Genetic interaction between Non-MHC T- and B-cell alloantigens in response to rous sarcomas in chickens

Chickens of Regional Poultry Research Laboratory (RPRL) inbred line 6₃ regress sarcomas induced by Bryan high-titer Rous sarcoma virus to a greater extent than chickens of line RPRL 100, although these lines are identical for the major histocompatibility B complex. They differ, however, at three independent autosomal loci: Ly-4 and Th-1 determine the surface alloantigens of partly overlapping subsets of T lymphocytes, and Bu-1 determines a surface alloantigen of B lymphocytes. The association of genotypes at these loci with quantitative variation in their ability to regress Rous sarcomas was tested in segregating F₄ generation progeny derived from crosses of lines 100 and 6₃. The Ly-4 and Bu-1 genotypes showed association with Rous sarcoma regression, but the Th-1 genotype did not. Chickens of the Ly-4 ^a/Ly-4 ^a, Bu-1 ^b/Bu-1 ^b and Ly-4 ^b/Ly-4 ^b, Bu-1 ^a/Bu-1 ^a genotypes had a significantly higher regressor ability than the other two double homozygous genotypes. These results indicate that higher regression is associated with (1) interaction between the Ly-4 and Bu-1 loci, and (2) complementation between either the line 6 Ly-4 ^a allele and the line 100 Bu-1 ^b allele, or the line 100 Ly-4 ^b allele and the line 6 Bu-1 ^a allele.     

Regulatory volume decrease in alveolar macrophages: cation loss is not correlated with changes in membrane recycling

Alveolar macrophages regain their normal volume after swelling in hypo-osmotic solutions. This process, termed regulatory volume decrease (RVD), is initiated 3-5 minutes after exposure of cells to hypo-osmotic solutions, and by 30 min, near-normal volumes are attained. Volume decrease does not occur at 0 degrees C or in solutions in which Na+ has been replaced by K+, or Cl- by the impermeant anion gluconate. These results, as well as direct measurement of intracellular cations, indicate that decreases in cell volume result primarily from the loss of K+ and Cl- and are similar to RVD in lymphocytes. Kinetic analysis of cation loss, both by directly measuring changes in intracellular cation content and by assaying rubidium efflux, showed that cation loss occurred immediately upon media dilution. The rate of cation loss fit first-order kinetics and preceded both the initiation of volume decrease and the maximum increase in surface receptor number. These results suggest that the cation transporters responsible for RVD are located at the cell surface and that regulation of activity is not dependent on alterations in membrane movement.     

Short hairpin RNAs against eotaxin or interleukin‐5 decrease airway eosinophilia and hyper‐responsiveness in a murine model of asthma

Background

Eosinophilia plays the major role in the pathogenesis of asthma and correlates with the up‐regulation of eotaxin, which, together with interleukin (IL)‐5, is important for differentiation, chemo‐attraction, degranulation, and survival of eosinophils in local tissue. In a previous study, we found that administration of lentivirus‐delivered short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to suppress the expression of IL‐5 inhibited airway inflammation. The present study aimed to investigate the role of eotaxin shRNA and the synergistic effect of eotaxin and IL‐5 shRNAs on airway inflammation in an ovalbumin (OVA)‐induced murine model of asthma.

Methods

Lentivirus‐delivered shRNAs were used to suppress the expression of eotaxin and/or IL‐5 in local tissue in an OVA‐induced murine asthma model.

Results

Intra‐tracheal administration of lentivirus containing eotaxin shRNA expressing cassette (eoSEC3.3) efficiently moderated the characteristics of asthma, including airway hyper‐responsiveness, cellular infiltration of lung tissues, and eotaxin and IL‐5 levels in bronchio‐alveolar lavage fluid. Administration of lentiviruses expressing IL‐5 or eotaxin shRNAs (IL5SEC4 + eoSEC3.3) also moderated the symptoms of asthma in a mouse model.

Conclusions

Local delivery of lentiviruses expressing IL‐5 and eotaxin shRNAs provides a potential tool in moderating airway inflammation and also has the potential for developing clinical therapy based on the application of shRNAs of chemokines and cytokines involved in T helper 2 cell inflammation and eosinophilia. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Selective proteolysis of ovine lutropin or its beta subunit by endoproteinase Arg-C. Properties of the Arg beta 43 cleaved hormone

Ovine lutropin (oLH) and its beta subunit (oLH beta) were nicked by short-term incubations with endoproteinase Arg-C. Isolated oLH beta was rapidly nicked and converted from an Mr 18,000 band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels to an Mr 13,000 band. Partial nicking of only the beta subunit in intact oLH was also observed as indicated by the appearance of small amounts of the Mr 13,000 band detected in Arg-C-treated oLH samples. The alpha subunit was protected by association with the beta subunit, but free alpha subunit was rapidly degraded. Sequence analysis of nicked oLH beta indicated that one of the peptide bonds on either side of Arg43 was cleaved by the protease, with a slight preference for the amino side of this residue. Nicked oLH beta was reassociated with oLH alpha, and the resulting dimer was separated from unrecombined subunits. The biologic activity of nicked oLH beta + oLH alpha in an LH radioligand assay was only 2% that of intact oLH.     

How Can the Eco‐efficiency of a Region be Measured and Monitored?

The concept of eco-efficiency is commonly referred to as a business link to sustainable development. In this article, ecoefficiency is examined at a regional level as an approach to promoting the competitiveness of economic activities in the Finnish Kymenlaakso region and mitigating their harmful impacts on the environment. The aim is to develop appropriate indicators for monitoring changes in the eco-efficiency of the region. A starting point is to produce indicators for the environmental and economic dimensions of regional development and use them for measuring regional eco-efficiency. The environmental impact indicators are based on a life-cycle assessment method, producing different types of environmental impact indicators: pressure indicators (e.g., emissions of CO₂), impact category indicators (e.g., CO₂ equivalents in the case of climate change), and a total impact indicator (aggregating different impact category indicator results into a single value). Environmental impact indicators based on direct material input, total material input, and total material requirement of the Kymenlaakso region are also assessed. The economic indicators used are the gross domestic product, the value added, and the output of the main economic sectors of Kymenlaakso. In the eco-efficiency assessment, the economic and environmental impact indicators are monitored in the same graph. In a few cases eco-efficiency ratios can also be calculated (the economic indicators are divided by the environmental indicators). Output (= value added + intermediate consumption) is used as an economic indicator related to the environmental impact indicators, which also cover the upstream processes of the region's activities. In the article, we also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of using the different environmental impact indicators.     

Radiation injury in rat lung. I. Prostacyclin (PGI2) production, arterial perfusion, and ultrastructure

Pulmonary prostacyclin (PGI2) production, arterial perfusion, and ultrastructure were correlated in rats sacrificed from 1 day to 6 months after a single exposure of 25 Gy of gamma rays to the right hemithorax. PGI2 production by the irradiated lung decreased to approximately half the normal value 1 day after irradiation (P less than 0.05), then increased steadily throughout the study. By 6 months postirradiation, the right lung produced two to three times as much PGI2 as did either shielded left lung or sham-irradiated lungs (P less than 0.05). Perfusion scans revealed hyperemia of the right lung from 1 to 14 days after irradiation. From its peak at 14 days postirradiation, however, perfusion of the irradiated lung decreased steadily, then reached a plateau from 3 to 6 months at less than half that in the shielded left lung. Electron micrographs of the right lung revealed perivascular edema from 1 to 30 days after irradiation. The right lung then exhibited changes typical of radiation pneumonitis followed by progressive interstitial fibrosis. Platelet aggregates were not observed at any time. Thus, decreased PGI2 production is an immediate but transient response of the lung to radiation injury. Then from 2 to 6 months after irradiation, the fibrotic, hypoperfused lung produces increasing amounts of the potent vasodilator and antithrombotic agent, PGI2. Pulmonary PGI2 production and arterial perfusion are inversely correlated for at least 6 months after hemithoracic irradiation.     

How costly is clutch formation in the Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii?

During the Audouin's Gull's breeding season at the Ebro Delta in 1993, 24 fresh eggs from eight three-egg clutches (modal clutch-size) were collected at the peak of the laying period. Eggs were processed to obtain formalin-fixed yolks, which were halved and stained using the potassium dichromate method. Digitized images of the yolks were examined to assess the daily rates of yolk deposition. We used these data in combination with egg compositional analysis to build a model of energy demands during the formation of an average clutch in Audouin's Gull. To show how the different parameters of clutch formation affect the daily energy investment peak, we performed a simulation analysis in which the rapid yolk development (RYD) period, the follicle triggering interval (FTI), the laying interval (LI) and the albumen synthesis period (ASP) were allowed to vary simultaneously. In our sample, the mean RYD period was seven days with a range from six to eight days. There were no significant differences in yolk volume among eggs in a clutch, but albumen volume was significantly smaller in third eggs. According to our model the albumen synthesis of the a-egg coincides with the energy demand peak for clutch formation. This peak represents an increase by ca. 42% in female energy requirements. Values obtained from the simulation analysis showed that only the ASP of the a-egg and the RYD durations of the second and third follicles produced noticeable reductions in peak energy investment. We predict that in gulls, whose laying intervals seem to be kept constant, significant increases of the durations of the RYD periods of second and third eggs, or even significant reductions of yolk size of these eggs, may operate simultaneously to match the energy demands during clutch formation to the prevailing food conditions.