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Biomedical subjects

R N MacSween

Publications and source records attributed to R N MacSween.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

The immune response in cirrhotic rats. Antigen distribution, humoral immunity, cell-mediated immunity and splenic suppressor cell activity.

The immunological disturbances occurring as a result of liver disease have been studied in an animal model of cirrhosis. The mononuclear phagocytic cells of the normal liver phagocytose large amounts of antigen irrespective of whether that antigen is injected directly into the portal or into the systemic circulations. The liver therefore acts as a filter 'in series' and 'in parallel' with the spleen and reduces the immunogenicity of antigens entering the organism by either of these routes. In rats with hepatic cirrhosis, there is a reduction in the capacity of the liver to phagocytose the flagellar antigen of Salmonella adelaide. This results in increased stimulation of splenic lymphoid tissue and in an increased antibody response to this thymus-independent antigen. The increased antigenic stimulus to the spleen may also be responsible for the increased suppressor-cell activity which has been demonstrated in these rats, and may be the mechanism of the diminished cell-mediated immune response both in this animal model of cirrhosis and in the human disease state. These studies suggest that many of the immunological disturbances associated with chronic liver disease may be the result of maldistribution of antigen occurring because of impaired hepatic phagocytic capacity.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

An auto-antibody profile in alopecia totalis and diffuse alopecia.

Thirty-one patients suffering from alopecia totalis and fourteen patients with idiopathic diffuse alopecia were examined for evidence of an endocrinopathy and their sera screened for organ-specific auto-antibodies. The results were compared with matched control groups of dermatological patients and a random group of dermatological patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the groups and the results were similar to those found in the general population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Serum anti-tumour antibodies and auto-antibodies in vitiligo.

Anti-tumour antibody was sought in the sera of three groups of patients; idiopathic vitiligo, malignant melanoma and miscellaneous skin disorders. No precipitating antibody to a series of prepared pigmented tumour antigens was demonstrated. All sera were tested for a number of auto-antibodies. No significant differences were detected between the groups. The evidence for an immunological factor in the causation of vitiligo remains circumstantial only.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Autoantibodies in childhood connective tissue diseases and in normal children.

The prevalence of nine serum autoantibodies has been studied in 117 children with various connective tissue disorders and in 134 normal controls. In juvenile rheumatoid arthritis rheumatoid factor was present in 5%, and antinuclear factor in 4%, compared with an incidence of 4% and 0% respectively in controls. In Henoch-Schönlein purpura there was little evidence of associated autoimmune disorder. Gastric parietal cell and thyroid microsomal antibodies were found in 9% and 10% of our control population, but the significance of this is not clear. It is concluded that in children the presence or absence of autoantibodies as diagnostic criteria should be interpreted with the greatest caution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Liver disease in rheumatoid arthritis and Sjøgren's syndrome. Prospective study using biochemical and serological markers of hepatic dysfunction.

Inter-relationships of biochemical and immunological tests of liver function have been studied in a prospective study of 216 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 32 patients with Sjogren's syndrome, and 27 patients with the sicca syndrome, and these results have been compared with those obtained 289 patients with osteoarthrosis or with a form of seronegative polyarthropathy. In general the prevalence of abnormalities in serum alkaline phosphatase, bromsulphthalein excretion, smooth muscle antibody, and mitochondrial antibody in the former three groups was higher than in patients with osteoarthrosis. Patients with Sjogren's syndrome with RA had a higher prevalence of abnormalities of bromsulphthalein excretion, salivary duct antibody than patients with the sicca syndrome. Patients with RA had a higher pervalence of rheumatoid factor than those with the sicca syndrome. Patients with a positive smooth muscle or mitochondrial antibody were found to have a higher prevalence of hepatomegaly and splenomegaly, of abnormal liver function tests, of other autoantibodies, and of histological abnromalitis of liver than those in whom these tests were negative.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

Cell-mediated immunity in the rheumatoid diseases. I. Skin testing and mitogenic responses in sero-negative arthritides.

Cellular immunity has been investigated in patients with various kinds of sero-negative arthritis. The incidence of cutaneous response to recall antigen streptokinase-streptodornase (SK-SD), and the ability to mount a primary cutaneous response to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) have been examined in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. The results were not significantly different from normal. In vitro lymphocyte transformation in the presence of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) has been measured using peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Reiter's disease. In comparison with a control group, significantly reduced responses were found to a low dose of PHA in the ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter disease patients. Significant increase in response occurred to a high dose of PHA, in patients with psoriatic arthritis and Reiter's disease, and to PWM in Reiter's disease patients. The in vitro results in the ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Reiter's disease patients suggest some abnormality in the T-cell population in sero-negative arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1974

Asymptomatic liver disease in hepatitis B antigen carriers.

Thirty-four healthy blood donors, found to be persistent HBAg carriers, have been investigated by means of serial liver function tests, bromsulphthalein (BSP) retention, and liver biopsy. Thirty-one of the donors had histological abnormalities including one with cirrhosis, three with chronic aggressive hepatitis, and 11 with chronic persistent hepatitis. In 13 biopsies there were focal areas of necrosis in the liver parenchyma. Serial liver function tests revealed abnormalities in each of the donors with cirrhosis or with chronic aggressive hepatitis, in seven of the 11 donors with chronic persistent hepatitis, and in seven of the 13 with focal parenchymal necrosis. The degree of BSP retention was greatest (>11%) in the donors with chronic aggressive hepatitis. The severity of the histological changes was related neither to the titre of the antigen in the serum nor to the presence of autoantibodies.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1974

A comparative study of some commercially available tests for rheumatoid factor.

Seven commercially available screening tests for rheumatoid factor and two quantitative tests have been compared with the standard Rose-Waaler test in a series of 477 sera from patients with various joint diseases. Markedly different results were obtained, and on the basis of our findings suggestions are made as to what we consider to be the most satisfactory currently available tests.

Animals↗
PubMed1974

A clinicopathological review of 100 cases of primary malignant tumours of the liver.

One hundred cases of primary malignant tumour of the liver coming to necropsy in the period 1900-1969 have been reviewed. The overall tumour incidence was 0.46% of all necropsies. The overall tumour incidence in hepatic cirrhosis was 12.3%, but the corresponding male and female incidences were 17.5 and 4.4% respectively. There was no significantly increased tumour incidence in haemochromatosis. An increasing incidence of primary malignant tumours of the liver has been noted since 1940 and appears to be due to a corresponding increase in incidence of hepatic cirrhosis. Hepatocellular carcinomas outnumbered cholangiocarcinomas by 8 to 1, were more common in males than females (6 to 1), and in 77% of cases occurred in cirrhotic livers. Tumours supervened as a complication of macronodular or predominantly macronodular cirrhotic patterns.

Adenoma, Bile Duct↗