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Biomedical subjects

J Lohmeyer

Publications and source records attributed to J Lohmeyer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Evaluation of serum and urinary estrogen levels in male patients with HIV-infection.

Several endocrine functions are described which are altered in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. However, there is limited information available on estrogens and their function in these patients. The aim of this study was to relate the stage of the disease with urinary and serum estrogens and the influence of heroin consumption on gonadal steroids. Forty human immunodeficiency virus infected outpatients without AIDS or the clinical picture of AIDS were involved in this cross-sectional study. The subjects were divided in two groups: heroin addicts and non heroin addicts. Blood samples were taken and 24 h urines collected. Serum follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, estrone, estradiol, testosterone and urinary total estrogens were measured by commercially available radioimmunoassays. Prolactin levels were not affected in the patients. However, compared with controls, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were significantly higher for both groups tested. In contrast, the elevated serum estrone levels were significantly lower expressed in the patients with heroin abuse compared to those of the other group. Urinary estrogens in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients of both groups were found to be higher than those compared to healthy controls. Since these drugs are known to enhance estrogen levels, we conclude that other factors are modulating estrogen formation and degradation in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by flow-sorted alveolar macrophages in severe pneumonia.

The aim of the present study was to further characterize the role of alveolar macrophages (AM) in acute human lung inflammation by evaluating their capacity to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8. Patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP; n=12) and healthy volunteers (n=10) underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). AM were separated to high purity (>96%) using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. We determined the TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 cytokine gene expression in AM ex vivo using semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, we measured in vitro unstimulated, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and LPS/interferon-gamma inducible TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 cytokine release and evaluated samples of BAL fluids for the same pro-inflammatory cytokines using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found increased TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels in AM from CAP patients that were significantly elevated only for IL-8. When challenged with endotoxin in vitro, AM obtained from CAP patients showed a strongly reduced potential to release TNF-alpha and IL-6 compared to healthy controls, whereas IL-8 secretion did not differ significantly between groups. Moreover, stimulation of AM from CAP patients with LPS plus IFN-gamma augmented TNF-alpha and IL-6 cytokine release to near normal levels. Interestingly, no TNF-alpha protein was measured in BAL samples from CAP patients, whereas IL-6 and IL-8 protein levels were found to be significantly increased. Together, highly purified alveolar macrophages from community-acquired pneumonia patients show relatively low ex vivo tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 but not interleukin-8 messenger ribonucleic acid levels that are associated with a decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine release in vitro which, however, can be restored by concurrent interferon-gamma stimulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Cyclosporin A inhibits monocyte tissue factor activation in cardiac transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Fibrin deposition and thrombosis have been implicated in both allograft rejection and vasculopathy after cardiac transplantation. Because monocytes play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of intravascular coagulation activation through their ability to synthesize tissue factor (TF), we asked (1) whether monocyte TF activation occurs in cardiac transplant recipients and (2) whether monocyte TF expression is affected by treatment with cyclosporin A (CsA). METHODS AND RESULTS: We measured levels of TF activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and highly purified monocytes/macrophages from 10 consecutive cardiac transplant recipients and 10 healthy control subjects. TF activity generated by both unstimulated and endotoxin-stimulated cells was significantly higher in transplant recipients than in control subjects (P<.05). Increased monocyte TF expression in transplant recipients was shown to be adversely affected by treatment with CsA: TF induction was markedly reduced by CsA serum concentrations reaching peak CsA drug levels. Inhibition of TF induction in the presence of high CsA blood concentrations was also observed when stimulation of cells was performed with interferon-gamma or interleukin-1beta. As shown by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, respectively, treatment with CsA leads to decreased TF mRNA expression and reduced activation of the NF-kappaB transcription factor, which is known to contribute to the induction of the TF promotor in human monocytes. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that TF activation, occurring in mononuclear cells of cardiac transplant recipients, is inhibited by treatment with CsA. Inhibition of monocyte TF induction by CsA may contribute to its successful use in cardiac transplant medicine and might be useful in managing further settings of vascular pathology also known to involve TF expression and NF-kappaB activation.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Phagocytosis of viable Candida albicans by alveolar macrophages: lack of opsonin function of surfactant protein A.

Surfactant protein A (SP-A) contributes to host defense by opsonizing microbial organisms for phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages (AM). The role of SP-A as opsonin for phagocytosis of Candida albicans was analyzed. AM in suspension exhibited no phagocytosis of nonopsonized yeast. This was not increased by SP-A, whether provided for preincubation of AM or yeast or present during coincubation. However, the engulfment of serum-opsonized yeast by AM in suspension was inhibited by SP-A. This inhibitory effect was mimicked by complement subcomponent C1q and concanavalin A but not by type IV collagen. SP-A did not interfere with phagocytosis of serum-opsonized yeast by adherent AM, monocytes, neutrophils, or peritoneal macrophages. SP-A lacks function as an opsonin for the phagocytosis of C. albicans by AM but interferes with binding of yeast to AM, inhibiting subsequent ingestion. The role of SP-A as an alveolar space opsonin may thus critically depend on the microbial species involved.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Separation of human alveolar macrophages by flow cytometry.

Alveolar macrophages (AM), which represent the major resident population of immunocompetent cells in the lower respiratory tract, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury in view of their exceptional capacity to release a large array of inflammatory mediators. The ex vivo analysis of these cells, accessible to bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is hampered by the fact that, under conditions of respiratory failure, the AM pool is heavily expanded by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), which necessitates separation of these cell populations. In the present study, we describe a flow cytometric approach to sort human AM obtained from BAL samples of both healthy volunteers (n = 10) and patients with severe pneumonia demanding mechanical ventilation (n = 10), using forward scatter and high autofluorescence characteristics to discriminate AM from PMN and lymphocytes. This technique yielded highly purified AM populations (>95%) as evidenced by morphological analysis, cytochemistry, and CD71 and CD14 expression of the sorted cells. The flow sorting process, per se, did not induce the expression of the acute-phase cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in control AM as determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Unstimulated and lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha protein secretion were comparable in sorted and unsorted AM as demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We suggest flow sorting of viable human AM as an efficient and nonperturbing separation technique to yield highly purified cell populations especially from PMN-rich BAL fluids of critically ill patients.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1996

Cyclosporine a inhibits tissue factor expression in monocytes/macrophages.

Accelerated coronary atherosclerosis in cardiac allografts is the major limiting factor for long-term survival after heart transplantation. There is growing evidence that activation of the coagulation mechanism is involved in the development of transplant atherosclerosis. Tissue factor (TF) expression by cells of the monocyte/macrophage system may represent an important mechanism underlying the fibrin deposition in the affected vessels. In the present study, we investigated the effect of cyclosporine A (CsA) on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced procoagulant activity (PCA) in human monocytes/macrophages. CsA exerted a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on LPS-induced monocyte/macrophage PCA, which was identified as TF activity based on functional and immunologic characterization. As shown by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, CsA reduced the transcription of the TF gene in LPS-stimulated monocytes/macrophages. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that CsA inhibited the LPS-induced activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B). As shown by Western blot analysis, CsA treatment decreased the nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B, thereby suggesting the mechanism for the inhibitory effect of CsA on TF induction. Hence, a nonimmunologic effect of CsA may contribute to its successful use in transplant medicine.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1996

Escherichia coli hemolysin and Staphylococcus aureas alpha-toxin potently induce neutrophil adhesion to cultured human endothelial cells.

Adhesion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) to endothelial cells is an essential step in inflammatory reactions. We characterized the effects of two important bacterial exotoxins, Escherichia coli hemolysin (HlyA) and Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin (S. alpha-toxin) on PMN adhesion to cultured HUVEC. Both toxins increased adherence of human PMN to HUVEC in a dose- and time-dependent manner, peaking after 30 min at 0.01 hemolytic units/ml HlyA or 0.5 microg/ml S. alpha-toxin. Pretreatment of HUVEC with anti-P-selectin mAbs or of PMN with anti-CD11b/CD18 mAb reduced HlyA- and S. alpha-toxin-related cell adhesion significantly. Increased P-selectin expression on toxin-treated endothelial cells was demonstrated by cell surface ELISA. Compared with endotoxin, HlyA and S. alpha-toxin did not induce the expression of E-selectin, ICAM-1, or VCAM-1. FACS analysis showed increased CD11b/CD18 expression on HlyA-, but not on S. alpha-toxin-stimulated PMN. Platelet-activating factor, an important costimulatory factor for PMN adhesion and activation, was also active in the exotoxin-stimulated adhesion system, as evidenced by studies using the platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist BN50727. HPLC analysis of endothelial cell extracts confirmed enhanced toxin-mediated PAF synthesis. The capacity of exotoxins to stimulate PMN adhesion to endothelial cells may be relevant in patients with severe local or systemic bacterial infections.

Azepines↗
PubMed1996

Expression of the nerve growth factor receptor c-TRK in human myeloid leukaemia cells.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is of major importance for the survival, development and maintenance of peripheral sympathetic and central neuronal tissue. Most of the cellular effects are mediated by binding to their high-affinity receptor c-TRK, a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase. C-TRK protein has been detected in neuronal tissue and also in mast cells, monocytes and some haemopoletic progenitor cells. Here we report c-TRK gene expression in myeloid leukaemic cell lines (HEL, K562 and KG-1) and for the first time in the primary leukaemic cells of 44% (n = 59) of patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML). Moreover, in the human promyelocytic cell line HL-60, c-TRK expression was inducible by differentiation induction with tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA). In c-TRK gene-expressing cells the transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase was detectable by Western blotting and by in vitro kinase assay. In the AML group, c-TRK expression was not correlated to the FAB-classified morphology or any other clinical parameter. In all cases tested we could not detect NGF mRNA by means of reverse transcriptase PCR, excluding an autocrine loop involving the TRK/NGF receptor-ligand system in leukaemogenesis. Our results show another example of possible communication between neuronal and haemopoietic tissue. However, we still lack positive evidence of a c-TRK function in haemopoiesis.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed1996

Compartmentalized lung cytokine release in response to intravascular and alveolar endotoxin challenge.

Lung cytokine generation has been implicated in pulmonary injury and systemic inflammatory responses. In bufferperfused rabbit lungs, intravascular endotoxin (10 ng/ml perfusate; total amount 7 micrograms) provoked the liberation of 212,100 +/- 119,700 pg tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) into the vascular space within 3 h. This was augmented to 3,564,400 +/- 1,285,900 pg in the presence of 1% serum. Bronchoalveolar lavages demonstrated the absence of buffer-admixed endotoxin and transition of only minor fractions of the vascular TNF-alpha load into the alveolar space. Aerosolization of 22 micrograms endotoxin liberated 824,400 +/- 48,750 pg TNF-alpha into the alveolar compartment, which was even increased to 16,980,000 +/- 6,066,350 pg on co-nebulization of serum. No endotoxin and only minor amounts of the alveolar TNF-alpha burden spilled over into the vascular compartment. Vascular pressures and lung vascular permeability did not change. We conclude that both intravascular and alveolar endotoxin challenge provokes excessive lung TNF-alpha generation, amplified manyfold in the presence of small serum quantities. For both routes of application, however, the cytokine responses were found to be largely compartmentalized under the given conditions of integer lung barrier properties.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1996

Bronchoalveolar and systemic cytokine profiles in patients with ARDS, severe pneumonia and cardiogenic pulmonary oedema.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines discriminate between different entities of patients with acute respiratory failure. BAL and circulating concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured in 74 mechanically-ventilated patients and 17 healthy controls. Patients were classified as cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (CPO), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), primary severe pneumonia (PN) and a combined group (PN+ARDS). In all patients with ARDS and/or PN, markedly elevated BAL levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were detected, which were significantly greater than levels in CPO and healthy controls. Absolute quantities and time-course of these cytokines did not differentiate between the absence and presence of lung infection, or different categories of PN. Similarly, circulating IL-6 levels were comparably elevated in patients with ARDS and/or PN, whereas circulating IL-8 concentrations were inconsistently increased. TNF-alpha was rarely detected in BAL samples, but increased serum concentrations were measured in ARDS and/or PN patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8, but not tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and serum concentrations of interleukin-6 are consistently elevated in acute respiratory distress syndrome and/or severe pneumonia, discriminating these entities from cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. Alveolar and systemic cytokine profiles do not differentiate between acute respiratory distress syndrome in the absence of lung infection and states of severe primary or secondary pneumonia, which evidently present with comparable local and systemic inflammatory sequelae.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Interleukin-2 bolus infusion as late consolidation therapy in 2nd remission of acute myeloblastic leukemia.

The activation of autologous cytotoxic cells by interleukin-2 (IL-2) may be a promising tool for elimination of minimal residual blast populations in patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) to prolong disease-free survival. Here, we report the results of a phase II study using IL-2 for consolidation therapy in patients with second remission of de novo AML. All patients in 1st relapse of AML received a uniform induction therapy consisting of intermediate high-dose AraC (iHDAraC) 2 x 600 mg/m2 d1-4 and VP-16 100 mg/m2 d1-7. Patients achieving 2nd remission were treated with 4 cycles recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) 9 x 10(6) IU/m2 administered on d1-5 and 8-12/cycle as 1h infusion every six weeks. In 37/66 (56%) evaluable patients, complete remission (CR) was achieved. So far, 21/37 patients (4 after additional autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) received rIL-2 consolidation. Three patients are too early for evaluation, 4 received allogeneic BMT, 6 relapsed before IL-2 was scheduled and 4 refused treatment with rIL-2. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 11 (4-49+) months. Up to now, in 5/21 (24%) patients the duration of 2nd remission exceeded that of 1st remission 7/21 (33%) are in ongoing 2nd remission (7+ to 49+ months). The side effects of rIL-2 were generally moderate and manageable. Only in two patients, previously treated with ABMT, severe side effects occurred; septicaemia and pneumonia in one patient and desquamative erythrodermia in the second one. In accordance with other studies rebound lymphocytosis with a marked increase of CD56(+)-cells and release of secondary cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-6 was observed. The schedule is feasible and the data suggest a possible benefit for DFS, which, however has to be confirmed by randomized trials.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Multiparameter flow cytometric analysis of inflammatory cells contained in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Quantitative analysis of surface molecule expression on viable alveolar macrophages (AM) by use of flow cytometry is hampered by non-specific antibody binding to various AM FcIgG receptors as well as extensive and heterogeneous autofluorescence of this cell type. The following approaches were undertaken to circumvent these obstacles. FcIgG receptors were blocked by excess human immunoglobulin. The use of a long wave-emitting dye (phycoerythrin/cyanine-5 tandem conjugate) permitted avoidance of the peak (green) AM autofluorescence range. Moreover, a cell-by-cell compensation for the remaining red autofluorescence background was employed. This was based on two facts: (i) strict correlation between green (F488/530) and red autofluorescence (F488/660) for all AM populations investigated; and (ii) neglectable overlap of the antibody-associated red fluorescence into the 530 nm autofluorescence detection wavelength. A fraction of the green autofluorescence (F488/530; channel 1) was then subtracted from the red fluorescence (F488/660; channel 2) on a cell-by-cell basis using standard two colour fluorescence compensation circuits. The validity of this FACS technique was confirmed by comparison with immunocytochemical staining and a reverse rosetting method. On AM lavaged from carcinoma-bearing but otherwise disease-free human lungs, the pattern of surface antigen expression was assessed with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. When applying to complex mixtures of bronchoalveolar lavage cells, the autofluorescence was employed to separate AM from granulocytes and lymphocytes. In conclusion, the presently described FACS technique allows quantitative immunostaining of surface molecules on AM, even when present in low copy numbers on highly autofluorescent cells originating from smokers.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗
PubMed1994

Phagocytosis of viable Candida albicans by alveolar macrophages: flow cytometric quantification.

The phagocytic capacity of blood leukocytes may be assessed by flow cytometric techniques using fluorochrome-labeled particles including viable microorganisms. Application of this approach to alveolar macrophages (AM) is hampered or even rendered impossible by the strong autofluorescence of this cell type, superimposing the fluorescence intensity of the labeled phagocytic targets. Viable Candida albicans were loaded with the membrane-permeable fluorescent dye carboxy-seminaphtorhodafluor 2/acetoxymethylester (carboxy-SNARF 2-AM), which is cleaved intracellularly to generate the membrane-impermeable derivative carboxy-SNARF 2. Fluorescence was excited with the 488-nm line of an argon-ion laser, and the emission peak at 633 nm was used for quantification of dye-associated fluorescence. Rabbit and human AM were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate-coupled monoclonal mouse anti-macrophage antibodies. After coincubation of macrophages and yeast, 4% paraformaldehyde plus 0.5% EDTA in phosphate-buffered saline was used to stop the phagocytic process and detach adherent yeast from the AM surface. Macrophages loaded with yeast displayed a shift from monochromatic (green) to dual (green and red) fluorescence. The percentage of yeast-positive AM and red fluorescence intensity of phagocytosing macrophages were quantified. Yeast opsonization with serum or anti-Candida immunoglobulins was a prerequisite for phagocytosis. Under optimized conditions (0.5-10% serum; 60 min yeast-AM incubation; yeast-AM ratio 8:1 to 12:1), 71-91% of the AM were involved in the phagocytic process. Yeast engulfment was completely inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetic acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Unmodified phosphodiester antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to the BCR-ABL junction do not suppress Philadelphia-positive clonogenic cells.

The BCR-ABL fusion gene is directly involved in the pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Specific inhibition of the BCR-ABL gene expression with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides has been shown to have profound effects on cell growth in vitro. We examined antisense phosphodiester oligonucleotides (16-mers at a concentration of 60 micrograms/ml) spanning the two possible junction sites K28 (b3a2) and L6 (b2a2) in a clonogenic assay. Single colonies from 9 patients with CML and from patients with normal bone marrow were screened for BCR-ABL expression with a new 'single-tube nested PCR' method. There was a marked reduction in colony number in the CML group and a lesser growth inhibition in the control group. The number and percentage of BCR-ABL-positive colonies, however, was not reduced in the CML group. This indicates a nonspecific growth inhibition only.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Blastic phase chronic myeloid leukemia with a four-break rearrangement: t(11;9)(9;22)(q23;p22q34;q11).

Chromosome analysis of bone marrow (BM) aspirate from a 36-year-old man with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in blastic phase (BP) showed a four-break rearrangement t(11;9)(9;22)(q23; p22q34;q11), which can be considered a t(9;22)(q34;q11) and a secondary t(9;11)(p22;q23). It is not surprising that additional chromosome abnormalities occur in patients with Ph-positive CML in BP, but it is of interest that t(9;11)(p22;q23), characteristic of acute myeloid leukemia French-American-British (FAB) type M5 (ANLL-M5) was observed. The possible meaning of this additional change in BP of CML is discussed.

Adult↗