Poly-l-aspartic acid protects cultured human proximal tubule cells against aminoglycoside-induced electrophysiological alterations

Cultured human proximal tubule cell monolayers maintained on permeable supports were treated simultaneously with the aminoglycoside antibiotic, gentamicin, and poly- -aspartic acid (PAA), an inhibitor of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity. Following 4 days of exposure, cell monolayers were placed into Ussing chambers to allow monitoring of transepithelial electrical properties. For each of the three cell isolatation examined, aminoglycoside-induced alterations in electrogenic transport, reflected by changes in short-circuit current (Isc), as well as alterations in paracellular properties, indicated by changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (R_T), were diminished in the presence of PAA. Alterations resulting from selective basolateral exposure to gentamicin were unchanged in the case of apically applied PAA and attenuated only when PAA acid was added basolaterally. This is the first demonstration of PAA inhibition of aminoglycoside-induced cellular alterations involving human cells.     

Effect of amyloid peptides on the increase in TrkA receptor expression induced by nicotine in vitro and in vivo

The ability of nicotine to induce a cytoprotective or neuroprotective action occurs through several down-stream mechanisms. One possibility is that the drug increases the expression of tyrosine kinase A (TrkA) nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors. Certain β-amyloid peptides (e.g., Aβ1–42) have been shown to bind with high affinity to α7 nicotinic receptors and thus interfere with a potentially neurotrophic influence. Treatment of differentiated PC-12 cells with nicotine produced a concentration-dependent increase in cell-surface TrkA receptors that occurred concomitantly with cytoprotection. The effect of nicotine was blocked by either of the α7 receptor antagonists α-bungarotoxin (α-BTX) or methyllycaconatine. The cytoprotective action of nicotine also was inhibited by pretreatment with 10–100 nM Aβ1–42. Nicotine also was administered (four injections of 30 μg, spaced evenly over 24 h) to rats by direct injection into a lateral cerebral ventricle. Brain TrkA expression was increased significantly in hippocampus and entorhinal cortex (up to 32% above control), with no changes found in cerebral cortex or hypothalamus. The nicotine-induced increases in TrKA expression in hippocampus and entorhinal cortex were significantly inhibited by 10 μg α-BTX or by 10 nmol Aβ1–42. Therefore, physiologically relevant concentrations of Aβ1–42 can prevent nicotine-induced TrkA receptor expression in brain regions containing cholinergic neurons susceptible to the neurotoxicity associated with Alzheimer’s disease.     

L158,809和西拉普利对体外培养系膜细胞TGF-β1表达和细胞外基质蛋白分泌的影响

目的：观察血管紧张素受体拮抗剂(ARBs)L158，809和血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)抑制剂西拉普利对体外培养人肾小球系膜细胞转化生成因子(TGF—β1)表达和纤维连接蛋白、层粘连蛋白和Ⅳ型胶原分泌的影响。方法：分别在不同葡萄糖浓度(5.6mmol／L和30mmol／L)和药物浓度(1、10、100和500μmol／L)下体外培养人肾小球系膜细胞，分别于24、48和72h后测定细胞增殖。然后将系膜细胞分为低糖(5．6mmol／L)对照组(LG)、高糖(30mmol／L)对照组(HG)、L158，809(10μmol／L)组和西拉普利(10μmmol／L)组，48h后，分别用RT-PCR法测定TGF-β1表达，ELISA和放射免疫法测定细胞上清液中TGF-β1、纤维连接蛋白、层粘连蛋白和Ⅳ胶原浓度。结果：与低糖对照组相比，高糖对照组系膜细胞过度增殖，细胞上清液中TGF-βl、纤维连接蛋白、层粘连蛋白和Ⅳ胶原浓度明显升高，TGF-βlmRNA表达也显升高；而L158，809组和西拉普利组TGF-β1和细胞外基质(ECM)蛋白水平明显低于高糖对照组，且TGF-β1mRNA水平亦表达明显降低。结论：高糖可刺激体外培养系膜细胞过度增殖，TGF-β1表达增高，ECM蛋白分泌明显增加，而L158，809和西拉普利均可抑制高糖环境下上述现象。     

Ca2+ mobilization in physiologically stimulated single T cells gradually increases with peptide concentration (analog signaling)

We have investigated Ca²⁺ mobilization in single T cells stimulated with their physiological ligand, i.e. antigenic peptide bound to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on antigen-presenting cells (APC). Fibroblasts expressing I-E^d class II molecules were pulsed with a peptide derived from the λ2³¹⁵ immunoglobulin light chain. Onto such antigen-pulsed fibroblasts were sedimented cloned Th1 cells loaded with Fura-2. Changes in cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration in single T cells were continually monitored by use of an imaging system based on fluorometry. Ca²⁺ mobilization was both peptide-specific and MHC-restricted. Within seconds of the initial APC-T cell contact, a Ca²⁺ spike could be observed. The Ca²⁺ response gradually declined over a 25-min period, during which oscillations were noted. Various parameters characterizing the magnitude of the Ca²⁺ response (latency, increase rate, max and mean Ca²⁺ increase, frequency and period of oscillations) all correlated with the amount of peptide used for pulsing the fibroblasts. Thus, Ca²⁺ mobilization in single T cells appears not to be an all or none phenomenon. Rather, activation is incremental (analog signaling), the degree of Ca²⁺ mobilization probably being related to the number of stimulatory peptide-MHC complexes on the surface of the APC. The extent of calcium mobilization and lymphokine production (interleukin (IL)-2, IL-3, interferon-γ) correlated, at least at the population level.     

多抗甲素对人NK细胞活性的作用机理研究

作者应用单细胞细胞毒试验及形态学观察，研究多抗甲素（ＰＡＡ）对人体自然杀伤（ＮＫ）细胞活性的作用机理。结果表明：ＰＡＡ能增强食道癌患者淋巴细胞（ＰＢＬ）明显低下的结合率（Ｂ％）和杀伤率（Ｋ％），也可增强正常人ＰＢＬ的Ｋ％，但对正常人ＰＢＬ的Ｂ％无影响。形态学观察发现：与靶细胞结合的ＰＢＬ除大颗粒ＰＢＬ外，尚有普通的非颗粒ＰＢＬ，结合的靶细胞损伤首先表现为线粒体肿胀、空泡变，然后核固缩，核膜损伤，细胞严重空泡变性等，偶见靶细胞与自然杀伤细胞结合部质膜破损的现象。经ＰＡＡ预处理的靶效细胞结合的形态改变无明显差异，但食道癌组的杀伤作用出现较早，且明显增强。     

Additive effects of CD59 expression in Gal knockout mice in vitro but not in an ex vivo model

Abstract: Transgenic expression of the human complement regulatory molecule CD59 in mice and genetic deletion of the major xenoantigen galactose α 1,3 galactose (Gal KO) each resulted in partial protection of spleen cells from lysis by human serum. These protective effects were additive when the two genetic modifications were combined. However, when the effects of these genetic modifications were examined in an ex vivo model in which mouse hearts were perfused with human plasma, it was Gal KO which was the modification which determined protection. CD59 expression alone was not protective and CD59 expression in combination with Gal knockout did not result in a significant additional increase in protection over and above that provided by Gal knockout alone. The likely explanation for this discrepancy between the in vitro and ex vivo data is that the H2-K^b promoter used to drive CD59 expression results I in substantially less expression on endothelium than on spleen cells.     

Distinct Expression of Cytokines and Mitogenic Inhibitory Factors in Semen of Fertile and Infertile Men

PROBLEM: To assess the effect of seminal plasma (SP) of fertile and infertile men on leukocyte mitogenic response, and the capability of sperm cells to produce IL-1. METHODS: This study included four groups: fertile men (donors, normal), infertile men with azoospermia (azoo), oligo-terato-asthenozoospermia (OTA), and OTA with genital infection (OTA-inf). Mouse spleen cell proliferation in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or Concanavalin-A (Con-A) was examined in the presence of SP from the above four groups. Supernatants (sup) and lysates (lys) of sperm cells from fertile and oligoteratoasthenospermic (OTA) men were evaluated for IL-1 bioactivity by specific bioassay. RESULTS: Seminal plasma (SP) of the four groups were shown to inhibit the mitogenic response of mouse spleen cells to LPS and Con-A. SP of fertile men was significantly more inhibitory than SP from infertile men. Sperm cells from fertile and OTA infertile men constitutively produced IL-1. Sperm cells of both groups produced similar levels of IL-1 as examined in the supernatants and lysates. CONCLUSIONS: Seminal plasma of fertile men had more inhibitory mitogenic activity than that of OTA. Sperm cells constitutively produce IL-1. It is possible that the factors involved in this inhibition are not only anti-proliferative immune factors. Cytokines and inhibitory factors of mitogenesis in the seminal plasma may be involved in the physiology and pathophysiology of sperm functions and thus affect male fertility.     

Intracytoplasmic Lumina in Human Oviduct Epithelium

Intracytoplasmic lumina (ICL) in human oviduct epithelium were investigated with transmission electron microscopy. ICL were found in 43 out of 60 cases examined. They were ultra-structurally characterized by microvilli lining the lumina, periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCH-SP) staining-positive finely granular material in the lumina, and secretory vesicles in the cytoplasm surrounding the lumina. Although ICL were observed at various heights within the epithelium, they were mainly seen in basally located cells that did not face the oviduct lumen. Various stages of formation and development of ICL were observed in the basally located epithelial cells with secretory activities. Primary ICL were originated in the cytoplasm where the secretory granules were aggregated with smooth-surfaced tubular vesicles. Electron microscopic observations after PA-TCH-SP staining revealed that ICL were formed by fusion of the secretory granules with the tubular vesicles. ICL were enlarged into round profiles by further fusion of secretory granules and tubular vesicles, and subsequently opened to the oviduct lumen, or fused to each other to develop into large extracellular cysts within the epithelium.     

人乳头瘤病毒16型DNA转化人胚肺细胞的实验研究

人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)的16,18,31,33型等与宫颈癌的发病有关,其中HPV16与宫颈癌关系密切。为进一步研究HPV16的致癌性,我们用克隆的HPV16 DNA(2μg/10~5细胞)转染体外培养的人胚肺细胞,并进行了细胞存活时间、血清依赖性、着壁依赖性、间接免疫酶检测、HPV16 DNA、同源序列检测、染色体核型等生物学的研究。结果表明,转染细胞存活时间延长、在软琼脂培养基中形成集落、HPV16特异抗原得以表达、HPV16 DNA的同源序列存在于细胞中。表明本实验用HPV16DNA转染的人胚肺细胞具备转化细胞的某些特征,HPV16有使人胚肺细胞转化的作用。