Derivation of a new B-cell line from mouse spleen and its characterization

Prolonged culturing of splenocytes of (CBA×C57B1/6)F₁ hybrid mice in RPMI-1640 medium with 15% fetal calf serum resulted in the derivation of a new B-cell line. After a monolayer of stromal fibroblast-like cells was formed, lymphoid cell growth was observed in 4–5 weeks of splenic cell culturing. All the cells of the splenic line belonged to the B series and expressed IgM on their surface; they did not form lymphoid colonies after injection to lethally irradiated mice, and even after 8-month culturing and several passages they could not be differentiated. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 2, pp. 183–186, February, 1995 Presented by I. P. Ashmarin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Depletion of secretory granules from the feline parotid gland: action of NANC transmitters per se

Ekstrom , J., Asztély , A., Helander , H. F. & Tobin , G. 1994. Depletion of secretory granules from the feline parotid gland: action of NANC transmitters per se. Acta Physiol Scand 150, 83–88. Received 5 May 1993, accepted 30 July 1993. ISSN 0001–6772. Department of Pharmacology, University of Goteborg, and Astra Hassle AB, Molndal, Sweden. A parotid acinar degranulation of approximately 60 and 40% was observed in cats under pentobarbitone anaesthesia after a 90-min period of continuous stimulation of the parasympathetic auriculo-temporal nerve at 10 Hz in the absence and presence of atropine, respectively. Atropine completely abolished the large fluid response of the gland to the nerve stimulation. In the non-atropinized cats, bethanechol, infused into the carotid artery at a dose rate evoking a salivary flow similar to that in response to parasympathetic nerve stimulation, caused an acinar degranulation of approximately 25% and acinar vacuolation. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP; 0.5 μg kg^-1 min^-1 also infused into the carotid artery for 90 min) caused an acinar degranulation of the same magnitude as the parasympathomimetic drug but the peptide did not give rise to any fluid secretion or vacuole formation. The experiments were performed in the presence of α- and β-adrenoceptor blockers. Thus, in parotid glands of the cat, producing no overt secretion of fluid, non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) mechanisms may be at work causing exocytosis of the acinar granules. These mechanisms are also likely to contribute to the secretion of granules in response to parasympathetic nerve activity in the absence of blockade of the classical autonomic receptors.     

Preparation of monoclonal antibodies to O-antigen (0–4.5) ofSalmonella typhimurium serogroup B

Sixteen clones secreting murine monoclonal antibodies of various specificities toSalmonella antigens are obtained. One of the clones is highly specific toSalmonella typhimurium (serogroup B) O-antigen in enzyme immunoassay. The resultant antibodies are IgG2a immunoglobulins with a “kappa”-type light chain. The connecting epitope includes abequose-mannose-rhamnose trisaccharide. Antibodies are bound toS. typhimurium whole cells and do not cross-react with representatives of theE. coli family. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 6, pp. 630–632, June, 1994 Presented by I. P. Ashmarin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences