ABSTRACT Insulin Dynamic Measures and Weight Change By Noreen Kloc B.S. Computer Information Technology, Purdue University December 7, 2015 INTRODUCTION: Weight gain and obesity are risk factors for insulin resistance that can lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease; however, there is a complicated interplay between insulin sensitivity (SI), fasting insulin, acute insulin response (AIR), and disposition index (DI) and the relationship of these dynamic measures with weight change is not well understood. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between insulin dynamic measures, SI, fasting insulin, AIR, and DI, with weight change during a 5-years follow-up period in the multi-ethnic cohort of the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS). METHODS: Data on 879 men and women of Hispanic, non-Hispanic White, and African-American race/ethnicity aged 40-69 years were obtained at baseline (1992-1994) and at 5 year follow-up. Crude associations between the insulin dynamic measures and weight change were evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis test and the relationships between log-transformed insulin-related variables were examined using Spearman rank-order analysis. Multivariate regression models evaluated associations of interest adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, and diabetes status in a time-dependent manner using mixed models. RESULTS: Insulin sensitivity SI inversely coevolves with weight, i.e. greater weight is predicted by lower SI at any time point. To answer the question whether SI is the cause or a consequence of weight change, we examined the associations with the baseline values and a change in SI. In this model, both the baseline SI and change in SI were inversely correlated with weight gain. A similar approach showed that baseline values and change in fasting insulin were directly associated with weight gain. Weight change over time was associated with AIR, i.e. increases in AIR and greater AIR at baseline predicted weight gain. We did not find strong relationships between DI and weight change. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion can modulate weight in a non-diabetic population.

Orientador: Carlos Eduardo Pinheiro / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-23T08:14:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pedrolli_LinahPessattiAraujo_M.pdf: 1678898 bytes, checksum: b3a2fa5bb8efeb9572b3a6c5afcd998d (MD5) Previous issue date: 1997 / Resumo: Inúmeros trabalhos têm sido relatados na literatura objetivando demonstrar a interação entre drogas e secreção gástrica. Com o objetivo de apresentar alguma contribuição nesta área de pesquisa é que nos propusemos a investigar a influência in vivo de algumas drogas de interesse terapêutico sobre o pH, volume e acidez da secreção gástrica em ratos. Foram utilizados, neste experimento, 100 ratos machos adultos pesando em média 300 gramas, os quais foram divididos aleatoriamente em dez grupos experimentais. Os animais foram deixados em jejum por 48 horas, anestesiados por inalação de éter e submetidos à cirurgia para ligação do piloro. Após 4 horas foi coletada a secreção gástrica para análise. As drogas foram administradas por sonda gástrica, num volume de 0,5ml, após a ligadura do piloro. ... Observação: O resumo, na íntegra, poderá ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digital / Abstract: Numerous studies have been reported in the literature with the objective of showing the interaction between drugs and gastric acid secretion. In order to present some contribution in this research area, we proposed to investigate the in vivo influence of some drugs of therapeutic interest on the pH, volume and acidity of gastric secretion in rats. In this study, 100 adult male rats weighing approximately 300 grams were used and were randomly divided in ten experimental groups. The animais were fasted for 48 hours, anesthetized with ether and submitted to the surgery of pylorus ligature. After 4 hours, the gastric juice was collected for analysis. The drugs were administered by gastric intubation, in a volume of 0.5 ml, after the pylorus ligature, ... Note: The complete abstract is available with the full electronic digital thesis or dissertations / Mestrado / Fisiologia e Biofisica do Sistema Estomatognatico / Mestre em Odontologia

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:23:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T13:57:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 00971.pdf: 662593 bytes, checksum: 457a86be88dd734ec231748d8b91bd4b (MD5) / Dissertacao (Mestrado) / IEA/D / Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo - FMVZ/USP

Orientadores: Helena Coutinho Franco de Oliveira, Antonio Carlos Boschero / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T19:29:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bonfleur_MariaLucia_D.pdf: 1633140 bytes, checksum: 765548b2268a05188490bc90cf1939b8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Neste trabalho, investigamos se a hipercolesterolemia primária per se, independente de dieta rica em gordura, afeta a homeostase glicêmica e a secreção de insulina estimulada por vários secretagogos em animais knockout para o receptor de LDL (LDLR-/-). Além disso, investigamos os possíveis mecanismos envolvidos na liberação deste hormônio neste modelo animal. Podemos resumir nossos achados da seguinte maneira: camundongos LDLR-/- apresentam hiperglicemia pós-prandial, hipoinsulinemia, intolerância à glicose e sensibilidade periférica à insulina normal. Nós demonstramos que, as alterações na homeostase glicêmica ocorrem em parte, por uma diminuição da sensibilidade das ilhotas à glicose. A secreção de insulina é normal na presença de baixa concentração de glicose, entretanto na presença de 11,1 mmol/l, as ilhotas de animais LDLR-/- liberam menos insulina que as ilhotas controles. A secreção de insulina estimulada por outros secretagogos metabolizáveis (leucina e KIC) também está reduzida nas ilhotas dos animais knockout. O conteúdo total de insulina e DNA são similares entre os grupos, sugerindo que as alterações na secreção de insulina não ocorrem devido a diferenças no tamanho e/ou número de células b. Observamos uma redução na primeira e segunda fase de secreção de insulina estimulada por 11,1 mmol/l de glicose. A oxidação da glicose está reduzida, enquanto a metabolização da leucina está aumentada. Quando adicionamos agentes despolarizantes (KCl, Arginina e Tolbutamida), observamos uma redução da secreção de insulina tanto em concentrações basais quanto estimulatórias de glicose. Na presença de 11,1 mmol/l de glicose e carbacol (agonista colinérgico) ou PMA (ativador da proteína-quinase C), a secreção de insulina foi semelhante entre os grupos LDLR- /- e controles. Entretanto, quando estimulamos a secreção com forskolin ou IBMX, que aumentam os níveis de AMPc, observamos redução na liberação de insulina pelas ilhotas dos animais LDLR-/- em comparação com os controles. A expressão protéica da fosfolipase C (PLCb2) está aumentada enquanto que a expressão da proteína-quinase A (PKA) está reduzida nas ilhotas dos animais LDLR-/-. Assim, observamos que camundongos LDLR-/- apresentam alterações na homeostase glicêmica independente de dieta rica em gordura, provocada por redução na secreção de insulina devido, em parte à redução do metabolismo da glicose, bem como, redução na expressão da PKA / Abstract: In this work, we investigated whether primary hyperlipidemia per se, independently of a high-fat diet, affects glycemia and insulin secretion stimulated by several secretagogues in hypercholesterolemic low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice (LDLR-/-). In addition, we investigated the possible mechanisms involved in the release of this hormone. We found that, besides higher total cholesterol and triglyceride plasma concentrations, glucose plasma levels were increased and insulin decreased in LDLR-/- compared to the wild type (WT) mice. LDLR-/- mice presented impaired glucose tolerance, but normal whole body insulin sensitivity. In addition, we also demonstrate that the main cause of the impaired glucose homeostasis is a reduced pancreatic islet insulin secretion ability following fuel secretagogue stimuli. LDLR-/- mice have impaired insulin secretion in response to glucose without alterations in the pancreatic total insulin and DNA contents. These findings support the idea that the decreased response to glucose cannot be explained by differences islet size or number of beta cells, but it is probably caused by a defect in the secretory process. Glucose oxidation was 30% lower and L-leucine oxidation 60% higher in LDLR-/- islets than in WT islets. At basal (2.8 mmol/l) and stimulatory (11.1 mmol/l) glucose concentrations, the insulin secretion rates induced by depolarizing agents such as KCl, L-arginine and tolbutamide were significantly reduced in LDLR-/- when compared with WT islets. Insulin secretion induced by the PKA activators, forskolin and IBMX, in the presence of 11.1 mmol/l glucose, was lower in LDLR-/- islets, and it was normalized in the presence of the PKC pathway activators, carbachol and PMA. Western blotting analysis showed that phospholipase C-b2 expression was increased and PKA-a decreased in LDLR-/- compared with WT islets. In conclusion, we demonstrate that genetic hypercholesterolemia, due to complete deficiency of LDLR, impairs the beta cell insulin secretion, leading to hyperglycemia without affecting body insulin sensitivity. The lower insulin secretion in LDLR-/- mice islets may be explained by reduced glucose metabolism and expression of PKA / Doutorado / Fisiologia / Doutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

A rota de biossíntese de colesterol tem sido estudada pelo seu envolvimento com a secreção de hormônios. A secreção de insulina depende do colesterol e de intermediários da sua biossíntese como o geranilgeranil pirofosfato. Para compreender a contribuição destes elementos na secreção de insulina foram utilizados inibidores de diferentes pontos da rota de biossíntese do colesterol. Estudou-se a contribuição do geranilgeranil pirofosfato e do colesterol na secreção de insulina estimulada pela glicose e analisados parâmetros físicos de membrana dos quais decorrem aspectos funcionais da célula beta. Sinvastatina inibiu a secreção de insulina sem afetar o conteúdo celular de colesterol, mas inibindo a geranilgeranilação de proteínas. A diminuição do conteúdo de colesterol aumenta a fluidez de membrana desorganizando lipid rafts. A suplementação com colesterol recupera a função secretória. Por tanto, a inibição da síntese de colesterol diminui a secreção de insulina através da redução da isoprenilação de proteínas e da alteração estrutural de membranas celulares. / Cholesterol biosynthesis pathway has been studied for its involvement with the hormone secretion process. Insulin secretion depends on cholesterol and its biosynthesis intermediates such as geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. For understand their contribution on the glucose stimulated insulin secretion, cholesterol biosynthesis pathway key steps inhibitors were used. The geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate and cholesterol contribution to the insulin secretion was studied so as physical parameters of the membrane, from where derive key functions of it. Simvastatin inhibited insulin secretion without affecting total cellular cholesterol, but inhibiting protein geranylgeranylation. The cholesterol reduction increased the membrane fluidity with consequent disorganization of membrane lipid rafts, in which secretion machinery is organized. Cholesterol supplementation recovers cellular secretory function. We conclude that cholesterol biosynthesis inhibition reduces insulin secretion through protein isoprenylation impairment and structural disarrangement of the cellular membranes.

Orientador: Everardo Magalhães Carneiro / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-24T14:27:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Borck_PatriciaCristine_M.pdf: 1384245 bytes, checksum: 89fa526347ae455e0cfcf6e3bd414018 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Os processos fisiológicos como ciclo sono-vigília e o metabolismo estão sujeitos a oscilações circadianas e são regulados por um conjunto de genes conhecidos como genes do relógio, ou clock genes. Mutação nesses genes em camundongos reduz a secreção de insulina e a proliferação das células ? pancreáticas promovendo intolerância a glicose e hiperglicemia. Distúrbios nutricionais em fases iniciais da vida estão associados com o aparecimento do Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 na vida adulta. Camundongos submetidos a restrição proteica intrauterina apresentam expressão alterada dos clock genes e maior suscetibilidade ao ganho de peso e intolerância a glicose. Neste trabalho tivemos como objetivo determinar a expressão diária dos clock genes em tecidos periféricos, hipotálamo e ilhotas pancreáticas de camundongos submetidos a restrição proteica. Avaliamos também o perfil oscilatório da secreção de insulina estimulada por glicose e pelo agonista colinérgico carbacol nesse modelo animal. Camundongos submetidos a restrição proteica (R) apresentaram características típicas de desnutrição como menor peso corpóreo, hipoinsulinemia, hipoproteinemia e maior tolerância a glicose e a insulina. Camundongos R apresentaram maior consumo alimentar, acompanhado de alterações no perfil oscilatório de genes hipotalâmicos Pomc (Pro-opiomelanocortina) e Npy (Neuropeptídeo Y). Nesse tecido, somente o gene do relógio Rev-erb? teve sua expressão influenciada pela restrição proteica. Camundongos R apresentaram, no fígado e músculo perda do perfil oscilatório para os genes Bmal1 e Clock. Ainda, no fígado e ilhotas pancreáticas a expressão de Rev-erb? foi alterada, com redução no conteúdo de mRNA. Em relação ao gene Per1, camundongos R exibiram adiantamento na expressão desse gene no tecido adiposo. No músculo e ilhotas houve perda da oscilação diária para esse gene. Camundongos R exibiram, no músculo e tecido adiposo, adiantamento na expressão do gene Per2. Ilhotas isoladas de camundongos controle (C) apresentaram padrão oscilatório de secreção de insulina sendo os maiores níveis atingido nos ZT 2 e 14 e redução no ZT 8. Contudo, camundongos R apresentaram redução na secreção de insulina estimulada por glicose, e perda do seu perfil oscilatório. O grupo R não apresentou alteração na liberação de insulina na presença do agonista e antagonista de Rev-erb?. Além disso, a expressão dos genes Sintaxina, Sinaptotagmina, e Insulina, estão reduzidos em camundongos R. O grupo R também apresentou perda oscilatória da secreção de insulina na presença de glicose associada ao Carbacol e redução na expressão do Receptor Muscarínico de Acetilcolina. Com os presentes resultados podemos concluir que camundongos submetidos a restrição proteica apresentaram características típicas de desnutrição com alteração na homeostase glicêmica e secreção de insulina. Ademais, camundongos R exibiram perda do perfil de secreção desse hormônio ao longo de 24 horas, o qual está relacionado com as alterações na expressão de Rev-erb?. Além disso, houve alteração no perfil de expressão dos genes clock, em especial Rev-erb?, Per1 e Per2 nos tecidos periféricos, fato que pode estar relacionado com as alterações na tolerância a glicose e insulina em camundongos R / Abstract: The physiological processes such as sleep-wake cycle and metabolism are subject to circadian fluctuations and are regulated by a group of genes known as clock genes or genes clock. Mutations in these genes in mice reduces insulin secretion and ?-pancreatic cell proliferation promoting impaired glucose tolerance and hyperglycemia. Nutritional disorders in the early stages of life are associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Mice subjected to intrauterine protein restriction have altered expression of clock genes and increased susceptibility to weight gain and glucose intolerance. In this study we aimed to determine the daily expression of clock genes in peripheral tissues, hypothalamus and pancreatic islets of mice subjected to protein restriction. We also evaluated the oscillatory profile of the glucose stimulated insulin secretion and the cholinergic agonist carbachol in this animal model. Mice subjected to protein restriction (R) showed typical features of malnutrition as lower body weight , hypoinsulinemia , hypoproteinemia and increased glucose tolerance and insulin. R mice had higher food consumption, accompanied by changes in the oscillatory profile to Pomc and Npy gene in the hypothalamus. In this tissue, only the expression Rev- erb? gene was influenced by protein restriction. Mice R showed in the liver and muscle loss of the oscillatory profile to Clock and Bmal1 gene. Still, in liver and pancreatic islets the expression of Rev- erb? was changed, with reduction in mRNA content. Regarding the Per1 gene, R mice exhibited advance in the expression of this gene in adipose tissue. In muscle and islets there was loss of daily fluctuation for this gene. R mice exhibited, muscle and adipose tissue, in advance of Per2 gene expression. Islets isolated from control mice (C) showed oscillatory pattern of insulin secretion with the highest levels attained in the ZT 2 e 14 and reduction in the ZT 8. However, R mice had reduced glucose stimulated insulin secretion and loss of its oscillatory profile. R group showed no change in insulin release in the presence of Rev- erb? agonist and antagonist. Furthermore, the expression of Syntaxin, Synaptotagmin, and Insulin genes are reduced in R mice. R group also exhibited oscillatory loss of insulin secretion in the presence of glucose linked Carbachol and the reduction in the expression of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor. With these results we can conclude that mice subjected to protein restriction showed typical features of malnutrition with alterations in glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion. Moreover, R mice exhibited loss of secretion of this hormone profile over 24 hours, which is associated with changes in the expression of Rev- erb?. In addition, there were changes in expression profile of clock genes, especially Rev-erb?, Per1 and Per2 in peripheral tissues, which may be related to changes in glucose tolerance and insulin in R mice / Mestrado / Fisiologia / Mestra em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

La protéine FADD (Fas associated death domain) est l’adaptateur clé de la voie de signalisation apoptotique dépendante des récepteurs de mort de la famille du TNF (tumor necrosis factor). Au cours des dix dernières années, il est apparu évident qu’au-delà de son rôle majeur dans la mort cellulaire, FADD est impliqué dans d’autres processus biologiques comme le développement embryonnaire, la réponse immunitaire innée ou encore la progression du cycle cellulaire. De même, il est devenu clair que la localisation subcellulaire de FADD est déterminante pour sa fonction. Identifier les voies de régulation de l’expression de la protéine est donc d’une importance capitale. En 2008, notre équipe a mis en évidence, dans un modèle murin de la thyroϊde, un nouveau mécanisme de régulation de l’expression de la protéine via la sécrétion. En parallèle, le laboratoire a rapporté que la présence de FADD dans le sérum de patients cancéreux était corrélée à l’agressivité des tumeurs et l’inflammation. (Tourneur et al, 2012). L’objectif de ce travail de thèse était de comprendre le mécanisme par lequel FADD était sécrété, et de déterminer, le cas échéant, les modalités de sa régulation. Un troisième objectif est apparu au cours de la thèse : identifier de nouveaux modes de régulation de l’expression de FADD. Au moyen d’une lignée modèle humaine, nous avons montré que l’expression de la protéine humaine pouvait être régulée via une voie non-conventionnelle de sécrétion, tout comme dans le modèle murin. En parallèle de la caractérisation de cette sécrétion, nous avons montré que celle-ci pouvait être régulée par la kinase anti-apoptotique CK2 (casein kinase 2). Enfin, nous montrons que la CK2 régule la localisation nucléaire de FADD via une phosphorylation dépendante de la sous-unité régulatrice de la kinase et que la CK2 pourrait interagir directement avec FADD. Ces résultats constituent la première démonstration de la régulation de FADD par sécrétion par des cellules humaines et les premiers à rapporter un nouveau mode de régulation de la localisation subcellulaire de FADD par la CK2. Les conséquences de ces résultats en regard des fonctions connus de FADD sont discutées / The FADD protein (Fas associated death domain) is the key adaptor molecule of the apoptotic signaling pathway triggered by death receptors of the TNF (Tumor necrosis factor) superfamily. During the last decade, it became obvious that, in addition to its major role in cell death, the protein was also involved in other biological processes like the embryonic development, the immune response or even cell cycle progression. Evidence also showed that the protein sub-cellular localization was a key determinant to its functions. Therefore, the identification of underlying regulatory mechanisms dictating FADD expression was of significant importance. In 2008 our laboratory identified, in a thyroid murine model, a new mechanism controlling FADD expression, namely via secretion. We discovered that the loss of FADD expression from tumor cells, by secretion, could be correlated to cancer aggressiveness as well as inflammation (Tourneur 2012). The goal of this thesis work was to apprehend the mechanism by which FADD was secreted and determine, in that case, the modalities of this regulation. A third objective of this work was to identify new potential regulatory pathways of FADD expression. By means of a human cell line model, we showed that, similarly to the mouse model, the expression of human FADD could be regulated via unconventional secretion. In parallel to the characterization of the secretory process itself, we demonstrated that secretion could be negatively regulated by the anti-apoptotic kinase CK2 (casein kinase 2). Finally, we showed that CK2 could regulate FADD nuclear localization via a regulatory sub-unit-dependent phosphorylation and that FADD and CK2 could directly interact. These results are the first to demonstrate that human FADD expression could be regulated via secretion and that FADD sub-cellular localization could be modulated by CK2. The consequences of such regulation with regards to known FADD functions are discussed

Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences / Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology / Philip R. Hardwidge / Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the most common cause of diarrhea in travellers and young children in developing countries. We previously characterized three vaccine candidates (MipA, Skp, and ETEC_2479) which effectively protected mice in an intranasal ETEC challenge model after immunization. However, these proteins are conserved not only in multiple ETEC isolates, but also in commensal bacteria. In this study, we examined the potential of these antigens to affect the host intestinal microbiota and subsequently found no significant impact on healthy of host after vaccination. In addition, we also optimized the types of adjuvants and forms of antigens and evaluated the efficacy in a mouse intranasal challenge model. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that cause global public health threads. EHEC possesses the potential to cause gastroenteritis, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which may lead to renal failure. Type III secretion system (T3SS) is a hallmark of EHEC, characterized by the needle-like structure and a variety of effectors injected into host cells. NleB, one of T3SS effectors, is a glycosyltransferase with the ability to catalyze the transfer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (N-GlcNAc) to host proteins to suppress the activation of NF-kB signaling pathway. In this study, we employed luminescence-based glycosyltransferase assay and high-throughput screening using a chemical library of various compounds. A total of 128 chemicals was selected with significant inhibition on NleB glycosyltransferase activity for further pharmaceutical study as novel therapy against EHEC infection.

Abstract Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are cardiac hormones, which are involved in the regulation of blood pressure and fluid homeostasis. The major determinant for ANP and BNP release are atrial and ventricular wall stretch, but also some vasoactive factors such as endothelin-1 (ET-1) can enhance cardiac hormone secretion. The mechanical stretch rapidly activates multiple signal transduction pathways in cardiac cells, but the cellular mechanisms mediating stretch-induced ANP secretion are still unknown. The aim of the present study was to examine the cellular mechanisms of autocrine/paracrine factors and stretch-induced ANP secretion. Genistein, a potent protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor, rapidly increased cardiac contractile force and ANP secretion in perfused rat heart. This effect of genistein may be unrelated to the inhibition of PTKs since this stimulation was blocked by a L-type calcium channel antagonist and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II inhibitor. Pregnancy hormone relaxin increased heart rate and ANP secretion in perfused spontaneously beating heart, suggesting that relaxin may have a role in modulating cardiac function. Cellular mechanisms of atrial wall stretch-induced ANP secretion were also studied. This enhanced secretion was blocked by sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin and PTK inhibitor lavendustin A, indicating that thapsigargin sensitive Ca2+ pools and activation of PTK orPTK cascade have an important role in the regulation of stretch-secretion coupling. In addition, protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid accelerated stretch-induced ANP secretion, suggesting that precise balance of protein kinase and phosphatase activity plays a role in mechanical stretch-induced ANP secretion. Finally interactions of endothelial factors regulating ANP exocytosis were studied. The potent nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME increased basal and atrial wall stretch-induced ANP secretion in the presence of ET-1, suggesting that nitric oxide may tonically inhibit ANP secretion.

Mitogen driven differentiation of mononuclear cells is a useful model of antibody synthesis and secretion in humans. We have studied Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) induced immunoglobulin secretion in vitro in both healthy individuals and multiple sclerosis patients. Within the healthy population we have identified individuals who consistently secrete low levels of IgG in response to PWM and others who secrete very high levels. The underlying mechanisms involved in low response are not well understood. We have observed that the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from low responders differ from those obtained from high responders in each of the following: Their T-helper cell subset contains a higher ratio of T suppressor-inducer cells over T helper-inducer cells; their PBMC contain a higher level of in vivo radiation-sensitive suppression; their PBMC generate a lower autologous mixed lymphocyte response; and their B lymphocytes secrete lower amounts of IgG when mixed with heterologous high responder T helper cells. These results suggest the response involves the interactions between T helper cell subsets, T suppressor cells and B lymphocytes and that the level of response is the sum of the contribution of each subset. PWM induced immunoglobulin secretion was measured in multiple sclerosis patients during different phases of clinical disease activity. Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients in early relapse secreted less immunoglobulin than patients with prolonged relapse, suggesting that immune function varies with clinical disease activity. Testing the level of PWM induced immunoglobulin secretion in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients during the clinically stable phase suggested that those patients who secreted high levels of IgG in response to PWM were more likely to suffer a clinical relapse within 6 months than those patients who secreted a low amount. Chronic progressive multiple sclerosis patients secreted higher amounts of immunoglobulin in this assay than healthy control individuals. This group of multiple sclerosis patients also had; (i) reduced Concanavalin A (Con A) suppressor cell activity measured both by the ability to suppress a/ Con A induced proliferation and b/ PWM induced IgG secretion in heterologous cell cultures and; (ii) reduced percentages of T cells expressing T suppressor and T suppressor-inducer markers. The treatment of chronic progressive multiple sclerosis patients in vivo with lymphoblastoid interferon resulted in a dramatic reduction in level of PWM induced immunoglobulin secretion without alteration in Concanavalin A induced suppression or in the percentages of T cells expressing subset specific markers. The PWM induced IgG secretion assay is a valuable technique for investigating the regulation of humoral immunity in both health and disease. / Medicine, Faculty of / Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of / Graduate