Tritium nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Distribution patterns and nuclear Overhauser enhancements in some tritiated steroids.

The distribution of tritium atoms in some labeled steroids has been determined by tritium nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In addition, the distribution of molecular types (mono vs. polytritiated) and nuclear Overhauser enhancements have been determined.

The morphogenesis of elastic fibers.

Elastic fibers have been shown to contain two proteins, insoluble elastin and the elastic fiber microfibril, a glycoprotein. The microfibril has been suggested to play a morphogenetic role in determining the presumptive shape and direction of the forming elastic fiber. The principal alteration seen in individuals with the disease Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum is in insoluble elastin which loses its amorphous appearance and affinity for anionic stains, and takes on a finely granular appearance and shows increased affinity for cationic stains.

Human lymphoproliferative reaction to food products. Possible role in periodontal inflammation.

Extracts of corn and some nuts were found to ubiquitously stimulate both adult and newborn cord blood lymphocytes to transform and produce a factor chemotactic for monocytes. This indicates that corn and nuts contain a mitogen and are potential stimulators of the cellular immune response. The exposure of lymphocytes to this mitogen in vivo might trigger a destructive inflammatory reaction in the surrounding tissues.

Inhibition of in vitro lymphokine synthesis by glucocorticosteroids.

At pharmacological levels, glucocorticosteroids inhibited two antigen-induced lymphocyte functions, in vitro proliferation and lymphokine synthesis. Lymphocyte production of both macrophage chemotactic factor (CTX) and macrophage inhibition factor (MIF) were decreased in the presence of hydrocortisone. The corticosteroid also blocked the action of MIF on macrophages but did not interfere with the action of CTX on macrophages.

Physicochemical characterization of chemotatic lymphokines produced by human T and B lymphocytes.

Ostensibly pure populations of T and B lymphocytes were separated from peripheral human blood by a sequential rosetting method. These cells, and mononuclear leukocyte (MNL) cell preparations (60 to 85% T cells), were cultured in vitro and the supernatants of these cultures were assayed for chemotactic lymphokine (CTX) activity. B lymphocytes were activated to produce CTX by binding erythrocytes sensitized with antibody and complement (EAC) to their C3 receptors and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation of isolated T cells was used to produce T cell-derived CTX.

Blastogenesis and lymphokine synthesis by T and B lymphocytes from patients with periodontal disease.

Thymus-derived (T) and bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocytes were isolated from human peripheral blood and cultured with various mitogens and antigens. Purified protein derivative of tuberculin stimulated both purified T and B cells from patients with positive skin reactivity to purified protein derivative but did not stimulate nonimmune lymphocytes. Similarly, both T and B lymphocytes from patients with periodontal disease were stimulated to proliferate when incubated with dental plaque, whereas cells from normal individuals without gingivitis were unresponsive.

Abnormalities of chemotactic lymphokine synthesis and mononuclear leukocyte chemotaxis in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is characterized by numerous humoral and cellular immune abnormalities including anergy, defective antibody production, and increased immunoglobulin synthesis. To define better the mechanisms of defective cellular immunity in this disorder, lymphoproliferative responses, lymphokine production, and the chemotactic responsiveness of mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) from patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome were quantitated. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from these patients produced normal amounts of a lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor (LDCF); however, their lymphoproliferative responses were frequently depressed, particularly to antigenic stimuli.

Mononuclear leucocyte chemotaxis in the chicken. Definition of a phylogenetically specific lymphokine.

Chicken leucocytes when stimulated with purified protein derivative (PPD), a specific antigen or concanavalin A (Con A), a nonspecific mitogen, produced a soluble factor which was chemotactic for homologous monocytes. The production of this factor, by PPD-stimulated spleen cells from PPD-immunized chickens was found to be a correlate of delayed skin reactivity. Leucocytes from the blood, spleen and thymus of chickens produced measurable amounts of mononuclear leucocyte chemotactic factor (MNL CTX); however, bursal lymphocytes failed to synthesize this mediator.