H-reflexes are smaller in dancers from The Royal Danish Ballet than in well-trained athletes

Summary The size of the maximalH-reflex (H _max) was measured at rest and expressed as a percentage of the maximalM-response (M _max) in 17 untrained subjects, 27 moderately trained subjects, 19 well-trained subjects and 7 dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet. TheH _max/M _max was significantly larger in the moderately and well-trained subjects than in the untrained subjects but smaller in the ballet dancers. It is therefore suggested that both the amount and the type of habitual activity may influence the excitability of spinal reflexes.     

The influence of visual illusions on grasp position

 Visual size illusions have been shown to affect perceived object size but not the aperture of the hand when reaching to those same objects. Thus, vision for perception is said to be dissociated from vision for action. The present study examines the effect of visual-position and visual-shape illusions on both the visually perceived center of an object and the position of a grasp on that object when a balanced lift is required. The results for both experiments show that although the illusions influence both the perceived and the grasped estimates of the center position, the grasp position is more veridical. This partial dissociation is discussed in terms of its implications for streams of visual processing. Received: 17 November 1997 / Accepted: 11 September 1998     

The intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) family of proteins

Macromolecular adhesive associations between cells are important for transmitting spatial and temporal information that is critical for immune system function. One such group of proteins, the intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAMs), has grown as newly identified members are revealed. In addition, the functions of the ICAMs, in general, have begun to be better understood, including intracellular signaling events. This information has led to the design of novel therapeutic agents that may prove effective in a variety of disease states.     

汉滩病毒G1蛋白胞质区ITAM样基序与Syk细胞内相互作用

目的：研究汉滩病毒（HTNV）G1蛋白胞质区ITAM样基序与Syk的细胞内相互作用。方法：构建用于研究Syk和G1ITAM样基序之间相互作用的哺乳动物细胞双杂交系统，验证G1ITAM样基序与Syk之间是否存在细胞内相互作用。结果：哺乳动物细胞双杂交分析证实G1ITAM样基序在哺乳动物细胞内可以与Syk相互作用；而突变体分析表明，这种相互作用依赖于该基序中两个高度保守的酪氨酸残基的存在。结论：HTNVG1蛋白胞质区高度保守ITAM样基序在体外和哺乳动物细胞内可以与Syk相互作用，为进一步探讨G1蛋白ITAM样基序在HFRS免疫信号传递中的作用及其与血管内皮损伤的关系奠定了基础。     

上皮间质转化(EMT)及其分子机制

上皮细胞受到细胞外因子刺激后向间质细胞转化的现象与肿瘤的浸润转移密切相关。在此过程中上皮细胞的极性丧失，迁移和运动能力增强，同时上皮表型丢失而逐渐获得间质表型。参与这一过程的细胞内信号转导途径有受体酪氨酸激酶Ras-MAPK途径，Src激酶，Rho家族激酶，PI3K/AKT途径，Wnt信号通路，转录因子等。     

Surface chemistry modulates focal adhesion composition and signaling through changes in integrin binding

Biomaterial surface properties influence protein adsorption and elicit diverse cellular responses in biomedical and biotechnological applications. However, the molecular mechanisms directing cellular activities remain poorly understood. Using a model system with well-defined chemistries (CH₃, OH, COOH, NH₂) and a fixed density of the single adhesive ligand fibronectin, we investigated the effects of surface chemistry on focal adhesion assembly and signaling. Surface chemistry strongly modulated integrin binding and specificity—₅β₁ integrin binding affinity followed the pattern OH>NH₂=COOH>CH₃, while integrin _Vβ₃ displayed the relationship COOH>NH₂OH=CH₃. Immunostaining and biochemical analyses revealed that surface chemistry modulates the structure and molecular composition of cell-matrix adhesions as well as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling. The neutral hydrophilic OH functionality supported the highest levels of recruitment of talin, -actinin, paxillin, and tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins to adhesive structures. The positively charged NH₂ and negatively charged COOH surfaces exhibited intermediate levels of recruitment of focal adhesion components, while the hydrophobic CH₃ substrate displayed the lowest levels. These patterns in focal adhesion assembly correlated well with integrin ₅β₁ binding. Phosphorylation of specific tyrosine residues in FAK also showed differential sensitivity to surface chemistry. Finally, surface chemistry-dependent differences in adhesive interactions modulated osteoblastic differentiation. These differences in focal adhesion assembly and signaling provide a potential mechanism for the diverse cellular responses elicited by different material properties.     

Interferon-α activates cytotoxic function but inhibits interleukin-2-mediated proliferation and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion by immature human natural killer cells

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in host defense mechanisms against infection and neoplasia. Interferon- (IFN-) has been shown to activate NK cells and to augment their cytotoxic activity, albeit its role in the maturation pathway of NK cells has not been elucidated. The present study examined whether IFN- activates the immature NK subset (Free cells) to become cytotoxic and also ascertained whether IFN- uses the same pathway of activation as that mediated by interleukin-2 (IL-2). Incubation of sorted Free cells overnight with IFN- resulted in augmentation of their cytotoxic function against NK sensitive target cells. The enhanced cytotoxic activity was not accompanied by a new recruitment of NK-target binder cells but by an increase in the frequency of killer cells in the conjugate fraction. Activation of the Free subset by IFN- resulted in upregulation of CD69, CD11b, and CD2 surface expression and stimulated secretion of IFN-. Unlike IL-2, IFN- did not stimulate the Free cells to proliferate or secrete TNF- and activation of cytotoxicity and modulation of surface antigens by IFN- were independent of TNF-. The failure of IFN- to stimulate secretion and proliferation by Free cells appeared to be mediated by negative signals. This was corroborated in experiments demonstrating that when Free cells were cultured with both IFN- and IL-2, a significant inhibition was observed for both the IL-2 dependent secretion of TNF- and proliferation. These results demonstrate that IFN- serves as both an activator and a regulator of NK function. Further, activation of the immature Free NK cells by IL-2 and IFN- proceeds by TNF--dependent and independent pathways, respectively. The findings also support our contention that the mechanism of activation of the cytotoxic machinery of NK cells is not linked to the mechanism of activation of cytokine secretion and/or proliferation.Abbreviations used IFN interferon - IL interleukin - PBL peripheral blood leukocytes - PE phycoerythrin - PE-GAM PE-conjugated Fab2 goat anti-mouse IgG - NK natural killer - NRS normal rabbit serum - TNF tumor necrosis factor - FCS fetal calf serum - FITC fluorescein isothiocyanate - PBS phosphate-buffered saline - MACS magnetic cell sorting - ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - BSA bovine serum albumin - PKC protein kinase C - mAb monoclonal antibody - PBMC peripheral blood mononuclear cells - BCLL B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia - E effector - T target     

Localization of self antigen: implications for antigen presentation and induction of tolerance

The fifth component of complement (C5) is a self antigen expressed in serum of normal mice at a concentration of about 50 μg/ml. We have previously shown that C5 is constitutively processed and presented by antigen-presenting cells (APC) in normal mice to induce and maintain complete tolerance in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-restricted T cells. This report addresses the question of whether C5 presentation involves exogenous antigen which has been internalized for processing or whether intracellular, biosynthesized C5 is being presented with MHC class II. Macrophages were found to synthesize, but not secrete C5 in bone marrow chimeras made from irradiated C5-deficient [C5(?)] hosts reconstituted with C5-sufficient [C5(+)] bone marrow [C5(+) ← C5(?)]. In these mice, macrophages are the only source of C5. [C5(+) ← C5(?)] chimeras are not tolerant of C5 and generate C5-specific T and B cell responses upon immunization indistinguishable from those of C5(-) mice. Macrophages from [C5(+) ← C5(-)] chimeras are unable to activate C5-specific T cell hybrids in vitro unlike macrophages from a C5(?) strain that has matured in a C5-expressing environment [C5(?) ← C5(+) chimeras]. This shows that under physiological conditions in vivo intracellular C5 does not get access to the class II presentation pathway and thus, does not induce tolerance in class II-restricted T cells.     

Avoidance conditioning in rats following changes in activity of the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems of the brain

Bilateral coagulation of the ventral noradrenergic pathways of the brain in male rats of the Wistar strain disrupted the conditioned passive avoidance response after unconditioned stimulation with a current of 0.75 mA. Injecting 10 mg/kg galantamine into these rats 20 min before training and increasing the unconditioned stimulus to 3 mA improved subsequent avoidance responses. Injecting galantamine under analogous conditions into normal rats impaired this reaction. Disruption of the conditioned avoidance response following the operation may be due to a change in the intracentral interrelation of the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems of the brain.Translated from Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal SSSR imeni I. M. Sechenova, Vol. 68, No. 3, pp. 297–302, March, 1982.     

分化抗原5C5在人免疫细胞的表达

目的　明确 5C5蛋白为分化抗原 ,检测其在人免疫细胞的表达 ,以及它的信号传导作用。方法　用 5C5蛋白免疫小鼠 ,制备抗 5C5蛋白的单抗。用反义技术制备 5C5蛋白表达抑制的 3D5细胞。用免疫荧光染色和Western印迹确定 5C5单抗的特异性。用胞膜蛋白免疫沉淀和流式细胞术确定其分化抗原的性质。用双色免疫荧光染色流式细胞术检测 5C5分化抗原在多种人免疫细胞的表达。用Fura 3 AM试剂作探针 ,用激光共聚焦显微镜观察胞内Ca2 + 浓度的变化。结果　制备了抗 5C5蛋白的特异性单抗。用 5C5单抗作探针 ,从 3D5细胞膜免疫沉淀到 1条相对分子质量 (Mr)为 19× 10 3的蛋白带 ,并在活 3D5细胞见阳性免疫荧光染色。 5C5分化抗原在人周围血CD19+ 、CD14 + 、CD4 + 、CD8+ 和CD5 6 + 细胞的表达率分别为 (33.4 7± 7.9) %、(86 .13± 6 .7) %、(15 .79± 7.1) %、(18.11±12 .77) %和 (11.76± 7.4 7) % ,在人免疫细胞株的表达率分别为 5 8.0 % (Nalm6 )、72 .7% (3D5 )、5 3.6 %(BJAB)、6 1.0 % (Daudi)、6 .9% (SKW6 )、6 .3% (Jurkat)、5 .8% (Peer)、2 1.3% (K5 6 2 )和 39.1% (U937)。3D5细胞在 5C5单抗刺激下 ,胞内Ca2 + 浓度逐渐增高 ,可达 2倍左右 ,对照小鼠Ig则无此作用。结论5C5蛋白为一个分化抗原 ,在人周