[FTA-ABS test].

In this study, we employed Particle Concentration Fluorescence Immunoassay (PCFIA), for directly measuring both high and low molecular weight kininogens (HK and LK) in human plasma. In 38 normal donors, the mean values for plasma kininogens were 93 mg/ml +/- 19 SD, 82 mg/ml +/- 12 SD, and 175 mg/ml +/- 29 SD, respectively for LK, HK, and TotK (the sum of LK and HK detected by their common heavy chains). Plasma completely deficient in HK and LK was unreactive (< 0.25 mg/ml) in all 3 assays whereas plasma from a patient with Fitzgerald Trait had an HK value of 11 mg/ml, an LK value of 36 mg/ml and a TotK value of 59 mg/ml. The reagents can be prepared in advance and all three kininogen determinations can be performed, using the same diluted sample on 24 plasma samples, in triplicate, or 40 plasma samples, in duplicate, in less than 1 h. By performing all 3 kininogen determinations, it is possible to differentiate cleaved from intact kininogens. This technique will facilitate the widespread screening of kininogen levels in biological fluids of normal humans as well as of patients with various diseases.

Fluorescent Antibody Technique↗

PubMed1996

Curvicircular intracytoplasmic membranous structures in keratinocytes of pemphigus foliaceus.

We noticed intracytoplasmic membranous, annular, or circular structures in the lesion of pemphigus foliaceus and studied these by regular transmission electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. These curvicircular bodies were observed in the preacantholytic keratinocytes of the blister wall as well as in acantholytic cells in 6 out of 6 patients with pemphigus foliaceus. They were absent in samples from 3 patients with pemphigus vulgaris. These structures were about 60-70 nm wide and consisted of 4 electron-dense layers. They were continuous with intact desmosomal structures and gap junctions in the periphery of the keratinocytes. These curvicircular membranous bodies were well labeled with immunogold particles for desmoglein, plakoglobin, connexin 43, and IgG. In contrast to pemphigus vulgaris, splitting of desmosomes through dissolution of intercellular desmoglea was seldom observed in all 6 specimens of pemphigus foliaceus. These findings suggest that in pemphigus foliaceus 1) curvicircular bodies are derived from internalized desmosomes and gap junctions, and 2) cell-to-cell adhesions are weakened by this internalization and acantholysis is initiated, while in pemphigus vulgaris the dissolution of desmoglea is the initial event. It is suggested that in pemphigus foliaceus the binding of autoantibody induces internalization of many intact desmosomes and gap junctions rather than splitting them.

Fluorescent Antibody Technique↗