Genetic susceptibility to herpetic encephalitis of inbred rabbits of B/Jas strain

Inbred rabbits of B/Jas strain were found to be highly susceptible to herpes simplex virus type 1 encephalitis, following i.v. injection of the virus, while Chbb:HM strain rabbits were not susceptible. The susceptibility trait seemed to be inherited recessively, involving multiple genes, because (B/Jas x Chbb:HM)Fl hybrids were as resistant as Chbb:HM rabbits, and because more than 90% of backcrosses of (B/Jas x Chbb: HM)FI to B/Jas were resistant to viral inoculation. The encephalitis in B/Jas rabbits resembled human herpes simplex encephalitis, in that the temporal lobe as well as the brain stem were affected preferentially, leading to the development of various types of seizures, such as circling, loss of balance leading to a fall, and tonic and clonic convulsions. The disease could be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis before onset of seizures, and diseased rabbits showed a marked lymphopenia at onset of seizures. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Stability studies of the components of a prototype penicillinase (β-lactamase)-linked ELISA kit

Penicillinase (β-lactamase) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for various reproductive hormones developed in the laboratory were found to have wide applicability in the fertility check clinic of the Institute. A need was thought to transform these assays into ready-to-use kit forms. Therefore, prototype ELISA kits for these hormones were developed and stability of the individual component was ascertained at various temperatures (room temperature, 37°C and 2-8°C). Stability studies were conducted on previously validated assay for pregnanediol-3α-glucuronide (PdG). The studies showed that immunosorbents (antibody coated plates) are stable at room temperature for a period of 2 weeks, at 37°C for 1 week and at 2-8°C for a period of 9 months when preserved after treatment with glycerol solution. The lyophilised conjugate, standard and immunoassay buffer, colour reagent, and its substrate were stable at 37°C up to 1 week and at room temperature up to 2 weeks and at 2-8°C for a period of 6 months, during which the stability was studied. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Chemical and enzymatic treatment of endothelin

Endothelin-1 (ET), the most potent vasoconstrictor yet discovered, is a peptide containirig 21 amino acids with two intrachain disulfide bridges. With the aim of obtaining two-chain derivatives, Et was submitted to chemical and enzymatic treatments. Reaction of ET with CNBr in 70% HCOOH gave, in addition to the expected [Hse⁷ lactone]-7,8-seco-ET and unreacted material, a by-product whose molecular weight was 25 m.u. greater than that of ET. When the reaction mixture, after lyophilisation, was immediately quenched with NH3-saturated dry MeOH, two products could be recovered in a 5:1 ratio, both obtained by nucleophilic attack of the homoserine lactone: the expected [Hse⁷-NH₂]-7,8-seco-ET and [Hse⁷]ET, resulting from competitive intramolecular reaction of the deprotonated α-amino group of the Asp⁸ residue. The Lys⁹-Glu¹⁰ bond turned out to be very resistant to enzymatic attack both by Lys-C-endopeptidase and trypsin. The 9,10-seco-ET derivative could be obtained by treatment with Lys-C-endopeptidase only by using a high enzyme/ET ratio and after a prolonged incubation time. Cleavage of the Lys⁹-Glu¹⁰ bond could not be achieved by treatment with trypsin, even with a high enzyme/substrate ratio. The main product was 13, 14-seco-ET, deriving from the action of chymotripsin (present as an impurity in the trypsin preparation) on Tyr¹³. The structure of these peptides was confirmed by amino-acid sequence analysis and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS). Nicking of the ET structure at different positions had different impact on the biological properties of the resulting derivatives. © Munksgaard 1995.     

海风藤及其代用品药理作用的比较研究

选择经典的实验指标，对海风藤及其３种代用品山Ｊｕ，石楠藤有毛Ｊｕ的药理作用进行了比较研究，结果表明海风藤，山Ｊｕ和毛Ｊｕ在抗炎，镇痛和抗血小板聚集方面均有效，其中海风藤作用最强，其次为山Ｊｕ，毛Ｊｕ石楠藤没有明显的抗炎作用，其抗血小板聚集及止痛作用稍强于毛Ｊｕ。     

Approved indications of lipo-PGE1 in Japan

For its peripheral vascular dilating effect and platelet agglutination inhibitory activity, prostaglandin E₁ is used in the treatment of diseases which are likely to cause peripheral circulatory failure or thrombus. In Japan, lipo-PGE₁, which was developed to give it a target-directed nature by modifying the conventional PGE₁, has been used and found to be useful in clinical practice. In this report, we attempt to describe the clinical benefits of lipo-PGE₁ focusing on the diseases which have been approved for its indications.     

Comparison of the enzymatic and edema-produscing activities of two venom phospholipase A2 enzymes

The edema-producing activity of NNAVPLA₂, an acidic phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) enzyme from Naja naja atra venom (NNAV), was less potent than that of TMVPLA₂ II, a basic PLA; from Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus venom (TMV). These edema-forming effects were greatly suppressed by pretreatment of rats with diphenhydramine/ methysergide or compound 48/80, which reduced the tissue content of histamine and serotonin. Heparin abolished and suppressed the paw edema caused by protamine and TMVPLA₂ II, respectively, but had no effect on the NNAVPLA₂-induced response. In isolated rat peritoneal mast cells, both PLA₂ concentration dependently induced the release of histamine and β-glueuronidase. Again, TMVPLA₂ II was more potent than NNAVPLA₂. This degranulation effect of mast cells caused by TMVPLA₂ II and protamine was inhibited by heparin, while that caused by NNAVPLA₂ was unaffected. The edema-forming and mast cell degranulation effects were greatly decreased in both PBPB-modified NNAVPLA₂ and PBPB-modified TMVPLA₂ II, in which the catalytic activity of the enzymes was completely lost. PBPB-modified TMVPLA₂ II-induced paw edema was also suppressed by heparin. Furthermore, this edematous response was totally reversed in rat pretreated with aspirin in combination with diphenhydramine and methysergide. These results suggest that the edema-forming effect of PLA₂ is probably dependent on the presence of catalytic, positive charge and pharmacological sites on its molecule.     

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in the rat: A study of inflammatory and immunological mechanisms

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) can be produced by systemic injection of endotoxin (ET). It is not clear yet why exclusive ocular involvement occurs in this model. To clarify this question and to establish the sequence of inflammatory events, EIU was induced in Lewis rats by footpad injection of Salmonella ET. Ocular inflammatory response (anterior chamber cells and proteins), aqueous inflammation mediators (thromboxane B₂, prostaglandin E₂, leukotriene B₄ and substance P) and MHC class 2 (Ia) antigen expression in the ciliary body were monitored for 72 hours. Thromboxane B₂ was detected early in the aqueous humor, peaking already 1 hour after ET injection. Prostaglandin E₂ & leukotriene B₄ peaks and a second peak of thromboxane B₂ were recorded 18 hours after ET-injection, at the time of maximal ocular inflammation. MHC-class 2 expression was first detected in the ciliary body stroma at the vascular level 6 hours after ET injection and was massively expressed in the ciliary body epithelium at 18 and 72 hours. It is hypothetized that ciliary body endothelium is particularly sensitive to the effect of ET and is the site of thrombocyte adherence. Vascular damage leads in succession to cellular infiltration, release of inflammation mediators and disruption of blood-ocular barrier. MHC-class 2 expression is a secondary phenomenon and is probably at the origin of additional tissue damage from immune effector mechanisms.     

Accumulation of carbon disulphide metabolites

Summary Biological monitoring for carbon disulphide (CS₂) exposure performed using the iodine-azide test (IAT) and 2-thiothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) test in urinalysis of workers with high exposure to CS₂ (112–142 mg/m³, n = 34), workers with low exposure (4–7 mg/m³, n = 16), and non-exposed university workers (n =10). Pre-shift and post-shift urine specimens were collected on three consecutive days in the exposed and for only one day in the non-exposed. According to the findings the specificity and the sensitivity seem to be low for the IAT and high for the TTCA test. Contrary to a previous report all pre-shift urine samples showed negative IATs. The TTCA test was positive in pre-shift urine even after 32 to 63.5 h without exposure, and values tended to increase during consecutive days of exposure in highly exposed workers.The possible health implications of these findings should be further investigated.     

2-甲酰(乙酰)取代喹啉缩氨基硫脲的合成

缩氨基硫脲类化合物有抗肿瘤、抗病毒和抗菌等多种药理活性。Barret等首次报道了乙二醛二缩氨基硫脲(Ⅰ)的抗疟活性。Klayman等研究了缩