Anti-histone antibodies in idiopathic and drug-induced lupus recognize distinct intrahistone regions

We have identified regions within core histones that are antigenic for autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and drug-induced lupus. An immunoblotting technique was used to determine the reactivity of lupus antibodies for intact histones and for trypsin-resistant histone fragments that lack the amino- and carboxyl-terminal amino acids that are normally exposed in native nucleosomes. In SLE, the predominant anti-histone response was restricted to epitopes in the trypsin-sensitive regions. Of 20 SLE sera that had strong antibody activity for multiple intact histones, 17 showed minimal activity with any of the corresponding trypsin-resistant fragments. A markedly different pattern of reactivity was present in sera of patients with procainamide (Pr)-induced lupus in which antibodies to H2A, H2B, and the H2A-H2B complex had strong fragment activity. Interestingly, recognition of trypsin-resistant fragments was also noted in a small number of SLE sera that contained antibodies to the H2A-H2B complex. In contrast to both SLE and Pr-induced lupus, antibodies induced by hydralazine (Hy) reacted primarily with H3 and H4. Furthermore, these antibodies bound equally well to the corresponding trypsin-resistant regions that are thought to be relatively unexposed in native nucleosomes. Thus, the specificities of anti-histone antibodies in SLE, Pr-induced lupus, and Hy-induced lupus are markedly different, but in each disease reactivity appears to be restricted to a limited number of histone determinants. The data raise the possibility that autoantigen in the form of native nucleosomes may be recognized in SLE and possibly in Pr-induced lupus. In contrast, the propensity of Hy to induce autoantibodies to determinants usually not recognized in SLE or Pr-induced lupus may suggest a different immunogenic stimulus in this disease.     

Even more new taxa from South and East Anatolia II

10 new Turkish taxa are described:Arenaria eliasiana, A. sivasica, A. monscragus, A. angustifolioides; Campanula lycica; Scutellaria orientalis subsp.tortumensis; Stachys choruhensis, S. tundjeliensis; Calamintha caroli-henricana; Aristolochia rechingeriana, the latter two species named in honour ofKarl Heinz Rechinger;Allium vuralii. Dedicated to Prof. DrKarl Heinz Rechinger on the occasion of his 80th birthday. For part I see Pl. Syst. Evol.154, 111–128.     

冬小麦春化过程中可溶性蛋白质组成的变化与形态发生的关系

冬小麦“农大139”经40天左右的春化处理才能迅速而整齐地抽穗,但经14—21天低温处理,已经具有在夏季抽穗的可能性,虽然抽穗推迟且极不整齐;再将春化时间延长,则抽穗百分比增加,且从播种到抽穗的时间缩短。这表明,春化过程中低温对发育的作用有两种效应:前期低温是诱发生理状态的转变,后期低温则只具有加速发育的作用,两个时期的转变是在春化的中期。蛋白质合成抑制剂乙基硫氨酸和对-氟苯丙氨酸能抑制冬小麦的春化,抑制时期也是在春化过程的中期。不同时间低温处理后冬小麦幼芽中可溶性蛋白质含量及组成发生了变化,春化过程中期(低温处理14天之后)不仅含量比对照增加了一倍,而且有新的蛋白质谱带出现。春麦中无类似现象,未经低温处理的春麦已含有冬麦中新出现的谱带。说明冬小麦春化过程的第14—21天左右是与春化过程有关的蛋白质合成的关键时期,该时期新合成的蛋白质与植株的发育状态之间存在着密切的相关关系。     

Regeneration of leaf mesophyll protoplasts of tomato cultivars (L. esculentum): factors important for efficient protoplast culture and plant regeneration

Conditions were established for efficient plant regeneration from four freshmarket cultivars of Lycopersicon esculentum. In order to increase the yield of viable protoplasts which are able to sustain cell divisions, the donor plants are preconditioned by incubation at 25°C in the dark for 18 hours, followed by a cold treatment at 4°C in the dark for the last 6 hours, prior to protoplast isolation. Browning of the dividing cell colonies can be prevented by culturing protoplasts in 100 l droplets of low-melting agarose, surrounded by liquid medium. Alternatively, protoplasts can be cultured in liquid medium. In both procedures the plating efficiencies and percentage of shoot regeneration are increased, only when dilutions were performed with auxin-free culture medium. Shoot regeneration is obtained by using a two step procedure: initiation of greening of microcalli on a medium containing 0.2 M mannitol and 7.3 mM sucrose, which is followed by shoot development on a mannitol-free medium containing 0.5 M sucrose. In this way, plants can be regenerated within 3 months from the hybrid cultivars Bellina, Abunda, Sonatine and also from the true seedline Moneymaker. The latter one showed the highest regeneration frequency (30%).Abbreviations BAP 6-Benzylamino purine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid - IAA indole acetic acid - MES 2-(N-morpholino)- ethane sulfonic acid - NAA naphthalene acetic acid - PE plating efficiency     

Jejunal free autograft: analysis of complications and their resolution

Review of 101 patients who underwent 111 free jejunal autografts has demonstrated an absolute procedural failure rate of 13.5 percent. Salvage reconstruction with a second jejunum was successful in six of nine patients and one third-time jejunum was successful, giving an overall salvage rate of 70 percent. There were 33 patients experiencing pharyngocutaneous fistulas, 20 of whom had been previously irradiated. Of these patients, 15 experienced spontaneous closure and 9 others had successful surgical correction. The mortality rate was 5 percent. Eighty-three percent of patients were restored to adequate per oral alimentation. The jejunum, despite its relatively high complication rate, is an excellent method for pharyngoesophageal reconstruction, expeditiously providing return to function for patients with late-stage disease.     

Diurnal rhythms of cortisol,ACTH, and beta-endorphin levels in neonates and adults.

To determine whether a diurnal rhythm exists in neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units where there is continuous artificial lighting and periodic nursing and medical care, plasma cortisol, adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), and beta-endorphin concentrations were measured in two groups of infants and in adult human volunteers. As expected, a diurnal rhythm was seen in adults. A diurnal rhythm was also found for cortisol and endorphin levels in neonates (3 to 4 days postnatally) with minimal stress and in infants who were clinically severely stressed. There was not a significant difference between the morning and afternoon concentrations of ACTH in these infants, but the afternoon concentrations were lower than the morning''s, as would be expected. We found that a diurnal rhythm does exist in neonates within the first few days of postnatal life and that the continuous lighting and medical and nursing interventions do not interfere with this rhythm.     

Distribution of ciliatine (2-aminoethylphosphonic acid) and phosphonoalanine (2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid) in human tissues

Ciliatine (2-aminoethylphosphonic acid) was detected in the human brain, heart, kidney, liver, intestine, spleen, adrenal glands, and aorta. Phosphonoalanine (2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid) was found in the human liver, intestine and spleen. Tissue homogenates were extracted with trichloroacetic acid and a chloroform-methanol mixture. After hydrolysis, each fraction was subfractionated by ion-exchange chromatography and examined by paper chromatography and electrophoresis using a specific ninhydrin-molybdate staining procedure to detect the phosphonic acids. The acids were found bound either to lipid or to protein; no free phosphonic acid was detected.     

Solid-phase synthesis of oligoribonucleotides using 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) for 5''-hydroxyl protection.

Efficient solid-phase synthesis of a series of oligoribonucleotides of up to 20 residues is described that utilises the 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl group (Fmoc) for 5'-protection and 4-methoxytetrahydropyran-4-yl (Mthp) for 2'-protection of ribonucleotide monomers and a phosphoramidite coupling procedure. The Fmoc group is removed after each coupling step by treatment with 0.1M DBU in acetonitrile. Oligoribonucleotides are isolated in 2'-protected form in good yield and shown to be readily and efficiently deprotected by mild acidic treatment.