Serologically cross-reactive polypeptides in vaccinia, cowpox and Shope fibroma viruses

An immunoprecipitation method coupled with SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to identify the serologically cross-reactive polypeptides in Orthopoxvirus (vaccinia and cowpox viruses) and Leporipoxvirus (Shope fibroma virus). Two early and four late polypeptides in cells infected with vaccinia or cowpox virus were specifically immunoprecipitated with antiserum against Shope fibroma virus. Two early and two late polypeptides in cells infected with Shope fibroma virus cross-reacted with both antiserum against vaccinia virus and antiserum against cowpox virus. The possibility of the common polypeptides being related to nucleoprotein antigen in these cross-reactive polypeptides was discussed.

Identification, purification and immunohistochemical detection of the inhibitor from porcine ovarian follicular fluid to compensatory ovarian hypertrophy in mice

An inhibitor to compensatory ovarian hypertrophy in mice was detected in porcine follicular fluid. Compensatory hypertrophy was inhibited by treatment with 0.6 ml whole follicular fluid, 0.2 ml of the non-dialysable fraction, or a fraction of the fluid salted out by ammonium sulphate at a saturation of 14.5--18.5%. The salted-out fraction was separable into two peaks by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography and the second peak, detectable as a single band by polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis, contained all the inhibitory activity. Specific fluorescence of an antiserum to the second peak was demonstrated at the granulosa cells.

The protective action of glycols against freezing damage of mouse and rat embryos

Eight-cell mouse and rat embryos were frozen to -79 degrees C or -196 degrees C in the presence of ethylene, diethylene, triethylene, propylene or polyethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol was the most effective cryoprotectant for mouse and rat embryos and considerable protection against damage during freezing and thawing was also afforded by propylene glycol. The degree of protection given by the other glycols was relatively low. Mouse embryos survived freezing after only 0.1 min exposure to ethylene glycol at 0 degrees C but exposure for longer periods was necessary with the other glycols. Mouse embryos that survived freezing and thawing with a glycol as the protective agent were capable of developing to full-term fetuses.

Studies on the polypeptides of poxvirus. II. Comparison of virus-induced polypeptides in cells infected with vaccinia, cowpox and Shope fibroma viruses

Virus-induced polypeptides in cells infected with vaccinia, cowpox and Shope fibroma viruses were examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. At least 42 vaccinia virus-induced polypeptides were identified among the polypeptides of cells pulse-labeled with [35S]-methionine and/or of fractionated cells labeled with [14C]-leucine for 24 hr. They consisted of 15 polypeptides (early polypeptides) which were synthesized even in the presence of cytosine-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-HCl, and 27 polypeptides (late polypeptides) which were synthesized only in the absence of cytosine-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-HCl. By the same procedure at least 40 cowpox virus-induced polypeptides (14 early polypeptides and 26 late polypeptides) and at least 31 Shope fibroma virus-induced polypeptides (13 early polypeptides and 18 late polypeptides) were identified. Comparative studies of virus-induced polypeptides on the basis of migration in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that 11 polypeptides were early polypeptides common to both vaccinia and cowpox viruses; 21 were late polypeptides common to both vaccinia and cowpox viruses; 4 were early polypeptides common to both vaccinia and Shope fibroma viruses; 7 were late polypeptides common to both vaccinia and Shope fibroma viruses; 5 were early polypeptides common to both cowpox and Shope fibroma viruses; 9 were late polypeptides common to both cowpox and Shope fibroma viruses; 4 were early polypeptides common to all three viruses; and 7 were late polypeptides common to all three viruses.

Studies on the polypeptides of poxvirus. I. Comparison of structural polypeptides in vaccina, cowpox and Shope fibroma viruses

Radioactively labeled vaccinia, cowpox and Shope fibroma virions free from any detectable contamination with host cell protein, were dissociated into their constituent polypeptides, and these were then analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. The profiles of constituent polypeptide bands of four strains of vaccinia virus (IHD-W, IHD-J, Lister and DIs) were almost the same, except that a polypeptide of about 41,000 daltons was not detectable in the autoradiogram of strain IHD-W which has no hemagglutinin. The profile of polypeptide bands of cowpox virions was also almost the same as that of vaccinia virions, except for several polypeptides of about 40,000 to 50,000 daltons, but the profile of Shope fibroma virions differed considerably from that of vaccinia or cowpox virions.

A study of the evoked electromyography of the superior orbicularis oris muscle in man

A study was made of the impulse conduction speed by moving recording electrodes at 5 mm intervals, successively, after stimulating facial nerves on one side in normal subjects. The findings showed that the speed of the potentials was fast and the amplitude was large, up to a distance of 0.5 cm across the midline. This makes us believe that there is an intermingling, of approximately one cm, of the left and right superior orbicularis oris muscles. Evoked potentials were recorded up to 1.5 to 2.5 cm across the midline--but as the speed reduced abruptly and the amplitude became small, we believe these potentials were conveyed by volume conductors. Six patients with facial palsy were studied, but in none were these findings indicating any reinnervation from the normal side. However, the conduction speed was delayed in them (as compared to normal subjects).

A case of rectal carcinoma concomitant with Pagetoid lesion in the perianal region--histopathological and electron microscopic observations--

A case of extramammary Paget's disease of the perianal area adjacent to a mucinous adenocarcinoma of the rectum is presented. The histopathological examination of the case revealed that within the epidermis adjacent to the invading rectal cancer nest, the formation of glandular structures can be observed occasionally, around which so-called Paget's cells are noted to be scattered and further many points of similarity between cancer cell and Paget's cell are proved by electron microscope. Perianal skin lesion looking like Paget's disease is proved to be due to intraepidermal spread of the rectal carcinoma. Referring to the literature, this is the first report to our knowledge, to elucidate the histogenesis of perianal extramammary Paget's disease associated with a rectal carcinoma using the electron microscopy.

Antibodies to vaccinia and measles viruses in multiple sclerosis patients

A virologic comparison was made of 144 patients with multiple sclerosis, 34 of their healthy siblings, and 40 patients with other neurologic diseases (OND). Antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to vaccinia and measles viruses were measured, and these were correlated in the multiple sclerosis patients with the clinical characteristics of their disease. The CSF antibody to vaccinia virus was more frequent and at a higher titer in multiple sclerosis patients than in either control group. Moreover, a statistically significant increase was found in both frequency and titer of CSF vaccinia antibody in patients with the progressive form of the disease as compared with those classified as relapsing-remitting. Statistically significant differences between multiple sclerosis patients and their siblings were not observed for CSF or serum measles virus antibody, although both groups had significantly higher serum antibody titers than patients with OND.

Depolarization-induced calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum fragments. I. Release of calcium taken up upon using ATP

Ca2& taken up by sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane fragments (SRF) upon using ATP could be released rapidly by changing the anion outside the vesicles from methanesulfonate to chloride. It is considered that this anion exchange caused depolarization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. Similar rapid release of Ca2& taken up by SRF was also caused by a change from high to low osmotic pressure, probably due to bursting of the membrane. On the basis of experiments in which these two types of Ca2& release were discriminated, it was concluded that Ca2& bound inside the membrane was released directly by anion exchange (depolarization). However, Ca2& release was not caused by cation exchange. Sucrose inhibited these two types of Ca2& release. Cia2& taken up in the presence of oxalate could not be released by any treatment used. Liver microsome fraction also has Ca2& uptake activity. However, Ca2& was not released upon anion exchange, but was released upon oxmotic change. These results show that Ca2& release from SRF upon anion exchange is specific to the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In conclusion, SRF membrane retains the ability to respond to the depolarization caused by ion exchange and can release the accumulated Ca2&.