2-Mercapto-ethanol enhancement of agglutination reaction--a possible in vitro serological correlate for assessment of functional immunity in simian malaria

Conventional indirect haemagglutination test was performed in rhesus monkey sera (collected from Plasmodium knowlesi infected animals) with and without prior treatment of sera with 2-mercapto-ethanol (2-ME). Surprisingly, many sera samples showed significant enhancement of final titre with 2-ME. The 2-ME enhancement effect was more pronounced in the sera of hyperimmune monkeys on further injection of antigen or parasites. It was also noticeable in the sera during primary drug-suppressed P. knowlesi infection and appeared to have a bearing on the immune status of the animals to rechallenge. The use of a soluble antigen prepared from P. knowlesi infected erythrocytes was found to be essential in IHA test to demonstrate the 2-ME enhancement effect. Antigen prepared from freed parasites (commonly used) failed to show a similar effect in IHA. The possible role of certain T-lymphocyte products - antigen binding, non-agglutinating, 2-ME sensitive molecules - in malarial immunology has been proposed.     

Preparing monolayers of non-adherent mammalian cells

A simple method is described for preparing monolayers of non-adherent cells, using concanavalin A to bind the cells to wells of plastic microtest plates. The method was used successfully with all 202 human cell types tested, which included 23 tissue culture lines, 165 fresh specimens of all major histological types of leukemia and lymphoma, 20 fresh myelomas, 2 fresh thymomas, normal spleen and lymph node cells, fractionated T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes from peripheral blood, and cultured fetal amniotic cells. All cell types attached firmly, and were not detached by subsequent vigorous washing. In contrast, attempted attachment of cells in serum free medium, or with poly-L-lysine or glutaraldehyde, was ineffective with many cell types. We used the monolayers as target cells for antibodies to cell surface antigens, utilizing immune rosetting or complement-mediated cytotoxicity. This procedure should simplify most assays involving non-adherent target cells.     

A method for the accurate determination of anti-hapten cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors: correction for apparent 'anti-self' reactivity

A method is described for accurately determining the frequency of precursors of hapten specific cytotoxic T cells. The method is based on a standard Poisson analysis of limit dilution cultures, but makes a correction of 'anti-self' reacting clones and for spontaneously arising clones that recognise modified self. These corrections are shown to be especially important when low hapten densities are used, where there may be more than a 10-fold difference between the corrected and uncorrected frequency estimates. Determined levels of antigen specificity and of H-2 restriction are significantly enhanced by application of this method.     

First record of the Indo-Pacific Cymothoa indica (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cymothoidae), a Lessepsian species in the Mediterranean Sea

Cymothoa indica, a typical Indo-Pacific genus and species, is reported for the first time in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Specimens were found parasitizing mainly barracudas (Sphyraenidae) from Lebanon. Female and male specimens are described on collected materials. To date, the genus Cymothoa has not been reported in the Mediterranean Sea although it is widely represented in other areas of the world. It is suggested that C. indica should be added to the list of exotic species introduced from the Red Sea and known as Lessepsian migrants.     

Technical improvements in the clotted plasma droplet MIF assay in vitro.

The migration inhibitory activity of culture supernatants of rat and human lymphocytes stimulated with PHA and Con A-Sepharose was tested on cell migration from clotted plasma droplets. This technique was improved by using homologous as well as heterologous plasma and fibrinogen solutions for suspending the migratory cells, automatic micropipettes for performing the technique and purified cell populations as target. The effects of calcium chloride and of the cell concentration in the plasma droplets on the migration indices obtained in the MIF assay were tested.     

The effects of separation and reunion on the behavior of mother and infant squirrel monkeys

Mother and infant squirrel monkeys that lived together in a socially restricted environment were separated for a period of seven days after the infants had become relatively independent, and were then reunited. Behavioral observations before, during, and after separation indicated that (1) female infants became independent of their mothers earlier than males, (2) neither mothers nor infants were severely affected by separation, and (3) an increase in attachment occurred following reunion only when the mother had a limited history of maternal experience. These results suggest that (1) certain characteristics in the maternal behavior of the squirrel monkey facilitate readjustment in mothers and infants following maternal separation, (2) maternal experience can influence the mother-infant relationship following a period of separation, and (3) the independence of infants from their mothers may be a function of both sex and species.     

Hydrogen peroxide-induced Ca responses in CNS pericytes

Objective: The aims of the present study were to elucidate the interaction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca²⁺ response in central nervous system (CNS) pericytes. Methods: The intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration was measured using fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicator, fura-2, in cultured CNS pericytes. Results: Hydrogen peroxide evoked a dose-dependent increase in cytosolic Ca²⁺, which was completely inhibited by catalase. Removal of external Ca²⁺ or addition of nicardipine (1 μM) during application of hydrogen peroxide did not affect Ca²⁺ response. Incubation of the cells in Ca²⁺ free solution did not abolish but slightly reduced Ca²⁺ response by hydrogen peroxide. Ca²⁺ response to hydrogen peroxide was not altered by the depletion of intracellular Ca²⁺ by thapsigargin (1 μM). Pretreatment of the cells with tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein (100 μM) or tyrphostin A47 (30 μM) significantly reduced Ca²⁺ increase by hydrogen peroxide. Conclusions: These results indicate that hydrogen peroxide evokes Ca²⁺ increase predominantly by release from intracellular Ca²⁺ store, which may be regulated by tyrosine kinases.     

线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道参与超极化停搏的心肌保护作用

目的：探讨线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道（mitoKATP）开放在超极化停搏心肌保护中的作用机制。方法:将SD大鼠随机分为对照组（Control）、去极化停搏组（D）、超极化停搏组（H）、5-羟葵酸(5-HD) +去极化停搏组（5HD+D）、5-HD+超极化停搏组（5HD+H），每组8例。建立Langendorff灌注模型，平衡20 min，以不同方式停搏40 min，再灌注30 min，对比观察：(1)不同时间血流动力学变化；(2)再灌注末取心肌并分离、制备线粒体，电镜观察超微结构的变化。(3)平衡末、再灌注末线粒体活性氧的产生。结果: (1)各组再灌注末大鼠心脏功能明显低于平衡末, 心肌线粒体超微结构均遭受不同程度损伤，左室发展压（LVDP）、左室舒张末压（LVEDP）、率压双乘积（DP）、冠脉流量（CF）有显著差异（P<0.01）；（2）超极化停博组再灌注末心脏功能指标LVDP、LVEDP、DP、CF明显优于去极化停博组、5-HD+超极化停搏组、5-HD+去极化停搏组、对照组（P<0.01），电镜示：心肌、线粒体超微结构遭受的损伤较轻; (3)超极化停博组再灌注末心肌线粒体活性氧产生率低于对照组与其它3组（P<0.01）。结论:(1)超极化停搏能明显改善再灌注后心功能，保护心肌、线粒体超微结构，减少活性氧生成；(2)mitoKATP的早期开放参与超极化停搏，其作用可能通过保护再灌注后的线粒体呼吸功能，减轻线粒体的氧化损伤，为再灌注心肌提供较好的能量供应，从而使缺血再灌注后的心脏收缩功能得到一定恢复。     

活性氧对红细胞膜流动性影响的研究

目的 :研究活性氧诱导红细胞发生氧化溶血的机制。方法 :用不同浓度的 H2 O2 作用于离体正常红细胞 ,分别用比色法、硫代巴比妥酸荧光法、荧光偏振法测定红细胞溶血度、红细胞膜脂质过氧化物 (L PO)、红细胞膜微粘度。结果 :5 0 ,10 0 ,12 0 mm ol/ L 浓度的 H2 O2 作用于红细胞后 ,均引起红细胞发生氧化溶血 ,红细胞溶血度、红细胞膜 L PO、红细胞膜微粘度均明显增加 ;H2 O2 在 5 0～ 12 0 mm ol· L- 1浓度范围内 ,红细胞溶血度、红细胞膜 L PO、红细胞膜微粘度的增加与 H2 O2 有明显的量效关系 ;红细胞膜微粘度与红细胞溶血度呈明显正相关 ,红细胞膜 L PO与红细胞膜微粘度呈明显正关。结论 :活性氧引发红细胞膜脂质过氧化导致红细胞膜流动性降低在活性氧诱导红细胞发生氧化溶血的机制中起一定的作用