concanavalin-a and Amyloidosis

Lymphocyte capping with concanavalin A was studied in 11 patients with hereditary cerebral haemorrhage with amyloidosis (Dutch type) and 10 controls. No difference in capping was found between patients and controls. Abnormal lymphocyte concanavalin A capping has been reported in patients with the Icelandic type of cerebral amyloidosis and in patients with Alzheimer's disease, a disease in which cerebral amyloid angiopathy can also be found. The results suggest a difference in pathogenesis between the Dutch type of cerebral amyloidosis and the other amyloid diseases.

Topics: Aged; Amyloidosis; Cerebral Hemorrhage; Colchicine; Concanavalin A; Dioxolanes; Female; Humans; Immunologic Capping; Lymphocytes; Male; Methods; Middle Aged

A/J mice are highly resistant to induction of amyloidosis with serial injections of azocasein, compared to the CBA/J strain. (CBA X A) F2 hybrid mice were treated with azocasein, after spleen biopsy for assay of 3 immunologic functions differing in the parent strains. The proportions of amyloid susceptibility and resistance in the hybrid population conformed to the expectations for a single gene. Low responses to the T cell mitogen concanavalin A correlated with resistance to amyloid induction, whereas the response to lipopolysaccharide and the level of natural killer activity were independent of susceptibility to amyloidosis.

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; Caseins; Concanavalin A; Crosses, Genetic; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Hybridization, Genetic; Lipopolysaccharides; Mice; Mice, Inbred A; Mice, Inbred CBA

We have examined some aspects of lymphocyte and macrophage function in experimental murine amyloidosis. Casein-induced murine amyloidosis is a good model for studying secondary human amyloidosis while myeloma-associated murine amyloidosis is a poor model for human myeloma-associated amyloidosis. The amyloid of casein-induced and myeloma-associated murine amyloidosis cross-reacted immunologically. Neither form of amyloidosis was associated with L chain fragments or excess L chain production. Cellular immunologic reactivity of casein-induced amyloidotic mice, as assessed by lymphocyte transformation with mitogens, was abnormal using spleen lymphocytes but completely normal when thymus and peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined. The depressed activity could be attributed to splenic amyloid deposits. Intracellular amyloid was detected in the spleens of casein-injected mice prior to extracellular amyloid deposits. Amyloid containing cells could also be cultured from the spleen in a much higher proportion than that found in vivo. These cells may represent a subpopulation committed to amyloid synthesis.

Topics: Amyloid; Amyloidosis; Animals; Caseins; Cells, Cultured; Concanavalin A; Immunity, Cellular; Immunoglobulin Light Chains; Immunoglobulins; Lectins; Lymphocyte Activation; Macrophages; Mice; Spleen; T-Lymphocytes

Functional and morphologic studies were performed on the lymphoid organs of inbred CBA/J mice receiving chronic casein administration. In the spleen, this regimen produces marked reticuloendothelial proliferation between 8 and 16 injections (preamyloid phase) and amyloid deposition between 16 and 24 injections. No amyloid was found in the thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow of these animals. Phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A lymphocyte responses as measured by 3-H-thymidine incorporation were reduced in the spleen and lymph node of preamyloid animals but demonstrated partial recovery during the amyloid phase. Phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A stimulation of thymic cells was significantly increased during both stages of amyloid induction, although the histologic studies revealed a marked involution of the thymic cortex. Lipopolysaccharide stimulation of spleen cells was normal in preamyloid and amyloid animals whereas in lymph node and bone marrow lipopolysaccharide responses were significantly decreased. The findings suggest a selective removal of subsets of T cell populations in the spleen and thymus and migration of B cells from bone marrow to the spleen during experimental amyloidosis.

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; B-Lymphocytes; Bone Marrow; Caseins; Concanavalin A; Congo Red; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Injections, Subcutaneous; Lectins; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymph Nodes; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphoid Tissue; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Mitogens; Spleen; Staining and Labeling; T-Lymphocytes; Thymus Gland

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; Caseins; Cell Separation; Concanavalin A; Lectins; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mitogens; Spleen; Thymus Gland

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; Antibody Formation; B-Lymphocytes; Caseins; Concanavalin A; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Graft vs Host Reaction; Histocytochemistry; Immunity, Cellular; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Lectins; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mitogens; Spleen; T-Lymphocytes; Thymidine