A structural gene mutation affecting the regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in mouse lymphoma cells.

Compared to the wild-type parental line of S49 mouse lymphoma cells, intact cells of a mutant line (kin.A) are 10-fold less sensititive to biologic effects of exogenous cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophophosphate (cAMP), such as induction of cAMP phosphodiesterase, cell cycle-specific growth inhibition, and cytolysis. The cAMP-dependent protein kinase (ATP:protein phosphotransferase; EC 2.7.1.37) activity of kin.A cells exhibits an apparent Ka for activation by cAMP 10-fold greater than that of wild type, and is much more resistant to inactivation by heat. These differences between the wild-type and mutant enzymes persist through a high degree of purification, suggesting a structural alteration in the kin.A holoenzyme. Heterologous reconstitution experiments, using separated R and C subunits of the wild-type and kin.A cAMP-dependent kinases, show that the altered cAMP affinity and thermolability are conferred by the R component of the kin.A enzyme. These results are most consistent with a structural mutation in the kin.A gene coding for the R subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Evidence for a structural mutation helps to define one mechanism of heritable variation in cultured somatic cells. The phenotype produced by the kin.A structural mutation also greatly strengthens the conslusion that cAMP-dependent protein kinase is essential for cAMP regulation of growth and enzyme induction in intact S49 cells.     

Piecemeal degranulation of mast cells in the inflammatory eyelid lesions of interleukin-4 transgenic mice. Evidence of mast cell histamine release in vivo by diamine oxidase-gold enzyme-affinity ultrastructural cytochemistry

We used light and electron microscopy to analyze the eyelid inflammation that develops in transgenic mice that overexpress interleukin-4 (IL-4; Tepper et al, Cell 62:457, 1990). Analysis of alkaline Giemsa-stained plastic sections examined by light microscopy (Dvorak et al, J Exp Med 132:558, 1970), as well as by routine transmission electron microscopy, indicated that the mast cells in the inflammatory eyelid lesions were undergoing piecemeal degranulation, a form of secretion in which the cells' cytoplasmic granules exhibit characteristic morphologic changes that are thought to be associated with the prolonged, vesicle-mediated release of the granules' constituents. Moreover, by using a newly reported enzyme affinity-gold method, which stains histamine based on binding to diamine oxidase-gold (Dvorak et al, J Histochem Cytochem 41:787, 1993), we show that these activated mast cells had released much of their histamine content. The eyelid lesions also exhibited increased numbers of mast cells; interstitial fibrosis, particularly around cutaneous nerves and blood vessels; activated fibroblasts; focal axonal damage; venules with endothelial cells containing numerous vesiculo-vacuolar organelles; and infiltrates of neutrophils and eosinophils. Our findings illustrate that overexpression of the IL-4 gene in vivo can result in eyelid lesions associated with piecemeal degranulation of mast cells, as well as tissue fibrosis and a variety of other pathologic changes. These results also represent the first direct morphologic evidence for histamine secretion by mast cells in vivo.     

Alterations of T helper/inducer and T suppressor/inducer cells in patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers.

The peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) were studied during various stages of their disease by two-color immunofluorescence with the use of monoclonal antibodies directed against human T cells (CD3), T helper cells (CD4), T suppressor cells (CD8), T helper/inducer cells (CDw29), and T suppressor/inducer cells (CD45R). All patients with severe RAU showed increased numbers of T helper/inducer cells (CDw29) and decreased numbers of T suppressor/inducer cells (CD45R). One of six patients with RAU showed a decreased T helper/T suppressor ratio (CD4/CD8). These findings suggest that patients with RAU may possess primary immunologic abnormalities.     

An important risk factor in idiopathic generalized epilepsies

15q13.3 microdeletions increase risk of idiopathic generalized epilepsy
Helbig et al. (2009)
Nature Genetics 41(2):160–162