Frequency of large granular lymphocytes in peripheral blood of healthy persons and breast cancer patients

Summary The frequency of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) in the peripheral blood of healthy persons (n=56) and breast cancer patients (31 cases with stage-I and -II disease and 42 cases with stage-III and -IV disease) was studied. The frequency of LGL in peripheral blood was significantly depressed in cancer patients, and particularly in patients with advanced breast cancer.     

Synthesis of a 3-methyluridine phosphoramidite to investigate the role of methylation in a ribosomal RNA hairpin.

The synthesis of a 5'-O-BzH-2'-O-ACE-protected-3-methyluridine phosphoramidite is reported [BzH, benzhydryloxy-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)silyl; ACE, bis(2-acetoxyethoxy)methyl]. The phosphoramidite was employed in solid-phase RNA synthesis to generate a series of RNA hairpins containing single or multiple modifications, including the common nucleoside pseudouridine. Three 19-nucleotide hairpin RNAs that represent the 1920-loop region (G(1906)-C(1924)) of Escherichia coli 23S ribosomal RNA were generated. Modifications were present at positions 1911, 1915, and 1917. The stabilities and structures of the three RNAs were examined by using thermal melting, circular dichroism, and NMR spectroscopy     

The karyotype of Alligator mississippiensis,and chromosomal mapping of the ZFY/X homologue,Zfc

Comparative mapping studies of X-linked genes in mammals have provided insights into the evolution of the X chromosome. Many reptiles including the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, do not appear to possess heteromorphic sex chromosomes, and sex is determined by the incubation temperature of the egg during embryonic development. Mapping of homologues of mammalian X-linked genes in reptiles could lead to a greater understanding of the evolution of vertebrate sex chromosomes. One of the genes used in the mammalian mapping studies was ZFX, an X-linked copy of the human ZFY gene which was originally isolated as a candidate for the mammalian testis-determining factor (TDF). ZFX is X-linked in eutherians, but maps to two autosomal locations in marsupials and monotremes, close to other genes associated with the eutherian X. The alligator homologue of the ZFY/ZFX genes, Zfc, has been isolated and described previously. A detailed karyotype of A. mississippiensis is presented, together with chromosomal in situ hybridisation data localising the Zfc gene to chromosome 3. Further chromosomal mapping studies using eutherian X-linked genes may reveal conserved chromosomal regions in the alligator that have become part of the eutherian X chromosome during evolution.     

Aint/Tacc3 is highly expressed in proliferating mouse tissues during development, spermatogenesis, and oogenesis.

Aint was originally identified on the basis of its interaction in vitro with the aryl hydrocarbon nuclear receptor translocator (Arnt). Arnt is a common heterodimerization partner in the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)-PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS) protein family and is involved in diverse biological functions. These include xenobiotic metabolism, hypoxic response, and circadian rhythm. In addition, Arnt has a crucial role during development. Aint is a member of a growing family of transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) proteins and is the murine homologue of human TACC3. Here we report the spatiotemporal expression of Tacc3 mRNA and protein in embryonic, postnatally developing, and adult mouse tissues using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. Tacc3 mRNA was highly expressed in proliferating cells of several organs during murine development. However, the only adult tissues expressing high levels were testis and ovary. Immunocytochemistry revealed that Tacc3 is a nuclear protein. Our results suggest that Tacc3 has an important role in murine development, spermatogenesis, and oogenesis.     

Effect of hypoxia on immediate ventilatory load response in dogs.

The effective elastance of the respiratory system (which has been previously shown to provide an index of the ability of the respiratory musculature to compensate rapidly for transient mechanical ventilatory loads) was measured in six hypoxic dogs to determine whether hypoxia hindered immediate load-compensatory mechanisms. The effective elastance value was computed from measurements of control tidal volume and the pressure developed at the airway opening during the first inspiratory effort following airway occlusion at FRC. The mean effective elastance was 197 cmH2O/l while the animals were breathing room air and did not change significantly when the animals were rendered hypoxic by reducing the inspired oxygen concentration, in five dogs, or by controlled hemorrhage, in two dogs. It was concluded that inasmuch as effective elastance measurements remain constant during hypoxia, the stability of ventilation is not significantly impaired in this situation.     

Preferential expression of cellular retinoic acid binding protein in a subpopulation of neural cells in the developing mouse embryo

The cellular retinoic acid binding protein is thought to be involved in the retinoic-acid-mediated signal transduction pathway. We have isolated the mouse cellular retinoic acid binding protein cDNA from an embryonal-carcinoma-derived cell line by using differential cDNA cloning strategies. In situ hybridization on sections of mouse embryos of various developmental stages indicated that the cellular retinoic acid binding protein gene, which we localized on mouse chromosome 9, is preferentially expressed in a subpopulation of neurectodermal cells. This restricted expression pattern suggests an important role for cellular retinoic acid binding protein in murine neurogenesis.     

Physical anomalies and developmental delays in nonhuman primate infants exposed to weekly doses of ethanol during gestation

Ethanol was orally administered once per week to 54 gravid pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) in doses of 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 1.8, 2.5 or 4.1 gm/kg from the 1st week in gestation or in doses of 2.5, 3.3, or 4.1 gm/kg from the 5th week. Mean maternal mean peak plasma ethanol concentrations (MPPEC) ranged from 24 +/- 6 mg/dl at the 0.3 gm/kg dose to 549 +/- 71 mg/dl at the 4.1 gm/kg dose. Thirty-three viable infants were followed from birth to 6 months of age and assessed for growth, health, congenital anomalies and developmental rate. Facial anomalies, growth deficiency, or central nervous system dysfunction were found in 57% of the alcohol-exposed animals. No animal showed all the features of the human fetal alcohol syndrome. Ten of the twelve animals (83%) with mean MPPEC above 140 mg/dl had evidence of a teratogenic impact. The animals with full gestational exposure to ethanol and mean MPPEC between 140 and 249 mg/dl had much more severe and consistent cognitive abnormalities than the animals with delayed gestational exposures, even though the latter were exposed to mean MPPEC between 260 and 540 mg/dl. Conclusions from this study included: 1) ethanol-related behavioral teratogenesis occurred without accompanying physical anomalies, 2) measurable teratogenic effects from weekly exposures occurred only at intoxicating doses of ethanol, and 3) early gestational exposure to ethanol appeared to be more damaging to cognitive function than later and considerably greater alcohol exposure.