Biomedical subjects

A A Koumarianou

Publications and source records attributed to A A Koumarianou.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura. A study of 44 cases.

Thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP) is characterised by platelet aggregation in the capillaries, thrombocytopaenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia that result in organ ischaemia, mainly of the CNS and kidneys. Since the institution of plasma exchange therapy no further treatments have been proved to improve the survival and the relapse rate of TTP patients. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the efficacy of normal human immunoglobulin treatment in 44 patients suffering from TTP. Patients were divided into two groups that either did not receive (group A: 15 patients) or received (group B: 29 patients) 400 mg/kg of human normal immunoglobulin intravenously (ivIgG) for 5 days. All patients received treatment with corticosteroids, anti-platelet agents and plasma exchange. The results clearly showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in either remission rate or time to relapse following remission. In conclusion, this study did not prove any beneficial effect of ivIgG in the treatment of TTP patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Development of a novel bi-specific monoclonal antibody approach for tumour targeting.

To overcome the disadvantages of bi-specific antibody methodologies in vivo, a novel antibody approach has been designed to improve tumour targeting and effector to target ratio. The technique involves biotinylated anti-CD3 Fab fragments and streptavidinylated anti-tumour monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that can spontaneously form cross-links. We describe here a method for the direct cross-linking of sulphydryl-conjugated HMFG1 (anti-MUC1 mucin mAb) to streptavidin by sulphosuccinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane-1-carboxylate. Fab fragments generated by papain digestion of the 1452C11 antibody (anti-CD3 mAb without Fc to avoid peripheral activation of T-cells) were biotinylated with NHS-Iminobiotin. MUC1-transfected BALB/c breast cancer cell lines 413BCR and 425CCR and the parental cell line (410.4) were labelled with streptavidinylated mouse anti-MUC1 mucin mAb. BALB/c effector T-cells were separately labelled with biotinylated anti-CD3 Fab fragments (1452C11) and mixed with tumour cells in different effector to target ratios. Percentage of killing was assessed using the 51Cr cytotoxicity assay. Seventy per cent lysis was measured in the case of 413BCR (high MUC1 mucin expressor) and 40% in the case of 425CCR (low expressor) cell line. No lysis was apparent in the MUC1 negative cell line. These results demonstrate that the novel T-cell redirecting approach we have developed can produce effective immune lysis of target cells in vitro.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Pigmented Bowen's disease.

We describe two Afro-Caribbean women who presented with pigmented Bowen's disease. One, a 44-year-old woman, developed a sharply demarcated, irregularly marginated, hyperpigmented plaque with a velvety surface in the perianal area. The other, a 25-year-old woman, developed a well defined, verrucous, hyperpigmented patch on the umbilicus. Histology showed that both cases were Bowen's disease, and subsequent treatment with 5-fluorouracil and cryotherapy led to complete resolution.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Second primary renal cell carcinomas following solid tumors. Four case reports and review of the literature.

We report multiple malignancies in four patients with metachronous renal adenocarcinomas. The group of patients includes two women treated for primary breast and ovarian cancer and two men with prostate and colon cancer respectively. The occurrence of renal cancer following these primary solid tumors was not associated with previous treatments. The authors review the literature and discuss pathogenic mechanisms underlying renal cell carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell↗