Susceptibility of autologous target cells to lysis by lymphokine-activated effectors from interferon-α-treated chronic myelogenous leukaemia patients

Summary Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients in chronic phase display compromised lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell induction, which is partly restored after therapy with interferon . However, the relative resistance of the leukemic cells from these patients to autologous or allogeneic LAK lysis is not affected by this treatment. In an attempt to render CML cells more susceptible to lysis or cytostasis, they were precultured in serum-free medium with or without recombinant growth factors. In eight patients studied, interleukin-3 (IL-3) significantly enhanced the spontaneous short-term (6-day) proliferation of CML cells, with retention of ability to form colonies in methylcellulose. Culture in either medium alone or IL-3 led to a significant enrichment of CD14⁺ and CD33⁺ cells but to a reduction in CD34⁺ cells. In contrast, culture of the same cells in IL-2 (to generate autologous LAK activity) resulted in a loss of CD14⁺ and CD33⁺ as well as CD34⁺ cells but in a significant increase in CD3⁺ and CD56⁺ cells. Despite similarities in their phenotypes, IL-3 cultured cells but not those cultured in medium alone acquired susceptibility to lysis by the IL-2-cultured autologous LAK cells. These results may have significance for the design of novel combination immunotherapy in CML.This work was supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 120)     

Atrial natriuretic peptide in the central nervous system of the rat

1. Studies of the presence of atrial natriuretic peptide immunoreactivity and receptor binding sites in the central nervous system have revealed unusual sites of interest. 2. As a result, numerous studies have appeared that indicate that brain atrial natriuretic peptide is implicated in the regulation of blood pressure, fluid and sodium balance, cerebral blood flow, brain microcirculation, blood-brain barrier function, and cerebrospinal fluid production. 3. Alteration of the atrial natriuretic peptide system in the brain could have important implications in hypertensive disease and disorders of water balance in the central nervous system.     

Immunological identification of yeast SCO1 protein as a component of the inner mitochondrial membrane

Summary The SCO1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a 30 kDa protein which is specifically required for a post-translational step in the accumulation of subunits 1 and 2 of cytochrome c oxidase (COXI and COXII). Antibodies directed against a -Gal::SCO1 fusion protein detect SCO1 in the mitochondrial fraction of yeast cells. The SCO1 protein is an integral membrane protein as shown by its resistance to alkaline extraction and by its solubilization properties upon treatment with detergents. Based on the results obtained by isopycnic sucrose gradient centrifugation and by digitonin treatment of mitochondria, SCO1 is a component of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Membrane localization is mediated by a stretch of 17 hydrophobic amino acids in the amino-terminal region of the protein. A truncated SCO1 derivative lacking this segment, is no longer bound to the membrane and simultaneously loses its biological function. The observation that membrane localization of SCO1 is affected in mitochondria of a rho ⁰ strain, hints at the possible involvement of mitochondrially coded components in ensuring proper membrane insertion.     

Demonstration of correlations between the 8 and 10 kHz atmospherics and the inflammatory reaction of rats after carrageenan injection

Between the mean daily density of 28 kHz atmospherics and the onset of epileptic fits there is a highly significant correlation coefficient (r) of 0.30; there is a negative coefficient of –0.20 between the fits and the mean daily density of 10 kHz atmospherics. The onset of heart infarction is correlated with 28 kHz atmospherics (r=0.15). Furthermore, we have discovered that sudden deafness is also correlated with certain configurations of atmospherics. In this paper we report the following correlation coefficients between the inflammatory reaction of rats to a carrageenan injection (rci) into a hind paw and the mean daily pulse rate of atmospherics of the same day:r=0.49 for the 8 kHz atmospherics (P<0.02) andr=0.44 for the 10 kHz atmospherics (P<0.04). The correlations between rci reaction and other atmospherics (12 and 28 kHz) are smaller and not significant. By the method of multiple linear regression we found a multipleR=0.54 between rci reaction and the 8 and 10 kHz atmospherics (the regression function for the rci reaction is 0.15+0.004×8 kHz+0.002×10 kHz,P<0.05).     

Consequences of iron deficiency on photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport in blue-green algae

Growth of Aphanocapsa in low iron media resulted in a decrease of the endogenous iron pool. Below a critical concentration photosynthetic electron transfer was specifically depressed. This was caused by a strong inhibition of the synthesis of cytochromes b-559 of PSII, cytochromes b-563, f-557, and the Rieske Fe-S center of the cytochrome complex and especially the Fe-S centers of PSI. The influence of iron limitation on respiration and chlorphyll formation was negligible.Paper presented at the FESPP meeting (Strasbourg, 1984)     

Distribution and abundance of the planktic foraminifer Neogloboquadrina pachyderma in sea ice of the Weddell Sea (Antarctica)

Summary Sea ice cores were obtained from eleven fast ice stations and one floe in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica in January–February 1985. All cores from the north eastern part of the Weddell Sea contained numerous living and dead planktic foraminifers of the species Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (Ehrenberg), while cores drilled in southern parts were barren of foraminifers with one exception. Foraminiferal abundances were variable, with numbers up to 320 individuals per liter melted sea ice. Distribution of foraminifers appears to be patchy, parallel cores taken less than 30 cm apart contained numbers which varied considerably. On the other hand, three cores taken on a transect each more than 3 km apart showed striking similarities. In general, small dead tests were found in the upper parts of the sea ice cores while large living individuals mainly occurred in lower sections. Abundant diatoms probably serve as a food source for the foraminifers. Correlation of foraminiferal abundance with salinity, chlorophyll and nutrient profiles are inconsistent. The possible mechanism of incorporation of N. pachyderma into the ice is discussed.     

Genetische Untersuchungen bei angeborener organischer subvalvulärer Aortenstenose

Zusammenfassung Ausgehend von 45 Probanden mit angeborenen organischen subvalvulären Aortenstenosen wurden Familienuntersuchungen durchgeführt. 29 Probanden hatten eine einfache (isolierte) Subaortenstenose (Tabelle 1), 16 weitere einen mit zusätzlichen Herzdefekten wie angeborener valvulärer Aortenstenose (n=3), Ductus arteriosus persistens (n=7), Aortenisthmusstenose (n=5) und Ventrikelseptumdefekt (n=2) kombinierten Typ (Tabelle 2 u. 3).Die Häufigkeit der angeborenen organischen Subaortenstenose liegt wahrscheinlich zwischen 0,0065% und 0,0162%.Das Geschlechtsverhältnis beträgt bei Zusammenfassung der eigenen Fälle mit Literaturbeobachtungen 2 :1 (Tabelle 3 u. 4).In den Familien der 45 Probanden wurden alle lebenden Eltern, Geschwister sowie Kinder, z. T. auch Großeltern und weitere Verwandte untersucht. In 11 Fällen famden sich in den Sippen weitere Angehörige mit angeborenen Herzfehlern (Tabelle 1 u. 2). In der Geschwisterschaft von Kranken beträgt die nach dem Maximum-likelihood-Verfahren errechnete Erkrankungswahrscheinlichkeit p=0,0361±0,00205 (k=0,^rmin=1). Die Erkrankungswahrscheinlichkeit der Eltern, errechnet nach der Weinbergschen Probandenmethode, beträgt 3,3±1,9% (Tabelle 6).Ein Proband hat einen eineiigen, nicht betroffenen Zwillingsbruder.Das Durchschnittsalter der Väter der Probanden beträgt 30,6 Jahre, das der Mütter 28,6 Jahre und entspricht dem der Kontrollgruppe (Tabelle 7).Die Prüfung der Geburtenordnung nach dem Haldane-Smith-Verfahren ergab keine signifikante Differenz zwischen Beobachtung und Erwartung (Tabelle 8).Genetisch liegt den angeborenen organischen Subaortenstenosen vermutlich ein multifaktorielles genetisches System mit additiver Polygenie und Schwellenwerteffekt zugrunde.

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Genetic investigations in congential organic subvalvular aortic stenosis

Summary Genetic investigations have been carried out on 45 propositi with congenital organic subvalvular aortic stenosis. From these, 29 had an isolated subvalvular aortic stenosis (see Table 1), 16 a type combined with other cardiac defects as valvular aortic stenosis (n=3), patent ductus arteriosus (n=7), coarctation of the aorta (n=5), and ventricular septal defect (n=2) (see Table 2 and 3).The incidence of this heart defect among all live births is probably 0.0065%–0.0162%.According to our own observations as well as to the literature the sex ratio of patients with organic subvalvular aortic stenosis is 2 :1 (see Table 3).In the families of the 45 propositi were examined all living parents, siblings and infants, in some cases also grand-parents and other family members. In all of them 11 relatives were affected with similar or-rarely-dissimilar congenital heart diseases (see Table 1 and 2). Using the maximum-likelihood-method, the risk of siblings to be affected is calculated as beeing p (k=0,^rmin=1). Using the Weinberg method the probability of parents to be affected is 3.3±1,9% (see Table 6).One index patient had a monozygotic co-twin who is not affected.The average age of the fathers is 30.6 years and of the mothers 28.6 years (see Table 7). There is no statistical difference between parental age and that of the control sample.The birth-order effect was examined in our 45 patients (see Table 8) by the Haldane-Smith-method. There is no difference between observation and expectation.The hypothesis of a multifactorial genetic background is supposed as mode of inheritance of congenital organic subvalvular aortic stenosis.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

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