The major histocompatibility complex (CyLA) of the cynomolgus monkey. I. Serologic definition of 21 specificities

Thirty-seven lymphocytotoxic antisera, 27 of which were raised by immunization with skin grafts and blood from partially matched donors, were tested against cells obtained from 218 unrelated animals and 205 offspring from a colony of cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Evidence was obtained for the presence of at least 21 specificities defined by cluster analysis and segregation within families. Allelic relationships between 16 specificities was suggested by segregation patterns, the absence of triplets and statistical analysis of association in the unrelated population sample. The data support a two-locus model, with tentative assignment of seven specificities to the A locus and six to the B locus. That these lymphocyte alloantigens constitute the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the cynomolgus monkey is suggested by analogy with other known MHCs and by the increased survival times of skin grafts between paternally matched half sibs compared to haplodistinct full sibs.     

On the association between amyloid fibrils and glycosaminoglycans; possible interactive role of Ca2+ and amyloid P-component.

We have previously reported the specific association of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and proteoglycans (PG) with amyloid fibrils and characterized the polysaccharides directly extracted from amyloid-laden tissues. In the present study we further elucidate the association between purified amyloid fibrils and GAG/PG with special reference to those GAG/PG associated with amyloid P-component (AP) and the interactive role of Ca2+ ions. Amyloid fibrils were isolated from human hepatic AA amyloid employing water extraction with and without preceding removal of AP, an extrafibrillar protein component of all amyloids, using sodium citrate. GAG/PG co-isolated with the amyloid extracts, with and without AP, were isolated and characterized. Agarose-affinity chromatography of extracts containing AP was performed, and the GAG associated with this extrafibrillary protein were characterized as well. Several different GAG/PG populations were demonstrated in the various extracts. The abolition of calcium-dependent binding markedly influenced the amount of GAG/PG recovered in the fibril extracts, as well as the total amount of amyloid material obtained. Thus, it seems that calcium plays an important role in the association between the fibrils and the sugar moieties, and that a significant fraction of the GAG found in amyloid exhibits a Ca(2+)-dependent fibril-GAG interaction. No significant difference in the proportion between galactosaminoglycans and glucosamines was, however, disclosed when the two extraction protocols were compared, suggesting that no particular GAG species has a higher affinity for the fibrils themselves. Both dermatan/chondroitin sulphate and heparan sulphate identified in the present study exhibited a Ca(2+)-dependent interaction with AP, supporting previous findings. However, the amyloid-associated galactosaminoglycans found, especially the large PG appearing in small amounts, seemed to have a higher affinity for the extrafibrillar AP than the other GAG.     

Genetic polymorphisms of orosomucoid and alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein in Thai,Sri Lankan and Paraguayan populations

The genetic polymorphism of orosomucoid (ORM) and alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) were studied in Thai, Sri Lankan and Paraguayan populations using isoelectric focusing. Gene frequencies in these populations were compared with those in other populations. Four new ORM variants were detected:ORM1 ^* 15 in Thai,ORM1 ^* 16 in Paraguayan,ORM2 ^* 21 andORM2 ^* 22 in Sri Lankan.     

High frequency of rotavirus viremia in children with acute gastroenteritis: Discordance of strains detected in stool and sera

Recently, rotavirus antigenemia and viremia have been identified in patients with acute gastroenteritis. This study examined rotavirus viremia in children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in order to establish its association with fecal shedding of rotavirus, infecting genotypes and antibody marker of acute infection. Thirty‐one pairs of stool–serum specimens were collected from November 2004 to February 2005 together with clinical information. All paired specimens were screened for rotavirus RNA by RT‐PCR using the VP6 gene primers. All stool and serum specimens were tested for rotavirus antigen and anti‐rotavirus IgM respectively by ELISA. Sixteen of 31 stool–serum pairs showed the presence of rotavirus RNA. Nine stool and two serum specimens were positive only by RT‐PCR. The total positivity in rotavirus RNA was significantly higher in both stools (80.6%) and sera (58.1%) than that of stool antigen (38.7%) and anti‐rotavirus IgM (25.8%) (P < 0.01). All PCR positive paired specimens were typed for the VP7 (G) and VP4 (P) genes. Five of sixteen pairs could be typed for both genes. Three of the five pairs showed concordance (G2P[4]/G2P[4]) while two showed discordance (G12P[8]/G2P[4], G8P[4]/G2P[4]) in the genotypes detected in stool and serum specimens respectively. The study documents a high frequency of rotavirus viremia in patients with acute diarrhea. The discordance of rotavirus strains at the genotypic level in the serum and stool of individual patients with diarrhea suggests the susceptibility of extra‐intestinal sites for rotavirus infection and the possibility of differential dissemination of rotavirus strains from the intestine. J. Med. Virol. 80:2169–2176, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Comparison of radioimmunoassay and ELISA methods for detection of antibodies to chromatin components

A solid phase radioimmunoassay has been compared with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for efficacy in measuring anti-chromatin antibodies. The low backgrounds achieved with the radioimmunoassay method produced a high signal-to-noise ratio and enabled detection of the human test antiserum at a dilution of 1:102,400. By contrast, the ELISA could detect the same antiserum only at a dilution of 1:3200 and above. The radioimmunoassay was consistently more sensitive than the ELISA for detection of anti-chromatin antibodies in a number of human and mouse sera and ascites fluid containing a monoclonal antibody. Factors affecting sensitivity in both assays are discussed.     

Development of acute autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice: Factors regulating the effector phase of the disease

The development of acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice is potentiated by the use of Bordetella pertussis vaccine as an adjuvant. Histamine sensitizing factor (HSF) extracted from B. pertussis is the active adjuvant agent and causes a mild increase in cerebrovascular permeability. During the development of EAE, there is an additional increase in vascular permeability of the brain and spinal cord. The adjuvant action of B. pertussis HSF does not appear to mimic a generalized beta-adrenergic blockade, since the course of EAE is not potentiated by adrenalectomy. The cerebrovascular permeability changes observed in EAE are probably mediated by vasoactive amines, since the expression of EAE can be blocked by vasoactive amine antagonists.     

An immunodominant haptenic epitope of carbamazepine detected in serum from patients given long-term treatment with carbamazepine without allergic reaction

An anticarbamazepine antibody was detected in the serum of a patient with severe carbamazepine-induced serum sickness. We found that the patient's T cells and IgG antibody recognized an epitope which appeared in subjects showing an allergic reaction, as well as that in subjects who showed no allergic reaction, after long-term carbamazepine therapy. These results show that an anti-carbamazepine immune response does not occur in the majority of subjects who undergo long-term carbamazepine therapy without developing allergic symptoms, although the immunodominant haptenic epitope of carbamazepine is present in their sera.     

Histidine-rich protein genes and their transcripts in Plasmodium falciparum and P. lophurae

The presence of histidine-rich protein (HRP) related genes and gene products in Plasmodium falciparum was demonstrated using a synthetic pentahistidine-encoding oligonucleotide and a cloned HRP cDNA probe prepared from the avian parasite P. lophurae. In Northern blotting experiments, two knobby clones of P. falciparum were found to contain a 3500 nucleotide RNA species that hybridized with the oligonucleotide and HRP cDNA probes. As this component had the expected size for an mRNA encoding an 80-90 kDa protein and was absent from two knobless clones of P. falciparum, we concluded that it represented a 'knob protein' mRNA. Using the restriction enzyme EcoRI, three identical cross-hydribizing HRP gene fragments were found in the DNA of both knobby and knobless clones of P. falciparum. These fragments differed in size from those present in P. lophurae. These results suggest that the absence of knob protein mRNA in knobless clones is not due to loss of the corresponding gene(s).     

胃动素对血管灌流大鼠离体胃运动的作用

通过血管灌流大鼠离体胃,探讨胃动素对胃运动的影响。结果表明:(1)胃动素可以明显地兴奋胃窦自发的胃运动;(2)胃动素抗血清可以完全消除胃动素兴奋胃窦运动的作用;(3)阿托品可以阻断胃动素兴奋胃窦运动的作用。上述结果提示,胃动素可特异性兴奋血管灌流大鼠胃窦收缩运动,该作用通过壁内胆碱能神经介导。