The HLA antigens in 40 patients with subacute thyroiditis were investigated. An association between subacute thyroiditis and HLA-Bw35 antigen as previously reported, was confirmed. Further immunological observations included a decrease in Serum Clq, C4 and C3 activator levels; conversely, there was an increase in serum C3, IgM, alpha1-acid glycoprotein and alpha1-antitrypsin levels. Serum IgA levels were decreased in those patients who were Bw35 negative, but were normal in the patients who were Bw-35 positive, with serum alpha2-macroglobulin levels the opposite was found. These studies support the view that a genetic factor(s), viz., the major histocompatibility system, plays a role in the pathogenesis of subacute thyroiditis. A "nosological clustering" around the Bw35 antigen as a marker for viral susceptibility is suggested.

Human vaginal epithelial cells (VECs) from vaginal swabs obtained from normal women or from patients with trichomoniasis were purified, and VEC parasitism by Trichomonas vaginalis was examined. Trichomonads bound equally well to live or dead VECs, and up to 20% of VECs were parasitized. Trichomonal cytadherence of human VECs was time, temperature, and pH dependent. Saturation binding levels of live trichomonads to VECs gave -2 organisms adherent to parasitized VEC. No differences in cytadherence levels were detected by different isolates to VECs from the same patient compared with adherence to VECs from normal individuals. Trypsinized, live T. vaginalis organisms failed to recognize VECs. A ligand assay identified four adhesin candidates, and only organisms without a prominent immunogen on the surface (negative phenotype) cytadhered to VECs and synthesized the adhesins, confirming the results of a recently published report by us on adherence to HeLa cell monolayers (J. F. Alderete and G. E. Garza, Infect. Immun. 56:28-33, 1988). These data show the ability of T. vaginalis to parasitize human vaginal epithelial cells in a specific receptor-ligand manner.Cytadherence assay. Optimization of conditions for mea-2558

No abstract

No abstract

leukocyte characteristics in urogenital trichomoniasis. APMIS 100: 393-400, 1992. Morphological and functional characteristics of vaginal exudate leukocytes were examined in 47 patients with urogenital trichomoniasis. Electron microscopic morphology, viability, phagocytosis of Candida albicans blastospores and ability to undergo respiratory burst in the iodonitrotetrazolium reductase test were evaluated in these cells. Vaginal inflammatory leukocytes were almost exclusively polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and their concentration was positively correlated (r = 0.58; p < 0.001) with the number of trichomonads in the exudate. Median leukocyte viability reached 39% and both phagocytic and tetrazolium reductase activities of these cells were significantly reduced in comparison with those of circulating polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Patients with a clinical picture of severe mucosal inflammation had significantly higher vaginal exudate leukocyte concentrations and viability than those without inflammatory signs. The possible role of vaginal leukocytes in the pathogenesis of urogenital trichomoniasis is discussed.