SPARC, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein containing the follistatin module, is expressed by astrocytes in synaptic enriched regions of the adult brain

Although extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins play important roles in neural development, their levels are generally believed to decrease in the adult brain. Immunohistochemical analysis indicates that the anti-adhesive ECM glycoprotein SPARC/osteonectin, which contains a follistatin ‘module’, is expressed in the adult rabbit nervous system. In the cerebellum, SPARC is present in Bergmann glia, with a strong signal along their radial fibres. SPARC, while enriched in membrane fractions, is not a transmembrane protein. In the hippocampus, colocalization of SPARC is observed in cells which express the astrocytic marker GFAP. The expression of SPARC by a subset of astrocytes, particularly in synaptic enriched areas, suggests a continuing role for the ECM in the adult brain.     

Retardation of pain development: a case of recovery from congenital insensitivity to pain

Congenital analgesia is a rare genetic disorder. We report here that a 12-year-old boy was able to recover from congenital insensitivity to pain. Neurological examinations revealed that there was a 'stocking' distribution of pain decrement on the lower extremities under the patient's knee joints. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of his brain showed gyrus thinning with sulcus widening at both sides of the parietal lobe. Southern blot hybridization probed with cDNAs of various opioid receptors did not detect any significant abnormality. Our results suggest that this rare case may not be genetically determined.     

苯DNA加合物研究进展(综述)

苯ＤＮＡ加合物研究进展（综述）李桂兰，常平综述徐伯洪审校（中国预防医学科学院劳动卫生与职业病研究所，北京１０００５０）我国职业接触苯的工人约有５０万，长期接触苯可引起白血病。苯与其它实质性肿瘤的问题也有报道［１，２］。世界癌症研究机构（ＩＡＲＣ）１９...     

赖型钩端螺旋体重组DNApCX7的特异性鉴定和限制性内切酶谱分析

本实验将赖型钩端螺旋体（简称钩体）ＤＮＡ基因库的克隆ｐＣＸ７制备成￣（３２）Ｐ－重组ＤＮＡ探针，对８个不同血清群的１７株问号状钩体、双曲钩体ＰａｔｏｃⅠ株以及细螺旋体３０５５株ＤＮＡ进行打点杂交；同时用１５种ＤＮＡ片断进行限制性内切酶谱分析。结果表明，该重组ＤＮＡ具有问号状钩体种（Ｓｐｅｃｉｅｓ）特异性，但与不同问号状钩体之间的同源性程度有差别；限制性内切酶谱分析发现ｐＣＸ７重组ＤＮＡ片段长约１．７ｋｂ，具有１个Ｂｇ１Ⅱ识别位点和３个ＢｓｔＢ１识别位点。     

Detection of IgA protease from Haemophilus influenzae by immunoblotting

IgA protease produced by various strains of Haemophilus infuenzae can digest serum IgA and yield its fragments which can react with anti-IgA serum. We assayed IgA protease activity by detecting the digests of IgA by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. The digests were separated with SDS-PAGE, transferrend to nitrocellulose membranes and detected with anti- ( chain of human IgA, its Fab and its Fc) immunoglobulin conjugated peroxidases.Using this method, we can determine which type of IgA protease is produced by various of H. infuenzae strains. All the 20 strains isolated from respiratory tracts produced IgA protease.     

Recognition of an extensive range of IgE-reactive proteins in cod extract

Allergy to fish is one of the most common food allergies. Gad c 1 is the only fish allergen which has been purified and characterized. Other allergens have been detected by Western blot in cod extracts. We have now improved the Western-blot procedure in order to characterize fish IgE-reactive proteins from extracts prepared under different conditions: pre-rigor mortis and postrigor mortis. EDTA addition or not. and DEAE ion-exchange chromatography. Several IgE-reactive protein bands have been identified over a wide molecular-weight range. In particular, the 104- and 130-kDa IgEreactive protein bands were detected. These new bands may correspond to aggregates, as EDTA increased the relative amount of the 60-, 67-, 104-, and 130-kDa IgE-reactive protein bands in Western blot. All these bands were also detected by an antiparvalbumin monoclonal antibody, specific to the first calcium-binding site. The longer period of storage increased the relative amounts of the 41-, 80-, 104-. and 130-kDa IgE-reactive protein bands. The 18-kDa band was detected only in fish stored for several days. In conclusion, we have described IgE-reactive protein bands over a wide molecular-weight range (12–130 kDa) in Western blot of cod extract, and shown that EDTA and storage conditions may influence the relative distribution of IgE-reactive protein bands.     

Tumor cells induced by the v-src oncogene are heterogeneous for expression of markers of mesenchyme differentiation

The observation that v-src-induced tumors contain tumor cells of differing morphology, notably fibroblastoid or polygonal, raised the question as to whether the tumor cells are also heterogeneous with respect to expression of markers of cellular differentiation. Of the markers tested here, consistent reactivity for tumor tissue was noted only for antibody probes reactive to muscle actin (HHF35, sm-1) or to procollagen type I (SP1. D8); for any given tumor, whether induced by v-src DNA or by Rous sarcoma virus, each of these markers was found only in a subpopulation of tumor cells. The observation of marker heterogeneity in the one v-src DNA-induced tumor examined here that typed as monoclonal suggests that v-src-induced transformation is consonant with a degree of plasticity in the phenotypes of the clonal progeny of a single transformant.     

Histidine-rich protein genes and their transcripts in Plasmodium falciparum and P. lophurae

The presence of histidine-rich protein (HRP) related genes and gene products in Plasmodium falciparum was demonstrated using a synthetic pentahistidine-encoding oligonucleotide and a cloned HRP cDNA probe prepared from the avian parasite P. lophurae. In Northern blotting experiments, two knobby clones of P. falciparum were found to contain a 3500 nucleotide RNA species that hybridized with the oligonucleotide and HRP cDNA probes. As this component had the expected size for an mRNA encoding an 80-90 kDa protein and was absent from two knobless clones of P. falciparum, we concluded that it represented a 'knob protein' mRNA. Using the restriction enzyme EcoRI, three identical cross-hydribizing HRP gene fragments were found in the DNA of both knobby and knobless clones of P. falciparum. These fragments differed in size from those present in P. lophurae. These results suggest that the absence of knob protein mRNA in knobless clones is not due to loss of the corresponding gene(s).     

APAAP免疫印迹技术对抗副流感病毒1，3型单克隆抗体识别抗原表位的研究

副流感病毒１，３型（ＰａｒａｉｎｆｌｕｅｎｚａＶｉｒｕｓｔｙｐｅ１，３：ＰＩＶ＿１．３）单克隆抗体（ＭｃＡｂ）应用免疫印迹技术（Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔｔｉｎｇ）识别抗原表位特性。结果表明：ＰＩＶ＿１．３抗原经还原剂处理后，ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ５％～１５％梯度胶电泳，能分辨二十多条清晰的蛋白带。转印后采用碱性磷酸酶抗碱性磷酸酶复合物（ＡＰＡＡＰ）染色，本底浅，呈玫瑰红色带，优于ＨＲＰ染色结果。ＰＩＶ＿１的５株ＭｃＡｂ：ＩＣ＿５、ＩＨ＿６、ＩＨ＿２、ＩＣ＿１０、３Ｄ＿５分别与６８ｋＤ～５０ｋＤ、６８ｋＤ、５８ｋＤ～２７ｋＤ、５５ｋＤ～５０ｋＤ、５０ｋＤ对应ＰＩＶ＿１的蛋白质抗原表位起反应。ＰＩＶ＿３的６株ＭｃＡｂ：２Ａ＿１０、５Ｇ＿３、２Ｄ＿１１、２Ｅ＿１０、２Ｂ＿１２、４Ｆ＿１２与７０ｋＤ、６８ｋＤ、６０ｋＤ～５０ｋＤ、５５ｋｐ～４０ｋＤ、５５ｋＤ、４０ｋＤ对应的蛋白质抗原表位特异结合，说明ＰＩＶ＿１．３的１１株ＭｃＡｂ同对应抗原表位点的结合分布较广，有利于对ＰＩＶ＿１．３抗原的快速、敏感、特异检测。     

Expression of transforming growth factor alpha in human tissues: Immunohistochemical study and Northern blot analysis

Summary The expression of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-) was examined in various human tissues and the fetus, using immunohistochemistry and Northern blot analysis. TGF- immunoreactivity was detected mainly in the epithelial cells of the digestive tract, liver, pancreas, kidney, thyroid, adrenal, skin, mammary gland and genital organs. In the digestive tract, epithelial cells with regenerative change or hyperplastic change showed strong immunoreactivity to TGF-. Peripheral nerve, vessels, megakaryocytes and macrophages in the lung and spleen were also positive for TGF-. By Northern blot analysis the expression of TGF- mRNA was confirmed in the digestive tract, salivary gland, thyroid, kidney and mammary gland. In the human fetus, the nerve tissues, liver, adrenal and kidney were positive for TGF-. Strong immunoreactivity to TGF- was observed in the hepatocytes of the fetus. These findings indicate that TGF- is produced by a variety of nonneoplastic cells in both adult and fetal tissues.