Central Role for Interleukin-4 in Regulating Nitric Oxide-Mediated Inhibition of T-Cell Proliferation and Gamma Interferon Production in Schistosomiasis

Schistosoma mansoni-infected wild-type (WT) mice develop a Th2 response and chronic disease. In contrast, infected interleukin-4 double-deficient (IL-4(-/-)) mice develop a Th1-like response and an acute, lethal syndrome. Disease severity in these animals correlates with excessive and prolonged production of nitric oxide (NO) associated with enhanced antigen-driven gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production in the absence of IL-4. Strikingly, splenic lymphocytes from infected IL-4(-/-) mice failed to proliferate as well as those from infected WT mice following stimulation in vitro with antigen or anti-CD3 antibody. Contrary to antigen-driven IFN-gamma responses, anti-CD3 antibody stimulation of splenocytes resulted in significantly less IFN-gamma being produced by CD8 cells from infected IL-4(-/-) mice than by those from infected WT mice or normal mice. NO is largely responsible for the impaired T-cell functions in infected IL-4(-/-) mice, as inhibition of iNOS significantly enhanced proliferation and IFN-gamma production.     

Saethre‐Chotzen syndrome: Notable intrafamilial phenotypic variability in a large family with Q28X TWIST mutation

Saethre‐Chotzen syndrome is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by craniosynostosis, ptosis, and limb and external ear abnormalities. Variable expressivity is a well‐known phenomenon in this disorder. A large Indian family has been recently identified as carrying a nonsense TWIST mutation (Q28 X) in 17 members, of whom 16 were examined in detail. Only 4 (25%) of the patients showed patent craniostenosis, namely, oxycephaly. The penetrance of craniosynostosis in this family is lower than previously reported in the literature. Fifteen patients (93%) had moderate to severe ptosis. Minor limb and external ear abnormalities were present in most patients. Eyelid features were the hallmark of the disease for 12 members of the family, suggesting that mutations in TWIST may lead to a phenotype with mainly palpebral features and no craniostenosis. The clinical analysis of this large family clearly illustrates the significant variable expressivity, probably related to haploinsufficiency because of the TWIST mutation. This phenotypic variability remains unclear but could be the result of modifier genes and/or genetic background effect, as noticed previously in the transgenic twist‐null heterozygous mice. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

New polymers with coronand structure

New polymers with an alternating sequence of non-polar aliphatic chains and coronands were synthesized via Diels-Alder addition polymerization of bis(2-pyrones) with bismaleimides; number-average molecular weight M?_n: 18000 (vapour pressure osmometry), glass transition temperature T?_g: 250°C. The chemical structures of these polymers are supported by NMR spectra and model reactions. The reaction mechanism is discussed.     

Macrophage mannose receptor in chronic sinus disease

BACKGROUND: The role of infectious agents in the onset and maintenance of chronic sinus disease is still not fully understood. Macrophage mannose receptor (MMR), an innate pattern recognizing receptor, capable of phagocytosis of invaders and signal transduction for proinflammatory mechanisms, might be of importance in immune interactions in chronic sinus disease. OBJECTIVE: We examined the MMR in sinonasal airway mucosa to evaluate its possible role in chronic rhinosinusitis (CS) and nasal polyposis (NPs). METHODS: Surgical samples from patients with sinonasal disease were investigated with real-time RT-PCR for quantification of MMR mRNA expression, and the presence and location of MMR-positive cells was analysed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Quantification of MMR mRNA showed a statistically significant higher expression in NPs compared to CS without NP and controls. Immunohistochemistry revealed expression of MMR in all tissue samples; however, in NP we found an enhanced positive cellular staining including cell aggregates. CONCLUSIONS: We could demonstrate for the first time that the expression of MMR is significantly upregulated in NP compared to patients with CS without NP or turbinate tissue of controls. Macrophages expressing MMR, accumulated in cell aggregates in NPs, play a possible key role in pathogen-macrophage interaction in NP disease.     

Chromosomal mapping of the uracil permease gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary The gene FUR4, coding for the uracil permease in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was mapped on chromosome II, at a distance of 7.8 cM from the centromere on the right arm of the chromosome. In a first step, we used the chromosome loss mapping method developed by Falco and Botstein (1983) to determine on which chromosome the gene mapped. After the observation that FUR4 was closely linked to GAL10, one of the three genes forming the gal cluster (Bassel and Mortimer 1971), we could determine precisely the position of the gene on chromosome II.     

Terminal rearrangements in the genome of adenovirus type 12 mutants adapted to growth in two human tumor cell lines

After serial passage of adenovirus type 12 in cells of the human melanoma line Nki4 virus mutants with enhanced growth potential have been isolated which carry additional sequences of regularly increasing size at the right end of the genome. DNA sequence analysis was performed'to characterize these genomic alterations as well as those of the previously described Ad12 $\text{C}\text{4}\text{1}$ mutants adapted to growth in the human carcinoma cell line $\text{C}\text{4}\text{1}$ (I. Kruczek, E. Schwarz, and H. zur Hausen (1981)Int. J. Cancer27, 139–143). Duplication of the inverted terminal repetition (ITR) emerged as the common feature of the right terminal alterations of all the mutant genomes analyzed. The sequences present between the ITR repeats were of either right-end or left-end origin, the latter suggesting that left-end sequences comprising the ITR and parts of the adjacent unique sequences have been transferred to the right end of the genome. The different sizes of the additional sequences in Ad12 Nki-4 DNA could be explained by varying degrees of amplification of a basic additional sequence of 342 base pairs.     

In vitro packaging of mature phage DNA by Salmonella phage P22

Mature, headful-sized DNA extracted from the Salmonella phages P22 and L, and P22/L-hybrid phages can be encapsulated in vitro by means of a packaging system for exogenous DNA. The probability of packaging reaches about 10^?3 per headful-sized molecule. The absence of in vitro recombination was demonstrated, to eliminate the possibility that such a process had created concatemers. The endonucleolytic cut at the pac site, which initiates sequential packaging in vivo, does not occur with the mature DNA substrate in vitro. The position of pac on the molecule is not important but the pac-recognizing phage protein gp3 is indispensable for in vitro encapsulation.     

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 4 in a patient from Sri Lanka with pulmonary fibrosis

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by oculocutaneous albinism and a platelet storage pool deficiency. Some patients also develop fatal pulmonary fibrosis and some have granulomatous colitis. Six human genes HPS1, ADB3A, HPS3, HPS4, HPS5, and HPS6 have been identified as cause of the six known subtypes of HPS. While there exist nearly 500 Puerto Rican and non-Puerto Rican HPS-1 patients, very few HPS-4 patients have been reported, and most of these have not been described in detail. We now delineate the clinical characteristics of an HPS-4 patient homozygous for a novel HPS-4 mutation, P685delC. The patient, the first individual with HPS reported from Sri Lanka, had severe pulmonary fibrosis, typical of HPS-1 disease, without granulomatous colitis. We conclude that pulmonary fibrosis occurs as part of HPS-4 and that HPS should be considered in all ethnic groups.     

Cellular localization of the uptake of [3H]taurine and [3H]β-alanine in cultures of the rat central nervous system

The cellular localization of the uptake of [³H]taurine and [³H]β-alanine was studied in cultures of rat central nervous system using autoradiography. In brain stem and spinal cord cultures, both amino acids were taken up by neurones and glial cells. In cerebellar cultures, [³H]taurine was accumulated by all glial cells and by a small number of neurones, whereas [³H]β-alanine was only taken up by glial elements. The uptake of both amino acids was sodium and temperature dependent, indicating an active transport mechanism.The results provide further support for the hypothesis that taurine and β-alanine are neurotransmitters in the mammalian central nervous system.