Estimation of cellular DNA content in cell lysates suitable for RNA isolation.

Methods presently available for the isolation of RNA are incompatible with conditions necessary for the measurement of either DNA or cell number, resulting in infrequent quantitation of messenger RNA in relation to the quantity of cells studied. In the present studies, a microfluorometric method has been modified from previous techniques to permit the quantitation of DNA in cell lysates prepared using an acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol (AGTP) solution from which RNA can subsequently be isolated. The lysate is incubated in alkaline EDTA, then neutralized with KH2PO4, followed by the addition of the fluorochrome bisbenzimidazole (Hoechst 33258), and measurement of fluorescence. DNA content is comparable in measurements by the present technique and by the diphenylamine method on parallel samples. DNA content per cell for human cells measured with this technique is comparable to that previously reported using other methods. The use of AGTP solution results in stability of measurable DNA in cell lysates for periods of at least 10 weeks (permitting batching of samples and retrospective measurement) and stability of fluorescence for at least 20 h after the addition of bisbenzimidazole making the timing of fluorescence measurement less critical. The technique described should permit quantitation of messenger RNA in relation to DNA (and hence indirectly to cell number) on a routine basis.     

Peripheral hyaline blebs (podosomes) of macrophages

The plasmalemma and hyaline ectoplasm together constitute the sensory and motor organ of macrophages. The purpose of this study was to isolate this cell fraction in order to analyze it biochemically and functionally. Brief sonification of warmed rabbit lung macrophages caused release of heterodisperse hyaline blebs and filopodia, which were easily collected by differential centrifugation. Viewed in the electron microscope, these structures consisted of membrane-bounded sacs principally containing actin filaments. Some contained secondary lysosomes. They were enriched threefold over whole cell homogenates in specific adenylate cyclase activity and in trichloroacetic-acid-precipitable (125)I when derived from cells labeled with 125(I) by means of a lactoperoxidase-catalyzed reaction. These markers were found to have identical isopycnic densitites when macrophage homogenates were subjected to sedimentation in a focusing sucrose density gradient system, and these markers had densities distinct from those of other cytoplasmic organelles. These markers were therefore assumed to be associated with macrophage plasma membranes. The specific β- glucuronidase activity of the bleb fraction was similar to that of homogenates, but the blebs had considerably lower specific succinic dehydrogenase activity and RNA content, and DNA was undetectable. Electrophoresis of blebs solubilized in sodium dodecyl sulfate on polyacrylamide gels revealed polypeptides co-migrating with macrophage actin-binding protein, myosin, and actin; blebs also had EDTA-activated adenosine triphosphatase activity characteristic of myosin. The concentrations of actin-binding protein and myosin were higher in blebs than in cells or cytoplasmic extracts, whereas actin concentrations were similar (relative to extracts) or only slightly greater (than in cells). Blebs and intact cells had high lactate dehydrogenase activities in the presence but not the absence of Triton X-100. Blebs and cells oxidased 1-[(14)C]glucose, and the rate of glucose oxidation was increased substantially in the presence of latex beads. We conclude that intact sacs of plasmalemma encasing contractile proteins and cytoplasmic enzymes can be isolated from macrophages. They are enriched in myosin and actin-binding protein, indicating that the contractile apparatus is regulated in the cell periphery. These structures have the capacity to respond to environmental signals. We suggest the name "podosomes" for them because of their resemblance to macrophage pseudopodia. We propose that podosome formation results from rapid dissolution of the cortical gel when the membrane is in an actively extended configuration.     

Role of macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the differentiation and expansion of monocytes and dendritic cells from CD34+ progenitor cells

The present study focused on whether it is possible to expand monocytic cells from CD34⁺ progenitor cells by using macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) in the absence and presence of mast cell growth factor (MGF) and IL-6. It was demonstrated that CD34⁺ cells differentiate without expansion to functional mature monocytic cells in the presence of M-CSF or combinations of M-CSF plus IL-6 and MGF. A different response pattern was observed for the number of clonogenic cells. The addition of IL-6 or both IL-6 and MGF to M-CSF containing cultures resulted in significant higher numbers of colony-forming unit-macrophage (CFU-M) as tested in clonogenic and³H-thymidine assays. Furthermore, M-CSF plus both IL-6 and MGF appeared to be the most potent combination to preserve the monocytic precursor in cell suspension culture assays. These results indicate that IL-6 and MGF in conjunction with M-CSF affect CD34⁺ cells especially at precursor level without distinct effect on the more mature stages. Secondly we studied whether M-CSF is only critical for the monocytic lineage or also affects dendritic cell (DC) development. Indeed, we were able to culture CD83⁺ DC from CD34⁺ progenitor cells in the presence of M-CSF in conjunction with TNF-α, IL-4, and MGF although their absolute number is almost threefold lower than the number of CD83⁺ cells yielded from GM-CSF plus TNF-α, IL-4, and MGF stimulated CD34⁺ cells.     

A study of the suitability of gas chromatography-electron capture detection for the analysis of deoxynivalenol in cereals

A gas chromatographic-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) method for the analysis of deoxynivalenol (DON) in cereals was investigated. The sample was extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile-water and purified with a MycoSep #225 column. The silylation was performed with Tri-Sil-TBT reagent, followed by dilution with hexane and a washing step with buffer. By using Tri-Sil-TBT reagent no double peaks were observed for DON in the gas chromatograms, in comparison with two other silylation reagents TMSI and Tri-Sil-Z. The use of trichothecolone (TRI) as an internal standard for DON was studied in order to indicate possible problems in the derivatisation reaction. TRI proved to be a relatively good internal standard for DON in cereal samples, as well as 1,1-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethylene (DDE), which was used as a GC standard for ensuring the function of GC-ECD. During the study, a matrix effect was clearly observed between the cereal matrix-assisted calibration curve and the calibration curve prepared without cereal matrix. The results of spiked and reference material samples, quantified with the calibration curve prepared without and with matrix, demonstrated that the matrix affects the results. However, after recovery correction the results were comparable. The validation results demonstrated that the GC-ECD method for DON analysis in cereals is sufficiently reliable.     

益生菌混合发酵条件及其对发酵胡萝卜汁色泽及风味的影响

目的 研究3株益生菌混合发酵胡萝卜汁的发酵条件对色泽、风味的影响及其贮藏特性等.方法 通过菌种配比、单因素试验及正交试验优化了胡萝卜汁的发酵条件,并利用分光测色计和气质联用仪分别研究了发酵前后胡萝卜汁的风味成分和色泽变化.结果 添加30％ (m/m)的新鲜胡萝卜汁(原液),接种3％的以1∶1∶1(v/v/v)混合的嗜热...     

Genetic control of immune responses in chickens

The immune response of inbred lines of chickens to the terpolymer poly(glu⁶⁰ala³⁰tyr¹⁰) and copolymer poly(glu⁶⁰ala⁴⁰) was determined. Of six lines immunized, one (line 7) contained birds that either did not respond or were low responders to two injections of 1 mg each of the polymers in Freund's complete adjuvant. As indicated by radioimmunoelectrophoresis, low responders produced a 7S response, although the switch from 17S (high molecular weight immunoglobulin) to 7S antibody production was slower than in high-responder lines. Analysis of the distribution of responders and nonresponders in F₂ generations produced byinter se mating of F₁ hybrids of line 7 with high-responder lines, showed that immune responses were clearly determined by certain alloalleles of theB blood group locus, the major histocompatibility system in the chicken.     

High risk populations and HIV-1 infection in China

INTRODUCTION HIV has spread to all of China’s 31 provinces, autono- mous regions and municipalities, creating one of the fast- est-growing HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world [1,2]. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in China has gone through three phases: the Entry Phase (1985 -1988), the Spreading Phase (1989-1994) and the Expansion Phase (1995- present). The striking increase of HIV-1 infections over the past few years may herald entry into a new fourth phase that will include much larger nu…