A staphylococcal radioimmunoassay for detection of antibodies toMycoplasma pneumoniae

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) which depends on the property of protein A ofStaphylococcus aureus to combine with the Fc-fragment of immunoglobulins was developed.This technique was employed to measure antibodies in human and various animal sera. It could be demonstrated that the staphylococcal RIA was at least as sensitive as the previously described radioimmunoprecipitation technique in detecting antibodies toM.pneumoniae in human sera. In addition, antibodies toM.pneumoniae could be demonstrated in sera of hamsters intranasally inoculated with the organisms. Antibodies could also be demonstrated in rabbit sera after immunization withM.pneumoniae. The test proved to be considerably more sensitive than conventional tests for detection of antibodies to the organisms. The test requires only small amounts of reagents and is relatively inexpensive.The results were presented in a preliminary form at the annual meeting of the Local Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, Frankfurt, March 1976 and the 77th ordinary meeting of the Society for General Microbiology, Glasgow, September 1976     

Colonization of in vitro-formed cervical human papillomavirus- associated (pre)neoplastic lesions with dendritic cells: role of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of CD1a+ Langerhans/dendritic cells (LCs/DCs) to infiltrate human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated (pre)neoplastic lesions of the uterine cervix. Migration of LCs/DCs in the presence of keratinocytes derived from normal cervix and HPV-transformed cell lines was evaluated in Boyden chambers and in organotypic cultures and correlated with granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production by the cells, as determined by ELISA. Conditioned media of HPV-transformed keratinocytes contained lower amounts of GM-CSF and induced a decreased motile response of LCs/DCs in the Boyden chamber assay compared with those of normal cervical keratinocytes. The migration of LCs/DCs in the presence of conditioned media from normal keratinocytes could be blocked by an anti-GM-CSF antibody, and the migration of LCs/DCs in the presence of conditioned media from HPV-transformed keratinocytes could be increased by supplementing the media with recombinant GM-CSF. GM-CSF was also a potent factor in enhancing the colonization of LCs/DCs into organotypic cultures of HPV-transformed keratinocytes, as the infiltration of LCs/DCs in the in vitro-formed (pre)neoplastic epithelium was minimal under basal conditions and dramatically increased after the addition of GM-CSF to the cultures. These results suggest that GM-CSF could play an important role in the recruitment of LCs/DCs into the HPV-transformed (pre)neoplastic cervical epithelium and be useful as a new immunotherapeutic approach for cervical (pre)cancers.     

Multicontrast MRI of remyelination in the central nervous system

Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) represents the most sensitive tool for the detection of white matter abnormalities in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the heterogeneity of MS placques severely hampers the elucidation of specific pathophysiological processes. In order to identify putative MRI markers for de- and remyelination, we employed the cuprizone mouse model which leads to a selective and reversible demyelination of the corpus callosum with little or no axonal damage. Apart from histopathology, animals were studied with high-resolution three-dimensional MRI in vivo using multiple contrasts. While individual MRI findings significantly correlated with electron microscopy, the differentiation of regions with normal, demyelinated or remyelinated white matter by one contrast alone was less specific than by histology or electron microscopy. However, an accurate MRI prediction of the in vivo myelin status was achieved by a discriminant function analysis using a combination of T1, T2 and magnetization transfer contrast. With a correct assignment of 95% of all animals examined, the procedure will allow for the survey of new therapeutic approaches aiming at improved remyelination.     

Metachronous and multiple aneurysmal bone cysts: a rare variant of primary aneurysmal bone cysts

In 1942, Jaffe and Lichtenstein introduced the term aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC). Primary ABC is characterized by the presence of spongy or multi-cameral cystic tissue filled with blood. The process is benign, but it is locally destructive and has a high propensity for recurrence. In this paper, we present the third case of multiple metachronous primary ABCs as a rare variant of ABC. We describe the 10-year history of a 12-year-old boy with metachronous multiple primary ABCs at five different sites (right proximal humerus, right ulna, bilateral distal radius and right lateral clavicle). Furthermore, our patient suffered from vascular malformations, such as aortic isthmus stenosis, hypoplastic thoraco-abdominal aorta and bilateral renal artery stenosis. To date, in contrast to solitary ABC, the multiple lesions have been found more frequently in male individuals. Using interphase cytogenetics, we analyzed three of five of the patients ABCs and one of these was also analyzed by GTG-banding. No chromosomal abnormalities were found. Significantly, we excluded the missense mutation of codon 201 in guanine nucleotide-binding protein 1 gene consistently found in McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) and in non-MAS cases of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia of bone with or without secondary ABC.     

Untersuchungen zur Genese von Makrophagen in der Blutzellenkultur

Zusammenfassung In Blutzellkulturen aus menschlichem Venenblut mit unterschiedlicher Zellzusammensetzung ist bei Anwendung morphologischer, cytochemischer und quantitativer Kriterien festzustellen, daß die Makrophagen aus Monocyten und nicht aus Lymphocyten entstehen. Die neutrophilen Granulocyten liefern Material zur Phagocytose, beeinflussen jedoch nicht die Zahl der Makrophagen.

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Summary After use of morphological, cytochemical and quantitative methods in blood cell cultures of human venous blood is to find out that the Macrophages descent from monocytes and not from lymphocytes. The granulocytes supply some material for Phagocytosis but don't have an influence upon the number of the Marcrophages.

     

Three patients with hallucal polydactyly and WAGR syndrome, including discordant expression of Wilms tumor in MZ twins

The WAGR contiguous gene deletion syndrome is a combination of Wilms tumor, Aniridia, Genito-urinary abnormalities, and growth and mental retardation which is invariably associated with an 11p13 deletion. We report two monozygotic twins and a third, unrelated patient with WAGR syndrome and additional clinical features not usually associated with WAGR. Both twins had developmental delay, growth deficiency, severe ocular involvement (nystagmus, aniridia, cataracts), atrial septal defect and two uncommon findings: agenesis of the corpus callosum and duplication of the halluces. One twin developed Wilms tumors aged 19 months while her sister remained tumor free by the age of 6.5 years. The singleton patient showed typical WAGR syndrome and preaxial hallucal polydactyly. Molecular cytogenetic studies refined the identification of the extent of the deleted segments, which were not identical in the two families. The two deletions included the PAX6 and WT1 genes as previously reported in typical WAGR patients. The unusual anomalies described in this report, may represent the expression of low penetrant traits associated with haploinsufficency of one or more of the genes present in the deletion (PAX6 is expressed in CNS) or may indicate epistatic influences of modifier genes on the expression of gene(s) present in the WAGR region.     

Chondroitin sulfate A released from platelets blocks RANTES presentation on cell surfaces and RANTES-dependent firm adhesion of leukocytes

The sequestration of chemokines on the surface of microvascular endothelium is an early event in the selective recruitment of leukocytes. The sequestration and presentation of chemokines must be tightly controlled to confine the extravasation of leukocytes and to prevent uncontrolled inflammation. We investigated whether soluble molecules released under physiological conditions could control chemokine immobilization on cell surfaces and function as regulatory chemokine binding molecules. We determined that human serum contains a molecule that suppresses RANTES (CCL5) binding to endothelial cells, PBMC and CHO cells. Using platelet-rich and platelet-free plasma, serum from patients with thrombocytopenia, and purified platelets, we identified platelets as the source of the chemokine-binding molecule and further identified it as chondroitin sulfate A. In contrast to platelet-derived fully-sulfated chondroitin sulfate A, low-sulfated chondroitin sulfate A present in plasma was almost inactive. Under physiological flow conditions chondroitin sulfate A was found to block RANTES-mediated firm adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells. It also prevented RANTES-mediated influx of calcium in CCR5-transfected CHO cells while internalization of CCR5 was only marginally reduced. Taken together, chondroitin sulfate A released from platelets appears to act as an important regulatory molecule for cellular responses to chemokines.     

Blockade der chemischen Thermogenese und Auslösung von Muskelzittern durch Adrenolytica und Ganglienblockade beim neugeborenen Meerschweinchen

Summary As has been previously shown young newborn guinea pigs do not shiver on cold exposure although oxygen consumption is considerably increased, i.e. chemical thermogenesis (non-shivering thermogenesis) is the prevailing mechanism of heat production. In the course of the first weeks of life non-shivering thermogenesis is gradually replaced by shivering thermogenesis. In the present study it has been shown that the cold-induced oxygen uptake can be reduced in guinea pigs, 0 to 2 days of age, from 69 to 38 ml/kg min by Alderlin, an adrenergic -receptor blocking agent. This effect was accompanied by an onset of shivering demonstrating that the shivering mechanism is already developed at the time of birth but is not set in function under normal conditions. Similar results have been obtained using Hexamethonium-Bromide and Dichloroisoproterenol. The elicitation of shivering following the administration of the drugs prevents the oxygen uptake from being reduced to the basal level (ca. 20 ml/kg min). When shivering was already present as in older animals (2 to 3 weeks of age) it remained uninfluenced by Alderlin (as veryfied by electromyography); the agent was thus considered suitable to block selectively chemical thermogenesis. On this basis, it was estimated from further data that the contribution of nonshivering thermogenesis to the total heat production is reduced from 91 to 26% within the first three weeks of life. Moreover, it could be shown that the shivering mechanism is less effective than chemical thermogenesis.

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Mit 4 Textabbildungen

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Mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Morphological variability, lectin binding and Na+,K+-activated adenosine triphosphatase activity of isolated Müller (glial) cells from the rabbit retina

Rabbit retinal Müller cells were isolated by means of papaine and mechanical dissociation. These cells were shown to have a well preserved morphology and to preserve viability for many hours. Intense wheat germ agglutinin binding occurs on the photoreceptor side of Müller cells, especially in the microvillous region. Rabbit retinal Müller cells have a Na+,K+-activated adenosine triphosphatase activity in the same order of magnitude as brain astroglial cells.