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Human immunogenetics: Principles and clinical applications
b
ok
reviews
TIG [ 3 ] - - ] a n u a r j 1987 however, I was very pleasantly surprised, as were several other members of my group. The author has an original style and has included gems of information and chosen references which are both interesting and different from those quoted in the most popular books on the subject. The hand-drawn diagrams suit the text and explain the more difficult points well; in fact 1 liked them better (albeit at second glance) than the usual colour reproductions. The section on complement is particularly good and has been reasonably well revised since the first edition. In contrast, appendix H is short and incomplete. For example, the stock in trade of the modem immunogenic laboratory, the Southern blot technique, does not get a mention. However, the author does state that the choice of topics reflects his own interests and indeed the more thorough sections have been updated well. From the point of view of a practising
immunologisttherefore the book is easily readable, easily understandable and provides useful general and specific information, especially in the areas of the author's interest. It is even fun spotting the non-text errors! The book also provides w,~li argued, but not didactic, comments about the uses of each section of immunogenetics and will be of use in this respect to open-minded students as well as to those of us whose conclusions may be somewhat different. I shall certainly recommend this book to immunology and medical students. Unfortunately one has to begin reading the book to understand its charm and clarity of style. Its packaging will not attract the casual reader - although its price might.
no gene repertoire, but relies on genetic drift and shift, briefly reviewed by J. J. Antigenic Variation in Infectious Skehel and D. C. Wiley. The drift occurs by point mutations in the exposed part of Diseases the surface haemagglutinin; the high rate edited by T. H. Birkbeck and C. W. of drift reflects the low fidelity of viral Penn, IRL Press, 1986. £32.00/$58.00 polymerases. The shift occurs by intro(hbk) £20,001536.00 (pbk) (x + 170 duction of a new haemagghtinin into the pages) ISBN 0 94746 99 3 virus, via reassortment of genes during a 'Games parasites play' is the title of an mixed infection of human and animal entertaining article by Barry Bloom, viruses. Antigenic variation by genetic published seven years ago in Nature drtft is also seen in retroviruses, here (279, pp. 21-26, 1979). One of these represented by articles on lentiviruses of games is the antigenic variation that sheep and goats (Narayan el at) and of parasites use to dodge a host's defense. horses (Montelarn et al.). This book discusses the main represenThis book, which arose from a tatives of these artful dodgers. symposium in September 1985, provides Antigenic variation in parasites is of a nice and fairly complete overview of the two types: trypanosome and influenza. field of antigenic variation. It emphasizes African trypanosomes (competently de- the biology of host-parasite relations and scribed by M. J. Turner) have a large shows that changes in surface proteins repertoire of genes each coding for a can serve purposes other than immune s'~,glc co,t-protein species. By expres. evasion. It also includes aspects that are sing these genes one after the other the usually not in the limelight, like firnhrial parasite population survives in immune- variation in E. coil (discussed by Smith) competent hosts. Other examples of this or variation of surface proteins in type of antigenic variation are found in Bordetella pertussis (discussed by Robingonococci (discussed by Heckels and by son at al.). Sannders) and in Borrelia (discussed by The degree of detail provided on each Plasterk et al.). of these topics varies: the account by Influenza virus on the other hand has Plasterk at al, on Borrelia covers both
the biology and the molecular basis of antigenic variation and a highly readable text is illustrated with clear graphs and figures of key results. The authors were, of course, in the fortunate position that the full story can still be told in 20 pages and that they generated most of the data for this story themselves. Other topics get a less balanced treatment. The control of genes by DNA inversion in bacteria and bacteriophages and the intricate DHA rearrangements controlling the variation in pilus composition and surface proteins of gonococci get only one (good) chapter, which is rather stingy. The parasitic protozoa are compressed into 17 pages and have to do without a single illustration. Bordatella and the retroviruses, on the other hand, are discussed in great detail; the equine infectious anemia virus gets three pages for its tryptic peptide maps, which contribute little insight into possible mechanisms. Notwithstanding these blemishes, this is a useful compendium for people interested in antigenic variation.
Aneuploidy: a problem from conception to death
Moreover, it has become increasingly evident that partial aneuploidies, involving one or at most a few gene loci, play a major role in a variety of inherited diseases, in inherited predispositions to certain cancers and also in the development of neoplasms that are largely a consequence of environmental exposure to carcinogens. Genomic imbalance is c[ear|y a major problem to human health. Epstein begins his book with an outline survey of the morphological features ('clinical observation') associated with
Deceptive packaging Human lmmunogenetics: Principles and Clinical Applications
by J. E. Bernal, Taylor and Francis, 1986. £24 (hbk) £12 (pbk) (x + 217pages) ISBN 0 85066 334 2 My first thought when readmg the title and seeing the rather small size of this book was that it would not provide enough depth in any section to be of use. A preliminary glance at the average a ~ of the references and at those chosen made me even more apprehensive. A first flick through the tables and figures also showed some horrendous mistakes (e.g. Fig. 4.4 shows HLAA2 to be absent from caucasians when it is actually present in over 50% of this ethnic group). The rather plato outside cover and poorish quality of the figures completed the picture of initial depression. When I commenced reading the book,
The artful dodgers
The Consequences of Chromosome Imbalance: Principles, Mechanisms andModels by Charles J. Epstein, Cambridge University Press, 1986. £45/$59.50 (xxi + 486 pages) ISBN 0521 25464 7 'This book is about a major human problem, one which affects human existence from conception to death.' So writes the author in his introduction to a
splendid, wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion on gone dosage effects and the consequences of aneuploidy in man. The importance of aneuploidy in our own species cannot be overstated when up to 20% or so of human concepti abort because of chromosome imbalance and around 1 in every 200 live-born babies are a,euploid, arriving in this world with a deficiency of a whole chromosome or the burden of an extra chromosome.
K. I. WELSH
Tissue Typingand Molecularlmmunogenetics, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
P. BORST
Netkedands Cancerlnsituta, 1066CX Amsterdam. The Netkedands.
1987, Eleewet Saence Publmhere B V,, Amsterdam 0168 - 9525J87/$0200
ok
reviews
TIG [ 3 ] - - ] a n u a r j 1987 however, I was very pleasantly surprised, as were several other members of my group. The author has an original style and has included gems of information and chosen references which are both interesting and different from those quoted in the most popular books on the subject. The hand-drawn diagrams suit the text and explain the more difficult points well; in fact 1 liked them better (albeit at second glance) than the usual colour reproductions. The section on complement is particularly good and has been reasonably well revised since the first edition. In contrast, appendix H is short and incomplete. For example, the stock in trade of the modem immunogenic laboratory, the Southern blot technique, does not get a mention. However, the author does state that the choice of topics reflects his own interests and indeed the more thorough sections have been updated well. From the point of view of a practising
immunologisttherefore the book is easily readable, easily understandable and provides useful general and specific information, especially in the areas of the author's interest. It is even fun spotting the non-text errors! The book also provides w,~li argued, but not didactic, comments about the uses of each section of immunogenetics and will be of use in this respect to open-minded students as well as to those of us whose conclusions may be somewhat different. I shall certainly recommend this book to immunology and medical students. Unfortunately one has to begin reading the book to understand its charm and clarity of style. Its packaging will not attract the casual reader - although its price might.
no gene repertoire, but relies on genetic drift and shift, briefly reviewed by J. J. Antigenic Variation in Infectious Skehel and D. C. Wiley. The drift occurs by point mutations in the exposed part of Diseases the surface haemagglutinin; the high rate edited by T. H. Birkbeck and C. W. of drift reflects the low fidelity of viral Penn, IRL Press, 1986. £32.00/$58.00 polymerases. The shift occurs by intro(hbk) £20,001536.00 (pbk) (x + 170 duction of a new haemagghtinin into the pages) ISBN 0 94746 99 3 virus, via reassortment of genes during a 'Games parasites play' is the title of an mixed infection of human and animal entertaining article by Barry Bloom, viruses. Antigenic variation by genetic published seven years ago in Nature drtft is also seen in retroviruses, here (279, pp. 21-26, 1979). One of these represented by articles on lentiviruses of games is the antigenic variation that sheep and goats (Narayan el at) and of parasites use to dodge a host's defense. horses (Montelarn et al.). This book discusses the main represenThis book, which arose from a tatives of these artful dodgers. symposium in September 1985, provides Antigenic variation in parasites is of a nice and fairly complete overview of the two types: trypanosome and influenza. field of antigenic variation. It emphasizes African trypanosomes (competently de- the biology of host-parasite relations and scribed by M. J. Turner) have a large shows that changes in surface proteins repertoire of genes each coding for a can serve purposes other than immune s'~,glc co,t-protein species. By expres. evasion. It also includes aspects that are sing these genes one after the other the usually not in the limelight, like firnhrial parasite population survives in immune- variation in E. coil (discussed by Smith) competent hosts. Other examples of this or variation of surface proteins in type of antigenic variation are found in Bordetella pertussis (discussed by Robingonococci (discussed by Heckels and by son at al.). Sannders) and in Borrelia (discussed by The degree of detail provided on each Plasterk et al.). of these topics varies: the account by Influenza virus on the other hand has Plasterk at al, on Borrelia covers both
the biology and the molecular basis of antigenic variation and a highly readable text is illustrated with clear graphs and figures of key results. The authors were, of course, in the fortunate position that the full story can still be told in 20 pages and that they generated most of the data for this story themselves. Other topics get a less balanced treatment. The control of genes by DNA inversion in bacteria and bacteriophages and the intricate DHA rearrangements controlling the variation in pilus composition and surface proteins of gonococci get only one (good) chapter, which is rather stingy. The parasitic protozoa are compressed into 17 pages and have to do without a single illustration. Bordatella and the retroviruses, on the other hand, are discussed in great detail; the equine infectious anemia virus gets three pages for its tryptic peptide maps, which contribute little insight into possible mechanisms. Notwithstanding these blemishes, this is a useful compendium for people interested in antigenic variation.
Aneuploidy: a problem from conception to death
Moreover, it has become increasingly evident that partial aneuploidies, involving one or at most a few gene loci, play a major role in a variety of inherited diseases, in inherited predispositions to certain cancers and also in the development of neoplasms that are largely a consequence of environmental exposure to carcinogens. Genomic imbalance is c[ear|y a major problem to human health. Epstein begins his book with an outline survey of the morphological features ('clinical observation') associated with
Deceptive packaging Human lmmunogenetics: Principles and Clinical Applications
by J. E. Bernal, Taylor and Francis, 1986. £24 (hbk) £12 (pbk) (x + 217pages) ISBN 0 85066 334 2 My first thought when readmg the title and seeing the rather small size of this book was that it would not provide enough depth in any section to be of use. A preliminary glance at the average a ~ of the references and at those chosen made me even more apprehensive. A first flick through the tables and figures also showed some horrendous mistakes (e.g. Fig. 4.4 shows HLAA2 to be absent from caucasians when it is actually present in over 50% of this ethnic group). The rather plato outside cover and poorish quality of the figures completed the picture of initial depression. When I commenced reading the book,
The artful dodgers
The Consequences of Chromosome Imbalance: Principles, Mechanisms andModels by Charles J. Epstein, Cambridge University Press, 1986. £45/$59.50 (xxi + 486 pages) ISBN 0521 25464 7 'This book is about a major human problem, one which affects human existence from conception to death.' So writes the author in his introduction to a
splendid, wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion on gone dosage effects and the consequences of aneuploidy in man. The importance of aneuploidy in our own species cannot be overstated when up to 20% or so of human concepti abort because of chromosome imbalance and around 1 in every 200 live-born babies are a,euploid, arriving in this world with a deficiency of a whole chromosome or the burden of an extra chromosome.
K. I. WELSH
Tissue Typingand Molecularlmmunogenetics, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
P. BORST
Netkedands Cancerlnsituta, 1066CX Amsterdam. The Netkedands.
1987, Eleewet Saence Publmhere B V,, Amsterdam 0168 - 9525J87/$0200