Biallelic neutrophil Na-antigen system is associated with a polymorphism on the phospho-inositol-linked Fc gamma receptor III (CD16)

Neutrophils express two distinct types of receptor for the Fc region of IgG, FcRII and FcRIII, in amounts of 10,000 to 20,000 FcRII (40 Kd) and 100,000 to 200,000 FcRIII (50 to 80 Kd) per neutrophil. We showed that the FcRIII exhibits genetically determined heterogeneity, detectable by differences in electrophoretic mobility with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as well as by reaction with antibodies against the biallelic neutrophil-specific antigen system NA. FcRIII was precipitated with an FcRIII-specific monoclonal antibody (MoAb) from the neutrophils of 35 donors. NA1NA1 donors expressed an FcRIII with a molecular weight (mol wt) of 50 to 65 Kd, NA1NA2 donors expressed an FcRIII with a mol wt of 50 to 80 Kd, and NA2NA2 donors expressed an FcRIII with a mol wt of 65 to 80 Kd. Statistical analysis showed that the electrophoretic heterogeneity corresponds with the NA polymorphism (k = 1). Sequential immunoprecipitation with a MoAb against NA1 and a MoAb against anti- FcRIII, followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), showed that NA1-FcRIII is distinct from NA2-FcRIII. Moreover, immunoprecipitation with a MoAb against NA1 yielded a protein of 50 to 65 Kd, and immunoprecipitation with human anti-NA2 sera or an MoAb against NA2 yielded a protein of 65 to 80 Kd. Preincubation of NA1NA2 neutrophils with F(ab')2 fragments of an MoAb against anti-NA1 reduced binding of IgG dimers to these cells with about 50%, whereas it completely prevented binding of the dimers to NA1NA1 neutrophils. Inhibition experiments with the MoAb against NA2 yielded the same results for NA1NA2 cells, whereas binding of IgG dimers to NA2NA2 cells was completely prevented. Thus, the products of both NA alleles bind IgG. Immunoprecipitation from the medium of neutrophils either stimulated with formyl- methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) or treated with glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol-specific phospholipase C (GPI- PLC) showed that both the NA1-FcRIII and the NA2-FcRIII are released from the cell surface, indicating that both forms of FcRIII have some structural features in common. Deglycosylation of FcRIII from homozygous donors yielded material that showed several bands on SDS- PAGE. GPI-PLC treatment of neutrophils indicated that all of this material is phosphatidyl-inositol linked.     

Fine mapping of low-density lipoprotein receptor gene by genetic linkage on chromosome 19p13.1-p13.3 and study of the founder effect of four French Canadian low-density lipoprotein receptor gene mutations

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most common autosomal codominant diseases. FH is caused by mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene and is characterized by raised plasma LDL-cholesterol, tendon xanthomas, and premature coronary heart disease. The frequency of FH among French Canadians in northeastern Quebec is higher than in most other populations, 1:154 vs. 1:500 due to high prevalence of few recurrent mutations in the LDLR gene. In the French Canadian population, 11 mutations in the LDLR gene have been found to occur in geographically diverse areas and account for > 90% of cases. We have first constructed a high-resolution genetic map to locate several highly polymorphic markers close to LDLR locus, thus providing the necessary tools to study the origin of the four most common mutations which account for approximately 80% of our FH patients. We have then genotyped five markers (D19S413, D19S865, D19S221, D19S914, D19S586) in 102 heterozygotes (38 del > 15kb; 36 W66G; 16 C646Y; 12 E207K), two compound heterozygotes (del > 15kb/W66G; del > 15kb/C646Y) and seven homozygotes (three del > 15 kb; three W66G: one E207K) with FH unrelated to the first and second degree. We have found that patients bearing the same LDLR gene mutation carry a common haplotype at the LDLR locus although there is evidence for the early occurrence of a recombinational event between the LDLR and the D19S221 locus in the French Canadian patients bearing the W66G mutation. The fine mapping of LDLR gene close to several highly informative microsatellite markers provide fine mapping details of the LDLR region and additional tools for studies of association between plasma lipoprotein levels and LDLR gene.     

Transient Cerebral Ischemia and Brain Serotonin: Relevance to Migraine

SYNOPSIS
Central pain supersensitivity related to depletion of serotonin in the central nervous system has been postulated as a mechanism for migraine. In the present study, transient cerebral ischemia in an animal preparation caused depletion of central nervous system serotonin. Ischemia associated with the prodromal phase of migraine must, therefore, be considered as a possible cause of altered central nervous system serotonin metabolism, possibly leading to increased pain sensitivity     

Partial purification and characterization of arylamine N-acetyltransferase in bovine retina.

Arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity was partially purified and characterized in bovine retina. Upon examining the retinal supernatant for multiple ionic species, only one NAT activity was detected. Based upon its substrate specificity, it is best described as an arylamine NAT. According to size-exclusion HPLC, the molecular mass of the arylamine NAT is approximately 30-kDa. This arylamine NAT acetylates p-aminobenzoic acid thereby demonstrating a monomorphic pattern of acetylation. The NAT activity demonstrated low sensitivity to methotrexate inhibition as indicated by a high IC50 value (480 microM).     

Practical and technical considerations in establishing an intraoperative radiation therapy program in the community practice

The Radiation Oncology Center in Sacramento, California, has developed a procedure for establishing an intraoperative radiation therapy facility in a community practice. The logistics pertaining to personnel, equipment, physical measurements, and quality assurance are presented. Particular emphasis is given to the most effective means of acquiring the large quantity of data needed to ensure a program of acceptable quality.