Sodium transport: inhibitory factor in sweat of patients with cystic fibrosis

A factor inhibitory to sodium transport exists in the sweat of patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. When the duct system of the rat parotid was perfused with sweat from patients, marked inhibition of sodium reabsorption was observed. Perfusion with sweat from normal subjects caused no change in sodium reabsorption. The factor thus demonstrated may be responsible for the increased sodium concentrations in the sweat of patients with cystic fibrosis.     

Catalytic hydrolysis of vasoactive intestinal peptide by human autoantibody

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) labeled with 125I, [Tyr10-125I]VIP, can be hydrolyzed by immunoglobulin G (IgG) purified from a human subject, as judged by trichloroacetic acid precipitation and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The hydrolytic activity was precipitated by antibody to human IgG, it was bound by immobilized protein G and showed a molecular mass close to 150 kilodaltons by gel filtration chromatography, properties similar to those of authentic IgG. The Fab fragment, prepared from IgG by papain treatment, retained the VIP hydrolytic activity of the IgG. Peptide fragments produced by treatment of VIP with the antibody fraction were purified by reversed-phase HPLC and identified by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry and peptide sequencing. The scissile bond in VIP deduced from these experiments was Gln16-Met17. The antibody concentration (73.4 fmol per milligram of IgG) and the Kd (0.4 nM) were computed from analysis of VIP binding under conditions that did not result in peptide hydrolysis. Analysis of the antibody-mediated VIP hydrolysis at varying concentrations of substrate suggested conformity with Michaelis-Menton kinetics (Km). The values for Km (37.9 X 10(-9) M) and the turnover number kcat (15.6 min-1) suggested relatively tight VIP binding and a moderate catalytic efficiency of the antibody.     

鸡肠道组织中血管活性肠肽的分布特点

为探讨鸡肠道组织中肽能神经支配的途径及其功能,运用免疫组织化学超敏SP法,对不同生长阶段鸡肠道中血管活性肠肽(Vasoactive intestinal peptide,VIP)的分布特点进行了研究。结果显示,肠壁中VIP的表达范围较为广泛,涉及黏膜上皮和固有层、肌层和外膜,尤以固有层和肌层最为典型;随着日龄增加,黏膜上皮间VIP阳性细胞数量逐渐增多;从肠道不同部位的分布来看,十二指肠中VIP的表达强于同时期其他部位,空肠中的表达次之,回肠和盲肠的表达相对较弱。黏膜固有层和肌层一直分布有染色较深的VIP阳性神经纤维,呈串珠状、细线状或膨体状。提示鸡肠道是产生VIP的又一个重要部位,肠道中的VIP可参与鸡免疫器官的功能调节,并作为一种信息分子介导神经内分泌系统和黏膜免疫系统之间的相互作用。     

Relaxation of isolated gastric smooth muscle cells by vasoactive intestinal peptide

Vasoactive intestinal peptide caused a prompt, dose-dependent relaxation of isolated gastric smooth muscle cells of the guinea pig and a significant increase in intracellular adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate coincidentally with optimum relaxation. Relaxation was augmented by a threshold concentration of isobutyl methylxanthine. The direct relaxant effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide and the distribution of nerves containing this peptide to circular smooth muscle support the view that vasoactive intestinal peptide is the neuromuscular transmitter of enteric inhibitory nerves.     

鸡法氏囊中血管活性肠肽的表达特点

运用免疫组织化学超敏SP法对鸡不同生长阶段法氏囊中血管活性肠肽(VasoactiveIntestinal Peptide,VIP)的表达特点进行了研究。结果显示,法氏囊中VIP的表达范围广泛,涉及黏膜、黏膜下层和肌层,尤以黏膜上皮细胞和法氏囊小结髓质的表达为典型;随着日龄增加,黏膜上皮细胞VIP表达逐渐减弱,囊小结髓质一直保持较强的VIP阳性着色,囊小结皮髓质交界处上皮细胞层内VIP强阳性细胞有逐渐增多的趋势。鸡法氏囊中VIP阳性反应物质的广泛分布,提示法氏囊是神经系统以外产生VIP的又一个重要部位,法氏囊中的VIP可参与鸡免疫器官的功能调节,可作为一种信号分子介导神经内分泌系统和免疫系统间的相互作用。     

Mucopolysaccharide from patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas

Physical and immunologic methods were used to demonstrate the presence of an apparently unique glycoprotein in stool and tissue of patients having cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. The detection of a molecular structure specific for the disease is consistent with the apparent hereditary nature of the affection.     

鸡血管活性肠肽RNA探针制备及其在鸡肠Remak神经的原位杂交反应

应用RT-PCR方法从鸡脑中扩增血管活性肠肽(VIP)基因片段,将其连接于pGM-T easy.分别利用pGM-T easy中T7和SP6启动子及其RNA聚合酶,以线性化的VIP/pGM-T easy为模板转录合成正、反义DIG标记RNA探针.通过原位杂交方法将合成的探针用于探查VIP-mRNA在鸡肠Remak神经(INR)中的分布情况.结果表明,INR的神经元胞体中有VIP-mRNA的转录,且这种神经元数量众多;原位杂交阳性神经元胞体大部分是大型神经元细胞,呈圆形或椭圆形;阳性神经元胞体在INR神经节中呈层状或成群分布.INR的神经纤维呈弱阳性.在节间束也有少量的阳性细胞分布.本研究从基因水平证明INR中有VIP神经元存在.     

Deficiency of kallikrein activity in plasma of patients with cystic fibrosis

Total kallikrein activity and kallikrein activity inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor are significantly reduced in the plasma of patients with cystic fibrosis compared to age-matched controls. The level of the STI inhibited kallikrein activity in the plasma of heterozygotes was significantly different from that in either controls or affected children. However, the individual heterozygote could not be reliably identified in each case.     

Red-cell transport defect in patients with cystic fibrosis and in their parents

The ouabain-sensitive and the ethacrynic acid-sensitive sodium efflux from erythrocytes of patients with cystic fibrosis are both decreased. Furthermore, the ouabain-sensitive adenosine triphosphatase activity is diminished in the red blood cell ghosts of these patients. Perhaps of greater significance is the fact that ethacrynic acid-sensitive sodium efflux is clearly diminished in the erythrocytes of the asymptomatic parents of these sick children. This defect in sodium transport may be valuable for detecting the heterozygous carrier state.     

Identification of the cystic fibrosis gene: genetic analysis

Approximately 70 percent of the mutations in cystic fibrosis patients correspond to a specific deletion of three base pairs, which results in the loss of a phenylalanine residue at amino acid position 508 of the putative product of the cystic fibrosis gene. Extended haplotype data based on DNA markers closely linked to the putative disease gene locus suggest that the remainder of the cystic fibrosis mutant gene pool consists of multiple, different mutations. A small set of these latter mutant alleles (about 8 percent) may confer residual pancreatic exocrine function in a subgroup of patients who are pancreatic sufficient. The ability to detect mutations in the cystic fibrosis gene at the DNA level has important implications for genetic diagnosis.     

脑红蛋白在成年牦牛小肠肠腺中的定量分析

【目的】检测脑红蛋白(neuroglobin,NGB)在成年牦牛小肠肠腺中的表达量.【方法】在免疫组织化学SP法染色基础上,运用IPP图像分析软件测定牦牛小肠肠腺中染色区域的平均积分光密度值,再结合SPSS统计软件对测定结果进行相关统计学分析.【结果】NGB在成年牦牛小肠肠腺中均有表达.在十二指肠肠腺、十二指肠腺(黏膜下腺)中测定的MIOD值分别为0.004 6、0.040 9,在空肠肠腺中测定的MIOD值为0.001 8,在回肠肠腺中测定的MIOD值为0.001 6.十二指肠表达量最多,空肠、回肠顺次递减;十二指肠腺(黏膜下腺)显著(0.01P0.05)高于十二指肠肠腺.【结论】NGB在成年牦牛小肠肠腺中均有分布,以十二指肠腺(黏膜下腺)最为丰富,提示NGB在成年牦牛小肠肠腺组织细胞中的氧利用及功能活动中发挥重要作用.     

Specific lipopolysaccharide found in cystic fibrosis airway Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients develop chronic airway infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). Pseudomonas aeruginosa synthesized lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with a variety of penta- and hexa-acylated lipid A structures under different environmental conditions. CF patient PA synthesized LPS with specific lipid A structures indicating unique recognition of the CF airway environment. CF-specific lipid A forms containing palmitate and aminoarabinose were associated with resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides and increased inflammatory responses, indicating that they are likely to be involved in airway disease.     

Identification of the cystic fibrosis gene: chromosome walking and jumping

An understanding of the basic defect in the inherited disorder cystic fibrosis requires cloning of the cystic fibrosis gene and definition of its protein product. In the absence of direct functional information, chromosomal map position is a guide for locating the gene. Chromosome walking and jumping and complementary DNA hybridization were used to isolate DNA sequences, encompassing more than 500,000 base pairs, from the cystic fibrosis region on the long arm of human chromosome 7. Several transcribed sequences and conserved segments were identified in this cloned region. One of these corresponds to the cystic fibrosis gene and spans approximately 250,000 base pairs of genomic DNA.     

Altered regulation of airway epithelial cell chloride channels in cystic fibrosis

In many epithelial cells the chloride conductance of the apical membrane increases during the stimulation of electrolyte secretion. Single-channel recordings from human airway epithelial cells showed that beta-adrenergic stimulation evoked apical membrane chloride channel activity, but this response was absent in cells from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, when membrane patches were excised from CF cells into media containing sufficient free calcium (approximately 180 nanomolar), chloride channels were activated. The chloride channels of CF cells were similar to those of normal cells as judged by their current-voltage relations, ion selectivity, and kinetic behavior. These findings demonstrate the presence of chloride channels in the apical membranes of CF airway cells. Their regulation by calcium appears to be intact, but cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent control of their activity is defective.     

High frequency of hypermutable Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis lung infection

The lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are chronically infected for years by one or a few lineages of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These bacterial populations adapt to the highly compartmentalized and anatomically deteriorating lung environment of CF patients, as well as to the challenges of the immune defenses and antibiotic therapy. These selective conditions are precisely those that recent theoretical studies predict for the evolution of mechanisms that augment the rate of variation. Determination of spontaneous mutation rates in 128 P. aeruginosa isolates from 30 CF patients revealed that 36% of the patients were colonized by a hypermutable (mutator) strain that persisted for years in most patients. Mutator strains were not found in 75 non-CF patients acutely infected with P. aeruginosa. This investigation also reveals a link between high mutation rates in vivo and the evolution of antibiotic resistance.