Activation of human neutrophils by Mycobacterium tuberculosis-derived sulfolipid-1

The principal sulfatide of a group of acidic lipids from virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis, sulfolipid-1 (SL-1), stimulates neutrophil superoxide (O2-) generation and, at lower concentrations, primes neutrophil response to several other metabolic agonists including FMLP, and PMA. These responses to SL-1 were examined in relation to diacylglycerol (DAG) generation, Ca2+ availability and activation of guanine nucleotide binding proteins to clarify the signal transduction pathways involved. Pertussis toxin inhibited the ability of SL-1 to both stimulate neutrophils directly and to prime neutrophils for subsequent responses induced by PMA, suggesting a role for one or more guanine nucleotide regulating proteins in both responses. SL-1 induced a rise in neutrophil DAG levels. DAG generation was inhibited by pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin. Depletion of extracellular Ca2+ ablated O2- release induced by stimulatory levels of SL-1 but did not inhibit the priming effect induced by substimulatory concentrations of the lipid. Investigation of the activation of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase in a cell-free system revealed that the SL-1-priming effect was associated with translocation of the soluble cytosolic factors required for activation of the enzyme. Cytosolic factor translocation was not observed in pertussis toxin pretreated cells. Our results provide evidence for the role of a guanine nucleotide binding protein in both priming and direct activation of neutrophils by SL-1. This G protein regulates both SL-1-induced DAG generation and cytosolic cofactor translocation involved in neutrophil activation and priming. The multiplicity of effects of SL-1 on signal transduction pathways leading to phagocyte activation and priming may exert a profound influence on the pathogenicity of M. tuberculosis.

Activation of human neutrophils by Mycobacterium tuberculosis-derived sulfolipid-1

The principal sulfatide of a group of acidic lipids from virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis, sulfolipid-1 (SL-1), stimulates neutrophil superoxide (O2-) generation and, at lower concentrations, primes neutrophil response to several other metabolic agonists including FMLP, and PMA. These responses to SL-1 were examined in relation to diacylglycerol (DAG) generation, Ca2+ availability and activation of guanine nucleotide binding proteins to clarify the signal transduction pathways involved. Pertussis toxin inhibited the ability of SL-1 to both stimulate neutrophils directly and to prime neutrophils for subsequent responses induced by PMA, suggesting a role for one or more guanine nucleotide regulating proteins in both responses. SL-1 induced a rise in neutrophil DAG levels. DAG generation was inhibited by pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin. Depletion of extracellular Ca2+ ablated O2- release induced by stimulatory levels of SL-1 but did not inhibit the priming effect induced by substimulatory concentrations of the lipid. Investigation of the activation of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase in a cell-free system revealed that the SL-1-priming effect was associated with translocation of the soluble cytosolic factors required for activation of the enzyme. Cytosolic factor translocation was not observed in pertussis toxin pretreated cells. Our results provide evidence for the role of a guanine nucleotide binding protein in both priming and direct activation of neutrophils by SL-1. This G protein regulates both SL-1-induced DAG generation and cytosolic cofactor translocation involved in neutrophil activation and priming. The multiplicity of effects of SL-1 on signal transduction pathways leading to phagocyte activation and priming may exert a profound influence on the pathogenicity of M. tuberculosis.

Ion-implanted Nd:MgO:LiNbO(3) planar waveguide laser

Laser oscillation in an ion-implanted planar Nd:MgO:LiNbO(3) waveguide is demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge. Details of the waveguide structure, spectroscopic properties, photorefractive effects, and laser performance are given. A simple calculation of the absorbed power threshold gives ~8 mW, in fair agreement with the experimental value of ~17 mW.

Comparison of the humoral and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to individual HLA class I alloantigens in highly immunized patients

In order to investigate the correlation between activation of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursor (CTLp) and the formation of antibodies to alloantigens, we studied 21 highly sensitized patients waiting for a kidney transplantation. Both antibody reactivity and CTLp frequencies of these patients were determined against 88 individual HLA class I alloantigens. A high or low CTLp frequency against a certain HLA-A or -B alloantigen was not correlated with the presence or absence of the antibodies to that antigen. Mismatched antigens, towards which the patient had not formed antibodies, can induce either a higher or a lower frequency of CTLp compared to mismatches towards which the patients had formed antibodies. The possible implications of this lack of correlation between the T- and B-cell allorepertoires with regard to donor selection for (highly immunized) patients is discussed.

[Microwave processing method of semen Armeniacae Amarum]

This paper reports the microwave processing method of Semen Armeniacae Amarum (Prunus armeniaca var. ansu). The experimental results showed that amygdalase was completely inactivated and the contents of amygdaloside were not reduced at all. The time and temperature of the processing method have also been studied.

5-HT2 receptor-stimulated calcium influx in ovine uterine artery in late pregnancy

The effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methyl-amphetamine (DOM) on the Ca2+ influx in the ovine uterine artery in late pregnancy have been studied by measuring 45Ca2+ uptake. Both 5-HT and DOM (2.5 x 10(-8) M to 2.5 x 10(-5) M) induced concentration-dependent rises in 45Ca2+ uptake in the ovine uterine artery, from a basal level of 30.5 +/- 3.5 muMoles/kg wet tissue to peak levels of 91.1 +/- 9.2 and 84.2 +/- 8.1 muMoles/kg wet tissue, respectively. The Ca2+ influx evoked by 5-HT and DOM was inhibited by ketanserin in a concentration-dependent manner. Methiothepin (2.5 x 10(-7) M) also inhibited 5-HT-induced (2.5 x 10(-6) M) Ca2+ influx by 86%. No antagonism was found with 2.5 x 10(-6) M of 3-tropanyl-3,5-dichlorobenzoate (MDL 72222). The contraction elicited to 5-HT (10(-6) M) and DOM (10(-6) M) was blocked by D600 (10(-6) M) which also blocked the contraction produced to KCl (9 x 10(-2) M). Amrinone (10(-5) M) had no inhibitory effect on these contractions. In accord with the results of the contraction study, D600 (2.5 x 10(-6) M) blocked the Ca2+ influx stimulated by 5-HT (2.5 x 10(-6) M) and amrinone (2.5 x 10(-5) M) failed to inhibit 5-HT-induced Ca2+ influx. Nifedipine (2.5 x 10(-6) M) did not antagonize the influx of Ca2+ induced by 5-HT. Sodium nitroprusside inhibited the 5-HT-induced Ca2+ influx, indicating that at least part of its inhibitory effect on the vasoconstriction evolved by 5-HT is due to the inhibition of the influx of Ca2+.

Anoxic block of GABAergic IPSPs

In rat hippocampal slices GABAergic IPSPs are very rapidly suppressed by anoxia (in less than 2 min). Both early (GABAA) and late (GABAB) components are affected. After reoxygenation, the IPSPs recover, but only slowly and not always completely. Iontophoretic applications of GABA or baclofen indicated no major depression of responses during anoxia. It is therefore unlikely that the anoxic suppression of IPSPs is caused by desensitizations of GABA receptors. A more probable explanation is a failure of GABAergic neurons to release GABA from inhibitory nerve terminals.

[Chlamydia trachomatis immunotypes in trachoma epidemic areas of north China]

The distribution of various immunotypes of C. trachomatis in epidemic areas of North China was studied by the micro-immunofluorescence (Micro-IF) test of tears and sera from 104 patients with trachoma. IgG antibody to C. trachomatis was positive in 64 cases, and the immunotypes were type B (78.1%) and type C (21.9%). The TE-55 strain determined as type I in 1966 was confirmed to be type C. The Micro-IF test that quantitated antichlamydial IgG antibody in tears was compared with ELISA in the detection of C. trachomatis in 59 individuals. The sensitivity and specificity of the Micro-IF test were 91.5% and 100% respectively.

Involvement of 5-HT1A activity in the discriminative stimulus effects of imipramine

Pigeons were trained to discriminate the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (3.0 or 5.6 mg/kg) from saline. The selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT (0.03-1.0 mg/kg) resulted in dose-dependent increases in responding on the key correlated with imipramine administration. Doses of 8-OH-DPAT from 0.3 to 1.0 mg/kg substituted completely for imipramine. NAN-190 (0.3-3.0 mg/kg), a putative 5-HT1A antagonist with affinity for both 5-HT1A and alpha 1 receptors, blocked the discriminative stimulus effects of imipramine and resulted in saline-key responding. The discriminative stimulus effects of imipramine were also blocked by administration of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin, suggesting a dual mediation of imipramine through both 5-HT1A and alpha 1-adrenoreceptor systems. Although antidepressants have not been used frequently as stimuli in drug discrimination studies, it may be possible to arrive at a more complete understanding of their neurochemical and behavioral effects using this procedure.

Effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine on cat spinal motoneurons

The effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on spinal motoneurons were examined in pentobarbital-anaesthetized cats and in nonanaesthetized decerebrate cats by intracellular recording and extracellular iontophoresis of 5-HT. 5-HT first induced a depolarization and then a long-lasting hyperpolarization (up to 60 min) with unchanged input resistance. The slow hyperpolarization was prevented by the 5-HT antagonists ketanserin (5-HT2), methysergide, and spiperone (5-HT1,2) and mimicked by the agonist (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (5-HT2). The post-spike after hyperpolarization was enhanced after application of 5-HT. A depolarization was induce by the 5-HT agonists (+/-)-8-hydroxy-(2)-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (5-HT1A) and 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (5-HT1). Possible mechanisms for the 5-HT-induced hyperpolarization and its intracellular medication are discussed. The present data suggest multiple effects of 5-HT on cat spinal motoneurons.

[Effects of schizandrol A on monoamine neurotransmitters in the central nervous system]

Schizandrol A (2',3',4',1",2",3"-hexamethoxy-6, 7-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-dibenzo-1,3-cyclooctadien-6-ol) is one of the effective components in the dried fruit of Schizandra chinensis Bail. Previous studies have found that schizandrol A exerts inhibitory effects on the central nervous system (CNS). For the purpose of elucidating the mechanism of inhibition, the concentrations of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in rat brain and the effects of schizandrol A on some receptors were determined by the ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection method and competitive binding assay. In the neurotransmitter studies, significant elevations of dopamine and its metabolite DOPAC (in striatum) and DA (in hypothalamus) were observed after i.p. administration of 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg of schizandrol A. But the receptor binding experiments showed that schizandrol A had no affinity for dopamine D1 and D2 receptors. Serotonin receptors and alpha 1-,alpha 2-adrenergic receptors, and it did not affect the binding of dopamine to dopamine D1 or D2 receptors. These results indicate that the inhibition exerted by schizandrol A on the CNS may be related to the dopamine system, and the increase of dopamine turnover has nothing to do with dopamine receptors. The concentrations of the norepinephrine metabolite MHPG and the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA showed changes in rat striatum and hypothalamus after schizandrol A treatment, but norepinephrine and serotonin levels were unaffected.

Helper virus-dependent replication, nucleotide sequence and genome organization of the satellite virus of maize white line mosaic virus

Virus like particles (17 nm in diameter) associated with maize white line mosaic virus (MWLMV) were shown to be a satellite virus of MWLMV (SV-MWLMV) on the basis of the following properties: (1) The SV-MWLMV was dependent upon the presence of MWLMV for replication in maize, while the latter virus could replicate independently of the SV particles. (2) No nucleotide sequence homology was detected between the SV-MWLMV and MWLMV, using complementary DNA probes prepared to the two RNAs, in a Northern blot hybridization analysis. (3) The RNA of the SV-MWLMV translated in vitro to produce a protein of the same Mr (24,000) as that found associated with the SV particles. This protein could be immunoprecipitated with an antiserum to the SV particles. And (4), there was no serological relationship between the coat proteins of MWLMV and the SV-MWLMV. The complete nucleotide sequence of the SV-MWLMV RNA (1168 nucleotides) was determined. The SV-MWLMV RNA contains a single open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of Mr 23,961. Computer analysis revealed no significant homology between SV-MWLMV RNA and any other viral or satellite RNAs. However, the putative SV-MWLMV capsid protein is predicted to share some structural features with the capsid protein of the satellite virus of panicum mosaic virus.

Nucleotide sequence analysis of three cDNAs coding for Poa p IX isoallergens of Kentucky bluegrass pollen

Grass pollen allergens are one of the major causes of type I allergic reactions (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, allergic bronchial asthma, and hayfever) in temperate climates afflicting 15-20% of a genetically predisposed population. Workers have found considerable physico- and immunochemical heterogeneity within the grass pollen allergens which has made them difficult to purify for both therapeutic uses and further biochemical study. We recently reported the construction of a cDNA library in lambda gt11 using mRNA extracted from dehydrated Kentucky bluegrass (KBG, Poa pratensis). Here, we present the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences for three KBG pollen allergen cDNA clones, KBG 41, 60, and 31, which were isolated from the above library using a pool of six sera from grass pollen allergic patients. These clones exhibit an exceptionally high degree of sequence similarity to one another, only minor similarity to other known allergens, and no homologies to other known proteins or genes. The predicted molecular mass for the cloned proteins range from 28.3 to 37.8 kDa with pI values of 9.6-10.2. All three clones appear to possess leader peptides and lack asparagine sequons required for N-glycosylation. Therefore, the molecular mass of the post-translationally modified proteins were calculated to be 28.4-34.9 kDa, which is consistent with the size of the polypeptides revealed in Western blots of pollen proteins using an antiserum to a recombinant peptide encoded by the partial cDNA clone KBG 8.3. Northern blotting analysis indicates that expression of the genes corresponding to these clones is confined to pollen tissue. The results suggest that the clones code for a group of proteins that represent a new and previously uncharacterized group of grass pollen isoallergens, which have been hereby designated as Poa p IX.

[Gelatin matrix for corneal epithelial cell cultures]

A simple and convenient gelatin matrix was prepared for epithelial cell cultures. Addition of fibronectin, laminin or fibrinogen enhanced the attachment and growth of corneal epithelial cells in vitro.

Accurate control of contrast on microcomputer displays

Off-the-shelf microcomputers can now display arbitrary 8-bit images, but accurate control of these images requires dealing with several undesirable properties of real digital to analog converters (DACs) and analog video monitors. The limitations of DACs and video monitors are presented in the form of a model for their calibration and use in vision experiments. Low contrasts can be accurately rendered by summing a small accurate a.c. signal and a large less-accurate d.c. signal (Watson et al., 1986; Behavior Research, Method, Instrument and Computers, 18, 587-594). Exploiting that idea, this note presents an easy-to-build passive resistor network, a video attenuator, that combines the outputs of three 8-bit DACs to render low contrasts with 12-bit accuracy at the display. Measurements confirm the 12-bit accuracy.

Amplitude change with click rate in human brainstem auditory-evoked responses

The effect of click rate on wave amplitude of human brainstem auditory-evoked response (BAER) was examined at repetition rates of 10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 Hz in 80 healthy children aged 1 month to 6 years and in 21 adults. As repetition rate was increased from 10 to 90 Hz at 70 dB HL, the amplitudes in different age groups decreased by 33-45% (0.109-179 microV) for wave I and 25-41% (0.055-0.145 microV) for wave V. The older the children, the larger the absolute decrements of wave amplitudes with increasing repetition rate, but the relative decrements or reduction rates of wave amplitudes exhibited no systematically age-related differences. The V/I amplitude ratio tended to increase with increasing repetition rate in most age groups, suggesting that the amplitude of wave I is affected by the repetition rate slightly more than that of wave V. The patterns of the changes in wave amplitudes with repetition rate at lower intensity levels were essentially similar.

Optical implementation of a second-order neural network

An optical implementation of a single-layer, second-order neural network is presented. The quadratic products are obtained by passing the optical beam twice through the input ferroelectric liquid-crystal (FLC) spatial light modulator (SLM), with the interconnection weights being implemented by a further two-dimensional 128 x 128 FLC SLM. The machine successfully associates eight randomly chosen pattern-target pairs (dimensions 16 and 4, respectively) and can learn the parity association. Translation invariance is also demonstrated. Results from a computer model indicate that input SLM contrast ratios of 4:1 and electronic noise of 10% of the maximum output can be tolerated.

Allergenic and antigenic cross-reactivities of group IX grass pollen allergens

The allergenic and antigenic cross-reactivities between a major recombinant Poa pratensis (Poa p) IX allergen, rKBG8.3, and its corresponding proteins of different grass pollens were examined. Immunoblotting of the proteins of thirteen different grass pollens using anti-rKBG8.3 antibodies indicated that Poa p IX-like proteins are present in ten other grass pollens, albeit in variable amounts and polymorphic forms. These proteins ranged in size from 20 to 88 kDa in different grass pollens. The percent relative binding determined for each grass pollen extract using allergic human sera showed a significant correlation (r = 0.891) with that of anti-rKBG8.3 antiserum. Moreover, there was a strong association (r = 0.901) between the Kentucky bluegrass extract and rKBG8.3 with respect to their inhibition of the binding of human IgE antibodies to allergens in grass pollen extracts. Taken together, these results suggest that the allergenic and antigenic epitopes of the Poa p IX-related proteins in some but not all grass pollens are similar in structure and specificities. It is concluded that the group IX allergens constitute a major family of homologous proteins in several grass pollens.