Ferritin in normal human peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subpopulations

Six peripheral blood lymphoid fractions (total lymphocytes, non-T, T, Tar (autologous rosette-forming T cells/precursor), T mu (helper), and T gamma (suppressor) lymphocytes) isolated through rosetting procedures were examined for the presence of ferritin by a direct immunofluorescence technique. Although ferritin was present in all lymphoid fractions studied, a significantly higher proportion of ferritin-containing cells were detected in the T-cell fraction than in the non-T-cell fraction, (mean +/- SD = 7.9 +/- 1.6% and 5.0 +/- 1.2%, respectively). T mu- and T gamma-cell fractions showed a twofold increase in the number of ferritin-positive cells (14.1 +/- 1.4% and 15.4 +/- 2.6%, respectively), as compared with Tar (7.0 +/- 0.9%)-and total lymphocyte (6.9 +/- 1.3%)-cell fractions. These results indicate that ferritin is preferentially distributed in T mu and T gamma lymphocytes and may constitute the basis for explaining some of the roles exercised by these cells in the control of other biological systems.     

Group-selective reagent modification of the sodium- and chloride-coupled glycine transporter under native and reconstituted conditions.

Glycine transporter from rat brain stem and spinal cord is inactivated by specific sulfhydryl reagents. Modification of lysine residues also promotes a decrease of the transporter activity but in a lesser extent than that promoted by thiol group reagents. Mercurials showed a more marked inhibitory effect than maleimide derivatives. SH groups display a similar reactivity for p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (pCMBS) and mersalyl in synaptosomal membrane vesicles and proteoliposomes reconstituted with the solubilized transporter. However, different reactivity is observed with N-ethylmaleimide (MalNEt), the greatest effect being attained in membrane vesicles. The rate of inactivation by pCMBS and MalNEt is pseudo-first-order showing time- and concentration-dependence. pCMBS and MalNEt decrease the Vmax for glycine transport and to a lesser extent act on the apparent Km. Treatment with dithiothreitol (DTT) of the transporter modified by pCMBS results in a complete restoration of transporter activity indicating that the effect exercised by the reagent is specific for cysteine residues on the protein. It is concluded that SH groups are involved in the glycine transporter function and that these critical residues are mostly located in a relatively hydrophilic environment of the protein.     

The antigen-antibody interaction algebraically interpreted as a relational process.

The antigen-antibody interaction occurring previous to the triggering of the immunological response is analyzed as a relational process in terms of lattices. Accordingly, this process is expressed as a lattice belonging to a pseudo-Boolean algebraic variety. The Heyting arrow operation, which appears in this kind of algebra, is used to analyze behaviors between non-comparable biological states expressed by the lattice. The resulting states coming from the arrows are connected with the influence of increasing and decreasing energies involved in the linking process.     

Hypermodified nucleoside carboxyl group as a target site for specific tRNA modification

The free carboxyl group of hypermodified nucleosides N6-methyl-N6-(threoninocarbonyl)adenosine (mt6A37) and 3-(3-amino-3-carboxypropyl)uridine (acp3U20:1) in tRNAmMet (yellow lupine), and N6-(threoninocarbonyl)adenosine (t6A37) in tRNAiMet (yellow lupine) can be converted quantitatively and under very mild conditions into the respective anilides in a reaction with aniline and a water-soluble carbodiimide. The tRNA reactions proceed with rates very similar to that reported previously for t6A nucleoside. Detailed analysis of the products of tRNA modification with [3H]aniline on tRNA (chromatography on BD-DEAE-cellulose), oligonucleotide (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) and nucleoside (HPLC on Aminex A6) levels clearly indicates that only the hypermodified nucleoside residues undergo the reaction. The site of modification is confirmed for mono-modified (at mt6A37) and bis-modified (at mt6A37 and acp3U20:1) tRNAmMet, and for mono-modified (at t6A37) tRNAiMet by sequence analysis using 5'end 32P-labeled tRNAs. The modification procedure seems to be universally applicable for all hypermodified nucleosides bearing a free carboxyl group and for different amine reagents designed for the studies on tRNA function.     

Altered fatty acid composition in regulatory mutants of Streptomyces cinnamonensis

Abstract cDNA-RNA liquid hybridization analysis was used to compare the RNA sequence homology between two members of the Nudaurelia β virus family, Trichoplusia ni virus ( T.ni V) and Dasychira pudibunda virus ( D.p V). Heterologous hybridization experiments demonstrated that these viruses shared little sequence homology. Using oligo(dT) chromatography and oligo(dT)_12–18 as a primer for cDNA synthesis it was shown that neither T.ni V nor D.p V RNA genomes possess a poly(A) tract at the 3' end.     

Slow heat rate increases yeast thermotolerance by maintaining plasma membrane integrity.

Thermal resistance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to be drastically dependent on the kinetics of heat perturbation. Yeasts were found to be more resistant to a plateau of 1 h at 50 degrees C after a slope of temperature increase (slow and linear temperature increments) than after a shock (sudden temperature change). Thermotolerance was mainly acquired between 40-50 degrees C during a heat slope, i.e., above the maximal temperature of growth. The death of the yeasts subjected to a heat shock might be related to the loss of membrane integrity: intracellular contents extrusion, i.e., membrane permeabilization, was found to precede cell death. However, the permeabilization did not precede cell death during a heat slope and, therefore, membrane permeabilization was a consequence rather than a cause of cell death. During a slow temperature increase, yeasts which remain viable may have time to adapt their plasma membrane and thus maintain membrane integrity.     

Effect of neurectomy on nuclease activity in skeletal muscles of rats

Author followed up the activity of the three enzymes involved in the catabolism of nucleic acids--acid deoxyribonulease (DNase II), alkaline ribonuclease (RNase I), and acid ribonuclease (RNase II)--in the denervated gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of rats for 28 postoperative days. The activity of both acid nucleases increased in both types of denervated muscles, compared with the respective controls. Up to the 14th postoperative day, the activity excess of both acid nucleases was more significant in the m. gastrocnemius than in the m. soleus. The RNase I ran below the control activity during the whole period in the m. soleus and up to the 14th day in the m. gastrocnemius. The role of nucleases and nuclease inhibitors in the changes of nucleic acid catabolism in neurogenic muscular atrophies is discussed.     

Action potentials of the rabbit, guinea pig, dog and albino rat working ventricular myocardium under interpolated extrasystole conditions during postnatal ontogenesis

Experiments were carried out on the working myocardium of the right heart ventricle of newborn and adult rabbits, guinea-pigs, dogs and albino rats. In the dog, the guinea-pig and the rabbit, after ten action potentials (AP) elicited with 1 Hz frequency we always interpolated an extrasystole at an interval (TE) of 100-900 ms. In albino rats we used a basic frequency of 2 Hz and a TE of 30-370 ms from the last regular AP. Using glass microelectrodes, we recorded the extrasystolic AP (EAP) and the next subsequent AP (2AP). The results were evaluated by constructing graphs of the correlations of the duration of the plateau phase (D0) to TE and of the duration of repolarization to -60 mV level (D60) to the TE. In the myocardium of newborn rabbits, guinea-pigs and dogs, with short TE both D0 and D60 of the EAP are shorter than in the steady state (SS), while for the 2AP the same parameters are influenced only a little. As the TE lengthens, the EAP gradually acquire a length corresponding more to the SS. With TE longer than half the duration of the cycle in the steady state the EAP return to normal, while the 2AP become shorter. The effect of extrasystole on the rat EAP and 2AP diminished with advancing age. In the myocardium of adult rabbits and adult guinea-pigs, and slightly in the myocardium of adult dogs and newborn rats, we observed that the duration of the EAP, with certain TE, was greater than in the steady state.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)