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J Trotter

Publications and source records attributed to J Trotter.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Channel expression correlates with differentiation stage during the development of oligodendrocytes from their precursor cells in culture.

Membrane currents in cultured murine oligodendrocytes and their precursors were characterized using the patch-clamp technique. Prior to recording, cells were identified by immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies characteristic of two types of precursor cells and two differentiation stages of oligodendrocytes. The most immature, A2B5 antigen-positive glial precursors, expressed four types of voltage-activated K+ currents and tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na+ currents. The more differentiated cells, O4 antigen-positive glial precursors, expressed similar K+ currents, but Na+ currents were recorded in only a minority of cells. In differentiated O1 and O10 antigen-positive oligodendrocytes the channels characteristic of precursor cells were no longer observed, but an inwardly rectifying K+ current was apparent. Thus, channel expression by cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage correlates with differentiation stage and is more complex in precursor cells than in oligodendrocytes.

Animals↗

Maintenance chemotherapy in limited small cell lung cancer: a randomised controlled clinical trial.

In a prospective randomised study 68 patients with limited small cell bronchogenic carcinoma were assigned to induction treatment with combined alternating non-cross-resistant chemotherapy plus split course radiotherapy without (NM) or with (M) subsequent maintenance therapy. Induction chemotherapy consisted of cisplatinum and VP16213q. 3 weeks followed by cyclophosphamide, vincristine and methotrexate (CVM)q. 4 weeks. Three courses of this 7-week chemotherapy programme were given. Radiotherapy to the primary lesion of 25 Gy in 13 fractions was given after each of the first and second courses of chemotherapy. Those in complete remission following the induction phase received prophylactic cranial irradiation. Those assigned to maintenance received a further six cycles of CVM after induction. The overall survival of patients randomised to maintenance therapy was significantly inferior to that of those randomised to no maintenance therapy (median survival NM 19.2 vs M 14.1 months, P = 0.05 log rank). Among patients achieving a complete remission of disease on induction therapy those receiving maintenance also showed a trend towards inferior survival (median survival NM 26.8 vs 18.0 months, P = 0.06 log rank). Deaths in each group of patients were predominantly due to tumour progression. The results do not support the use of maintenance chemotherapy after the use of intensive combined therapy induction programmes in the management of limited small cell bronchogenic carcinoma.

Adult↗

Expression of v-src arrests murine glial cell differentiation.

A replication-defective retroviral vector carrying the v-src oncogene and the gene for neomycin resistance was used to infect neurone- and fibroblast-depleted embryonic mouse brain cells in vitro. Cells resistant to the antibiotic G418 were obtained and continually passaged. Several cell lines were isolated which express high levels of v-src mRNA and v-src tyrosine kinase activity. The antigenic marker profile of either the pooled cells from an individual infection or sublines isolated from individual foci showed the cells to be immature glia: most cells expressed vimentin, A2B5 antigen and/or J1/tenascin glycoproteins, but not fibronectin. Sublines expressed different antigen profiles suggesting that the immortalised cells were derived from glial cells of different phenotypes. The cell lines expressed the 120 and 140 but not the 180 kd components of N-CAM as well as voltage-activated potassium channels, typical for glial cells. 01 antigen-positive oligodendrocytes were never observed in the lines or sublines after long term passage (over 1 year), but some cells expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein, a marker for mature astrocytes. Thus, expression of v-src in murine glial cells appears to arrest their development and prevent their differentiation.

Animals↗

Qualitative and quantitative heterogeneity in Pgp-1 expression among murine thymocytes.

A proportion of Pgp-1+ cells in the thymus have been shown to have progenitor activity. In adult AKR/Cum mice the total Pgp-1+ population in the thymus differs from that of the bulk of thymocytes and is antigenically heterogeneous when examined by flow cytometry. Pgp-1+ thymocytes are enriched for several minor cell populations compared to total thymocytes: B2A2-, interleukin-2-receptor+ (IL-2R+), and Lyt-2-, L3T4-. However, these subsets are still a minor proportion of the Pgp-1+ cells, the majority being Lyt-2+ and/or L3T4+ and B2A2+. Pgp-1+ thymocytes also differ from the bulk of thymocytes in having lower amounts of Thy-1 and in showing a higher proportion of single positive (Lyt-2+, L3T4- or Lyt-2-, L3T4+) cells. Populations of adult thymocytes that are enriched in progenitor cells can be isolated by cytotoxic depletion using either anti-Thy-1 antibody (Thy-1 depletion) or anti-Lyt-2 and anti-L3T4 antibody (Lyt-2, L3T4 depletion). Pgp-1+ cells in progenitor cell-enriched populations are also phenotypically heterogeneous. Pgp-1+ cells in both populations may be IL-2R+ or IL-2R- and B2A2+ or B2A2-. The population of Pgp-1+ cells in progenitor cell-enriched populations in the adult differs from that of the fetus at 14 days of gestation in that in the 14-day fetus, most Pgp-1+ cells are IL-2R+. By Day 15 of gestation, distinct populations of Pgp-1+, IL-2R-; Pgp-1+, IL-2R+; and Pgp-1-, IL-2R+ cells are observed. In the 15-day fetus, as in the adult, many Pgp-1+ thymocytes express low to moderate levels of Thy-1. The total percentage of Pgp-1+ cells in the thymus varies among different mouse strains, ranging from 4 to 35% in the thymus of young adult mice. Pgp 1.1 strains contain more detectably Pgp-1+ thymocytes than Pgp 1.2 strains; however, there is variability in the proportion of Pgp-1+ cells, even among Pgp 1.2 strains. In contrast to AKR/Cum mice, the Pgp-1+ thymocyte population in BALB/c mice, which contain a high proportion of Pgp-1+ thymocytes, closely resembles the total thymocyte population.

Animals↗

Comparison of antigen specificity, class II major histocompatibility complex restriction, and in vivo behavior of myelin basic protein-specific T cell lines and clones derived from (BALB/c x SJL/J) mice.

Immunization with myelin basic protein (BP) causes experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in certain strains of mice. SJL/J (H-2s) is the prototype sensitive strain. Although BALB/c (H-2d) is resistant to EAE through use of an identical immunization protocol, (BALB/c x SJL/J)F1 hybrid mice develop EAE after immunization with BP. T cell clones specific for BP have been isolated from a highly encephalitogenic line of (BALB/c x SJL/J)F1 hybrid T cells raised against bovine BP. The clones were examined for their H-2 restriction and specificity for heterologous forms of BP (mouse, rat, and bovine BP). The results revealed the clones cross-reacting with mouse (self) BP were almost always restricted to F1 hybrid class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) elements. In contrast, mouse cross-reactive clones derived from a nonencephalitogenic (BALB/c x SJL/J) T cell line raised against rat BP were largely restricted to H-2d elements. These clones did not cross-react with bovine BP. Four additional lines were generated by carrying the original rat and bovine F1 T cell lines on parental antigen-presenting cells thus generating lines biased toward homozygous (SJL/J, H-2s, or BALB/c, H-2d) restriction elements. These "parentally restricted" T cell lines did not induce EAE when injected in vivo. These results suggest that in this F1 strain sensitivity to T cell-induced EAE is associated with epitopes on murine BP that associate with F1 class II MHC restricting elements. In contrast, nonencephalitogenic T cell lines contain a high proportion of murine cross-reactive clones restricted to H-2d, the haplotype of the classically resistant BALB/c mouse. This work illustrates the use of T cell lines and clones in a model system to further analyze the role of MHC restriction elements in autoimmune disease occurring in heterozygous individuals.

Animals↗

Fluorescent methotrexate labeling and flow cytometric analysis of cells containing low levels of dihydrofolate reductase.

Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of flow cytometry in the analysis of dihydrofolate reductase (EC 1.5.1.3) gene amplification. However, this powerful and potentially sensitive method for analyzing gene expression in individual cells has not seen widespread use. This is due in part to the difficulty of producing fluorescent methotrexate (Fluo-MTX), which is needed to label dihydrofolate reductase in vivo, in yields higher than 1% and of sufficient purity to give low nonspecific backgrounds by the published procedures. We have significantly improved the synthesis of Fluo-MTX to obtain rapidly a chromatographically pure product in 20% yields. In addition, we have found that cell volume is a variable which makes direct comparisons of fluorescence intensity between cell lines difficult. In order to circumvent this problem, we have improved flow cytometric analysis to measure the fluorescence specific intensity of individual cells. A survey of various cells commonly used for gene transfer shows a significant variability in the efficiency with which they are labeled with Fluo-MTX, which appears to be due to variations in their ability to transport this reagent.

Animals↗

The role of phospholipases from inflammatory macrophages in demyelination.

Activated macrophages harvested from rat peritoneum were shown to contain phospholipase A1, A2 and lysophospholipase activities which were defined on a series of radiolabelled phospholipid substrates. During in vitro culture of these elicited macrophage populations, phospholipase enzymes were secreted into the culture medium. Radiolabelled myelin, prepared from young rats after intracerebral injection of 14C acetate, was used as a substrate to analyze the susceptibility of central nervous system (CNS) myelin to attack by cell-associated and secreted macrophage enzymes. Homogenates of peritoneal macrophages degraded the myelin lipids at acid pH; phosphatidyl choline (PC) and ethanolamine phosphatide (EP) were both degraded with liberation of free fatty acid and small amounts of lysolipids. The ethanolamine lipids were most vulnerable; up to 20% of this fraction was degraded in six hours. Selected batches of macrophage culture supernatant similarly degraded the myelin EP at acid pH. These results suggest that phospholipase enzymes, released from activated macrophages in close proximity to the myelin sheath, may participate in primary demyelination in inflammatory CNS lesions.

Animals↗

Progenitor cells in the thymus: most thymus-homing progenitor cells in the adult mouse thymus bear Pgp-1 glycoprotein but not interleukin-2 receptor on their cell surface.

Pgp-1-positive and interleukin-2-receptor (IL-2R)-positive cells are both minor (less than 5%) subpopulations within the adult thymus. A thymocyte population enriched for these two cell types, obtained by killing the bulk of thymocytes with anti-Thy-1 antibody and complement, contains thymus-homing progenitor cells which can transiently repopulate the thymus of irradiated recipients. Using two-color immunofluorescence, we demonstrate that the Pgp-1+ and IL-2R+ cells present in this enriched population represent largely nonoverlapping subsets, although some cells do express both markers. We also show by depletion of these two cell types that the bulk of the thymus-homing progenitors present in this enriched population are found in the Pgp-1+ population, and not in the IL-2R+ population. We discuss the relationship between the thymus-homing progenitors in this depleted thymus subpopulation and the thymus-homing progenitors present in the thymus as a whole.

Animals↗

Opsonization with antimyelin antibody increases the uptake and intracellular metabolism of myelin in inflammatory macrophages.

In most demyelinating diseases, macrophages are believed to be active agents of myelin destruction. In experimental encephalomyelitis, these cells appear to strip off and ingest the myelin lamellae, and myelin debris has been observed within the cell body. We show here in vitro conditions in which rat peritoneal macrophages phagocytose and metabolize CNS myelin lipids. Purified rat myelin, prelabeled in vivo with [14C]acetate, was incubated with preimmune serum or rabbit antiserum to rat CNS myelin and added to macrophage monolayers. Myelin opsonized with antimyelin antibodies was more readily phagocytosed and metabolized by cultured macrophages than untreated myelin or that preincubated with preimmune serum. In the presence of macrophages, levels of myelin polar lipids and cholesterol decreased, whereas radioactive cholesterol ester and triglyceride accumulated. Up to five times as much radioactive cholesterol ester and about twice as much triglyceride accumulated in macrophage cultures containing antibody-treated myelin as in cultures fed preimmune serum-treated myelin or in those incubated with untreated myelin. Both the fatty acid and the cholesterol from cholesterol ester contained radioactive label; therefore, both were derived at least partly from the radioactive myelin lipid. Antiserum to myelin purified from peripheral nerve was almost as effective as that to CNS myelin in stimulating cholesterol metabolism, whereas antiserum to galactocerebroside was about 70% as active. Antiserum to basic protein had less effect, whereas antiserum to the myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein was inactive. Of the polar lipids, ethanolamine phosphatide was most degraded in both the antiserum- and preimmune serum-treated myelin, with the diacyl form and plasmalogen form degraded about equally. These experiments indicate that myelin-specific antibodies in inflammatory CNS lesions may participate in and stimulate macrophage-mediated demyelination.

Animals↗

Increased vascular permeability: a major cause of hypoalbuminaemia in disease and injury.

The rate of loss of albumin to the tissue spaces (measured as transcapillary escape rate) rose by more than 300% in patients with septic shock, and the average increase within 7 h of cardiac surgery was 100%. The transcapillary escape rate in cachectic cancer patients was twice that of a group of healthy individuals. The rate of loss of albumin to the tissue spaces is normally 5%/h, which is more than 10 times the rates of synthesis and catabolism, and these large rate increases indicate that increased vascular permeability is an important cause of the lowered concentration of albumin commonly seen in acute and chronic disease.

Capillary Permeability↗

The Pgp-1 antigen is expressed on early fetal thymocytes.

The Pgp-1 glycoprotein is expressed on the bone marrow prothymocyte and on a class of intrathymic progenitor cells in the adult animal. Only 5% of adult thymocytes are strongly Pgp-1+. When fetal thymocytes of day 13-14 of gestation are examined by flow cytometric analysis, 80-90% of thymocytes are Pgp-1+, while the bulk of thymocytes are Thy-1-. By day 15-16, the percentage of Pgp-1+ cells begins to fall while nearly all cells become Thy-1+. Two-color immunofluorescence indicates that many Pgp-1+ cells are Thy-1+. The percentage of Pgp-1+ cells continues to fall over the next several days, reaching adult levels by day 19. These observations are consistent with the interpretation that at least some classes of thymocyte progenitors are Pgp-1+.

Animals↗

Characterization of T cell lines and clones from SJL/J and (BALB/c x SJL/J)F1 mice specific for myelin basic protein.

Lines of thymus-derived lymphocytes reactive against bovine myelin basic protein (BP) were established in vitro from SJL/J mice. These lines are stable in long-term culture and mediate inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) lesions and a low incidence of clinical experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) when injected into recipient SJL/J mice. The line cells proliferate in response to BP of bovine, rat, or mouse origin. Clones were derived from these lines, and the characteristics of these clones were analyzed. The clones express Thy-1, Ly-1, and L3T4 antigens and are negative for Ly-T2. The clones all proliferate in response to bovine BP, with different clones showing varying degrees of cross-reactivity between bovine, rat, and mouse BP. The proliferative response is MHC-restricted; antigen-presenting cells from I-As strains are required. Compatible with their phenotype as helper cells, some of the clones will provide help to primed B cells stimulating antibody production in an in vitro assay. When injected into recipients pretreated with pertussis and irradiation, clones that showed proliferation to mouse BP induced the development of inflammatory lesions in the CNS, with mortality of 28% of the recipients. T cell lines were also established in (BALB/c x SJL/J)F1 mice. In contrast to the homozygous SJL/J lines, these lines were highly encephalitogenic, inducing a high incidence of clinical and histologic EAE when injected in vivo.

Animals↗

Expression of transferrin receptor on murine hematopoietic progenitors.

We have used a monoclonal antibody against the murine transferrin receptor to study the expression of the transferrin receptor on the hematopoietic progenitor cells (BFU-E, CFU-E, and CFU-C) present in mouse bone marrow. Elutriation and cell-sorting data are consistent with the hypothesis that most CFU-E are transferrin receptor positive while most BFU-E express much less transferrin receptor. CFU-C comprise both transferrin-receptor-positive and -negative cells.

Animals↗

DNA changes in spinal cords of rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

DNA levels were measured in the spinal cords of Lewis rats during the development of and recovery from experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Spinal cord DNA was first increased 11 days after immunizing the rats with guinea pig myelin and rose to levels four times that of the Freund's adjuvant controls at day 14, then subsided after day 22. Spinal cord DNA was still 150% of control levels 60 days after immunization. These DNA changes were compared with fluctuations in spinal cord acid proteinase in the same animals. Acid proteinase activity in EAE spinal cord increased later than the rise in DNA and attained a level of 170% of control at days 15-17, then subsided. Spinal cord DNA was higher in rats immunized with whole myelin than in those administered equivalent amounts of purified myelin basic protein. Furthermore DNA was higher in spinal cords of rats immunized with a larger dose of myelin (1.0 mg) than with a lower amount (0.5 mg). Various protease inhibitors including pepstatin, nitrophenyl p-guanidino benzoate, polylysine, and dipropionyl rhein, previously shown to protect Lewis rats against EAE, suppressed the increase of DNA in the spinal cord. Measurement of DNA increases in the spinal cord of EAE animals provides a convenient reproducible measurement of the severity of inflammation in the CNS and provides an objective criterion for assessment of the efficacy of various agents screened as possible therapeutic treatment for multiple sclerosis.

Animals↗