FCgammaRII (CD32)-dependent induction of interferon-alpha by serum from patients with lupus erythematosus

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is detected in the serum of 70-80% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Furthermore, soluble factors in SLE serum can induce peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to produce IFN-alpha. The purpose of this work was to investigate the mechanism of this IFN-alpha induction. In eleven of fifteen SLE serum samples, an IFN-alpha inducing activity was detected, whereas serum from healthy controls, patients with other autoimmune disease and patients with viral infections were ineffective under the same conditions. After gel filtration of the serum, the inducing activity was found in the same fraction as IgG. The IFN-alpha inducing activity was inhibited by native monoclonal antibodies to the receptors for the Fc portion of IgG: FcgammaRIIA/C and FcgammaRIIB subclasses (CD32) and by their F(ab)'2 fragments. Purified Fc fragments of human IgG were also effective in abolishing the IFN-alpha-inducing activity. Since no anti-CD32 autoantibodies were found in SLE serum, this IFN-alpha-inducing activity may be due to immune complex antibodies. Such results may allow better understand the origin of endogenous IFN-alpha, which has a deleterious effect on the course of this autoimmune disease. The inhibition of this function by the CD32 antibody could lead to new therapeutic approach in SLE.     

Current knowledge of iron metabolism

Iron plays many roles in human physiology. In this article, we summarize the basic and current knowledge of this essential micronutrient on human metabolism.     

Divalent paramagnetic counterions site binding in polyelectrolyte solutions. Analysis of the frequency dependence of the water protons magnetic relaxation and the characteristic parameters of "site binding"

Chemical shift and relaxation time measurements on the water protons in polyelectrolyte solutions containing divalent paramagnetic counterions have shown the existence of three types of counterions: - site bound with loss of water molecules and partial or complete release of the electrostriction in the first hydration sphere, - atmospherically trapped with no change in hydration, - free. The overall stoichiometry of the two former is in agreement with Manning's fraction of condensed counterions. A complete analysis of the frequency dependent contribution of site bound counterions to the water protons relaxation times leads us to interesting conclusions on the modifications of the first hydration shell and on the life time of site binding.     

Arthropod hemocyanin structure: isolation of eight subunits in the scorpion.

Eight immunologically pure subunits were isolated from Androctonus australis hemocyanin. Antisera specific against each of these were prepared. Two subunits associate to form a heteroöligomer which is probably one of the bridges visible in electron microscopy of the native molecule. There is no cross-reactivity between native subunits. When denatured by 7 m urea, the specific antigenic determinants disappear and a broader specificity appears. This is probably due to the unfolding of the molecule which unmasks deeply buried antigenic sites.     

A rare genetic variant of the T cell receptor gamma joining segment TRGJI

Summary A rare HindIII restriction fragment variant of the human T cell receptor gamma joining segment TRGJ1 has been identified, in addition to two previously described alleles.     

Leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells

The adhesion of leukocytes to endothelium is a physiological phenomenon which is the first step for leukocyte emigration. The adhesion can be dramatically increased in pathological situations such as inflammation and vascular diseases. The molecular basis of leukocyte-endothelium interaction has been largely investigated in the last ten years. Using monoclonal antibodies it is possible to characterize the leukocyte adhesion molecule (LeuCAM) also named CD11/CD18 complex. These molecules responsible for leukocyte adhesion are heterodimers consisting of a common beta subunit and different subunit CD11a/CD18 corresponding to LFA-1; CD11b/CD18 to Mac1/Mol; CD11c/CD18 to GP150-95. Beside these receptors, other leukocyte structures such as the fibronectin receptors are involved in the adhesive process. On the endothelial cell side specialized structures implicated in leukocyte adhesion have been identified. Structures like Intercellular Adhesion Molecule (ICAM) are expressed on endothelial cells in the absence of stimulation, while other receptors Endothelial Leukocyte Adhesion Molecule (ELAM) are only detectable on activated endothelial cells. Cytokines such as IL-1 induced the expression of ELAM, increased the number of ICAM and Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) DR, DP, DQ. In various pathological circumstances, namely extracorporeal circulation, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus increased leukocyte adhesion has been reported and is potentially responsible for vascular damage. Therefore, the modulation of leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions is a possible target for antithrombotic and antiatherosclerotic therapy.     

Fluorescence of proflavine--DNA complexes: heterogeneity of binding sites

Measurements of the relative quantum yield of fluorescence of proflavine bound to DNA as a function of the number of bound dyes per nucleotide and the ionic strength allow the determination of the binding constants and respective number of the two types of sites previously postulated. It is demonstrated that 2–3% of the base pairs form sites where the dye is strongly bound and fluoresces normally while in the other set of sites the binding constant is 3–4 times weaker and the fluorescence completely quenched. Comparison with complexes of Pro with double stranded polynucleotides poly (A + U), poly (I + C), poly(G + C), confirm that the strong binding sites correspond to A-T-rich regions of the DNA while the quenched sites seem to require the presence of a neighboring guanine. The role of charge transfer in quenching of fluorescence and mutagnic action is considered. An original method for the determination of free dye and bound dye, based upon the use of an external quencher is described in the Appendix.     

A microsatellite map of the African human malaria vector Anopheles funestus

Microsatellite markers and chromosomal inversion polymorphisms are useful genetic markers for determining population structure in Anopheline mosquitoes. In Anopheles funestus (2N = 6), only chromosome arms 2R, 3R, and 3L are known to carry polymorphic inversions. The physical location of microsatellite markers with respect to polymorphic inversions is potentially important information for interpreting population genetic structure, yet none of the available marker sets have been physically mapped in this species. Accordingly, we mapped 32 polymorphic A. funestus microsatellite markers to the polytene chromosomes using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and identified 16 markers outside of known polymorphic inversions. Here we provide an integrated polytene chromosome map for A. funestus that includes the breakpoints of all known polymorphic inversions as well as the physical locations of microsatellite loci developed to date. Based on this map, we suggest a standard set of 16 polymorphic microsatellite markers that are distributed evenly across the chromosome complement, occur predominantly outside of inversions, and amplify reliably. Adoption of this set by researchers working in different regions of Africa will facilitate metapopulation analyses of this primary malaria vector.