PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

H J Laws

Publications and source records attributed to H J Laws.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Induction of a CD3+/CD56+ lymphocyte population following gene therapy with transgenic IL-2 secreting fibroblasts in a child with peripheral neuroectodermal malignancy.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy after stem cell transplantation can improve the prognosis of patients with Ewing tumors. This has been attributed to stimulation of the immune system and its antineoplastic activity, thus eliminating minimal residual disease. As the side effects of systemic IL-2 limit the dosage, attempts have been made to locally augment the concentration of IL-2 in the proximity of the tumor. To achieve this, fibroblasts and/or tumor cells can be genetically modified to secrete IL-2 and then be injected to generate tumor immunogen. PROCEDURE: In a preliminary clinical trial we assessed whether the administration of transgenic IL-2-secreting fibroblasts was feasible without major toxicity and whether it had any effect regarding the activation of the immune system. We treated an 11-year-old boy with a peripheral neuroectodermal tumor of the left neck in fourth relapse, who was refractory to all available therapy. We transfected fibroblasts of the patient with an IL-2 gene expression vector using a cationic liposome reagent. In 51Cr cytotoxicity assays we obtained lysis of this patient's tumor cells by IL-2-stimulated mononuclear cells (MNCs). Under CT-guidance we intratumorally injected IL-2 transgenic autologous fibroblasts. RESULTS: We observed no local or systemic toxicity. In addition, we found a rise in the CD3+CD56+ lymphocyte population, previously described as cytokine-induced killer cells. No other hematological parameter changed significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the intratumoral injection of transgenic IL-2-secreting fibroblasts is feasible without major toxicity and may lead to an increase in CD3+CD56+ cells.

CD3 Complex

Treatment of acute renal failure with urodilatin after unrelated bone marrow transplantation in an 18-month-old boy.

Acute renal failure was imminent in an 18-month-old male infant 20 days after unrelated BMT. The infant was treated with urodilatin (URO), a natriuretic vasorelaxant peptide. Diuresis increased 2 h after the commencement of URO infusion and the furosemide infusion was reduced from 5 mg/h to 2.5 mg/h. After seven days of URO treatment diuresis was normal, the serum creatinine level had decreased, and furosemide was reduced from 12 mg/kg bw/d to 1.8 mg/kg bw/d. No side effects were observed either during or following URO therapy. We consider URO to be a promising drug for the treatment, without any apparent side effects, of imminent or manifest acute renal failure in infants following BMT.

Acute Kidney Injury

Time course of interferon-gamma production deficiency after autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation for malignancies.

While success of autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for malignancies largely depends on the cytotoxicity of the ablative regimen, achievement of relapse-free survival after allogeneic BMT is thought to be enhanced by immunologic effects. We therefore investigated in vivo and in vitro production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), soluble interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor alpha-chain (sCD25), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in patients before and during various time periods up to 2 years after autologous and allogeneic BMT. Cytokine levels were assessed in patient plasma and in supernatants of patient-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) cultured for 3 days in the presence of T cell-specific stimulation via CD3 plus IL-2. Our studies show that IFN-gamma plasma levels are decreased in autologous graft recipients before and during the first 30 days posttransplant. In allogeneic graft recipients, IFN-gamma plasma levels are also decreased during the first 30 days posttransplant, but otherwise are comparable to normal control (NC) values. In vitro stimulated PBMNC from autologous graft recipients also exhibit an IFN-gamma production defect before and during the first 30 days posttransplant. In contrast, before and up to 30 days after allogeneic BMT, stimulated IFN-gamma production is comparable to NC values but then gradually decreases, reaching its trough levels at between 61 and 180 days post-BMT. The IFN-gamma production defects in both patient groups seem to be specific, as sCD25, TNF-alpha, and GM-CSF production in stimulated PBMNC is normal or even enhanced at any time after autologous or allogeneic BMT. Deficient IFN-gamma production in patient-derived PBMNC does not correlate with variation in monocyte, T cell, or natural killer (NK) cell numbers during the posttransplantation course.

Adolescent

Induction of two distinct natural killer-cell populations, activated T cells and antineoplastic cytokines, by interleukin-2 therapy in children with solid tumors.

Children with poor prognoses regarding solid tumors have benefited from autologous bone marrow transplantation as a treatment modality. Posttransplantation adjuvant interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy has previously been shown to improve prognosis in adults with neoplastic disease. The improved survival probability has been attributed to IL-2-mediated stimulation of the immune system and its antineoplastic activity. In this study, 10 pediatric patients with solid tumors in complete remission after autologous stem cell transplantation were treated with recombinant IL-2, which was administered in three 5-day cycles of continuous intravenous infusions with a 2-week rest in between cycles. We demonstrated that IL-2 therapy enhanced transplantation-related stimulation of the immune system, on both the cellular and humoral levels. Peripheral blood T and natural killer (NK) cells increased by the factors four and 14, respectively. Activation of the immune system was demonstrated by significantly elevated levels of soluble IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) and increased CD25 surface expression on T lymphocytes. IL-2 also induced significant proliferation of the CD56bright NK-cell subpopulation that appears post-bone marrow transplant (BMT) and is found only in minimal amounts in normal controls. In vivo and in vitro production of tumor cytotoxic cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was significantly stimulated following IL-2 therapy, further indicating IL-2-mediated stimulation of the antineoplastic activity of the immune system.

Adolescent

[Hemoglobin SD disease].

A 7 year old Kurdish girl presented with a cerebral infarction and a resulting hemiparesis following a blood transfusion. Examination of the blood film suggested sickle cell anaemia. However a simultaneously carried out haemoglobin electrophoresis showed haemoglobin S and haemoglobin D. The diagnosis of haemoglobin SD disease was thereby established. This kind of haemoglobin disorder usually shows a mild clinical manifestation. According to our knowledge such serious cases have not been published before. With this disease the main emphasis is on the prevention of recurrent cerebral infarctions bay a long-term transfusion programme whereas the effects of the cerebral infarction are treated in the usual way.

Anemia, Sickle Cell

[Immune stimulation with interleukin-2 after autologous stem cell transplantation in children and adolescents with solid tumors].

Children with solid tumors of poor prognosis have benefitted from autologous bone marrow transplantation as a treatment modality. Adjuvant interleukin-2 (IL2) therapy has previously been shown to improve prognosis in adults with some solid tumors. In this setting improved survival probability has been attributed to IL2-mediated augmentation of antineoplastic activity of the immune system. In this study 8 pediatric patients in complete remission after autologous stem cell transplantation were treated with recombinant IL2 administered in 3 cycles of 5 days continuous intravenous infusions and a two week rest in between. We demonstrated that IL2 therapy increased transplantation-related activation of the immune system both on cellular and humoral levels. Peripheral blood T and NK cell number increased by the factors 1.7 and 6.0 respectively. NK and T cell activation were further enhanced as indicated by elevated levels of soluble IL2 receptor. The production of tumor cytotoxic cytokines like alpha TNF and gamma INF was stimulated. The elevated aTNF and gamma INF cytokine synthesis seemed to be mainly related to the activation and proliferation of NK cells, as T cells obtained from patients after IL2 therapy showed a definite cytokine production deficiency after T cell specific stimulation.

Adolescent

[Hereditary heterozygote factor VII deficiency].

Hereditary Factor VII deficiency is one of the rare congenital coagulopathies. Prolonged prothrombin time (PT) with normal partial prothrombin time (PTT) may be an indicator for Factor VII deficiency. A family with hereditary heterozygous Factor VII deficiency is presented in whom no symptoms of a bleeding disorder were clinically detectable. A discussion of the therapeutic options follows.

Blood Coagulation Tests

Circulating CD34+ cell counts as predictive parameter for the efficacy of peripheral stem cell apheresis in Ewing tumor patients.

The parameters used by different centers for starting peripheral stem cell apheresis following mobilization with chemotherapy and G-CSF are diverse. We retrospectively analysed 62 leukaphereses performed on eleven patients with Ewing Tumors and one patient with Synovial Sarcoma, all after treatment with standardized chemotherapy (according to the EICESS protocol) and subsequent administration of G-CSF. Blood samples, drawn before the apheresis and samples of the apheresis products were analysed by flow cytometry for their content of CD34+ cells, furthermore, the peripheral leukocyte count was determined. Our aim was to define a parameter that reliably predicts the efficacy of leukapheresis in these patients. We found a significant correlation (r = 0.85; p < 0.0001) between the absolute CD34 positive cell count prior to leukapheresis and the yield of CD34+ cells/kg body weight (bw) in the apheresis product. No correlation was observed between the leukocyte count prior to apheresis and CD34+ cells/kg bw in the apheresis product (r = 0.14; p < 0.28). In addition, we found no correlation between the number of CFU-GM in the apheresis product and the CD34+ cells/kg bw (r = 0.22; p < 0.35). Our data indicate that the peripheral CD34 positive cell count prior to leukapheresis is the best parameter for predicting the efficacy of peripheral stem cell apheresis in Ewing Tumor patients after treatment with standardized chemotherapy.

Adolescent