白细胞介素2和黄芪多糖对小鼠NK细胞作用的细胞化学和超微结构观察

本文报道在白细胞介素2(IL-2)及黄芪多糖(PA)作用下,小鼠NK细胞的细胞化学和超微结构变化。实验表明,NK细胞酸性磷酸酶、酸性醋酸酯酶及氯醋酸AS-D酯酶均为阳性。经IL-2和PA的处理,前两种酶的活性增加,阳性细胞百分率增高,并与NK活性相关。IL-2培养后的NK细胞超微结构表现为胞体变大,表面不规则,胞质丰富,细胞器增多等特点。     

A randomized controlled trial of goserelin and medroxyprogesterone acetate in the treatment of pelvic congestion

Following identification of the proportion of pelvic congestion among symptomatic patients complaining of chronic pelvic pain, and in a totally asymptomatic group of patients requesting tubal ligation, the efficiency of goserelin acetate versus medroxyprogesterone acetate was compared objectively using pelvic venogram scores, and subjectively by symptom resolution, improvement of psychological status and sexual functioning in a prospective randomized trial in 47 patients with pure pelvic congestion syndrome. Patients received either goserelin acetate (3.6 mg/month for 6 months) or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA; 30 mg/day for 6 months). Among patients with chronic pelvic pain, those with pure pelvic congestion were mostly parous, had the most severe pelvic signs and symptom scores, lowest rates of sexual functioning, and higher states of anxiety and depression as compared with others. At 1 year after treatment, goserelin remained superior to MPA in terms of pelvic venographic improvement as an objective measure. In alleviation of signs and symptomatology, improvement of sexual functioning and reduction of anxiety and depressive states as subjective measures, goserelin acetate achieved a statistically significant advantage (P = 0.0001) compared with MPA.     

A monoclonal antibody (RH1-38) which inhibits multiple systems of cell-mediated cytotoxicity--I. Identification of a novel epitope on a killer cell surface bimolecular complex important in the cytotoxic response

This paper presents the initial characterization of a mouse monoclonal antibody (RH1-38) which blocks, in the absence of complement, three different systems of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. This monoclonal antibody markedly inhibits cytotoxicity mediated by human natural killer cells, a monocyte-like cell [phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulated HL-60], and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes generated in a mixed leukocyte reaction. RH1-38 is not nonspecifically toxic to cells since antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity was not inhibited and viability as assessed by trypan blue exclusion was not affected. Inhibition is specific since control hybridoma culture supernatants, parent (NS-1) ascites supernatant, monoclonal anti-HLA and normal mouse IgG were not significantly inhibitory. In the NK system, the inhibitory effect appears to be due to binding of monoclonal antibody to effector cell surface since exposure of targets to antibody followed by washing yielded no inhibition of killing. Inhibition requires the antigen-binding portion of the antibody molecule and thus appears to be related to steric hindrance of an effector cell surface molecule which is important in the expression of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Immunoprecipitation of surface-radioiodinated membranes from PMA-stimulated HL-60 cells and analysis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels revealed a bimolecular complex (195,000 and 125,000 daltons) without significant change under reducing conditions. Control immunoprecipitates yielded no peaks of activity. This monoclonal antibody should serve as a useful probe of the function and biochemistry of a killer cell surface antigen important in the expression of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Since RH1-38 inhibits cytotoxicity mediated by at least three apparently unrelated effector cells, the relevant antigen may be part of a common mechanistic step. As the companion paper demonstrates, this monoclonal antibody does not affect the conjugation step, but appears to block a late step in the NK cytolytic mechanism. Thus, RH1-38 recognizes either an epitope district from previously-described anti-LFA-1 antibodies or alternatively recognizes a distinct functional killer cell surface molecule.     

Effect of NMDA on Production of Reactive Oxygen Species by Human Lymphocytes

Low concentrations (<20 M) of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), an agonist of specific receptors of brain glutamatergic systems, promote the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) both in the whole blood and in lymphocyte fraction. Further increase in NMDA concentrations led to progressive increase in ROS content in the whole blood, but to its decrease in lymphocyte suspension. The activating effect of NMDA is abolished by antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (5 mM) and NMDA-type glutamate receptor antagonist MK-801 (5 M). Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 1 M) also increased ROS content in the examined structures. This effect was antagonized by N-acetylcysteine, but not MK-801.     

Lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence as a new assay for NAD(P)H-oxidase activity in particulate fractions of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

The enzyme responsible for the respiratory burst in human neutrophils is an oxidase that catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to superoxide anion (O-2). Superoxide anion production may be measured by chemiluminescence (CL) in the presence of lucigenin (10,10'-dimethyl-9,9'- biacridinium dinitrate). We established an assay of the oxidase, by measuring the CL of particulate fractions of PMN in the presence of lucigenin . This CL required the addition of NAD(P)H and was very low in fractions of resting cells. In particulate fractions of PMNs stimulated with PMA selectively, the NADPH-dependent CL was found to be increased. CL was linear with protein concentrations up to 100 micrograms and was shown to be at least 10 times more sensitive for the detection of O-2 than the assay based on the spectrophotometric determination of superoxide mediated cytochrome c reduction. CL was abolished by inactivating the enzyme at 56 degrees C.     

Distribution of acid alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase among human T lymphocyte subsets

Human T lymphocyte subsets, identified by means of OKT3, 4 and 8 monoclonal antibodies, were isolated by a fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS IV) and analyzed for distribution of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity. As compared to OKT8⁺ lymphocytes a higher proportion of OKT4⁺ lymphocytes was ANAE-positive exibiting a spot or dot-like pattern in the cytoplasm. OKT8 and 4 positive subsets showed a similar ANAE distribution in diffuse granular form. Although OKT4 and OKT8 populations presented a different ANAE dot-like reactivity, this marker did not allow as clear a distinction between them as that reported for T_G and T_M lymphocytes.     

Growth,regression and cell death in rat liver as related to tissue levels of the hepatomitogen cyproterone acetate

Previous studies have shown that xenobiotic compounds such as the environmental pollutant -hexa-chlorocyclohexane (-HCH) and the synthetic sex steroid cyproterone acetate (CPA) induce growth of rat liver by hypertrophy and hyperplasia. After withdrawal of the growth stimuli, liver hypertrophy was usually found to be readily reversible. Conflicting observations were made concerning the fate of liver hyperplasia: hepatic hyperplasia persisted when induced by -HCH but was found to be partially reversible when induced by CPA. The present study confirms the reversibility of hepatic hyperplasia induced by CPA in rats: about 30% of liver DNA present at maximal liver enlargement disappeared within 6 days after cessation of CPA treatment. Simultaneously, a dramatic increase in the rate of cell elimination by apoptosis was found. Glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase in serum did not show major increases, suggesting that cell death was not due to lytic membrane damage. Furthermore, if treatment with CPA was continued or resumed, the enhanced DNA content persisted and the number of apoptotic bodies was greatly reduced. These observations suggest that the occurrence of cell death is due to withdrawal of the growth stimulus CPA. It may reflect a regulatory phenomenon serving to maintain homeostasis of cell number.Further studies showed that CPA is rapidly eliminated from rat liver and serum: t 1/2 in the liver is about 11 h. In contrast, -HCH was previously found to be eliminated more slowly: t 1/2 approximately 144 h. The present study revealed that -HCH, CPA and nafenopin lower the number of apoptotic bodies. This suggests that inducers of liver growth can inhibit hepatocellular death by apoptosis. It is concluded that the regression of hyperplasia after CPA withdrawal may be due to its rapid elimination. On the other hand the relatively long persistence of -HCH may result in inhibition of cell death and thereby stabilize hepatic hyperplasia.Abbreviations CPA cyproterone acetate - -HCH -hexachlorocyclohexane - PB phenobarbital - NAF nafenopin - AB apoptotic body - b.w. body weight - p. admin. post-administration - GPT glutamate-pyruvate transaminase - ALP alkaline phosphatase Dedicated to Professor W. Koransky on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Pharmacokinetic interaction of contraceptive steroids with prednisone and prednisolone

Summary The oestrogenic component of oral contraceptives affects the activity of liver enzymes and the concentrations of plasma proteins implicated in steroid metabolism and transport. The present study was designed to determine these effects on the kinetics of prednisone and prednisolone. After an oral dose of prednisone, women on oral contraceptive steroids (n=10) had higher mean (±SD) area under the plasma concentration versus time curves of total (428±67 µg/ml/min vs 188±28 µg/ml/min, p<0.001) and unbound prednisolone (64±10 µg/ml/min vs 41±10 µg/ml/min, p<0.001) than women not taking oral contraceptive steroids (n=10). The differences were attributable to a lower non-renal clearance of prednisolone and to a higher apparent systemic availability of the drug in contraceptive users than in the controls. The affinity of albumin and transcortin for prednisolone was lower in women on oral contraceptives than in controls (p<0.001). Thus, altered kinetics and protein binding may account for the known increase in glucocorticoid efficacy by oestrogens.     

低铅染毒大鼠体内脂质过氧化及抗氧化水平改变

目的：观察低剂量铅染毒后大鼠体内脂质过氧化水平改变,为铅的毒作用机制研究提供依据。方法：以醋酸铅为受试物,雄性Wistar大鼠为受试对象,分别观察其脏器脂质过氧化水平改变。结果：低铅染毒后,大鼠各脏器超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱苷肽过氧化物酶（GSH－Px）及过氧化脂质（LPO）均有不同程度改变（P＜0.05,P＜0.01）,而巯基（－SH）含量仅肝脏变化较明显。结论：较低剂量的铅即可引起体内脂质过氧化水平的改变,而这种变化可能是铅的毒作用途径之一。