Reduction of ferricytochrome c by human red cells

Human red cells reduced extracellular ferricytochrome c to ferrocytochrome c under various conditions, suggesting that ferricytochrome c reducing systems are present at the outer surface of the red cell membrane.     

Biliverdin as an electron transfer catalyst for superoxide ion in aqueous medium

Stopped flow experiments gave evidence of the formation of a biliverdin-superoxide complex and/or a biliverdin radical anion by reaction of aqueous O2- with biliverdin. Such transient species are likely intermediates both in the bleaching of biliverdin, during exposure to the aerobic xanthine oxidase reaction, and in the reduction of ferricytochrome c under the same conditions.     

Activation of neutrophils by a chemically separated but optically coupled neutrophil population undergoing respiratory burst

Neutrophils from pig blood were used as a model system to investigate the optical communication between cells. It was found that neutrophils stimulated to undergo respiratory burst can activate a second, chemically separated, but optically coupled population of neutrophils. The response of the latter was visualized as a temporary rising of their low-level chemiluminescence and an enhanced generation of superoxide radicals detected by both the reduction of ferricytochrome c and spin trapping. The results provide evidence that a long-range optical coupling of biological significance between living cells exists.     

Loss of antibody production accompanied by chromosome loss in a cloned hybrid line secreting antibodies to sheep red blood cells

Somatic cell hybrids between Sp2/O-Ag14 mouse myeloma cells and lymphocytes derived from BALB/c mice hyperimmunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were produced. One hybrid producing IgG1 antibody to SRBC was selected, cloned twice and subsequently transferred to BALB/c mice. After a number of transfers it was found that the antibody titer in ascites fluid gradually decreased. Cytogenetic analysis revealed gradual chromosome loss in the hybrid clone, which produced progressively less antibody.     

Loss of antibody production accompanied by chromosome loss in a cloned hybrid line secreting antibodies to sheep red blood cells

Summary Somatic cell hybrids between Sp2/O-Ag14 mouse myeloma cells and lymphocytes derived from BALB/c mice hyperimmunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were produced. One hybrid producing IgG₁ antibody to SRBC was selected, cloned twice and subsequently transferred to BALB/c mice. After a number of transfers it was found that the antibody titer in ascitec fluid gradually decreased. Cytogenetic analysis revealed gradual chromosome loss in the hybrid clone, which produced progressively less antibody.     

Existence of several non-specific recognition systems in macrophages]

Rat peritoneal cells were made to bind five particle species: immunoglobulin-coated Sheep red cells, glutaraldehyde-treated Sheep red cells, latex beads, leishmania and tumor cells. The dependence of binding on various physico-chemical parameters was studied. The binding of latex beads or Leishmania was not inhibited by cold (4 degrees C), sodium azide, cytochalasin B and ethyleneglycol or dimethylsulphoxide. The binding of immunoglobulin-coated Sheep red cells was unaffected by cold and azide, but it was inhibited by cytochalasin B, ethyleneglycol and dimethylsulphoxide. The binding of glutaraldehyde-treated Sheep red cells was inhibited by cold, azide and ethyleneglycol, but it resisted cytochalasin B and dimethylsulphoxide. The binding of tumor cells was inhibited by azide, cytochalasin B, ethyleneglycol and dimethylsulphoxide. It is concluded that: (a) macrophages are endowed several sets of non-specific binding structures that are differently affected by physico-chemical parameters, which provides a simple way of characterizing them; (b) the expression of a given binding structure on the macrophage membrane is modulated by metabolic inhibitors; (c) some lymphocytes were able to bind tumor cells or Leishmania. Thus, lymphocytes and macrophages might share some non-specific adhesive structures.     

Suppression of humoral immune response in mice by administration of high molecular levan

Summary High molecular levan, a polyfructoside, has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the primary immune response to sheep red cells (SE) in Balb/c mice, when given as from 1–2 days prior to the antigen injection. A slight stimulation of the immune response was observed when levan was given shortly before or 1 day after the antigen.     

Vitamin C and the immune response.

The inclusion of vitamin C in the drinking water of BALB/c mice was without effect on the humoral antibody response to sheep red blood cells and bacterial lipopolysaccharide. However, there was a significantly increased cell-mediated immune response as determined by increased T-lymphocyte responses to concanavalin A. This might suggest a mechanism, along with interferon enhancement, for the possible protection by vitamin C against some viral infections.     

Vitamin C and the immune response

Summary The inclusion of vitamin C in the drinking water of BALB/c mice was without effect on the humoral antibody response to sheep red blood cells and bacterial lipopolysaccharide. However, there was a significantly increased cell-mediated immune response as determined by increased T-lymphocyte responses to concanavalin A. This might suggest a mechanism, along with interferon enhancement, for the possible protection by vitamin C against some viral infections.We thank Miss Wendy Treat for excellent technical assistance.     

Interaction of organic dyes with hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing monoöxygenases in vitro

Summary Organic dyes such as malachite green, methylene blue, fuchsin, safranine T, neutral red, phenazine methosulphate, riboflavin, dichlorophenolindophenol, phenolphthalein, and fluorescein, inhibit hepatic microsomal mixedfunction oxidases and, partly, enhance, partly, inhibit hepatic microsomal NADPH-dependent cytochrome c and neotetrazolium reductases, in contrast to other inhibitors of drug metabolism which do not affect cytochrome c reductase but only interact with cytochrome P-450.Dedicated to Prof. G. Pfleiderer on the occasion of his 60th birthday.Acknowledgment. The author thanks Mrs Fey, Mrs Meier, and Mr Weinrauch, for their skilful technical assistance; he is grateful to Dr A. Sinharay (Hoechst AG) for providing him with anisic ester and methylayapanine.     

Further studies on the effect of red and far red light on rat retinal development

Summary The influence on the development of the outer segments of the rat retina of far red and red light in different sequences was investigated. The far red treatment appeared to be dominating, and for animals treated with far red light first, further treatment of red light could not bring the outer segment growth back to normal. The treatments also initiated different dopamine uptakes in the retinas.     

Red cell metabolism in red and grey kangaroos

Glucose utilization, lactate production and glutathione regeneration were measured in the red blood cells of 2 species of Australian Marsupials, Eastern grey Kangaroo (Macropus gigantus) and red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), and were found to be significantly lower in the red blood cells from grey than that of red kangaroos.     

Responses of free running leaf movements to light,in particular to red and far red light during sunrise and sunset

Summary Daily leaf movements were compared with the intensities and proportions of red and far red light during sunrise and sunset. A linear relationship exists between the inverse of the 1/3 power of the minimum leaf movement against the elapsed time for its occurrence since either sunrise or sunset. A minimum of the ratio of the intensities of red to far red light at 6 min after sunrise and 16 min before sunset are suggested to be related to minimal levels of far red phytochrome and of ATP activity.     

The effect of two forms of light on the development of the neonatal rat retina

Summary The effects of red and far red light on the development of the retinas were studied in the neonatal rat models. Red light appeared to be stimulatory and far red light appeared to be inhibitory.     

Decreased levels of complex III core protein 1 and complex V beta chain in brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome

Ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex III) and ATP synthase (complex V) are important enzymes in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Defects in mitochondrial respiratory enzymes have been reported for several neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we applied the proteomic approach to investigate protein levels of complex III core protein and complex V beta chain in brain regions of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down syndrome (DS) patients. Complex III core protein 1 was significantly reduced in the temporal cortex of AD patients. Complex V beta chain was significantly reduced in the frontal cortex of DS patients. We conclude that decreased mitochondrial respiratory enzymes could contribute to the impairment of energy metabolism observed in DS. These decreases could also cause the generation of reactive oxygen species and neuronal cell death (apoptosis) in DS as well as AD.     

The negative correlation between erythrocyte concentration and mean corpuscular haemoglobin or mean corpuscular volume in normal dogs

Summary In normal adult Beagle dogs red cell concentration decreased linearly with increasing mean red cell volume and mean red cell haemoglobin. The results are statistically significant (p<0.001).     

Conversion of glycine max seed agglutinins from nonspecific to anti-(A + B).

The seeds of glycine max contain agglutinins which are typically nonspecific in their reactivity. Our investigations show that the phytagglutinins in GM can be converted from nonspecific to anti-(A + B) after the lectin is absorbed with horse red cells. The anti-A and anti-B fractions can be further separated by suitably absorbing the lectin with human red cells. The lectin absorbed with horse red cells or with group-0 human red cells shows an A-stressed activity.     

Conversion of glycine max seed agglutinins from nonspecific to anti-(A+B)

Summary The seeds of glycine max contain agglutinins which are typically nonspecific in their reactivity. Our investigations show that the phytagglutinins in GM can be converted from nonspecific to anti-(A+B) after the lectin is absorbed with horse red cells. The anti-A and anti-B fractions can be further separated by suitably absorbing the lectin with human red cells. The lectin absorbed with horse red cells or with group-0 human red cells shows an A-stressed activity.     

Histochemical characterization of the red fibres in pigeon pectoralis muscle.

Red fibres of the pigeon pectoralis muscle showed high ATPase reaction at pH 9.4. Veronal-acetate pretreatment completely inhibited the ATPase reaction in these red fibres but not in type I fibres of the gastrocnemius. The former are type II red muscle fibres and hence are unlike type I red, the so-called slow-twitch muscle fibres.     

Histochemical characterization of the red fibres in pigeon pectoralis muscle

Summary Red fibres of the pigeon pectoralis muscle showed high ATPase reaction at pH 9.4. Veronal-acetate pretreatment completely inhibited the ATPase reaction in these red fibres but not in type I fibres of the gastrocnemius. The former are type II red muscle fibres and hence are unlike type I red, the so-called slow-twitch muscle fibres.