concanavalin-a and Skin-Diseases

Over six million people in nine districts of West Bengal, India are exposed to very high levels of arsenic primarily through their drinking water. More than 300,000 people showed arsenic-induced skin lesions in these districts. This is regarded as the greatest arsenic calamity in the world. Chronic arsenicosis causes varied dermatological signs ranging from pigmentation changes, hyperkeratosis to non-melanocytic cancer of skin, and also malignancies in different internal organs. Higher incidences of opportunistic infections are found in the arsenic-exposed individuals, indicating that their immune systems may be impaired somehow. We have thus investigated the effect of arsenic on T-cell proliferation and cytokine secretion in 20 individuals with arsenic-induced skin lesions and compared the results with 18 arsenic-unexposed individuals. A marked dose-dependent suppression of Concanavalin A (Con A) induced T-cell proliferation was observed in the arsenic-exposed individuals compared with the unexposed (P < 0.001) individuals. This correlated with a significant decrease in the levels of secreted cytokines by the T cells (TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL2, IL10, IL5, and IL4) in the exposed individuals (P < 0.001). Thus it can be inferred that arsenic exposure can cause immunosuppression in humans.

Topics: Adult; Arsenic Poisoning; Cells, Cultured; Concanavalin A; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cytokines; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Middle Aged; Skin Diseases; T-Lymphocytes; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Supply

The effect of a thromboxane A2 (TXA2) receptor antagonist, ON-579, on experimental allergic skin and airway reactions was studied in vivo. ON-579 at doses of 1 and 20 mg/kg clearly inhibited U-46619-induced increases in respiratory resistance (Rrs) in guinea pigs. ON-579 at doses of 1, 20 and 50 mg/kg inhibited the aerosolized antigen-induced biphasic increase in Rrs in guinea pigs. Moreover, ON-579 clearly inhibited repeated aeroantigen-induced airway hyperreactivity in guinea pigs. ON-579, however, did not have any significant effects on allergic cutaneous reactions in rats. These results suggest that ON-579 is a relatively selective TXA2 antagonist, especially in the airways, and indicate the efficacy of ON-579 on antigen-induced increase in airway resistance and antigen-induced airway hyperreactivity in guinea pigs.

Topics: Aerosols; Airway Resistance; Animals; Antigens; Arthus Reaction; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Concanavalin A; Dinitrophenols; Guinea Pigs; Histamine; Hypersensitivity; Ketotifen; Leukocyte Count; Male; Mice; Ovalbumin; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis; Phenoxyacetates; Rats; Receptors, Thromboxane; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Serum Albumin, Bovine; Skin Diseases; Sulfonamides

Human peripheral blood leukocytes can stimulate G1(G0)-arrested mouse skin keratinocytes to enter the cell cycle again and synthesize DNA at the maximum rate 15-20 hr later. This growth-promoting activity is released by the monocyte fraction and is shown to have characteristics that have been reported for interleukin 1 (IL-1). Pure IL-1 is active in stimulating keratinocyte cultures as was shown with recombinant human IL-1. An IL-1-like protein released by monocytes-macrophages could explain the hyperproliferative epidermis found in certain types of inflammatory skin diseases.

Topics: Animals; Cell Division; Cells, Cultured; Concanavalin A; DNA Replication; Epidermal Cells; Epidermal Growth Factor; Fibroblasts; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin-1; Interphase; Leukocytes; Lymphocytes; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Muscles; Skin; Skin Diseases

Mannose-containing of glycoproteins from lesional tissue of several diseases of aberrant epidermal differentiation (palmar-plantar keratoderma, pachyonychia congenita, psoriasis, and epidermolytic hyperkeratosis) were analyzed by overlaying iodinated concanavalin A onto molecules separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gel autoradiograms showed that biopsy samples from patients with the same disease were very similar. The radioactivity profiles were different for each disease and were distinguishable from each other and from normal epidermis and callus. The resolution and sensitivity of this technique may be of diagnostic significance.

Topics: Cell Differentiation; Concanavalin A; Epidermal Cells; Epidermis; Glycoproteins; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar; Keratosis; Nail Diseases; Psoriasis; Skin Diseases

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Middle Aged; Skin Diseases; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Warts

Monoclonal antibodies recognizing human T cell differentiation antigens were used to study lymphocyte populations in three cutaneous diseases. Neoplastic lymphocytes from patients with varying phases of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides, Sezary syndrome and related presentations) were reactive with OKT1 and OKT3 (pan T cell reagents) and OKT4 (an antibody defining the functional "helper" T cell subset). The malignant cells lacked membrane antigens reactive with OKT5 and OKT8 (markers of "suppressor" T cells). The presence of an OKT1+, OKT3+, OKT4+, OKT5-, OKT8- phenotype on the neoplastic T lymphocytes of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) supports the clinical impression that all phases of CTCL represent a single disease entity. A patient with pemphigus vulgaris, a disease of autoreactive, antiepidermal antibodies was shown to consistently have a marked expansion of the peripheral blood OKT4 reactive T lymphocyte population. These findings suggest that autoantibodies in pemphigus vulgaris may occur in the context of a profound OKT4/OKT5 immunoregulatory imbalance. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients ith extensive psoriasis vulgaris had a normal profile of reactivity with the OKT antibodies. In addition, OKT6 (marker of intrathymic T cells) has been shown to react with Ia+ dendritic cells in the epidermis suggesting that this antibody may recognize Langerhans' cells.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Concanavalin A; Humans; Lymph Nodes; Lymphocytes; Lymphoma; Mice; Middle Aged; Pemphigus; Phenotype; Psoriasis; Rabbits; Skin Diseases; T-Lymphocytes

Investigations were performed in 6 cases of epidermodysplasia verruciformis and 2 healthy family members. Nonspecific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was studied by measuring response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A), percentrages of E- and EAC-rosette-forming lymphocytes, bacterial skin tests, and allergic reactions to dinitrochloro-benzene (DNCB). Impairment of CMI was manifested by reduction in the percentage of E rosettes, and lowered response to PHA, and- to a lesser degree- to Con A. The immune response to DNCB sensitization was invariably negative. Impairment of CMI was greater in cases of long duration and with extensive lesions. The cases of similar duration and extent of lesions, which never showed tendency to tumor formation, were not different in CMI in comparison with cases with numerous tumors. Only in cases with very advanced tumors CMI was impaired parallel to the gravity of the patient's general condition.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Concanavalin A; Dinitrochlorobenzene; Female; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Lectins; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Male; Precancerous Conditions; Skin Diseases; Skin Tests; Syndrome

Topics: Candidiasis, Cutaneous; Cell Migration Inhibition; Concanavalin A; Erythema; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Delayed; Injections, Intradermal; Lectins; Lymphocytes; Macrophages; Sarcoidosis; Skin; Skin Diseases; Skin Tests

Topics: Animals; Azo Compounds; Biphenyl Compounds; Concanavalin A; Cyanosis; Edema; Forelimb; gamma-Globulins; Humans; Immunotherapy; Lectins; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Multiple Myeloma; Necrosis; Paresis; Skin Diseases; Time Factors; Vaccines