus, pseudomonas, klebsiella, staphylococci and streptococci were found in decreasing rates as being the etiological agents of UTI. In 20 male and 32 female patients, upper level UTI were found. In the urine sediments of 85% males and 84.3% females with upper level UTI and in 13% males and 11% females with lower level UTI, antibody coated bacteria (ACB) were found to be positive. The difference of ABD in upper and lower level UTI was found to be significant and the detection of ACB by direct fluorescens method in urine sediments was shown to be valuable in the diagnosis of UTI.

[Aging and immune response (author's transl)]. / Yaslilik ve bagisiksal yanit.

In this article the changes of immune responsiveness in aging are discussed. It was seen that especially the constitutional and functional changes of thymus in aging caused a decrease in cellular immune response. The relationships of these changes are discussed as a possible factor in infections, autoimmunity and neoplastic diseases.

[Immunological reactions related to drugs]. / Ilâlclar ile ilgili immünolojik reaksiyonlar

Drugs, when bound with proteins invivo, become immunogenic. The immunogenic response is usually unnoticed, but occasionally it may be the cause of reactions which induce tissue damages. The immunologic mechanisms which induce tissue damages are classified in four types: 1) anaphylactic, 2) cytolytic, reactions mediated by immune complex, 4) delayed type hypersensitivity reactions. Besides these reactions certain drugs induce autoantibodies which give lupus signs. In the diagnosis of drug-induced reactions the history after drug intake is considered important. The prophylaxis and treatment of these reactions are discussed briefly.

[Differences in the levels of serum immunoglobulins in various cancer patients]. / Cesitli tümör olgularinda serum immunoglobulin-lerinin kantitatif degismeleri

IgG and IgM were purified from human peripheral blood sera and IgA from human colostrum. A method is established to measure the Ig classes quantitatively which is a modification of Mancini's radialimmundiffusion technique. Three Ig clases were detected from 136 cancer patients and compared with 34 healthy controls. In sarcoma there was an increase in the 3 classes of Ig in serum. These differences were also significant in patients with bone tumors. A raised level of three classes of Ig was seen.