By subtractive cDNA hybridizations, we have isolated a new species of T-cell receptor cDNA clone whose predicted amino acid sequence has homology to variable, constant, joining and diversity segments of immunoglobulins and T-cell receptors. The corresponding genomic sequence is also rearranged in several T-cell DNAs. The four potential N-linked glycosylation sites, frequency of expression and predicted molecular weight (27,800) of this molecule make it a likely candidate for the alpha-chain of the T-cell receptor. Expression data also indicate that this gene may be activated at a later stage of T-cell differentiation than the beta-chain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Gene expression of endothelin receptors in aortic cells from cyclosporine-induced hypertensive rats.

1. We examined preproendothelin-1, ETA and ETB receptor mRNA levels in aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells from cyclosporine (CyA)-induced hypertensive rats using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. 2. Aortic endothelial preproendothelin-1 mRNA expression was about 1.5-fold higher, while that of ETB receptor mRNA was markedly decreased in CyA-treated rats compared with those in controls. 3. The expression of ETA receptor mRNA in smooth muscle cells from CyA-induced hypertensive rats was increased about two-fold over that in cells from control animals. 4. Thus, increased endothelial preproendothelin-1, and ETA receptor mRNA levels in smooth muscle cells, which are concomitant with the decrease in ETB receptor mRNA levels in endothelium, may contribute to CyA-induced hypertension in rats.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin production in chickens immunized with killed Salmonella enteritidis vaccine or experimental subunit vaccines.

Lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-6 levels in serum were measured as indicators of cell-mediated immunity after immunization of chickens with a commercial killed Salmonella enteritidis (SE) vaccine or experimental subunit vaccines of crude protein (CP) extract or the outer membrane protein (OMP). Significantly increased proliferative responses to SE flagella, but not lipopolysaccharide, porin, CP, or OMP, were observed at 1 wk postimmunizarion in the three vaccination groups. The responses to flagella were specific because flagella-induced proliferation was not seen in chickens immunized with adjuvant alone. Of the three immunization protocols, use of the killed SE vaccine appeared most effective because it induced higher flagella-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation at 1 and 2 wk postvaccination compared with the CP- and OMP-vaccinated groups. Significantly increased IL-2 and IL-6 levels in serum were seen at 1 wk postimmunization in the three vaccination groups compared with adjuvant alone, but there were no differences between the killed vaccine and the subunit vaccines at this time, and the levels of both lymphokines returned to baseline at 2 wk postimmunization. We conclude that cell-mediated immunity to SE after vaccination with the killed bacterial vaccine or subunit vaccines is transient and mainly limited to flagella.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Differences among six Salmonella serovars in abilities to colonize reproductive organs and to contaminate eggs in laying hens.

The abilities of Salmonella serovars to colonize the reproductive organs of chickens and to contaminate eggs were compared. Mature laying hens were inoculated intravenously with 10(5) colony-forming units of Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella infantis, Salmonella hadar, Salmonella heidelberg, or Salmonella montevideo to cause the systemic infection. Salmonella enteritidis was recovered from three yolks of the laid eggs (7.0%), suggesting egg contamination from the transovarian transmission of S. enteritidis. The liver, spleen, and cecum were colonized by each serovar similarly at 4 or 7 days postinoculation (PI), whereas the ovary and preovulatory follicles were colonized by S. enteritidis with significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels than by the other serovars at 4 and 7 days PI. Salmonella enteritidis was recovered from the cloaca and vagina at 2, 4, and 7 days PI and from the other portions of the oviduct at 4 and 7 days PI. In addition, S. enteritidis had been persistent in the peripheral blood for 7 days PI. These results suggest that S. enteritidis is the predominant serovar to colonize the reproductive organs of mature laying hens among six serovars used in this study, reflecting the field situatibn in which the predominant outbreaks of human salmonellosis were caused by S. enteritidis-contaminated eggs recently. The ability of S. enteritidis to colonize the reproductive organs may be one of the reasons that egg contamination with S. enteritidis has increased.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Differences in abilities to colonize reproductive organs and to contaminate eggs in intravaginally inoculated hens and in vitro adherences to vaginal explants between Salmonella enteritidis and other Salmonella serovars.

In Experiment 1, mature laying hens were inoculated intravaginally with 10(6) colony-forming units of Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis (S. enteritidis), Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella infantis, Salmonella hadar, Salmonella heidelberg, or Salmonella montevideo to compare their abilities to colonize the reproductive organs of chickens and to contaminate eggs. Salmonella enteritidis was more frequently recovered (from 11 of 40 eggs, 27.5%) than the other serovars, and especially the inner shell was contaminated with these organisms in 10 of 40 eggs (25.0%). The contamination rates and the viable counts in cloaca were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in hens inoculated with S. enteritidis than in those inoculated with the other serovars at 4 days postinoculation (PI). In the vagina, the positive rates were 90%-100% in hens inoculated with S. enteritidis, and the viable counts of the organisms in this portion were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of the other serovars at 2, 4, and 7 days PI. The ceca were colonized similarly by each serovar at 7 days PI. The spleen and ovary were infected with S. enteritidis in three and one hen, respectively. No Salmonella was recovered from liver and peripheral blood in any hen. Salmonella enteritidis was recovered from other oviductal portions than the vagina (10%-20%), whereas no forming egg was contaminated in the oviduct. In Experiment 2, the in vitro adherence of these six serovars to the vaginal epithelium was compared with vaginal explants. The mean number of S. enteritidis attaching to the secondary villi in the vaginal lumen was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of the other serovars. These results suggest that S. enteritidis has a specific advantage over the other Salmonella serovars by its capacity to colonize the vaginal tissues of hens, and this higher affinity of S. enteritidis to the vagina may play a significant role in the production of many S. enteritidis-contaminated eggs.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term observation of avascular necrosis of the femoral head in systemic lupus erythematosus: an MRI study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess long-term prognosis of clinically silent, early-stage avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Twenty-four hips that showed ANFH by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 13 patients with SLE were studied. All hips were radiographically normal and clinically asymptomatic. The percentage volume of necrotic bone was calculated at each study by dividing the sum of the necrotic areas by the sum of the femoral head areas from all MRI slices. Hips were also classified into three categories by the relation of the necrotic area to the weight bearing portion according to the system of the Japanese Investigation Committee for avascular necrosis of the femoral head, with modifications: Type A (medial lesions): 8 hips, Type B (central lesions): 4 hips, and Type C (lateral lesions): 12 hips. Patients were followed up with MRI for 12-95 (mean 51) months. RESULTS: Fifteen hips improved (more than 15% reduction in the volume of necrosis), 5 did not change and 4 worsened during the observation period. All hips with a volume of necrotic area less than 25% showed improvement. All but one Type A hip and one Type B hip improved, while the mean volume of necrosis did not change in Type C. The volume of the necrotic area was smaller in Type A & B than in Type C hips (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term prognosis of early-stage ANFH was favorable in patients with SLE when the necrotic area was small (less than 25%).

Adolescent↗