Structure of retinular cells in a Drosophila melanogaster visual mutant,rdgA, at early stages of degeneration

Summary A Drosophila visual mutant rdgA has photoreceptive cells which degenerate gradually after eclosion. Fine structure of the retinular cells of rdgA ^KS60 and rdgA ^K014 was studied during early stages of degeneration to determine the initial morphological defects. The retinular cells of these two alleles showed the following structural abnormality within 1 day after eclosion: (1) rhabdomeres were small and irregular in shape; (2) cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum were more numerous than those in normal retinular cells; (3) submicrovillar cisternae were absent; and (4) lysosomes were fewer than normal. Three-dimensional reconstruction of serial sections of the ommatidia showed that the degeneration of mutant rhabdomeres proceeds more rapidly in regions remote from the nuclei. These results suggest that the process of turnover of rhabdomeric microvilli is abnormal in rdgA. We also confirmed an increase of lysosomes and destruction of cellular organelles, as reported by previous investigators at more advanced stages of degeneration.     

Light and electron microscopic studies on experimental nocardia-toxicosis in mice

An exotoxin (HS-6) produced by Nocardia otitidiscaviarum isolated from certain lesions of cutaneous nocardiosis of a male 82-year-old patient induced severe injuries in the pancreas, liver, stomach, small intestine, heart, thymus and kidney of male ICR mice. Mice given Nocardia-free preparation of HS-6 at a dose of 1 mg/kg of body weight developed several autophagic vacuoles in the pancreas and liver within 20 min after the i.p. injection. Thereafter, the autophagic vacuoles increased in number and size with time. About 24 hr after the administration of HS-6, the liver showed marked accumulation of fat droplets in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes. Although they contained abundant autophagic vacuoles in the regions of RER, there were no lipomatoses in the acinar cells of the pancreas, those of the chief cells and smooth muscle cells of the stomach, Paneth cells, goblet cells, smooth muscle cells of the small intestine, and plasma cells in the digestive tract. Biochemical examinations revealed that HS-6 had no significant effect on the protein synthesis of reticulocytes. Inoculation of the Nocardia into the mouse peritoneal cavities caused marked granulomatoses in the pancreas, liver and regional lymph nodes, but did not develop autophagic vacuoles in RER regions of these organs.     

Antibody responses to early antigens of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) during varicella and zoster

The antibody responses to membrane and early antigens and thymidine kinase of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were studied in sera during both varicella and zoster by a test with fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA), staining the biochemically transformed cells by the immunofluorescent technique and neutralization of virus-specific thymidine kinase activity, respectively. Similar increases in FAMA antibody titers were demonstrated in sera from patients with varicella and zoster. IgM was detected in both groups, but appeared earlier during varicella than during zoster. Furthermore, the antibody titers to early antigens and virus-specific thymidine kinase were higher in patients with zoster than in those with varicella. These data suggest that different types of antibody responses occur during varicella and zoster.     

New common nomenclature for glycoprotein genes of varicella-zoster virus and their glycosylated products.

The accumulation of recent data concerning the reactivity of monoclonal antibodies with particular varicella-zoster virus (VZV) glycoproteins and the mapping of several of their respective genes on the VZV genome has led to a unified nomenclature for the glycoprotein genes of VZV and their mature glycosylated products. Homologs to herpes simplex virus glycoprotein genes are noted.     

Flavanol glucosides from rhubarb and Rhaphiolepis umbellata

Investigations of rhubarb and the bark of Rhaphiolepis umbellata led to the isolation of new flavan-3-ol glucosides. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of ¹H and ¹³C NMR analysis hydrolytic studies as (+)-catechin 5-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and (?)-catechin 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside.     

Augmentation of Interferon Production after Cell-Differentiation of U937 Cells by TPA

Persistent infections with mumps virus were established in several human lymphoid cells of T-cell origin (Molt-4, TALL-1, and CCRF-CEM) and human monocyte cells (U937 and THP-1). 2′,5′-Oligoadenylate synthetase (2–5AS) activity was demonstrated to be only slightly induced by interferon (IFN) or TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate) treatment in these cells. Treatment of the persistently infected cells with IFN or TPA did not stimulate an increase in the amount of synthetase mRNA. Induction of cell differentiation and augmentation of IFN production by TPA were demonstrated in U937 cells persistently infected with mumps virus (U937-MP). Similar results for IFN production were obtained from differentiated U937 cells. It is suggested that cell differentiation of U937 cells might be associated with the development of IFN inducibility.     

Comparison of OspA Serotypes for Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato from Japan,Europe and North America

Sixty-one Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains from various sources (ticks, human, and wild animals) in Japan and two strains from ticks in Far Eastern Russia were classified on the basis of reactivity with 16 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to outer surface protein A (OspA) and by DNA-DNA hybridization assay. Eleven OspA serotypes (J1 to J11) were recognized among the Japanese and the Far East Russian isolates (serotypes J1 to J9 were identified as B. garinii, serotype J10 was identified as B. afzelii, and serotype J11 corresponded to B. japonica), whereas 7 OspA serotypes for North American and European isolates previously reported (Bettina Wilske et al, J. Clin. Microbiol. 31:340-350, 1993) were not observed except for OspA serotype 2 which showed identical reactivity with OspA serotype J10. This finding provides helpful information for understanding the geographical distribution of Lyme disease borrelia and the development of vaccine and diagnostic tests. In conclusion: 1. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto has not been observed in Japan, 2. Japanese B. afzelii isolates are closely related to those from Europe, 3. B. garinii isolates from Japan are highly heterogeneous and apparently different from European B. garinii isolates.     

Molecular analysis of esterase D polymorphism

We have analyzed the esterase D (EsD) polymorphism at the nucleic acid level. Two common alleles, EsD¹ and EsD², are characterized by the substitution of one amino acid (Gly-to-Glu), which is caused by the point mutation of one nucleotide (G-to-A). Individuals exhibiting the EsD1 and EsD 2 phenotypes are homozygotes for EsD 1 and EsD 2 cDNAs, respectively. Individuals showing the EsD 2-1 phenotype have two kinds of cDNAs, viz., EsD 1 and EsD 2. The point mutation difference between the cDNAs of the EsD¹ and EsD² alleles results in a different SspI digestion site. A restriction fragment length polymorphism caused by this difference with respect to the SspI digestion site makes it possible to determine the EsD phenotype using DNA samples extracted from forensic materials with no EsD enzymatic activity.     

Lysophosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in rat brain synaptic plasma membranes

A membrane preparation from rat brain catalyzed the hydrolysis of [2-³H]glycerol-labeled lysophosphatidylinositol (lysoPI) to yield monoacylglycerol (MG) and inositolphosphates. This phospholipase C activity had an optimal pH of 8.2. The membrane preparation did not require the addition of Ca²⁺ for its maximum activity, but the activity was inhibited by addition of 0.1 mM EDTA to the assay mixture and was restored by simultaneous addition of 0.2 mM Ca²⁺. The activity was found to be localized in synaptic plasma membranes prepared by Ficoll and Percoll density gradients. The phospholipase C was highly specific for lysoPI; diacylglycerol formation from phosphatidylinositol, and MG formation from lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, and lysophosphatidylserine were below 5% of that observed with lysoPI under the conditions used. We concluded that there is a pathway for phosphatidylinositol metabolism in brain synaptic membranes which is different from the well-characterized phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C pathway.Abbreviations PI phosphatidylinositol - lysoPI lysophosphatidylinositol - lysoPI-PLC lysophosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C - PI-PLC phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C - MG monoacylglycerol - PLC phospholipase C To whom to address reprint requests.     

Prevalence of Human Herpesvirus 6 Variants A and B in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected from 13 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and 13 healthy controls were analyzed for the presence of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) DNA by variant-specific polymerase chain reaction and dot blot hybridization. HHV-6 DNA was detected in 7 of 13 (53%) patients, and of those 7 patients, 4 were positive for HHV-6 variant A DNA and 3 were for variant B. No HHV-6 DNA was detected in the controls. Serum antibody titers to the late antigen and antibody prevalence to the early antigen of HHV-6 were significantly higher in the patient group. These results suggest active replication of HHV-6 in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.