[Evaluation of the activity of angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) and of humoral immunity in patients with active pulmonary sarcoidosis]. / Ocena aktywnosci enzymu konwertujacego angiotensyne i (ACE) oraz odpornosci humoralnej u chorych na czynna sarkoidoze pluc.

In a group of 20 patients with active pulmonary sarcoidosis and in 20 healthy subjects, serum levels were determined of angiotensin I converting enzyme, immunoglobulins, and of the third and fourth complement components. An increased level of IgG and IgM was found in patients with sarcoidosis, as compared with the control group. High ACE levels were observed in the second and third phase of the disease. A tendency was also observed for simultaneous increase of IgG and ACE levels in patients with sarcoidosis.

[Appearance of circulating immune complexes in patients with Hodgkin's disease and the etiology of this disease]. / Wystepowanie krazacych kompleksów immunologicznych u chorych na ziarnice zlosliwa a etiopatogeneza tej choroby.

The serum of 47 previously untreated patients with Hodgkin disease (HD) was subjected to analysis for the presence and level of circulating immune complexes (IC) detected by the tests of inhibition of EA and EAC rosette formation. The control group included 100 healthy persons, health service workers. Significantly higher incidence and levels were demonstrated of EA IC and EAC IC in the serum of patients in relation to the control group (p < 0.001). No correlation, however, was found between the appearance of EA IC and EAC IC and the degree of clinical progression of the disease, and the presence or absence of systemic symptoms. The presence of IC in the serum of patients with HD is one link in the whole chain of various immunological disturbances existing in this disease, the starting point of which can be a pathologically changed cell of the lymphatic system.

Efficacy of hyperbaric oxygenation in atopic dermatitis.

Ten patients (5 with atopic dermatitis and 5 with asthma-prurigo) aged 8-38 years, were treated with hyperbarie oxygenation, at the Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine. Daily one exposure was applied at 0.1 MPa pure oxygen, during 15 days. Parallelly to the clinical evaluation also G, M, E immunoglobulins and the level of C3 and C4 complement were determined. All patients given this treatment improved clinically. In 9 of them, the level of IgE immunoglobulin decreased. The complement levels also decreased.

[Influence of brachytherapy on the behavior of immunologic circulating complexes in the blood serum of patients with cervix cancer]. / Wplyw brachyterapii na zachowanie sie krazacych kompleksów immunologicznych w surowicy chorych na raka szyjki macicy.

Applying the EA and EAC rosettes production inhibition method the appearance and levels of immunologic circulating complexes (CI) in the blood serum of 32 patients with cancer of the uterine cervix and in 100 healthy persons have been evaluated. Immunocomplexes have been examined prior to the initiation of brachytherapy and after three successive applications of radioactive cesium isotope (137Cs). Three successive application of the radioisotope contained and in the uterine probe have been used and a dose up to 2000 cGy in 16-18 hours given on each application. It has been shown that prior to treatment and in some stages of clinical advancement the levels of CI evaluated by two tests are significantly higher as compared with controls. Significant increase of CI levels after successive application of cesium has been also noted. The appearance of CI in patients with cervical cancer indicates the presence of tumor-specific and/or viral antigens in such patients. The elevation of CI levels after cesium application may be result of accelerated release of antigens in the course of brachytherapy.

[Circulating immune complexes in the blood serum of patients with untreated cervical cancer--their occurrence and quantitative analysis]. / Krazace kompleksy immunologiczne w surowicy nie leczonych chorych na raka szyjki macicy--wystepowanie i ocena ilosciowa.

Circulating immunological complexes (KI) are one of the parameters of humoral immunity. The occurrence of KI was found in the course of neoplastic diseases both in animals and humans. They are formed as a result of interaction of neoplastic antigens with specific tumor antibodies. Immunological complexes may be favourable or unfavourable to the modulation of effector mechanisms directed against neoplastic cells. In spite of extensive research, the participation of KI in immunological neoplastic response has not been clearly defined. The quantitative analysis of KI in the serum of patients with neoplasms revealed that the levels of KI may correlate with the degree of the progression of the disease, which has been shown for example in malignant melanoma, embryonal neuroma and carcinoma of the breast. The investigation of KI in the serum of patients with cervical carcinoma is rarely reported. The present paper shows 71 patients with squamous epithelial cervical carcinoma in various stages of progression, patients not receiving therapy. The evaluation of KI was made by means of two methods: test of inhibition of forming rosettes EA and inhibition of forming rosettes EAC. The authors of the few reports on the subject agree (which was also confirmed in our research) that the serum of patients with cervical carcinoma reveals the presence of KI. The frequency of occurrence and levels of KI may correlate with the degree of progression of a neoplastic process.

[Occurrence of circulating immune complexes in the blood serum of patients with cervical cancer prior to treatment]. / Wystepowanie krazacych kompleksów immunologicznych w surowicach chorych na raka szyjki macicy przed leczeniem.

In the blood serum of 71 patients before treatment with cervical carcinoma and in 100 healthy women from the health services working staff, the occurrence of circulating immunologic complexes (CI) has been estimated applying the rosette EA and EAC inhibition test. The presence of CI has been proved and the frequency of positive results increases together with the stage of advancement of the neoplastic process. It appears that the CI examination should be regarded as a significant parameter in monitoring the course of treatment.

Evaluation of circulating immune complexes in pregnant women.

The level of blood immune complexes was determined in 100 healthy women with a normal course of pregnancy. The results of our studies indicate that using the test of EA rosette forming inhibition it is possible to detect circulating immune complexes in pregnant women. We have not demonstrated a quantitative interdependence of immune complexes level upon a number of past pregnancies.

Circulating immune complexes in patients with melanoma.

Sera from 51 melanoma patients and from 55 healthy donors were examined for the presence of immune complexes (ICs) by the EA-rosette forming cell inhibition assay. Using a cut-off point of 5% rosette inhibition, ICs were found in 144 out of 213 sera from patients with melanoma (67.6%) and in 11 out of 55 control subjects (20%, p less than 0.001). The percentage of positive results was significantly lower in patients with no evidence of disease (60%) than in patients with clinical symptoms of their tumor (localized disease -- 80%, p less than 0.02, metastatic disease -- 78%, p less than 0.05). The mean inhibitory rate in patients with metastatic disease (21%) was higher than in patients with localized tumor (15.1%, the difference not significant) and than in patients with no evidence of disease (10%, p less than 0.01). The high levels of ICs or a tendency for their increasing in most cases accompanied the dissemination of the neoplasm. The stabilization of ICs on the low levels was found to be a prognostically favorable sign.