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.     

Shuttle vectors for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida albicans</Emphasis>: control of plasmid copy number and elevated expression of cloned genes

Plasmids containing the inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase gene CaIMH3 from Candida albicans strain ATCC 32354 transform their host to resistance against mycophenolic acid (MPA). The transformants maintain the plasmids at a high copy number (20–40 per cell) and express the CaIMH3 gene at very high levels relative to untransformed controls. The plasmid copy number can be controlled by the concentration of MPA in the media. The transformation procedure is reproducible and the efficiency of transformation is high, up to 15,000 per microgram. Unrearranged plasmids are readily recovered by transforming total DNA from transformants back into Escherichia coli. C. albicans genes cloned into the plasmid are expressed at elevated levels relative to untransformed controls. A derivative vector containing the CaMAL2 promoter and termination sequences expresses the CaERG11 ORF at high levels and confers moderate resistance to fluconazole. These shuttle vectors should facilitate global genomics approaches in C. albicans that have been hampered by its diploid genome.     

Involvement of interleukin 18 in Crohn's disease: evidence from in vitro analysis of human gut inflammatory cells and from experimental colitis models

An imbalance of immunoregulatory factors and/or cells contributes to uncontrolled mucosal T cell activation and inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). Bioactive interleukin (IL)-18 has been shown to be produced by macrophages in CD lesions. We report here that T cells freshly isolated from inflamed tissue of CD patients (and not T cells from control intestinal tissue) were responsive to IL-18. In the presence of IL-18, these T cells produced more interferon (IFN)-gamma and less IL-10. To analyse further the role of IL-18 in this disease, an acute and a chronic model of murine colitis were used. IL-18 mRNA was significantly enhanced in trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) induced colitis, and treatment with IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BPa), which neutralizes IL-18 bioactivity, significantly reduced the severity of colitis. However, IL-18BPa did not affect the course of chronic colitis in CD45RBhighCD4+ T cell reconstituted SCID mice. Production of IFN-gamma in lamina propria mononuclear cell cultures from IL-18BPa-treated SCID mice was decreased, but at the same time fewer lamina propria CD4+ T cells harvested from IL-18BPa-treated mice compared to non-treated mice were in apoptosis. We conclude that IL-18 clearly has a modulatory role in the inflammatory cascade of CD and experimental colitis by affecting IFN-gamma and IL-10 production, and apoptosis. In view of the divergent effects of IL-18 neutralization in the two different murine colitis models, it is unlikely that IL-18 is at the top of this cascade.     

Analysis of T cell repertoire in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C

Many T cells infiltrate into the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C). They are believed to play a crucial role in the immunopathogenesis of hepatic inflammation, but their clonality and specificity are unknown. The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics of these T cells. We analysed the complementarity-determining region (CDR)3 size lengths of T cell receptor (TCR) beta-chains by size spectratyping, and determined the sequences of Vbeta CDR3 after subcloning Vbeta-specific polymerase chain reaction products. Spectratyping showed clonal expansions in all liver specimens, most of which showed more than two T cell clones. Moreover, many non-clonal T cells also accumulated in the liver. Clonality of the T cells suspected by spectratyping was confirmed by CDR3 sequencing. Although the sequences revealed no whole CDR3-shared clones among different patients, some common motif sequences were observed. Our data suggest that T cells are stimulated by several hepatitis C virus (HCV) epitopes, then accumulate in the liver of CH-C patients. Shared motifs of expanded T cell clones suggest that they might recognize the same regions of HCV peptides, but have differences due to HCV peptide mutational changes. These clones might also interact with non-clonal T cells and play a crucial role in the immunopathogenesis of CH-C.     

体外灌流慢性重型肝炎患者血浆对C3A细胞的细胞色素P4503A活性和表达的影响

目的：通过比较未经灌流处理的重肝血浆及处理过的重肝血浆对CYP3A的影响，阐明C3A细胞安定代谢变化的原因，为未来C3A细胞的改造与功能优化奠定基础。方法：制备血浆和培养C3A细胞；实验分为4组：正常胎牛血浆（NFBP）组，正常人血浆（NHP）组，体外灌流慢性重型肝炎患者血浆（HPP）组，体外未灌流慢性重型肝炎患者血浆（CSHP）组。用分光光度法测定红霉素N-脱甲基酶（ERD）活性即CYP4503A的活性，Western blot法测定CYP4503A4的表达。结果：CSHP组ERD活性低于NFBP组（P〈0．05）及NHP组（P〈0．05），HPP组ERD活性也低于NFBP组（P〈0．05）及NHP组（P〈0．05），HPP组ERD活性高于CSHP组（P〈0．05）；CSHP组CYP4503A4的表达低于NFBP组（P〈0．05）及NHP组（P〈0．05），HPP组CYP4503A4的表达也低于NFBP组（P〈0．05）及NHP组（P〈0．05），HPP组CYP4503A4的表达高于CSHP组（P〈0．05）。结论：经慢性重型肝炎患者血浆培养的C3A细胞，CYP4503A活性及蛋白表达降低。与之相比，经过体外灌流的慢性重型肝炎患者血浆其C3A细胞CYP4503A活性及蛋白表达有所增加，CYP4503A活性增加可能是导致安定代谢变化的原因。     

紫草素通过PI3K/Akt通路抑制氧糖剥夺诱导的大鼠原代皮层神经元凋亡

目的:探讨紫草素对氧糖剥夺(OGD)损伤模型中大鼠原代皮层神经元的作用及机制。方法:用不同浓度(0. 02、0. 2、2和20μmol/L)紫草素对大鼠原代皮层神经元经进行预处理,再经OGD损伤处理,用乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)释放法和荧光素二乙酸酯/碘化丙啶(FDA/PI)双染法分别检测神经元活性和凋亡情况,选择最适紫草素浓度。然后,在加入紫草素之前提前加入LY294002(PI3K/Akt信号通路抑制剂,1μmol/L),用Wesern blot法检测神经元p-Akt(Ser473)水平变化,用LDH法和FDA/PI双染法检测神经元活性和凋亡率变化。结果:0. 2、2及20μmol/L的紫草素可显著提高神经元存活率(P 0. 05),同时还可使神经元内p-Akt(Ser473)水平显著升高(P 0. 05); LY294002可显著阻断紫草素对神经元p-Akt(Ser473)水平和凋亡率的影响(P 0. 05)。结论:紫草素可通过激活PI3K/Akt通路来减少OGD诱导的大鼠原代皮层神经元凋亡。     

Characterization of a new HLA-DRB3 allele,DRB3*0217, by direct sequencing

We report the identification of a novel DRB3*02 using sequence-based typing (SBT). This new allele, officially named DRB3*0217, was detected while performing HLA high resolution typing of a bone marrow recipient and his siblings. DNA sequencing demonstrated the presence of a nucleotide substitution in exon 2 at position 199 where a C was substituted by a T. This point mutation at codon 67 (CTC-->TTC) has resulted in an amino acid substitution from Leucine to Phenylalanine.     

In vivo and in vitro studies on the effects of mGnRH on oestradiol-17β inter-renal production in the female frog,Rana esculenta,during the post-reproductive period

Plasma oestradiol-17β was measured by RIA, in female, Rana esculenta, submitted to hypophysectomy, gonadectomy, or both, and treated with mammalian gonadotropinreleasing hormone (mGnRH), homologous pituitary homogenate, or both, during the post-reproductive period. In addition, the oestradiol-17β release was measured in in vitro incubations of ovaries or interrenals treated with mGnRH, pituitary, or both, during the same period. In vivo and in vitro mGnRH and/or pituitary directly stimulated the production of oestradiol-17β by the interrenal, but not by ovary, although the stimulatory effects of the pituitary are minor and delayed with respect to those of mGnRH. These results seem to indicate that mGnRH and pituitary, with probably different mechanisms, stimulate the interrenal to produce high levels of oestradiol which is involved in the post-reproductive refractoriness.     

Different ion channel mechanisms between low concentrations of capsaicin and high concentrations of capsaicin and nicotine regarding peptide release from pulmonary afferents

Vagal nerve stimulation (1 Hz for 1 min), capsaicin (10^-8 M and 10^-6 M), resiniferatoxin (3 × 10^-10 M) and nicotine (10^-4 M) evoked a non-cholinergic bronchoconstriction in the isolated perfused guinea-pig lung preparation. Simultaneously there was an increase in the perfusate levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity, suggesting release from sensory nerves. Both the bronchoconstriction and peptide release evoked by a low concentration of capsaicin (10^-8 M) and that evoked by nerve stimulation were depressed by tetrodotoxin, suggesting involvement of Na⁺ channel dependent depolarization. Since the effects of capsaicin (10^-8 M) and vagal nerve stimulation were inhibited by ω-conotoxin but not influenced by nifedipine, the Ca²⁺-channel involved is probably of N-type. Furthermore, the capsaicin analogue resiniferatoxin also evoked ω-conotoxin sensitive peptide release and bronchoconstriction. At the higher capsaicin concentration (10^-6 M), the functional response was only slightly inhibited by wconotoxin or tetrodotoxin indicating that capsaicin at this concentration evoked peptide release and functional effects through other mechanisms, probably involving Ca²⁺ fluxes in the non-selective cation channel associated with the proposed capsaicin receptor. The nicotine (10^-4 M) evoked peptide release and bronchoconstriction were only marginally influenced by ω-conotoxin or tetrodotoxin. It is concluded that the ion-channel mechanisms underlying the peptide releasing properties of antidromic nerve stimulation and low concentrations of capsaicin are similar and depend on action potential propagation, whereas capsaicin in high, toxic concentration and nicotine mainly act via receptor operated channels.