Morphological differences between secretory cells of wet and dry types of human ceruminous glands

Morphological differences between secretory cells of the wet and dry types of human ceruminous glands were examined. The heights of secretory cells varied from tall and medium to low in both wet- and dry-type glands. The two gland types differed in morphologic features of the tall cells and the cells of medium height. The Golgi apparatus was well developed in the tall cells and fairly well developed in the cells of medium height in the wet-type gland, whereas it was generally small in the corresponding cells of the dry type. Light granules were abundant in the tall cells and in the cells of medium height in the wet-type gland, whereas light granules were rare in these cells in the dry-type gland. Furthermore, the light granules in the wet-type gland cells were observed in close relation to a well-developed Golgi apparatus, and sometimes showed a morphologic appearance suggesting exocytosis. Apical protrusions, probably related to apocrine secretion, were generally large and round and bore "microvilli and light granules" or "very few microvilli and no light granules" in the tall cells of the wet-type gland. However, the protrusions of the tall cells of the dry-type gland were generally large and slender and possessed no microvilli and no granules. The protrusions were not observed in the cells of medium height or in low cells in either type of gland. The results show that eccrine secretion characterizes the wet-type gland, but it is not clearly evident in the dry-type gland. This differences may be related to differences in composition between the wet and dry cerumens.     

Neurotropic effects of estrogen on the neonatal preoptic area grafted into the adult rat brain

Summary The preoptic area (POA) or cerebral cortex taken from newborn female rats were transplanted into the third ventricle of ovariectomized adult rats. From the day of transplantation, estradiol-17/ in a silastic capsule was implanted subcutaneously into host animals for 4 weeks. The POA or cerebral cortex transplants were examined at light- and electron-microscopic levels 4 weeks after transplantation. All of the POA or cortical grafts showed an appearance similar to normal neural tissue. Estrogen exposure for 4 weeks via the host induced a significant increase in the volume of the POA grafts. The neuronal population of the POA grafts exposed to estrogen was not significantly different from that of the POA grafts without estrogen treatment. However, the number of axodendritic shaft and spine synapses of the POA grafts exposed to estrogen was significantly greater than that of the POA grafts without estrogen treatment. In contrast, there was no significant difference in the volume of the cortical tissues transplanted into the brain between the control and estrogen-treated groups. These results suggest that estrogen has a stimulatory effect on the development of neuronal substrates in the intraventricular POA graft, increasing its volume and synaptic population.     

Determination of beta-phenylethylamine in catfish (Parasilurus asotus) tissues by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

1. beta-Phenylethylamine (PEA) was detected and quantitated in tissues of the catfish, Parasilurus asotus, by very specific and sensitive gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 2. The selected ion monitoring was made with a strong quasi-molecular ion of the pentafluoropropionic derivative of PEA in the positive chemical ionization mode. 3. PEA was found in all tissues tested ranging from 2.8 to 38.2 ng/g wet wt tissue. It was highest in the spinal cord, followed by the skin, brain and intestine.     

Antigen-specific augmentation factor involved in murine delayed-type footpad reaction. I. Nature of augmentation factor

A humoral factor capable of augmenting antigen-specific DTH has been found in the culture supernatant of immune spleen cells and erythrocyte antigen. In this study, a similar factor was identified in the sera of mice sensitized and elicited with heterologous erythrocytes, and the nature of this factor was investigated. Elicitation with antigen was essentially required for the production of the augmentation factor in sensitized mice. The factor showed antigen specificity and antigen-binding capacity. The activity was not assigned to immunoglobulins, as demonstrated by an absorption test with rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin-conjugated Sepharose. The activity was stable to heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min, to changes of pH from 3 to 10, and to treatment with trypsin or neuraminidase. The molecular weight of this factor was about 200,000 to 450,000.     

Antigen-specific augmentation of delayed-type hypersensitivity by a humoral factor in the culture supernatant of immune spleen cells

Supernatants were harvested from a 24-hr culture of immune mouse spleen cells and erythrocyte antigens. Delayed footpad reactions to such heterologous erythrocytes were augmented antigen specifically when the supernatants were transferred a few hours before immunization of recipients. The augmentation factor(s) contained in the supernatants may exert its effect on the induction phase of delayed-type hypersensitivity.     

Molecular basis of the protonophoric and uncoupling activities of the potent uncoupler SF-6847 ((3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzylidene)malononitrile) and derivatives. Regulation of their electronic structures by restricted intramolecular rotation

We reported recently (Yoshikawa, K. and Terada, H. (1982) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 104, 7644–7646) that the potent uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation SF-6847 ((3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzylidene)malononitrile) shows unique intramolecular restricted rotation of the malononitrile moiety. In this study, values for the activation energy E_a of the restricted rotation of SF-6847 derivatives with the same alkyl chain R in both ortho positions of the phenolic hydroxyl group were determined from the temperature-dependent change in the¹H-NMR signals of their aromatic protons. The E_a values of the neutral forms of these derivatives were found to be the same irrespective of R, but those of the anionic forms increased with increase in the alkyl chain length of R. It was found that the restricted rotation of the malononitrile moiety regulates its electron-withdrawing ability in such a way as to keep the acid dissociability of these derivatives similar, overcoming the effect of steric hindrance by R. The protonophoric activity of these derivatives, in a phospholipid bilayer membrane and their uncoupling activity in rat-liver mitochondria were both found to depend on E_a of their anionic forms. The stability of the uncoupler anions regulated by the restricted rotation of the malononitrile group in a nonpolar membrane environment was found to be important for exhibition of these activities. The hydrophobicity of the anionic forms of these derivatives was suggested also to be affected by the intramolecular rotation.     

A highly attenuated vaccinia virus strain LC16m8-based vaccine for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) caused by a species Dabie bandavirus (formerly SFTS virus [SFTSV]) is an emerging hemorrhagic infectious disease with a high case-fatality rate. One of the best strategies for preventing SFTS is to develop a vaccine, which is expected to induce both humoral and cellular immunity. We applied a highly attenuated but still immunogenic vaccinia virus strain LC16m8 (m8) as a recombinant vaccine for SFTS. Recombinant m8s expressing SFTSV nucleoprotein (m8-N), envelope glycoprotein precursor (m8-GPC), and both N and GPC (m8-N+GPC) in the infected cells were generated. Both m8-GPC- and m8-N+GPC-infected cells were confirmed to produce SFTSV-like-particles (VLP) in vitro, and the N was incorporated in the VLP produced by the infection of cells with m8-N+GPC. Specific antibodies to SFTSV were induced in mice inoculated with each of the recombinant m8s, and the mice were fully protected from lethal challenge with SFTSV at both 10³ TCID₅₀ and 10⁵ TCID₅₀. In mice that had been immunized with vaccinia virus strain Lister in advance of m8-based SFTSV vaccine inoculation, protective immunity against the SFTSV challenge was also conferred. The pathological analysis revealed that mice immunized with m8-GPC or m8-N+GPC did not show any histopathological changes without any viral antigen-positive cells, whereas the control mice showed focal necrosis with inflammatory infiltration with SFTSV antigen-positive cells in tissues after SFTSV challenge. The passive serum transfer experiments revealed that sera collected from mice inoculated with m8-GPC or m8-N+GPC but not with m8-N conferred protective immunity against lethal SFTSV challenge in naïve mice. On the other hand, the depletion of CD8-positive cells in vivo did not abrogate the protective immunity conferred by m8-based SFTSV vaccines. Based on these results, the recombinant m8-GPC and m8-N+GPC were considered promising vaccine candidates for SFTS.     

Comparisons of Acids in Smoke of Lamina and Midrib of Flue-cured Tobacco Leaves

Acids of lamina and midrib cigarette smoke were converted into trimethylsilyl derivatives and they were analyzed with glass capillary column gas chromatography. Then compositional differences of acids between lamina and midrib cigarette smoke were discussed. The concentrations of organic acids were higher for lamina cigarette smoke than for midrib cigarette smoke. Large concentration difference were found in formic, acetic, propionic, lactic, glycolic, furoic, benzoic, phenylacetic, fumalic and m-hydroxybenzoic acid. Succinic and methylsuccinic acid were similar in lamina smoke and in midrib smoke.

A large amount of 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one(amino-carbonyl reaction product) was identified for the first time in lamina smoke.     

A novel mutagen, 2-(5-hydroxy-4,6-dinitroindolyl) ethanol, formed in the reaction between 5-hydroxytryptamine and nitrite under acid conditions, especially in the presence of l-cysteine

We examined the mutagenic activity of each of 29 amino acids mixed under acidic conditions with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and nitrite using Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 100 with or without a metabolic activation system (S9 mix). The reaction mixture containing l-cysteine was strongly mutagenic without S9 mix. We subjected an ethyl acetate extract of the reaction mixture to HPLC, isolated a mutagenic component, and investigated its chemical structure by LC–mass spectrometry (MS), high-resolution fast atom bombardment (HRFAB)-MS, and ¹H and ¹³C NMR. We identified the mutagen as 2-(5-hydroxy-4,6-dinitro-3-indolyl) ethanol (2HDIE). We injected 8 mg/kg 2HDIE i.p. into male ICR mice and found that the compound increased the frequency of micronuclei in peripheral reticulocytes. Our results suggest that 2HDIE might be formed in vivo by consumption of 5-HT, nitrite and l-cysteine in foods, and might act as a mutagen.     

Changes in Amino Acid Composition during Germination of Soybean

α- and γ-Glutamylaspartic acids were detected in acidic fraction of soybean seedling. R_F values of both peptides were consistent with those of authentic samples with several solvent systems.