Interaction of psychoemotional state and activity of the immune system

As shown, there are direct and reverse functional connections between nervous and immune systems. Different shifts in psychoemotional reactivity induced by chronic stress or mental depression are accompanied with immunological disturbance, and on the contrary, disorders of immune state may be source of changes in mental functions. The pineal hormone melatonin, anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs simultaneously influences on the cerebral structures and immune system. These effects may be important part of specific psychopharmacological activity of the drugs.     

A serum protein affecting the regulation of the immune system

A thermostable alpha₂ globulin inhibiting the immunoglobulin/anti-immunoglobulin reaction was demonstrated working with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and control serum IgG. This protein was isolated from SSPE and normal human blood, it inhibits the immunoglobulin/anti-immunoglobulin reaction but no other antigen/antibody reactions when applying different immunochemical methods such as nitrocellulose immunofixation, 2 site immunoradiometric assay, solid phase radioimmunoassay in coated cups. This was demonstrated, working on the one hand with measles virus strain Edmonston or SSPE virus strain D.R. and SSPE serum and on the other hand with IgG from SSPE and control serum. This alpha₂ globulin, an inhibiting protein, appears to be related to normal immunosuppressive protein.Special Issue dedicated to Dr. Elizabeth Roboz-Einstein.     

Dietary fat and cholesterol and serum cholesterol in the gerbil

Groups of gerbils were fed purified diets containing either 10 or 20% of safflower, olive, or coconut oil. Each diet was fed without cholesterol and with 0.1 and 0.2% of added cholesterol. The animals were bled after 2, 4, and 8 wk for the determination of the level of serum cholesterol. The major factors affecting the level of serum cholesterol were the kind of dietary oil, the amount of dietary cholesterol, and the length of time the diet was fed. The level of safflower oil had a statistically significant effect but the level of olive or coconut oil had no significant effect. Various other statistically significant interactions were observed which make simple interpretations of the data difficult. The levels of serum cholesterol achieved in the gerbils fed the different oils with no or very low levels of dietary cholesterol were similar to those seen in men fed the same oils. Although the gerbil is apparently resistant to the development of atherosclerosis, it may be a useful model for studying the effect of dietary fats upon cholesterol metabolism.     

Amperometric determination of serum total cholesterol with nanoparticles of cholesterol esterase and cholesterol oxidase

We describe the preparation of glutaraldehyde cross-linked and functionalized cholesterol esterase nanoparticles (ChENPs) and cholesterol oxidase nanoparticles (ChOxNPs) aggregates and their co-immobilization onto Au electrode for improved amperometric determination of serum total cholesterol. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of ChENPs and ChOxNPs showed their spherical shape and average size of 35.40 and 56.97 nm, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies of Au electrode confirmed the co-immobilization of enzyme nanoparticles (ENPs). The biosensor exhibited optimal response at pH 5.5 and 40 °C within 5 s when polarized at +0.25 V versus Ag/AgCl. The working/linear range of the biosensor was 10–700 mg/dl for cholesterol. The sensor showed high sensitivity and measured total cholesterol as low as 0.1 mg/dl. The biosensor was evaluated and employed for total cholesterol determination in sera of apparently healthy and diseased persons. The analytical recovery of added cholesterol was 90%, whereas the within-batch and between-batch coefficients of variation (CVs) were less than 2% and less than 3%. There was a good correlation (r = 0.99) between serum cholesterol values as measured by the standard enzymic colorimetric method and the current method. The initial activity of ENPs/working electrode was reduced by 50% during its regular use (200 times) over a period of 60 days when stored dry at 4 °C.     

Effect of autologous blood in the hypo-osmotic state on the immune system of the body

The analysis of the immune status of patients under neurodermatitis after autologous blood treatment has been performed. It has been found that positive therapeutic effect correlates with a number of immunologic parameters: the lysozyme content raises, the metabolic activity of neutrophilic cells increases, a number of T-lymphocytes grows to a certain degree, the balance of T-lymphocyte subpopulation normalizes.     

Bone and the immune system

There are several lines of evidence which provide support for an important relationship between immune cells and bone. Clinical studies of immunodeficiency syndromes have shown that abnormalities in bone shape are evident on x-rays, and peculiarities in the structure of the growth plate have been identified by histopathology. Studies of bone histology, and quantitation of cellular abnormalities, are scarce. Abnormalities in bone turnover, have, however, been identified in the nude mouse model. Many lines of evidence derived from in vitro bone studies have shown that lymphokines and monokines can influence bone formation and bone resorption. Some clinical studies of postmenopausal osteoporosis have indicated the possible presence of immune cell changes in this condition. Although several hypotheses have been formed regarding the exact mechanisms of the effect of immune cytokine on bone, this is clearly a very large area of study and there is a need for additional carefully controlled experiments with special emphasis on bone cells and bone matrix, especially in the human. As knowledge progresses regarding immunology and hematology, a clearer understanding of the lineages of the osteoblast and osteoclast will emerge and we will better understand how specialized bone cells interact with and react to their immune cell neighbors in the bone marrow and to immune system signals. These findings will have especially important implications for the local bone loss seen in rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal disease, and chronic osteomyelitis.     

Glutamine and the immune system

Summary Glutamine is utilised at a high rate by cells of the immune system in culture and is required to support optimal lymphocyte proliferation and production of cytokines by lymphocytes and macrophages. Macrophage-mediated phagocytosis is influenced by glutamine availability. Hydrolysable glutamine dipeptides can substitute for glutamine to support in vitro lymphocyte and macrophage functions. In man plasma and skeletal muscle glutamine levels are lowered by sepsis, injury, burns, surgery and endurance exercise and in the overtrained athlete. The lowered plasma glutamine concentrations are most likely the result of demand for glutaminne (by the liver, kidney, gut and immune system) exceeding the supply (from the diet and from muscle). It has been suggested that the lowered plasma glutamine concentration contributes, at least in part, to the immunosuppression which accompanies such situations. Animal studies have shown that inclusion of glutamine in the diet increases survival to a bacterial challenge. Glutamine or its precursors has been provided, usually by the parenteral route, to patients following surgery, radiation treatment or bone marrow transplantation or suffering from injury. In most cases the intention was not to stimulate the immune system but rather to maintain nitrogen balance, muscle mass and/or gut integrity. Nevertheless, the maintenance of plasma glutamine concentrations in such a group of patients very much at risk of immunosuppression has the added benefit of maintaining immune function. Indeed, the provision of glutamine to patients following bone marrow transplantation resulted in a lower level of infection and a shorter stay in hospital than for patients receiving glutamine-free parenteral nutrition.     

Human ontogeny of the hypothalamic neuroglandular system immunoreactive to an anti-hpGRF 44 immune serum

An hypothalamo-infundibular neuroglandular system stained by an anti-hpGRF 44 serum is described in human brain. Perikarya are located in the infundibular nucleus, and their fibres end in posterior and lateral territories of the zona externa of the Median Eminence . Somatostatin fibres, morphologically different, also end in the same areas. Fibres giving intra- eminential terminals, so as hypothalamic perikarya are revealed as early as the 18 th week of fetal life.