Biomedical subjects

C Lefebure

Publications and source records attributed to C Lefebure.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Anti-galectin-1 autoantibodies in serum of patients with neurological diseases.

The presence of autoantibodies to human brain galectin-1 was investigated in serum from patients with multiple sclerosis, patients with or without evidence of other neurological disorders, and healthy controls, using an ELISA on purified brain galectin-1. Levels of autoantibodies to galectin-1 were significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls. Comparison of levels of anti-galectin-1 and anti-idiotypic antibodies mimicking human brain galectin-1 (L-IgG) showed that the highest levels of autoantibodies were present in patients with low levels of L-IgG. This finding can be explained by hypothesizing that the concentration of autoantibodies to galectin-1 is possibly associated with impairment of the regulation of the immune system.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Purification and characterization of natural antibodies that recognize a human brain lectin.

We have recently identified oligoclonal IgG antibodies that are related to a human brain lectin (HBL14) from serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurological disorders. They were termed lectin-like IgG (L-IgG) (Joubert-Caron et al., 1994a,b). In this paper, the occurrence of antibodies reactive both towards HBL14 and L-IgG was investigated. Binding of antibodies to HBL14 was demonstrated by solid-phase ELISA and chromatography on immobilized HBL14. Fab fragments of these antibodies were also shown to bind to HBL14. The specificity of the antibodies towards HBL14 was studied using a panel of different antigens. Our data show that individual sera from healthy people as well as a pool of immunoglobulins from 80 blood donors contain an IgG autoreactivity to HBL14, while no IgM autoreactivity was detected. Anti-HBL14 antibodies from sera were purified using affinity chromatography on immobilized HBL14. Affinity chromatography further allowed us to demonstrate that the binding of anti-HB14 antibodies was mediated through their Fab fragments. A higher amount of anti-HBL14 antibodies was purified using a L-IgG-depleted fraction of sera. The binding of anti-HBL14 antibodies to L-IgG was confirmed by ELISA. Finally, anti-HBL14 antibodies were found to be polyreactive. These results indicate the occurrence of a novel class of natural antibodies reactive towards a human brain lectin and suggest that these antibodies may participate in immunoregulatory mechanisms probably though idiotypic/anti-idiotypic interaction.

Antibody Specificity↗

PubMed1975

Kif in Morocco.

Chronic cannabis intoxication of a significant fraction of the male population still prevails in Morocco. The preparation used (kif) is a powder made from the dried flower of the female plant. It contains 2 to 3% THC and is smoked mixed with tobacco (1/3 of the mixture). Cultivation of kif is tolerated in an area of 60 square miles in the high Rif mountain of Northern Morocco, where it constitutes the main cash crop of the local farmers. A significant percentage (50%?) of the men in the area also consume kif regularly. This cultivation is spreading to neighboring areas. Moroccan health authorities claim that cannabis intoxication represents a major health hazard. There exist little data correlating chronic usage of kif with pathological states in these areas of large production and consumption. This dearth of information due to lack of local medical personnel could be alleviated by a combined medical and ethnological study.

Agriculture↗