Episomal and stable expression of the luciferase reporter gene for quantifying Leishmania spp. infections in macrophages and in animal models

We have expressed the reporter firefly luciferase gene (LUC) in Leishmania donovani and Leishmania major either as part of episomal vectors or integrated into the parasite genome under the control of their respective ribosomal promoter regions. An excellent linear correlation between parasite number and luciferase activity was observed with all the transfectants. LUC-expressing recombinant parasites were useful to monitor Leishmania spp. infections in macrophages or in animal models. For prolonged growth in absence of drug selection, such as within animal models, quantitation of parasites is more reliable when the reporter gene LUC is stably integrated in the parasite genome. These recombinant strains should be useful tools to monitor Leishmania growth under a number of conditions.     

转染survivin反义mRNA对Jurkat淋巴瘤细胞生长和化疗敏感性的影响

目的 研究转染survivin反义mRNA对Jurkat淋巴瘤细胞生长的影响以及转染后淋巴瘤细胞对化疗药物的敏感性。方法 构建survivin反义mRNA真核表达质粒pcDNA3．1-反义（As）survivin;利用脂质体转染法将其转入高表达survivin mRNA T淋巴母细胞淋巴瘤Jurkat细胞系,用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT—PCR）、免疫组织化学SP法、Western印迹法检测细胞中survivin表达;用细胞计数、流式细胞术（FCM）检测其细胞生长曲线、细胞凋亡指数,并进行光镜、电镜形态学观察;并对转染pcDNA3．1-Assurvivin前后Jurkat细胞分别加入4-羟基-环磷酰胺（CTX）、甲氨蝶呤（MTX）72h后,常规MTT检测细胞存活率。结果 RT—PCR检测转染pcDNA3．1-Assurvivin后48h、5和6周Jurkat细胞survivin mRNA表达,发现survivin mRNA表达皆低于对照组;转染后survivin蛋白表达也明显降低。转染pcDNA3．1-Assurvivin后Jurkat细胞生长倍增时间（52h）明显延长;用FCM检测细胞凋亡发现,转染pcDNA3．1-Assurvivin后Jurkat细胞凋亡指数[20．2％（48h）]明显高于对照组（转染空质粒和未转染组,2．1％和1．3％）;5和6周为6．2％和6．8％,明显高于未转染细胞（1．3％和1．0％）。光镜、电镜观察见转染细胞出现较多凋亡细胞及一些变性肿胀细胞;MTT检测结果显示Jurkat细胞转染前后,经化疗药物4-羟基-环磷酰胺和甲氨蝶呤作用,转染细胞的抑制率明显大于未转染组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论 survivin基因对Jurkat细胞系的生长起着重要的作用,抑制survivin基因表达在T淋巴母细胞淋巴瘤治疗中可能有重要的意义,该基因似可能作为治疗的靶点。     

Food-anticipatory activity and liver per1-luc activity in diabetic transgenic rats

The mammalian Per1 gene is an important component of the core cellular clock mechanism responsible for circadian rhythms. The rodent liver and other tissues rhythmically express Per1 in vitro but typically damp out within a few cycles. In the liver, the peak of this rhythm occurs in the late subjective night in an ad lib-fed rat, but will show a large phase advance in response to restricted availability of food during the day. The relationship between this shift in the liver clock and food-anticipatory activity (FAA), the circadian behavior entrained by daily feeding, is currently unknown. Insulin is released during feeding in mammals and could serve as an entraining signal to the liver. To test the role of insulin in the shift in liver Per1 expression and the generation of FAA, per-luciferase transgenic rats were made diabetic with a single injection of streptozotocine. Following 1 week of restricted feeding and locomotor activity monitoring, liver was collected for per-luc recording. In two separate experiments, FAA emerged and liver Per1 phase-shifted in response to daytime 8-h food restriction. The results rule out insulin as a necessary component of this system.     

Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in the serum of Canadian hepatitis B surface antigen negative,anti-HBc positive individuals,using the polymerase chain reaction

Continuing hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is normally associated with the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the serum. In spite of sensitive screening assays for HBsAg, rare cases of post-transfusion HBV infection are still observed. Antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) often indicates remote HBV infection but DNA hybridisation and more sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays have demonstrated that some HBsAg negative individuals, positive for anti-HBc, have continuing HBV replication. To determine the incidence of ongoing HBV infection in a Canadian HBsAg negative, anti-HBc positive population we studied three groups with this combination of HBV markers: Group A, 36 patients referred for investigation of raised serum aminotransferases; Group B, 21 Canadian Red Cross blood donors; Group C, seven vaccinees in an Ottawa Health Care Student hepatitis B vaccination programme. The PCR was carried out using a nested PCR reaction with primers specific for the pre-core region of HBV. Seven of 36 (19%) patients in Group A had detectable HBV DNA whereas none of Group B or C were positive. This data indicates that in some HBsAg negative patients with ongoing hepatic inflammation, continuing HBV replication may persist. This was not observed in any healthy blood donors or health care students investigated. Larger studies are required, but this data would suggest that, in Canada, the addition of anti-HBc testing for all blood donors for detection of low level HBV replication would not be indicated. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

与人精子有共同抗原的临床细菌分离株的筛选

紧ＲＡＨＳ－Ａｂ与４９３株临床细菌分离株进行玻片凝集反应，筛选出４种１１株可与ＲＡＨＳ－Ａｂ发生明显凝集反应的细菌株。选择其中Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ５０６株作进一步研究。制备Ｅ。ｃｏｌｉ５０６株全菌蛋白进行包被，ＥＬＩＳＡ检测可与ＲＡＨＳ－Ａｂ出现阳性反应。进一步将全菌蛋白与ＲＡＨＳ－Ａｂ进行Ｗｅｓｔａｒｎ印迹反应，发现可出现数处理阳性反应带，其中们于３６ｋＤ和６７ｋＤ的两个条带反应最为明显。制备人精子蛋白     

Assessment of oestrogenic potency of chemicals used as growth promoter by in-vitro methods

Three in-vitro bioassays were used to compare the oestrogenic potency of chemicals used as growth promoter in beef cattle in certain non-European Union countries (17beta-oestradiol, alpha-zearalanol, testosterone, trenbolone, trenbolone acetate, melengestrol acetate) or found as food contaminant such as the mycotoxin zearalenone and some of their metabolites (17alpha-oestradiol, oestrone, 17alpha-epitestosterone, 19-nortestosterone, androstendione, zearalanone, alpha-zearalanol, beta-zearalanol, alpha-zearalenol, beta-zearalenol). The strong oestrogens 17alpha-ethinyl oestradiol and diethylstilboestrol were used as standards. The first bioassay was based on the activation of a reporter gene by oestrogens in recombinant yeast expressing human or rainbow trout oestrogen receptor. In the second bioassay, the vitellogenin gene induction of rainbow trout hepatocyte cultures was used as a biomarker for the exposure to oestrogens. The third bioassay was based on the alkaline phosphatase gene induction by oestrogens in the human endometrial Ishikawa cell line. The assessment of oestrogenic potency of these chemicals clearly demonstrates the strong oestrogenicity of the mycotoxin zearalenone and its metabolites and particularly alpha-zearalenol which was as potent as ethinyl oestradiol and diethylstilboestrol in the human endometrial Ishikawa cell line.     

In vitro schedule-dependency of myelotoxicity and cytotoxicity of Ecteinascidin 743 (ET-743)

Background: Ecteinascidin (ET-743) is a marine derived compound with an interesting preclinical profile currently completing phase I clinical trials. The present study was undertaken to compare the toxicity of different schedules of ET-743 against human hemopoietic progenitors and tumour cell lines.Materials and methods: Human hemopoietic progenitors and solid tumour cell lines were incubated with ET-743 for one hour, 24 hours and one hour daily for five consecutive days to define by comparison an in vitro therapeutic index. Additional experiments were set up to assess whether incubation for 24 hours or five days could change either the sensitivity of cells or the activity of ET-743.Results: Prolonged or repeated exposures were more toxic than a single one hour exposure (P < 0.001), but due to the higher sensitivity to prolonged exposure of several tumor cell lines, prolonged treatment yielded a more favorable in vitro therapeutic index. After incubation for 24 hours, ET-743 showed a significantly (P < 0.01) lower inhibiting capacity. Incubation before treatment rendered progenitors more resistant, but incubation after treatment increased their sensitivity, so that overall the toxicity of ET-743 on hemopoietic cells appears to be close to AUC dependency.Conclusions: Despite the possible effect of some experimental artefacts, prolonged exposure could represent the best schedule of administration of ET-743.     

Quality control of estrogen receptor assays in the Netherlands

Summary Lyophilized receptor-positive tissue powders and cytosols, prepared from calf uterus and human breast tumor tissue, are used to assess the validity of routine dextran-coated charcoal estrogen receptor assays. Since 1978 lyophilized reference preparations have been analyzed twice yearly by 18 laboratories in the Netherlands. During 8 consecutive trials 20 different lyophilized samples were studied. The inter-laboratory variability of estrogen receptor results decreased with time. Most laboratories found receptor values around the median value of all groups together, though some participants consistently reported estrogen receptor values that were higher or lower than the median. The variability of estrogen receptor results between labs seemed to be associated with cytosol dilution, determination of non-specific binding, concentration and volume of dextrancoated charcoal, and the use of single dose assays or Scatchard analysis. The agreement on the presence or absence of estrogen receptors was more than 98% for lyophilized reference samples with high receptor content. For samples with low receptor content 85% agreement was observed, while 12% of the assays performed on receptor-negative material were reported to be estrogen receptor-positive. The use of the same protein determination (Coomassie Brilliant Blue) and human serum albumin standard has decreased the interlaboratory variation coefficient of the protein results to 7.5%. Address for reprnts: A. Koenders, Dept. of Experimental and Chemical Endocrinology, St. Radboud Hospital, Geert Grooteplein Z 8, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands List of participating laboratories and institutions: Hospital de Lichtenberg, Amersfoort; Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam; Foundation Medical Laboratories, Breda; Foundation of Cooperative Hospitals Delft (SSDZ), Delft; Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven; Hospital de Stadsmaten and Ziekenzorg, Enschede; Academic Hospital, Groningen; The Wever Hospital, Heerlen; Laboratory of Public Health, Leeuwarden; Department of Pathological Chemistry, Academic Hospital, Leiden; Department of Experimental and Chemical Endocrinology, Sint Radboud Hospital, Nijmegen; Scientific Development Group Organon International B.V., Oss; Department of Biochemistry II, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam; Rotterdam Radio-Therapeutic Institute/ Dr Daniel den Hoed Clinic, Rotterdam; Institute of Oncology Dr Bernard Verbeeten, Tilburg; Department of Endocrinology, Academic Hospital, Utrecht; Laboratory for Nuclear Medicine Voorburg, Vught; Sophia Hospital, Zwolle.     

广东省增城市一起登革热爆发的调查

2002年8～9月增城市石滩镇和沙庄街相继爆发登革热。流行时间从8月9日至10月18日,发病136例,男性53例,女性83例,男女发病差异具有极显著意义(X~3=13.24,P<0.01);发病年龄最小2岁,最大77岁,以青壮年发病居多;农民发病最多,民工其次,学生再次。症状主要有畏寒、头痛、疲乏、全身肌肉酸痛、食欲不振、恶心呕吐和腹部不适。体征主要有发热、皮疹(多数在热退时出现,为充血性“斑丘疹”,出疹部位多在四肢和躯干,呈对称性分布),少数患者有出血倾向如鼻衄、便血、齿龈血等。患者末梢血白细胞和血小板计数普遍下降。采集急性期患者血清进行登革病毒IgM抗体检测,阳性率为71.83％,经PCR分型鉴定为登革Ⅰ型病毒。     

Ontogeny of aromatase and tyrosine hydroxylase activity and of aromatase-immunoreactive cells in the preoptic area of male and female Japanese quail

The aromatization of testosterone into oestrogens plays a key role in the control of many behavioural and physiological aspects of reproduction. In the quail preoptic area (POA), aromatase activity and the number of aromatase-immunoreactive (ARO-ir) cells are sexually differentiated (males > females). This sex difference is implicated in the control of the sexually dimorphic behavioural response of quail to testosterone. We analysed the ontogenetic development of this sex difference by measuring aromatase activity and counting ARO-ir cells in the POA of males and females from day 1 post hatch to sexual maturity. We investigated in parallel another enzyme: tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting step in catecholamine synthesis. Between hatching and 4 weeks of age, aromatase activity levels were low and equal in males and females. Aromatase activity then markedly increased in both sexes when subjects initiated their sexual maturation but this increase was more pronounced in males so that a marked difference in aromatase activity was present in 6 and 8 week-old subjects. Tyrosine hydroxylase activity progressively increased with age starting immediately after hatching and there was no abrupt modification in the slope of this increase when birds became sexually mature. No sex difference was detected in the activity of this enzyme. The number of ARO-ir cells in the POA progressively increased with age starting at hatching. No sex difference in ARO-ir cell numbers could be detected before subjects reached full sexual maturity. The analysis of the three-dimensional organization of ARO-ir cells in the POA revealed that, with increasing ages, ARO-ir cells acquire a progressively more lateral position: they are largely periventricular in young birds but they are found at higher density in the lateral part of the medial preoptic nucleus in adults. These data indicate that aromatase activity differentiates sexually when birds reach sexual maturity presumably under the activating effects of the increased testosterone levels in males. The number of ARO-ir cells, however, begins to increase in a non sexually differentiated manner before the rise in plasma testosterone in parallel with the increased tyrosine hydroxylase activity. Whether this temporal coincidence results from a general ontogenetic pattern or from more direct causal links remains to be established.