Showing papers by "University of Alabama at Birmingham published in 1977"
TL;DR: The results indicate that helper and suppressor functions of human T lymphocytes in this model system are mediated by different subpopulations of T cells which can be distinguished by their ability to bind IgM or IgG immune complexes, respectively.
Abstract: Subpopulations of thymus-derived T lymphocytes bearing receptors for either IgM or IgG molecules were isolated from human peripheral blood. Those with receptors for IgM (T.M) provided help in a cell dose-dependent fashion for the pokeweed mitogen-induced differentiation of B lymphocytes in vitro, whereas cells with receptors for IgG (T.G) did not. T.G cells, on the hand, efficiently suppressed the differentiation and proliferation of B cells in the pokeweed system in the presence of helper T.M cells. This suppressive activity of T.G cells required prior interaction of the T.G cells with immune complexes. The helper activity of T.M cells was relatively radioresistant while the suppressor activity of T.G cells was radiosensitive. The results indicate that helper and suppressor functions of human T lymphocytes in this model system are mediated by different subpopulations of T cells which can be distinguished by their ability to bind IgM or IgG immune complexes, respectively.
1,070 citations
TL;DR: Streptococcus mutans and Vibrio cholerae, but not Escherichia coli, were killed by incubation with purified human apolact oferrin, contingent upon the metal-chelating properties of the lactoferrin molecule.
Abstract: Streptococcus mutans and Vibrio cholerae, but not Escherichia coli, were killed by incubation with purified human apolactoferrin. Concentrations of lactoferrin below that necessary for total inhibition resulted in a marked reduction in viable colony-forming units. This bactericidal effect was contingent upon the metal-chelating properties of the lactoferrin molecule.
665 citations
TL;DR: Atrial flutter was interrupted successfully when the atria were paced at a rate which was too fast for the atrial flutters to follow, heralded by the conversion of previously negative flutter waves to positive atrial complexes in ECG lead II.
Abstract: To examine the question of why the pacing rate and duration of atrial pacing are crucial factors in the successful interruption of atrial flutter, studies were performed on 30 patients in the period following open heart surgery. In each patient the diagnosis of atrial flutter was made using a pair of wire electrodes placed on the right atrial epicardium at the time of operation and brought out through the anterior chest wall. The same electrodes were used for atrial pacing. Pacing faster than the spontaneous rate of the atrial flutter which failed to interrupt the atrial flutter was associated with transient entrainment of the atrial flutter up to the atrial pacing rate. Atrial flutter was interrupted successfully when the atria were paced at a rate which was too fast for the atrial flutter to follow. This was heralded by the conversion of previously negative flutter waves to positive atrial complexes in ECG lead II. When pacing the atria at a constant rate, 2-22 seconds with a mean of 10 seconds were required to interrupt the atrial flutter.
440 citations
TL;DR: During fetal life, lower concentrations of anti‐y antibodies were required for modulation of sIgM from B lymphocytes of fetal liver and adult bone marrow than for equivalent removal from circulating B cells of mature individuals.
Abstract: Immunofluorescent techniques were used to examine several aspects of B cell ontogeny in humans. Large lymphoid cells containing intracytoplasmic IgM (pre-B cells) were present in fetal liver as early as 7 weeks of gestation, approximately 2 weeks prior to the appearance of surface IgM positive (sIgM+) B lymphocytes. Pre-B cells outnumbered sIgM+ B lymphocytes in fetal liver up until the 13th week of gestation. In fetuses older than 13 weeks, pre-B cells and sIgM+ B lymphocytes were present in approximately equal proportions in liver and bone marrow. Pre-B cells in fetal liver, and fetal and adult marrow, were large and small (indicating a heterogeneous population of cytoplasmic IgM+. SIg- cells in these sites), while only the small pre-B cells were present in fetal spleen, blood and lymph node. Lymphocytes bearing sIgG were detected earlier than those bearing sIgD or sIgA, which were present by the 12th gestational week. Using double-staining techniques, we determined that during fetal life, (a) the proportion of B lymphocytes bearing only sIgM, as opposed to those bearing both sIgM and sIgD, was much higher in liver and bone marrow than in spleen, blood and lymph node, and (b) sIgG, sIgA and sIgD appear independently on lymphocytes bearing sIgM. Studies of the frequency of double-stained cells for each combination of the four sIg isotypes indicated that B lymphocytes from neonatal humans may simultaneously bear three or more sIg isotypes, whereas sIgG+ and sIgA+ B lymphocytes in adult blood usually express only the single isotype. Lower concentrations of anti-y antibodies were required for modulation of sIgM from B lymphocytes of fetal liver and adult bone marrow than for equivalent removal of sIgM from circulating B cells of mature individuals.
In conjunction with data obtained in mice, our observations indicate that (a) the presence of large and small pre-B cells, (b) a high ratio of sIgM single to sIgM.sIgD double B lymphocytes, and (c) increased sensitivity to modulation of B cell sIgM by divalent anti-μ antibodies define the fetal liver and adult bone marrow as bursa-equivalent sites in humans. Our results are consistent with a model of isotype diversification in which immature sIgM+ cells give rise to B cell sublines devoted to synthesis of each of the Ig classes, and sIgD is secondarily expressed on unstimulated B cells of all of these sublines.
416 citations
TL;DR: The occurrence of unicystic ameloblastoma has been studied in 20 patients presenting with unilocular cystic lesions whose clinical, radiographic and gross features were those of non‐neoplastic cysts; in the majority of these, the lesion mimicked dentigerous cyst.
Abstract: The occurrence of unicystic ameloblastoma has been studied in 20 patients presenting with unilocular cystic lesions whose clinical, radiographic and gross features were those on non-neoplastic cysts. In the majority of these, the lesion mimicked dentigerous cyst. The rate of recurrence for this group of lesions as determined by long term follow-up observation available for the majority of patients was distinctly lower than that associated with multicystic character of the lesion throughout its course, is indicative of a much less aggressive variety of neoplasm. The adequacy of simple enucleation as a modality of treatment in the majority of patients with this type of lesion is suggested. It was not possible to answer the question whether or not the ameloblastoma began in antecedent non-neoplastic cyst.
332 citations
TL;DR: Clinical inapparent congenital CMV infection is firmly established as a major public health problem and the fact that congenital toxoplasmosis may be associated with late-appearing, debilitating chorioretinitis is confirmed.
Abstract: Sensorineural hearing loss was present in ten of 59 (17%) patients with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection (three of eight born with symptomatic and seven of 51 born with subclinical infection). The defect was bilateral in eight, moderate to profound in eight, and of progressive nature in two. Hearing loss did not occur in 21 patients with natal CMV infection nor in seven of 12 patients with congenital toxoplasmosis. Histopathologic and immunofluorescent studies of the inner ear in two of three neonates who died with severe infection revealed that viral antigens were widely distributed in cochlear structures. Eye pathology was associated only with congenital Toxoplasma (nine of 12) and CMV (seven of 43) infections. Visual impairments were more prominent and severe in those born with symptomatic infections, exclusively so with CMV. However, ocular defects, in particular chorioretinitis, developed after birth in five of eight patients born with asymptomatic congenital toxoplasmosis. These data firmly establish clinically inapparent congenital CMV infection as a major public health problem and confirm the fact that congenital toxoplasmosis may be associated with late-appearing, debilitating chorioretinitis.
242 citations
TL;DR: Investigation and characterization of this viral agent(s) will further aid in the prevention of this undesirable complication of blood transfusion and reduce progression of acute hepatitis to chronic liver disease.
211 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that the electrophoretic fraction contains a major population of tight vesicles, whose permeability to K+ is rate limiting for the ATPase activity but not for the p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity.
180 citations
TL;DR: The effects of visual deprivation upon dorsal lateral geniculate (DLG) cell size were compared for seven kittens reared with monocular lid‐suture (MD), seven with binocular lid' suture (BD), and six with one eye lid•sutured and the other eye enucleated soon after birth (MD‐E).
Abstract: The effects of visual deprivation upon dorsal lateral geniculate (DLG) cell size were compared for seven kittens reared with monocular lid-suture (MD), seven with binocular lid-suture (BD), and six with one eye lid-sutured and the other eye enucleated soon after birth (MD-E). Six additional kittens were reared normally for comparison. For each kitten the cross-sectional areas of 300 cells were measured in one or both nuclei. Measurements were taken from the binocular segment of laminae A and A1 and the monocular segment of lamina A. In agreement with previous studies, cells in the binocular segment of the deprived laminae of MD cats were smaller (33-34%) than those in the non-deprived laminae. Comparisons with normal animals indicated that this difference was due to an increase (10-15%) in size of cells in the non-deprived laminae as well as a decrease (23-25%) in size of cells in the deprived laminae. Cells in the monocular segment also were affected by deprivation in MD cats, and this effect increased with the age (and duration of the deprivation) of the animal. However, it was always smaller than the decrease in cell size in the binocular portion of the DLG. In BD kittens, DLG cells were smaller (7-12%) than normal in all portions of the nucleus, including both the binocular and monocular segments. Direct comparisons between the deprived laminae of MD and BD kittens indicated that the decrease in cell size was greater for MD kittens in the binocular segment, but tended to be greater for BD kittens in the monocular segment. In MD-E kittens, DLG cells in the deprived laminae were smaller (11-17%) than normal in all portions of the nucleus, including both the binocular and monocular segments. Thus, the effects of deprivation were similar to those in BD kittens, even though inputs from the deprived eye had been placed at a competitive advantage in MD-E kittens. These results indicate that two factors may affect cell size in the DLG of visually deprived cats: deprivation per se and abnormal binocular competition. Finally, separate analyses for the ten largest and the ten smallest cells in each lamina of each cat were carried out in an attempt to determine if the changes in cell size were limited to the largest cells. In every case, differences observed for the total sample of cells were paralleled by differences from normal of both the largest cells present and the smallest cells present in the deprived laminae. Since at least two alternative interpretations can account for this finding, the question of whether the large cells are selectively affected by visual deprivation remains unanswered in the cat.
161 citations
TL;DR: Two kitteens with progressive neurologic disease had increased concentrations of GM2 ganglioside in their cerebral cortex, and Beta-D-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase activity was reduced, suggesting an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance of the enzyme defect.
Abstract: Two kitteens with progressive neurologic disease had increased concentrations of GM2 ganglioside in their cerebral cortex. Examination under the light microscope revealed cytoplasmic vacuolation of neurons and hepatocytes. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy demosntrated cytoplasmic inclusions encompassed by membranes in various central nervous system cell types and in hepatocytes. Beta-D-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase activity was reduced to about 1.0 percent of normal in brain, liver, and cultured skin fibroblasts of the diseased kittens; both major electrophoretic forms, A and B, of the enzyme were deficient. In fibroblasts from the parents of the diseased kittens, this enzyme activity was intermediate between that of affected and normal cats, suggesting an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance of the enzyme defect. Histopahtological and ultrastructural lesions, glycolipid storage, enzyme defect, and pattern of inheritance are similar to those of human GM2 gangliosidosis type 2.
147 citations
TL;DR: The subpopulations of T lymphocytes in human cord blood are studied and their ability to inhibit both the division of lymphocytes and the production of immunoglobulin by lymphocytes obtained from the mother is ascertained.
Abstract: A FOETUS carries antigens that are foreign to its mother, but the mother does not routinely reject it as an allograft. The fate of the foetus may thus depend on preventing or blocking the ability of the immune system of the mother to respond to alien foetal antigens. Clearly, this is a complex process which may involve several mechanisms1–6. One mechanism implicates the active blocking of the immunological capacity of the mother to respond to her foetus5,6. We reported previously that T lymphocytes taken from cord blood of human newborns inhibits their own mothers' lymphocytes from entering mitosis6,7. We have studied the subpopulations of T lymphocytes in human cord blood and ascertained their ability to inhibit both the division of lymphocytes and the production of immunoglobulin by lymphocytes obtained from the mother. We report here that active T suppressor cells occur in cord blood, that these T suppressor cells bear IgG receptors; and that the T cells bearing IgG receptors inhibit both mitosis of and immunoglobulin production by lymphocytes from the mother.
TL;DR: The mechanism of cleavage of human C 3b by the C3bINA is investigated and the polypeptide chain structure of the breakdown products is documented and has an exquisite sensitively to plasmin.
TL;DR: The cross-sectional areas of 31,800 dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus cells were measured in 53 human brains ranging in age from newborn to 40 years, finding that at least 2 years are required before all cells have reached their adult size.
Abstract: The cross-sectional areas of 31,800 dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus cells were measured in 53 human brains ranging in age from newborn to 40 years. Geniculate cells increase in size rapidly during the first 6 to 12 months of postnatal life, with cells in the parvocellular layers developing faster than cells in the magnocellular layers. At least 2 years are required before all cells have reached their adult size.
TL;DR: It is concluded that H+ uptake by these vesicles is probably due to a dimeric (H+ + K+)-ATPase and is probably non-electrogenic.
TL;DR: An insoluble preparation of rat dentin matrix was shown to possess bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) activity, i.e. the capacity to induce the formation of cartilage and bone when implanted intramuscularly, and the view that a portion of dentin phosphoprotein is firmly bound was supported.
Abstract: An insoluble preparation of rat dentin matrix was shown to possess bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) activity, i.e. the capacity to induce the formation of cartilage and bone when implanted intramuscularly. Since BMP activity was previously attributed to noncollagenous proteins (NCP) of bone and dentin, the nature of NCP of the rat dentin was examined. After treatment of the matrix with purified bacterial collagenase, three NCP were solubilized concomitantly with digestion of the dentin collagen to smaller peptides. The three proteins were separated by anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Two of the NCP were rich in aspartate, glutamate, glycine, serine, and alanine, and thus displayed compositions similar to acidic proteins of other connective tissues. The third NCP was shown by amino acid composition to be the aspartate, serine-rich phosphoprotein, which occurs mostly in a soluble form in rat dentin. This observation supports the view that a portion of dentin phosphoprotein is firmly bound.
TL;DR: In this paper analyses are made of the thermodynamic and geometric properties of the predicted association between amphipathic helixes and phospholipid vesicles and a model for an intermediate state of high density lipoprotein (HDL) synthesis is proposed.
TL;DR: Responses, duration of response, and median duration of disease control achieved with CAF were superior to those achieved with CMFVP (37%, 22 weeks, 17 weeks, respectively).
Abstract: In an ongoing prospective randomized study, 113 evaluable patients have received either a three-drug combination that included cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin and 5-fluorouracil (CAF) or a five-drug combination including cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine and prednisone (CMFVP) given intermittently 1 week out of 4. Responses (64%), median duration of response (32 weeks), and median duration of disease control (32 weeks) achieved with CAF were superior to those achieved with CMFVP (37%, 22 weeks, 17 weeks, respectively). Morbidity secondary to CAF was significant, with nausea and vomiting, malaise, total alopecia, and granulocytopenia being the main features. Cancer 40:625–632, 1977.
TL;DR: In an in vitro evaluation of lymphocytes from one of three thymoma patients with an elevated T·G subpopulation, removal ofT·G cells abrogated the suppression of T·M cell help of B cell differentiation induced by pokeweed mitogen, suggesting that B cell dysfunction in many of these patients is not merely due to numerical excesses or insufficiencies of helper or suppressor T cells.
Abstract: Abnormal proportions of the distinct T cell subpopulations binding the Fc portion of IgM (T·M) cells and those bearing receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (T·M) cells, were observed in blood samples from patients who had congenital or acquired abnormalities of the thymus, severe combined immunodeficiency, or an unexplained primary deficiency in cell-mediated immunity; most had too few circulating T·M cells and often an overabundance of T·G cells. In an in vitro evaluation of lymphocytes from one of three thymoma patients with an elevated T·G subpopulation, removal of T·G cells abrogated the suppression of T·M cell help of B cell differentiation induced by pokeweed mitogen. A spectrum of patients with sex-linked infantile agammaglobulinemia, variable hypogammaglobulinemia, and selective IgA deficiency, and a few patients with autoimmune syndromes infrequently had distorted representation of these T cell subpopulations in the circulation. This suggests that B cell dysfunction in many of these patients is not merely due t o numerical excesses or insufficiencies of helper or suppressor T cells.
TL;DR: The recent finding in the human of a high proportion of B cells with both IgM and IgD on their surface strengthens the evidence for heavy chain constant region switching, and prompts a re-evaluation of the regulation and sequence of this process.
Abstract: The characteristic property of B lymphocytes in all species examined is their possession of easily detectable surface immunoglobulin. This surface immunoglobulin serves as receptor for antigen. The most direct evidence for this comes from studies on antigen-binding cells (reviewed by Warner 1974). Also fimily established is the fact that a given B lymphocyte bears only one combining site specifidty, or idiotype, and hence V region pair (Raff et al. 1973, Fu et al. 1974b, Pemis et al. 1974, Salsano et al. 1974, Fu et al. 1975, Goding & Layton 1976). In mammals and birds, the first Ig-positive cells to arise express only IgM, but these later give rise to lymphocytes and plasma cells expressing all the other immunoglobulin isotypes. Thus, treatment with anti-/^ antibody, when begun early in life, prevents development of IgG and IgA synthesis in addition to the expected suppression of IgM production, (reviewed by Lawton et al. 1975). Based upon experiments of this type, there has arisen the concept of a preprogrammed sequence of heavy chain constant region expression in the life history of a B lymphocyte and its progeny. The recent finding in the human of a high proportion of B cells with both IgM and IgD on their surface (Knapp et al. 1973, Rowe et al. 1973a) strengthens the evidence for heavy chain constant region switching, and prompts a re-evaluation of the regulation and sequence of this process. This variabihty in heavy chain C region
TL;DR: The effects of pH, temperature and guanidine hydrochloride concentration on the structure of ubiquitin, a polypeptide which can activate adenylate cyclase and can mimic thymopoietin induced differentiation of prothymocytes, were monitored using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
TL;DR: Arterial/alveolar PO2 ratio decreased significantly with albumin infusion in six infants with hyaline membrane disease not receiving continuous distending-airway pressure, suggesting an association between infused albumin and impaired oxygen exchange.
Abstract: The relation between directly measured arterial blood pressure and blood volume was studied in 61 sick preterm infants. Mean blood volume (derived from plasma volume [T1824 ten-minute albumin space] and hematocrit value) of 26 hypotensive infants (89.1 +/- 17.26 ml/kg) was not significantly different from that of 35 normotensive, but otherwise comparable, infants (91.4 +/- 14.57 ml/kg). There was no relation between arterial mean blood pressure and blood volume. Twenty-one infants with arterial mean blood pressure less than 30 mm Hg were given 1.0 g/kg of 10% salt-poor albumin. Significant increases in blood pressure occurred but were small in magnitude; more than one half of infants had arterial mean blood pressures persistently less than 30 mm Hg. Arterial/alveolar PO2 ratio decreased significantly with albumin infusion in six infants with hyaline membrane disease not receiving continuous distending-airway pressure, suggesting an association between infused albumin and impaired oxygen exchange.
TL;DR: A vesicular microsomal fraction isolated from hog fundic mucosa demonstrates the capacity to take up equal amounts of RB+ and Cl−, and the results are consistent with a neutral or isopotential exchange of H+ for Rb+ mediated by K+-ATPase.
Abstract: A vesicular microsomal fraction isolated from hog fundic mucosa demonstrates the capacity to take up equal amounts of RB+ and Cl−. The amount of the Rb+ uptake is sensitive to the extravesicular osmolarity, and rate of uptake is sensitive to temperature.86Rb+ efflux is dependent upon the cation composition of the diluting solution. ATP, but not β-γ methylene ATP, induces a reversible efflux of86Rb+ from loaded vesicles, and this is dependent upon a functional K+-ATPase. The ATP induced efflux is not affected by CCCP (carbonyl cyanidem-chlorophenylhydrazone) or TCS (tetrachlorosalicylanilide) nor by lipid soluble ions or valinomycin. Nigericin inhibits the efflux by 40%. Uptake of the lipid soluble ion14C-SCN− has been demonstrated and is enhanced by ATP only in the presence of valinomycin. The results are consistent with a neutral or isopotential exchange of H+ for Rb+ mediated by K+-ATPase.
TL;DR: It is reported that in this system meganeurites of mature cortical neurones regularly exhibit extensive secondary outgrowth of neurites, suggesting that their development involves restricted reactivation of embryonic growth mechanisms of the neurone.
Abstract: PYRAMIDAL neurones of the human cerebral cortex develop spine-bearing structures (meganeurites) between the cell body and the initial portion of the axon in lysosomal storage diseases characterised by intraneuronal accumulation of gangliosides1. Meganeurites attain enormous proportions and acquire bizarre shapes, suggesting that their development involves restricted reactivation of embryonic growth mechanisms of the neurone. Because outgrowth of neurites is a sign of differentiation in embryonic neurones we have sought evidence for neurite outgrowth from meganeurites in feline GM1-ganglioside storage disease2–4. We report here that in this system meganeurites of mature cortical neurones regularly exhibit extensive secondary outgrowth of neurites.
TL;DR: In this article, the insoluble collagen of bovine dental cementum was extracted by chromatographic separation and the peptides were identified by their amino acid composition, which was then compared to the corresponding peptides from calf skin.
Abstract: Cyanogen bromide (CNBr) peptides were prepared of the insoluble collagen of bovine dental cementum. Following chromatographic separation, the peptides were identified by their amino-acid composition. Type I collagen ([α1(I)]2α2) accounted for more than 90% of the organic matrix, while Type III collagen ([α1(III)]3) was present at a level of approximately 5%. Amino-acid analyses revealed that the CNBr peptides from α1(I) and α2 chains of cementum closely resembled the corresponding peptides from calf skin. The only systematic difference was a higher level of hydroxylation of prolyl and lysyl residues of the cementum peptides.
[...]
TL;DR: The perinatal outcome of all vaginal breech deliveries weighing less than 2,500 grams was evaluated retrospectively and results indicated that labor and delivery in the breech position had a morbidity and mortality rate far greater than could be attributed to prematurity alone.
TL;DR: The radioimmunoassay described here was found to measure predominantly the primary conjugated bile salts, and antibody titers have uniformly increased over titers used in tritium-based assays.
TL;DR: This study examined the efficacy of Dry-Bed Training in the treatment of nocturnal enuresis and provided a direct comparison with Retention Control Training (RCT).