Influence of coat color genes on seizure behavior in Mongolian gerbils

Seizure tendencies of three separate lines of Mongolian gerbilsMeriones unguiculatus carrying three different coat color alleles were investigated. These alleles were agouti (A/–), black or nonagouti (a/a), or sandy (pink-eyed dilutionp/p). Each animal was stroked on the back and then placed in a novel cage for 5 min while its seizure activity was measured in terms of latency, duration, and severity (grade). The results indicate that gerbils which are homozygous recessive at thepink-eyed dilution locus (sandy) exhibit less severe and shorter seizures than others. However, gerbils which are homozygous recessive at theagouti gene locus (black) show a shorter latency to manifest seizures than the other animals. These results indicate that the genetic mechanism determining coat color in Mongolian gerbils may also influence the susceptibility of these animals to seizure arising from novel stimulation.This research was supported by a grant from the NSERC of Canada to Roderick Wong.     

Changes in the intensity of protein synthesis in the retina

The intensity of protein synthesis in the mouse retina was shown to change substantially with time. The results were obtained by incubating retinas consecutively in media containing lysine-¹⁴C and lysine-³H.Institute of Biology of Development, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. E. Severin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 1330–1332, November, 1976.     

Absence of amyloid protein from the organs of normal mice

The indirect Coon's immunomorphological test was used to detect specific amyloid protein AA in the organs of mice with experimental amyloidosis and of normal mice (adult, newborn, and embryonic). By using pure antibodies against protein AA, minimal quantities of amyloid protein could be detected in the early stages of amyloid formation. No protein AA could be found in the organs of normal mice (adult, newborn, or embryonic).Laboratory of General Pathological Anatomy, Institute of Human Morphology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. P. Avtsyn.) Translated from Byulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 85, No. 5, pp. 618–619, May, 1978.     

The content of tocopherol and lipid peroxidation products in the tissues of rats with genetically determined hyperproduction of free oxygen radicals

It is shown that at the age of 2–3 months S rats with genetically determined hyperproduction of free radicals have the same content of tocopherol in the heart, epididymal fat, adrenals, liver, and liver mitochondria as Wistar rats but a lower content of plasma tocopherol. At 10–12 months, the tocopherol content in all studied tissues and organs, except the liver, is higher than in young S rats and age-matched Wistar rats. This is regarded as a compensatory response facilitating the stabilization of LPO under conditions of increased free radical formation. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 3, pp. 282–284, March, 1996     

The product of the regulatory gene of the proline catabolism gene cluster of Aspergillus nidulans is a positive-acting protein

Summary Eight new deletion mutations in the prn gene cluster involved in L-proline catabolism in Aspergillus nidulans have been characterised and mapped. Three of these are located within prnA, the regulatory gene mediating proline induction, and confirm the positive nature of the action of the prnA product. In addition, four prnA^– alleles which are phenotypically suppressible by aminoglycoside antibiotics have been identified. Of these four phenotypically suppressible prnA^– mutations, two have been tested for suppression by translational suppressors. Both are genotypically suppressible, showing that the prnA product must be a protein.     

Heightened sensitivity to the convulsant corazol in mice adoptively transferred with splenocytes from mice with corazol-induced kindling

Recipient mice adoptively transferred with splenocytes from donor mice that had undergone corazol-induced kindling showed increased sensitivity to this convulsant, as was found both in determining the threshold corazol doses required to elicit clonic convulsions or tonic seizures culminating in death and in using a model of corazol-induced kindling. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, No. 3, pp. 249–251, March, 1995     

Development of the mesencephalic and diencephalic serotoninergic system in mice and the role of serotonin in this process

The development of functional activity of the serotoninergic system in the mesencephalon and diencephalon of mice is followed during ontogeny, and it is found that serotoninergic neural elements become capable of specific serotonin uptake and K⁺-stimulated serotonin release on day 17 of prenatal life. A single serotonin injection into a female mouse on day 8 of gestation resulted in a drastically reduced specific³H-serotonin uptake by the brain of its 18-day fetuses. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 8, pp. 167–169, August, 1996     

Adjuvant modulation of the immune response of mice against the LcrE protein of Chlamydophila pneumoniae

LcrE protein is a TTSS component of Chlamydophila pneumoniae. The immunogenicity and protective effect of recombinant LcrE protein combined either with Freund's or Alum adjuvant were investigated in mice. The immunization with both protocols resulted in a significant reduction of the number of viable C. pneumoniae in the lungs after challenge. Lower IgG2a/IgG1 ratio in Alum-immunized mice suggested a shift towards Th2 type immune response, but the presence of LcrE-specific IFN-γ-producing cells in LcrE+Alum-immunized mice also indicates Th1 type response. LcrE-specific IgA level was higher in both the sera and the lungs after using Freund's adjuvant. Phenotype of LcrE-specific IFN-γ-producing cells was CD4+ in Alum- and Freund's-immunized mice, but CD8+ cells were also detected in Freund's-immunized mice.These results confirm that LcrE induces protective immunity in mice. The results also show that Alum is able to activate the CD4+ cell-based cellular immunity, thus it can be regarded as an alternative adjuvant during vaccine screening and a useful adjuvant in a potential protein vaccine against C. pneumoniae infection.     

Changes in the hemopoietic system of mice deficient for tumor necrosis factor or lymphotoxin-alpha

Hemopoietic and stromal precursor cells were studied in mice deficient for tumor necrosis factor or lymphotoxin-α. In normal hemopoiesis the main characteristics of hemopoiesis in knockout mice did not differ from those in wild-type mice. Implantation of bone marrow cells from mice deficient for tumor necrosis factor onto irradiated sublayer of allong-living bone marrow culture led to a notable increase in the number of mature cells and granulocytic-macrophage precursor cells. This can be due to the fact that tumor necrosis factor inhibits proliferation of hemopoietic precursor cells, while in the absence of this factor precursor cells actively proliferate. On the other hand, cell composition and number of colony-forming units of granulocytes-macrophages are significantly decreased in cultures onto which bone marrow cells from lymphotoxin-α-deficient mice were implanted. This can be explained by impaired expression of adhesion molecules in these animals. In addition, the number of stromal precursor cells was changed in mice deficient by genes of the tumor necrosis factor cluster. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 130, No. 7, pp. 76–79, July, 2000     

Leukocyte kinetics in the blood of mice with alloxan-induced diabetes

An autoradiographic kinetic study of neutrophilic leukocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes from the peripheral blood of male BALB/c mice with subacute diabetes induced by alloxan showed that the diabetes was accompanied by moderate neutrophilic leukocytosis, monocytopenia, depressed monocytopoiesis, prolonged circulation times of neutrophils and monocytes, and a shortened circulation time of lymphocytes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 7, pp. 33–35, July, 1995 Presented by M. A. Medvedev, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.     

Platelet content of serotonin-modulated protein SMP-69 in patients with schizophrenia

Enzyme immunoassay showed that serotonin-modulated protein SMP-69 from the brain of albino rats displayed no tissue specificity and was present in platelets. Platelet content of SMP-69 in patients with schizophrenia surpassed that in healthy humans. Our findings indicate that this method can be used in forensic psychiatry and clinical practice to control the state of patients in therapy. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 2, pp. 156–158, February, 2000     

Four new mutations in the BCHE gene of human butyrylcholinesterase in a Brazilian blood donor sample

The genetic variation of human butyrylcholinesterase has been associated with height, body mass index, Alzheimer's disease, and response to xenobiotic agents. The present study reports four new mutations, found in the exon 2 of the BCHE gene, in a sample from 3001 Brazilian blood donors. The three nonsynonymous mutations and one synonymous mutation detected are: 223G-->C, G75R; 270A-->C, E90 D; 297T-->G, I99 M; 486T-->C, A162 A, respectively. All these variants are rare: 0.093+/-0.093% for the missense mutations and 0.137+/-0.137% for the synonymous mutation. A table with the 58 non-usual variants of butyrylcholinesterase is also presented.     

Granulomatous inflammation of the liver in mice with gadolinium chloride-blocked Kupffer cells

(CBA×C57B1/6) F₁ mice injected with zymosan intravenously developed granulomas in the liver; the number of granulomas in mice pretreated with gadolinium chloride, a selective blocker of Kupffer cells, was half that in the untreated animals. Kupffer cells isolated from the liver 5 days after zymosan injection, i.e., during the period when granuloma generation was at its height, displayed a high capacity for stimulating both the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of blood leukocytes (which is associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species) and the colony-forming activity of bone marrow cells; this capacity was much lower in mice pretreated with gadolinium chloride. It is shown that granulomatous inflammation of the liver is directly dependent on the activity of Kupffer cells. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 10, pp. 366–369, October, 1995 Presented by V. P. Kaznacheev, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Morphochemical changes in brain structures and their correction by tuftsin in rats with hypofunction of the dopamine system

Chronic administration of haloperidol to Wistar rats induces specific changes in protein metabolism at the cortical-subcortical level (sensorimotor cortex—caudate nucleus), in associative and integrative triggering neurons, and in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the same neuron, judging from the state of structural proteins and aminopeptidase activity. Tuftsin reduces these changes only in the sensorimotor cortex. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 10, pp. 381–383, October, 1996     

Isolation,sequencing, and characterization of crp-5, a gene encoding a Neurospora ribosomal protein

A Neurospora crassa cytoplasmic ribosomal protein gene, crp-5, has been isolated and characterized. The cDNA was isolated by a differential screening of a cDNA library for glucose-inducible genes. The cDNA was subsequently used to identify and isolate crp-5 genomic sequences. Computer analysis of the DNA sequences showed that they contain an open reading frame which encodes a protein homologous to the rat ribosomal protein S26. The crp-5 mRNA levels are regulated in a carbon-source-dependent manner. The organization of the gene and the region upstream of the coding sequences are discussed.     

Significance of specific protein S-S bonds in the structural-functional organization of DNA

The role of S-S bridges of residual protein in the structural organization of DNA is investigated. The effects of various S-S splitting agents on the naturally occurring DNA-RP protein complexes isolated from various eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells are studied. It is demonstrated that, depending on the incubation conditions, thiols induce dissociation of the DNA-RP complexes to double-strand fragment-DNA subunits of varied size. It is found that the DNA-RP complexes contain specific S-S bonds that may determine different levels of DNA organization in the cromosome. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 8, pp. 180–183, August, 1994 Presented by N. N. Trapeznikov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Comparison of the class-1 outer membrane protein from B:15:P1.16 Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated from patients previously immunized with a serogroup B outer membrane protein vaccine in Norway

A previous report of a large, double blind, efficacy trial of an experimental Group B meningococcal outer membrane protein vaccine carried out in Norwegian Teenagers, showed a protection rate of 57%. Previous studies had demonstrated the occurrence of mutations in the class-1 outer membrane protein which alter its immunological properties. The occurrence of new mutations might compromise the efficacy of a vaccine and explain the occurrence of any vaccine failures. The porA gene, which encodes expression of the class 1 protein, was sequenced in all isolates from vaccine failures and compared to that of the vaccinating strain H44/76 (B:15:P1.7,16). The porA DNA and deduced amino acid sequences were all identical to that of the vaccinating strain except for that of one isolate which had a sequence identical to strains previously reported in Norway and England with a 'masked P1.7' epitope. The absence of new mutations in the trial was encouraging for the further development of outer membrane protein vaccines.     

Unusual route of protein discharge from the cell

A protein-secreting plasma cell is revealed in atherosclerotic intima of the rabbit aorta by electron microscopy. Protein is secreted together with rough endoplasmic reticulum by budding of preformed processes. Mast cells also release α-granules by the budding of cell processes. It is suggested that the ability of intimal cells to export synthesized substances by this route is realized during atherogenesis. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 9, pp. 268–270, September, 1996     

Characteristics of the liver microsomal membranes in mice with genetically determined accelerated aging

The liver membranes of SAMP mice with accelerated aging display increased inducibility of peroxide processes at early stages of life (2 months) and an initially higher level of MDA at later stages (8 months). In comparison with the liver membranes of the control SAMR strain, liver membranes of rapidly aging animals are characterized by more dense packing (higher microviscosity), increasing with age, judging from the eximerization of the membrane-binding fluorescent probe pyrene. Therefore, the differences in LPO and membranous bilayer packing occur in SAMP mice at early stages of development (earlier than the neurological parameters) and contribute to specific functioning of membrane-associated enzymes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 1, pp. 74–76, January, 1999     

Detection of protein with anticonsolidation properties in the rat brain

Isolation and identification of rat brain protein regulated by serotonin-modulated protein SMP-69 is described. Intracerebral administration of anti-SMP-69 antibodies activates cerebral cortex cell genome and increases the content of electropheretic fraction 28. Intracerebral administration of isolated and purified protein to rats disturbed memory consolidation. It is concluded that nerve cells have a molecular switch regulating consolidation of memory traces. Translated fromByulleten ‘Eksperimental’ noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 139, No. 8, pp. 147–150, August, 2000