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Biomedical subjects

W D Lyman

Publications and source records attributed to W D Lyman.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Immunogenic potentials of copolymer I in normal human lymphocytes.

Copolymer I (COP I), a nonencephalitogenic polypeptide analogous to myelin basic protein, is currently being tested for possible effectiveness in treating MS. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal human donors respond blastogenically to the L-form of COP I. This response was greater than that obtained with either bovine or guinea pig myelin basic protein (GPMBP), with no specificity for a particular T-cell subset. Analyses of culture supernatants demonstrated the presence of interleukin-2 and gamma interferon. Mononuclear cells from human fetal cord blood also responded blastogenically to COP I, but the magnitude of the response did not differ from that induced by GPMBP.

Animals↗

The suppression of mitogen responses associated with resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis requires adherent and T cells.

Resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Hartley guinea pigs has previously been reported to be associated with disease-specific antigen-induced suppression of mitogen responses in vitro. The present studies were initiated to investigate the requirement for different cell populations in this suppression. Intact and adherent-cell-depleted cultures of spleen cells from experimental and control animals were incubated with myelin basic protein (MBP), the major antigen of EAE, with the T-cell mitogen concanavalin A (Con A) alone or with Con A in the presence of MBP. In agreement with previous studies, MBP-induced suppression of the Con A response was observed only in cultures derived from resistant animals. In addition, it was observed that this suppression was abrogated by depletion of adherent cells. When cells from resistant and susceptible animals were mixed, suppression occurred only in the presence of nonadherent cells from resistant guinea pigs. Adherent cells from either resistant or susceptible animals functioned equally well. Cultures of purified E-rosette-forming cells (E+) from resistant animals (i.e., T cells) showed no suppression. Similarly, cells from these same animals which were depleted of E+ cells (i.e., non-T cells) did not demonstrate suppression in vitro. Upon reconstitution of spleen cell populations from resistant guinea pigs by mixing E+ and E- cells, suppression was restored. These experiments show that this model of suppression in vitro requires adherent cells as well as T cells and suggests that antigen-induced suppression of mitogen responses is dependent upon a cell-mediated immunologic mechanism.

Animals↗

Antigen-induced suppression of mitogen responses and resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Random-bred Hartley and inbred Strain 2 and Strain 13 guinea pigs were inoculated for acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Sixty-six percent (69/103) of the Hartleys developed signs of EAE while the remaining 34% (34/103) were resistant. No Strain 2 and all Strain 13 guinea pigs developed EAE. Histologic examination of nervous tissue revealed that susceptible Hartleys and Strain 13 and Strain 2 animals had lesions characteristic of EAE. Tissue from resistant Hartleys showed fewer and less severe changes. Lymphocyte-transformation assays with EAE-inducing and noninducing antigens and T-cell mitogens revealed three different sets of responses in vitro: (i) lymphocytes from all animals responded to mitogens; (ii) lymphocytes from susceptible animals responded to EAE-inducing antigens; and (iii) lymphocytes from resistant Hartleys were suppressed from responding to the mitogens solely by EAE-inducing antigens. Plasmas from all EAE-sensitized animals had equivalent anti-myelin basic proteins (MBP) antibody titers and skin tests of EAE-inoculated Hartleys were all positive for MBP sensitization. Therefore, resistance and reduced histologic changes characteristic of EAE correlated with a disease-specific antigen-induced suppression of lymphocyte responses to T-cell mitogens. This suggests that clinical resistance to EAE in Hartley guinea pigs is mediated by an immunologic suppressor mechanism.

Animals↗

Correlation of the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells in lymph node fine needle aspiration biopsies with HIV clinical status. A preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that lymph node (LN) fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) may provide reliable measures of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease status. STUDY DESIGN: HIV+ participants in this study had persistent generalized lymphadenopathy without clinical evidence of lymphoma or nodal infections due to organisms other than HIV. Seven males and five females ranging in age from 23 to 55 and at HIV Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stages A2-C3 were enrolled in this study. From each participant, LN and blood samples were submitted for cytologic examination and flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subsets. Flow cytometry measures included T, B, CD4+, CD8+ and natural killer (NK) cells. The percentages of T, B and NK cells in LN and blood samples were different and reflected the expected distribution of these cell types in the respective tissues. RESULTS: The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in blood and LN were different, but this variation was not statistically significant. In contrast, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells in LN and blood was different and statistically significant (P < .001) for patients in CDC categories A2-B2 but not different for categories B3-C3. More important, there was a significant (r = .76) correlation between the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells in LN with CDC stage. CONCLUSION: FNAB, in combination with flow cytometry, may prove to be an important tool in HIV clinical staging. However, further assessment, including clinical follow-up and participation of additional patients, is necessary and currently under way.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Comparison of neural precursor cell fate in second trimester human brain and spinal cord.

Neural transplantation holds promise for the treatment of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury by replacing lost cellular elements as well as repairing neural damage. Fetal human stem cells derived from central nervous system (CNS) tissue are potential transplantable sources for all cell types found in the mature human nervous system including neurons, astrocytes and oligodendroglia. Although nearly all areas of the fetal human neuraxis contain undifferentiated neural precursor cells, the phenotypic fate of the daughter cells might vary from one region to another during a specific developmental period. The purpose of this study was to compare the various cell types derived from neural precursors cultured from second trimester fetal human brain and spinal cord. To this end, brains (n = 8) and spinal cords (n = 8) of 15-24 week fetuses were dissociated and grown in culture medium supplemented with epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). The proliferating precursor cells from both brain and spinal cord grew as spherical masses that were plated on laminin-coated dishes after seven days in culture. During the next 5-7 days, the cells that emerged from these spheres were fixed and processed for immunocytochemistry. Brain derived spheres gave rise to cells expressing antigens specific for neurons (MAP-2ab and neuron specific-intermediate filaments), astrocytes (GFAP) and oligodendrocytes (A007). In contrast, cells that emerged from spinal cord derived spheres were only immunoreactive for GFAP. These data suggest that neuroepithelial precursor cells from different CNS regions, although similar in their responsiveness to proliferative growth factors, might differ in their ability to generate different cell types in the adult CNS.

Astrocytes↗

GM-CSF induces eosinophilic cell growth-promoting activity on human fetal liver cells.

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been described as a multi-lineage growth factor that induces in vitro colony formation of bone marrow erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E), multipotential colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM), granulocyte-macrophage CFU (CFU-GM), granulocyte CFU (CFU-G), macrophage CFU (CFU-M), as well as eosinophil colony-forming units (CFU-Eo). Because of the preeminent role of the liver in fetal hematopoiesis, the effect of human recombinant GM-CSF (hrGM-CSF) on hematopoietic cells isolated from human fetal liver was tested in liquid cultures and in semisolid colony assays. hrGM-CSF induced a significant increase in the number of mature eosinophils in liquid culture and to a lesser extent in semisolid cultures when compared to untreated culture controls. The kinetics of this effect on eosinophils reached its peak on day 21 of culture. When GM-CSF and erythropoietin (Ep) were added simultaneously to the cultures, no significant change in the number of eosinophils compared to hrGM-CSF alone was observed. Ep or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) did not show any CFU-Eo activity when added separately or simultaneously to both liquid and semisolid cultures. These results indicate that hrGM-CSF alone may be a potent stimulating factor for CFU-Eo obtained from human fetal liver and, in combination with other growth factors, control optimal development of human fetal eosinophils.

Cell Differentiation↗

Chronic-relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Myelin basic protein induces suppression of blastogenesis during remissions but not during exacerbations.

Previous work from this laboratory has shown that resistance to acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) correlates with disease-specific, antigen-induced suppression of blastogenesis in vitro. We now report that this suppression in vitro also occurs during remissions in animals with chronic-relapsing EAE. Hartley strain guinea pigs were injected with an homogenate of guinea pig spinal cord in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) to induce EAE or, for control purposes, with CFA alone. Animals injected with spinal cord homogenate developed EAE. Susceptible animals displayed up to 3 exacerbations over 4-5 months. Spleen cells and nervous tissue were sampled from different animals during and after each exacerbation. Gross examination of nervous tissue revealed plaques that at the light microscope level were characteristic of chronic-relapsing EAE. Lymphocyte transformation assays using the T-cell mitogen concanavalin A (Con A), guinea pig myelin basic protein (BP), the purified protein derivative of M. tuberculosis (PPD) and histone proteins were conducted. Results of these assays showed that in spleen cells from animals sampled during remissions, BP suppressed the Con A response. Similar suppression was not observed with spleen cells from animals in exacerbation. This suppression depended upon the presence of adherent cells. Neither PPD nor histone proteins suppressed the Con A response. Thus, an immunologic mechanism, similar to that observed in Hartley guinea pigs resistant to acute EAE, is also found during remissions in the chronic-relapsing form of this disease suggesting that both resistance and remission are mediated by an antigen-induced suppressor mechanism.

Animals↗