Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0032285 (pneumonia)
 54,520 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Antibody responses to a major purified human Pneumocystis carinii surface antigen (gp95) were determined by ELISA in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Serum IgG directed against gp95 was measured in 129 consecutive HIV-infected patients who underwent bronchoscopy for evaluation of pulmonary symptoms. Significantly more patients with P. carinii pneumonia (PCP) had detectable antibodies compared with HIV-infected patients without PCP and with HIV-negative controls (50 [66%] of 76 vs. 18 [34%] of 53 and 7 [35%] of 20, respectively; P less than .001), and the level of antibody response was higher (mean optical density ratio: 0.6 vs. 0.23 and 0.2, respectively; P less than .01). Changes in antibody response were investigated in 78 patients for whom serial serum samples taken around the time of bronchoscopy were available. Of the 47 patients with verified PCP, 20 (43%) mounted an antibody response, compared with only 1 (3%) of 31 patients without PCP (P less than .001). This patient had PCP on the basis of clinical criteria, including response to therapy. Thus, despite severe immunosuppression, a proportion of HIV-infected patients with PCP can mount a specific IgG-mediated antibody response to P. carinii.
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PMID:Antibody responses to a major Pneumocystis carinii antigen in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with and without P. carinii pneumonia. 158 38

Previous studies of Pneumocystis carinii have identified the major surface antigen of rat and human isolates as proteins of 116,000 and 95,000 mol wt, respectively, that are antigenically not identical. In this study both rat and human P. carinii proteins were purified by solubilization with zymolyase followed by molecular sieve and ion exchange chromatography. The native proteins had an apparent mol wt of 290,000 or greater, based on molecular sieve studies as well as cross-linking studies. Both proteins were glycoproteins; treatment with endoglycosidase H resulted in a 9% decrease in mol wt. The carbohydrate composition of the rat P. carinii glycoprotein was distinct from the human isolate; glucose, mannose, galactose, and glucosamine occurred in approximately equimolar ratios in the human P. carinii protein, whereas glucose and mannose were the predominant sugars of the rat P. carinii protein. To evaluate humoral immune responses to the human P. carinii protein, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using purified protein was developed. Some, but not all, patients who subsequently developed P. carinii pneumonia demonstrated a serum antibody response to the surface antigen. Nearly all subjects without a history of P. carinii pneumonia had no detectable antibodies. Purified P. carinii proteins will greatly facilitate the investigation of host-P. carinii interactions.
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PMID:Purification and characterization of a major human Pneumocystis carinii surface antigen. 198 93

Pneumocystis carinii is an important cause of pneumonitis in the immunosuppressed host. Little is known, however, about the biology of this organism. This report demonstrates that a MAb, M5E12, previously shown to be directed against a surface antigen that is present on rat-, rabbit-, ferret-, and human-derived P. carinii, is capable of hindering the development of P. carinii pneumonitis in animal models of this infection when administered throughout the period of immunosuppression. It appears that MAb M5E12 thus has identified a surface antigen of P. carinii that is important in host-parasite interactions.
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PMID:Passive immunoprophylaxis with specific monoclonal antibody confers partial protection against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis in animal models. 245 47

Diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition account for most of mortality and morbidity in children in developing countries. The Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) is making progress with more than 50% of children under the age of 1 year receiving vaccination against the 6 EPI-listed diseases. The eradication of poliomyelitis by 2000 is realistic, so that the world could be smallpox- and polio-free by the 21st century. In July-August 1988 a cholera epidemic erupted in Delhi, India in which several hundreds died. The combined whole cell and toxin-B subunit oral vaccine against cholera has shown a decrease in protection from around 75-80% at the end of 6 months to around 60% at the end of 2 years. Typhoid fever affecting close to 8 million people in Asia has been treated with the improved formulation of TY21A vaccine and with the Vi polysaccharide capsular surface antigen in encouraging trials in Nepal. Co-trimoxazole has reduced child mortality caused by acute lower respiratory tract infections at the community level. 3 oral antirabies vaccines have been found safe, and oral baits have been effective. Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a major problem in may Asian countries involving sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combinations as well. Lymphatic filariasis is expressed clinically as elephantiasis. More than 90 million people are believed to be infected. Ivermectin in a single dose as low as 25 mcg/kg of body weight was shown to be microfilaricidal in lymphatic filariasis. Allopurinol riboside is effective against visceral leishmaniasis or kala-azar. Leprosy and tuberculosis continue to be major health problems in Asia. There have been encouraging advances in immunization against cancers of the tropics, such as hepatitis B and primary carcinoma of the liver, the human papilloma virus and cancer of the uterine cervix, the Epstein-Barr virus and Burkitt's lymphoma, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
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PMID:Perspectives on research and diseases of the Tropics: an Asian view. 269 93

The purification and initial characterization of a ferret Pneumocystis carinii surface glycoprotein is described. Previous studies have demonstrated that passive administration of monoclonal antibody recognizing this glycoprotein reduces the severity of P. carinii pneumonitis in animal models of infection. This acidic glycoprotein (approximate isoelectric point, 5.0-5.7) contains both mannose (and/or glucose) and N-acetyl-glucosamine residues. The cross-reactive surface antigen on P. carinii of human origin is also a mannose- (and/or glucose-) containing glycoprotein. Initial biochemical characterization of these surface molecules should aid in understanding the immunobiology of this organism and in developing reliable diagnostic assays for P. carinii pneumonitis.
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PMID:Purification and initial characterization of a ferret Pneumocystis carinii surface antigen. 326 95

Three strains of Escherichia coli with a common surface antigen, 31a, capable of adhering to calf enterocytes in vitro were compared to reference strains of septicaemic E. coli (RVC 330 and vir E. coli). The surface antigen 31a was present in the RVC 330 reference strain. E. coli vir had a surface antigen which was not present in E. coli 31a or E. coli RVC 330. The RVC 330 and vir reference strains also adhered to calf enterocytes in vitro. Oral infection of calves not receiving colostrum with E. coli 31a was generally followed by septicaemia and death in less than 48 h. Post-mortem examination revealed pneumonia and oedema of the kidneys and gall bladder. Oral infection of calves receiving colostrum had no effect, but intravenous inoculation produced arthritis within 15 days. The comparison of these results with those previously described by other workers did not lead to the identification of pathognomonic characteristics, which could be clearly correlated with properties specific to E. coli 31a. It is suggested that, like ColV and vir, antigen 31a may be a virulence marker for certain strains of bovine septicaemic E. coli. Furthermore, the 31a antigen appears to be carried on a plasmid.
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PMID:Septicaemic Escherichia coli and experimental infection of calves. 352 4

From 1972 through 1979, acute hepatitis, type B, or asymptomatic hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigenemia developed in 34 employees at Yale-New Haven Hospital. The average yearly incidence of the infection was 1.2 cases per 1,000 employees. The incidence was highest in those administering venipunctures followed, respectively, by those in the emergency room, hemodialysis unit, housestaff, laboratory, general nursing, and support service personnel. Three cases were detected during eight years of routine screening of personnel; in 1972, one of these, a pregnant nurse working in the hemodialysis unit, was moved from that unit. Subsequently, seven personnel in the unit have been transferred during pregnancy. However, staphylococcal pneumonia was acquired by one of them on a medical floor, and another nurse, seeking work in oncology, was not hired while pregnant. Both cases resulted in administrative complaints. Currently, we screen personnel in the hemodialysis and venipuncture units quarterly for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti-HBs) (participation is optional for those in the emergency room and oncology) and strongly urge seronegative pregnant women to transfer from these areas.
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PMID:Hepatitis B infection in hospital personnel during an eight-year period; policies for screening and pregnancy in high risk areas. 721 28

Pneumocystis carinii interacts with glycoproteins present in the lower respiratory tract through its mannose-rich surface antigen complex termed gpA. Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a recently described component of the airspace lining material that possesses a calcium-dependent lectin domain capable of interacting with glycoconjugates present on microorganisms and leukocytes. Accordingly, we evaluated the extent and localization of SP-D in the lower respiratory tract during Pneumocystis pneumonia in an immunosuppressed rat model and examined its role in modulating interaction of P. carinii with macrophages. We report that SP-D is a major component of the alveolar exudates that typify P. carinii pneumonia and is present bound to the surface of P. carinii organisms in vivo. We further demonstrate that SP-D binds to P. carinii through saccharide-mediated interactions with gpA present on the surface of the organism. Lastly, we show that SP-D augments binding of P. carinii to alveolar macrophages, but does not significantly enhance macrophage phagocytosis of the organism. The interaction of SP-D with gpA represents an additional important component of the host-parasite relationship during P. carinii pneumonia.
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PMID:Surfactant protein D interacts with Pneumocystis carinii and mediates organism adherence to alveolar macrophages. 776 9

Pneumocystis carinii causes life-threatening pneumonia in patients with impaired immunity. Recent studies suggest that alveolar macrophages interact with P. carinii through macrophage mannose receptors. However, the ligand(s) on P. carinii that is recognized by these receptors has not been fully defined. P. carinii contains a major mannose-rich surface antigen complex termed glycoprotein A (gpA). It was therefore hypothesized that gpA binds directly to macrophage mannose receptors and mediates organism attachment to these phagocytes. To assess this, gpA was purified from P. carinii by continuous-elution gel electrophoresis. 125I-labeled gpA bound to alveolar macrophages in a saturable fashion. In addition, gpA binding was substantially inhibited by both alpha-mannan and EDTA, further suggesting that gpA interacts with macrophage mannose receptors. Macrophage membrane proteins capable of binding to gpA were isolated with a gpA-Sepharose column. A 165-kDa membrane-associated protein was specifically eluted from the gpA-Sepharose column with EDTA (20 mM). This protein was identified as the macrophage mannose receptor by immunoprecipitation with a polyclonal anti-mannose receptor antiserum. To further investigate the role of gpA in P. carinii-macrophage interactions, 51Cr-labeled P. carinii cells were incubated with macrophages in the presence of increasing concentrations of soluble gpA, and organism attachment was quantified. Soluble gpA (2.5 mg/dl) competitively inhibited P. carinii attachment to alveolar macrophages by 51.3% +/- 3.7% (P = 0.01). Our findings demonstrate that gpA present on P. carinii interacts directly with mannose receptors, thereby mediating organism attachment to alveolar macrophages.
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PMID:Pneumocystis carinii glycoprotein A binds macrophage mannose receptors. 786 47

We have developed an ELISA to detect IgM antibodies to a major human Pneumocystis carinii surface antigen (gp95), and investigated the IgM response in 128 HIV-infected patients who underwent bronchoscopy for evaluation of pulmonary symptoms. Only 5 (4%) patients had IgM antibodies to P. carinii gp95. Four of the 5 patients with IgM antibodies also had IgG antibodies to gp95 and microbiologically proven P. carinii pneumonia (PCP). In 76/128 patients for whom serial samples were available, changes in antibody response were determined. In 3 patients we demonstrated an increase in IgM antibody response to gp95. These patients also showed an increase in IgG antibodies to gp95 and had microbiologically proven PCP. Prior to the development of the IgM response, IgG antibodies to gp95 were detectable in all 3 patients. Thus, HIV-infected patients with PCP seldom produce IgM antibodies to the major human P. carinii surface antigen. The increase in IgM response during the course of PCP observed in 3 patients suggests either reinfection with a new strain, or antigenic drift of an already acquired strain of P. carinii.
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PMID:IgM response to a human Pneumocystis carinii surface antigen in HIV-infected patients with pulmonary symptoms. 824 53


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