Effect of ovine follicular fluid peptide on ovarian responses and other organ weights in rats, Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout 1769.

The present study was aimed to study the effect of an ovine follicular fluid peptide on ovarian follicle and good oocyte numbers and weights of ovary, uterus, liver, pancreas and kidney in rats, R. norvegicus. A 30.1 kDa peptide was isolated from ovine follicular fluid by ammonium sulphate precipitation and then gel filtration. The peptide was tested at various levels in normal (22 and 36 day-old), superovulated (29 day-old) immature and 121-day old mature rats on the ovarian responses and other organ weights. The isolated peptide inhibited the growth of antral follicles in normal and superovulated rats. Ovarian, uterine weight and recovery of good oocytes were reduced when the peptide was administered at 100 microg dose. The peptide had no effect on kidney, liver, pancreas weight and recovery of preantral follicles.

Biochemical studies on stimulation of mouse peritoneal macrophages by interaction with preformed immune complexes.

Mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM) were observed to be stimulated by both in vivo and in vitro interactions with preformed HSA-anti HSA immune complexes (IC) having different antigen-antibody ratios. This was indicated by cellular alterations in morphology, increase in cellular protein and lysosomal enzyme contents and a marked fall in 5' nucleotidase level. Analysis of cellular proteins of IC-elicited cells by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed accumulation of 80, 47, 33, 28, 18 and 14 kDa proteins. Insoluble immune complexes at equivalence (IC-Eq) was found to be more effective in the stimulation process as compared to the soluble antigen excess complexes (IC-Ag). These IC-elicited cells secreted lesser amounts of lysosomal hydrolases when explanted in culture medium as compared to resting cells, whereas in vitro stimulation of resident MPM with IC resulted in enhanced lysosomal hydrolase release. IC-induced lysosomal secretion was time and dose dependent and varied with the nature of the complexes. Complement coated immune complexes (IC-CC) induced maximum enzyme secretion followed by IC-Eq and IC-Ag.

Colonic immunity in patients and amoebic liver abscess.

Secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA), coproantibody titre (antiamoebic) and IgA, IgG, IgM immunocytes in rectal mucosa were studied in 13 patients with amoebic liver abscess (ALA) prior to and 4-6 weeks after completion of antiamoebic therapy. Ten asymptomatic Entamoeba histolytica cyst passers and 17 healthy age and sex matched volunteers served as controls. Fecal S-IgA levels and counts of IgA bearing immunocytes in mucosa were significantly higher in patients with ALA and cyst passers as compared to healthy controls and showed a significant fall after treatment. Fecal antiamoebic antibodies were high in cyst passers and in cases of ALA after treatment. Raised levels of S-IgA and IgA class immunocyte counts probably indicate a local mucosal immune response directed at containing the infection.

Demographic features of sporadic acute hepatitis as determined by viral hepatitis markers.

The demographic features of acute x sporadic viral hepatitis as diagnosed by specific markers of viral infection in four different cities in north and north-east India, were examined. Of 405 patients examined, 26 per cent had HB,Ag, 5.9 per cent IgM-anti-HAV antibody, and 8.4 per cent IgM-anti-HBc antibody. Hepatitis B occurred more frequently in male patients (76 per cent) compared to hepatitis A (54 per cent), and in the young adult age group (21-30 years), compared to the latter, which occurred predominantly in children (0-10 years). By using tests to detect HbsAg and IgM-anti-HBc antibody, this study found that hepatitis B accounted for 3 per cent and 8.8 per cent of clinically detected acute sporadic hepatitis in patients less than and older than 10 years of age respectively, which is in contrast with previously-reported rates from India. This study also suggests that many of the infections thought to have been due to HBV, may be due to NANB hepatitis virus. This study emphasizes the importance of specific laboratory tests to draw epidemiologic conclusions regarding hepatitis.

Immunodiagnosis of amoebiasis.

Serological studies were done on 127 cases using three different techniques namely indirect haemagglutination (IHA), indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFT) and counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) to detect antiamoebic antibodies. All amoebic liver abscess cases showed significant titre of antibodies by all the three tests used. In the group of patients suffering from amoebic pathology of liver, 90.47 per cent were positive by IHA, 100 per cent by IFT and 85.71 per cent by CIEP respectively. Among amoebic dysentry and amoebic colitis cases 81.81 per cent and 80.64 per cent respectively were positive by IHA. The corresponding figures for IFT were 100 per cent and 74.19 per cent and for CIEP 90.90 per cent and 64.51 per cent respectively. Follow up study showed no significant fall in antibody titre in nine cases studied upto 10 weeks after treatment. Amoebic antigen could be detected in pus from all the nine cases with amoebic liver abscess by CIEP test.

Cellulose acetate precipitation test in sero-diagnosis of amoebiasis.

Cellulose acetate precipitation (CAP) test for the detection of antibody against Entamoeba histolytica using the axenic antigen, was performed on the 127 serum samples obtained from patients with amoebic liver abscess (14), amoebic hepatitis (21), amoebic dysentry (11), amoebic colitis (31), other parasitic infestations (25) and normal individuals (25). The percent positivity was 100, 95.23, 90.9, 67.74 and 16 and 12 respectively whereas the corresponding figures for the indirect immunoflourescence (IFAT) test were 100, 100, 100, 74.19, 12 and 8 respectively. Although CAP is not as good a test as IFAT, yet it can be recommended for routine testing due to its sensitivity, speed of performance and applicability to a single serum sample.