HLA-restricted T-cell recognition of Epstein-Barr virus-infected B cells

In mice the cytotoxic T-cell response to several types of virus is influenced by genes within the major histocompatibility complex; in particular, genetic control is exercised at the effector cell level through a requirement that virus-specific cytotoxic T cells recognise viral antigens in association with H-2K and H=2D region gene products on the surface of infected cells. In man the restriction which the analogous HLA-A, -B and -C-region gene products might place on virus-specific T-cell function is still in dispute. The earliest and most controversial evidence concerns the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a B lymphotropic agent which causes infectious mononucleosis (IM) and which induces an unusually vigorous T-cell response; cytotoxic T cells from IM patients' blood were shown to be EBV-specific yet, in contrast to mouse systems, apparently free of any obvious HLA restriction. Since then T-cell recognition of EBV-infected B cells has assumed particular significance as a model system for the study of cytotoxic T-cell function in man. This report describes the results of a new approach clearly indicating that HLA-A and -B region products do indeed have a role in this system.     

Additive and synergistic inhibition of mammalian microsomal enzyme functions by piperonyl butoxide,safrole and other methylenedioxyphenyl derivatives

Zusammenfassung Piperonylbutoxyd, Methylendioxylanilin, Methyleugenol, Safranol und Vanillylamin bewirken eine additive Hemmung der Funktion mikrosomaler Enzyme in Mäusen, wenn sie zusammen in Dosen verabreicht werden, die einzeln inaktiv sind. Piperonylbutoxyd und Safranol induzieren synergistisch die Hemmung von Aminopyrenedemethylase-Aktivität. Es erfolgte keine synergistische Hemmung nach kombinierter Behandlung mit Pib. und hohen Dosen der strukturell verwandten, aber inaktiven Piperonylsäure.

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Supported by N.I.H. Grants No. C-6516 and No. Fr-05526.

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We thank Mrs.M. Sengupta and Mr.E. Greene for their technical assistance.     

Protection by antioxidants against ozone toxicity in mice

Zusammenfassung 16 Antioxidantien wurden auf ihre Schutzwirkung gegen Ozontoxizität in Mäusen geprüft. AHQ, Primaquin und EMQ waren hochwirksam, BHA, NDGA und Ascarbinsäure mässig wirksam, und die übrigen zeigten keinen nennenswerten Effekt.

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We thank Dr. D.Coffin for his advice and for the gift of the exposure chambers. This work was supported by N.I.H. Grants No. C-6516 and No. FR-05526 (to the Children's Cancer Research Foundation, Inc.) and has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an MS thesis at the North Eastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (by L.Pagnotto).     

Mitochondrial activity: a possible determinant of anoxic injury in renal medulla

In brain, heart and kidney, cell work in the absence of oxygen has been thought to precipitate anoxic damage by increasing the rate of depletion of cellular energy stores. In the medullary thick ascending limb of isolated perfused rat kidneys, however, reduction of ATP synthesis by a variety of mitochondrial or metabolic inhibitors caused ATP depletion comparable to that produced by oxygen deprivation but did not reproduce the lesions of anoxia. In these cells, unrestrained mitochondrial activity may be an important source of anoxic injury.     

Fetal bovine serum alternatives

With the current shortage in fetal bovine serum, researchers are turning to a variety of options for cell and tissue culture.