We report on 11 patients from 8 independent families (3 pairs of sibs) with a complex clinical pattern including microcephaly, peculiar "bird-like" face, growth retardation, and, in some cases, mild-to-moderate mental deficiency. Most of the patients have recurring respiratory tract infections. One girl has developed B-cell lymphoma. A detailed anthropometric study of 15 physical parameters, including 3 cephalic traits, was performed. It was possible to study the chromosomes of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes in all of the patients. We found structural aberrations with multiple rearrangements, preferentially involving chromosomes 7 and 14 in a proportion of metaphases in all individuals. Profound humoral and cellular immune defects were observed. Serum AFP levels were within normal range. Radioresistant DNA synthesis was strongly increased in all 8 patients who were hitherto studied in this respect. Our patients fulfill the criteria of the Nijmegen breakage syndrome, which belongs to the growing category of ataxia telangiectasia-related genetic disorders. In light of the increased predisposition to malignancy in this syndrome, an accurate diagnosis is important for the patient.

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T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome (NS). The aim of the study was to determine whether the activity of T-helper-1 (Th1) and T-helper-2 (Th2) cells and the distribution of the lymphocyte subsets, namely CD45RA+CD4+ ("naive" helper T cells, suppressor-inducer), CD45RA+CD8+ ("naive" suppressor T cells, suppressor-effector), CD45RO+CD4+ ("memory" helper T cells), are predictive for steroid sensitivity in children with primary NS. These parameters were assessed at the onset of disease, before initiation of steroid therapy. Two groups of NS children were retrospectively formed according to steroid sensitivity (SS) or resistance (SR). The activity of Th1 and Th2 cells was defined by the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10 in the supernatants of CD4+ T cell cultures activated with autologous monocytes presenting tetanus toxoid (TT). Peripheral lymphocyte subsets were determined using double- or triple-color flow cytometry. In SS children with NS we found a decreased proliferative response of CD4+ T cells to TT stimulation, cytokine synthesis indicating the predominance of Th2 activity, and an increased percentage of activated suppressor-inducer (CD45RA+ CD4+CD25+, 5.18+/-0.8, P<0.001) and suppressor-effector (CD45RA+CD8+CD25+, 2.05+/-0.6, P<0.01) cells, with the concomitant reduction of activated memory cells (CD45RO+CD4+CD25+, 0.2+/-0.1, P<0.001). In children with SRNS we found an increased proliferative response of CD4+ T cells to TT, a rise in activated memory (CD45RO+CD4+CD25+, 3.82+/-0.7, P<0.01) and suppressor-inducer peripheral T cells (CD45RA+ CD4+CD25+, 3.85+/-0.6, P<0.01), but a low percentage of activated suppressor-effector (CD45RA+CD8+ CD25+, 0.5+/-0.2, P<0.05) T cells. We conclude that prior to treatment the distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood together with Th1 and Th2 cell activity provides a useful tool for evaluating the likelihood of steroid sensitivity in patients with primary NS.

The aim of the present study was to measure zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) concentration in human semen and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in seminal plasma and correlate the results with sperm quality. Semen samples were obtained from men (N = 168) undergoing routine infertility evaluation. The study design included two groups based on the ejaculate parameters. Group I (n = 39) consisted of males with normal ejaculate (normozoospermia), and group II (n = 129) consisted of males with pathological spermiogram. Seminal Zn and Fe were measured in 162 samples (group I, n = 38; group II, n = 124) and SOD activity in 149 samples (group I, n = 37; group II, n = 112). Correlations were found between SOD activity and Fe and Zn concentration, and between Fe and Zn concentration. SOD activity was negatively associated with volume of semen and positively associated with rapid progressive motility, nonprogressive motility, and concentration. Negative correlation was stated between Fe concentration and normal morphology. Mean SOD activity in seminal plasma of semen from men of group I was higher than in seminal plasma of semen from men of group II. Fe concentration was higher in teratozoospermic males than in males with normal morphology of spermatozoa in group II. Our results suggest that Fe may influence spermatozoa morphology.