Effect of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-derived sulfolipid I on human phagocytic cells

Experiments were performed to determine the effects of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-derived sulfolipid I on phagocytic cells. Sulfolipid I was taken up in significant amounts by human neutrophils and in lesser amounts by monocytes and lymphocytes. Superoxide (O2-) production by neutrophils was significantly increased by sulfolipid I, but the rate of production was slower than that reported previously for other stimuli. The optimal concentration of sulfolipid I for stimulation of O2- production was 27 micrograms/ml, while higher concentrations produced less. At substimulatory levels sulfolipid I caused enhancement of O2- release from neutrophils when it was subsequently stimulated by other agents. Nonadherent monocytes from most normal donors failed to produce O2- when treated with sulfolipid I; however, adherent monocytes pretreated with gamma interferon did produce O2- with sulfolipid I stimulation. Priming for an enhanced oxidative response of activated monocytes was also observed. These sulfolipid I-induced changes in phagocytic cell function may be important in altering the ability of phagocytes to respond effectively to M. tuberculosis and may also cause exaggerated inflammatory responses.

An analogue of substance P with broad receptor antagonist activity

[DPro4,DTrp7,9,10]Substance P-4-11 functions as a substance P receptor antagonist in several different systems. Because some analogues of substance P can function as receptor antagonists for bombesin as well as substance P, we tested [DPro4,DTrp7,9,10]substance P-4-11 for its ability to modify the interaction of various pancreatic secretagogues with their receptors in dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas. [DPro4,DTrp7,9,19]Substance P-4-11 did not stimulate amylase secretion and did not alter the stimulation of amylase secretion caused by secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide or carbachol, but did inhibit the stimulation of amylase secretion caused by substance P, bombesin or cholecystokinin. With substance P, bombesin and cholecystokinin, [DPro4,DTrp7,9,10]substance P-4-11 caused a parallel rightward shift in the dose-response curve for stimulation of amylase secretion with no change in the maximal response. Schild plots of these results gave straight lines with slopes that were not significantly different from unity. [DPro4,DTrp7,9,10]Substance P-4-11 inhibited binding of 125I-labeled substance P, 125I-[Tyr4]bombesin and 125I-cholecystokinin octapeptide over the same range of concentrations as that in which it inhibited biologic activity of each of these peptides. Half-maximal inhibition of binding of 125I-substance P occurred with 4 microM, of 125I-[Tyr4]bombesin with 17 microM and of 125I-cholecystokinin octapeptide with 5 microM. With each radiolabeled peptide the value of Ki for inhibition of binding by [DPro4,DTrp7,9,10]substance P-4-11 was not significantly different from the corresponding value of Ki calculated from the appropriate Schild plot. The present results indicate that [DPro4,DTrp7,9,10]substance P-4-11 is a competitive antagonist at receptors for substance P, for bombesin and for cholecystokinin. Thus, these receptors must share a common peptide recognition mechanism even though they interact with agonists that have no obvious structural similarity.

Intracellular injection of Ca2+ chelator does not affect spike repolarization of cat spinal motoneurons

Both intra- and extracellular injections of tetraethylammonium (TEA) prolonged the spike repolarization of motoneurons in the spinal cord of cats under pentabarbitone anaesthesia, but did not depress the afterhyperpolarization (AHP). Intracellular injections of EGTA and the fast-acting Ca2+ chelator, BAPTA, greatly depressed the AHP, but the spike shape remained unchanged. Extracellular applications of Cd2+ had similar effects. These observations suggest that a Ca2+-dependent K+ outward current is not a major mechanism of spike repolarization in motoneurons.

Effects of cyclophosphamide and a metabolite, acrolein, on Naegleria fowleri in vitro and in vivo

Mice challenged intranasally with Naegleria fowleri died of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Mice given 30 mg of cyclophosphamide per kg of body weight daily for 10 days starting 2 days before challenge were protected. Neither cyclophosphamide nor serum from cyclophosphamide-treated mice inhibited N. fowleri in vitro. A metabolic product of cyclophosphamide, acrolein, inhibited growth and enflagellation of N. fowleri. Acrolein at 40 microM was amoebicidal. Acrolein injured starved cells and amoebae at 5 degrees C and growing N. fowleri.

Interference filters as nonlinear decision-making elements for three-spot pattern recognition and associative memories

Simple patterns consisting of three spots (V and Gamma) have been recognized by dividing, shifting, and recombining beams onto bistable ZnS interference filters. This experiment demonstrates AND-gate operation, cascading, and a moderate amount of parallelism, but a laser power of several watts was required and the response times were several milliseconds. An associative memory for fingerprint identification has been constructed using a VanderLugt correlator and an interference filter as a reflective thresholding device.

[Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LRH) agonist in the treatment of breast cancer, osteosarcoma and prostate carcinoma--analysis of 12 patients]

This paper first reports the results of 12 patients with sex hormone-dependent neoplasms, including 9 women with breast cancer, 2 men with osteosarcoma and 1 man with prostate carcinoma, treated by LRH agonist, (D-Ala6, des-Gly-NH2(10))-LRH-ethylamide (LRH-A) 100-200 micrograms, IM, QD. After 15-30 days of administration, the concentrations of plasma mean estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, serum luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were lowered significantly in the peripheral blood of all patients, associating with improvement of the patients' general condition and reduction of the tumors and/or metastatic foci. No serious side effects were observed except vaginal irregular bleeding in isolated patients. Three patients died and the others were alive in follow-up of 4-30 months. The results suggest that LRH-A be useful in the treatment of the sex hormone-dependent tumors and worth further study.

Proliferative activity of murine mammary epithelium as affected by dietary fat and calcium

Dietary fat and calcium have been found to affect significantly the proliferative status of the mammary glands. Female mice (3-week-old C57BL/6J) were given either a low or high corn oil diet (3 or 30% by weight). One, 2, or 4 weeks after the dietary intervention the animals were given injections of [3H]thymidine and/or colchicine; 2 h later their thoracic mammary glands were removed and processed for histology and autoradiography. Animals on the high corn oil diet had an increased labeling index of both terminal ducts and mature ducts compared to the control group at each time (i.e., 10.1 +/- 2.1 versus 4.8 +/- 0.9% at 2 weeks). This effect of a high corn oil diet was evident on the mammary glands of animals at various ages. Animals on a high beef tallow diet also had a high labeling index. This effect of a high fat diet appeared to be reduced by dietary calcium. The labeling index for terminal ducts of animals on high corn oil diet decreased from 14.1 +/- 3.8, 11.9 +/- 3.4 to 8.5 +/- 1.8 and high beef tallow from 13.6 +/- 3.6, 11.4 +/- 0.7 to 9.5 +/- 1.3 for calcium levels of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0%, respectively. Mitotic indices followed the same trend. These studies demonstrate that a high fat diet affects the proliferative status in the mouse mammary glands in a short period of time and that this effect can be reduced by dietary calcium.

DNA supercoiling promotes formation of a bent repression loop in lac DNA

Titration experiments on supercoiled lac DNA show that one repressor tetramer can bind simultaneously to the primary lac operator and to the very weak lac pseudo-operator, located 93 base-pairs apart. The formation of this complex is accompanied by the appearance of an extreme hypersensitive site in a five base-pair sequence located approximately midway between the operators. This remote sequence is hypersensitive to attack by two different chemical probes, dimethyl sulfate and potassium permanganate, the latter of which is a new probe for distorted DNA. We interpret these results in terms of a complex in which lac repressor holds two remote operators together in a DNA loop. The formation of this bent DNA loop requires negative DNA supercoiling. In vivo, both lac operators bind repressor even though the presence of multiple operator copies has forced the two operators to compete for a limited amount of repressor. This suggests that the operator and pseudo-operator have similar affinities for repressor in vivo. Such similar affinities were observed in vitro only when DNA supercoiling forced formation of a repression loop.

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity during carcinogenesis of hamster buccal pouch epithelium

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity has been demonstrated histochemically in a number of experimentally induced neoplasms and has been suggested as a label for potential precursors for the development of squamous cell carcinomas. This study explores the kinetics of GGT-stained cell populations, their correlation with the hypothesized initiated cells and evidence of malignant transformation of epithelium in hamster buccal pouch by a 15-week regime of tri-weekly topical application of 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) in mineral oil. GGT-positive foci were detected histochemically in tissue sections as early as 1 week after application of the carcinogen, when there was no morphological evidence of dysplasia. The average number of the GGT-positive foci in each experimental period was found to increase with time. Even though the majority of the foci were small, consisting of only a single cell or a small group of cells, a few larger GGT-positive lesions were noted, particularly in the later period of the experiment. A total of 66 grossly visible neoplasms were found. Thirty-seven of these were submitted for GGT staining. Thirty-two (86.5%) of these showed patchy GGT activity, primarily in the superficial epithelial cells and/or the keratin. In the non-neoplastic epithelium, the GGT staining could involve any or all layers of cells. GGT activity was not detected in untreated or mineral oil-treated mucosa. The results of this study support the hypothesis that GGT activity may label potential precursors for the development of squamous cell carcinomas.

Effects of intracellular injections of phorbol ester and protein kinase C on cat spinal motoneurons in vivo

In cat spinal motoneurons intracellular iontophoresis of phorbol 12, 13-diacetate or protein kinase C increases the afterhyperpolarization, the maximum rate of spike rise and the spike peak amplitude, without evident change in resting potential, input resistance and monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potential. Phorbol ester also reduces the accommodation of repetitive discharge evoked by intracellular current pulses. These data suggest that activation of protein kinase C facilitates the Ca2+-activated K+ current that mediates the afterhyperpolarization, as well as the fast Na+ current. These effects are quite different from those seen in some other mammalian central neurons.

In vitro alterations of tracheal epithelium of hamsters by carcinogens in organ culture

In vitro organ culture of the hamster's trachea was improved and applied to a carcinogenesis research. The rotary culture enabled explants of tracheal epithelium to survive more than 8 weeks. The study was composed of 2 kinds of culture; untreated and treated with carcinogens. In the untreated culture, Eagle MEM medium had the same culture effect as RPMI 1640 medium. With prolongation of culture time (particularly longer than 5 weeks), irreversible degenerative changes appeared in epithelial cells. Culture for 4 weeks was usually thought to be appropriate for experimental research. In the treated culture, the effect of benzo-(a) pyrene (B(a)P) and B(a)P + cigarette smoking condensate-neutral fraction (CSC-NF) on tracheal epithelium was investigated with light and electron microscopies (TEM and SEM) and autoradiography. Atypical hyperplasia with or without lesions suggesting carcinoma in situ was induced by B(a)P + CSC-NF more evidently and frequently than by B(a)P alone. The present findings corroborated the cocarcinogenetic effect of CSC-NF.

Apamin depresses selectively the after-hyperpolarization of cat spinal motoneurons

Extra- (but not intra-) -cellularly applied apamin depresses selectively the after-hyperpolarization (AHP) of cat spinal motoneurons in situ, while causing only a slight depolarization and minor changes in size and shape of the action potential. Apamin increases firing evoked by long depolarizing current pulses. These results indicate that the Ca2+-dependent K conductance underlying the AHP is sensitive to apamin, and that this conductance is likely to have a physiological role in the control of motoneuronal firing.

Mechanism of Action of Pseudomonas syringae Phytotoxin, Syringomycin : Stimulation of Red Beet Plasma Membrane ATPase Activity

Syringomycin, a peptide toxin produced by the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv syringae preferentially stimulated (2-fold) the vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity associated with the plasma membrane of red beet storage tissue. The toxin had a very slight effect on the tonoplast ATPase and had no detectable effect on the mitochondrial ATPase. Optimal stimulation was achieved with 10 to 50 micrograms of syringomycin per 25 micrograms of membrane protein. Treatment of membranes with 0.1% (weight/volume) deoxycholate eliminated the activation effect, and enzyme solubilized with Zwittergent 3-14 was not affected by syringomycin. ATPase activity was activated to the same extent at KCl concentrations ranging from 0 to 50 millimolar. Valinomycin, nigericin, carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, and gramicidin did not increase the plasma membrane ATPase activity. However, these ionophores did not hinder the ability of syringomycin to stimulate the activity. We suggest that syringomycin does not increase ATPase activity by altering membrane ion gradients nor directly interacting with the enzyme, but possibly through regulatory effectors or covalent modification of the enzyme.