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Visualization of turbulent wedges under favorable pressure gradients using shear-sensitive and temperature-sensitive liquid crystals.

Turbulent wedges induced by a three-dimensional surface roughness placed on a flat plate were studied using both shear sensitive and temperature sensitive liquid crystals, respectively denoted by SSLC and TSLC. The experiments were carried out at a free-stream velocity of 28 m/sec at three different favorable pressure gradients. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the spreading angles of the turbulent wedges, as indicated by their associated surface shear stresses and heat transfer characteristics, and to obtain more insight about the behavior of transitional momentum and thermal boundary layers when a streamwise pressure gradient exists. It was shown that under a zero pressure gradient the spreading angles indicated by the two types of liquid crystals are the same, but the difference increases as the level of the favorable pressure gradient increases. The result from the present study is important for modelling the transition of thermal boundary layers over gas turbine blades.

Journal Article↗

Increased extrajunctional acetylcholine sensitivity produced by chronic acetylcholine sensitivity produced by chronic post-synaptic neuromuscular blockade.

1. Anaesthetized rats were paralysed for periods of up to 3 days by chronic administration of D-tubocurarine (DTC), succinylcholine or alpha-bungarotoxin. 2. After 3 days of treatment with DTC, the phrenic nerve remained active. Neuromuscular transmission and spontaneous miniature end-plate potentials (m.e.p.p.s) were restored after removal of the DTC. Resting potentials and input resistances of muscle fibres that had been paralysed for 3 days were similar to those in denervated fibers. 3. Chronic neuromuscular blockade increased the binding of [125-I]-alpha-bungarotoxin by extrajunctional regions of muscle. The time course of the increase was similar to that seen after denervation. Binding to muscles from animals that were anaesthetized and respirated, but not paralysed, was not increased. 4. Three days of paralysis increased the sensitivity of the extrajunctional muscle membrane to acetylcholine (ACh) applied by iontophoresis. 5. Approximately the same proportion of muscle fibres from muscles paralysed for 3 days gave overshooting action potentials in the presence of tetrodotoxin 10-minus 6 g/ml. as did fibres form muscles denervated for 3 days. 6. Chronic paralysis did not change the accumulation of acetylcholinesterase above a ligation in the sciatic nerve. 7. These results are consistent with the idea that extrajunctional ACh sensitivity is normally controlled by muscle activity.

Acetylcholine↗

Dihydropyridine-sensitive and omega-conotoxin-sensitive calcium channels in a mammalian neuroblastoma-glioma cell line.

1. Pharmacological and kinetic properties of high-voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ channel currents were studied using the whole-cell and perforated patch-clamp methods in a mouse neuroblastoma and rat glioma hybrid cell line, NG108-15, differentiated by dibutyryl cyclic AMP or by prostaglandin E1 and theophylline. 2. The HVA currents were separated into two components by use of two organic Ca2+ channel antagonists, omega-conotoxin GVIA (omega CgTX) and a dihydropyridine (DHP) compound, nifedipine. One current component, IDHP, was blocked by nifedipine (Kd = 8.2 nM) and was resistant to omega CgTX. Conversely, the other component, I omega CgTX, was irreversibly blocked by omega CgTX and was resistant to DHPs. Thus, IDHP could be studied in isolation by a short application of omega CgTX, while I omega CgTX could be studied in the presence of nifedipine. 3. The voltage for half-activation of IDHP was smaller than that of I omega CgTX by 13 mV. IDHP was activated at potentials that were subthreshold for voltage-dependent K+ currents of the cell, whereas I omega CgTX was not. 4. Time courses of activation and deactivation of IDHP were faster than those of I omega CgTX. 5. Voltage-dependent inactivation was small for both IDHP and I omega CgTX at any potential. 6. Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation of IDHP was faster and more prominent than that of I omega CgTX. The time course of the Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation of IDHP, but not I omega CgTX, was slowed as the membrane potential was made more positive between -20 and 30 mV, although amplitude of the current was increased. 7. Alkaline earth metal ions carried the two components of IHVA in the same order: Ba2+ greater than Sr2+ greater than Ca2+. 8. Metal ions blocked the two components of IHVA in the same order of potency: Gd3+ greater than La3+ greater than Cd2+ greater than Cu2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Ni2+. 9. An alkylating agent, N-ethylmaleimide (NEM, 0.1 mM), selectively augmented IDHP by 30%. 10. During the course of cellular differentiation induced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, IDHP appeared earlier than I omega CgTX. 11. These results indicate that two classes of Ca2+ channels contribute to the HVA currents of this cell line. The DHP-sensitive channel is more apt to generate Ca2+ spikes and Ca2+ plateau potentials than the omega CgTX-sensitive channel.

3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethy↗

Sodium dodecyl sulfate-sensitive septation in a mitomycin C-sensitive, mtc, mutant of Escherichia coli.

A mitomycin C-sensitive, mtc, mutant of Escherichia coli has an altered cell surface and is sensitive to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The mutant, M27, formed multinucleate nonseptated filaments in the presence of a low concentration of SDS (50 microgram/ml). When the culture grown at that concentration of SDS was diluted with an SDS-free medium, the filaments began to divide at a very rapid rate after a lag of about 20 min. Chloramphenicol inhibited this recovery division when added within 10 min after SDS dilution but did not inhibit the division when added 20 min after dilution. Penicillin G at a low concentration, which is enough to cause filamentation, had virtually no effect on the recovery division of SDS-induced filaments. The division of penicillin G-induced filaments was inhibited by SDS.

Chloramphenicol↗

Overexpression of yccL (gnsA) and ydfY (gnsB) increases levels of unsaturated fatty acids and suppresses both the temperature-sensitive fabA6 mutation and cold-sensitive secG null mutation of Escherichia coli.

A multicopy suppressor of the cold-sensitive secG null mutation was isolated. The suppressor contained sfa and yccL, the former of which has been reported to be a multicopy suppressor of the fabA6 mutation carried by a temperature-sensitive unsaturated fatty acid auxotroph. Subcloning of the suppressor gene revealed that yccL, renamed gnsA (secG null mutant suppressor), was responsible for the suppression of both the secG null mutation and the fabA6 mutation. In contrast, the sfa gene did not suppress the fabA6 mutation. The ydfY (gnsB) gene, encoding a protein which is highly similar to GnsA, also suppressed both the secG null mutation and the fabA6 mutation. Although both gnsA and gnsB are linked to cold shock genes, the levels of GnsA and GnsB did not exhibit a cold shock response. A gnsA-gnsB double null mutant grew normally under all conditions examined; thus, the in vivo functions of gnsA and gnsB remain unresolved. However, overexpression of gnsA and gnsB stimulated proOmpA translocation of the secG null mutant at low temperature and caused a significant increase in the unsaturated fatty acid content of phospholipids. Taken together, these results suggest that an increase in membrane fluidity due to the increase in unsaturated fatty acids compensates for the absence of the SecG function, especially at low temperature.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

Comparable sensitivities for detection of human immunodeficiency virus by sensitive reverse transcriptase and antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

The sensitive overnight reverse transcriptase and the antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were tested for their ability to detect human immunodeficiency virus. The two assays were able to quantitate as few as 75 to 130 virus particles. Thus, both tests offer similar sensitivities for determining the presence of the virus.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Control of protein synthesis by a temperature-sensitive mutant of reovirus 3. I. Temperature-sensitive function of ts261-b mutant.

The ability of a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of reovirus, ts261-b, to synthesize virus-specific RNAs and proteins during infection at the nonpermissive temperature (37 degrees C) was investigated. The relative amounts of the mutant virus-specific single-stranded (ss) RNA's and double-stranded (ds) RNA's synthesized in cells at 37 degrees C were 20 to 25% as much as those synthesized in the wild-type virus-infected cells. The 10 segments of the mutant ds RNAs and the three size classes of the ss RNAs were synthesized in the usual proportions. The methylation of the mutant viral mRNA's (ss RNAs) was not blocked at 37 degrees C in infected cells. A striking temperature-sensitive restricted function of the ts261-b mutant was expressed in the synthesis of the viral proteins. This study, which uses an in vitro protein-synthesizing system reconstituted with an endogenous polysomal fraction and a postribosomal supernatant from reovirus-infected cells, has demonstrated that the endogenous polysomes obtained from ts261-b mutant-infected cells at 37 degrees C are not active in the synthesis of the viral polypeptides of known molecular weights, and the amounts of the mutant viral polypeptides synthesized in vitro by these polysomes are 5 to 9% of those synthesized by the corresponding fraction from wild-type-infected cells. The impaired protein-synthesizing capacity of the mutant virus-specific polysomes can be restored during maintenance of the infected cells at 30 degrees C after shift-down from 37 degrees C. The in vitro synthesis of viral polypeptides of known size by the active endogenous polysomes derived from cells infected at the permissive temperature is accelerated by the addition of the postribosomal supernatant obtained from cells infected at the permissive temperature. The postribosomal supernatant from mutant-infected cells at 37 degrees C did not have a stimulatory effect, but rather, it inhibited in vitro viral protein synthesis.

Cell-Free System↗

Temperature-sensitive transformation by Rous sarcoma virus and temperature-sensitive protein kinase activity.

The transforming protein of Rous sarcoma virus, p60src, has associated with it a protein kinase activity. We examined whether a correlation exists between the cellular concentration of enzymatically active p60src and the degree to which chick cells are transformed by mutants of Rous sarcoma virus which are temperature-sensitive for transformation. Such a correlation does exist, but cells infected with some mutants could be shown to contain, at the nonpermissive temperature, an amount of protein kinase activity equal to 30 to 40% of that in a wild-type transformed cell. We quantified the amount of virus-induced protein kinase activity by precipitation of p60src with an excess of antitumor antiserum. Our initial measurements of activity were serious underestimates, due to the lability of the protein kinase activity associated with p60src of at least four temperature-sensitive mutants. In fact, no activity at all was associated with p60src of tsLA90 when immunoprecipitation was performed by standard means. However, when immunoprecipitation was performed with procedures which minimize inactivation, it became apparent both that cells transformed by tsLA90 contained protein kinase activity and that cells infected with either NY68 or BK5 contained at the nonpermissive temperature, one-third to one-half as much activity as wild-type transformed cells. This level of activity was much more than that arising from p60sarc in uninfected cells. In uninfected cells we found an amount of protein kinase activity which varied from 3 to 5% as much as that in a virally transformed cell. The lability of the protein kinase activity of each of these mutants is a further demonstration that this activity is essential for the transformation of cells by Rous sarcoma virus. So as to explain the high protein kinase levels in cells infected with NY68 and BK5 at the nonpermissive temperature, the idea that transformation may be a response to a small quantitative change in the total activity of p60src and the possibility that there may be more than one viral function which is essential for transformation are discussed.

Animals↗

Nuclease sensitivity of the mouse HPRT gene promoter region: differential sensitivity on the active and inactive X chromosomes.

We investigated the conformation of the X-linked mouse hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase gene (HPRT) promoter region both in chromatin from the active and inactive X chromosomes with DNase I and in naked supercoiled DNA with S1 nuclease. A direct comparison of the chromatin structures of the active and inactive mouse HPRT promoter regions was performed by simultaneous DNase I treatment of the active and inactive X chromosomes in the nucleus of interspecies hybrid cells from Mus musculus and Mus caroli. Using a restriction fragment length polymorphism to distinguish between the active and inactive HPRT promoters, we found a small but very distinct difference in the DNase I sensitivity of active versus inactive chromatin. We also observed a single DNase I-hypersensitive site in the immediate area of the promoter which was present only on the active X chromosome. Analysis of the promoter region by S1 nuclease digestion of supercoiled plasmid DNA showed an S1-sensitive site which maps adjacent to or within the DNase I-hypersensitive site found in chromatin but upstream of the region minimally required for normal HPRT gene expression.

Animals↗

Corneal sensitivity and correlations between decreased sensitivity and anterior segment pathology in ocular leprosy.

Leprosy is one of the leading causes of corneal hyposensitivity. In this article the corneal sensitivity of 143 leprosy patients was examined, and correlations between corneal hyposensitivity and anterior segment pathology were detected. Twenty four healthy volunteers were examined as controls. Various degrees of corneal loss of sensitivity were found in 46.2% of leprosy patients. Lagophthalmos, chronic lepromatous granulomatous uveitis, iris atrophy, and social blindness were found 4.5-16.6 times more frequently in eyes which developed severe corneal hyposensitivity.

Adult↗

Low baroreflex sensitivity predisposes to salt-sensitive hypertension in the rabbit.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an increase in dietary salt on blood pressure (BP), Na+ balance, and plasma renin activity (PRA) in normotensive rabbits bred for differences in cardiac baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Food and fluid intake, BP, heart rate, body weight, PRA, hematocrit, and creatinine clearance were monitored weekly and Na+ balance daily for 3 wk each on normal NaCl (8 meq/day) and high salt (32 meq/day) in 27 rabbits of the second and third generation of animals bred for high BRS (group I, 6.1 +/- 0.3 beats.min-1.mmHg-1, n = 9) or low BRS (group II, 3.61 +/- 0.1 beats.min-1.mmHg-1, n = 18). BRS was assessed in each animal on normal salt and at the end of the high-salt period. Both systolic and diastolic BP rose by > 10 mmHg in 50% of group II and by < 5 mmHg in the remainder and in all group I. The rise in BP was associated with Na+ and fluid retention and weight gain during the first 2 wk, which returned to presalt levels by the 3rd wk, although BP continued to rise. The lack of effect on BP in the remaining nine group II was associated with a marked sensitization of their BRS by the high salt to 6 +/- 0.4 beats.min-1.mmHg-1. BRS remained unchanged in the other rabbits. A highly significant correlation (P < 0.001) was found between the increment of BP and BRS after 3 wk of raised salt intake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Alterations in ATP-sensitive potassium channel sensitivity to ATP in failing human hearts.

Little is known about the involvement of preexisting heart disease on characteristics of ATP-sensitive K+ channels [I[K(ATP)]] in human heart. We have characterized I[K(ATP)] in isolated cardiac myocytes from patients with congestive heart failure (HF) and compared these channel characteristics with those from donor hearts (healthy control) using the patch-clamp technique. During metabolic inhibition induced by treatment with cyanide (1 mM) and 2-deoxyglucose (10 mM), action potential shortening occurred in atrial myocytes isolated from both HF and donors, but this response was significantly greater and sooner in HF than in donors. The action potential duration at 90% repolarization was 24.7 +/- 4.1% (n = 15) of control in HF, whereas it was 58.7 +/- 5.9% (n = 10, P < 0.001) of control in donors measured at 30-min metabolic inhibition. The shortening of the action potential was partially reversed by glibenclamide (0.5 microM) in both groups. Consistent with the action potential measurements, the whole cell membrane current response to metabolic inhibition, evaluated by the differential current measurement, was sooner and greater in HF than in donors. Single-channel atrial I[K(ATP)] from both HF and donors, recorded in the excised inside-out patch configuration, exhibited bursting opening, conductance, and gating behaviors that did not differ between the two groups. However, the concentration of ATP at half-maximal inhibition of the channel in HF was greater (131.0 microM) than in donors (26.1 microM). We conclude that I[K(ATP)] in cardiac myocytes from patients with HF has channel characteristics substantially similar to those in donors, but that the channel is less sensitive to ATP inhibition in HF than in donors.

Action Potentials↗

Polarization-sensitive and light-sensitive neurons in two parallel pathways passing through the anterior optic tubercle in the locust brain.

Many migrating animals use a sun compass for long-range navigation. One of the guiding cues used by insects is the polarization pattern of the blue sky. In the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria, neurons of the central complex, a neuropil in the center of the brain, are sensitive to polarized light and might serve a key role in compass navigation. Visual pathways to the central complex include signal processing in the upper and lower units of the anterior optic tubercle. To determine whether these pathways carry polarization-vision signals, we have recorded the responses of interneurons of the optic tubercle of the locust to visual stimuli including polarized light. All neurons of the lower unit but only one of five recorded neurons of the upper unit of the tubercle were sensitive to linearly polarized light presented in the dorsal visual field. These neurons showed polarization opponency, or a sinusoidal modulation of activity, during stimulation through a rotating polarizer. Two types of bilateral interneurons preferred particular e-vector orientations, reflecting the presence of bilateral pairs of these neurons in the brain. We show here for the first time neurons with projections to the lateral accessory lobe that are suited to provide polarization input to the central complex. All neurons of the tubercle, furthermore, responded to unpolarized light, mostly with tonic activity changes. These responses strongly depended on stimulus position and might reflect navigation-relevant signals such as direct sunlight or visual landmarks that are integrated with polarization responses in neurons of the lower unit.

Action Potentials↗

Corticotropin-releasing hormone reduces pressure pain sensitivity in humans without involvement of beta-endorphin(1-31), but does not reduce heat pain sensitivity.

In the present study the effects of intravenously administered corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) on the release of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) derivatives such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH) and beta-endorphin (beta-END) as well as direct effects of CRH on pain sensitivity were examined. In 16 healthy volunteers we studied the effects of 100 microg intravenously administered CRH in absence or presence of 12 mg naloxone on heat or pressure pain sensitivity, using a double-blind, cross-over and placebo-controlled design. To evaluate analgesic effects of CRH via release of POMC derivatives, we determined plasma concentrations of beta-END-immunoreactive material (IRM), authentic beta-END (beta-END(1-31)) and beta-LPH IRM, in parallel with heat and pressure pain tolerance thresholds before and 15 and 30 min after treatment with CRH (or placebo), and 5 min after naloxone (or placebo) administration which was administered 40 min after CRH (or placebo) injection. CRH increased levels of beta-END IRM, beta-END(1-31) and beta-LPH IRM. As compared to beta-END IRM levels measured by a commercial RIA kit, the beta-END(1-31) levels determined by a highly specific two-site RIA, proved to be remarkably small. Furthermore, CRH did not induce increases of heat pain tolerance thresholds, but of pressure pain tolerance thresholds, which, however, were not reversible by naloxone. Neither beta-END nor beta-LPH IRM nor beta-END(1-31) levels correlated with heat or pressure pain tolerance thresholds. We conclude that CRH does not modulate heat, but pressure pain; POMC derivatives like beta-END IRM, beta-END(1-31) or beta-LPH do not mediate this effect.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Antigen-induced release of histamine from passively sensitized guinea pig lung slices. I. Optimum conditions for in vitro passive sensitization and challenge with antigen.

The effect of several parameters (pH, Ca++ concentration, time, temperature, lung slice size) on in vitro antigen-induced histamine release from passively sensitized guinea pig lung slices was investigated. With respect to pH, Ca++ concentration and time, the optimal conditions for the passive sensitization step (pH 7.8, Ca++ 1.5 mM, 2 h) were distinctly different from those for the antigen challenge step (pH 8.2, Ca++ 10mM, 15 min). Maximum antigen-induced release was obtained with 3 X 0.25 X 0.25 mm lung slices at 37 degrees C using air as gas phase.

Air↗

Degeneration of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves leads to increased salt sensitivity through enhancement of sympathoexcitatory response.

We have previously shown that neonatal degeneration of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves renders a rat responsive to a salt load with an increase in blood pressure and a decrease in natriuretic response. To test the hypothesis that the enhanced sympathoexcitatory response to a high salt intake contributes to the development of hypertension in this model, newborn Wistar rats were given 50 mg/kg capsaicin and/or 80 mg/kg guanethidine subcutaneously. Control rats were treated with vehicle. After the weaning period, male rats were grouped as the following and given a high sodium diet (4%) for 2 weeks: capsaicin and guanethidine coadministration (CAP-GUA), capsaicin only (CAP), guanethidine only (GUA), and vehicle control (CON). Norepinephrine concentrations in the atrium were significantly lower in CAP-GUA and GUA than in CON rats (P<0.05). Twenty-four-hour urine and sodium excretions were significantly lower in CAP than in CAP-GUA, GUA, and CON rats (P<0.05). Mean arterial pressure (mm Hg) was significantly higher in CAP (180+/-10) than in CAP-GUA (106+/-1), GUA (133+/-5), and CON (122+/-3) rats (P<0.05). Thus, sympathectomy restores the natriuretic response to a high salt intake and prevents the development of salt-sensitive hypertension induced by sensory denervation. These data indicate that sensory nerves counterbalance the prohypertensive effect of the sympathetic nerves to maintain blood pressure within normal range during salt loading.

Animals↗

Vasopressin-induced protein kinase C-dependent superoxide generation contributes to atp-sensitive potassium channel but not calcium-sensitive potassium channel function impairment after brain injury.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pial artery dilation in response to activators of the ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) and calcium-sensitive K(+) (K(Ca)) channels is impaired after fluid percussion brain injury (FPI). Vasopressin, when coadministered with the K(ATP) and K(Ca) channel agonists cromakalim and NS1619 in a concentration approximating that observed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after FPI, blunted K(ATP) and K(Ca) channel-mediated vasodilation. Vasopressin also contributes to impaired K(ATP) and K(Ca) channel vasodilation after FPI. In addition, protein kinase C (PKC) activation generates superoxide anion (O(2)(-)), which in turn contributes to K(ATP) channel impairment after FPI. We tested whether vasopressin generates O(2)(-) in a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent manner, which could link vasopressin release to impaired K(ATP) and K(Ca) channel-induced pial artery dilation after FPI. METHODS: Injury of moderate severity (1.9 to 2.1 atm) was produced with the lateral FPI technique in anesthetized newborn pigs equipped with a closed cranial window. Superoxide dismutase-inhibitable nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction was determined as an index of O(2)(-) generation. RESULTS: Under sham injury conditions, topical vasopressin (40 pg/mL, the concentration present in CSF after FPI) increased superoxide dismutase-inhibitable NBT reduction from 1+/-1 to 23+/-4 pmol/mm(2). Chelerythrine (10(-7) mol/L, a PKC inhibitor) blunted such NBT reduction (1+/-1 to 9+/-2 pmol/mm(2)), whereas the vasopressin antagonist l-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylene propionic acid)2-(o-methyl)-Tyr-arginine vasopressin (MEAVP) blocked NBT reduction. Chelerythrine and MEAVP also blunted the NBT reduction observed after FPI (1+/-1 to 15+/-1, 1+/-1 to 4+/-1, and 1+/-1 to 5+/-1 pmol/mm(2) for sham-, chelerythrine-, and MEAVP-treated animals, respectively). Under sham injury conditions, vasopressin (40 pg/mL) coadministered with cromakalim or NS1619 blunted dilation in response to these K(+) channel agonists, whereas chelerythrine partially restored such impaired vasodilation for cromakalim but not NS1619. Cromakalim- and NS1619-induced pial artery dilation also was blunted after FPI. MEAVP partially protected dilation to both K(+) channel agonists after FPI, whereas chelerythrine did so for only cromakalim responses (for cromakalim at 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/L, 13+/-1% and 23+/-1%, 2+/-1% and 5+/-1%, 9+/-1% and 15+/-2%, and 9+/-1% and 16+/-2% for sham-, FPI-, FPI-MEAVP-, and FPI-chelerythrine-pretreated animals, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These data show that vasopressin, in concentrations present in CSF after FPI, increased O(2)(-) production in a PKC-dependent manner and contributes to such production after FPI. These data show that vasopressin contributes to K(ATP) but not K(Ca) channel function impairment in a PKC-dependent manner after FPI and suggest that vasopressin contributes to K(Ca) channel function impairment after FPI via a mechanism independent of PKC activation.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

An in vitro model of gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Effect of gliadin on intestinal epithelial cells of patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy in organ culture.

Jejunal biopsy specimens from patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy (GSE) (obtained during gluten challenge) as well as from normal individuals and patients with other gastrointestinal abnormalities were cultured in vitro for 48 h in the presence or absence of a peptic-tryptic digest (P-T digest) of gliadin. In the absence of gliadin the alkaline phosphatase activity in the biopsy specimens obtained from normal control individuals increased from an initial value of 384 +/- 83 U to a 48 h value of 561 +/- 151 U (mean +/- SD) (difference significant at P < 0.01). The initial alkaline phosphatase activity of specimens obtained from patients with GSE was strikingly lower than that of normals, 117 +/- 79 U, and increased to a 48 h value of 399 +/- 203 U (difference significant at P < 0.01). The biochemical change in cultured biopsy specimens of GSE patients correlated with increases in the length and regularity of brush borders of epithelial cells as seen with the electron microscope. In the presence of a P-T digest of gliadin, the alkaline phosphatase activity of biopsy specimens of control individuals increased from an initial value of 384 +/- 83 U to a 48 h value of 578 +/- 156 U. In contrast, the alkaline phosphatase activity of biopsy specimens of patients with GSE in exacerbation showed a markedly diminished increase in activity during 48 h of culture; in this case the initial activity was 117 +/- 79 U and the final activity was 203 +/- 93 U. This inhibitory effect on increase of alkaline phosphatase activity during organ culture was specific in that a P-T digest of casein (a protein not toxic in vivo to patients with GSE) had no effect on alkaline phosphatase increases in culture. Finally, these results obtained with biopsy specimens taken from patients with GSE in exacerbation were compared with results obtained from patients with GSE in remission. Alkaline phosphatase activity of specimens obtained from the latter group of patients also increased during culture but in this instance P-T digest of gliadin in the culture medium had no significant inhibitory effect. In conclusion, the inhibitory effect of gliadin on intestinal epithelial cells in organ culture represents an in vitro model of gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Inasmuch as this effect of gliadin is not seen in cultures of specimens taken from patients in remission, it appears that gliadin is not directly toxic to GSE jejunal mucosa per se, but rather toxicity requires the participation of an endogenous effector mechanism which must first be stimulated in vivo.

Adolescent↗