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Biomedical subjects

G Metzner

Publications and source records attributed to G Metzner.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

The in vitro activity of lectin I from mistletoe (ML I) and its isolated A and B chains on functions of macrophages and polymorphonuclear cells.

We investigated the effects of ML I and its isolated chains, A and B, in regard to selected functions of phagocytes (human granulocytes, paraffin-oil stimulated M phi from guinea pigs). On these cells, ML I has no cytotoxic effect between 10(-14) and 10(-8) (trypan blue exclusion and ethidium bromide exclusion). Over the same concentration range, ML I and B chain diminish the negative surface charge of M phi and agglutinate M phi at concentrations greater than or equal to 2 X 10(-8) M (ML I) and greater than or equal to 3 X 10(-7) M (B chain), respectively. The diminishing of the negative surface charge shows two peaks, indicating the existence of two types of receptors on the M phi surface with different affinities for sugar-binding sites. Moreover, the B chain shows a third peak at higher concentrations (3 X 10(-8) M) that could be inhibited by D-galactose (greater than or equal to 10(-4) M). In comparison, the A chain reduces the surface charge at concentrations over 3 X 10(-7) M, but D-galactose has no effect on this. By means of the agarose droplet test, the spontaneous migration of M phi is inhibited in the sequence ML I much greater than B chain greater than A chain. The phagocytic activity of human leukocytes tested with a radiometric phagocytosis technique reveals an increasing effect only for the B chain; ML I and the A chain have no effect. Perhaps the mechanism of the described activities of ML I and its B chain are comparable with the action of lymphokines activating M phi.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

[Human transfer factor. I. Production by the great pool technic and the biochemical and immunological characteristics of the preparation].

A great pool procedure for producing human transfer factor preparations from buffy-coats of stored whole blood which has not been used up till now is described. From an initial tool size of about 1,500 units of whole blood the procedure represented makes it possible to gain higher amounts of uniform and in their immunological efficacy in vitro standardizable preparations for controlled long-term therapy studies. By means of various immunological in vitro tests, stimulating as well as suppressing activities of the charges obtained could be identified. Starting from the differentiated immunological effects of various charges of the transfer factor on T-cell populations in vitro, the possibility of influencing T-cell subpopulations through well-conceived therapeutic measures by a transfer factor is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Human transfer factor. II. Clinical results with the large pool transfer factor].

21 patients with diseases due to immunological causes were treated 6 times at an interval of four weeks by administering 5 E TF or 1 E TF each per 10 kg of body weight. TF consisted of 5 different large pool TF charges of 420 to 822 buffy-coats of fresh stored whole blood. Clinical and immunological investigations as well as biochemical ones in the laboratory were made before and after treatment. Large pool TF is clinically effective in 9 from 18 patients and immunologically in 16 from 18 patients. There is a greater effect in immunodeficiencies than in autoimmune diseases. TF is not able to remove the defect for a long time. Repeated administrations are required. TF therapy may be regarded as a substitution therapy. At first, the intervals have to be chosen according to clinical parameters (recidive of the disease or crisis respectively). There is a good compatibility of TF. Side-effects could not be observed. The frequent immunological conversions after score evaluation indicate, however, that in comparison to the clinical appearance the course of the disease must be seen to be much more complex than it can be expressed by in vitro correlates of immunological responses. Statistically ensured correlations of single tests concerning the clinical course could also not be found. Large pool TF provides favourable conditions for controlled therapy trials in order to elucidate those findings of therapy which hitherto had been a subject of controversy (e.g. autoimmune diseases, tumours).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Lymphocyte activation by low doses of cyclosporin A.

Supernatants of human lymphocyte cultures incubated with cyclosporin A (CS-A) for 90 min reveal an inhibitory effect on the electrophoretic mobility of guinea-pig macrophages. This effect is distinctly demonstrable already at CS-A concentrations from 10-7 micrograms/ml on with a maximum at 10-3 micrograms/ml. An inhibitory action of CS-A on PHA-induced lymphocyte proliferation is detectable only beyond 10-2 micrograms/ml CS-A. The CS-A induced lymphokine is comparable to that stimulated by other ways (PHA, ConA).

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Impedance cardiography in normal children.

Cardiac output, cardiac index (cardiac output/body surface) and stroke volume were investigated in 20 normal children by means of impedance cardiography. Significant differences were found in the mean values of cardiac output and cardiac index between both sexes, as well as in means of cardiac index between younger and older children. The obtained data generally agreed with the results of other investigators performing the examination by using the same technique and other methods.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Clinical indications for monitoring immunologic reactivity (immune status)].

The tests and the clinical indications for monitoring immunologic reactivity are discussed. From the viewpoint of reliability in relation to diagnosis and therapy for the single patient there are some basic indications: the primary and secondary immunodeficienceis, the immunoproliferative disorders and the monitoring during immunotherapeutic procedures. In autoimmune diseases and in cancer these investigations do not give sufficient information concerning immunoreactivity of the single patient. The differences are statistical significant only for groups. In the future antigenic specific tests seem to be more promising.

Autoimmune Diseases↗
PubMed1980

[Determination of the MSF (macrophage slowing factor) release by phytohemagglutinin using the macrophage electrophoretic mobility test (MEM test). I. Dependency of release on incubation time, phytohemagglutinin and cell concentration].

Under the influence of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) lymphocytes of the peripheral blood from healthy persons and patients without immunodeficiencies produce a lymphokine called macrophage slowing factor (MSF). Kinetic studies of MSF production according to time-dependence, dose-response-effect and lymphocyte concentration revealed the optimal test conditions: 90 min resp. 4 h incubation time, 1 microliter and 5 microliter PHA per test and 10(6) lymphocytes per test. These conditions provided a decrease of 11.0 +/- 4.1% of macrophage mobility in the electric field. The PHA-model can be used as a positive control for the MEM-test. Moreover the PHA-model serves as a test for immunological reactivity.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[(15)N(2)]arginine as a first potential inhaled diagnostic agent to characterize respiratory diseases.

Conventional diagnosis of the pulmonary tract uses physical methods such as spirometry and oscillometry. However, the inhalation of a chemical diagnostic agent ought to provide novel ways of more specific diagnosis, for instance of inflammatory states of the bronchial and lung mucosa. The stable isotope technique using a (15)N-labeled substrate appears to be a suitable tool for this application. In a pilot study, defined amounts of the amino acid L-[guanidino-(15)N(2)]arginine monohydrochloride (aqueous solution, 20 atom % (15)N) were inhaled as a diagnostic agent by healthy volunteers and pulmonary patients suffering from asthma bronchiale. The amino acid is resorbed and partly metabolized to (15)NO. The exhaled air was collected under defined conditions in 10-L breath bags and analyzed for NO using chemiluminescence. Under standardized test conditions, healthy persons (n = 6) exhaled 0.97 +/- 0.08 micromol NO/m(3) and asthmatic patients (n = 7) 1.17 +/- 0.14 micromol NO/m(3). A better distinction was expected comparing the (15)NO exhalation. The (15)N abundance of NO was determined using a Cryotrap gas chromatography - mass spectrometry set-up. Between 30 and 80 minutes after inhaling 700 mg [(15)N]arginine, a maximum with a plateau of the (15)NO abundance was found in the exhaled air. At this time, healthy and asthmatic subjects exhibited clear differences in their exhaled (15)NO amounts. Under standardized test conditions, the healthy persons (n = 6) exhaled 102.3 +/- 6.7 nmol (15)NO/m(3), whereas asthmatic patients (n = 7) exhaled only 76.1 +/- 10.9 nmol (15)NO/m(3). It is concluded that (15)NO yielded after the inhalation of (15)N-labeled arginine could be a potential marker for demonstrating pathophysiological changes in the lung epithelium. This method could pave a new diagnostic principle of "inhalative breath test."

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mitigating effects of dialysable leukocyte extract (DLE) on the experimental allergic uveitis (EAU) of the rabbit.

Experimental allergic uveitis (EAU) is an induced autoimmune disease by administering soluble retinal S antigen and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). In rabbits, the result is the occurrence of chorioretinitis in 90% of the cases. The first inflammation is followed by spontaneous relapses. The EAU of the rabbit was utilized to study the effects of the dialyzable leucocyte extract (DLE) on the course and the intensity of the disease in this autoimmune model. The DLE preparations examined differed with regard to their origin or the immunological stimulation of the initial material (DLE from humans (DLE Hu) and DLE from the normal rabbit (DLE RaO) or rabbits which had EAU (DLE RaEAU) and rabbits which had received CFA (DLE Ra (CFA). One unit of DLE corresponds to the extract from 10(9) cells. The administration of DLE starts with the onset of inflammation. 4 x 0.5 units were administered during the first week, 1 x 0.5 units per week from the 2nd to the 12th week. All preparations decrease the cumulative frequency of the days of illness significantly. The duration of the initial inflammation is reduced in all animals treated, but only in part significantly. There appears a graduation of efficacy: DLE RaEAU greater than DLE Ra CFA greater than DLE Hu greater than DLE RaO. Overall, it can be seen that, on the one hand, there is no specificity or restriction of the species for the efficacy and, on the other hand, the extent of the effects depends on the degree of the immunological stimulation. The maximum efficacy of DLE RaEAU is not exclusively due to the transmission of an antigen-specific sensitization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical, biochemical and immunological effectiveness of diacetyl-splenopentin (BCH 069) in hay fever.

Diacetyl-splenopentin (BCH 069) is a new pentapeptide of splenin modified by twofold acetylation. BCH 069 has thymopentin-like activity demonstrated by in vivo animal and in vitro human studies. Two groups of patients received 50 mg BCH 069 and placebo, respectively, by subcutaneous injection 3 times weekly for 4 weeks. The third group of patients received 50 mg BCH 069 by intravenous injection 3 times weekly for 6 weeks. The therapy was carried out during the peak of the pollen season. BCH 069 intravenous treatment was found to be significantly superior to placebo treatment in reducing clinical symptoms. Biochemical inflammatory signs were not observed. No increase of bronchomotoric reactivity was established in comparison to the placebo group. There was a significantly lower increase in gras-spollen specific IgE and IgG4 in the intravenous group of BCH 069. Subcutaneous therapy with BCH 069 was not effective. The study demonstrated that BCH 069 used intravenously induces clinical improvement in patients suffering from hay fever. Thus the possibility to influence hyperreactive conditions of the immune system has been confirmed. The study indicates that various application routes of BCH 069 have different effects on the immune system.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical and immunologic results of immunotherapy with pooled buffy coat transfusions in females with habitual abortion].

In a multicenter study we have evaluated the effect of immunotherapy with pooled buffy coats on women with habitual abortions. 21 women were selected under the same criteria with respect to clinical, immunological and blood banking conditions. All women have had at least two miscarriages with the same partner and no living child (except one case). Additionally, all well-known reasons for abortions were excluded. The couples were tested for HLA-A, B and C antigens as well as for the presence of HLA-antibodies. The couples with recurrent spontaneous abortions suggested a significantly higher compatibility in two or more antigens in comparison to the control couples with children and without any abortion. Before treatment there was no case with cytotoxic HLA antibodies. 10 women received each two pooled buffy coats intravenously before pregnancy at time intervals of 3 weeks. 15 women were treated in early pregnancy until the 28th week of gestation at the same application intervals. In the meantime 10 of 15 women have delivered at term a healthy and mature child with normal weight. Four of 15 are still pregnant in the third trimester of pregnancy. In one case the pregnancy resulted in an abortion. The buffy coat transfusions were well tolerated and led in no case to the formation of antierythrocytic antibodies. 12 of 21 women treated developed HLA antibodies at various time intervals during immunotherapy, mainly with a low titre. In 7 of 10 cases the antibodies occurred in the treatment period before pregnancy, in 5 of 15 cases during pregnancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abortion, Habitual↗