Effect in neonatal thymectomy on experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in guinea pigs.

These studies examined the effect of neonatal thymectomy on the induction of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) in the guinea pigs. Thymectomy was found to result in a consistent and profound inhibition of the development of lesions of EAT in both strain 2 and strain 13 guinea pigs. Thymectomized guinea pigs also had reduced antibody titers to guinea pig thyroglobulin (GPTG), while delayed hypersensitivity reactions to GPTG were less markedly affected by thymectomy. Thymectomized guinea pigs had significant functional peripheral T cells as evidenced by normal responses of lymph node cells to T cell mitogens. These results indicate that a T cell subpopulation which is sensitive to neonatal thymectomy is required for the development of EAT and antithyroglobulin antibody in the guinea pig.     

Suppression of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in guinea pigs by pretreatment with thyroglobulin-coupled spleen cells

Pretreatment of Strain 2 and Strain 13 guinea pigs with guinea pig thyroglobulin (GPTG) coupled to syngeneic spleen cells (GPTG-SC) suppressed the development of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) induced by immunization with GPTG in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Antibody titers to GPTG were only minimally suppressed in GPTG-SC pretreated animals. GPTG-SC also suppressed the sensitization of periotneal exudate T lymphocytes which proliferate in vitro in the presence of GPTG.     

Further studies on the enhancing factor and its possible mechanism of action

In this study the nature of binding of enhancing factor (EF) and its mode of action are examined. EF binds to A431 cells through its own receptor, which is distinct from the receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF). EF binds to the cell membrane and in turn provides a binding site for EGF. Data analyzed from Scatchard plots show that prior treatment of formalin-fixed A431 cells with EF for 30 minutes results in an increase in the number of binding sites for 125I-EGF. 3H-Thymidine incorporation studies, using the EGF-receptorless cell line NR-6, indicate that neither EF nor EGF alone stimulates the cells to synthesise DNA, but when both are added together the cells show 3H-thymidine incorporation. The role of EF may be to trap EGF and make it available to the cells through its own receptors even in the absence of EGF receptors. EF also induces anchorage-independent growth of normal fibroblasts in soft agar only in the presence of EGF.     

A unique combination of inflammatory cytokines enhances apoptosis of thyroid follicular cells and transforms nondestructive to destructive thyroiditis in experimental autoimmune thyroiditis

Treatment of cultured primary human thyroid cells with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha uniquely allows the induction of Fas-mediated apoptosis. To investigate the role of this cytokine combination in vivo, CBA/J mice were immunized with thyroglobulin and then injected with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. Compared with control animals, mice treated with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha showed significantly sustained lymphocytic infiltration in the thyroid, which was associated with the destruction of portions of the follicular architecture at wk 6 after initial immunization. Furthermore, the number of apoptotic thyroid follicular cells was increased only in the thyroids from mice treated with the IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. We also analyzed the function of the Fas pathway in vivo in cytokine-treated mice by using an agonist anti-Fas Ab injected directly into the thyroid. Minimal apoptosis of thyroid epithelial cells was observed unless the mice were pretreated with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. These data demonstrate that this unique combination of inflammatory cytokines facilitates the apoptotic destruction of thyroid follicular cells in experimental autoimmune thyroiditis, in a manner similar to what is observed in Hashimoto's thyroiditis in humans.     

电码针对庆大霉素耳中毒的防治作用及其机制的研究

目的：观察电码针对豚鼠庆大霉素（GE）耳毒性的防治作用,方法：测定脑干听觉诱发电位（BAEP）和用组织化学方法测定耳蝇毛细胞及血管纹的琥珀酸脱氢酶（SDH）。结果：电针能降低CE引起的BAEP反应阈的上升幅度,缩小BAEP波峰潜伏期及波峰间期的延长;能保护毛细胞及耳蜗血管纹细胞线粒体呼吸酶的活性。结论：电针能降低GE5的耳毒性,保护毛细胞及耳蜗血管纹细胞线粒体酶的活性。保证这些细胞能量代谢,维持细胞所需要能量的各种功能的活动。减少细胞的损伤,可能有是电针防治GE耳毒性的机制之一。     

Effect of acetylcholinesterase activity on pathogenesis of airway hyperresponsiveness in guinea pigs.

To clarify the effect of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) on the pathogenesis of airway hyperresponsiveness, AChE activities in tracheal smooth muscle and lung tissue from congenitally bronchial-hypersensitive (BHS) and bronchial-hyposensitive (BHR) guinea pigs were compared. For this purpose, AChE activities were determined by measuring the rate of absorbance of tissue homogenate. Relative amounts of AChE mRNA were also evaluated by the RT-PCR method. In both tracheal smooth muscle and lung tissue from BHS, the AChE activity and the relative amount of AChE mRNA were less than those in BHR. These results suggest that the reduced AChE activity is at least a candidate for inducing airway hyperresponsiveness.     

Influence of experimental ischemia on the acoustic organ of guinea pigs in electron microscopic studies

The aim of the paper was the histological evaluation of the influence of prolonged irritation or ligation of the vertebral artery on the brain stem and the spiral organs of guinea pigs. Electron microscopic studies of cochlear nuclei and spiral organs of 20 guinea pigs, both sexes, body weight of 250 to 300 g, were performed. By electron microscopic analysis, it was found that a greater lesion of spiral organs is observed in the group B (irritation of the vertebral artery at one side). This mostly concerns the outer hair cells, both the receptor and basic part. Lesion of the spiral organs of guinea pigs in the group C (ligature of the vertebral artery at one side) is only described in the basic part of the outer hair cells and their afferent nerve endings. It seems that the observed lesion is a secondary effect. Primary changes caused by ischemia are mostly observed in the cochlear nuclei.     

Chronic experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in guinea pigs: immunologic studies on the two major myelin proteins

Humoral and cell-mediated immunity to the two major myelin proteins, basic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein, have been investigated during the course of chronic experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in guinea pigs with whole neural tissue. A positive proliferative response to MBP was observed at 10 and 13 days postimmunization, but was not detectable at subsequent stages. Serum antibodies to MBP first appeared during the chronic stages of the disease. A proliferative response to proteolipid apoprotein was not detected during any stage of chronic EAE. Guinea pigs immunized with proteolipid alone, however, showed a proliferative response. The data suggest that MBP is one of the antigens involved in the induction of the acute episode of chronic EAE, but its role in later stages and that of proteolipid protein remain unknown.