Genetic and light intensity effects on the activity and emigratory behavior of the house fly,Musca domestica (L.)

The emigratory behavior and locomotor activity of yellow-eyed (y/y), wildtype (+/+), and heterozygous (+/y) house flies was examined at 8 fc (86 lx) and 1600 fc (17,223 lx) light intenstities. At 8 fc, emigration rate and activity of the y/y flies was similar to that of the +/+ and +/y flies. However, at 1600 fc, the y/y flies emigrated at twice the rate and showed an activity of about one-third that of the other genotypes. The behavior of the +/+ and +/y flies remained similar regardless of the experimental design or light intensity. The excessive neural stimulation by high-intensity light resulting from reduced shielding pigments led to behavioral modifications in the visual and tactile responses of the y/y flies.This research was supported in part by grants from the CUNY Faculty Research Award Program (No. 1103) and NIH Biomedical Research Support Grant 5-S05-R-07064.     

The relative merits of cromolyn sodium and high-dose theophylline therapy in childhood asthma

The use of cromolyn sodium (SCG) and high-dose theophylline (HDT) in the treatment of chronic perennial asthma in children is reviewed. It is noted that the regimens are only suitable for children with persistent symptoms uncontrolled by simpler forms of treatment. The methods of administration and dosage based on pharmacologic data are considered, and the potential importance of long-acting theophylline and nebulized cromolyn preparations is noted. Short-term studies have confirmed the efficacy of both drugs, and a comparative study showed little difference between them. Long-term studies of SCG have demonstrated its value to some 66% of children without serious side effects. No formal long-term studies have been carried out on HDT. Side effects from theophylline can often be eliminated by careful control of blood levels. From published evidence, neither SCG nor HDT is effective in steroid-dependent asthmatic children, and they contribute little, if anything, to management in such cases. The difference in cost of the drugs is small when all factors are considered, and either regimen is justified by the saving in medical expenses when used for carefully selected patients.     

Absence of chromosome heterogeneity between classical Fanconi's anemia and the Estren-Dameshek type

Chromosome investigations were carried out in 7 patients with Fanconi's anemia, type Estren-Dameshek. The frequency and types of chromosome instability found in cultured lymphocytes were in accord with those detected in individuals with classical Fanconi's anemia. The break-point distribution indicates a significant excess of breaks in chromosomes No. 1, 2, and 7 and a deficit in No. 18 and X and Y chromosomes. There was a clear clustering of breaks at certain locations in chromosomes No. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, and 14. The location of the breaks with respect to the bands demonstrated an almost exclusive involvement of the lighter bands, regardless of the banding method used. These results suggest that most breaks take place in the interbands between the G and R bands. In all patients, chromosome instability was less frequent in direct bone marrow preparations than in lymphocyte cultures. However, cultured bone marrow cells showed a significant increase of chromosome aberrations. On the whole, the chromosome data derived from this series of patients are in agreement with those obtained in individuals with classical Fanconi's anemia and give no support to the idea of cytogenetic heterogeneity between subjects affected by these two forms of childhood aplastic anemia.     

HPV16 主要衣壳蛋白L1在昆虫细胞中的表达及免疫学活性分析

目的 在昆虫细胞中表达HPV16L1（曲02）蛋白，并分析其免疫学活性。方法 构建表达载体pEASTBACTHb-L1(m202)，用重组病毒感染sf9细胞表达HPV16L1（m202)蛋白，SDS-PAGE，western-blot鉴定其表达，亲和层析和离子交换层析纯化后的产物经鼻腔免疫Balb/c小鼠，竞争抑制ELISA分析免疫血清的中和活性。结果 SDS-PAGE，western-blot结果证明HPV16L1（m202)蛋白的表达，纯化复性后产率约为17%，免疫血清具有竞争抑制HPV中和单抗与HPV16L1（m202)相结合的能力，结论 昆虫细胞表达的HPV16L1（m202)蛋白具有作为预防疫苗的潜力。     

Acquired α2 macroglobulin on the surface of human lymphoblastoid cells

The molecular nature of the membrane antigen that is acquired from FCS-containing media by human lymphoblastoid cells has been investigated. The presence of bovine α₂, macroglobulin on the surface of Namalva cells was demonstrated by radioimmunoassay using specific antisera. Alternatively, cell-bound bovine α₂,M could be detected by the more sensitive heterophile rosette assay described previously. Namalva cells grown in NHS-containing media acquired bovine α₂ M upon subsequent incubation with the purified protein in a dose- and time-dependent way. Acquisition of α₂ M was demonstrated using both viable and formaldehyde-fixed cells. Purified fetuin, which carries a heterophile epitope shared with bovine α₂ M as well as with other glycoproteins, failed to bind with the membrane of Namalva cells. The possible role of acquired α₂ macroglobulin on cells has been discussed.     

Novel L2HGDH mutations in 21 patients with L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria of Portuguese origin

We studied 21 patients, from 18 families, with L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria (L-2-HGA), a rare neurometabolic disorder with a homogeneous presentation: progressive neurodegeneration with extrapyramidal and cerebellar signs, seizures, and subcortical leukoencephalopathy. Increased levels of L-2-hydroxyglutaric acid in body fluids proved the diagnosis of L-2-HGA in all 21 patients. We analyzed the L-2-HGA gene (L2HGDH), recently found to be mutated in consanguineous families with L-2-HGA, and identified seven novel mutations in 15 families. Three mutations appeared to be particularly prevalent in this Portuguese panel: a frameshift mutation (c.529delC) was detected in 12 out of 30 mutant alleles (40%), a nonsense mutation (c.208C>T; p.Arg70X) in 7/30 alleles (23%), and a missense mutation (c.293A>G; p.His98Arg) in four out of 30 mutant alleles (13%), suggesting that common origin may exist. Furthermore, two novel missense (c.169G>A; p.Gly57Arg, c.1301A>C; p.His434Pro) and two splice error (c.257-2A>G, c.907-2A>G) mutations were found. All the mutations presumably lead to loss-of-function with no relationship between clinical signs, progression of the disease, levels of L-2-HGA and site of the mutation. In the three remaining families, no pathogenic mutations in the L-2-HGA were found, which suggests either alterations in regulatory regions of the gene or of its intervening sequences, compound heterozygosity for large genomic deletion and, or further genetic heterogeneity.     

组织蛋白酶L及其抑制剂Cystatin C在曲张大隐静脉平滑肌细胞中的表达

目的:组织蛋白酶L(Cat L)及其抑制剂Cystatin C在曲张大隐静脉平滑肌细胞(SMC)中的表达。方法:术中收集曲张及正常大隐静脉标本,采用免疫组织化学、荧光免疫组织化学染色方法及计算机图像分析技术观察检测。结果:免疫组化染色可见Cat L、Cystatin C分别在曲张、正常大隐静脉中免疫反应阳性,阳性细胞主要位于SMC胞质;曲张组SMC中Cat L阳性细胞平均光密度值明显增高,Cystatin C明显降低,与正常组间差异显著;荧光免疫组织化学染色可见Cat L与曲张大隐静脉SMC共定位,Cystatin C与正常大隐静脉SMC共定位。结论:在曲张大隐静脉的SMC中Cat L表达增强,Cystatin C表达下降。这一改变可能作为大隐静脉曲张的生物学标志。     

淋巴细胞共刺激信号和凋亡信号异常与RA免疫效应亢进的研究

目的：探究T淋巴细胞表面多种细胞信号分子所介导的细胞活化或凋亡信号在RA患者免疫功能紊乱中的作用。方法：采用流式细胞术检测RA患者外周血T细胞亚群及其表面共刺激分子cD154（cD40L）、CD30和凋亡受体CD95（Fas）的表达。结果：RA患者外周血T细胞亚群偏移，CD4^＋T细胞增加，CD8^＋T细胞减少；共刺激分子CD154在CD4^＋和CD8^＋T细胞上的表达均上调，但CD30分子的表达均降低，并以CD4^＋T细胞降低更为明显。同时，凋亡受体CD95分子在T细胞亚群上的表达均明显增加。结论：RA患者T淋巴细胞表面多种信号分子表达异常，共同导致了RA患者免疫功能紊乱。     

Codon optimization of the human papillomavirus 11 (HPV 11) L1 gene leads to increased gene expression and formation of virus-like particles in mammalian epithelial cells

The 505 amino acid L1 protein of the human papillomavirus type 11 (HPV 11) is the major capsid polypeptide that has been shown to self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) in vivo and in vitro. While L1 is essential for viral infection, expression studies in mammalian cells have been hampered by different codon preference between the virus and its host. To optimize L1 gene expression in mammalian cells, we converted wild-type HPV 11 L1 (11 L1wt) codons to those more common in human genes. The modified HPV 11 L1 gene (11 L1h) generated protein levels that were at least 100-fold higher than those of wild-type HPV 11 L1, while no obvious differences were seen in the level of mRNA. HPV 11 L1 protein was detected in mammalian epithelial and fibroblast cells, by immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) techniques. Unlike the situation in situ, IIF revealed the presence of L1 mainly at perinuclear sites. Virus-like particles assembled intranuclearly only to a low extent, as indicated by transmission electron microscopy. DNA vaccination using the HPV 11 L1h gene yielded a drastic increase in L1-specific antibody production in mice as compared to immunization with the wild-type gene.     

Immunocytochemical localization of cell adhesion molecule L1 in developing rat pyramidal tract

L1 is a representative of a family of carbohydrate neural cell adhesion molecules. The expression of L1 was studied during postnatal development of the rat pyramidal tract by immunohistology using polyclonal antibodies to L1 in spinal cord cervical intumescences. On postnatal day 1 (P1), L1 immunoreactivity was present in the entire dorsal funiculus, consisting of the ascending fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus and the descending pyramidal tract. At that time the cervical pyramidal tract contains the first outgrowing corticospinal axons. At P4 both the fasciculus gracilis and the pyramidal tract are immunoreactive whereas the fasciculus cuneatus is negative. At P10 the pyramidal tract is intensely labelled whereas both ascending bundles are negatively stained. In the period between P4 and P10 the pyramidal tract is characterized by a massive outgrowth of corticospinal axons. During pyramidal tract myelination, between P10 and the end of the third postnatal week (P21), L1 immunoreactivity is progressively reduced. These observations suggest that L1 may play a prominent role in outgrowth, fasciculation and the onset of myelination of rat pyramidal tract axons. The differential L1 immunoreactivity of the pyramidal tract and the earlier developing ascending systems in rat dorsal funiculus indicate that this polyclonal antiserum is a useful differentiating marker for outgrowing fibre tracts.