The effect of acidic polysaccharides and prostaglandin-like substances isolated from Propionibacterium acnes on granulocyte chemotaxis.

Three acidic polysaccharide (AP) fractions and the prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) isolated from P. acnes were investigated regarding their chemotactic activities on polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Both AP's and PLS induced a significant chemotatic response, which suggests their involvement in inflammatory acne vulgaris.     

Evidence that the prostaglandin-like substances fromPropionibacterium acnes are not identical with PGE2

Summary The prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) isolated fromP. acnes were investigated by reversed phase chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These analyses demonstrated that PLS were not identical with PGE₂, which supports a concept of PLS as a potential mediator of the inflammatory process in acne vulgaris.     

Prostaglandin-like substances inPropionibacterium acnes. IV. Effect on isolated human vessels

Summary The present study demonstrates a powerful vasoconstrictor activity of prostaglandin-like substances (PLS), extracted fromP. acnes, on human blood vessels. PLS is about equipotent to PGE₂ in its effect on human umbilical vessels, but the contractile response pattern is different. PLS therefore seems to have specific and different physiological characteristics.     

Prostaglandin-like substances inPropionibacterium acnes II. Stimulatory effect on ovarian cyclic AMP

Summary The prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) fromPropionibacterium acnes increased the ovarian tissue levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) approximately 2-fold. The lipid material extracted fromP. acnes thus behaved like PG's of the E-type, and since it is unlikely that other known stimulators of the ovarian cAMP system can be present in the bacterial lipid fraction, these experiments give further evidence in favour of the occurrence of PLS inP. acnes.     

Prostaglandin-like substances in Propionibacterium acnes II. Stimulatory effect on ovarian cyclic AMP.

The prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) from Propionibacterium acnes increased the ovarian tissue levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) approximately 2-fold. The lipid material extracted from P. acnes thus behaved like PG's of the E-type, and since it is unlikely that other known stimulators of the ovarian cAMP system can be present in the bacterial lipid fraction, these experiments give further evidence in favour of the occurrence of PLS in P. acnes.     

The effect of epinephrine on granulocyte adhesion

Preincubation of blood from normal human volunteers with epinephrine significantly decreased the granulocytes ability to adhere to nylon fibres. Possible significance for the in vivo correlation is discussed.     

The effect of epinephrine on granulocyte adhesion

Summary Preincubation of blood from normal human volunteers with epinephrine significantly decreased the granulocytes ability to adhere to nylon fibres. Possible significance for the in vivo correlation is discussed.Acknowledgment. Ms Christine Woldanski provided technical assistance.     

The effect of halothane on in vitro human neutrophil chemotaxis

Summary Increasing concentrations of halothane were shown to sequentially inhibit directed (chemotactic) and random movement of human peripheral blood neutrophils. No influence on neutrophil movement was apparent at clinically important concentrations, halothane may effect neutrophil microtubule and actomyosin microfilament systems.Acknowledgments. We thank Mr Lous Matej for his skillful technical assistance.     

The effect of lithium carbonate on the granulocyte phagocytic index

Summary Preincubation in lithium carbonate of granulocytes from normal human male volunteer subjects did not alter the ability of these cells to perform properly the ingestion phase of phagocytosis in vitro.The voluntary fully informed consent of the subjects used in this research was obtained as required by AFR No. 169-8.Acknowledgements. Mr.A. J. Rahe of the Biometrics Division, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, TX. provided the statistical analysis. The LC used in this study was provided through the courtesy of Pfizer, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., USA.     

Prostaglandin-like substances inPropionibacterium acnes. V. Activity profiles using cascade superfusion bioassay and platelet aggregation

Summary The activity spectrum of prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) fromP. acnes was investigated with cascade superfusion technique and by platelet aggregation assay. The biological activity of PLS resembles that of PGI₂: both relax bovine coronary artery, rabbit mesentric and coeliac arteries; both contract the rat stomach strip as well as both typically inhibit spontaneous movements of isolated guinea pig ileum. Also, similarly to PGI₂, PLS inhibits platelet aggregation regardless the inducer used. However, PLS possesses a specific antiaggregatory pattern on platelet, which indicates that these compounds are not indentical with primary prostaglandins or PGI₂.     

Lack of effect of colchicine on human neutrophil chemotaxis under agarose

Summary Human polymorphonuclear neutrophil chemotaxis under agarose was assessed following in vitro treatment of cells with colchicine. No inhibition of random migration or chemotaxis was detected. The discrepancy between these results and reports utilizing micropore filter assays could be due to the need for cell deformability in the latter.Supported by a grant from the Veterans Administration and Research grant AM 19349 from the NIAMDD, NIH.     

Effects of known and suspected neurotransmitter substances and of some nucleotides on isolated mast cells

Résumé Des suspensions de mastocytes péritoneaux isolées de rat furent incubées avec 10 substances différentes, connues ou presumées être des neurotransmitteurs. Seulement l'adenos ine triphosphate (ATP) aux concentrations supérieures à 2.64×10^–6 M causèrent la dégranulation des mastocytes. L'ATP cause également la dégranulation des mastocytes dans le mésentère. L'action de l'ATP peut être responsible de la dégranulation des mastocytes cutanées observée après la stimulation antidromique des nerfs sensorieux, alors que de l'ATP est libéré dans la peau.     

The effect of plant growth substances and natural products on RNA and DNA synthesis in leukocytes

Summary The effect of auxins, cytokinins, gibbrellins and phenolics on the incorporation of uridine and thymidine into the nucleic acids of human leukocytes was examined. Both the stimulation and inhibition of the incorporation of the precursors was noted. The auxins consistently promoted the incorporation of uridine.     

Prostaglandin-like substances in Propionibacterium acnes. III. Differential contractile effects on smooth muscle layers of the human utero-tubal junction.

The biological activity of a lipid fraction extracted from P. acnes was tested on isolated smooth muscle strips from the human utero-tubal junction. The bioassay experiments support the concept that prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) occur in P. acnes. However, in the bioassay system used, the effect of PLS was different from that of PGF2 alpha and PGI2 but similar, although not identical, to that of arachidonic acid and PGE2.     

The effect of plant growth substances and natural products on RNA and DNA synthesis in leukocytes.

The effect of auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins and phenolics on the incorporation of uridine and thymidine into the nucleic acids of human leukocytes was examined. Both the stimulation and inhibition of the incorporation of the precursors was noted. The auxins consistently promoted the incorporation of uridine.