Synergic effects of kallikrein-kinin and prostaglandins on renin release on infusion of isolated hog kidney with aldosterone

The effects of infusion of a large amount of aldosterone into the renal artery of isolated perfused hog kidney on the release of renin, prostaglandins (PG) and kinin and the excretion of urinary kallikrein were investigated. Infusion of aldosterone at a rate of 100 ng/min (100 to 800 ng/ml of perfusate) resulted in significant releases of renin, PG (PGE₂, 6-0-PGF_1α), and kinin and increase in urinary kallikrein. Infusion of aldosterone and an inhibitor of kallikrein, aprotinin, decreased the releases of renin, PG and kinin and infusion of aldosterone with indomethacin decreased the release of PG but increased that of kinin and urinary kallikrein without significant change in renin releases. These findings suggest that the release of renin by aldosterone may result from synergic effects of renal PG and the kallkrein-kinin system.     

Intralobular lymphatic vessels and their relationship to blood vessels in the mouse thymus

Summary The spatial distribution and fine structure of the lymphatic vessels within the thymic lobules of normal and hydrocortisone-injected mice were studied by light- and electron microscopy. The lymphatic vessels of the cortex and medulla of normal thymus are irregularly shaped spaces closely associated with branches of the intralobular artery and vein. The overall distribution of these vessels in the greatly involuted thymus of hydrocortisone-treated mice is essentially the same as in the normal thymus. The wall of the lymphatic vessels consists of only a layer of endothelial cells supported by underlying reticular cells. The luminal surface of the endothelial cell is smooth, but trabecular processes are often seen. There are three morphological types of intercellular contacts between contiguous cells, namely, end-to-end, overlapping and interdigitating. The lymphatic vessel has anchoring filaments and collagen fibrils, but a basal lamina is either absent, or if present, is discontinuous. This is in contrast to the continuous basal lamina of the venule. The perivascular space surrounding the postcapillary venule opens into a terminal lymphatic vessel at the cortico-medullary junction and in the medulla. Lymphocytes are seen penetrating the lymphatic endothelium, particularly in acutely involuted thymuses. These findings suggest that the intralobular lymphatic vessels may originate from the vacuities that surround the postcapillary venules, and the lymphatic system may function as a pathway for the migration of lymphocytes into or out of the lymphatic circulation.     

Effect of ice nucleation by droplet of immobilized silver iodide on freezing of rabbit and bovine embryos

Silver iodide was immobilized by applying the insoluble reaction between sodium alginate and calcium chloride. The immobilized silver iodide was immersed into a freezing solution in order to trigger ice nucleation. Temperature change during cooling and postthaw in vitro development of embryos were examined in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the immobilized silver iodide (AgI alginate-gel droplet) on embryo development. Samples containing the AgI alginate-gel droplets released the latent heat of fusion at a higher subzero temperature than samples without the AgI alginate-gel droplets. When the AgI alginate-gel droplet was added to the freezing solution of rabbit and bovine embryos, they were successfully preserved in liquid nitrogen.     

Insulin-like growth factor II increases cytoplasmic free calcium in competent Balb/c 3T3 cells treated with epidermal growth factor

To determine the role of calcium in the action of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II), we have examined the effect of multiplication stimulating activity, the rat IGF-II, on cytoplasmic-free calcium concentration, [Ca2+]c, in aequorin-loaded Balb/c 3T3 cells. IGF-II does not cause any change in [Ca2+]c in quiescent cells. By contrast, IGF-II induces changes in [Ca2+]c in platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) - pretreated competent cells: when competent cells are incubated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) for 10 min, subsequent IGF-II induces an immediate increase in [Ca2+]c. Without EGF treatment, IGF-II does not cause any increase in [Ca2+]c. The priming action of EGF is time dependent, requiring approximately 10 min for the maximum effect. The IGF-II-mediated increase in [Ca2+]c is totally dependent on extracellular calcium and is blocked by lanthanum. When DNA synthesis in PDGF-treated competent cells is assessed by measuring [3H]thymidine incorporation, IGF-II by itself has only a small effect. Likewise, a brief treatment with EGF results in only a small increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation. By contrast, in competent cells briefly treated with EGF, IGF-II causes a marked stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation. These results indicate that IGF-II increases [Ca2+]c in competent Balb/c 3T3 cells treated with EGF by stimulating calcium influx and that IGF-II-stimulated calcium influx may be related causally to its action on cell proliferation.     

Predefined gene transfer for expression of a glycosphingolipid antigen by transfection with a cosmid genomic library prepared from a cell line in which the specific glycosphingolipid is highly expressed

The deliberate transfer of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) expression in mouse lymphoma L5178 cells was achieved by transfection with a cosmid DNA library prepared from human Burkitt lymphoma Ramos cells in which Gb3 was highly expressed. The recipient mouse lymphoma cells did not contain Gb3 but did contain its direct precursor, lactosylceramide. The transfected cells expressed Gb3, detected both chemically and immunologically, and contained human DNA detected by an Alu sequence probe. This model demonstrates a general method for studying glycosyltransferase genes and other factors necessary for the expression of glycosphingolipid antigens.     

Evidence for two distinct voltage-gated calcium channel currents in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells

We analyzed inward Ca2+ currents in single bovine adrenal glomerulosa cell using whole-cell patch clamp techniques. Two types of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel currents were identified. One was a transient (T) type which decayed within 100 ms, characterized by a low threshold voltage (about -70 mv) similar to that seen in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells (Matsunaga, H. et al. (1987) Pflügers Arch. 408, 351-355.) Another was a long-lasting (L) type which shows a more positive threshold potential. The present results suggest that while T type Ca2+ channels may explain initial calcium influx in response to an elevation in extracellular K+, L type Ca2+ channels may allow sustained calcium influx which is necessary for sustained aldosterone secretion.     

Thermotropic behavior and electronmicroscopic structures of mixtures of gangliosides and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine

The calorimetric properties and morphological structures of dispersed mixtures of 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and highly purified human brain gangliosides, GM2, GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b, were studied using a high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimeter and an electron-microscope, as a function of the ganglioside molar fraction. No thermal phase transitions of pure gangliosides in aqueous dispersions could be detected. In the mixtures of DPPC and gangliosides, the gel to liquid crystalline phase transition occurred at a higher temperature than in pure DPPC dispersions and progressed over a wide temperature range. As increasing amounts of the pure ganglioside species were added to DPPC, the temperature for the main transition gradually increased. The phase transition progressed differently among different gangliosides/DPPC mixtures. The enthalpy values were found to decrease linearly as the number of sialic acid residues increased. Electron-microscopically the ganglioside/DPPC mixtures formed multilamellar structures at lower concentrations of the gangliosides, and the structures changed to cylindrical and spherical micelles as the ganglioside concentration was increased. The polysialoganglioside/DPPC mixtures showed the micellar form even at lower ganglioside concentrations, contrary to the case of the monosialoganglioside/DPPC mixtures. The morphological changes of gangliosides/DPPC mixtures corresponded with changes in the calorimetric properties. These results show that individual gangliosides have different physicochemical effects on model membranes, possibly because of the interaction of their negatively charged head groups.     

Schistosoma japonicum and Paragonimus ohirai: antagonism between S. japonicum and P. ohirai in Oncomelania nosophora

Antagonistic interactions between Schistosoma japonicum and Paragonimus ohirai were examined in the snail host, Oncomelania nosophora. When P. ohirai-infected snails were exposed to S. japonicum miracidia at intervals of 4 to 18 weeks post-first exposure, only a few snails (0-7%) were found to be superinfected with S. japonicum sporocysts. Sporocysts were fewer in number than those of single infected controls. Mature S. japonicum cercariae were not observed. Furthermore, when the snails were examined at intervals of 14 to 18 weeks post-second exposure, neither sporocysts nor cercariae of S. japonicum were found. On the other hand, when the snails were exposed to miracidia of S. japonicum and P. ohirai simultaneously, they were easily infected with both parasites. At 26 weeks after simultaneous exposure, however, the infection rate of S. japonicum was significantly lower than that of controls. In contrast, when S. japonicum-infected snails were exposed to P. ohirai miracidia, they were superinfected with P. ohirai, although the infection rate was somewhat lower than that of controls. These results indicate the existence of antagonism between S. japonicum and P. ohirai in O. nosophora. Furthermore, P. ohirai was dominant over S. japonicum in the antagonistic interactions in this snail host.     

Synergistic stimulation of prolactin release by phorbol ester, A23187 and forskolin

The effects of 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), A23187, forskolin and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on prolactin release from GH4C1 cells were compared. TPA caused a 2-fold release, maximum after 6 or more min, that was sustained for 30 min or more. A23187 caused only a small and variable response that peaked within 4 to 6 min. Combination of TPA and A23187 caused a rapid 3- to 5-fold increase in release that declined slowly. TRH increased prolactin release 3- to 5-fold, reaching a maximum within 4 min, followed by sustained release at lower rates. Forskolin had little effect by itself, but potentiated release caused either by combined TPA and A23187, or by TRH. These data are consistent with a model in which two branches of the Ca2+ messenger system participate in the action of TRH, a calmodulin branch and a C-kinase branch that interact to cause large amounts of sustained release. Forskolin, by regulating the cyclic AMP content of the cell determines the set point around which the Ca2+ messenger system operates.