ABSTRACT
We investigated the reaction of the cellular immune system of liver and blood in the C57BL/6 mouse to a metastasizing Lewis lung carcinoma. The cellular immune system of the liver consists of mature and immature macrophages, B-cells, T-cells including their subpopulations, and natural killer cells, and their percentage frequencies differ significantly from those in the corresponding mononuclear blood cell (MBC) compartment. This suggests that the hepatic immune cells represent a system with autonomous function showing a typical homing of its members. Imminent metastasis to the liver is signalled by impressive alterations in the percentage frequencies of nonparenchymal liver cells (NPLC). There are a dramatic loss of mature macrophages, an increase in immature macrophages, a reduction of T-helper cells leading to a low CD4/CD8 ratio, and an increase in natural killer cells. In the blood, the corresponding precursor cells show comparable changes with a delay of at least 2 days. Early metastasis is accompanied by a significant increase in mononuclear NPLC producing tumour necrosis factor alpha. The alterations in percentage frequencies of the NPLC during tumour metastasis differ markedly from the changes in these cells in the liver during endotoxinaemia.
Subject(s)
Liver Neoplasms/immunology , Liver Neoplasms/secondary , Liver/immunology , Lung Neoplasms/immunology , Animals , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , CD4-CD8 Ratio , Cell Count , Female , Immunohistochemistry , Liver/ultrastructure , Lymphocyte Count , Macrophages/immunology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Microscopy, Electron , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer/immunology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/analysisABSTRACT
Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, and represents a potential transfusion hazard. Some Borrelia burgdorferi-infected blood donors may not be disqualified by standard donor selection procedures, thus possibly transmitting the disease. In a follow-up of 14 recipients of blood products donated by such a donor, no clinical signs or serologic evidence of a transfusion-transmitted borreliosis could be demonstrated.
Subject(s)
Blood Donors , Blood Transfusion , Contact Tracing , Lyme Disease/transmission , Adult , Antibodies, Bacterial/analysis , Borrelia burgdorferi Group/immunology , Humans , Lyme Disease/immunology , Male , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Prospective blood donors (n = 1,265, mean age 26 years) were screened for elevated serum ferritin and serum iron. Final diagnosis for hereditary hemochromatosis was made by liver iron concentration (noninvasive biomagnetometry), transferrin saturation, and 59Fe absorption in 3 male subjects. This preliminary result confirms for the first time the current frequency estimation of homozygous hemochromatosis (0.2-0.6%) in a group of young North-Germans.
Subject(s)
Blood Donors , Hemochromatosis/epidemiology , Hemochromatosis/genetics , Adult , Female , Ferritins/blood , Germany/epidemiology , Hemochromatosis/diagnosis , Humans , Iron/blood , Male , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Within a working group of the German transfusion society, a workshop was conducted to evaluate the reactivity of monoclonal anti-D supernatants. During this evaluation 10,000 samples were tested, including 325 Du-samples, with 3-5 IgM type antibodies and 3-4 IgG type antibodies, which were selected to also find 'D-variants'. In general, the reactivity with D+ red blood cells was good, and specific in respect to D negative samples. Some samples have been found to have a different pattern of reactivity than the monoclonal antibodies used. Dependent on the method and on the antibody, in some studies up to 100% of Du samples could be detected by anti-D of the IgM type. Some data indicate that the reaction with Du samples is not dependent on titer. In addition, in separate studies the data show a correlation of reactivity in respect to the Rh-phenotype (CcDuee greater than ccDuEe).
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal , Isoantibodies , Societies, Medical , Germany , Humans , Rho(D) Immune GlobulinABSTRACT
All D+ samples were detected by all monoclonal antibodies (mabs) without any problem. Very few of the 3,000 D- samples showed a +/- to ++ reaction with some of the IgG type mabs using the Coombs technique. It is still open whether these are specific reactions with weakly positive samples, which were negative with polyclonal sera. IgM type mabs detected up to 100% of the Du samples dependent on the Rh phenotype and the technique used (CCDuee > CcDuee > ccDuEe). Most of the CCDuee samples reacted very strongly and should no longer be regarded as Du.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal , Isoantibodies/analysis , Rh-Hr Blood-Group System/immunology , Blood Grouping and Crossmatching , Blood Transfusion , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Immunoglobulin M/analysis , Isoantibodies/genetics , Phenotype , Rh-Hr Blood-Group System/geneticsABSTRACT
All D+ samples were detected by all monoclonal antibodies without problems. Very few of the 3000 D- samples showed a +/- to ++ reaction with some of the IgG type mabs using the Coombs technique. It is still open whether these are specific reactions with weak positive samples, which were negative with polyclonal sera. IgM type mabs detected up to 100% of the Du samples dependent on the Rh-phenotype and the technique used (CCDuee greater than CcDuee greater than ccDuEe). Most of the CCDuee samples reacted very strong and should no longer be regarded as Du.