Although viral sequences closely related to feline leukaemia virus are represented in multiple copies in cellular DNA of all domestic cats, a specific fraction was present only in the virus-infected cells. This fraction was detected by viral cDNA enriched by a prior absorption of a total complementary DNA (cDNA) transcript with normal cat liver DNA. The recycled cDNA hybridized well with the cellular DNA of virus-infected cells, but to a lesser extent with DNA from uninfected cat cells. The probe was used to differentiate virus-positive from virus-negative tumour tissues of cats. The same approach with cDNA of another endogenous feline virus, RD114, failed to show any difference between a virus-infected cell line and normal cells, including both virus-inducible and non-inducible lines.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

Virology and histopathology of the trigeminal ganglia of Americans and Japanese.

Herpes simplex virus in the trigeminal ganglia of humans was studied in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, and in Kyoto, Japan. The prevalence of recurrent herpes labialis and of clinically latent herpes simplex virus within trigeminal ganglia was determined in inhabitants of the two cities. In addition, a comparison was made of the prevalence of mononuclear cell infiltration in the trigeminal ganglia of Americans and Japanese. Recurrent herpes labialis was found to be significantly less common in the Japanese city than in the American city. Herpes simplex virus was rescued less commonly from the trigeminal ganglia of cadavers in Japan than in America. The difference was significant. The frequency of mononuclear cell infiltration in the trigeminal ganglia of Americans and Japanese is not significantly different. These observations, as well as previously reported serological studies, suggest that despite the ubiquitous nature of herpes simplex virus in America and Japan, the Japanese have less clinically overt disease caused by this virus.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1978

Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia with Ig E M-component.

A case of Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia with Ig E M-component was presented. A 76-year-old Japanese woman had a history of the operation for mammary carcinoma. Although neither lymphadenopathy nor hepatosplenomegaly was present, the immunohaematological findings typical for Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia were observed in this patient. Coexistence of the Ig M and Ig E M-components was recognized in the patient's serum protein. Positive reaction for FITC-conjugated anti-epsilon or rhodamine-conjugated anti-mu was noted in proliferating lymphoplasmacytic cells of the patient's bone marrow, but these reactions were not simultaneously observed in a single cell. The finding suggests that two separate populations of M-component-producing cells were present.

Aged↗

PubMed1978

Molecular mechanisms involved in the differential expression of gag gene products by clonal isolates of a primate sarcoma virus.

Clonal isolates of an early passage stock of woolly monkey sarcoma virus (WSV) have been shown to code for different numbers of woolly monkey helper leukemia virus gag gene products. In the present report, the molecular mechanisms responsible for their differential expression of gag gene products have been analyzed. Three WSV RNA genomes were shown to possess sedimentation coefficients consistent with the differences demonstrated in their allotments of helper viral sequences. The WSV variant (WSV clone 9) that expressed no detectable proteins was shown to contain the largest amount of helper viral information. Moreover, there was no additive hybridization of the WLV complementary DNA probe by RNA of this WSV clone and that of a WSV clone coding for several gag gene products. These results suggest that the lack of expression of gag gene products by WSV clone 9 is not due to a major deletion of helper viral gag gene sequences. Similar levels of WLV-specific RNA were demonstrated in cells nonproductively transformed by each WSV clone, arguing that the ability to express gag gene proteins was not related to the magnitude of viral RNA transcription. Taken together, the results are most consistent with a mechanism by which small deletions or point mutations in the genomes of some WSV variants result in premature termination of translation or synthesis of immunologically nonreactive gag gene proteins. The present findings have implications concerning the effects of evolutionary selective pressures on helper viral genetic information in mammalian transforming viruses.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1978

Reiteration frequency of feline type C viral genomes in homologous and heterologous host cell DNA.

Differences in the multiplicity of proviral sequences of two feline endogenous viruses, RD-114 and FeLV, in homologous and heterologous host DNA were examined by viral cDNA hybridization using cellular DNA fractionated with respect to reiteration frequency. The endogenous proviral DNAs in cat cells were fractionated predominantly with intermediate-repeated sequences, while RD-114 proviral DNA in virus-infected human cells was fractionated together with unique-sequence DNA. These differences were consistent with the results of kinetic analysis using unfractionated DNA.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

[Normal values and ranges for serum chemical constituents in the aged (author's transl)].

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Adult↗

PubMed1978

Simultaneous determination of serum cholesterol in high- and low-density lipoproteins with use of heparin, Ca2+, and an anion-exchange resin.

Cholesterol concentrations in serum high-density and low-density lipoproteins are simultaneously determined simply, specifically, and rapidly by use of the precipitation method with heparin, Ca2+, and an anion-exchange resin. The isolation of lipoproteins is reproducible, selective, and complete, as judged by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel and by immunoelectrophoresis, with use of samples with very-low-density lipoprotein triglyceride concentrations of less than 3.5 g/liter. The precision of the present method is as good (CV, 2.8-3.1%) as that for the method used by the U.S. Lipid Research Clinics (CV 2.0-3.2%). The present method and the heparin-Mn2+ method of the Clinics gave results that agreed reasonably well (for low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol r = 0.935, P less than 0.001; for high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol r = 0.837, P less than 0.001). we also describe the relations between high- or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol, and between cholesterol concentrations in these two lipoprotein classes.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

Computed tomography in hepatobiliary diseases.

Computed Tomography (CT) was introduced to detect lesions in 48 cases with various hepatobiliary disease. In 8 out of 11 cases with liver cell cancer, diagnosis were made by CT. A case was detected in early stage, the low density area was so small that it can be resected segmentally. In 7 out of 9 cases with metastatic liver cancer, multiple low densities were detected by C.T. Gallbladder cancers, which is known as diagnostic difficulty, were detected in five cases as low density in gallbladder area. CT has superiority to liver scintiscan, 1) CT can determine the tumor more exactly except for the diffuse type. 2) CT can be performed repeatedly without any risk and use of isotopic substances. 3) CT observes the transverse configuration of the organ, which could not be done in any conventional method.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

[Abnormality and deficiency in cellular immunity and internal diseases--diseases associated with thymoma].

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Adolescent↗

PubMed1978

Total synthesis of stereospecific sphingosine and ceramide.

A small-scale synthesis of the four sphingosine stereoisomers (d-erythro, l-erythro, d-threo, and l-threo) and lignoceroyl d- and l-erythro-sphingosines, which is suitable for synthesis of tritium-labeled compounds, is described. Ethyl dl-erythro-2-acetamino-3-hydroxy-4t-octadecenoate was esterified with l(+)-acetylmandeloyl chloride and the two diastereomers obtained were separated from each other by thin-layer or column chromatography. Each diastereomer was subjected to ethanolysis to obtain ethyl d- or l-erythro-2-amino-3-hydroxy-4t-octadecenoate which was then reduced with LiAlH(4) or NaBH(4) to yield d- or l-erythro-sphingosine. d-erythro-[1-(3)H]Sphingosine with high specific activity was prepared by using LiAl(3)H(4) in the last step. d- and l-threo-sphingosines were synthesized from ethyl dl-threo-2-acetamino-3-hydroxy-4t-octadecenoate by using a similar procedure. Ceramide (lignoceroyl sphingosine) was prepared either by acylating sphingosine or by the following new method. Ethyl dl-erythro-2-amino-3-hydroxy-4t-octadecenoate was converted to the N-lignoceroyl derivative and esterified with l(+)-acetylmandeloyl chloride. The two diastereomers obtained were separated and each isomer was treated with a catalytic amount of sodium ethoxide. One of the products, ethyl d-erythro-2-lignoceroylamino-3-hydroxy-4t- octadecenoate, was reduced with NaBH(4) to yield ceramide. N-palmitoyl dl-erythro-sphingosine was also prepared using an identical procedure. N-lignoceroyl d-erythro-[1-(3)H]sphingosine was prepared by NaB(3)H(4) reduction of the corresponding amide ester. A doubly labeled ceramide, [1-(14)C]lignoceroyl [1-(3)H]sphingosine, containing high specific activity, was prepared by mixing the above N-lignoceroyl d-erythro-[1-(3)H]sphingosine and N-[1-(14)C]lignoceroyl d-erythro-sphingosine. The conversion of the doubly labeled ceramide to 3-keto derivative is also described.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

PubMed1977

In vivo metabolism of ceramides in rat brain. Fatty acid replacement and esterification of ceramide.

Three double-labeled ceramides, [1-14C]lignoceroyl D-erythro-[1-3H]sphingosine, [1-14C]palmitoyl D-erythro-[1-3H]sphingosine and D-[1-14C]cerebronoyl D-erythro-[3-3H]-sphingosine, were prepared and injected separately into the brains of 18-day-old rats. The animals were killed after 2 h and various sphingolipids were isolated and purified. These lipids were further fractionated into subgroups depending on their fatty acid content (nonhydroxy or alpha-hydroxy, shorter chain or longer chain), 3H/14C ratios obtained in ceramides, cerebrosides, and sphingomyelins containing different fatty acids from the injected material were much higher than the initial ratio. This observation indicates that a replacement of the fatty acid occurred in the injected ceramide. Comparison of the 3H/14C ratios of the cerebrosides and sphingomyelin in a specific fatty acid group with the ratios of the corresponding ceramide indicated that most of these lipids were derived directly from the ceramide. The 3H/14C ratio of the hydroxycerebroside obtained from cerebronyl sphingosine-injected brain was nearly twice the ratio of the injected material. In addition to these lipids, considerable radioactivity was incorporated into an unknown nonpolar material in the brains which had been injected with [1-14C]lignoceroyl or [1-14C]palmitoyl [1-3H]sphingosine. This material was tentatively identified as ceramide fatty acid ester. The 3H/14C ratio of the ester was identical to that of the injected material.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

New enzymatic assay of cholinesterase activity.

A new enzymatic method for the determination of serum pseudo-cholinesterase activity is described. Choline, which is liberated from benzoylcholine as substrate by cholinesterase, is oxidized by choline oxidase to betaine with the simultaneous production of hydrogen peroxide, which oxidatively couples with 4-aminoantipyrine and phenol in the presence of peroxidase to yield a chromogen with maximal absorbance at 500 nm. The calibration curve is linear up to 1500 units per liter of serum. The method is reproducible, and the results correlate well with those obtained by the method using butyrylthiocholine as substrate and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) as color reagent.

Benzoylcholine↗