Vita K. Milisauskas

Immunochemical quantitation of enzymes in human diploid cell line WI-38

Abstract A quantitative immunochemical study was carried out of four enzymes, cathodal esterase, acid phosphatase, glucosaminidase and β-glucuronidase. In homogenates of the human diploid cell line WI-38, the relative amounts of the enzymes increased with the passage number of the culture, although great variation was found in later passages just before death of the culture.

The B144-H-2Db interval and the location of a mouse homologue of the human D6S81E locus

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encodes the class I/II cell surface molecules that provide the context for T-lymphocyte recognition of nominal antigens and other molecules (class III) of unrelated functions. The H-2 complex, the mouse MHC, has been the subject of extensive studies, yet a major gap remains in our understanding of its physical structure between the S and the D regions. According to a recent estimate, this interval is at least 350 kilobases (kb) long (Mfiller et al. 1987b). There are haplotype-dependent differences in the class I gene organization of the H-2D region (Weiss et al. 1984; Stephan et al. 1986). In the H-2 d haplotype, the evolutionarily related and closely linked tumor necrosis factor (Tnfa) and lymphotoxin (Tnfb) genes are located approximately 70 kb centromeric to the proximal class I locus, H-2D (Mfiller et al. 1987a). The Tnfgene pair is also present in H-2 b, although its exact location is not known (Gardner et al. 1987). B144, a gene of unknown function, is located about 10 kb proximal to the Tnfgenes in H-2 d (Tsuge et al. 1987). Thus, the proximal section of the D region between the B144 and D loci in haplotypes other than H-2 d remains incompletely defined. Recently, a series of non-class I/II genes was identified in the HLA complex within the interval corresponding to mouse H-2S/D (Spies et al. 1989a, b; Sargent et al. 1989a, b). Pending identification of the functions of these genes, they are known as HLA-B-associated transcript I through 9 (BAT1-BAT9; Spies et al. 1989a, b) and G1 through GIO (Sargent et al. 1989a), or officially by the D-series nomenclature for anonymous loci (Spence et al. 1989). For further understanding of the function and evolution of the MHC genes and of their organization, it is essential to determine if homologous genes exist in other species, particularly in the mouse.

Cellular suppression of murine ADCC and NK activities induced by Corynebacterium parvum

SummaryAdministration of a single dose of C. parvum (CP) induces depression of splenic NK activity in mice after a lag period of 3–5 days and this depression lasts about 2 weeks. The depressed levels of NK activity noted in this study depended on time of CP administration and were associated with the induction of suppressor cell activity. Neonatally thymectomized or sublethally irradiated mice had unimpaired ability to generate suppressor cells following CP treatment. Depletion of adherent/phagocytic cells by carbonyl iron plus magnetism, Sephadex G-10 filtration, or both neither enriched NK activity nor removed suppressor activity from the spleens of CP-treated mice. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against lymphoma targets was also depressed in CP-treated mice, accompanied by a concomitant appearance of suppressor cells that interfere with ADCC at the effector level.

Effect of mycoplasma infection on esterase activity of human FL amnion and WI-38 cells.

Summary Lateral cerebral ventricular administration of sodium salicylate (0.25-1.00 mg) and acetaminophen (0.50-1.00 mg) significantly inhibited production of fever by LP injected iv in the cat. Acetaminophen also caused mild but significant hypothermia in the absence of fever. The ability of these antipyretics to antagonize fever produced by LP, and by agents such as bacterial pyrogens which release LP, is most likely due primarily to a central action to inhibit the effect of LP rather than to a peripheral action to alter LP release from leukocytes or to inhibit entry of LP into the central nervous system. Note added in proof. Since this paper was submitted for publication, evidence for a central antipyretic action of sodium acetylsalicylate against LP-induced fever in the monkey has been reported by Chai, C. Y., Lin, M. T., Chen, H. I., and Wang, S. C., Neuropharmacology 10, 715 (1971). The authors wish to thank Barbara Coldwell for her assistance with some of these experiments.

Suppression of murine NK activity induced by Corynebacterium parvum

SummaryFormalin-killed Corynebacterium parvum (CP), given at a dose of 0.4–0.7 mg/mouse IV or IP, induced suppressor cells for NK activity in B6C3F1 mice. The suppressor cells belong to at least two different populations, plastic adherent and nonadherent, and were not depleted by antibodies specific for Thy-1.2, Iak, or NK-1.2 surface markers. Administration of p-I:C, an interferon-inducer, to animals 18 h before the assay did not affect the suppressor activity. Hypotonic shock treatment of splenocytes abrogated the in vitro suppressive activity, and subsequent reconstitution of the shock-treated cells with RBC failed to restore the suppressive activity. SJL/J mice, which have low NK activity, exhibited suppressor activity comparable to B6C3F1 mice following CP treatment, whereas CP-treated BALB/c athymic and euthymic mice showed a lower ability to generate suppressors for NK as compared to B6C3F1 mice.