Processing of a minimal antigenic peptide alters its interaction with MHC molecules

Before their recognition by T lymphocytes, protein antigens generally require processing by antigen-presenting cells. In a poorly understood series of events, the protein antigen is internalized, transformed and re-expressed on the surface of the antigen-presenting cell in association with gene products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Small peptides derived from the native protein can be recognized in the absence of antigen processing, suggesting that processing involves proteolytic degradation. These peptides are thought to mimic the naturally produced peptide fragment. We describe here a synthetic peptide antigen of this type which does not require processing but which is nevertheless further processed by splenic antigen-presenting cells. Interestingly, this processing event specifically alters the interaction of the peptide with the class II MHC (Ia) molecule, markedly affecting both its potency as an antigen in vitro and its immunogenicity in vivo (IR gene control).     

Inhibition by testosterone of immune reactivity and of lymphoid regeneration in irradiated and marrow reconstituted mice

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass die Behandlung letal bestrahlter und mit isologem Knochenmark regenerierter Mäuse mit Testosteron zu starker Herabsetzung der immunologischen Reaktivität und zu eindeutiger Reduktion des lymphatischen Gewebes führt.

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Acknowledgements: This investigation was supported by a grant from the Scientific Research from the Japanese Ministry of Education.     

Circadian rhythm in adrenal adenyl cyclase and corticosterone abolished by medial forebrain bundle transection in the rat

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass die Nebennierenrinde von Ratten nicht nur eine rhythmische Tagesschwankung in ihrem Gehalt an Corticosteron, sondern auch eine Schwankung im Gehalt an Adenyl-Cyclase aufweist. Diese Rhythmen können durch eine stereotaktisch ausgeführte Trennung des medianen Vorderhirnbündels, welches zum Hypothalamus führt, aufgehoben werden.

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This work was supported by research grants No. NS-05002 and No. HD-04581 from the National Institutes of Health, USPHS.     

一个实用而有效的产生优质多字体多字号汉字的方法

本文介绍一个实用而有效的产生优质多字体多字号汉字的方法。这个方法兼备低存贮要求和高速汉字输出的优点。基于本文提出的原理所设计的“软”汉字发生器可以移植到任何16位及16位以上的个人计算机及其他类型的计算机。     

Structure, expression and divergence of T-cell receptor beta-chain variable regions

Analysis of three new T-cell receptor beta-chain variable regions together with those in the literature indicates that they have both remarkable similarities and differences with those of immunoglobulin. Less than 10 V regions appear to predominate in the thymus. V beta sequences are much more heterogeneous at the amino acid level than are immunoglobulin V regions and they appear to diverge between species much more quickly, apparently the result of additional hypervariable regions. Three of these putative new hypervariable regions lie outside of the classical immunoglobulin binding site, an indication that important interactions may be occurring in these regions with polymorphic MHC determinants.