Orosomucoid (ORM) typing by isoelectric focusing: evidence for gene duplication of ORM1 and genetic polymorphism of ORM2

Summary It has been demonstrated that the genetic polymorphism of human serum orosomucoid (ORM) is controlled by polymorphic ORM1 and monomorphic ORM2 loci. In this study a Japanese family was encountered in which several members had puzzling electrophoretic patterns consisting of four bands. The ORM patterns were due to the products of a duplicated ORM1 locus haplotype (ORM1 ^* 2·1) or the products of new variant alleles at the ORM2 locus. The ORM1 ^* 2·1 haplotype is very common in the Japanese population, occurring at an allele frequency of 0.16. The increased occurrence of ORM1 2-1 and the heterogeneity in band intensity among ORM1 2-1 phenotypes could be explained in terms of a duplicated gene ORM1 ^* 2·1. The ORM2 locus proved to be polymorphic, with six alleles in the Japanese population. Dedicated to Professor Dr. K. Nishigami on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Carbohydrate binding specificity of immobilized Allomyrina dichotoma lectin II

The carbohydrate binding specificity of Allomyrina dichotoma lectin II was investigated by analyzing the behavior of various complex type oligosaccharides and human milk oligosaccharides on an A. dichotoma lectin II-agarose column. Basically, the lectin interacts with the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc group. Substitution of their terminal galactose residues by Neu5Ac alpha 2----6 will enhance their affinity to the lectin. By contraries, substitution at the C-2 or C-3 position of their terminal galactose with other sugars including sialic acid deprives their affinity to the lectin. With this characteristic, the immobilized lectin column can be used to separate complex type oligosaccharides with the Neu5Ac alpha 2----6Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc group from their isomeric oligosaccharides with the Neu5Ac alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc group, where Neu5Ac is N-acetylneuraminic acid.     

Knowledge based diagnosis of inoculum properties and sterilization time in lactic acid fermentation

Summary A knowledge based system has been shown to be a powerful tool for diagnosing microbial activities during a fermentation process. Knowledge about lactic acid fermentation was collected by an experimental study ofLactobacillus casei. The effects of the inoculum properties and sterilization time on the cultivation were expressed in a form of a fuzzy rule-based knowledge network. The system was able to detect abnormal inoculum or sterilization conditions which caused malfunctions in the cultivations.     

Purification and characterization of a lectin from the beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma

A lectin was purified from the hemolymph of Allomyrina dichotoma larvae by affinity chromatography on acid-treated Sepharose 4B. The purified lectin showed two protein bands on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These two lectin bands (allo A-I and -II) were separated by DEAE-Cellulofine column chromatography. By gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, the molecular weights of allo A-I and -II were estimated to be 65,000 and 66,500, respectively. On the other hand, by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after cross-linking of subunits with glutaraldehyde, they are estimated to be 38,000 and 39,000, respectively. On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it was proved that both allo A-I and -II lectin consisted of two subunits, respectively. The molecular weights were 17,500 and 20,000 for allo A-I, and 19,000 and 20,000 for allo A-II. The isoelectric points of allo A-I and -II were estimated to be 6.4 and 5.9, respectively. On double immunodiffusion, allo A-I and -II gave single precipitin lines, which fused completely with each other, against the antibody to crude allo A. The hemagglutinating activity of allo A-I and -II was inhibited only by beta-linked D-galactose such as lactose and lactulose.     

Induction of proliferation of human follicular (B type) lymphoma cells by cognate interaction with CD4+ T cell clones

We examined stimuli which are required for the induction of in vitro proliferation of follicular lymphoma cells, a low grade non-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma characterized by a specific chromosomal translocation, t(14;18)(q32;q21), and by in vivo growth of the lymphoma cells in germinal center-like follicles infiltrated with CD4+ T cells. The purified follicular lymphoma cells, which are morphologically uniform, small, and dense, did not respond to stimulation with soluble lymphokines in the absence of T cells. Vigorous in vitro proliferation of follicular lymphoma cells was induced, however, when the follicular lymphoma cells were cultured with a CD4+ T cell clone which recognized alloantigens expressed by the lymphoma cells. This response required B-T cell contact, and was inhibited by anti-class II but not by anti-class I MHC mAb, indicating that these neoplastic B cells behaved as normal B cells and responded to normal activation and differentiation signals from T cells. After the cognate B lymphoma-T cell interaction occurred in culture, addition of IL-2 or IL-4 enhanced the proliferation of the tumor cells. These results, with a monoclonal and homogeneous population of B cells, affirm the idea that cognate interaction between B cells and Th cells is required for the effective activation of resting B cells. Moreover, these results suggest that a critical host-tumor interaction occurs in vivo, and that the polyclonal CD4+ T cells that infiltrate follicular lymphomas play a role in sustaining rather than inhibiting tumor growth in vivo. If so, therapies directed not only against the neoplastic cell but also against specific T cells and their cognate interactions with tumor cells may have a rationale.     

A sensitive IL-1 thymocyte co-stimulator assay using a novel beta-D-galactoside specific lectin from the beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma

A sensitive thymocyte co-stimulator assay of IL-1 using a beta-D-galactoside specific lectin (allo A) obtained from the beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma) is reported here. Allo A stimulated [3H]thymidine uptake of mouse thymocytes in the presence of IL-1. The allo A assay was more sensitive than the PHA or PNA- thymocyte assay, especially at low doses of IL-1. Optimal conditions for the allo A assay were as follows: allo A, 2.5-5.0 micrograms/ml; whole thymocytes, 0.5-1.0 x 10(6) cells/well; incubation time, 72-96 hr. The assay is sensitive and convenient and can easily be performed in any laboratory.     

Correct splicing despite mutation of the invariant first nucleotide of a 5' splice site: a possible basis for disparate clinical phenotypes in siblings with adenosine deaminase deficiency.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency usually causes severe combined immune deficiency in infancy. Milder phenotypes, with delayed or late onset and gradual decline in immune function, also occur and are associated with less severely impaired deoxyadenosine (dAdo) catabolism. We have characterized the mutations responsible for ADA deficiency in siblings with striking disparity in clinical phenotype. Erythrocyte dAdo nucleotide pool size, which reflects total residual ADA activity, was lower in the older, more mildly affected sib (RG) than in her younger, more severely affected sister (EG). Cultured T cells, fibroblasts, and B lymphoblasts of RG had detectable residual ADA activity, while cells of EG did not. ADA mRNA was undetectable by northern analysis in these cells of both patients. Both sibs were found to be compound heterozygotes for the following novel splicing defects: (1) a G+1-->A substitution at the 5' splice site of IVS 2 and (2) a complex 17-bp rearrangement of the 3' splice site of IVS 8, which inserted a run of seven purines into the polypyrimidine tract and altered the reading frame of exon 9. PCR-amplified ADA cDNA clones with premature translation stop codons arising from aberrant pre-mRNA splicing were identified, which were consistent with these mutations. However, some cDNA clones from T cells of both patients and from fibroblasts and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cells of RG, were normally spliced at both the exon 2/3 and exon 8/9 junctions. A normal coding sequence was documented for clones from both sibs. The normal cDNA clones did not appear to arise from either contamination or PCR artifact, and mosaicism seems unlikely to have been involved. These findings suggest (1) that a low level of normal pre-mRNA splicing may occur despite mutation of the invariant first nucleotide of the 5' splice donor sequence and (2) that differences in efficiency of such splicing may account for the difference in residual ADA activity, immune dysfunction, and clinical severity in these siblings.     

A Tripolar Spindle Formed at Meiosis I Assures the Retention of the Original Ploidy in the Gynogenetic Triploid Crucian Carp, Ginbuna Carassius auratus langsdorfii

A triploid crucian carp, ginbuna ( Carassius auratus langsdorfii ), reproduces by gynogenesis, in which sperm of diploid ginbuna or of other species triggers the development of the triploid eggs, but a male genome makes no contribution to the zygotic genome. Gynogenesis is maintained by two mechanisms: exclusion of male genome during fertilization and retention of somatic ploidy levels during oogenesis. We examined the mechanisms responsible for producing unreduced eggs. Microfluorometry with a DNA staining dye showed that DNA content in the ginbuna oocytes was not reduced in half during meiosis I. Cytological observations revealed that a tripolar spindle was formed at meiosis I and the first polar body was not extruded, whereas an ordinary bipolar spindle was formed and the second polar body was extruded at meiosis II. Activity of histone H1 kinase (as an indicator of maturation-promoting factor) decreased transiently between meiosis I and II, strongly suggesting a "normal" meiotic cycle progression in the ginbuna oocytes. These results have indicated that in the gynogenetic ginbuna the somatic ploidy levels are maintained by inhibiting the first polar body extrusion via the formation of the tripolar spindle at meiosis I.     

Genetic polymorphism of alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein: four new alleles and allele frequencies in Japanese

alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) phenotyping was done in 655 Japanese from the Goto Islands, western Japan, using isoelectric focusing followed by immunoblotting. Four new AHSG alleles were encountered, AHSG*G1-G4, whose genetic transmissions were established in family studies. The allele frequencies were: AHSG*1 = 0.7221; AHSG*2 = 0.2748, and AHSG*G1-G4 = 0.0008, respectively.     

健康早产儿24小时脑电图的定量评价

早产儿的生物学行为主要以睡眠为主,因此了解各个睡眠阶段的脑电图模型,对临床客观评价早产儿的大脑发育特点及健康状况具有重要的临床意义。本文旨在探讨健康早产儿不同睡眠阶段脑电图特点,进而为其睡眠阶段的自动判定提供标准。应用多导生理记录仪对24例健康早产儿进行了41次Fp1-C3双电极连续24小时脑电图记录,同时用两台摄像机同步记录眼球运动及肢体运动。依据呼吸、眼球及肢体运动视觉判定睡眠阶段。应用自回两台摄像机同步记录眼球运动最适赤池信息量准则（Min-AIC)、总功率（TP）、δ功率（δP）、θ功率（θP）、α功率（αP）、β功率（βP）及不连续性（Dis）进行分析。结果显示Min-AIC,TP,δP及Dis四个变量依睡眠阶段不同有显著性差异（P＜0．01）。多变量判别分析亦显示联合这四个变量可对睡眠阶段进行判定。联合Min-AIC、TP、δP及Dis四个变量适于对胎龄大于30周的健康早产儿的睡眠阶段进行判定。