Decreased expression of J11d antigen during monocytic differentiation of M1 myeloid leukemic cells.

Four myeloid cell lines (M1, WEHI-3B D+, FDC-P1, and 32D) were screened for the presence of J11d antigen. One of these cell lines, the myeloid leukemia M1, was found to express a high level of J11d antigen on the cell surface. Recombinant mouse leukemic inhibitory factor (rm-LIF), recombinant human LIF (rh-LIF), and steroids (hydrocortisone and dexamethasone) could induce M1 cells to undergo monocytic differentiation. The level of J11d antigen was greatly reduced after treatment of the cells with LIF or steroids. Western blotting revealed that the apparent molecular weight of the J11d antigen on M1 cells was 45-48 kDa. Furthermore, the level of J11d mRNA was also reduced during LIF-induced differentiation of M1 cells.     

Sensitization of mice with wild-type and cold-adapted influenza virus variants: immune response to two H1N1 and H3N2 viruses

Two A strain influenza viruses, A/Hong Kong/123/77 (A/HK/123/77) (H1N1) and A/Queensland/6/72 (A/Qld/6/72) (H3N2), and the two cold-adapted reassortants which possess the surface antigens of these strains (CR35 and CR6, respectively) were tested for their ability both to induce primary cytotoxic T-cell (Tc cell) responses in mice and to sensitize mice for a second Tc cell response when challenged with a distantly related A strain virus, A/Shearwater/72 (H6N5). After intranasal inoculation, A/Qld/6/72 replicated to higher titers in the lung (1 to 2 log10 50% egg infective doses) than did A/HK/123/77 or either of the reassortants. A/Qld/6/72 induced higher Tc cell responses in the lung than did CR6, and both were more effective than either A/HK/123/77 or CR35 in this respect. When similar doses (10 or 10(3) hemagglutinin units) of each virus were injected intravenously into mice and the spleens were tested for Tc cell activity 6 days later, both A/Qld/6/72 and CR6 were ca. 100-fold better at inducing a primary Tc cell response than A/HK/123/77 or CR35. In contrast, the H1N1 and H3N2 viruses gave rather similar anti-hemagglutinin antibody titers (after intravenous injection) and delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions (after subcutaneous injection). If mice were primed with a low dose of these viruses (10(4) 50% egg infective doses intranasally), A/Qld/6/72 and CR6 were more effective than A/HK/123/77 or CR35 at sensitizing for a secondary Tc cell response when challenged with A/Shearwater/72, but if larger doses were given either intranasally (10(6) 50% egg infective doses) or intravenously (10 to 10(3) hemagglutinin units), all viruses sensitized the mice equally well, despite the fact the A/Shearwater/72 gives a poor primary Tc cell response in mice. Thus, the viral glycoprotein antigens can be important in determining the immunogenicity of the virus and, particularly, the class I antigen-restricted Tc cell response of the host.     

Optimizing purebred selection for crossbred performance using QTL with different degrees of dominance

A method was developed to optimize simultaneous selection for a quantitative trait with a known QTL within a male and a female line to maximize crossbred performance from a two-way cross. Strategies to maximize cumulative discounted response in crossbred performance over ten generations were derived by optimizing weights in an index of a QTL and phenotype. Strategies were compared to selection on purebred phenotype. Extra responses were limited for QTL with additive and partial dominance effects, but substantial for QTL with over-dominance, for which optimal QTL selection resulted in differential selection in male and female lines to increase the frequency of heterozygotes and polygenic responses. For over-dominant QTL, maximization of crossbred performance one generation at a time resulted in similar responses as optimization across all generations and simultaneous optimal selection in a male and female line resulted in greater response than optimal selection within a single line without crossbreeding. Results show that strategic use of information on over-dominant QTL can enhance crossbred performance without crossbred testing.     

Immunoglobulin levels in various clinical groups of human Brugian filariasis in Malaysia

Quantitation of serum immunoglobulin M, G, A, D and E levels was carried out in Malaysians with Brugia malayi infections. Results showed highly elevated levels of IgM and IgE as well as moderately elevated levels of IgG. These were most significant in patients with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia or elephantiasis. Serum IgE levels were extremely high in microfilaraemic patients (6,060 +/- 3,958 IU ml) probably due to a constant antigenic stimulation by dead and dying microfilariae.     

Structure and function of adenovirus type 12 defective virions.

Purified human adenovirus type 12 preparations contain defective virions with a lighter density. These defective virions were isolated, and their biological functions and DNA were characterized. They can induce early and late antigens in infected cells and tumors in newborn hamsters with similar efficiency as complete virions. The majority of the DNA molecules from light virions contain deletions mapping near 16% from the left-hand end of the genome. Mechanisms for the generation of these molecules are discussed.     

Regulation of synthesis of ribosomal proteins during pyrimidine starvation in Escherichia coli.

The synthesis of ribosomal proteins during pyrimidine starvation was investigated. A progressive turn-off of protein synthesis, with a decay half-time of about 5 min, was observed when Escherichia coli cells were starved of uridine. By means of double-labelling, the syntheses of different ribosomal proteins were shown to be turned off unequally during the starvation. Comparison of the turn-off patterns for some proteins and the known polycistronic organization of the structural genes for these proteins suggests that a major cause of the unequal turn-off was the degradation of mRNA molecules for the ribosomal proteins from the 5'-end toward the 3'-end.     

Purification and characterization of NAD(+)-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase from porcine kidney

A NAD(+)-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-OH-PGDH) from porcine kidney was purified to homogeneity by acid precipitation, blue agarose affinity chromatography, hydroxyapatite-ultrogel adsorption chromatography, DEAE-Sephadex ion-exchange chromatography and NAD(+)-agarose affinity chromatography. The specific activity of the homogeneous enzyme was 31.2 U/mg. The molecular mass of the native enzyme was estimated to be 55,000 Da, whereas that of SDS-treated enzyme was 29,000 Da indicating that the native enzyme was dimeric. Compared to human placental 15-OH-PGDH, porcine kidney enzyme gave a similar general amino acid residue distribution. Chemical modification of the enzyme with N-ethyl maleimide (3 microM), N-chlorosuccinimide (20 microM) or 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (2.5 microM) followed pseudo-first-order inactivation kinetics, and inactivation could be prevented by the presence of NAD+ (1 mM) but not of prostaglandin E1 (140 microM) indicating the involvement of cysteine, methionine and lysine residues in the coenzyme binding site. Inactivation by diethyl pyrocarbonate (1.25 mM) or phenylglyoxal (10 mM) also showed pseudo-first-order kinetics suggesting that histidine and arginine residues were catalytically or structurally important in the native enzyme. These studies provide new insights into the structure and function of 15-OH-PGDH.