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Early development of immunity in diGeorge syndrome.

BACKGROUND: diGeorge syndrome is a relatively common congenital disorder with developmental defects, including hypoplasia or pathologic migration of the thymus, associated with deletion of contiguous genes on chromosome 22. We prospectively followed a cohort of children with confirmed 22q11.2 deletion. MATERIAL/METHODS: One to six repeated examination were performed in 13 boys and 21 girls, age 4 days to 19 years. Due to the proposed role of the thymus in T lymphocyte selection, we studied T lymphocytes and their function, and also the presence of double positive CD4+CD8+ and gamma/delta T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. RESULTS: A low number of T lymphocytes was detected in the majority of patients before the age of 2 years. Both spontaneous and PHA-induced proliferation were unexpectedly higher than in normal samples from children <2 years old. Both T cell numbers and function normalized thereafter in the majority of patients. Double positive T cells were detected in one boy, together with transient positivity of antinuclear antibodies. Gamma/delta T cells were greater than 5% in 21% of the children. In our 5-year prospective study we have not yet observed serious clinical signs of immunodeficiency or autoimmunity in these patients, except for repeated respiratory infections. CONCLUSIONS: All patients classified as partial diGeorge syndrome presented with delayed but gradual development of immune function against a background of impaired support by the thymus.

Adolescent↗

Evidence that appearance of thymulin in plasma follows lymphoid chimerism and precedes development of immunity in patients with lethal combined immunodeficiency transplanted with T cell-depleted haploidentical marrow.

Thymulin, a peptide secreted by human thymic epithelial cells, circulates in peripheral blood. Levels of plasma thymulin (FTS-Zn) activity were analyzed in 21 patients with lethal combined immunodeficiency disorders who were treated with transplantation of HLA-haplotype-mismatched parental bone marrow depleted of T cells by differential agglutination with soybean agglutinin and E-rosetting (SBA-E-BMT). Among these 21 infants, 15 were patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and 6 had combined immunodeficiency (CID) with Omenn's syndrome or CID with T cell predominance (CIDTP). In contrast to normal infants who possess high levels of plasma thymulin activity, 20 of the 21 patients demonstrated undetectable or low plasma thymulin levels for their age at admission prior to transplantation. Following SBA-E-BMT, however, thymulin became detectable in the plasma of 17 of 18 evaluable patients and reached normal or near-normal levels between 21 and 125 days posttransplant. In patients in whom the timing of engraftment could be established by emergence of donor lymphocytes, thymulin appeared in the plasma at approximately the same time as lymphoid chimerism was detected, and in all patients who were engrafted and immunologically reconstituted, the increment in thymulin levels preceded development of immune functions. These studies support the concept that normal marrow-derived cells in the graft can provide a stimulus necessary for induction of thymic epithelial secretory function in patients with thymic dysplasia. Further, immunologic reconstitution in these patients was not seen following SBA-E-BMT unless and until recovery of thymus function had been observed.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

Defining critical windows in the development of the human immune system.

Identifying critical windows in immune system development is crucial for determination of either safety or vulnerability to exposure to specific agents during rapidly changing phases of ontogeny. These phases in the human range from postconception early gestation through adolescence. A detailed understanding of these windows will facilitate avoidance of environmental toxins as well as allow improved planning for unavoidable exposures. Critical windows of immune development will be influenced by concomitant development, maturation and growth of other organ systems, thus the influence of potentially toxic exposures must be determined within a co-ordinated multisystem and multidisciplinary approach.

Adolescent↗

The pathophysiology and development of immunity during long-term subclinical infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis of sheep receiving different nutritional treatments.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between protein nutrition, the pathophysiology, and acquisition and expression of immunity in long-term subclinical intestinal parasitism in sheep. Growing sheep were either uninfected controls or parasitised for 27 weeks with a daily dose of 2500 larvae of Trichostrongylus colubriformis, whilst they were given access to: (1) a low protein food, (2) a high protein food, or (3) a choice between the two foods, where they were allowed to select their diet. Blood samples were taken weekly for determination of serum albumin, total protein, Ca, P, urea and fructosamine concentrations. At the end of the study all sheep received a single (secondary) challenge infection (30,000 T. colubriformis L3) after treatment with anthelmintic to assess their immune status. The concentrations of sheep-mast cell proteinases (SMCP) in intestinal tissue, the number of circulating eosinophils and the total worm numbers recovered from the intestinal tract were used to investigate the effects of previous nutrition on the acquisition and expression of immunity. From the biochemical variables measured over 27 weeks, only serum fructosamine was affected by the interaction between feeding treatment and parasitism: fructosamine concentrations declined only in the parasitised animals on the low protein food during Weeks 6-15 of infection. This casts doubt on the usefulness of plasma fructosamine levels as an indicator of gastrointestinal parasitism, due to its being influenced by the nutritional environment. Total protein, albumin, calcium and phosphorus concentrations in the serum were affected by parasitism, but independently of feeding treatment. During the period of secondary challenge eosinophil numbers and SMCP concentrations were higher in the parasitised animals, reflecting the animals immune responsiveness. The numbers of worms recovered from the intestine of previously parasitised sheep were low; all three indicators of the development of acquired immunity were unaffected by previous nutritional treatment of the sheep. The results do not support the view that the pathophysiology of long term subclinical intestinal parasitism and the expression of acquired immunity induced by a trickle infection could be affected by the feeding treatment of the sheep (protein nutrition).

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

Immune tolerance after long-term enzyme-replacement therapy among patients who have mucopolysaccharidosis I.

BACKGROUND: Enzyme-replacement therapy has been assessed as a treatment for patients who have mucopolysaccharidosis I (alpha-L-iduronidase deficiency). We aimed to investigate the humoral immune response to recombinant human alpha-L-iduronidase among these patients. METHODS: We characterised the antibody titres and specific linear sequence epitope reactivity of serum antibodies to alpha-L-iduronidase for ten patients with mucopolysaccharidosis I, at the start of treatment and after 6, 12, 26, 52, and 104 weeks. We compared the values for patients' samples with those for samples from normal human controls. FINDINGS: Before enzyme-replacement therapy, all patients had low serum antibody titres to recombinant human alpha-L-iduronidase that were within the control range. Five of the ten patients produced higher-than-normal titres of antibody to the replacement protein during the treatment course (serum antibody titres 130000-500000 and high-affinity epitope reactivity). However, by week 26, antibody reactivity was reduced, and by week 104 all patients had low antibody titres and only low-affinity epitope reactivity. Patients who had mucopolysaccharidosis I with antibody titres within the normal range at 6-12 weeks did not subsequently develop immune responses. INTERPRETATION: After 2 years of treatment, patients who initially had an immune reaction developed immune tolerance to alpha-L-iduronidase. This finding has positive implications for long-term enzyme-replacement therapy in patients who have mucopolysaccharidosis I.

Animals↗

Development of immunity to sarcocystosis in dairy goats.

To determine the virulence of a microscopic species of Sarcocystis, forty-six 39- to 57-day-old goats were inoculated with 10(1) to 10(6) sporocysts; 7 age-matched goats served as noninoculated controls. Four of 4 goats fed 10(6) sporocysts, 4 of 4 goats fed 10(5) sporocysts, 2 of 4 goats fed 5 x 10(4) sporocysts, and 1 of 4 goats fed 10(4) sporocysts died of sarcocystosis, whereas 30 goats fed 10(1) to 10(3) sporocysts and the 7 noninoculated controls generally remained asymptomatic. In 3 immunization trials, groups of 7 to 9 goats were challenge exposed with 10(5) or 10(6) (2 or 20 median lethal dose) sporocysts at 14, 30, and 60 days after vaccination. In the 1st trial (14 days after vaccination), 2 of 2 goats vaccinated with 10(3) sporocysts and 1 of 2 goats vaccinated with 10(2) sporocysts survived a challenge exposure with 10(5) sporocysts, whereas 2 of 2 goats fed 10(1) sporocysts and the control goat died of acute sarcocystosis. In the 2nd trial (30 days after vaccination), 2 of 2 goats vaccinated with 10(3) sporocysts and the 2 goats vaccinated with 10(2) sporocysts survived a challenge exposure with 10(5) sporocysts, whereas 2 goats vaccinated with 10(1) sporocysts and the control goat died of acute sarcocystosis. In the 3rd trial (60 days after vaccination), 2 goats vaccinated with 5 x 10(4) sporocysts, 2 goats vaccinated with 10(4) sporocysts, 2 goats vaccinated with 10(3) sporocysts, and the 2 goats vaccinated with 10(2) sporocysts survived after challenge exposure with 10(6) sporocysts, whereas 2 goats vaccinated with 10(1) sporocysts and the control goat died of acute sarcocystosis. The results indicate that goats vaccinated with 10(2) to 10(3) sporocysts develop protective immunity against lethal doses of Sarcocystis, whereas goats vaccinated with 10(1) sporocysts were not protected against a later infection with a lethal dose.

Animals↗

Poor growth prior to early childhood: decreased health and life-span in the adult.

Previous studies in animal populations have shown that stunted neural and thymolymphatic growth early in development may result in permanently impaired neural and immune function, decreased body growth, vertebral wedging, and decreased life-span. In the human adult, small vertebral neural canal (VNC) diameters may reflect early stunted neural and immune development and impaired function that leads to decreased health (inferred by greater vertebral wedging) and life-span in the adult. VNC, which complete their growth by early childhood (age 4), are markers of early development in adults. On the other hand, features following general body growth, such as height, weight (represented here by vertebral body height) continues to grow until young adulthood. They are less reliable, because they readily experience catch-up growth (even in chronically stressed populations) and, unlike VNC, may mask poor early growth. To test associations between early growth and adult health and life-span in humans, we measured 2,060 VNC, vertebral heights, vertebral wedging, nerve-root tunnel lengths, severity of vertebral osteophytosis, and ages at death in 90 adult (aged 15-55 years) prehistoric skeletons (950-1300 A.D.). Tibial lengths were also measured in a subsample (n = 30). Multivariate, bivariate, and nonparametric analyses showed that small VNC are significantly associated with greater vertebral wedging and decreased life-span (P less than 0.05-0.00001). VNC are independent of vertebral body heights and tibial lengths (general body growth). VNC, but not statural components, are useful in predicting adult health, presumably because they reflect neural and immune development and do not readily experience catch-up growth. Thus, longitudinal retrospective measures of early growth and adult health were systematically linked within individuals regardless of confounding factors operating over the 350-year time period. Since this research was completed, this model has repeatedly been independently confirmed in four living urban industrial populations. Longitudinal retrospective analysis was employed together with direct measures of VNC, neural and immune function. Together these results suggested that it may be essential to improve growth prior to early childhood in order to maximize adult health and life-span.

Adolescent↗

Is the liver an important site for the development of immune tolerance to tumours?

Despite the enormous interest in the field of tumour immunology, and the development of vaccine based strategies for immunotherapy of tumours, results in patients with cancer have been disappointing. This is partly due to the lack of development of clearly defined anti-tumour immune responses. The basis for the induction of specific anti-tumour non-responsiveness is not known. Recently, the liver has been recognised as an important organ in the regulation of peripheral immunological responses. It is characterised by a remarkable ability to induce tolerance to antigens from a variety of sources. Oral tolerance to food antigens, antigens from gut flora and other antigens administered via the oral route is partly dependent upon local immunoregulation in the liver. Transplantation of liver tissue shows a remarkable ability to induce tolerance in some species, not only to liver tissue but also to other organs and tissues transplanted at the same time. This tolerance can be transferred by adoptive transfer of lymphocytes. It has been suggested that the establishment of persistent infection in the liver by hepatitis viruses, may partly depend on the tolerogenic environment of the liver, and that this may also play a role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic infections with these viruses. The liver is also a common and an important site for the development of metastases from many primary tumours. This is partly dependent upon the anatomic location and structure of the liver, but may also partly reflect the exploitation of the tolerogenic environment in the liver, allowing micrometastases to colonise and grow. This may account for the fact that the liver is such a common site for metastasis. Furthermore, once tolerance to tumour antigens is established in the liver, tolerated lymphocytes may migrate from the liver back to primary tumours and exacerbate immunological non-responsiveness at tumour sites. Indeed, if this happens early in tumour development, liver dependent tolerance to tumour antigens may play a significant role in tumour progression, and may partly determine impaired tumour responses in vaccine based immunotherapy strategies.

Genetic Therapy↗

Pre-exposure rabies immunization with human diploid cell vaccine: decreased antibody responses in persons immunized in developing countries.

In November 1982, a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya completed pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis with a standard 3 dose intradermal (ID) series of human diploid cell rabies vaccine (HDCV). In May 1983, she was bitten by a dog and died of rabies 3 months later. An initial investigation revealed that the patient, as well as 9 of 11 others immunized at the same time, had no rabies antibody titers (less than 1:5). We therefore instituted investigations into the immunogenicity of pre-exposure HDCV both in the United States and in developing countries. A serosurvey revealed unexpectedly low rabies titers in both Peace Corps volunteers and others immunized in developing countries. Antibody titers measured 2-3 weeks after ID immunization were compared in 9 groups totaling 271 persons in the United States and Kenya. There was no statistically significant difference in antibody titers in the 6 U.S. groups immunized from 1980-1984 (P greater than 0.15); however, groups immunized in the United States had significantly higher titers than a group of Kenyan nationals (P less than or equal to 0.0001), and the Kenyans had significantly higher titers than 2 Peace Corps groups immunized in Kenya (P less than or equal to 0.0001). No single hypothesis proposed (laboratory error, vaccine potency, vaccination technique, or specific immune suppression) accounted for the observed differences. Although we cannot fully explain the poor response to HDCV, it is probably due to multiple factors. We conclude that persons immunized with ID pre-exposure HDCV in developing countries should have rabies antibody titers determined to ensure their seroconversion; for persons immunized in the United States, such titers need not be routinely determined.

Adult↗

[Maternal and childhood immunization in developing countries: success, problems and new approaches].

A quarter century after implementation of the Expanded Program of Immunization by the WHO, partner organizations and member states, significant progress has been made towards eradication of poliomyelitis, elimination of neonatal tetanus, and control of measles. Problems remain due to difficulties involved in extending immunization coverage to some regions (Africa), integrating new vaccines into routine immunization schedules and securing sufficient funding for programs. Injection safety is also a major problem that should be resolved by utilization and proper disposal of single-use auto-disabling syringes. The forthcoming availability of new vaccines on the market and the action of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization hold reasonable hope for the future.

Adult↗

[Development of immunity to the poliomyelitis virus in infants with various methods of administering a live poliomyelitis vaccine].

The data have been obtained which indicate that the effectiveness of vaccination with live trivalent poliomyelitis vaccine may be increased and 90--100% of the vaccinated infants under 1 year of age may develop marked resistance of the alimentary tract and high antibody titers in the blood serum to the threee types of poliomyelitis virus in the course of 3 vaccinations. Some regularities of the formation of immunity to individual poliomyelitis virus types in the course of 4 vaccinations with trivalent vaccine were revealed and specified. The results indicate that the contact of vaccine virus with the oropharyngeal tissues during immunization has a favourable effect on the development of immunity. Vaccination of infants under 1 at 6-week intervals between vaccine feedings creates solid immunity in 90--100% vaccines. Administration of the next vaccine dose 6 weeks after the previous one stops multiplication of the dominating type of vaccine virus and prevents its long-term passage in the intestinal tract decreasing the probability of emergence of vaccine virus variants with increased pathogenicity.

Antibodies, Viral↗

The relationship between the anticoccidial effects of clindamycin and the development of immunity in the Eimeria pragensis/mouse model of large intestinal coccidiosis.

The therapeutic effect of clindamycin on Eimeria pragensis (E. pragensis) infection in C57BL/6 mice was demonstrated by suppression of oocyst production and the appearance of degenerated endogenous stages of parasite in the intestine. Short-term clindamycin treatment, from 1 to 4 days or 4 to 8 days post infection (pi) at a dose of 800 mg/kg/day was effective to reduce clinical symptoms, oocyst production and schizogonic development. Interestingly, the short-term treatment schedules allowed the development of a measurable degree of protective immunity to challenge infection in the treated mice. In contrast, clindamycin treatment for the full 12 days period, which almost completely inhibited clinical symptoms and oocyst output, prevented the full development of protective immunity in the treated mice. All these data indicate that clindamycin is efficacious as an anti-eimerian agent and that both early and late endogenous developmental stages of E. pragensis exert a deep influence on the development of effective immunity to challenge infection.

Animals↗

Development of immunity to incoming radiolabelled larvae in lambs continuously infected with Trichostrongylus vitrinus.

Infective third stage larvae (L3) of Trichostrongylus vitrinus were radiolabelled with 75 selenium by a method which did not affect their viability. Three groups of six-month-old lambs were infected daily with 1000 L3 for four, eight and 12 weeks, respectively. After each period, one of those groups (n = 5) and a group (n = 4) of worm-free controls were challenged with three consecutive daily doses of 1000 radiolabelled L3, killed 10 days after the first dose, and their worm burdens examined. After four weeks of continuous infection partial immunity to the establishment of challenge L3 was apparent, and by eight and 12 weeks, with the exception of one sheep, there was almost total resistance to incoming worms. Immunity was also expressed as an inhibition of the development of established worms.

Animals↗

Development of immune function in the intestine and its role in neonatal diseases.

This review has traced the ontogeny of the human mucosal immune system, speculating that appropriate gut immune responses are essential in preventing many significant neonatal enteric diseases. Because the gastrointestinal tract serves as the portal of entry for many potential antigens, its mucosal immune function is essential in controlling antigenic responses and ensuring systemic tolerance. A thorough under standing of the development of the entire immune system is essential in defining intestinal mucosal immune function. From the protective barrier covering the enterocyte to the intraepithelial T lymphocytes, these components work together to limit antigen passage from the gut lumen to the underlying immune cells and, thus, promote normal immunity and tolerance. When abnormalities exist or when this immune barrier has not matured fully, conditions afflicting newborns, especially preterm infants, occur. Necrotizing enterocolitis, milk-protein enteropathy, and enteric bacterial infections are only three clinical examples of how aberrant gut immune-mediated defenses may have a significant role in their pathogenesis. In clinical practice, it is not only important to recognize these conditions at their onset but also to understand the basis for the underlying illness and identify newborns who are at an increased risk of acquiring them.

Bacterial Adhesion↗

Natriuretic peptides and genesis of asthma: an emerging paradigm?

Exposure to allergens and infections contribute to early immune development. However, knowledge of the role of cellular metabolic, physiologic, and endocrinologic factors in controlling immune development and asthma is limited. Immune cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, and T lymphocytes, express receptors for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) both in the fetal and neonatal lymphoid organs. ANP has garnered much attention for its cardiovascular effects, but its apparently significant role in the physiology and immunity of the lung has been underappreciated. Studies indicate that ANP also plays a significant role in shaping the early immune responses to environmental antigens. The C-terminal prohormone natriuretic peptide ANP (or NP(99-126)), which possesses bronchodilatory properties, is involved in polarizing dendritic cells to produce a T(H)2 response. Also, de novo overexpression of another pro-ANP peptide, NP(73-102), provides persistent bronchoprotection and induces significant anti-inflammatory activities in the lung epithelial cells. Thus natriuretic peptides appear to play a pivotal role in the genesis and control of asthma, and they might provide an important target to modulate allergen-induced immune responses in allergic patients.

Asthma↗

Characterization of four Toll related genes during development and immune responses in Anopheles gambiae.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of evolutionary conserved proteins with diverse biological functions. In Drosophila melanogaster, Toll protein plays an important role in pattern formation in embryogenesis and in antimicrobial immunity in larvae and adults. In insects, Toll and two other related proteins, Tehao and 18-wheeler have been shown to participate in the activation of the innate immune responses to fungal and bacterial pathogens. In this paper we report the cloning and characterization of four TLR gene from malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae, AgToll, AgToll6, AgTrex, and AgToll9, orthologues of DmToll, DmToll6, DmTollo (Toll8) and DmToll9 (CG5528) in Drosophila melanogaster. The expression profiles of these genes during development, in different adult tissues and after immune challenge were examined. As expected for the orthologue of Drosophila Toll, AgToll was found to be expressed highly in the ovary and may play a role in pattern formation during embryogenesis. AgToll9, surprisingly, was found to be highly expressed in the adult gut. The potential roles of these genes in development and immunity were discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗