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M Ballow

Publications and source records attributed to M Ballow.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of PGE1 treatment on in vitro thymocyte function of normal and autoimmune mice.

Autoimmune New Zealand (NZ) mice exhibit a broad spectrum of T and B cell disorders. These include abnormally high levels of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-positive immature T cells in bone marrow and thymus. We have shown previously that prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) treatment of the NZB/NZW F1 hybrid, a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), reduces to normal the percentage of immature terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-positive cells in bone marrow and thymus, and prevents the immune complex-induced nephritis which kills these animals. We report here that short-term (1-5 days) treatment of NZB/W mice with PGE1 increases thymocyte responsiveness to mitogens and alloantigens. The majority (greater than 90%) of cortical thymocytes agglutinated by peanut lectin (PNA+) are depleted by PGE1 treatment. However, a small population of highly functional cells persists in the PNA+ fraction after PGE1 treatment. PGE1 appears to have little or no effect on the PNA-negative (medullary) fraction of thymocytes. Our data suggest that PGE1 may exert its therapeutic effect in NZ mice by increasing the functional maturity of immature T cells.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immune responses in monkeys to lenses from patients with contact lens induced giant papillary conjunctivitis.

The clinicopathologic findings in contact lens-induced giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) suggest that the syndrome is the result of a complex immunological process, an idea supported by the presence of elevated tear concentrations of IgG and IgE in GPC. Several groups of investigators have proposed that GPC may be due, in part, to the coating of the contact lens. To test this hypothesis we undertook development of an animal model of GPC in cynomolgus monkeys. Two soft contact lenses from patients with GPC, two from asymptomatic contact lens wearers, and two clean, unused lenses were each placed in one eye and held in place with a partial tarsorrhaphy. Tears from the two monkeys with GPC lenses showed increased levels of IgG (43 +/- 10 micrograms/mL), IgA (54.3 +/- 12.8 micrograms/mL) and IgE (7.7 +/- 3.3 IU/mL) 35-75 days post-lens placement. While the tears from the two monkeys with clean lenses, and the two monkeys with lenses from asymptomatic contact lens wearers had elevated levels of IgG compared to the contralateral control eye without a lens, the tear IgE levels remained normal. Histopathology studies of tarsal conjunctival biopsy material from the monkeys with GPC lenses showed an intense round cell infiltrate at the epithelial-stromal junction. Mast cells were seen in the epithelial layers. These studies suggest that some factor (or factors) in the lens coating from GPC patients was able to induce a local tear IgE response and histopathological changes in monkeys. These changes are similar to the histopathological and immunological findings in human patients with GPC.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Tear lysozyme and lactoferrin levels in giant papillary conjunctivitis and vernal conjunctivitis.

We measured tear lysozyme by a radial immunodiffusion assay in patients with contact lens induced giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) and in patients with vernal conjunctivitis (VC). The VC and GPC patients had normal levels of tear lysozyme when compared to control individuals who did not have eye disease and to normal individuals who wore contact lenses without difficulty. In contrast, the tear concentration of lactoferrin (another important tear protein produced by the lacrimal glands) was reduced both in VC and GPC patients. Normal levels of tear lysozyme in the presence of reduced tear concentrations of lactoferrin may be a unique pattern in these two ocular conditions. The reduced tear levels of lactoferrin are probably not related to lacrimal gland dysfunction but to other factor(s) important in the pathogenesis of these two ocular disorders.

Conjunctivitis, Allergic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pulmonary granulomas in a patient on MER therapy.

A patient with metastatic melanoma developed symmetric miliary infiltrates of the lungs while receiving injections of MER into tumor containing lymph nodes of the groin. Open lung biopsy identified the pulmonary lesions as caseating epithelioid granulomas. After cessation of MER therapy, the pulmonary lesions regressed spontaneously. The possible etiology of this so-far-unreported complication of MER therapy was briefly discussed.

BCG Vaccine↗