Biken journal最新文献

The effect of HLA on varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-specific lymphocyte transformation (LTF) was studied in 100 normal immune adults and 64 children who were immunized with live attenuated varicella vaccine. In the normal adults, a statistically significant association was observed between low responsiveness and the presence of A2 (p less than 0.025), and also between high responsiveness and the presence of Aw24 (p less than 0.05). A similar but clearer association, i.e. low responsiveness with A2 (p less than 0.005) and high responsiveness with Aw24 (p less than 0.025), was observed in the vaccinated children. In these children, Aw31 was also found to be related to low responsiveness (p less than 0.05). These results suggest that the VZV-specific cellular immune response is in some way influenced by HLA.

Two hybridoma clones producing monoclonal antibodies were obtained from mice immunized with the Marek's disease (MD)-lymphoblastoid cell line MSB1. These monoclonal antibodies reacted with the surface of MD-lymphoblastoid cell lines at higher titers than with avian lymphoid leukosis cell lines or with normal chicken thymus, bursa or peripheral blood lymphocytes. The serological specificity of these monoclonal antibodies seemed to correspond with that of rabbit antiserum reactive with MD tumor-associated surface antigen (MATSA).

When mice given diet containing 100, 200 or 400 micrograms of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) per g, or PCB-free diet for 21 days were inoculated intranasally with influenza virus, the mortality was higher in some groups given PCB than in the control group. When Staphylococcus aureus was inoculated intraperitoneally into mice given a diets with or without PCB, a significant difference was observed in the mortalities in the groups. Subcutaneous injection of S. aureus also caused a larger subcutaneous abscess in the mice given diets containing PCB than in those given control diet. Thus, it is suggested that PCB ingestion reduces host resistance to systemic or local infection with viruses or bacteria.

A total of 336 hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers were followed for more than 3 years with serial measurements of serological markers of HBV to determine the correlation between their clinical course and the HBeAg-anti-HBe system. In all, 139 had hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) at the beginning of the study. During the study, 30 of 139 HBeAg-positive carriers became HBeAg negative and subsequently gave a positive reaction for antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe). The rate of seroconversion was 3.6% per year. Two types of profile of seroconversion were observed, rapid and gradual. No significant differences were observed in the incidences of HBeAg and anti-HBe in HBV carriers with or without liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These findings do not support the report by Chung et al. (1983, J. Med. Virol. 11: 99-104) that a prolonged replicative phase of chronic HBV infection is essential for the occurrence of HCC. Two HBV carriers were diagnosed as having HCC at the time of seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe. This finding supports the reports by Coursaget et al. (1978, J. Clin. Microbiol. 7: 394-395) and Musca et al. (1983, Hepatogastroenterology 30: 3-5) that actively replicating HBV sometimes becomes defective during the course of malignant transformation.

From 1975 to 1977, a nationwide rubella epidemic occurred in Japan. This epidemic provided the last chance for the observation of natural rubella and its epidemiology without the influence of mass-vaccination for rubella and before changes in the epidemic pattern of rubella in the 1980's in Japan. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained by questionnaires on school children in 28 selected primary schools and their family members (a total of 80,221 persons) in Fukuoka in southern Japan during the 1976-1977 rubella epidemic. At the end of 1975 the rubella epidemic was mainly in the western part of Fukuoka city and then it spread to the eastern part. After a break during the summer of 1976, the epidemic restarted in 1977 mainly in the eastern part with few cases in the western part. Rubella was identified clinically in 14,322 cases (18%) during the 1976 epidemic, the incidences in various age groups being as follows: children of below 6 years of age, 28%; primary school children, 37%; junior and senior high school students, 30%; adults of 18 to 30 years of age, 8%; adults of over 30 years of age, 1%. The incidence in primary school children in 1977 was 18%. Of the 14,322 cases of clinical rubella in 1976, 3 with encephalitis, 9 with purpura and 1,843 with joint complaints (pain and/or swelling of joints) were recorded. Rubella encephalitis was estimated to have occurred in 1 in 4,700 cases with clinical rubella, and purpura in 1 in 1,500 cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The effects of interferons on dengue virus multiplication in cultured human and mouse monocytes/macrophages were studied. Interferon treatment before, but not after virus inoculation suppressed virus multiplication dose-dependently. Recombinant human leukocyte A interferon was as effective as ordinary human fibroblast interferon in suppressing dengue virus multiplication in cultured human monocytes. Human monocytes, a population of non-proliferating cell lineage, maintained their interferon-mediated antiviral state for a few days after removal of the interferons.

Suspension cultures of pluripotent teratocarcinoma cells were induced with sodium butyrate to produce plasminogen activator (PA), generally regarded as a marker enzyme of differentiation of the teratocarcinoma. The induction of plasminogen activator was very efficient, resulting in production of sufficient enzyme to allow its purification. The activator was inactivated by rabbit anti-human melanoma plasminogen activator antiserum, indicating that it was a tissue-type activator (t-PA). The enzyme was purified by column chromatograph on phosphocellulose, zinc-chelate agarose, Con-A Sepharose and Sephadex G-150. The preparation at the final step of purification gave a single peak of enzyme activity at pH 7.3 +/- 0.1 on isoelectric focusing, and showed a molecular weight of approximately 77,000 on SDS PAGE.