Biological activities of guinea pig mitogenic factor from immune lymphocytes stimulated with antigen

Mitogenic factor was produced by sensitized guinea pig lymph node cells stimulated with a specific antigen. Both T lymphocytes and macrophages were required for the production of this factor. The culture supernatant of lymphocytes containing the mitogenic factor exhibited a strong helping effect on the proliferative response of T lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Mitogenic factor and the factor with the helping activity coeluted in the molecular weight range of 25,000-35,000 daltons in gel filtration. Furthermore the fraction containing mitogenic factor was found to support the proliferation of lymphoblasts induced by PHA or antigen, suggesting that the mitogenic factor may be the guinea pig equivalent of T cell growth factor (TCGF) reported in the mouse, rat, and human. On the other hand, the T cell-activating monokine of the guinea pig, possessing the helping activity for the proliferative response of T lymphocytes to PHA, never exhibited TCGF-like activity.

Degradation of the microbial and salivary components participating in human dental plaque formation by proteases elaborated by plaque bacteria

Twenty-eight strains of facultative, Gram-positive, sporulating bacilli which produce caseinolytic enzymes were isolated from human early dental plaque. A major component of the extracellular caseinolytic enzymes elaborated by strong producers seemed to be neutral zinc proteases. The extracellular proteases inactivated glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans and inhibited the synthesis of adherent glucans from sucrose. The enzymes also degraded the Strep. mutans cell-surface receptor for dextran and glucan, the receptor for salivary agglutinins, located on Streptococcus sanguis cells, and the surface component of Actinomyces viscosus cells involved in co-agglutination with Strep. sanguis cells. The enzymes hydrolysed human whole saliva proteins, which seemed to result in loss of the ability to agglutinate Strep. sanguis cells.

Effect of a glucosyltransferase inhibitor on glucan synthesis and cellular adherence of Streptococcus mutans

The effects of mutastein, a glucosyltransferase inhibitor derived from an Aspergillus terreus strain, on the glucan synthesis by glucosyltransferases of Streptococcus mutans and sucrose-dependent adherence of S. mutans cells were examined in vitro. The synthesis of insoluble glucan by crude glucosyltransferase of S. mutans strain B13 was markedly inhibited by mutastein at a final concentration of 10 micrograms of protein/ml. The synthesis of insoluble glucan adherent to glass surfaces was almost completely inhibited by mutastein at this concentration. In addition, mutastein inhibited the sucrose-dependent adherence to glass surfaces of resting and growing cells of various S. mutans strains. These results suggest that mutastein could be useful for controlling dental plaque and dental caries in vivo.

Bile acid absorption kinetics in Crohn's disease on elemental diet after oral administration of a stable-isotope tracer with chenodeoxycholic-11, 12-d2 acid

A non-radioactive tracer, deuterium, incorporated in chenodeoxycholic acid, was used to study bile acid absorption kinetics employing gas chromatography-mass fragmentography for its analysis. Eight patients with Crohn's disease and four control volunteers were administered chenodeoxycholic-11, 12-d2 acid. In order to obtain constant dietary conditions, they were fed by an elemental diet during the study. There were significant reductions of the biological half-life of chenodeoxycholic-11, 12-d2 acid, the pool size of chenodeoxycholic acid, and the total bile acid pool size in patients with Crohn's disease as compared with those in normal subjects. There was a marked increase in the relative concentration of ursodeoxycholic acid with a concomitant decrease of deoxycholic acid in patients with Crohn's disease, although such differences did not reach statistical significance. The present study confirms that there are some impairments of enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in patients with Crohn's disease.

Production of T cell-activating monokine of guinea pig macrophages induced by MDP and partial characterization of the monokine

The production of T cell-activating factor(s) by macrophages stimulated with muramyl dipeptide (MDP) was studied. By MDP stimulation, a rapid increase in intracellular activity of the T cell-activating factor was induced, which preceded an increase of the activity in the extracellular medium. The rapid appearance of the activity in the cell and that in the medium were both inhibited by cycloheximide or puromycin. These results demonstrated that MDP stimulated rapid production of T cell-activating factors by inducing de novo synthesis of the factors, and that these newly formed factors are rapidly secreted. The activities of intracellular and extracellular secreted factors were both found in high m.w. (50,000 to 90,000) and low m.w. (10,000 to 30,000) fractions by gel filtration. The secreted high m.w. factor migrated as a single peak and did not dissociate into smaller components in SDS-PAGE analysis, indicating that the high m.w. factor is neither a complex of low m.w. factor with other proteins nor an aggregate of low m.w. factors. The properties are similar to those of our previously reported factor that helped antigenic activation of T cells for lymphokine production.

Production of T cell-activating monokine of guinea pig macrophages induced by MDP and partial characterization of the monokine

The production of T cell-activating factor(s) by macrophages stimulated with muramyl dipeptide (MDP) was studied. By MDP stimulation, a rapid increase in intracellular activity of the T cell-activating factor was induced, which preceded an increase of the activity in the extracellular medium. The rapid appearance of the activity in the cell and that in the medium were both inhibited by cycloheximide or puromycin. These results demonstrated that MDP stimulated rapid production of T cell-activating factors by inducing de novo synthesis of the factors, and that these newly formed factors are rapidly secreted. The activities of intracellular and extracellular secreted factors were both found in high m.w. (50,000 to 90,000) and low m.w. (10,000 to 30,000) fractions by gel filtration. The secreted high m.w. factor migrated as a single peak and did not dissociate into smaller components in SDS-PAGE analysis, indicating that the high m.w. factor is neither a complex of low m.w. factor with other proteins nor an aggregate of low m.w. factors. The properties are similar to those of our previously reported factor that helped antigenic activation of T cells for lymphokine production.

Novel antigens of oral Actinomyces species prepared from a cell wall enzyme lysate

Purified cell walls of Actinomyces viscosus and Actinomyces naeslundii were solubilized by the enzymatic action of Ml N-acetylmuramidase. Soluble cell wall carbohydrate antigens were purified by column chromatography. A purified antigen preparation (fraction C) from A. viscosus ATCC 19246 was found to contain deoxyhexoses (rhamnose and 6-deoxytalose), hexosse (galactose, glucose and mannose), and a peptidoglycan component. This preparation gave a single precipitin band against antiserum to homologous whole cells. Similar antigen preparations were purified from Ml enzyme lysate of A. viscosus SK4 and A. naeslundii ATCC 12104 cell walls.

Morphological varieties and host ranges of Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteriophages isolated from seawater

Eighteen bacteriophages lytic for Vibrio parahaemolyticus were isolated from seawater, and their ultrastructure was examined by electron microscopy. Based on the phage morphology, they were classified in four groups. Group I phages consisted of a hexagonal head and a tail with a contractile sheath. All the phages of the other three groups had a relatively long, noncontractile tail, but there were differences in the head structure among these phages. The phages of groups II and III had a hexagonal head and an elongated polyhedral head, respectively. Group IV phages exhibited a unique hexagonal head with knoblike projections. There appeared to be no correlation between the O and K serotypes of V. parahaemolyticus strains and the host ranges of the phages. The phages had varying sensitivities to heat and organic solvents.

Asplenia and polysplenia syndrome

This report described the morphological characteristics of seven cases of asplenia syndrome and three of polysplenia syndrome. Each syndrome has been characterized by a tendency for symmetric development of normally asymmetric organs, with varying degrees of cardiovascular anomalies. These latter anomalies are usually present in asplenia syndrome to a greater extent than in polysplenia syndrome. While, as observed in our material, the conotruncal anomalies were present more commonly in cases with asplenia, and absence of inferior vena cava with azygos continuation was seen specifically in all the cases with polysplenia. This evidence implied the presence of some pathogenetic distinction between the two syndromes.

Ureteric pain in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. Diagnostic approach with ultrasonography and computer tomography

Chronically hemodialyzed patients who experienced ureteric pain were studied using ultrasonography and computer tomography. 6 of 45 dialysis patients complained of flank, lumbar or lower abdominal pain and 4 of these sonography or computer tomography. Ultrasonography was diagnostically superior to computer tomography. Renal stones were observed in 23 out of 45 cases by computer tomography. Ultrasonographic images of small renal stones were sometimes equivocal as compared with computer tomography, but low density stones, not shown by computer tomography, were shown by ultrasonography in a few cases. Therefore, both methods, in combination, are of great value in the diagnosis of asymptomatic renal stones as well as ureteral obstruction in the contracted kidney.

[Absorption, excretion and clinical trials of cefroxadine in the field of pediatrics (author's transl)]

A study was made with the newly developed cefroxadine (CXD) dry syrup by measuring the serum level, urine excretion and recovery rate in 10 children who were orally administered 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg at 1 hour after meals and the following results were gained. Also, its clinical efficacies and side effects were investigated in the following cases who were treated with a mean dose of 33 mg/day divided into 3 to 4 portions for a period of 9 days on the average; viz. a total of 151 cases consisting of 9 cases of pharyngitis, 39 of tonsillitis, 11 of streptococcal infection, i.e. scarlet fever, 7 of bronchitis, 6 of pneumonia, 1 of otitis media, 6 of purulent lymphadenitis, 1 of purulent parotitis, 1 of subcutaneous abscess and 3 of impetigo. 1. The serum level tends to reach its maximum level within 1 hour after administration. The mean concentrations of 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg dose in the foregoing time were 6.35, 9.12 and 21.62 mcg/ml respectively and dose response was observed. CXD showed higher concentration than CEX, CED and CFT. The mean half-life periods of the 3 dose were 72, 84 and 66 minutes respectively and variations were observed, but the drugs maintains a satisfactory serum level. 2. The time which showed highest urine excretion was mainly in the 0 to 2 hours bracket and the average concentrations of 5 , 10 and 20 mg/kg dose in the foregoing time were 381.2, 771.7 and 1,577.7 mcg/ml respectively. The dose response was more evident than in the serum concentrations. The average recovery rates within 6 hours were 93.6, 88.3 and 94.3% respectively and they were similar to those of CEX, CED and CFT. 3. The clinical effects were evaluated were in 148 cases out of the total of 151 and 136 cases, or 91.9% showed good or excellent efficacy response. 4. The daily dose groups of less than 30 mg/kg and 31 to 40 mg/kg formed the majority and there was no difference in the comparison of the clinical effectiveness in these 2 groups. Administration of a daily dose of 20 to 40 mg/kg is sufficient for the treatment of the aforementioned mild diseases except for pneumonia. 5. The clinical effects were compared between the 3 and 4 times a day treatment groups, but there was no difference between these two groups with regard to the foregoing daily dose. The 3 times a day treatment is acceptable, but the 4 times a day treatment is preferable when pharmacokinetics if taken into account. 6. The bacteriological effects in 41 cases, or 97.6% out of the 42 cases were above the efficacy base line and a high efficacy rate was achieved. 7. With regard to side effects, diarrhea developed in 4 cases and eosinophilia in 6 cases, abnormal simultaneous increases in GOT and GPT in 1 case and 1 case each for abnormal values in LDH and BUN were seen in the clinical test values. The foregoing results show that CXD has high efficacy and safety and it can be said that it is a drug required in the pediatric field.

[Clinical trials of cefroxadine on skin and soft tissue infections in the field of pediatrics (author's transl)]

CXD was administered orally at an average dose of 28.6 mg/kg (18.3 approximately 42.3 mg/kg) for an average 6 days (3 approximately 12 days) to a total of 99 pediatric cases with skin and soft tissue infections (impetigo 89, abscess 7 and furuncle 3) ranging from 3 months to 9 years old. The drug was given twice to 4 times per day after meals. The clinical and bacteriological effects and adverse reactions of CXD as well as the susceptibility of the causative organisms against CXD and CEX were studied, and the results obtained are as described below: 1. According to judgement of the attending doctors, CXD had a high global efficacy rate of 90.9%. 2. Analysis of the attending physicians' evaluations of the clinical effects on impetigo revealed that a dose of CXD 20.5 approximately 30.4 mg/kg t.i.d. can produce satisfactory responses. 3. According to the assessments by Evaluation Committee, the global clinical effects after 3, 5 and 7 days were 81.4, 91.2 and 94.6%, respectively. This indicates that clinical responses increased with prolongation of the treatment period, viz. better responses obtained after 5 and 7 days. This suggests that a minimum of 5 days administration is required for treating these infections. 4. As for impetigo having the largest number of patients in this study, a dose of CXD 20.5 approximately 30.4 mg/kg per day seemed to produce satisfactory clinical effects. 5. As for dose per day, the t.i.d. regimen of CXD 20.5 approximately 30.4 mg/kg seemed to exhibit satisfactory clinical responses, as already mentioned. Because of quite a small number of patients on the q.i.d. regimen of higher doses, however, the question of whether the t.i.d. treatment with 20.5 approximately 30.4 mg is adequate or not should be determined by a comparative study between the q.i.d. and t.i.d. treatments. 6. As for bacteriological responses, a high global effect of 87.1% was obtained with CXD against S. aureus and S. pyogenes isolated from 74 and 1 cases, respectively. 7. As for impetigo with predominant number of cases, CXD was highly effective bacteriologically at a daily dose of 20.5 approximately 30.4 mg/kg t.i.d. As an appropriate comparative evidence with the q.i.d. treatment was lacking, however, therapeutic validity of the t.i.d. treatment could not be determined definitely. 8. Utility was evaluated by the attending physicians on the total 99 cases, and CXD showed as high as 88.9%. 9. There were neither non-compliances nor adverse reactions to this treatment. 10. CXD showed a distribution of antimicrobial activity similar to that of CEX, against 74 isolates of S. aureus with the MICs of CXD ranging from 1.56 to 25 mcg/ml and those of CEX ranging from 0.78 to 25 mcg/ml, with peak MIC being 3.13 mcg/ml for both drugs. As for S. pyogenes, only one isolate from the same species, CXD was antimicrobial activity at 0.2 mcg/ml and CEX was antimicrobial at 0.39 mcg/ml. The above findings suggest that CXD is highly effective against acute skin and soft tissue infections in pediatrics.

Inactivation of D-glucosyltransferases from oral Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis by photochemical oxidation

Cell-free D-glucosyltransferase of D-glucose-grown Streptococcus mutans AHT was completely inactivated in the presence of 0.002% of Methylene Blue at 25 degrees and pH 7.0 after illumination with a 150-W incandescent lamp. The rate of inactivation was decreased at pH values less than 7.0. Histidine was the only amino acid residue modified to a significant extent, and the rates of oxidation of histidine residues and loss of enzyme activity closely agreed. Production of both water-insoluble and -soluble D-glucan fractions from sucrose by the oxidized D-glucosyltransferase preparations was significantly inhibited. Photooxidation with 0.002% of Rose Bengal at pH 7.0 or higher also induced complete inactivation of the D-glucosyltransferase. These results strongly suggest that the imidazole portion of histidine may function as part of the active sites of both D-glucosyltransferase isozymes of S. mutans AHT, which are responsible for the synthesis of (1 goes to 3)- and (1 goes to 6)-alpha-D-glucosidic linkages. The D-glucosyltransferases from S. mutans 6715 and AHT-mutant M1, and Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10558 were also almost completely inactivated by Methylene Blue-sensitized photooxidation.

Efficient induction of collagen arthritis by the use of a synthetic muramyl dipeptide

We developed an efficient method for production of experimental polyarthritis. Native collagen (type II) from human costal cartilage was emulsified with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) containing the synthetic adjuvant N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP), and injected into one hind footpad of the PVG/c rat. This method reproducibly induced severe arthritis with high incidence, whereas the collagen alone in IFA produced mild arthritis with low incidence. MDP alone in IFA was shown to be minimally arthritogenic under identical conditions.

Induction of delayed type hypersensitivity-like skin reaction by peptidoglycans of bacterial cell walls

Water-soluble glycopeptides isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum and Staphylococcus epidermidis cell walls elicited a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH)-like skin reaction in rats previously immunized with Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell walls, but not in unimmunized rats. Histological examination of the skin reaction sites in immunized animals revealed a close similarity of this skin reaction to a typical DTH reacton with respect to the time course of development and the types of cells that infiltrated into the skin reaction sites, which were characterized by a predominant infiltration of mononuclear cells at 48 hr. This DTH-like reaction was also demonstrated by immunizing the rats with the cell wall peptidoglycans of L. plantarum or S. epidermidis and skin testing them with homologous as well as heterologous peptidoglycans. The DTH-like reaction appeared to be caused by peptidoglycans that exist in common in the cell walls of phylogenetically distant bacterial species. Furthermore, it was also suggested that the putative antigenic determinants(s) might include both the glycan chain and part of the peptide moieties of the cell wall peptidoglycan rather than either of the single moieties.

Giant cell carcinoma arising in a pulmonary bulla

A 57-year-old male showed an abnormal mass shadow in a pulmonary bulla. Thoracotomy was performed and it was ascertained histologically that the tumour was a giant cell type carcinoma. Clinical features, histological findings and prognosis are reported.

Cariogenic virulence of Streptococcus mutans AHT mutants with altered in vitro adherence abilities in hamsters

Plaque-forming ability and cariogenic virulence of Streptococcus mutans AHT mutants having varying in vitro adherence abilities were studied in hamsters reared on a high sucrose diet over a period of 64 days. The parent wild-type strain produced heavy plaque and extensive carious lesions on molars. However, mutants M1, M2, and M13, which have lost the ability to form adhesive deposits on glass when grown in sucrose broth, and mutant M9, which adheres firmly to glass but in an extremely small amount, could not be recovered from the mouths of animals even after repeated inoculations at weekly intervals throughout the experimental period. Mutant M35, which produces a large amount of loosely adhering deposits in vitro, became established and persisted on molars, but its recovery was extremely low. None of the mutants, including M35, significantly produced plaque and caries in hamsters. Possible causes of this inability to form plaque and the avirulence of mutants are discussed.

Fractionation and properties of glucans produced by Streptococcus mutans

Water-insoluble (ISG) and water-soluble (SG) fractions of glucans produced by cell-free glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans AHT (serotype g) were isolated by centrifugation at 20,000 x g for 15 min. No further resolution of slightly sonicated ISG was observed with gel filtrations on any Bio-Gel beads, including A-50m. Bio-Gel P-100 filtration subdivided SG into two fractions with higher and lower molecular weights (designated SG-A and SG-B, respectively). SG-A was further resolved into two subfractions, SG-A-I and SG-A-II, by 10 to 40% and 50 to 80% ethanol precipitation, respectively. Relative amounts of ISG, SG-A-I, SG-A-II, and SG-B were 66.3:9.4:4.4:19.9. The molecular sizes of these fractions were >1.5 x 10(7), >==1.5 x 10(7), <==5 x 10(6) (>1 x 10(5)), and <==1 x 10(4) daltons, and their alpha-1,3 glucosidic linkage contents were approximately 35, 35, 16, and 4% for fractions ISG, SG-A-I, SG-A-II, and SG-B, respectively. Both ISG and SG-A-I were resistant to hydrolysis by dextranase and possessed the ability to aggregate with concanavalin A and to agglutinate S. mutans cells. SG-A-II had extremely low dextranase susceptibility and significant agglutinating activities, whereas SG-B showed high dextranase sensitivity and neither aggregating nor agglutinating activity. These results indicate that SG of S. mutans AHT consists of three types of glucans with distinctly different molecular sizes and chemical structures and strongly suggest that the ISG and SG-A-I fractions are different physical states of an inherently identical glucan. Preliminary observations suggest that the glucans produced by other S. mutans strains of several serotypes may be similarly classified.

Inhibition of macrophage migration by muramyl peptides

In the capillary tube migration system a synthetic muramyl dipeptide (MDP; N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine), a part of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycans, inhibited the migration of peritoneal exudate macrophages from normal guinea pigs or rats. The migration inhibition was also caused by some MDP-containing peptidoglycan fragments from cell walls of Lactobacillus plantarum and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The migration inhibition could not be explained on the basis of macrophage migration inhibitory factor. A stereochemically highly specific structure of MDP required for its adjuvant activity was also required for the macrophage migration inhibition. These findings suggest that MDP and MDP-containing cell wall fragments may activate macrophages and that this activation may be important in the exertion of their adjuvant activity.

Role of T lymphocytes in adjuvant arthritis. II. Different subpopulations of T lymphocytes functioning in the development of the disease

The effects of treatments with cyclophosphamide (CY), hydrocortisone and anti-thymocyte sera (ATS) on the development of adjuvant arthritis (AA) were examined in WKA rats inoculated with wax D to induce AA. A single injection of 25 to 50 mg/kg of CY given 2 to 3 days before wax D inoculation caused severe arthritis with high incidence, whereas larger doses of CY were less efficient. Furthermore, the enhancing effect of CY pretreatment was abolished by passively transferred normal syngeneic thymocyreated with ATS and guinea pig C. On the basis of these results and the previous observations on the effect of adult thymectomy and low-dose irradiation, we concluded that this enhancing effect of CY pretreatment was caused by selective depletion of suppressor T lymphocytes. Pretreatment with 12.5 mg of hydrocortisone also caused severe arthritis. This enhancing effect of hydrocortisone could also be due to the elimination of those suppressor cells. In contrast, in vivo pretreatment with ATS showed striking inhibition on the development of AA, suggesting that ATS could eliminate T lymphocytes that were responsible for eliciting this disease. Thus it appears that at least two T cell subpopulations are involved in the development of AA, one is an ATS-sensitive T2 subpopulation that is effective for induction of AA and the other is a T1 subpopulation that regulates this disease process.