Peritonitis due to rupture of retroperitoneal teratoma: computed tomography diagnosis

Retroperitoneal benign cystic teratoma is relatively rare in adults. We report a case of traumatic rupture of primary retroperitoneal teratoma into peritoneum that produced chemical peritonitis. It was demonstrated by computed tomography, which showed fat-fluid levels in the peritoneum. We suggest that the demonstration of fat-fluid levels in the peritoneum could be a reliable sign of intraperitoneal rupture of abdominal teratoma and subsequent chemical peritonitis.

Influence of gluten-derived fractions on chemiluminescence production by human neutrophils

The effects of gliadin and glyc-gli on leukocyte chemiluminescence response were assessed in vitro. A dose-dependent increase in chemiluminescence response of neutrophils stimulated by zymosan was observed by using gliadin at concentrations ranging between 1 and 20 micrograms. By increasing glyc-gli concentration, a bimodal response was observed with an enhancement up to 50 micrograms/ml, followed by suppressive effects, which were again dose-dependent. The possible implications of these findings in human pathology are discussed.

Expression of a subclass of human blood group A antigenicity in A+ rabbit jejunum: specific glycosylation of the glycocalyx and a 140 K brush border glycoprotein

A monoclonal antibody (14 A4) raised against human A erythrocytes has been produced. It specifically reacts with a subclass of human blood group A determinants. Whereas all the major secreted and membrane-bound glycoproteins of A+ rabbit jejunum epithelium bear human blood group A-like determinants recognized by anti-A polyclonal serum or a monoclonal antibody with broad specificity (Cl 3.3), expression of the A-subclass recognized by 14 A4 is very restricted. The contents of secretory granules of Paneth cells but not the mucins of goblet cells were labeled by 14 A4. In the enterocytes, glycans recognized by 14 A4 were present in the glycocalyx, on an early expressed 140 K glycoprotein of brush border membranes and also on a glycoconjugate of the basolateral membrane of immature crypt cells. In the jejunal brush border membrane of blood group A secretor humans, only one glycoprotein of molecular weight 140 K bears the A-subclass recognized by 14 A4.