Lymphocytic responses to streptococcal antigens in glomerulonephritic patients

The lymphocytes from patients with progressive glomerulonephritis showed significant inhibition of cell migration in the presence of group A streptococcal particulate antigens. Marked increases in the level of DNA synthesis of these lymphocytes were also observed after contact with these antigens. Lymphocytes from patients with unrelated renal disorders exhibited minimum reactivity to streptococcal antigens.     

Antibodies to herpesvirus nonvirion antigens in squamous carcinomas

Serums from tumor-bearing patients, cured patients, and normal subjects were examined for antibodies to the separated complement-fixing reactive components of nonvirion antigens of herpesvirus type 1 and type 2. The occurrence of antibodies to the antigens was similar in serums from tumor-bearing patients and cured patients. Antibodies to the antigens were observed among 21 of 24 (87 percent) cervical cancer cases, 44 of 49 (90 percent) laryngeal cancer cases, 15 of 24 (62 percent) cases of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck excluding the larynx, 2 of 24 (8 percent) nonsquamous cell cancer cases, and 3 of 51 (6 percent) normal subjects. By contrast, no differences were found in the titers of neutralizing antibodies to the virus in serums from laryngeal cancer patients and controls. The observations support an etiologic role of herpesviruses in cervical cancer and in laryngeal cancer, and possibly other squamous cell cancers of the head and neck.     

Antigens on HTLV-infected cells recognized by leukemia and AIDS sera are related to HTLV viral glycoprotein

Cross-reactive antigens of molecular size of 61,000 to 68,000 daltons are found on the surface of human cells infected by human T-cell leukemia-lymphoma virus (HTLV). They are recognized by antibodies from patients with adult T-cell leukemias and lymphomas, from healthy carriers of HTLV, and from patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The latter finding has been one of the major reasons for suggesting an association of HTLV with AIDS. However, whether these antigens are of cellular or viral origin has not been clear. These antigens have now been shown to be associated with the presence of viral proteins in the cells, and a cross-reactive glycoprotein of molecular size of 46,000 daltons has been found to be a consistent structural part of viruses purified from several HTLV-producer cell lines. The findings thus suggest a viral (HTLV) origin of these antigens.     

Virus envelope protein of HTLV-III represents major target antigen for antibodies in AIDS patients

In this study, two glycoproteins (gp160 and gp120) that are encoded by human T-cell lymphoma virus type III (HTLV-III) were the antigens most consistently recognized by antibodies found in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and with the AIDS-related complex (ARC) and in healthy homosexual males. The techniques used to detect the glycoproteins were radioimmunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (RIP/SDS-PAGE). Although most antibody-positive samples from ARC patients and from healthy homosexual males also reacted with the virus core protein p24, less than half of the AIDS patients revealed a positive band with p24 under the same conditions. The ability to detect antibodies against a profile of both the major env gene encoded antigens and the gag gene encoded antigens suggests that the RIP/SDS-PAGE may be a valuable confirmatory assay for establishing the presence or absence of antibodies to HTLV-III in human serum samples.     

Differential reactivity of human serums with early antigens induced by Epstein-Barr virus

Inoculation of 64-10 or Raji cultures with Epstein-Barr virus derived from the HRI-K clone of the P3J Burkitt's lymphoma line caused abortive infections in most of the lymphoblastoid cells with synthesis of "early antigens" but few, if any, capsids. Antibodies to early antigens were detected by indirect immunofluorescence in serums of many patients with infectious mononucleosis, Burkitt's lymphoma, or nasopharyngeal carcinoma. These antibodies were rarely present in other serums even though some of them showed high titers of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus when assayed on EB3 Burkitt tumor cells; they also prevented synthesis of early antigens, provided the serums were mixed with the virus prior to inoculation. Antibodies to early antigens possibly reflect current or recent disease processes that are associated with the virus.     

T and Tn, general carcinoma autoantigens

Primary and metastatic carcinomas are epithelial in origin and comprise by far the largest group of malignant tumors in humans. In most of these tumors, T and Tn antigens, whose epitopes have been synthesized, are uncovered and immunoreactive. In all other tissues T and Tn antigens are masked and not accessible to the immune system; they are generally precursors in normal complex carbohydrate chains. Thus, carcinomas have antigens recognized as foreign by the patients' immune system. The expression of T and Tn antigens has pathogenic and clinical consequences, and the antigens themselves are powerful histological markers in carcinoma diagnosis and frequently in prognosis. Most patients distinguish their carcinoma from all other cells, as shown by strong autoimmune responses to T antigen. These responses are readily measured by assays, and they allow detection of carcinomas with greater sensitivity and specificity frequently earlier than previously possible. Moreover, the extent of T and Tn expression often correlates with carcinoma differentiation; on a molecular level, clustered T- and Tn-active structures on carcinoma cell surfaces may be involved in invasion.     

Antigen solubilized from human leukemia: lymphocyte stimulation

Soluble antigen was extracted with hypertonic (3 molar) potassium chloride from the malignant cells of seven patients with acute leukemia. The antigen and leukemia cells were used to stimulate autologous patients' and allogeneic normal donors' lymphocytes in mixed lymphocyte cultures. The lymphocytes of six patients showed significant blastogenic responses to autologous antigen. In contrast, the lymphocytes of only one of seven normal donors responded to the soluble antigens. Both patients' and normal subjects' lymphocytes responded to the intact leukemia cells. The use of these antigens should facilitate the study of specific tumor immunity in human leukemia.     

Serological analysis of a subgroup of human T-lymphotropic retroviruses (HTLV-III) associated with AIDS

The two main subgroups of the family of human T-lymphotropic retroviruses (HTLV) that have previously been characterized are known as HTLV-I and HTLV-II. Both are associated with certain human leukemias and lymphomas. Cell surface antigens (p61 and p65) encoded by HTLV-I are frequently recognized, at low titers, by antibodies in the serum of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or with signs or symptoms that precede AIDS (pre-AIDS). This suggests an involvement of HTLV in these disorders. Another subgroup of HTLV, designated HTLV-III, has now been isolated from many patients with AIDS and pre-AIDS. In the studies described in this report, virus-associated antigens in T-cell clones permanently producing HTLV-III were subjected to biochemical and immunological analyses. Antigens of HTLV-III, specifically detected by antibodies in serum from AIDS or pre-AIDS patients and revealed by the Western blot technique, are similar in size to those found in other subgroups of HTLV. They include at least three serologically unrelated antigenic groups, one of which is associated with group-specific antigens (p55 and P24) and another with envelope-related (p65) proteins, while the antigens in the third group are of unknown affiliation. The data show that HTLV-III is clearly distinguishable from HTLV-I and HTLV-II but is also significantly related to both viruses. HTLV-III is thus a true member of the HTLV family.     

Antibodies to cell membrane antigens associated with human T-cell leukemia virus in patients with AIDS

The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which has recently occurred at increasing rates in homosexual men, intravenous drug users, and others, is characterized by the development of Kaposi's sarcoma and several opportunistic infections including pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii. Serum samples from patients with AIDS and from matched and unmatched control subjects were examined for the presence of antibodies to cell membrane antigens associated with human T-cell leukemia virus. Nineteen of 75 of the AIDS patients had antibodies directed to surface antigens of Hut 102, a reference T lymphoid cell line infected with leukemia virus, as did two of the 336 control subjects.     

Lupus nephritis: varying complement-fixing properties of immunoglobulin G antibodies to antigens of cell nuclei

Relative complement-fixing activity of antibodies to nuclear antigens, including DNA, were determined in serums of 15 patients with, and 65 patients without, active lupus nephritis, by comparing titers obtained in two methods. High complement-fixing activity of antibody was found in the nephritis group and low activity in the others. Results with immunoglobulin G fractions were similar.     

Human osteosarcomas: immunologic evidence suggesting an associated infectious agent

Immunofluorescent studies have revealed a high incidence of antibodies to osteosarcomas in the serums of patients with this disease and their close associates which react with a common antigen (or antigens) in osteosarcomas. The distribution of these antibodies suggests the association of an infectious agent with this neoplasm which is capable of producing unrecognized infections in healthy contacts of these patients.     

Common antigen in meningioma-derived cell cultures

Serums of patients with intracranial meningiomas reacted in immunofluorescence assays with cell cultures and tumor imprints prepared from human meningiomas. Antibody in these serums appears to be specific for antigens in meningioma tissue and shows some cross-reactivity with neoplastic tissue of glial origin.     

Detection of an antigen associated with acute leukemia

Antiserums to a purified cell membrane component from a Burkitt's lymphoma tissue culture cell line were produced in rabbits. These antiserums were cytotoxic to peripheral white blood cells from 8 of 15 patients with acute leukemia and 5 of 41 relatives, but not to peripheral white blood cells from leukemia patients in clinical remission or from normal individuals. These antiserums appear to be detecting an acute leukemia associated antigen or antigens.     

Erratum

In table 1 of the report by M. Essex et al., "Antibodies to cell membrane antigens associated with human T-cell leukemia virus in patients with AIDS" (20 May, p. 859), the heading for columns 4 and 5 should have read "Cells positive (> 40 percent)"     

Cancer regression and autoimmunity in patients after clonal repopulation with antitumor lymphocytes

We report here the adoptive transfer, to patients with metastatic melanoma, of highly selected tumor-reactive T cells directed against overexpressed self-derived differentiation antigens after a nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen. This approach resulted in the persistent clonal repopulation of T cells in those cancer patients, with the transferred cells proliferating in vivo, displaying functional activity, and trafficking to tumor sites. This led to regression of the patients' metastatic melanoma as well as to the onset of autoimmune melanocyte destruction. This approach presents new possibilities for the treatment of patients with cancer as well as patients with human immunodeficiency virus-related acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and other infectious diseases.     

酶联免疫印迹对弓形虫抗原组分的研究

用酶联免疫印迹对弓形虫抗原组分分析的结果显示：经ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ后的弓形虫抗原组分分别为１．７８ＫＤ，２１．３ＫＤ，３０ＫＤ，３６．５ＫＤ，３９．１ＫＤ和５０．２ＫＤ。电转印至硝酸纤维膜上的各抗原组分，用ＥＬＩＢ分析，弓形虫感染宿主的血清能与抗原组分蛋白起反应，其中３９．１ＫＤ和２１．３ＫＤ分子量组分蛋白带色显色最深，提示这二种组分蛋白是弓形虫ＩｇＧ抗体识别的主要组分蛋白，而对照血清与各组分蛋白为     

胸膜肺炎放线杆菌诊断抗原的制备及初步临床应用

利用14个血清型的胸膜肺炎放线杆菌的标准菌株制备诊断抗原，通过玻片凝集试验，琼脂扩散试验和对流免疫电泳，以标准抗血清作为参考，检验各种诊断抗原的灵敏性和特异性。分别用凝集抗原、超声波处理抗原和酚水抗原对来自湖北、湖南、江西、河南、安徽5省猪场的155份送检血清进行检测。结果表明可以对送检血清快速、准确地进行鉴别诊断和血清分型。     

Amino Acids Analysis in Different Antigens and Relationship with Immunoreactivity in Cysticercus cellulosae

The six antigens of Cysticercus cellulosae: CFag, CSag, CBWag, CWag, UCWag and TSag were prepared respectively. The amino acids of the antigens were determined quantitative by automatic amino acid analyzer. The relationship of original reaction was confirmed between amino acids and antigens. The results showed that there were 17 amino acids among all of the antigens. There were no significant difference (P >0.05) of Asp, Glu, Lys, His in composition of all antigens by data analysis software SPSS. There are also no significant difference ( P ＞ 0.05) in the composition of all amino acids between CSag and CBWag. The composition of Thr, Ser, Tyr, Ved, Pro in UCWag shows significant difference (P ＜ 0.05) with other antigens.The sensitivity and peculiarity of UCWag are higher than that of the others. Pro and Glu show significant linear correspondence with sensitivity and peculiarity of antigens respectively.     

猪囊尾蚴(Cvsticercus cellulosae)抗原制剂的PAGE圆盘电泳分析

用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶圆盘电泳法对猪囊尾蚴的全囊虫、囊液、头节的粗提原(CW_1,CF_1,CS_1),超速离心上清抗原(CW_2,CF_2,CS_2),及葡聚糖凝胶柱(Sephadex G—150)层析提纯抗原(CW_3,CF_3,CS_3)进行了分析。结果表明,CW_1,CF_1和CS_1抗原分别显示12,5和9条氨基酸染色区带;CW_2,CF_2和CS_2抗原分别显示10,3和5条区带;而CW_3和CF_3抗原分别显示2和3条区带。由此可见,提纯后的抗原组分较纯。通过脂蛋白染色预电泳法和阿尔新兰染色法证明,囊液抗原含有丰富的蛋白质,同时含有糖蛋白和脂蛋白成分,而头节抗原则未出现糖蛋白和脂蛋白染色区带。