Histological characterization of in vitro regenerated structures of Panax ginseng

Callus was induced from mature leaf lamina, petiole, stem, and main and branch root of Panax ginseng and maintained under different nutrient and light conditions. Heterogenous callus cultures differentiated organoids and/or embryoids. Embryoids that arose from callus cultures of leaf origin germinated into shoots. The occurrence of the early stages of different regenerated structures was proved on histological level.     

A new homeobox-leucine zipper gene from Arabidopsis thaliana

We have isolated a homeobox-containing gene from Arabidopsis thaliana using a degenerate oligonucleotide probe corresponding to the most conserved region of the homeodomain. This strategy has been used previously to isolate homeobox-containing genes from Caenorhabditis, and recently from A. thaliana. The Arabidopsis genes have an unusual structure in that they have a leucine zipper motif adjacent to the carboxy terminal region of the homeo domain, a feature not found in homeobox-containing genes isolated from animals. We report the isolation and primary structure of a new member of this Arabidopsis homeobox-leucine zipper gene family. This new member has the homeodomain and leucine-zipper motif similar to the two genes previously identified, but differs from these genes in the part corresponding to the carboxy terminus of the polypeptide, as well as in size and isoelectric point of the protein.     

Coordination between cardiovascular and respiratory control systems during and after cerebral ischemia.

The dissociation of cardiovascular (arterial hypertension) and respiratory (depression) reactions to severe cerebral ischemia seems to be inconsistent with the usual cooperative behavior of the two systems and their role in managing disturbances in the central chemical environment. In the present study the Cushing reaction was elicited by transient increase of the intracranial pressure 4-11 times in each experiment. The pressor response and changes in the vertebral sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) were compared with the respiratory reaction and with changes in the phrenic nerve activity. The reaction in both nerves developed in two phases. In the phrenic nerve, an initial hyperactivity (increased discharge amplitude and frequency) coincided with augmentation of the rhythmic SND (phase 1) and complete nerve depression developed when the SND was desynchronized (phase 2). The transition in both systems correlated in their latencies and the severity of the ischemia needed for their stimulation. Repetition of the ischemic stimuli increased the occurrence of the respiratory-related rhythmicity in the SND and later changed its character from rhythmic amplitude modulation to respiratory-related high-frequency bursting SND coinciding with the inspiration. It is concluded that, despite the apparent dissociation between the cardiovascular and respiratory reactions, there is a parallel response between the neurophysiological correlates of the two systems to increasing severity of cerebral ischemia.     

Human T-cell cultures with selective autotumor reactivity

Summary T-cell cultures derived from the blood of 14 patients with solid tumors were propagated with T-cell growth factor (TCGF). The cultures were initiated from lymphocytes exposed to autologous tumor-biopsy cells. TCGF was added either immediately or 3–10 days later. In the former culture type the cell yield on day 7 was considerably higher. The cytotoxic potential of the cultured cells was assayed on two occasions, between days 7 and 10 and between weeks 5 and 8. Cells of all but two cultures had the potential to lyse autologous tumor-biopsy cells.On the population level, cytotoxicity was specific for autologous tumor in those cultures that were driven to growth with TCGF after the 3rd day. These lymphocytes did not lyse allogeneic tumor-biopsy cells. In contrast, all five cultures initiated in the presence of TCGF exhibited a broader cytotoxic potential, i.e., in addition to the stimulator autologous-tumor cells, they also lysed other targets. Another difference between the two culture types was their behavior toward K562. Tested on the 7th day they all lysed K562; however, this function declined in strength or disappeared later in the cultures exposed to TCGF after the 3rd day.Reexposure of the lymphocytes to autologous tumor-biopsy cells after 2 weeks of culture period, but not on the 7th day, induced DNA synthesis. This secondary response was specific inasmuch as allogeneic tumor cells had little or no effect.One of the autotumor restimulated cultures was tested for cytotoxic potential. It increased against the autologous but not against other tumors or K562 cells.     

XY female mice express H-Y antigen

Karyotypically XY individuals of the C57BL/6J-Y^POS mouse stock develop as females or hermaphrodites, but never as normal males. The aberrant sexual development results from the interaction of the C57BL/6J genetic background with the M. poschiavinus-derived Y chromosome. XY females from this stock were assayed for H-Y antigen. By the criteria of skin-grafting, the cell-mediated lympholysis test, and the popliteal lymph node assay, these XY females are antigenically indistinguishable from normal C57BL/6 males. Implications for the hypothesis that H-Y antigen induces formation of the mammalian testis are discussed.     

High molecular weight RNA containing histone messenger in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

Sea urchin RNA extracted from early and mesenchyme blastula embryos and oocytes and fractionated on denaturing sucrose density gradients, was hybridized with histone DNA recombinants of Psammechinus miliaris (clone λh22) and of Paracentrotus lividus (clone pPH70). Histone sequences are found in the 9 S and larger than 9 S regions of the formamide/sucrose density gradients. The melting of the RNA-DNA duplexes obtained by hybridization of polysomal and high molecular weight RNA of embryos of P. lividus at the stage of early blastula, suggests a degree of heterogeneity in the high M_r RNA. The high M_r RNA contains at least four of the five histone gene sequences covalently linked.     

Iridoid glycosides from Galium verum

From the aerial parts of Galium verum in flower, asperuloside and V₁ iridoid were isolated. From the mother liquor obtained on recrystallizatio     

Role of H-2 antigens in the host response to methylcholanthrene-induced tumors

H-2 loss variant sublines of a sarcoma (M-AS), induced by methylcholanthrene in an (A × A.SW)F₁ mouse, were used to study the role of the MHC products in the recognition of MC-TSTA. The two reciprocal variant sublines (M-A and M-S) were found to express the TSTA of the original tumor as shown by cross-reactions in graft rejection experiments performed in (A × A.SW)F₁ mice. In the A/Sn and A.SW mice the presence of the reciprocal parental H-2 antigens on the immunizing cells decreased the response against the tumor antigens. An admixture of lymphocytes derived from hyperimmune mice inhibited the outgrowth of the tumor cells. The growth inhibition was mediated by T cells and was H-2 restricted. Cells derived from hyperimmune syngeneic mice inhibited the outgrowth of the variant subline used for immunization but had no effect on the reciprocal variant subline.     

Late replication patterns in adult and embryonic mice carrying Searle's X-autosome translocation

Bromodeoxyuridine-dye technique analysis of X chromosome DNA synthesis in female adult and fetal mice carrying the balanced form of the T(X; 16) 16H translocation demonstrated that the structurally normal X chromosome was late replicating (and hence presumably inactive) in 93% of the adult cells and 99% of the 9-day embryo cells, with the X¹⁶ chromosome late replicating in the remaining cells. We conclude from these results that in T16H/+ females either there is preferential inactivation of the normal X chromosome or that, if inactivation is random, cell selection takes place before 9 days of development. Two 9-day female embryos with an unbalanced karyotype were also studied; both had two late-replicating chromosomes in most of their cells, one being the chromosome 16^X, the other a normal X chromosome. These results, together with the presence of a late-replicating X¹⁶ chromosome in T16H/+ adult and fetal mice, support the concept that more than one inactivation center is present on the X chromosome of the mouse because the X¹⁶ and the 16^x chromosomes can be late replicating.     

Activated T lymphocytes within human solid tumors

Summary The majority of lymphocytes separated from tumor cell suspensions were T cells. Conjugates of T lymphocytes and tumor cells were often seen. Variable numbers of T cells exhibited signs of activation such as the ability to form stable E rosettes and attachment to normal and malignant cells (a phenomenon designated natural attachment: NA). A proportion of T cells activated in vitro by allogeneic stimulation regularly exhibit these properties. The T cell-tumor conjugates in the suspensions may represent the NA phenomenon, but they could also be the product of T cells that adhere on the basis of specific recognition of cell surface antigens.Abbreviations BBS balanced salt solution - E rosettes rosettes formed with sheep erythrocytes - EA rosettes rosettes formed with ox erythrocytes coated with anti-ox IgG - FCS fetal calf serum - MLC mixed lymphocyte cultures - NA natural attachment - PBL peripheral blood lymphocytes - SRBC sheep erythrocytes - T lymphocytes thymusderived lymphocytes