Effect of maximal arm exercise on skin blood flux in the paralyzed lower limbs in persons with spinal cord injury

 The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of maximal arm exercise on the skin blood circulation of the paralyzed lower limbs in persons with spinal cord injury (PSCI). Eight male PSCI with complete lesions located between T3 and L1 performed graded maximal arm-cranking exercise (MACE) to exhaustion. The skin blood flux at the thigh (SBFT) and that at the calf (SBFC) were monitored using laser-Doppler flowmeter at rest and for 15 s immediately after the MACE. The subject's mean peak oxygen uptake and peak heart rate was 1.41 ± 0.22 l · min^–1 and 171.6 ± 19.2 beats · min^–1, respectively. No PSCI showed any increase in either SBFT or SBFC after the MACE, when compared with the values at rest. These results suggest that the blood circulation of the skin in the paralyzed lower limbs in PSCI is unaffected by the MACE. Accepted: 12 September 1996     

Antitumor immune response by CX3CL1 fractalkine gene transfer depends on both NK and T cells

The CX3C chemokine fractalkine (CX3CL1) exists as both a membrane-bound form promoting firm cell-cell adhesion and a soluble form chemoattracting leukocytes expressing its receptor CX3CR1. When adenoviral vector expressing mouse fractalkine (AdFKN) was transduced to the tumor cells, fractalkine was expressed as both membrane-bound form on the tumor cells and soluble form in the supernatant in vitro. Intratumoral injection of AdFKN (1 x 10(9)PFU/tumor) into C26 and B16F10 tumors resulted in marked reduction of tumor growth compared to control (C26: 86.5%, p<0.001; B16F10: 85.5%, p<0.001). Histological examination of tumor tissues revealed abundant infiltration of NK cells, dendritic cells, and CD8(+) T lymphocytes 3 and/or 6 days after treatment with AdFKN. Splenocytes from mice treated by AdFKN developed tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells, and thereby protected from rechallenging with parental tumor cells. Antitumor effects by AdFKN were completely abrogated in both NK cell-depleted mice and CD8(-/-) mice, and partially blocked in CD4(-/-) mice. These data indicated that fractalkine mediates antitumor effects by both NK cell-dependent and T cell-dependent mechanisms. This study suggests that fractalkine can be a suitable candidate for immunogene therapy of cancer because fractalkine induces both innate and adaptive immunity.     

Characterization of the murine interleukin 5 receptor by using a monoclonal antibody

Murine interleukin 5 (IL-5), a lymphokine produced by helper T cells, is involved in the regulation of growth and differentiation of B cells and other hematopoietic cells. The receptor for IL-5 has been identified as two cross-linked complexes on T88-M cells (a murine IL-5-dependent early B cell line). In this study the IL-5 receptor was directly characterized by utilizing an immobilized IL-5 column and a rat monoclonal antibody, designated H7, directed against the IL-5 receptor. H7 completely inhibited specific binding of 35S-labeled IL-5 to T88-M cells, and bound to IL-5-responsive cells, e.g. T88-M, BCL1-B20 (a chronic B-cell leukemia), and MOPC104E (a myeloma), whereas H7 did not bind to IL-5-non-responsive cells, e.g. X5563 (a myeloma), FDC-P1 (an IL-3-dependent line), and MTH (an IL-2-dependent CTLL). H7 could barely bind to T88-M cells in the presence of IL-5, and immunoprecipitated a major band with an Mr of approximately 60 kd from the extract of surface-radioiodinated T88-M cells. The precipitation of this 60 kd molecule was inhibited by the addition of IL-5. Analysis with immobilized IL-5 also revealed that a 60 kd molecule bound specifically to IL-5-coupled beads compared with control beads. Furthermore, no additional molecule with a higher Mr that was recognized by H7 appeared under non-reducing, compared with reducing, conditions. The 60 kd molecule recognized by H7 could be digested with N-glycanase to yield a protein band of approximately 55 kd.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Enhancement of S-antigen and its mRNA in the irides of uveitic patients

S-antigen (S-Ag) and its mRNA were analysed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in 32 iridectomy specimens from 29 uveitic patients and 10 non-uveitic patients. S-Ag was detected in one iris and its mRNA was detected in 12 uveitic patients. Neither S-Ag nor its mRNA was found in the controls (P < 0.003). Ten of the 12 patients who had detectable S-Ag mRNA, while only four of the 17 patients who did not, had received corticosteroids for more than 3 years (P = 0.006). We also demonstrated S-Ag and its mRNA in bovine iris by immunoprecipitation and polymerase chain reaction. These results indicate that S-Ag and its mRNA accumulate in the irides of some uveitic patients. This accumulation may be the result of local immunoregulatory factors and an effect of corticosteroid treatment, and may modulate ocular inflammation.     

Structure of the functional interleukin-2 receptor: Evidence for the association of human p55 and murine p75 molecules in a mouse T cell line

The structural basis of the high affinity interleukin-2 receptorwhich was previously reconstituted in a cultured murine T cellline, EL4 by expressing either wild-type Tac antigen complementaryDNA (cDNA) or a chimeric cDNA was characterized. The chimericcDNA encodes a membrane portion whose extracellular portionconsists of that of Tac antigen whereas transmembrane and cytoplasmicportions consists of those the human insulin beta chain. TheTac antigen/anti-Tac antibody complex was treated by chemicalcrosslinking reagents, purified by goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin(lg), and was analysed by SDS–PAGE. We here demonstrated the presence in mouse EL4 transfectantsof a novel membrane protein which is closely associated withthe products of transfected cDNAs in the absence of interleukln-2.The protein is 75 kDa in size and is detected in cells whichexpress high affinity interieukln-2 receptor but not in cellswhich only express low affinity interleukin-2 receptor. Thetransmembrane region and the cytoplasmic region of Tac antigenis not necessary for the formation of the complex consistingof Tac antigen and 75 kDa molecule, indicating that a murine75 kDa molecule associates with Tac antigen extra-cellularly.     

Characterization of two distinct antigens expressed on either resting or activated human B cells as defined by monoclonal antibodies.

Two antigen systems (L29 & L30) expressed on two distinct human B cell subpopulations were identified by using BL1-4D6 and TB3-7D5 monoclonal antibodies, respectively. L29 was expressed on approximately one-third of B cells in human lymphoid tissues. These B cells associated with L29 were large activated B cells located in the germinal centres of lymphoid follicles. L30, on the other hand, existed on approximately two-thirds of B cells mainly located in the mantle zone of lymphoid follicles, most of which also expressed IgM and IgD on their cell membrane. In addition, L30 was shared on mature granulocytes. With the use of polyclonal activators such as pokeweek mitogen (PWM) and protein A-bearing staphylococci (SAC), L29 antigen was inducible on PWM- or SAC-stimulated B cells in correspondence with the emergence of Tac and T10 antigens of these B cells. In contrast, L30 antigen on the B cells stimulated by the polyclonal activators was decreased in its expression and was finally lost from these B cells. Although none of L29 and L30 was expressed on normal, non-activated human thymus and peripheral T cells, L29 but not L30 was expressed on concanavalin A-activated T cells. Immunochemical studies showed that L30 consist of a single polypeptide with mol. wt of 40,000. L29 antigen is presently under study.     

Detection of the Epstein-Barr virus in primary gastric lymphoma by in situ hybridization

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been shown to be associated with numerous human malignancies including Burktt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma. In addition, some typical gastric adenocarcinomas were also recently reported to demonstrate EBV relevance. The present study was designed to detect EBV in primary gastric lymphoma, using the in situ hybridization (ISH) method, in which oligo-nucleotide probes for the EBERl RNA and the EBV DNA W region have been used. Of the 49 cases of primary gastric lymphoma studied, which all showed B cell immunopheno-type, EBER1 sequences could only be found in four cases, including two low-grade cases and two high-grade cases of histological subtypes while the number of positive cells was less than 50% of the tumor cells. In one case of low-grade mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, the EBER1 -positive neoplastic cells were found in the regional lymph node, but the primary site of the stomach showed no positive signals. The EBV presence was further confirmed by the EBV DNA ISH. Using the ISH method, rare or occasional positive lymphoid cells (probably non-tumorous bystander cells) could be detected in 10 other cases including all histological subtypes. The present study shows that only a small proportion of primary gastric lymphoma is associated with EBV, and such positive cases could be found in both high- and low-grade histological subtypes. It is also suggested that the EBV presence in the neoplastic cells of some cases of primary gastric lymphoma is most likely a secondary phenomenon.     

Effects of cimetidine on tumor growth and immune function in nude mice bearing human ovarian carcinoma

The effects of cimetidine on the growth of a human ovarian cancer cell line inoculated into BALB/c nude mice were examined. The cell line, designated "KK," was derived from a cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary. The passage number was about 40, and its tumorigenicity in nude mice was 100% even when 10(5) cells were inoculated. About 2 weeks after inoculation, the KK cells formed palpable tumors, and the tumor volume reached 2.29 cm3 on day 36. Conversely, the nude mice given cimetidine (100 mg/kg/day) orally with drinking water had about one-third the tumor volume (0.81 cm3) of that in untreated nude mice on day 36. The natural killer activity against the YAC-1 (a T-cell lymphoma) cell line in spleen cells of the nude mice challenged with human xenogeneic tumor (KK cell line) was not affected by treatment with cimetidine while inhibiting the tumor growth. The capacity to lyse the KK cells did not exist in the spleen cells of nude mice challenged with the KK cell xenograft and not treated with cimetidine. The cimetidine-treated spleen cells acquired the capacity to lyse the KK cells on day 14. Thereafter, the capacity was maintained at the same level as long as cimetidine was administered, whereas that in untreated nude mice remained undetectable.