Isoagglutinin-reduced immunoglobulin retains efficacy in mouse models of immune thrombocytopenia and rheumatoid arthritis and is less likely to cause intravenous immunoglobulin-associated hemolysis.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin therapy including intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been used as an effective treatment for autoimmune/inflammatory conditions with few side effects. However, high-dose IVIg (1-2 g/kg) has been recognized as a cause of hemolytic anemia in non-blood group O patients. Hemolysis when observed has been due to anti-A/anti-B isoagglutinins contained in the IVIg. Recently, an isoagglutinin-reduced IVIg, whereby the anti-A and anti-B titers have been reduced by immunoaffinity chromatography, has been introduced; however, whether this new product is as efficacious as nonreduced immunoglobulin (Ig) or will result in less IVIg-associated hemolysis has not been resolved. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We used in vitro phagocytosis by monocytes and proinflammatory/anti-inflammatory macrophages, with isoagglutinin-reduced and -nonreduced Ig opsonized group A1 , B, and A1 B red blood cells, to estimate clinical significance of the IgG isoagglutinins. We also used immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) mouse models to examine the in vivo efficacy of isoagglutinin-reduced versus -nonreduced Ig on the amelioration of the diseases. RESULTS: In contrast to nonreduced Ig, phagocytosis was largely absent when isoagglutinin-reduced Ig was used at a concentration equivalent to a patient receiving 2 g/kg. The in vivo efficacy of isoagglutinin-reduced versus nonreduced Ig on the amelioration of experimental ITP and RA was similar, indicating no loss of efficacy due to the chromatographic removal of isoagglutinins. CONCLUSION: Isoagglutinin-reduced Ig should have efficacy similar to nonreduced Ig and result in less IVIg-associated hemolysis.

The anti-tumor effect of Euchema serra agglutinin on colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Eucheuma serra agglutinin (ESA) is a lectin derived from a marine red alga E. serra and binds specifically to mannose-rich sugar chains. Previous reports have indicated that ESA associates with several cancer cells via sugar chains on cell surfaces and induces apoptotic cell death. In this study, we investigated the effect of ESA on Colon26 mouse colon adenocarcinoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. ESA induced cell death against Colon26 cells in vitro, and the expression of caspase-3 and the translocation of phosphatidylserine in ESA-treated Colon26 cells suggested that this cell death was induced through apoptosis. An intravenous injection of ESA significantly inhibited the growth of Colon26 tumors in BALB/c mice; moreover, DNA fragmentation was detected in tumor cells following ESA treatment. These results indicated that ESA is effective as an anti-cancer drug not only in vitro but also in vivo. The side-effects of ESA were not considered to be serious because the decrease in body weight of the mice injected with it was negligible. These observations suggest that ESA has the potential to be an effective anti-tumor drug.

Associação entre distúrbios reprodutivos e anticorposanti-Brucella sp em cães atendidos em clínicas particularesda cidade de Maceió-AL / Agglutinins against Brucella canis and Brucella abortus and risk factors for Brucella canis infected dogs examined in private veterinary clinics in the city of Maceió-Alagoas

Objetivou-se com este estudo determinar a freqüência de aglutininas anti-B. canis e Brucella abortus, além de identificarpossíveis fatores de riscos associados à infecção em cães atendidos nas clínicas veterinárias da Cidade de Maceió, Alagoas.Foram utilizados 90 animais, sendo 28 machos e 62 fêmeas de diferentes raças e faixa etária variável. Para pesquisa deaglutininas anti-Brucella canis utilizaram-se as provas de imunodifusão em gel de agarose (IDGA) e imunodifusão com 2-mercaptoetanol (IDGA/2-ME) e para pesquisa de aglutininas anti-Brucella abortus utilizou-se o teste do Antígeno Acidificado(AAT). Dos 90 animais analisados quatro (4,4 por cento) foram positivos no IDGA, dos quais três (75,0 por cento) foram positivos ao IDGA/2-ME, enquanto um (25,0 por cento) foi negativo. Ao teste do AAT nenhum animal foi soro-reagente. A análise de concordância entre ostestes utilizados foi K=0,851. Não foi observada associação significativa para as variáveis faixa etária (p=0,426) e sexo (p=0,678)e apenas a variável raça apresentou associação significativa para infecção por Brucella canis com resultado do odds ratio 0,04(p=0,025; IC 95 por cento 0,00; 1,01). Os resultados obtidos neste estudo demonstram que a infecção por Brucella canis ocorre naCidade de Maceió-AL e que medidas de controle e profilaxia devem ser empregadas para evitar a disseminação do agentepara criatórios livres da doença.

This study aimed to determine the frequency of agglutinins against Brucella canis and Brucella abortus, and to identify possible riskfactors associated with infection in dogs examined in private veterinary clinics in the city of Maceió-Alagoas. For the purpose of thisstudy we used 90 animals: 28 males and 62 females of various breeds and ages. Immune Diffusion in Gel Agar (IDGA) andimmune diffusion with 2-Mercaptoethanol (IDGA/2-ME) were used to investigate the presence of agglutinins against B. canis, andthe Acidified Antigen Test (AAT) was used to investigate agglutinins against B. abortus (AAT). Out of 90 animals four (4.4 percent) hadpositive IDGA; with three (75.0 percent) testing positive on the IDGA/2-ME and one was negative on the IDGA/2-ME. No animal testedpositive on the AAT. The concordance analysis between the tests was K=0.851. No significant association was noticed for agegroup (p=0,426) and gender (p=0,678). The only variable with significant association for B. canis infection was breed, with 0.04 oddsratio (p=0.025; IC 95 percent 0.00; 1.01). The results of this study show that B. canis infection is present in the city of Maceió-AL, and thatcontrol and preventive measures must be enforced to prevent dissemination into disease-free populations.