Ultrastructural study of substance P receptors in the dorsal horn of the rat spinal cord using monoclonal anti-complementary peptide antibody

A monoclonal antibody directed against a peptide (PS5) specified by RNA complementary to the mRNA coding for substance P (SP), was used to label SP receptors in the rat spinal cord as demonstrated by light and electron microscopy. An immunocytochemical method (avidin-biotin-peroxidase) was used on vibratome sections from rats perfused with paraformaldehyde. Immunoreactivity was observed principally in the two superficial layers of the dorsal horn, in lamina X and the region of motoneurons. The labeling was absent when the antibody was preincubated with the complementary peptide (PS5) used as immunogen. Competition between the anti-complementary peptide antibody and different ligands was tested by preincubation of tissue sections with the ligand in the presence of peptidase inhibitors before addition of the antibody. A specific agonist (SP) or antagonist (spantide, RP 67580) at 10⁻⁶M led to total absence of labeling. These results indicate that under our experimental conditions, the anti-complementary peptide antibody recognizes a SP binding site in the rat spinal cord. Electron microscopic study of the two superficial laminae of the dorsal horn showed that immunolabeling was mainly localized extracellularly at apposing neuronal plasma membranes. It was mostly associated with axodendritic or axosomatic appositions. Occasionally labeling was observed between two axon terminals. In all cases, these appositions were non junctional. Generally, neuronal processes involved in these appositions did not contain large granular vesicles. These observations suggest that SP may act in a diffuse, nonsynaptic manner probably on targets distant from SP release sites.     

A monoclonal antibody against a new differentiation antigen of thymocytes

B14-2-14 is a monoclonal cytotoxic IgM antibody which reacts with thymocytes of all mouse strains tested. The fraction of positive cells (by visual immunofluorescence) varies between strains from about 25-45% in A.CA to 65-85% in C57BL/6, and high levels are dominant in F1 hybrids. In the periphery, the antigen is found on a few percent of lymph node and not on splenic T cells, and it is absent in nude mice. Among thymocytes, the distribution of the B14 determinant largely overlaps with that of the TL antigen and of molecules binding peanut agglutinin. The B14 antibody reacts only minimally with hydrocortisone-resistant thymus cells. Biochemical analysis shows that B14 antibody, anti-TL antibody and peanut agglutinin bind to separate molecules. The target of the B14 antibody may be either an immature, thymic form of Thy-1, or another molecule associated with it. Two polypeptides, of 40 and 35 kDa are precipitated by both B14 and anti-Thy-1 antibodies from biosynthetically labeled thymus cell lysates, and two others, of 27 and 17 kDa, from surface-iodinated thymus cell preparations. B14-2-14 offers an additional method for identification and selection of thymocytes at different stages of differentiation, and should also be useful for studies of the Thy-1 antigen.     

Pseudoappendicitis caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides.

A 20-year-old patient was hospitalized with clinical signs of acute appendicitis. After surgery, the histological findings in the appendix and a lymphatic node suggested the diagnosis of pseudoappendicitis caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides, which was isolated in pure culture from the lymphatic node. The strain of P. shigelloides was found to elaborate a heat-stable toxin and harbored two plasmids of 280 and 4 kilobases. A large plasmid has previously been implicated as a virulence marker in P. shigelloides infections.     

Spontaneous production of α- and β-interferon in human lymphoblastoid and lymphoma cell lines

Summary A large number of human haematopoietic cell lines was examined for spontaneous production of interferon. Unconcentrated culture supernatants from 70 out of 71 B-lymphoblastoid cell lines contained considerable amounts of interferon (median titer 22 units per ml); a few lines produced more than 100 units/ml with peak values up to 500 units/ml. In contrast, only one B-lymphoma line out of 18 genuine lymphoma, myeloma, and leukaemia cell lines tested spontaneously produced small amounts of interferon. Following treatment with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd), interferon was produced without further induction in most B-lymphoid cell lines, but not in any of the non-B, non-T, T-lymphoid or myeloid lines examined.Modulation of spontaneous interferon production by chemicals (sodium butyrate, dexamethasone, dimethylsulfoxide, a phorbol ester, and BrdUrd) was studied in more detail in three B-lymphoblastoid and four B-lymphoma cell lines. The patterns of responses observed were different for the action of different chemicals on a given cell line as well as between lymphoblastoid and lymphoma lines in general; furthermore, several lines of evidence suggest that chemicals can differentially influence spontaneous and virus-induced interferon production in a given cell line.The composition of spontaneously produced interferon was analysed using antisera specific for HuIFN- and HuIFN-. Interferons produced by untreated as well as BrdUrd-treated lymphoblastoid cells contained more than 95 per cent IFN-, whereas BrdUrd-treated lymphoma cells produced IFN- as well as minor amounts (cell lines Namalwa and NC-37) or even over 90 per cent of IFN- (Daudi).With 2 Figures     

Dysmegakaryopoiesis in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): an immunomorphometric study of bone marrow trephine biopsy specimens.

An immunohistochemical and morphometric analysis was performed on trephine biopsy specimens of the bone marrow in 40 patients (23 men and 17 women, mean age 62 years) with different subtypes of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) to determine dysmegakaryopoiesis, but particularly precursor cells--that is, pro- and megakaryoblasts. In 31 of the 40 patients the numbers of megakaryocytes were increased which was associated with a predominance of smaller cell forms (micromegakaryocytes). Compared with periodic acid Schiff, immunostaining with a formalin resistant monoclonal antibody against glycoprotein IIIa (Y2/51(CD61) showed a clinically important proportion of immature elements. These could be designated pro- and megakaryoblasts by taking morphometric measurements on smears and bone marrow sections. There was a relevant increase in the number of promegakaryoblasts in 32 patients, consistent with uncontrolled expansion of the precursor pool. Seventeen repeated bone marrow biopsy specimens taken after chemotherapy largely showed a decrease in the numbers of megakaryocytes including the precursor cell population. Moreover, morphometric evaluation disclosed that micromegakaryocytes in MDS differ significantly from those in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) due to distinctive nuclear features and a disturbed nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio. These changes generate a more pleomorphic or atypical appearance of this cell population in MDS, compared with micromegakaryocytes in CML. It is concluded that the disproportionate increase in megakaryocyte precursors and the grossly abnormal aspects of micromegakaryocytes in MDS are characteristics of the severe defect involving haematopoiesis in this disorder.     

Mouse macrophage development in the absence of the common γ chain: defining receptor complexes responsible for IL-4 and IL-13 signaling

The common γ chain (γ_c) forms a critical component of the receptors for interleukins (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-15. We analyzed γ_c-deficient mice to define a role for γ_c signaling in the development and function of the macrophage lineage. No major differences in absolute cell numbers, cell surface phenotype, or in vitro function of γ^?_c compared to γ⁺_c macrophages were observed. We therefore conclude that signaling through the γ_c chain is not essential for the differentiation of mouse macrophages. Although B and T cells require γ_c for IL-4 responses, IL-4 up-regulated major histocompatibility class II molecules and inhibited nitric oxide production from γ^?_c macrophages following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ. γ^?_c macrophages could also respond to IL-13, consistent with the model of a type II IL-4 receptor α/IL-13R which can function in the absence of γ_c. Both IL-4 and IL-13 responses could be completely inhibited with the mouse IL-4 antagonist QY, suggesting that all of the observed IL-13 responses pass through the type II receptor, making it the primary signaling receptor complex for IL-13 in mouse macrophages.     

Activation and internalization of p56lck upon CD45 triggering of Jurkat cells

Relationships between CD45 and p56^Ick have been suggested by co-immunoprecipitation of both proteins and by dephosphorylation of the p56^lck regulatory site, Tyr 505, by CD45 in vitro. We investigated whether the kinase activity of p56^lck is modulated in T cells triggered via CD45. We showed that incubation of Jurkat cells with a combination of two anti-CD45 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) (MC5/2 + D3/9) induced an increase in p56^lck kinase activity, while a single mAb did not. Under these conditions, p56^lck underwent two consecutive waves of activation. This was accompanied by internalization of the kinase and by a time-dependent increased accessibility of CD45 phosphatase at the plasma membrane. Similarly, activation and internalization of p56^lck were observed using a combination of anti-CD45 (MC5/2) and anti-CD2(T11₂) mAb, suggesting that a functional complex consisting of CD45, CD2 and p56^lck was formed upon cell triggering. Taken together, these results suggests that: (i) CD45 participates in the regulation of p56^lck kinase activity in vivo and that (ii) CD45 could play a mediator role in the stimulation and endocytosis of p56^lck through the CD2 pathway.     

Release of acetylcholine in the ventral striatum is influenced by histamine receptors

To investigate whether histamine receptor ligands influence thein vivo-release of acetylcholine in the ventral striatum, this brain region was superfused with histamine receptor agonists or antagonists through a push-pull cannula and drug effects on the release of acetylcholine were investigated.

Histamine, the H₁ receptor agonist 2-thiazolyl-ethylamine and the H₃ receptor antagonist thioperamide enhanced acetylcholine release, while the H₃ receptor agonist (R)-α-methylhistamine was ineffective. The results indicate that H₁ receptors and H₃ receptors modulate acetylcholine release.

The thioperamide-induced increase of acetylcholine release might be exerted via H₃-receptors located on cholinergic terminals. Alternatively, thioperamide might enhance acetylcholine release by incresing endogenous histamine release via H₃ autoreceptors.

It is concluded that, via stimulation of striatal H₁- and H₃ receptors, histaminergic neurons are involved in the regulation of cholinergic neuronal activity in the ventral striatum.