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W R Levis

Publications and source records attributed to W R Levis.

71 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Lymphocyte transformation during dinitrochlorobenzene contact sensitization. An in vitro and in vivo evaluation of the primary immune response in man.

An evaluation of cell-mediated immunity in man is described that combines the advantages of an in vitro technique, lymphocyte transformation, with the use of contact sensitization to a primary immunogen, dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). DNCB, when coupled to autologous or allogeneic peripheral blood leukocytes, forms a complex, DNCB-antigen, that induces lymphocyte transformation specifically in leukocyte cultures from subjects sensitized to DNCB. Sequential studies of lymphocyte transformation to DNCB-antigen show that specifically reactive lymphocytes are first detected at about 10 days after in vivo application of a sensitizing dose of DNCB and reach a peak at about 14-21 days.

Adult↗

IgM antibodies against phenolic glycolipid I from Mycobacterium leprae in leprosy sera: relationship to bacterial index and erythema nodosum leprosum.

Serum IgM antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae-derived phenolic glycolipid I (PG) were determined in 121 leprosy patients, in contacts and controls by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Anti-PG IgM levels correlated with disease classification, increasing from the tuberculoid towards the lepromatous pole of the disease spectrum. There was a linear correlation between serum IgM PG-antibody levels and bacillary index (BI), a measure of bacterial load. Elevated anti-PG IgM in bacillary negative patients was usually indicative of active disease, undetected by BI. We conclude that anti-PG IgM levels are valuable for monitoring the degree of disease activity. Serum anti-PG IgM levels were significantly lower in patients with erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) as compared to those without ENL, suggesting that IgM PG-antibodies are also involved in the pathogenesis of ENL.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗