Correlations between serum lipids and complement components in adults without demonstrated atherosclerotic disease.

The variability due to age and sex and the reciprocal relations of serum IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) were studied in 87 subjects (46 men and 41 women, aged 20-75 years) selected for the absence of significant atherosclerotic lesions. Serum IgA and C3 were higher in men than in women (P less than 0.05) mainly in the age group 41-60, while IgM and HDL-C were higher in women than in men (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.01, respectively), especially in the age group 20-40. Direct univariate correlations with age were found for serum TC (P less than 0.0001), IgA (P less than 0.001), and C4 (P less than 0.01) but the latter correlations was confirmed only in women by multivariate analysis. These 3 variables had the major increment in the age group 41-60 in men, while in women the increase associated with age was more progressive or late. Univariate analysis showed a 'ring' of highly significant correlations (P less than 0.0001) involving serum lipids and complement components (TC-C4-C3-TG-TC). The correlation between TC and C4 was present only in men in multivariate analysis and improved with increasing age. These findings might represent a clue to explain the previously reported association between serum C4 and atherosclerosis.

[Changes in humoral immunity in ischemic cardiomyopathy]. / Modificazioni dell'immunità umorale in corso di cardiopatia ischemica.

The present study has been performed with the aim of assessing the incidence and the possible implications of the changes in humoral immunity in patients with coronary heart disease. Serial determinations of the immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A and M, of specific anti-heart antibodies and of some non-organ-specific antibodies have been carried out in the venous blood of 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), of 30 subjects with angina pectoris (AP) and of 30 controls. The occurrence of anti-smooth muscle and anti-nuclear antibodies resulted negligible in all subjects, while anti-mitochondrial antibodies were found in a relatively high percentage of cases, which is probably due to chance. Only in 13.3% of AMI patients, and in 16.7% of AP subject, were anti-heart antibodies detectable, and their presence was not related to the occurrence of Dressler's syndrome, nor to any clinical finding. The mean IgG curve in the AMI patients showed a triphasic time-course in the first 20 days of disease. In the AP patients an inverse correlation has been found between monthly frequencies of anginal attacks and serum concentrations of IgG (r = 0.382; p less than 0.05). In the control group serum IgA were directly correlated to age (r = 0.493; p less than 0.01); furthermore, in patients with exertional or mixed angina serum IgA were often higher than those of patients with only rest angina (x2 = 3.906; p less than 0.05). These data suggest the working hypothesis that a possible link (of secondary or primary type) between serum concentrations of IgA and severity of atherosclerosis may exist.

[Helper or suppressor activity of T lymphocytes in patients with Berger's disease]. / Attivita' helper o suppressor dei linfociti T in pazienti affetti da malattia di Berger.

We have studied the immunological aspects in ten cases of Berger disease. Interaction between B and T lymphocytes were investigated to define help or suppressor activity 6 cases have demonstrated help activity, while suppressor activity was observed in two cases.

[Serum anti-dsDNA antibodies in lupus nephritis]. / Anticorpi anti-dsDNA nella sierologia della lupus nefrite.

Antibodies to native DNA (dsDNA), are frequently observed in sera from patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), particularly when a severe glomerular involvement is present. An uncomplicated immunofluorescent technique for measuring these antibodies employs the kinetoplast of "Crithidia luciliae" as a dsDNA substrate. We studied with this assay and with ANA-test, 16 patients with active lupus glomerulonephritis before therapy. In 6 cases both ANA and nDNA tests were positive. In 9 cases a positivity was observed only for ANA-test and in 1 for nDNA test. Twelve patients were restudied after therapy when the activity of the disease was reduced. A significant decrease of the titre of ANA-test was observed in 9 out of 11 cases and a reduction of nDNA titre was seen in 4 out of 6 patients. In all cases a good correlation was present between clinical and biological features of the disease and degree and degree of positivity of the tests reported.