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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]

Fifty-two patients with recurrent urticaria or angio-oedema and thirty-three controls have been provoked with five different food dyes and the preservatives sodium benzoate and 4-hydroxy-benzoic acid, as well as aspirin, sulphanilic acid and a placebo. The reaction was judged as positive in thirty-nine patients who developed urticaria within 14 h. Of these, thirty-five reacted to aspirin, twenty-seven to benzoic acid compounds and twenty-seven to azo dyes. The four patients who did not have urticaria after aspirin, reacted with urticaria to benzoic acid compounds, and three of them to azo dyes. No definite pattern for the reaction to the different azo dyes was seen. None had an urticarial reaction from sulphanilic acid. Patent Blue (a non-azo dye) or placebo. The doses of additives used in the provocation tests are easily exceeded in daily life by the consumption of foods and drugs. Recurrences of urticaria could be prevented through the avoidance of food and drugs containing azo dyes and preservatives. Aspirin-sensitive patients sometimes react adversely to other analgesics, like the indol and pyrazolon derivatives, and to azo dyes such as tartrazine. Reactions to tartrazine were first described by Lockey (1959). Since then about twenty-five such cases have been described (Juhlin, Michaëlsson & Zetterström, 1972). Samter & Beers (1968) found that about 8% of their aspirin-sensitive patients also reacted to tartrazine. In a study of reactions in aspirin-sensitive patients, we found that seven out of ten patients with recurrent urticaria and/or asthma reacted to tartrazine. Furthermore, seven of them also reaaed to benzoic acid and some of its derivatives (Juhlin et al., 1972). The high frequency of reactions to these common food and drug additives has prompted us to extend with several dyes the provocation tests in patients with recurrent urticaria and angio-oedema. This paper reports the results obtained in a group of fifty-two patients with recurrent urticaria. Examples of food with and without azo dyes, benzoates and salicylates are also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the pathogenesis and the microscopic and cytological features of the pemphigus group of diseases. The immunological aspects of acantholysis are discussed. The statement by several authors that pemphigus is an autoimmune disease is questioned and evidence from the literature against this hypothesis is cited. [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.

The article presents information on the research paper "Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Clinical and Pathological Study," by Stephen C. Gold and N.F.C. Gowing. It is considered that the discoid and systemic varieties of lupus erythematosus are intimately related. The discoid is a morphological skin reaction denoting sensitivity to an infective focus and the type of skin reaction depends particularly on the effect of weather. No pathological criterion for the differentiation of the discoid and systemic variants is available, the conditions being separated only by clinical judgment. Fibrinoid degeneration is a classical feature of the morbid anatomy of the systemic disease. This occurs experimentally in induced and in known hypersensitivity states.

The results of 51Cr red cell survival and organ sequestration studies in seventy-six patients with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia are described. In patients with incomplete IgG and IgA warm autoantibodies increased red cell destruction to a varying degree and mainly spleen sequestration were found. In patients with IgM incomplete warm autoantibodies sequestration of red cells mainly in the liver was seen. Liver sequestration was also present in patients with cold agglutinins/haemolysis, sometimes accompanied by a significant spleen sequestration. In a number of patients with haemolytic autoantibodies, i.e. warm haemolysins and cold agglutinins/haemolysins, a biphasic 51Cr elimination curve was obtained. The cause of this type of survival curve is discussed. In patients in whom a positive direct anticomplement test was the only serological abnormality a normal 51Cr red cell life-span was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on autoimmune haemolytic anaemias. In this paper the preparation and examination of pure antisera against immunoglobulins is described. The results of serological studies obtained with pure anti-IgG. For many years autoimmune haemolytic anaemias have been divided into three types according to the serological characteristics of the autoantibodies that could be demonstrated. Several types of immunoglobulins are now recognized, consequently, in the serological classification of red cells autoantibodies, the type of immunoglobulin to which the antibody belongs is now taken into account.

The article presents a discussion related to the administration of azathioprine and the development of malignant lymphomas in NZB mice. Azathioprine in doses that made NZB mice more anaemic did not cause reversal of their positive Coombs tests. When given to young NZB mice it did not delay development of the positive state of the test. It is the purpose of this paper to report that in a controlled therapeutic trial administration of azathioprine to NZB mice did not benefit their autoimmune haemolytic anaemia.

This article presents information on research papers related to dermatology. The research paper "Persistence of the "Hydralazine Syndrome," by E.E. Hildreth and C.E. Biro discusses the prolonged administration of hydralazine for reduction of blood pressure produced in about ten per cent of patients a syndrome resembling lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. The research paper "Soap and the Management of Patients With Eczematous Diseases," by R.B. Stoughton and L.W. Potts reports that two hundred and fifty patients with eczema were given appropriate treatment, but half were forbidden to use soap for hand-washing and bathing, while the rest continued to use it. Patients were unselected and were allotted to the soap or no soap groups according to a random list.

This article discusses the paper "Effect of Splenectomy in Acute Systemic Lupus Erythematosus," by Harold M. Johnson. Details are given of 12 patients who had splenectomy done for acute lupus erythematosus. In 2 cases the results were dramatic, the other patients showed favorable clinical and hematological changes, though one died from effects of the operation.

The article focuses on the research paper "Effect of Chloroquin Treatment on the Corticosteroid Content of Blood and Urine in a Case of Acute Systemic Lupus Erythematosus," by S. Lapiere. Here in this paper its has been shown that a patient improved under treatment and during this period the 17-hydroxycorticosteroid content of the blood and urine increased while the 17-ketosteroids in the urine diminished.

This article discusses the paper "Effect of Cortisone and Corticotropin on Prognosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Survey of 83 Patients With Positive Plasma L.E. Tests," by John R. Haserick. There may be a dramatic effect from the steroid hormones leading to a prolongation of life by continuous maintenance therapy and a reduction in morbidity, but certain patients fail to improve, especially those with progressive renal disease.

Presents a letter to the editor related to an autoimmune disease.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C3H mice immunized with rat erythrocytes developed autoimmune haemolytic anaemia which was very similar to the 'warm-type' autoimmune haemolytic anaemia of man. There was evidence of anaemia, reticulocytosis, shortened survival times of 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes in vivo, and a high incidence of positive direct Coombs' tests. There was no evidence of spherocytosis or of increased susceptibility to osmotically induced lysis. Bone marrow smears showed evidence of erythroid hyperplasia. Splenectomized mice were more severely affected than unsplenectomized mice. In these mice anaemia was more severe, individual positive direct Coombs' tests were stronger: 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes were cleared faster and the compensatory erythroid hyperplasia was less marked. After immunization was stopped both groups of mice quickly became haematologically normal. However, in mice in which immunization was continued, the blood pictures eventually reverted towards normal except for the persistent positive direct Coombs' tests. C57/B1 mice were also susceptible to the disease process but to a much lesser degree than C3H mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Spontaneously arising cytotoxic lymphoid cell in NZB mice is described. The cells, which appeared at about 9 months of age, were capable of killing the P-815-Y mastocytoma, but not a methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma or chicken erythrocytes. Fractionation of NZB spleen cells indicated that the effector cell was neither phagocytic nor of T-cell origin. Antibody-dependent cytotoxicity in the NZB was then examined and found to be reduced when compared to the BALB/c. The role of this cell in the spontaneous cytotoxicity of the P-815-Y and its potential significance in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a paper that was published in the "New England Journal of Medicine." It presents that case of a woman who supposedly had systemic lupus erythematosus that developed into intermittent jaundice and hepatic dysfunction.

The article focuses on the research paper "Polyneuritis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus," by C. Scheinberg. Here, full details are reported of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. The nervous system was involved and there was widespread polyneuritis, confirmed histologically. The author believes that the polyneuritis was caused by pressure on nerve fibres by an amorphous material, similar to haematoxylin bodies.

The article focuses on the research paper "Laboratory Studies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus," by Stanley L. Lee. Systemic lupus erythematosus may rightfully be considered a disease of protein metabolism. In the laboratory four anomalous activities may be detected in the gamma globulin fraction of blood plasma. The study seems to show that the development of systemic lupus erythematosus may be predicted in patients with chronic false positive serum tests for syphilis.

Biopsy specimens of involved and clinically normal skin of thirty-seven patients suffering from different forms of LE were examined ultrastructurally to determine the presence and distribution of tubular structures. They were localized in endothelial cells, histiocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts, keratinocytes and in lymphocytes of the dermal infiltrates, and were mostly intracellular. A correlation was found between their frequency and the acuity of the lesions, but not with previous treatment of the disease, either with steroids or with chloroquine. The involved skin was affected in all cases of systemic lupus erythematosus and severe subacute and disseminated variants of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, but in only eleven of seventeen cases of the localized form. In clinically normal skin all specimens of SLE examined showed positive results, there were fewer positives in the subacute and the disseminated forms of CDLE and only one positive in localized CDLE. Hypotheses on the origin, nature and significance of the tubular structures are discussed. They are suspected to be unidentified virus particles rather than a reaction product of a virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case studies of 2 patients with bullous skin lesions are reported, one of whom also had thyrotoxicosis and rheumaloid arthritis, and results of serological tests for the " pemphigus " antibody in 92 patients with other immunopathies. The "pemphigus" antibody, which reacts with the intercellular substance of squamous epithelium, was demonstrable in 1 case at low titre before the onset of widespread skin lesions; titres correlated with the activity of the skin lesions of pemphigus vulgaris; and the antibody was detected at low titre in diseases other than pemphigus vulgaris, including myasthenia gravis (2 cases) and systemic lupus erythematosus (1 case). The possible clinical and serological overlap between pemphigus vulgaris, myasthenia gravis and systemic lupus erythematosus was interpreted from the standpoint of thymic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of rheumatoid arteritis is briefly described. Evidence of arteritis was sought in 157 consecutive cases of rheumatoid arthritis and was found in 34 % of the male and 18 % of the female patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of books received by the "British Journal of Dermatology." Some of the books received are:"Lymphadenoid Goitre and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus," "Neonatal Varicella," "Effects of Steroid Treatment of Patients Undergoing Operation," "Aetiology of Erythema Nodosum in Children," etc.

This article discusses the heparin tolerance test in lupus erythematosus. An increasing amount of evidence is forthcoming to support the concept of researchers that the primary histopathological change in systemic lupus erythematosus takes place in the cement ground substance of the collagen. Heparin has a similar chemical structure to hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphuric acid, and it seemed reasonable to expect that in any systemic malady, such as lupus erythematosus, in which collagen is affected, heparin metabolism might be abnormal.

The article presents a study, where comparing the effects of neonatal thymectomy on New Zealand Black (NZB) mice, he possible role of thymus in autoimmune disease was discovered. The neonutally thymectomized NZB mice, in common with those of other strains, showed lethal wasting, a lymphocyte deficit in their lymphoid organs and blood, their packed cell volume was reduced and some had liver lesions associated with the hepatotrophic virus MHV-l. Although germinal centers develop and plasma cells occur in the lymphoid organs of most thymectomized mice, the striking feature of the NZB mice was the large number, size and activity of the germinal centers that persisted after thymectomy.

The article reports that a simultaneous occurrence of a malignant ovarian dysgerminoma and of systemic lupus erythematosus is reported. The removal of the tumour resulted in a rapid disappearance of both clinical and biological symptoms of SLE. The possible relationship between tumours and autoimmune disorders is briefly discussed. Systemic lupus erythematosus is not a common condition and ovarian dysgerminoma is distinctly rare. While coincidence cannot be excluded, the occurrence of both conditions in the same patient suggests some relationship between the two diseases. It is well known that spontaneous remissions in the course of SLE may occur, but it is less common for the clinical and biological improvement to be so dramatic.

Peripheral lymphocytes from thyrotoxic patients with detectable plasma LATS were cultured for 6 days with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). LATS was found in the culture medium in seven of eleven cultures with PHA, but on only one occasion without PHA, and only once in the material extracted from the lymphocytes by freezing and thawing. LATS was not detected in the medium in which cells from normal people were cultured or when medium was incubated in the absence of cells. The LATS activity was neutralized by anti-IgG serum. That the LATS WUS produced by the cells during culture rather than released as antibody preformed iii vivo was confirmed by the absence of LATS in cultures of the cells frozen at the beginning of incubation. These findings provide further evidence that LATS is an immunoglobulin thereby strengthening the hypothesis that Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritoneal exudate cells from old NZB/Bl mice were found to be more active in taking up I125 labelled bovine serum albumin than similar cells from age matched BALB/c, C57B1 and CBA mice. The cells from both young and old NZB/Bl mice were markedly less able to degrade the ingested antigen than cells from the other strains. These observations are discussed in relation to the development of autoimmune phenomena in the NZB/Bl strain, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgG-class iso-antibodies against human IgM ('reverse rheumatoid factors') were detected in titres from 1:4 to 1:1024 in the serum of twelve of forty subjects (30%) with selective IgA deficiency. The antibodies were detected in a haemagglutination system with red cells coated by the chromic chloride method with proteins from a panel including nineteen Waldenström macroglobulins. The forty subjects included seventeen normal subjects, ten with recurrent infections, seven with ataxia telangiectasia, two each with asthma and lymphoma and one each with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic active hepatitis. Four of the twelve positive sera contained 'class-specific anti-IgM' which reacted with all or most of the IgM coats. The eight sera containing 'anti-IgM of limited specificity' included six reacting with only one IgM coat, one reacting with two IgM coats and one reacting with four IgM coats. The anti-IgM in the latter serum defined an inherited allotypic marker on these four IgM proteins. There was no significant correlation between the presence of anti-IgM antibodies and the clinical status, sex and age of the patient nor the presence of antibodies against human IgG, human IgA and ruminant proteins. These antibodies against human IgM represent yet another immunologic abnormality in this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presence of hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA) was investigated in 504 sera from 116 patients with SLE and was found in 41% of them. HAA was present in at least one serum in 75% of the patients but there were variations in presence and titres in the same patient at different times. Except for a tendency of HAA to appear or rise in titre with lupusi nactivation following corticosteroid or immunosuppresive therapy, there was no correlation between its presence and disease activity, specific organ involvement, antinuclear antibodies or immunoglobulin levels. All but one of twelve lupus patients with recurrent bacterial infections had HAA at high titres. HAA appeared in the serum of a patient upon development of IgA deficiency. HAA antigenaemia in systemic lupus erythematosus seems a consequence rather than a cause of the immunological derangement in this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments are described the results of which sustain the hypothesis that resistance against complement haemolysis, which is a characteristic of the red cells of patients with chronic cold agglutinin disease, is due to the following mechanism: when red cells react with cold auto-agglutinins in vivo, they are either haemolysed immediately, or, due to an unknown factor, escape direct haemolysis. In the latter case β1E and β1A disappear from the cell membrane. To the sites where these proteins have been attached once, no new β1E or β1A molecules can be bound. Full complement activation thus becomes impossible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis, characterized by thyroid antibodies (precipitating, haemagglutinating and complement fixing) and infiltration of the gland with mononuclear cells, was induced in inbred and randomly bred strains of mice, using thyroid extract from the same (syngeneic) or different (allogeneic) strains emulsified in sonicated Freund's complete adjuvant. The syngeneic antigen was much less efficacious than the allogeneic in inducing thyroid antibody and lesions. The subcutaneous route was more effective than intradermal immunization and pertussis vaccine decreased the incidence of the disease. Thyroid lesions and antibodies were found 9-14 days after immunization and were still present 3 months later. Differences, genetically determined, were observed in various inbred strains of mice in the degree of thyroid lesions as well as in the titre of thyroid antibody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolism of the third component of complement (C3) was evaluated in eight normal subjects and nine patients with systemic lypus erythematosus (SLE). Sid of the nine patients with SLE were hypocomplementemic; four of these had active renal disease. In the eight normals, the half-life survival (T 1/2) was 49-66hr, the catabolic rate (Dm) was 1.8 to 3.5% of plasma pool/hr, and the synthetic rate (Ks) 0.89-2.0 mg/kg/hr. Two SLE patients with normal C3 had a nrokal T 1/2, Km and Ks; one with increased C3 had a shortened T 1/2 and a high Km and Ks. Three patients with untreated SLE and depressed C3 had T 1/2 of 21 hr, 37 hr., and 69 hr, Km of 5.3 % and 1.6% with Ks of 0.48, 0.95 and 0.23 mg/kg/hr, respectively. Three other patients with low C3 levels taking corticosteroids had normal Km but depressed Ks. Three patients were restudied in T 1/2 and a decrease in Km, while one did not change T 1/2 or Km. In summary, five of six SLE patients with low C3 had a depressed Ks. The lowest value of C3 was generally associated with the lowest Ks. Depressed Ks occurred in patients with or without renal disease. These results indicate that static measurements of C3 do not quantify the degree of C3 utilization. The major determinant of the low C3 observed in this study of SLe was decreased synthesis of C3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moloney strain of murine sarcoma virus (MSV-M) rapidly induces soft tissue tumours in mice of all ages. Immunologically competent mice can spontaneously regress these tumours, and the regression time is an indication of the degree of immunologic reactivity. Using these parameters. New Zealand Black (NZB), New Zealand White × New Zealand Black F1 (B/W), and NIH Swiss mice develop cell mediated immune responses at an early age compared to five other mouse strains. 8-11-month-old NZB and B/W mice of both sexes show depressed immune responses when compared to 6-week-old controls. The responses of 10-11 month old female BALB/c mice were identical to 6-week-old controls. Older IMZB and B/W mice spontaneously develop autoimmune disease. Measurement of autoimmune parameters in the older New Zealand mouse strains indicates that immune depression precedes the onset of detectable autoimmune disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An immunochemical and serological study of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who developed multiple myelorna and was treated with 1-phenylalanine mustard showed a striking difference in the effect of this drug on the rapidly dividing cells, as opposed to the resting plasma cells. The titres of anti-globulin antibodies such as the IgG serum agglutinators and the IgM rheumatoid factors were little altered although the IgG rnyeloma spike has disappeared following therapy. Fractionation of two different serum samples from 1966 and 1970 showed the IgG paraprotein to be serologically inactive for anti-globulin activity. This paraprotein was also characterized by producing only a single IgG precipitin line with horse anti-human whole serum antibody while the normal IgG globulins always showed a double line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of a positive Coombs test was significantly delayed in NZB mice infected with Plasmodium berghei at the age of 1 month. At the age of 12 months, twelve out of fourteen malaria-infected NZB mice had become Coombs positive but their reticulocyte counts and mean spleen weight were significantly lower than those of control NZB mice of the same age. Malaria infection of young NZB mice was associated with a significant increase in mean 24-hr urine protein excretion which fell gradually over the next 6 months. A secondary rise in urine protein excretion then occurred and at 12 months several malaria-infected NZB mice had severe renal disease. No increased incidence of malignant disease was observed in NZB mice infected with malaria. [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]

Two isolates of 'diphtheroid' organisms from the joints of cases of rheumatoid arthritis were found to possess a surface network of filaments (125 Å wide) resembling the adjuvant-active peptidoglycolipid filaments of mycobacteria and some Nocardia spp. Tests for adjuvant activity in guinea-pigs showed that both isolates possessed the ability to induce delayed-type hypersensitivity to a simultaneously injected immunogen (ovalbumin) and to increase serum anti-ovalbumin levels (in particular γ2-immunoglobulin). The relationship of adjuvant-active bacilli to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case of primary hypothyroidism, idiopathic Addison's disease. idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (with preceding moniliasis). Addisonian pernicious anaemia and. primary ovarian failure is described. She died at the age of 24 years following an illness compatible with adrenal crisis. At post-mortem there was no recognizable adrenal or ovarian tissue; there was only a minute portion of probable Parathyroid tissue and the uterus was infantile. Her serum contained antibodies reactive with adrenal cortex, steroid-producing cells in the gonads, placental trophoblasts and thyroid epithelial cytoplasm and intrinsic factor. Her brother, who was known to have gluten enteropathy, died aged 11 years following an, illness compatible with adrenal crisis. His adrenal glands were grossly atrophic at autopsy. The parents were consanguinous and both showed either clinical or serological evidence of organ specific autoimmune disease. [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.

The article presents information on a study regarding the metabolism of autologous, immunoglobulin M (IgM) and 19S Rheumatoid factor in Rheumatoid arthritis. The IgM was isolated by block electrophoresis and column chromatography. 19S rheumatoid factor was isolated by a combination of euglobulin precipitation, column chromatography, and absorption onto and acid-elution from solid aggregated IgG. The majority of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have demonstrable rheumatoid factors in their serum and in the ultracenlrifuge an extra component, a 22S complex, may be visible.

The article focuses on characteristics of autoimmune haemolytic anaemias. For the study clotted and ACD blood was obtained from patients suffering from acquired haemolytic anaemia of unknown origin. Antisera against immunoglobulins G, A, and M were prepared. The human complement was fresh AB serum tested for full haemolytic activity. No agglutinating antibodies against red cells were demonstrable in the serum and the indirect antiglobulin test with the serum and the cells of the panel was negative.

The article presents a report, which concerns a comparison of isolated post-infective cold agglutinins with those from patients with chronic idiopathic autoimmune haemolytic anaemia as regards their immunoelectrophoretic patterns and the electrophoretic homogeneity of their light chains (after reduction and alkylation) in starch gel electrophoresis with 8 M-urea and 0.05 M-formic acid. One of the Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced cold agglutinins was indistinguishable from chronic autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (CHA) cold agglutinins for it was monotypic (type-K), had a restricted mobility in immunoelectrophoresis and a narrow, well-demarcated light chain zone in urea formic acid starch gel electrophoresis.

The article presents information on rheumatoid factors reacting with autologous native γG--globulin and joint fluid γG aggregates. Inflammatory joint fluids from patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis (RA), selected because they precipitated strongly with rheumatoid factors (RF), were examined by sucrose density gradient ultra-centrifugation for sedimentation of γG-globulin (γG) and behavior of RF activity. It has been shown that in patients with a very low ratio between RF activity in joint fluid and serum, the joint fluid often precipitates with RF isolated from high titred rheumatoid sera. In two patients with classical RA it was further evident that the precipitate was formed by reaction of RF with aggregated γG present in the joint fluid.

The article presents a discussion related to the usefulness of the mixed haemadsorption technique as a diagnostic test for thyroid autoimmune disease. It was evaluated from the results with sera from 389 cases of thyroid disorders, 109 cases of connective tissue disease and 347 apparently healthy persons. The ring zone reaction was frequently associated with a reaction against thyroid cytoplasmic antigen in the immunofluorescence and complement fixation tests but the antibodies involved were not identical with those detected by the latter two tests.

The article focuses on immunological features of idiopathic Addison's disease. The literature on the immunological aspects of idiopathic Addison's disease provides little information on the nature of the adrenal antigen, and apart from an investigation reported by researchers in which they detected it in both microsomal and mitochondrial fractions of adrenocortical cells, little has been written concerning its chemical properties. The characterization of the immunoglobulin type of the adrenal antibodies in two Addisonian sera, and, investigations on the properties of the adrenocortical antigen which reacts with the type of antibody commonly present in the serum in idiopathic Addison's disease has been described.

The article focuses on immunological features of idiopathic Addison's disease. The detection of complement-fixing antibody to adrenal tissue in the serum of patients with idiopathic Addison's disease has been reported by several workers. Using the more sensitive indirect immunofluorescence technique, adrenal antibody has been detected in approximately 50 percent of cases. Investigations of the tissue specificity of adrenal antibodies, included in some of these reports, indicate that they react only with the cytoplasm of adrenocorticol cells, although autoantibodies to thyroid tissue constituents and to gastric parietal cells were commonly present in addition to adrenal antibody.

The article provides an assessment on genetics of rheumatoid arthritis. A first step in understanding the epidemiology of any chronic disease is the separation of heredity and environment. Many workers feel that rheumatoid arthritis (R.A) is an inherited disease. This review critically analyses the literature on this subject, and concludes that the available studies give little support to any genetics cause of RA. In general, three types of studies have appeared.

The article states that in the discussion of evidence of genetic factors in systemic lupus erythematosiis (SLE), the researcher refers especially to two investigations of relatives of patients with SLE: the one performed in Malmo, Sweden, and the other one performed in New York. Our interest in family studies in SLE began with the observation of Pedigree K.G.. in which several of the members had SLE and/or hypergammaglobulinaemia. All patients seen at hospitals in Scania, the southernmost district of Sweden. 1955-61 and suspected of having SLE were traced.

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.