PHA-induced human T cell colony formation: enhancing effect of large granular lymphocytes.

The capacity of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human T cells to develop into colonies in agar has been evaluated in the presence or absence of a variety of peripheral blood mononuclear cell subsets. A subpopulation of non-T, non-B cells with receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (i.e. third population cells or TPC) was found to enhance considerably the T cell colony forming capacity. Since TPC have been previously shown to be highly enriched for large granular lymphocytes (LGL, i.e. cells with cytoplasmic azurophilic granules and acid hydrolases), LGL were purified on Percoll density gradients and tested for their T cell colony enhancing capacity. It was shown that LGL were indeed the cells capable of enhancing the T cell colony formation.

[Post-partum vesicovaginal fistula: abdominal muscle strip treatment]. / Fistole vescico-vaginali post-partum. Trattamento con lembo di muscolo retto addominale.

BACKGROUND: The Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) very often occur in tropical countries, but their treatment is usually not correct. METHODS: A surgical treatment was carried put on 68 patients affected by VVF from March 1986 to December 19997 in the Nazareth Hospital (Nairobi). Their mean age was 22 years old; 27 patients (39.7%) underwent surgery for the first time, while for 41 patients (60.2%) the treatment was repeated. Fourteen patients (20.5%) had also Vesico-Rectum-Vaginal Fistula (VRV). The VVF was cured with a transvaginal treatment using a Martius strip for 32 cases. For 16 cases both vaginal and abdominal treatment was performed in the same time using an abdominal muscle strip, which was inserted in the space between the vagina and bladder. In VRV and VVF combined cases, the VVF was treated in the following way: first of all, during the same session, the VVF was cured by making a colostomy and then, after 2 months VRV was treated. RESULTS: The follow-up took about 7.2 months; 62 patients (91.1%) recovered, for 6 cases treated only with transvaginal operation, it has been necessary a second surgical procedure owing to relapsing, and for 2 of them an abdominal muscle strip was used. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, while the transvaginal repair is satisfactory treatment for little fistula never surgically treated before, on the other hand the transabdominal vaginal treatment is the best cure forge large or relapsing fistulas.

[Subcutaneous emphysema. Complication associated with pneumoperitoneum during videolaparoscopic cholecystectomy]. / Enfisema sottocutaneo. Complicanza legata al pneumoperitoneo in corso di videolaparocolecistectomia.

Diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopy is a safe procedure, which, however, is not without complications. The rare occurrence of subcutaneous emphysema, as a consequence of pneumoperitoneum, following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, is reported. The mechanism for the development of this complication and its management are discussed.

[The no. 210/92 law: an analysis of the applications for damages caused by vaccine's administrations and transfusions]. / Legge 210/92: analisi delle rischieste di indennizzo presentate da soggetti danneggiati dalle attività vaccinali e trasfusionali.

Practices related to vaccines and transfusions aren't free of risk as regards complications and undesired effects. The no. 210/92 law lays down payments to people who are damaged in consequence of the administration of obligatory vaccines, transfusions and haemoderivatives. Our study valued law's sticking, analysing applications for payment sent in by damaged people to some ASL of Lazio and Abruzzo, in the period 1992-2000.

Suppression of PHA-induced human T-lymphocyte colony formation following in vivo administration of anti-lymphocyte globulin. Report of one case.

The administration of anti-lymphocyte globulin in a patient with pure red cell aplasia completely abrogated the PHA-induced T colony forming capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The possible mechanisms of the ALG-induced suppression are discussed. It is proposed that T-colony assays may represent an useful tool for monitoring some effects of immunosuppressive drugs on T cells.

Large granular lymphocytes have a promoting activity on human peripheral blood erythroid burst-forming units.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were fractionated according to the expression of a variety of surface markers, and the fractions obtained were tested for erythroid burst-forming unit (BFU-E) colony formation. BFU-Es were detected in the HLA-DR+ non-T cell fraction, but gave rise to optimum colony numbers only in the presence of a nonadherent, relatively radioresistant cell. This accessory cell was found among the HLA-DR- non-T, non-B cells, a fraction that was particularly enriched in large granular lymphocytes (LGLs). Experiments carried out to assess directly the surface markers of the accessory cell revealed an FcR+, OKM1+, Leu 7+, Leu 11+, OKT4-, OKT8- surface phenotype, which is consistent with that of the majority of LGLs. Peripheral blood LGLs, purified by Percoll density gradient, proved very efficient in promoting optimal BFU-E colony formation. All of these results indicate that LGLs have a potent erythroid burst-promoting activity. Such activity is probably mediated through the release of soluble factors, as shown by the observation that LGL culture supernatants were as effective as LGLs in sustaining colony formation.

Impaired in vitro growth of PHA induced T lymphocyte colonies in hemodialyzed renal failure patients.

Using an in vitro method that allows the study of the colony forming capacity of phytohemagglutinin stimulated peripheral blood T lymphocytes, we have detected an impaired T cell colony formation in hemodialyzed renal failure patients. By contrast a near normal pattern of responses was observed in patients treated with a conservative therapy. The poor in vitro T cell responsiveness of hemodialyzed patients was not corrected by supplementing the cultures with an adherent cell contitioned medium prepared from normal donors. We conclude that an intrinsic defect of the T cell colony forming capacity exists in hemodialyzed patients.