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Biomedical subjects

A M Dannenberg

Publications and source records attributed to A M Dannenberg.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Delayed-type hypersensitivity and cell-mediated immunity in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis.

It is widely believed that cell-mediated immunity and the associated ability of macrophages to destroy or inhibit the bacillus are all that is required to control pulmonary tuberculosis. However, although cell-mediated immunity is a major host defense against the tubercle bacillus, it is fully effective only in one of the four stages of the disease. Here, Arthur Dannenberg describes the entire pathogenesis of tuberculosis, with illustrations from the rabbit model of M.B. Lurie. In addition, he documents that the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction (producing tissue necrosis) greatly benefits the host by arresting the logarithmic growth of bacilli within immature macrophages.

Animals↗

Physiologic oxygen tensions limit oxidant-mediated killing of schistosome eggs by inflammatory cells and isolated granulomas.

Explanted hepatic granulomas, eosinophils obtained from the peritoneal cavity of schistosome-infected mice, schistosome egg granuloma macrophages, alveolar macrophages, and activated peritoneal macrophages obtained from Listeria-infected mice were miracidicidal when cultured at 21% oxygen. This activity was markedly attenuated at physiologic oxygen concentrations (1-15%). Catalase and superoxide dismutase blocked the miracidicidal activity of inflammatory cells but did not prevent granuloma-mediated egg killing. However, the biomimetic superoxide dismutase, copper (II) [diisopropyl salicylate]2, inhibited granuloma-mediated egg killing in a dose-dependent, apparently nontoxic manner. Thioglycollate-elicited macrophages did not kill schistosome egg miracidia even when cultured in 21% oxygen, unless pretreated with lipopolysaccharide. Isolated schistosome eggs initiated an oxidative burst in macrophages, as measured by superoxide anion production. This burst was suppressed at reduced oxygen concentrations. Thus schistosome egg miracidia can be killed nonspecifically by macrophages through the release of cytotoxic reactive oxygen intermediates triggered by the egg. This activity is not supported by the oxygen concentrations found in most tissues, with the possible exception of the lung. Schistosoma mansoni eggs, injected intraveneously and lodged in the pulmonary vasculature of mice, were killed rapidly, with a half life of 3.5 days. Eggs, injected into the mesenteric veins and lodged in the liver, remained fully viable for several weeks. The data suggest that the high oxygen tension of the lung allows for the increased production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) by local inflammatory cells, which in turn increases their miracidicidal efficiency. Conversely, the relatively hypoxic environment of the liver decreases ROI production by local inflammatory cells and decreases their miracidicidal efficiency.

Animals↗

Full-thickness human skin explants for testing the toxicity of topically applied chemicals.

This report describes a model organ-culture system for testing the toxicity of chemical substances that are topically applied to human skin. In this system, the viable keratinocytes in the full-thickness skin explants are protected by the same keratinized layer as skin remaining on the donor, and toxicity can be assessed microscopically and/or biochemically. The human skin specimens were discards from a variety of surgical procedures. They were cut into full-thickness 1.0-cm2 explants, and briefly exposed to the military vesicant sulfur mustard (SM), which was used as a model toxicant. The explants were then organ cultured in small Petri dishes for 24 h at 36 degrees C. In the 0.03-1.0% dosage range, a straight-line dose-response relationship occurred between the concentration of SM applied and the number of paranuclear vacuoles seen histologically in the epidermis. Within the same SM dosage range, there was also a proportional decrease in 14C-leucine incorporation by the explants. Thus, the number of paranuclear vacuoles reflected decreases in protein synthesis by the injured epidermal cells. The epidermis of full-thickness untreated (control) human skin explants usually remained viable for 7 d when stored at 4 degrees C in culture medium. During storage, a relatively small number of paranuclear vacuoles developed within the epidermis, but the explants were still quite satisfactory for testing SM toxicity. Incubation (for 4 or 24 h at 36 degrees C) of such control skin explants reduced (often by 50%) the small number of paranuclear vacuoles produced during 4-7 d of storage. This reduction was probably caused by autolysis of many of the vacuolated cells. Two types of paranuclear vacuoles could be identified by both light and electron microscopy: a storage type and a toxicant type. The storage type seemed to be caused by autolysis of cell components. The toxicant type seemed to be caused by an invagination of the plasma membrane. Only toxicant-type vacuoles increased appreciably in number when skin explants were exposed to mustard, and to other toxicants.

Administration, Topical↗

Extracellular collagenase, proteoglycanase and products of their activity, released in organ culture by intact dermal inflammatory lesions produced by sulfur mustard.

Peak (1 and 2 d) and healing (3, 6, and 10 d) inflammatory lesions were produced in rabbits by the topical application of the military vesicant, bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide, commonly called sulfur mustard (SM). SM produces an acute sterile dermal inflammatory reaction with little or no necrosis, except in the epidermis, which dies during the first day. After an animal was killed, its lesions were excised intact, as full-thickness 1.0-cm2 explants. They were then organ-cultured for 3 d in order to maintain the viability of both local and infiltrating cells. The extracellular fluid in each lesion equilibrated with the culture fluid, which was collected daily and analyzed for collagenase and proteoglycanase activities. These metalloproteinase activities were measured after we had i) destroyed the alpha-macroglobulin inhibitors with KSCN, ii) destroyed the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) by reduction and alkylation, and iii) activated the latent proteinase activity with aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA). Hydroxyproline-containing peptides and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) released into the culture fluids were also measured as indicators of local collagenase and proteoglycanase activity within the inflammatory lesions. In general, the levels of both the metalloproteinases and the products of their activity were higher in second- and third-day culture fluids than in first-day culture fluids, and higher in fluids from SM lesions than in those from normal skin. The activated fibroblast was apparently the major cell type producing the collagenase and proteoglycanase. The hydrolysis of collagen and ground substance occurs pericellularly. An excess of inhibitors exists outside the pericellular region. The daily change in culture fluids apparently decreased such inhibitors, so that by the second and third day of culture we could detect the changes in pericellular enzyme activity that were not detectable on the first day of culture. As the inflammatory lesions healed, the extracellular enzyme products (hydroxyproline and GAG) increased more than the enzymes that produced these products. With healing, a decrease occurs in the extravasation of all serum components, especially the large ones such as the alpha-macroglobulin inhibitors. We propose that during healing, the decrease in these inhibitors allows the metalloproteinases to begin the remodeling process, and that during the peak phase of inflammation, these same inhibitors protect extracellular matrix against hydrolysis by such proteinases.

Animals↗

Sources of extracellular lysosomal enzymes released in organ-culture by developing and healing inflammatory lesions.

Developing and healing inflammatory lesions were topically produced in the skin of rabbits by sulfur mustard (SM). After the rabbits were sacrificed, the various lesions were removed and organ-cultured. The organ-culture fluids extracted the extracellular lysosomal enzymes (acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, beta-galactosidase, and lysozyme), so that they could be measured biochemically along with lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme marker for cell death. In tissue sections, the number and types of cells were counted, and their lysosomal enzyme content evaluated histochemically. The culture fluids from peak lesions contained much lower levels of all five enzymes than did culture fluids from healing lesions. When histological-histochemical-biochemical correlations were made, serum, macrophages (MN), and activated fibroblasts (but not tissue PMN) appeared to be major sources of extracellular lysosomal enzymes in peak lesions; and the dead PMN in the crusts and the activated fibroblasts in the tissues appeared to be major sources in healing lesions. The high lysosomal enzyme content of the crusts covering the lesions suggests that this passive barrier may also play an active role in promoting healing and in protecting against invasion by microorganisms.

Animals↗

Proteases released in organ culture by acute dermal inflammatory lesions produced in vivo in rabbit skin by sulfur mustard: hydrolysis of synthetic peptide substrates for trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like enzymes.

The purpose of these studies was to identify some of the extracellular proteolytic enzymes associated with the development and healing of acute inflammatory lesions. Lesions were produced in the skin of rabbits by the topical application of the military vesicant, sulfur mustard (SM). Full-thickness, 1-cm2 central biopsies of the lesions were organ-cultured for one to three days, and the culture fluids were assayed for proteases with a variety of substrates. When compared to culture fluids from normal skin, the culture fluids from both developing and healing SM lesions had three to six times the levels of proteases hydrolyzing two synthetic peptide substrates: (1) t-butyloxycarbonyl-Leu-Gly-Arg-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin-7-amide(Boc-Leu -Gly- Arg-AFC, herein abbreviated LGA-AFC), and (2) N-benzoyl-phenylalanine-beta-naphthyl ester (BPN). LGA-AFC is a substrate for trypsin, plasmin, plasminogen activator, thrombin, kallikrein, and the C3 and C5 convertases; BPN is a chymotrypsin and cathepsin G substrate. The culture fluids did not consistently hydrolyze four other synthetic peptide substrates or the proteins [14C]-casein and [14C]elastin. In order to determine the likely sources of LGA-AFCase and BPNase activity, we counted the number of granulocytes (PMNs), macrophages (MNs) and activated fibroblasts in histologic sections of developing and healing SM lesions, and we measured the levels of these enzymes in serum, in culture fluids of PMN and MN peritoneal exudate cells, and in culture fluids of two fibroblast cell lines. In SM lesions, serum and fibroblasts seemed to be the major source of LGA-AFCase, and serum alone the major source of BPNase. Tissue PMNs and MNs seemed to be only minor sources. The crusts of healing lesions, which were full of dead PMNs, seemed to be a rich source of both enzymes. In the SM lesion culture fluids, whether LGA-AFC and BPN were hydrolyzed by endopeptidases or only by exopeptidases could be determined by evaluating complex formation with alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors (alpha M). Endopeptidases, but not exopeptidases, are entrapped and inhibited by alpha M, because an internal peptide band in alpha M must first be hydrolyzed before molecular rearrangement (required for proteinase inhibition) occurs. The catalytic site of endopeptidases that are entrapped and inhibited by alpha M is known to remain active on (and reachable by) small synthetic peptide substrates such as LGA-AFC and BPN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Inflammatory mediators and modulators released in organ culture from rabbit skin lesions produced in vivo by sulfur mustard. III. Electrophoretic protein fractions, trypsin-inhibitory capacity, alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, and alpha 1- and alpha 2-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors of culture fluids and serum.

This is the third report in a series on the inflammatory mediators and modulators released in organ culture from skin lesions of various ages, which were produced in vivo in rabbits by the military vesicant, sulfur mustard (SM). It describes the electrophoretic protein fractions and trypsin-inhibitory capacities of the various culture fluids and the amounts of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors in these fluids. With one-dimensional electrophoresis, the albumin and beta-globulin fractions of protein in culture fluids varied little with the development and healing of the SM lesions. These fractions proportionally resembled the corresponding fractions found in serum. The alpha 1-globulin fraction was proportionally smaller than the corresponding fractions of serum as the lesions healed. The alpha 2-globulin fraction was proportionally smaller than the corresponding fractions of serum at all stages of lesion development and healing. The gamma-globulin fraction was proportionally larger as the lesions healed. With two-dimensional electrophoresis, about 68%, 46%, and 35% of the protein spots in culture fluids from representative 1-day and 6-day SM lesions and normal skin, respectively, matched those from serum. In each case, the large, diffuse, serum albumin spot represented about two-thirds of the protein present. Thus, gravimetrically, in normal skin and in both developing and healing lesions, the extracellular proteins were 80-90% of serum origin. The trypsin-inhibitory capacity (TIC) per milligram protein in the culture fluids of healing lesions was markedly less than the TIC per milligram protein in the fluids of peak lesions. This decrease correlates well with the decrease found in the alpha 1-globulin fraction, which contains alpha 1-antiproteinase (alpha 1-PI) (and alpha 1-macroglobulin [alpha 1M] in rabbits). The alpha 1PI and the alpha 1M-alpha 2M proteinase inhibitors were identified in the culture fluids by means of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blots, specific antibodies, and the immuno-peroxidase technique. The levels of both free and proteinase-complexed alpha 1PI and alpha M inhibitors in the culture fluids decreased as the lesions healed. In both developing and healing lesions, at least half of the alpha 1PI and alpha M inhibitors seemed to be complexed with proteinases. Thus, serum seems to be a major source of unbounded extracellular protein within acute inflammatory lesions, and serum proteinase inhibitors seem to be the host's major defense against local damage by proteinases from serum, infiltrating leukocytes, and activated fibroblasts.

Aging↗

Interstitial fibrosis and collateral ventilation.

Interstitial fibrosis may increase resistance to collateral flow (Rcoll) because of decreased lung volume and destruction of collateral channels or it may decrease Rcoll because of emphysematous changes around fibrotic regions. In addition, if interstitial fibrosis involves a small region of lung periphery, interdependence from surrounding unaffected lung should produce relatively large changes in volume of the fibrotic region during lung inflation. We studied the effects of interstitial fibrosis on collateral airflow by measuring Rcoll at functional residual capacity (FRC) in nine mongrel dogs before and 28 days after the local instillation of bleomycin into selected lung segments. In six of these dogs Rcoll was also measured at a higher lung volume (transpulmonary pressure = 12 cmH2O above FRC pressure). Rcoll increased in fibrotic lung segments following local treatment with bleomycin. With lung inflation (high transpulmonary pressure) Rcoll fell a similar proportion in fibrotic and nonfibrotic lung regions. These observations suggest that collateral resistance increases in fibrotic segments because lung volume decreases or because collateral pathways are involved directly in the fibrotic process. Compensatory increases in collateral communications do not occur. In addition, pulmonary interdependence does not cause disproportionate increases in volume and decreases in Rcoll of the fibrotic region during lung inflation.

Airway Resistance↗

Effect of repeated antigen exposure on antigen-and mediator-induced bronchospasm in sheep.

We studied the effects of repeated exposures of antigen on airway reactivity to mediators of anaphylaxis and immediate response to the antigen. Seven antigen-sensitive sheep were exposed to aerosols of Ascaris suum antigen 5 times biweekly; a control group of seven sheep underwent the same exposure regimen with saline vehicle. Sheep were assigned to experimental (Ascaris) or control groups so the distribution of animals with regard to bronchial reactivity to mediators was about the same. Airway reactivity was assessed by determining the effects of aerosolized histamine (10-1,000 micrograms), prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha, 10-300 micrograms), and a stable analogue of thromboxane A2 (U-46619, 1-100 micrograms) on lung resistance (RL) and dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn). Before treatment, experimental and control groups showed similar changes in RL and Cdyn, with analogue greater than histamine greater than PGF2 alpha. At the highest dose of each agonist, mean increases in RL were 50, 123, and 29%, respectively, and mean decreases in Cdyn were 21, 45, and 12%. During the first 15-min exposures to antigen aerosol, mean RL had increased by 125% and Cdyn decreased by 38% of base-line values; hyperinflation following the exposures reduced the changes to 56 and 31%, respectively. Changes in RL and Cdyn during the final antigen exposures and following postexposure hyperinflation were reduced significantly (P less than 0.05) compared with the initial exposures. Baseline RL and Cdyn before and after the exposures to antigen or saline were not significantly different. Airway reactivity to histamine, PGF2 alpha, or analogue was not significantly altered in these atropinized animals over the range of doses studied.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aerosols↗

Industrial exposure to organophosphorus compounds. Studies of a group of workers with a decrease in esterase-staining monocytes.

When an automated counting instrument using an esterase stain was employed, decreased monocyte counts were observed in a group of process workers exposed to organophosphate esters. Their monocyte counts were not found to be depressed with manual counting or with an automated counter using another staining method. The apparent depression was transient. In these workers and a comparison group, theoretical adverse consequences of decreased monocyte esterase and also possible changes in other esterases were explored. No anergy was seen with mumps or staphylococcal phage lysate hypersensitivity skin tests. Histology of the mumps reaction was similar in both groups. The depressed monocyte counts were significantly associated with a mild reduction in erythrocyte cell acetylcholinesterase, but no reduction was seen in plasma pseudocholinesterase or lymphocyte neurotoxic esterase.

Adult↗

Inflammatory mediators and modulators released in organ culture from rabbit skin lesions produced in vivo by sulfur mustard. I. Quantitative histopathology; PMN, basophil, and mononuclear cell survival; and unbound (serum) protein content.

When applied topically to the skin of rabbits in vivo, sulfur mustard (SM), the vesicant used in World War I, produced a slowly developing inflammatory response, which peaked in size at 1 and 2 days, ulcerated within 3 days, and reepithelialized by 10 days. Histologically, basophils and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) were common in both early and late lesions, and the crust over the ulcers was composed of dead epidermal cells, fibrin, and large numbers of PMNs. Healing occurred under the crust by migration of epidermal cells from the margins of the lesions and from the hair follicles. In organ culture, the lesion explants survived well, and reepithelialization even took place. Their excellent survival enabled us to compare the life spans of the infiltrating leukocytes within an inflammatory site. PMNs within the explants began disappearing during the first day of culture, and almost all had disappeared by 3 days. In contrast, over half of the basophils and the mononuclear cells within the explants were still present after 3 days of culture. The 1-, 2-, 3-, 6-, and 10-day (1.0-sq cm) SM lesion biopsies showed a 30-45% increase in weight (when compared with normal skin), presumably due to the extravasation of serum proteins and the fluids retained by them. When the biopsies were organ-cultured for 3 days, the 1-, 2-, and 3-day lesions lost weight, and the 6- and 10-day lesions (and normal skin) gained weight. These weight differences were not due to the amount of unbound protein extractable into the culture fluids, because both the early lesions and the late lesions contained about the same amount of unbound protein. The most likely explanation for these weight differences is that the newly formed ground substances of late lesions absorbed culture fluid, because the ground substance had changed from the sol state of acute inflammation (in which it was extractable) back to its normal gel state (in which it was not extractable). The unbound protein extractable into the culture fluids was mostly of serum origin. This protein averaged 1.9 mg for 1.0 sq cm normal skin explants (with a mean weight of 215 mg), and 6.4 mg for 1-day SM lesions (with a mean weight of 313 mg). Because rabbit serum contains about 60 mg protein/ml, these figures indicate that normal skin contained about 15% (unbound) serum by weight.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Inflammatory mediators and modulators release in organ culture from rabbit skin lesions produced in vivo by sulfur mustard. II. Evans blue dye experiments that determined the rates of entry and turnover of serum protein in developing and healing lesions.

Extravasated serum seems to be the major modulator of the local inflammatory response, because it provides both proinflammatory and antiinflammatory components. This report describes the rates of entry and turnover of extravasated serum protein in dermal inflammatory lesions produced by the military vesicant sulfur mustard (SM). Rabbits, bearing SM skin lesions, were given an intravenous injection of Evans blue dye, so that at the time of sacrifice, 2 hours later, their skin lesions were 2 hours and 1,2,3,6, and 10 days of age. Evans blue labels serum albumin, a representative serum protein. By multiplying the amount of Evans blue contained in the lesions by a factor that converted micrograms of Evans blue into milligrams of serum protein, the authors could estimate the 2-hour rate of entry of serum protein into these lesions. Serum protein in the lesions was both bound and unbound. The unbound protein was extractable from the lesions into the culture fluids, and, electrophoretically, was similar in composition to serum protein. Grossly edematous peak lesions (1 day of age) contained 7.8 mg of unbound serum protein per square centimeter of skin. Healing lesions (6 and 10 days of age) contained about 4.5 mg/sq cm, and normal skin about 1.7 mg/sq cm. Lesions 1 day of age had the highest rate of serum albumin entry, and about 36% of this Evans-blue-labeled protein was unbound, ie, extractable into the culture fluids. Lesions 3 and 6 days of age had a rate of serum albumin entry that was roughly half that of 1-day lesions, and only about 13% of this entering protein was unbound. Normal skin had a very low rate of serum albumin entry, and only 8% of this entering protein was unbound. The turnover rate of the unbound (extractable) serum protein could be estimated from the 2-hour entry rate of the Evans-blue-labeled albumin and the total protein in the culture fluids. In 1-day lesions, about 25% of the serum protein in the culture fluids was protein which had entered during the last 2 hours, so that 100% of this unbound protein should have been replaced once in 8 hours. In contrast, in 3- and 6-day lesions, this unbound serum protein should have been replaced once in about 35 hours, and in normal skin once in 80 hours. Evans-blue-labeled serum albumin continuously entered both the bound and unbound compartments of the SM lesions, even during the healing stages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Pathogenesis of skin lesions caused by sulfur mustard.

Sulfur mustard (SM) (di-2-chlorethyl sulfide), used for chemical warfare in World War I, is a highly reactive radiomimetic alkylating agent. When applied to the skin of rabbits and guinea pigs, it produced vascular leakage, leukocyte infiltration, and slow death of basal epidermal cells. Thirty to sixty minutes after exposure to SM, injury to the superficial microvasculature (beneath the SM application site) was detected by measuring vascular leakage with Evans blue dye and also with horseradish peroxidase. At this same time, injury to the superficial fibroblasts was observed ultrastructurally; and an unexpectedly high percentage of basophils was found among the early infiltrating granulocytes. At 2 to 4 hr, the vascular leakage ceased, and had resumed by 8 hr in a more diffuse form. At this time, the basal epidermal cells showed pyknotic nuclei, an increase in their lysosomal enzymes (observed histochemically), and autophagic vacuoles (observed ultrastructurally). Leukocyte infiltration was marked, consisting mostly of heterophils (PMN) with a reduced percentage of basophils. During the next 24 to 72 hr, the entire inflammatory reaction reached its peak; and a superficial, crust-covered ulcer developed. Then, over the next 10 days, the lesion gradually subsided with concomitant repair and healing. Glucocorticosteroids decreased the early edematous phase, but did not affect the rate of healing. These findings suggest that the skin response to sulfur mustard has an immediate and a delayed phase. The immediate phase, i.e., within the first hour, was characterized by injury to the superficial fibroblasts and to the endothelium of superficial capillaries and venules, possibly because of direct damage to their cell membranes. At this time, a restricted vascular leakage and a selective granulocyte infiltration containing many basophils occurred. The delayed phase, which became evident after 8 hr, was characterized by the death of basal epidermal cells, probably because of DNA damage. This phase was accompanied by generalized vascular leakage, by massive heterophil immigration, and eventually by ulceration.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Responses of the lung periphery to 1.0 ppm ozone.

We studied responses of the lung periphery to short-term exposures of 1.0 ppm ozone (O3). A fiber-optic bronchoscope was wedged in a segmental airway of anesthetized male mongrel dogs and was used to deliver O3 to a small portion of lung. Measurements of resistance through the collateral system (Rcs) were used to monitor responses to O3. During a 30-min exposure to O3, Rcs increased within 2 min (early phase) and then continued to increase throughout the exposure. Bilateral cervical vagotomy or pretreatment with atropine prevented or reduced the response measured at 2 min but not the later increase in Rcs. The later increase was reduced with chlorpheniramine. The administration of indomethacin intravenously and as an aerosol did not alter the response. These results indicate that the early phase of the response to 1.0 ppm ozone in the lung periphery is mediated through the parasympathetic system, and the later phase of the response is related in part to histamine release. We found no evidence that metabolites of the cyclooxygenase pathway played a role in these responses. Furthermore, unlike responses to 0.1 ppm, responses to 1.0 ppm O3 are not characterized by the development of adaptation or tolerance.

Animals↗

Improved techniques using Giemsa stained glycol methacrylate tissue sections to quantitate basophils and other leukocytes in inflammatory skin lesions.

Improved techniques were developed for processing inflammatory skin lesions in glycol methacrylate (JB-4, Polysciences, Inc.) and for quantitating their leukocyte infiltrates by light microscopy: (1) fixation of entire pelts from rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice bearing multiple lesions eliminated artifacts due to biopsy and produced uniformly oriented skin sections; (2) adding dimethylsulfoxide and hydrogen peroxide to the Karnovsky-type fixative increased the rate and effectiveness of fixation; (3) the presence of glycerol in the infiltrating methacrylate and the polymerized plastic block improved the sectionability of skin and other tissues; (4) coating slides with JB-4 Solution A prevented detachment of specimens; (5) Giemsa staining at a carefully selected pH provided optimal differentiation of leukocytes from the several species examined, including man. These techniques, which allowed an accurate histologic assessment of inflammatory skin lesions, were especially valuable for quantitating basophils.

Animals↗

Immunocytochemical demonstration of rabbit ribonuclease and phospholipase A2 by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique in professional phagocytes (pulmonary alveolar macrophages and granulocytic and mononuclear peritoneal exudate cells) and in glycol methacrylate sections of dermal tuberculous (BCG) lesions.

Acid-acting (pH 6-7) (presumably lysosomal) ribonuclease and neutral-acting (pH 7-8) calcium-dependent phospholipase A2 (presumably the enzyme releasing arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipids) were demonstrated by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) immunocytochemical technique in rabbit professional phagocytes: pulmonary alveolar macrophages (AM), oil-induced peritoneal exudate macrophages (M phi) and glycogen-induced peritoneal exudate polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN). All three cell types stained positively with antisera to purified rabbit lung RNase and purified rabbit granulocyte phospholipase A2. The RNase and phospholipase A2 were also demonstrated by the PAP technique in the activated macrophages and granulocytes present in tissue sections of tuberculous (BCG) lesions. The intensity of staining of these two enzymes in individual macrophages did not change appreciably as the BCG lesions developed and regressed, but there were more macrophages rich in both enzymes when the lesions reached their peak size at 21 days. When the anti-RNase serum was fractionated by immunoabsorbent chromatography, the anti-delta RNase serum fraction stained exudate M phi and PMN better than AM; and the anti-beta RNase fraction stained AM better than M phi and PMN. Similar to isolated phagocytes, tissue granulocytes stained best with the anti-delta fraction; and activated tissue macrophages stained best with the anti-beta fraction. Thus, macrophages and granulocytes contain two types of RNase, beta and delta; and the beta RNase is associated with macrophage activation.

Animals↗