Isolation of virus causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) through a cell culture system

Twenty-three rat lung specimens collected in outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in three medical institutions were inoculated onto the VERO-E6 cell monolayers. After several blind passages, an agent growing serially in the cell cultures and reacting specifically with known HFRS-positive sera was isolated from two of these specimens. The two isolates were antigenically identical each other. The agent, named strain SR-11, was identified as the causative virus of HFRS by its antigenic identity with E6 cell-adapted HFRS virus, Hantaan 76-118 strain, and the specific reactions with sera from various HFRS cases.     

Peripheral resistance and red cell LiNa countertransport in borderline hypertensives

We have studied ouabain-resistant, external sodium-stimulated, lithium efflux (LiNa countertransport) in red blood cells from 21 borderline hypertensives with at least one hypertensive first degree relative (BH-F), 19 borderline hypertensives without family history of essential hypertension (BH-NF), and 35 age-matched normotensive subjects. The data indicate the finding of an increased LiNa countertransport in all BH (F+NF), but with a significant overlap between BH values and control ones: LiNa countertransport is significantly higher only in BH-F but it is normal in BH-NF. Moreover, there is a significant correlation of LiNa countertransport to total peripheral resistance but not to mean blood pressure in all hypertensive patients. It is suggested that in BH the increase of erythrocyte Na flux is mediated by the NaNa exchange diffusion, and its abnormality may be associated to the hereditary trait of essential hypertension rather than the high blood pressure per se, probably resulting in the development of hypertension, through the increased vascular smooth muscle tone.     

Membrane Potentials of Heterotrophically Cultured Tobacco Cells

The electrophysiological properties of the membrane of Nicotianatabacum var. Sarnsun cultured cells were determined using amicroelectrode technique in standard medium containing 1 mMKC1, 1 mM NaCl and 1 mu CaCl₂ at pH 7. Tobacco callus was derivedfrom the pith (E_m=–104.4%16.2 mV). The membrane potentialsof the callus cells did not show a symmetrical Gaussian distributionbut were scattered over a wide range. The percentage of highmembrane potential cells increased as the subculture was continueduntil about 11 months and then decreased. The response of themembrane potential to electric stimulus, ionic composition,metabolic inhibitors, sugars and amino acids was characteristicof high (E_m=–{small tilde}–160 220 mV; H-cells)and low (E_m=–80{small tilde}–90 mV; L-cells) membranepotential cells. The membrane potential of H-cells was largelydepolarized by addition of CN^–, carbonium cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone,decyclohexylcarbodiimide, and triphenyltin chloride and transientlydepolarized by addition of glucose, galactose, mannose or sucrose,and D-alanine, L-alanine or Llysine, but the membrane potentialof L-cells was not. (Received December 3, 1982; Accepted March 16, 1983)