Passively transferable protection against Schistosoma japonicum induced in the mouse by multiple vaccination with attenuated larvae: the development of immunity, antibody isotype responses and antigen recognition

Vaccination of mice with attenuated S. japonicum cercariae induces protection against secondary infection which can be transferred to naive mice with serum (VMS). The presence of antibody does not per se impart protection as serum from mice carrying non-attenuated infections (CIS), contains high levels of specific antibody, but confers no protection. Here we describe the increased protection transferred (20 to 68%) with increased number of vaccinations (one to five) given to the donors, and its decline with time after the final vaccination. We also describe the development of IgM, IgA, IgE, total IgG and IgG subclass responses in VMS, giving different levels of protection and CIS, directed against sodium periodate-sensitive and -resistant epitopes in ‘skin-stage’, ‘lung-stage’and ‘liver-stage’schistosomula, adult worms and eggs. In addition, antibody affinity maturation, development of S. japonicum species-specific responses, and vaccination-specific responses were examined. No response developed in parallel with serum-mediated immunity, suggesting immunity may be due to responses against individual antigens. Preliminary examination of antigens recognized in Western blot showed that two schistosomal membrane antigens, of 13 and 40 kDa, were recognized by VMS from mice vaccinated five times (68% protection), but not by twice vaccinated VMS (27% protection). Neither antigen was recognized by non-protective CIS.     

Concentration-dependent metabolism of diazepam in mouse liver

Previous mouse liver studies with diazepam (DZ),N-desmethyldiazepam (NZ), and temazepam (TZ) confirmed that under first-order conditions, DZ formed NZ and TZ in parallel. Oxazepam (OZ) was generatedvia NZ and not TZ despite that preformed NZ and TZ were both capable of forming OZ. In the present studies, the concentration-dependent sequential metabolism of DZ was studied in perfused mouse livers and microsomes, with the aim of distinguishing the relative importance of NZ and TZ as precusors of OZ. In microsomal studies, theK _ms andV _maxs, corrected for binding to microsomal proteins, were 34 μM and 3.6 nmole/min per mg and 239 μM and 18 nmole/min per mg, respectively, forN-demthylation andC ₃-hydroxylation of DZ. TheK _ms andV _maxs forN-demethylation andC ₃-hydroxylation of TZ and NZ, respectively, to form OZ, were 58 μM and 2.5 nmole/min per mg and 311 μM and 2 nmole/min per mg, respectively. The constants suggest that at low DZ concentrations, NZ formation predominates and is a major source of OZ, whereas at higher DZ concentrations, TZ is the important source of OZ. In livers perfused with DZ at input concentrations of 13 to 35 μM, the extraction ratio of DZ (E{DZ}) decreased from 0.83 to 0.60. NZ was the major metabolite formed although its appearance was less than proportionate with increasing DZ input concentration. By contrast, the formation of TZ increased disporportionately with increasing DZ concentration, whereas that for OZ decreased and paralleled the behavior of NZ. Computer simulations based on a tubular flow model and thein vitro enzymatic parameters provided a poorin vitro-organ correlation. TheE{DZ}, appearance rates of the metabolites, and the extraction ratio of formed NZ (E{NZ, DZ}) were poorly predicted; TZ was incorrectly identified as the major precursor of OZ. Simulations with optimized parameters imporved the correlations and identified NZ as the major contributor of OZ. Saturation of DZN-demethylation at higher DZ concentrations increased the role of TZ in the formation of OZ. The poor aqueous solubility (limiting the concentration range of substrates usedin vitro), avid tissue binding and the coupling of enzymatic reactions in liver, favoring sequential metabolism, are possible explanations for the poorin vitro-organ correlation. This work emphasizes the complexity of the hepatic intracellular milieu for drug metabolism and the need for additional modeling efforts to adequately describe metabolite kinetics. This work was supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada (MA-9104).     

序贯培养对小白鼠胚胎体外发育的影响

目的:探索序贯培养技术对小白鼠胚胎体外发育的影响。方法:将 2 -细胞期的小鼠胚胎随机分为序贯培养组与传统培养组进行培养 ,观察分析两组的 8-细胞期胚胎形成率、桑椹期胚胎形成率及囊胚形成率。结果:序贯培养组 8-细胞期胚胎形成率、桑椹期胚胎形成率及囊胚形成率分别为 70 .5 %、6 8.2 %、6 5 .9% ,传统培养组分别为 4 5 .7%、4 5 .7%、34.3%。两组比较 ,序贯培养组高于传统培养组 ,差异有统计学意义 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :采用适当的培养液进行序贯培养 ,更适合小白鼠胚胎的体外发育     

孟鲁斯特对哮喘模型IL-5mRNA和IL-5蛋白表达的影响

目的 探讨白三烯受体拮抗剂孟鲁斯特(MK)对哮喘小鼠IL-5mRNA、IL-5蛋白表达的影响。方法 采用原位杂交、免疫组化LSAB法,检测哮喘小鼠及孟鲁斯特治疗后哮喘小鼠骨髓细胞IL-5mRNA的表达及肺、骨髓、脾IL-5蛋白的表达情况。 结果 孟鲁斯特可显著减轻哮喘小鼠肺组织炎症细胞浸润、细支气管痉挛、粘液分泌等;亦可减少骨髓IL-5mRNA阳性细胞数(P<0.02),并使骨髓、肺、脾IL-5蛋白表达下降。 结论 白三烯受体拮抗剂孟鲁斯特不仅使肺部炎症显著减轻,也抑制骨髓细胞表达IL-5mRNA、IL-5蛋白,提示白三烯可能通过调节炎症细胞、细胞因子合成来应答过敏原反应。     

Serotonin content is elevated in the dopamine deficient striatum of the weaver mutant mouse

In the present study, we measured the striatal serotonin content of weaver and control mice at different ages. Overall, weaver mutant mice exhibited 50% more striatal serotonin than controls. Neither a rostrocaudal gradient nor an age effect was found for either genotype. An analysis of serotonin content across the dorsoventral extent of the striatum revealed that in the dorsal striatum of the weaver, serotonin content was increased 200%, and in the ventral striatum, the increase amounted to 50% relative to control mice. Serotonin immunocytochemistry also revealed an increase in the dorsal striata of weaver mice. The major increase in striatal serotonin content seen in the weaver striatum occurs in the same region that exhibits the severest dopamine depletion. This observation is consistent with the notion that the increase in serotonin levels may be secondary to the decrease in dopamine content and may play an adaptive or compensatory role.     

小鼠卵细胞质内显微注入单精子受精的实验研究

为了探讨提高小鼠卵细胞质内单精子注入受精率的方法，选取鼠龄１２－１４周的健康昆明白小鼠作为精子和卵子的供体，受用ＩＣＳＩ技术，以受精后二细胞卵裂的形成率为指标，了解不同采卵时间，不同微注射针参数及不同培养液对细胞质单精子注入的影响。结果表明，ｈＣＧ注射后１８－１９ｈ采卵，用针尖内径为４－５μｍ，斜面角度为３５－４０度的微注射针进行ＩＣＳＩ操作受精后卵子置ＣＺＢ中培养可获得较多的２细胞胚，卵裂率明显     

刺玫果对老龄小鼠衰老指标SOD、MDA的影响作用

目的 :研究刺玫果提取物 (喷雾干燥粉 )对衰老小鼠脑、肝组织中超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)和丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响。方法 :SOD测定为黄嘌呤氧化酶法 ,MDA测定为硫代巴比妥酸法。结果 :刺玫果提取物可显著增强老龄小鼠脑和肝SOD活性 ,降低MDA含量。结论 :刺玫果提取物具有一定的抗衰老作用     

In vivo multiple-mouse imaging at 1.5 T.

A multiple-mouse solenoidal MR coil was developed for in vivo imaging of up to 13 mice simultaneously to screen for tumors on a 1.5 T clinical scanner. For the coil to be effective as a screening tool, it should permit acquisition of MRIs in which orthotopic tumors with diameters >2 mm are detectable in a reasonable period of time (<1 hr magnet time) and their sizes accurately measured. Using a spin echo sequence, we demonstrated that this coil provides sufficient sensitivity for moderately high resolution images (156-176 microm in plane-resolution, 1.5 mm slice thickness). This spatial resolution permitted detection of primary brain tumors in transgenic/knockout mice and orthotopic xenografts. Brain tumor size as measured by MRI was correlated with size measured by histopathology (P < 0.001). Metastatic tumors in the mouse lung were also successfully imaged in a screening setting. The multiple mouse coil is simple in construction and may be implemented without any significant modification to the hardware or software on a clinical scanner.     

Epileptic seizure of El mouse initiates at the parietal cortex: depth EEG observation in freely moving condition using buffer amplifier

The initiation site of seizure discharges and the relationship between behavioral manifestations and electroencephalography were investigated in the El mouse, a hereditary epilepsy model. The chronic depth electrodes were implanted stereotaxically into the frontal cortex, parietal cortex, temporal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, amygdaloid complex, non-specific nuclei of thalamus and substantia nigra. Electrical activities were recorded in freely moving condition with use of the buffer amplifier devised in the laboratory and behaviors were monitored simultaneously. Seizure spike discharges started in the parietal cortex and spread out into other brain areas. When the hippocampus was involved, the tonic convulsion occurred behaviorally. The paper describes the first direct evidence of the initiation and propagation of seizure discharges in the brain of El mouse.