Human Macrophage-Activating Factors for Cytotoxicity

Two different factors (MAF-C I and MAF-C II) were obtained by anion exchange chromatography of the culture supernatant of a human T-cell hybridoma, H3-E9–6, which produces macrophage-activating factors for cytotoxicity (MAF-C). These 2 factors induced the cytotoxicity of monocytes synergistically as a priming signal (MAF-C I) and a triggering signal (MAF-C II), respectively. On gel filtration on a column of Superose 12, MAF-C II was eluted mainly at the void volume, whereas MAF-C I was eluted in the fractions corresponding to approximate molecular weights of 30–300 K. On the other hand, gel filtration in the presence of sodium deoxycholate revealed that MAF-C II has an approximate molecular weight of 40,000, but MAF-C I was unstable under these conditions. When the activity for mouse macrophages (MAF-Cm activity) was tested, the MAF-C II fraction showed high MAF-Cm activity in the presence of murine recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN-γ), but the MAF-C I fraction did not show MAF-Cm activity even in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These results suggest that MAF-C I (priming lymphokine) has species specificity but MAF-C II (triggering lymphokine) does not.     

Acceleration and enhancement of the hypertensinogenic action of 19-hydroxyandrostenedione by the aromatase inhibitor 19-norethisterone [Poster 21]

19-Norethisterone (NET) accelerated and enhanced the hypertensinogenic action of 19-hydroxyandrostenedione (19-OH-A) when administered to rats simultaneously with 19-OH-A, but maintained the plasma concentration of 19-OH-A at higher levels than that of rats treated with 19-OH-A alone. The effects of NET may be attributed to a decrease in the metabolic clearance rate of 19-OH-A in peripheral tissues.     

Carbohydrate moieties of peanut agglutinin receptors isolated from human gastric cancer cells

Receptors for peanut agglutinin (PNA) were isolated from Kato III human gastric cancer cells by affinity chromatography on PNA agarose, and were labeled by the galactose oxidase-NaB3H4 method. Alkaline NaBH4 treatment of the labeled receptors released two small oligosaccharide alcohols, which were identified as Gal beta 1----3GalNAc-ol and Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6(Gal beta 1----3)GalNAc-ol. Higher oligosaccharides and glycopeptides of both N- and O-linked type were also detected, but they did not appear to bear PNA binding sites. The presence of oligo-N-acetyllactosamine units in the N-linked type sugars was indicated by endo-beta-galactosidase digestion.     

Yeast ribosomal proteins: V. Correlation of several nomenclatures and proposal of a standard nomenclature

Summary A tentative nomenclature (YP number) for yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins, which is used in our laboratory (Otaka and Kobata 1978; Higo and Otaka 1979), has been correlated with those of Warner and Gorenstein (1978) and several others. Our nomenclature is based on the two-dimensional gel electrophoretic pattern of proteins as analyzed by a modified method of Mets and Bogorad (1974), while others have used various modifications of Kaltschmidt and Wittmann's two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (1970). The method of correlation involved the examination in our twodimensional electrophoresis system of each protein spot excised from gel patterns prepared by Kaltschmidt and Wittmann's method or vice versa.The numbers of protein species recognized in this paper are 29 for small subunit, and 44 for large subunit. Based on these results, we propose a standard nomenclature for yeast ribosomal proteins, in which the designations YS1–YS29 and YL1–YL44 have been given to the small subunit proteins and the large subunit proteins respectively.     

Biocontrol of black scurf on potato by seed tuber treatment with Pythium oligandrum

The biological control activity of Pythium oligandrum against black scurf of potato caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 was evaluated in field experiments after treatment of potato seed tubers with P. oligandrum. Seed tubers infected with black scurf sclerotia were dipped for a few seconds in a suspension of 10³, 10⁴ or 10⁵ mL^?1 P. oligandrum oospores and were then air-dried. Each level of P. oligandrum-treatment significantly reduced the disease rates of stolon at a level similar to that achieved by chemical control. When P. oligandrum populations adherent to the surface of seed tubers were determined, oospore counts on tubers treated with 10⁴ or 10⁵ oospores mL^?1 were about 540/cm² or about 22,000/cm² just after dipping and decreased to about 170/cm² or 2900/cm² after a 3-week incubation, respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopic observation with an immuno-enzymatic staining procedure showed that P. oligandrum hyphae had colonized the sclerotia and established close contact by coiling around the R. solani hyphae present on the surface of seed tubers, in a manner similar to that observed in the dual-culture test. Quantification of R. solani DNA by PCR indicated that the R. solani population was reduced on the seed tubers treated with P. oligandrum compared to untreated tubers. Furthermore, the ability of P. oligandrum to induce resistance against black scurf was determined using a potato tuber disk assay. Treatment of tuber disks with the cell wall protein fraction of P. oligandrum enhanced the expression of defense-related genes such as 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase, lipoxygenase and basic PR-6 genes, and reduced disease severity upon challenge with R. solani compared with untreated controls. These results suggest that biocontrol mechanisms employed by P. oligandrum against black scurf involve both mycoparasitism and induced resistance.     

A rapid method for constructing precaution maps based on a simple virtual ecology model: a case study on the range expansion of the invasive aquatic species Limnoperna fortunei

Before invasion, or in its early stages, information on the invader in target areas is generally extremely limited. In such situations, managers must select focal areas in which to concentrate control and mitigation efforts. Here, we discuss a rapid method for selecting areas in which to control invasive aquatic species based on limited information. We used a simple cellular automata model that does not require species-specific information, but simulates the process of invasive species expansion and includes observed expansion progress to detect keystone areas. As a case study, we simulated the expansion of an invasive aquatic mussel, Limnoperna fortunei, in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, and detected the areas in which control efforts should be concentrated. To some extent, our model was able to predict the expansion of L. fortunei from the initial detected invasion to the current distribution. We predicted areas with a high potential of spreading and areas that would suffer from high propagule pressure. Results revealed a mismatch between areas with high spread potential and those with high propagule pressure. Managers should concentrate their invasion prevention efforts in the former because these are likely to have a greater long-term influence. Additionally, we predicted future expansion from the current distribution and showed that current scattered populations could merge naturally. Our approach is useful for establishing a management plan before or in the early stages of invasion.