T cell recognition of allopeptides in context of syngeneic MHC

We have analyzed the ability of T cells to recognize peptides corresponding in sequence to an allogeneic HLA-DR molecule, in context of syngeneic MHC. PBMC from a responder with the HLA-DR beta 1*1101/DR beta 1*1201 genotype were stimulated in vitro with a mixture of four synthetic peptides derived from the first domain of the DR beta 1*0101 chain (amino acid residue 1-20, 21-42, 43-62, and 66-90). An alloreactive T cell line, TCL-LS, which proliferates only in response to peptide 21-42 presented by HLA-DR beta 1*1101, was obtained. The blastogenic response of the line was inhibited by anti-HLA-DR and CD4 antibodies but was not affected by antibodies to HLA-DQ, HLA-DP, HLA-ABC, and CD8. In the presence of irradiated, autologous APC, TCL-LS displayed specific proliferative responses to stimulating cells obtained from individuals carrying the DR beta 1*0101 allele. In the absence of autologous APC, TCL-LS recognized HLA-DR1 on allogeneic cells only when expressed together with HLA-DR beta 1*1101, the restrictive element. This indicates that TCL-LS recognizes processed HLA-DR1 molecule presented as nominal Ag. Study of TCR-V beta gene repertoire expressed by TCL-LS showed that only two V beta genes were used (V beta 13.2 and V beta 12). Two T cell clones (TCC) derived from this line, TCC-A5 and B4, exhibited a similar pattern of reactivity and expressed V beta 13.2. These results indicate that T cells recognizing peptides, which are derived from the breakdown of allogeneic MHC class II proteins and are presented by self-HLA-DR molecules, participate in allorecognition.

[A systematic study on comprehensive utilization of fibers of radix Ophiopogonis]

The components, toxicology, bioactivity and application of fibers of Radix Ophiopogonis (RO) were studied. The components of its fibers and roots are similar. In a clinical study with 100 aged patients, the aging syndromes were markedly improved. No side-effect was found.

Long-stay older patients in acute hospitals: are they bed blockers?

This analysis of the use of acute hospitals by older people identifies the extent of long stays by elderly patients and the eventual outcomes of these stays in terms of separations to residential care or the community. The effect of casemix on length of stay and differences associated with location of hospital are also discussed. Less than 0.5% of all acute hospital inpatients are older people who could be considered nursing home type patients. These patients use some 9% of all acute bed days and, in most cases, these beds would otherwise be unoccupied. It is unlikely therefore that they are 'blocking' beds that could be used to relieve waiting lists.

[Effects of Ligusticum wallichii on the plasma levels of beta-thromboglobulin, platelet factor 4, thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in patients with acute cerebral infarction]

By using ELISA and RIA to measure the levels of Beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), platelet factor 4(PF4), thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) in plasma of patients with acute cerebral infarction, the authors found that the levels of beta-TG, PF4 and TXB2 in plasma had significantly increased (P less than 0.01), but the level of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in plasma showed no change (P greater than 0.05). The results of the Ligusticum wallichii (Ligusticum) treatment to the test-group showed that the levels of beta-TG, PF4 and TXB2 in plasma had significantly decreased (P less than 0.01), and the level of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in plasma had significantly increased (P less than 0.05). This suggested that the Ligusticum treatment could effectively inhibit the platelet activation in vivo and correct the TXA2-PGI2 imbalance in blood of the patients. In this study, some new approaches were explored to explain the mechanisms of Ligusticum for preventing and treating cerebral ischemia.

[The relationship between hepatitis B and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system]

The angiotensin II (AT II) levels in plasma were measured 68 times by using radio-immunoassay in 30 patients with viral hepatitis B (HB) and in 35 healthy persons as the control group. The results showed that the AT II levels of patients with HB were much higher than those of the control group (P less than 0.001). They were 219.25 +/- 91.31 ng/L and 60.70 +/- 10.73 ng/L, respectively. These indicated that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) of the patients was in exciting state. The levels of 8 cases of severe chronic active hepatitis (SCAH) (AT II = 270.40 +/- 106.55 ng/L, 6 cases of subacute fulminant hepatitis (SFH) (AT II = 332.80 +/- 140.12 ng/L), and 4 cases of hepatocirrhosis (HC) (AT II = 218.50 +/- 97.64 pg/ml) were all higher than those of 8 cases of chronic active hepatitis (CAH) (100.50 +/- 83.81 ng/L) and those of 4 cases of acute icteric hepatitis (A1H) (123.33 +/- 64.97 ng/L). These findings showed that the levels of AT II were directly related with the severity of the illness. The AT II levels of 8 cases of HRS (270.50 +/- 66.31 ng/L) were higher that those without HRS (174.50 +/- 78.48 ng/L). After treatment with captopril (CPT), the renal function of the patients returned to normal and the patients got better, while the AT II levels decreased greatly. The results suggested that high AT II levels in plasma may be one of the causes aggressing the HRS. The CPT may inhibit the produce of AT II and there are some therapeutic effects for the HRS.

Regional changes in hemodynamics and cardiac myocyte size in rats with aortocaval fistulas. 1. Developing and established hypertrophy

The effects of a large arteriovenous fistula on left and right ventricular hemodynamics and cardiac myocyte size were examined in adult rats at 1 week and 1 month after surgery. Cardiac output, left ventricular function, and right ventricular function were evaluated before obtaining isolated myocytes for cell size measurements. Average heart weight increased 35% at 1 week and 86% at 1 month in rats with fistulas. In general, myocyte hypertrophy was due to a proportional increase in length and width (length/width ratio remained constant). This change was more evident in the large hearts from rats with 1-month fistulas. At both the 1-week and 1-month intervals, the hypertrophic response of right ventricular myocytes was slightly greater than that observed in the left ventricle or interventricular septum. Left ventricular systolic pressure and dP/dtmax were significantly reduced at 1 week but returned to normal after 1 month of overloading. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was increased approximately fivefold and twofold at 1 week and 1 month, respectively. Right ventricular systolic pressure and dP/dtmax were increased at both intervals examined. We conclude that severe volume overloading from a large aortocaval fistula in the rat is characterized by 1) depressed left ventricular function at 1 week followed by a large compensatory hypertrophy and near normal function at 1 month, 2) right ventricular pressure overload, and 3) changes in myocyte shape that resemble normal physiological growth.

Regional changes in hemodynamics and cardiac myocyte size in rats with aortocaval fistulas. 2. Long-term effects

Regional changes in hemodynamics and cardiac myocyte size were examined in adult rats 5 months after creating a large aortocaval fistula. At that time, cardiac output, left and right ventricular pressures, and left and right ventricular dP/dtmax were measured. Subsequently, isolated cardiac myocytes were collected from the left ventricle, right ventricle, and septum for cell size measurements. Compared with sham-operated controls, percent dry weight was reduced in the liver and kidney but was unchanged in the lung. Heart rate, left ventricular systolic pressure, left ventricular dP/dtmax, and systolic aortic pressure were not changed in rats with fistulas. However, cardiac output, stroke volume, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and all measured parameters in the right ventricle were significantly increased. Mean cell volume and the ratio of heart weight to body weight were both elevated 92%. Cell volume, cell length, and cross-sectional area increased significantly in each heart region examined. Hypertrophy was more pronounced in cells from the right ventricle and the endomyocardium of the left ventricle. The percentage of cells with mononucleation or binucleation was not changed in any heart region of rats with fistulas. In summary, despite evidence of renal and hepatic congestion, most indexes of cardiac function were normal or elevated 5 months after creation of a large volume-overload-induced hypertrophy. Data from isolated cardiac myocytes suggested that cellular hypertrophy, rather than hyperplasia, was responsible for the increased cardiac mass.

[Identification of twenty-eight species mycobacteria with their cellular fatty acids by capillary gas chromatography]

Cellular fatty acid (FA) of 28 species of mycobacteria were analysed by capillary gas chromatography (GC). There were more than sixty volatile FA before C12:0 have no any difference between species both in quality and quantity. The identification scheme of Mycobacterium based on cellular FA was presented here. According to this scheme, all the tested species could be divided into 8 groups by the FA peak height order of C18:1, C18:0 and TBSA which were quite stable; after that, 17 species (60%) might be identified to species level with help of some distinctive FA such as C19:0, C21:0. Most pathogenic bacteria could be separated by the scheme (M. tuberculosis, M. bovis and some complexes). This scheme was also demonstrated to be objective rationality by computer cluster analysis with cellular FA components.

[Effects of nifedipine on pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases--a comparison with oxygen administration]

We evaluated the effects of the calcium channel blocker nifedipine (Nf) as a vasodilator compared with oxygen administration on pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular performance in 15 patients with COPD. 1. Compared with baseline, sublingual administration of Nf (average dose 39.3mg) decreased mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and total pulmonary vascular resistance (TPVR) significantly. Cardiac index (CI) and oxygen transport were increased. PaO2 were unchanged and PvO2 were slightly increased after administration of Nf. 2. Compared with oxygen administration, Nf caused significant fall of TPVR. CI and oxygen transport increased. 3. In eleven of 15 patients, continued hourly Nf doses (from 20 to 60mg) produced a significant reduction in mPAP and TPVR. All patients but one did not produce symptomatic systemic hypotension. We considered that higher dose (30mg) of Nf was required to produce marked hemodynamic response in patients with COPD without any side effect.

Anterior tarsal tunnel syndrome

We have reviewed 10 patients treated for anterior tarsal tunnel syndrome produced by compression of the deep peroneal nerve or its branches, and we have studied the anatomy of the tunnel in 25 adult feet. The causes of onset of the syndrome included contusion of the dorsum of the foot, tight shoe laces, talonavicular osteophytosis, ganglion, and pes cavus. The clinical signs were often diagnostic but electromyography was helpful. Operative decompression in nine feet of eight patients gave successful results at 1.5 to 4 years follow-up.

Intrathalamic injections of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid increase genetic absence seizures in rats

The effects of intrathalamic injections of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and of NCS 382 85, a specific antagonist of GHB receptors, were evaluated in rats with spontaneous generalized absence epilepsy. Bilateral injections of GHB (25 and 50 micrograms/side) into the mediolateral thalamus increased spontaneous spike and wave discharges (SWD) in a dose-dependent fashion. This effect was suppressed by administration of NCS 382 85 (50 micrograms/side). Bilateral injection of NCS 382 85 alone (50 and 100 micrograms/side) into the same sites had no effect on SWD duration. Injection of GHB or NCS 382 85 into the midline thalamus and the area of reticular nuclei did not modify the SWD. These data suggest that GHB receptors in the mediolateral thalamus may be involved in the control of spontaneous SWD in this rat model of petit mal epilepsy.

Evidence for a critical role of GABAergic transmission within the thalamus in the genesis and control of absence seizures in the rat

The involvement of GABAergic transmission within the thalamus in the generation and control of spike and wave discharges (SWD) in generalized non-convulsive or absence epilepsy was studied in rats with spontaneous SWD and in non-epileptic rats. In epileptic rats, bilateral injections of gamma-vinyl GABA (GVG, 10 micrograms/side) or muscimol (10 ng/side) into the medial part of the ventral lateral thalamus, i.e. the specific relay nuclei, significantly increased spontaneous cortical SWD whereas similar injections into the most lateral part of the thalamus, i.e. the area of the reticular nuclei, significantly suppressed these seizures. Injections of GVG (20 micrograms) or muscimol (20 ng) into the midline thalamus had no direct effect on the spontaneous SWD. In non-epileptic rats, injections of GVG (25 micrograms/side) or muscimol (100 ng/side) into the thalamic relay nuclei produced short SWD on the cortical EEG. These results suggest that GABAergic neurons in the reticular nuclei and their projections to the specific relay nuclei of the thalamus are involved in the elicitation and control of generalized non-convulsive seizures.

[Pulmonary artery pressure estimated by Doppler echocardiography in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

Doppler echocardiography and right heart catheterization were performed in 18 patients with COPD. The pulmonary blood flow pattern were analysed by the pulsed doppler flowmeter. The pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAT) showed significant inverse correlation with pulmonary artery mean pressure (mPAP) (r = -0.84, P less than 0.001) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (sPAP) (r = -0.89, P less than 0.001). In fifteen of 18 patients, continuous wave doppler could be used to measure the maximal velocity of the regurgitant jet through the tricuspid valve (Vmax), and the right ventricle to the right atrium pressure gradient (PG) was calculated by means of simplified bernoulli equation (PG = 4V2max). PG correlated well with sPAP (r = 0.89, P less than 0.001) and mPAP (r = 0.92, P less than 0.001). We considered that doppler echocardiography was useful for noninvasive estimation of pulmonary artery pressure in patients with COPD.

Changes of glomerular fixed anionic charge sites in adriamycin nephrosis in rats

A single intravenous injection of adriamycin (5 mg/kg) into rats induced nephrotic syndrome. In the various stages of the model, alterations of glomerular fixed anionic charge sites stained with colloidal iron were analyzed quantitatively by image analyzer, which is reported here for the first time. The results showed that there was a significant decrease in glomerular fixed anionic charge sites at 3 hours after administration of adriamycin as compared with the control animals (P less than 0.01). Marked loss of the anionic charge sites preceded the onset of proteinuria and steadily increased along with the progress of the disease. The results suggest that the loss of glomerular fixed anionic charge sites may play an important role in the development of proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome.

[The effect of heat shock on mRNA expression in human T lymphocytes]

Total mRNA was extracted from activated T lymphocytes and Jurkat cells with and without heat shock, and then used for alpha-32P-labeled 1st strand cDNA synthesis with reverse transcriptase. DNA restriction fragments or cloned vectors of five oncogenes (abl, myc, myb, fos, Ki-ras) and of IL-2, IL-2 receptor, T-cell receptor beta-chain and transferrin receptor were dotted onto nitrocellulose filters. Hybridization results showed that the expression of c-myc and TfR mRNA was much lower in heat-shocked cells than in their normal counterparts. However IL-2 and Ki-ras mRNA increased after heat shock. Possible explanations for the results are discussed.