A rapid method for preparing tissue culture clones for light and electron microscopy.

Fixation and epoxy-embedment of tissue culture clones in situ were carried out in Falcon tissue culture plates. The clone of cells, retained at one end of the casting, was stained with azure II-methylene blue and then studied with the oil immersion objective. The dimensions of the epoxy casting were ideal for mouting as a block in conventional ultramicrotone chucks. The use of one epoxy casting permits a single preparation of tissue culture clones for direct light microscopic observations and subsequently for ultramicrotomy.     

不同生长底物对培养背根神经节细胞的影响(简报)

发育期细胞和细胞外基质(extracellular matrix,ECM)之间的相互作用调节着细胞的功能,包括细胞的迁移、细胞骨架的构建、细胞的增值和分化。神经元“移居”体外后,失去了在体内所依托的组织学关系,必须黏附于一个固相表面才能生存,所以神经元只有在包被基质的培养器皿上才能存活,对于分离的神经元来说,能否尽快粘附到生长基质上是影响神经元体外存活的因素之一。许多研究证明     

Diversity of bacteria and Archaea in sulphate-reducing enrichment cultures inoculated from serial dilution of Zostera noltii rhizosphere samples

We have analysed the diversity of culturable sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in Zostera noltii colonized sediments from Bassin d'Arcachon (France). Four organic substrates have been tested as well as the combination of H2 and CO2 to select for lithotrophic SRB. All energy sources were supplied in parallel cultures that were amended with yeast extract plus NH4+ and prepared without a source of combined nitrogen, the latter to select for diazotrophic SRB. The 10 different enrichment media were inoculated from serial dilution of rhizosphere samples. The highest dilution cultures yielding positive growth (i.e. 10-7) were studied by molecular techniques (16S rDNA clone libraries, RISA and ARDRA). Lactate as a single organic substrate in combination with a source of combined nitrogen resulted in selection of members of the Desulfovibrionaceae. Surprisingly, when lactate was added without a source of combined nitrogen, Desulfobacteriaceae were selected. A strong influence of the presence or absence of combined nitrogen was also observed for the substrates sucrose and fructose. Whereas the liquid culture growing on sucrose and NH4+ systematically yielded 16S rDNA clones related to an environmental unidentified green sulphur bacterium (OPS185), on plates we were able to isolate a SRB related to Desulfovibrio dechloracetivorans, which likely represents a non-described species. Under diazotrophic conditions, sucrose selected for SRB clones related to the cluster formed by Desulfovibrio zosterae, Desulfovibrio salexigens and Desulfovibrio bastinii. The corresponding isolate obtained on plates showed only low sequence similarity with this closest neighbour (93.8%), and we suggest that it also represents a non-described species. Surprisingly, a 16S rDNA sequence corresponding to an archaeon, i.e. a non-extremophile Crenoarchaeota, was retrieved from several of the SRB enrichment cultures even after subsequent transfers.     

不同生长底物对培养背根神经节细胞的影响（简报）

发育期细胞和细胞外基质(extracellular matrix,ECM)之间的相互作用调节着细胞的功能,包括细胞的迁移、细胞骨架的构建、细胞的增值和分化。神经元“移居”体外后,失去了在体内所依托的组织学关系,必须黏附于一个固相表面才能生存,所以神经元只有在包被基质的培养器皿上才能存活,     

Evaluation of rapid techniques for the detection of mycobacteria in sputum with scanty bacilli or clinically evident, smear negative cases of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis

The objective of the current study was to compare two rapid methods, the BBL Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT TM) and Biotec FASTPlaque TB TM (FPTB) assays, with the conventional L?wenstein-Jensen (LJ) media assay to diagnose mycobacterial infections from paucibacillary clinical specimens. For evaluation of the clinical utility of the BBL MGIT TM and FPTB assays, respiratory tract specimens (n = 208), with scanty bacilli or clinically evident, smear negative cases and non-respiratory tract specimens (n = 119) were analyzed and the performance of each assay was compared with LJ media. MGIT and FPTB demonstrated a greater sensitivity (95.92% and 87.68%), specificity (94.59% and 98.78%), positive predictive value (94.91% and 99.16%) and negative predictive value (96.56% and 90.92%), respectively, compared to LJ culture for both respiratory tract and non-respiratory tract specimens. However, the FPTB assay was unable to detect nontuberculous mycobacteria and few Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex cases from paucibacillary clinical specimens. It is likely that the analytical sensitivity of FPTB is moderately low and may not be useful for the direct detection of tuberculosis in paucibacillary specimens. The current study concluded that MGIT was a dependable, highly efficient system for recovery of M. tuberculosis complexes and nontuberculous mycobacteria from both respiratory and non-respiratory tract specimens in combination with LJ media.     

Culture media optimization for Chinese hamster ovary cell growth and expression of recombinant varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein E

Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) latent in the sensory ganglia and causes severe pain, often leading to postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Two prophylactic vaccines against HZ are currently licensed for human use, a live attenuated vaccine and a subunit vaccine containing recombinant VZV glycoprotein E (gE) as antigen. The latter has superior protective efficacy against HZ and PHN. During HZ subunit vaccine development, we obtained Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell clones expressing VZV gE. This study was performed to optimize culture media conditions for CHO cell growth and gE production. Using a high-throughput culture system, three CHO cell clones were cultured in microtiter plates containing 24 different basal media, and three basal media were selected. The clone with the highest gE expression was fed-batch cultured in each of the three basal media in combination with 13 different feed media. A pair of media, BalanCD CHO Growth A and EX-CELL Advanced CHO Feed 1, with the highest productivity was selected for gE production. Scale-up fed-batch cultures of the selected clone cultured in a wave bag bioreactor containing the optimized media yielded 2440 mg gE protein/L culture, a 11.5-fold increase compared to original culture conditions (batch culture in CD OptiCHO medium). The optimized media condition is used to produce VZV gE antigen for an HZ subunit vaccine, which is under phase I clinical trial. This study would provide valuable insights on culture media optimization for CHO cells expressing a recombinant vaccine antigen.

     

Agar Techniques for Colonizing and Cloning Trichomonads

SYNOPSIS. Agar media have been used in plates, Burri tubes, and sealed slide preparations to grow trichomonads as clonal colonies. Periodic observation of slide-culture colonies confirmed their origin from single organisms as clones. Axenic cultures of Trichomonas vaginalis (3 strains), T. gallinae (2 strains), T. gallinarum (1 strain), Tritrichomonas augusta (5 strains), Trit. foetus (4 strains), Trit. suis (?) (6 strains), Pentatrichomonas hominis (1 strain), and an undescribed porcine form were used successfully. Urinary and vaginal specimens with T. vaginalis were also plated directly from patients. In all trials, organisms were recovered from colonies for broth culture and re-plating.
Colonies of the two strains of T. gallinae showed constant differences in their growth under the same conditions. Plated T. vaginalis have shown zones of growth inhibition in tests against drug-impregnated discs.     

Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV) in cell cultures and trypsin

Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV), a member of the family Anelloviridae, is a single-stranded, circular DNA virus, widely distributed in swine populations. Presently, two TTSuV genogroups are recognized: Torque teno sus virus 1 (TTSuV1) and Torque teno sus virus 2 (TTSuV2). TTSuV genomes have been found in commercial vaccines for swine, enzyme preparations and other drugs containing components of porcine origin. However, no studies have been made looking for TTSuV in cell cultures. In the present study, a search for TTSuV genomes was carried out in cell culture lineages, in sera used as supplement for cell culture media as well as in trypsin used for cell disaggregation. DNA obtained from twenty-five cell lineages (ten from cultures in routine multiplication and fifteen from frozen ampoules), nine samples of sera used in cell culture media and five batches of trypsin were examined for the presence of TTSuV DNA. Fifteen cell lineages, originated from thirteen different species contained amplifiable TTSuV genomes, including an ampoule with a cell lineage frozen in 1985. Three cell lineages of swine origin were co-infected with both TTSuV1 and TTSuV2. One batch of trypsin contained two distinct TTSuV1 plus one TTSuV2 genome, suggesting that this might have been the source of contamination, as supported by phylogenetic analyses of sequenced amplicons. Samples of fetal bovine and calf sera used in cell culture media did not contain amplifiable TTSuV DNA. This is the first report on the presence of TTSuV as contaminants in cell lineages. In addition, detection of the viral genome in an ampoule frozen in 1985 provides evidence that TTSuV contamination is not a recent event. These findings highlight the risks of TTSuV contamination in cell cultures, what may be source for contamination of biological products or compromise results of studies involving in vitro multiplied cells.     

在BCR/ABL基因组上敲入mRNA不稳定元件可逆转K562细胞恶性转化

融合基因 BCR/ABL在慢性粒细胞白血病的恶性转化过程中起着主导作用 .针对融合基因的 3′端构建了一个定点基因打靶质粒 ,p F2 .neo.abl(1 - 4) ,将一段可引发核内 RNA降解的元件 ,URE,定点整合到融合基因 poly(A)位点的上游 .打靶质粒经脂质体转染 K562细胞后 ,在 96孔板上进行 40 0 μg/ml G41 8筛选 ,neor克隆进一步在 2 4孔板上扩增 .以特异性引物经基因组 PCR及Southern印迹分析对阳性克隆进行检测 .研究发现阳性克隆在 96孔板内 3周其增殖状况良好 ,但在 2 4孔板内扩增一周后迅速发生死亡现象 .观察单个阳性克隆在正常培养液增殖情况 ,发现 5d后其细胞周期被完全阻抑 .研究结果说明 ,在转录后期 m RNA水平控制 BCR/ABL融合基因的表达可以抑制慢性粒细胞白血病的恶性转化 .     

厦门近海海水中多环芳烃降解菌的原位富集与降解菌多样性

摘要：【目的】为了分析厦门近海原位海水中多环芳烃降解菌的多样性。【方法】将涂有菲的聚氯乙烯（PVC）板悬挂在厦门国际邮轮码头的海水中,进行菲降解菌的原位富集。利用变性梯度凝胶电泳（Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis,DGGE）和16S rRNA基因文库两种方法分析了在PVC板表面富集微生物的菌群结构。之后,在实验室模拟原位条件下,对PVC板表面富集的菲降解菌群进行进一步富集、分离和初步鉴定。【结果】PVC板在海水中浸没6 d后,16S rRNA基因文库分析表明,在涂菲的PVC板表面富集的菌群中解环菌属（Cycloclasticus）对应的克隆子占文库总克隆子的50%;在未涂菲的PVC板表面吸附的菌群中红杆菌科（Rhodobacteraceae）为优势菌,其对应的克隆子占文库总克隆子的47%;而解环菌属的克隆子只占文库总克隆子的2%。DGGE的分析结果也证明解环菌是菲原位富集降解菌群中的优势菌。实验室进一步富集后,从该菌群中分离鉴定出14株细菌,其中一株新鞘氨醇杆菌B14(Novosphingobium sp.B14)具有菲降解能力。但是,解环菌未能获得纯培养。【结论】菲原位富集发现,厦门近海水体中解环菌是多环芳烃的主要降解菌。     

Plasminogen activator from human embryonic kidney cell cultures: Evidence for a proactivator

The nature of the trypsin-activatable plasminogen activator produced by kidney cell cultures (Bernik, M.B. (1973), J. Clin. Invest. 52, 823–834) was investigated using human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell cultures in serum-free medium. Plaminogen activator activity ratios (trypsin-activated/ untreated controls) in HEK cell-conditioned media were maximal (up to 3) during the first week of culture and remained nearly constant at approximately 2 for the next 3–5 weeks, while the total plasminogen activator titer increased in a nearly linear manner. Therefore, coincident with progressive cell dengeration and death, the ratios decreased to near unity due to “spontaneous” activation of the enzyme, which was inhibited in cell-free conditioned media by the pancreatic trypsin inhibitor Kunitz and benzamidine. Since the activator is not inhibited by the trypsin inhibitor, it is concluded that a protease other than the plasminogen activator is responsible for the activation. Increases in the plasminogen activator titers (about 2-fold) were similarly obtained by culturing the cells in medium containing low concentrations (0.05–0.10 μg/ml) of trypsin for up to about 6 weeks. The presence of the trypsin inhibitor in HEK cell cultures decreased the rate of activation, resulting in higher activity ratios (up to 6), and the total plasminogen activator activity was reduced only minimally (<20%), if at all, by the highest concentration of the trypsin inhibitor (100 μg/ml) tested.Affinity chromatography of conditioned media with activity ratios of 1.6–2 separated the plasminogen activator into an active fraction and a fraction which was activated a minimum of 200-fold by trypsin and contained no measurable activity prior to activation. Gel filtration of crude conditioned media or partially purified activator separated the plasminogen activator activity into two peaks; both were trypsin-activatable, and their relative proportions varied with the isolation conditions. The results indicate the occurrence of a proenzyme form of the plasminogen activator in the culture media.     

Three-dimensional type I collagen co-culture systems for the study of cell-cell interactions and treatment response in bone metastases

The available monolayer culture systems for the study of bone metastases constitute a suboptimal simulation of the in vivo pathophysiology of bone metastases, and therefore, do not provide sufficient information to assess the morphologic evidence of bone reaction to cancer cells, the nature of cell-specific mediators of osteolysis and osteoplasia and the response to treatment. Therefore, we have developed a three-dimensional (3-D) type I collagen gel system that allows co-culture of human osteoblasts (MG-63) with cancer cells, such as MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 or ZR-75 breast cancer cells, PC-3 prostate cancer, KLE endometrial cancer cells and Calu-1 lung cancer cells. We used type I collagen purified from rat tail tendons and the 3-D system was prepared by mixing MG-63 cells with type I collagen in 24-well plates. The 3-D system was inoculated with cancer cells and processed with standard cell culture procedures. After 1 week of culture, the matrix gel was fixed with formalin and embedded in paraffin. Serial sections were stained with trichrome Masson stain and modified Masson-Goldner stain, as well as analyzed by in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and the TUNEL technique for semi-quantitative detection of apoptotic cell death, assessing the response to adriamycin therapy. The inoculation of PC-3 cells in this collagen matrix produced a blastic reaction, documented by an increased number of MG-63 cells and increased density of type I collagen. The human KLE cells and inoculation of cell-free media produced no reaction, while ZR-75, MCF-7 and Calu-1 cells produced local degradation of the collagen matrix. In situ hybridization revealed the expression of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) mRNA, while immunohistochemistry detected differential expression of uPA and cathepsin D. Adriamycin induced apoptotic cell death in prostate cancer cells and estrogen receptor negative (ER-) MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, while adriamycin did not induce apoptosis but cytostasis in ER+ MCF-7 cells. The adriamycin-induced apoptosis was inhibited by co-culture with osteoblast-like cells (MG-63). We conclude that this 3-D culture system is a useful in vitro model allowing the analysis of local mediators of osteolytic and osteoblastic reactions to bone metastases and treatment response.     

Regeneration of Mesophyll Protoplasts Isolated from Dihaploid Clones of Solanum tuberosum

Protoplasts have been isolated from leaves of shoot cultures of six dihaploid clones of Solanum tuberosum L. (2n = 2x = 24). In the KM medium (Kao and Michayluk 1975), sustained cell divisions were obtained in up to 50% of the plated protoplasts of four clones, whereas only a few divisions occurred in the other two clones. The first mitosis appeared 2–8 days after plating, dependent on the clones. In the clones showing sustained cell divisions, a protoplast titre of about 5 × 10³ per ml turned out to be optimal. The culture conditions for protoplasts of one of the poorly growing clones, clone H² 140, have been improved using modified KM media, plating at a concentration of as high as 5 × 10⁴ cells per ml, and subsequent diluting at intervals 5 days. The dilutions were carried out with media containing 0.25% agar. Up to 60% of the plated protoplasts underwent divisions within 10 days under these conditions. After about 15 days, the regenerants were transferred onto media inducing organogenesis. Shoots and roots were formed on modified media MS (Murashige and Skoog 1962) and B5 (Gamborg et al. 1968). Plants have been regenerated in four of the investigated clones. Countings of chromosomes revealed a satisfactory stability of the karyotype in shoot culture and protoplast regeneration.     

直接用噬菌体肽进行功能性分析的研究

通过对胰蛋白酶抑制剂的筛选发现,噬菌体肽库不仅可以用于亲和性筛选,而且噬菌体肽（ｐｈａｇｅｐｅｐｔｉｄｅ——ｐｅｐｔｉｄｅｄｉｓｐｌａｙｉｎｇｏｎｐｈａｇｅ）可以直接用于对亲和筛选得到的克隆进行胰蛋白酶抑制实验,即所谓的功能性筛选．功能性筛选前后的测序结果表明用噬菌体肽直接进行功能性筛选确实能够筛去大部分的非抑制剂克隆．     

The growth of L-cells and Vero cells on an autoclavable MEM-peptone medium.

The growth of L-60TM cells (a suspension culture adapted L-cell) on media composed of MEM (minimum essential medium (Eagle)) and bactopeptone autoclaved together or separately under a variety of conditions has veen determined. It has been found that MEM autoclaved with 0.5% bactopeptone at 15 psi for 20 min, cooled and then neutralized with NaHCO3, consistently supported good cell growth of L-60TM and L-929 cells. Similar results were obtained when the MEM and bactopeptone were autoclaved separately. The cells grew initially as a monolayer, subsequently becoming a stationary suspension. Some experiments were carried out with agitated suspension culture of L-60TM cells in the autoclaved MEM-bactopeptone combination with and without added methylcellulose and results were obtained which indicate that large scale suspension culture is possible in this system. Other peptones were also found to support cell growth. The autoclaved MEM-bactopeptone combination also supported the growth of Chang liver and Vero cells. The Chang liver cells rapidly dissociated from the plastic surface but the Vero cells remained sufficiently securely attached so that it was possible to grow them near to confluency in roller bottles.     

Biosynthesis and secretion of tropoelastin by chick aorta cells

Cells were isolated from the aortae of 17-day old chick embryos by digestion of the vessels with a combination of trypsin and collagenase. When these cells were incubated in suspension culture in Krebs-Ringer media containing pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and radioactive amino acids, they synthesized and secreted labeled proteins into the media. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate of the secreted proteins labeled with [¹⁴C]proline revealed two major components. The larger component with an approximate molecular weight of 125,000 had a [¹⁴C]hydroxyproline content consistent with a form of procollagen. The molecular weight of 70,000 and [¹⁴C]hydroxyproline content of the second component was consistent with that previously reported for tropoelastin extracted from chick aortae. By following the kinetics and secretion of tropoelastin labeled with [³H]valine, we have estimated that 17 minutes are required to synthesize and secrete the molecule under these experimental conditions.     

Microimmunofluorescence using Terasaki plates and direct plate freezing method--rapid and reliable screening system of hybridomas

Microimmunofluorescence using Terasaki plates and a direct plate freezing method were combined for effective screening of hybridoma supernatants. The microplates, in which the fused cells (myeloma and spleen cells) were cultured and hybridoma colonies were growing, were frozen after harvest of supernatants and saved at -80 C for several weeks without affecting antibody production ability of hybridomas. Microimmunofluorescence was performed in Terasaki plates on which target cells were attached by poly-L-lysine and glutaraldehyde or by short time culture of the cells in Terasaki plates. The direct plate freezing method prevented initial hybridoma cells from changes or disappearance of antibody productions during screening of hybridoma supernatants; the microimmunofluorescence staining method permits fast and detailed estimation of specificity of antibodies of hybridomas by saving time and minimal consumption of supernatant for checking. The combination of these two methods is a powerful tool for obtaining desired monoclonal antibodies.     

A simple search of TM segments in polytopic membrane protein using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Using both high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and amino acid sequencing (AAS), we previously analyzed band 3 TM peptide-segments that make up the transmembrane protein structure. However, the HPLC/AAS combination method was highly time-consuming. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry is used to obtain accurate molecular weight information for proteins/peptides simply and sensitively. We applied the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technique to search for TM segments in membrane proteins. In combination with trypsin cleavages after alkali treatments (pH12 or 13) and sample preparation using organic solvents for MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, we determined the TM segments of band 3 and glycophorin A in erythrocyte membrane. The method can be applied to other polytopic membrane proteins in erythrocyte membrane.