Biomedical subjects

W Shuman

Publications and source records attributed to W Shuman.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Characterization of peripheral blood and pulmonary leukocyte function in healthy foals.

Studies in infants and foals indicate an age-dependent maturation of peripheral lymphocyte subsets. The age-dependent relationship for maturation of cellular immune responses, such as phagocytosis and lymphocyte responses of the peripheral and pulmonary-derived leukocytes, has not been characterized in foals. Lymphocyte subpopulations, mitogen stimulation response of lymphocytes, lymphokine-activated killing cell activity, phagocytosis and oxidative burst activity, and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) classes G and M concentrations were determined in developing foals. This study illustrates age-dependent changes in immunoglobulin class concentrations, lymphocyte subsets, and EqMHC Class II expression in cells of the peripheral blood and lungs of developing neonatal-to-weanling foals. The increase in peripheral blood and BAL B-lymphocytes and serum immunoglobulins in developing foals suggests expansion of immune cell populations during a time in which environmental pathogen exposure is great. General immune function, mitogenic responses, LAK cell activity, opsonized phagocytosis, and oxidative burst activity of newborns was similar to the adult horse. Total immune-cell numbers, rather than function, seemed to be the limiting factor in the development of the equine neonatal immune system. There was an age-related percent increase in the appearance of pulmonary lymphocytes, but a percent decrease in macrophages. Although development of the respiratory immune system follows changes in the peripheral blood, cellular expansion, activation, and migration may occur at a slower pace, making the respiratory environment susceptible to pathogens prior to optimal immune system maturity.

Aging↗

PubMed1998

Immunologic function in horses after non-specific immunostimulant administration.

Inactivated Propionibacterium acnes is a biologic response modifier for treatment of non-specific respiratory disease in horses. The objectives of this investigation were to determine alterations in phagocytic activity, phenotypic expression of lymphocyte subpopulations and lymphokine-activated killing cell response in healthy young horses. Samples were collected on day 0, 7 and 14 of the investigation. Blood samples were obtained via jugular venipuncture and pulmonary leukocytes were recovered via bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Commercially available P. acnes (Eqstim) was administered intravenously on days 7, 9 and 11 of the investigation. Fever was observed on days 8 and 10, indicating immune reaction. Total peripheral blood white cell count was increased (P < 0.05) on day 14 after P. acnes administration compared to values on days 0 and 7. Total BAL fluid cell count decreased (P < 0.01) on day 14 compared to values on days 0 and 7, which was characterized by a decrease in total lymphocyte (P < 0.01) and macrophage (P < 0.01) counts. The proportion of lymphocytes in BAL fluid decreased (P < 0.005) on day 14 compared to values on days 0 and 7, and the proportion of macrophages increased (P < 0.005) on day 14 compared to values on days 0 and 7. P. acnes administration increased the total (P < 0.05) and proportional (P < 0.05) counts of CD4+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid proportion of CD4+ (P < 0.05), CD5+ (P < 0.001) and MHC II (P < 0.05) lymphocytes increased on day 14 after P. acnes administration compared to values on days 0 and 7. Nonopsonized phagocytic activity in peripheral blood increased (P < 0.0005) on day 14 after P. acnes administration compared to values on days 0 and 7. Lymphokine-activated killing cell activity in peripheral blood and BAL fluid leukocytes was enhanced (P < 0.005) on day 14 after P. acnes administration compared to values on days 0 and 7. Serum IgG and IgM concentrations were within laboratory reference values and were not altered by administration of P. acnes. This investigation demonstrated immunostimulant and immunomodulatory properties of P. acnes, characterized by increased CD4+ T lymphocyte expression and LAK activity in peripheral blood and BAL fluid, increased nonopsonized phagocytosis in peripheral blood leukocytes and decreased pulmonary cellularity.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed1998

The effect of different bovine viral diarrhea virus genotypes and biotypes on the metabolic activity and activation status of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

The effects of cytopathic (cp) and non-cytopathic (ncp) bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) on the cellular metabolic activity and activation status of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were investigated. Cellular DNA and protein synthesis was determined by [3H]thymidine and [3H]valine incorporation, respectively, in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated PBMC. All cp strains and most ncp BVDV strains significantly inhibited DNA synthesis in PHA-stimulated PBMC; however, only cp BVDV strains inhibited protein synthesis. A plaque assay and immunofluorescence test confirmed productive BVDV infection of PBMC. In addition, viral RNA synthesis was demonstrated in BVDV-infected PBMC by RT-PCR. The interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) was used as a marker for the activation status of BVDV-infected PBMC. The expression of IL-2R was preserved in virus-infected cells, even though DNA and protein synthesis was suppressed. These findings suggest a novel mechanism of virus-induced immune suppression in which BVDV inhibits basic metabolic activities of bovine PBMC. The activation signals, however, are maintained.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Cytologic evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from horses with recurrent airway obstruction after aerosol and parenteral administration of beclomethasone dipropionate and dexamethasone, respectively.

OBJECTIVE: To determine cytologic changes in horses with recurrent airway obstruction (heaves) after administration of aerosolized beclomethasone dipropionate and dexamethasone parenterally. ANIMALS: 6 horses with inducible and reversible heaves. PROCEDURE: Episodes of heaves were induced by exposure to moldy hay and straw for 7 days. Horses were assigned to treatment groups (aerosolized beclomethasone, parenterally administered dexamethasone, aerosolized propellant), and pulmonary inflammation was evaluated by serial cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples obtained on days 0, 7, 10, 14, and 21. Total and differential cell counting and phenotypic analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations in BAL fluid were performed. RESULTS: 7 days of natural challenge induced neutrophilic inflammation. Neutrophil counts in BAL fluid were reduced in beclomethasone- and dexamethasone-treated horses on days 10 and 14 but rebounded to pretreatment values on day 21. The proportion of proinflammatory lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4+ and B+) and MHC class-II antigen expression were increased on days 14 and 21 in propellant-treated horses, compared with beclomethasone- and dexamethasone-treated horses. CONCLUSIONS: Aerosolized beclomethasone attenuated neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation and prevented alteration in lymphocyte subpopulations in horses with heaves. Results were similar to the response associated with parenterally administered dexamethasone. Short-term administration of aerosolized beclomethasone without minimizing environmental allergen exposure is not expected to provide prolonged anti-inflammatory benefit for horses with heaves.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed1991

Use of multiple antigen substrates to detect antinuclear antibody in canine sera.

The presence of antinuclear antibody in serum has been used to serologically support the clinical diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Most often, diagnostic support is conferred if the titer is above a "cut-off" value determined by the particular laboratory. The precision estimates of these commonly used serological assays are high. The arithmetic and geometric precisions estimates of fluorescent antinuclear antibody (FANA) assays were determined utilizing sera from dogs with polysystemic signalment suggestive of SLE. A simple score assay was found to have improved precision over FANA endpoint titrations on Hep-2 or cryostat, rat liver substrates. In one case, the precision improved from an arithmetic coefficient of variation of 25.6% (HEp-2, endpoint dilution, FANA titers) or 19.7% (rat liver cryostat substrate FANA titers) to 15.5%. Geometric coefficients of variation followed similar trends. Further, the score values for dogs with SLE were considerably higher (mean = 3.28) than for clinically normal dogs (mean = 0.20). The score system was more precise than FANA endpoint titers and therefore may be useful for diagnostic purposes, especially when FANA titers are negative or low.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Radiographic studies for women with recurrent urinary tract infections.

Recent reports have suggested that roentgenographic examination of the urinary tract has little importance in the management of women with recurrent urinary tract infections. We evaluated 78 women with recurrent urinary tract infection with excretory urograms and voiding cystourethrograms. Of the 78 women 5 (6 per cent) had major structural urologic abnormalities requiring further therapy. All women with major abnormalities had risk factors. These risk factors included childhood urinary tract infection, elevated serum creatinine, documented fever more than 38(5), relapsing infection, a history of urinary calculi, infection with a urea-splitting organism. neurologic bladder dysfunction, a history of genitourinary surgery and asymptomatic bacteriuria. We believe that roentgenographic evaluation of the urinary tract is of benefit in selected women with recurrent urinary tract infections.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and immunoglobulin concentrations in healthy foals and foals with Rhodococcus equi pneumonia.

Infectious diseases are common in foals aged 1-5 months. The objectives of this investigation were to evaluate immunologic parameters in foals from birth to weaning to establish reference values for the proportion of circulating lymphocytes that were helper (CD4+) or cytotoxic (CD8+) T cells, or B cells; to measure serum immunoglobulin (IgM and IgG) concentrations; and to compare these immunologic parameters to values in foals with naturally occurring Rhodococcus equi pneumonia and in adult horses. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations were determined by flow cytometric analysis, and serum IgG and IgM concentrations were determined by radial immunodiffusion. Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations suggested age-related changes in the cell-mediated immune system in horses. Absolute circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and B cells increased linearly up to 3 months of age. Circulating B cell concentrations from birth to 6 months of age were greater than values in adult horses and the lymphocyte differences among the age groups are mainly due to variation in B lymphocytes. Both absolute and proportional B cell concentrations were greater in foals with R equi pneumonia than in healthy foals at the same age. The increase in absolute cell counts of each subpopulation was dependent on the increase of absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte count. Serum IgG concentration increased linearly from 1 to 3 months of age, and serum IgM concentrations increased from 1 to 6 months of age. These data suggest age-dependent cell-mediated and humoral development in young foals.

Actinomycetales Infections↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Isotype-specific antibodies in horses and dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.

Classes of antibody bound to erythrocytes were determined using direct immunofluorescence (DIF) flow cytometry in 3 horses and 12 dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA). Background levels of antibody binding were determined in samples from 12 horses and 12 dogs that were free of clinical disease. The range of nonspecific binding of a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated goat anti-equine immunoglobulin G (IgG) was 19.9-36.7%, but was eliminated by the use of the F(ab')2 fragment of FITC-conjugated goat anti-equine IgG. Background binding by other class-specific antibodies to equine and canine erythrocytes was negligible. The DIF results were compared to the direct antiglobulin (Coombs') test in 5 horses and 20 dogs with anemia. The former assay was more sensitive in dogs with IMHA than was the Coombs' test (100% versus 58%). In contrast, the Coombs' test had better specificity than the DIF assay (100% versus 87.5%, respectively). Using clinical parameters or response to therapy as the comparison, the positive and negative predictive values for the DIF test were 92% and 100% compared to the values of the Coombs' test of 100% and 62%. The DIF assay detected low levels of cells bound with antibody (<30%) in 5 dogs that were Coombs' test-negative. For both species, performance of the DIF test was independent of the prozone effect. Five dogs with IMHA had IgG and IgM on erythrocytes, 5 had IgG, and 2 had IgM. Three horses had surface-bound IgG, including a horse with suspected penicillin-induced IMHA, a foal with neonatal isoerythrolysis, and a foal with clostridial septicemia. The DIF method was valuable in monitoring the response to therapy in the foal with neonatal isoerythrolysis.

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune↗