Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R G Miller

Publications and source records attributed to R G Miller.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Case-of-the-month: autosomal recessive myotonia congenita: marked muscle weakness in a 16-year-old boy.

A 16-year-old boy had a 10-year history of stiffness in leg muscles. There was marked weakness of neck flexors, shoulder abductors, and ankle dorsiflexors, with hypertrophy of most muscle groups and both action and percussion myotonia. The parents were normal. Motor unit potential mean duration was reduced in the weakest muscle (tibialis anterior), and a biopsy of the same muscle showed only minimal abnormalities. Exercise and repetitive stimulation (30 Hz) of the tibialis anterior disclosed a decline in the compound muscle action potential that appeared to correlate with the muscular weakness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Dantrolene sodium and fatigue of long duration.

A long-lasting impairment of muscular force generation follows fatiguing exercise (fatigue of long duration), the physiological basis of which is not well understood. To investigate the role of reduced calcium release in long-lasting fatigue, we examined the effects of dantrolene sodium, which selectively decreases calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The drug impaired muscle function in a pattern identical to that of long-lasting fatigue. The results are consistent with either independent effects of dantrolene and exercise at the same site in the excitation-contraction coupling chain, or independent actions at separate serial sites.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Characterization of alpha beta+ CD4- CD8- CTL lines isolated from mixed lymphocyte cultures of adult mouse spleen cells.

Several CD4- CD8- and CD4- CD8+ T cell lines and clones have been isolated from the same mixed lymphocyte cultures. They express the alpha beta T cell receptor, are CD3+, V beta 8- and heat stable antigen-, and exhibit highly specific cytolytic activity mapping to H2Db. However, monoclonal antibody against H2Db failed to block lysis by CD4- CD8- cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). One possible explanation is that the "double negative" cytotoxic T lymphocytes may recognize H2Db in the context of other class I molecules (Qa/Tla). CD4 and CD8 could be detected on some lines cloned in high concentrations of EL4 supernatant and the cell surface expression was influenced by growth conditions. The alpha beta+ CD4- CD8- CTL described in this report are clearly different from the so-called "autoimmune double negatives" which suggests a function for them in normal immune responses.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Surgical trauma, Candida infection, and serum proteolytic activity.

Both surgical trauma and infection can disturb the proteinase to proteinase inhibitor balance in the circulation. We sought to assess the effect of Candida albicans infection (INFX) on postoperative mortality, to correlate mortality with total serum proteolytic activity (PA), and to assess the impact of exogenous proteinase inhibitors (PI) on this mortality. Mice underwent midline laparotomy (LAP) and immediate postoperative intravenous C. albicans infection. LAP + INFX shortened mean survival compared to INFX or LAP alone. Quantitative renal cultures confirmed that death in the LAP + INFX and INFX groups was due to Candida sepsis. PA was measured using an 125I-labeled protein assay, yielding micrograms of acid-soluble peptides/100 microliters of serum. In control, sham-operated, and LAP groups, PA averaged less than 9.0, and mortality was 0. In INFX and LAP + INFX groups, PA averaged greater than 14.5 and mortality was high. To determine if high PA was related to high mortality, LAP + INFX mice were treated immediately preoperatively with a single dose of PI (1 mg alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, 1 mg antithrombin, and 1000 KIU aprotinin). Mean survival increased with PI treatment. In conclusion, the addition of Candida infection to surgical trauma hastened mean time to death. More rapid death correlated with elevated PA and may reflect systemic imbalance in the proteinase to proteinase inhibitor ratio in the circulation. PI improved survival, suggesting that proteinase inhibition may prove useful in the future in the treatment of fungal sepsis in surgical patients.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Peripheral tolerance through clonal deletion of mature CD4-CD8+ T cells.

Transgenic mice bearing the alpha beta transgenes encoding a defined T cell receptor specific for the male (H-Y) antigen presented by the H-2Db class I MHC molecule were used to study mechanisms of peripheral tolerance. Female transgenic mice produce large numbers of functionally homogeneous CD8+ male antigen-reactive T cells in the thymus that subsequently accumulate in the peripheral lymphoid organs. We have used three experimental approaches to show that male reactive CD8+ T cells can be eliminated from peripheral lymphoid organs after exposure to male antigen. (i) In female transgenic mice that were neonatally tolerized with male spleen cells, male reactive CD8+ T cells continued to be produced in large numbers in the thymus but were virtually absent in the lymph nodes. (ii) Injection of thymocytes from female transgenic mice into female mice neonatally tolerized with the male antigen, or into normal male mice, led to the specific elimination of male-reactive CD8+ T cells in the lymph nodes. (iii) Four days after male lymphoid cells were injected intravenously into female transgenic mice, male antigen-reactive CD8+ T cells recovered from the lymph nodes of recipient mice were highly apoptotic when compared to CD4+ (non-male reactive) T cells. These data indicate that tolerance to extrathymic antigen can be achieved through elimination of mature T cells in the peripheral lymphoid organs.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Rapid and long-term changes to host cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors reactive to donor antigens caused by intravenous injection of histoincompatible lymphocytes.

It has been shown previously that a single intravenous injection of mouse F1 LNC into either parent results in a rapid reduction in the ability of the recipient to generate CTL reactive against donor antigens in an in vitro MLR. The underlying mechanism appears to be the inactivation of host CTL precursors that can recognize donor lymphocytes that have entered the recirculating pool. The donor lymphocytes may be acting as functionally deleting APC, or veto cells. Here, we have injected C57BL/6 (B6) mice with (C57BL/6 x DBA/2) F1 (F1) LNC. The CTL response against donor LNC was maximally reduced by 2 days and stayed reduced for at least 6 weeks, but ultimately recovered to normal levels. The response reduction mechanism remained operative during the period when the response was reduced: Fresh FITC-labeled B6 LNC introduced into B6 recipients of an earlier injection of F1 LNC were as effectively deleted of F1-reactive CTLp as the original host B6 LNC population, the fresh FITC-labelled B6 LNC being separated from host B6 LNC by cell sorting before testing. When B6 mice injected with F1 LNC ultimately recovered their response against F1 donor antigens, reinjection of F1 LNC did not induce a new response reduction. Instead of entering the recirculating pool, the injected F1 cells were rapidly removed by a specific immune process.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Influence of human muscle length on energy transduction studied by 31P-NMR.

Muscle contractions at lengths below the optimum for force development were previously found to cause less fatigue than contractions at the optimum length (Lo). Decreased fatigability was suggested to arise from fewer cross-bridge interactions in shortened sarcomeres. In the present study, this suggestion was tested by monitoring energy use of human ankle dorsiflexor muscles during and after contractions at Lo and shortened lengths (Ls) with phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectra indicated similar rates of ATP use during contractions at Lo and Ls. Phosphocreatine, at an initial concentration of 37 mM, was reduced to an equivalent extent by 2 min of ischemic exercise at Lo (to 2.3 mM) and Ls (to 4.7 mM). Changes in pH (indicating glycolytic ATP production) were also equivalent at Lo and Ls. Exercise caused pH to fall from an initial level of 7.07 to 6.5 at Lo and to 6.53 at Ls. In relation to previous experiments performed under similar conditions on human ankle dorsiflexor muscles, the present experiments suggest that in shortened muscle the decreased force found in this and previous studies and the decreased fatigability that was previously found may not be simply due to fewer cross-bridge interactions in shortened sarcomeres. Examination of the relationships between developed force and levels of metabolites suggests that changes of force during fatigue and recovery correlate better with intracellular [Pi] and H2PO4- than with [H+].

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1992

Mononeuritis multiplex associated with cryoglobulinemia in HIV infection.

We describe a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who developed mononeuritis multiplex associated with polyclonal (type III) cryoglobulinemia. The patient's symptoms stabilized following treatment with plasmapheresis and removal of the cryoglobulin. Our case represents the first report of polyclonal cryoglobulinemia in HIV disease and suggests that cryoglobulinemia may play an etiologic role in some patients with HIV-associated neuropathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Programmed cell death of T cells signaled by the T cell receptor and the alpha 3 domain of class I MHC.

As well as being activated or rendered unresponsive, mature T lymphocytes can be deleted, depending on the signals received by the cell. Deletion by programmed cell death (apoptosis) is triggered if a T cell that has received a signal through its T cell receptor complex also receives a signal through the alpha 3 domain of its class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule. Such a signal can be delivered by a CD8 molecule, which recognizes the alpha 3 domain, or by an antibody to this domain. Precursors of both cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL's) and T helper cells are sensitive to this signal but become resistant at some point before completing differentiation into functioning CTL's or T helper cells. Because CTL's carry CD8, they can induce cell death in T cells that recognize them. This pathway may be important in both removal of autoreactive T cells and immunoregulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

In vivo functional clonal deletion of recipient CD4+ T helper precursor cells that can recognize class II MHC on injected donor lymphoid cells.

Intravenous injection of semiallogeneic (C57BL/6XDBA/2)F1 lymphocytes into adult C57BL/6 recipient mice not only, as previously reported, reduces the recipients' cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in a subsequent in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction against the injected cell type, but also reduces Th cell function in the same MLR. Thus lymphoid cells derived from the injected mice were greatly reduced in their ability to proliferate and to produce IL-2 in response to (C57BL/6XDBA/2)F1 stimulator cells in vitro, whereas third party responses were unaffected. This appears to be due to a reduction in the precursor frequency of IL-2-producing T lymphocytes specific for the injected cells as measured by limiting dilution analysis. Similar donor-specific reduction in the frequency of precursors of IL-2-producing cells was seen after i.v. injection of A.TL lymphocytes into A.TH recipients (differing at class II determinants I-A and I-E, but identical at K and D). Here there also appeared to be a functional clonal deletion of precursors of IL-2-producing Th cells, shown directly to be class II MHC reactive and CD4+. There is strong evidence that the reduction of class I-specific cytotoxic responses in the injected mice is a manifestation of donor cells that function as veto cells, i.e., that function as deletional APC that inactivate class I-reactive CTL precursors that recognize them. Our data in this study show that class II-specific Th responses are similarly reduced in the injected mice and suggest that CD4+ class II-reactive precursors of Th cells may be functionally inactivated in vivo by donor cells via a veto-like mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Dependence of mouse thymocyte-erythrocyte rosette formation on complete identity at class-I-MHC.

Mouse thymocytes and erythrocytes form rosettes when incubated together at 4 degrees C. The frequency is much higher when the thymocytes and erythrocytes are MHC-identical. If the indolizidine alkaloid swainsonine (SW) is present during rosette formation at concentrations of 1 microgram/ml (5.7 microM) or greater, rosette formation between MHC-identical pairs is inhibited to levels comparable to those observed for MHC-different pairs; rosette formation by MHC-different pairs is not affected. This was confirmed by examining 17 different MHC-identical combinations (9 completely syngeneic and 8 differing in non-MHC genes) and 13 MHC-different combinations (3 of these identical everywhere except at MHC). A SW-inhibitable component of rosette formation was observed only when thymocyte and erythrocyte were completely identical at MHC. Thus F1-parent pairs behaved as if allogeneic, although both F1-F1 and parent-parent had a SW-inhibitable rosetting component. Similarly, inbred strains only partially MHC-identical (B10.BR-B10.A, B10.D2-B10.A) behaved as if allogeneic. The SW-inhibitable component of rosetting could be partially but significantly blocked by including monoclonal antibodies against Thy-1, and anti-CD4 plus anti-CD8 (together but not separately); anti-class-I-MHC produced some inhibition of marginal significance. Monoclonal antibodies against class-I-MHC, LFA-1, and CD3 did not block. Pretreatment of erythrocytes with neuraminidase, greatly reduced the SW-inhibitable component of rosetting. The SW effect would appear to be due to a direct interaction of SW with a cell surface structure involved in syngeneic rosette formation rather than the known ability of SW to block the processing of N-linked sugar structures. The results are consistent with cell surface lectins and cell surface sugars playing a role in rosette formation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

AAEM case report #1: ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.

A patient with bilateral cubital syndrome complicated by anomalous innervation is presented. The electrodiagnostic approach to patients with this neuropathy is reviewed emphasizing new developments. The interpretation of the findings in this patient centers around issues of pathophysiology and methodology.

Axons↗
PubMed1991

Effect of culture media on lymphokine-activated killer effector phenotype and lytic capacity.

We compared the ability of murine lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells grown in either a serum-supplemented "standard" medium (alpha MEM plus fetal calf serum) or a serum-free medium (AIM-V) to lyse a range of tumour targets. LAK cells grown in either of the media killed a cultured murine tumour line (YAC-1 lymphoma) well and spared syngeneic "self" cells (concanavalin-A-stimulated splenocytes). However, a striking difference was noted in the ability of LAK cells grown in alpha MEM plus fetal calf serum (as opposed to AIM-V) to kill "modified self" cells (trinitrophenol-modified concanavalin A blasts); LAK cells grown in the former always killed modified self cells better than those grown in the latter. This pattern held under a broad range of experimental manipulations and was found to be related to a relative increase in CD3-bearing LAK cells grown in the standard medium. These data suggest that the two media cannot be used interchangeably. This conclusion may have clinical implications for the use of LAK cells, as animal studies have been done using LAK cells generated in serum-containing medium and clinical studies have used LAK cells generated in serum-free medium.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Heterogeneity of the lymphokine-activated killer cell phenotype.

Lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK) are functionally defined by their ability to mediate the MHC-unrestricted lysis of a range of tumor targets, while sparing normal cells. They can also lyse TNP-modified normal syngeneic lymphoblasts. We show here that lysis of TNP-modified targets is mediated by CD8+ LAK in a self-MHC-restricted manner, whereas lysis of tumor targets is largely by CD8- LAK and is MHC-unrestricted. LAK generated from the immune-deficient strains Balb/c nude and C.B-17 scid lyse tumor targets as effectively as LAK from normal mice but do not lyse TNP-modified normal targets. Further, lysis of TNP-modified targets, but not tumors, can be inhibited by antibody to the T cell receptor complex. These experiments strongly suggest that recognition of TNP-modified targets is not accomplished by the same mechanism as that of tumors. Rather, they are consistent with recognition of TNP-modified targets by CD8+ LAK cells being mediated via recognition through the T cell receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Infarct of the conus medullaris simulating a spinal cord tumor: case report.

A 71-year-old woman had the sudden onset of a neurogenic bladder and a stepwise increase in paraparesis that left her unable to stand or walk. Magnetic resonance imaging showed what appeared to be a tumor in the conus medullaris. After laminectomy, the lesion was localized by ultrasound examination, and a biopsy was performed. The deficits remained unchanged postoperatively. Microscopic examination of the biopsy specimen showed necrosis and pathologic changes consistent with infarction of the conus medullaris. An anomalous arterial supply of the conus medullaris is the most likely cause of this unusual problem. The patient gradually regained her ability to walk, but the neurogenic bladder persists.

Aged↗