The effect of denervation on the morphology of regenerating rat soleus muscles

Summary This study examines the level to which muscle regeneration proceeds in the absence of innervation. Regeneration was monitored in rat soleus muscles following localised injection of a snake toxin, notexin. Muscles which had been concomittantly denervated were compared with those that were normally innervated. Until 3–4 days following toxin administration regeneration is identical in both groups. The muscles contain new myotubes in place of the degenerated parent fibres. Thereafter, the non-denervated muscles grow rapidly and by 28 days their myofibres attain the size of those from the contralateral controls. Growth of denervated regenerating muscles, however, is retarded and is superseded by a gradual atrophy. In such muscles we further identify ultrastructural abnormalities from 7 days post-injection. These a re loss of individual myosin filaments and the presence of immature and abnormal configurations of the transverse system and triads. We, thus, conclude that innervation is an obligatory requirement for the restoration of normal myofibrillar and sarcotubular morphology, as well as growth, but is not necessary for the neo-formation of myofibres.     

Scorpion alpha and alpha-like toxins differentially interact with sodium channels in mammalian CNS and periphery

Scorpion alpha-toxins from Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus, LqhII and LqhIII, are similarly toxic to mice when administered by a subcutaneous route, but in mouse brain LqhII is 25-fold more toxic. Examination of the two toxins effects in central nervous system (CNS), peripheral preparations and expressed sodium channels revealed the basis for their differential toxicity. In rat brain synaptosomes, LqhII binds with high affinity, whereas LqhIII competes only at high concentration for LqhII-binding sites in a voltage-dependent manner. LqhII strongly inhibits sodium current inactivation of brain rBII subtype expressed in HEK293 cells, whereas LqhIII is weakly active at 2 microM, suggesting that LqhIII affects sodium channel subtypes other than rBII in the brain. In the periphery, both toxins inhibit tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium current inactivation in dorsal root ganglion neurons, and are strongly active directly on the muscle and on expressed muI channels. Only LqhII, however, induced repetitive end-plate potentials in mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm muscle preparation by direct effect on the motor nerve. Thus, rBII and sodium channel subtypes expressed in peripheral nervous system (PNS) serve as the main targets for LqhII but are mostly not sensitive to LqhIII. Toxicity of both toxins in periphery may be attributed to the direct effect on muscle. Our data elucidate, for the first time, how different toxins affect mammalian central and peripheral excitable cells, and reveal unexpected subtype specificity of toxins that interact with receptor site 3.     

Enhancement of persistent Na+ current by sea anemone toxin (ATX II) exerts dual action on hippocampal excitability

We used anemone toxin II (ATX II) to study how a selective enhancement of persistent Na+ current (INaP) would affect the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal slice. In whole-cell recordings from CA1 cell somata, local application of ATX II (10 microM) into the stratum pyramidale invariably depolarized the neurons and produced sustained burst discharges with depolarizing plateau potentials of variable amplitude and length. However, the strong excitatory action of ATX II, observed on the single cell level, was not mirrored in field potential recordings from the same hippocampal subfield. The amplitude of the electrically evoked population spike declined, reflecting the decreased availability of fast Na+ channels, and the intracellulary recorded burst discharges were not detected by the field electrode. The lacking synchronization of cellular bursting activity was seen during both local and bath application of ATX II, suggesting that the toxin, in addition to promoting burst discharges of individual neurons, simultaneously dampens network excitability. In fact, ATX II reduced afferent fibre volleys (reflecting axonal excitability) and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in a similar fashion. As the expression of different Na+ channel subtypes appears to be compartmentalized within hippocampal neurons, we propose that point mutations leading to pathologically enhanced INaP might exert quite opposite effects, depending on the type and location of the Na+ channel affected. Whereas alterations of somatodendritic Na+ channels would give rise to bursting activity, alterations of axonal Na+ channels would primarily decrease network excitability.     

Analysis of the immune response induced by a scorpion venom sub-fraction, a pure peptide and a recombinant peptide, against toxin Cn2 of Centruroides noxius Hoffmann.

Three different immunogens from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides noxius Hoffmann were used to study protective antibody response in mice and rabbits, challenged with toxin Cn2, one of the most abundant toxic peptide of this venom. The immunogens were: Cn5, a crustacean specific toxin; a recombinant protein containing the peptide Cn5 linked to the maltose transporter and a sub-fraction (F.II.5) containing 25 distinct peptides, among which is Cn5. Mice immunized with these three preparations, when directly challenged with Cn2 presented no apparent protection, whereas anti-sera produced in rabbits with these three immunogens were capable of partially neutralizing the effect of Cn2, when injected into naive mice. Cn5 rabbit anti-serum showed a better protective effect on mice, than the rabbit sera obtained against the two other antigens. The subcutaneous route of challenging mice was shown to be better than intraperitoneal injections. Comparative structural analysis of Cn5 with other toxins of this venom showed that our results are important to be taken into consideration, when choosing appropriate immunogens aimed at the production of better anti-venoms or for the rational design of possible vaccines.     

Veratridine modifies the TTX-resistant Na channels in rat vagal afferent neurons

A number of neurotoxins from venoms of invertebrates and plants are ligands for voltage-gated Na⁺ channels and are useful tools for studying Na⁺ channel function and structure. Using whole-cell recordings from vagal afferent nodose neurons, we studied neurotoxins that target Na⁺ channels. We asked whether Ts3 (an α-scorpion toxin) and/or veratridine (a lipid-soluble toxin), could modify the TTX-resistant Na⁺ current generated by vagal afferent nodose neurons. Nodose TTX-resistant current was not affected by Ts3, whereas Ts3 slowed inactivation of the current generated by TTX-sensitive current component. We found that veratridine inhibited the TTX-resistant Na⁺ currents on rat nodose neurons. Interestingly, veratridine-modified Na⁺ channels developed a persistent current that accounted for the large tail current observed. We propose that veratridine modifies TTX-resistant Na⁺ channels through a mechanism distinct from its actions on other voltage-gated Na⁺ channels.     

抗百日咳毒素单克隆抗体的纯化及应用研究

目的纯化抗百日咳毒素(PT)的单克隆抗体(M cAb),并建立特异、准确的PT定量检测方法。方法采用辛酸-硫酸铵沉淀法和A蛋白亲和层析法纯化杂交瘤细胞腹水,并经阻断抑制试验筛选识别不同表位的M cAb,用于建立定量检测PT的ELISA方法。结果经SDS-PAGE分析,纯化M cAb的纯度均在90%以上,选择二株识别不同抗原位点M cAbs,应用于检测PT的双抗夹心ELISA方法,灵敏度为2.14μg/L,批内变异系数5.85%,批间变异系数9.27%,平均回收率为108.12%,应用该法测定了国内几大生产厂家送检的无细胞百日咳疫苗原液中PT含量。结论获得了纯度高的抗PT M cAb,建立了一种特异、准确的定量检测PT的ELISA方法,并用于无细胞百日咳疫苗原液中PT含量的检测,为无细胞百日咳疫苗的质量控制提供了有力的手段。     

Induction of apoptosis/necrosis in various human cell lineages by Haemophilus ducreyi cytolethal distending toxin.

We investigated the impact of highly purified Haemophilus ducreyi cytolethal distending toxin (HdCDT) on the apoptosis and necrosis of various human cells; including myeloid cells, epithelial cells, keratinocytes, and primary fibroblasts. The levels of apoptosis and necrosis induced in these cells were compared to those induced by HdCDT in human T cells and in the Jurkat T cell line. Levels of caspase-3 activity were measured, and membrane changes like phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation was evaluated after double-staining with the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) using flow cytometry. HdCDT induced various degrees of apoptosis and necrosis in dose- and time-dependent manners in cells of various lineages. Early and late apoptosis (annexin V-stained cells) were induced in more than 90% of T cells and monocytes after treatment with 100 ng/ml HdCDT for 24 and 48 h, respectively. The corresponding numbers for epithelial cells, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts were 26-32% after treatment with 100 ng/ml HdCDT for 48 h. HdCDT appears to eliminate effectively by inducing apoptosis those cells that are involved in immune responses. Epithelial cells, keratinocytes and fibroblasts, which are important for the healing of chancroid ulcers, are eliminated by apoptosis or necrosis after contact with HdCDT, albeit slower and to a lesser extent than T cells.     

The sternocleidomastoid test: an in vivo assay to investigate botulinum toxin antibody formation in humans

In a small number of patients treated with botulinum toxin (BT) antibody (Ab) formation occurs. BT Ab can be detected by the mouse protection assay (MPA) or by the mouse diaphragm assay (MDA). Both methods, however, have major drawbacks. We tested a method for detecting BT Ab which measures the BT-induced reduction in the electromyographic amplitude of the mean maximal voluntary activation (M-EMG) of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The M-EMG reduction was compared in 17 patients with cervical dystonia and secondary BT therapy failure to the M-EMG reduction previously measured in controls. Values more than 2 SD below the mean of controls were considered abnormal. Six patients showed BT Ab on the MPA and MDA; all of these had abnormal M-EMG reductions. Eleven patients showed no BT Ab on MPA and MDA testing; in ten of these the M-EMG reduction was normal, and in one it was pathological, but MDA testing later changed to positive under continued BT therapy. The sternocleidomastoid test is easy to perform and produces quantitative results. Since its sensitivity and specificity are at least as good as those of the MDA and the MPA, it can replace them.     

A型肉毒毒素用于口角歪斜和鼻唇沟不对称的研究

目的在面瘫患者健侧部分面肌中注射A型肉毒毒素用以矫正口角歪斜和不对称的鼻唇沟,以满足美容的需要。方法将2001年1月￣2005年12月来在门诊和住院的部分面瘫患者作为观察对象,除对照组外治疗组分别在健侧面肌中注射A型肉毒毒素,依据注射剂量随机分为5个治疗组:A组(各肌注射1.25U)、B组(各肌注射2.50U)、C组(各肌注射5.00U)、D组(降、提口角肌和颧大、小肌各注射2.50U,笑肌注射5.00U)和E组(降、提口角肌和颧大、小肌各注射5.00U,笑肌注射2.50U),3d后定期观测每例患者双侧口角到门齿中缝的距离差。结果除A组外,各治疗组的口角歪斜和鼻唇沟不对称均得到不同程度的纠正,注射剂量越大起效越快,持续时间越长,但表情动作受到的影响也略大。结论根据口角歪斜和鼻唇沟不对称的程度,在健侧面肌注射相应剂量的A型肉毒毒素,既可以较好地纠正面瘫患者的口角歪斜和鼻唇沟的不对称,又可以避免并发症的发生。     

菜豆食物中毒的快速检测

目的：通过建立菜豆食物中毒的快速检验方法，尽快找出食物中毒原因。方法：有机磷农药检测、皂甙实验。结果：检出多起皂甙引起的食物中毒。结论：该方法能快速测定菜豆中的皂甙。