Immunohistochemical analysis of the A4 and AO10 (gp110) cell-surface antigens of human astrocytoma.

The A4 and AO10 (110 kd glycoprotein) cell-surface antigens are biochemically distinct markers of cultured human astrocytomas that are expressed by only a limited number of other cultured cell types. To further characterize these two antigens, the authors used immunohistochemical methods to determine their expression in normal human tissues, astrocytomas, and over 100 tumors of other histologic types. They found that A4 is expressed 1) throughout the central (CNS), but not peripheral nervous system (PNS); 2) in smooth muscle and a small number of epithelial tissues; and 3) in reactive glia and in astrocytomas, but not in most tumors of other histologic types. In contrast, the AO10 antigen is expressed 1) in a small subset of CNS neurons, but not in astrocytes, PNS neurons, or other normal tissues; 2) in astrocytomas and reactive glia; and 3) in some additional neuroectodermal tumors, but not melanomas, carcinomas, or sarcomas. These findings show that A4 and AO10 are restricted markers for human astrocytomas in vivo. Furthermore, the antigens show distinct patterns of expression in normal human CNS but appear to be coordinately expressed in astrocytomas and astrocytoma-derived cell lines.     

Functional MRI of visuospatial working memory in schizotypal personality disorder: a region-of-interest analysis

BACKGROUND: Functional MRI studies have begun to identify neural networks implicated in visuo-spatial working memory in healthy volunteers and patients with schizophrenia. The study of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) provides regional analysis in unmedicated patients in the schizophrenia spectrum. METHOD: Unmedicated patients with SPD by DSM-IV criteria and normal controls were assessed with fMRI while performing a visuo-spatial working-memory task. It required the subjects to retain the location of three dots located on the circumference of an imaginary circle and then respond to a query display in which one dot was presented and the subject required to press a button to indicate whether the probe dot location was previously displayed. Subject groups did not differ significantly in spatial memory scores. The exact Talairach and Tournoux coordinates of brain areas previously reported to show activation with spatial memory tasks were assessed. RESULTS: The majority of these locations showed BOLD response activation significantly less in patients during the memory retention period, including the left ventral prefrontal cortex, superior frontal gyrus, intraparietal cortex and posterior inferior gyrus. Regions in the right middle prefrontal and prestriate cortex showed greater activation at a trend level for patients with SPD than for normal controls. In addition, we replicated the findings of increased activation with the task in healthy volunteers in the premotor areas, ventral prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: SPD patients show decreased activation compared to healthy volunteers in key frontal regions and we also provided a partial replication of findings reported in healthy subjects.     

Selection of Immunogenic Peptide Mimics of Male Worm Origin of Schistosoma Japonicum using Phage Display Peptide Library

Phagepeptidedisplaytechniquehasbecomeaverypopu larmethodofstudyinawidevarietyofresearchworkson accountofitsversatility,simplicityandcosteffectiveness. Ithasbeenwidelyusedforidentificationofproteinsand hasprovidedaconvenientmethodologytoobtainligands fors…     

Murine embryonal carcinoma cells express class I MHC-like antigens

Previous work has concluded that murine embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, the oncogenic stem cells of teratocarcinomas, do not express class-I, H-2K or D/L gene encoded products. Experiments using cell-mediated lysis, serological and molecular biological approaches show that EC cells do express some major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I or class I-like molecules.     

A qualitative and quantitative study of rete ovarii development in the fetal rat: Correlation with the onset of meiosis and follicle cell appearance

Development of the rete ovarii and its contribution to the cells of the ovary were examined in fetal rats. Histochemical and autoradiographic techniques were used for the observations between days 15 and 21 of gestation. The data presented indicate that the rete system contributes somatic cells to the ovary before birth. The basement membrane which surrounds the cuboidal epithelium of the mesonephric tubules immediately adjacent to the ovary becomes discontinuous on day 15 of gestation. The mesonephric epithelial cells in this region form a knot or clump of pleiomorphic cells, with no apparent tubular organization, and this clump later becomes surrounded by a basement membrane. On day 17 of gestation the newly established fetal rete ovarii is comprised of three regions; (1) the extraovarian mesonephric tubules (ER), (2) intraovarian cords of flattened epithelioid cells which surround the oogonia (IR), and (3) a knot or clump of cells connecting the ER and IR regions (CR). The entire rete system is enclosed by a continuous basement membrane as defined by Periodic Acid-Schiff Reagent techniques. Autoradiographic and quantitative analyses demonstrate that the ER tubule cells proliferate and are incorporated into the other regions of the rete system. These processes begin on day 17 and continue until at least day 21 of gestation. The role these mesonephric tubule cells may play in the regulation of meiosis and their early contribution to the presumptive granulosa cell population is discussed.     

Clearance of Theiler's virus infection depends on the ability to generate a CD8+ T cell response against a single immunodominant viral peptide

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) induces a chronic demyelinating disease in the central nervous system of susceptible mice. Resistance to persistent TMEV infection maps to he D locus of the major histocompatibility complex suggesting a prominent role of antiviral CTL in the protective immune response. Introduction of the D(b) gene into the FVB strain confers resistance to this otherwise susceptible mouse line. Infection of the FVB/D(b) mouse with TMEV provides a model where antiviral resistance is determined by a response elicited by a single class I molecule. Resistant mice of the H-2(b) haplotype mount a vigorous H-2D(b)-restricted immunodominant response to the VP2 capsid protein. To investigate the extent of the contribution of the immunodominant T cell population in resistance to TMEV, FVB/D(b) mice were depleted of VP2-specific CD8(+) T cells by peptide treatment prior to virus infection. Peptide-treated mice were not able to clear the virus and developed extensive demyelination. These findings demonstrate that the D(b)-restricted CD8(+) T cells specific for a single viral peptide can confer resistance to TMEV infection. Our ability to manipulate this cellular response provides a model for investigating the mechanisms mediating protection against virus infection by CD8(+) T cells.