ADIPOSE TISSUE : Morphological Changes Associated with Lipid Mobilization

Morphological changes associated with mobilization of lipid were studied in epididymal adipose tissue from fasted and from alloxan diabetic rats. In both groups of animals a decrease in lipid content was accompanied by the formation of complex frond-like cytoplasmic processes and of loops and folds of basement membrane which extended from cell surfaces. These changes, evident after 1 day of fasting, increased in magnitude with increasing weight loss. As the lipid content of the cell decreased further, lipid-cytoplasmic interfaces became irregular and convoluted. Cytoplasmic microvesicles were prominent and appeared to be greatly increased in number. Rosette-like structures composed of microvesicles were observed in both lipid-depleted fat cells and endothelium. The interpretation of these changes and their physiological significance are discussed in terms of the physical and chemical properties of lipids and lipid metabolism. It is postulated that microvesicles may represent the mechanism of transport of free fatty acids in fat cells and in endothelium. Hypotheses are proposed and illustrated schematically for the mode of formation of microvesicular rosettes, for the mobilization and uptake of lipids by fat cells, and for the transport of lipids through endothelium.     

Virus Aggregation as the Cause of the Non-neutralizable Persistent Fraction

The non-neutralizable or persistent fraction of virus populations has been found to be caused by aggregated virus. Detailed investigation was performed with the prototype strain of echovirus type 4 (Pesascek), as this virus is notorious for its large non-neutralizable fraction. When Pesascek virus was clarified by low-speed centrifugation, homologous antiserum hardly neutralized the virus. However, when the virus was filtered through membranes having a porosity only twice the diameter of the virus, monodispersed virus was obtained which was efficiently neutralized. Serum titers were up to 1,000 times higher if the neutralization test was carried out with monodispersed virus. Virus in non-neutralizable aggregates was found to constitute 30% of the infective units of unfiltered Pesascek virus but only 0.1% of the antigenically related DuToit strain. This explains why DuToit strain has been a more satisfactory indicator strain for detecting type 4 antibodies, regardless of the echo 4 strain used for inducing the antibodies. Clarified suspensions and ultrafiltrates of viruses belonging to the picorna-, reo-, myxo-, adeno-, herpes-, and poxvirus groups were studied. Clarified suspensions yielded persistent fractions of 0.005% for poliovirus, of 0.1% for reovirus, of 0.6% for influenza virus, of <0.001% for adenovirus, of 0.06% for herpesvirus, and of 10 to 30% for vaccinia virus. In all cases the persistent fractions were removed by membrane filters which had a pore diameter no larger than twice that of the virus under test, and the high concentration of virus in each ultrafiltrate was completely neutralized by antiserum.     

Leucine aminopeptidase in extracts of swine muscle

1. Leucine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.1.1) has been demonstrated in swine muscle at a level of activity one-fifth that of the swine kidney. 2. The enzyme has been purified 110-fold by precipitation with ammonium sulphate, heat treatment and chromatography on Sephadex G-100. 3. The enzyme is heat-stable, but is rapidly inactivated below pH7. It requires Mg(2+) or Mn(2+) for activity. The Michaelis constant for leucine amide with Mg(2+)-activated enzyme is 5.0x10(-3)m. 4. Muscle leucine aminopeptidase is very similar to the kidney enzyme.     

Ultrastructural localization of some phosphatases in the prothoracic gland of the insect Leucophaea Maderae

Summary The cytochemical localization of acid phosphatase and thiamine pyrophosphatase activity was studied by light and electron microscopy in prothoracic gland cells of the cockroach Leucophaea moderae. Nymphal and young adult animals were used.Prominent sites of acid phosphatase activity included large membrane-bounded dense bodies or lysosomes, and certain cisternae of the Golgi apparatus. The results suggest a possible difference in the enzymatic activity toward glycerophosphate and aromatic phosphates as substrates.Thiamine pyrophosphatase activity was localized in elements of the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum, and in lysosome-like dense bodies. This latter activity was abolished by sodium fluoride treatment, whereas the phosphatase activity in the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum is unaffected by such inhibition.The cytochemical results confirm through direct evidence the suggestions of Scharrer (1964), that the large dense bodies present in the prothoracic gland cells are lysosomes, and that their activity may be related to stages in the life history of the glands. Furthermore, the lysosomes or their derivative structures may play an essential role in the autolysis of the prothoracic glands toward the end of their active period.The enzymatic activity of the endoplasmic reticulum may indicate the involvement of this organelle in the metabolism of steroid-like precursor materials necessary for the synthesis of ecdysone.This study was supported by U.S.P.H.S. grants 5 T1-MH-6418 and NB-05219, and grant RO 1-AM-3984 to Dr. Berta Scharrer. I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Scharrer for her encouragement and assistance during this study. I also wish to thank Mrs. Sarah Wurzelmann for her competent technical aid.     

The Medical and Human Performance Problems of Living Under the Sea

Recent undersea experiments in the United States and France showed that divers can live and work effectively for many days from dwellings placed on the continental shelf to depths down to 432 feet. If prolonged exposure to the hostile underwater environment is to be tolerated successfully, existing physical, biological and equipment hazards must be recognized, prepared for and, when possible, circumvented.     

Fine Structural Alterations in Cell Particles During Chemical Carcinogenesis : II. Further Evidence for Their Involvement in the Mechanism of Carcinogenesis. The Swelling of Rat Liver Mitochondria During Feeding of Amino Azo Dyes

Swelling under carefully controlled conditions has been used to study alterations in the structure of rat liver mitochondria as a result of feeding azo dyes. The changes of the swelling properties of the mitochondria during feeding of the hepatocarcinogenic 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene are essentially comparable to those observed previously with the microsomes, under the same dietary conditions. These alterations in mitochondrial swelling are not related to changes in the amount of these cell particulates per unit weight of tissue, during feeding of this azo dye. As with the microsomes, feeding of the isomeric but relatively noncarcinogenic 2-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene does not affect swelling. The structural differences between liver and hepatoma mitochondria show up not only in the rate and extent of swelling but also in the form of the curves of pH dependence. The influence of ketones and sulfhydryl compounds on the swelling of normal liver mitochondria were studied, with particular emphasis to the role of sulfhydryl groups in membrane permeability. The sudden steep rise in the tumor incidence in groups of rats fed 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene for increasing intervals of time occurs at about 4 weeks. This time correlates with the point of the minimum swelling of microsomes and mitochondria isolated from the livers of rats fed this same dye. Thus, a correlation is established between the alterations of the swelling properties of these particulates and the carcinogenic process.     

CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS ON IPRONIAZID IN IDIOTS WITH EPILEPSY

In contradistinction to the observation made before that iproniazid has a potentiating effect on certain amines in guinea pigs, human studies have shown that this effect has very little clinical importance, when both the amines and the amine oxidase inhibitor are given in the usual therapeutic doses. However, neither in man nor in the guinea pig pretreatment with iproniazid showed a potentiating effect on amines which are not substrates of monoamine oxidase (ephedrine and amphetamine). Patients with epilepsy and allergic disease may receive iproniazid.