Pulmonary fibrosis caused by delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in guinea pigs

Guinea pigs were immunized with complete Freund adjuvant and PPD was inhaled seven times at three-week intervals. Histological examination revealed a tendency to fibrotic changes in comparison with control animals.

Aortitis syndrome associated with ulcerative colitis: report of a case

A 43-year-old Japanese woman with asynchronous onset of ulcerative colitis and aortitis syndrome (Takayasu's arteritis) is reported. The possible relationship between the two disorders is discussed.

Quantitative determination of cholestanol in plasma with mass fragmentography. Biochemical diagnosis of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis

A simple, sensitive, and accurate method for determination of cholestanol in plasma is described. In this method a fixed amount of cholestane is added to 1 ml of plasma as an internal standard and steroids are saponified and extracted with n-hexane. The amounts of cholestanol and cholesterol are determined by mass fragmentography by monitoring the intensities of m/e 306, m/e 329, and m/e 372 fragment ions. The relative standard deviation of results for cholestanol was about 6.3%. The cholestanol concentrations in the plasma, erythrocyte stroma, and plasma lipoproteins of three patients with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis were determined by this method.

Delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in the lungs of guinea pigs due to potassium dichromate

Potassium dichromate was inhaled by guinea pigs previously immunized by potassium dichromate until strong positive patch tests were obtained. No obvious respiratory changes were noted during and after inhalation. Histologically, however, mononuclear cells infiltrated the interstitial spaces in large areas of the lung, producing considerable thickening of the alveolar spaces in 24 to 48 hr after inhalation. Polymorphonuclear cells were predominant initially. These changes were similar to the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in the lung elicited by the inhalation of purified protein derivative (PPD) in the guinea pigs immunized by an injection of dry-killed tubercle bacilli. A less marked reaction was observed in guinea pigs passively sensitized with peritoneal exudate cells and lymph node cells. Consequently, the pulmonary changes were thought to be elicited by delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction due to a simple chemical. The clinical implications of delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in the lung due to simple chemicals are discussed.