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Biomedical subjects

G Kassner

Publications and source records attributed to G Kassner.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Characterization of a population of small macrophages in induced sputum of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and healthy volunteers.

The inflammatory process in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is active mainly in the airways, but little is known about the properties of the inflammatory cells in this compartment. We have studied leucocytes in induced sputum of COPD patients compared to controls in order to uncover what types of macrophages might be involved in the disease. Sputum induction was performed by inhalation of nebulized sodium chloride solution. Leucocytes were isolated and stained with specific monoclonal antibodies for analysis in flow cytometry. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that a major portion of CD14+ macrophages in COPD has lower forward scatter, i.e. they are small macrophages. While in control donors these small macrophages accounted for 6.9% of all macrophages, the percentage of these cells in COPD was 45.7%. CD14 and HLA-DR expression was high on these small sputum macrophages while the large sputum macrophages expressed only low levels of these surface molecules, both in control donors and COPD patients. Small sputum macrophages of both control donors and COPD patients showed higher levels of constitutive tumour necrosis factor (TNF) compared to the large macrophages. TNF was inducible by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) preferentially in the small sputum macrophages in the control donors but there was no further induction in COPD patients. These data show that the small sputum macrophages are a major macrophage population in COPD and that these cells exhibit features of highly active inflammatory cells and may therefore be instrumental in airway inflammation in COPD.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Increased sputum IL-8 and IL-5 in asymptomatic nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness.

Since asymptomatic, nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness (BHR) may be due to an enhanced local inflammatory response, we studied molecular markers of inflammation in induced sputum from subjects with asymptomatic BHR (n = 14) compared with control subjects (n = 13) and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n = 10). Pulmonary lung function parameters were measured by spirometry and body plethysmography. Hyperresponsiveness was defined based on histamine challenge. Induced sputum samples were collected and the solid phase was isolated and analyzed for leukocyte numbers and differential and for cytokines (ELISA). IL-8 was 2.4-fold increased (p = 0.036) in the sputum of subjects with asymptomatic BHR (24.8 +/- 22.0 ng/mL; +/- SD) and 11.2-fold enhanced in patients with COPD (117.8 +/- 106.3 ng/mL) as compared with control subjects (10.5 +/- 7.7 ng/mL). In control subjects, no IL-5 was measured, however, sputum of those with asymptomatic BHR contained IL-5 at 0.044 +/- 0.090 ng/mL fluid and COPD patients at 1.00 +/- 2.01 ng/mL. GM-CSF could not be detected in sputum samples of any subjects investigated. Number of total leukocytes was higher in those with asymptomatic BHR and COPD (with BHR: 9.4 +/- 10.8 x 10(5); COPD: 83.5 +/- 182.5 x 10(5)) compared with persons without BHR (2.9 +/- 3.4 x 10(5)). PMN were increased in patients with asymptomatic BHR (4.1 +/- 5.3 x 10(5)) (38.8 +/- 24.7%) and COPD (32.9 +/- 71.0 x 10(5)) (75.4 +/- 18.6%) compared with controls (0.7 +/- 0.9 x 10(5)) (25.8 +/- 25.7%). In contrast to PMN counts in those with asymptomatic BHR (0.06 +/- 0.11 x 10(5)) (1.5 +/- 3.7%), eosinophil counts were only slightly increased compared with control subjects (0.01 +/- 0.02 x 10(5)) (0.6 +/- 0.9%). This study supports the hypothesis that BHR in asymptomatic people is associated with airway inflammation that may predispose to development of chronic diseases such as COPD.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Osteoglophonic dysplasia: review and further delineation of the syndrome.

We report on a boy with clinical and radiologic findings of osteoglophonic dysplasia. He had craniostenosis, "bizarre," expansile cystic lesions in the diaphyses, delayed tooth eruption, and progressive rib expansion typical of the syndrome. Initially delayed psychomotor development with later normal intelligence, early feeding and breathing difficulty, and speech delay are also characteristic of the disorder. Manifestations, not previously reported in osteoglophonic dysplasia, present in the propositus are spontaneous fractures resulting in pseudoarthroses through cystic and dysplastic foci in his proximal femoral shafts and right humerus, pretibial dimples, hypospadias, marked rib expansion, and absence of significant vertebral abnormality. These findings expand the spectrum of osteoglophonic dysplasia.

Bone Diseases, Developmental↗
PubMed1994

Progesterone-induced acrosome reaction: potential role for sperm acrosome antigen-1 in fertilization.

We have established a monoclonal antibody (mAb) AG7 defining a sperm acrosome antigen-1 (SAA-1) on spermatozoa from the human and several mammalian species. MAb AG7 inhibits fertilization of mouse eggs in vitro and in vivo. An important characteristic of mAb AG7 is its inhibition of the rise in intracellular calcium induced by progesterone in human spermatozoa. Here we show that, following the acrosome reaction, SAA-1 is lost from the cap of human spermatozoa but remains detectable in the equatorial region. Acrosome reaction assays demonstrated a clear difference between progesterone- and A23187-induced acrosome reactions. For induction of the acrosome reaction with progesterone, a minimum capacitation time of 6 h was required. A23187 induced the acrosome reaction regardless of capacitation time. MAb AG7 completely inhibited the progesterone-induced acrosome reaction, but not the A23187-induced acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa. Differences in the pattern of calcium flux induced by the two agents might account for this phenomenon. The inhibition of the progesterone-induced acrosome reaction by mAb AG7 implies a regulatory function of SAA-1 during the human sperm acrosome reaction.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1992

Comparative hematology in marine fish.

1. A comparative study involving 80 species (14 ray, 14 shark and 52 teleost species) of marine fish found at the southeastern Brazilian coast is presented. 2. Active species displayed higher values for all hematological parameters studied when compared to the less active forms. 3. Mean values of hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell counts increased according to the sequence: rays, sharks, teleosts. 4. As a group, cartilaginous fish blood displayed larger and fewer erythrocytes containing more hemoglobin than teleosts; mean cell hemoglobin concentration was significantly higher in rays and sharks than in teleosts. 5. For all but the hemoglobin concentration, the hematological values studied revealed a marked contrast between bony and cartilaginous fishes which suggests distinct ways to accomplish their oxygen demands.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Pilomatrixoma (calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe): radiographic features.

Pilomatrixomas (calcifying epitheliomas of Malherbe) are benign soft-tissue tumors that occur in the dermis or subcutaneous tissues; about 40% are found in children under 10 years of age. More than 80% have microscopic calcification and/or ossification. Although the incidence of radiographically visible calcification is not known, heavily calcified tumors have a distinctive radiographic appearance. The authors describe the radiographic and pathologic findings in 2 children with pilomatrixomas.

Calcinosis↗