Endometrial hyperplasia-related inflammation: its role in the development and progression of endometrial hyperplasia.

Background: Endometrial hyperplasia (EH) is one of the most common gynecologic diseases in the world. Different statistical categories implicate an imbalance of estrogens and progestogens in the etiology of this disease. We propose that inflammation also plays a key role in the progression of endometrial hyperplasia.

Development of T-B cell collaboration in neonatal mice.

The neonatal immune response is impaired during the first weeks after birth. To obtain a better understanding of this immaturity, we investigated the development of T cell interactions with B cells in mice. For this purpose, we analyzed the immune response to three T-dependent antigens in vivo: (i) the polyclonal antibody response induced by vaccinia virus; (ii) the production of polyclonal and specific antibodies following immunization with hapten-carrier conjugates; (iii) the mouse mammary tumor virus superantigen (sAg) response involving an increase in sAg-reactive T cells and induction of polyclonal antibody production.

Antibodies to the C-terminal dipeptide of mouse mammary tumor virus [MMTV(SW)] superantigen effectively inhibit T-cell activation in vivo.

BALB/c mice were immunized against the 19 C-terminal amino acids of the mouse mammary tumour virus [MMTV(SW)] superantigen, either actively with the recombinant ORF19 protein or passively by subcutaneous implantation of 6E1.8 hybridoma cells. Protection against the MMTV(SW) superantigen-induced activation of specific T cells was obtained in both immunizations.

Immunization with a mouse mammary tumour virus envelope protein epitope protects against tumour formation without inhibition of the virus infection.

BALB/c mice were immunized with the EP3 surface epitope of the mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV) gp52 envelope protein before systemic infection with MMTV(C3H) or MMTV(SW). Analysis of the successive stages of the virus infection showed that although these mice were protected against mammary tumour formation, earlier stages of the infection were not inhibited, as reflected by the persisting superantigen-induced activation and deletion of Vbeta-specific T cells. Transplacental transfer of maternal anti-EP3 immunoglobulins to newborns did not protect them from infection through the Peyer's patches.

Antibodies to an epitope on synapsin I detect a protein associated with the endocytic compartment in non-neuronal cells.

To detect potential substrate proteins for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II outside the central nervous system, antibodies were made to a synthetic peptide corresponding to a sequence within synapsin I which is phosphorylated by this enzyme. In neural tissues, this antibody (212) identified an 86/80 kDa doublet corresponding to synapsin I. In rat liver, intestinal enterocytes and the clone 9 cell line this antibody identified two proteins of 170 and 85 kDa.

Retroviral infection of neonatal Peyer's patch lymphocytes: the mouse mammary tumor virus model.

Mouse mammary tumor virus is known to infect newborn mice via mother's milk. A proposed key step for viral spread to the mammary gland is by the infection of lymphocytes. We show here that although in suckling mice retroviral proteins are found in all epithelial cells of the gut, viral DNA is exclusively detectable in the Peyer's patches.

Mouse mammary tumor virus superantigens and murine autoimmune gastritis.

Background/aims: Neonatal thymectomy induces autoimmune gastritis in BALB/c (minor lymphocyte-stimulating antigen [Mls]-1b) mice, whereas DBA/2 (Mls-1a) mice are resistant. Resistance has been linked to the Mls-1a locus, which encodes a retroviral superantigen, and to superantigen reactive T cells that express V beta 6+ T-cell receptors. V beta 6+ T cells are known to be deleted in mice expressing Mls-1a superantigens.

Peripheral T cell activation and deletion induced by transfer of lymphocyte subsets expressing endogenous or exogenous mouse mammary tumor virus.

Murine T cell reactivity with products of the minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls) locus correlates with the expression of particular variable (V) domains of the T cell receptor (TCR) beta chain. It was recently demonstrated that Mls antigens are encoded by an open reading frame (ORF) in the 3' long terminal repeat of either endogenous or exogenous mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV). Immature thymocytes expressing reactive TCR-V beta domains are clonally deleted upon exposure to endogenous Mtv's.

Peripheral clonal deletion of superantigen-reactive T cells is enhanced by cortisone.

The T cell receptor (TcR) V beta-specific expansion, deletion and induction of nonresponsiveness among murine T cells responding to superantigens in the periphery has been well characterized. Here we demonstrate that clonal deletion of staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) B-reactive V beta 8.2+ cells can be significantly increased when mice are injected with hydrocortisone (HC) following superantigen stimulation in vivo.

Influence of chloroquine on diet-induced pancreatitis.

Recent investigations have suggested that digestive zymogens may become activated within the acinar cell during acute pancreatitis. While the molecular events responsible for intracellular zymogen activation remain unknown, several potential enzymatic pathways require an acidic pH to optimally proceed. We therefore proposed that manipulation of subcellular pH might alter the course of experimental pancreatitis.