PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Lakos

Publications and source records attributed to G Lakos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Immunoserological changes in the cerebro-spinal fluid and serum in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with demyelinating syndrome and multiple sclerosis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of antinuclear and antiphospholipid antibodies in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with demyelinating syndrome and several forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Paired samples of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were investigated using laser nephalometric and enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) methods, and the parameters of intrathecal synthesis were calculated. Elevation of the concentrations of antiribosomal P protein antibodies in the CSF and serum, and intrathecal synthesis anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies were characteristic in all patient groups. The immunoserological changes were more pronounced in the SLE patients. A similar pathogenetic role of antiphospholipid antibodies in central nervous system (CNS) damage in SLE patients with demyelinating syndrome and of MS patients can be assumed.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

No short-term immunological effects of Pneumococcus vaccination in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the early immunological effects of Pneumococcus vaccination in SLE patients and healthy controls. METHODS: First-four-week follow-up of 18 patients and 9 healthy controls by repeated measurements of anti-nuclear antibodies, anti-dsDNA, C-reactive protein, complement factor 3 (C3) and 4 (C4), total IgG, IgA and IgM. Specific antibody response, percentage of blood lymphocyte populations and whole blood chemiluminescence measurements were carried out in six patients and six controls. RESULTS: No disease flare was detected in the vaccinated patients. all side effects were mild. The concentrations of serum IgG, IgA, C3 and C4 decreased significantly, but still remained within the normal range. The other changes were statistically non-significant. The specific antibody responses to 6B and 23F Pneumococcus serotypes showed striking individual differences. CONCLUSION: There was no short-term immunological effect of Pneumococcus vaccination in the patients with SLE. The non-responders. without any sign of disease activation should possibly be given more immunogenic, new vaccines to avoid life-threatening Pneumococcus infections.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

A novel flow cytometric assay to quantify soluble CD14 concentration in human serum.

BACKGROUND: CD14, the major lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein of myeloid cells, is found as a soluble molecule in human serum. Recent data describe the presence of elevated soluble CD14 (sCD14) concentration in various disorders, confirming disease activity. A novel, easy, and rapid flow cytometric assay was developed to measure sCD14 levels in serum. METHODS: The assay is based on the competition between membrane-expressed CD14 of isolated monocytes from healthy volunteers and sCD14 in the sample sera for binding to anti-CD14 monoclonal antibodies (mAb; 26ic or 60bca). The amount of cell-associated mAb is determined with a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled anti-mouse conjugate and flow cytometry. The fluorescence signal is inversely proportional with the amount of serum sCD14. Using dilutions of a standard serum, the concentration of sCD14 in the samples is calculated and compared with results obtained by a commercial sCD14 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: After optimization, the assay showed log-log linearity of 122.1-984.7 ng/ml sCD14 using mAb 26ic and 29.5-246.2 ng/ml sCD14 using mAb 60bca. It revealed similar results as the ELISA (mAb 26ic: r = 0.88, mAb 60bca: r = 0.92) and provided significantly elevated sCD14 levels in systemic lupus erythematosus patients compared with controls (26ic: 2,213 versus 1,676 ng/ml, P < 0.002; 60bca: 2,625 versus 1,907 ng/ml, P < 0.0002). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis suggested a reasonable diagnostic efficacy of sCD14 quantification in this autoimmune disease. CONCLUSIONS: The method is easy, rapid, sensitive, and can be used in the follow-up of patients suffering from sepsis or chronic inflammatory disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Significance of anti-nucleosome (anti-chromatin) auto-antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus].

Systemic lupus erythematosus is characterised by the presence of antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA). Native DNA, histone proteins and small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP) are the main targets of these ANA-s, but some of them may derive against the entire chromatin, which is composed of the listed elements, and also against its fundamental unit, that is nucleosome. Authors investigated at the first time the frequency and the concentration of anti-nucleosome antibodies in a group of 107 consecutively selected Hungarian lupus patients. They calculated correlation between these parameters and the activity as well as organ--mainly kidney--manifestations of the disease. The frequencies of positive anti-nucleosome, anti-dsDNA and anti-histone antibodies were 39.2, 28.0 and 47.6%, respectively. All the three autoantibodies were present more frequently in cases with lupus nephritis, and this correlation was significant by statistical respect. Also a positive correlation was found between the concentration of these autoantibodies and activity of the diseases (SLE-DAI). Results suggest that long disease duration (mean 8.5 year) and consequently low disease activity (mean DAI: 3.28) may stand at the background of the relatively low occurrence of the measured ANA-s. Besides anti-dsDNA, the determination of anti-nucleosome and anti-histone antibodies can be useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of SLE. Authors discuss the possible role of anti-nucleosome autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Glucocorticosteroid dependent decrease in the activity of calcineurin in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the activity of calcineurin in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 32 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 35 healthy controls. METHODS: The activity of calcineurin was assayed in the supernatants of sonicated mononuclear cells. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the calcineurin activity of patients with SLE not taking glucocorticosteroids (GCS) compared with the healthy controls. On the other hand, the activity of calcineurin was reduced in patients with SLE taking GCS, correlating negatively with the dose of GCS. The stimulation of PBMC by phorbol ester and calcium ionophore decreased the calcineurin activity both in patients with SLE and in healthy controls. GCS could also reduce calcineurin activity in the mononuclear cells of healthy subjects in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with SLE the decrease in the calcineurin activity of PBMC depended on the dose of GCS used for treatment, and it was not a disease specific alteration. The higher the dose of GCS, the greater the inhibition of calcineurin activity. The reduction of calcineurin activity is a new element in the immunosuppressive effects of GCS during the treatment of patients with SLE.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Decreased arachidonic acid release in peripheral blood monocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the release of arachidonic acid (AA) in unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), separated monocytes and T lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: AA release was measured in cells from 56 patients with SLE and from 48 controls. Of the 56 patients with SLE, 38 were receiving glucocorticosteroids and 18 were not. [3H]AA was incorporated into the membranes of PBMC and purified subsets of monocytes and T lymphocytes. The release of [3H]AA was measured both in nonstimulated cells cultured for 24 h and in cell cultures stimulated by phorbol ester (PMA) and Ca2+ ionophore for 4 h. RESULTS: In the PBMC of SLE patients not taking glucocorticosteroids, the release of AA was decreased in both stimulated and nonstimulated cells. There was a decrease of AA production in monocytes but not in T lymphocytes. This phenomenon could be observed in the active and inactive phases of the disease. CONCLUSION: A defect in AA production may exist in the peripheral monocytes of patients with SLE, resulting in decreased release of AA in patients not receiving glucocorticosteroid therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

[Comparative analysis of clinical and laboratory charactiristics of antiphospholipid syndrome].

The authors detected lupus anticoagulant and/or anticardiolipin antibodies in 1519 patients' blood samples between 1986-1999 in 3rd Department of Internal Medicine of Medical School of Debrecen. Examining only the proved thrombotic events and fetal losses as symptoms of antiphospholipid syndrome 218 patients had suffered from this syndrome. Secunder antiphospholipid syndrome was the diagnosis in case of 420 patients, the most common in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (288 patients). In 704 antiphospholipid antibody positivity cases the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome was not fulfilled. Analysing the antibodies profile of primary and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome in SLE, IgG type anticardiolipin antibody positivity was significantly higher in blood samples of SLE patients (82 patients, p < 0.01). Among thrombotic manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome cerebrovascular thrombosis were significantly higher in patients suffering from SLE (128 patients, p < 0.04), while the occurrence of venous thrombosis, thrombosis of coronary, carotic, aorta and peripheral arteries and recurrent abortions was not significantly different in case of primary and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome. Lupus anticoagulant positivity means higher risk for venous thrombosis (94 patients, p < 0.0001), but anticardiolipin antibody positivity associated with a higher risk for thrombosis of coronary, carotic, aorta and peripheral arteries (59 patients, p < 0.00006). Comparing IgG- and IgM-type anticardiolipin antibody positivity the authors found significantly higher cerebrovascular thrombosis events in IgG-anticardiolipin group (p < 0.004). Sneddon syndrome were detected in 17 patients in the primary antiphospholipid syndrome group and in 16 cases in secundary, SLE-associated antiphospholipid syndrome group. One of the patients had died because of the Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

Antibodies, Anticardiolipin↗
PubMed2000

Differences in the changes of allergen-specific IgE serum levels and the chemiluminescence of peripheral blood phagocytes in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis during the ragweed season.

The objective of this study was to compare the changes in the values of allergen-specific serum IgE levels and zymosan-induced whole blood chemiluminescence (CL) in 41 patients who had exclusively only ragweed allergy in the season of acute symptoms of disease in July, August and September. All patients had allergic rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis. Each patient was investigated as a self-control. The ragweed-specific IgE levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The luminol amplified zymosan-induced CL of whole human blood was detected. The allergen-specific serum IgE levels showed slight, but not significant, gradually increasing elevations during the whole season. On the other hand, significant increases were found in the values of the basal but especially in the zymosan-stimulated CL of peripheral blood phagocytes during the acute phase of allergy. Both the basal and the zymosan-induced CL reflected significantly the activated state of the immune system. These observations clearly show that there are well detectable signs of the systemic activation of the immune system in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis beside the local alterations. In addition, the measurements of the basal and zymosan-induced CL of peripheral phagocytes could clearly reflect the clinical state of disease in vitro.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Ceramide stimulates the uptake of neutral red in human neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes.

Neutral red is a vital stain known to be accumulated in the lysosomes of neutrophils and monocytes. It is used mainly to identify and detect the activated state of these cells. We have found that the extracellular application of physiological ceramide, i.e., a product of sphingomyelin hydrolysis and a newly defined intracellular second-messenger substance, increased the uptake of neutral red in a dose-dependent manner in human neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes, as demonstrated by flow cytometry. Staurosporine was able to totally block this phenomenon, suggesting the involvement of protein kinase C in the process. These results indicate that the flow-cytometric analysis of ceramide-induced uptake of neutral red can be a new method for the evaluation of lysosome-related activation processes in both phagocytes and lymphocytes.

Arachidonic Acids↗
PubMed2000

Inhibition of calcineurin activity and protection against cyclosporine A induced cytotoxicity by prednisolone sodium succinate in human peripheral mononuclear cells.

We have investigated the effects of prednisolone sodium succinate (Pss) and cyclosporin A (CSA), applied alone or concurrently, on the release of arachidonic acid (AA) (cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) activity) and on the calcineurin (CN) activity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The cytotoxic damage to the cells treated by the drugs was estimated by the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). We found that Pss (10(-5) M) could inhibit the CN activity and higher concentrations (10(-4) M) could decrease the cytotoxic damage caused by CSA (10(-4) M) during their combined application. CSA had no specific effect on the release of AA from the cells. In the combined clinical use of glucocorticosteroids (GCS) and CSA, their additive inhibitory effect on CN activity and the protective membrane influence of GCS against the cytotoxicity of CSA may be beneficial.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in cancer.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies resulting in arterial and venous thromboembolism. Apart from primary cases, this syndrome is often associated with autoimmune diseases. Around 50 cases of catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome have been reported as yet. Authors describe the first case of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome associated with gastric cancer. Apart from presenting the clinical case, authors also discuss the possible pathomechanism of this associated disorder including the role of immunological factors, as well as antiphospholipid antibodies.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome↗
PubMed2000

Hypercoagulability in various autoimmune diseases: no association with factor V Leiden mutation.

The coagulation factor V Leiden mutation, leading to resistance to activated protein C (APC), is the most common inherited risk factor for venous thrombosis. In various systemic autoimmune diseases the hypercoagulable state was shown to be associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Our aim was to determine the prevalence of both, Leiden mutation and aPL in autoimmune diseases and their impact on the occurrence of venous thrombosis. The dataset consists of results from 137 patients having Sjögren's syndrome (n = 50), progressive systemic sclerosis (n = 43) (PSS), undifferentiated connective tissue disease (n = 24) (UCTD) and mixed connective tissue disease (n = 20) (MCTD) with or without venous thromboembolic complications. The Leiden mutation was detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), aPL, such as lupus anticoagulant (LA) with screening and confirmatory procedures and others with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The prevalence of mutation ranged between 8.3% and 18.0% (13.1%). The thromboembolic risk was found to be increased in the presence of aPL. Eight patients (5.84%) (4 heterozygous) experienced thromboembolic events and 3 out of 4 heterozygous showed aPL positivity, too. There were no difference between the frequencies of Leiden mutation in examined systemic autoimmune diseases and unselected populations.

Activated Protein C Resistance↗
PubMed2000

The Leiden mutation of coagulation factor V in Hungarian SLE patients.

We studied the prevalence and the effect of coagulation factor V Leiden mutation on the occurrence of thrombotic episodes in 120 Hungarian patients having systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with or without antiphospholipid antibody. The frequency of the factor V Leiden mutation in Hungarian SLE patients was 13%, which is comparable with those found previously in a healthy Caucasian population. The incidence of venous thrombosis among factor V Leiden carriers has been found to be higher (odds ratio [OR] 1.7) than it is in patients without Leiden mutation (38% vs 29%). In addition, the frequency of venous thrombosis in the heterozygous SLE patients (OR 8.4 [confidence interval (CI) 0.8-83.9] P = 0.06) is dependent on the coexistence of other risk factors, such as antiphospholipid antibody. Moreover, among heterozygous factor V SLE patients, the Leiden mutation could explain the tendency to have significantly higher prevalence of fetal losses (OR 3.9 [CI 1.2-12.0] P = 0.02) and higher prevalence of cerebrovascular lesions, cardiac valvular abnormalities, and Raynaud's syndrome than that found in individuals without factor V Leiden mutation of those having antiphospholipid antibody. Systemic lupus erythematosus patients with combined defects suffer more severely from thrombosis than those with a single risk factor do, suggesting that thrombophilia is a multifactorial disorder in SLE, also. Although, the factor V Leiden mutation does not seem to be a significant risk factor for venous thrombosis in SLE, these data demonstrate that Leiden mutation can be regarded as an additive thrombogenic factor providing higher predisposition to several vasoocclusive disorders in SLE.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of the anti-Ro/SSA autoantibody profile between patients with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To measure serum levels of anti-Ro52-kD/SSA, anti-Ro60-kD/SSA and anti-La/SSB autoantibodies in patients with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome. To examine if there is any connection between the disease and the subtype-spectrum of these antibodies. METHODS: We measured serum levels of anti-Ro52-kD/SSA, anti-Ro60-kD/SSA and anti-La/SSB autoantibodies by ELISA, in the sera of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome with or without extraglandular manifestations and with or without anti-La/SSB positivity and of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus/Sjögren's syndrome overlapping disease with or without anti-La/SSB positivity. RESULTS: Differences of the distribution of the anti-Ro52-kD/SSA and the anti-Ro60-kD/SSA were found between the primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome patients' groups; when Sjögren's syndrome is accompanied by systemic lupus erythematosus, the occurrence of anti-Ro60-kD/SSA autoantibodies is significantly higher than in primary Sjögren'syndrome. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there is a possible connection between the distribution of the subtypes of the anti-Ro/SSA autoantibodies and the disease type in primary/secondary Sjögren's syndrome.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed2000

Antiprothrombin and antiannexin V antibodies imply risk of thrombosis in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between antiprothrombin (aPT) and antiannexin V (aANX) autoantibodies of IgG isotype and thrombosis in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. To compare the clinical relevance of these antibodies to that of anticardiolipin (aCL), anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-beta2-GPI), and lupus anticoagulant (LAC). METHODS: Serum IgG aPT, aANX, aCL, and anti-beta2-GPI levels were measured by solid phase enzyme immunoassay in the sera of 70 patients with systemic autoimmune diseases, 35 with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and 35 without APS. Medical records were analyzed, and associations of the antibodies with clinical features of APS were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with APS had higher frequency of aPT (p = 0.001) and aANX (p = 0.002) compared to patients without APS. Thrombotic events occurred more frequently in those with aPT or aANX than those without (p = 0.005, p = 0.006, respectively). The presence of aPT and aANX was found to be highly specific for APS. CONCLUSION: Measurement of aPT and aANX antibodies may be of value in confirming the diagnosis of APS, and in evaluating risk of venous and arterial thrombosis in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Membranous glomerulonephritis in a patient with inherited activated protein C resistance.

We present a patient with membranous glomerulonephritis, several clinical complications of the antiphospholipid syndrome and ulcerative colitis, but without lupus anticoagulant and antiphospholipid/cofactor antibodies. Immunological studies--other antibodies--were negative and failed to show enough criteria for any autoimmune diseases. Evaluation of her laboratory tests for hereditary thrombophilia revealed a heterozygous form of the Leiden mutation that might be associated with widespread vasculopathy. An interesting possibility is that the inherited activated protein C resistance could be an additional risk factor for vaso-occlusive manifestations appearing as a clinical sign of cardiovascular diseases and nephropathy.

Activated Protein C Resistance↗
PubMed1999

[Catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in a cancer patient].

Antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies resulting in arterial and venous thromboembolism. Apart from primary cases, this syndrome is often associated with autoimmune diseases. Around 50 cases of catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome have been reported as yet. Authors describe a case of a female patients with catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome associated with gastric cancer. This may be the first case of such association in the literature. Authors also discuss the possible pathomechanism of this disorder, as well as the available therapeutic approaches.

Adenocarcinoma↗