Retinal specificity in eye fragments: investigations on the retinotectal projections of different quarter-eyes in Xenopus laevis

According to Sperry's chemoaffinity hypothesis, the projection of a small eye fragment with a reduced amount of optic fibres should be restricted to that position in the optic tectum corresponding to its own specificity. However, previous investigations on different types of quarter-eyes in Xenopus laevis have revealed that their retinal projection was always restricted to the rostral part of the tectum, no matter what the origin of the remaining retinal quadrant. To get an indication of the state of specificity in such eye fragments, we investigated by electrophysiological and histological methods several features of the retinal projections of temporoventral (TV), naso-ventral (NV) and ventral (V) quarter-eyes which referred to their positional identity. Irrespective of their different origins, the projections were always located in the rostral part of the tectum, the size of the innervated tectal area depending for all fragment types on the size of the quarter-eyes, i.e. number of optic fibres. However, quantitative analyses revealed that with increasing eye size the various fragments expand their projections preferentially into those tectal areas that match their original specificity: TV projection is more concentrated in the rostral tectum, NV eyes expand their projections mainly to the caudal tectum, and V eyes enlarge their projections equally into the medial and caudal tectum. In addition, fibre-tracing experiments with cobaltic lysine showed that, according to the different origins of the quarter-eyes, retinal fibres follow the appropriate branch of the optic tract selectively: fibres of NV and V eyes pass mainly through the medial tract, and most fibres of TV eyes innervate the rostral tectum directly from a central position between the two side branches. All these findings suggest that the different types of quarter-eyes retain their original positional identity. Thus, their rostrally located retinotectal projections are not in register with their retinal specificity. We conclude that in X. laevis local positional markers in the tectum, if present at all, do not influence the development of the retinotectal projection. Instead we suggest a concept of self-sorting of the optic fibres, which can account for the partial innervation of the rostral tectum in different types of quarter-eyes.     

Plant cardiac glycosides and digoxin Fab antibody

The potential application of the Digoxin Fab antibody (Wellcome Digibind) in the clinical management of plant poisoning was investigated. The cardiac glycoside contents of various Australian plants were studied using immunoassay techniques. The cross-reactions of the Fab antibody and two digoxin assay antibodies against extracts of these plants were also studied. Results obtained indicated that the Digibind antibody cross-reacted with a wide range of glycosides contained in Australian plants and therefore could be of use in the treatment of life-threatening plant poisoning.     

新型重组人源抗狂犬病毒糖蛋白单链抗体的制备及活性分析

目的：利用大肠杆菌表达新型人源抗狂犬病毒糖蛋白单链抗体ScFv,并验证其活性。方法：采用基因融合获得ScFv基因,构建重组表达质粒pET-22b（＋）-ScFv,转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）,经IPTG诱导获得高效表达。结果：Western印迹显示目的蛋白表达正确,表达产物以包涵体形式存在,经Ni-NTA柱纯化和体外复性,获得纯度达90%的ScFv蛋白。ELISA结果显示在PBS及人血清中ScFv的结合稳定性有所提高,流式细胞术证明目的蛋白能靶向结合狂犬病毒,通过中和效价测定实验测得ScFv的中和效价为40 U/mg。结论：成功利用原核表达系统实现了对人源抗GPRV ScFv的表达,并且具有一定的中和活性。     

Calcium transport and ATPase activity in mitochondria and fragments of sarcoplasmic reticulum of the heart and muscles of rabbits with hypercholesteremia

Keeping rabbits on a high-cholesterol diet (1 g/kg) for 3–7 months led to an increase in cholesterol concentration in the mitochondrial membranes and fragments of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SPR) of the myocardium and skeletal muscles. Saturation of the membranes with cholesterol led to a decrease in efficiency of the Ca-pump of the SPR, as reflected in lowering of the Ca/ATP ratio and an increase in the outflow of Ca⁺⁺ from the SPR. Under these conditions the rate of accumulation of Ca⁺⁺ was higher in SPR than in the mitochondria. Activity of mitochondrial Mg⁺⁺-activated 2,4-DNP-ATPase was reduced in hypercholesteremia.Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Biochemistry, Institute of General Pathology and Pathological Physiology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. M. Chernukh.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 89, No. 3, pp. 292–294, March, 1980.     

生物工程技术制备人源抗-HBs Fab 片段

目的：用生物工程技术制备人源性抗-HBsFab。方法：将从抗体文库中筛选出的人源抗-HBsFab基因克隆入pBAD/gⅢA载体，进而转化Tpo10大肠杆菌，对重组质粒菌发酵表达后，利用Ni-NTA-Agarose螯合层析柱纯化周质腔可溶性Fab蛋白。对所得包涵体依次变性，溶解，纯化后，利用透析进行复性，用Western blot检测Fab蛋白的特异性，Dot blot测定其生物学活性。结果：经Ni-NTA-Agarose柱纯化的周质腔可溶性Fab蛋白，有较好的生物学活性，并且总量达到80mg/L。对所获包涵体进行透析复性后，也可得到少量有活性的蛋白，但比例很小。结论；用pBAD/gⅢA-Top10表达系统表达人源抗-HBsFab片段，发酵培养后，经有效纯化可得到生物学活性较好的可溶性蛋白。为人源抗-HBsFab片段的大量制备提供了有效手段。     

Reversal of toxic and non-toxic effects of digoxin by digoxin-specific fab fragments in isolated human ventricular myocardium

Summary The time course of the reversal of toxic and nontoxic effects of digoxin by digoxin-specific antibody fragments (Fab) was measured in isolated human ventricular myocardium. A concentration of 2×10^–6 mol/l digoxin was used to produce positive inotropy followed by mechanical signs of toxicity. After addition of a 1.5-fold higher molar concentration of digoxin-specific Fab, signs of toxicity disappeared within 30 min and digoxin-induced force of contraction decayed with a monoexponential time course with a half-life of 52 min. This rate of decay was almost identical to that observed for the dissociation of the digoxin-(Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase complex in human heart cell membranes. It is concluded that (a) digoxin-specific Fab are capable of completely removing digoxin from its binding sites, (b) the maximal rate of removal of digitalis glycosides from the (Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase is limited by the dissociation rate constant, and (c) there is a close correlation between the degree of binding of digitalis glycosides to the (Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase and the increase in force of contraction.Abbreviation Fab Fragment antibody binding (digitalis antidote)     

抗人肝癌单克隆抗体嵌合Fab在巴氏毕赤酵母中的高效分泌表达

目的:通过分步整合,用巴氏毕赤酵母表达抗人肝癌单克隆抗体(mAb)HAb18的嵌合Fab(cFab)片段。方法:将抗人肝癌mAbcFab/HAb18基因的原核表达载体pET32a/cFab中的CL和Fd段基因,分别亚克隆到酵母表达载体pPIC9K和pPICZαA中,构建重组质粒pPIC9K/CL和pPICZαA/Fd并测序鉴定。将重组质粒pPIC9K/CL和pPICZαA/Fd分步整合到酵母菌GS115的染色体上,经G418和Zeocin筛选高拷贝的转化子及鉴定Mut表型后,用含5mL/L甲醇的培养基诱导表达。结果:成功地表达抗人肝癌mAbHAb18的cFab,表达水平为26mg/L。Westernblot鉴定证实,表达产物具有良好的与HAb18结合的活性和特异性。结论:cFab/HAb18在巴氏毕赤酵母获得表达,为对其进一步大规模的生产和临床应用奠定了基础。     

Raji 细胞系特异性Fab噬菌体抗体库的构建及筛选

目的构建针对B细胞淋巴瘤Raji细胞系噬菌体抗体库并从中筛选出特异性的抗体。方法以Raji细胞免疫BALB/c小鼠,RT-PCR法从脾淋巴细胞中扩增抗体轻链к和重链Fd基因。经SacI/XbaI和XhoI/SpeI双酶切,依次克隆入噬菌体载体pComb3H-SS中,并电转化大肠杆菌XL1-Blue,以辅助噬菌体VCSM13进行超感染,构建B细胞淋巴瘤Raji细胞系特异性Fab噬菌体抗体库。以Raji细胞为抗原进行筛选,获得抗Raji细胞的抗体,通过ELISA法进行抗原结合活性的测定,并对所得阳性克隆进行基因测序分析。结果构建了容量为2.18×107的抗人B细胞淋巴瘤Raji细胞系的Fab噬菌体抗体库,并筛选获得了与Raji细胞系特异性识别结合的8株阳性克隆。对其中两个阳性克隆进行基因序列分析,结果显示其重链可变区、轻链可变区分别与免疫球蛋白基因库中已注册的鼠源性免疫球蛋白重链可变区和轻链可变区序列具有高度同源性。结论成功地构建Fab噬菌体抗体库并筛选出针对Raji细胞系膜抗原的抗体,为进一步研究B细胞淋巴瘤的免疫治疗提供了实验基础。     

Matrix metalloproteinase expression in basal cell carcinoma: relationship between enzyme profile and collagen fragmentation pattern

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) with collagenolytic and gelatinolytic activities are up-regulated in basal cell carcinoma. In the present study we demonstrate that the major collagenolytic enzyme detected is MMP-1 (interstitial collagenase) while gelatinolytic enzymes include both MMP-2 (72-kDa gelatinase A) and MMP-9 (92-kDa gelatinase B). Significant fractions of all three enzymes are present as active forms. In spite of the fact that high levels of gelatinolytic enzymes are present, the major fragmentation products resulting from digestion of intact type I collagen are the 1/4 and 3/4 fragments (products of MMP-1-mediated digestion). Thus, it appears that the gelatinolytic enzymes are not capable of degrading the collagen fragments as rapidly as they are produced. Since previous studies have demonstrated that interaction of interstitial fibroblasts with high molecular weight fragments of type I collagen leads to increased MMP production, the present results suggest a mechanism underlying altered function of stromal elements in the connective tissue adjacent to the growing neoplasm.     

Renal metabolism of corticosteroid hormones

Summary IK and STF from male and female rats have been used to study in vitro the renal metabolism of B. in male rat tissue four lipid soluble metabolites (I–IV) have been found, I+II being more polar and III+IV being less polar than B. I and II have been identified as 11-dehydro-20-hydroxy-B and 20-hydroxy-B. The structure of III and IV remains to be determined. Renal tissue from female rats produced predominantly III indicating sexual variations of steroid metabolism in kidneys. — The literature has been reviewed which documents that the kidneys in addition to B metabolize A, cortisol, progesterone and other corticosteroids.

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Abbreviations A Aldosterone - B Corticosterone - Alb Albumin - CS Corticosteroids - MCS/GCS Mineralo-/gluco-CS - IK Isolated (perfused) kidney - STF Suspended tubular fragments Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Hi 97/16