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Biomedical subjects

A A Harrison

Publications and source records attributed to A A Harrison.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Genomic DNA pooling for whole-genome association scans in complex disease: empirical demonstration of efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis.

A pragmatic approach that balances the benefit of a whole-genome association (WGA) experiment against the cost of individual genotyping is to use pooled genomic DNA samples. We aimed to determine the feasibility of this approach in a WGA scan in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using the validated human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and PTPN22 associations as test loci. A total of 203 269 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the Affymetrix 100K GeneChip and Illumina Infinium microarrays were examined. A new approach to the estimation of allele frequencies from Affymetrix hybridization intensities was developed involving weighting for quality signals from the probe quartets. SNPs were ranked by z-scores, combined from United Kingdom and New Zealand case-control cohorts. Within a 1.7 Mb HLA region, 33 of the 257 SNPs and at PTPN22, 21 of the 45 SNPs, were ranked within the top 100 associated SNPs genome wide. Within PTPN22, individual genotyping of SNP rs1343125 within MAGI3 confirmed association and provided some evidence for association independent of the PTPN22 620W variant (P=0.03). Our results emphasize the feasibility of using genomic DNA pooling for the detection of association with complex disease susceptibility alleles. The results also underscore the importance of the HLA and PTPN22 loci in RA aetiology.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed2001

Fluoxetine combined with a serotonin-1A receptor antagonist reversed reward deficits observed during nicotine and amphetamine withdrawal in rats.

The symptom of "diminished interest or pleasure" in rewarding stimuli is an affective symptom of nicotine and amphetamine withdrawal, and a core symptom of depression. An operational measure of this symptom is elevation of brain reward thresholds during drug withdrawal. We report here that acute co-administration of fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and p-MPPI, a serotonin-1A receptor antagonist, alleviated the diminished interest in brain stimulation reward observed during withdrawal from nicotine or amphetamine in rats (i.e., increased reward). By contrast, the same drug combination treatment did not reduce the somatic signs of nicotine withdrawal indicating symptom-specific neurobiological abnormalities. Surprisingly, the same treatment had opposite effects in control rats where reductions in reward were produced, suggesting that animal models should be based primarily on studying specific deficits that are pathognomic of a psychiatric disorder. The reversal of the affective aspects of drug withdrawal by a treatment that enhances serotonin neurotransmission indicates that decreased serotonergic function may mediate the reward decrements characterizing nicotine and amphetamine withdrawal, and that these symptoms may be homologous to a core symptom of non-drug-induced depressions.

Aminopyridines↗
PubMed2001

Serotonergic manipulations both potentiate and reduce brain stimulation reward in rats: involvement of serotonin-1A receptors.

A discrete-trial current-threshold self-stimulation procedure was used to assess the effects of increased and decreased serotonergic neurotransmission, and 5-HT(1A) receptor activation on brain stimulation reward. Systemic administration of the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT had a biphasic effect on brain reward thresholds, without affecting the latency to respond, a measure of performance. The low dose of 8-OH-DPAT (0.03 mg/kg) lowered reward thresholds, whereas higher doses (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg) elevated thresholds. The 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist p-MPPI had no effect on brain stimulation behavior, but reversed both the 8-OH-DPAT-induced lowering and elevation of thresholds, indicating that both of these effects of 8-OH-DPAT are mediated through the 5-HT(1A) receptor. Injections of 8-OH-DPAT into the median raphé nucleus also lowered brain reward thresholds, without affecting measures of performance, whereas injections of 8-OH-DPAT into the dorsal raphé nucleus had no effect. A high dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) elevated reward thresholds and responses latencies, whereas lower doses (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) increased response latencies without affecting thresholds. Furthermore, the coadministration of a 5-HT(1A) antagonist, p-MPPI, and a previously ineffective dose of fluoxetine, a drug combination that increases serotonin levels, significantly elevated thresholds. Thus, it is suggested here that the reward-potentiating effects of systemically administered low doses of 8-OH-DPAT may be the result of reduced serotonergic neurotransmission, mediated by activation of 5-HT(1A) somatodendritic autoreceptors in the median, but not the dorsal, raphé nucleus. In conclusion, the present data support the hypothesis that serotonin exerts an inhibitory influence on reward processes.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMed1999

RU 24969, a 5-HT1A/1B agonist, elevates brain stimulation reward thresholds: an effect reversed by GR 127935, a 5-HT1B/1D antagonist.

Recent studies suggest that serotonergic neurotransmission through the serotonin-1B (5-HT1B) receptor is involved in reward processes. The purpose of the present studies was to investigate the effects of 5-HT(1B) receptor activation and antagonism on intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) reward using a current-threshold ICSS task. Male Wistar rats were prepared with bipolar electrodes in the lateral hypothalamus. When stable baseline thresholds were established, the effects of the mixed 5-HT(1A)/1B receptor agonist, RU 24969 (0-1 mg/kg, SC), on ICSS behavior were assessed. Administration of this compound elevated ICSS thresholds without affecting response latencies, a measure of general motoric activity. The 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor antagonist, GR 127935 (0-10 mg/kg, SC), had no significant effect on ICSS behavior. However, pretreatment with an intermediate dose of GR 127935 (3 mg/kg), which was previously without effect on ICSS behavior, reversed the threshold-elevating effects of RU 24969 (1 mg/kg), suggesting the involvement of the 5-HT1B receptor in this effect of RU 24969 administration. Furthermore, pretreatment with RU 24969 (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg), prior to 10 mg/kg cocaine hydrochloride, dose-dependently attenuated the threshold-reducing effects of cocaine. This result is interpreted as two opposing drug effects canceling each other out rather than a specific pharmacological antagonism. In conclusion, the results suggest that activation of 5-HT(1B) receptors reduces brain stimulation reward.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Central serotonin depletion impairs both the acquisition and performance of a symmetrically reinforced go/no-go conditional visual discrimination.

The involvement of central serotonin systems in behavioural disinhibition in the rat was assessed using a symmetrically reinforced go/no-go conditional visual discrimination task. Selective central 5-HT depletion (generally averaging more than 90% in neocortex, hippocampus and striatum) was induced by intracerebroventricular administration of the neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) following pretreatment with both a noradrenergic and dopaminergic re-uptake inhibitor. The lesioned animals failed to acquire the conditional visual discrimination. This deficit was due to an inability to withhold responding and thus correctly complete the no-go trials. The lesioned animals responded faster both correctly, during go trials, and incorrectly during no-go trials. Impulsive early responding during the initial 1.2 s of the stimulus presentation was also increased by 5-HT depletion. Subjects that were lesioned after stable performance of the task had been acquired showed a similar, but smaller effect. These animals displayed more accurate performance of the go trials, but poorer performance of the no-go trials. Once again, go trial response latencies were faster and early responses during the no-go trials were increased by the lesion. The results suggest that previous accounts of impulsive responding induced by 5-HT depletion fail to recognise the pervasive nature of this effect, which affects multiple behavioural indices of response disinhibition and can impede the acquisition and performance of discrimination tasks depending on their precise response requirements.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Inpatient treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with synacthen depot: a double blind placebo controlled trial with 6 month followup.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the additional benefit of synacthen depot over standard inpatient care for patients hospitalized with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: All patients admitted to our unit with active RA without exclusion criteria were invited to participate and randomized to subcutaneous synacthen depot 0.5 mg on alternate days for 2 injections or 2 injections of saline. Patients, staff, and assessors of response were blinded to the intervention. Assessment [OMERACT set, American College of Rheumatology (ACR) global improvement, dose of intraarticular (IA) or intramuscular (IM) methylprednisolone] was performed at admission to hospital, at discharge, and at 3 and 6 months. Oral prednisone use constituted a protocol violation. RESULTS: Of 137 patients with RA admitted over the period of recruitment, 36 (26%) were enrolled; 31 completed followup. There were no between-group differences in the change from admission of any individual disease activity measure at any time point. However, using a rigorous global response measure (ACR 50%), a difference was detected in favor of synacthen depot at discharge (52.6% of the intervention group improved vs. 17.6% of controls; p = 0.029, number-needed-to-treat 2.86). Patients treated with synacthen depot showed a trend toward more IA or IM corticosteroid between discharge and 3 months (mean dose 56 vs. 31 mg; p = 0.19) and a trend toward more patients requiring a change in slow acting antirheumatic drug after discharge (4 vs. 1; p = 0.27). CONCLUSION: There is some additional benefit of synacthen depot in the hospital treatment of RA, but the effect is lost by 3 months, with a suggestion of rebound worsening in these patients. We postulate that oversuppression of corticotrophin releasing hormone by exogenous adrenocorticotrophic hormone in patients who already have a hypothalamic deficit may contribute to the rebound worsening of disease activity seen in these patients.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1997

Expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 by vascular endothelial cells in immune and nonimmune inflammatory reactions in the skin.

Expression of VCAM-1 was compared with that of E-selectin in cytokine-induced lesions and in delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions to tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) in pig skin. Lumenally expressed Ags were quantified by measuring localization in skin of i.v. injected (111)In-mAb 10.2C7 (anti-vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (anti-VCAM-1), (125)I-mAb 1.2B6 (anti-E-selectin), and (99m)Tc-MOPC21 (control IgG1). Anti-VCAM-1 mAb uptake was greater following intradermal (i.d.) injection of TNF-alpha than following injection of IL-1, while the two cytokines induced similar uptake of anti-E-selectin. In immunologically naive pigs there was no detectable increase in anti-VCAM-1 after i.d. injection of PPD, although anti-E-selectin uptake was increased at 3 and 6 h. In contrast, i.d. injection of PPD in sensitized pigs led to increased uptake of both anti-VCAM-1 and anti-E-selectin at 6, 8, 24, and 48 h, each of which was significantly greater than the uptake of control IgG1 into the same lesions (each p < 0.01). Anti-TNF-alpha mAb abolished the increased uptake of anti-VCAM-1 3 and 8 h following i.d. injection of PPD in sensitized pigs and significantly inhibited uptake at 24 h (p = 0.0025), but did not significantly reduce uptake of anti-E-selectin. We conclude that in this delayed-type hypersensitivity model 1) E-selectin expression by endothelial cells follows sequential Ag nonspecific and immune-specific phases, 2) increased VCAM-1 expression by endothelial cells is only seen in sensitized animals, and 3) expression of VCAM-1 appears to be relatively more dependent on TNF-alpha than E-selectin. Differential expression of E-selectin and VCAM-1 may influence the leukocytic infiltrate during the course of nonspecific and immune-specific inflammatory reactions.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Endothelial activation in monosodium urate monohydrate crystal-induced inflammation: in vitro and in vivo studies on the roles of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1.

OBJECTIVE: There is relatively little direct evidence for the roles of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) in activating endothelium in vivo. The aim of this study was to use in vitro and in vivo models to investigate the contribution of these cytokines to both E-selectin expression and the recruitment of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystal-induced inflammation. METHODS: MSU crystals were incubated with freshly isolated mononuclear cells, after which the harvested supernatants were tested for their ability to induce E-selectin expression during coculture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Subsequent experiments were performed with the addition of neutralizing anticytokine antibodies/antisera. The role of TNF alpha was then studied in an MSU crystal-induced monarthritis model, in the presence or absence of anti-TNF alpha (5 mg/kg intravenously). 99mtechnetium (99mTc)-labeled PMN cells and (111)indium (111In)-labeled anti-E-selectin monoclonal antibody (MAb) 1.2B6 were intravenously administered 4 hours after intraarticular injection to quantify PMN recruitment and E-selectin expression in inflamed joints. RESULTS: MSU crystals were a potent stimulus for IL-1 and TNF alpha production by monocytes in vitro, and these cytokines fully accounted for MSU crystal-stimulated, monocyte-mediated endothelial activation. In the MSU crystal-induced monarthritis model, TNF alpha blockade was very effective in suppressing both E-selectin expression and PMN emigration into the inflamed joints, as judged by gamma-camera image analysis and postmortem tissue counting following the intravenous injection of 99mTc-PMN and 111In-anti-E-selectin MAb. CONCLUSION: IL-1 and TNF alpha appear to be the only factors released by monocytes following incubation with MSU crystals, which induce E-selectin expression in vitro. Anti-TNF alpha is effective in suppressing endothelial activation and PMN recruitment in vivo E-selectin imaging can be used to assess the endothelial response to therapy and may prove useful for clinical studies.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Central 5-HT depletion enhances impulsive responding without affecting the accuracy of attentional performance: interactions with dopaminergic mechanisms.

A series of ten experiments examined the effects of profound central 5-HT depletion on attentional performance in the rat in the five-choice serial reaction time task, and also determined the effects of such depletion on responding affected by d-amphetamine and by selective dopamine receptor antagonists. Rats were trained to detect and locate brief visual stimuli randomly presented in one of five spatial locations. When performance had stabilised (> 80% correct, < 20% omissions), selective central 5-HT depletion was induced by intracerebroventricular administration of the neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) following pretreatment with both a noradrenergic and a dopaminergic re-uptake inhibitor. The lesioned animals performed the five-choice serial reaction time task with the same degree of accuracy as the sham-operated controls. However, 5-HT depletion reduced the percentage of omitted trials and increased the number of premature/anticipatory responses. This pattern of behaviour following 5-HT depletion could not be attributed to enhanced primary motivation as demonstrated by measures of food intake and latencies to collect food reinforcement. The lesion attenuated the increase of premature responding induced by high doses of systemically administered d-amphetamine. 5-HT depletion also attenuated the dose-dependent decrease in accuracy induced by (-)-sulpiride, a D2 receptor antagonist, although the effects of this drug on response latencies and premature responding were similar in both groups. However, the systemic administration of the D1 receptor antagonist, SCH 23390, blocked the impulsive responding produced by the lesion as indicated by a lack of lesion effects on the percentage of omitted trials and premature responding. The results suggest that central 5-HT depletion results in impulsive, fast responding, which nevertheless does not impair accuracy of visual discrimination performance. The increased impulsivity may be mediated by altered 5-HT-dopamine interactions, with the lesion removing an inhibitory influence over dopamine neurotransmission.

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine↗
PubMed1997

Contrasting effects of systemic and intracerebral infusions of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT on spatial short-term working memory in rats.

The present study compared the effects of systemic 8-OH-DPAT (0.05, 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) with intra-raphe and intra-hippocampal infusions of 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (10, 30 100 ng) on delayed non-matching-to-position (DNMP) performance in rats. The highest dose of 8-OH-DPAT administered systemically impaired DNMP performance in a delay-independent manner, increased premature responding and increased response bias. Infusions of 8-OH-DPAT (100 ng) into the median raphe nucleus improved performance accuracy, independent of delay whilst having no effect on any other response measure. Infusions of 8-OH-DPAT into the dorsal raphe nucleus had no effect on performance at any dose tested. Infusions of 8-OH-DPAT into the dorsal hippocampus produced a small impairment in performance which was also independent of delay. However, this decrement in performance accuracy was not accompanied by any changes in other response measures. These findings demonstrate a dissociation between the effects of stimulation of pre- and post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors on performance of a DNMP task although the changes in performance cannot be accounted for by changes in mnemonic function.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMed1997

Doubly dissociable effects of median- and dorsal-raphé lesions on the performance of the five-choice serial reaction time test of attention in rats.

Six experiments examined the effects of selective median (MRN)- and dorsal (DRN)-raphé nucleus lesions on the performance of the five-choice serial reaction time task. In this test rats are required to localize brief visual stimuli presented randomly in one of five locations in approximately 30 min sessions of 100 trials. Both accuracy and latency to respond are measured, as well as the incidence of premature and perseverative responding. Selective 5-HT lesions were induced by intra-raphé infusions of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine following pretreatment with both a noradrenergic and a dopaminergic re-uptake inhibitor. Analysis of tissue monoamine content demonstrated that the MRN lesion profoundly depleted hippocampal 5-HT (by about 90%) without affecting noradrenaline and dopamine, whereas the DRN lesion primarily depleted (by about 80%) nucleus accumbens and caudate-putamen 5-HT. Rats with 5-HT lesions of the MRN performed the task with a similar degree of accuracy to that exhibited by sham-operated controls. Although the MRN lesion did not affect the latency to respond correctly to the visual targets the lesioned animals collected the food reward significantly faster than the controls. A transient increase in the number of premature responses also resulted from this lesion. In contrast the DRN lesion produced a transient but significant increase in the accuracy of performance, and increased both the speed and the probability of responding. The similarity of the effects following global forebrain 5-HT depletion and the selective DRN lesion suggests that the 5-HT projections of the DRN rather than the MRN may play an important role in impulsive behaviour following 5-HT depletion.

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine↗
PubMed1996

The role of E-selectin in lymphocyte and polymorphonuclear cell recruitment into cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity reactions in sensitized pigs.

We have studied the role of E-selectin in leukocyte accumulation into Ag-specific cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in pigs sensitized to the topical application of 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene or to the intradermal injection of bacillus Calmette-Guérin. The delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions were shown to be specific for the sensitizing Ag and characterized by the up-regulation of E-selectin, as demonstrated by the uptake of tracer 99mTc-labeled monoclonal anti-E-selectin mAb and entry of 51Cr-labeled PBL and (111)In-labeled polymorphonuclear cells (PMN). Intravenous injection of 5 mg/kg of a F(ab')2 preparation of a monoclonal anti-E-selectin Ab at peak times of leukocyte entry resulted in a significant inhibition of entry of both PMN and lymphocytes. The anti-E-selectin Ab inhibited PMN recruitment by 70 to 90% and lymphocyte recruitment by 50 to 60%. In comparison, an anti-CD18 treatment reduced PMN recruitment by 70 to 90% and lymphocyte recruitment by 60 to 70% in this model. These data confirm an important role for E-selectin in the recruitment of both PMN and lymphocytes to sites of immune-based dermal inflammation.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

Human Thy-1 is cytokine-inducible on vascular endothelial cells and is a signaling molecule regulated by protein kinase C.

Thy-1 is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored member of the Ig superfamily whose function, particularly in the human, remains unknown. We have demonstrated that human Thy-1 is expressed on endothelial cells (EC) both in situ and on the surface of cultured human umbilical vein EC and dermal microvascular EC (DMEC). The expression of the molecule decreased with serial passage but was restored by treatment of EC with PMA and phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PBu), which increased Thy-1 by up to 100-fold in a dose-dependent manner. This increase was first detectable at 12 h post-stimulation, peaked at 48 h, and was maintained at 72 h. In PBu-stimulated DMEC, Western blotting revealed Thy-1 to be a 29-kDa molecule, while Northern analysis demonstrated an increase in steady-state Thy-1 mRNA. Thy-1 expression was also induced on DMEC by treatment with TNF. Inhibition studies showed that the induction of Thy-1 by PBu and TNF was protein synthesis dependent. The up-regulation of Thy-1 by PBu, but not TNF, was inhibited by the protein kinase C inhibitor RO31-8220, suggesting the presence of protein kinase C-dependent and -independent pathways for Thy-1 expression. To investigate the function of Thy-1 on human EC, we studied changes in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) following cross-linking of Thy-1 on human umbilical vein EC. This resulted in a rapid transient rise of [Ca2+]i in EC. Our results demonstrate for the first time the presence of Thy-1 on cultured human EC. The expression on EC, the inducibility by TNF, and the ability to transmit signals suggest that Thy-1 may have an important role in inflammatory responses.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1996

Characterization of E-selectin expression, leucocyte traffic and clinical sequelae in urate crystal-induced inflammation: an insight into gout.

The self-limiting response to urate crystals allows the exploration of events involved in both the onset and resolution of gout. Using i.v. injected radiolabelled anti-E-selectin monoclonal antibody 1.2b6 together with differentially radiolabelled neutrophils, mononuclear cells and albumin, we have characterized the expression of E-selectin in relation to leucocyte traffic, microvascular permeability and clinical sequelae following intracutaneous injection of monosodium urate crystals. We found that the inflammatory response in this model involved several distinct phases. First, E-selectin expression increased over 2-6 h in the context of increases in neutrophil and mononuclear cell accumulation, and albumin leakage. Secondly, leucocyte accumulation rapidly declined despite persisting E-selectin expression. Thirdly, E-selectin expression peaked at approximately 8 h and then fell despite an increase in clinically detectable erythema and induration. Lastly, these clinical manifestations of inflammation resolved despite the continued presence of urate crystals in the tissues. The further dissection of mechanisms regulating these phases will lead to a better understanding of events in both the pathogenesis and resolution of gout. Of broader significance, this inflammatory model may yield information about the protective events that underly resolution of inflammation, and provide insights into factors which determine chronicity.

Albumins↗
PubMed1996

In vivo E-selectin upregulation correlates early with infiltration of PMN, later with PBL entry: MAbs block both.

The endothelial molecule E-selectin binds most leukocyte subsets in vitro. Yet its role in regulating the very different kinetics of inflammatory infiltration of different leukocyte subsets in vivo is unclear. The kinetics of E-selectin upregulation and polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) and blood lymphocyte (PBL) localization in inflammation induced by interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) were investigated in a well-established inbred pig trafficking model. They differed markedly both for these three labeled indicators of inflammation and in each of the four inflammatory processes. In each, E-selectin upregulation correlated with early PMN entry and later with PBL infiltration but was more protracted than both. The importance of E-selectin was confirmed by marked inhibition of PMN and PBL entry (up to > 60%) by F(ab')2 anti-E-selectin. Involvement of other molecules was illustrated by similar or greater inhibition with anti-CD18 F(ab')2. We conclude that, like CD18, E-selectin is necessary for most PMN and PBL infiltration but alone is insufficient, consistent with the involvement of several alternative multistep molecular mechanisms in this entry.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Clearance pathways of soluble immune complexes in the pig. Insights into the adaptive nature of antigen clearance in humans.

Efficient delivery of immune complexes (ICs) to the mononuclear phagocytic system, and subsequent IC processing, may prevent their potentially harmful effects in other tissues and may also be important in the development of humoral immune responses. In mice, rabbits, and primates, the liver and spleen are the main sites of IC clearance. It has been demonstrated previously that the pulmonary capillaries in the pig are lined with macrophages and that certain particulates, including bacteria, localize to this organ. In this study, we used gamma scintigraphy to explore the sites and kinetics of clearance of soluble IC comprising 123I-labeled hepatitis B surface Ag (HBsAg):porcine anti-HBsAg in the Large White pig. At t = 10 min after i.v. injection, 43 +/- 5% (mean +/- SE) IC localized in the lungs, and 36 +/- 6% counts in the liver. At t = 85 min, values were: lungs, 15 +/- 4% and liver, 29 +/- 2%. Findings were similar following intraarterial injection. Complement depletion resulted in more rapid initial IC clearance (t1/2 = 5 min), reduced lung uptake (23 +/- 3% at 10 min), and impaired IC catabolism. In normal animals, 5 to 7% injected IC bound to PBMCs, but no E binding was seen. A fall in PBMC numbers (46 to 59% of baseline), was observed following IC injection. These findings contrast with our previous observations using analogous IC in humans, in which we did not observe any change in peripheral blood leukocyte counts consequent upon complex processing, suggesting that in humans, Es may function as a buffering system for complement-bearing IC in the circulation, preventing their interaction with leukocytes bearing complement and FcR, and the potential activation of these cells.

Animals↗