A VIP antagonist distinguishes VIP receptors on spinal cord cells and lymphocytes

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide which also interacts with cells of the immune system. The paucity of specific VIP receptor antagonists has hampered studies of possible receptor heterogeneity and of VIP function. To aid in achieving these goals, a new VIP antagonist, a hybrid between neurotensin and VIP, has been synthesized. This peptide interacted with VIP receptors on spinal cord cells with an affinity 10-fold greater than VIP itself. In contrast, 1000-fold higher concentrations of the antagonist were required to displace labeled VIP from its receptor on lymphoid cells as compared to VIP itself, suggesting VIP receptor heterogeneity between immune and spinal cord cells.     

CGRP免疫反应神经纤维在大鼠胆总管与十二指肠连接处的分布

用免疫组织化学ＡＢＣ法，研究了降钙素基因相关肽（ＣＧＲＰ）免疫反应神经纤维在大鼠胆总管末端与十二指肠连接处的分布。大鼠的胆总管末端有较丰富的ＣＧＲＰ免疫反应神经纤维，它们多呈串珠（膨体）状，少数为无膨体的细长纤维。ＣＧＲＰ－ＩＲ纤维主要分布肌层及血管周围，在神经纤维的附近可见到含ＣＧＲＰ－ＩＲ阳性颗粒的肥大细胞。本实验为神经免疫调节机制的研究提供了形态学依据。     

Urinary excretion of acid-soluble peptides in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

In order to investigate the validity of the hypothesis that acid-soluble peptides (ASP) in urinary excreta can be applied as an index of the protein catabolism of the whole body, we measured the urinary excretion of ASP in 46 normal children and in 18 children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), in which continuous breakdown of skeletal muscle protein is presumed. The mean value of ASP in the children with DMD was significantly higher than that in normal controls. The concentration of ASP was correlated with that of 3-methylhistidine (3MH), which has been proposed as an index of muscle breakdown. This finding indicates that urinary ASP reflects the catabolism of body proteins. No correlation was observed between the concentration of ASP and that of 1-methylhistidine (1MH), which is used as an objective index of meat and fish ingestion. After the administration of bestatin, an inhibitor of leucine aminopeptidase, for 9 months, the urinary ASP concentration of children with DMD increased markedly. This increase is thought to have been directly caused by the bestatin itself. Urinary ASP is therefore apparently a more conveniently applied index of protein catabolism than is urinary 3MH, which requires the application of several restrictions. However, it should not be applied when the effect of bestatin administration is evident.     

Intranasal treatment with ovalbumin but not the major T cell epitope ovalbumin 323–339 generates interleukin-10 secreting T cells and results in the induction of allergen systemic tolerance

BACKGROUND: Nasal administration of major peptide T cell epitopes gives contradictory data on the induction of peripheral tolerance. OBJECTIVE: To compare the prophylactic effect of intranasal treatment (INT) on the development of an allergic response, using either ovalbumin (OVA) or its major T cell epitope OVA 323-339 (OVAp). METHODS: BALB/c mice were treated intranasally with OVA or OVAp and subsequently immunized s.c. with OVA. Anti-OVA-specific antibody, T cell proliferation and cytokine responses were analysed. In an adoptive transfer model using OVAp specific TCR transgenic (Tg) T cells from D011.10 mice, in vivo tracking and characterization of transferred T cells in the cervical, inguinal and bronchial lymph nodes (BLN) and in the spleen were determined by FACS analysis. RESULTS: Prophylactic INT with OVA induced T cell tolerance towards subsequent OVA s.c. immunizations, inhibiting OVA specific T cell proliferation, IgE and IgG1 production, in contrast to INT with OVAp, which was unable to induce tolerance. In vivo analysis of transferred OVA-specific TCR Tg T cells showed that INT with OVA induced a preferential activation of T cells in BLN, as opposed to a broad, systemic activation with OVAp. In vivo, OVAp INT led to faster and more sustained cell division cycles than OVA INT. Ex vivo, tolerance to OVA was associated with the generation of IL-10 secreting CD4(+) T cells in BLN of OVA-treated mice only. CONCLUSION: INT with OVA but not with OVAp led to regional (as opposed to systemic) T cell activation and the induction of IL-10 secreting CD4(+) T cells in BLN, potentially critical steps in the induction of T cell-specific tolerance via the nasal route.     

国产重组人脑钠素与硝普钠用于心脏手术围术期处理的对比研究

目的 对重组人脑钠素（rhBNP）用于心脏手术围术期处理的可行性、安全性和有效性进行初步观察，并与硝普钠的作用进行比较。方法 选择择期心脏手术病人22例，随机分为rhBNP组（B组）和硝普钠（SNP）组（s组），每组11例。比较rhBNP与SNP对病人血流动力学和肝肾功能的影响。结果 与给药前和S组比较，B组用药后15、30、60、120和180min各点心输出量增加显著（P〈0．05，P〈0．01）；B组与给药前比较，给药后即刻、15、30和60min时点外周血管阻力下降显著（P〈0．05）；给药后即刻、15和30点与S组比较，下降显著（P〈0．05）。B组肺毛细血管楔压（PCWP）与用药前比较，用药后即刻、15、30、60、120和180min下降显著（P〈0．05，P〈0．01）；与S组比较，给药后30、60、120和180min差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05，P〈0．01）。S组PCWP与用药前比较，用药后60min、120min和180min下降显著（P〈0．05）。B组与输注rhBNP前以及S组比较，平均动脉压、心率和中心静脉压差异均无统计学意义。输注rhBNP后病人24h尿量明显增加。用药过程中以及30d后进行电话随访，未见药物不良反应。结论 rhBNP用于心脏手术围术期处理是可行的，具有改善心功能和稳定循环的作用。     

The Maillard reaction in demineralized dentin in vitro

The Maillard reaction between carbohydrate and protein has been proposed as a cause of the browning of carious lesions. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the occurrence of this reaction in bovine dentin collagen in vitro and to establish the effect of the reaction on the proteolytic degradation of bovine dentin collagen in vitro. Slices of demineralized bovine dentin were incubated with 0.2 M glucose or buffer for 10 weeks at 37°C. The formation of initial (furosine) and advanced (pentosidine) products of the Maillard reaction in dentin exposed to glucose was confirmed by HPLC. After reduction with NaBH₄ to prevent intermediate Maillard products from further reaction, slices were either degraded with collagenase for fluorescence measurement or incubated with trypsin or pepsin to assess enzymatic degradation. Fluorescence characteristic for the Maillard reaction increased in glucose-exposed slices. Degradation of collagen by pepsin, but not by trypsin, was greatly depressed following glucose pretreatment. This may indicate an altered sensitivity to proteolytic degradation; the Maillard reaction thus has a potential role in caries arrestment.     

Effects of synthetic C-terminal fragment of interferon-2α on Daudi cells

Synthetic fragment of human interferon-2α (124th–138th amino acid residue, laboratory code 2438) inhibits the growth of B lymphocytes (Daudi cell line) in a dose-dependent manner. Radiolabeled peptide 2438 binds to specific receptors on the cell surface and competes with interferon-2α for the common binding sites. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 4, pp. 446–448, April, 1997     

Comparison of the photochemical behavior of four different photoactivatable probes

The most commonly used photoaffinity labeling probes are compared, which are aryl azides, aryl diazirines, α-diazocarbonyls and benzophenone-derivatives. The compounds were used under identical conditions and crosslinking efficiency, influence of water, irradiation requirements, and by-products were investigated. Using the pentapeptide thymopentin (TP5) as a model system, we synthesized four analogues by solid-phase peptide synthesis and partially N-terminal modification to obtain [p-(3-trifluoromethyl)diazirinophenylalanine⁵] TP5, [p-benzoylphenylalanine⁵] TP5, 4-azidobenzoyl-TP5 and 2-diazo-3, 3, 3-trifluoropropionyl-TP5. The peptides were characterized by HPLC and ion-spray mass spectroscopy. Irradiation of the peptides with two different ultraviolet sources was carried out in water, n-propanol and water/n-propanol to imitate both hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptide/protein-interactions as well as the influence of the aqueous environment. Analysis of the products with HPLC, ion-spray MS, HPLC-MS and HPLC-CID-MS revealed that (Tmd)Phe is a highly potent carbene-precursor, which can be transformed easily into uniform crosslinking products by smooth photolysis. However, the electrophilic nature of the intermediate causes a high tendency to react with water molecules. The 4-azidobenzoyl group showed comparable crosslinking efficiency, but the probability to create non-uniform irradiation products (e.g. through rearrangement) is higher, whereas the reaction with water is less dominant. In contrast, Bpa was found to have an extremely low affinity to react with water, whereas prolonged UV irradiation is needed to get complete rearrangement into a variety of products. As the absorption band of α-diazocarbonyls at around 350 nm possesses a low extinction coefficient, 2-diazo-3, 3, 3-trifluoropropionyl-TP5 could not be activated at all with the optimized irradiation conditions that we have chosen for our comparative studies. © Munksgaard 1997.     

Induction of antibody responses to breast carcinoma associated mucins using synthetic peptide constructs as immunogens

A strategy for directing and enhancing B cell immune responses against synthetic peptide determinants has been developed in order to produce antibodies specifically against protein epitopes of clinical relevance. A peptide sequence based upon the MUC-1 mucin protein core was selected for this purpose since anti-MUC-1 antibodies have proven diagnostic application and therapeutic potential in human breast and ovarian cancer. Peptide constructs were synthesised co-linearly linking the immunodominant B cell determinant region, PDTRPAP, in the protein core of the MUC-1 mucin, to sequence 111 – 120 of influenza haemagglutinin A/X-31, a determinant recognised by T helper cells through association with MHC class II molecules. Induction of anti-MUC-1 antibodies to the B cell determinant region by immunisation with peptide was shown to be dependent upon both the presence and the position of the T cell determinant. In addition, haplotype mismatching with respect to the T cell determinant resulted in a significant lowering of the anti-MUC-1 antibody response in peptide construct immunised mice. These findings are relevant to the design of immunogens to produce antibodies against peptide epitopes of tumour associated proteins and glycoproteins.