Immunogenicity and adjuvanticity of lipopolysaccharide from Legionella pneumophila

Lipopolysaccharide isolated from Legionella pneumophila was found to be a potent antigen and inducer of antibody with strong adjuvant activity for related and unrelated antigens such as sheep erythrocytes by in vivo and in vitro systems. The LPS was also a potent stimulator of blastogenic responses by spleen cells from normal mice as well as from mice immunized with inactivated whole cells of Legionella. It strongly stimulated production of interferon and interleukin 1. These results indicate that the LPS of Legionella may be an important immune regulator in the host response.

Strain characterization and grouping of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli by interaction with lectins

Strains of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli were characterized and grouped by their distinct reaction patterns with lectins. Heating of the Campylobacter cultures to 100 degrees C and holding for 30 to 60 min greatly enhanced their reactivity with lectins and permitted the grouping of all but 3 of 155 cultures tested in this study without interference of autoagglutination and other nonspecific activities. The lectin reaction patterns of the heated cultures were stable and reproducible. They were strain specific and independent of the heat-stable antigenic types. The lectin-reactive sites of C. jejuni and C. coli may be useful as additional markers for strain characterization. Based on these observations, a simple slide agglutination procedure is described for differentiating strains of C. jejuni and C. coli by their interaction with a selected group of commercially available lectins.

Induction of autoimmune diseases with adjuvants: separation of delayed hypersensitivity and antibody formation from diseases in experimental thyroiditis and aspermatogenesis with Legionella adjuvant

The induction of autoimmune diseases in animals was studied with Legionella and mycobacteria as adjuvants, emulsified in oil with antigen extracts of thyroid, testis, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve. Both adjuvants were equally effective in inducing delayed hypersensitivity and humoral antibody to the tissue antigens. The Legionella adjuvant, however, induced little or no thyroiditis and aspermatogenesis, whereas the mycobacterial adjuvant induced thyroiditis and aspermatogenesis. Both adjuvants caused allergic encephalomyelitis and peripheral neuritis. The results indicated that delayed hypersensitivity by itself may not be sufficient to cause thyroiditis and aspermatogenesis. Legionella adjuvant apparently lacked the ability to induce certain immune factor(s) which caused the disease in experimental thyroiditis and aspermatogenesis. The differential properties of Legionella adjuvant and mycobacterial adjuvant in inducing immunity to autoantigens could provide a useful means to study the pathogenic and immunoregulatory mechanisms of some experimental autoimmune diseases.

Typing of heat-stable and heat-labile antigens of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli by coagglutination

A coagglutination system has been devised for typing heat-stable and heat-labile antigens of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli. The use of protein A-positive Staphylococcus aureus cells carrying Campylobacter sp. serotype antibody and the treatment of Campylobacter sp. cells with DNase in the antigen suspension permitted rapid and specific coagglutination of rough (autoagglutinable) as well as smooth cultures. Cells of S. aureus were sensitized with Campylobacter sp. serotype antisera. Four to five types of sensitized S. aureus cells were pooled. A strain of Campylobacter sp. was first tested with the pools and then typed with the individual reagents of the reactive pool. After the described procedures, 68 serotype strains tested blindly as unknowns were correctly typed according to their heat-stable or heat-labile antigens. The two most commonly used typing schemes which are based separately on the heat-stable or the heat-labile antigens as assayed by passive hemagglutination and slide agglutination, respectively, can be utilized simultaneously in the coagglutination system for strain characterization. The coagglutination system is simple, yields results rapidly, conserves typing reagents, and offers the flexibility of formulating the pools of reagents according to the experimental design or the prevalence of serotypes in a geographic location. It should be a practical system for the typing of Campylobacter spp. in public health or clinical laboratories.

The phagocytic activity of the pigment epithelium in development and after optic nerve sectioning in the rat

The phagocytic activity of the pigment epithelium of the retina of the rat was studied in development and after optic nerve sectioning by injection of latex particles. The phagocytic activity took place before the visual cells developed and increased as the retina matured. On the other hand, a decrease in activity was observed after optic nerve sectioning.

Lipopolysaccharide of Legionella as adjuvant for intrinsic and extrinsic antigens

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) isolated from Legionella species was found to be a potent adjuvant. When Legionella LPS was injected into animals as aqueous mixture or oil emulsion with protein antigens, it potentiated humoral antibody titers to these antigens by four- to sixfold. The LPS also acted as an intrinsic adjuvant to induce delayed hypersensitivity to the cross-reacting protein antigens present in cells of Legionella species, providing a potentially useful means for detecting legionellosis by skin test. The adjuvanticity of Legionella LPS was comparable in potency to Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra in Freund's complete adjuvant. However, Legionella LPS caused much less tissue inflammation and appeared to function differently in some aspects.

Copper facilitated chemiluminescence from the sulfhydryl proteins: yeast alcohol dehydrogenase, spinach ferredoxin and metallothionein

This paper describes a copper mediated formation of active oxygen, presumably O2, from the sulfhydryl proteins, yeast alcohol dehydrogenase spinach ferredoxin and rabbit liver metallothionein which, on the addition of cyanide in the presence of acetaldehyde, displays as a chemiluminescence. These studies may provide some insights into the mechanisms of copper toxicity and provide a sensitive assay for monitoring the presence of sulfhydryl groups.

Cyclic AMP binding activity in liver supernatants during acute ethionine intoxication

There is a significant increase in hepatic cAMP binding activity 4 hr following ethionine intoxication. This activity is localized to the 100, 000 g supernatant. The binding of cAMP by the 100, 000 g supernatant of controls can be increased to experimental levels simply by dialysis. The increased binding activity seen during ethionine intoxication can be reversed by the administration of adenine. Neither S-adenosyl ethionine, S-adenosyl methionine, S-adenosyl homocysteine, nor AMP compete effectively with cAMP for the binding protein. Increasing ADP concentrations stimulates cAMP binding whereas increasing ATP concentration inhibits cAMP binding. At concentrations seen during ethionine intoxication the effects of ADP and ATP were equal but opposite in direction.

Hepatic adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity during acute ethionine intoxication

Four hours after the administration of ethionine and in the face of an 80-90% depletion of hepatic ATP there is a twofold increase in cAMP. This increase in cAMP is shown not to be effected by a reduction in phosphodiesterase activity. Both the low Km and high Km forms of the enzyme retain their activity. The purification of liver plasma membranes is not affected by ethionine. There is a significant 20% increase in plasma membrane adenylate cyclase activity following acute ethionine intoxication. This was demonstrable using either ATP or 5'-adenylyl-imidodiphosphate as substrates. The plasma membranes, isolated in the presence of Ca2+, have a 20-fold higher basal adenylate cyclase activity then previously reported and are not further stimulated by GTP or NaF. A modified protocol for isolating cAMP from the adenylate cyclase reaction is described.

Comparative adjuvant activities of Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Adjuvant activity of heat-killed Legionella pneumophila was demonstrated and compared with that of inactivated Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. The two species of bacteria were suspended separately in oil and Arlacel A. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) in saline was then emulsified within the respective adjuvants and injected intradermally into guinea pigs. Antibodies to the BSA antigen in the sera of the animals were quantitated with the kinetic-dependent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (k-Elisa). Guinea pigs immunized with BSA in adjuvant with killed L. pneumophila produced high titers of anti-BSA antibody, which, on the average, were nearly as high as in those immunized with BSA in complete Freund's adjuvant with M. tuberculosis H37Rv, and which were much greater than in others immunized with incomplete adjuvant, lacking bacteria. Moreover, with a polypeptide hapten, the L. pneumophila evoked as much or more antibody in rabbits as the mycobacterium adjuvant. The effect of the legionella adjuvant upon the cellular immune response was examined using skin tests. For this purpose guinea pigs were immunized with picryl-guinea pig albumin in these adjuvants. 6 weeks later, they were skin-tested with that antigen. They showed reactions which appeared to have immediate as well as delayed components when examined grossly and histologically. Others, immunized with incomplete adjuvant, did not exhibit delayed reactions. Accordingly, heat-killed L. pneumophila acts as a potent adjuvant. Under the circumstances of these experiments, it was as effective as heat-killed M. tuberculosis.

Antigens and toxic components of Legionella in pathogenesis and immunity

Legionellae are opportunistic facultative intracellular pathogens with several antigens and toxic components which may function synergistically in contribution to pathogenesis and immunity. The serogroup specific antigens are associated with endotoxic activities of the bacteria and are potent adjuvants in inducing hypersensitivity and potentiating antibody responses to various antigens. Two protein toxins interfere with oxidative metabolism of host cells and are potential inhibitors of intracellular bactericidal activities. Tissue damage in the host appears to be caused by lysis of infected cells with release of toxic substances of host and bacterial origins. In host defense, the serogroup antigens provide primarily group-specific immunity, and the acid soluble protein toxin induces cross-protection among different serogroups. The combined effects of antibodies to these antigens in promoting phagocytosis and abrogating toxicity would enhance intracellular killing of the invading bacteria. The serogroup antigen complexes may also function as a potent adjuvant to modulate host responses to the invading bacteria.

Antigonococcal effects of vaginal tampons

Different brands of vaginal tampons varied significantly (p less than 0.0001) in their anti-bacterial effects when tested with 46 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonococcal strains recovered from patients with disseminated infections were substantially more sensitive to the anti-bacterial effects of tampons than were strains from patients with uncomplicated genital infections. Strains from patients with pelvic inflammatory disease were moderately sensitive. Tampons showing strong in-vitro antigonococcal effects were also generally effective in vivo in eliminating gonococcal infections from subcutaneous chambers in mice. Extracts of the Rely tampon showed no in-vitro antigonococcal effect, however, but did induce antibacterial activity when injected into subcutaneous chambers in mice. These results emphasise the importance of both in-vitro as well as in-vivo testing of tampon materials to elucidate more fully the nature of their antibacterial effects and their potential for affecting vaginal pathogens and disease processes.

Effects of tampon components on growth and dissemination of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Six components used in vaginal tampons were tested for their effects on a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from a patient with disseminated infection. Tampon components containing carboxymethyl cellulose or its derivative prolonged the in-vitro survival of gonococci and, when injected with mucin into mice, significantly (P less than 0.0001) increased the dissemination of gonococci from the peritoneal cavity. In contrast, a component extracted from rayon tampons reduced in-vitro survival and appeared to suppress gonococcal dissemination in mice. Since tampons are used by a large number of women at a time when the risk of developing complications from venereal infections are increased, their effects on potential urogenital pathogens warrant further study.

Identification of problem Neisseria gonorrhoeae cultures by standard and experimental tests

Standard and experimental tests were used by a reference diagnostic laboratory to determine the identity of 182 "suspected" Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates submitted by state health departments because of inconclusive laboratory results. More than 97% of these cultures were subsequently identified by a rapid microcarbohydrate test in conjunction with confirmatory immunological procedures. The experimental rapid slide agglutination test using rough-lipopolysaccharide antibody, the Phadebact co-agglutination test, and fluorescent antibody test identified 49.3 to 94.1% of these cultures. Because of frequent problems with carbohydrate utilization, Neisseria meningitidis and Branhamella catarrhalis were the two microorganisms most often confused with N. gonorrhoeae by submitting laboratories.

Simple, transparent medium for study of legionellae

A simple medium containing yeast extract, phosphate, and hemin as major components has been formulated for the study of legionellae. The medium supports the growth of a wide range of clinical and environmental isolates, with plating efficiencies comparable to those of charcoal-yeast extract agar. In addition, it does not contain activated charcoal or other components which may be associated with adverse reactions in humans. The medium is buffered and transparent; therefore, it would be suitable for genetic studies, production of biological reagents such as antigens and skin tests for human use, and antibiotic susceptibility assays.

Studies with a safflower oil emulsion in total parenteral nutrition

The prevention of essential fatty acid deficiency and the provision of adequate amounts of energy are two major concerns in total parenteral nutrition. Since earlier preparations of fat emulsion used to supplement the usual regimen of hypertonic glucose and amino acids have widely varying clinical acceptability, a new product, a safflower oil emulsion available in two concentrations (Liposyn), was evaluated. In four clinical trials the emulsion was used as a supplement to total parenteral nutrition. In five surgical patients 500 ml of the 10% emulsion infused every third day prevented or corrected essential fatty acid deficiency; however, in some cases in infusion every other day may be necessary. In 40 patients in severe catabolic states the emulsion provided 30% to 50% of the energy required daily: 10 patients received the 10% emulsion for 14 to 42 days, 9 patients received each emulsion in turn for 7 days, and 21 patient received the 20% emulsion for 14 to 28 days. All the patients survived and tolerated the lipid well; no adverse clinical effects were attributable to the lipid infusions. Transient mild, apparently clinically insignificant abnormalities in the results of one or more liver function tests and eosinophilia were observed in some patients. Thus, the safflower oil emulsion, at both concentrations, was safe and effective as a source of 30% to 50% of the energy required daily by seriously ill patients.

Maternal nutrition in pregnancy. Part I: a review

Maternal undernutrition may result in a greater deprivation of the fetus than has previously been believed. The infant not only may be "light for dates" but also has an increased risk of perinatal disability or death secondary to gross neurologic and developmental abnormalities. This article reviews current knowledge of the energy, protein, iron, vitamin, sodium and calcium requirements in pregnancy, with special reference to the management of the underweight and overweight pregnant women.

Maternal nutrition in pregnancy. Part II: the implications of previous gastrointestinal operations and bowel disorders

Pregnant patients who have undergone a gastrointestinal operation for morbid obesity or who have active inflammatory bowel disease or hyperemesis gravidarum run a risk of undernutrition or even severe malnutrition with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion or fetal damage. This article reviews the medical and nutritional management of these gastrointestinal conditions.

Vi serology in the detection of typhoid carriers

A new haemagglutination assay for Vi antibodies was evaluated in searches for symptom-free carriers of Salmonella typhi associated with sporadic cases of typhoid fever. The assay differs from previous ones in that a purified (instead of crude) Vi antigen from Citrobacter was used to sensitise the red blood cells. In ten sporadic outbreaks of typhoid stool culture identified seven enteric carriers of S. typhi among the patients' families or other close contacts. All seven carriers had Vi antibodies in titres ranging from 1:40 to 1:2560. Moreover, among thirty-seven stool-culture-negative contacts of patients, only one had Vi antibodies, in a titre of 1:10. Thus, the new assay for Vi antibodies was as sensitive and as specific as faecal culture in detecting symptom-free typhoid carriers. It could become a convenient screening test.

Urethritis in women attending an STD clinic

Of an unselected group of 159 women attending a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic 20% (32) had symptoms of urethritis. A positive correlation existed between the finding of more than 10 polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) per high-power field in the Gram-stained urethral smear and the presence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Conversely, these organisms were rarely isolated if no PMNL were present. Fewer cultures gave positive results for these organisms if micturition had occurred less than four hours before examination. C trachomatis was recovered from the urethra or endocervix in 29/150 (19 . 3%) and from the urethra alone in six women. In contrast, N gonorrhoea was never recovered from the urethra in the absence of endocervical infection. Of the 159 women 10% had bacteriuria due to non-sexually transmissible agents; 50% had asymptomatic bacteriuria. All, however, had other urethral pathogens isolated as well. Thus, sexually transmitted disease agents are highly prevalent in women attending an STD clinic who have signs and symptoms of urethritis. As in non-gonococcal urethritis in men, C trachomatis may be an important cause of urethritis in women.

Control of fat cell phosphohydrolase by lipolytic agents

The Mg2+-dependent phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity increased in the microsomal and decreased in the soluble fraction of isolated rat fat cells incubated for short periods with the lipolytic hormones or agents, epinephrine, cyclic AMP, theophylline, and dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Adrenocorticotropin, on the other hand, increased not only the microsomal but also the soluble activity. The increases in microsomal activity ranged from 30 to 134% with epinephrine to almost 200% with dibutyryl cyclic AMP. The decreases in soluble activity were more modest. The effect of epinephrine was inhibited by the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol while the alpha-antagonist phentolamine enhanced it. These results strongly suggest that the fat cell phosphatidate phosphohydrolase is controlled through the beta-adrenergic receptor and the activity of adenylate cyclase. Lipolysis, as measured by fatty acid release, was stimulated in a similar pattern as the microsomal activity suggesting parallel activation of the hormone sensitive lipase and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase. It is speculated that the activation of this lipogenic enzyme by lipolytic stimuli may represent a mechanism whereby fatty acid release from adipose tissue may be modulated and intracellular fatty acid accumulation may be counteracted during accelerated lipolysis in adipose tissue.

The effect of naloxone on enkephalin catabolism

Naloxone strongly inhibited the breakdown of Met- and Leu-enkephalin when the substrate was incubated with brain homogenate, supernatant, or partially purified soluble aminopeptidase, but it had no effect on the mitochondrial fraction. Arylamidase was also inhibited by naloxone. The inhibitory effect of naloxone on the soluble aminopeptidase was in a linear relationship with concentration in the range of 8-500 microM. The KI for Met-enkephalin is 0.6 mM and for Leu-enkephalin is 2.0 mM. When the naloxone was administered intraperitoneally to the mice, its effects were somewhat different from its effects in vitro. It inhibited the brain catabolism of Met-enkephalin but not of Leu-enkephalin or Tyr-beta NA in vitro. In vivo, acute morphine in mice decreased the Met-enkephalin hydrolysis but increased the Leu-enkephalin hydrolysis. Chronic morphine (by morphine pellet implantation) increased the breakdown rate of enkephalin and of Tyr-beta NA. Naloxone (1 mg/kg) could not reverse the effects of morphine, although abstinence syndrome and stereotypical jumping were precipitated. Naloxone decreased the Leu-enkephalin level in the control mice but did not affect it in the addicted mice.

Degradation of melanotropin inhibiting factor by brain

Degradation of melanotropin inhibiting factor (MIF) was measured by fluorometry, using pareptide as an internal standard, following the separation of the dansyl derivatives of MIF and its metabolites by HPLc. MIF was not split by carboxypeptidases A and B, prolidase, or pyroglutamate aminopeptidase. It was hydrolyzed by leucine aminopeptidase, aminopeptidase M, and carboxypeptidase Y. Rat brain hydrolyzed 159 nmol of MIF per mg of protein per h; the activity was linear with enzyme concentration. Hydrolysis start from the N-terminal end, as shown by the appearance of proline as the first metabolite of the MIF degradation, followed by leucine, glycinamide, leucylglycine, and glycine. Activity in the rat brain regions was in the order striatum, medulla oblongata > cortex, hippocampus, midbrain > hypothalamus, cerebellum, and pituitary. The enzyme was mostly in the supernatant, with significant amounts in the myelin and synaptosomal fractions. MIF aminopeptidase could be separated from carboxypeptidase by centrifugation at 30,000 x g for 20 min and precipitation with 45--75% (NH4)2SO4. It showed pH optima in the alkaline range (8.25 and 8.75) and was inhibited by EDTA, EGTA, SQ 14,225, puromycin, bacitracin, and bestatin.

Murine infection model for contagious equine metritis: a new venereal disease of horses

An infection model in laboratory mice for studying the bacterium (proposed name Haemophilus equigenitalis) causing contagious equine metritis is described. Small porous chambers were implanted subcutaneously into mice and after 1 to 3 weeks were inoculated with H equigenitalis. Infections that persisted for > 30 days were established by direct transfer of infective chamber fluid or by injection of laboratory-grown cultures. Immunization of mice with formaldehyde-treated cells induced significant, strain-related immunity to infection and did not appear to require complement as a protection mediator. Substantial differences in staining characteristics and cell morphology were observed between bacteria grown in mouse chambers and those grown on a laboratory medium. These differences were more apparent in smears of the organism stained by a modified Gimenez method than in smears stained by the conventional Gram stain. This murine model may be a convenient and inexpensive method for studying the immunobiology of this newly discovered animal pathogen.

Evaluation of a new assay for Vi antibody in chronic carriers of Salmonella typhi

The assay for serum antibody to the Salmonella typhi capsular polysaccharide (Vi) antigen has recently been revised because of the availability of a purified, highly polymerized Vi antigen. We compared this revised Vi antibody assay to the traditional one for potential usefulness in the surveillance of chronic enteric carriers of S. typhi. The purified Vi antigen of Citrobacter freundii was incorporated into a passive hemagglutination assay for serum Vi antibody; the standard Vi antibody assay was also a hemagglutination assay that employed as the Vi antigen a crude extract of Citrobacter (Ballerup O group 29). As determined by the revised assay, Vi antibody was found in the sera of 22 (71%) of 31 current typhoid carriers, none of 6 resolved carriers, and none of 22 control subjects. According to the traditional assay, Vi antibody was present in 23 of those current carriers (74%), 1 of the resolved carriers (17%), and 4 of the control subjects (18%). The rate of false-positive Vi antibody tests among resolved carriers and control subjects was less with the revised assay (P < 0.05). Successful antimicrobial therapy resulted in a reversion to seronegativity within 1 year in 8 of 10 Vipositive carriers according to the revised assay, but in only 3 of 11 according to the standard assay (P < 0.05). During a 2-year period of observation, 15 (94%) of 16 current typhoid carriers had at least one positive purified Vi antibody test; among 12 of those patients with Vi titers of 1:40 or greater, 9 (75%) were continuously Vi positive. Thus, the revised Vi antibody assay is more specific and no less sensitive than the standard assay for the condition of current enteric carriage of S. typhi. This serological test could be of value in the surveillance of typhoid carriers by public health agencies.