Evaluation of the reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) test kits for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C, and D in foods

Four lots of the SET-RPLA kit (Denka Seiken Co. Ltd., Tokyo), a commercial reverse passive latex agglutination test kit for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C, and D in foods, have been evaluated for their efficacy. The kits showed high specificity and sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.75 ng enterotoxin/g of food. The test is simple, is completed within 24 h, and does not require complicated extraction or concentration procedures nor expensive equipment. In addition, the assay is semiquantitative. However, as in any other immunological system, routine verification of the specificity of the latex reagents against standard enterotoxins and toxin-free food extracts is necessary.     

Mutations with Dominant Effects on the Behavior and Morphology of the Nematode CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

We have analyzed 31 mutations that have dominant effects on the behavior or morphology of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. These mutations appear to define 15 genes. We have studied ten of these genes in some detail and have been led to two notable conclusions. First, loss of gene function for four of these ten genes results in a wild-type phenotype; if these genes represent a random sample from the genome, then we would estimate that null mutations in about half of the genes in C. elegans would result in a nonmutant phenotype. Second, the dominant effects of mutations in nine of these ten genes are caused by novel gene functions, and in all nine cases the novel function is antagonized by the wild-type function.     

Comparison of crude and affinity purified cytosolic epoxide hydrolases from hepatic tissue of control and clofibrate-fed mice

An affinity purification procedure was developed for the cytosolic epoxide hydrolase based upon the selective binding of the enzyme to immobilized methoxycitronellyl thiol. Several elution systems were examined, but the most successful system employed selective elution with a chalcone oxide. This affinity system allowed the purification of the cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity from livers of both control and clofibrate-fed mice. A variety of biochemical techniques including pH dependence, substrate preference, kinetics, inhibition, amino acid analysis, peptide mapping, Western blotting, analytical isoelectric focusing, and gel permeation chromatography failed to distinguish between the enzymes purified from control and clofibrate-fed animals. The quantitative removal of the cytosolic epoxide hydrolase acting on trans-stilbene oxide from 100,000g supernatants, allowed analysis of remaining activities acting differentially on cis-stilbene oxide and benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide. Such analysis indicated the existence of a novel epoxide hydrolase activity in the cytosol of mouse liver preparations.     

Peptidoglycan synthetic activities in membranes of Escherichia coli caused by overproduction of penicillin-binding protein 2 and rodA protein

Penicillin-binding protein (PBP)-2 and the RodA protein are known to function in determining the rod shape of Escherichia coli cells. Peptidoglycan biosynthetic reactions that required these two proteins were demonstrated in the membrane fraction prepared from an E. coli strain that overproduced both of these two proteins and which lacked PBP-1B activity (the major peptidoglycan synthetase activity in the normal E. coli membranes). The cross-linked peptidoglycan was synthesized from UDP-N-acetylmuramylpentapeptide and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine in the presence of a high concentration of cefmetazole that inhibited all of PBPs except PBP-2. The peptidoglycan was synthesized via a lipid intermediate and showed up to 30% cross-linking. The cross-linking reaction was strongly inhibited by the amidinopenicillin, mecillinam, and by other beta-lactam antibiotics that have a high affinity for PBP-2, but not by beta-lactams that had very low affinity for PBP-2. The formation of peptidoglycan required the presence of high levels of both PBP-2 and the RodA protein in the membranes, but it is unclear which of the two proteins was primarily responsible for the extension of the glycan chains (transglycosylation). However, the sensitivity of the cross-linking reaction to specific beta-lactam antibiotics strongly suggested that it was catalyzed by PBP-2. The transglycosylase activity of the membranes was sensitive to enramycin and vancomycin and was unusual in being stimulated greatly by a high concentration of a chelating agent.     

The kinetics of the first wave of spermatogenesis in the newborn male mouse

A combination of autoradiography and air-dried techniques was used to calculate the duration of the major meiotic stages in the first wave of spermatogenesis in the newborn mouse. The data indicated that the entry into meiosis occurred asynchronously over 2 days, and the time required for each stage and the total cycle was constant. These time intervals were nearly identical with those estimated for adult animals in the present study and by other authors.     

Low-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectroscopy of oligopeptides 1-95 and 96-168 derived from myelin basic protein of rabbit

Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a major protein constituent of the myelin sheath of the central nervous system, where it is believed to have functional alpha-helical segments. One element of the function of the protein might be "conformational adaptability" of specific regions of its amino acid sequence, since the purified protein appears to be largely devoid of ordered structure. To pursue this question, low-ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was conducted on the sequential thrombic peptides 1-95 and 96-168 of the protein in the presence of 0-92% trifluoroethanol (TFE), a solvent known to promote stable secondary structures in polypeptides. The series of CD spectra of the oligopeptides were subjected to a computerized best-fit analysis of four peptide conformations, the alpha-helix, beta-structure, beta-turn, and nonordered form. Agreement between experimental and best-fit composite spectra was achieved when standard CD curves of peptide conformations were derived from known theoretical spectra and experimental spectra of polypeptides. In dilute buffer alone, oligopeptides 1-95 and 96-168 evidence no alpha-helix but significant beta-structure (18% and 23%, respectively), as well as a predominant, extended nonordered conformation. However, the two parts of the protein differed in conformational adaptability. From 0% to 30% TFE, 96-168 exhibited concomitant transitions to 10% helix and 32% beta-structure from the nonordered form. In contrast, in 10-30% TFE, 1-95 underwent a transition to approximately 21% helix with partial loss of beta-structure as well as nonordered form; higher concentrations of TFE (40-75%) promoted additional transitions to both helix and beta-structure (totaling 33% and 25%, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Role of 2-deoxy-D-glucose in the inhibition of phagocytosis by mouse peritoneal macrophage

2-Deoxy-D-glucose inhibits Fc and complement receptor-mediated phagocytosis of mouse peritoneal macrophages. To understand the mechanism of this inhibition, we analyzed the 2-deoxy-D-glucose metabolites in macrophages under phagocytosis inhibition conditions and conditions of phagocytosis reversal caused by glucose, mannose and 5-thio-D-glucose, and compared their accumulations under these conditions. Macrophages metabolized 2-deoxy-D-glucose to form 2-deoxy-D-glucose 6-phosphate, 2-deoxy-D-glucose 1-phosphate, UDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose 1, 6-diphosphate, 2-deoxy-D-gluconic acid and 2-deoxy-6-phospho-D-gluconic acid. The level of bulk accumulation as well as the accumulation of any of these 2-deoxy-D-glucose metabolites did not correlate with changes in macrophage phagocytosis capacities caused by the reversing sugars. 2-Deoxy-D-glucose inhibited glycosylation of thioglycolate-elicited macrophage by 70-80%. This inhibition did not cause phagocytosis inhibition, since (1) the reversal of phagocytosis by 5-thio-D-glucose was not followed by increases in the incorporation of radiolabelled galactose, glucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine or fucose; (2) cycloheximide at a concentration that inhibited glycosylation by 70-80% did not affect macrophage phagocytosis. The inhibition of protein synthesis by 2-deoxy-D-glucose similarly could not account for phagocytosis inhibition, since cycloheximide, when used at a concentration that inhibited protein synthesis by 95%, did not affect phagocytosis. 2-Deoxy-D-glucose lowered cellular nucleoside triphosphates by 70-99%, but their intracellular levels in the presence of different reversing sugars did not correlate with the magnitude of phagocytosis reversal caused by these sugars. The results show that 2-deoxy-D-glucose inhibits phagocytosis by a mechanism distinct from its usual action of inhibiting glycosylation, protein synthesis and depleting energy supplies, mechanisms by which 2-deoxy-D-glucose inhibits other cellular processes.     

Immunohistochemical studies on the localization of cellular retinol-binding protein in rat testis and epididymis

The immunohistochemical localization of cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP) was studied in rat testis and epididymis. Parallel studies were also carried out on the localization of plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP) and transthyretin (TTR) in testis. The studies employed antibodies purified by immunosorbent affinity chromatography, permitting the specific staining and localization of each antigen by the unlabeled peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. For RBP and TTR, specific immune staining was found in the interstitial spaces between the seminiferous tubules, and not in the tubules themselves. In contrast, strong specific immune staining for CRBP was found in the seminiferous tubules, with a striking localization within Sertoli cells. Moreover, a distinct cyclic variation of specific staining for CRBP within Sertoli cells was observed during the spermatogenic cycle. This cyclic variation was seen with regard to both the intensity of staining and to the anatomic distribution of CRBP within the Sertoli cells. Within the epididymis CRBP was selectively localized to the proximal portion of the caput epididymidis, with variations in intensity of the staining of the epithelium of the ducts in different histological zones. Specific immune staining for CRBP was very weak or absent in the other portions of the epididymis. These results were confirmed by radioimmunoassay. Vitamin A-deficient rats showed markedly reduced specific immune staining for CRBP in both testes and epididymides, and greatly reduced levels of CRBP in these tissues on radioimmunoassay. These studies on the localization of CRBP provide information concerning the specific cells and anatomic loci within the testis and epididymis where retinol may be playing an important role in sperm formation and maturation.     

Synthesis of the transferrin receptor by cultures of embryonic chicken spinal neurons

We have purified a glycoprotein from chicken sciatic nerves, sciatin, which has pronounced trophic effects on avian skeletal muscle cells in culture. Recent studies have shown that sciatin is identical to the iron-transport protein, transferrin, in terms of its physicochemical structure, immunological reactivity, and biological activity. To determine whether transferrin is synthesized and released by neuronal tissue, we incubated cultures of dissociated chicken spinal neurons in a medium free of L-leucine containing either L-3H-amino acids or L-[14C]leucine and immunoprecipitated transferrin with highly specific antibodies. The radiolabeled protein precipitated by rabbit heteroclonal, goat heteroclonal, or mouse monoclonal antitransferrin antibodies increased in specific activity in a linear manner for at least 30 min. Synthesis of this protein was abolished by the presence of puromycin (20 micrograms/ml) or cycloheximide (10(-5) M). The disappearance of the radiolabeled protein from cells was linear with a half-life (t 1/2) of 8-10 h. When immunoprecipitates were separated by SDS gel electrophoresis, a prominent band corresponding to transferrin (Mr 84,000) was visualized by staining with Coomassie Blue. However, when such gels were fluorographed, no radioactivity was apparent in the transferrin region of the gel although a prominent radioactive band was visualized at an Mr of 56,000. The protein of Mr 56,000 was not simply a degradation product of transferrin because this particular protein band was not generated by incubating radiolabeled transferrin with unlabeled neuronal homogenates. The protein of Mr 56,000 was purified from embryonic chicken brain and spinal cord by immunoabsorption chromatography on mouse monoclonal antitransferrin IgG conjugated to Sepharose 4B followed by affinity chromatography on immobilized transferrin. The purified protein bound radioiodinated transferrin and was precipitated by rabbit anti-chicken transferrin-receptor antibodies. Furthermore, this receptor protein was found to be localized on the plasma membrane of dorsal root ganglion neurons by immunocytochemistry using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique, and by blocking experiments, which showed that antitransferrin receptor IgG could inhibit the binding of fluorescein-conjugated transferrin at 4 degrees C to cultured neurons in vitro. From these data, we conclude that transferrin is not synthesized by cultures of chicken spinal cord neurons, but that the receptor for transferrin is synthesized by these cultures and is precipitated by antitransferrin antibodies as an antigen-receptor complex.     

Characterization of a membrane surface glycoprotein associated with T-cell activation

A cell surface antigen (gp140) was previously shown to exist on T cell subsets as well as on monocytes and macrophages in normal peripheral blood. Elevated expression of this antigen was associated with immune system disorders, acute lymphocytic leukemias, and in vitro activation of T cells. The antigen could be identified with monoclonal antibody (MAb) T305. Gp140 was a biosynthetic product of T cells because it could be labeled with [3H]leucine or [3H] glucosamine. Biochemical studies of gp140 used high performance liquid chromatography with nitrocellulose blotting to isolate aliquots suitable for 125I radiolabeling and immunoprecipitation to demonstrate: a) a reduction in m.w. of gp140 KD to 90 KD after deglycosylation by trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, b) alteration of isoelectric point from 4.1 to 5.7 after neuraminidase treatments, c) absence of N-linked sugars based on resistance to endoglycosidase F, d) resistance to trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion but susceptibility to pronase, and e) presence of sialic acid and lactosaminoglycan as O-linked sugars. Gp140 could be labeled with the periodate/NaB[3H]4 technique, indicating its similarity to a class of sialoglycoproteins previously described on activated T-cells in mouse and man. The antigenic epitope recognized by MAb T305 contains sialic acid linked (2----3) to galactose; however, periodate oxidation of the exocyclic ring of sialic acid did not affect binding by MAb T305. In an attempt to determine the functional role of gp140, we tested the ability of MAb T305 to block: a) proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes to mitogens, b) response to interleukin 2 (IL 2) of an IL 2 dependent T cell line, and c) growth of a T-ALL derived cell line. No inhibition of proliferation or growth was noted. Although the function of gp140 remains unknown, its association with lymphocyte activation and certain disease states suggests that it may provide a target for modulation of the immune response. These studies characterize the structural features of gp140 and further define the epitope recognized by MAb T305.