[Rehabilitation in persons with schizophrenic spectrum disorders: the impact of cognition and cognitive remediation therapy]. / Rehabilitation von Menschen mit schizophrenen Psychosen: Die Bedeutung von Kognition und Training kognitiver Funktionen.

Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder, which severely limits the social and occupational functioning. Employment, education, relationships, housing and health are among the most frequently stated life and treatment goals among persons suffering from schizophrenia. Rehabilitation for persons with schizophrenia aims at preservation and improvement of psychosocial functions in areas such as work, social relationship and independent living skills, promotes recovery-oriented interventions and, therefore, serves the central goals of affected persons. Cognitive functioning, education, negative symptoms, social support and skills, age, work history, and rehabilitation service to restore community functioning have proven to be strong predictors for successful psychiatric rehabilitation. It makes sense to concentrate on these predictors when improvement of psychiatric rehabilitation is targeted. Cognitive remediation produces moderate improvements in cognitive performance and, when combined with functional training and embedded in comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation, also enhances functional outcome. Germany provides a highly differentiated system of psychosocial support for schizophrenic patients. However, the "German disease" with different care providers being in charge in subsequent stages of recovery hampers efficient organisation of psychiatric rehabilitation. Improvement of overall organisation, i.e., configuration of interfaces, understanding of the complex interactions of measures, design of disease specific programmes, research and economic evaluation constitute major challenges in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation.

Memory performance in acute and weight-restored anorexia nervosa patients.

BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN), at the stage of starvation and emaciation, is characterized by abnormalities in cognitive function, including memory performance. It is unclear whether memory impairment persists or is reversible following weight restoration, and whether memory function differs between AN subtypes. The aim of the present study was to investigate general memory performance in currently ill and fully weight-restored patients of different AN subtypes. METHOD: Memory performance was assessed using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) in a total of 99 participants, including 34 restricting-type AN patients (AN-RESTR), 19 binge-eating/purging-type AN patients (AN-PURGE), 16 weight-restored AN patients (AN-W-R) and 30 healthy controls (CONTROL). Cognitive evaluation included a battery of standardized neuropsychological tasks for validating the findings on memory function. RESULTS: Deficits were found with respect to immediate and delayed story recall in currently ill AN patients irrespective of AN subtype. These deficits persisted in weight-restored AN patients. Currently ill and weight-restored AN patients did not differ significantly from healthy controls with respect to working memory or other measures of neuropsychological functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that impaired memory performance is either a stable trait characteristic or a scar effect of chronic starvation that may play a role in the development and/or persistence of the disorder.

Low-dose mistletoe lectin-I reduces melanoma growth and spread in a scid mouse xenograft model.

This study investigates the effects of mistletoe lectin-I (ML-I) on melanoma growth and spread in vivo. The human melanoma cell line MV3 was xenografted into severe combined immunodeficient mice and vehicle solution or purified ML-I was administered at 30, 150 and 500 ng per kg body weight (20 mice per group) daily. After 19 days, mice were killed, primary tumours (PTs) and lungs were dissected out, and tumour weights, number of lung metastases (LMs), number of tumour-infiltrating dendritic cells (DCs), and apoptosis rates in the melanoma cells and in the DCs were assessed. A 35% reduction of PT weight (P=0.03) and a 55% decrease in number of LMs (P=0.016) were evident for low-dose ML-I (30 ng kg(-1)) treatment but not for higher doses. Mistletoe lectin-I increased apoptosis rates in the melanoma cells of PTs at all doses, while no induction of apoptosis was noted in the LMs. Low-dose ML-I significantly increased the number of DCs infiltrating the PTs (P<0.0001) and protected DCs against apoptosis, while higher doses induced apoptosis in the DCs (P<0.01). Our results demonstrate that low-dose ML-I reduced melanoma growth and number of metastases in vivo, primarily due to immunomodulatory effects.

Pergolide as adjuvant therapy to amisulpride in the treatment of negative and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia.

Negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia are associated with a hypodopaminergic state in the frontal cortex and do not respond to neuroleptics equally well as positive symptoms. Therefore pharmacological strategies, which increase dopamine metabolism in the mesocortical pathways, may prove beneficial to ameliorate these symptoms. We report on a case of a patient with paranoid schizophrenia, who still presented negative and depressive symptoms during treatment with amisulpride for more than 6 weeks. We prescribed pergolide (a mixed D1/D2 agonist) as adjuvant therapy to treat these symptoms. The patient showed an improvement of global psychopathology, decrease of negative and depressive symptoms, while no changes in positive symptoms nor EPS were present. For this patient, the adjuvant therapy of pergolide to amisulpride constituted a valid pharmacological approach to treat negative and depressive symptoms of schizophrenia, without increasing positive symptoms.

Lectin histochemical investigations of the distal gut of chicks with special emphasis on the follicle-associated epithelium.

Carbohydrates on epithelial cell surfaces play an important role as attachment sites for different microorganisms like bacteria, viruses and protozoa. To obtain more information about the distribution of carbohydrates on the luminal surface along the intestine, lectin histochemical studies on different gut segments of chicks of different age groups were carried out using a panel of 13 lectins with specificities for Man, Glc, Gal, GalNAc, GlcNAc or GlcNAc oligosaccharides and Sia. Furthermore, we tried to find out whether previously reported specificities of certain lectins for M cells (membranous or multifold cells) in the bursa of Fabricius (BF) can be observed also on M cells of the intestine. As a result we were able to demonstrate binding of all lectins employed in these studies in all investigated gut segments. In some cases, the application of the same lectin led to varying staining intensities of the same histological structures in different age-groups (e.g. staining of the brush border with WGA, LEA, MAA or Conarva) or different gut segments (e.g. staining of goblet cells with CMA II, LEA and MPA). Hence, terminal carbohydrate residues of glycoconjugates on the intestinal epithelium vary depending on age and organ site. As glycoconjugates can act as attachment sites for microorganisms, these differences in the distribution of sugar residues may be one explanation for the site-specificity of certain pathogens. Furthermore, the binding of lectins to the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of the BF differs from that to the FAE of the intestine again stressing the site specificity of lectin binding. Thus, up to now no universal M-cell marker along the chicken intestine exists.

Immunological implications of the use of plant lectins for drug and vaccine targeting to the gastrointestinal tract.

Plant lectins are under consideration as targeting agents to enhance the efficacy of orally administered drugs and vaccines. A significant issue that must be considered is the immunogenicity of these molecules since an immune response to the targeting agent may interfere with its ability to interact with the epithelium. In contrast, the ability of certain lectins to activate the immune system may be exploited in the delivery of vaccines. We previously demonstrated that plant lectins vary widely in their immunogenicity and in particular that mistletoe lectins (ML) I, II and II (MLI, MLII, MLIII) are potent immunogens when administered nasotracheally. Here, we measured immune responses following oral delivery of the MLs and assessed their ability to enhance responses to a co-administered antigen to determine if the molecules possess adjuvant activity. Oral administration of the lectins induced potent lectin-specific systemic and mucosal antibody responses. In addition, each of the three lectins possessed adjuvant activity when delivered orally together with ovalbumin (OVA). The lectins enhanced both serum and mucosal antibody responses to the co-delivered antigen. This shows for the first time that MLI, MLII and MLIII possess adjuvant activity when administered orally and may provide a platform for the generation of effective mucosal adjuvants.

Effect of orally and intraperitoneally administered plant lectins on food consumption of rats.

A panel of orally administered lectins (100 mg/kg b.w.) of different binding specificities was tested for suppression of voluntary food consumption in prefasted rats. PHA isolectins (Phaseolus vulgaris) and RPA-I (Robinia pseudoacacia) were found to exert a marked and significant effect, but two other gut-binding lectins, i.e. SBA (Glycine max) and WGA (Triticum vulgar) and several non-binding lectins were ineffective. In cannulated rats PHA infused into the duodenum induced food suppression, i.e. binding of the lectin to the mouth or stomach was unnecessary. Suppression of food consumption lasted through the whole nocturnal feeding period, control (BSA) and experimental (PHA) curves of cumulative food consumption showed a V-like divergence. Suppression by PHA or RPA-I showed very similar time courses, but a long-lasting inhibition of gastric emptying was only observed in the RPA-treated animals. Intraperitoneally administered lectins suppressed food consumption much more effectively than the oral ones, whereas Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (ONA) had little or no effect. It is concluded that lectins can be used as effective tools for the modulation of food consumption and gastric emptying in experimental animals.

Mistletoe lectins enhance immune responses to intranasally co-administered herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D2.

The mucosal adjuvant properties of the three type 2 ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) from the European mistletoe, Viscum album L., were investigated. Mistletoe lectins were compared with cholera toxin (CT) as adjuvants when delivered nasotracheally together with herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D2 (gD2). All three mistletoe lectins (MLI, MLII, MLIII) were potent mucosal adjuvants. Co-administration of MLI, MLII or MLIII with gD2 led to significantly higher levels of gD2-specific mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) and systemic immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody than when the antigen was delivered alone. The levels of antibodies induced were similar to those generated in mice immunized with gD2 and the potent mucosal adjuvant CT. Administration of ML1 with gD2 enhanced the antigen-specific splenic T-cell proliferative response. Interleukin-5 (IL-5), but not interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), was detected in supernatants from splenocytes stimulated in vitro with gD2. This indicates that MLI enhanced type 2 T-helper cell (Th2) responses to the bystander antigen, gD2. Analysis of the gD2- and lectin-specific IgG subclass titres in mice immunized with gD2 and MLI, MLII or MLIII revealed a high ratio of IgG1 : IgG2a, which is compatible with the selective induction of Th2-type immune responses.

Lack of age-dependent development of the contingent negative variation (CNV) in migraine children?

Increased negativity of contingent negative variation (CNV) in adult migraineurs is thought to reflect cortical hyperexcitability. CNV amplitude changes with age in healthy adults. Recently, evidence emerged that this might not be the case for migraineurs. Our study investigates age-dependency of CNV during childhood age. Seventy-six healthy controls and 61 children with migraine without aura (IHS code 1.1) between 6 and 18 years were examined using an acoustic S1-S2-CNV-paradigm with a 3-s inter-stimulus interval. The amplitude of the late component of CNV, as well as total CNV at the vertex (Cz according to the international 10-20 system), were significantly higher in migraineurs without aura than in controls. Healthy controls showed increasing amplitudes of CNV with age, whereas in migraine children without aura amplitudes did not change. Thus group differences were reduced during adolescence. Increased CNV negativity might reflect a biological vulnerability to migraine, rather than being a result of chronification. Migraineurs seem to lack age-dependent development of CNV also during early age, which supports the hypothesis of migraine as a maturation disorder.

Binding of mistletoe lectins to cutaneous malignant melanoma: implications for prognosis and therapy.

BACKGROUND: Glycoconjugates, as detected by lectin histochemistry, have been implicated in metastasis formation in many neoplasias. However, no data concerning the three mistletoe lectins (MLs) and the spread of malignant melanoma have been published. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The binding status of ML-I, -II and -III was histochemically assessed in 100 malignant melanomas and correlated with metastasis in a 10 year follow-up period. Furthermore, the staining intensity of the three MLs, scored from negative (-) to very intense (+ + +), was evaluated. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier analsis revealed that very intense binding (+ + +) of ML-I was positively-correlated with metastasis (p=0.044). CONCLUSION: Since ML-I is specific for galactose, high density galactose expression in malignant melanoma is a predictor of poor prognosis.

Separation of mistletoe lectins based on the degree of glycosylation using boronate affinity chromatography.

A mixture of two mistletoe lectins (MLs) has been separated according to the degree of glycosylation using boronate affinity chromatography. The mistletoe lectins, mistletoe lectin I (MLI) and mistletoe lectin III (MLIII) with degrees of glycosylation of 6.1 and 3.8%, respectively, were used in the investigation. MLI exhibited a higher retention time than MLIII due to its higher degree of glycosylation. Separation was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The developed method may lead to new applications for the boronate affinity technique, as well as provide an alternative separation method for MLs.

The identification of plant lectins with mucosal adjuvant activity.

To date, the most potent mucosal vaccine adjuvants to be identified have been bacterial toxins. The present data demonstrate that the type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein (type 2 RIP), mistletoe lectin I (ML-I) is a strong mucosal adjuvant of plant origin. A number of plant lectins were investigated as intranasal (i.n.) coadjuvants for a bystander protein, ovalbumin (OVA). As a positive control, a potent mucosal adjuvant, cholera toxin (CT), was used. Co-administration of ML-I or CT with OVA stimulated high titres of OVA-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) in addition to OVA-specific IgA in mucosal secretions. CT and ML-I were also strongly immunogenic, inducing high titres of specific serum IgG and specific IgA at mucosal sites. None of the other plant lectins investigated significantly boosted the response to co-administered OVA. Immunization with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) plus OVA elicited a lectin-specific response but did not stimulate an enhanced response to OVA compared with the antigen alone. Intranasal delivery of tomato lectin (LEA) elicited a strong lectin-specific systemic and mucosal antibody response but only weakly potentiated the response to co-delivered OVA. In contrast, administration of wheatgerm agglutinin (WGA) or Ulex europaeus lectin 1 (UEA-I) with OVA stimulated a serum IgG response to OVA while the lectin-specific responses (particularly for WGA) were relatively low. Thus, there was not a direct correlation between immunogenicity and adjuvanticity although the strongest adjuvants (CT, ML-I) were also highly immunogenic.

Lectin histochemistry of microvascular endothelium in chick and quail musculature.

The lectin binding pattern of muscular microvessels in chick, quail and chick/quail chimeras was analysed. Paraffin wax sections of muscles from embryonic and adult animals were used. The biotin-labelled lectins were detected by avidin-alkaline phosphatase complex. The following lectins bound to muscular microvessels including arterioles, capillaries and venules of both species: SNA-I (Sambucus nigra agglutinin), MAA (Maackia amurensis agglutinin), AIA (Artocarpus integrifolia agglutinin), VAA-I, VAA-II and VAA-III (Viscum album agglutinin I-III), WGA (wheat germ agglutinin), LEA (Lycopersicon esculentum agglutinin). Endomysium and basement membranes of muscle fibres were also stained to a variable extent and intensity. Only SNA-I stained almost exclusively the endothelium of blood vessels. WFA (Wisteria floribunda agglutinin) bound to the quail endothelium only. MPA (Maclura pomifera agglutinin) marked vessels in adult muscles of chick and quail, but embryonic vessels were stained in quail only. Our results show that lectin histochemistry is a useful tool for visualisation of microvasculature in avian species. In particular, WFA and MPA can be used to determine the origin of endothelia in chick/quail chimeras.

Intracellular expression of IL-4 and inhibition of IFN-gamma by extracts from European mistletoe is related to induction of apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Extracts from European mistletoe are used for adjuvant cancer treatment. Their influence on the intracellular expression of cytokines of the T-helper cells type-1 (Th1; IFN-gamma) or type-2 (Th2; IL-4) is still unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lymphocytes from controls were incubated with mistletoe extracts (ME) and mistletoe lectins (ML) for 24 hours and co-stimulated with PMA/Ca-ionophore/monensin during the last 6 hours. Apoptosis and intracellular cytokine expression were detected by flow cytometry, the cytokine release into the supernatants by ELISA. RESULTS: ME and ML significantly inhibited intracellular expression of IFN-gamma but stimulated IL-4. Thereby, IL-4 was mainly expressed in apoptotic (Apo2.7+) cells. However, IFN-gamma secretion into the supernatants of the cells was dose-dependently inhibited by ME and ML, while IL-4 was not detected at all. CONCLUSION: The intracellular expression of the 'Th2-cytokine' IL-4 in ME- and ML-exposed cells may not be related to a typical Th2-response but rather to cell death. This effect might be of great relevance e.g. after intratumoural injection of the mistletoe extracts and, in general, for the inhibition of an inflammatory response during apoptosis.

Expression of interleukin-4 in apoptotic cells: stimulation of the type-2 cytokine by different toxins in human peripheral blood mononuclear and tumor cells.

BACKGROUND: Immunological reactivity is regulated by T-cell populations (type-1 and type-2 cells) via cytokine secretion, but their influence on apoptosis remains unclear. METHODS: Intracellular expression of type-1 (interferon [IFN]-gamma) and type-2 (interleukin [IL]-4) cytokines and apoptosis-related molecules (Apo2. 7, Bcl-2 protein) was studied by flow cytometry in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), myeloma (U-266), monocytic (THP-1), and T-leukemia cells (MOLT-4) in response to toxins, which act on different intracellular targets (actinomycin D, cycloheximide, the mistletoe lectins [ML]-1 and ML-3, brefeldin A, staurosporine). RESULTS: The apoptosis-inducing toxins stimulated intracellular IL-4 expression mainly in PBMC with high expression of the mitochondrial apoptosis marker, Apo2.7, but with decreased level of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Up-regulation of IL-4 coincided with a significant down-regulation of IFN-gamma in CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells. The inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation, oligomycin, and the caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, abolished IL-4 expression and DNA fragmentation in the PBMC. Also in the myeloma, monocytic, and T-leukemia cells, IL-4 was mainly observed in the Apo2.7(+) apoptotic cells in response to the toxins. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the different apoptotic toxins activate a common pathway in which IL-4 production plays a yet unknown intracellular role further downstream during apoptosis.

Polysaccharides from fresh Viscum album L. berry extract and their interaction with Viscum album agglutinin I.

A special microfiltrated colloidal preparation from fresh Viscum album L. berries was investigated concerning the occurrence and structural features of polymeric carbohydrates. A crude polysaccharide fraction was isolated from lectin-, tannin- and protein-depleted microfiltrates. Further fractionation by exchange chromatography revealed a neutral fraction (average molecular weight 30 kDa) and three acidic fractions (average molecular weights 1300 kDa). Structural analysis of the respective polysaccharide fractions by quantitative and qualitative determination of the sugar composition and linkage analysis indicated that all acidic fractions contained an acidic arabinogalactan with a rhamnose-galactoronic acid backbone and highly branched arabinose-galactose side chains attached by the rhamnose residues to the backbone. The neutral fraction consisted of a neutral arabinogalactan beside minor amounts (about 10%) of a low substituted xyloglucan. Further studies on interaction between the 1340 kDa acidic rhamno-arabinogalactans II and III and mistletoe lectin Viscum album agglutinin I (VAA I) revealed binding capacities between these compounds, while the neutral polymers interacted significantly less with VAA I. Only partial binding of VAA I was observed by incubation of the lectin with polysaccharide II. Similar interactions of polysaccharide fraction III with VAA I was measured in a BIACRORE biosensore system. Using the hemagglutination test, increased agglutination of erythrocytes was observed when mistletoes lectin I and the respective polysaccharide fractions were present together in the assay. All these data indicate clearly strong interaction between VAA I and Viscum polysaccharides.

Toxic proteins from European mistletoe (Viscum album L.): increase of intracellular IL-4 but decrease of IFN-gamma in apoptotic cells.

BACKGROUND: Mistletoe lectins (ML), the major biologically active components of mistletoe extracts, which are used for adjuvant cancer therapy, induce apoptosis in lymphocytes and tumor cells. In addition, ML at toxic concentrations induce the release of cytokines, but it remains unclear as to whether dying or activated cells are responsible. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By flow cytometry, expression of IFN-gamma, IL-4, apoptosis marker Apo2.7 and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins were analyzed in response to ML or viscotoxins (VT) in PBMC from controls and plasmocytoma cells (U-266). RESULTS: While ML inhibited PMA/Ca-ionophore/monensin co-stimulated IFN-gamma production, they increased IL-4 expression in CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells. Thereby, IL-4 was mainly expressed in apoptotic cells with a low level of Bcl-2 proteins. In contrast, the cell membrane permeabilising VT induced complete loss of Bcl-2 proteins but did not stimulate IL-4 production within 24 hours, indicating that IL-4 expression is related to apoptosis but not to necrosis. CONCLUSION: Despite the role of IL-4 during activation of type2 T-helper cells, IL-4 expression may play an important yet undefined role during apoptosis of normal and tumor cells.

Induction of apoptosis by mistletoe lectin I and its subunits. No evidence for cytotoxic effects caused by isolated A- and B-chains.

Type II ribosome inactivating proteins (RIP II) are generally known to induce apoptosis in human cells by the inhibition of protein biosynthesis. Recent data from mistletoe RIP II proteins (eg. mistletoe lectin I; ML1) suggest an additional mode of apoptosis induction through the binding of their lectin part to certain cell surface receptors as is known for some human galectins. In order to clarify this possibility, we used highly sensitive flow cytometric apoptosis assays and mistletoe hololectin subunits of proven purity to show that neither human lymphocytes nor Molt-4 cells undergo apoptosis after treatment with isolated lectin-type B-chains. In contrast to earlier investigations, only the hololectin was able to induce apoptosis in these assays. We conclude that direct apoptosis induction by mistletoe lectins occurs only after uptake of the molecules into the cell due to the action of the ribosome inactivating A-chain.

Mucosal immunogenicity of plant lectins in mice.

The mucosal immunogenicity of a number of plant lectins with different sugar specificities was investigated in mice. Following intranasal (i.n.) or oral administration, the systemic and mucosal antibody responses elicited were compared with those induced by a potent mucosal immunogen (cholera toxin; CT) and a poorly immunogenic protein (ovalbumin; OVA). After three oral or i.n. doses of CT, high levels of specific serum antibodies were measured and specific IgA was detected in the serum, saliva, vaginal wash, nasal wash and gut wash of mice. Immunization with OVA elicited low titres of serum IgG but specific IgA was not detected in mucosal secretions. Both oral and i.n. delivery of all five plant lectins investigated ¿Viscum album (mistletoe lectin 1; ML-1), Lycospersicum esculentum (tomato lectin; LEA), Phaseolus vulgaris (PHA), Triticum vulgaris (wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ulex europaeus I (UEA-1) stimulated the production of specific serum IgG and IgA antibody after three i. n. or oral doses. Immunization with ML-1 induced high titres of serum IgG and IgA in addition to specific IgA in mucosal secretions. The response to orally delivered ML-1 was comparable to that induced by CT, although a 10-fold higher dose was administered. Immunization with LEA also induced high titres of serum IgG, particularly after i. n. delivery. Low specific IgA titres were also detected to LEA in mucosal secretions. Responses to PHA, WGA and UEA-1 were measured at a relatively low level in the serum, and little or no specific mucosal IgA was detected.

Effects of mistletoe lectin I and ionizing radiation on the glucose and thymidine uptake in tumour cells in vitro.

The increased uptake of hexose by mammalian cells is considered to be a general response to stress. Nowadays, mistletoe lectin separated from the extracts of the European mistletoe (Viscum album L.) is often used in adjuvant cancer therapy. The present work studies the effect of the lectin on unirradiated and x-irradiated tumour cells. The response of cultured human lung carcinoma cells (Calu-1) was followed by radioactive glucose uptake as well as by tritiated thymidine incorporation. The cells were maintained either in a complete or a so-called restrictive medium. Slight metabolic changes were found in the restrictive medium but not in the complete one. Mistletoe lectin I at a very low concentration (0.001 ng/mL) increased the glucose uptake and thymidine incorporation. Ionizing radiation (1 Gy) did not influence the hexose uptake but it enhanced the incorporation of thymidine. It seems that the actions of two different factors (mistletoe lectin I and radiation) proved to be rather provoking stress effects for the tumour cells as detected in the restrictive medium.