Administration of interleukin 12 in combination with type II collagen induces severe arthritis in DBA/1 mice

The induction of arthritis in DBA/1 mice usually requires immunization with the antigen type II collagen emulsified with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in oil. Here we describe that interleukin 12 (IL-12) can replace mycobacteria and cause severe arthritis of DBA/1 mice when administered in combination with type II collagen. Immunization of DBA/1 mice with type II collagen emulsified in oil alone resulted in a weak immune response, and only a few animals (10-30%) developed arthritis. Administration of IL-12 for 5 days simultaneously with each immunization strongly enhanced the anti-type II collagen immune response. Collagen-specific interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) synthesis by ex vivo activated spleen cells was enhanced 3- to 10-fold. IFN-gamma was almost completely produced by CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, the production of collagen-specific IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies was upregulated 10- to 100-fold. As a consequence, the incidence of arthritis in the group of mice immunized with collagen plus IL-12 was very high (80-100%). The developing arthritis was severe, involving approximately 50% of all limbs with strongly increased footpad thickness in most cases. Furthermore, histological examination revealed massive, mainly polymorphonuclear cell infiltration, synovial hyperplasia, cartilage and bone destruction, as well as new bone formation. In many cases, this resulted in the complete loss of joint structure. Neutralization of IFN-gamma in vivo prevented the development of arthritis in collagen-immunized and IL-12-treated mice. In conclusion, our data show that in vivo administered IL-12 can profoundly upregulate a T helper I-type autoimmune response, resulting in severe joint disease in DBA/1 mice.

The protein complexity of the cytoskeleton of bovine and human sperm heads: the identification and characterization of cylicin II

The cytoskeletal calyx of mammalian sperm heads surrounding the basolateral part of the nucleus contains two kinds of basic proteins: Calicin, a polypeptide of approximate M(r) 60,000 as estimated from SDS-PAGE, and the group of the very basic cylicins (pI > 10.0), formerly designated as "multiple-band polypeptides." Recently, bovine cylicin I has been cDNA cloned and identified as a new type of a cytoskeletal protein, which contains numerous Lys-Lys-Asp tripeptides accumulated in nine central repetitive units predicted to form alpha-helices. We now report the cDNA cloning and localization of a second species of cylicin, bovine cylicin II, present in bovine and human sperm heads: Cylicin II (488 amino acids, M(r) 53,561, pI 10.55) shows the same prominent molecular characteristics as cylicin I, including a high content of charged amino acids, the abundance of Lys-Lys-Asp tripeptides, and repetitive units of presumably alpha-helical configuration, but also presents some differences. As with cylicin I mRNA, the 2.6-kb mRNA has also been shown to be specifically expressed in testis. The possible existence of a larger cylicin multigene family and its contribution to the cytoskeleton and the morphogenesis of the sperm head are discussed.

Interleukin-12 profoundly up-regulates the synthesis of antigen-specific complement-fixing IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 antibody subclasses in vivo

The influence of the cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12) on humoral immune responses was studied in vivo. CBA/J mice immunized with protein antigens (keyhole limpet hemocyanin, phospholipase A2) adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide (Alum) develop a Th2-like immune response characterized by the production of large amounts of IgG1 as well as some IgE but little IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 antibodies. IL-12 is a cytokine that promotes the development and the activation of Th1 cells. Th1 cells are involved in the induction of cellular immunity, which is characterized by low or absent antibody production. On the other hand, some Th1-like immune responses are associated with a strong antibody production of the IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 subclasses. Thus, we investigated whether treatment with IL-12 would down-regulate the humoral immune response or stimulate antibody production of the IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 subclasses. We observed that: 1) administration of IL-12 to mice together with protein antigens adsorbed to Alum strongly enhanced the humoral immune response by increasing the synthesis of antigen-specific antibodies of the IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 subclasses 10- to 1000-fold. The synthesis of IgG1 was not or only slightly (2-5-fold) enhanced, whereas that of the IgE isotype was suppressed. 2) These effects of IL-12 were observed when high (10 micrograms, 100 micrograms) or low doses (0.1 microgram) of antigen were used for immunization. 3) Titration of IL-12 in vitro revealed that IgG2a is strongly up-regulated over a wide dose range of IL-12 (10 to 1000 ng/day). 4) The effects of IL-12 in vivo are at least partially interferon (IFN)-gamma-dependent because an anti-IFN-gamma mAb in combination with IL-12 prevented most of the enhanced IgG2a production. 5) Mice receiving IL-12 showed a strong up-regulation of IFN-gamma but no inhibition of IL-5 synthesis by spleen cells activated ex vivo with antigen. These results suggest that IL-12 is a potent adjuvant for enhancing humoral immunity to protein antigens adsorbed to Alum, primarily by inducing the synthesis of the complement-fixing IgG subclasses 2a, 2b and 3.

Oct-4 transcription factor is differentially expressed in the mouse embryo during establishment of the first two extraembryonic cell lineages involved in implantation

Oct-4 is the earliest expressed gene known to encode a transcription factor which is developmentally regulated during mammalian embryogenesis. In order to understand the role of Oct-4 in early murine embryogenesis, we carried out an analysis of the temporal and spatial pattern of protein expression. We report the presence of Oct-4 protein in cultured cells and murine embryos as determined by immunohistochemistry using confocal microscopy. Oct-4 protein is present in both embryonic stem cells and embryonal carcinoma cells, but is down-regulated following differentiation of these cells by culture in the absence of leukemia inhibitory factor or in the presence of retinoic acid, respectively. In embryos, the protein is found at low levels in unfertilized eggs and is localized predominantly to the pro-nuclei upon their formation following fertilization. The protein is present in the nuclei in all cleavage stages, but following differentiation of the trophectoderm at the blastocyst stage, Oct-4 protein is only expressed in the inner cell mass. The pattern of protein expression to this stage correlates well with previously reported in situ hybridization results; however, a striking difference was seen in primitive endoderm cells which had begun to differentiate and migrate along the inner surface of the trophectoderm. In direct contrast to RNA localization studies which demonstrate that there are only low levels of Oct-4 transcripts in primitive endoderm cells, protein expression in these early migrating cells is higher than in the inner cell mass.

Activating anti-idiotypic human anti-mouse antibodies for immunotherapy of ovarian carcinoma

Human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA) are observed frequently after immunoscintigraphy with monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) directed against CA-125. As the authors have shown previously, HAMA can cause false-positive CA-125 values in routine CA-125 immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) tumor-marker assays (in one case, up to 900 days after immunoscintigraphy). In 32 patients, the authors found a HAMA frequency of 34% (11/32: 3/7 after the first administration, 6/13 after the second, and 2/2 after the third). Ten patients developed extremely high CA-125 levels after undergoing the CIS IRMA assay (up to 80,000 U/ml) in parallel to a significant HAMA increase. The use of different assays, or HAMA removal before in vitro testing, can solve this problem. After a new CA-125 assay containing antibodies that recognize different epitopes on the CA-125 antigen (Biomira Tru-Quant OV) was applied, only mildly increased assay results or normal levels were measured. Most of HAMA-positive patients demonstrated a predominantly anti-idiotypic response, determined with two different HAMA assays. Seven patients with anti-idiotypic HAMA responses after OC-125 immunoscintigraphy remained free of tumor or had stable disease (2-42 or more months), contrary to their poor prognoses that had been made based on the underlying stages of their tumors. All of these patients are currently doing well (Karnofsky Index > 70%) and show no significant tumor progression. In light of their extremely poor prognoses (5-year survival rates of 3-5% in recurrent International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics III/IV stages), without further chemotherapy, these courses are extremely unusual. Preliminary in vitro experiments lead to the postulation that anti-idiotypic HAMA may trigger an antitumor effect either by suppressing the growth of CA-125-expressing cancer cells directly, or by activating the patient's immune response via induction of Ab3. Similar results are observed after immunoscintigraphy with a technetium-99m-labeled anti-CA-125 monoclonal antibody (B43.13), which the authors now also use for immunotherapy of ovarian cancer patients by repeated injections, hoping that induction of anti-idiotypic HAMA will be beneficial for prolonged survival of patients with ovarian carcinoma.

Affinity purification of histidine-tagged proteins

Expression of recombinant proteins is a standard technique in molecular biology and a wide variety of prokaryotic as well as eukaryotic expression systems are currently in use. A limiting step is often the purification of the expressed recombinant protein, particularly if mammalian expression systems that yield low expression levels are employed. Here, we discuss the advantages and restrictions of tagging recombinant proteins with histidines and purifying them by Ni(2+)-NTA chromatography.

Molecular characterization of mammalian cylicin, a basic protein of the sperm head cytoskeleton

The cytoskeletal calyx structure surrounding part of the nucleus of the mammalian sperm head contains two major kinds of basic proteins, i.e., the approximately 60-kD calicin and a group of very basic (IEP > pH 10) polypeptides ranging in size from approximately 58 to approximately 100 kD ("multiple band proteins," MBPs). We have produced MBP-specific mAbs and have isolated a bovine and a human cDNA clone encoding one of these proteins, termed "cylicin" (from the Greek word c eta kv lambda l zeta for cup or beaker). Bovine cylicin I of a calculated molecular weight of 74,788 contains a high proportion (29%) of positively charged amino acids, resulting in an IEP of 10.55, numerous KKD tripeptides, and is characterized by an organization of the central part of the molecule in nine repeating units of maximally 41 amino acids each of which according to prediction analysis should tend to form an alpha helix. The identity of the polypeptide has been proven by direct amino acid sequencing of > 14 different fragments and by experiments using antibodies raised against a partial cDNA-derived protein segment produced in E. coli. By Northern blot analysis we have identified the 2.4-kb cylicin I mRNA only in testis. The unusual cytoskeletal protein cylicin is compared with other proteins and its possible architectural role during spermiogenesis is discussed.

[Interpersonal problems, interpersonal orientation and success of treatment after inpatient group psychotherapy]

To describe and estimate the importance of interpersonal problems and orientations for inpatient group psychotherapy, a total of 78 inpatients from two different hospitals (university hospital Kiel, psychotherapeutic hospital Berlin-Hirschgarten) were investigated using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems and the SCL90R prior to and (partly) following longterm psychotherapy. Both groups reported more interpersonal problems than a group of 55 outpatients. The subgroups differed from each other in terms of their symptoms reported in the SCL90R and their interpersonal orientation (sensu Horowitz) which was smaller in the patient group from the Berlin Hospital (an institution of the former German Democratic Republic). Within this subgroup, treatment success (obtained with a variety of different measures) appeared to be less in those patients whose interpersonal problems were mainly related to the dimension of dominance. The ratio of interpersonal to impersonal problems was not significantly related to therapy outcome in either of the subgroups. The results of this study are mainly discussed with respect to the different psychotherapeutic concepts practiced in both hospitals. Generally, the investigation supported the significance of the interpersonal dimension for empirical research within the field of inpatient psychotherapy.

[A rare variation in the zone of the carotid artery]

An extremely rare variation in the angioarchitecture of the carotid arteries consists in the complete missing of the right common carotid artery. The brachiocephalic trunc (innominate artery), forming a bulbus-like extension, branches out into three major stems: internal carotid artery, external carotid artery and the right subclavian artery. The variation is embryologically explainable: The aortic arches III and IV arise together (without ventral aortic root between them) from the persisting initial segment of the right ventral aorta.

High-level secretion of the four salivary plasminogen activators from the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus by stably transfected baby hamster kidney cells

The cDNAs coding for the four Desmodus rotundus salivary plasminogen activators (DSPAs) were subcloned into the mammalian expression vector, pMPSV/CMV, which carries the myeloproliferative sarcoma virus promoter and the cytomegalovirus enhancer. These constructs were transfected, together with plasmids harbouring Geneticin (G418)-resistance and puromycin-resistance genes, into baby hamster kidney cells. Through the selective pressure of both antibiotics, cell clones constitutively overexpressing the DSPA alpha 1, DSPA alpha 2, DSPA beta or DSPA gamma cDNAs were obtained. Secretion of active DSPAs was confirmed by zymographic analysis and quantified using a fibrin plate assay and ELISA.

Purification of serum amyloid A and its isoforms from human plasma by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and preparative isoelectric focusing

The present work was aimed at isolating human serum amyloid A, (SAA), an acute-phase protein mainly complexed to high density lipoproteins, directly from human plasma without sequential ultracentrifugation of lipoproteins and subsequent delipidation of the apolipoprotein moiety. Hydrophobic-interaction fast-protein liquid chromatography on Octylsepharose, using stepwise gradient elution profiles under dissociating conditions, followed by fast-protein liquid-gel permeation chromatography on a Superdex TM75 column revealed a higher than 95% purity of isolated SAA. Further purification of SAA from coeluting apolipoproteins C and A-II was achieved by preparative isoelectric focusing between pH5-7 using a Rotofor apparatus. Separation of the main SAA isoforms, SAA1 (pI 6.5) and SAA1 des-Arg (pI 6.0, lacking the N-terminal arginine), was achieved by anion-exchange fast-protein liquid chromatography on a Fractogel EMD DEAE 650-S column. The purity of the SAA1 and SAA1 des-Arg isoforms, thus isolated, was checked by immunochemical techniques and amino acid analysis. With the described method various SAA isoforms can be isolated, purified and separated directly from human plasma/serum without prior ultracentrifugation.

[Affective experience in the group process and therapeutic outcome]

In this investigation is reported about measurement of affective behavior and feelings during the process of group psychotherapy. Therefore a cluster analysis of 4 parameters about 5 group sessions and 9 members and the group as a whole was made. The hypothesia were that effective feelings concern the group as a whole, that they were changing during the process and that they concern the individual process. It could be shown that in common there was a connection between individual process of affective behavior and outcome. Questions which came from differences of these results concerned the problem of characterizing exactly what going on related changing of attitudes and in which manner we can understand outcome.

Purification and properties of a secreted and developmentally regulated alpha-L-fucosidase from Dictyostelium discoideum

During its development the eukaryotic microorganisms Dictyostelium discoideum secretes an alpha-L-fucosidase (EC 3.2.1.51). In cells of the growth phase almost no alpha-L-fucosidase activity is detectable. The activity increases steadily up to the aggregation stage and accumulates also in the extracellular medium. The developmental regulation is mediated by pulsatile cAMP signals. The alpha-L-fucosidase was purified from extracellular medium. The isolation procedure started with concentration of the enzyme by batchwise anion-exchange chromatography and ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration and further purification by fast protein liquid chromatography on Mono Q, phenyl-Superose, and finally Superose 12. The purified preparation was found to be essentially free of activities of six other glycosidases also secreted by D. discoideum. On sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the purified enzyme showed one major band with an apparent molecular mass of 62 kilodalton. Gel filtration of the enzyme on a Superose 12 column was consistent with an active monomer. A monoclonal antibody was produced, which recognizes a carbohydrate epitope shared by all lysosomal enzymes in D. discoideum. The pH optimum of the alpha-L-fucosidase is at 3.7. The apparent Michaelis constant for p-nitrophenyl alpha-L-fucoside as substrate is 1.2 mM. The enzyme catalyzes preferentially the hydrolysis of alpha 1----6GlcNAc but also of alpha 1----2Gal and alpha 1----3Glc fucosyl linkages.

[Kimura disease--2 case reports]

Two histologically confirmed cases of Kimura's disease are reported in the present article. Emphasis is placed on the clinical symptoms in conjunction with the histological picture. Recent studies in the literature are discussed with respect to differential diagnosis, etiology and therapy. In all ENT-tumours of unknown origin this relatively uncommon disease should also be considered.

[The Malleotrain bandage in a large clinical trial]

The authors tested the clinical efficacy of the malleotrain bandage in a clinical field trial on a very large mixed patient material from 1980 onwards. The patient material included a total of 350 cases of ankle joint injuries with partial and total fibular ruptures of ligament, ruptures of the inferior tibiofibular joint, conditions after malleolar fractures as well as posttraumatic or postoperative swelling.--It was found that the malleotrain bandage achieved subsidence of swelling of the periarticular soft parts, relief of complaints and considerable normalisation of functioning, within an unusually short time and without medication or other local measures.--Patients who had been operated on for complete rupture of fibulotalar ligament were given by Lippay the malleotrain bandage only, after having immobilised the malleolus by means of a plaster cast for 10 days, without any disadvantages in respect of healing and subsequent stability.--Blandfort had even treated complete lateral ankle joint ligament ruptures conservatively with the malleotrain bandage only and had thus achieved cure resulting in stable ligaments.--The ability to work and to resume sports activities returned on the average two weeks earlier than with plaster cast immobilisation.

[Digital subtraction angiography using carbon dioxide: an alternative to arteriography of the extremities using iodine-containing contrast media]

The basics and the technique of intraarterial digital subtraction arteriography with carbon dioxide (CO2) are presented. The procedure turned out to be a good and relatively poor-risk alternative to conventional angiography with iodinated contrast media in 26 peripheral arteriographies and in 6 peripheral angioplasties in hyperthyroid patients. Using a 9-inch amplifier, arteriograms from the infrarenal abdominal aorta down to the lower leg arteries were performed with five series of insufflation of 20-25 cc CO2 each. With regard to the image quality, there is no difference between CO2 arteriograms and those performed with intraarterial application of iodinated contrast media.

[Experiences with joint-preserving operations in arthrosis of the upper ankle joint]

During a period of ten years we performed 140 joint conserving operations on patients with arthrosis of the ankle joint. The use of this procedure was analysed in 85 patients, whom we followed up. Mainly (in 89%) positive results were obtained. The success of such joint conserving surgery depends on the one hand on the seriousness of the injury leading to arthrosis and on the other hand on the duration of the complaints. If attention is paid to these factors we have after the failure of conservative therapy a satisfying complementary treatment before using the arthrodesis.

[Local thrombolysis in peripheral arterial occlusion]

Peripheral arterial occlusions, with the exception of those induced mechanically or by vasospasm, are invariably caused by a blood clot resulting from either in-situ thrombosis or embolism. More than 10% of embolic occlusions in otherwise healthy arteries undergo spontaneous lysis due to the organisms tissue plasminogen activator. In thrombotic occlusion of arteriosclerotic vessels, probably due to insufficient activator release from the diseased arterial wall, spontaneous lysis is much less common. For more than 25 years, lysis has been aided with streptokinase (SK) or urokinase (UK) which, until eight years ago, had only been given systemically with a standard dosage of 2.4 million units daily for up to five days. Thrombotic femoral artery occlusions of up to six weeks old were successfully lysed in 48%, six to twelve weeks old in 25% and, in those older than twelve weeks only in exceptional cases. With embolic occlusion, systemic lysis is contraindicated due to the possibility of provoking new emboli. With conventional systemic SK treatment, in 7% of the patients there was severe bleeding which in 1.12% was fatal. The ultrahigh SK treatment (nine million units in six hours) has substantially fewer bleeding complications but no better rate of success. Systemic administration of SK and UK leads to activation of the entire circulating plasminogen and the correspondingly-associated clotting defects. Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), the production of which was rendered possible by genetic engineering, is identical to human tissue activator, has a high affinity to fibrin-bound plasminogen, less affinity to circulating plasminogen. After systemic administration, however, the plasminogen in every vascular clot is activated such that, even without alteration of the clotting system, bleeding the emboli can be provoked. With local application of the activator, even extensive clots, provided they contain lysable fibrin, can be dissolved within one-half to three hours with comparably minimal doses. For local lysis treatment of peripheral arterial occlusions, SK, UK and rt-PA are well-suited. With a total dose of maximally 30,000 units SK, in contrast to the initially-used higher doses, there were no bleeding complications in more than 300 patients. Even with a total doses of 100,000 to 300,000 UK, albeit in a relatively small number of patients, and a total dose of 2.5 to 7.5 mg rt-PA which was given within three hours maximally to 85 patients, there were no bleeding complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Actilyse bei peripheren arteriellen Durchblutungsstörungen

Die Hoffnung, rt-PA würde wegen der bevorzugten Aktivierung des fibringebundenen Plasminogens auch bei systemischer Anwendung in jedem Fall wie eine lokale Lyse wirken, hat sich nicht bestätigt. Systemische Applikation eines jeden Aktivators der Fibrinolyse ist unphysiologisch und birgt in wirksamen Dosen immer die Gefahr der Auflösung von gefäßabdichtenden Gerinnseln und damit einer Blutung oder einer Provokation von Embolien aus einer Quelle im Herzen oder den großen Arterien und damit eines arteriellen Verschlusses irgendwo im System. Lokale Lysebehandlung peripherer arterieller Verschlüsse mit geeigneter Technik und Dosierung kann beides vermeiden. Bei 77 Patienten mit femoro-poplitea-len Verschlüssen konnte mit 1,25 bis 7,5 mg rt-PA, innerhalb von 30 bis maximal 180 Minuten lokal appliziert, in 81,8% der Fälle eine 2 Wochen anhaltende Rekanalisierung ohne eine Nebenwirkung erreicht werden. rt-PA ist der gleiche Aktivator und seine lokale Applikation die gleiche Form, mit der der Organismus Spontanlyse in seltenen Fällen vornimmt. Lokale Lysebehandlung mit rt-PA ist physiologisch und birgt in den genannten Dosen nicht das Risiko, eine Blutung oder eine Embolie im System zu verursachen.

Femoro-popliteal artery thrombolysis with intra-arterial infusion of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator--report of a pilot trial

Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was infused at a rate of 10 mg/h into 50 thrombosed femoral and popliteal arteries. Patency was restored in 43 but a secondary angioplasty led to 2 reocclusions and in 3 patients early rethrombosis occurred. A favourable clinical result was thus obtained in 38 patients (76%). Thirteen bleeding complications occurred in 10 patients, mainly haematomas at puncture sites. One patient required blood transfusion for gastro-intestinal bleeding from a previously unknown ulcer. The angiographic recanalisation rate in 16 patients who received a slower infusion of rt-PA (5 or 3 mg/h) was 94% and the clinical success rate in this series was 81%. However, the incidence of bleeding complications was not decreased by the slower infusion rate. The data obtained confirm the feasibility of rt-PA thrombolysis in peripheral arterial thrombosis and warrant a comparative study with streptokinase.

[Local thrombolysis in the treatment of acute ischemia of the leg]

The results of local low-dose thrombolytic treatments of 564 peripheral arterial occlusions were as follows: Embolic occlusions up to 6 weeks could be removed in 72.7%, the longer lasting occlusions in 42.3%. Thrombotic occlusions lasting up to 6 months were successfully treated in 58%, still older ones in 36.2%. The cumulative patency after 5 years was 89.5% in embolic and 58.8% in thrombotic occlusions. Therefore, the differential therapy of acute peripheral ischemia has to be thought over anew together with the vascular surgeons.