Use of dextran and post-primary antibody fixation in immunoperoxidase staining of fresh frozen tissue. Detection of immunoglobulin associated with squamous carcinomas of the head and neck

Use of unfixed fresh frozen tissue sections for immunocytochemical studies reduces the possibility of denaturation of antigenic determinants compared to formalin fixation and paraffin embedding procedures. However, tissue and cellular morphology can be extensively altered in the numerous application and washing steps with frozen tissue sections. We tested a number of buffer solutions and showed that the use of dextran-containing buffers and fixation by glutaraldehyde after primary antibody application preserves tissue morphology. The procedures described here are also applicable to ascertaining the presence of Fc receptors of leukocytes in sections of carcinoma tissues. The buffered dextran washes and post-primary antibody fixation method was used to demonstrate the presence of immunoglobulin associated with squamous carcinoma cells. The immunoglobulin was not removed by washing of tissue sections at 37 degrees C but could be removed by low or high pH buffer washes, suggesting that the immunoglobulin is bound in a specific manner.     

Cord blood plasma lipoproteins inhibit mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation

Lipoproteins were isolated from adult plasma and the umbilical cord blood plasma of newborn infants and were compared for their capacity to inhibit mitogen-stimulated [3H]thymidine uptake of adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. Relative to the comparable adult lipoproteins, cord blood low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins inhibited mitogen stimulation at twofold to fourfold lower total protein concentrations. Apoproteins AI, B, and E were quantitated by radioimmunoassay of each of the adult and cord blood lipoprotein fractions. A strong correlation was observed between inhibitory activity and the amount of apoprotein E in the cord blood low and high density lipoproteins. Further evidence that lipoproteins containing apoprotein E accounted for the difference in suppressive activity of cord blood low and high density lipoproteins relative to the adult lipoproteins was obtained by selective removal of the apoprotein E-containing lipoproteins by using immunoaffinity chromatography or heparin-agarose adsorption. The results indicated that cord blood lipoproteins containing apoprotein E in association with apoproteins AI or B are capable of suppressing lymphocyte proliferation in vitro.     

Lymphatic endothelial celline (CH3) from a recurrent retroperitoneal lymphangioma

Summary An endothelial cell line derived from a massive recurrent chyle-containing retroperitoneal lymphangioma was isolated in monolayer culture. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry confirmed a close resemblance to blood vascular endothelium with typical cobblestone morphology, positive immunofluorescence staining for endothelial marker Factor VIII-associated antigen and fibronectin, and prominent Weibel-Palade bodies. The endothelial cells also exhibited other ultrastructural features characteristic of lymphatic endothelium, including sparse microvillous surface projections, overlapping intercellular junctions, and abundant intermediate filaments. This endothelial cell line represents a new source of proliferating lymphatic endothelium for future study, including structural and functional comparison to blood vascular endothelium. Supported in part by Arizona Disease Control Research Commission contracts 8277-000000-1-1-AT-6625 and ZB-7492. Presented in part at the 10th International Congress of Lymphology in Adelaide, Australia, August 1985.     

Studies of human achondroplasia: oxidative metabolism in tissue culture cells

Mitochondria prepared from the first growth of cells (fibroblasts) from skin biopsies from homozygous (but not heterozygous) achondroplastic human subjects were unable to carry out oxidative phosphorylation. However, successive crops of cells gained the ability to phosphorylate with normal P:O ratios with pyruvate-malate and succinate as substrates. Concentrations of cytochromes a + a3 were markedly and significantly lower in homogenates of homozygous achondroplastic tissue culture cells than in homogenates of normal cells. Levels of cytochromes a + a3 in the heterozygous achondroplastic cells were intermediate between the levels in normal cells and the homozygous achondroplastic cells. Activities of the mitochondrial oxidative systems (NADH, succinic and cytochrome oxidases) were not significantly lower in the achondroplastic cell preparations than in normal cell preparations under standard assay conditions (saturation levels of oxygen).     

Several biotic and abiotic elicitors act synergistically in the induction of phytoalexin accumulation in soybean

Summary Plants often respond to microbial infection by producing antimicrobial compounds called phytoalexins. Plants also produce phytoalexins in response to in vitro treatment with molecules called elicitors. Specific elicitors, including a hexa--glucosyl glucitol derived from fungal cell walls, the pectin-degrading enzyme endopolygalacturonic acid lyase, and oligogalacturonides obtained by either partial acid hydrolysis or enzymatic degradation of plant cell walls or citrus polygalacturonic acid, induce soybean (Glycine max. L.) cytoledons to accumulate phytoalexins. The experiments reported here demonstrate that the elicitor-active hexa--glucosyl glucitol acts synergistically with several biotic and abiotic elicitors in the induction of phytoalexins in soybean cotyledons. At concentrations below 50 ng/ml, the hexa--glucosyl glucitol does not induce significant phytoalexin accumulation. When assayed in combination with either endopolygalacturonic acid lyase or with a decagalacturonide released from citrus polygalacturonic acid by this lyase, however, the observed elicitor activity of the hexa--glucosyl glucitol is as much as 35-fold higher than the sum of the responses of these elicitors assayed separately. A similar synergism was also demonstrated for the combination of the hexa--glucosyl glucitol with dilute solutions of sodium acetate, sodium formate, or sodium propionate buffers. These buffers are thought to damage or kill plant cells, which may cause the release of oligogalacturonides from the plant cell wall. The results suggest that oligogalacturonides act as signals of tissue damage and, as such, can enhance the response of plant tissues to other elicitor-active molecules during the initiation of phytoalexin accumulation.Supported by the United States Department of Energy DE-ACO2-84ER13161. This paper is number XXXI in a series, Host-Pathogen Interactions. The preceding paper, Host-Pathogen Interactions XXX is Characterization of elicitors of phytoalexin accumulation in soybean released from soybean cells by endopolygalacturonic acid lyase, by K. R. Davis, A. G. Darvill, P. Albersheim, and A. Dell. Zeitschrift für Naturforsschung, in press.     

Influence of 2-(3,4 dichlorophenoxy)-triethylamine on photosynthesis of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

The effect of foliar sprays of the growth regulator 2-(3,4 dichlorophenoxy)-triethylamine (DCPTA) on net photosynthesis (P_n) by intact bean plants depended upon concentration and the stage of development of the leaves. A single foliar spray of 2.0 mM DCPTA reduced P_n when applied to young expanding leaves but had little effect on fully expanded leaves. Lower DCPTA concentrations (0.2 to 0.8 mM) had no effect on P_n, unless applied more than once which resulted in reduced P_n. The DCPTA-induced inhibition of P_n was associated with chlorosis and aberrations in chloroplast ultrastructure. DCPTA did not affect stomatal resistance. When applied to detached leaf disks in the dark, DCPTA retarded the normal loss of chlorophyll suggesting that DCPTA may have anti-seneseent properties.Abbreviations DCPTA 2-(3,4 dichlorophenoxy)-triethylamine - P_n net photosynthesis - I_s stomatal diffusive resistance     

Distribution of cytoskeletal proteins sharing a conserved phosphorylated epitope

A group of antigens related by their reactivity with monoclonal antibodies MPM-1 and MPM-2 appear as cells enter mitosis. These antibodies bind to a phosphorylated epitope on certain proteins, and therefore the antigens are presumed to be a group of phosphoproteins. A subset of these proteins has been shown previously to be components of mitotic microtubule organizing centers in PtK1 cells. We present here evidence that the mitosis-specific appearance of these phosphoproteins is a phenomenon common to all eukaryotic cells. The MPM reactive phosphoproteins were localized to mitotic spindle poles regardless of whether the spindle formed in the cytoplasm after nuclear envelope breakdown (open mitosis) or within the nucleus (closed mitosis). This reactivity was not dependent upon the presence of centrioles at the spindle poles. Proteins that contained the phosphorylated epitope were not, however, restricted to mitotic cells. Cells of neuronal derivation and flagellated cells showed specific localization of MPM antibody to the microtubule network and basal bodies respectively. On immunoblots, the MPM antibody reacted with brain MAP-1 among a number of other phosphoproteins. The identification of microtubule-associated protein (MAP)-1 correlates with the localization of the antibody to microtubules of neuroblastoma cells. These results suggest, that different phosphoprotein molecules detected by the MPM antibody may be specific for different mitotic microtubule organizing centers, basal bodies, and other specialized cytoskeletal structures; and the presence of a related phosphorylated domain on these proteins may be important for their proper function and/or interaction with microtubules.     

Response of muscle protein turnover to insulin after acute exercise and training.

To determine whether the enhanced insulin-sensitivity of glucose metabolism in muscle after acute exercise also extends to protein metabolism, untrained and exercise-trained rats were subjected to an acute bout of exercise, and the responses of protein synthesis and degradation to insulin were measured in epitrochlearis muscles in vitro. Acute exercise of both untrained and trained rats decreased protein synthesis in muscle in the absence or presence of insulin, but protein degradation was not altered. Exercise training alone had no effect on protein synthesis or degradation in muscle in the absence or presence of insulin. Acute exercise or training alone enhanced the sensitivities of both protein synthesis and degradation to insulin, but the enhanced insulin-sensitivities from training alone were not additive to those after acute exercise. These results indicate that: a decrease in protein synthesis is the primary change in muscle protein turnover after acute exercise and is not altered by prior exercise training, and the enhanced insulin-sensitivities of metabolism of both glucose and protein after either acute exercise or training suggest post-binding receptor events.