Localization of Putative Receptors for Tetanus Toxin and Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A in Rat Central Nervous System

Clostridial neurotoxins (tetanus and botulinum toxins) are potent blockers of neurotransmitter release. These toxins act specifically on the nervous system by interacting with still non-identified protein receptors together with gangliosides. Whereas many biochemical data are available on their binding properties to neuronal membranes in vitro , there is poor morphological evidence of their binding to mammalian central nervous system. In the present study, the binding of tetanus and botulinum neurotoxin type A to rat brain sections is reported. Both toxins bound to nerve terminals with a broad distribution in brain. Tetanus toxin additionally bound to nerve fibres. The staining patterns were clearly shown to be due to the interaction of the heavy chains, which contain the binding moiety, with the tissue. In an attempt to investigate the nature of the acceptors present in the tissue, some sections were pre-incubated with periodic acid. This treatment resulted in the additional binding of botulinum neurotoxin type A to nerve fibres. Since the extended staining of nerve terminals was not modified by this pretreatment, it is suggested that protein receptors of clostridial neurotoxins are located at the nerve terminals, which may be common constituents of the synapses.     

肺结核患者PBMC膜白介素-2受体(CD25)表达及其临床意义

目的:探讨外周血单个核细胞(PBMC)膜白介素-2受体(CD25)表达在肺结核病鉴别诊断中的应用价值.方法:用生物素-链霉亲和素(BSA)法检测肺结核、支气管肺炎患者T细胞亚群及植物血凝素(PHA)诱导前后CD25表达水平.结果:支气管肺炎患者CD3+、CD4+、CD8+水平分别为(62.32±6.34)%、(47.52±7.16)%、(32.12±6.55)%,CD4+/CD8+ 比值为1.52±0.43,PHA诱导前后CD25水平分别为(4.56±1.52)%、(35.12±7.21)%.空洞型肺结核CD3+、CD4+、CD8+、CD4+/CD8+水平分别为(41.13±5.25)%、(43.38±5.15)%、(36.25±3.46)%和1.15±0.21,非空洞型肺结核CD3+、CD4+、CD8+、CD4+/CD8+水平分别为(46.29±5.60)%、(47.21±4.86)%、(32.36±4.03)%、1.46±0.25,相互比较CD3+、CD4+/CD8+差异均有显著性(P＜0.01和P＜0.05).空洞型肺结核与非空洞型肺结核患者PHA诱导前后CD25水平分别为(2.13±1.14)%、(27.25±3.50)%和(3.43±1.35)%、(31.14±4.11)%,两者相比差异均有显著性(P＜0.01).结论:肺结核病患者体内存在明显的细胞免疫功能紊乱,主要表现为CD25表达水平降低,CD25表达水平与肺结核病的病情似有一定关系,其对肺结核病鉴别诊断具有重要价值.     

Differential Distribution of Syntaxin Isoforms 1A and 1B in the Rat Central Nervous System

Syntaxin 1 binds to several proteins of the synaptic terminal and is a central component in the pathway of protein–protein interactions that underlies docking and fusion of synaptic vesicles. Molecular studies revealed the occurrence of two isoforms, syntaxin 1A and syntaxin 1B, which coexpress in neural tissues. However, they display differential expression patterns in endocrine cell types. We generated isoform-specific antibodies that were used in Western blotting and immunocytochemical studies. First, we confirmed the sole presence of syntaxin 1A in endocrine pituitary cells. Second, we found distinctive immunolabelling patterns of each isoform in the rat olfactory system, hippocampus, striatum, thalamus and spinal cord. In addition, the principal white matter commissures displayed distinct immunoreactivity for each isoform. This report shows, for the first time, major differences between the distributions of syntaxin 1A and syntaxin 1B isoforms in the rat central nervous system.     

Immunocytochemical localization of GABAA receptors in goldfish and chicken retinas

A monoclonal antibody (mAb 62-3G1) to the GABAA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/Cl- channel complex from bovine brain was used with light and electron microscopy in goldfish retina and light microscopy in chicken retina to localize GABAA receptor immunoreactivity (GABAr-IR). GABAr-IR was found in the outer plexiform layer (OPL) in both species, in three broad bands in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) of goldfish, and in seven major bands of the chicken IPL. A small percentage of amacrine cell bodies (composing at least three types) were stained in chicken. In goldfish OPL, GABAr-IR was localized intracellularly and along the plasma membrane of cone pedicles, whereas rod spherules were lightly stained, but always only intracellularly. In chicken, all three sublayers of the OPL were GABAr-IR. The presence of GABAr-IR on photoreceptor terminals is consistent with data indicating feedback from GABAergic horizontal cells to cones. In the goldfish IPL, GABAr-IR was localized to postsynaptic sites of amacrine cell synapses; intracellular staining of processes in the IPL also was observed in presumed "GABAergic" targets. A comparison of GABAr-IR with the distributions of 3H-muscimol uptake/binding, glutamate decarboxylase-IR, GABA-IR, and 3H-GABA uptake in the IPL showed either a reasonable correspondence or mismatch, depending on the marker, species, and lamina within the IPL. The distribution of GABAr-IR in the retina corresponded better with the 3H-muscimol than with 3H-benzodiazepine binding patterns yet overall was in excellent agreement with many other physiological and anatomical indicators of GABAergic function. We suggest that intracellular GABAr-IR represents the biosynthetic and/or degradative pathway of the receptor and we conclude that mAb 62-3G1 is a valid marker of GABAA receptors in these retinas and will serve as a useful probe with which to address the issue of mismatches between the localization of GABAA receptors and indicators of presynaptic GABAergic terminals.     

Influence of ascending noradrenergic fibers on the neurotensin-like immunoreactive perikarya and evidence of direct projection of ascending neurotensin-like immunoreactive fibers in the rat central nucleus of the amygdala

The influence of ascending noradrenergic neuronal input on the neurotensin (NT)-like immunoreactive neuronal perikarya located in the dorsal part of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CNA) was examined using fluorescence histochemistry and peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) immunocytochemistry. Unilateral hemitransection of the ascending noradrenergic pathway by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the caudal mesencephalon just rostral to the locus coeruleus caused a marked depletion of immunoreactivity in NT-like immunoreactive neuronal perikarya in the CNA. Ascending noradrenergic neuronal input, therefore, is considered to facilitate production of NT-like immunoreactive substances in neuronal perikarya and to influence on the functional role of the amygdaloid complex. In addition, we obtained evidence of unilateral direct ascending projections of NT-like immunoreactive neurons into the CNA since the disappearance of NT-like immunoreactive processes occurred mainly in the ventral part of the CNA after surgical hemitransection of the ascending neuronal pathway that interrupts the ascending NT-like immunoreactive pathway arising from the neurons in the brain stem.     

Primitive Cerebral Tumor with Rhabdoid Features: A Case of Phenotypic Rhabdoid Tumor of the Central Nervous System

The rhabdoid tumor (RT) was first described as an aggressive neoplasm of unknown histogenesis affecting the kidneys of infants and young children, but has since been reported in all ages and in many other primary sites, including the central nervous system. It has been shown, however, that the histologic and cytologic features of RT can be mimicked by many other tumors of known histogenesis. For this and other reasons it remains controversial whether cases of putative extrarenal RT represent the same histogenetic entity as RT of the kidney (RTK), another entity or entities, or merely a diverse collection of unrelated tumors sharing a common morphologic phenotype. The present paper describes a lethal primary cerebral tumor in a 26-month-old Hispanic boy that was composed predominantly of cells exhibiting the “classic” rhabdoid phenotype by light microscopy. lmmunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies disclosed features of primitive neuroglial differentiation not seen in RTK. The findings in this case, as well as evidence from other studies, would seem to support the notion that primary RT of the brain may in fact constitute a morphologic and clinicopathologic entity. However, hat entity likely represents a distinctive type of neuroglial neoplasm, more closely related t o other primitive brain tumors than t o RTK.     

含生长抑素mRNA神经元在移植视网膜发育中的表达

将６０例鼠龄１４ｄＳＤ大鼠视网膜移植到出生后１ｄ大鼠中脑偏左侧处，同时摘除新生鼠的右眼。术后１０ｄ至２２ｄ分别取移植视网膜及其中脑，在相应的年龄取正常视网膜作对照，应用原位杂交组化技术──地高辛标记的生长抑素的ｃＲＮＡ探针检测移植和正常视网膜中含生长抑素ｍＲＮＡ神经元出现时间、发育规律及定位分布。同时用免疫组化方法显示生长抑素免疫反应神经元的形态，以作对照和补充。原位杂交组化实验结果表明：在出生当天的移植视网膜节细胞层已出现阳性表达，出生后４ｄ，外核层也出现小的含生长抑素ｍＲＮＡ神经元，此种神经元随后减少、消失；与此同时内核层及节细胞层内含生长抑素ｍＲＮＡ神经元逐渐增多，至生后１２ｄ接近成年水平。通过对非移植大鼠视网膜进行正常对照观察，移植视网膜与非移植的正常视网膜生后发育的结果相似。生长抑素免疫反应神经元与原位杂交含生长抑素ｍＲＮＡ神经元的表达部位是一致的，但生长抑素免疫反应神经元可见其突起。     

Immunocytochemistry of keratan sulfate proteoglycan and dermatan sulfate proteoglycan in porcine tooth-germ dentin

Keratan sulfate proteoglycan and dermatan sulfate proteoglycan have been reported to inhibit collagen fibrillogenesis. We investigated their distribution in order to evaluate the role of proteoglycan in dentinogenesis. Specimens of porcine tooth-germ dentin and erupted teeth were the materials on which antibodies to keratin sulfate and dermatan sulfate proteoglycan were used. Predentin was found to be positive for both antibodies and the reaction ceased in the calcification front. Uniformly thick collagen fibrils (30-70 nm in diameter) were distributed in the predentin matrix, which would become intertubular dentin in the future. Both antibodies reacted positively along these fibrils. In contrast, along the surface layer of dentin in the tooth germ and that in erupted teeth, collagen fibrils of 10-300 nm in diameter were noted occasionally in dentinal tubules whose odontoblastic processes had disappeared and these heterogeneous fibrils were negative for both antibodies. Our findings suggest that keratan sulfate proteoglycan and dermatan sulfate proteoglycan distributed in the predentin inhibit calcification of collagen fibrils in the uncalcified matrix and disappear in the calcification front. It is further suggested that keratan sulfate proteoglycan and dermatan sulfate proteoglycan distributed along collagen fibrils in the predentin matrix maintain uniform thickness, whereas collagen fibrils in dentinal tubules varied in thickness because of the absence of involvement of both proteoglycans. Therefore, keratan sulfate proteoglycan and dermatan sulfate proteoglycan were thought to be involved in both calcification and matrix formation.     

一种低成本、低本底的免疫细胞化学反应方法

为了探讨一种适合培养细胞的低本底、低成本免疫细胞化学方法 ,本研究将低浓度的 Triton X-10 0加入抗体稀释液和洗液中 ,观察了其对 ABC反应时的抗体和 ABC的使用浓度和反应效果的影响。结果证明 ,在抗体稀释液和洗液中加入 0 .1%Triton X-10 0可以增强细胞对抗体的通透性 ,在不减弱阳性信号的状况下使 -抗的使用浓度明显降低 ,使生物素化二抗和 ABC的使用浓度达到 1/ 10 0 0～ 1/ 40 0 0 ,并大大减弱染色本底。本研究结果提示 ,在这一稀释度明显低于目前试剂盒建议的使用浓度。在充分显示阳性信号的前提下 ,使抗体的使用浓度和量大幅度减少 ,从而实现了降低本底和实验成本的目的     

大白鼠下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)样免疫反应神经元的分布及功能意义

本文应用免疫细胞化学技术观察大白鼠下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素样神经元胞体,纤维及串珠样膨体的分布。胞体位于弓状核、下丘脑前核的腹侧、视上背侧连合、室周层的腹侧区及乳头体核腹侧。纤维及串珠样膨体广泛地分布于下丘脑,串珠样膨体在室旁核和室周层密集。串珠样膨体贴室管膜分布,伸至室管膜下神经毯,有的穿行室管膜上皮细胞之间并多与室管膜上皮细胞接触或穿过室管膜上皮细胞之间至第三脑室腔。在第三脑室侧壁的室管膜上皮细胞之间偶见促肾上腺皮质激素反应细胞。室旁核区促肾上腺皮质激素免疫反应串珠样膨体可能作用于催产素和后叶加压素神经元,控制催产素和后叶加压素的分泌和释放。室周层的串珠样膨体直接与脑脊液接触可认为是促肾上腺皮质激素神经元释放分泌产物的另一途径。