The level of malondialdehyde, a stable end product of lipid peroxidation induced by reactive oxygen intermediates and the activity of two potent antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, was investigated in tissue homogenates of 22 surgical periapical granuloma specimens. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher and glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly lower in periapical granuloma samples than in healthy gingival tissue homogenates, which were used as controls. The activity of superoxide dismutase was similar in periapical granuloma and in control samples. Our results indicate an altered balance between the production and the elimination of toxic oxygen metabolites in chronic apical periodontitis. We hypothesize that reactive oxygen intermediates, which are being produced by activated phagocytic cells abundantly present in periapical granulomas, can contribute to periapical tissue injury and bone loss in this disease.

Márton I, Kiss C, Balla G, Szabó T, Karmazsin L. Acute phase proteins in patients with chronic periapical granuloma before and after surgical treatment. Alpha‐ 1‐antitrypsin, alpha‐2‐macroglobulin, C‐reactive protein, haptoglobin and complement C3 component concentrations and oxidase activity of ceruloplasmin were studied in sera of 36 patients with chronic periapical granuloma before and after surgical treatment. Mean serum concentrations of the investigated proteins were slightly elevated at diagnosis, with the exception of haptoglobin. Alpha‐1‐antitrypsin and ceruloplasmin levels decreased significantly 7 days after apicectomy, the 4 other proteins were unchanged at this sampling. Each investigated protein decreased significantly 3 months after apicectomy. This is the first longitudinal study of “acute‐phase proteins” in chronic periapical granuloma.

Fibronectin/albumin ratios in plasma and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were evaluated in patients (1-6 years of age) with recurrent obstructive bronchitis and different interstitial lung diseases. These inflammatory reactions were characterized by increased influx of macrophages on the bronchoalveolar surface, but an increase in the proportion of lymphocytes or neutrophils was also detected in the group of patients with lymphocyte-macrophage or neutrophil-macrophage alveolitis. There was no considerable difference in plasma fibronectin concentrations obtained from healthy children and patients with moderate obstructive bronchitis and slight inflammation of the bronchial mucosa observed bronchoscopically. Levels of plasma fibronectin were elevated in patients with serious bronchial inflammation and different alveolitis, but they were within the normal range. A comparison of lavage fibronectin/albumin ratios with plasma fibronectin/albumin ratios with plasma fibronectin/albumin ratios indicated significant local production of fibronectin in subjects with serious bronchial inflammation and interstitial lung disorders. Fibronectin detected on the bronchoalveolar surface seems to be an important factor in mediating cell-to-cell interactions in the repair of the bronchoalveolar structures, and in tracing the activity of the inflammatory reactions not only in patients with interstitial lung diseases, but also in patients with serious chronic bronchial inflammation.

SUMMARYWe have examined the effect of two i,v. itnmunoglobulin preparations on the metabolic and funclional activities of neuirophil granulocyles from the peripheral blood. Production of superoxide anion (O;) by granulocytes was measured through superoxide dismutase inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome C after incubalion of cells for various times together with immunoglobulin (concenlration ranging from 025 lo 50 mg/ml). The results showed dose-dependent response of O; production independent ofthe incubation lime. Granulocytes containing ingested Staphytococcus aureus released a signlfieanlly (f < 0 001) larger amounl of O; and killed a higher number {F < 0 001) of viable bacteria in ihe presence of 5 mg/ml immunoglobulin than did cells incubated in the absence of extracellular i.v. immunoglobulin. These data raise Ihe possibility that immunoglobulin concentrates for i.v. use may enhance the anti-bacterial activities of phagocytic cells through direct stimulation ofthe respiratory burst. Infiammatory reactions observed during i.v. immunoglohulin infusion in hypo-or agammaglobulinaemic patients may also be related to phagocytic cell activation.

A 3-day D-penicillamine treatment of neonatal rats caused a significant decrease in heme oxygenase activity. This change was not observed in adult rats. The data indicate age-related differences in the effects of D-penicillamine.