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In order to determine the relationship between all forms of pemphigus and malignancy or thymoma, a search of the world literature was carried out. Fifty-nine case reports or isolated citations for pemphigus with malignancies or thymomas were noted, including twenty-one reports published before the histological separation by Lever of pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid in 1953. Of these cases, twenty-six were acceptable for analysis. In approximately 54% of patients surveyed with these associations, the malignancy involved the lymphoid or reticuloendothelial systems. Approximately 48% of the patients with pemphigus and malignancy or thymoma had associated autoimmune diseases. Pemphigus with malignancies or thymomas may be related through some intervening variables such as immuno-suppressive therapy or the antigenic and cross-reacting nature of the primary tumour, or through an immunological consequence of associated autoimmune disease. Although reports of pemphigus and concurrent malignancy or thymoma have appeared sporadically in the literature (Skog, 1964; Beutner et al., 1968; Krain et al., 1973), added impetus to the study of these associations has been provided by the demonstration of the production of pemphigus antibodies by a lymphoid neoplasm (Saikia, 1972). It is generally acknowledged that autoimmune mechanisms play an important though as yet ill-defined role in the pathogenesis of pemphigus (Beutner et al., 1968; Beutner, Chorzelski & Jordon, 1970), of thymomas (Stillman& Baer, 1972; Vetters et al., 1973) and of some malignant tumours (Moragas, Winkelmann & Jordon, 1970; Alexander, 1972; Saikia, 1972). In addition, immunosuppressive therapy employed in the management of patients with pemphigus and other autoimmune diseases has been incriminated as a possible inductive mechanism in the subsequent development of malignancy (Harris, 1971; Lowney, 1972; Krain & Bierman, 1973). Saikia (1973) has suggested that every patient with pemphigus should be investigated as far as is practicable to exclude the possibility of a co-existent malignancy, especially in those cases in which systemic corticosteroid therapy is unsatisfactory in controlling the pemphigus. The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature on the association of pemphigus with malignancy or thymoma and to examine critically the factors involved in these inter-relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on IgM-IgG cryoglobulinaemia with IgM paraprotein component. Four patients with mixed IgM-IgG cryoglobulinaemia are described. Clinically they all had some features of an autoimmune disease, while two of them had a lympho-epithelial tumor in the parotid gland. The term paraprotein is used in this article for electrophoretically homogeneous immunogiobulins, which belong to only one light chain type. It implies no further assumptions about their nature and origin. It is the intention of this paper to report in detail the clinical and biochemical findings in four patients with IgM-IgG cryoglobulins, the IgM part of which had the characteristics of a paraprotein with anti-IgG activity.

Cold antibodies were separated from the sera of six patients suffering from the cold-haemagglutinin syndrome and from one patient with acquired haemolytic anaemia secondayr to lymphosarcoma by dissociation of the specific antigen-antibody complexes. The eluted antibodies were studied (a) by immuno-electrophoresis along with the parent sera against horse anti-human serum and (b) by double diffusion in agar gel along with electrophoretically separated ‘γ1 globulin’† against anti-19S ‘γ-globulin’ rabbit sera. The protein forming the cold antibody was localized in the β2-M position on immuno-electrophoresis in each instance. It was found by double diffusion in agar gel to be immunologically identical with the protein forming the abnormal ‘γl-globulin’ electrophoretic peak in the parent serum. The results of these experiments indicate that the cold antibodies derived from patients with the cold-antibody type of acquired haemolytic anaemia are macro-molecular globulins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the Symposium on Autoimmunity and Genetics. While desirability to publish the edited proceedings as part of the journal "Clinical and Experimental Immunology." While appreciating the desirability of speed to publication, the expansion of the journal in the first 2 years of its existence has been so rapid that it was not possible to include the symposium in the regular issues as intended. This would caused undue in the publication of original papers. In publishing this symposium as a supplement the editorial board of the journal wish to acknowledge the support given by the British Society for Immunology.

Rabbits that wre immunized with homologous and heterologous adrenal homogenates in complete adjuvant responded with complement-fixing heat-stable autoantibody primarily directed against adrenal. Rabbits responded with autoantibody production against cytoplasm of adrenal cortex and of ovarian and testicular cells as detected by immunoflourescence. Antibody, with sedimentation similar to 7S γ globulin, was directed against a heat-labile antigen in rabbit, guinea-pig and rat adrenal. Antibody responsible for reactions with the antigens in the complement fixation and immunofluorescent tests was absorbed by an ultra-centrifugal sediment of adrenal or ovary. Histological evidence of adrenalitis was present only in those rabbits immunized with heterologous adrenal. Guinea-pigs immunized with heterologous adrenal homogeates developed more extensive adrenal infiltrates than did guinea-pigs immunized with homologous adrenal. Antibody from guinea-pigs immunized with heterologous adrenal reacted with autologous organ antigens as well as with rabbit and rat adrenal. Skin tests with homologous adrenal revealed no evidence for delayed-type hypersensitivity. The detection of autoantigens in foetal rabbit adrenal and ovary suggests that rabbits should be tolerant to such antigens. The greater efficacy of immunization with heterologous adrenal in eliciting autoantibody and autoimmune adrenalitis may be a feature of experimental autoimmunity induced by those organ-specific antigens to which the animal is tolerant. The presence of autoantibody in the serum, bound γ globulin at the site of adrenal lesions and the absence of delayed-type hypersensitivity to homologous adrenal suggest that the humoral immune mechanisms play a role experimental autoimmune adrenalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-six sera from patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis were separated into 7S and 19S fractions by zone ultracentrifugation over sucrose density gradients. In each case at least 98 per cent of the anti-thyroglobulin activity was recovered in the 7S fraction. This was confirmed by chromatography on DEAEcellulose. This also revealed significant antibody activity in a 7S γ-globulin fraction of fast electrophoretic mobility obtained from one serum giving a 'clear' line on reaction with thyroglobulin in agar gel. Complement-fixing antibodies reacting with the thyroid microsomal fraction were also of low molecular weight. Thyroglobulin autoantibodies induced experimentally in rats were confined to the 7S fraction of serum. Initially, rabbits respond to the intravenous injection of human thyroglobulin with the production of 19S antibodies but by the 15th day, predominantly 7S antibodies are found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the autohemolysin-producing cells in the peripheral blood and some tissues of mice following mice injection of bacterial vaccines. Role of micro-organism in the development of autoimmunity; Formation of the anti-tissue antibodies during the immunological response to bacterial products; Preparation of bacterial vaccines from 24-hour Agar cultures of Staphylococcuss aureus strain.

Summary, OS chickens were subjected to bursectomy, thymectomy, bursectomyX-irradiation and bursectomy-X-irradiation followed by restoration with autoIogous bursa cells. The influence on the spontaneously occurring tbyroiditis was studied. Less pronounced tbyroiditis and thyroglobulin antibody formation was found in the bursectomized and bursectomized-irradiated but not in the thymectomized chickens. Bursectomized-irradiated chickens which had been reconstituted with autologous bursa cell suspensions showed total restoration of the thyroiditis No restoration of thyroglobulin antibody forming capacity and only partial restoration of immunoglobulin level was observed. The results suggest a dual function of the bursa with regard to thyroid autoimmunity in OS chickens, one humoral and possibly hormonal, which is essential for thyroglobulin antibody formation and one cellular which is necessary for the development of the inflammatory lesions in the thyroid gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

223 sera of patients having a colonic cancer or other diseases were examined for the presence of antibodies agglutinating tanned sheep erythrocytes coated with saline extracts of human colonic cancers. Some patients' sera were also investigated for precipitating antibodies. Many positive results were found, mainly but not only, in colonic cancer patients' sera. By absorption studies the antibodies found in these sera have been shown to be directed against an antigen present not only in the tumours but also in normal and foetal tissues as well as in the microsomal fraction of the intestine. The chemical nature of the antigen is still under investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Splenic PEC dose-response curves were measured in normal mice and in mice of the autoimmune NZB strain for the thymus-independent antigens pneumococcal polysaccharide type 3 (SIII) and bacterial levan. There were differences between the strains in the maximal response achieved to each antigen, but the level at which high dose tolerance occurred was the same in all the strains. The splenic anti-sheep erythrocyte plaque-forming cell dose-response curve of lethally-irradiated, bone marrow restored NZB mice was compared with that of (C57/Bl × BALB,/c)F1, hybrid and (NZB × BALB/c)F1, hybrid mice. Although the dose-response curves of the two hybrid stains were less sharp than that of the NZB, the peak response occurred at the same dose of SRBC (108, i.v.), and reached the same level, tailing off at higher doses, These results indicate that the B cells of NZB mice display normal high-dose tolerance characteristics, at least to these three antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally-occurring and carbon-tetrachloride induced anti-mitochondria auto-antibodies were studied in rats in order to determine their inner and/or outer mitochondrial membrane specificities. Fourteen per cent of the rats possessed naturally-occurring, heat-labile autoantibody to inner mitochondrial membrane while 36 % possessed autoantibody to outer mitochondrial membrane. Three days following the subcutaneous administration of carbon tetrachloride, 40% of the rats had autoantibody to inner membrane while 100% had autoantibody to outer membrane. The increased autoantibody levels represented increases in both heatlabile and heat-stable autoantibodies. Based on absorption experiments, the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes were found to possess unique autoantigenic determinants with no detectable cross reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pig serum possesses an autoantibody (like factor) reactive with autologous disaggregated liver cells. This autoreactive antibody is IgM and the corresponding antigenic determinant on liver cells is likely to be membrane-located. This autoantibody was shown by the mixed antiglobulin reaction but could also be demonstrated by immune adherence. Pig liver cells disaggregated after careful perfusion show no evidence of having reacted with this autoantibody in vivo. This suggests that, in the pig at any rate, the liver cells are not in free contact with the circulating blood plasma and that the fluid in the Space of Disse is free of IgM molecules. The pig seems to be unusual in possessing this autoreactive immunoglobulin. A similar reactive substance is absent in the guinea-pig, rabbit and man. In the mouse, trace amounts only of an autoreactive factor could be shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion on antigenicity and autoimmunity in sexual reproduction. The immunology of reproduction is a growing field of research interest which seems to be developing a professional and scientific identity of its own as a sub-discipline that overlaps two major areas, namely, immunology and reproductive physiology. The antigenicity of spermatozoa was discovered in 1899 by means of immunization into a foreign species. Many studies were reported over a number of years with regard to the organ specificity and species specificity of spermatozoa. It is important to note that sperm cells contain at least two distinctive antigens, which are easily differentiated on morphological grounds, being characteristic of the head and tail parts of the cell.

ISZB mice were mated to NZW and to Balb/c, and the F1, F2 and backcross progeny tested for the incidence of red-cell autoantibodies, glomerulonephritis, and antinuclear antibodies. Evidence was found for some segregation of these autoimmune characteristics, and the results were interpreted as favouring an underlying genetic basis, though not a simple one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female (NZB × NZW) F1 hybrid (B/W) mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei at the age of 1 month. In contrast to the high mortality from renal disease observed in control female mice of this strain, all of the malaria-infected female mice were alive at 12 months of age and none had any clinical features of severe renal diseases This finding gives some support to the hypothesis that a background of repeated parasitic infection may modify the development of autoimmune disease in man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the findings of thyroid, gastric and other organ-specific and non-organ-specific antibodies among patients with gonadal dysgenesis and among women with a 47, XXX sex chromosome complement. The incidence of thyroid and gastric antibodies in patients with clinical and cytogenetic features of gonadal dysgenesis, in doubly chromatin positive women and in the parents of patients with gonadal dysgenesis was not found to be significantly higher than in controls matched for age. The incidence of antibodies appeared to be appreciably higher in mosaics and in mosaics whose sex chromosome complement included an isochromosome of the long arm of the X.

The article presents a clinical and immunological study of pernicious anaemia in the Chinese. Addisonian pernicious anaemia has been rarely reported in Chinese. Between 1949 and 1965, in a busy haematological clinic in Hong Kong, only three Chinese have satisfied the diagnostic criteria for and showed the typical serological reactions of Addisonian pernicious anaemia. In view of the clinical and immunological association that is known to exist between Addisonian pernicious anaemia and thyrotoxicosis in Western populations, a study was undertaken to determine the incidence of gastric autoimmunity and of gastric atrophy in 102 Chinese patients with thyrotoxicosis.

The article presents a discourse on autoimmune diseases in inbred mice. The strong tendency of certain auto-antibodies to occur predominantly or exclusively in certain human diseases makes it appear very likely that the autoimmune reactions can indeed be important initiating and/or continuing causes of localized or generalized tissue damage. Nevertheless, such a causative role for auto-immunity has so far been demonstrated directly and unequivocally for but few autoimmune diseases. The characteristics of the strain are now well known.

The occurrence of xanthomatosis in paraproteinaemias is rare but is now reasonably well documented. Thirteen cases from the literature and a ease associated with cryoglobulinaemia, which is more fully described, are discussed. Sonic were hyper- and others normolipidaemic. Most had generalized plane xanthoma, regarded as a normolipidaemic xanthomatosis. To explain the varied findings, it is postulated that certain paraproteins may interfere with lipoprotein metabolism and also behave as autoantibodies to elicit generalized plane xanthoma. These 2 attributes may coincide in some patients hut occur separately in others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at the study of chronic destructive periodontal disease, using nonhuman primates such as marmosets as an analogue. The author discusses the relationship of automimmunity to periodontal disease. The distribution of plasma cells within the gingiva of periodontal disease patients is considered.

The article criticizes the work of the editorial team of the journal "Clinical & Experimental Immunology." The author appreciates in the broader sense the reasonableness of the journal. He asserts however that the journal is still very ignorant. The statement is very clear when one compares the situation in the autoimmune diseases with the knowledge of hemolytic anemia. The article further states the difference between hemolytic anemia with the autoimmune situations.