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 47,337 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The main left coronary artery of rats was ligated near its origin under light ether anaesthesia and the infarction observed for 48 h. The ischaemic area was determined after an intravenous injection of pontamine sky blue dye 1 h before induction of cardiac arrest with potassium chloride. The unstained area (true ischaemic area) decreased with time to 27.1% of the left ventricle at 48 h, whereas the intensely stained area between the normal and the true ischaemic areas increased with time, suggesting that blood was flowing to the border from the normal surrounding tissue. The infarcted area, identified by its lack of triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, became evident after 3 h and stabilised at 12 h (42% of left ventricle). The polymorphonuclear leucocyte counts in the hearts, differentiated by staining of their chloroacetate esterase, increased gradually up to 5500 cells per section at 24 h. The leukotriene B4 concentration, determined by radioimmunoassay after freezing of the beating heart in liquid nitrogen, increased to eight times that of the sham operated hearts and peaked at 8 h (9.4(0.6) ng per heart, mean(SEM) n = 5) before the leucocyte counts reached their maximum. A single oral dose of a selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor (AA-861, 80 mg.kg-1, 1 h before ligation) lowered the leukotriene B4 concentration to that of the sham operated hearts and decreased the leucocyte count by 49.4% and 41.2% at 12 and 24 h respectively. The inhibitor also reduced the infarct size at 48 h by 34.4%. It was concluded that leukotriene B4, generated in ischaemic cardiac tissue, may increase infarct size through migration of polymorphonuclear leucocytes.
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PMID:Detection of leukotriene B4 in cardiac tissue and its role in infarct extension through leucocyte migration. 284 5

Long-term bone marrow cultures are dependent on the formation in vitro of an adherent cell layer that supports hematopoiesis. We have grown bone-marrow-adherent cells, termed stromal colony-forming units, or CFU-ST, as isolated adherent colonies, and examined some of their growth requirements. Bone marrow mononuclear cells separated from aspirates by density centrifugation and cultured in medium supplemented with fetal calf serum or human plasma gave rise to adherent colonies (CFU-ST). An average of 23.4 +/- 2.1 (mean +/- SEM, n = 19) CFU-ST were produced by 10(5) bone marrow mononuclear cells. CFU-ST could not be cultured from similarly prepared peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The colonies were composed of spindle cells, flat cells, and fat-containing cells, with all three types often present in the same colony, suggesting derivation from a common progenitor. Cells were negative for nonspecific esterase and factor VIII antigen. Hydrocortisone added to the cultures at concentrations of 10(-7) M induced the formation of adipose cells in the center of one-third to one-half of the colonies but did not affect CFU-ST number. Human platelet-poor plasma and platelet-rich plasma were substituted for fetal calf serum in the medium. When all determinations for four experiments were averaged, platelet-rich plasma gave 17.8 +/- 1.2 (mean +/- SEM, n = 16) colonies, whereas platelet-poor plasma gave only 0.2 +/- 0.1 colonies (n = 15). When purified platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) was added to platelet-poor plasma, growth of CFU-ST was enhanced, and a dose-response relationship was found between size of colonies and concentration of added PDGF. Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor added to cultures had no effect on the growth of CFU-ST.
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PMID:Human bone marrow stromal cell colonies: response to hydrocortisone and dependence on platelet-derived growth factor. 301 48

The effect of topical glucocorticosteroids on the allergen-induced nasal hyperresponsiveness, with special reference to treatment time, was studied in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study. Ten patients who previously had shown allergen-induced nasal hyperresponsiveness participated. After pretreatment with either placebo or various periods with topical glucocorticosteroids, they were subjected to an initial challenge with three increasing doses of allergen and were rechallenged after 24 hours with the lowest allergen dose from the previous day. The nasal responses were monitored by means of symptom scores and measurements of N alpha-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl esterase (TAME) activity in nasal lavages. Five different treatment schedules were used. In the active treatment alternatives, the glucocorticosteroid treatment was started 48, 12 or 2 hours before or 2 hours after the initial allergen challenge. All treatments were continued up to rechallenge on the second day. As the active treatment we used budesonide, 100 micrograms in each nasal cavity every 12 hours. After placebo pretreatment, as expected, there was an increase in nasal symptoms at rechallenge as compared with the initial allergen challenge with the same allergen dose. The mean (+/- SEM) number of sneezes increased from 5.1 +/- 1.7 to 9.5 +/- 2.0 (p less than 0.05), a composite nasal symptoms score increased from 3.3 +/- 0.66 to 4.4 +/- 0.7 (NS), and TAME activity increased from 14.9 +/- 2.83 to 25.3 +/- 0.5 cpm.10(3) (p less than 0.05). Topical glucocorticosteroid treatment abolished this increase in nasal symptoms and TAME activity (p less than 0.05 for all treatment alternatives).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Topical glucocorticosteroids and allergen-induced increase in nasal reactivity: relationship between treatment time and inhibitory effect. 306 May 11

It has been previously demonstrated in nasal challenge studies that there is an increased sensitivity to allergen following an initial allergen challenge. A similar feature has been demonstrated following natural allergen exposure in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. To further explore the characteristics of this "priming" phenomenon and its relationship to other expressions of their allergic airway disease, 28 hay fever patients with strictly seasonal disease were studied. Skin tests with the relevant pollen allergen and histamine were performed and the size of the immediate and late phase allergic reaction was determined. An initial nasal allergen challenge was followed by a rechallenge of the nose with allergen 24 h later using a lavage technique. Determinations of TAME-esterase activity, as a biochemical marker of the allergic reaction, were made in the returned lavage fluid. The number of sneezes was counted and nasal symptoms were also assessed using a scoring technique. 19 of 28 patients (67%), displayed an increased responsiveness at rechallenge with similar findings in terms of symptom scores and TAME-esterase measurements. The increase was statistically significant for the symptoms of nasal blockage, which increased from 0.7 +/- 0.1 (mean +/- SEM) to 1.1 +/- 0.2 (P less than 0.05), and nasal secretion which rose from 1.1 +/- 0.2 to 1.7 +/- 0.2 (P less than 0.01). A composite nasal symptom score which also took account of the number of sneezes, increased from 2.9 +/- 0.4 to 4.0 +/- 0.3 (P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Allergen-induced nasal hyperreactivity appears unrelated to the size of the nasal and dermal immediate allergic reaction. 332 84

A new method to determine plasmaprokallikrein independently of its inhibitors is described. By ion exchange chromatography with DEAE-A-50 Sephadex plasmaprokallikrein can be separated from its inhibitors Cl-esterase inhibitor, alpha 2-macroglobulin, alpha 1-antitrypsin (protease inhibitor) and antithrombin III as well as from other enzymes like plasmin, Hagemann factor and glandular kallikrein, which can interfere with the chromogenic substrate of the amidolytic assay (S 2302) used to determine plasmakallikrein activity. Furthermore, this method also allows the measurement of plasmaprokallikrein in heparinized plasma, since heparin was separated by this chromatography technique from plasmaprokallikrein too. The enzymatic activity of activated plasmakallikrein was not changed by the ion exchange chromatography. Normal values of the plasmaprokallikrein content in plasma were in the range of 2.57 +/- 0.12 U/ml of plasma (n:42; X +/- SEM). No influence on plasmaprokallikrein activity of age and sex was found.
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PMID:Measurement of plasma prokallikrein independent of inhibitors and interfering enzymes. 364 44

To determine the neurotoxic effects of organophosphorus compounds in turkeys, adult birds were given a single oral dose of 125, 250, 500 mg/kg triorthotolyl phosphate (TOTP) or a single subcutaneous dose of 0.4 mg/kg O,O'-diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP). At 24 h after dosing with TOTP, neurotoxic esterase activity was found to be inhibited in a dose-related manner, as were the activities of blood cholinesterase and liver cholinesterase. Clinical signs of neuropathy appeared within 2 wk in TOTP-treated groups of birds with neurotoxic esterase activities at 59 +/- 3% (125 mg/kg), 47 +/- 7% (250 mg/kg) and 33 +/- 3% (500 mg/kg) of control values (mean +/- SEM, n = 5) at 24 h after dosing. Signs appeared earlier in turkeys given DFP. Histological examination revealed only mild lesions of delayed neurotoxicity in birds given either TOTP or DFP.
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PMID:Effect of neurotoxic organophosphorus compounds in turkeys. 395 18

The degree of metachromasia of mast cell granules is known to vary with the type of tissue fixation and among different tissues and species. The present study sought to determine whether mast cells in dog skin are heterogeneous with respect to fixation and staining properties. We performed skin biopsies in six anesthetized, atopic dogs and one mongrel dog. One biopsy was fixed in formalin and a second, from a parallel abdominal site, was fixed in basic lead acetate (Mota's solution). Adjacent sections from each biopsy were stained with alcian blue (1%, pH 0.5) or for chloroacetate esterase activity. In alcian blue-stained sections, one-third fewer mast cells were detected in skin fixed in formalin (1,836 +/- 454 mast cells/mm3, mean +/- SEM) than in skin fixed in basic lead acetate (2,684 +/- 527 mast cells/mm3) (P less than 0.05). The chloroacetate esterase reaction detected the larger number of mast cells regardless of the fixative used. We conclude that mast cell heterogeneity, as demonstrated by metachromatic staining following different types of tissue fixation, exists in dog skin. "Typical" mast cells stain with alcian blue regardless of fixation; however, "atypical" mast cells exhibit metachromasia only after fixation in basic lead acetate. Both the typical and atypical types of mast cells have chloroacetate esterase activity.
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PMID:Mast cell heterogeneity in dog skin. 408 28

The effects of the undecapeptide, substance P(SP), on the secretion of mucin and proteolytic enzymes from dispersed cells of the rat submandibular gland were studied. The peptide, at a concentration of 1 X 10(-7) M, stimulated the release of 31.9 +/- 3.0% (mean +/- SEM) of intracellular mucin over 40 min, compared with 12.5 +/- 1.5% in untreated controls (p less than 0.01). This effect was duplicated by the homologous peptides, physalaemin, and eledoisin-related peptide. Substance P action was not affected by pre-incubation of cells with phentolamine or propranolol and was therefore independent of adrenergic stimulation. Furthermore, SP did not enhance the intracellular concentrations of cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP, confirming that cyclic nucleotides were not involved in its stimulus-secretion coupling mechanism. The isoproterenol-stimulated secretion of mucin from dispersed cells was reduced to 75.7% of the normal response (p less than 0.01) after a brief exposure to SP. This inhibitory effect was probably mediated by intracellular events rather than by direct effects on cell surface receptors. However, mucin release after treatment with SP followed by norepinephrine (NE) was 161% of that caused by NE alone (p less than 0.01) and may reflect an additive response to the independent stimulation of SP and NE receptors. Substance P and related peptides had no effect on arginine esterase secretion in the experimental model, although a response was elicited by alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonists. It is, therefore, proposed that serous cells of the granular convoluted tubule in the rat submandibular gland lack substance P receptors.
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PMID:Effect of substance P on exocrine secretion by rat submandibular gland cells. 620 29

The renal kallikrein-kinin system is thought to be involved in vasoregulatory and epithelial ion-transporting processes. Renal kallikrein has not been studied in patients with diabetes mellitus, a disease in which abnormalities of renal hemodynamics and electrolyte handling occur. The urinary excretion of this kallikrein was measured in 20 type I diabetic patients and 10 normal subjects. On a 120-meq Na diet, daily kallikrein excretion, determined by both esterase activity and direct RIA, in 12 poorly controlled diabetic patients [hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) = 14.2 +/- 0.5% (mean +/- SEM)] was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than excretion in 8 diabetic patients in good to moderately good control (HbA1c = 9.4 +/- 0.5%) or in 10 normal subjects. In these groups, urinary esterase activities were 9.4 +/- 1.0, 6.1 +/- 1.4, and 6.7 +/- 0.5 esterase units/24 h, respectively. Corresponding excretion values of immunoreactive kallikrein were 171 +/- 14, 118 +/- 26, and 123 +/- 11 micrograms/24 h. Creatinine clearances were similar in the three groups. Urinary kallikrein was also measured in 8 diabetic and 8 normal subjects during 7 subsequent days of 10 meq Na intake. It increased less in diabetic patients than in normal subjects during Na depletion (P less than 0.02). The increase in urinary kallikrein in the diabetic patients was inversely related to their HbA1c levels (r = 0.88; P less than 0.01). The effect of glycemic control on urinary kallikrein excretion was determined in nine diabetic patients. Initial glycemic control was achieved using an artificial endocrine pancreas (Biostator) and was maintained by continuous sc insulin infusion with a portable pump. Before glycemic control, urinary kallikrein was 190 +/- 30 micrograms/24 h (by RIA). After 8-12 days of glycemic control, excretion fell to 144 +/- 23 micrograms/24 h (P less than 0.02). The abnormalities in kallikrein excretion in diabetic patients were not correlated with differences in water, electrolyte, protein, glucose, or aldosterone excretion in any of the studies. These results show that kallikrein excretion was increased in patients with poorly controlled insulin-dependent diabetes, and excretion rose less in diabetic subjects with low Na intake than in normal subjects. Strict glycemic control decreased urinary kallikrein excretion. These findings suggest that the renal kallikrein-kinin system is functioning abnormally in diabetes mellitus.
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PMID:Urinary kallikrein excretion in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and its relationship to glycemic control. 656 31

Cultures derived from thymus fragments of embryonic (18-19 day old), newborn or one month old C57BL mice have been characterized functionally l(phagocytic and nonspecific esterase activities) and morphologically by means of light, scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. The observations show the heterogeneity of the cell populations composing the monolayers. After a few days incubation macrophages appear as the predominating cell type, while epithelial cells usually constitute no more than 30% of the cells. Experiments designed to determine the fate of lymphocytes adhering to the monolayers lead us to believe (on the basis of SEM morphometric analysis) that the survival of lymphocytes attached either to thymic macrophages or to epithelial cells is improved during the first days of coculture. This survival enhancement does not, however, appear to be a specific inductive effect since a similar survival increase is found when lymphocytes adhere to non-thymic cells. In contrast with the monolayer, the explant provides a three-dimensional culture system able to preserve intact thymic microenvironmental conditions since numerous lymphocytes are found even in five week old cultures which were not overlaid with thymocytes or spleen cells.
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PMID:Thymic microenvironment and cultures derived from mouse thymic explants. A morphological study. 697 Jun 22


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