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The article highlights various case studies presented at the Royal Society of Medicine's joint meeting on April 21, 1966. A woman aged 40 noticed increasing pigmentation of the arms, face and neck. She has never had dermatitis, any inflammatory lesions, or any adverse reaction to sunlight. On the skin of her hands, flexor and extensor surfaces of her arms, face and neck there is increased pigmentation. The pigment is dermal, diffusely scattered and brownish black. Histology shows follicular hyperkeratosis and plugging, moderate lymphocytic infiltrate around the skin appendages and many melanin-laden macrophages in the dermis.

This article presents information about a research paper "Hydrolyzing Enzymes in Macrophages," by G.C. Wells. The paper shows that esterases take part in the phagocytosis of Leishmania, which has no lipid envelope, just as they do in leprosy and tubercle. The coelomic phagocytes of lumbricus also take esterase with their indian ink.

Plasmin digestion of rabbit IgG after pretreatment at low pH yields a fragment (Facb) which has lost the CH3 domain. A study of the biological activity of this fragment is described and the following conclusions are drawn: (1) Facb possesses the same antigen-combining capacity as the whole antibody; (2) Cl fixation is normal; (3) The capacity to sensitize target cells to lysis by cytotoxic K cells is lost; (4) Facb-antigen complexes are unable competitively to inhibit phagocytosis of sensitized bacteria by neutrophils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the use of the leucocyte migration inhibition assay a cell-mediated immune response to Mycoplasma pneumoniae was demonstrated in seven out often patients examined 3-6 weeks after onset of lower respiratory-tract illness associated with M. pneumoniae infection. Six months after onset of illness M. pneumoniae-induced migration inhibition was only demonstrable in one out of four cases with a positive migration inhibition assay during the early period after infection. Among four other cases examined 1 year after infection inhibition of leucocyte migration was also demonstrable in only one case. The migration of leucocytes from eight healthy blood donors was not inhibited by M. pneumoniae antigen. Most cases examined by the migration inhibition assay were also examined for M. pneumoniae-induced lymphocyte stimulation in vitro. The lymphocyte stimulation test was more often positive than the migration inhibition assay. There was no quantitative correlation between these two tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uptake of homologous lymphocytes by rat macrophages was observed in tissue culture chambers. This uptake was quantified as an opsonization index. The effect on this index of treatment of either lymphocytes or macrophages by horse anti-lymphocytic globulin (ALG) or normal horse IgG (N.IgG) in the presence or absence of complement was measured. ALG-treated lymphocytes were shown to attach to immune adherence receptors on human erythrocytes in the presence of complement. A complement attachment of ALG-treated lymphocytes to macrophages was also observed following blocking of cytophilic receptors by N.IgG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two major types of cell-mediated cytotoxicity in vitro after alloimmunization in the human have been described--antibody-dependent lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (ADLC) and direct immune-lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (DLC). The characteristics of these two in vitro systems are compared. The cytolysis occurred as a linear function of time in both cases. The effector cell dose response relationship was in both systems well described by a linear correlation between the logarithm of the effector cell dose and the cytotoxic activity. Anti-immunoglobulins inhibited ADLC but not DLC. The reactivity in DLC was potentiated by the addition of isoantibody directed against target cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighteen patients with nickel sensitivity and 12 control patients were examined. Lymphocytes from these patients were cultured together with nickel sulphate (antigen). Evidence of cellular hypersensitivity was obtained by the following procedures: (1) Estimation of the percentage of lymphocytes transformed to lymphoblasts; (2) the uptake of C14 thymidine in the lymphocyte cultures as evidence of DNA synthesis in the "challenged" cells; (3) the macrophage migration inhibition test, using the supernatant fluid from the cultures and guinea-pig macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sections believed to be those of the original case of erythema elevatum diutinum have been discovered and restained. They show the general changes attributed to this disease later observers, viz. acute inflammation evidenced by by polymorphonuclear leucocytes, combined with fibrosis of the corium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the quantitation of cytotoxic action of antiserum and complement is described, measuring the incorporation of trypan blue into Ehrlich ascites tumour cells. The incorporation of the dye into the cells in the presence of antiserum and complement was maximum at ionic strength between 010 and 015, and decreased with increasing ionic strength higher than 015. The permeability barrier of the cell against the dye was stable at pH between 7.2 and 7.4. The cytotoxic reaction required Mg ++ and Ca++ ion, but was inhibited with concentrations higher than 5 mM Mg+ + and 1 M NCa. The incorporation of the dye in the presence of antiserum and complement was more rapid with increasing concentrations of the dye, and depended on temperature. From these findings we obtained optimal condition for the assay of cytotoxic antiserum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophages from immune guinea-pigs, as well as macrophages from non-immune animals in the presence of specific antibody, were cytotoxic to chicken erythrocytes. Elution from macrophages produced a γ2-globulin which enabled non-immune macrophages to form rosettes with chicken erythrocytes, to phagocytose, and to show cytotoxicity towards such cells. This antibody was target-cell specific; it also rendered spleen cells cytotoxic. Isoelectric focusing of antiserum gave a peak of cytophilic antibody at pH 6.8-7.6 which proved to be in the γ2 region. The significance of phagocytosis for the cytotoxic process was examined with the aid of cytochalasin B which inhibited macrophage-phagocytosis, but produced enhanced cytotoxicity in this system. At the same time there was greatly increased release of lysosomal enzymes from macrophages in the presence of target cells. It is considered that, although phagocytosis is of significance for macrophage cytotoxicity, target cell destruction can also occur by the liberation of lysosomal enzymes from the plasma membrane into the target cell when this is in close surface contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphorus (OP) agents are irreversible inhibitors of OP sensitive esterases. Their effect on the cytotoxic killing of 51Cr-labelled mastocytoma cells by immune spleen cells was assessed by the release of 51Cr. OP fluoridates inhibited cytotoxic killing whether used as a pretreatment before the addition of the labelled target cells or as a concurrent treatment. The effect of pretreatment was time, temperature and concentration dependent and was abolished by hydrolysis. It occurred at concentrations which did not inhibit the incorporation of [14C] leucine and uridine. It is tentatively suggested that the OP agents inhibited an activated esterase present in the spleen cell before the cytotoxic reaction. In contrast, phosphonates inhibited cytotoxic killing when used concurrently but had little effect as a pretreatment. The chemically more reactive p-nitrophenyl phosphonates and the much less reactive phenyl phosphonates inhibited cytotoxic killing to a similar degree. It was concluded that the phosphonates did not irreversibly inhibit activated esterase. The effect of phenyl phosphonates was virtually abolished by hydrolysis. However the effect of the p-nitrophenyl phosphonates was increased by hydrolysis. This was due to the p-nitrophenol formed. Cytochalasin B, which is known to interfere with cell movements, and p-nitrophenol, both of which inhibited spleen cell migration from a capillary tube, inhibited cytotoxic killing when used concurrently. This inhibition was partly reversed by shaking. It is suggested that movements of the cell surface may be essential, in the absence of shaking, to provide the contact needed for cytotoxic killing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a blind study, the peripheral blood leucocytes of fifteen recipients of cadaver kidney homografts have been checked at regular intervals for migration inhibition in the presence of antigen derived from donor spleen. Six of seven episodes of definite acute rejection were preceded or accompanied by migration inhibition, and four of seven probable acute rejection crisis were similarly accompanied by inhibition. No false positive tests were observed. The technique may be a useful adjunct to present methods of diagnosing acute homograft rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guinea-pigs were immunized with DNP-HGG either by direct injection into the lower respiratory tract or intravenously. The distribution of cellular sensitivity was assessed by means of the macrophage migration inhibition test applied to bronchial wash cells (local) and to peritoneal exudate and spleen cell suspensions (systemic). A single low antigen dose given locally via the intratracheal route was sufficient for stimulation of cellular immunity in bronchial wash cells and oil induced peritoneal exudate cells but not in cells obtained from the spleen. Alternatively, a low antigen dose given intravenously resulted in splenic and peritoneal exudate cell sensitivity but not by cells obtained from the bronchus. Under these latter conditions, however, the bronchial wash cell population could be rendered sensitive to the systemic antigen providing sensitization was accompanied by a non-specific local stimulation--such as injection of a non-cross-reacting protein. Although a local low antigen dose does not normally result in systemic cellular immunity as judged by spleen cell assays, cellular sensitivity was induced systemically by increasing the amount of locally administered antigen given as a single injection or increasing the number of low dose injections. Furthermore, under conditions of multiple injection, the onset of a measurable response at any site was accelerated. Experiments to determine the fate of locally injected antigen revealed that proteins do escape from the lung into the general circulation as intact molecules. In addition to other parameters affecting the distribution of cellular immunity, the implication of these findings with special regard to respiratory tract prophylaxis are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed leucocyte cultures performed between identical twins, siblings of one family and unrelated individuals were evaluated by measurement of the uptake of 14C-thymidine and by their cytotoxic effect upon an allogenic target cell line (Chang liver cells). A close correlation was found between HL-A compatibility and 14C- thymidine uptake in all three situations, whilst no significant relationship existed between cytotoxicity and either histocompatibility or DNA synthesis. It is suggested that these two reactivities are distinct but are both influenced (although to a different extent) by differences in histocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mouse peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured with phytohaemagglutinin or Concanavalin A and at various times antiserum to each mitogen was added. Stimulation could be completely blocked for 5-6 hr and partially inhibited for at least 48 hr, and probably longer. The block produced by antiserum was specific and dependent on the relative concentrations of mitogen and antiserum. The gradual release of activation from the requirement for mitogen was not due to the production of a soluble non-specific mediator since the stimulatory activity of culture super-natants of fresh lymphocytes could be completely blocked in turn by antiserum to the original mitogen. Other experiments made the operation of a locally concentrated mediator unlikely. These data support a direct proliferative mechanism of lymphocyte transformation to these mitogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on a study regarding a method of immunocyto-adherence using circulating lymphocytes and sheep red cells coated with an antigen in an attempt to detect lymphocytic antibodies. The principal aim of the study was to try to explain the significance of the rosette-forming lymphocyte. Five normal donors, twenty-two cases of immune thyroiditis, thirteen cases of hyperthyroidism, eight patients with other diseases of the thyroid were used as lymphocytes donors. It is established that antibodies demonstrated in the serum by complement fixation, haemagglutination, precipitation or immunofluorescence are in no way specific for Hashimoto's thyroiditis since they are frequently present in many kinds of thyroid disease and also in patients without thyroid disease.

Heat-aggregated pooled human IgG, purified by gel filtration, caused a marked migration inhibition in vitro of buffy coat leukocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In contrast, only a weak effect was observed on leukocytes from healthy donors. Purified native IgG gave only a weak inhibition with patient leukocytes and none with those of normals. The migration was not correlated to serum rheumatoid factor titres or to various other parameters. This may represent a cell-mediated immune response to IgG antigens in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]