Influence of stimulation of the head of the caudate nucleus on the activity of postural muscles during realization of an instrumental defensive reflex

A model of instrumental defensive reflexes associated with the maintenance of a specific posture was used in chronic experiments with four dogs to demonstrate the preferential inhibitory influence of preliminary low-frequency stimulation (2 impulses/sec) of the head of the caudate nucleus in the right and left hemispheres on the electromyographic and mechanographic components of the instrumental defensive reflex effecting the reflex motor program. Subjected to the greatest changes were the postural, components of the electromyogram, which permits the postulate as to the importance of the caudate head in the organization of posture. It was shown that the caudate head is bilaterally involved in the prerelease processes preceeding the instrumental response. At the same time, the difficulty of inhibiting the performance of the actual instrumental task- the avoidance of an electric current- was noted during stimulation of the caudate head in a system of instrumental defensive reflexes.Translated from Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal SSSR imeni I. M. Sechenova, Vol. 68, No. 11, pp. 1488–1499, November, 1982.     

Cloning and analysis of Trypanosoma (Nannomonas) congolense ILNat 2.1 VSG gene

Genes encoding various Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) brucei variable surface glycoproteins (VSGs) show considerable conservation among different members of this species, known as isotypes. The occurrence of isotypes in other salivarian trypanosomes has not been well documented. We have cloned sequences encoding Trypanosoma (Nannomonas) congolense ILNat 2.1 VSG, and used it in DNA blot hybridization analyses of this and other T. congolense clones originating from geographically separate regions of East Africa. The data indicate that the expression of ILNat 2.1 VSG gene proceeds by duplicative transposition resulting in the presence of an extra expression-linked copy in the expressing clones examined. Furthermore the ILNat 2.1 VSG gene sequence is absent or has greatly diverged, in all other T. (N.) congolense clones that belong to different serodemes. This suggests that some T. (N.) congolense VSGs may be limited to their respective antigen repertoires. The data are discussed in the light of their implications for antigenic variation in T. (N.) congolense, and parasite epidemiology.     

Effects of 17 beta-oestradiol on function of lymphocytes from normal donors and patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID).

Effects of oestradiol (E2) have been studied on the in vitro T cell-dependent differentiation of B cells from peripheral blood and spleen using normal donors and patients with the antibody deficiency disease CVID. We also studied whether it modifies T cell DNA synthesis. The effect of E2 was examined on cultures of B cells with T cells for IL-2-driven immunoglobulin secretion or of T cells for phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-driven DNA synthesis. Interestingly, in control experiments without E2, the normal sex difference in immunoglobulin production is reversed in CVID. The data show that for normal individuals there is no major difference between male and female donors in the in vitro actions of E2 on blood B and T lymphocytes. With normal blood B cells, E2 failed to affect IgM production, but it did inhibit IgG. In normal splenic cells, E2 increased both IgM and IgG secretion in a similar way to the tonsillar cell data previously reported. E2 on normal blood T cell DNA synthesis was stimulatory. With blood cells from CVID patients an interesting contrast was seen. As with normal B cells, E2 had no effect on IgM secretion by those CVID blood B cells able to secrete IgM. However, a difference between patients and normals was that E2 did not inhibit the IL-2-driven IgG production by those CVID B cells able to secrete IgG. For T cell function, the stimulatory effect of E2 on CVID T cell DNA was as in normal T cells. However, E2 failed to restore CVID B and T cell function to normal levels. These data suggest that there may be subtle defects in the pathway of action of E2 in CVID lymphocytes.     

LFA-1-dependent OKT3-driven T cell clusters in common variable immunodeficiency.

The triggering of the TCR/CD3 complex by anti-CD3 (OKT3) antibody leads to the formation of T cell clusters. In cultures of T lymphocytes from most normal individuals, the peak of cluster formation occurs at 24 h, but with cells from patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) it was seen earlier at 4-9 h; in addition, the clusters were larger than normal, particularly at 9 h. Cluster formation by CVI and normal cells was dependent on temperature and divalent cations, but did not require Fc receptors. Since OKT3 clustering is known to be dependent on the LFA-1/ICAM-1 adhesion system, the effect of monoclonal antibodies directed against these molecules was tested. A potent inhibitor was the antibody against the common beta chain of the integrin family (CD18), but of four MoAbs against the alpha chains (CD11), three inhibited and one stimulated T cell aggregate formation. Increased expression of LFA-1 or ICAM-1 on CVI patients' T cells could not be demonstrated. The accelerated clustering was therefore probably due to an increase in the proportion of cells carrying the activated form of LFA-1. The formation of large numbers of homotypic lymphocyte clusters might reduce the effective interaction between B and T cells, thus contributing to the depression of immunoglobulin synthesis observed in this disease.     

Fragilitas ossium (fro/fro) in the mouse: A model for a recessively inherited type of osteogenesis imperfecta

The fragilitas ossium (fro/fro) in the mutation in the mouse has been demonstrated to have clinical, radiographic and morphologic manifestations similar to those which arise in autosomal recessive forms of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) occurring in humans. Approximately 90% of mutant offspring in the mouse were perinatally lethal with clinical and roentgenographic findings similar to those of OI type II subgroup A in humans. The 10% of mutant mice surviving follow a course very similar to severe progressively deforming OI type III. In surviving mice, there is progressive fore-limb and hind-limb bowing in the absence of a high fracture frequency.     

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and MxA-protein expression in blood leucocytes.

The underlying immunopathogenic mechanism of CVID has been suspected to involve a chronic viral infection or an autoimmune condition. However, formal proof of viral infection is lacking. Measurement of MxA-protein in leucocyte lysates is a sensitive test for evaluating the activation of the host's interferon system. Both viral infections and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) strongly induce MxA-protein in peripheral leucocytes. We therefore examined 15 patients with longlasting hypogammaglobulinaemia for MxA-protein induction in vivo: 13 patients suffered from CVID, one from hyper-IgM syndrome, and one patient had chronic B lymphocytic leukaemia associated with immunoglobulin deficiency and chronic papilloma virus infection (condylomata accuminata). Only the latter patient exhibited a strong MxA-protein expression; two CVID patients were borderline positive, and the remaining 12 patients including the hyper-IgM syndrome were MxA-protein-negative. There was no relationship between MxA expression and low CD4/CD8 ratios or increased CD8/CD57+ T cell counts, although both conditions are often observed in CVID as well as in chronic viral infections. When exposed in vitro to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), peripheral blood leucocytes of four MxA-negative patients were capable of producing normal amounts of MxA-protein. Taken together, these results argue against a viral or autoimmune pathogenesis of CVID.     

骨髓瘤细胞免疫球蛋白重链基因可变区的研究

为分析多发性骨髓瘤 (multiplemyeloma,MM )细胞对免疫球蛋白重链基因可变区 (VH)基因家族的取用 ;根据VH 基因突变特点 ,揭示MM细胞的起源。以重链基因可变区 (VH1 VH6 )基因家族特异性引物 ,用PCR法扩增骨髓瘤细胞系CZ 1细胞和 98例MM患者外周血单个核细胞VH 基因片段 ,纯化后的PCR产物和pMD18 T载体连接并转化JM10 9细菌 ,经克隆鉴定后 ,目的DNA片段用末端双脱氧法测定DNA序列 ,和其对应的胚系基因序列比较。结果表明MM细胞对各VH 基因家族的取用顺序为VH3>VH1>VH4 >VH2 >VH5 >VH6 ;MM细胞VH 基因互补决定区 (CDR )氨基酸替换性突变 (R突变 ) /氨基酸静寂性突变 (S突变 )等于 9 6 7,而骨架区 (FR )R/S等于 0 87,而且随着疾病的进展 ,IgVH 基因并不发生进一步的突变。结论是MM前体细胞在进行VDJ基因重排时 ,对VH 基因家族的取用和基因家族相对大小有关 ;MM细胞可能起源于已经发生抗原选择和体细胞突变的B记忆细胞或前浆细胞。     

布氏显微镜活血分析: 细胞流变学研究的新方法

布氏显微镜活血分析：细胞流变学研究的新方法骆秉铨＊黄荣国＊陈兴新＊细胞流变学是研究血细胞流动变形的科学，在方法学上发展了一些比较成熟的方法，但多不能直接动态观察细胞水平的真实改变，有待完善和创新。我们采用布氏多功能显微镜的活血分析法［１］，在高放大倍...