Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopical characterization of cerebrovascular and senile plaque amyloid in aged dogs'' brains

Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopical studies were carried out on 28 aged dogs' brains. Amyloid deposits were seen in the arteries and capillaries in the leptomeninges and in superficial areas of the cortices in 19 (67.9%) of the 28 dogs (10-22 years of age). Immunohistochemically, these amyloid deposits were reactive for anti-beta/A4 antibody. Additionally, a variable number of parenchymal deposits with diffuse beta/A4-immunoreactivity (diffuse plaques) was also noted throughout the cerebral cortex in 24/28 dogs (85.7%). However, these plaque lesions were undetectable in Congo red staining. Electron microscopically, amyloid fibrils, measuring 10 nm in width, were located mainly in the tunica media of the arteries, and in less involved vessels they tended to be present among collagen fibres in the adventitia and smooth muscle cells in the outer layer of the media. The plaque lesions appeared to contain sparse aggregations of amyloid fibrils. In immunoelectron microscopical examinations, all amyloid fibrils in both blood vessels and plaques were selectively labelled by gold particles. These findings indicate that aged dogs can provide a useful experimental model for research into the beta/A4-type of cerebral amyloidosis commonly seen in Alzheimer's disease.     

MMP-2、TIMP-2与碱烧伤后角膜新生血管形成的实验研究

目的:探讨基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)、基质金属蛋白酶-2组织型抑制剂(TIMP-2)在碱烧伤大鼠角膜新生血管(CNV)形成中的表达和意义。方法:采用碱烧伤大鼠角膜建立CNV模型,摘除角膜作病理切片,多形核白细胞(PMN)记数;免疫组化法检测MMP-2、TIMP-2的表达。结果:烧伤后1d角膜缘PMN开始增多,到CNV7d组PMN增加最明显,此后逐渐减少;免疫组化显示:MMP-2在CNV中阳性表达逐渐增加,于7d表达最明显,此后随炎性细胞的减少而减弱,21d后几乎无表达;TIMP-2则于早期变化不明显,7d表达开始升高,14d达高峰。结论:烧伤后CNV形成早期,MMP-2活性增高,继而TIMP-2表达增加,使MMP-2活性受抑,基底膜降解受阻,新生血管延伸停滞;CNV形成中,MMP-2的表达增加,并与角膜的炎性反应程度一致,PMN浸润可能是CNV形成的关键因素。     

酶联免疫吸附试验、间接荧光抗体试验、间接免疫过氧化物酶染色试验诊断人体旋毛虫病的初步研究

用ELISA、IFA和IIP试验检测11例旋毛虫病人血清特异性抗体,阳性率分别为72.72％、81.82％和81.82%。它们之间无统计学差异,3项试验结果间存在良好一致性。 同时检测了30份健康献血员血清和20例其他寄生虫病人血清(包括华支睾吸虫病、四川肺吸虫病、日本血吸虫病、包虫病和阿米巴肝脓肿),旋毛虫病人组的ELISA、IFA和IIP阳性率明显为高。 由于3项免疫学试验均具有较好的特异性和灵敏性,故可以单独或联合用于人体旋毛虫病的诊断和流行病学调查。     

Stimulation by mitogens and neuronal membranes of lymphocytes from patients with motor neurone disease

Stimulation of lymphocytes from motor neurone disease patients by either concanavalin A or PHA was shown to be significantly depressed relative to that from normal controls, as assayed by incorporation of [3H]thymidine or [3H]leucine or by glucose uptake. Corresponding significant differences were not shown by assays based upon incorporation of [3H]uridine or of lactate release. Lymphocytes from 4 out of 14 motor neurone disease patients showed a blastogenic response to membranes from rat spinal cord cells, compared with those from 0 out of 9 normal controls. These results not only suggest the possibility of an impaired cellular immune control in MND patients but also indicate the presence of lymphocytes sensitised specifically to neuronal membrane components.     

Role of retinol in protecting epithelial cell damage induced by Clostridium difficile toxin A

Vitamin A (retinol), a fat-soluble vitamin, is an essential nutrient for the normal functioning of the visual system, epithelial cell integrity and growth, immunity, and reproduction. Our group has investigated the effect of high doses of oral vitamin A on early childhood diarrhea in our prospective community-based studies from Northeast Brazil and found a beneficial role in reducing the mean duration but not incidence of diarrheal episodes. In this study, we explored the role of retinol supplementation in intestinal cell lines following Clostridium difficile toxin A (TxA) challenge. C. difficile is the most common anaerobic pathogen borne with antibiotic-borne diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Since retinol is critical for the integrity of tight junctions and to modulate the cell cycle, we have focused on changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in Caco-2, a more differentiated intestinal cell line, and on models of cell proliferation, migration and viability in IEC-6 cells, an undifferentiated crypt cell line, following TxA injury. In this model, retinol therapy reduced apoptosis, improved cell migration and proliferation, and prevented the reduction in TEER, following C. difficile TxA challenge in a glutamine-free medium. These results suggest the role of retinol in protecting intestinal epithelial barrier function from C. difficile TxA enterotoxic damage.     

Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1A combined with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We report a 24-year-old male with an unusual combination of two inherited neuromuscular disorders – Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease type 1A and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). A phenotypic presentation of this patient included features of both these disorders. Nerve conduction studies revealed demyelinating peripheral neuropathy. Electromyography showed a profound myogenic pattern. The serum creatine kinase level was highly elevated. Muscle biopsy revealed a dystrophic picture with deficient dystrophin immunostaining. CMT1A duplication on chromosome 17p11.2 was found. The frame-shift mutation c.3609–3612delTAAAinsCTT (p.K1204LfsX11) was detected in the dystrophin gene by analysing mRNA isolated from the muscle tissue. The patient inherited both these mutations from his mother. The combination of CMT1A and DMD has not been reported as yet.     

Delayed expression of NADPH-diaphorase in rat brain after administration of the cholinotoxin AF64A

Administration of cholinotoxin etylcholine aziridinium (AF64A) into the brain selectively induces nonrever-sible cholinergic deficit. Wistar rats were injected intracerebroventricularly bilaterally with AF64A at doses of 1–3 nmol/ventricle. 28 days later the number of neurons survived was counted in dorsolateral, intermediate and medial groups of cells of the medial septum. AF64A induced a decrease in neuronal density and expression of cholineacetyl transferase at all doses used as well as in all regions studied. Brain sections were also stained for NADPH-diaphorase representing neuronal NO-synthase. Effects of AF64A on NADPH-diaphorase expression depended on the region studied. The number of NADPH-diaphorase-positive cells increased in the medial cellular group where more cholineacetly transferase-positive cells survived. In contrast, decrease in NADPH-diaphorase expression in the dorsolateral group of cells coincided with low level of cholineacetyltransferase-po-sitive neurons. The data presented suggest that in the AF64A-dependent model of neurodegeneration NO may play a neuroprotective function.