Regulation of mast cell differentiation

Mast cells are a unique class of blood cell. Unlike most blood cells, undifferentiated precursors of mast cells migrate in the bloodstream, invade tissues, proliferate there and then differentiate. Even after differentiation, some mast cells may proliferate extensively. Differentiation of mast cells is regulated by both diffusible growth factors and direct contact with fibroblasts.     

A scanning calorimetric study of the thermal denaturation of the lysozyme of phage T4 and the Arg 96----His mutant form thereof

High-sensitivity scanning calorimetry has been employed to study the reversible thermal unfolding of the lysozyme of T4 bacteriophage and of its mutant form Arg 96----His in the pH range 1.80-2.84. The values for t1/2, the temperature of half-denaturation, in degrees Celsius and for the enthalpy of unfolding in kilocalories per mole are given by (standard deviations in parentheses) wild type t1/2 = 9.63 + 14.41 pH (+/- 0.58) delta Hcal = 5.97 + 2.33t (+/- 4.20) mutant form t1/2 = -19.84 + 21.31 pH (+/- 0.51) delta Hcal = -8.58 + 2.66t (+/- 4.48) At any temperature within the range -20 to 60 degrees C, the free energy of unfolding of the mutant form is more negative than that of the wild type by 3-5 kcal mol-1, indicating an apparent destabilization resulting from the arginine to histidine replacement. The ratio of the van't Hoff enthalpy to the calorimetric enthalpy deviates from unity, the value expected for a simple two-state process, by +/- 0.2 depending on the pH. It thus appears that the nature of the unfolding of T4 lysozyme varies with pH in unknown manner. This complication does not invalidate the values reported here for the temperature of half-completion of unfolding, the calorimetric enthalpy, the heat capacity change, or the free energy of unfolding.     

Studies of Sl/Sld in equilibrium with +/+ mouse aggregation chimaeras. II. Effect of the steel locus on spermatogenesis

Mutant mice of Sl/Sld genotype are deficient in melanocytes, erythrocytes, mast cells and germ cells. Deficiency of melanocytes, erythrocytes and mast cells is not attributable to an intrinsic defect in their precursor cells but to a defect in the tissue environment that is necessary for migration, proliferation and/or differentiation. We investigated the mechanism of germ cell deficiency in male Sl/Sld mice by producing aggregation chimaeras from Sl/Sld and +/+ embryos. Chimaeric mice with apparent white stripes were obtained. Two of four such chimaeras were fertile and the phenotypes of resulting progenies showed that some Sl/Sld germ cells had differentiated into functioning sperms in the testis of the chimaeras. In cross sections of the testes of chimaeras, both differentiated and nondifferentiated tubules were observed. However, the proportions of type A spermatogonia to Sertoli cells in both types of tubules were comparable to the values observed in differentiated tubules of normal +/+ mice. We reconstructed the whole length of four tubules from serial sections. Differentiated and nondifferentiated segments alternated in a single tubule. The shortest differentiated segment contained about 180 Sertoli cells and the shortest nondifferentiated segment about 150 Sertoli cells. These results suggest that Sertoli cells of either Sl/Sld or +/+ genotype make discrete patches and that differentiation of type A spermatogonia does not occur in patches of Sl/Sld Sertoli cells.     

Studies of Sl/Sld in equilibrium with +/+ mouse aggregation chimaeras. I. Different distribution patterns between melanocytes and mast cells in the skin

In spite of their different origin, both melanocytes and mast cells are deficient in the skin of mutant mice of the Sl/Sld genotype. Since the neural crest and the liver of Sl/Sld embryos contain normal precursors of melanocytes and mast cells, respectively, the deficiency is attributed to a defect in tissue environment necessary for migration and/or differentiation of precursor cells. We investigated whether the tissue environment used for differentiation of melanocytes and mast cells was identical by producing aggregation chimaeras from Sl/Sld and +/+ embryos. Chimaeric mice with apparent pigmented and nonpigmented stripes were obtained. In the nonpigmented stripes of these Sl/Sld in equilibrium with +/+ chimaeras, melanocytes were not detectable in hair follicles but were detectable in the dermis. In contrast, melanocytes were detectable neither in hair follicles nor in the dermis of nonchimaeric Sl/Sld mice. Concentrations of mast cells were comparable in the pigmented and nonpigmented stripes of Sl/Sld in equilibrium with +/+ chimaeras, but the average concentration of mast cells significantly varied in the chimaeras (from 8% to 74% of the value observed in control +/+ mice). The present result suggests that mesodermal cells that support the migration and differentiation of both melanocyte precursors and mast-cell precursors mix homogeneously in the dermis and that ectodermal cells that influence the invasion of differentiating melanocytes into hair follicles make discrete patches.     

Characterization of immunodominant epitopes of gag and pol gene-encoded proteins of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I.

A series of synthetic peptides derived from the corresponding regions of the gag, pol, and env proteins of human T-cell lymphotropic virus types I (HTLV-I) and II (HTLV-II) were used in an enzyme immunoassay to map the immunodominant epitopes of HTLV. Serum specimens from 79 of 87 (91%) HTLV-I-infected patients reacted with the synthetic peptide Gag-1a (amino acids [a.a.] 102 to 117) derived from the C terminus of the p19gag protein of HTLV-I. Minimal cross-reactivity (11%) was observed with serum specimens from HTLV-II-infected patients. Peptide Pol-3, encoded by the pol region of HTLV-I (a.a. 487 to 502), reacted with serum specimens from both HTLV-I- and HTLV-II-infected patients (94 and 86%, respectively). The antibody levels to Pol-3 were significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis than in either adult T-cell leukemia patients or HTLV-I-positive asymptomatic carriers. None of the other peptides studied demonstrated significant binding to serum specimens obtained from HTLV-I- or HTLV-II-infected individuals. While Gag-1a did not react with serum specimens from normal controls, Pol-3 demonstrated some reaction with specimens from seronegative individuals (11.4%). The antibodies to Gag-1a and Pol-3 in serum specimens from HTLV-I-infected patients could be specifically inhibited by the corresponding synthetic peptides and by a crude HTLV-I antigen preparation, indicating that these peptides mimic native epitopes present in HTLV-I proteins that are recognized by serum antibodies from HTLV-I- and -II-infected individuals.     

Sequence rearrangement in JC virus DNAs molecularly cloned from immunosuppressed renal transplant patients.

From nonimmunocompromised individuals, we have recently identified a possible archetypal JC virus DNA sequence from which various regulatory sequences of JC virus isolates derived from patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) could have evolved. In this study, we analyzed the regulatory sequences of JCV DNAs cloned from urine samples of a PML risk group (renal transplant patients on immunosuppressive therapy). A number of JC virus DNAs were molecularly cloned from virions excreted in the urine of eight patients. Furthermore, fragments containing the regulatory region were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and subsequently molecularly cloned from cell-associated JC virus excreted in the urine of two patients. The regulatory regions in all clones were analyzed with restriction enzymes, and those in representative clones were sequenced. We found that clones with the archetypal regulatory sequence were predominant in all urine samples, but a few clones carried regulatory sequences that diverged from the archetypal sequence by deletion or duplication. The finding that sequence rearrangement in the archetypal regulatory region occurs in the course of infection in immunosuppressed hosts is consistent with the adaptation hypothesis which has been put forward to explain the divergence of the regulatory regions in PML-derived JC virus isolates.     

Sensitive detection of viral antigens with a new method, "laser magnet immunoassay".

A new method, "laser magnet immunoassay" (LMIA), has been developed for sensitive detection of viral antigens. Target viruses captured on microbeads were made to react with antibodies labeled with magnetite particles. In a magnetic field, magnetically labeled antigens dispersed in water were attracted to and concentrated at one point on the surface, resulting in the lifting up of a small surface area. A laser beam which was incident on the point reflected, making an interference fringe. The intensity of the fringe indicates the amount of the magnetite conjugated with antigen. A very low concentration of antigens, such as 5 particles of influenza virus and 0.1 pg/ml of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) p24 antigen in human serum, could be detected by this method. Application of this method to diagnoses of viral diseases in early stages is discussed.     

Three Japanese families with members carrying C7 silent allele (C7*Q0). Possibility for an association between C7*Q0 and C6*B

Three Japanese families with members carrying C7 silent allele(s) (C7*Q0) are presented. C6 types in the family members were also examined, and it was found that C7*Q0 was transmitted from a parent to offsprings as a haplotype, C7*Q0-C6*B. In another study of C6 types in sera from 3 volunteer blood donors with homozygous C7 deficiencies, the C6 phenotypes were found to be C6 B (homozygote). It seems remarkable that C7*Q0 can be associated with C6*B.