A cytotoxic monoclonal IgM antibody (Tü 101) directed against an antigenic determinant shared between the HLA-A allospecificities A2 and A28

A complement-fixing murine monoclonal IgM antibody (TU 101) strictly directed against a supertypic determinant present on the HLA-A locus antigens A2 and A28 was defined from a fusion experiment employing T cell blasts as immunizing cells. The specificity of this antibody was established in the microcytotoxicity assay on 91 normal Caucasian blood donors, as well as in the SpA-Ig assay on a panel of lympho- and hematopoietic cell lines. TU 101 segregates only with its defined HLA allotypes in families. This reagent may be of particular value as a probe for analyzing a molecular relationship of different antigenic determinants on the HLA-A2 and A28 specificities in comparison with two recently defined anti-HLA-A2/A28 monoclonal antibodies and may help to characterize structural variations of these HLA-molecules on a serological and immunochemical basis.

Evidence for the detection of the normal counterpart of Hodgkin and Sternberg-Reed cells

To clarify the origin of Hodgkin (H) and Sternberg-Reed (SR) cells, frozen sections of lymph nodes from 30 patients with Hodgkin's disease were immunostained with a large panel of monoclonal antibodies reactive with cells of lymphoid tissue and granulopoiesis. The results showed that: (a) H and SR cells are devoid of markers specific to, or characteristic of B cells, macrophages, dendritic reticulum cells, interdigitating cells, or cells of erythropoietic or thrombopoietic origin; (b) the vast majority of H and SR cells contain granulocyte-related antigens detectable with the monoclonal antibodies TU9 and 3C4, but constantly lack other granulocytic cell markers (such as peroxidase and chloroacetate esterase). Monoclonal antibodies raised against a Hodgkin's disease-derived cell line included one, Ki-1, that was found to be selectively reactive with H and SR cells and a minute, but distinct cell population in normal lymphoid tissue and bone marrow. The latter, as yet unidentified cell population appears to be the normal equivalent of H and SR cells.

Hodgkin's disease cell lines: characteristics and biological activities

In the last 4 years we have established five long-term cultures from tumor material of Hodgkin's disease. The in vitro cells have malignant characteristics and represent the in vivo Hodgkin- and Sternberg-Reed-cells as shown by the identity of multiple properties. Common immunological, functional, and morphological assays did not characterize the in vitro cells as a known cell type of lymphoid, myeloid, or monocytoid tissue. The in vitro Hodgkin's disease cells are biologically active by producing factors involved in regulation and promotion of immunological response and granulopoiesis. The relevance of the findings for pathogenesis and clinical appearance of Hodgkin's disease is discussed.

Monoclonal antibody (Tü48) defining alloantigenic class I determinants specific for HLA-Bw4 and HLA-Aw23,-Aw24 as well as -Aw32

A monoclonal antibody (Tü48) was prepared against human lymphocytes. Immunochemical analysis indicated that Tü48 binds to a fraction of HLA molecules. Tü48 was tested on 398 HLA-A,B,C/DR-typed normal blood donors in the microcytotoxicity assay and was found to detect a "supertypic" determinant on molecules bearing the HLA specificities -Bw4, Aw23(9), -Aw24(9), and -Aw32. Among the HLA-Bw4-positive individuals, negative or weak reactivity of Tü48 was found with about one-fourth of normal donors heterozygous for the HLA antigen Bw44. This points to the possibility that the antigenic determinant detected by Tü48 is not expressed on all HLA-molecules carring the HLA-Bw4 specificity on the cell surface. Alternatively, weak or no expression of the Tü48 antigenic determinant on some HLA-Bw44 bearing molecules might be explained by the existence of molecular variants of glycoproteins with this HLA specificity. The concept of "supertypic" HLA specificities is discussed with regard to the expression of a monoclonal antibody-defined epitope on both certain HLA-A and B molecules.

HLA antigen expression at the single cell level on a K562 X B cell hybrid: an analysis with monoclonal antibodies using bacterial binding assays

The influence of different genetic environments on the expression of HLA complex-controlled antigens has been investigated using cell lines with various defects in the synthesis of these molecules and a somatic cell hybrid derived from them. A very sensitive bacterial binding assay allowing simultaneous evaluation of the morphology of a given cell and the quantity of a surface molecule has been developed for these studies. The fetal erythroid cell line K562, the Burkitt's lymphoma-derived cell line DAUDI, and their hybrid DUTKO1 have been employed. K562 and the hybrid, but not DAUDI, expressed HLA-A,B,C heavy chains as detected by the monoclonal antibody W6/32.HL, while two monoclonal antibodies (TU48 and 2BC4) against the supertypic specificities HLA-Bw4 and Bw6 showed no reactivity. The presence of human Ia-like antigens on the cell surfaces was investigated with a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies. K562 cells were completely unreactive, and DAUDI cells gave the expected positive reaction, but about 1% or less of the cells in the DUTKO1 population appeared to express these antigens as well. We discuss possible reasons for the failure to detect HLA-B antigens with monoclonal antibodies and the lack of complete "dominance" of the K562 genome in the hybrid cell line.

Identification of Hodgkin and Sternberg-reed cells as a unique cell type derived from a newly-detected small-cell population

In this study the antigenic profile of Hodgkin (H) and Sternberg-Reed (SR) cells from cases of Hodgkin's disease was analysed using a large panel of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies reactive with cells of lymphoid and haemotopoietic origin. The aim of this investigation was, firstly, to throw light on the origin of H and SR cells and, secondly, to determine whether there is any evidence to support recent suggestions that H and SR cells differ antigenically between different histological categories of Hodgkin's disease. Frozen sections (from 24 cases) and paraffin sections (83 cases) were stained by immunoenzymatic methods and the results compared with those obtained from staining a wide variety of reactive and neoplastic tissue samples (including examples of tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, malignant histiocytosis, histiocytosis X, osteomyelosclerosis and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). The results revealed that H and SR cells of all types of Hodgkin's disease consistently lack markers found on null cells, B cells, T cells, cells of monocyte/macrophage series, interdigitating reticulum cells, dendritic reticulum cells and erythropoietic and thrombopoietic cells. However, H and SR cells constantly expressed an antigen detectable with the recently produced monoclonal antibody Ki-I. The vast majority of typical and lacunar type H and SR cells contained the granulocyte-related antigens detected by monoclonal antibodies TU5, TU6, TU9 and 3C4, whereas other more or less specific granulopoietic cell markers (such as peroxidase, chloroacetate esterade, lysozyme, cationic leukocyte antigen and OKMI) were consistently absent. H and SR cells in cases of nodular paragranuloma (nodular type of Hodgkin's disease with lymphocyte predominance) were not monotypic in light chain type (as has been previously reported), but rather contained chi and lambda chains within the same cells, as do typical and lacunar type H and SR cells. Immunostaining of normal and hyperplastic lymphoid tissue with the Ki-I antibody led to the detection of a new, as yet unidentified, small-cell population of unknown origin and function, which is present between, around, and within cortical follicles. It is concluded from these findings that H and SR cells constitute a unique cell type that differs in many properties from all other known cell types. Furthermore, H and SR cells of the various histological types of Hodgkin's disease are more closely related than previously believed. It is suggested that the hitherto unknown cell population detected with the monoclonal antibody Ki-I in normal lymphoid tissue is the normal equivalent of H and SR cells.

Circulatory changes during mental stress in tetraplegic and paraplegic man

In ten patients suffering from complete chronic cervical spinal cord lesion, the effect of mental stress was studied. Before, during and after stress, variations of blood pressure, heart rate and plasma catecholamines were tested. The study showed a loss of hemodynamic reactions under mental stress in tetraplegics, namely the pressure response, the typical increase in heart rate and in plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline. It is concluded, that changes in sympathectomized man interfere with the acute hemodynamic stress reaction and impair the blood pressure homeostasis.

Characteristics of Hodgkin's disease-derived cell lines

In the last 3 years we were able to establish five long-term in vitro cell cultures from biopsy specimens taken preterminally from four patients with histologically proven Hodgkin's disease (nodular sclerosing type, clinical stage IVB). Four of the lines are continuously proliferating in vitro; one culture stopped growth for unknown reasons after 7 months. When culture conditions were modulated, the first culture, L 428, gave rise to two sublines: L 428 KS, after adaptation to calf serum, and L 428 KSA, permanently growing as an adherent monolayer line after treatment with a phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) for 3 weeks. Cell-marker analysis by conventional means (SIg, cIg, rosette formation, Epstein-barr virus reactivity, cytochemistry, phagocytosis, and lysozyme production) and with monoclonal antibodies directed against various human lymphoid, myeloid, and monocytoid antigens showed that the tested cell lines are clearly different from all hitherto described hematopoietic lines; they most likely represent a cell type resembling an early myeloid-monocytoid progenitor cell. Conditioned medium of the L 428 cells and its two sublines showed colony-stimulating factor activity and suppression of spontaneous cell-mediated cytolysis of L 428 KS and K 562 cells.

Hodgkin and Sternberg-Reed cells contain antigens specific to late cells of granulopoiesis

The results of a recent investigation, in which an antiserum specifically directed against Hodgkin (H) and Sternberg-Reed (SR) cells was prepared, indicated the existence of a granulocytic cell-specific antigen on H and SR cells. In the present study, a large series of biopsies from patients with Hodgkin's disease were subjected to immunostaining with monoclonal mouse antibodies raised against acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMML) cells. Among seven hybrids that secreted antibodies showing reactivity to AMML cells but not to Daudi cells, there were three (TU5, TU6 and TU9) whose antibodies selectively stained formalin resistant antigens in cells of granulopoiesis. The strongest staining was found in the more mature cells; only a few promyelocytes stained very faintly with TU9, H and SR cells showed distinct staining for TU9 in 57 (76%) of the 75 tested cases of Hodgkin's disease, whereas TU5 and TU6-reactive H and SR cells were found in only 35 cases (47%). All cases of the nodular sclerosis type and almost all cases of the mixed cellularity type contained TU9-reactive H and SR cells, although the percentage varied from case to case. TU9-reactive H and SR cells were demonstrated in nine of 12 cases of the lymphocyte depletion type and in eight of 21 cases of the lymphocyte predominance type. The presence of granulocytic cell-specific antigens in H and SR cells in most of the cases of Hodgkin's disease suggest that (1) H and SR cells (including the lacunar cell variant) are not heterogeneous, but rather homogeneous in origin and nature, at least in a majority of cases, and (2) H and SR cells are more closely related to cells of the granulocytic cell lineage than to any other type of cell of the hemato-lymphoid system.

Comparison of atropine and dexetimide in treatment of intoxications by selected organophosphates

Mice and guinea pigs were intoxicated by three different organophosphates: DFP, paraoxon, and OMPA. After onset of intoxication the animals were treated by either a mixture of atropine plus obidoxim or dexetimide plus obidoxim. The combination of dexetimide plus reactivator proved to be superior to the combination of atropine plus reactivator in case of DFP intoxication. In guinea pig the LD50 of DFP could be increased from about 20 to 1300 micrometers/kg b.wt. by dexetimide plus obidoxim when applied after the onset of intoxication. Concerning the paraoxon intoxication both antidote mixtures were found to be equally potent, whereas the purely peripheral intoxication induced by OMPA could only be influenced to a minor degree. The tissue distribution of atropine and dexetimide differs markedly, dexetimide being accumulated faster and to a higher degree. Thus the higher penetration rate of dexetimide into the central nervous system is considered to be the reason of its superiority in the treatment of an organophosphate intoxication of rapid onset.

Ganglioside patterns: new biochemical markers for human hematopoietic cell lines

The ganglioside patterns from a representative collection of 20 human B-cell, T-cell, null cell, myeloid cell, and early erythroid cell lines were determined. Radioactive sugar-labeled gangliosides from cultured cells were extracted, analyzed, and quantitated by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and high-pressure liquid chromatography, essentially according to the polarity of the oligosaccharide chain. The ganglioside labeling patterns of the human cell lines were in some cases extremely complex, since more than 100 components could be separated upon two-dimensional HPTLC, e.g., in the case of a promyelocytic cell line. Each type of cell showed a characteristic pattern: Null cell lines were much less complex than T-cell lines, and myeloid and erythroid lines exhibited characteristic patterns as well. Although clearly distinguishable from all other cell lines, the B-cell lines showed a high degree of heterogeneity. Therefore, gangliosides can be expected to serve as additional markers to establish the origin, of a cell line or to classify pathologic cell populations.

Comparison of the effects of nitroglycerin administered to rats by different routes

In pentobarbital-anesthetized rats a comparison was undertaken of the blood pressure lowering effect of nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate, GTN) administered by different routes: jugular vein (i.v.), portal vein (p.v.), peritoneal (i.p.), intrajejunal (i.j.), and sublingual (s.l.). The potency of GTN given by these routes was approximately i.v.:s.l.:i.p.:p.v.:i.j. = 100:20--10:10--5:5:5--2.5. Application of GTN to the visceral peritoneum (i.p.) caused a greater and more prolonged lowering of blood pressure than an injection into the portal vein. We conclude that the capacity of the liver to degrade the active agent during the first passage can be overcome and that a blood pressure response to enterally absorbed GTN could be caused by a prehepatic site of action, i.e., on the splanchnic venous system.

Rapid preparation of multiple cell samples for immunofluorescence analysis using microtiter plates

A method is described which allows incubation, washing and staining of cells for immunofluorescence analysis to be carried out in microtiter plates. Comparison of this procedure with the conventional protocol, carried out on normal and leukemic human peripheral blood cells, reveals 5 major advantages. (1) Only 2.5 X 10(5) viable cells are needed for testing a particular antiserum. (2) The amount of reagents needed is 1/4 of that used in the conventional method. (3) Damage to cells is reduced to a minimum by shorter processing times and gentler centrifugation steps. (4) A large number of samples can be processed at the same time in an identical and reproducible manner. (5) The cost of an experiment is considerable reduced.