T-cell dysfunction and hyperimmunoglobulinemia E in paracoccidioidomycosis

Various aspects of T and B cell mediated immunity were investigated in 20 well documented cases of active (10) or inactive (10) paracoccidioidomycosis (Pcm), as well as in 8 healthy individuals living in the endemic area of the disease. The results confirm previous reports that active Pcm produces diverse grades of depression of T cell mediated immunity. Such T cell dysfunction is not associated with a reduction in the number of peripheral E rosette-forming cells, and the immunodepression is reversed by chemotherapy. Sera from Pcm (active or inactive) patients have significantly increased levels of total IgE, but the actual proportion of IgE antibodies against P. brasiliensis was very low (0.4–0.6%). The highest levels of total IgE were found in active patients with disease-related immune depression, suggesting that T cell dysfunction might contribute to the excessive IgE production.     

Saturation-transfer electron spin resonance studies on the mobility of spin-labeled sodium and potassium ion activated adenosinetriphosphatase in membranes from Squalus acanthias

The sodium and potassium ion activated adenosinetriphosphatase [(Na+,K+)-ATPase] in membranous preparations from Squalus acanthias has been spin-labeled on sulfhydryl groups after prelabeling with N-ethylmaleimide. Saturation-transfer electron spin resonance spectroscopy has been used to study the rotational motions of the labeled protein on the microsecond time scale. Effective rotational correlation times deduced from the diagnostic line-height ratios in the second-harmonic, 90 degrees out-of-phase (V2') spectra are much larger than those deduced from the spectral integrals, indicating the presence of large-scale segmental motions, in addition to rotation of the protein as a whole. Experiments involving controlled cross-linking of the protein by glutaraldehyde, as well as measurements of the line broadening of the conventional electron spin resonance spectra, support this interpretation. Both the spectral integrals and diagnostic line-height ratios are found to increase irreversibly with time on incubation at temperatures greater than 20 degrees C, corresponding to a decrease in the segmental motion of the protein and probably also in the overall protein rotation. The native enzyme displays a marked nonlinearity in the Arrhenius temperature dependence of the activity at temperatures above 20 degrees C, and the activity decreases with a half-life of ca. 70 min on incubation at 37 degrees C (but not on incubation at low temperature), paralleling the time- and temperature-dependent changes in the saturation-transfer spectra of the labeled protein. Both of these observations suggest that the changes observed in the molecular dynamics could correspond to functional properties of the protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ultrastructural studies of endocrine-like cells in the fundic gastric mucosa of the bullfrog,Rana catesbeiana

Summary This study is concerned with electron-microscopic observations on endocrine or paracrine cells in the fundic gastric mucosa of the bullfrog. Also, an attempt was made to identify the histamine-releasing cells involved in the secretagogue response. At least three distinct endocrine-like cell types were found. The classification is based on the appearance of secretory granules and other organelles, and the relationship of endocrine-like cells with other cells in the tissue. The amphibian endocrine-like cells resemble the ECL, D and EC cells of mammals. Type-I (ECL) cells showed degranulation after repeated stimulation with tetragastrin (TG), acetylcholine (ACh) and K⁺ depolarizing solution, all of which release histamine.     

Effect of acute altitude hypoxia on fatty acid proportion in the plasma of rats of different ages

Using gas chromatography, the authors studied the development of the proportion of 25 saturated and non-saturated fatty acids in the plasma of Wistar rats of their own breed aged 5, 10, 14 and 25 days and adult (both sexes), and in three age groups (5 and 14 day and adult) they determined the effect of acute altitude hypoxia. Fatty acids were determined as methylesters (FAME) (Base 1978), using the method already described by Smídová et al. (1984a), in mixed blood plasma obtained from decapitated control and experimental animals. Altitude hypoxia, which corresponded to 9 000 m, lasted 20 min. The temperature was kept stable at 25 degrees C. Marked changes occurred during ontogenesis in the proportion of total fatty acids (TFA) in the plasma; the proportion of sigma non-saturated FA fell significantly during maturation, chiefly in favour of monoene FA, with a resultant significant drop in their reciprocal index (sigma saturated/sigma monoene). The proportion of all saturated FA amounted in 5-day-old rats to 54% of the total quantity, but in adult rats to only 40%. Acute hypoxia had a demonstrable effect in all three age categories. In 5-day-old rats it led to significant changes in 7 FA and in adult rats in 10. In both 5-day-old and adult animals it produced an increase in the arachidonic acid level. The results are discussed in relation to previous findings on the effect of the same hypoxia on FA proportion in various parts of the CNS of rats of different ages.