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Folates were determined in 148 patient sera, using four different methods: a microbiological assay (Reference Method), two radioassays (Magic B12 FOL [NB] and SimulTRAC SNB no boil kits) and a non isotopic competition method (Magic Lite kit). Folate mean varied according to the methods 10.0 nmol.l-1 (reference method), 12.2 nmol.l-1 (Magic Lite), 8.7 nmol.l-1 (Magic B12 FOL [NB]) and 10.8 nmol.l-1 (SimulTRAC SNB NO boil). Poor correlations were also noted (0.83r0.95, figures 1 and 2). Differences between methods were explained according to the literature.

Results of immunization against hepatitis B among Pasteur Institute staff members are reported. Prior to immunization, 439 subjects were tested for hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers, including HBs antigen, anti-HBs antibody, and anti-HBc antibody (Ausria, Ausab, Corab assays; Abbott). Forty-seven subjects tested positive for anti-HBs antibody. 317 subjects negative for all the HBs markers studied were given three intramuscular doses of Hevac B (Pasteur vaccins) at one-month intervals. Anti-HBs antibodies were assayed after the third injection with the following results: mean titer, 1,454 mIU/ml, standard deviation, 5,349 mIU/ml, and range, 4 to 41,100 mIU/ml. Anti-HBs titers above 10 mIU/ml were found in 879.4% of subjects. Non-responders and weak responders (anti-HBs titer under 10 mIU/ml) were given a fourth dose of vaccine. Ultimately, after the last (third of fourth) injection 97.6% of subjects had protective antibody titers. No case of HBV infection was seen during the seven-year follow-up period.

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay using 125I-protein A is described for the detection of antibodies to collagens of different types. The optimal conditions for the adsorption of collagen onto polystyrene microplates, then the incubations with the antiserum and finally with the 125I-protein A have been evaluated. The technique was applied successfully to antisera raised in rabbit, goat, guinea pig and mouse against human type I, II, III, IV, V and bovine type I, II, 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha, X1-X7 collagens.

The authors discuss about the functions and the evolution of total specific IgG antibodies and specific antibodies of the IgG1 and IgG4 isotype during desensitization treatment.

The authors have developed a solid phase radioimmunoassay for the detection of antibodies to collagens. They give the technical data of this assay and some results mainly in rheumatic diseases.

In the present work a study has been made of the prevalence of allergy to two storage mites, Tyrophagus putrescentiae and Lepidoglyphus destructor in a population of 105 young adults in the east of France. Combination of skin tests and specific IgE measurements shows that 43.10% of the subjects were sensitive to Tyrophagus and 44.95% to Lepidoglyphus. Interpretation of skin tests remains uncertain, particularly concerning the source of the allergen used and it is most often also necessary to measure the specific serum IgE. As in many studies, most sensitization was found amongst farmers. In contrast, no difference was seen between rural and city dwellers, subjects who were in contact with small animals and those in contact with food for livestock if they were not farmers, not between declared asthmatics who lived in a humid place and those who lived in an environment that was drier. Certainly these mites appeared in the present study to be much more ubiquitous than supposed previously and the fact that they seemed to be carriers of allergens and antigens that were different from those of Dermatophagoides raises the question as to whether the need for hyposensitization treatment for them has been under-estimated.

We report a radio-immunoprecipitation method for the measurement of circulating insulin antibodies using porcine, bovine or human radiolabeled insulin and precipitation of the bound fraction by a combined polyethylene glycol--second antibody method. The coefficient of variation for intra- and inter-assay is below 8,5 p. cent and 17 p. cent respectively. 100 insulin treated patients sera were tested in the three systems: the results showed a great scattering; for the same serum, the values obtained with porcine and human insulins are below that with bovine insulin. The data correlated statistically significantly with those found with a commercial kit (r = 0,97, n = 170, t = -4,91, p greater than 0,001).

The present paper describes the optimisation of a liquid phase [125I] C1q binding assay for the detection of circulating immune complexes. Blood must be collected without any anticoagulant. The serum can be stored or transported as usual without damage. A 90 min incubation is needed to reach the equilibrium of the reaction; polyethylene glycol (2,5% final concentration) is added to precipitate the [125I] C1q-CIC complex. By its simplicity and reproducibility, this test can be currently employed, especially in the case of treatment by plasmapheresis.

Rapid, specific and reproducible radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIP) for measuring IgG antibodies against Yellow Jacket Venom (YJV) has been developed. The YJV-I125 is added to serum sample and the immune complexes are precipitated by a second antibody with polyethylene glycol. IgG antibodies were measured by RIP in 24 patients receiving Yellow Jacket Venom immunotherapy. RIP assays were compared for 159 sera to a solid phase procedure (RAST IgG).

Fibronectin (by laser nephelometry) and collagen IV blood levels (by radioimmunoassay) were studied in 183 diabetics and compared with 101 non diabetic patients. Diabetics have more collagen IV and less fibronectin than non diabetics. Divergence has increased since 20 years old; fibronectin blood levels is always low in diabetics, even in the young. Collagen IV is higher in diabetics with angiopathy, and specially if insulin dependent. Diabetics which have a good control have normals levels. In the other hand when HBA1C greater than or equal to 9%, collagen IV blood level increases quickly and fibronectin level decreases. The importance of the antidiabetic treatment is underlined.

The authors present an experimental study of the rabbit femoral prosthesis compatibility : macroscopical aspect, proteoglycan content and metabolism of the acetabular cartilage.

Section of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee was performed in 20 rabbits which were sacrificed 3 months later. During that time, 10 animals were treated with a proteino-polysaccharide compound. The importance of cartilage destruction was evaluated by measuring the articular surfaces and the surface of the fissured areas using an automatic image analyzer; osteophytes were measured by a volumetric study. The percentage of the fissured areas appears to be without correlation with the osteophytosis, the increase of the water content or the decrease of glycosaminoglycans following the procedure. In animals which were treated, the extent of the fissure is significantly reduced but the biochemical and histometric modifications are not too different from those of the reference group.

In a longitudinal study, 53 renal allograft recipients were investigated for changes in serum creatinine and neopterin levels and in the neopterin/creatinine (N/C) ratio which makes it possible to disregard the glomerular filtration level. The patients were divided into 5 groups according to their clinical situation: stability, acute renal failure due to acute tubular necrosis, acute graft rejection, bacterial or viral infection and cyclosporin overdosage. Only N/C discriminated between these situations, being normal (less than 200.10(-6) in groups 1 and 2, significantly elevated in groups 3 and 4 and low in group 5. The highest N/C value was observed in patients with primary cytomegalovirus infection. It is concluded that the N/C ratio is a good biochemical parameter to be used in the follow-up of renal allograft recipients.

Phadiatop is a new in vitro screening test for respiratory allergy. This test, based on the RAST procedure, detects in serum, the presence of specific IgE to a mixture of common inhalent allergens. Among 70 patients (26 children and 44 adults) consulting for respiratory syndrome, Phadiatop was positive in 31 cases. There were a good correlation between this new test and skin tests (59% for adults and 92% for children), total IgE (70% for adults and 65% for children) and RAST (93% for adults and 96% for children). Phadiatop, with a specificity of 100%, a sensitivity of 82% (76% for adults and 92% for children) and an efficiency of 90% (86% for adults and 96% for children), is a more accurate test than total IgE and could be an excellent in vitro screening test for respiratory allergy.

The efficiency of immunotherapy with hymenoptera venom is well known in adults. Its clinical tolerance and its immunologic consequences during an accelerated desensitization program were studied in children with bee venom (n = 12, average age: 9.4 +/- 4.6 years) or wasp venom (n = 6, average age: 10.4 +/- 3.7 years) hypersensitivity. Results were compared with those obtained in adults susceptible to bee venom (n = 15, average age: 36.6 +/- 10.4 years) or to wasp venom (n = 18, average age: 36.2 +/- 7.4 years). Despite doses identical to those used in adults, clinical tolerance was better in both groups of children. Provocation tests (6 children, 10 adults) after immunotherapy showed a similar efficiency of the treatment in adults and children. The immunologic study showed a significantly greater increase in specific IgG in children, and a significant decrease in specific IgE (p less than 0.05) only in children treated with bee venom.

The authors discuss different in vitro tests that provide evidence for: involvement of atopy in clinical symptoms (eosinophilia, total IgE titre, histaminemia); the identification of the responsible allergen (specific IgE, basophil degranulation, and release of histamine); following the course of hyposensitization treatment (specific IgG).

The goal of this work was the study of the prevalence of allergy to two mites, Tyrophagus putrescentiae and Lepidoglyphus destructor in a population of 105 young asthmatic men from East of France. The association of skin tests and specific IgE shows that 43.10% are allergic to Tyrophagus and 44.95% to Lepidoglyphus destructor. The significance of skin tests is doubtful and depends on the laboratories which provide the allergens. Therefore, specific IgE has to be performed. As in other studies it has been observed that farmers are very often sensitized. But, nose difference has been noticed between people living in town or in country, between those having contacts with pets or not, feeding the cattle or not (except for the farmers). In the same way, no difference has been noticed between the asthmatics living in a wet country and/or wet house and those living in a dry area.

A correlation between serum laminin, a glycoprotein found in basement membranes, and hepatic wedge pressure has previously been reported in a small number of patients with various liver diseases. To study this relationship in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, we measured the wedge hepatic pressure and venous gradient, in comparison with serum concentrations of laminin and collagen metabolism products: N-terminal peptide of type III procollagen, collagen type I, and collagen type III in 39 patients. A statistically significant correlation was observed between serum laminin and wedged hepatic pressure (r = 0.529; p less than 10(-3] or hepatic venous gradient (r = 0.482; p = 0.002). By contrast, no statistically significant correlation was found between hemodynamic parameters and serum concentrations of N-terminal peptide of type III procollagen, collagen type I or collagen type III. These results suggest that, in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, portal pressure may be estimated by serum concentration of laminin, and that perisinusoidal fibrosis, especially basement membrane thickening, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension in these patients.

Phadiatop is a new in vitro test used for screening patients with allergic respiratory diseases. This test, based on the RAST procedure, is performed with a paper disc to which a balanced mixture of relevant inhalant allergens has been coupled. One hundred and one adults ranging in age from 18 years to 73 years and 38 children (4 months to 15 years) were studied. We found a good correlation between this new test and total IgE (adults: 74.3 p. 100, children: 68.4 p. 100), specific IgE (adults: 91.1 p. 100, children: 100 p. 100) and skin test (adults: 79.2 p. 100, children: 97.1 p. 100). There was a high correlation between clinical atopy assessment and the result of Phadiatop, its efficiency was 83 p. 100 in adults and 97 p. 100 in children.

We describe a sensitive liquid phase radioimmunoassay for serum IgD. Extreme values obtained from 85 control patients sera are 0.2 and 121 mg/l with an arithmetic mean of 25 mg/l. In atopic patients (with high serum IgE levels), arithmetic mean is 47 mg/l.

Serum immunoglobulin levels IgG, IgA, IgM were assayed by laser-nephelometry and IgD by a liquid phase radio-immunoassay in 133 patients with monoclonal gammopathy. Our result show that IgD concentration decrease in parallel with polyclonal immunoglobulin levels. We observe a decrease of IgD level, more pronounced in malignant gammopathy in which the polyclonal immunoglobulin levels are usually low.

We studied the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) in 90 patients with primary lung cancer. One or both markers were increased in 45 patients (50%): CEA only was increased in 13, CA 19-9 only was increased in 19, and both CEA and CA 19-9 were increased in 13. Increase of markers did not differ according to histologic subtype of cancer. Increase or decrease of the markers (mainly CA 19-9) usually parallelled evolution of the disease in our patients. Thus, measurement of both CEA and CA 19-9 levels are of diagnostic value in half the patients with primary lung cancer.