Electrical activity of sinoatrial node cells of the rabbit surviving a long exposure to cold Tyrode's solution

The right atrium including the sinoatrial node was excised from the rabbit heart, immersed in Tyrode's solution, and kept at 0-3 degrees C for several days. The tissue then was warmed to 36-37 degrees C in well oxygenated Tyrode's solution. Transmembrane potentials from cells in the sinoatrial node region and the right atrium were recorded with microelectrodes. After 3 days of storage, the maximum diastolic potential of cells in the sinoatrial node region decreased, but the configuration of the action potential was identical to that of the pacemaker pacemaker potential in the fresh preparation. After 5-7 days of storage, the sinoatrial node tissues in some preparations showed well preserved membrane potentials and pacemaker activity, while in others, the cells were electrically quiescent, or showed subthreshold oscillatory potentials of low amplitude. Transmembrane potentials could not be recorded from the right atrial tissue after storage for this period. Sinoatrial node action potentials with normal configuration were recorded from preparations stored for longer than 10 days. The sinoatrial cells in these preparations responded well to norepinephrine and acetylcholine, indicating that the reactivity of receptors was well preserved. The results provide electrophysiological evidence that cells in the sinoatrial node region can withstand long exposure to cold and retain their sensitivity to neuromediator action, but atrial myocardial cells cannot.

Characterization of an early cytotoxicity-inducing factor in sera of Japanese quails after inoculation with Rous sarcoma virus

By pre-treatment with serum of normal spleen cells used in the microcytotoxicity assay, a humoral factor which induces cytotoxic activity in normal spleen cells was demonstrated in about 40% of sera of Japanese quails as early as 3 days after inoculation with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). This cytotoxicity-inducing activity was not present either in the IgM or the IgG fraction obtained by Sephadex gel filtration. In sera of quails with experimentally induced agammaglobulinemia, the cytotoxicity-inducing activity was demonstrated at the same frequency as in normal animals. Thus, it seems unlikely that the early cytotoxicity-inducing factor is an immunoglobulin. On the other hand, membrane fractions extracted with 3 M potassium chloride from the RSV-induced quail tumor (QT) cells used as target cells in the microcytotoxicity assay exhibited cytotoxicity-inducing activity. After spontaneous regression of an RSV-induced tumor the serum of the regressor quail contained antibodies specific to the QT cell extract. This serum removed the cytotoxicity-inducing activity of both QT cell extract and serum sampled 3 days after RSV inoculation. In contrast, serum without antibody to the QT cell extract failed to absorb the cytotoxicity-inducing activity of the extract. It is therefore suggested that soluble tumor antigens can act as an early cytotoxicity-inducing factor.

Temporal analysis of cellular cytotoxicity and humoral factors during progession and regression of Rous sarcomas in Japanese quails

Temporal appearance of cellular cytotoxicity and humoral activities including blocking and arming activities during the entire course of Rous sarcoma development in Japanese quails was examined by microcytotoxicity assay with comparison of animals bearing regressing tumors induced by a moderate dose of virus (regressors) and animals bearing growing tumors induced by a large dose of virus (progressors). Cellular cytotoxicity of the spleen cells in regressors was detected in a biphasic pattern; the first phase being observed as early as 3-5 days post inoculation (p.i.), followed by an eclipse period between 7-10 days p.i. which was the time of active tumor growth, and the second phase occurring after 12 days p.i. when the tumor had attained the maximum size. In progressors, only the first phase was observed. Instead, a stimulatory effect of the spleen cells on growth of target cells was noticed. Arming activity which confers cytotoxic activity on the normal spleen cells was demonstrated in the sera of regressors in the similar biphasic pattern as the cellular cytotoxicity; the early activity being present at 3 days p.i., and the late one after 19 days p.i. The former was detected by pre-incubation of serum with effector cells in microcytotoxicity assay and the latter by pre-incubation with target cells. In progressors, only the early arming activity which reacts with effector cells was demonstrated. Blocking activity which abrogates cellular cytotoxicity was demonstrated in both regressors and progressors but in different patterns of appearance, that is, blocking activity in regressors was only transiently demonstrated only by pre-incubation with effector cells at the time of maximum tumor growth, while the activity in progressors seemed to persist after the tumor reached the maximum size. Since the earlier activity was found to be effective at effector cell level, and the later one at both effector and target cell levels, participation of blocking factors of different types in progressors was also suggested.

Histopathological observations of spontaneous regression of Rous sarcomas in Japanese quails

Turmors induced in Japanese quails by the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of Rous sarcoma virus were examined histopathologically. The following three phases were recognized in the quails whose tumors regressed finally (regressor). Phase I was between days 4 and 7 of virus inoculation, when growth of tumor cells was seen with predominant infiltration of heterophils. Phase II, from days 10 to 14, was characterized by necrosis of tumor cells and focal accumulation of lymphoid cells which frequently formed follicle-like nodules. In phase III from days 18 to 24, tumor cells and heterophils disappeared, whereas diffuse infilitration of lymphoid cells, plasma cells and histiocytes were demonstrated. In the quails whose tumors progressed (progressor), growth of tumor cells and infiltration of heterophils at phase I seemed to follow a pattern similar to that of regressors, but subsequent infiltration and focal accumulation of lymphoid cells were rare. These morphological findings suggested an immunological reaction against tumor cells by lymphoid cells.

Growth of measles virus in nervous tissues. III. Neurovirulence of SSPE virus in ferrets

The Niigata-1 strain isolated from a patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) was inoculated intracerebrally into ferrets. Neurological signs developed in about 1 week in most of the animals. Histopathological examinations of the central nervous tissues revealed degenerative lesions in the parenchyma of the brains and inflammatory reactions predominantly in the meninges and choroid plexus. Virus antigen was demonstrated mainly in the nerve cells by immunofluorescent staining. The results indicated high affinity of the Niigata-1 strain to the nerve cells. In contrast, the Mantooth strain of SSPE virus in cell-free state did not exhibit neurovirulence in ferrets.

Pathogenesis of rinderpest virus infection in rabbits. I. Clinical signs, immune response, histological changes, and virus growth patterns

Rabbits were intravenously inoculated with an attenuated rinderpest virus (L strain), and general patterns of the disease were investigated. The rabbits developed fever with concomitant occurrence of diarrhea and lymphopenia. Early production of interferon was followed by a rise of neutralizing antibody. Histological examinations revealed an involvement of all of the lymphoid tissues, with primary lesions consisting of necrosis of the lymphoid follicles and formation of giant cells. Immunofluorescent examinations suggested that the virus growth was present in almost all of the lymphoid tissues. The possibility of application of this experimental system for the study of systemic infection by measles virus was discussed.

Pathogenesis of rinderpest virus infection in rabbits. II. Effect of rinderpest virus on the immune functions of rabbits

Rinderpest virus infection was shown to induce marked suppression of both humoral antibody response and cell-mediated immunity in rabbits. The virus exhibited a suppressive effect on primary antibody response as indicated by a decrease in numbers of plaque-forming cells (immunoglobulin [Ig]M) and hemagglutinating antibody titers of both IgM and IgG types to sheep red blood cells, whereas there was no detectable effect of the virus on the production of memory cells. Virus-induced suppression of cell-mediated immunity was demonstrated by a decreased rate of proliferative response of peripheral lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin stimulus and by a depression of delayed-type skin reactions to purified protein derivative. Such suppressive effects were indicated to persist for 14 days or longer. Alteration in phagocytic activity of the reticuloendothelial system was not observed. The relevance of the virus-induced histological lesions in the lymphoid tissues to the virus-induced immunosuppression was discussed.