-book reviews 38 Shoenfeld, Y., Brill, S., Weinberger, A. etaL (1986)Acta Hematol. 76, 107-109 39 Parekh, R.B., Dwek, R.A., Sutton, B.J. etal. (1985)Nature 316, 452-457 40 Axford, J., Mackenzie, L., Lydyard, P.M. et al. (1987) Lancet ii, 1486-1488 41 Holoshitz, J., Matitiau, A., Cohen, I.R. (1984) J. Clin. Invest. 73, 211-215 42 Van Eden, W., Holoshitz, J., Nevo, A. etal. (1985) Proc New York Acad. Sci. 82, 5117-5120 43 Muller, I. and Kaufmann, S.H.E. (1985)Infect. Immun. 49, 838-840 44 Abrahamsen, T.G., Froland, S.S. and Natvig, J.B. (1978) Scand. J. Immunol. 7, 81-90 45 Holoshitz, J., Drucker, I., Yaretzky, A. etal. (1986) Lancet ii, 305-309 45 Husby, G., Gran, J.T., Ostensen, M. etal. (1979)Lancet i, 54-59 47 Sontheimer, R.D., Maddison, PJ. and Reichlin, M. (1982) Ann. Intern. Med. 97, 664-671 48 Benacerraf, B. (1981) Science 212, 1229-1238 49 Moiler, G. (1983) ImmunoL Rev. Vol. 70 50 Ottenhoff, T.H.M., Torres, P., Las Aquas, J.T. etaL (1986) Lancet ii, 31 0-312 51 Van Eden, W.0 De Vries, R.R.P., Stanford, J.L. etal. (1983) Clin. Exp. Immunol. 52,287-292

Immunology Today, VoL 9, No. 6, 1988

52 Bloom, B.R. and Godal, T. (1983) Rev. Infect. Dis. 5, 765-780 53 Edwards, L.B., Edwards, P.Q. and Palmer, C.E. (1959)Acta Tuberc. Stand. Supp. 47, 77-82 S4 Belier, D.I., Kiely, J.M. and Unanue, E.R. (1980) J. Immunol. 124, 426-432 55 Ezekowitz, R.A.B., Austyn, J. and Stahl, P.D. (1981)J. Exp. Med. 154, 60-76 56 Meltzer, M.S. and Oppenheim, J.J. (1977) J. Immunol. 118, 77--82 57 Sela, O., EI-Roeiy, A., Pick, A.I. and Shoenfeld, Y. (1987) Immunol. Lett. 15, 112-120 S8 Paterson, P.Y. (1981)Recomb. DNA Tech. Bull. 4, 98-107 59 Shaw, C.M., Alvord, E.C., Fahlbcrg, W.J. and Kies, M.W. (1964) ./. Im,,,und. c,~_,:. 28-40 50 Kennedy, R.C., Eichberg, J.W., Landford, R.E. etaL (1986) Science 232,220-223 51 Cohen, I.R., Holosl.itz, J., van Eden, W. etaL (1985)Arthritis Rheum. 28, 841-845 52 Holoshitz, J., Naparstek, Y., Ben-Nun, A. et aL (1983) Science 129, 56-58 53 Van Eden, W., Holoshitz, J. and Cohen, I. (1987) Concepts ImmunopathoL 4, 144-170 64 Lider, 0., Karin, N., Shinitzky, M. and Cohen, I.R. (1987) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 84. 4577-4580

182

Immunology: A Short Course

by Eli Benjamini and Sidney Leskowitz, Alan R. Liss, Inc, 1988. £15.75, $22.95 (xv + 390

pages) ISBN 0 84514228 3

This introductory immunology text (in its first edition) must compete with a variety of other introductory texts which h~vp ~lr~dv m;atiJr~rl ti~rOugi~ .... mui~p/e -edit /ons:- '3he authors' justification for developing a new text is clearly articulated in their Preface: "to present the bare essentials of immunology in a palat- able form that will enable most students to grasp the essential prin- ciples of immunology sufficiently to pass their course".

The format for the presentation is well suited to this stated purpose. Most of the 20 chapters conform to a standard format: a brief intro- duction, 8-14 pages of narrative, and 2-3 pages containing typically the following learning aids: 4-7 brief summary statements of the essentials, 4-7 references, 7-9 review questions and then explana- tory answers to those questions. Much of the narrative is well con- structed and readable. The sum- maries provide a useful review of highlights. The references are typi- cally well chosen: perhaps half have been published in the past four years. There is a useful glossary at

the end of the book containing about 150 of the most important terms highlighted in the text.

Three of the chapters are particu- larly robust in size and content: (1) antigen-antibody interactions, (2) hypersensitivity reactions and (3) immunoprophylaxis and immuno- therapy (contributed by Demos- thenes Pappagianis of University of California, Davis). Many others are v ~ r v r~:~H:=hl,- =n i l r n h , ~ r , ~ n f n ~ r f l r ~ , _

larly the several chapters on antibody structure and function, and those on the damaging effects of the immune response (hypersensitivity, delayed- type hypersensitivity). Treatment of other topics such as complement, auto-immunity, immunodeficiency and transplantation are quite ad- equate, although perhaps they may not be as effective in engaging the student's interest.

Overall, the text is strongly biased towards elements that have been important historically, not necessarily keeping up with recent develop- ments that are at least as critical to understanding the field. In this respect this text is very traditional - emphasizing antibody structure/ function and clinical manifestations of the immune response. Despite my attempts to achieve a perspective uncolored by a personal interest in cellular immunology, I am dis- appointed by the failure of this text, like many other introductory textbooks, to provide a comprehen-

sible treatment of cellular immu- nology. Consider some examples of choice of material which illustrate the deficiencies in cellular immu- nology and other areas of recent advances: there is rather extensive treatment of antibody structure and the generation of its diversity with essentially no discussion of develop- ments in the past several years regarding the T-cell receptor and

antigen recognized by B cells is dealt with in detail while the concept of a peptide fragment recognized by T cells is ignored; effector mechan- isms involving antibody are outlined well but the function of cytotoxic cells is mentioned only in passing; lymphokines are neglected; leuko- cyte adhesion deficiency, an immunodeficiency with newly de- fined molecular defect, is unmen- tioned.

Insufficient attention to detail in the construction and editing also limit the clarity, brevity and read- ability. For example, there is peculiar overlap between two chapters (genetic control and transplantation) in discussion of the MHC region/ products and MHC/disease associ- ation. Terms and concepts are some- times used without being sufficiently explained. For example, H-2 k is used without having introduced the idea of an H-2 haplotype or the meaning of the designation H-2 k. Terms are used imprecisely: for example the

1988, Elsevier Publications, Cambridge 0167-49191881502,00

Immunology Today, Vol. 9, No. 6, 1988

anachronistic and misleading term 'D locus' is used when 'DR locus' is meant. Cross-referencing within the text is done less frequently than is desirable. The indexing is adequate but not outstanding; its most consis- tent omissions are abbreviations used commonly in the book (such as IL-2, PMN or CDR). The illustrations are colorful and simple, but are sometimes misleading in their over- simplification, for example showing

a closer association of the T-cell idiotypic receptor with T4 than with T3 and showing a single comple- ment gene locus in the MHC.

It requires more skill and care in writing to compress essential immunology into few words than to write at length about it. To do so requires singularly careful selection of material, and attention to every detail of the construction of the whole; neither of these require-

book rev/e $- ments has been fully met This text, although satisfactory in many respects, has not fully achieved the formidable feat of distilling immunology into 358 small pages of engaging text.

Stephen Shaw

Immunology Branch, National Cancer Insti- tute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,

MD 20892 USA.-._.__

Tumour Necrosis Factor and Related Cytokines (CIBA Foundation Symposium

131)

edited by Gregory Bock and Joan Marsh, John Wiley & Sons, 1987. £28.95 (ix + 241 pages)

ISBN 0 471 91097

Strange though it may seem, but four years have elapsed since TNF-od cachectin and TNF-13/lymphotoxin were defined only as bioactivities emanating from macrophages and lymphocytes, respectively: now both molecules have been isolated, crys- tallized, and intensively analysed as pure substances capable of drasti- cally altering host physiology in a variety of ways. Thus, one may grasp that TNF research has been among the most rapidly changing fields in modern biological science.

Tumour Necrosis Factor and Re- lated Cytokines, published follow- ing a symposium held in January, 1987, at the Ciba Foundation in Lon- don, provides only a still photo of this rapidly changing field. Yet it is a very informative documentary work, which touches most of the key issues under study today, including those that remain controversial.

Notably absent from this mono- graph are important data that have emerged since the symposium was held, which are now familiar to all workers in the field. Examples in- clude the studies of Oliff and his colleagues, who examined the wast- ing syndrome produced by TNF/ cachectin, recent work implicating lymphotoxin as a mediator of hyper- calcemia and bone resorption in multiple myeloma, studies suggest- ing the role of TNF/cachectin in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria, and experiments pointing to a role

played by TNF/cachectin in the early phase of graft-versus-host reactions. These omissions aside, virtually every aspect of current TNF research is discussed, including the structure of TNF/cachectin and lymphotoxin, an analysis of the mechanism by which these factors exert their cytolytic effect, the kinetics and control of TNF/cachectin biosynthesis, physio- logical responses to TNF/cachectin, and early data arising from clinical studies of this hormone, applied as an anti-neoplastic agent. The discus- sions following each section of the symposium serve to probe and to amplify the perspective of the par- ticipants. The exchange is often quite spirited, and in many instances leads the reader to the limits of c_urr_ent thought about these remark- aule cy[oKines. While at one time considered to be highly selective anti-neoplastic agents, the present concept of these cytokines as

proinflammatory mediators is made clear repeatedly throughout the text; this consensus is, in itself, a valuable contribution.

This book will certainly introduce a newcomer to the TNF field, and will serve to inform casually interested observers (of which there are many) of the principal actions of these cyto- kines, their potential uses, and their liabilities. Also, as c~okine research has become very broad in its scope, those expert in separate aspects of the field could benefit from a com- pendium such as this.

As a valuable landmark in an un- finished journey, Tumour Necrosis Factor and Related Cytokines is to be highly recommended.

Bruce Beutler

University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvrd,

Dallas, TX 75235- 9050, USA.

Immunology, Immunopathology and

Immunity

by Stuart Sell, Elsevier Science Publishing Co., 1987. $55.00 (xvi + 852 pages) ISBN

0444011374

This large single-author textbook aims to cover the fields of basic immunology and immunopathology coherently and comprehensively but without excessive detail. It is suitable for students and new ~raduates, especially with a medical bias, and is not intended for specialized clin- icians or research workers. This fourth edition has been extensively revised and expanded and it is

copiously illustrated with summary tables and diagrams, most of which are helpful and augment the text. However, there are no photographs taken from real life. There is no doubt that in general this book achieves its stated aims, and it is therefore a very useful guide to the field, and a reasonably up-to-date summary of current knowledge. Par- ticularly valuable are the lists of ref- erences at the end of each chapter (some of them from 1985 and 1986).

The 29 chapters are arranged in sections dealing with basic cellular and biochemical immunology, with all aspects of immunopathology, and with immunity to infection/ immunodeficiency. There is fairly

(~ 1988, Elsevier Publications, Cambridge 0167 - 4919/88/$02.00

183