Monolayer cultures of normal human bone cells contain multiple subpopulations of alkaline phosphatase positive cells

Summary Cytochemical staining of normal human bone cells in monolayer cultures for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) indicated that the cultures contained mixed-cell populations. Time course evaluations of the cytochemical staining revealed, in addition to the ALP-negative cell population, at least two subpopulations of ALP-positive human bone cells with different levels of ALP. A cytochemical method has been developed which separates the ALP-positive cells into high and intermediate ALP subpopulations. In this method, human bone cells were stained for ALP using an azo-dye method and incubating at 4°C for 10 and 30 minutes, respectively. We defined the cell population that stained positively for ALP at 10 minutes as strong ALP-positive cells, and both strong and intermediate cells were stained at 30 minutes. The intermediate cells were determined from the difference between the values at the two time points. The intra- and interassay variations of the assay, with the same investigator in blinded investigations, were both less than 10% and the interobserver variation was approximately 25%. Analysis of the distribution of ALP levels in cells with a laser densitometer confirmed the presence of at least three cell subpopulations. 1,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment increased the proportions of both ALP-positive cell populations, whereas TGF-beta treatment increased only the intermediate ALP-positive cell population. On the contrary, fluoride increased the proportion of the strong ALP cells, and IGF-1 had no effect on the proportions of either ALP-positive subpopulation. When the ALP-specific activity was compared with the percentage of each ALP-positive subpopulations for the cells treated with effectors, the ALP-specific activity correlated with the total ALP-positive and with the strong ALP-positive populations but not with the intermediate ALP-positive subpopulation. In summary, this study represents the first evidence that normal human bone cells in monolayer cultures contained at least two subpopulations of ALP-positive cells, and that bone cell effectors could have differential effects on each cell population.     

Treatment of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy with high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin

Summary Fourteen patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy were treated with high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin (IVGG). Ten received 10 g/day of IVGG and 4 received 400 mg/kg of body-weight/day of IVGG for 5 consecutive days. Improvement of spastic paraparesis was observed in 10 within 7 days of the commencement of IVGG. The therapeutic effects were sustained for more than 3 weeks in some patients. There were no side effects. Analysis of factors of relevance to the clinical improvement with IVGG showed that the beneficial response was preferentially found in patients having a high CSF titre of anti-HTLV-I antibodies, a high CSF IgG level and a marked brain MRI abnormality.     

Active production of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM antibody in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy

We investigated the presence of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM in sera and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) by Western blot analysis. Analyses of 36 serum samples revealed that most patients (31/36; 86.1%) had anti-HTLV-I IgM, whereas only four of 23 (17.4%) HTLV-I carriers had it. In studies of cerebrospinal fluid, anti-HTLV-I IgM was detected in 24 of 36 (66.7%) HAM patients, whereas none was detected in nine HTLV-I carriers. The differences were statistically significant (p less than 0.01). These results suggest that persistent active replication of HTLV-I occurs in the central nervous system as well as in the peripheral blood of HAM patients, and may contribute to the development of HAM.     

Increased occurrence of free immunoglobulin light chains in cerebrospinal fluid and serum in human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection

The presence of free immunoglobulin light chains (FLCs) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sera of patients with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection, multiple sclerosis (MS), and neurologically healthy control individuals was investigated by paying special attention to ensure that only truly free light chains would be detected. The FLCs were extracted by specifically binding them to Sepharose-coupled anti-FLC monoclonal antibodies, and thereafter they were electrophoresed and immunoblotted with monoclonal antibodies to both light chain (LC) isotypes. A frequent occurrence of kappa and lambda FLCs was found in both CSF and sera of HIV-1 infected patients. In HIV-1 infection and in MS, the frequency of FLCs of the CSF was equal. In healthy controls, only occasional weak FLCs were observed in either CSF or serum. FLC bands of the CSF from patients with HIV-1 infection tended to be more intensive than those of the appropriately diluted sera. Both intrathecal synthesis of FLCs and their transudation from sera through the impaired blood-brain barrier (BBB) may contribute to this. Increasing severity of general HIV-1 infection was accompanied by an increase of FLC intensity in sera. A qualitative demonstration of FLC in the CSF may be meaningful only in the absence of altered BBB function.     

人原发性肝癌中p16基因表达及CpG岛甲基化状态的研究

目的　进一步探讨人原发性肝癌中 p16基因 m RNA转录水平变化与其基因启动子区 Cp G岛甲基化的关系 ,及其在肝癌发生中的意义。方法　采用狭缝印迹杂交检测 2 0例人原发性肝癌及相应的癌旁、远癌组织及 2例正常人肝组织中 p16基因 m RNA表达水平 ,以甲基化特异性 PCR分析各组织中 p16基因启动子区 Cp G岛的甲基化状况 ,并进行统计分析。结果　 2 0例人原发性肝癌中 14例 (70 % ) p16 m RNA水平比远癌组织显著降低 ;13例 (6 5 % )显示 p16基因启动子区 Cp G岛甲基化 ,其中 84 .6 % (11例 )伴 p16 m RNA转录水平降低。结论　人原发性肝癌中存在高频率的 p16基因表达失活 ,其主要机制可能是启动子区 Cp G岛甲基化抑制了基因的转录 ,在人原发性肝癌的发生发展中有重要作用。其临床诊断和治疗意义有待进一步深入研究。     

Multivariate comparison of elemental concentrations in human teeth

R-mode factor analysis was applied to characterize the chemical composition of human teeth investigated by particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques. The approach developed in this study enabled the separation between essential mineral teeth components and the pollutants deposited in teeth tissues during the human life. The three independent sources of metals incorporated in human teeth were found. The first source, representing about 43% of the variance of the concentration data, was characterized by pollutant elements of power industry emissions. The second factor was loaded with toxic elements of general urban pollution. The third factor represented the tooth source as it contained mainly large fractions of the mineral components of the tooth tissue as Ca and K.     

脐血单核细胞对VD大鼠认知功能及脑组织BDNF的影响

目的观察颈内动脉输注脐血单核细胞(Human cord blood mononuclear cells,HCMNCs)对血管性痴呆(Vascular dementia,VD)大鼠认知功能及脑组织脑源性神经营养因子(Brain-derivedneurotrophicfactor,BDNF)含量的影响。方法改良Pulsinellis四血管阻断法建立VD大鼠模型;体外分离HCMNCs,术后24h颈内动脉输注数量为3×106/0.5ml的BrdU标记细胞;利用穿梭箱系统和ELISA法检测注射HCMNCs后2、4、8周VD大鼠学习记忆能力以及脑组织BDNF含量的变化。结果模型组大鼠主动回避反应比率明显低于对照组(P<0.01),治疗组较模型组显著提高(P<0.01)。术后2周模型组大鼠脑组织BDNF含量较对照组明显增高(P<0.01),4周时达到高峰(P<0.01),8周时则明显下降,与2周时相比有显著性差异(P<0.05);颈内动脉输注HCMNCs后治疗组大鼠脑组织BDNF含量较模型组显著升高(P<0.01),4周时最高(P<0.01),8周时略有下降,但仍维持在较高水平,与4周时相比无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论颈内动脉输注HCMNCs可显著改善VD大鼠学习记忆能力,增加VD大鼠脑组织BDNF含量,具有脑保护作用。     

自制无针粉末注射给药系统药物导入率的体外评价

目的 建立体外吸收评价方法，考察自制无针粉末注射给药系统的给药性能。方法 以人体皮肤为研究材料，荧光素钠作为模型药物，高效液相-荧光法检测，以透皮吸收率为指标，采用正交试验设计优选无针粉末注射的载药喷射参数。结果 建立的方法分析时间小于3min，在0．2304-9．216ng范围内呈线性关系，绝对回收率大于99．8％，RSD〈0．8％；自制无针粉末注射给药系统的最高透皮吸收率可达到40％，超过普通透皮途经400倍以上，与国外同类产品的药物导入效率（33％）相当；正交试验分析表明气源压力、喷管型号、药物剂量、药粉粒径均对无针粉末注射的效果有影响。结论 建立的研究方法简便、快速、准确、可靠，可用于无针粉末注射系统的体外研究；自制无针粉末注射给药系统的药物导入效率较高，值得进一步推广应用。     

中国古代人体寄生虫病学要览

我国早在上古时期，先民们就意识到自然界的毒虫对人的侵害。殷商甲骨文出现“蛊”字，说明于三千多年前已发现了人体内寄生之虫。战国秦汉以来的许多古医籍记载了多种寄生虫病，涉及到当代人体寄生虫学所列的蠕虫病、原虫病和昆虫病，有的记载还属于世界首创。所载防治寄生虫病的方法和药物，于今仍有实际意义，应进一步深入发掘和利用。     

酶联免疫吸附试验、间接荧光抗体试验、间接免疫过氧化物酶染色试验诊断人体旋毛虫病的初步研究

用ELISA、IFA和IIP试验检测11例旋毛虫病人血清特异性抗体,阳性率分别为72.72％、81.82％和81.82%。它们之间无统计学差异,3项试验结果间存在良好一致性。 同时检测了30份健康献血员血清和20例其他寄生虫病人血清(包括华支睾吸虫病、四川肺吸虫病、日本血吸虫病、包虫病和阿米巴肝脓肿),旋毛虫病人组的ELISA、IFA和IIP阳性率明显为高。 由于3项免疫学试验均具有较好的特异性和灵敏性,故可以单独或联合用于人体旋毛虫病的诊断和流行病学调查。