Serological confirmation of human T-lymphotropic virus type I infection in healthy blood and plasma donors

We wished to develop criteria for serological confirmation of human T- lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection in healthy donors. Selected serum or plasma samples reactive by HTLV-I enzyme immunosorbent assay or gel-agglutination assays with at least one viral- specific band on Western immunoblot (WIB) were tested in six laboratories by four WIBs and four radioimmunoprecipitation assays (RIPAs) for antibodies to HTLV-I proteins encoded by gag (p19 and p24), env (gp46 and/or gp61), and tax (p40x) genes. One hundred forty-two donor sera were obtained from 38 Japanese, 69 American, and 35 Caribbean blood or plasma donors. Among these samples, WIB assays appeared more sensitive to p24 antibodies, whereas RIPAs were significantly more sensitive to gp61 antibodies. All sera (137) with gp61 antibodies had p24 antibodies. Of the 137 sera positive for p24 and gp61 antibodies, p19 antibodies were detected in 129 sera, and p40x antibodies were detected in 108. In sera with p19 antibodies and antibodies to env- or tax-encoded proteins, p24 antibodies were always present. Antibodies to p40x were not found in the absence of gp61 antibodies. Virological evidence of infection was found in seven American donors by lymphocyte coculture (one HTLV-I, one HTLV-II) or by polymerase chain reaction (three HTLV-I, two HTLV-II). Sera from all seven donors showed p24 and gp46 and/or gp61 antibodies. We suggest that seroreactivity to both p24 and gp46 and/or gp61 by WIB or RIPA or both are suitable criteria to confirm but not to distinguish HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections.     

Abnormal erythroid progenitor cells in human preleukemia

Ten patients with preleukemia were studied by the erythroid cell clonal culture technique. In nine of these patients, erythroid colonies derived from peripheral blood BFU-E were not observed, while the other patient had markedly decreased peripheral blood BFU-E-derived erythroid colonies in vitro. In three patients, marrow cells were also cultured and no BFU-E-derived erythroid colonies were detected. These studies indicate that immature erythroid progenitor cells, BFU-E, in patients with preleukemia are either markedly decreased in number or grossly defective in their proliferative or differentiative capacities.     

大环骨架结构的倍半萜化合物——Ⅵ.马兜铃新内酯的化学结构测定

自绵毛马兜铃(Aristolochia mollissima Hance)根茎中分得九个化合物,其中已报道的七个化合物是尿囊素、马兜铃内酯、绵毛马兜铃内酯、β-谷甾醇、马兜铃酸A、9-乙氧基马兜铃内酯和9-乙氧基马兜铃内酰胺,本文报道结晶K₃的化学结构,经光谱分析(IR,¹H-NMR,¹³C-NMR,2D-NMR和MS),化学反应及X-衍射晶体分析,确证K₃为一个新骨架结构的倍半萜化合物,命名为马兜铃新内酯。