Prolactin activates protein kinase C and stimulates growth-related gene expression in rat liver.

We have examined the effect of prolactin (PRL) on growth-related gene expression, protein kinase C (PKC) activity and diacylglycerol (DAG) mass in rat liver. Hepatic levels of messenger (m)RNA for c-myc, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and beta-actin increased in a dose-dependent manner within 1 h after PRL administration. Prolactin also caused a transient elevation of liver DAG levels and particulate-associated PKC activity. The PRL-provoked increases in DAG mass and particulate PKC activity were coincident and maximal at 20 min and began declining toward control levels by 30 min. These results suggest a temporal relationship between PRL-stimulated DAG accumulation and PKC activation. Furthermore, the subsequent rapid induction of growth-related gene expression provides new information on the role of PRL as a hepatic mitogen.     

人T淋巴母细胞（Jurkat）移动性的研究

利用人Ｔ淋巴母细胞（Ｊｕｒｋａｔ）细胞系作为研究对象。企图探探索细胞外基质成份及肌醇磷脂细胞信息传递系统与细胞移动的关系。研究结果表明：当细胞被伏波醇酯（ＰＭＡ）处理过后，其粘连性与移动件对纤维连结蛋白（ＦＮ）底物的反应在已是高水平的基础上有更进一步提高的作用。与ＦＮ刊相反的是，未经ＰＭＡ处理处的Ｊｕｒｋａｔ细胞对层粘连蛋白（Ｌｍ）底物却无明显的粘连性及移动性增加的反应，尽管在ＰＭＡ处理过４小时内亦无任何的增强。但是，当ＰＭＡ作用于细胞２４一４８小时后则明显池增加其Ｌｍ底物的粘连性及移动性反应，表明了其明显的协同作用。分别用抗ＦＮ、抗Ｌｍ及蛋白激酶Ｃ抑制剂Ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｒｉｎｅ（ＳＰ）时均起到特异性的抑制作用。可见，协同作用的产生是通过蛋白激酶Ｃ激活后的－段时间内，使细胞表面Ｌｍ受体密度增加而对底物Ｌｍ反应增强所致。     

Caffeine reverses age-related deficits in olfactory discrimination and social recognition memory in rats. Involvement of adenosine A1 and A2A receptors

Caffeine, a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist, has been suggested as a potential drug to counteract age-related cognitive decline since critical changes in adenosinergic neurotransmission occur with aging. In the present study, olfactory discrimination and short-term social memory of 3, 6, 12 and 18 month-old rats were assessed with the olfactory discrimination and social recognition tasks, respectively. The actions of caffeine (3.0, 10.0 and 30.0 mg/kg, i.p.), the A1 receptor antagonist DPCPX (1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg, i.p.) and the A2A receptor antagonist ZM241385 (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) in relation to age-related effects on olfactory functions were also studied. The 12 and 18 month-old rats exhibited significantly impaired performance in both models, demonstrating deficits in their odor discrimination and in their ability to recognize a juvenile rat after a short period of time. Acute treatment with caffeine or ZM241385, but not with DPCPX, reversed these age-related olfactory deficits. The present results suggest the participation of adenosine receptors in the control of olfactory functions and confirm the potential of caffeine for the treatment of aged-related cognitive decline.     

Granuloma necrosis during Mycobacterium avium infection does not require tumor necrosis factor

The infection of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-deficient mice with low doses of the virulent Mycobacterium avium strain 25291 led to the appearance of necrotic granulomas at 93 days of infection, i.e., sooner than necrotic granulomas appeared in C57BL/6 animals. Additionally, TNF-deficient mice exhibited higher mycobacterial loads in the infected organs, had extremely exacerbated gamma interferon responses as evaluated in the sera of infected animals, and showed reduced survival. Thus, TNF is not required for granuloma necrosis.     

Seasonal malaria transmission and variation of anopheline density in two distinct endemic areas in Brazilian Amazonia

Studies on seasonal anopheline fauna variation were performed in two distinct settlements in the State of Rond?nia, Brazil: one at the Madeira River banks (Portuchuelo) with stable native Amazonian population; the other at an inland lumber-extracting farm (Urupá) in dry land, in which adults are mostly migrants. During a 6-yr period (1994-2000), 8,638 adult anophelines were collected: 2,684 in Urupá and 5,954 in Portuchuelo. Anopheles darlingi represented >95% of total mosquitoes caught. Dissection of 4,424 A. darlingi females yielded a very low sporozoite infection index below 0.1%. Oocysts were found in both localities in approximately 0.1% of dissected mosquitoes. Determination of the hour biting rates disclosed seasonal variations in both localities. However, in Portuchuelo, mosquito density peaked at the acme of the rainy season, whereas at Urupá it peaked in the dry season. The increase in mosquito density and incidence of malaria cases were coincident. The high mosquito densities observed in the riverine settlement of Portochuelo sector B, which permits evaluation in > 10,000 mosquitoes' bites/person/year, could explain, in spite of the low mosquito's infection index, the previously described development of natural immunity in the local population that is not observed in the dry land agroindustrial settlement of Urupá.     

Die Wertigkeit der Adenosintriphosphatase Reaktion zur Diagnostik von essentiellen Paraproteinämien

Zusammenfassung Bei 26 Fällen mit essentieller Paraproteinämie wurde die cytochemische Aktivität der Adenosintriphosphatase (ATPase) in den Plasmazellen des Knochenmarks untersucht. 15 Fälle zeigten eine erniedrigte und 11 Patienten eine normale ATPase-Aktivität. Die Untersuchungen zeigen, daß die Erniedrigung der ATPase für die Diagnostik des Plasmocytoms nicht spezifisch ist.Herrn Prof. Dr. W. Hoffmeister, Mannheim, zum 65. Geburtstag.