We have employed several monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against several regions of the acetylcholine receptor (AcChoR) to assist in the determination of the antigenic structure of this multisubunit glycoprotein and to better understand molecular events involved in the impairment of neuromuscular transmission in the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis. Among three mAbs shown to block agonist-induced ion fluxes, mAb 371A is a putative probe of an ion channel domain(s) of the AcChoR. It appears to bind to an antigenic determinant whose structure is maintained upon treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate, the stoichiometry of binding being of one mAb per alpha-bungarotoxin binding site. Binding of mAb 371A to the AcChoR does not affect binding of cholinergic agonists or antagonists (carbamoylcholine and d-tubocurarine) or neurotoxins (alpha-bungarotoxin) or the ability of membrane-bound AcChoR to undergo reversible sensitization-desensitization affinity transitions. However, this mAb inhibits agonist-induced thallium (T1+) influx into AcChoR-rich membrane vesicles, as measured on a millisecond time scale by means of a rapid kinetics "stopped-flow/fluorescence quenching" technique. The stoichiometry of inhibition by bound mAb 371A coincides with that for maximal binding.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Summary of a workshop on new and useful methods in rapid viral diagnosis.

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Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1976

Regionalization of a birth defects prevention clinic.

Screening programs to detect the carrier state of Tay-Sachs disease have been established in many large urban areas. A regionalized program has been established in the middle-Tennessee area to permit smaller communities to benefit from such programs. The numerical and psychosocial results of this program are discussed. The general concept of regionalization of health care delivery as related to birth defects screening programs is presented. Through such regionalized programs, obstetricians may be provided with new information concerning diagnostic and screening tests for genetic diseases.

Amniocentesis↗

PubMed1976

The professionalizing impact of an interviewing course.

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Communication↗

PubMed1976

Attenuated influenza virus in normal adults: role of pulmonary function studies in vaccine trials.

A live attenuated virus, influenza A/Hong Kong/68(H3N2)-ts-1[E], was administered to 10 normal volunteers. Infection resulted in minor upper respiratory tract symptoms in one volunteer. An isolate from one volunteer contained a presumed revertant wild-type virus, but no clinical significance could be ascribed to this infection. Since infection with natural influenza A virus adversely affects airway dynamics, serial tests of pulmonary function were performed, including measurements of forced expiratory flow rates, lung volumes, diffusing capacity, closing volume, and total pulmonary resistance at various frequencies by the oscillometric technique. All tests performed before and on days 3, 30, and 60 after administration of virus yielded normal results throughout the study; these results suggested that there was no inflammatory response to the candidate vaccine in either the large or the small airways. Determination of total pulmonary resistance by the oscillometric technique proved to be a simple and acceptable procedure and may be useful in large-scale epidemiologic studies.

Adult↗