Late pulmonary allergic responses in actively but not passively IgE-sensitized rats

Previous studies suggested that although rats that were passively sensitized [monoclonal murine immunoglobulin E (IgE)] would respond to pulmonary antigen challenge with an immediate increase in resistance, they exhibited no late increases in resistance, unlike late changes in rats actively sensitized to preferentially produce IgE antibody. We hypothesized that passively sensitized rats also would not develop antigen-induced pulmonary inflammation. In a blinded protocol we compared immediate responses and pulmonary resistance and inflammation at 8, 19 and 24 h after challenge with placebo antigen, with dinitrophenol-bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) to elicit a passively sensitized response, or with ovalbumin (OA) to elicit an actively sensitized response. Despite similar immediate responses to OA and DNP-BSA, only the rats challenged with OA had marked inflammatory changes and a significant incidence of late elevations in resistance. Inflammation scores and lung resistance were significantly correlated only in the OA group. We also observed that anesthesia with fentanyl/droperidol significantly attenuated the immediate but not the late responses to antigen challenge, compared with rats anesthetized with ketamine. We conclude that IgE-mediated immediate responses to pulmonary antigen challenge are insufficient, and may be unnecessary, to initiate antigen-induced late inflammatory changes.     

FLORAL DEVELOPMENT OF A FLOWER-STRUCTURE MUTANT IN SOYBEANS,GLYCINE MAX (L.) MERR. (LEGUMINOSAE)

A flower-structure mutant with cleistogamous flowers (but often with an exposed style and stigma) and very low seed set was found in soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). The mutant, assigned Genetic Type Collection Number T269, is controlled genetically by duplicate recessive genes, fs₁ and fs₂. A study of flower development in T269 plants was undertaken to determine the cause of the low seed set. Both normal and mutant flower buds were observed with a light microscope by using paraffin serial sections and with a scanning electron microscope. Measurements of various floral structures were taken to verify differences observed between mutant and normal flowers. Young mutant flower buds had longer carpels and larger receptacles than did normal flower buds. These two factors caused the sepals to be positioned abnormally, which, in turn, prevented normal development of the petals. The abnormal petal development prevented staminal tube elongation, and a spatial separation between the anthers and stigma existed at anthesis, preventing self-pollination. Observations of the gynoecium of mutant flowers revealed that megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis were normal but that other features of ovule ontogeny were abnormal. In all ovules examined, the outer integuments failed to form micropyles. In addition, many ovules were positioned abnormally. The degree of aberration varied even within a carpel, but we estimated that at least 75% of the ovules were too aberrant to be functional. Therefore, the low seed set on T269 plants was due both to a lack of self-pollination and to partial female sterility. It is the only naturally occurring structural sterile reported in soybeans to date.     

Interactions between the lysine-rich histone F1 and deoxyribonucleic acid

1. The interactions of the lysine-rich histone F1 with DNA have been studied at various histone to DNA ratios, in water and in the presence of uni- and bi-valent cations. In water only, histone F1, even in fourfold excess, is unable to precipitate all the DNA. In 0.14m-sodium chloride, 0.8mg. of histone F1 is required to precipitate 1mg. of DNA, whereas in 0.07m-magnesium chloride only 0.4mg. is required. 2. Bivalent cations are also shown to be more effective in dissociating the DNA-histone complex. Histone F1 can be selectively removed from deoxyribonucleoprotein with 0.1m-magnesium chloride. 3. The precipitation of DNA by histone F1 is a reversible process and the complex can be taken in and out of solution by changing the ionic environment. 4. The bearing of these results on the observed ability of various DNA-histone complexes to act as templates for RNA synthesis is discussed.     

c-AMP and Morphogenesis of Acetabularia

The c-AMP content has been found to double when Acetabularia develop from 5–10 mm long to grown or almost full-grown algae.
The biological significance of this fact has been approached by studying the effects of drugs known to influence the intracellular c-AMP content on the development of Acetabularia. When grown in the presence of theophyllin or papaverin, inhibitors of phosphodiesterase, the Acetabularia display a striking response during the exponential growth period; the final length, however, is not affected. Both substances increase the c-AMP content of the algea. Isoproterenol, which activates adenylate cyclase in many systems, also influences Acetabularia during the exponential growth period and, in addition, slightly affects cap formation.
The change in c-AMP content in the course of development and the effects of drugs influencing (theophyllin and papaverin) or likely to influence (isoproterenol) the c-AMP content of the algae suggest that this nucleotide plays a role at the time of intense growth.
The same phosphodiesterase activity has been found in the 5–10 mm and the 19–25 mm long algae, whereas two enzymes were found in cap-bearing Acetabularia.
The results are discussed as well as the involvement of c-AMP in the development of this alga.