Evidence for Glucocorticoid Target Cells in the Rat Optic Nerve. Hormone Binding and Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase Induction

Abstract: Biochemical evidence suggests that neuroglia are responsive to glucocorticoids, yet previous studies of glucocorticoid localization have typically failed to demonstrate significant uptake by neuroglial cells. To further investigate this problem, we measured glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity and glucocorticoid receptor binding capacity in normal rat optic nerves and in those undergoing Wallerian (axonal) degeneration. Binding studies were also performed on hippocampus and anterior pituitary for comparison purposes. Normal optic nerve preparations possessed a high level of GPDH activity that was glucocorticoid-inducible and that increased further following axonal degeneration. Antibody inactivation experiments demonstrated the presence of more enzyme molecules in the degenerating nerve preparations. Correlative immunocytochemical studies found GPDH-positive reaction product only in morphologically identified oligodendrocytes, a result that is consistent with the previously reported localization of this enzyme in rat brain. Optic nerve cytosol fractions displayed substantial high-affinity binding of both dexamethasone (DEX) and corticosterone (CORT) that, like GPDH, was elevated approximately twofold in degenerating nerves. Finally, in vivo accumulation of [³H]DEX and [³H]CORT by optic nerve and other myelinated tracts was examined using nuclear isolation and autoradiographic methods. Although neither steroid was found to be heavily concentrated by these tissues in vivo , a small preference for DEX was observed in the nuclear uptake experiments. These results are discussed in terms of the hypothesis that glial cells are targets for glucocorticoid hormones.     

EFFECTS OF ICE ON ASCOPHYLLUM NODOSUM WITHIN THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY SYSTEM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE-MAINE12

The, effects of ice on Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jolis within the Great Bay Estuary System of New Hampshire-Maine, U.S.A. were assessed during the winter of 1980–81. Approximately 50% of the plants late fall standing crop, or an estimated 136 tonnes dry weight, was removed by ice-rafting. Pieces of Ascophyllum removed averaged 22 cm in length, 15 g in fresh weight and generally represented 2–3 years of growth. Although the winter of 1980–81 wax somewhat extreme, a similar pruning process probably occurs each year contributing to the characteristic bushy habit of attached inner estuarine plants. Ascophyllum fragments rafted in ice and deposited into salt marshes are suggested as a major source of the, ecad scorpioides (Hornemann) Hauck.     

Diterpene carboxylic acids and a heliangolide from Helianthus angustifolius

Two diterpene carboxylic acids, one a new kaurenoid derivative and one the previously characterized labdane, ()-cis-ozic acid, as well as a     

Effect of hormones on growth rates of malignant and nonmalignant human mammary epithelia in cell culture

Summary The individual effects of seven hormones on the in vitro growth rate of different classifications of human mammary epithelium were compared. Hormones used were: 17β-estradiol, estriol, progesterone, hydrocortisone, testosterone, prolactin, and growth hormone. Cell cultures included three established breast cell lines and primary monolayer cultures established form breast fluids and excised mammary tissue from 40 women and 4 men. Specimens comprised three classifications: normal, nonmalignant atypical, and malignant. Growth was quantitated in situ and expressed as population doubling time. Principal findings were: (a) estrogens, prolactin, and growth hormone stimulated growth of normal cells more frequently than growth of malignant cells, whereas testosterone and hydrocortisone stimulated growth of malignant cells more frequently than growth of normal cells; (b) cells cultured from nonmalignant atypias generally showed hormone response profiles intermediate between those of normal and malignant cells; (c) progesterone stimulated the growth of cells from malignant specimens but not the growth of cells from normal and nonmalignant atypical samples. This research was supported by NIAID Research Training Grant 5-TO1-A1-00332-06.     

The early ontogeny of hematopoietic cells studied by grafting cytogenetically labeled tissue anlagen: Localization of a prospective stem cell compartment

The relative contributions of ventral blood island mesoderm and dorsal anterior mesoderm to differentiated lineages of hematopoietic cells was assessed by reciprocal grafting of cytogenetically labeled tissues between 67- and 72-hr-old frog embryos (Shumway stages 15–16). Diploid (2N) and triploid (3N) cell populations from hematopoietic organs were distinguished by Feulgen-DNA microdensitometric analysis. Ventral blood island mesoderm appears to contribute an embryonic erythrocyte population that progressively declines during larval development. Dorsal anterior mesoderm appears to contribute a population of precursor cells that gives rise to differentiated lineages of hematopoietic cells found in the thymus, pronephros, mesonephros, spleen, and blood. Histological examination of the developing dorsal anterior area indicates that extensive vascularization is a prominent characteristic of this region. The dorsal aortae and vasculature surrounding the pronephros may be sites where at least one population of hematopoietic cells matures and subsequently enters circulation.     

Structural studies of the capsular antigen of haemophilus infuenzae type c

The structure of the capsular antigen from Haemophilus influenza type c has been investigated, n.m.r. spectroscopy being the principal method used. It is concluded that the antigen is composed of repeating-units having the following structure:

O-Acetyl groups are present in ～90% of the repeating-units.     

The role of cell membrane in the antiviral effect of interferon

The mechanism of interferon action in human fibroblasts has been studied by use of both antisera to human fibroblast interferon and the antisera to the surface of human fibroblast cell. The anti-interferon serum completely neutralized the antiviral effect of human fibroblast interferon. Interferon antiserum prevented the intracellular antiviral state from developing when added to the medium of the cells in which interferon synthesis had already been induced by poly (I · C). This suggests that development of the antiviral state involves interferon interaction with the external part of the producing cell. Treatment with the serum directed against the surface of human fibroblast cells failed to inhibit the antiviral activity of human interferon in these cells. In addition, the effect of gangliosides on the antiviral activity of human interferon was studied and it was found that human interferon binds to gangliosides and that this interaction leads to inactivation of the antiviral effect of interferon. Pretreatment of human fibroblasts with gangliosides had no effect on the sensitivity of these cells to exogenous interferon.     

Nonautotrophic Thiobacillus in Acid Mine Water

Nonautotrophic thiobacilli were isolated from the acidic water of a coal mine. Based on their mixotrophic physiology, the isolates are regarded as strains of Thiobacillus perometabolis.     

Induction of base-pair substitution and prameshift mutations in wild-type and repair-deficient strains of Salmonella typhimurium by the photodynamic action of methylene blue

Induction of back mutations to prototrophy by methylene blue (MB)-sensitized photodynamic (PD) treatment has been studied in wild-type and repair-deficient strains of Salmonella typhimurium carrying either the base-pair substitution mutation hisG46 or the frameshift mutation hisD3052. We found that reversion of the hisG46 mutation was increased in a strain carrying a uvrB deletion and decreased in a strain carrying a recA-type mutation. Reversion of the hisD3052 (frameshift) mutation, on the other hand, was decreased in both uvrB deletion and recA-type strains. The former results are consistent with the hypothesis that the majority of MB-sensitized PD-induced base-pair substitution mutations arise by a mechanism similar to that currently believed to be involved in UV mutagenesis. The latter results suggest that PD-induced frameshift mutations may arise in some other way, and two possible mechanisms involving sequential action of the excision repair and recombinational repair pathways are considered.