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The onset of a positive Coombs test was significantly delayed in NZB mice infected with Plasmodium berghei at the age of 1 month. At the age of 12 months, twelve out of fourteen malaria-infected NZB mice had become Coombs positive but their reticulocyte counts and mean spleen weight were significantly lower than those of control NZB mice of the same age. Malaria infection of young NZB mice was associated with a significant increase in mean 24-hr urine protein excretion which fell gradually over the next 6 months. A secondary rise in urine protein excretion then occurred and at 12 months several malaria-infected NZB mice had severe renal disease. No increased incidence of malignant disease was observed in NZB mice infected with malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs that the ability of anti-lymphocytic globulin to suppress a variety of experimentally induced autoimmune diseases in a number of species is well documented. Blocks of kidney were fixed in 10% formal-saline and embedded in paraffin. Four-micron sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, the periodic acid-Schiff reaction and the methanamine silver method. Serial dilutions were performed using the Takatsky microtitrator. Each analysis included normal serum and standard antiserum controls as well as unsubsidized sheep erythrocyte controls.

This article attempts to assess the value of anti-lymphocytic antibody in the treatment of autoimmune disease. The relative susceptibility to anti-lymphocytic antibody of lymphocytes differing in origin and function could depend upon the specificity of the antibody and also the biological properties of the cell. It is reasonably certain that anti-lymphocytic antibody suppresses experimental autoimmune diseases by blocking the initial sensitization to the provoking antigen, following the destruction of long-lived, re-circulating small lymphocytes. However, it should not be assumed that human autoimmune diseases could be suppressed with equal ease.

The article presents information on IgM-IgG cryoglobulinaemia with IgM paraprotein component. Four patients with mixed IgM-IgG cryoglobulinaemia are described. Clinically they all had some features of an autoimmune disease, while two of them had a lympho-epithelial tumor in the parotid gland. The term paraprotein is used in this article for electrophoretically homogeneous immunogiobulins, which belong to only one light chain type. It implies no further assumptions about their nature and origin. It is the intention of this paper to report in detail the clinical and biochemical findings in four patients with IgM-IgG cryoglobulins, the IgM part of which had the characteristics of a paraprotein with anti-IgG activity.

The article presents information on long-acting thyroid stimulator of Graves' disease (LATS) and thyroid autoantibodies. Much of the recent work with the LATS has been stimulated by the possibility that LATS is an autoantibody. In autoimmune and in immunological disease several autoantibodies have been often been found. In some instances the very frequency of these antibodies has suggested an underlying immunological disorder. The study has attempted to correlate the frequency and titre of cytoplasmic and thyroglobulin autoantibodies with LATS in a group of sera assayed for both.

The article presents a discourse on autoimmune diseases in inbred mice. The strong tendency of certain auto-antibodies to occur predominantly or exclusively in certain human diseases makes it appear very likely that the autoimmune reactions can indeed be important initiating and/or continuing causes of localized or generalized tissue damage. Nevertheless, such a causative role for auto-immunity has so far been demonstrated directly and unequivocally for but few autoimmune diseases. The characteristics of the strain are now well known.

This article describes the distribution of autoantibodies in the sera from thirty-two patients with myasthenia gravis and their relatives as well as in the sera of patients with a variety of other disorders. Additional evidence in support of the possibility that an autoimmune disturbance might be a factor in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis might be obtained by examining its association both clinically and serologically with other putative autoimmune diseases. Since autoimmune diseases frequently run in families, a similar study of the relatives of patients with myasthenia gravis would be of interest.

The article reports on the research involving immunosuppressants. Immunosuppressive agents have been used as chemical tools to dissect some of the various aspects of the immune response, as well as for their use in treating autoimmune diseases and prolonging survival of organ transplants. A comprehensive review of immune suppression clearly points out that the chemotherapeutic agents used are cytotoxic and in some cases the process concerns the induced suppression of antibody synthesis. Such suppression can be demonstrated with a variety of immunogens comprised of protein molecules, haptenic groups conjugated to protein and cellular antigens.

The article criticizes the work of the editorial team of the journal "Clinical & Experimental Immunology." The author appreciates in the broader sense the reasonableness of the journal. He asserts however that the journal is still very ignorant. The statement is very clear when one compares the situation in the autoimmune diseases with the knowledge of hemolytic anemia. The article further states the difference between hemolytic anemia with the autoimmune situations.

Paralysis has been produced in large and small rats by injections of small volumes of spinal cord tissue in Freund's adjuvant into the inguinal lymph nodes. This route appears to be more reliable, more economical and less traumatic than intradermal injections into the foot-pad or back. It may be of value in the production of other syndromes which involve an immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]