Expression of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion glycoprotein and vaccination against NDV challenge with a recombinant baculovirus

The hybrid baculovirus constructed from Autographa california nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) and Bombyx mori (silkworm) NPV was used for expression of fusion glycoprotein (F) of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain D26. The gene encoding F protein was introduced into the improved baculovirus expression vector derived from the host-range-expanded baculovirus. In Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus, HyF121, the expressed F protein was properly located onto the cell surface. After silkworm pupae were infected with HyF121, a subunit vaccine against NDV was prepared from the HyF121-infected pupae. Chickens inoculated with the subunit vaccine were protected against virulent NDV challenge.

Transgenic mice with antisense RNA against the nucleocapsid protein mRNA of mouse hepatitis virus

In this study transgenic mice which expressed antisense RNA against the nucleocapsid protein gene of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) under the control of RSV LTR were produced. These transgenic mice were able to transmit the foreign gene to their progeny in a Mendelian fashion. Antisense RNA was detected in various tissues from the transgenic mice including liver and brain, the target organs of MHV infection. One strain of transgenic mice derived from founder mouse No. 19 was more resistant to the lethal challenge of MHV than non-transgenic mice. The results of the present study show the ability of antisense RNA against the viral gene to protect against viral infection in vivo.

Massive myocardial calcification of right and left ventricles following acute myocarditis complicated with rhabdomyolysis-induced acute renal failure

A 26-year-old man was admitted with a high fever, oliguria, skeletal muscle weakness, and cardiogenic shock which led to a diagnosis of acute myocarditis and acute rhabdomyolysis. During treatment with hemodialysis and calcium supplementation, because of severe hypocalcemia, a massive calcification of both right and left ventricular myocardium gradually became apparent with repeated computed tomographic (CT) examinations. Technetium-99m scannings more clearly delineated the markedly accumulated calcium in the myocardium, while significant activity was not detected in other soft tissues. Histopathological examinations by myocardial biopsy revealed a large amount of fibrosis and calcium deposits, and serial CT scans showed a gradual regression of the calcium deposition, suggesting that this rare form of massive dystrophic calcification may parallel changes in the severity of myocarditis, and may be associated with abnormalities in calcium metabolism secondary to rhabdomyolysis-induced acute renal failure.

Cloning and DNA sequence of a 29 kilodalton polypeptide gene of Mycoplasma gallisepticum as a possible protective antigen

A lambda gt11 clone, designated M1 and having a 0.8 kilobase (kb) insert, was selected by screening a Mycoplasma gallisepticum (M.g.) genomic DNA library with antisera against M.g. cells and their membrane proteins. The sequence of a 1.7 kb EcoRI fragment of genomic DNA covering the entire M1 insert revealed a long open reading frame, TM-1, that encoded a polypeptide with a deduced molecular weight of 29 kDa. An antiserum raised in chicken against the TM-1 polypeptide, which was produced by recombinant Escherichia coli cells and purified by column chromatography, inhibited growth of M.g. cells in vitro. Moreover, chickens immunized with this polypeptide were partially protected from a challenge with virulent M.g. This polypeptide may serve as the basis for a vaccine against M.g. infection.

Antibody response to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) of recombinant fowlpox virus (FPV) expressing a hemagglutinin-neuraminidase of NDV into chickens in the presence of antibody to NDV or FPV

Antibody response of recombinant fowlpox virus (FPV) was studied in chickens inoculated with the virus in the presence or absence of antibodies against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) or FPV. In the case of NDV, high hemagglutination-inhibition titers to NDV were obtained when the antibody was present. No immune response to NDV was observed in the chickens previously vaccinated with FPV.

Metabolic fate of alclometasone dipropionate in rats, rabbits, and mice. Metabolic products and pathway following subcutaneous administration

The metabolic fate of alclometasone dipropionate (ADP or S-3460) has been studied in rats, rabbits, and mice, with consideration of their interspecies differences. Several reference compounds related to ADP were synthesized for the determination and identification of the metabolites. After sc administration of 14C-labeled ADP, the metabolites in plasma, bile, and urine were separated and analyzed using TLC-ARG (autoradiography) and HPLC in comparison with the reference compounds. The metabolites identified, fully or tentatively, by MS and 1H-NMR totaled 11. The metabolic transformations were: hydrolysis of the side chain esters, dehydrochlorination leading to the formation of delta 6-double bond, 6 beta-hydroxylation, 6 beta, 7 beta-epoxides from 6 beta-hydroxylated metabolites, side chain oxidation to 21-oic and 20-oic acids in the 6 beta-hydroxylated metabolites, and conjugation to glucuronides and sulfates. The metabolic pathway, postulated on the basis of the identified and quantitated metabolites, was a rapid hydrolysis of 21-ester of ADP to the corresponding alcohol, M-1, after systemic uptake. This M-1 was a main metabolite in plasma of animals studied, and due to its relatively longer life time in the media, it seemed to allow a variety of metabolism to occur, giving the oxidative and conjugative metabolites mentioned above.

[Chemotherapy of chronic myelogenous leukemia--VP(M) regimen initiated during its chronic phase, and evaluation of MCNU in the phase of blastic crisis]

Seventy-four patients in the chronic phase of Ph1-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) have been treated with busulfan or other alkylating agents in a conventional way. During its chronic phase, 24 of these 74 cases had received additional intermittent therapy every 4 to 6 months, consisting of vincristine 2 mg or vindesine 3 mg per week, prednisolone 20-30 mg per day and partly 6 mercaptopurine 50 to 100 mg, combined with allopurinol 200 to 300 mg per day for 2 to 3 weeks. The 50% survival of these patients using the Kaplan-Meier's method was 73.7 months and 5-year survival was 69.6%, against 40.5 months and 14.4%, respectively, in the remaining patients. Nine patients in the blastic or accelerated phase of Ph1-positive CML have been treated with new regimens including MCNU. All cases had been refractory for usual types of induction chemotherapy. The new regimen consisted of MCNU 50-100 mg, combined with vindesine or 6-MP plus allopurinol or prednisolone. Five out of 9 cases attained complete remission and 1 partial remission. The major adverse effect of this regimen was slight liver damage. MCNU could be regarded as an useful agent in the blastic phase as well as in the chronic phase of CML.

[Effect of soft laser on pain]

Two kinds of semiconductor laser, STOMA-LASER and Four-Luck, were used for patients having pain in the mouth and their effective rates were compared in 93 patients (133 cases). As a result, the following results were obtained. 1. The effective rate was 70.7% at the stage just after radiation. 2. Age, sex and oral hygiene were not significant for the effective rate. 3. The kinds of diseases were remarkably significant. 4. The kind of apparatus did not play any role in the effective rate as a whole, but was significant for the kinds of disease.

Overexpression and purification of the recombinant Ca2+-binding protein, apoaequorin

The small, monomeric Ca2+-binding photoprotein, aequorin, emits blue light by an intramolecular reaction when mixed with Ca2+. The photoprotein is made up of coelenterazine and molecular oxygen, bound noncovalently to apoaequorin (apoprotein). The chemical steps leading to light emission, involving the oxidative degradation of coelenterazine, have been studied extensively, but little is known about the active site and how the molecule catalyzes the oxidation of coelenterazine. The three-dimensional structure of the protein has not been determined and therefore answers to these questions have remained unavailable. The present paper describes a procedure for preparing fairly large amounts of apoaequorin and aequorin for X-ray crystallographic studies. It consists of fusing the apoaequorin cDNA to the signal peptide coding sequence of the outer membrane protein A of Escherichia coli, which is under the control of the lipoprotein promoter. When the cDNA was expressed in E. coli, a large excess of the recombinant protein was produced and released into the culture medium. Purification of the protein was accomplished by acid precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The procedure yielded 7.4 mg of recombinant apoaequorin with a purity greater than 95% from 200 ml of culture medium. On regeneration with coelenterazine, the recombinant aequorin was fully active with Ca2+.

Immunological analysis and characterization of lymphocyte subsets in specimens of human hepatocellular carcinomas and metastatic liver cancers

The distribution and number of CD2 (Coulter T11)+ cells, CD16 (Leu 11b)+ cells, Leu 7+ cells, CD8 (OKT 8)+ cells, CD11 (Leu 15)+ cells, CD4 (Leu 3a + 3b)+ cells and Leu 10+ or Leu 14+ cells in the liver of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and metastatic liver cancer (MLC) were investigated using monoclonal antibodies and immunohistological methods. In the majority of those with HCC and MLC, CD8 (OKT 8)+, Leu 7+ and CD16 (Leu 11b)+ cells were present both in the tumor and non-tumor tissues. The CD8 (OKT 8)+ cells were more numerous than Leu 7+ and CD16 (Leu 11b)+ cells. No significant difference was observed in the distribution and number of Leu 7+ and CD16 (Leu 11b)+ cells, in any area, in both groups. The number of CD8 (OKT 8)+ cells predominated in the non-tumor area, in both groups. CD11 (Leu 15)+ cells and CD8 (OKT 8)+ cells were present in the ratio of 1:3 or 1:4. The number of CD4 (Leu 3a + 3b)+ cells was less than that of CD8 (OKT 8)+ cells in both groups, especially in the tumor area. A few Leu 10+ or Leu 14+ cells were present in all areas, in both groups. In most cases of MLC, the CD8 (OKT 8)+ cells were absent in the tumor area. There was no correlation between the distribution and number of these cells and anti-tumor chemotherapy or non-specific immunotherapy.

Cloning, sequencing and expression of the lipase gene from Pseudomonas fragi IFO-12049 in E. coli

The lipase gene from Pseudomonas fragi IFO-12049 was isolated using the expression library and the primary structure of lipase deduced from the nucleotide sequence was determined. It is composed of 277 amino acid residues and a protein of Mr 29,966, which was close to the value of the lipase expressed in E. coli.

Analysis of the chromosomal abnormalities of a woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cell line (WH257GE10)

The normal woodchuck karyotype was determined by the G-banding technique, and the chromosomal abnormalities of a woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cell line (WH257GE10) were analyzed and compared with it. The normal woodchuck karyotype was 38,XY in a male, and 38,XX in a female. Autosomes were classified into 2 groups (A and B). Group A consisted of 13 pairs (1-13) of metacentric or sub-metacentric chromosomes, and group B consisted of 5 pairs (14-18) of telocentric or sub-telocentric ones. The X chromosome was sub-metacentric, and the Y chromosome was telocentric. In WH257GE10, the modal number was 36. Deletion of one of the chromosome 5 pair, of the chromosome 13 pair, and of the Y chromosome was observed. Two marker chromosomes (M1 and M2) were found. These markers showed the same G-banded patterns except for a small chromosome fragment at the distal part of the long arm of M1. The chromosome aberrations were very stable through successive passages in vitro. These findings suggest that the chromosomal abnormalities found in WH257GE10 might be associated with the pathogenesis of woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma.