Ventilatory response to hypoxia and hypercapnia in the torpid bat, Eptesicus fuscus

Ventilatory pattern and ventilatory responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia were investigated in torpid big brown bats at body temperatures of 5, 10, 20, 30 and 37 degrees C. The pattern of breathing at temperatures below 30 degrees C was intermittent, consisting of rhythmic breathing bouts separated by apneic periods with occasional sporadic, non-rhythmic breathing episodes. Overall ventilation (Ve) was matched consistently to overall oxygen consumption (MO2) over the entire range of temperatures with a mean air convection requirement (Ve/MO2) of 1.28 L/mmol. However, calculating the air convection requirement using only oxygen uptake acquired during ventilation yielded an ectotherm-like temperature relationship. Ventilation was stimulated at all temperatures by either increased inspired CO2 or decreased inspired O2. At 20 degrees C, graded hypercapnic stimulation increased the duration of the rhythmic bouts and decreased the duration of apneas until at high CO2 (greater than 3%) breathing was continuous. Hypoxic stimulation below about 7% O2 increased ventilation by selectively increasing the non-rhythmic ventilations and decreasing rhythmic bouts.

Metabolic and cardiodynamic responses of isolated turtle hearts to ischemia and reperfusion

We used 31P and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure intracellular pH, high energy phosphates, and lactate levels in hearts of turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) subjected to 1.5 h of global ischemia followed by reperfusion. We simultaneously monitored maximum ventricular developed pressure (Pmax), maximal rate of pressure development (dP/dtmax), rate-pressure product (RPP), cardiac output, and heart rate and also measured lactate efflux from the hearts during reperfusion. Our goal was to test the hypothesis that turtle hearts would prove tolerant of prolonged global ischemia at 20 degrees C and would recover completely on reperfusion without any indication of ischemia-or reperfusion-related injury. The 1.5 h of ischemia resulted in decreases in phosphocreatine and ATP to 31.4 +/- 2.8 and 87.3 +/- 6.3% of control, respectively, while Pi rose to 236.6 +/- 26.3%. Intracellular pH decreased during this period from 7.38 +/- 0.02 to 6.87 +/- 0.04. Most of these changes occurred during the first 30 min. Tissue lactate rose during 1.5 h of ischemia from approximately 1.5 to 22.3 mumol/g wet tissue wt. However, the rate of lactate production was much higher during the first 21 min of ischemia (0.41 mumol.g-1.min-1) than during the remaining 70 min (0.10 mumol.g-1.min-1). With the onset of ischemia, Pmax, dP/dtmax, RPP, and heart rate all decreased dramatically with roughly the same time course as the changes in high-energy phosphates and intracellular pH. On reperfusion, turtle hearts rapidly restored high-energy phosphates, intracellular pH, lactate, and cardiodynamics to control levels, usually within 15-30 min, with no evidence of reperfusion injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Extension of a minimal T cell determinant allows relaxation of the requirement for particular residues within the determinant

The determinant recognized by a class II restricted helper T cell clone raised against a peptide corresponding to the C-terminal 24 residues of the heavy chain of influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) was examined in detail. The sequence 309VKQNTLKL316 was identified as the minimal determinant for T cell activation but its stimulatory capacity was augmented by extension at either end. Sets of peptide analogs, in which each residue within the minimal determinant was replaced in turn by every one of the other naturally occurring amino acids, revealed either an absolute requirement for the native residue or a very limited degree of replaceability, at seven of the eight positions. Only the N-terminal residue 309V could be replaced with almost any other amino acid without loss of reactivity; in fact, substitution at this position with residues containing bulky side groups enhanced the response. The reactivity of the clone with analogs of the longer peptide 307KYVKQNTLKL316, which induces maximal levels of stimulation, revealed a very different pattern of replaceability for certain residues; in particular, the requirement for a lysine at position 310 was no longer apparent. This study presents a complete analysis of the importance of each individual residue to the integrity of a T cell determinant and provides evidence that the critical requirement for a particular amino acid at a given location may be overridden by N-terminal extension of the minimal determinant. These findings indicate that, within different homologs of the native sequence, particular residues may assume quite different roles.

Oxidative cost of breathing in the turtle Chrysemys picta bellii

We estimated the cost of breathing of turtles by measuring ventilation and oxygen consumption during air breathing and CO2 breathing. We assumed that any increment in oxygen consumption due to hypercapnic hyperpnea was due to the metabolic cost of the increased breathing. Six turtles were studied while breathing air and then 5% CO2 in air after at least 12 h breathing each gas. For the measurements, the turtles were submerged unrestrained in water at 20 degrees C and were free to raise their heads into a ventilated chamber. Tidal volumes were measured by the pressure changes in the chamber, and oxygen consumption was measured by conventional open-circuit respirometry. Ventilation increased markedly during CO2 breathing up to 50 times the control level, but oxygen consumption increased only slightly. Assuming no depression in nonventilatory metabolism, our data indicate an oxidative cost of breathing on the order of 1% of the total metabolic rate at rest. This is far less than the 15-20% cost predicted from published work (Kinney et al., Respir. Physiol. 31: 327-332, 1976) on a closely related species of turtle and is consistent with earlier work in our laboratory. We conclude that the cost of breathing in turtles is low, similar to other air-breathing vertebrates, and therefore the existing notion that turtle breathing is expensive and inefficient should be discarded.

31P-NMR study of normoxic and anoxic perfused turtle heart during graded CO2 and lactic acidosis

We studied the effects of graded acidosis (both CO2 and lactic acid) and anoxia on intracellular pH (pHi) regulation, high-energy phosphates, and mechanical function of isolated perfused hearts of the turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) at 20 degrees C using 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. During CO2 acidosis, anoxia had no effect on apparent nonbicarbonate buffer value (d[HCO3-]/dpHi = 71 and 89 mM/pH in normoxia and anoxia, respectively) or on pHi regulation (dpHi/dpHe = 0.52 and 0.43 in normoxia and anoxia, respectively, where pHe is extracellular pH). During normoxic lactic acidosis, dpHi/dpHe was similar to the values observed in CO2 acidosis and averaged 0.55 overall. During anoxic lactic acidosis, however, similar regulation occurred over only a narrow range of pHe, and then dpHi/dpHe increased to greater than 1.0 at pHe less than 7.1. Creatine phosphate (CP), calculated as the area of the NMR peak, fell more in response to normoxic CO2 acidosis than to normoxic lactic acidosis; in anoxia, the fall in CP was further increased but to similar extreme levels (10-20% of control) in both acid perfusions. Cardiac output and maximum rate of pressure development each fell during acidosis in similar fashion in all protocols, and the responses were similar in normoxic and anoxic hearts. Heart rate, in contrast, decreased during acidosis, but this effect was more pronounced when hearts were anoxic. We conclude that the effect of acidosis on cardiac function can depend on the type of acidosis imposed. Based on the heart's insensitivity to anoxia alone, we suggest that anoxia may normally depress function indirectly via its effect on intracellular acid-base state.

Effects of anoxia and graded acidosis on the levels of circulating catecholamines in turtles

We measured circulating levels of catecholamines in painted turtles subjected to anoxia with different degrees of concomitant acidosis at 20 degrees C and in turtles subjected to long-term submergence at 3 and 10 degrees C. Blood levels of both epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) increased during N2-breathing, N2/CO2 breathing and submergence, with NE generally being present in higher concentrations than E. During submergence at 20 degrees C, anoxic turtles experienced an extreme acidosis and NE levels exceeded 18,000 pg/ml. The greater the degree of acidosis in anoxic turtles the higher were the levels of plasma NE (log [NE; pg/ml] = 1.640 x pHa + 15.776, r = -0.826). Elevation of plasma E under anoxic conditions was more modest and the correlation between plasma E and pHa was less pronounced (log [E; pg/ml] = -0.329 x pHa + 6.069, r = -0.285). Submergence at lower temperatures also resulted in increases in plasma levels of NE, but while plasma E generally increased during anoxia, this elevation was less dramatic than that observed for NE. Exposure of turtles to either mild (6.5% CO2) or severe (14.5% CO2) normoxic hypercapnia resulted in no increase in E and only modest increases in NE. Upon resumption of air-breathing in all of the 20 degrees C protocols, turtles rapidly restored E and NE to control levels. The function of elevated plasma catecholamines during anoxia and acidemia in turtles is unknown but may be important in stimulating respiratory and cardiovascular recovery once air-breathing is resumed. Catecholamines may also play a role in mediating the rise in blood glucose we observed in this study, which may be an important factor in maintaining tissue viability during anoxic stress.

Probing the idiotype/anti-idiotype antibody interaction with a set of synthetic peptide homologues

Anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibodies were raised against two murine monoclonal antibodies (mAb 1/1 and mAb 2/1) which recognise two distinct and well-characterised epitopes on a 24-residue synthetic peptide representing part of the haemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus. A monoclonal anti-Id antibody, specific for mAb 2/1, could bind to mAb 2/1 when the paratope of the latter was occupied with peptide, indicating that this anti-Id antibody is directed to a framework idiotope. In contrast, an anti-Id mAb derived from mAb 1/1-immunised mice was inhibited in its binding to Id by the parent peptide and also by the heptapeptide NVPEKQT which constitutes the epitope recognised by mAb 1/1. The small size of this synthetic peptide eliminates the possibility of significant steric inhibition in the system, and establishes that this mAb is a true paratope-directed anti-Id antibody. The interaction of this anti-Id mAb with the paratope of mAb 1/1 in the presence of a set of peptide homologues of the epitope was also examined. A peptide as short as 5 residues, which contains two of the three irreplaceable residues of the epitope, could inhibit binding between the two mAbs.

A synthetic peptide of influenza virus hemagglutinin as a model antigen and immunogen

This paper reviews our studies on a 24-residue synthetic peptide representing part of the amino acid sequence of the influenza virus hemagglutinin. We have used this peptide as a model antigen to define short sequences and individual amino acid residues involved in and critical for interaction with antibody and with T cells. These studies provide insight into the way in which an immunogen is viewed by the immune system and also the minimum requirements necessary for the expression of immunogenic and antigenic activity. This information is helping us in exploiting synthetic peptides in the construction of designer immunogens which have potential as candidate vaccines.

Three antibody molecules can bind simultaneously to each monomer of the tetramer of influenza virus neuraminidase and the trimer of influenza virus hemagglutinin

Trimeric hemagglutinin and tetrameric neuraminidase molecules isolated from influenza virus bind an average of 9 and 13 molecules respectively of monovalent antibody fragments prepared from IgG isolated from polyclonal sera. In each case this represents an average of approximately three molecules of antibody binding to each protomer. Although there is compelling evidence for the presence of multiple adjacent and overlapping epitopes covering the surface of these two viral antigens, steric hindrance ensures that even under saturating conditions only three molecules of monovalent antibody fragments can be simultaneously accommodated on each monomer.

Extracellular and intracellular acid-base effects of submergence anoxia and nitrogen breathing in turtles

We compared extracellular and intracellular acid-base state in turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) subjected to anoxic submergence to turtles made anoxic by N2-breathing. Measurements made on control animals and on animals after 1, 2, 4, or 6 h of anoxia included blood pH, PO2, PCO2, and lactate as well as liver, heart, skeletal muscle, and brain pHi (using DMO equilibration), lactate, and glycogen concentrations. We hypothesized that the anaerobic metabolic rate of submerged turtles would be depressed by the more severe extra- and intracellular acidosis, and that this would be indicated by reduced lactate accumulation and glycogen depletion. Submerged turtles became extremely acidemic due to a combined metabolic and respiratory acidosis and had significantly lower arterial pH than N2-breathing animals (6.98 and 7.34, respectively, after 6 h). In spite of this disparity in pHa, 6 h pHi values for liver, heart, and brain were similar. Likewise, our data on glycogen depletion and lactate accumulation at h 6 in these tissues suggest no dramatic differences in anaerobic metabolic rate. While skeletal muscle pHi was somewhat lower at h 6 in the submerged group (6.73 vs 6.91 for N2-breathers), we observed no differences in either glycogen depletion or lactate accumulation in this tissue between our two treatments. Thus, at h 6, in spite of a 0.37 pH unit difference in pHa and a nearly 70 mm Hg difference in arterial and presumably cytosolic PCO2, pHi and tissue lactate and glycogen concentrations were similar. These results can be explained if the in vivo intracellular buffer values (beta) of turtle tissues are very high. We conclude that extracellular acid-base state is not necessarily reflected intracellularly in vivo in turtles and care must be taken in extrapolating from one compartment to another when attempting to make inferences about metabolic depression or acid-base regulation in this species.

Electron microscopic evidence for the association of M2 protein with the influenza virion

Immunogold electron microscopy revealed that site-specific antibodies elicited by a synthetic peptide representing the N-terminal sequence (residues 2-10) of influenza virus M2 protein were capable of binding to the surface of virions. Antibody binding was observed with two human influenza virus strains but not with an avian virus strain which has amino acid substitutions in the appropriate sequence of M2. These results provide direct evidence for the presence of M2 in the influenza virion.

The stoichiometry of binding between monoclonal antibody molecules and the hemagglutinin of influenza virus

The number of neutralizing monoclonal IgG molecules that can bind to a single trimeric molecule of influenza viral hemagglutinin (HA) was calculated by estimating the molecular weight of the immune complexes formed under conditions of antibody excess and was found to be dependent upon the antigenic site to which the MAb is directed. Whereas three antibody molecules directed to site A or site E are able to bind simultaneously to a single trimer of HA, generally only one molecule directed to site B (the "tip") or site B/D ("tip/interface") can be accommodated. Using mixtures of MAbs, more IgG molecules can be accommodated, but steric hindrance limits simultaneous binding of different MAbs directed to the same antigenic site or even to neighboring sites. At limiting antibody concentration, some MAbs can form much larger aggregates in which several HA molecules are crosslinked by antibody. However, the fact that certain MAbs do not crosslink HA molecules in this way indicates that MAbs directed to different epitopes within the same general antigenic site differ significantly in their geometry of binding.

31P-NMR measurements of pHi and high-energy phosphates in isolated turtle hearts during anoxia and acidosis

We used 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to measure intracellular pH (pHi) and high-energy phosphate levels in hearts of turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) during either 4 h of anoxia [extracellular pH (pHo) 7.8, 97% N2-3% CO2], 4 h of lactic acidosis (pHo 7.0, 97% O2-3% CO2), or 1.5 h of combined anoxia + lactic acidosis (pHo 7.0, 97% N2-3% CO2) followed by 2 h of oxygenated recovery (pHo 7.8) at 20 degrees C. We also measured heart rate, maximum ventricular-developed pressure, and rate of pressure development (dP/dtmax). 31P-NMR spectra were characterized by the seven peaks typical of mammalian hearts, although turtle spectra were dominated by a large phosphodiester peak. Anoxia caused an increase in Pi to 165% and a decrease in creatine phosphate (CP) to 42% of control, whereas ATP levels remained unchanged. pHi declined from 7.37 +/- 0.01 to 7.22 +/- 0.03 at 1 h of anoxia and remained unchanged through hour 4. Lactic acidosis caused a 59% decrease in Pi, whereas CP and ATP levels remained unchanged. pHi fell to 6.88 +/- 0.04 by hour 1 and then climbed steadily to 7.14 +/- 0.05 at hour 4. During recovery from acidosis, pHi exceeded control values and returned to control by 2 h. Combined anoxia + acidosis caused profound decreases in CP to 14% and pHi to 6.56 +/- 0.03. In anoxic hearts, cardiodynamic variables remained at control levels through hour 3, after which cardiac output, heart rate, and dP/dtmax declined. Cardiodynamic variables were essentially unchanged from control throughout 4 h of acidosis except for dP/dtmax, which declined rapidly. In the combined protocol, all measures of cardiac function decreased. Recovery in all three cases was complete by approximately 2 h. We conclude that turtle hearts were relatively resistant to the stresses imposed in all three protocols compared with mammalian hearts, although anoxia + acidosis depressed the measured cardiac variables more profoundly than predicted from responses to the conditions imposed separately. Our results from the anoxia protocol suggest no direct causal relationship between myocardial CP (or ATP) levels and cardiac function.

Force and acid-base state of turtle cardiac tissue exposed to combined anoxia and acidosis

We measured contractile force of ventricular strips form the turtle Chrysemys picta bellii exposed to 1 h of combined anoxia and acidosis (pH 7.0) at 20 degrees C. Strips either beat spontaneously (self-paced) or in response to electrical stimulation (paced at 12, 24, or 36 beats/min). Tissue [lactate] and intracellular pH (pHi) were measured in control strips and at the end of anoxia-acidosis. In self-paced strips, at normal extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) (1 mM), both rate and force fell significantly after 1 h of anoxia-acidosis to 54 and 17.1%, respectively, of control values. Increased [Ca2+]o to 10 mM at 30 min had a small but significant positive effect on both rate and force. Contractile force of paced strips also fell progressively during anoxia-acidosis, but the decrease varied directly with pacing frequency. Under all cases of anoxia-acidosis, pHi fell significantly from the control value of 7.53; in paced strips, acidosis was most severe at 36 beats/min (pHi 6.75), and in self-paced strips, pHi (approximately 6.85) was independent of [Ca2+]o. Based on this and previous work, we conclude that combined anoxia-acidosis, similar to that observed in vivo after prolonged anoxic submergence, profoundly depresses cardiac function. Both hypercalcemia and bradycardia improve performance in this extreme state, but these effects are not as great as when anoxia and acidosis occur alone.

Bovine and mouse serum beta inhibitors of influenza A viruses are mannose-binding lectins

Normal bovine and mouse sera contain a component, termed beta inhibitor, that inhibits the infectivity and hemagglutinating activity of influenza A viruses of the H1 and H3 subtypes. To investigate the nature of the interaction of beta inhibitors with influenza A viruses we isolated a mutant of the virus Mem71H-BelN (H3N1) that could grow in the presence of bovine serum. The mutant virus was resistant to hemagglutination inhibition by mouse serum as well as by bovine serum and had undergone changes in the receptor-binding and the antigenic properties of its hemagglutinin (HA) molecule. Sequence analysis of the HA genes of parent and mutant viruses revealed a single nucleotide change in the mutant, resulting in the substitution Thr----Asn at residue 167 of the HA1 chain of HA. This change leads to loss of the potential glycosylation site Asn-165-Val-166-Thr-167 at the tip of the HA spike, which in viruses of the H3 subtype is known to bear a high-mannose (type II) carbohydrate side chain N-linked to Asn-165. The association of beta inhibitor resistance with loss of this carbohydrate side chain suggested that beta inhibitors may be lectins. In support of this hypothesis, treatment of the beta inhibitor-sensitive parent virus Mem71H-BelN with periodate converted it to the resistant state. Furthermore, the inhibitory activity of both bovine and mouse sera for the parental virus was abrogated by D-mannose. We conclude that the beta inhibitors in bovine and mouse sera are mannose-binding lectins that inhibit hemagglutination and neutralize virus infectivity by binding to carbohydrate at the tip of the HA spike, blocking access of cell-surface receptors to the receptor-binding site on HA.

An analysis of the properties of monoclonal antibodies directed to epitopes on influenza virus hemagglutinin

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for the hemagglutinin (HA) of the H3 subtype of influenza A virus were grouped according to their inability to bind to particular MAb-selected neutralization escape mutants of the virus having an amino acid substitution in one of the five postulated antigenic sites on the molecule. Additional residues critical to the binding of the MAbs were deduced from their patterns of reactivity with a panel of field strains and receptor mutants of the H3 subtype. The relationship of these residues to the actual epitopes recognized by the MAbs was inferred from their location on the three-dimensional structure of the HA molecule. In this way it was generally possible to identify a number of residues that are critical to the integrity of the epitope recognized by each of the MAbs examined. It was found that: (1) Several of these epitopes appear to be discontinuous and some may depend on residues contributed by more than one monomer. For example, residue 205, in the interface between monomers of the HA, was found to affect the integrity of the epitopes for several MAbs, possibly by stabilizing the conformation of residues around the receptor-binding pocket and/or in site B on the adjacent monomer. The activity of these particular MAbs was greatly decreased if the virus was exposed to pH 5. (2) All the MAbs tested neutralized viral infectivity and inhibited hemagglutination, although the single MAb directed to site C, which is the most distant from the receptor-binding site, was the least efficient. (3) Hemagglutination inhibition, and particularly neutralization tests, were more discriminating than ELISA in discerning subtle differences between the corresponding epitopes recognized by MAbs on different field strains. (4) Efficiency of neutralization of infectivity did not correlate consistently with hemagglutination inhibiting efficiency; MAbs postulated to bind to epitopes close to the receptor-binding pocket were very efficient at inhibiting hemagglutination, whereas neutralization efficiency tended to be more influenced by the affinity of binding of the MAb. (5) A MAb binding to any particular epitope could affect the binding of a second MAb directed to an epitope within the same or even a different antigenic site. The observed effect was most commonly inhibition of binding, which was not always reciprocal; enhancement of binding was also observed with certain combinations of MAbs. The relative affinity of the MAbs, in addition to steric constraints, were shown to be important factors in the ability to compete for interaction with HA.

Cardiovascular and metabolic responses during anoxic submergence in the bullfrog with and without maintained extracellular pH

We studied metabolic, cardiovascular, and electrolyte responses of paralyzed bullfrogs to 6 hours of submerged anoxia at 15 degrees C, either with or without maintenance of extracellular pH at preanoxic values by NaHCO3 infusion. There were no differences in arterial PCO2 between acidemic and nonacidemic groups. Lactate appearance in arterial blood, as an indicator of anaerobic metabolic rate, was not significantly different between the anoxic groups, although both were significantly elevated over control. Heart rate in both anoxic groups was similar and significantly lower than in control. During anoxia, both systolic and diastolic pressures fell, and the group with maintained pH fell further. Plasma calcium concentration decreased in both anoxic groups, but the fall was more severe in the group in which pH was controlled. Survival was lower in this group, with a rapid decline in survival after 4 hours of anoxia. We conclude that the fall in extracellular pH seen during anoxia has a protective effect on cardiovascular function that may be partially due to maintenance of relatively high extracellular calcium levels.

Class II-restricted T-cell clones to a synthetic peptide of influenza virus hemagglutinin differ in their fine specificities and in the ability to respond to virus

Fifteen T-cell clones were derived from BALB/c or DBA/2 mice immunized with a synthetic peptide corresponding to the C-terminal 24 residues (residues 305 to 328) of the HA1 chain of H3 subtype influenza virus hemagglutinin. All of the clones proliferated when the peptide was presented in association with I-Ed. By using shorter homologs, it was shown that the T-cell response was focused predominantly on the region at the N-terminal end of the peptide encompassed by residues 306 to 319. Individual clones recognizing this region differed in their absolute requirements for residues at the extremities of the site and also in their patterns of efficiency of recognition of shorter homologs. One particular clone defined another site of T-cell recognition within residues 314 to 328. The response of the clones to peptide analogs identified certain residues within the sites that were critical for recognition, with the substitution Gln-311----Ser having a differential effect on clones responding to the N-terminal site. Only one of the clones responded well to influenza virus itself. This clone also required relatively low concentrations of the parent peptide for optimum stimulation and was suppressed by higher concentrations. The data demonstrate striking heterogeneity in the T-cell response even to a short synthetic peptide, with different T-cell clones recognizing slightly different but overlapping areas of the molecule.

Minimum requirements for immunogenic and antigenic activities of homologs of a synthetic peptide of influenza virus hemagglutinin

Synthetic peptides of increasing length and corresponding in sequence to the C-terminal end of the HA1 molecule of influenza virus were constructed and examined for their immunogenic and antigenic properties. Peptides containing at least the four C-terminal amino acids, when coupled to keyhole limpet hemocyanin, were capable of eliciting antibody in BALB/c mice that bound to the 24-residue parent peptide H3 HA1 (305 to 328). In the absence of a carrier, the C-terminal decapeptide was the shortest peptide capable of eliciting antibody. The specificity of this antibody was indistinguishable from that of a monoclonal antibody to the parent peptide which recognizes an epitope encompassed by the C-terminal seven residues. All peptides containing at least the C-terminal four residues were able to inhibit completely the binding of this monoclonal antibody to the parent peptide. Taken together, these results indicate that (i) the tetrapeptide is capable of eliciting specific antibody when coupled to a carrier, (ii) this tetrapeptide possesses all of the antigenic information necessary to occupy the paratope of a monoclonal antibody elicited by the longer parent peptide, and (iii) the decapeptide contains all of the information necessary to elicit a specific immune response and therefore carries an epitope recognized by T cells as well as one recognized by B cells.

Brain and cerebrospinal fluid ion composition after long-term anoxia in diving turtles

Prolonged anoxia in turtles is associated with marked disturbances in plasma composition. This study examines brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ion homeostasis in the freshwater turtle, Chrysemys picta bellii, in response to 8-10 days of submergence anoxia at 10 degrees C. For comparison, it also examines the response to experimental elevation of plasma [K], [Ca], and [Mg] in normoxic turtles. Long-term anoxia resulted in marked changes in brain and CSF composition. These included elevated [K], [Ca], [Mg], and [lactate] and reduced [Cl], and the composition of CSF approached that of plasma. Brain water content increased by 17%, which we suggest was an intracellular edema linked largely to an 11% increase in total brain K. In contrast to the lack of effective homeostasis during anoxia, CSF composition was controlled in normoxic animals. We conclude that there is homeostasis of K, Ca, and Mg in the extracellular fluids of normoxic turtle brain, as in other vertebrates, but that this homeostasis fails during long-term anoxia.

Effect of induced hypercapnia on anaerobic metabolic rate of anoxic musk turtles

To evaluate the possible effect of induced hypercapnia on anaerobic metabolic rate during anoxia, musk turtles (Sternotherus odoratus) were submerged in N2-equilibrated water at 10 degrees C for 3 days either with (anoxic hypercapnic) or without (anoxic normocapnic) elevated aquatic PCO2 (30-40 Torr). Control animals had access to air at 10 degrees C. Plasma [lactate] was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in the normocapnic [59.4 +/- 7.4 (SD) mM; n = 22] than in the hypercapnic (47.4 +/- 8.5 mM; n = 19) anoxic turtles, although the hypercapnic turtles had lower blood pH (P less than 0.05). Plasma ion concentrations (Na, K, Cl, Ca, and Mg), however, were no different in the two groups, although all values other than Na were different from control. In some of the animals, [lactate] and [glycogen] (per g wet wt) of skeletal muscle, heart, and liver were measured in addition to blood acid-base values and lactate. Tissue lactates, although significantly elevated from control, and glycogens, although (with the exception of skeletal muscle) significantly reduced from control, were no different in the two anoxic groups. We suggest that these tissue data are more valid indicators of anaerobic metabolic rate than is plasma lactate and therefore conclude that induced hypercapnia does not significantly depress anaerobiosis in musk turtles at 10 degrees C.

Genetic control and fine specificity of the immune response to a synthetic peptide of influenza virus hemagglutinin

The immune response to a synthetic peptide, H3 HA1(305-328), representing the C'-terminal 24 amino acid residues of the HA1 chain of the hemagglutinin of the H3 subtype of influenza virus is controlled by genes in the I region of the major histocompatibility complex. Mice of the H-2d haplotype are high responders and produce antibody for several months after a single injection of peptide without carrier. Mice of the H-2b, H-2k, and H-2q haplotypes are low antibody responders. Investigation of recombinant and congenic mouse strains revealed that high responsiveness requires the genes that encode the I-Ed molecule. Immunoassays, involving direct binding to analogs of this peptide and inhibition by both these analogs and synthetic epitopes, were used to analyze the specificity of the polyclonal response. In BALB/c mice, the primary antibody response is directed principally against the antigenic site 314-LKLAT-318, whereas the secondary response after a boost is predominantly directed to a distinct site, 320-MRNVPEKQT-328. The T-cell response to the peptide H3 HA1(305-328), as measured by antigen-induced proliferation of primed T cells in vitro, is also I-Ed restricted in high-responder H-2d mice and is directed against an antigenic site that does not require the four C-terminal residues unique to the H3 influenza subtype. A different epitope appears to be recognized by T cells from CBA (H-2k) mice, which proliferate to a moderate extent on exposure to the peptide but, nevertheless, do not provide help for an antibody response.