1988年 · 第101卷第03期

An antiserum specific to pre-proANF56-92, a synthetic fragment of pre-proatrial natriuretic factor, was used to examine the presence and characteristics of pre-proANF56-92-like material in rat heart and plasma. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) performed with this antiserum demonstrated the existence of preproANF56-92-like material in crude extracts of rat atria (553±55 fmol/mg protein) and rat plasma (40 fmol/ml). It was further localized in specifically stained granules within atrial cardiocytes PAP-immunohistochemically. Gel filtration and reverse phase high pressured liquid chromatography (HPLC) of atrial extracts showed only one major molecular form of the material with a molecular weight of approximately 6000-7000 daltons and retention times different from either pre-proANF56-92 or pre-proANF26-92 chromatographically. Bioassays proved that synthetic pre-proANF56-92 is a potent vasorelaxant in isolated rabbit aorta strips, inducing no hypotensive responses in intact rats. These results suggest that this pre-proANF56-92-like material may be a novel hormone candidate released by rat atrium.

An experimental diabetes model was produced by injection of alloxan monohydrate at 200 mg/kg subcutaneously. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) administered 15 minutes prior to alloxan was able to decrease both the incidence of alloxan-induced diabetes and the average of plasma glucose concentration. The oral glucose tolerance test curves were markedly improved and microscopic sections of pancreatic islets showed an increased of secretory granules in B cells if rats pretreated with PGE2 as compared to the alloxan-treated rats. The results indicate that the acute damage of B cells caused by alloxan is milder in rats pretreated with PGE2. These results suggest that PGE2, may have protective effects on rat pancreatic islet B cells.

A female patient developed cutaneous genuine histiocytic lymphoma at the age of 57. The chief clinical manifestation was monomorphous cutaneous nodules. In the early stage her general condition was good. Physical and laboratory examinations showed no abnormality. Histopathologically uniform tumor cells diffusely infiltrated between the collagen bundles throughout the whole dermis of the cutaneous nodules. The cells were proved to be atypical histiocytes by enzyme cytochemical, immunologic and electron microscopic examinations and further confirmed by long term tissue culture. Clinical outpatient treatment had no effect but CCNU produced temporary marked effects. Due to leukopenia the therapy was discontinued; the skin lesions recurred and the patient died of cachexia. The whole course was one year and eight months.

We used radiolabeled antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)to detect and localize CEA- or AFP-producing tumors. The monoclonal antibody to CEA and affinity purified antibody to AFP were prepared and labeled with 131I by iodogen method. The radioantibodies had 95% of radiochemical purity, 2.16-12 mCi per mg of specific radioactivity, and 80%-93% of specific immunoreactivity. Images were made with a r-scintillation camera, at about 48 hours after intravenous injection of a dose ranging from 0.82 to 3.5 mCi of the labeled antibodies (140-590 μg of protein), and a dual radionuclide subtraction technique with computer-assisted processing was used to enhance the tumor-related activity. In 10 patients with CEA-producing tumors, 7 of 8 primary lesions were positive for the CEA radioimmunodetection, and of 15secondary lesions, 11 were positive and 4 weakly positive. In 10 patients with AFP-producing tumors (liver cancer), 9 of 10 intrahepatic lesions were detected by AFP radioimmunodetection. It is interesting that the tumors were detected by this method even in 5 of 6 patients with normal level of plasm CEA or AFP, and one tumor site missed by CT scan was detected too. The main factors for successful application of this method are described. The mechanism of localization of the radioantibodies in tumor is also discussed through an immunopathological approach.

Investigations were carried out to observe worm burden and egg granuloma formation at different time intervals between immunization and challenge in relation to the in vitro lymphocyte proliferative response in mice immunized with NTG-attenuated cercariae of Schistosome japonicum. Mice were exposed to 30 NTG-attenuated cercariae (30 μg/ml NTG × 15 min) twice at two week intervals and were challenged at week 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 with 40 cercariae of S japonicum. Results showed that mice immunized with NTG-attenuated-cercariae had fewer or stunted worms and fewer splenic and hepaticgTanulomas. Worm reduction rates of 8%, 54%, 82%, 43% and 29% were observed at weeks 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 from initial immunization respectively. Thus, optimal acquired immunity against a challenge infection seems to occur at week 8. In mice immunized with NTG-attenuated cercariae, the proliferative response of lymphocytes from lymph nodes, thymus and spleen to soluble egg antigen increased gradually throughout the first six weeks postinitial infection, peaked at week 7 and then markedly decreased by week 12. This suggests that there maybe some correlation between the development of protective immunity and the dynamic characteristics of lymphocyte proliferative response in vitro in the mice model infected with NTG-attenuated cercariae of S japonicum.

From October to December 1984, rotavirus-like particles 50-55 nm in diameter were noticed in the feces of infants with gastroenteritis in Nanjing. The virus resembled rotavirus morphologically but differed in size. It shared common group antigen with known rotavirus by immune electron microscope(IEM) and ELISA. The virus had a double-stranded RNA with 11 discrete segments, and the virus RNA could also be divided into two subgroups (the long and the short types) and 4 different kinds of electro-phoretic types. The patterns of migration of the segments on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)were similar to those of rotavirus. 11 (29%) of 38 positive cases were identified as minirotavirus by EM. The main clinical symptoms of the patients were watery diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.

The authors present an analysis of 23 cases of viral myocarditis and 140 cases of viral cardiomyopathy. The anticoxsackie B antibody was l:64 or more in 74.2% (23/31) cases of acute myocarditis and 52.4% (22/42) of cardiomyopathy. Most of them had an increase of B2 or B4. Five cases of Adams-Stokes syndrome and 1 inferior myocardial infarction were associated with increased B2 titer. In viral cardiomyopathy, most had negative phyto-hemagglutinin (PHA) and OT skin tests, with low OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8, low blastogenesis to PHA, increased serum inhibition factor and abnormal adhesive cell function. After treatment with immune ribonucleic acid (IRNA) or thymosine for 3-6 months, clinical manifestations ameliorated and cell-mediated-immunity normalized in most of the patients especially those after thymosine treatment.

The authors presented the application of indirect immunoperoxidase technique on liver sections of infected rabbit containing schistosomal egg granuloma (LE-IIP) as antigen to detect the specific antibodies in sera of patients with schistosomiasis japonica. Of 52 acute and 100 chronic cases 100% and 99% showed positive reactions respectively. The sensitivity of LE-IIP was higher than that of ID (92.0%), IHA (93.5%) and ELISA (92.0%) (P<0.05) and similar to that of COPT (97.0%). The false positive rate of LE-IIP was l%, similar to that of ELISA (3.03%)and lower than that of COPT (6.25%) and IHA (5.0%) (P<0.05). Cross reaction was observed in one of the 10 patients with Paragonimus westermani. The use of LE-IIP in different endemic areas of S. japonica revealed its well reproducibility and practicability. It is considered that the LE-IIP could be used as a useful method for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis in clinic and field survey.

It was thought that simple finger movements are commanded by the contralateral cerebral hemisphere. Dextrous digital movements mastered in the postnatal period, however, may be preprogramed in one hemisphere only, that is, the dominant hemisphere for manual movements. The encoded signals are sent to the opposite hemisphere through a myriad commissural fibers in the corpus callosum. Writing, drawing and paper cutting with scissors of either hand were tested in 46 normal subjects. Scissors cutting of both hands were basically similar in the 46 subjects. Of the 38 right-handed persons who had never written with the left hand previously, theideographs written and simple figures drawn with the left hand for the first time were quite similar to those with the right hand. Four dextral illiterates could only be tested on drawing. The simple figures drawn with either hand of these 4 persons, though rather poor, were very similar. Four left handed persons had already learned to write with the right hand. In them the ideographs and drawings made with the left hand were very close to those executed with the right. It seems that the dextrous digital movements of both hands were under the command of a common hemisphere.

Rat trachea was cultured with serum-free medium to see if sodium selenite can inhibit airway epithelial carcinogenesis induced by 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA). The four-week experiment reveals that epithelia exposed to MCA (2μg/ml) showed hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia and atypical hyperplasia, accompanied by advanced membrane changes. These MCA effects, however, were significantly prevented and reduced when sodium selenite (0.5μg/ml) was added to the media. The results suggest that selenium may be an antagonist against chemical carcinogens, or acts as an antioxidant to protect cells from oxidization damage.