Fat mass is an important determinant of whole body bone density in premenopausal women but not in men.

We recently reported that total body fat mass is the principal determinant of bone density in normal postmenopausal women. We have now reexamined the relationships among these variables and lean mass in 68 healthy premenopausal women and 51 men. Areal bone density (BMD), fat mass, and lean mass were measured in total body scans by dual-energy, x-ray absorptiometry. In women, BMD was correlated with weight (r = 0.69), fat mass (r = 0.60), and lean mass (r = 0.55). In men, the respective correlations were 0.56, 0.26 (NS), and 0.51. Multiple regression analysis confirmed a codependence of female BMD on fat and lean masses, whereas male BMD was related only to lean mass. Because BMD is an areal not volumetric density, it is dependent on body size. The analysis was therefore repeated using BMD/height as an index of "true" density. Correlations with fat mass were little changed but those with lean mass were reduced (women) or eliminated (men). By multiple regression, female BMD/height was related to fat mass alone, and in men there was a borderline effect of fat (P = 0.05) but none of lean mass. As a second method to exclude a scale artifact, fat mass was expressed as percent body weight. It was related to BMD (r = 0.48) only in women. It is concluded that bone density is closely related to fat mass in premenopausal women, but less so in men. In both sexes, apparent relationships between BMD and lean mass are artifacts attributable to the use of areal density (which is dependent on body size) as a surrogate for volumetric density. The mechanism of this fat-bone density relationship is an important question to be addressed in bone biology.     

Clonal growth of tumors on tissue-specific biomatrices and correlation with organ site specificity of metastases

We have found that neoplastic transformation alters the ability of cells to grow on substrata of tissue extracts, "biomatrices", enriched in extracellular matrix. Tumor cells were able to survive and grow at lower densities and on more types of biomatrices than normal cells. When plated at high densities (greater than 10(5) cells/60 mm dish), tumor cells attached with equal efficiency and grew at similar rates and to equivalent saturation densities on biomatrices derived from all tissues. However, at low (10(2)-10(4)/60-mm dish) seeding densities, the tumor cells grew only on certain types of biomatrix. For the various hepatoma and mammary carcinoma cell lines tested, the tissue specificity in clonal growth on biomatrices correlated with their organ site specificity for metastasis in vivo in immunosuppressed, athymic nude mice. Analysis of the effects of purified matrix components (adhesion proteins, collagens, glycosaminoglycans) indicated that only the glycosaminoglycans influenced density-dependent survival and growth of tumor cells with effects that differed with respect to the cell's metastatic potential. The results indicate that the ability of tumor cells to colonize specific tissues represents, in part, regulation of low density survival and growth by extracellular matrix and are suggestive that one of the matrix components responsible may be proteoglycans or their glycosaminoglycan chains.     

Variations in Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide to evade the innate immune component surfactant protein D

Helicobacter pylori is a common and persistent human pathogen of the gastric mucosa. Surfactant protein D (SP-D), a component of innate immunity, is expressed in the human gastric mucosa and is capable of aggregating H. pylori. Wide variation in the SP-D binding affinity to H. pylori has been observed in clinical isolates and laboratory-adapted strains. The aim of this study was to reveal potential mechanisms responsible for evading SP-D binding and establishing persistent infection. An escape variant, J178V, was generated in vitro, and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure of the variant was compared to that of the parental strain, J178. The genetic basis for structural variation was explored by sequencing LPS biosynthesis genes. SP-D binding to clinical isolates was demonstrated by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analyses. Here, we show that H. pylori evades SP-D binding through phase variation in lipopolysaccharide. This phenomenon is linked to changes in the fucosylation of the O chain, which was concomitant with slipped-strand mispairing in a poly(C) tract of the fucosyltransferase A (fucT1) gene. SP-D binding organisms are predominant in mucus in vivo (P = 0.02), suggesting that SP-D facilitates physical elimination. Phase variation to evade SP-D contributes to the persistence of this common gastric pathogen.     

Mutation analysis of the spastin gene (SPG4) in patients with hereditary spastic paraparesis

BACKGROUND—Hereditary spastic paraparesis is a genetically heterogeneous condition. Recently, mutations in the spastin gene were reported in families linked to the common SPG4 locus on chromosome 2p21-22.
OBJECTIVES—To study a population of patients with hereditary spastic paraparesis for mutations in the spastin gene (SPG4) on chromosome 2p21-22.
METHODS—DNA from 32 patients (12 from families known to be linked to SPG4) was analysed for mutations in the spastin gene by single strand conformational polymorphism analysis and sequencing. All patients were also examined clinically.
RESULTS—Thirteen SPG4 mutations were identified, 11 of which are novel. These mutations include missense, nonsense, frameshift, and splice site mutations, the majority of which affect the AAA cassette. We also describe a nucleotide substitution outside this conserved region which appears to behave as a recessive mutation.
CONCLUSIONS—Recurrent mutations in the spastin gene are uncommon. This reduces the ease of mutation detection as a part of the diagnostic work up of patients with hereditary spastic paraparesis. Our findings have important implications for the presumed function of spastin and schemes for mutation detection in HSP patients.


Keywords: spastin; hereditary spastic paraparesis; mutation; recessive     

Epidemiologic and diagnostic evaluation of a recent mumps outbreak using oral fluid samples.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the optimal strategy to investigate mumps virus infection in a partially vaccinated cohort. STUDY DESIGN: 122 oral fluid and serum samples were collected in a recent outbreak in Ireland. The largest age cohort, students aged 18-21 years old attending third level institutions, were investigated using virus isolation, detection of mumps specific IgM, IgG, RT-PCR and molecular genotyping. RESULTS: 97% of patients had both detectable serum IgM and IgG. Mumps virus RNA was detected in 17 oral fluid samples and 14 of these originated from a single geographic location. Only 6 of the IgM positive samples had detectable mumps virus RNA whereas this could be detected in 11 IgM negative samples. Genotyping studies revealed that genotypes G and J were co-circulating during this outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an oral fluid sample to detect mumps virus RNA and IgM offers a major improvement over serological diagnosis in acute infection in both non-vaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals, and has the advantage that specimens are collected non-invasively.     

The magnitude and encephalogenic potential of autoimmune response to MOG is enhanced in MOG deficient mice

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a minor component of central nervous system myelin presumably implicated in the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Immunization with MOG leads to the development of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), the experimental model of MS. It has been suggested that its encephalitogenic potential may be due to the lack of MOG self-immune tolerance. To clarify this, we have generated a MOG deficient mouse (MOG(-/-)) strain. Surprisingly, MOG(35-55)specific proliferation and Th1-type cytokine production were markedly enhanced in MOG(-/-)mice compared to wild type control. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of MOG(35-55)specific T cells, isolated from MOG deficient mice, into wild-type recipients resulted in the development of a more severe disease, indicating a high capacity of MOG(-/-)T cells to initiate effector responses. Interestingly, T cell reactivity to overlapping MOG peptides in MOG(-/-)mice did not reveal new potential immunodominant epitopes in H-2(b)mice. Taken together, our data suggests that MOG self-tolerance modulates the encephalitogenic potential of autoreactive MOG T cells in the periphery.     

Fine specificity of autoantibodies to calreticulin: epitope mapping and characterization

Extracellular calreticulin (CRT) as well as anti‐CRT antibodies have been reported in patients with various autoimmune disorders and CRT has been implicated in ‘epitope spreading’ to other autoantigens such as the Ro/SS‐A complex. In addition, antibodies against parasite forms of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, CRT, have been found in patients suffering from onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis. In this study, we screened sera for anti‐CRT antibodies from patients with active and inactive systemic lupus ertythematosus (SLE) and primary or secondary Sjögren’s syndrome. Approximately 40% of all SLE patients were positive for anti‐CRT antibodies. The antigenic regions of CRT were determined using full length CRT and fragments of CRT prepared in yeast and Escherichia coli, respectively. Synthetic 15mer peptides corresponding to the major autoantigenic region of CRT (amino acids 1–289), each one overlapping by 12 amino acids, were used to map the B cell epitopes on the CRT protein recognized by autoimmune sera. Major antigenic epitopes were found to be associated with the N‐terminal half of the protein in 69% of the SLE sera from active disease patients, while the C‐domain was not antigenic. Major epitopes were found to be reactive with antibodies in sera from SLE patients with both active and inactive disease, spanning different regions of the N and P‐domains. Sera from both healthy and disease controls and primary Sjögren’s syndrome patients were non‐reactive to these sequences. Limited proteolysis of CRT with two major leucocyte serine proteases, elastase and cathepsin G, demonstrated that an N‐terminal region of CRT is resistant to digestion. Interestingly, some of the epitopes with the highest reactivity belong to the fragments of the protein which bind to C1q and inhibit complement activation. Whether C1q association with CRT is a pathological or protective interaction between these two proteins is currently under investigation.     

Immune-stimulating complexes containing Quil A and protein antigen prime class I MHC-restricted T lymphocytes in vivo and are immunogenic by the oral route

Induction of all forms of protective immunity by oral immunization with subunit vaccines is an ideal goal for the development of novel vaccines, but creates several theoretical problems from the point of view of antigen processing mechanisms. We show here that incorporation of the protein antigen ovalbumin (OVA) in lipophilic immune-stimulating complexes (ISCOMS) induces very strong primary immune responses in mice and requires very small amounts of antigen. OVA ISCOMS were particularly efficient at stimulating T-cell-mediated immunity in vivo, including delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and potent class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic T-cell responses. Furthermore, unlike native protein, OVA in ISCOMS was immunogenic when given orally. Thus, ISCOMS seem to allow protein to enter both the endogenous and exogenous pathways of antigen processing and overcome the usual induction of tolerance after feeding antigen. ISCOMS could provide potentially useful adjuvants for the development of oral subunit vaccines.     

The effect of tolbutamide on cerebral blood flow during hypoxia and hypercapnia in the anaesthetized rat

The increase in blood flow in the cerebral cortex of the anaesthetized rat during hypoxia and hypercapnia was investigated. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured using the hydrogen clearance method with acutely implanted platinum electrodes. Hypoxia (PaO₂ 35.3±2.4 Torr) and hypercapnia (PaCO₂ 68.1±5.1 Torr) increased basal CBF from 76.3±9.0 ml/100g/min to 168.1±20.1 ml/100g/min and 162.4±31.9 ml/100g/min respectively. The sulphonylurea tolbutamide (1mM in 1%DMSO) had no significant effect on CBF in hyperoxia or in hypercapnia. However, it attenuated the increase of CBF during hypoxia by 66 ±11% (P<0.01). This suggests that opening of tolbutamide-sensitive potassium channels may be involved in the process of hypoxic vasodilation in the rat cerebral cortex.     

The detection of Alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 DNA by in situ hybridization of tissues from rabbits affected with malignant catarrhal fever.

Tissue sections and cultured lymphocytes from rabbits clinically affected following experimental infection with Alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AHV-1) were assessed for the presence of viral DNA by in situ hybridization with the cloned major HindII repeat sequence of this virus. Small numbers of virus-infected cells were consistently detected only in submandibular lymph nodes, while other tissues showed no evidence of viral DNA. Virus titration in culture suggested that there were higher titres of virus in the lymph nodes, spleen and lung of infected animals than in the kidney or peripheral blood lymphocytes and confirmed the low level of virus in these animals. Substantially more viral DNA was detected by in situ hybridization in lymphocytes following at least 24 h of culture, suggesting that viral replication is normally repressed by the host.