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HLA antigens of patients with adult T cell leukaemia (ATL), T cell malignant lymphoma (T-ML), and healthy carriers of human T cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I) were investigated in an endemic area of ATL in Japan. Sixty-two patients with ATL were subdivided into three groups based on their clinical features, including two unclassified patients; 36 acute type. 10 chronic type, and 14 smouldering type. The frequency of HLA-Bw62 was significantly increased in acute ATL, compared with control (Pc <0.0002). Increased frequency of HLA-DQw3 was observed in patients with ATL. T-ML positive for the antibody to HTLV-I (Ab-positive), and Ab-positive healthy carriers, compared with control (Pc < 0.001, Pc< 0.01 and Pc < 0.0001, respectively). In addition, class I HLA antigens of peripheral lymphocytes of patients with ATL, especially acute ATL, showed altered expression, either extra antigens or decreased antigens. Analysis of 21 families, where more than two members were Ab-positive, showed that there was no linkage between the HLA complex and susceptibility to the virus infection. In 44 couples, in which either or both spouses were Ab-positive, no association with class ! HLA antigens was found in either Ab-positive spouses or Ab-negative sprouses. These findings might indicate that one class II HLA-linked gene controlled susceptibility to HTLV-I infection, and another class I HLA-linked gene exerted an influence on the clinical course of ATL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppressed T cell functions in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were identified and corrected by lenalidomide in middle-aged HIV-infected patients. Chemotaxis of T cells from HIV-infected men ( n = 6, mean 43 years) to sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and CCL21 was significantly lower than that of HIV-negative men ( n = 6, mean 41 years), and was enhanced significantly up to control levels by 100 and 1000 nM lenalidomide. Generation of interleukin (IL)-2, but not interferon (IFN)-γ, by T cells of middle-aged HIV-infected men was significantly lower than that for controls and was increased significantly by 10-1000 nM lenalidomide up to a maximum of more than 300%. CD4 and CD8 T cells isolated from healthy middle-aged men and reconstituted in vitro at a low CD4 : CD8 ratio typical of HIV infection had depressed chemotaxis to S1P, but not CCL21, and generation of IL-2, but not IFN-γ. Significant enhancement of chemotaxis to S1P and CCL21was induced by 100-1000 nM lenalidomide only for normal T cells at a low CD4 : CD8 ratio. T cells from HIV-negative middle-aged CD4 T lymphocytopenic patients ( n = 3), with a CD4 : CD8 ratio as low as that of HIV-infected patients, had similarly diminished chemotaxis to S1P and CCL21, and depressed generation of IL-2, but not IFN-γ. Lenalidomide at 30-1000 nM significantly enhanced chemotaxis to S1P and IL-2 generation for T cells from HIV-negative CD4 T lymphocytopenic patients as from HIV-infected patients, with less effect on CCL21-elicited chemotaxis and none for IFN-γ generation. Defects in functions of T cells from middle-aged HIV-infected men are partially attributable to CD4 T lymphocytopenia and are corrected by lenalidomide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing is associated with increased inflammatory activity in the blood. The purpose of this study was to investigate if age-related increased plasma levels of TNF-α were associated with atherosclerosis in a cohort of 130 humans aged 81 years. The elderly cohort had increased circulating levels of TNF-α, C-reactive protein (CRP), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and a low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)/TC ratio compared with a young control group (n = 44). The elderly cohort was divided by tertiles into three subgroups with low, intermediate, and high levels of TNF-α, respectively. In the group with high TNF-α concentrations a significantly larger proportion had clinical diagnoses of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, weak correlations were found between TNF-α on one hand and blood concentrations of triglycerides, leucocytes, CRP and a low HDL/TC ratio on the other which are known as risk factors of atherogenesis and thromboembolic complications. No correlations were found between TNF-α, TC, LDL, or the body mass index. In conclusion, the present study shows that in a cohort of 81-year-old humans, high levels of TNF-α in the blood were associated with a high prevalence of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined peripheral lymphocyte subsets In patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, or subacute thyroiditis. in the active stage when possible. During destructive thyrotoxicosis arising from aggravation of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. both the numbers and proportions of αβ T cell receptor (TCR) negative T (WT31-CD3+) cells and CD8 (CD4-CD8+) cells decreased and those of CD4+ CD8+ cells increased slightly, resulting in proportional increases in CD4 (CD4+ CD8+ ) cells. non-T. non-B (CD5+ CD19+ ) cells, and the CD4./CD8 cell ratio. Changes were similar in active subacute thyroiditis. During stimulative thyrotoxicosis in active Graves' disease, the numbers of such T lymphocyte subsets were not changed, but only the number of CD5+ B (CD5+CD19+) cells increased markedly, resulting in proportional decreases in total T (CD3+) cells, αβ+ TCR T (WT31+ CD3+) cells. CD8 cells, and non-T, non-B cells, A serial study of some of the patients showed opposite changes in αβTCR- T cells, the CD4/CD8 cell ratio, and CD5+ B cells between the active stages of Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases, αβTCR+ T cells were mostly γδTCR+T (IIF2+ CD33) cells in these patients. These data suggest that αβTCR+ T(γδTCR+T). CD8. and CD4+CD8+ cells are important in thyroid destruction in Hashimoto's disease and .subacute thyroiditis, and that CD5+ B cells are important in thyroid stimulation in Graves' disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of authors, who have contributed to the March 1988 issue of the journal "Clinical and Experimental Immunology." The list includes some as, I.K. Aaron, C. Soron, M.W. Scheward, N. Szarban et al.

Immunohistological studies have been performed on tissues from various dermatological conditions using two monoclonal antibodies, RFDl and NAI/34. These reagents were used to determine whether antigen expression restricted to inlerdigitating cells (RFDl +) and Langerhan's cells (NAI /34 +) in normal tissues might occur together on dendritic cells involved in cutaneous inflammatory reactions. The results presented demonstrate that in psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis a proportion of the inflammatory dendritic cells express both antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]