Effect of alpha-fetoprotein on isolated mouse oocytes

Data are presented which indicate a possible action of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) on female germinal cells. The in vitro maturation of mature mice oocytes was significantly inhibited when mouse AFP replaced albumin in the culture medium. In addition, the degenerative aspect of oocytes cultured with AFP seemed to indicate that this me?otic inhibition was caused by a premature degeneration of oocytes rather than by a blockage at a specific stage of maturation. Thus AFP, perhaps through its ligands, may play a role in the reduction of germinal cells during fetal and immediate post-natal life rather than in the arrest of me?osis at the diplotene stage.     

Partial deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase with reduced affinity for PP-ribose-P in four related males with gout

Summary A family is described in which four affected males, spanning two generations, have hyperuricemia and gout accompanied by hematuria but are without severe neurologic involvement. The affected males were found to have markedly reduced levels of erythrocytic hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) activity; these were 5–12% with hypoxanthine and 0.5–3% with guanine as compared to controls. Erythrocytic adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) was approximately three-fold elevated in the affected individuals.The residual HGPRT activity in affected males enabled characterization of some of the properties of this mutation. The apparent Michaelis constants (km) for both hypoxanthine and guanine were essentially unchanged, whereas the km for PP-ribose-P was approximately 10–20-fold elevated for all four affected males. The enzyme was more sensitive to product inhibition by IMP and GMP than controls, and exhibited greater thermal lability at 65°C than found with control lysates.     

Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibits nerve growth factor binding to the high affinity (type I) nerve growth factor receptor

Dorsal root ganglia were extirpated from 9-day old embryonic chickens and solubilized in phosphate buffered saline containing 0.5% Noniodet P 40 detergent. When nerve growth factor binding studies are performed on these samples, the expected curvilinear Rosenthal (Scatchard) plot is obtained. However, when the solubilized cell sample is made 1-2 mM in phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and nerve growth factor binding is determined, a linear Rosenthal (Scatchard) plot is obtained. The equilibrium dissociation constant obtained from the slope of the line is 1.9 X 10(-9) M, identical to the equilibrium dissociation constant of the low affinity receptor. A similar phenomenon is observed when rat pheochromocytoma cells are solubilized in the non-ionic detergent and nerve growth factor binding is determined. No high affinity binding can be detected for either cell type when detergent solubilized cells are incubated with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride.     

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Interferes on Dendritic Cells Maturation by Inhibiting PGE2 Production

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis, endemic in most Latin American countries, especially in Brazil, whose etiologic agent is the thermodimorphic fungus of the genus Paracoccidioides, comprising cryptic species of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, S1, PS2, PS3 and Paracoccidioides lutzii. The mechanisms involved in the initial interaction of the fungus with cells of the innate immune response, as dendritic cells (DCs), deserve to be studied. Prostaglandins (PGs) are eicosanoids that play an important role in modulating functions of immune cells including DCs. Here we found that human immature DCs derived from the differentiation of monocytes cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 release substantial concentrations of PGE₂, which, however, were significantly inhibited after challenge with P. brasiliensis. In vitro blocking of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) by monoclonal antibodies showed the involvement of mannose receptor (MR) in PGE₂ inhibition by the fungus. In addition, phenotyping assays showed that after challenge with the fungus, DCs do not change their phenotype of immature cells to mature ones, as well as do not produce IL-12 p70 or adequate concentrations of TNF-α. Assays using exogenous PGE₂ confirmed an association between PGE₂ inhibition and failure of cells to phenotypically mature in response to P. brasiliensis. We conclude that a P. brasiliensis evasion mechanism exists associated to a dysregulation on DC maturation. These findings may provide novel information for the understanding of the complex interplay between the host and this fungus.     

Differential effects of concanavalin A, serum and cytokines on proteoglycan elaboration and DNA synthesis by mononuclear cells from human peripheral blood.

Human blood derived mononuclear cell (MC) cultures required concanavalin A (Con A) stimulation to synthesize and secrete into the medium high levels of a protease-resistant proteoglycan (PG) containing predominantly chondroitin sulfate (CS), which was elaborated largely by T-cells in culture. PG and DNA synthesis were studied in MC cultures in the absence and presence of Con A as well as serum and some biologically active polypeptide factors. In the presence of Con A, stimulation of PG synthesis was substantially greater in T-cell enriched cultures than in B-cell enriched cultures. DNA synthesis was also stimulated in the presence of Con A. This stimulation was concentration-dependent, but required the presence of serum for additional responses. DNA and cell proliferation were stimulated by interleukin-2 (IL-2), but PG production was not stimulated by conditioned media, IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, or transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Our results indicate that the elaboration of PG from T-cells of human MC is independent of the effects of regulatory peptides on cell proliferation and DNA synthesis.     

Prey-capture techniques and prey preferences of Corythalia canosa and Pystira orbiculata, ant-eating jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae)

Corythalia canosa from Florida is an unusual salticid because it is known to eat ants. This species' specialized behaviour for catching ants is described in detail for the first time and compared to its behaviour for catching other insects. Pystira orbiculata from Queensland is shown to be another ant-eating salticid, although its behaviour for catching ants seems less specialized than that of C. canosa. Three different types of tests of prey preference were carried out. In each type of test C. canosa and P. orbiculata took ants in preference to other insects. Another species of salticid, Trite planiceps from New Zealand, failed to eat ants in these tests, although T. planiceps often attacked then released the ants. Corythalia canosa's and P. orbiculata's preference for ants, and their prey-specific predatory behaviour for catching ants, are shown not to depend on prior experience with ants.     

ANATOMICAL STUDIES REVEAL NEW PHYLOGENETIC INTERPRETATIONS IN LISSACHATINA (PULMONATA: ACHATINIDAE)

This is essentially a preliminary report on the revision ofsubgenus Lissachatina of the African land snail family Achatinidae.It extends the conchological revisionary work of J.C. Bequaert(1950) along the complementary line of comparative anatomicalstudies of the reproductive tracts. This is directed towardthe goal of a better understanding of phylo-geny in this family.Species emphasized are Achatina albopicta E.A. Smith,1878; A.allisa Reeve, 1849; A. fulica Bowdich, 1822; A. loveridgei Clench& Archer, 1930; A. zanzibarica Bourguignat, 1879, and thenew species A. eleanorae. Relegated tosynonymy are A. albicansPfeiffer, 1851; A. delorioli Bonnet, 1864; and A. iredalei Preston,1910. Tangible anatomical characters separate subgenera Lissachatinaand Achatina. A. capelloi Furtado, 1886; A. craveni E.A. Smith,1881; and A. connollyi Preston, 1912 are transferred from Lissachatinato Achatina s.s. Other transfers are in progress. (Received 26 September 1994; accepted 25 November 1994)     

Effect of nickel on oxygen free radical metabolism

The effect of nickel on superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), as well as on rate of hydroxydopamine oxidation, was studied in vitro since lipid peroxidation has been implicated in cell damage by nickel, whose toxicity and carcinogenicity are well established. Nickel strongly inhibits SOD activity. The degree of inhibition is directly proportion to the nickel concentration (tested range 0.066 to 0.33 microgram/mL in the reaction mixture); to the substrate concentration (tested range 0.4 x 10 4M to 1.1 x 10 4M 6-hydroxydopamine); and to reaction mixture. Autoxidation of 6-hydroxydopamine was increased by nickel concentrations higher than 15 micrograms/mL. The combination of excessive oxygen free radical production and inhibition of their elimination by inhibition of SOD activity may contribute to the nickel toxicity that has been reported in industrial accidents, as well as to the high incidence of cancer occurring in nickel workers. It may also contribute to many complications in uremic patients, in whom increased serum nickel levels were reported to be in a similar range to those inhibiting SOD.