Pre-operative and post-operative evaluation of circulating immune complexes in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma

Circulating immune complexes (CICs) in the sera of patients with histologically proven adenocarcinoma of stomach were sequentially studied. Serial CICs levels, quantitated using a sensitive method F(ab')2 anti-C3 ELISA, were measured before surgery and in a post-operative follow up. CICs could be detected in 85% of the patients pre-operatively, while ten days after surgery positivity decreased to 71%. Thirty days after surgery, the mean CIC levels decreased significantly and positivity fell to 46%. The results indicate that removal of primary tumor mass results in a sharp decline of CIC levels.

Clinical and immunological responses with Pr- beta-hCG-TT vaccine

Six different batches of Pr-beta-hCG-TT vaccine have been evaluated in 23 women for the antibody response. The anti-sera formed against these conjugates were capable of reacting immunologically with the whole hCG in radioimmunoassays and also neutralized the biological activity of hCG in radioreceptor assays. The antibody titres attained peak levels 4-6 months after the first injection. The peak titres could not be sustained and most of the subjects showed a spiky pattern. One subject was considered as non-respective, two others had fairly low titres. Amongst the conjugates tested, batch 108 with SPLPS (sodium pthalate denatured with lipo-polysaccharides from S. entritides) seemed more promising, but the addition of the adjuvant was found to be pyrogenic and unlikely to be accepted clinically.

Immunogenicity of three C-terminal synthetic peptides of the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin and properties of the antibodies raised against 45-amino acid C-terminal peptide

Immunological studies were carried out in rhesus monkeys and rabbits on three C-terminal synthetic peptides of beta-hCG (115-145; 111-145 and 101-145) after conjugating these to tetanus toxoid (TT). The immunogenicity of the peptide conjugates was comparatively poorer with reference to Pr-beta-hCG-TT conjugates at similar doses and immunization schedule. Amongst the three peptides, the best response was obtained with the 45-amino acid c-terminal peptide (45-CTP; 101-145). The anti-45-CTP recognized native hCG and was devoid of cross-reaction with hLH. hCG-induced testosterone production by mouse Leydig cells was inhibited by anti-45-CTP antiserum, although its neutralization capacity decreased more rapidly upon dilution than anti-beta-hCG sera of comparable titres. Immune complexes formed by the anti-45-CTP with hCG had a lower sedimentation value than those formed by anti-beta-hCG antisera with hCG, suggesting the presence of a limited number of immuno-determinant regions in the 45-amino acid C-terminal synthetic peptide.

Isoimmunization against human chorionic gonadotropin with conjugates of processed beta-subunit of the hormone and tetanus toxoid

The immunogenicity of the conjugate prepared from "processed" beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (choriogonadotropin, HCG) and tetanus toxoid has been studied in animals and a human subject. The conjugate elicited the formation of high-affinity (Ka = 10(9)-10(11) M-1) anti-HCG and anti-tetanus antibodies. On primary immunization, the antibody, response lasted for several months. Repeat injection of the conjugate in the declining phase of antibody titers produced a booster response without a lag period. The antibodies reacted with the beta-subunit of HCG and the complete HCG molecule but were devois of significant crossreactivity with human growth hormone, placental lactogen, follicle-stimulating hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone at tonic and surge levels. The antibodies were competent for neutralizing the biological activity of HCG in the mouse uterine weight gain assay, the ventral prostate weight gain assay, and the radioligand assay for binding of 125I-labeled HCG to receptors on corpus luteum. HCG (5000 international units) administered to an immunized subject was completely bound by circulating antibodies. Administration of HCG (in contrast to conjugate) was without booster effect on anti-HCG titers.

Pheochromocytoma with hypertensive crisis due to glucocorticoid administration: a case report and review of the literature

We report a patient who presented with single episode of severe hypertension after intramuscular injection of betamethasone which was given to treat acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. Episode of severe arterial hypertension was associated with pulmonary edema, acute renal failure and hyperkalemia. Further evaluation by appropriate diagnostic tests revealed that the patient is a case of phaechoromocytoma. This neoplasm was excised successfully and the patient is presently asymptomatic.We believe that this episode was initiated by glucocorticoid injection. Key words: Betamethasone, glucocorticoids, hypertensivecrisis, pheochromocytoma. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v10i3.8369 BJMS 2011; 10(3): 213-215