Discovery of SNP in exon 14 of the <i>ADD1</i> gene and its association with fatness traits in four meat-type duck populations (Brief Report)

Abstract. Fatness traits are important economically traits in meat producing animals including duck (WU et al. 2008a, b). In human, the α-Adducin (ADD1) gene polymorphism was associated with blood pressure and other subsequent negative effects related to obesity, cardiovascular and renal failure. In fact, there was some relationship between obesity and hypertension. Thus the ADD1 gene is a candidate gene for fatness traits and the study aims to invest the relationship between the polymorphism of the ADD1 gene and fatness and growth traits.

Induction of subcutaneous adipose proliferation by olanzapine in rodents

Weight gain induced by atypical antipsychotics causes a serious health concern in the treatment of schizophrenic patients. In the present study chronic treatment of female Wistar rats with olanzapine caused weight gain, but limited effect on food intake. A dramatic drug-induced morphological change of the subcutaneous adipose tissue was observed, i.e. development of a pinkish coloration with the appearance of a "fish egg"-like texture. Histological examination revealed a massive increase in the proliferation of undifferentiated adipocytes. Such proliferation was detected as early as the third day after olanzapine treatment. The changes progressed in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The proliferation of adipose tissue was detected in rats treated with olanzapine independent of increases in weight gain. Protein profiles of the adipose tissue were also altered by olanzapine. These results suggest that olanzapine-induced weight gain may be not solely due to an effect on behavioural satiety. The potential involvement of adipose neuronal input and proliferation are discussed.

Postural epigastric pain as a sign of cytomegalovirus gastritis in renal transplant recipients: a case-based review

BACKGROUND

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among patients receiving chronic maintenance immunosuppression and is often considered the most important infection in renal transplantation. CMV gastritis has been reported in transplant recipients. Symptoms are usually considered nonspecific, and gastroscopy with biopsy is usually performed to establish the diagnosis.

METHODS

We report a case of primary CMV gastritis in a renal transplant recipient. A 34-year-old man presented 4 months after renal transplantation with a 1-week history of epigastric pain that decreased in supine position, increased while sitting, and further increased when standing or walking. The immunosuppressive regimen consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. Evaluation revealed CMV viremia with a high viral load and CMV gastritis was confirmed using gastroscopy and histopathologic examination. Intravenous ganciclovir was started and continued for 3 weeks. The epigastric pain completely resolved after treatment with ganciclovir.

CONCLUSIONS

Postural epigastric pain as a sign of CMV gastritis is fairly rare in renal transplant recipients. To our knowledge this is the third article presented in the literature so far.

A phospholipid-PEG2000 conjugate of a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-targeting heterodimer peptide for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of angiogenesis

The transition of a targeted ultrasound contrast agent from animal imaging to testing in clinical studies requires considerable chemical development. The nature of the construct changes from an agent that is chemically attached to microbubbles to one where the targeting group is coupled to a phospholipid, for direct incorporation to the bubble surface. We provide an efficient method to attach a heterodimeric peptide to a pegylated phospholipid and show that the resulting construct retains nanomolar affinity for its target, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), for both the human (kinase insert domain-containing receptor - KDR) and the mouse (fetal liver kinase 1 - Flk-1) receptors. The purified phospholipid-PEG-peptide isolated from TFA-based eluents is not stable with respect to hydrolysis of the fatty ester moieties. This leads to the time-dependent formation of the lysophospholipid and the phosphoglycerylamide derived from the degradation of the product. Purification of the product using neutral eluent systems provides a stable product. Methods to prepare the lysophospholipid (hydrolysis product) are also included. Biacore binding data demonstrated the retention of binding of the lipopeptide to the KDR receptor. The phospholipid-PEG2000-peptide is smoothly incorporated into gas-filled microbubbles and provides imaging of angiogenesis in a rat tumor model.

Visual computing in electron crystallography

VEC is a program package for Visual computing in Electron Crystallography. The program is written mainly in C++ and Fortran and is for running under MS Windows 95, 98, NT and 2000. Apart from its user-friendly interface, sophisticated text-sensitive online helps and tutorials, VEC includes same unique crystallographic methods. They are direct-method image-processing techniques, ab-initio solution of incommensurate crystal structures and algorithms for searching one-dimensionally modulated atoms in 4-dimensional Fourier maps. Examples are given in details.

The effect of clomipramine on wake/sleep and orexinergic expression in rats

We have previously found that neonatal treatment with clomipramine (CLI) induced a decrease in brain orexins during the juvenile period and that these changes were reversed at adulthood. This study investigated the effect of CLI on the orexinergic component and sleep/wake states. Two groups of adult male rats were conducted for 48-h polysomnographic recording. One group of rats was treated with CLI (20 mg/kg every 12 h), and a second group was treated with equivolume of saline (SAL) simultaneously after the first 24 h of polysomnographic recording. Rats were killed 2 h after the third dose of treatment. Brain tissues were collected for radioimmunoassay quantification of orexins and real-time PCR analysis of prepro-orexin and orexin receptor mRNA. The CLI group had significantly shorter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and longer REM latency compared with both the baseline day and the SAL group and had significantly less active wake and more quiet wake. Compared with the control rats, the CLI rats had significantly higher mRNA expression of prepro-orexin in the hypothalamus and the frontal cortex, but not in the hippocampus. The CLI rats also had significantly less orexin B in the hypothalamus than the control rats. These results suggest that suppression of active wake and orexin B by CLI may be a factor responsible for CLI-induced depression and that the increase of prepro-orexin mRNA may be a sign of increased brain orexins found in this model.

Plasma ghrelin levels and weight loss in Chinese Uygur patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Ghrelin is an important orexigenic hormone that reduces fat oxidation and increases adiposity. This study investigated plasma ghrelin levels in Chinese Uygur patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Plasma ghrelin and anabolic and catabolic factors were measured in 38 patients and 24 control subjects. COPD patients were divided into two groups based on body mass index (BMI): underweight (BMI < 20 kg/m(2), n = 18) or normoweight (BMI > or = 20 kg/m(2), n = 20). Plasma ghrelin levels were found to be significantly higher in underweight than in normoweight patients or healthy controls. Circulating tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 concentrations were significantly higher in underweight than in normoweight patients, whereas insulin concentrations were significantly lower. Plasma ghrelin levels correlated negatively with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1); r = 0.35), but did not significantly correlate with FEV(1)/forced vital capacity. Plasma ghrelin levels were elevated in underweight COPD patients and were associated with cachexia and abnormal pulmonary function.

Feedback mechanism in network dynamics with preferential flow

We study complex systems or networks in which each node holds an internal dynamics and interacts with other nodes through some kinds of topologies. Collective behavior with dynamical fluctuations is analyzed in complex systems. The dynamical fluctuations of a node can be divided into two parts: one is the internal dynamical fluctuation of the node and the other is the external dynamical fluctuation caused by other nodes. Based on a theoretical analysis, a hidden feedback mechanism is identified in complex systems, which is illustrated in a macroeconomic network and in a city-population network. Furthermore, we study the effect of the topology of the networks on the feedback mechanism. The feedback mechanism is preserved for hub nodes in the networks with a scale-free topology as well as in the networks with an evolving topology. By the hidden feedback mechanism, the observation data can be utilized to judge directly whether the system of each node is with positive feedback or with negative feedback even without knowing its dynamical model.

Multicommunity weight-driven bipartite network model

Community structure and rewiring phenomena exist in many complex networks, particularly in bipartite networks. We construct a model for the degree distribution of the rewiring problem in a multicommunity weight-driven bipartite network (MCWBN). The network consists of many interconnected communities, each of which holds a bipartite graph. The bipartite graph consists of two sets of nodes. We name each node in one set a "producer" and each node in the other set a "consumer." A weight value matrix defining the trade barrier between any two communities is used to characterize the structure of the communities, which ensures the higher preferential attachment probability in intracommunity than in intercommunity. The size of one producer is defined as the number of consumers connected to it. We find that the nonlinear dynamics of the scale of production, or the total size of all producers in each community is dependent only on the initial scale of production in each community, and independent of the distribution of the producer size. Furthermore, if the nonlinear system of the scale of production in each community is at an equilibrium state, the distribution of the producer size in each community of the MCWBN model is equivalent to that in a one-community model.

Potent in vivo anti-tumor activity of isolated CD62L(low) lymph node cells sensitized in vivo with tumor lysate-pulsed DC-based vaccines

BACKGROUND

DC are potent APC that can activate both CD4 and CD8 T cells in vitro and in vivo. Although the efficacy of DC-based cancer vaccines is currently being evaluated in clinical trials, the systemic immune suppression in cancer patients negatively impacts the clinical benefit of this therapeutic approach. Therefore, in this study we tested the feasibility and anti-tumor effect of adoptive immunotherapy using in vitro-activated CD62L(low) lymph node cells that were isolated from DC-vaccinated draining lymph nodes (VDLN).

METHODS

DC were prepared from BM cells and loaded with tumor lysate for inoculating into naive mice. Subsequently, the VDLN were removed and CD62L(low) cells in the VDLN population isolated, expanded in vitro by 5-day culture with IL-2 and immobilized anti-CD3 stimulation, then injected into mice with established pulmonary tumors. Eighteen days after treatment, mice were killed in order to enumerate pulmonary tumor nodes.

RESULTS

DC phagocytosed the tumor lysate efficiently and induced detectable T-cell responses and significant cell expansion in the draining lymph nodes. After induction of maturation by LPS treatment, DC expressed higher levels of CD40, CD86 and MHC class II molecules. When CD62L(low) VDLN cells that had been isolated and expanded in vitro were transferred into tumor-bearing mice, as few as 3 x 10(6) cells were able to cure metastatic pulmonary tumors in vivo.

DISCUSSION

DC-based VDLN T cells are an important source of anti-tumor effector for adoptive immunotherapy. This study provides a novel and an effective protocol using T-cell adoptive immunotherapy for application in cancer patients; therefore, clinical trials based on this protocol may be warranted.

Determination of purine and pyrimidine bases in natural and cultured Cordyceps using optimum acid hydrolysis followed by high performance liquid chromatography

A method based on optimum acid hydrolysis followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection was developed for quantitative determination of bio-available nucleosides, present as purine and pyrimidine bases including adenine, cytosine, guanine, hypoxanthine, thymine and uracil, in natural and cultured Cordyceps. It was found that the optimum conditions was hydrolyzing Cordyceps sample in eight folds of pure commercial perchloric acid for 1h at 95-100 degrees C. The determination was achieved by using a Zorbax SB-AQ analytical column (250 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm) at gradient elution with diode-array detection. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r2>0.999) within test ranges. The developed method showed good repeatability for the quantification of six investigated nucleobases in Cordyceps with intra- and inter-day variations of less than 9.0 and 9.1%, respectively. The validated method was successfully applied to quantify bio-available nucleosides in natural and cultured Cordyceps, which is helpful to control their quality.

The stability of allyl radicals following the photodissociation of allyl iodide at 193 nm

The photodissociation of allyl iodide (C3H5I) at 193 nm was investigated by using a combination of vacuum-ultraviolet photoionization of the allyl radical, resonant multiphoton ionization of the iodine atoms, and velocity map imaging. The data provide insight into the primary C-I bond fission process and into the dissociative ionization of the allyl radical to produce C3H3+. The experimental results are consistent with the earlier results of Szpunar et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 119, 5078 (2003)], in that some allyl radicals with internal energies higher than the secondary dissociation barrier are found to be stable. This stability results from the partitioning of available energy between the rotational and vibrational degrees of freedom of the radical, the effects of a centrifugal barrier along the reaction coordinate, and the effects of the kinetic shift in the secondary dissociation of the allyl radical. The present results suggest that the primary dissociation of allyl iodide to allyl radicals plus I*(2P(1/2)) is more important than previously suspected.

Determination of spin-orbit branching fractions in the photodissociation of halogenated hydrocarbons

Two methods based on vacuum ultraviolet (vuv) photoionization are presented for the determination of the spin-orbit branching fractions of the halogen atom produced in the photodissociation of halogenated hydrocarbons. Both methods make use of differences in the photoionization cross sections of the 2P(3/2) ground state and the 2P(1/2) excited-state of the neutral halogen atom. In the first approach, measurements of the total photoionization signal of the halogen atom are made at several vuv wavelengths, and the difference in the wavelength dependences for the 2P(3/2) and 2P(1/2) atoms allows the extraction of the branching fractions. In the second approach, the vuv wavelength is set close to the ionization threshold of the 2P(3/2) atom (well above that of the 2P(1/2) atom), and measurements are made at several electric field strengths, which shift the ionization threshold and thus vary the photoionization cross sections. In both methods, the relative cross sections of the ground- and excited-state atoms are determined by using the known branching fractions for the 266 nm photodissociation of methyl iodide. These methods are applied to the photodissociation of isopropyl iodide and allyl iodide, two systems for which standard ion-imaging techniques do not provide unique branching fractions.

Immunogenicity of Empty Capsids of Porcine Circovius Type 2 Produced in Insect Cells

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), a single-stranded DNA virus, is associated with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). ORF2 protein (capsid) of PCV2 was recently demonstrated to be a major immunogenable to induce protection in pigs with a prime-boost protocol. In this study, the ORF2 gene of PCV2 was expressed in insect cells. The product self-assembled into particles that were structurally and antigenically indistinguishable from regular PCV2 capsids. To evaluated the immunogenicity of these virus-like particles, PCV2-free piglets were vaccinated with the crude lysate from recombinant baculovirus (Ac.ORF2)-infected insect cells, at doses of 0.1 ml (10(6) cells), 0.5 mL (5 x 10(6) cells) or 1.0 ml (10(7) cells). The immune response was monitored by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for PCV2 antibody and lymphocyte proliferation assay. The ELISA results indicated that primary immune response was elicited with 0.5 ml or 1.0 ml of crude lysate from Ac.ORF2. After boost immunization, relatively higher levels of PCV2 antibody were elicited in 0.5-ml or 1.0-ml vaccinated groups, compared to the 0.1-ml group. In addition, higher PCV2 specific lymphocyte proliferation response was developed in piglets vaccinated with 0.5 ml or 1.0 ml of crude lysate, especially in those vaccinated with with 1.0 ml of crude lysate. Thus, the expressed ORF2 protein has significant potential as a subunit vaccine against PCV2 infection.

LOI of IGF2 is associated with esophageal cancer and linked to methylation status of IGF2 DMR

In the present study, IGF2 mRNA expression was examined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR in 46 esophageal cancer cases. LOI of IGF2 was detected in informative samples, which were determined as heterozygote with ApaI polymorphism in exon 9 of IGF2 by PCR-RFLP and RT-PCR-RFLP. Methylation status of IGF2 DMR in informative samples was analyzed by sodium bisulfite treatment and PCR and the following cloning sequencing. The results showed that there was over-expression of IGF2 mRNA in tumor tissues (T) compared to their matched normal tissues (N) (P < 0.05). The expression level of IGF2 in tumor tissues was associated with pathological grades (P < 0.05), but proved irrelevant to clinical stages (P > 0.05). Of all informative samples, 21% (5/24) of cases showed there were IGF2 LOI; however, there was IGF2 LOI in the tumor tissue and not in its matched normal tissue in a special case. Methylation level of IGF2 DMR was average 29.7% in normal imprinting samples and 50.6% (P < 0.01) in IGF2 LOI separate samples. These data suggested that IGF2 may participate in carcinogenesis of esophageal cancer through its over-expression. IGF2 LOI may be one of the factors that lead to overexpression of IGF2 and may be at least partly due to aberrant methylation of IGF2 DMR in esophageal cancer.

Photodissociation of propargyl bromide and photoionization of the propargyl radical

Velocity map imaging was used to study the 193 nm photodissociation of propargyl bromide C(3)H(3)Br as well as the photoionization dynamics of the resulting propargyl radical C(3)H(3). Images were recorded by using single-photon vacuum ultraviolet ionization of the propargyl radical and by using two-photon resonant, three-photon ionization of the ground state Br((2)P(32)) and spin-orbit excited Br(*)((2)P(12)) atoms. Analysis of these data allowed the determination of the branching ratio Br:Br(*) as well as the photofragment angular distributions. Images of C(3)H(3) produced by the photodissociation of both C(3)H(3)Br and C(3)H(3)Cl were recorded at several energies between 8.97 and 9.12 eV, as well as at 9.86 eV, and showed no obvious internal energy dependence of the relative photoionization cross sections.

Near-threshold photoionization of hot isopropyl radicals

A combination of ion imaging and vacuum ultraviolet, single-photon ionization is used to study the internal energy dependence of the photoionization cross section of isopropyl radicals produced by the 266 nm photodissociation of isopropyl iodide. The isopropyl radicals so produced have internal energies of approximately 0.3-2.0 eV. Images recorded for photoionization energies from just below the adiabatic ionization threshold at 7.37+/-0.02 and 8.04 eV are essentially identical both to each other and to that recorded at 9.67 eV. These results imply that the photoionization cross section is only weakly dependent on internal energy. Several factors contributing to this observation are discussed, as are the implications for the photoionization of other systems with significant internal excitation.

Size effect on the electron-phonon coupling in CuO nanocrystals

CuO is the prototype compound of cuprate superconductors, so understanding its electronic structures will facilitate the study of the pairing mechanism and miscellaneous states of high-temperature superconductors. We prepared uniform CuO nanocrystals (7-100 nm) and studied their size-dependent Raman scattering spectra. The relative variation between the two-phonon scattering band (2B(g)) and the one-phonon band (B(g)) indicates a decreasing electron-phonon coupling with reducing size, which unveils the dominant Fröhlich electron-phonon coupling, as indicated by Devreese, but not the small polaron in CuO. Moreover, the anomalous enhancement of the multi-phonon band at a critical size and 1D structure at room temperature is attributable to an enhanced electron-phonon coupling accompanied by phonon-plasmon coupling, i.e., the 'plasphon' proposed by Alexandrov et al in 1981.

Specific substitutions in the echinocandin target Fks1p account for reduced susceptibility of rare laboratory and clinical Candida sp. isolates

An association between reduced susceptibility to echinocandins and changes in the 1,3-beta-d-glucan synthase (GS) subunit Fks1p was investigated. Specific mutations in fks1 genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans mutants are described that are necessary and sufficient for reduced susceptibility to the echinocandin drug caspofungin. One group of amino acid changes in ScFks1p, ScFks2p, and CaFks1p defines a conserved region (Phe 641 to Asp 648 of CaFks1p) in the Fks1 family of proteins. The relationship between several of these fks1 mutations and the phenotype of reduced caspofungin susceptibility was confirmed using site-directed mutagenesis or integrative transformation. Glucan synthase activity from these mutants was less susceptible to caspofungin inhibition, and heterozygous and homozygous Cafks1 C. albicans mutants could be distinguished based on the shape of inhibition curves. The C. albicans mutants were less susceptible to caspofungin than wild-type strains in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis. Five Candida isolates with reduced susceptibility to caspofungin were recovered from three patients enrolled in a clinical trial. Four C. albicans strains showed amino acid changes at Ser 645 of CaFks1p, while a single Candida krusei isolate had a deduced R1361G substitution. The clinical C. albicans mutants were less susceptible to caspofungin in the disseminated candidiasis model, and GS inhibition profiles and DNA sequence analyses were consistent with a homozygous fks1 mutation. Our results indicate that substitutions in the Fks1p subunit of GS are sufficient to confer reduced susceptibility to echinocandins in S. cerevisiae and the pathogens C. albicans and C. krusei.

Immunocytochemical localization of gonadotropins during the development of XX and XY Nile tilapia

Gonadal development and steroidogenesis in teleosts is regulated by two gonadotropic hormones; luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Earlier studies in tilapia have shown that FSH-beta and LH-beta appear by 14 days after hatching (dah), results from the current study corroborate with these previous reports in tilapia. Here we demonstrate the appearance of LH in pituitary between 14 and 20 dah. In addition to this the present study primarily focuses on any possible differences in appearance of LH-beta and FSH-beta immunoreactivity between XX and XY population of Nile tilapia. LH immunoreactivity was found to be lower in pituitary of XX fish when compared to XY fish. The development of FSH-beta immunoreactivity in pituitary of the Nile tilapia is also presented. Overall, it remains to be established what significance these findings on the appearance of gonadotropins hold for sex differentiation in tilapia.

X-ray microtomographic study of mineral concentration distribution in deciduous enamel

OBJECTIVE

To determine the mineral concentration distribution in deciduous enamel by quantitative X-ray microtomography (XMT).

DESIGN

Tooth rods ( approximately 2 mm x 2 mm) were removed from the mid-buccal region of 11 deciduous molars. Three XMT slices were taken at 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mm from the amelocemental junction. The distribution and variation in mineral concentration of enamel were studied from the XMT images.

RESULTS

The mean mineral concentration for all the teeth was 2.81 (S.D. = 0.065) g cm(-3). There was no notable difference in the mean mineral concentration values between the three XMT slices of each tooth. However, there was up to 8% variation between different teeth (2.69-2.92 g cm(-3)). Gradients of increasing mineral concentration from the amelodentinal junction (ADJ) to the external surface were found, ranging from 0.08 to 0.60 mg cm(-3) microm(-1) with a mean of 0.366 mg cm(-3) microm(-1). The mineral concentration gradients in the occlusal slices were steeper than those in the cervical slices. The difference in mineral concentration between the inner and outer enamel ranged from 1.5 to 8.7%.

CONCLUSION

In view of the large variation in both the means and the gradients of mineral concentration in deciduous molars, the mineral distribution of each experimental tooth should be measured as baseline data in studies of caries progression.

A new iterative procedure for combining direct methods with solvent flattening - dealing with the phase ambiguity in protein crystallography

A new procedure for combining direct methods with the solvent-flattening technique is proposed for phasing single isomorphous replacement (SIR) or one-wavelength anomalous scattering (OAS) data of proteins. The new procedure differs from the previous one [Zheng, Zheng, Gu, Mo, Fan & Hao (1997). Acta Cryst. D53, 49-55] in that the direct method not only provides input phases to but also accepts feedback phases from solvent flattening, thus forming an iterative process for breaking the ambiguities and refining the values of phases. The new procedure was tested with the experimental SIR data of the known structure ribonuclease Sa. For the strongest 1000 of the total 7264 reflections, the mean F(obs)-weighted phase error is 7.5 and 9.4 degrees lower than that of the previous procedure and that of solvent flattening alone, respectively.

Atomic force microscopy investigation of isolated virions of murine leukemia virus

Virions of mouse leukemia virus spread on glass substrates were visualized by atomic force microscopy. The size distribution mode was 145 nm, significantly larger than that for human immunodeficiency virus particles. The distribution of particle sizes is broad, indicating that no two particles are likely identical in content or surface features. Virions possess knoblike protrusions, which may represent vestiges of budding from cell membranes. Particles which split open allowed imaging of intact cores with diameters of 65 nm. They also permitted estimation of viral shell thickness (35 to 40 nm) and showed the presence of a distinct trough between the shell and the core surface.

Selective recovery of striatal 125I-alpha-conotoxinmii nicotinic receptors after nigrostriatal damage in monkeys

Evidence suggests that nicotinic receptors play a role in nigrostriatal function, a finding that may be relevant to Parkinson's disease. Knowledge of the conditions that regulate nicotinic receptor expression is therefore important. Previous studies showed that several different nicotinic receptors, including alpha-conotoxinMII (alpha-CtxMII)-sensitive receptors, are decreased after nigrostriatal damage. Nigrostriatal dopaminergic terminals also demonstrate a capacity for recovery after lesioning. The present experiments were therefore done to determine whether there were changes in striatal nicotinic receptors with recovery. To address this, we used two well-characterized animal models of nigrostriatal damage produced using the selective dopaminergic neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Studies in mice showed that striatal 125I-alpha-CtxMII, as well as 125I-epibatidine and 125I-A85380 binding sites significantly recovered 1 month after lesioning, suggesting that alpha6* and most likely alpha4* receptors are increased. Experiments were next done in monkeys since striatal 125I-alpha-CtxMII receptors constitute a large percentage of nicotinic receptors and are more vulnerable to nigrostriatal damage in this model that closely mirrors Parkinson's disease. In monkeys allowed to recover from the toxic effects of MPTP for a 1-2 year period, there was a significant improvement in the Parkinson disability score. There was also a reversal in lesion-induced declines in striatal alpha-CtxMII-sensitive receptors, but no significant change in 125I-epibatidine and 125I-A85380 receptors. These findings suggest that alpha3*/alpha6* sites are selectively increased in monkey striatum with recovery. The present data show that recovery of 125I-alpha-CtxMII receptors occurs in parallel with the dopamine transporter, indicating that these nicotinic receptors sites are localized to presynaptic dopamine terminals in both species.

Atomic force microscopy imaging of retroviruses: human immunodeficiency virus and murine leukemia virus

Retroviruses are membrane-enveloped, RNA-containing viruses that produce a wide range of threatening diseases in higher animals. Among these are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which produces acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans, and murine leukemia virus (MuLV), which produces leukemias in rodents. We have obtained the first atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of these two retroviruses, both isolated from culture media and emerging from infected cell surfaces. The HIV virions are 127 nm diameter on average, and those of MuLV are 145 nm, although there are wide distributions about the means. The AFM images show the arrangement of the envelope protein, responsible for host cell entry, on the surfaces of both virions. Disruption of the viruses using detergents or physical means allowed us to visualize interior structures, including the outer shells of both MuLV and HIV, the cores of MuLV, and the nucleic acid of HIV complexed with core proteins. Using immunolabeling techniques borrowed from electron microscopy, we were able to demonstrate the binding of gold-labeled antibodies directed against the envelope protein of MuLV. The AFM images are revealing, not only in terms of surface topology, but in terms of interior features as well, and they reveal the eccentricities and uniqueness of individual virus particles rather than yielding the average member of the population. Further application of AFM to viruses associated with other pathologies may ultimately have a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of virus-promoted diseases.