Search

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAg) and antibodies to both the surface and core antigens of the hepatitis B virus (anti-HBS and anti-HBC) have been studied in 64 consecutive cases of fulminant hepatitis. HBSAg was detected by counterelectrophoresis in 23 (35-9%) but by radioimmunoassay in 38 (59-3%). Anti-HBS was detected by passive haemagglutination in 26 (40-6%), coexisting HBSAg and anti-HBS were found in 16 cases (25%). Using an indirect immunofluorescence technique, anti-HBC was found in all of the cases in whom either HBSAg or anti-HBS was present. The highest survival rate was observed in patients with no evidence of HBV infection (31-3%) and was lowest in those who had both HBSAg and anti-HBS detected simultaneously (6-2%). The prognosis of those who exhibited anti-HBS only was no better than those with HBSAg alone. In a further case, transient interruption of the asymptomatic chronic HBSAg carrier state with seroconversion to anti-HBS was associated with the development of a fulminant hepatitis syndrome. The results suggest that an unusually strong and rapid immune clearance of HBSAg may be involved in the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this study was to investigate modifications in the behaviour of a thymectomized mouse towards Treponema pallidum, and whether an immunofluorescence technique could take the place of the insufficiencies of classic serology and of Nelson test in syphilized mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To judge the pathogenicity of Treponema palllidum in mice, we inoculated two groups of animals. 1) One with a normal immune system : adult Swiss mice. 2) The other with an immune system presenting a defect in T cells : athymic Nude mice. No lesions appeared at the points of inoculation and the survival of these animals was not modified compared with control animals. We have also carried out a study of antitreponema antibodies in adult and new-born Swiss mice, using, for the adults, various concentrations of treponema pallidum and various routes of inoculation. In adult mice, the search for antibodies by fluorescence, showed, firstly, that the intradermal route permits a more rapid humoral response than the intraperitoneal route, with higher antibody titers. Furthermore, an inoculum of 8,6 X 10(6) per mice, gives earlier results and higher titers than those obtained with an inoculum twice lower. The earliness of the positive Nelson test is independent of the route of inoculation but related to the injected dose. On the other hand, the Kline reaction remained negative for all groups of mice throughout the whole period of our study. In new-born mice, 76% only became positive on fluorescence and Nelson test.

Spontaneous antinuclear autoimmunisation in both Swan and Nude mice seems due to a disparition of the T cell immunosuppressive function. Swan mice show a progressive diminution of thymic function, and thus T cell activity, with age; wherease Nude mice are congenitally lacking in a thymus and thus in T cells. Both strains of mice develop deposits of immunoglobulin in the glomerular membrane and the Swan mice have such deposits at the dermoepidermal junction. The antinuclear autoimmunity of the two strains of mice differs in that the number of Swan mice with detectable titres increases with age until, at 40 weeks, all the mice are positive, whereas the number of Nude mice positive at a young age rarely increase until the time of death. The antibodies produced by the Swan mice may be of any of the major immunoglobulin classes, whereas those produced by Nude mice are nearly always IgM.

The objective of this study was to investigate the false-positive reactions in the Kline, FTA200 and FTA-ABS tests in acute disseminated lupus erythematosus, polyarthritis and controls. Though the false-positive Kline tests are frequent in autoimmune diseases, false-positive FTA200 when made on non lyophilised treponema are uncommon. On the other hand, when lyophilised treponema are used as substrate for the immunofluorescence, false-positive FTA200 and FTA-ABS are more common in the patients with autoimmune diseases than in controls. The false-positives had two patterns of fluorescence "beaded" or "homogeneous". The present investigation suggests that the false-positive reactions of the beaded type are due to the presence of anti-DNA antibodies in the sera.

150 women who were being treated for sterility had their cervical mucus searched for T. mycoplasma. Group I: 123 women who had no obvious cause for sterility. 45.5 per cent had T. mycoplasma (56/123). Group II: Out of 27 women who had a major cause for sterility there were 48 per cent (13/27) who were carriers of T. mycoplasma. The incidence of T. mycoplasma in control fertile women was 53 per cent (16/30). After treatment with Doxycycline: 5 pregnancies were obtained out of Group I, which is 8.9 per cent. none in Group II. The mycoplasma seems to play a very minor role in sterility. Its incidence is identically the same in women who are sterile or normally fertile. With treatment only a very small percentage (8.9 per cent) of pregnancies were obtained in carriers of mycoplasma who did not have another obvious cause for their sterility.

Antigenic competition cannot be obtained in congenital athymic Nude mice, whatever the dose of inhibitor Ag used and the free interval between inhibitory Ag injections and the Ag test. On the other hand, competition is normal and even increased, in thymectomised, adult Swiss mice, used 10 to 30 days after thymectomy. In normal mice, the inhibitory mechanism induced by a first thymodependent antigen, may also occur with regard to certain thymo-independent antigens and thus act on the B cells. The antigens may also serve as inhibitory antigens for thymodependent antigens if the free interval between the two injections is small. Injection of hydrocortisone (25 mg/kg) or ALS a short time before the inhibitory antigens, suppresses competition. On the other hand, methotrexate is without effect. Thus the inhibitory TD mechanism does not require mitoses (methotrexate) and depends on corticosensitive T cells which are, no doubt, recirculated (Anti-lymphocyte serum) with a life span greater than 30 days (adult thymectomy). The previous results were obtained when two antigens were administered by intraperitoneal route and the PF cells sought in the spleen. The same experiment was carried out, injecting two antigens subcutaneously, in the same limb, and counting the PF cells in the appropriate lymph node; it shows the adjuvant effect exerted by the first antigen on the response with regard to the second antigen. On the other hand, inhibition is produced if the first antigen is injected intraperitoneally or into another limb. One may thus distinguish an inhibitory effect or an adjuvant effect depending on the experimental conditions. The inhibitory effect seems to be related to the T cells with an immunosuppressive function.

A study of delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (DC) was carried out in 50 chronic hemodialysis patients divided into 3 groups according to their serological response to the HB virus (HBV): 31 chronic carriers of Ag HBs (13 HBe positive and 18 HBe negative and 19 having eliminated Ag HBs, antiHbs positive). The results of DCH testing were compared in relation to the 3 patient groups. The number and sum of indurations were reduced, this being more marked in the women, in all the uraemic patients tested. Male hemodialysis patients who were carriers of Ag HBe had the weakest responses, significantly more depressed than those of the HBe positive HBe negative or anti-HBs carrier patients. The presence of Ag HBe was correlated with persistently raised transaminases. In chronic carriers of Ag HBe, hepatic cytolysis was always absent when DCH reactions were negative, and was seen only in the presence of a cellular immune reaction. These results suggest the interaction, in the hemodialysis patient, of virological factors related to Ag HBe and cell mediated immunological factors in the pathogenesis of hepatic lesions related to HBV.

We have studied the intermolecular antigenic competition in mice, after simultaneous injections of two antigens by different ways and in various places. When the two antigens are administered by I.P. route, and when TNP-SHRBC (Test-Ag) and BSA (inhibitory Ag) are used, only an inhibition of the anti-hapten (TNP) response is observed but not of the anti-carrier response (SRBC). When these antigens are replaced by SRBC (Test Ag) and HRBC (inhibitory Ag), there is no antigenic competition. When the inhibitory Ag is the BSA and the test Ag a strong dose of LPS (10 mug) there is no competition but it occurs when a weak dose of LPS is used. When the two antigens are injected by subcutaneous route in the same leg and the PFC enumerated in the corresponding inguinal lymph-node there is no inhibition but an increased response against the test Ag. On the contrary, competition is obtained when the test Ag (TNP-SHRBC or SRBC) is injected in the right leg and the inhibitory-Ag (BSA or HRBC) in the left one. These facts lead to conclude that an inhibitory humoral factor is responsible for this phenomenon, and that this factor is probably thymodependent because this competition disappears when Nude mice are used.