Co-operative effect of MCF and MAF(IFN-gamma) in the protection of mice against Listeria monocytogenes

The effects of macrophage chemotactic factor (MCF) and macrophage-activating factor (MAF) on protection to Listeria monocytogenes were analysed using 'MCF-rich fraction' and murine recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma). Recombinant IFN-gamma showed no macrophage chemotactic activity in the assays performed in vitro and in vivo. Although a single injection of either MCF-rich fraction or rIFN-gamma into the footpads of mice led to a significant degree of anti-listerial activity, the highest degree of protection was observed when injected together. The i.v. administration of 20,000 U rIFN-gamma did not raise significant protective activity against Listeria; however, injection with rIFN-gamma prior to that with the MCF-rich fraction into the footpad produced a higher level of protective activity than the group treated with MCF alone. In addition to MAF(IFN-gamma), MCF seems to play another important role in the full expression of protection against L. monocytogenes.

In vitro primary induction of T cells mediating delayed footpad reaction and acquired cellular resistance to Listeria monocytogenes

We established an in vitro system generating L. monocytogenes-specific T cells primarily from unprimed spleen cells of mice. Normal spleen cells were cultured for 5 days in the presence of L. monocytogenes in vitro. Viable cells were harvested and assessed for their capacity to confer acquired cellular resistance (ACR) and delayed footpad reaction (DFR) upon local passive transfer to naive syngeneic recipient mice. When normal spleen cells were stimulated with viable L. monocytogenes, the viable cells that were recovered after 5 days of culture conferred a high level of ACR and DFR. Negative selection revealed that the effector cells obtained in primary in vitro culture were Thy 1+, L3T4+, Lyt2- cells. T cells mediating ACR could not be generated in the culture of normal spleen cells with heat-killed bacteria; however, cells mediating only DFR were generated in the presence of a large number of killed L. monocytogenes. The expression of DFR and ACR by T cells generated in this primary culture system was Listeria-specific; reactions were not observed against unrelated bacterial antigens including S. typhimurium, S. aureus, E. coli and PPD. FACS analysis of the cells in culture showed that L3T4+ and Lyt2- T cells were being enriched during culture. The primary generation of antigen-specific T cells in vitro was also possible with spleen cells from NTx mice but not with cells from nude mice, suggesting the presence of Listeria-specific precursors in NTx mice.

Localization of dural fistulas using metrizamide digital subtraction fluoroscopic cisternography

Demonstration of the exact site of dural fistulas in cases of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea is difficult. Previous reports have described the use of metrizamide cisternography combined with either hypocycloidal tomography or computerized tomography; however, direct, dynamic, real-time visualization of the fistula is difficult with instillation of a minimal dose of metrizamide using those methods. A digital video subtraction fluoroscopy system can visualize the actual site of the fistula directly and dynamically using only a small amount of metrizamide.

Protective immunity to Listeria monocytogenes in neonatally thymectomized (NTx) mice: involvement of T cells distinct from those in sham-thymectomized mice

Neonatally thymectomized (NTx) mice, whose ability to mount antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity is reported to be generally defective, were found to be capable of mounting a normal level of acquired cellular resistance (ACR) and delayed footpad reaction (DFR) to Listeria monocytogenes. The present study was done in order to determine the functional differences of T cells contributing to the protection against L. monocytogenes between NTx and sham-operated mice. In mice immunized with viable L. monocytogenes, the absolute number of splenic T cells was significantly lower in NTx mice compared with sham-operated mice. When the ability of immune T cells to transfer ACR and DFR was examined by passive transfer, lymphocytes from immune NTx mice conferred a higher level of ACR and DFR on naive recipient mice, despite the marked difference in total number of T cells compared with immune Sham mice. Antigen-specific proliferation and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production by splenic T cells from immune NTx mice were significantly lower than in those from immune Sham mice. The proliferative response of T cells to exogenous IL-2 was also lower in NTx group. These results suggest that the requirement for the IL-2-driven T-cell proliferation system is basically low in the generation of effector T cells specific for L. monocytogenes.

Walking cycle after stroke

Temporal-distance parameters of gait, maximum walking speed, walking rate and stride length, were successively examined in 10 hemiparetic stroke patients for 8 weeks after starting gait training. In patients with walking speed less than 20 m/min i.e., walking rate less than 90 steps/min, the increase of walking speed was significantly related to that of walking rate and stride length. In patients with walking speed greater than 20 m/min, the increase of walking speed correlated only to that of stride length, indicating that a limiting factor of walking speed in hemiparetic patients was the decreased stride length.

The relationship between walking speed and muscle strength for knee extension in hemiparetic stroke patients: a follow-up study

Walking speed and isokinetic strength of knee extension were examined in 18 hemiparetic stroke patients prior to, and 4 and 8 weeks after gait training. Although increase of the walking speed did not coincide with that of the isokinetic strength of the affected and non-affected sides, regression analyses revealed that the strength of the affected side was the primary determinant of the walking speed and the variance explained by it gradually increased with a period of the training.

Induction by killed Listeria monocytogenes of effector T cells mediating delayed-type hypersensitivity but not protection in mice

Using a local passive transfer system, we found that effector T cells mediating delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) but not acquired cellular resistance (ACR) to Listeria monocytogenes (strain EGD) were generated in mice immunized with killed Listeria, although immunized mice did not express DTH or ACR. When non-adherent cells of peritoneal, lymph node, or spleen cells from mice immunized with killed Listeria were transferred into the footpad of naive recipient mice along with eliciting antigen, positive delayed footpad reaction (DFR) was elicited. However, there was no evident protection against challenge at the site of the local transfer. Cells from mice immunized with viable Listeria conferred significant degrees of DFR and ACR on the recipients. DFR transferred by cells immunized with killed Listeria was mediated by L3T4+ T cells in an antigen-specific manner. The antigen-specific proliferative response of T cells from mice immunized with killed Listeria was much lower than that of T cells from mice immunized with viable Listeria. The production of macrophage chemotactic factor (MCF) by cells from killed Listeria-immune mice was much the same as that by cells from viable Listeria-immune mice. In contrast, the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and macrophage activating factor (MAF) was much lower in cells from killed Listeria-immune mice. The elimination of L. monocytogenes (strain L461), a strain of low virulence, was enhanced at the site of DFR transferred with cells from killed Listeria-immune mice. These results suggest that stimulation with killed bacteria is effective for the generation of DTH-mediating effector T cells, and that different effector T cells mediating DTH or ACR are involved in cell-mediated immunity to L. monocytogenes.

Enhancement of the dissolution rate of a poorly water-soluble drug (tolbutamide) by a spray-drying solvent deposition method and disintegrants

The dissolution rate of a poorly water-soluble drug, tolbutamide, was improved by spray-drying a diluted ammonia solution of the drug containing either a low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose (L-HPC) or partly pregelatinized corn starch (PCS) as disintegrants. With L-HPC the resultant particles were agglomerates of disintegrant with drug on the surface and within the particles, while particles formed with PCS were composed of a single core of PCS on which the drug was deposited. The deposited drug crystals were very fine because the rapid solvent evaporation restricted crystal growth. The spray-dried particles prepared with PCS had a structure similar to that of an ordered mix. The drug dissolution rate from the spray-dried particles was more rapid than that of the powdered drug alone or with disintegrant and could be attributed to separation of the layer of fine drug crystals from the surface of the particles by swelling of disintegrant. PCS enhanced the drug dissolution rate compared with systems using corn starch. The dissolution rate also depended on the drug content of the particles which was higher than that in ordered mixtures or conventional solvent deposition systems. This system described also had the advantage of avoiding the use of organic solvents.

[The diagnostic method of localization of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea by digital video subtraction system]

Demonstration of the exact site of the dural fistula in cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea is difficult. Previous reports present the methods of metrizamide cisternography combined with both hypocycloid tomography and computed tomography. But in these methods, direct, dynamic, actual and real-time visualization of the fistula with minimal dose of metrizamide is rather difficult. By using digital video subtraction system (Philips DVI-2CV), we could visualize the direct, dynamic and actual site of fistula with small amount of metrizamide instilled into the suboccipital subarachnoid space with the patient prone position. We report a successful case of traumatic cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea drained through the bony defect at the planum sphenoid into the posterior ethmoid sinus. This is the first report to deal with the usefulness of digital video subtraction system for exact localization of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea. We emphasize the usefulness of metrizamide cisternography by the digital video subtraction system combined with the metrizamide computed tomographic cisternography for the precise localization of dural fistula.

Gamma interferon-mediated increase in the number of Ia-bearing macrophages during infection with Listeria monocytogenes

The role of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in an increase in Ia-bearing macrophages during Listeria monocytogenes infection was studied. The peritoneal macrophages from L. monocytogenes-infected mice contained a high proportion of Ia. Intraperitoneal injection of the supernatant from a culture of spleen cells from L. monocytogenes-infected mice induced Ia-rich exudates in normal mice. The Ia-inducing activity in the culture supernatant was abrogated by the pretreatment of spleen cells with anti-Thy-1.2 antibody plus complement. Immunoadsorption of the culture supernatant with anti-recombinant IFN-gamma antibody and protein A-Sepharose CL-4B completely abrogated its Ia-inducing activity. These results suggested that an increase in Ia-bearing macrophages during L. monocytogenes infection was attributable to T-cell-derived IFN-gamma.

Particle design of tolbutamide in the presence of soluble polymer or surfactant by the spherical crystallization technique: improvement of dissolution rate

Poorly soluble crystals of tolbutamide were modified in the presence of a soluble polymer or surfactant by the spherical crystallization technique, the objective being to improve the dissolution rate and to transform platelet crystals into spherical agglomerates. An HCI solution was added to a tolbutamide:NaOH solution containing a water-soluble polymer or surfactant. The tolbutamide crystals were agglomerated with either and were free flowing and spherically compact. The size of the crystals of the agglomerate depended on the viscosity of the solvent and adsorption of the surfactant onto the crystal surface. The tolbutamide-agglomerated crystals dissolved isotropically, with no evidence of disintegration. The dissolution process was described in terms of the Hixson-Crowell equation. The dissolution rate of the agglomerate was 8 times faster than that of conventionally crystallized tolbutamide. Therefore, the solubility and flow-ability of tolbutamide can be improved using the spherical crystallization technique.

A significant role of the macrophage accumulation induced by MCF in the protection of mice against Listeria monocytogenes in vivo

Analysis was done on macrophage chemotactic factor (MCF) produced in the culture supernatant of spleen cells from mice immunized with Listeria monocytogenes. MCF was produced by Thy-1+, Lyt-1+ lymphocytes. MCF activity was resistant against pH 2 treatment and heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min, but was abolished by digestion with trypsin. G-100 gel filtration chromatography revealed that the approximate molecular weight of MCF was 15,000. MCF-rich fraction obtained by gel filtration chromatography showed neither MAF activity nor interferon activity. MCF activity in MCF-rich fraction was not affected by treatment with anti-rIFN-gamma antibody. An injection of MCF-rich fraction into the peritoneal cavity of mice induced a significant degree of accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in a very short time after injection and macrophages thereafter. Resistance against listerial infection was augmented at the site where macrophage accumulation was provoked by the injection with MCF-rich fraction. It was shown that MCF plays an important role by itself in the protection against listerial infection by the accelerated accumulation of macrophages.

Effects of lysophosphatidylcholine micelle and phosphatidylcholine liposome on photoreduction of methylviologen

Photoinduced reduction of methylviologen (MV2+) by ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA3-), which was sensitized by thiacarbocyanine dyes having long alkyl chains (C+m-n) embedded in palmitoyl lysophosphatidylcholine micelle and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine liposomal membrane, was carried out. The formation rate of reduced methylviologen cation radical (MV+.) decreased with the time of irradiation with visible light, and the deceleration was more pronounced in the micellar solution. In kinetic studies, we found that the sensitizer divalent cation radical (C2+.m-n) is formed through the reaction of photoexcited sensitizer (C+*m-n) with MV2+ as an intermediate in this reaction, and that the reduction of C2+.m-n with EDTA3- inhibits the back reaction of MV+. with C2+.m-n. The inhibition was greater in the liposomal solution than in the micellar solution. This was ascribed to a higher concentration of EDTA3- on the liposomal surfaces through the electrostatic interaction between EDTA3- and the liposomal surfaces, the charge of which is attributed to the univalent cation sensitizer embedded in the liposomal membrane. The difference in the positive charge density of the surface of these lipid aggregates was due to the difference in the curvature of the micelle and the liposome. These results suggest that the dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine liposome is a more effective carrier than the palmitoyl lysophosphatidylcholine micelle for the production of MV+. in the photoreduction studied here.

Preparations of agglomerated crystals of polymorphic mixtures and a new complex of indomethacin-epirizole by the spherical crystallization technique

Agglomerated crystals of indomethacin and epirizole were prepared by the spherical crystallization technique. The solvent used was ethanol-water-chloroform, ethyl acetate-water, or ethyl acetate-aqueous sodium chloride. From the ethanol-chloroform-water system, we obtained agglomerated crystals of a polymorphic mixture of the beta form of indomethacin (original form, gamma) and amorphous epirizole. When the mole percent of epirizole loaded into the system was less than 63 and 38% for the ethyl acetate-water and ethyl acetate-aqueous sodium chloride systems, respectively, the agglomerated crystals consisted of a polymorphic mixture of the alpha form of indomethacin and amorphous epirizole. When the respective mole percent of epirizole loaded was more than 65 and 43% in the aforementioned systems, a new complex of indomethacin-epirizole (molecular ratio equal to 2:1) was obtained. Recovery of complex from the drugs loaded in the ethyl acetate-aqueous sodium chloride system was higher than that in the ethyl acetate-water system, as a result of a salting-out effect. The solubility of indomethacin in the agglomerated complex in a solution of 30% aqueous ethanol and in disintegration test solution no. 2 (composition, 0.05 M KH2PO4 plus 0.0236 M, NaOH, pH 6.8), specified in the Japanese Pharmacopeia X (JPX), was higher than in the physical mixture (molecular ratio of indomethacin to epirizole equal to 2:1). In the ethanol solution, indomethacin was transformed into the gamma form during dissolution, and a decrease in solubility occurred. The process of dissolution of the tablet of the agglomerated complex was described by zero-order kinetics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Interaction of differently oriented lipids in monolayer: mixed monolayers of 16-(9-anthroyloxy)palmitic acid with phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol

16-(9-Anthroyloxy)palmitic acid (16-AP) is a bifunctional molecule with carboxyl and 9-anthroyloxy groups attached at both ends of the hydrocarbon chain. At the air-water interface, in a monolayer, the 16-AP molecule has horizontal and vertical orientations, depending on the surface pressure of the monolayer. The miscibilities of 16-AP with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC), cholesterol (CH), and fatty acids in mixed monolayers were evaluated in investigations of monolayer phase transitions. Lipid molecules with flexible hydrocarbon chains, i.e., DMPC and fatty acids, formed homogeneous mixed monolayers with horizontally oriented 16-AP. On the other hand, the rigid molecule, CH, could not accommodate the horizontally oriented 16-AP in a monolayer, and there was a phase separation from 16-AP. In biological and reconstituted membranes, preferential binding of phospholipid to the integral protein and exclusion of cholesterol in close vicinity of the membrane protein have been recognized. On the basis of this work, it can be expected that flexible lipids readily accommodate the rough hydrophobic surface of integral proteins and stabilize the structure of the protein, while rigid lipids such as cholesterol are removed from the immediate environment of the membrane protein, if the protein does not interact specifically with the rigid lipids.

Novel method for the preparation of controlled-release theophylline granules coated with a polyelectrolyte complex of sodium polyphosphate-chitosan

A novel method for the preparation of theophylline granules coated with a polyelectrolyte complex of sodium tripolyphosphate and chitosan was developed. The theophylline granules containing sodium tripolyphosphate were stirred in an HCl solution of chitosan. During the mixing, the dissolved sodium tripolyphosphate in the granule moved to the surface and reacted with the chitosan, resulting in the formation of the polyelectrolyte complex film. The factors affecting the drug content, the particle size, and the coating-film thickness of the resultant coated granules were determined. The theophylline content in the coated granule decreased with increasing content ratio of sodium tripolyphosphate to theophylline in the original granule and with increasing chitosan concentration in the coating solution. The coated granule size increased with increasing chitosan concentration in the coating solution and with decreasing agitation speed. The coating-film thickness increased with an increase in the chitosan concentration, the pH of the coating solution, and the sodium tripolyphosphate to theophylline content ratio in the original granule. The drug-release pattern of the coated granules followed zero-order kinetics and the release rates were significantly reduced compared with that of the original granule.

[Effect of adenosine triphosphate-magnesium chloride administration for post-ischemic acute renal failure (I)]

Models of post-ischemic acute renal failure were prepared in rats. The effects of adenosine triphosphate-magnesium chloride (ATP-MgCl2) administration following renal ischemia on possible changes in renal function and renal cellular metabolism following ischemia were studied using the model. The results obtained revealed the following: 1) Over 40 minute-renal ischemia led to significant lowerings of renal cellular ATP level and energy charge (EC) by as much as 45 to 57% and 4.1 to 7.4% of the control, respectively, at 90 min following re-establishment of renal blood flow. Significant increases in Na+ in renal tissues were observed, but no changes in K+. Further, lactate level in renal tissues tended to increase with prolonged ischemic time by as much as 27 to 31% of the control, with a renal cellular anaerobic metabolism observed. On the other hand, at 24 hr following recirculation of the kidney, plasma creatinine (P-Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and fraction excretion of sodium (FENa) increased significantly, and creatinine clearance (C-Cr) and urine osmotic pressure decreased significantly, as compared with the control, indicating ischemic acute renal failure. 2) Intravenous injection of ATP-MgCl2 at a dose of 25 mumole/kg and a rate of 1.0 mumol/min after 40 min of renal ischemia led to significant lowerings of P-Cr, BUN and FENa to 36, 35 and 35% of the control (injected with physiological saline solution), respectively, and to significant elevation of C-Cr and urine osmotic pressure by as much as 41 to 31% of the control respectively, at 24 hr after reperfusion. The above results suggested that the ischemic acute renal failure was caused by the decreases in renal cellular ATP and EC with ischemia, resulting in renal cellular metabolic disturbances. It was further suggested that ATP-MgCl2 administered for such a pathological condition could make significant improvements in renal function.

Acid mucopolysaccharide (AMPS) abnormality in multiple sulfatase deficiency: chemical compositions of AMPS in urine and liver

Extensive chemical analyses of acid mucopolysaccharides (AMPS) were carried out in the urine and tissue (liver and brain) from a Japanese patient and two European patients with multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD). The Japanese patient with MSD contained excessive quantities of heparan sulfate and moderately increased chondroitin sulfate A/C. Urinary excretion of AMPS in MSD heterozygotes was increased 2-fold compared to our controls. The urinary pattern of AMPS in the mother of the MSD patient showed an increase of 18% heparan sulfate and 36% dermatan sulfate whereas the urinary excretion pattern in the father was increased 21% for heparan sulfate as contrasted to controls (chondroitin sulfate A, 50-52%; chondroitin sulfate C, 38-46%; and heparan sulfate, 3-10%). Seventy-five % of the AMPS and the MSD liver was heparan sulfate rather than dermatan sulfate. The degree of accumulation of AMPS in the MSD liver was 30-50 times that of the control. Cerebral gray matter from the MSD patient contained 30-40 times that of control (relative increase of heparan and dermatan sulfate) whereas only a 5-fold increase was observed in white matter. It seems that a major site of accumulated AMPS appears to be in the gray matter. Carbohydrate analysis of the AMPS obtained from MSD urine and tissues was performed by: enzyme digestion with testicular hyaluronidase, heparitinase and chondroitinase ABC, cellulose acetate electrophoresis, Dowex-1 column chromatography and amino sugar analysis by amino acid analyzer. These findings indicate that the major accumulated AMPS in MSD urine and liver is heparan sulfate and thus, the predominant AMPS metabolic defect in MSD is heparan sulfate degradation.

Surface potential of lipid membrane estimated from the partitioning of methylene blue into liposomes

The partition of methylene blue between negatively charged phospholipid membrane and the bulk aqueous phase was measured by using visible spectroscopy in very dilute aqueous membrane suspensions, 0.05-0.3 mg of dried phospholipids in 1 mL of buffer solution. Under these experimental conditions, the turbidities of liposome systems and the overlapping of the electrical double layers of different liposomes were negligible. The positively charged probe, methylene blue, forms dimers in membrane phase, resulting in a reduction of the absorbance intensity. The surface potential of the membranes (liposomes) was calculated from the partition coefficient of the dye between the membrane and the bulk phase. The effects of charge density of the membrane and of the ionic strength on the surface potential were also studied.

Urinary acid mucopolysaccharides in multiple sulfatase deficiency (mucosulfatidosis)

Urinary acid mucopolysaccharides (AMPS) excretion was investigated in a Japanese case with Multiple Sulfatase Deficiency (MSD) (Mucosulfatidosis). The patient excreted AMPS 4 to 5 times more (as carbazoluronic acid) than controls. The cellulose acetate gel electrophoresis clearly indicated two major AMPS which co-migrated with heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate A/C. Enzymic digestion with chondroitinase AC and ABC, and by testicular hyaluronidase plus amino sugar analysis also confirmed that our case excreted heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate A/C. These findings suggest that there are heterogeneities of urinary AMPS excretion among cases with MSD.

Portable optical particle (0.06 microm) counter

An improved portable optical counter, using a He-Ne laser with 8 mW output, measures particles ranging in size from 0.06 to 10 microm in diameter in situ.

Cockayne syndrome: report of two siblings and review of literature in Japan

Typical Cockayne syndrome was seen in a boy and his younger sister and these two cases are reported here, and reported cases of the syndrome in Japan are summarized. Both cases (an 11-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl) had dwarfism, a senile face, retinitis pigmentosa, photosensitivity, and mental retardation. Calcium deposition in the basal ganglia was seen by CT scan. In both cases nerve conduction velocities were reduced suggesting peripheral neuropathy, but segmental demyelination on sural nerve biopsy was not demonstrated. Twenty seven cases of the syndrome has now been reported in Japan in 21 families (including the above two cases), consisting of 14 males and 12 females (the sex of one case was unknown): consanguineous marriage was confirmed in 14 families. Eleven cases in five families were siblings. The estimated ages of onset were from 1 month to 3 years, and in most cases photosensitivity was the initial symptom. Clinical manifestations were mental retardation in 25 cases (93%), dwarfism in 24 cases (89%), photosensitivity in 23 cases (85%), articular contracture in 22 cases (81%), sunken eyes in 20 cases (74%), retinitis pigmentosa in 17 cases (63%), deafness in 16 cases (59%), and intracranial calcification in 14 cases (51%). Intracranial calcification will be more often detected in future following the development of CT scanning.