ESTABLISHING THE REFERENCE RANGE FOR T LYMPHOCYTES SUBPOPULATIONS IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN FROM BRAZIL

SUMMARY

In Brazil, the existing reference values for T-lymphocytes subsets are based on data originated in other countries. There is no local information on normal variation for these parameters in Brazilian adults and children. We evaluated the normal variation found in blood donors from five large Brazilian cities, in different regions, and in children living in Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro. All samples were processed by flow cytometry. The results were analyzed according to region, gender, and lifestyle of blood donors. A total of 641 adults (63% males), and 280 children (58% males) were involved in the study. The absolute CD3+, and CD4+ cells count were significantly higher for females (adults and children). Higher CD4+ cell count in adults was associated with smoking, while higher CD8+ count was found among female children. Higher counts, for all T-cells subsets, were detected in blood donors from southeast / south regions while those living in the northern region had the lowest values. Individuals from midwestern and northeastern regions had an intermediate count for all these cells subsets. However, these differences did not reach statistical significance. In Brazil, gender and smoking, were the main determinants of differences in T-lymphocytes reference values.     

胃粘膜活检标本端粒酶活性的检测

为探讨端粒酶活化在胃癌发生发展中的作用，本文采用ＴＲＡＰ法对７２例胃镜胃粘膜活检标本端粒酶活性进行检测，结果发现，胃癌端粒酶阳性率为８５．０％（１７／２０），萎缩性胃炎、肠上皮化生、异型增生及胃腺瘤性息肉端粒酶阳性率分别为２８．６％（１０／３５）、１６．７（１／６）、３３．３％（１／３）及１００％（２／２）。胃癌组织端粒酶阳性率与肿瘤部位、大体类型及组织学分类无明显相关。以上结果提示，胃粘膜活检标本端粒酶活性的检测对阐明胃癌的发生发展过程，胃粘膜癌变的预测及胃癌的早期诊断可能具有重要意义。     

PROLACTIN-INHIBITING ACTIVITY OF GnRH ASSOCIATED PEPTIDE IN CULTURED HUMAN PITUITARY CELLS

The 56-amino-acid extension of GnRH in the human GnRH precursor (pHGnRH 14-69 or GAP) has previously been shown to inhibit PRL secretion from cultured rat pituitary cells. We have studied the effect of GAP and shorter sequences on prolactin secretion from human and rat pituitary cells. Bacterially synthesized GAP inhibited PRL secretion from human pituitary cells. At 10(-6) M GAP inhibition of prolactin release was 67.7% which was similar to that observed in rat pituitary cells (65.5%). A series of shorter peptide sequences (pHGnRH 14-26, pHGnRH 14-36, pHGnRH 14-37.NH2, pHGnRH 28-36, pHGnRH 38-49 and pHGnRH 51-66) which are potentially processed from GAP at basic amino acid residues had no effect on prolactin secretion from human or rat pituitary cells at doses up to 10(-5) M.     

CD8~ T细胞在CD4~ T细胞耗竭小鼠卡氏肺孢子虫肺炎的致病作用(英文)

[目的 ]验证参与卡氏肺孢子虫致病过程中 ,宿主炎性反应及其对肺功能的影响。 [方法 ]:将小鼠CD4 T细胞耗竭或将小鼠CD4 和CD8 T细胞都耗竭后 ,经气管接种卡氏肺孢子虫。观察在CD8 T细胞缺如或存在的情况下 ,小鼠呼吸机能的改变和肺炎的程度。 [结果 ]耗竭CD4 和CD8 T细胞后 ,小鼠虽发生PCP ,但呼吸频率无明显加快 ,肺组织损伤程度也较轻。相反 ,仅耗竭CD4 T细胞保留CD8 T细胞的小鼠的呼吸频率明显加快 ,肺内炎性细胞反应和肺组织损伤程度均较重。支气管肺泡灌洗液 (BALF)中的CD8 T细胞和嗜中性白细胞的数量明显增多。 [结论 ]PCP的致病过程中 ,宿主的炎性细胞反应对肺功能有直接损伤作用 ,其中CD8 T细胞似起主要作用。     

NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION IN CELLS DERIVED FROM THE HUMAN JOINT

We have investigated the ability of cells derived from the humanjoint to generate nitric oxide (NO). Synovial fibroblasts, articularchondrocytes and osteoblasts were cultured from tissues of patientsundergoing hip replacement surgery, and synovial fluid leucocyteswere obtained from patients undergoing joint aspiration. Therewas little spontaneous generation of NO by any of the cellsafter culture, but synovial fibroblasts, articular chondrocytesand osteoblasts all produced large quantities of NO in responseto a cytokine mix of interleulrin (IL)-ß + tumournecrosis factor     

FACTORS INFLUENCING PREMATURE INDUCTION OF UDP-GLUCURONYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY IN CULTURED CHICK EMBRYO LIVER CELLS

Very young (5-day-old) chick embryo livers during organ culture on rafts over a chemically defined nutrient medium precociously develop, from zero, adult levels of UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity. Induction of enzyme does not require DNA synthesis or mitosis, or exposure to hormones, serum, or tissue extracts. Thus, this functional differentiation of embryo liver is apparently not dependent on cell proliferation or on extrinsic substances other than simple nutrients.UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity develops rapidly also in embryo liver cells cultured as monolayers or aggregates; specific activity of enzyme on a protein basis increases at the same rate in cells undergoing widely different rates of cell division, and net protein synthesis.These findings suggest that precocious development of UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity in chick embryo liver is due, not to incidents of culture, but to removal from the embryonic environment. Supporting this, chick embryo liver grafted to the chorioallantoic membrane does not develop UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity until subsequently transferred to an in vitro cell culture system.     

TUMOUR NECROSIS FACTOR ACTIVITY IN JOINT FLUIDS FROM RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS

Although tumour necrosis factor (TNF) was first studied as ananti-cancer agent it is now recognized as a potent mediatorof inflammation and could potentially play a role in rheumatoidarthritis. In this study TNF activity has been sought in fluidsfrom arthritic joints. TNF was assayed by a well establishedbioassay which depends upon cytolysis of particular tumour celllines and which has a limit of detection of c. 25 pg/ ml. Ofthe 92 joint fluids tested (70 rheumatoid and 22 others) onlythree had demonstrable TNF activity. Despite this, joint fluidcells from all 14 patients tested (12 rheumatoid and two others)had the ability to synthesize TNF on stimulation in vitro. Subsequentlyit was shown that joint fluids contain a macro-molecule whichinhibits TNF activity in cytolytic assays and which may masklow levels of TNF activity in joint fluids. KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid arthritis, Tumour necrosis factor, Cytokines     

CD8~+ T细胞在CD4~+ T细胞耗竭小鼠卡氏肺孢子虫肺炎的致病作用

[目的 ]验证参与卡氏肺孢子虫致病过程中 ,宿主炎性反应及其对肺功能的影响。 [方法 ]:将小鼠CD4+ T细胞耗竭或将小鼠CD4+ 和CD8+ T细胞都耗竭后 ,经气管接种卡氏肺孢子虫。观察在CD8+ T细胞缺如或存在的情况下 ,小鼠呼吸机能的改变和肺炎的程度。 [结果 ]耗竭CD4+ 和CD8+ T细胞后 ,小鼠虽发生PCP ,但呼吸频率无明显加快 ,肺组织损伤程度也较轻。相反 ,仅耗竭CD4+ T细胞保留CD8+ T细胞的小鼠的呼吸频率明显加快 ,肺内炎性细胞反应和肺组织损伤程度均较重。支气管肺泡灌洗液 (BALF)中的CD8+ T细胞和嗜中性白细胞的数量明显增多。 [结论 ]PCP的致病过程中 ,宿主的炎性细胞反应对肺功能有直接损伤作用 ,其中CD8+ T细胞似起主要作用。     

T{gamma}{delta} CELLS AND THEIR SUBSETS IN BLOOD AND SYNOVIAL FLUID FROM PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

We have determined the distribution of T