Susceptibility of chicken embryos to group A streptococci: Correlation with fibrinogen binding

Abstract One problem in investigating group A streptococcal infections and virulence is the lack of appropriate in vivo models. In this study we introduce the chicken embryo model for determining virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes . We found that M protein positive strains, if administered intravenously, were highly virulent for 12-day-old chicken embryos. The LD₅₀ of the strains tested could be correlated directly with the amount of cell wall exposed M protein, which has been determined by the capacity of streptococci to bind fibrinogen and by the ability of streptococci to survive in fresh normal human blood. The number of colony forming units (cfu) of M⁺ strains necessary to kill 50% of embryonated eggs was significantly lower (<10² cfu) than for M⁻ variants (>10⁴ cfu). Albumin and/or IgG binding to streptococcal cells, which can also take place in proteins of the M protein family which do not bind to fibrinogen, did not show that clear correlation to the virulence in chicken embryos that did fibrinogen binding. Application of anti-streptococcal M protein antisera from chicken and rabbit reduced the lethality of the chicken embryos. In contrast, no correlation was found between lethality of chicken embryos and the in vitro production of erythrogenic toxins by the administered strains. Thus the results indicate that the presence of M-protein with its fibrinogen binding activity on the streptococcal cell surface is necessary for virulence of group A streptococci in the chicken embryo model.     

哈尔滨西郊赤狐冬季巢区的初步研究

本文利用雪地跟踪方法对哈尔滨西郊5只赤狐在1985-1986年冬季的巢区做了观察。结果表明,5只狐对巢区内各部分使用的强度是不等的,对巢区中部的某些地块使用强度要高于对外围的使用,并具有明显的方向性。5个巢区的平均活动半径为320±68米至557±82米,面积为1.44-4.O9平方公里,线性指数为1.079至2。5只狐相邻距离约1000米。     

Nonglucosylated oligosaccharides are transferred to protein in MI8-5 Chinese hamster ovary cells

A CHO mutant MI8-5 was found to synthesize Man9-GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol rather than Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol as the oligosaccharide-lipid intermediate in N-glycosylation of proteins. MI8-5 cells were incubated with labeled mevalonate, and the prenol was found to be dolichol. The mannose-labeled oligosaccharide released from oligosaccharide-lipid of MI8-5 cells was analyzed by HPLC and alpha-mannosidase treatment, and the data were consistent with a structure of Man9GlcNAc2. In addition, MI8-5 cells did not incorporate radioactivity into oligosaccharide- lipid during an incubation with tritiated galactose, again consistent with MI8-5 cells synthesizing an unglucosylated oligosaccharide-lipid. MI8-5 cells had parental levels of glucosylphosphoryldolichol synthase activity. However, in two different assays, MI8-5 cells lacked dolichol- P-Glc:Man9GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol glucosyltransferase activity. MI8-5 cells were found to synthesize glucosylated oligosaccharide after they were transfected with Saccharomyces cerevisiae ALG 6, the gene for dolichol-P-Glc:Man9GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol glucosyltransferase. MI8-5 cells were found to incorporate mannose into protein 2-fold slower than parental cells and to approximately a 2-fold lesser extent.      

Hypoxia decreases proteins involved in epithelial electrolyte transport in A549 cells and rat lung

Fluid reabsorption from alveolar space is driven by active Na reabsorption via epithelial Na channels (ENaCs) and Na-K-ATPase. Both are inhibited by hypoxia. Here we tested whether hypoxia decreases Na transport by decreasing the number of copies of transporters in alveolar epithelial cells and in lungs of hypoxic rats. Membrane fractions were prepared from A549 cells exposed to hypoxia (3% O(2)) as well as from whole lung tissue and alveolar type II cells from rats exposed to hypoxia. Transport proteins were measured by Western blot analysis. In A549 cells, alpha(1)- and beta(1)-Na-K-ATPase, Na/K/2Cl cotransport, and ENaC proteins decreased during hypoxia. In whole lung tissue, alpha(1)-Na-K-ATPase and Na/K/2Cl cotransport decreased. alpha- and beta-ENaC mRNAs also decreased in hypoxic lungs. Similar results were seen in alveolar type II cells from hypoxic rats. These results indicate a slow decrease in the amount of Na-transporting proteins in alveolar epithelial cells during exposure to hypoxia that also occurs in vivo in lungs from hypoxic animals. The reduced number of transporters might account for the decreased transport activity and impaired edema clearance in hypoxic lungs.