An Hfe-dependent pathway mediates hyposideremia in response to lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in mice

Inflammation influences iron balance in the whole organism. A common clinical manifestation of these changes is anemia of chronic disease (ACD; also called anemia of inflammation). Inflammation reduces duodenal iron absorption and increases macrophage iron retention, resulting in low serum iron concentrations (hyposideremia). Despite the protection hyposideremia provides against proliferating microorganisms, this 'iron withholding' reduces the iron available to maturing red blood cells and eventually contributes to the development of anemia. Hepcidin antimicrobial peptide (Hamp) is a hepatic defensin-like peptide hormone that inhibits duodenal iron absorption and macrophage iron release. Hamp is part of the type II acute phase response and is thought to have a crucial regulatory role in sequestering iron in the context of ACD. Mice with deficiencies in the hemochromatosis gene product, Hfe, mounted a general inflammatory response after injection of lipopolysaccharide but lacked appropriate Hamp expression and did not develop hyposideremia. These data suggest a previously unidentified role for Hfe in innate immunity and ACD.     

Allogeneic effect on induction of thyroglobulin antibodies and thyroid lesions in mice

Summary All previous attempts failed to induce thyroglobulin antibodies or thyroid infiltrates in mice immunized with homologous thyroglobulin without adjuvants. However, an allogeneic effect obviated the need of adjuvants for triggering thyroglobulin-reactive lymphocytes to produce thyroglobulin antibodies or thyroid lesions.This work was supported by a grant from the Margaret Duffy and Robert Cameron C. Troup Fund. I thank Ellen Kenney for technical assistance and Dr Pei-nan Tsung for the X-ray irradiation.     

EEG synchronization produced by peripheral nerve stimulation

Riassunto La stimolazione a 3–8/sec di nervi cutanei e muscolari, eseguita in gatti integri non anestetizzati, produce una sincronizzazione dell'attività elettrica cerebrale. La soglia per questa risposta corrisponde in media a 0,4–0,9 volte l'intensità minima di corrente che applicata allo stesso nervo e in analoghe condizioni sperimentali produce la reazione di risveglio.

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This investigation was supported by PHS research grant B-2990 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, N.I.H., Public Health Services, U.S.A.     

The importance of autoplastically transplanted pituitaries for survival and for regeneration of adultTriturus

Résumé Une hypophyse greffée autoplastiquement dans la chambre antérieure de l'il, dans lemanus ou dans letarsus s'est avérée capable de remplacer l'hypophysein situ dans son action sur la régénération et la survie chez le Triton, à condition que s'établisse une vascularisation satisfaisante du greffon et que la durée de l'expérience ne dépasse pas plusieurs mois.     

The protective effect of small amounts of selenite in sublimate intoxication

Résumé L'injection de très petites quantités de sélénite de sodium, administrées simultanément ou 1 h après l'intoxication par le sublimé corrosif, en abaisse considérablement la toxicité: les rats blancs intoxiqués par une dose létale de sublime corrosif survivent sous l'effet du sélénite dans un % important et les lésions typiques des reins et d'autres organes n'apparaissent pas.