Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Petrini.
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The natural killer (NK) activity of peripheral lymphocytes against 51Cr-labelled Chang or K562 cells was tested using a 4 h release assay before and after postoperative radiation therapy for mammary carcinoma. NK activity against K562 was significantly reduced at completion of therapy (a total target dose of 45.0 Gy) and restituted 3 to 4 months later. NK activity against Change cells exhibited a slight but non-significant decline at completion of therapy followed by an overshoot 3 to 4 months later. The frequency of Fc-IgG receptor bearing lymphocytes was decreased at completion of therapy and largely restored after 3 to 4 months.
A 14-month-old girl with subcutaneous abscesses and purulent lymphadenitis caused by Mycobacterium cheloni following penicillin injections is presented. The case brings to the fore the differential diagnosis of mycobacterial infection in abscesses after injections.
Twelve patients with late anaerobic infection following hip or knee arthroplasty or tibia osteosynthesis are presented. Peptococci (Peptococcus asaccharolyticus, P. magnus, P. prevotii) and peptostreptococci (Peptostreptococcus micros, P. anaerobius, P. parvulus) were present in nine of the cases. Anaerobic gram-positive or -negative rods were found in three cases (Propionibacterium acnes, Actinomyces israelii, and Bacteroides fragilis). Antibodies against the isolated bacteria were detected in sera of nine patients. Anaerobic bacteria seem to be responsible for some of the late reactions that may follow arthroplasty or osteosynthesis.
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The possible influence of 48 hr of sleep deprivation on in vitro DNA synthesis of blood lymphocytes and on the adhesiveness and intracellular, stainable activity of alkaline phosphatase in blood granulocytes was studied in twelve young male volunteers. Following the sleep deprivation, all 12 subjects showed marked reductions of DNA synthesis after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. Pre-exposure levels were regained 5 days after terminating the vigil. No changes were noted in granulocyte adherence or alkaline phosphatase activity. The results suggest that sleep deprivation may decrease cell-mediated immune reactions and thereby impair some aspects of host defense.
The extent of radiation induced immune suppression was analysed in 100 patients with carcinoma of the breast. The relative changes of lymphocyte counts and stimulations by PHA and PPD were similar in patients who differed with regard to age, size of tumour and its malignancy grade or axillary node condition. Moreover, no difference in the degree of radiation induced immune suppression existed between patients who developed recurrent disease and those who remained free of disease during a follow-up period of 4 1/2 to 7 years.
Human blood B-lymphocytes were co-cultured with in vitro irradiated allogeneic or autologous T-lymphocytes in the presence of pokeweed mitogen (PWM). The production of IgG, IgM and IgA, as assessed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was increased 2--7 times, as compared to values obtained with non-irradiated T-lymphocytes. It is suggested that the increase of Ig production is due to the selective radiosensitivity of T-lymphocytes with suppressor function.
The peripheral lymphocyte population was examined in sixty-five randomized breast cancer patients before and after post-operative adjuvant cyclic chemotherapy or local radiation therapy. During 10 months of chemotherapy total lymphocyte and T cell counts were reduced to 70% and non-T cells to about 50% of pretreatment values. The population of T cells was unaltered whereas the proportion of non-T cells was significantly reduced at the end of the period. Immediately after radiotherapy total lymphocyte and T cell counts were reduced to 30%, and non-T cells to 15% of pretreatment values. During 10 months' observation total lymphocyte and T cell counts increased to 70%, and non-T cells to 50--60% of pretreatment values.
In vitro irradiation of purified human lymphocytes reduced PHA-mediated cytotoxicity (MICC) against chicken erythrocytes in a dose-dependent fashion. Lymphocytes with receptors for IgG present in both unfractionated and T-cell enriched cell preparations were depleted after X-ray exposure. T-cells with IgM-receptors, however, appeared to be more resistant. Different lymphocyte subpopulations seem to cooperate in MICC, and shifts of their proportions may be one explanation of the reduction of MICC after X-ray exposure.
Cell-mediated immunity in patients with verified dermatophytosis was investigated by means of skin test and lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) using purified trichophytin, prepared by the ethylene glycol method, and commercially available trichophytin. The purified trichophytin seemed to be more specific and sensitive both in skin test and in LST. In the majority of cases skin-positive patients were also positive in LST, especially when T. mentagrophytes or E. floccosum was the causative organism. Patients with non-chronic infections also showed a close correlation between skin reactivity and LST. Patients with chronic mycosis or infected with T. rubrum, on the other hand, were often skin-negative. Their lymphocyte reactivity in vitro, however, was usually positive, thus showing a discrepancy in the ability of these two methods to measure cell-mediated immunity.
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A series of 203 consecutive patients with operable carcinoma of the breast was analysed with regard to correlations between a set of immunologic and clinical variables existing at the time of the diagnosis. No major correlations were revealed between immunologic variables on the one hand and clinical features or the course of the disease on the other. The well-known prognostic relevance of tumour size, involvement of the axilla and the histological grade of malignancy was evident.
In vitro lymphocyte stimulation by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and tests for granulocyte function were performed in 12 children with recurrent pneumonia. Reduced lymphocyte stimulation was found at repeated tests in 2 children and transiently decreased lymphocyte stimulation in 6 more children. In 3 patients, reduced bactericidal capacity of granulocytes was demonstrated, and in 1 cast stimulation showed decreased NBT activity of granulocytes. One patient examined had immunoglobulin deficiency.
Both T and non-T lymphocytes decreased immediately following radiotherapy in breast cancer patients. The relative depletion of non-T lymphocytes, however, was more marked than that of T cells. 3 years later the number and the proportion of non-T lymphocytes was higher than immediately after radiotherapy, while T lymphocytes were still depressed. The proportion of cells with membrane-associated Ig was higher in patients 3 years following radiotherapy than in non-treated patients and healthy controls. There was no difference in the proportion of T and non-T lymphocytes between patients with and without metastases, respectively.
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