Endogenous GABA release from slices of rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus in vitro

Using a rapid, simple and sensitive radioreceptor assay, a Ca²⁺-dependent K⁺-evoked release of endogenous GABA was demonstrated from rat cortical and hippocampal slices in vitro. This evoked-release of endogenous GABA was similar to tha of [³H]GABA release (in its Ca²⁺ dependency) but differed from the latter in having a higher signal to noise level. Neither 5-HT nor a stable enkephalin analogue had any effect on endogenous GABA release from hippocampus slices.     

Inner structures of some coronaviruses

When treated with formaldehyde, Tween 80, sodium oleate and Nonidet P-40, avian infectious bronchitis virus, porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus, neonatal calf diarrhea coronavirus, porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus as well as the human coronavirus show similar inner structures by negative staining. The first one is an inner membranous bag. This structure could be evaginated following treatments used and does not show the characteristic projections of coronaviruses. Subsequently, the inner fold could be separated from the outer membrane at the point of junction between these two membranes. Each virus does not react in the same way to the action of the different products. The transmissible gastroenteritis virus appears more sensitive to treatments than other viruses. On the other hand, the hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus is the most resistant. The variable sensitivities of these viruses are not related to the type of host-cells. Also, a second internal structure, which is more dense than the viral particle, encircles partially the aperture of the internal tongue-shaped structure and seems to emerge from the viral particle through the aperture of the inner bag.     

Serology of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3: comparison of the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and hemagglutination inhibition

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibody to bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 has been compared with the hemagglutination inhibition test on 130 field sera, and seven other paired sera showing a significant raise of titers. The ELISA was found to be four to 64 times more sensitive than the hemagglutination inhibition test and the two tests demonstrated a good correlation.     

Functional and molecular mapping of uncoupling between vascular permeability and loss of vascular maturation in ovarian carcinoma xenografts: the role of stroma cells in tumor angiogenesis

Maintaining homogeneous perfusion in tissues undergoing remodeling and vascular expansion requires tight orchestration of the signals leading to endothelial sprouting and subsequent recruitment of perivascular contractile cells and vascular maturation. This regulation, however, is frequently disrupted in tumors. We previously demonstrated the role of tumor-associated myofibroblasts in vascularization and exit from dormancy of human ovarian carcinoma xenografts in nude mice. The aim of this work was to determine the contribution of stroma- and tumor cell-derived angiogenic growth factors to the heterogeneity of vascular permeability and maturation in MLS human ovarian carcinoma tumors. We show by RT-PCR and by in situ hybridization that VEGF was expressed by the tumor cells, while angiopoietin-1 and -2 were expressed only by the infiltrating host stroma cells. Vascular maturation was detected in vivo by vasoreactivity to hypercapnia, measured by BOLD contrast MRI and validated by immunostaining of histologic sections to alpha-smooth muscle actin. Vascular permeability was measured in vivo by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI using albumin-based contrast material and validated in histologic sections by fluorescent staining of the biotinylated contrast material. MRI as well as histologic correlation maps between vascular maturation and vascular permeability revealed a wide range of vascular phenotypes, in which the distribution of vascular maturation and vasoreactivity did not overlap spatially with reduced permeability. The large heterogeneity in the degree of vascular maturation and permeability is consistent with the differential expression pattern of VEGF and angiopoietins during tumor angiogenesis.     

In utero release of constriction amniotic bands via blunt dissection

Therapeutic techniques for in utero release of amniotic bands have relied on transecting instruments. We present an additional technique, blunt dissection, to release a constriction band in utero. The lower extremity that had detectable abnormalities during prenatal ultrasound had improved outcome after blunt in utero release of the amniotic band compared to the contralateral (control) leg. These findings support two conjectures: first, the degree of band adherence to the fetus is an important factor influencing the surgical approach to in utero lysis of the bands; second, that in utero release of constriction bands can result in improvement in outcome.     

CTLs respond with activation and granule secretion when serving as targets for T-cell recognition

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) suppress T cell responses directed against their antigens regardless of their own T cell receptor (TCR) specificity. This makes the use of CTLs promising for tolerance induction in autoimmunity and transplantation. It has been established that binding of the CTL CD8 molecule to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I α3 domain of the recognizing T cell must be permitted for death of the latter cell to ensue. However, the signaling events triggered in the CTL by this molecular interaction in the absence of TCR recognition have never been clarified. Here we use single-cell imaging to study the events occurring in CTLs serving as targets for recognition by specific T cells. We demonstrate that CTLs actively respond to recognition by polarizing their cytotoxic granules to the contact area, releasing their lethal cargo, and vigorously proliferating. Using CTLs from perforin knockout (KO) mice and lymphocyte specific kinase (Lck) knockdown with specific small interfering RNA (siRNA), we show that the killing of the recognizing CD8 T cell is perforin dependent and is initiated by Lck signaling in the CTL. Collectively, these data suggest a novel mechanism in which the entire cascade generally triggered by TCR engagement is "hijacked" in CTLs serving as targets for T cell recognition without TCR ligation.     

Increased incidence of Parkinson disease among relatives of patients with Gaucher disease

In a previous study of 99 Ashkenazi Jewish patients with Parkinson disease from Israel who were tested for the six most common mutations for Gaucher disease, 31.3% had at least one Gaucher disease mutation, implying that carrier status per se my be a risk for Parkinson disease. The purpose of this survey was to ascertain the presence of Parkinson disease among Ashkenazi Jewish obligate carriers of Gaucher disease relative to its incidence in a comparable cohort of Ashkenazi Jews who are putatively non-carriers. There was no statistically significant difference in gender or age between the groups (n>100). Among patients, 27.3% reported having a relative with Parkinson disease while among the controls there was a reported 12.3% which was statistically significant (P=0.05). While based completely on subjective reports in a paper-base questionnaire, the results of this survey implicate a high rate of Parkinson disease among individuals with Gaucher disease mutations.     

Peptides modulating conformational changes in secreted chaperones: From in silico design to preclinical proof of concept

Blocking conformational changes in biologically active proteins holds therapeutic promise. Inspired by the susceptibility of viral entry to inhibition by synthetic peptides that block the formation of helix–helix interactions in viral envelope proteins, we developed a computational approach for predicting interacting helices. Using this approach, which combines correlated mutations analysis and Fourier transform, we designed peptides that target gp96 and clusterin, 2 secreted chaperones known to shift between inactive and active conformations. In human blood mononuclear cells, the gp96-derived peptide inhibited the production of TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 induced by endotoxin by >80%. When injected into mice, the peptide reduced circulating levels of endotoxin-induced TNFα, IL-6, and IFNγ by >50%. The clusterin-derived peptide arrested proliferation of several neoplastic cell lines, and significantly enhanced the cytostatic activity of taxol in vitro and in a xenograft model of lung cancer. Also, the predicted mode of action of the active peptides was experimentally verified. Both peptides bound to their parent proteins, and their biological activity was abolished in the presence of the peptides corresponding to the counterpart helices. These data demonstrate a previously uncharacterized method for rational design of protein antagonists.