[Glycosylation profile of selected acute phase proteins in children with chronic tonsillitis and allergic symptoms]. / Glikozylacja bialek ostrej fazy u dzieci z zapaleniem migdalków podniebiennych i objawami alergii.

INTRODUCTION: Acute phase proteins may be regarded as laboratory markers of inflammatory processes of various origin, but they also play several important biological roles. As majority of them are glycoproteins alterations in glycosylations profiles form additional sign of disturbances in the cytokines network during inflammation and allow to distinguish between acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 25 children, aged from 6 to 13 years, admitted due to tonsillectomy was examined using skin tests towards specific allergens. Fifteen children out of the whole group showed reaction to pollens, whereas in ten children no allergen was detected despite clear allergic symptoms. In sera samples from every child concentrations of C-reactive protein, alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) were measured using rocket immunoelectrophoresis acc. to Laurell, and glycosylations profiles of AGP and ACT were determined, using crossed affino-immunoelectrophoresis acc. to Bøg-Hansen. RESULTS: Lower concentration of AGP and higher of ACT was shown for children allergic to pollens. Glycosylation profile of both proteins was altered towards higher reactivity with ConA for children allergic to pollens, whereas rather chronic image was observed in children allergic to unknown allergen. The latter image was similar to previously described in children with food allergies. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of allergic reaction may alter the cytokine network activity in children, thus affecting also the immune status, independently from chronic inflammatory process in tonsillitis.

Sulphatide-binding properties are shared by serum amyloid P component and a polyreactive germ-line IgM autoantibody, the TH3 idiotype.

Serum amyloid P component (SAP) concentration was elevated in sera from leprosy patients, significantly so above endemic controls in lepromatous cases. In the sera of lepromatous leprosy (LL) patients who experienced an erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) episode the SAP fell at the onset of ENL and remained low throughout, in two of three cases. Changes in SAP concentration parallel anti-sulphatide IgM concentrations. TH3, a monoclonal IgM germ-line antibody derived from a LL patient, and SAP share similar binding patterns. In this study we demonstrate binding to heparin and sulphatide. Moreover, SAP inhibited the binding of TH3 to sulphatide, as well as anti-sulphatide IgM found in a range of sera, and anti-sulphatide IgG in the only sera sample in which it was found. The observation that anti-TH3 idiotype monoclonal and polyclonal anti-SAP antibodies both inhibited the binding of TH3 and IgM in sera (but not IgG) to sulphatide without binding to sulphatide themselves further demonstrated similar binding specificities. The observations of similarity in binding reinforce ideas that SAP may function as a primitive opsonin, but the clear ability to inhibit binding of autoantibodies suggests that SAP may play a role in ameliorating tissue and particularly nerve damage in leprosy patients.

Immunological assessment of sera of leprosy patients.

IgG levels were significantly high in sera of all types of leprosy. House-hold contacts of lepromatous leprosy (LL) cases also showed significantly higher values for IgG when compared to that of control. Except polar tuberculoid (TT) cases and house-hold contacts other types of leprosy revealed a significant rise in IgA levels in their sera. IgM was only raised in borderline tuberculoid (BT) cases. C-reactive protein (CRP) was present in the sera of all types of leprosy. Highest positivity (97%) was shown by sera from erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) cases. Rose-Waaler antibody (RA) was noted in BT, borderline leprosy (BL), LL and ENL cases. Significance of these findings is discussed.