Quantitation of B cells in peripheral blood by polyacrylamide beads coated with anti-human chain antibody

Regional accumulations of T cells, macrophages, and smooth muscle cells in the human atherosclerotic plaque

The cellular composition of human atherosclerotic plaques was analyzed by immunologic techniques. Plaques were removed from the internal carotid artery during surgery, and a panel of monoclonal antibodies was used to identify cell types. Macrophages stained by Anti-Leu-M3 were found throughout the plaque, particularly in the lipid core region, where 60% of the cells reacted with this antibody. T cells expressing the T3 antigen were most abundant in the fibrous cap, where they constituted 20% of the cell population. T cells were also isolated from the plaque and detected by a rosetting test; many of these T cells were activated, as indicated by the expression of HLA-DR. Other types of leukocytes were uncommon in the plaque. An antibody to the intermediate filament protein, desmin, was used as a marker for smooth muscle cells since some, but not all, vascular smooth muscle cells contain this protein. The desmin-positive cells were uncommon in the nonatherosclerotic intima but were more numerous in the plaque. In conclusion, atherosclerotic plaques are heterogeneous with respect to cellular composition. The smooth muscle cell dominates in the fibrous cap, which also contains many T cells; the lipid core is dominated by macrophages. We suggest that interactions between smooth muscle cells and blood-borne cells are important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Use of antibody-coated polyacrylic plastic beads for semiquantitative determination of cell surface antigens

Polyacrylic plastic beads coated with specific antibodies, which had previously been shown to bind specifically to cells carrying the related antigen, are shown to react quantitatively with the antigen on individual cells. The number of beads per cell which can be counted by simple microscopy is a measure of the amount of antigen accessible on the cell surface. The method may also be used in combination with other methods for cell surface antigens, such as immunofluorescence, for multiple antigen determination.

Preparation of microspheres of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) and its derivatives as carriers for immobilized proteins

Microspheres of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) and its derivatives have been prepared. The diameter can be varied in the range from 0.5 to 5 micron. Proteins were immobilized on the microspheres by various processes. The maximum amount of covalently immobilized gamma-globulin on the microspheres was found to be about 6 mg/m2. It was shown that dyed microspheres with a diameter of 2-4 micron are applicable to immunological agglutination tests on a microplate as carrier particles substituting for red blood cells.

Presence of cells in B-cell lineage in mixed (GEMM) colonies from murine marrow cells

Recent progress in clonal cell culture techniques makes it possible to detect pluripotent hemopoietic precursors from murine marrow cells. The precursors can proliferate, differentiate and form mixed colonies containing erythroblasts, granulocytes, macrophages and often megakaryocytes in viscid culture medium. In the present investigation, the presence of cells of B-cell lineage in mixed colonies was investigated. Experiments on colonies containing cIgM, cIgG, sIgM and sIgG bearing cells using goat IgG fluorescein-conjugated anti-mouse IgM, goat F(ab')2 fraction fluorescein-conjugated anti-mouse IgG and immunobeads revealed the presence of cytoplasmic IgM bearing cells in 47% of the colonies and surface IgM bearing cells in 74-84% of the colonies. Mixed colonies, however, did not contain either cIgG bearing cells or sIgG bearing cells. The results may indicate that some CFU-MIX proliferate and differentiate along B-cell lineage to sIgM or cIgM bearing cells in vitro.

Responses of lymphocytes from human colostrum or milk to influenza antigens

Paired samples of peripheral blood and colostrum or milk were obtained from women 1 to 6 days after delivery. After Ficoll-Hypaque centrifugation, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and colostrum or milk lymphocytes (COL) were examined for surface membrane characteristics and in vitro proliferative reactivity. As determined by sheep red blood cell rosetting and by immunoglobulin-coated beads, PBL showed an average of 54% T and 12% B lymphocytes, whereas COL showed 33% T and 22% B rosettes, respectively. Paired samples of PBL and COL were used for lymphocyte transformation with three distinct strains of influenza virus: A/USSR, A/Victoria, and B/Hong Kong. Of COL from nine subjects tested against all three strains of influenza virus, five samples (56%) gave positive responses to at least one. These studies indicate that COL contain cells responsive in vitro to several influenza antigens. Such sensitized cells may provide a mechanism for the transfer of antigen responsiveness and protection from the mother to the neonate.

Detection and characterization of a lymphocyte proliferating factor (LPF) in plasma of SJL/J mice infected with the LDH virus

Infection of 25- to 30-week-old SJL/J mice with the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) virus resulted in a transitory T-cell lymphocytopenia. However, in 40- to 45-week-old animals, the initial lymphocytopenia was followed by persistent elevations in the peripheral leukocyte counts (B and T lymphocytes). Studies indicated that this difference had its basis in a plasma factor, termed lymphocyte proliferating factor (LPF), which was induced by infection of older SJL/J mice with the LDH virus. Further experimentation revealed that plasma LPF was sensitive to storage at -60 degrees C, to heating at 90 degrees C, and to treatment with DNase. These results suggested an identification of LPF as DNA. This possibility was supported by the demonstration of LPF activity in association with DNA extracts (blood, spleen and lymph nodes from LDH virus-infected mice) which was inactivated by DNase.

Studies of immune responses during recovery from Sindbis virus encephalitis in selectively reconstituted, thymectomized, lethally irradiated mice

Recovery from acute Sindbis virus encephalitis was studied in selectively reconstituted, thymectomized, irradiated mice. Intact mice cleared virus from the brain by day 10 and developed inflammation along with immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies 4 to 6 days after infection. Unreconstituted mice died by day 11, with virus still present but decreasing, no detectable antibody, and no evidence of inflammation. Mice reconstituted with bone marrow cells alone produced only IgM antibody and no inflammation, but cleared virus by day 14. Mice reconstituted with sensitized T cells alone cleared virus by day 10, produced very small amounts of antibody, and developed a prompt inflammatory response.

Chemotherapy of advanced ovarian epithelial carcinoma with melphalan and levamisole: a pilot study of the Gynecologic Oncology Group

Twenty-three patients with Stage III, Stage IV, or recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with a combination of melphalan and levamisole to determine a tolerable dosage schedule, possible adverse effects, and a general estimate of response rate and duration. In seven patients with measurable disease there were four complete responses (57%) with a median duration of 75 weeks. Two of the complete responders have had negative second-look laparotomies while the other two patients have had subsequent progression. Of 16 patients with nonmeasurable disease two have had negative second-look laparotomies and two remain progression free. Thus 8 of 23 patients (35%) had complete responses or remain progression free whereas 4 of 23 patients (17%) have had negative second-look laparotomies. No serious toxicity was encountered. Immunologic monitoring did not indicate significant immunologic reconstitution in these immunosuppressed patients.

Rapid detection of rubella-specific IgM antibodies by the use of microimmunobeads (MIB-IgM)

A simple haemagglutination (HA) titre reduction assay for the detection of rubella-specific IgM antibodies has been developed. Serum IgM is rapidly isolated by immune adsorption to heavy chain-specific anti-human IgM antibodies covalently coupled to polyacrylamide microimmunobeads. The immobilized immunocomplexes are incubated with rubella virus HA antigen. Subsequently, the particles are centrifuged from the solution, and the reduction of the HA titre is determined. This procedure has proven to be as reliable as haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) tests carried out with IgM fractions separated on a sucrose density gradient.

The mixed antiglobulin rosetting reaction (MARR) and the direct antiglobulin rosetting reaction (DARR): sensitive tests for demonstration of immunoglobulin-bearing B lymphocytes

The technology of the mixed antiglobulin rosetting (MARR) and the direct antiglobulin rosetting reaction (DARR) is reviewed. These tests have been found to be more sensitive than the standard direct immunofluorescence (DIF) method for delineation of Ig-bearing B lymphocytes and to have practical advantages over DIF. Further, with these rosette tests, an important B lymphocyte population has been identified which is Ig-negative by DIF and functionally quite different from typical DIF-positive B lymphocytes but which expresses a low density of surface membrane Ig that is detectable by the MARR and the DARR.