Effect of shi-ka-ron and Chinese herbs on cytokine production of macrophage in immunocompromised mice

Shi-Ka-Ron is a prescription composed of 8 crude extracts of Chinese herbs. It reduces suppression of cytokine production by peritoneal macrophages in mice Immunocompromised by the anti-tumor agent, cyclophosphamide (CY), in vivo. Although it dose not increase IL-1 production in vitro, it enhances TNF production. We found that Ginseng radix, Lithospermi radix, Astragli radix and Glycyrrhizae radix somewhat reduced suppression of cytokine production in CY treated macrophages. Especially, Glycyrrhizae radix shows an active immune response both in vivo and in vitro. Our results suggested that the mechanism underlying immunomodulation of Shi-Ka-Ron is closely related to cytokine production: each herb stimulating macrophages.

Comparative spectroscopic, calorimetric, and computational studies of nucleic acid complexes with 2',5"-versus 3',5"-phosphodiester linkages

We have used a combination of spectroscopic, calorimetric, and computational techniques to characterize the properties of nucleic acid complexes with 2',5''- and 3',5''-phosphodiester linkages. Specifically, we have compared the properties of complexes formed by the association of 3',5'' single-stranded 16-mers of adenylic acid (A16) and thymidylic acid (T16) with the complexes formed by the corresponding single-stranded 16-mers with 2',5''-phosphodiester linkages (A*16 and T*16). Our results reveal the following differential features: (i) the 3',5'' strands form either a duplex or a triplex, depending on the sodium ion concentration, whereas the 2',5'' strands form either a triplex or no complex at all; (ii) the 2',5'' and 3',5'' triplexes exhibit significantly different CD spectra, suggesting that the two triplex states are conformationally nonequivalent; (iii) the 2',5'' triplex has a lower charge density than the 3',5'' triplex; (iv) the thermal stability of the 3',5'' triplex, as expected, is concentration dependent, whereas the thermal stability of the 2',5'' triplex is concentration independent; (v) relative to their component single strands, the 2',5'' triplex is thermodynamically much less stable than the 3',5'' triplex, despite being thermally more stable; (vi) the reduced thermodynamic stability of the 2',5'' triplex relative to the 3',5'' triplex is overwhelmingly enthalpic in origin. In the aggregate, our results reveal and characterize significant differences in the properties of complexes formed by the association of strands with identical base sequences but different phosphodiester linkages. We describe a structural model that is consistent with many of the differential properties observed. We also speculate on how these differential properties may have provided an evolutionary advantage for 3',5'' linkages and how the properties of 2',5'' complexes might be exploited in antisense strategies.

Toluene diisocyanate protein adducts in the bronchoalveolar lavage of guinea pigs exposed to vapors of the chemical

To investigate the process of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) sensitization, studies were conducted to identify TDI-protein adducts in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of guinea pigs exposed to a sensitizing atmosphere of the commercially used 4:1 mixture of 2,4- and 2,6-TDI. Animals were exposed to 2 ppm TDI for 3 h. Immediately thereafter lungs were lavaged. TDI-modified proteins in the lavage fluid were identified by immunologic staining with a highly sensitive and specific rabbit antiserum raised to a TDI-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (TDI-KLH) conjugate. The sensitivity of the antiserum was demonstrated by its ability to identify TDI-guinea pig serum albumin (GSA) adducts with as few as 0.7 mol of TDI/mol of protein. The antiserum did not react with GSA nor with a GSA adducted with another aromatic diisocyanate, diphenylmethane 4,4'-diisocyanate. TDI-protein adducts in the BAL fluid were identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting with use of the rabbit anti TDI-KLH antiserum. At least 5 protein bands were recognized by the antiserum. Electrophoretic mobilities indicated molecular sizes equivalent to 10.5, 38, 45, 66, and 148 kDa. Employing a murine anti-GSA antibody in immunoaffinity chromatography, one of the proteins in the 66-kDa band was identified as serum albumin. Attempts to purify the TDI-albumin adduct using a Cibacron-Sepharose column were unsuccessful. Studies with a model TDI0.7-GSA conjugate (which contained an average of 0.7 mol of TDI/mol of GSA) indicated that the TDI-albumin was not retained by the triazine dye column unless the adducted protein was first reduced by incubation with mercaptoethanol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Instabilities of a microcavity laser with a weak injected signal

An external cw laser signal in injected into a microcavity laser, and the dynamics of the resulting coupled oscillator system are studied. By variation of the injection detuning and intensity, interesting nonlinear behavior and injection locking are experimentally observed. A theoretical model of this system based on coupled rate equations and including many-body gain effects is presented and yields good agreement with experiment.

Role of purified IgG1 in pulmonary hypersensitivity responses of the guinea pig

Guinea pigs have been used extensively to model pulmonary hypersensitivity responses. Although guinea pigs produce mainly immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibodies and humans produce IgE, both immunoglobulin classes have been shown to be regulated similarly. We used an established guinea pig model to examine the role of IgG1 in immediate- and late-onset pulmonary hypersensitivity responses. IgG1 was purified from the serum of ovalbumin-immunized animals and shown to be free of IgE. It was transferred into naive recipients in doses quantified on the basis of its biological activity as measured in the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) assay. Inhalation challenge of recipient animals 24 h later with an ovalbumin aerosol produced immediate-onset airway constrictive responses, with response dependent upon the quantity of antibody passively administered. None of the recipient animals displayed a late-phase response previously shown to be characterized by increased breathing frequency, airflow limitation during exhalation, and mild fever. However, pulmonary eosinophilia, measured at 24 h postinhalation challenge, was detected with the severity of the eosinophilia dependent upon the quantity of IgG1 administered. The results indicated that immediate-, but not late-onset, responses were associated with IgG1 antibody. Occurrence of late-onset pulmonary eosinophilia indicated that eosinophilic inflammation, a recognized characteristic of hypersensitivity responses, was related to antigen-specific IgG1 antibody.

Compression of bright optical pulses by dark solitons

We show that bright optical pulses can be compressed in the wavelength region of normal group-velocity dispersion by using dark optical solitons. Various cases of the pulse compression are studied numerically for dark soliton pulses with a background of finite temporal duration.

Phagocytosis of latex beads is defective in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells with persistent rubella virus infection

Phagocytosis, a secondary function of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells essential to sight, was significantly decreased, when measured with latex beads, during persistent rubella virus (RV) infection of human cultured RPE cells. A target for RV in vivo, RPE cells infected with RV (RPE/RV) ingested fewer fluorescent microspheres (26%) than did uninfected RPE cells (68%) (P < 0.001), as measured by flow cytometry. In RPE/RV cells, with characteristic RPE monolayer appearance and normal growth during subculturing over 6 months, persistent RV infection was shown by specific RV antigen immunofluorescence, by the presence of the RV genome in RPE/RV cell messenger RNA, and by recovery of cell-free RV after cocultivation with Vero cells. The adhesion of latex beads to apical cell surfaces of RPE/RV and uninfected RPE cells appeared similar, as imaged by scanning electron microscopy. Cytoskeletal actin, a component of phagocytosis in RPE, appeared altered in 60 to 75% of RPE/RV cells by antiactin immunofluorescence staining, as previously described in other RV-infected cells, but its role in the disturbed phagocytosis of latex beads was not determined. Persistently RV-infected human RPE is an additional example of RV-associated secondary cellular dysfunction in the absence of cytopathic effects.

Thermodynamics and structure of a DNA tetraplex: a spectroscopic and calorimetric study of the tetramolecular complexes of d(TG3T) and d(TG3T2G3T)

We report a combined thermodynamic and structural characterization of a DNA tetraplex. Using spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques, we demonstrate that d(TG3T) and d(TG3T2G3T), in the presence of K+, form stable tetramolecular complexes. From differential scanning calorimetry measurements, we obtain the following thermodynamic profiles for formation of each tetraplex at 25 degrees C: delta G degrees = -6.9 kcal/mol of tetraplex (or -2.3 kcal/mol of tetrad; 1 cal = 4.184 J), delta H degrees = -62.6 kcal/mol of tetraplex (or -20.9 kcal/mol of tetrad), and delta S degrees = -186.9 cal.K-1.mol-1 of tetraplex (or -62.3 cal.K-1.mol-1 of tetrad) for the d(TG3T) tetraplex; and delta G degrees = -20.2 kcal/mol of tetraplex (or -3.4 kcal/mol of tetrad), delta H degrees = -123.2 kcal/mol of tetraplex (or -20.5 kcal/mol of tetrad), and delta S degrees = -346.0 cal.K-1.mol-1 of tetraplex (or -57.7 cal.K-1.mol-1 of tetrad) for the d(TG3T2G3T) tetraplex. These data demonstrate that at 25 degrees C a G-tetrad can exhibit considerable stability, comparable to or even exceeding that of most Watson-Crick nearest-neighbor interactions, with this stability resulting from a very favorable enthalpy of formation. Temperature-dependent CD measurements reveal that the melting temperatures of both tetraplexes exhibit unusually low salt dependences. This unexpected behavior may reflect a diminished charge density due to bound K+ ions. For each complex, the Na+ and K+ forms exhibit drastically different isothermal and temperature-dependent CD profiles, with the K+ forms of each tetraplex melting more sharply and at a higher temperature than the Na+ forms. Using one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques, we show that the strands in the tetramolecular complex of d(TG3T), K+ are all parallel and that the guanine glycosidic conformations are all anti.

[Effects of artificial cultured Panax notoginseng cell on cardiovascular system]

Alcoholic extract from artificial cultured Panax notoginseng cell (SCC) ip has been found conducive to increasing the resistance of mice to anoxia. In vitro it helps to increase the outflow of coronary vessels, decrease the heart rate, inhibit the constriction of aortic strip stimulated by nor-epinephrine and relax spasmodic constriction of ileum smooth muscles markedly. SCC powder suspension on po administration can contract bleeding and coagulation time. The pharmacologic activities of SCC are similar to those of crude Panax notoginseng.

Characterization by 1H NMR of glycosidic conformations in the tetramolecular complex formed by d(GGTTTTTGG)

We have conducted two dimensional NOESY studies on the molecule d(G2T5G2) to characterize the structure of the tetramolecular complex previously identified by calorimetric and spectroscopic studies (1). Analysis of the NOE and exchange cross peaks observed in the NOESY spectra establishes the formation of structured conformations at low temperature (5 degrees C). Significantly, within each strand of these structured conformations, the G1 and G8 residues adopt syn glycosidic torsion angles, while the G2 and G9 residues adopt anti glycosidic torsion angles. Consequently, any structure proposed for the tetramolecular complex of d(G2T5G2) must have alternating G(syn) and G(anti) glycosidic torsion angles within each strand. The implications of this observation for potential structures of the tetramolecular complex of d(G2T5G2) are discussed.

Monoclonal antibody-defined epitope map of expressed rubella virus protein domains

An expanded library of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was generated by infecting BALB/C mice with the Therien strain of rubella virus (RV) and selecting secreting hybrids by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using purified virion targets. A panel of plasmids containing specified RV cDNA fragments was also constructed by using a variety of strategies with pGE374- and pGE374-derived expression vectors. Hybrid RecA-RV-beta-galactosidase (LacZ)- or RecA-RV-truncated LacZ-containing proteins collectively representing the entire open reading frame of the structural proteins of RV were overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Bacterial lysates were then probed by ELISA with selected MAbs and by immunoblot following separation by electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. With this approach, MAbs that appeared to react with linear determinants defined epitopes localized within the following domains: MAbs C-1, C-2, and C-8 bind epitopes within the predicted amino-terminal 21 amino acids of the capsid region C9 to C29; MAb C-9 binds to a domain bounded by C64 and C97; MAbs E2-1 through E2-6 bind to the E2 glycoprotein backbone region from E2(1) to E2(115); MAbs E1-18 and E1-20 bind to the E1 glycoprotein region from E1(202) to E1(283). MAb E1-18 neutralizes RV infectivity; MAb E1-20 neutralizes infectivity and modestly inhibits hemagglutination. Analyses with selected synthetic peptides have confirmed several of the molecular domains deduced with the expressed proteins. These plasmid constructions and peptides have proven useful in beginning to unravel the molecular organization of several antigenic sites of this human pathogen.

[Textual and herbal studies on shashen and qini (Adenophora spp.)]

This paper reports the origins of the Chinese traditional drugs nanshashen and beishashen, as well as the original plants of shashen, xingyeshashen, xiyeshasen and qini recorded in the bencaological works of the past dynasties. Our study shows that shashen is Adenophora stricta, both xingyeshashen and qini are A. hunanensis and xiyeshashen is A. paniculata.

Growth-associated shedding of a tumor antigen (CE7) detected by a monoclonal antibody

A monoclonal antibody was developed against an antigen, termed CE7, which was highly expressed on the surface of rat fibrosarcoma KMT-17 cells (clone A3) cultured in low serum medium (A3-1% FCS). The CE7 antigen was not detectable on A3 cells cultured in ordinary high serum medium (A3-10% FCS), on in vivo passaged A3 cells, or on parental in vivo KMT-17 cell line. However, immunoelectron microscopy and Western blot analyses indicated that CE7 antigen was produced by these tumor cells in all circumstances but was shed from their surfaces in vesicular form into the surrounding tissue culture medium or ascites, unless low serum concentration prevailed and disappeared from their cell surfaces. We have previously reported that the immunogenicity of A3 cells was increased when the serum concentration was lowered from 10% to 1% and the phenomenon paralleled the CE7 antigen expression on the A3 cells. These results suggest that the CE7 antigen could be a tumor-associated rejection antigen and that the expression of the CE7 antigen on A3-1% FCS cells (which is shed by high serum culture or in vivo transplantation and disappears from the cell surface) may play a role in immunological responses against the tumor cells.

Characterization of the minor groove environment in a drug-DNA complex: bisbenzimide bound to the poly[d(AT)].poly[d(AT)]duplex

We compare the fluorescence properties of bisbenzimide (also known as Hoechst 33258) bound to the minor groove of the poly[d(AT)].poly[d(AT)] duplex with the corresponding fluorescence properties of bisbenzimide dissolved in neat organic solvents and mixed organic/aqueous solvents. Based on these comparisons, we conclude that the minor groove of the bisbenzimide-poly[d(AT)].poly[d(AT)] complex is quite nonpolar and exhibits a local dielectric constant of approximately 20 D. We discuss how this insight influences our understanding of the molecular forces that dictate and control the binding affinities and specificities of minor groove-directed DNA binding ligands.

Interference filters as nonlinear decision-making elements for three-spot pattern recognition and associative memories

Simple patterns consisting of three spots (V and Gamma) have been recognized by dividing, shifting, and recombining beams onto bistable ZnS interference filters. This experiment demonstrates AND-gate operation, cascading, and a moderate amount of parallelism, but a laser power of several watts was required and the response times were several milliseconds. An associative memory for fingerprint identification has been constructed using a VanderLugt correlator and an interference filter as a reflective thresholding device.

Influence of mixing technique on some properties of PMMA bone cement

PMMA bone cements (Refobacin-Palacos R, Sulfix 6, AKZ, and CMW bone cement, types I and II), from six different clinics, were investigated in three stages. In the first stage, studies of density, hardness, flexural strength, and compressive strength were made, as well as molecular weight measurements and microscopic investigations. These studies reflected the current state of techniques of application used in operating theaters. They revealed wide variations in the properties of the materials studied. Secondly, a comprehensive study of the process-technology in the laboratory was performed. The following variables were investigated or discussed: mixing vessel, order of the individual components, mixing time, rate of mixing, pressure application on the mixed bone cement, kneading, cement thickness, pouring into the syringe, contact force during polymerization, and preparation quantity. The third stage involved the development and clinical testing of an improved mixing technique. Using this improved mixing technique, all three selected clinics achieved far better results with reduced variability. A comparison between a centrifuging technique after mixing and our improved, but conventional, mixing technique, displays advantages for the latter. The question regarding a correlation between cement specimens of high porosity and early implant loosening could not be answered on the basis of the 43 PMMA bone cement explants investigated (implanted 6 months to 15 years). In some cases, the studies revealed that the bone cement manufacturers should be required to revise and quantify existing instructions for use. The users, on the other hand, should give more consideration to the mixing technique and its consequences.