CLq precipitin in the sera of patients with allergic vasculitis (Gougerot-Ruiter Syndrome).

The sera from two well-documented cases of allergic vasculitis were examined for the presence of C1q precipitins. Both sera contained material capable of precipitating C1q in agarose gel. The material from one of the sera was partially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation. Sephadex G-200 filtration, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Attempts to identify the nature of C1q precipitin were unsuccessful, but it resembled the high-molecular-weight precipitins of sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In a lesion, deposition of fibrinogen, immunoglobulins, and complement were noted mainly in the vessel walls. No correlation between immunoglobulin and complement deposition in the skin and the presence of C1q precipitins in the blood could be established.

A precipitin for human serum proteins as released under stress by a marine invertebrate, the marsh snail, Littorina irrorata.

A substance released into the environment by stressed marsh snails, Littorina irrorata, precipitates with the beta globulin and albumin fractions of human serum proteins. Other diverse invertebrate species may produce a similar substance. Invertebrate precipitins have not been widely reported, and none like the one described. Some physicochemical and adaptive characteristics of the snail precipitin are presented. This precipitin can be produced in large quantities and has potential application as a diagnostic reagent.

Precipitins to an aflatoxin-producing strain of Aspergillus flavus in patients with malignancy.

Serum samples from 121 patients in whom malignant disease had been diagnosed, were assayed for precipitins to fungal isolates from leukemia-associated environments. Control sera were from age-, sex-, and race-matched patients with no history of malignant disease. Sera from 36 (30%) malignancy patients and seven (6%) controls yielded a precipitin band to an aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus flavus isolate from a leukemia-associated house (x2 = 222, p less than 0.05%). No significant numbers of precipitins were obtained to either of the other fungal isolates from that and another such house. Although A. fumigatus has frequently been incriminated as a source of infection in patients with malignancy, only 9% of malignancy patients had a precipitin response to it, as did 1.6% of controls. Also, the presence of the precipitins to A. flavus was not connected with past radiation or immunosuppressive therapy. However, among patients with precipitins to A. fumigatus there was a higher death rate in the year following the study. Precipitins to A. flavus may be related to heavy environmental exposure possibly leading to aflatoxin exposure which may contribute to development of malignancy though immunosuppressive effects.

Immunological neutralization of cobrotoxin by its homologous precipitin and non-precipitin antibodies.

Anti-cobrotoxin antibodies can be separated into precipitin and non-precipitin antibodies. The precipitin antibody possesses the same binding affinity to cobrotoxin as non-precipitin antibody, but the neutralizing capability of the latter is superior to that of the former in blocking cobrotoxin binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). After preincubation with antibodies, cobrotoxin completely lost its binding activity to nAChR. The dissociation of cobrotoxin-nAChR complex by the antibodies was low, and 60% of the complex formation appeared to be irreversible. These results indicate that the neutralization of cobrotoxin by the antibody may predominantly involve unbound, receptor-free cobrotoxin. The relationships of neutralization capacity and binding affinity as well as bond strength between cobrotoxin and its antibodies are incongruous. Different local conformational changes of a unique Trp in cobrotoxin on binding with the precipitin and non-precipitin antibodies seem to lead to different accessibility for fluorescence quenchers. Characterization of the binding domains by immunoprecipitation with the antibodies correlated with the quenching results. Thus, the binding topography of cobrotoxin may play an important role over the binding affinity and bond strength in neutralization by cobrotoxin antibody.

Purification of specific precipitinogen and extraction of endotoxin from Haemophilus influenzae.

After purifying a Haemophilus influenzae precipitinogen from endotoxic activity by means of ultracentrifugation, column chromatography (Sepharose 6B) and ion exchange chromatography (DEAE Sephadex A25) a fraction was obtained which still contained a specific precipitinogen that was virtually free of endotoxin. Furthermore, during the chromatographic procedures fractions with a high and a low molecular weight endotoxic activity were found. The limulus lysate test was more sensitive in the high molecular weight fractions and the LD50 in mice in the low molecular weight fractions with endotoxic activity.

Isoantibodies to human serum proteins in children after blood and plasma transfusions.

The influence of blood and blood-product therapy was studied in two groups of children: 1) 90 children who had exchange transfusion after birth because of serologic incompatibility (aged 5 months to 5 years). In 7 children of this group isoprecipitins were detected. In 4 cases they reacted probably with lipoprotein group factors. One child had anti-Gm 2 antibodies. 2) 32 patients with various blood diseases, aged 18 months to 17 years, who had multiple transfusions of blood or plasma. In 12 children of this group (38%), precipitins were demonstrated. Two had antibodies to lipoprotein group factors. No anti-Gm antibodies were discovered in this group of children. The results of the study indicate an influence of transfusions of blood and blood products on the formation of antibodies to human proteins.

Further studies on the alpha-precipitins of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

The alpha-precipitins of the Atlantic salmon have been isolated by a combination of chromatography and gel filtration. A monospecific antiserum has been raised and this has been used to measure the concentration of the antigen in 925 fish sera by CELISA. The results were analysed for the effects of sex and disease state of the animal, time of year and year of collection, and the part of the UK from which they were collected. Significant differences were found in all cases. The components of alpha-precipitin were investigated by the isoelectric focusing of pure alpha-precipitin, whole serum and serum heated for 18 h at 95 degrees C. Multiple banding occurred in the acid region of the gels; the number, relative strength and position of the bands depended upon the animal from which the serum was isolated.

Detection of IgG candida antibodies by solid-phase radioimmunoassay and comparison with agar-gel diffusion.

Comparison of solid-phase radioimmunoassay (S-PRIA) and agar-gel diffusion for detecting antibodies to candida organisms was undertaken in patients with systemic candidiasis, candida colonization, noncandida febrile illnesses, and in healthy controls. Radioimmunoassay results were highly reproducible when the same sera were tested on three different days. Sera from all three groups of patients had higher counts per minute (CPM) by S-PRIA then sera from control subjects. Although positive precipitins and high CPM occurred frequently in patients with systemic candidiasis, both precipitins and high CPM were detected in some sera from patients with colonization without system disease.

Urodele egg jelly and fertilization.

Fertilization of urodele amphibians is physiologically polyspermic. These amphibians lack sperm entry blocking mechanisms at the egg surface, such as a cortical reaction or a membrane depolarization. Although, egg jelly is necessary for sperm capacitation, a late block to sperm entry does occur about 30 min after fertilization at a precise interface between jelly layers. The jelly is secreted by oviductal cells. In order to investigate its role in fertilization, we studied some biochemical properties of the oviductal secretions of eight species. In double diffusion experiments on agarose plates, some components secreted by the anterior and the middle parts of the oviduct interacted together and formed precipitin lines. This reaction might be responsible for the formation of the dense zone that delimits the capsular chamber. A hemagglutinating activity was found in the anterior or in the posterior part of the oviduct depending on the species. A 18K or 26K lectin was purified respectively from the oviduct of Ambystoma mexicanum and Pleurodeles waltl. In both species, the site where the late block to sperm entry is operative was spatially related to the location of the lectin in the jelly. However, sperm in contact with the purified lectins did not undergo any visible morphological change.

[Physico-chemical and immunochemical characteristics of oncoprecipitins of crustacin and cyprein specifically reacting with carcinoembryonic antigen]. / Fiziko-khimicheskaia i immunokhimicheskaia kharakteristika onkopretsipitinov krustatsina i tsipreina, spetsificheski reagiruiushchikh s rakovoémbrional'nym antigenom.

Crustacin from Pagurus prideauxii and cyprein from Cyprea caputserpentis have been shown to be glycoproteins with molecular masses 36 +/- 1 and 44 +/- 1.4 kDa, containing 3 and 18% of carbohydrates, respectively. Their amino acid and monosaccharide composition have been determined. Crustacin or cyprein interact with CEA more specifically than carbohydrate-containing polymers with lectins. Carbohydrates unspecifically inhibit this interaction at rather high concentrations. Association constants of CEA-crustacin and CEA-cyprein complexes are 0.6.10(8) M-1, respectively. Besides, ELISA showed that antibodies against CEA bind antibodies to crustacin and cyprein.

[Production of rabbit precipitating antisera to subclasses of human IgG]. / Poluchenie krolich'ikh pretsipitiruiushchikh antisyvorotok k subklassam IgG cheloveka.

Precipitating antisera to human subclasses IgG were obtained by immunization of rabbits by whole molecules IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 and gamma 1-chains derived from IgG1H (Pr). Analysis of the antisera obtained demonstrated that rabbits produced specific antibodies to the antigenic subclass determinants IgG3 well, to IgG2, IgG4--much worse, and failed to produce specific antibodies to subclass IgG1 (in immunization with whole molecules of this protein). Antisera contained antibodies to the antigenic determinants common of IgG, and antibodies to light chains which were removed by immunosorption, for which purpose a sorbent on the basis of BrCN sepharose conjugated with IgG of the three other subclasses and Fab-fragment was used.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: a comprehensive review

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), also known as extrinsic allergic alveolitis, is a complex pulmonary syndrome mediated by the immune system and caused by inhalation of a wide variety of antigens to which the individual has been previously sensitized. The pathobiology of the disease is not fully understood, but in addition to the triggers that initiate the disease, host/genetic factors are likely to be important, as only a minority of exposed individuals develop HP. Due to the lack of a diagnostic gold standard, the diagnosis of HP is not straightforward and relies on the integration of a number of factors, including history of exposure, precipitating antibodies to the offending antigen, clinical features, bronchoalveolar lavage, and radiological and pathologic features. However, in the appropriate setting, a high index of suspicion is critically important and may obviate the need for more invasive tests. Clinical presentation and natural history vary widely. Acute forms generally resolve without sequelae, while chronic forms, which are caused by persistent low-grade exposures, are associated with poor prognosis. Corticosteroids may be useful in acute episodes for symptomatic relief or in chronic and progressive disease, but their long-term efficacy has never been validated in prospective clinical trials. Ideally, patients with HP should be referred to centers with expertise, as the overlap with other forms of interstitial lung disease may be substantial. Making the correct diagnosis has critical therapeutic and prognostic implications (AU)

La neumonitis por hipersensibilidad (NH), también conocida como alveolitis alérgica extrínseca, es un síndrome pulmonar complejo mediado por el sistema inmune y provocado por la inhalación de una amplia variedad de alérgenos frente a los cuales el paciente está previamente sensibilizado. La patogénesis de la enfermedad se conoce parcialmente; sin embargo, además de los activadores iniciales que dan lugar al desarrollo de la enfermedad hay factores genéticos que tienen importancia también, de tal forma que solo una minoría de los individuos expuestos desarrollan la enfermedad. Debido a la falta de un 'gold estándar' para el diagnóstico de NH, se hace necesaria la integración de un número de factores, entre los que se encuentran la historia de exposición al alérgeno, la presencia de anticuerpos precipitantes frente al Ag ofensor, datos clínicos y datos patológicos en el lavado broncoalveolar, y radiológicos. En cualquier caso un alto índice de sospecha clínica es crítica y puede obviar la necesidad de otros test más invasivos. La presentación clínica y la historia natural de la enfermedad puede variar ampliamente desde las formas agudas que generalmente se resuelven sin secuelas a las formas crónicas fibróticas que son provocadas por la exposición de grado bajo mantenida y que se asocian con un peor pronóstico. Los corticosteroides pueden ser útiles en el tratamiento sintomático de los episodios agudos o en la enfermedad crónica progresiva, pero su eficacia a largo plazo nunca ha sido validada en ensayos clínicos diseñados para ese fin. La dinámica adecuada debe dirigir a los pacientes con MH a centros especializados expertos, dado que puede haber otras formas solapadas de enfermedad pulmonar y el diagnóstico correcto es crítico para la aplicación de un correcto tratamiento y un mejor pronóstico (AU)