Action of allogeneic and syngeneic splenic extracts on primary cell cultures from inbred mice

The effect of allogeneic and syngeneic extracts from the spleens of male and female inbred mice on primary cultures of fibroblasts obtained from the subcutaneous connective tissues of fetuses of CBA and C57BL/6J mice was studied. The cytotoxic and growth-inhibiting action on the cultures was successively enhanced by the use of extracts from syngeneic male and allogeneic female and male tissues. Consequently, an increase in the degree of antigenic difference between the target cells and extracts led to enhancement of the phenomenon of allogeneic inhibition. It was shown for the first time that in a syngeneic system extracts from male tissues (containing the weak H-Y antigen) have a cytotoxic action on cells from female inbred mice, i.e., that they induce a reaction of the allogeneic inhibition type.Research Laboratory of Experimental Immunobiology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR N. N. Zhukov-Verezhnikov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi biologii i meditsiny, Vol. 86, No. 10, pp. 486–488, October, 1978.     

岗梅水提取物抗流感病毒的实验研究

目的研究岗梅水提取物体内外抗流感病毒的活性。方法体外抗病毒试验采用CPE法,按Reed-Muench方法计算TC50、IC50和TI,观察岗梅水提取物体外对流感病毒引起的细胞病变的影响;体内抗病毒试验采用小鼠经滴鼻感染流感病毒造成肺炎模型,以肺部炎症、死亡率和生命延长率为指标,观察岗梅水提取物体内抗流感病毒的活性。结果岗梅水提取物在体外对流感病毒引起的细胞病变有明显的抑制作用,其IC50为88.2μg/ml,TI为5.82;在给药剂量为8g生药/kg和16g生药/kg时,对流感病毒所致的小鼠肺部炎症有明显抑制作用,并能明显降低流感病毒感染小鼠的死亡率和延长其存活时间。结论岗梅水提取物在体内外均具有明显抗流感病毒的作用。     

Antimicrobial Activity of Various Extracts of Ocimum Basilicum L. and Observation of the Inhibition Effect on Bacterial Cells by Use of Scanning Electron Microscopy

The antimicrobial activities of chloroform, acetone and two different concentrations of methanol extracts of Ocimum basilicum L. were studied. These extracts were tested in vitro against 10 bacteria and 4 yeasts strains by the disc diffusion method. The results indicated that the methanol extracts of O. basilucum exhibited the antimicrobial activity against tested microorganisms. While the chloroform and acetone extracts had no effect, the methanol extracts showed inhibition zones against strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and two different strains of Escherichia coli. The cells of microorganisms, which were treated and untreated with plant extracts, were observed by using the scanning electron microscope. It was observed that the treated cells were damaged.     

Immunologic events in pigeon breeders'' disease

The immunologic and physiologic status of a group of symptomatic and asymptomatic pigeon breeders was studied in an attempt to define the immunologic events occurring in pigeon breeders' disease. Antibody activity to antigen(s) present in pigeon dropping extract (PDE) and pigeon serum (PS) was detected in the serum of both symptomatic and asymptomatic breeders. Antibody activity, however, tended to be greater in the symptomatic pigeon breeders. When subjects were challenged with PS via aerosol, serum complement activity became depressed only in asymptomatic patients. Cellular hypersensitivity to antigens present in PDE was detected in vitro in peripheral lymphocyte populations of 4 of 5 symptomatic breeders and in none of the asymptomatic breeders; cellular hypersensitivity to antigens in PS was not demonstrated in any of the individuals tested. These findings indicate that cell-mediated hypersensitivity, as well as humoral immunologic processes, may be involved in the pathogenesis of the hypersensitivity pneumonitis found in pigeon breeders.     

Comparison of Bricanyl® Turbuhaler and Berotec® dry powder inhaler

Terbutaline (Bricanyl) 0.5 mg t.i.d. administered via Turbuhaler was compared with fenoterol (Berotec) 0.2 mg t.i.d. administered via Inhalator Ingelheim in 36 asthmatic children aged 7-12 years. The study was of an open crossover design with two randomly allocated treatment periods, each lasting 2 weeks. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured at clinic visits before study start and at the end of each treatment period. The patients recorded peak expiratory flow (PEF) before and after inhaler use, morning and evening. They also recorded asthma symptoms and number of extra inhalations. At the end of the study, children and parents were asked for inhaler preference. No differences between the treatments were found concerning the results of the lung function measurements at the clinic or at the PEF measurements at home. No differences were found between the treatments as regards asthma symptoms or number of extra inhalations. Two patients experienced mild side effects during fenoterol treatment, none during terbutaline treatment. Treatment with terbutaline in Turbuhaler was preferred by a majority of children and parents. In conclusion, in this group of asthmatic children, treatment with terbutaline administered via Turbuhaler was as efficacious as treatment with fenoterol administered via Inhalator Ingelheim. There was a clear preference in favour of the Turbuhaler.     

不同浓度缺氧预适应小鼠脑匀浆提取液对PC12细胞缺氧耐受性的影响

目的： 探讨缺氧预适应小鼠脑匀浆提取液(HP extract)对PC12细胞缺氧耐受性的影响。方法: 复制小鼠急性重复缺氧模型，制备HP extract。在培养PC12细胞中加入HP extract使其终浓度分别为0.2、0.8、3.2、6.4、12.8 g/L(HP组)。以同浓度正常小鼠脑匀浆提取液(N extract)作为对照组(N组)。缺氧(2%O2) 培养24、48、72 h后, 采用四唑盐（MTT）比色法检测各组细胞活力 (A570值)并检测缺氧24、48、72 h乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）透出率、缺氧24 h早期凋亡率(Annexin V-FITC/PI双染流式细胞仪检测)、缺氧72 h晚期凋亡率(Hoechst33258染色荧光显微镜检测)。结果: HP extract浓度低于6.4 g/L(包括6.4 g/L), 缺氧培养24 h时, HP组A570值显著高于同浓度N组, 其 LDH透出率显著低于同浓度N组。随缺氧时间延长, 高浓度HP extract逐渐失去细胞保护作用。至72 h时浓度高于6.4 g/L(包括6.4 g/L)HP extract有促细胞凋亡作用, 此时HP组A570值显著低于同浓度N组, 其LDH透出率和晚期凋亡率均显著高于同浓度N组。结论: 缺氧预适应小鼠脑匀浆提取液对PC12细胞缺氧耐受性的影响呈浓度依赖性和时间依赖性。     

青蒿提取物对伯氏疟原虫超微结构的影响

采用4天抑制试验法,观察青蒿提取物和青蒿素对伯氏疟原虫超微结构的影响。结果显示,青蒿提取物和青蒿素均使原虫滋养体膜结构损伤,表现为虫体表膜、食物泡膜、限制膜、线粒体膜、内质网、核膜呈现肿胀及膜间隙增宽。有些虫体表膜、食物泡膜呈现多层螺纹膜样改变。严重病变的原虫滋养体退变崩解,结构消失,残留退变的食物泡和吞噬泡散在红细胞内。此外,还观察到青蒿提取物和青蒿素对疟原虫纳虫泡内裂殖子发育有抑制作用。试验证明,青蒿提取物和青蒿素对伯氏疟原虫滋养体的超微结构损伤部位和病变特征基本相同;并提示对疟原虫纳虫泡内裂殖子发育有一定影响。     

Cockroach allergen extract stimulates protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) expressed in mouse lung fibroblast

Objective: To investigate whether cockroach allergen extract can stimulate Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2) expressed in mouse lung fibroblast.Materials: We established an immortalized lung fibroblast cell line, DM5, from PAR-2 deficient mice. By stable transfection with either an empty vector (DM5/EV) or an expression vector encoding mouse PAR-2 cDNA (DM5/Par2), a pair of lung fibroblast cell lines with or without functional PAR-2 expression were prepared.Treatment: The cells were exposed to cockroach allergen extract {up to 800 protein nitrogen unit (PNU)/ml}, trypsin (up to 100 nM), SLIGRL agonist peptide (up to 500 M), and trans-cinnamoyl-LIGRO agonist peptide (up to 400 M).Methods: The cells were loaded with Fluo-3 calcium indicator and mobilization of intracellular calcium with the stimuli was monitored by a fluorometric plate reader. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation was examined by Western blot analysis using an anti-phospho ERK antibody.Results: The cockroach extract induced intracellular calcium transients in a concentration dependent manner in DM5/Par2 but not in DM5/EV. The activity was abolished when the cockroach extract was heat denatured or pre-incubated with PMSF (phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride) prior to the assay. Concomitantly, ERK phosphorylation was seen in DM5/Par2 with the cockroach extract but not with a heat-denatured extract. The responses were sensitive to an inositol-1,4,5 triphosphate antagonist (2-APB) indicating that calcium was mobilized from intracellular store.Conclusions: Cockroach allergen extract can activate PAR-2 and thereby stimulate mouse lung fibroblasts likely through protease(s). The present study proposes a potential mechanism for cockroach antigens, similar to house dust mite antigens, in the etiology of respiratory diseases.Received 29 February 2004; returned for revision 12 April 2004; accepted by M. Katori 22 April 2004     

In vivo and in vitro comparison of fire ant venom and fire ant whole body extract

Thirty-four patients with a history of immediate hypersensitivity to the sting of the imported fire ant were evaluated in a study designed to compare the diagnostic usefulness of fire ant whole body extract (WBE) preparations with that of fire ant venom (IFAV). Ninety-one percent ($\text{31}\text{34}$) of the hypersensitive patients skin tested with IFAV at a maximal concentration of 1:5 × 10³, $\text{v}\text{v}$, demonstrated a wheat equal to or greater than the histamine control. Fifty-three percent ($\text{18}\text{34}$) of the group were skin test positive to a WBE preparation. When the criteria for a positive skin test were relaxed, 82% of the hypersensitive group could be identified with the IFAWBE. A comparison of skin test results in sensitive patients revealed variability in the sensitivity of the WBE preparations utilized in the study. Leukocyte histamine release demonstrated a dose-response release of histamine with both IFAV and SIWBEa preparations. Specific venom antisera produced in rabbits identified a precipitin line of common identity in a gel-diffusion system containing IFAWBE and IFAV. This finding was verified by the competitive inhibition of IFAWBE with IFAV in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay system. Fire ant WBEs contain venom constituents and are effective diagnostic agents in up to 82% of patients with hypersensitivity to the sting of the imported fire ant. Marked variability in the responsiveness of sensitive patients to different WBE preparations mandates standardization of these diagnostic preparations.