Infect Immun, 1988 Jun, 56(6), 1580 - 4 Monoclonal antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus laminin-binding proteins cross-react with mammalian cells; Mota GF et al.; We and others have previously shown that some microorganisms, including bacteria, express on their surfaces receptors that specifically recognize extracellular matrix proteins, such as laminin, fibronectin, or both . The ability of microorganisms to adhere and to invade might depend on the existence of receptors which could, thus, be correlated with pathogenicity . In the present paper, we report the isolation of five stable cell lines that were producers of monoclonal antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus laminin receptors . One of these antibodies, which was of the immunoglobulin M isotype, blocked the binding of laminin to bacteria before and after fixation and recognized the putative 52-kilodalton laminin-binding protein in whole bacterial extracts . Also, purified receptor was isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography and shown to bind laminin . Furthermore, the same antibodies bound the 67-kilodalton putative receptor from mouse melanoma cells and gave positive immunofluorescence reactions against mammalian tumor cells . These data strongly suggest either the evolutionary conservation of at least some sequences in both procaryotic and eucaryotic laminin-binding proteins or convergent evolution and positive selection of epitopes cross-reacting with laminin . Some of these antibodies to the procaryotic protein could therefore become useful markers for the expression of laminin receptors by cancer cells. Bioorg Khim, 1988 Jun, 14(6), 790 - 6 {Primary structure of the OSCP-protein, conferring the oligomycin sensitivity to the H+-ATPase complex . II . Hydrolysis of OSCP with proteinase from Staphylococcus aureus and reconstruction of the polypeptide chain}; Grinkevich VA et al.; Hydrolysis of OSCP of bovine heart mitochondria by proteinase from Staphylococcus aureus V8 was followed by isolation of all individual peptides by means of gel-filtration and HPLC . Structural analysis of the peptides allowed to arrange BrCN-fragments and to reconstruct the complete amino acid sequence of the protein . Comparative structural analysis revealed existence of a certain homology between OSCP and delta- and b-subunits of the E . coli H+-ATPase, which are necessary for interaction of catalytic and proton-conducting parts of the bacterial enzyme. Ann Trop Paediatr, 1988 Jun, 8(2), 80 - 4 Neonatal bacteraemia in Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesha, Nigeria; Owa JA et al.; In a study on neonatal bacteraemia among the high-risk neonates admitted into our neonatal unit at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesha, the incidence of bacteraemia in babies born in the hospital was 17/1000 live births and 71.6/1000 total admissions into the unit . Gram-negative bacteria accounted for about 58.1% of bacteria isolated and Staphylococcus aureus for 62% of the isolated Gram-positive bacteria . Among the commonly used antibiotics, gentamicin is the most favoured by the sensitivity test . S . aureus appeared more sensitive to erythromycin than to cloxacillin or ampicillin . The present policy of using the combination of gentamicin and cloxacillin and/or ampicillin is adequate for most agents encountered and therefore should continue . It is suggested that proper antenatal care, adequate supervision of delivery, better neonatal care and provision of better laboratory facilities will help to reduce the incidence of neonatal bacterial infection, improve the management of neonatal infection and reduce the morbidity and mortality from bacterial infection. Biochemistry, 1988 May 17, 27(10), 3747 - 53 Identification of cysteine-644 as the covalent site of attachment of dexamethasone 21-mesylate to murine glucocorticoid receptors in WEHI-7 cells; Smith LI et al.; Dexamethasone 21-mesylate is a highly specific synthetic glucocorticoid derivative that binds covalently to glucocorticoid receptors via sulfhydryl groups . We have identified the amino acid that reacts with the dexamethasone 21-mesylate by using enzymatic digestion and microsequencing for radiolabel . Nonactivated glucocorticoid receptors obtained from labeling intact WEHI-7 mouse thymoma cells with {3H}dexamethasone 21-mesylate were immunopurified and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The purified approximately 100-kDa steroid-binding subunit was eluted from gel slices and subjected to enzymatic digestion . Trypsin digestion followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (reversed-phase HPLC) produced a single {3H}dexamethasone 21-mesylate labeled peptide . Automated Edman degradation of this peptide revealed that the {3H}dexamethasone 21-mesylate was located at position 5 from the amino terminus . Dual-isotope labeling studies with {3H}dexamethasone 21-mesylate and {35S}methionine demonstrated that this peptide contained methionine . Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digestion of {3H}dexamethasone 21-mesylate labeled steroid-binding subunits generated a different radiolabeled peptide containing label at position 7 from the amino terminus . On the basis of the published amino acid sequence of the murine glucocorticoid receptor, our data clearly identify cysteine-644 as the single residue in the steroid-binding domain that covalently binds dexamethasone 21-mesylate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Biochem J, 1988 May 15, 252(1), 191 - 8 Characterization and amino acid sequence of a fatty acid-binding protein from human heart; Offner GD et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of a fatty acid-binding protein from human heart was determined by automated Edman degradation of CNBr, BNPS-skatole {3'-bromo-3-methyl-2-(2-nitrobenzenesulphenyl)indolenine}, hydroxylamine, Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase, tryptic and chymotryptic peptides, and by digestion of the protein with carboxypeptidase A . The sequence of the blocked N-terminal tryptic peptide from citraconylated protein was determined by collisionally induced decomposition mass spectrometry . The protein contains 132 amino acid residues, is enriched with respect to threonine and lysine, lacks cysteine, has an acetylated valine residue at the N-terminus, and has an Mr of 14768 and an isoelectric point of 5.25 . This protein contains two short internal repeated sequences from residues 48-54 and from residues 114-119 located within regions of predicted beta-structure and decreasing hydrophobicity . These short repeats are contained within two longer repeated regions from residues 48-60 and residues 114-125, which display 62% sequence similarity . These regions could accommodate the charged and uncharged moieties of long-chain fatty acids and may represent fatty acid-binding domains consistent with the finding that human heart fatty acid-binding protein binds 2 mol of oleate or palmitate/mol of protein . Detailed evidence for the amino acid sequences of the peptides has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50143 (23 pages) at the British Library Lending Division, Boston Spa, Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies may be obtained as indicated in Biochem . J . (1988) 249, 5. J Biol Chem, 1988 May 15, 263(14), 6592 - 8 Isolation and characterization of two different forms of inositol phospholipid-specific phospholipase C from rat brain; Homma Y et al.; Two different forms of inositol phospholipid-specific phospholipase C (PLC) have been purified 2810- and 4010-fold, respectively, from a crude extract of rat brain . The purification procedures consisted of chromatography of both enzymes on Affi-Gel blue and cellulose phosphate, followed by three sequential high performance liquid chromatography steps, which were different for the two enzymes . The resultant preparations each contained homogeneous enzyme with a Mr of 85,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . One of these enzymes (PLC-II) was found to hydrolyze phosphatidyl-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) at a rate of 15.3 mumol/min/mg of protein and also phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate and phosphatidylinositol (PI) at slower rates . For hydrolysis of PI, this enzyme was activated by an acidic pH and a high concentration of Ca2+ and showed a Vmax value of 19.2 mumol/min/mg of protein . The other enzyme (PLC-III) catalyzed hydrolysis of PIP2 preferentially at a Vmax rate of 12.9 mumol/min/mg of protein and catalyzed that of phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate slightly . The rate of PIP2 hydrolysis by this enzyme exceeded that of PI under all conditions tested . Neither of these enzymes had any activity on phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, or phosphatidic acid . These two enzymes showed not only biochemical but also structural differences . Western blotting showed that antibodies directed against PLC-II did not react with PLC-III . Furthermore, the two enzymes gave different peptide maps after digestion with alpha-chymotrypsin or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . These results suggest that these two forms of PLC belong to different families of PLC. Biomed Environ Mass Spectrom, 1988 May 15, 15(10), 541 - 6 A determination of the positions of disulphide bonds in Paim I, alpha-amylase inhibitor from Streptomyces corchorushii, using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry; Akashi S et al.; Paim I, a protein alpha-amylase inhibitor, is a single-chain polypeptide which consists of 73 amino acids, including 4 half-cystine residues . The positions of disulphide bonds in Paim I have been determined with the combination of enzymatic digestion and fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry . Denatured Paim I was digested to peptides with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . These peptides were subjected to FAB mass spectrometry, with or without isolation by high-performance liquid chromatography . The positions of disulphide bonds in Paim I were determined from the relative molecular masses of the peptides containing a disulphide bond and by the enzyme specificity of S . aureus V8 protease . It is deduced that Paim I has two disulphide bridges at Cys(8)--Cys(24) and Cys(42)--Cys(70). Arch Biochem Biophys, 1988 May 15, 263(1), 216 - 25 Topology and regulation of bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase in sealed native microsomes from rat liver; Vanstapel F et al.; Bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase displays marked latency in native microsomes . To examine whether this latency correlates with structural integrity of the microsomal vesicles and reflects lumenal orientation of the enzyme's catalytic center, we analyzed the relationship between transferase activity and the degree of expression of mannose (Man)-6-phosphatase, which is a marker enzyme of the cisternal face of the ER membrane . Using detergent, sonication, or the pore-forming Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin to breach the microsomal membrane permeability barrier, we found that after each of these pretreatments a remarkably close direct relationship existed between latency changes for bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase and Man-6-phosphatase . This finding suggested that the transferase may have the same transverse topology as the phosphohydrolase . We also compared the effects of membrane-impermeant proteinases on bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity in native and disrupted microsomes . Whereas the unspecific proteinase nagarse markedly inactivated (to less than 30% of activities in controls) the transferase in disrupted microsomes, treatment with the proteinase had little effect on transferase activity in sealed microsomal vesicles . The results suggest that the active site of bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase is on the lumenal face of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane . It was also found that activation of transferase activity by UDP N-acetylglucosamine, which is the presumed allosteric effector of UDP-glucuronyltransferase, was markedly altered by relatively small changes in structural integrity of the microsomes and totally abolished when latency of Man-6-P hydrolysis fell below approximately 80% . Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the microsomal membrane permeability barrier is a major determinant of expression of microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity and that quantitative assessment of integrity of the microsomes is essential for studying kinetic properties and regulation of microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase. J Biol Chem, 1988 May 5, 263(13), 6424 - 31 Protein kinase C and its substrates in tumor promoter-sensitive and -resistant cells; Smith BM et al.; Calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C activity and substrates were characterized in cell lysates of preneoplastic JB6 cells, a model system of genetic variants for sensitivity to tumor promoter-induced neoplastic transformation . Protein kinase C activity was similar for sensitive and resistant variants, as measured by calcium- and phospholipid-dependent phosphorylation of an exogenous substrate (histone HIII) . Of 13 endogenous protein kinase C substrates, identified by labeling proteins with {gamma-32P} ATP, at least two (80 and 23 kDa) are potential candidates for mediating events on the pathway for promotion of transformation . 32P incorporation into the 80-kDa protein kinase C substrate was stimulated by tetradecanoylphorbol acetate and correlated with phenotype: the highest incorporation was found in promotion-insensitive cells, an intermediate level in promotion-sensitive cells and the lowest in the transformed cells . The phosphorylation of an 80-kDa protein, found by labeling intact cells in monolayer growth with {32P}orthophosphate, was also stimulated by tetradecanoylphorbol acetate and correlated inversely with phenotype . The 80 kDa protein kinase C substrate from cell lysates and the 80-kDa phosphoprotein from intact cells appear to be identical, as indicated by peptide mapping with protease V8 from Staphylococcus aureus . This finding suggests that the 80-kDa substrate is relevant to promoter-induced signal transduction in the intact cell . The 23-kDa protein kinase C substrate exhibited a band shift in sodium dodecyl sulfate gels in response to another transformation promoter in JB6 cells, the calcium analog, lanthanum (Smith, B . M., Gindhart, T . D., and Colburn, N . H . (1986) Carcinogenesis 7, 1949-1956) . In summary, there are no unique substrates that distinguish the variants . Quantitative differences in certain substrates or their phosphorylation may, however, account for the difference in promotion sensitivity among the variants. J Biol Chem, 1988 May 5, 263(13), 6276 - 80 Regulation of the enterotoxin B gene in Staphylococcus aureus; Gaskill ME et al.; The enterotoxin B gene of Staphylococcus aureus encodes a single mRNA of about 900 nucleotides . To identify the DNA sequences involved in transcription of the enterotoxin B gene, the transcription initiation and termination sites were determined by nuclease S1 protection experiments . Determination of the enterotoxin B mRNA and protein levels from a number of toxin-producing strains showed that strains that contained relatively low levels of mRNA synthesized low levels of enterotoxin B, whereas strains that carried high levels of enterotoxin B mRNA produced relatively high levels of the toxin protein . Strains carrying the cloned enterotoxin B gene secreted greatly reduced amounts of other extracellular proteins, indicating that the synthesis of several exoproteins in S . aureus is coordinately regulated . An accessory element called agr has been suggested to be involved in the regulation of several exoprotein genes in S . aureus . When the cloned enterotoxin B gene was introduced into strain ISP546 in which the agr element has been inactivated, reduced levels of both enterotoxin B and enterotoxin B mRNA were found . Our results suggest that the enterotoxin B gene is regulated at the transcriptional level and that the agr element plays a role in this regulation. J Biol Chem, 1988 May 5, 263(13), 6068 - 73 Affinity labeling of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I by 5'-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine . Identification of the domain essential for polymerization and Arg-682 as the site of reactivity; Pandey VN et al.; Preincubation of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (pol I) with 5'-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine (5'-FSBA) results in an irreversible inactivation of DNA polymerase activity with concomitant covalent binding of 5'-FSBA to enzyme . pol I-associated 3'-5' exonuclease activity, however, remains unaffected . Kinetic studies of inactivation indicate that the degree of inactivation is directly proportional to the concentration of 5'-FSBA and increases linearly with time . The presence of the metal chelate form of dNTP substrates or template primer, but not the template or primer alone, protects the enzyme from inactivation by 5'-FSBA . A complete inactivation of polymerase activity occurs when 2 mol of 5'-FSBA are covalently linked to 1 mol of enzyme, suggesting two sites of modification . Tryptic peptide mapping of 5'-FSBA-treated enzyme revealed the presence of two distinct peptides containing the affinity label, confirming the presence of two reactive sites in the enzyme . However, we find that only one of the two sites is essential for the polymerase activity since, in the presence of substrate dNTP or template primer during preincubation of enzyme with 5'-FSBA, incorporation of the affinity label is reduced by only 1 mol . Peptide analysis of dNTP or template primer-protected enzyme further revealed that a peptide eluting at 35 min from the C-18 matrix was protected from the 5'-FSBA reaction . It is therefore concluded that this peptide contains the domain essential for polymerase activity . Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease digestion, amino acid composition, and sequence analysis of this peptide revealed this domain to span residues 669 to 687 in the primary amino acid sequence of pol I, and arginine 682 was found to be the site of 5'-FSBA reactivity. J Biol Chem, 1988 May 5, 263(13), 6375 - 83 Identification of the phosphorylation sites in early region 1A proteins of adenovirus type 5 by amino acid sequencing of peptide fragments; Tremblay ML et al.; We have mapped the positions of three of the phosphorylation sites on the 289 and 243 residue (289R and 243R) early region 1A (E1A) proteins of human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) . These proteins, which play roles in both transcriptional control and oncogenic transformation, have identical sequences except for the presence in 289R of 46 additional internal amino acids . Phosphorylation was detected exclusively at serine residues . E1A proteins purified from {35S}methionine- or {32P}orthophosphate-labeled Ad5-infected cells were digested with trypsin, and two phosphopeptides were isolated by reverse-phase chromatography and subjected to automated Edman degradation . The major species was shown to contain a single phosphorylation site at Ser-219 . The second phosphopeptide was shown to contain at least one phosphorylation site at Ser-231 . A third phosphorylated tryptic peptide could not be eluted from the column but was isolated using an E1A-specific rat monoclonal antibody . Following subcleavage by Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease, this peptide was shown to contain at least one phosphorylation site at Ser-89 . The present data indicate that both the 289R and 243R E1A proteins are phosphorylated at the same sites, at least one in the amino terminal half of the molecule, and at least two toward the carboxyl terminus. Eur J Biochem, 1988 May 2, 173(3), 547 - 54 The amino acid sequence of wheat histone H2B(2) . A core histone with a novel repetitive N-terminal extension; Brandt WF et al.; Two of the four electrophoretic histone H2B variants present in wheat embryos have been isolated . The complete primary structure of the H2B(2) variant has been deduced from sets of overlapping peptides generated by CNBr cleavage, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, endoproteinase Arg-C, the post-proline cleaving enzyme, chymotrypsin and cleavage in dilute acid . A minimum of 17 peptides were required to establish the sequence . This variant has a blocked N terminus and comprises a total of 149 amino acids . The C-terminal two-thirds of the protein are highly homologous to vertebrate H2B . In contrast, the N-terminal third is entirely different and contains an N-terminal extension of 23 residues in which the sequence Ala-Glu-Lys or variants are repeated several times . This region is also highly homologous to the H2B from Tetrahymena pyriformis . It shows in addition similarities to wheat H2A(1) and bovine H1. Mol Immunol, 1988 May, 25(5), 473 - 7 Protein A vectorized toxins--II . Preparation and "in vitro" cytotoxic effect of protein A-ricin A chain conjugate on antibody coated human tumour cells; Ghetie MA et al.; Protein A of Staphylococcus aureus was covalently bound to reduced ricin A chain toxin by N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate . The conjugate consisting mainly of one molecule of protein A bound to two molecules of A chains (Mr 107,000) was purified by tandem affinity chromatography on ConA-Sepharose 4B and IgG-Sepharose 4B . The purified protein A-A chain conjugate was able to bind and kill human lymphoma cells coated either with monoclonal mouse IgG2a anti-kappa antibody or with polyclonal rabbit anti-kappa antibody . The cytotoxic activity of protein A-A chain conjugate in conjunction with either mouse or rabbit anti-kappa antibodies was 10 times higher than that of rabbit IgG anti-mouse IgG coupled with A chain on Daudi cells coated with mouse anti-kappa antibody and 100 times higher than that of rabbit anti-kappa antibody coupled with A chain on non-coated Daudi cells . The cytotoxic effect of protein A-A chain conjugate on antibody-coated Daudi cells (9 x 10(-12) M) was comparable with that of ricin toxin on non-coated Daudi cells (2 x 10(-12) M) . The results recommend the use of protein A-ricin A chain toxin conjugate as a unique specific toxin for the "in vitro" killing of antibody-coated target cells. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1988 May, 268(3), 325 - 40 Adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to fibrinogen, collagen and lectin in relation to cell surface structure; Ohtomo T et al.; The adherence of an encapsulated strain of Staphylococcus aureus, S-P, and its variants to fibrinogen-, collagen-, and lectin-coated hydroxyapatite were compared . The parent strain, S-P, possesses a large capsule while its variants S-A and S-B possess a small capsule and microcapsule, respectively . The third variant, S-C, has no capsule . Adherence to proteinaceous substances varied according to the strains . While all four strains showed a similar degree of adhesion to collagen, the adhesion of strains S-A, S-B and S-C to fibrinogen and lectin differed from those of strain S-P . The effect of physical and enzymatic pretreatment of the strains on adhesion characteristics was measured . Generally, these results suggest that both carbohydrate and protein moieties on cell surface may be involved in adherence . In addition, the inhibition of adhesion by cell-surface polymers and monosaccharides was measured . The inhibition of adhesion of large capsulated (S-P) and unencapsulated (S-C) strains by proteinaceous substances differed . The large capsulated strain (S-P) of S . aureus had different adherence capacities in early-, mid-, or late log phases of growth, whereas the adherence capacities of the unencapsulated strain S-C remained nearly constant. Infection, 1988 May-Jun, 16(3), 183 - 5 A case of fatal enterotoxicosis complicated with acute bronchopneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus strains producing enterotoxin A; Duben J et al.; This is a case report of a female patient 20 years of age who died of congestive heart failure as the result of acute staphylococcal bronchopneumonia resulting from possible aspiration during apparent staphylococcal enterotoxicosis . The diagnosis was supported by the isolation of the same strain of Staphylococcus aureus from the lungs, tonsils, and intestinal contents . Isolates from all three sources produced enterotoxin A, a common food poisoning toxin. Rev Infect Dis, 1988 May-Jun, 10(3), 627 - 8 Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Spanish hospital; Perez Trallero E et al.; Recent reports of the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Europe are infrequent compared with reports in the 1960s . Annual incidence of the isolation of MRSA was studied in a general hospital in Guipuzcoa (Basque country) over a 9-year period . Overall prevalence was 4.5%-12.93% in the first 3 years (coinciding with an epidemic phase) and later 0.29%, underlining the cyclic and epidemic nature of this infection. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 May, 21(5), 581 - 8 Susceptibility of Hong Kong isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to antimicrobial agents; French GL et al.; Two hundred and sixty-six non-replicate Hong Kong isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were tested for their susceptibility to various anti-staphylococcal agents . Multiple resistance was common . More than 95% of patient isolates were resistant to both gentamicin and tetracycline, 68% to erythromycin, 37% to chloramphenicol, 10% to trimethoprim, 5% to rifampicin and 2% to fusidic acid . No isolate was resistant to all these agents, but nineteen different patterns of resistance were identified . Selected gentamicin-resistant isolates were tested against other aminoglycosides, and were sensitive to amikacin and netilmicin . The pattern of aminoglycoside resistance indicated that all isolates produced the aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes APH-(2") and AAC-(6')-I . All isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and teicoplanin . A single strain was resistant to three of the five quinolones tested, but resistance to all the quinolones could be induced easily in vitro by exposure to increasing subinhibitory concentrations of norfloxacin in broth. Exp Lung Res, 1988 May, 14(3), 359 - 74 Pulmonary macrophage antimicrobial activity in canine endotoxin shock and lung injury; Jacobs RF et al.; Bacterial sepsis and pneumonia are common complications of lung injury and predispose the host to a poor resolution . We studied the functional integrity of pulmonary macrophages derived from minced lung preparations in a canine model of endotoxin-induced shock with acute lung injury . Dogs given 2 mg/kg of Escherichia coli endotoxin 055:B5 developed classic shock symptoms with concomitant acute lung injury; control animals given saline showed no physiological or pathological abnormalities . Compared to previous work with this canine model, the lung injury in this extended time period (6 h) had progressed to include alveolar edema . Six hours after endotoxin infusion, the left lung was lavaged, perfused, and the resulting lung minced for isolation of pulmonary macrophages . The endotoxic-model pulmonary macrophages showed several significant functional differences from controls . Although they elicited greater production of H2O2 (p less than 0.05), both phagocytosis of radiolabeled Staphylococcus aureus and E . coli (p less than 0.05) and bactericidal activity (p less than 0.05) were diminished compared to controls . Compared to alterations previously described in alveolar macrophages, these cells produced less H2O2 and demonstrated abnormal bacterial killing at all time points . These observations suggest that the functional alterations of pulmonary macrophages that follow acute lung injury contribute to the ineffective cell-mediated antimicrobial response . These derangements may promote an increased risk of nosocomial pneumonia, the high mortality often observed subsequent to pneumonia, or the propagation of acute lung injury that facilitates respiratory failure. Immunol Lett, 1988 May, 18(1), 67 - 72 In vivo follow-up of the cytotoxic effect of protein A--ricin toxin conjugate, on antibody-coated target cells; Mota G et al.; Antibodies of the IgG class, specifically interacted with H-2 antigens of murine leukemia EL4 cells, were used to bind the ricin toxin covalently linked to protein A of Staphylococcus aureus . The toxin thus complexed, introduced in the cytoplasm by endocytosis, was able to kill the leukemic cells inoculated in animals . The interaction of immunotoxin with the leukemic cells was performed in vitro using one, two or three treatments and the cytotoxic effect on the target cells was followed up in vivo . The time interval between immunotoxin treatments was indicated by the membrane turn-over study of EL4 cells coated with specific antibodies in their monomeric form, complexed by protein A or interacted with protein A--ricin toxin conjugate . A proportion of 99.8% cells killed was obtained after three treatments. J Surg Res, 1988 May, 44(5), 566 - 72 Efficacy of muscle flaps in the treatment of prosthetic vascular graft infections; Dacey LJ et al.; Prosthetic vascular graft infection requires graft removal and often leads to limb loss . To determine whether vascularized muscle flaps could alter the course of graft infection, 18 mongrel dogs (18-29 kg) were randomized to one of three groups and underwent unilateral carotid artery bypass with 6-mm X 4-cm PTFE grafts . At implantation, the grafts were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus, 2 x 10(7) organisms/wound . On Day 3, dogs with patent grafts underwent wound debridement, irrigation, and closure, and the treatment to which they had been randomized was carried out . Group A (n = 4, controls) received only dicloxacillin, 500 mg po bid, beginning on Day 4 . Group B (n = 5) underwent transfer of a vascularized sternocephalicus muscle flap around the infected graft, but received no antibiotics . Group C (n = 5) underwent muscle transfer as in Group B and were given dicloxacillin as in Group A . Dogs were followed until anastomotic disruption occurred or for 60 days . Quantitative bacterial cultures were taken from sternocephalicus muscle and wound fluid at the time of debridement and at sacrifice . All dogs that received antibiotics without flaps or flaps without antibiotics (Groups A and B) experienced anastomotic disruption . Dogs that received both antibiotics and flaps (Group C) had a significantly lower incidence of hemorrhage (20%, P less than 0.05) . At sacrifice, fewer bacterial colonies were cultured from muscle flaps of Group C as opposed to Group A dogs (0.05 +/- 0.02 x 10(5) vs 0.79 +/- 0.31 x 10(5), P less than 0.05) . Muscle flaps with antibiotic therapy may prove to be effective treatment for infected prosthetic vascular grafts. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 1988 May, 188(1), 1 - 6 Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in hamsters with elastase-induced emphysema--the virulence enhancing activity of mucin; Verghese A et al.; Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia was studied in hamsters with elastase-induced emphysema and in saline-treated controls . Emphysematous animals cleared endotracheally administered inocula of S . aureus in saline as rapidly as controls . After infection with S . aureus in 1% mucin, emphysematous animals had impaired clearance compared with controls; after infection with S . aureus in 5% mucin, emphysematous animals had decreased survival at 96 hr compared to controls (6/24 vs 15/24, P less than 0.01 Fisher's exact test) . Bronchoalveolar lavage of uninfected elastase-treated hamsters yielded twice as many cells per animal as uninfected controls (P less than 0.0001, paired t test), and the cells contained a higher percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (37.8% vs 3.8%, P less than 0.0001) . Lavage cells from both groups of animals were equally efficient per cell at killing opsonized S . aureus in an in vitro bactericidal assay . Hamsters with elastase-induced emphysema were resistant to infection with S . aureus alone despite marked structural abnormalities in the lung, possibly due in part to increased numbers of resident phagocytic cells . After infection with S . aureus in mucin as a virulence enhancing factor emphysematous animals had impaired clearance and decreased survival compared to controls. Surgery, 1988 May, 103(5), 507 - 12 The occurrence of cholangitis after percutaneous biliary drainage: evaluation of some risk factors; Audisio RA et al.; Sepsis of the biliary tract is often reported after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and is considered a life-threatening condition . The authors studied 39 patients with biliary stenosis (35 with neoplastic stricture and four with benign disease) with the purpose of identifying some factors possibly associated with a higher risk of cholangitis . None of the patients complained of biliary sepsis at the first clinical examination . Several factors were taken into account and were statistically tested according to Miettinen rate ratios to differentiate patients in whom cholangitis would consequently develop: nature, site and extent of basic disease, type and functioning of PTBD, skin contamination at puncture site of PTBD, and bile contamination at PTBD and at follow-up . The presence of bacteria in the first bile (31.5%) was not related to a higher risk . All subjects showed bile contamination after PTBD, but cholangitis developed in only 15 patients, and it was always supported by enteric microorganisms . When we compared patients with cholangitis and subjects without infection, it was possible to demonstrate a statistically significant association of cholangitis and the following: nature of the stricture, presence of multiple intrahepatic biliary obstruction, neoplastic invasion or compression on the duodenum, and presence of Staphylococcus aureus on the skin at puncture site at drainage. Diabetes, 1988 May, 37(5), 544 - 9 Bacterial phagocytosis and intracellular killing by alveolar macrophages in BB rats; Sima AA et al.; Diabetic patients and animals show an increased susceptibility to bacterial infections due to impaired bactericidal function of various host-defense mechanisms . In our study, we examined the ability of alveolar macrophages (AMs) of the diabetic BB rat to phagocytize and kill Staphylococcus aureus bacteria . Groups of spontaneously diabetic BB rats with variable severity of diabetes were used and compared with non-diabetes-prone BB rats . AMs obtained from diabetic insulin-deficient BB rats showed a markedly decreased capacity to phagocytize and kill bacteria, a defect that was partially corrected after a period of aggressive insulin treatment . Glucose-intolerant BB rats and diabetes-prone BB rats who did not develop diabetes showed a normal AM function compared to non-diabetes-prone BB rats . The impaired phagocytotic and bactericidal functions of AMs appeared to be caused by a cellular abnormality associated with the degree of insulin deficiency. Infect Immun, 1988 May, 56(5), 1090 - 5 Capsular antibodies induce type-specific phagocytosis of capsulated Staphylococcus aureus by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Karakawa WW et al.; Capsular types 5 and 8, which account for about 70% of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from the blood of patients, resisted in vitro phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) . Antisera and monoclonal antibody to type 5 and 8 capsular polysaccharides (CPS) induced type-specific in vitro phagocytosis of capsulated organisms by PMN . Antibodies directed against the O-acetyl moiety of the type 8 CPS were more effective in inducing phagocytosis of type 8 organisms by PMN . Either type-specific antiserum or monoclonal antibody reactive with the native O-acetylated type 8 CPS was most effective in inducing in vitro phagocytosis of type 8 organisms by PMN . These results provide further evidence that CPS of S . aureus are associated with host immunity to this organism. Clin Radiol, 1988 May, 39(3), 291 - 4 The effect of chlorhexidine and benzydamine mouthwashes on mucositis induced by therapeutic irradiation; Samaranayake LP et al.; A variety of mouthwashes are frequently used in the management of irradiation-induced mucositis . Benzydamine has recently been introduced for alleviating this condition . Its efficacy as a mouthwash was compared with chlorhexidine in two groups of patients receiving radiotherapy for oral carcinoma . Mucositis and pain were recorded over a 6 week period and oral carriage of Candida species, coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus was assessed using an oral rinse technique . There was no significant difference in the mucositis scores, overall pain scores or the yeast and bacterial species isolated between the two treatment groups . However, 58% (7 out of 12) and 92% (12 out of 13) patients reported oral discomfort when rinsing the mouth with chlorhexidine and benzydamine, respectively . In both groups, the most common coliform isolated was Klebsiella pneumoniae and the carriage of yeasts was significantly greater than that of coliforms . These results indicate that, although the individual patient acceptance of chlorhexidine is better than benzydamine, there is little difference between the two mouthwashes both in controlling pain and mucositis or in the oral carriage of the micro-organisms studied. Am J Vet Res, 1988 May, 49(5), 678 - 81 Function of phagocytes obtained from lacteal secretions of lactating and nonlactating cows; Fox LK et al.; Phagocytes, macrophages and neutrophils, were obtained from lacteal secretions of lactating (n = 13) and nonlactating cows (n = 14) . Secretions from nonlactating cows were collected at 7 and 14 days after cessation of lactation . Phagocytes were incubated in vitro with Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli, and function was assessed by fluorescent microscopy of cell suspensions stained with acridine orange and crystal violet . A greater percentage of macrophages from nonlactating cow secretions collected on day 14 phagocytized bacteria than did those collected on day 7 . A greater percentage of macrophages from nonlactating cow secretions collected on days 7 and 14 phagocytized bacteria than did neutrophils obtained from the same secretions . A similar percentage of phagocytes from nonlactating cow secretions phagocytized bacteria, compared with phagocytes from lactating cow secretions . Results indicated that the intramammary macrophage may be most important in defense of the mammary gland during the early nonlactating period, because it was more phagocytic than the neutrophil and was more active at 14 days than at 7 days into the nonlactating period. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 1988 May, 9(5), 204 - 5 The use of a selective staphylococcal broth v direct plating for the recovery of Staphylococcus aureus; Sautter RL et al.; Nine hundred seventy-two cultures taken from the external nares and the vaginal vestibules of 54 women for the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus were studied . The swabs were plated directly to a trypticase soy agar plate containing 5% sheep blood and were then placed into a selective staphylococcal broth . Both culture methods were compared for the ability to recover S aureus . Twenty percent (26/131) and 66% (38/58) of the S aureus-positive cultures taken from the nares and vagina respectively were cultured from the selective broth only . We believe that a selective staphylococcal broth should be used in addition to routine culture techniques to isolate S aureus from infection control surveillance cultures. Transplantation, 1988 May, 45(5), 936 - 9 Characteristics of dendritic cells in rat liver; Lautenschlager I et al.; The properties of rat liver dendritic cells (DC) were analyzed after collagenase digestion of the tissue and enrichment with density gradient centrifugation . The liver macrophages (Kupffer cells) were eliminated by adherence before the gradient centrifugation . The morphology of isolated DC in May-Grunwald-Giemsa (MGG) stained cytocentrifuge preparations resembled that of monocytes with certain dissimilarities . The expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens (Ia) on DC was analyzed with the Staphylococcus aureus rosette method using a monoclonal antibody . The binding of anti-Ia antibody to rat liver DC was 3 times stronger than to passenger lymphocytes and 10 times stronger than to hepatocytes . All DC were Ia-positive tested with indirect immunofluorescence technique, and none of them were able to phagocytize antibody-coated human red cells . The DC did not express intracytoplasmic lysozyme, or surface Fc-receptors, and they all were negative in alpha-naphtylacetate esterase (ANAE) staining . Thus, although the dendritic cells of rat liver seem to belong to the monocytic series according to morphologic criteria, they were all negative when tested for typical monocyte/macrophage markers . The immunocenic potential of DC was analyzed by testing their ability to prime a naive recipient for graft rejection . The number DC needed for the priming was comparable with the number of spleen lymphocytes needed for an equivalent effect, indicating that the DC were highly immunogenic . The hepatocytes showed practically no immunogenic effect . Thus the immunogenic potential of the tested cells, i.e . their ability to induce accelerated transplant rejection, carries a good correlation with the expression of Ia-antigens on the cell surface. J Neurochem, 1988 May, 50(5), 1403 - 11 Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors from avian retina and heart undergo different patterns of molecular maturation; Cho NJ et al.; Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) from the avian CNS exist in two molecular weight forms whose concentrations change during development . Here, we have compared the development of mAChRs from embryonic hearts with those of the CNS . Analysis of {3H}-propylbenzilylcholine mustard (PrBCM)-labeled retina and heart mAChRs by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed two atropine-sensitive peaks for each tissue . Apparent molecular masses of retina mAChRs, 86 +/- 0.7 kilodaltons (kDa) and 72 +/- 0.7 kDa, were different from those of heart mAChRs, 77 +/- 1.0 kDa and 52 +/- 0.9 kDa . During retina development, the major receptor type changed from 86 kDa to 72 kDa . No such change occurred during heart development . Furthermore, the 52-kDa species appeared to be generated by endogenous proteolysis, as prolonged incubation of heart membranes at 37 degrees C increased the amount of 52-kDa peptide with a decrease of 77-kDa peptide . Protease inhibitors blocked this conversion . Incubation of retina membranes at 37 degrees C did not result in a conversion of the 86-kDa peptide into the 72-kDa peptide, but it did cause the appearance of a minor amount of 52-kDa peptide . The proteolysis of retina mAChRs was not enhanced by cohomogenizing them with heart tissue, arguing against the presence of releasable proteases in heart . Membrane-bound retina and heart mAChRs displayed similar sensitivity to exogenous (Staphylococcus aureus V8) protease, indicating that heart receptors were not unusually susceptible to proteolytic attack; analysis of the labeled polypeptides with the V8 protease showed different patterns of digestion for the retina and heart receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Arch Neurol, 1988 May, 45(5), 567 - 72 Septic thrombosis of the cavernous sinuses; DiNubile MJ; Cavernous sinus thrombosis may occur as a complication of infectious and noninfectious processes . Septic thrombosis of the cavernous sinuses most commonly follows infections of the middle third of the face due to Staphylococcus aureus . Other antecedent sites of infection include paranasal (usually sphenoid) sinusitis, dental abscess and, less often, otitis media . Fever is a nearly constant finding, but headache may not be prominent . Periorbital edema, chemosis, proptosis, and limitation of extraocular movements (especially lateral gaze) develop in almost all recognized cases . Involvement of the opposite eye frequently appears within two days following the onset of unilateral signs . Although computed tomography may be helpful, magnetic resonance imaging is probably the diagnostic procedure of choice . Treatment includes appropriate antibiotics and, oftentimes, surgical drainage of the primary focus of infection . Less than half of the patients recover completely; the mortality rate is approximately 30%. Infect Immun, 1988 May, 56(5), 1254 - 9 Alveolar macrophage function is selectively altered after endotoxemia in rats; Christman JW et al.; The alveolar macrophage (AM) is exquisitely sensitive to activation by gram-negative bacterial endotoxin, an agent associated with adult respiratory distress syndrome . We tested the hypothesis that specific functions of the AM are activated selectively by in vivo endotoxin while others remain unaffected . AMs were recovered from the airspaces of control and endotoxin-treated (5.0 mg/kg) rats, and functional assays were performed . We measured macrophage adherence, viability, and survival; chemotactic movement; hydrogen peroxide production; phagocytic function; and the secretion of representative biological response modifiers . Endotoxemia enhanced AM adherence during a 15-h incubation period, while not affecting cell number or viability . There was a 60% reduction in AM chemotactic movement and a 65% augmentation of hydrogen peroxide production, but no effect on AM phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus . Endotoxemia enhanced AM production of macrophage-derived chemotactic activity for neutrophils by 70% and interleukin-1 activity by 100%, but did not affect the production of macrophage-derived growth factor activity for fibroblasts . We conclude that endotoxemia alters the functions of the AM in a selective manner; certain functions are enhanced, while others are inhibited or not affected . We believe that this selective effect on AM functional capacity may be an important mechanism explaining certain aspects of the course, duration, or outcome of adult respiratory distress syndrome associated with gram-negative sepsis. Jpn J Antibiot, 1988 May, 41(5), 523 - 9 {The enzymatic mechanisms of resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics in methicillin-cephem-resistant Staphylococcus aureus}; Matsuhashi Y et al.; We investigated enzymatic mechanisms of resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics in methicillin-cephem-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by elucidation of the structures of the enzymatic reaction products . According to the MIC data, MRSA, (46 strains) can be classified into 3 groups as follows . 1 . Group I (35 strains) was highly resistant to gentamicin (GM) and tobramycin (TOB), and produced 2"-aminoglycosides phosphotransferase (APH (2"} . 2 . Group II (8 strains) was sensitive to GM, but was highly resistant to TOB, and produced 4'-aminoglycosides adenylyl-transferase (AAD (4'} . 3 . Group III (3 strains) was sensitive to GM and TOB, but was highly resistant to kanamycin, and produced 3'-aminoglycosides phosphotransferase (APH (3'}-III . Arbekacin (HBK) was the most stable antibiotic to all of the inactivating-enzymes produced by MRSA, and all MRSA were sensitive to HBK. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 May, 32(5), 747 - 51 Ciprofloxacin therapy of experimental endocarditis caused by methicillin-susceptible or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Fernandez-Guerrero M et al.; Ciprofloxacin was more effective (P less than 0.01) than either imipenem or nafcillin therapy of experimental methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in rabbits after 2 or 3 days of treatment . There was no significant difference between results of treatment of methicillin-susceptible S . aureus experimental endocarditis with ciprofloxacin and results with the combination of nafcillin and gentamicin . Ciprofloxacin was more effective (P less than 0.01) than vancomycin therapy of experimental methicillin-resistant S . aureus endocarditis after 3 days of treatment . After 5 days of treatment, there was no significant difference between the results of treatment of experimental methicillin-resistant S . aureus endocarditis with ciprofloxacin and results with vancomycin. J Gen Microbiol, 1988 May, 134 ( Pt 5), 1307 - 13 Attachment of mycobacteria to fibronectin-coated surfaces; Ratliff TL et al.; This report investigates the extent of the expression of fibronectin (FN) binding properties among the mycobacteria and provides preliminary characteristics of the bacterial molecule(s) mediating attachment . Eight BCG substrains, three Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains and four other mycobacterial species all expressed FN-binding capacity . Treatment of organisms with detergent prior to the binding assay destroyed the FN-binding capacity of BCG but not that of Staphylococcus aureus . Trypsin pretreatment eliminated the FN-binding capacity of both BCG and S . aureus . {35S}Methionine-labelled material in supernatants from BCG and M . tuberculosis cultures attached to FN-coated surfaces . These culture supernatants inhibited the attachment of BCG but not S . aureus to FN-coated surfaces . This inhibitory activity of the supernatants was removed by affinity chromatography on FN-Sepharose but was not affected by similar passage over a control column (human serum albumin attached to Sepharose) . These results demonstrate that the ability to bind FN is present in all mycobacterial species tested and suggest that attachment is mediated by trypsin-sensitive cell-surface component(s). J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 May, 21(5), 589 - 95 Bactericidal efficacy of mupirocin in multi-antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus burn wound infection; Rode H et al.; Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA) have become increasingly prevalent as pathogenic organisms, especially in burn wounds, with an associated mortality of 20-40% among those clinically infected . Mupirocin ointment, a new topical antibiotic, has proved in vitro and in vivo to be highly effective in the treatment of MRSA infections . A modified Walker burn wound model was used to define the rate of trans-eschar penetration, biodynamic availability and bactericidal efficacy of 2% mupirocin ointment in established MRSA burn wound infection . In-vitro penetration trials confirmed the effective diffusion of mupirocin through 1.5 mm eschar within 2 h . A single topical application of mupirocin resulted in a 98.3% (5.67 x 10(8) cfu/g of tissue--1.0 x 10(7) cfu/g of tissue) reduction in intra-eschar viable organisms within 36 h post application . A second topical application of mupirocin at 24 h resulted in a total reduction of 99.6% in viable intra-eschar organisms (1.85 x 10(8) cfu/gram of tissue--6.76 x 10(5) cfu/g of tissue) . It is concluded that mupirocin is highly effective in controlling MRSA burn wound infection and should be applied topically every 24 h. J Med Chem, 1988 May, 31(5), 976 - 83 Coupling products of amino acids to penicillin V and cephalothin: synthesis and susceptibility to carboxypeptidases and lysosomal enzymes; Bounkhala Z et al.; Amino acids have been coupled to the carboxyl group of penicillin V and cephalothin by methods that keep the beta-lactam ring intact . Derivatives were successfully obtained with both neutral (Leu, Val, Ala, Ile, Trp, Tyr, Gly) and one acidic (Glu) amino acids . The new compounds were inactive in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus or Micrococcus luteus . Incubation in the presence of purified carboxypeptidases (A, B), soluble lysosomal fractions from liver, or cellular homogenates from liver, kidney, fibroblasts, and macrophages did not allow recovery of the antibacterial activity . Injection in mice also failed to cause liberation of microbiologically active compounds . HPLC studies confirmed that the amide linkage between the antibiotic and the amino acid was not hydrolyzed in the presence of soluble lysosomal fractions from liver . However, conversion of cephalothin and cephalothin-leucine to desacetyl derivatives was observed in the presence of soluble lysosomal fractions and extracts from liver and semipurified orange peel acetylesterase(s) . It is concluded that amino acid derivatives of beta-lactam antibiotics do not offer potential chemotherapeutic use as prodrugs. Can J Microbiol, 1988 May, 34(5), 645 - 50 Factors influencing potent antagonistic effects of Escherichia coli and Bacteroides ovatus on Staphylococcus aureus in anaerobic continuous flow cultures; Ushijima T et al.; We examined factors related to the potent antagonistic effect of Escherichia coli and Bacteroides ovatus on Staphylococcus aureus in anaerobic continuous flow cultures . In the presence of sugars fermentable by E . coli alone or both E . coli and S . aureus, motile E . coli strains exerted a potent antagonistic effect and S . aureus was expelled from the culture vessel within a few days . Conversely, in the presence of a sugar fermentable by S . aureus alone, the antagonistic effect of E . coli was diminished and S . aureus persisted at ca . 5 x 10(5) cfu/mL . B . ovatus alone exerted only a weak antagonistic effect on S . aureus in any culture conditions; however, when B . ovatus was cocultivated with E . coli and S . aureus, even in the presence of a sugar fermentable by S . aureus but not by E . coli, the potent antagonistic effect was restored . Escherichia coli showed the same level of antagonistic effect either in the presence of acetic acid (ca . 32 mM), propionic acid (4 mM), butyric acid (17 mM) and hydrogen sulfide (5 x 10(-1) mM) or when these metabolic products, except for a small amount of acetic acid (1.2 mM) were not present . In these culture conditions, S . aureus populations were lost at rates much higher than theoretical wash out rates of resting cells . These results indicate the presence of some bactericidal factors other than the volatile fatty acids and hydrogen sulfide . The bactericidal factors were not found in cultures of E . coli heated in boiling water for 10 min and in cell-free culture filtrates . Thus, the bactericidal factors seem to be associated with live E . coli cells . The nature of the bactericidal factors is not clear at present. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1988 May, 36(5), 389 - 93 {In vivo bactericidal activity of an oxacillin-netilmicin combination against Staphylococcus aureus . Influence of the rhythm of netilmicin administration}; Weber M et al.; The bactericidal activity of two regimens of netilmicin (8 mg/kg/day) given intravenously once a day (od) or thrice daily (tid) both alone and in combination with oxacillin (200 mg/kg/day) was compared using a model of fibrin clots infected with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus (10(7) CFU/g) sensitive to methicillin and netilmicin (clinical isolate) and implanted subcutaneously in rabbit . This study shows that: 1) Netilmicin given alone as both single and divided doses results in early bacterial killing but does not exert a bactericidal effect after 24 hours because of a significant late increase of the number of bacterial . 2) The netilmicin-oxacillin combinations are more bactericidal at 1 h, 2 h and 24 h than oxacillin alone (P less than 0.001) . 3) The oxacillin-netilmicin combination appears to be better for bacterial killing when netilmicin is given thrice daily (P less than 0.001) . It is hard to draw a clinical inference from such an experimental study but it seems that 8-hour divided doses intervals should be better for administration of netilmicin than single daily dose during the acute period of staphylococcal infections. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1988 May, 36(5), 381 - 5 {An expert system as an aid to the validation of results of the antibiogram . Feasibility study based on the example of Staphylococcus aureus}; Comby S et al.; A model of expert system using Prolog language was developed, to verify the coherence of the results of the antibiotic sensitivity test . Biological knowledge was formalized in three different ways: a credibility coefficient based on epidemiological data is assigned to known observed resistance; co-existent resistances are described with lists of "implicit" resistances, reflecting phenotypes commonly observed within some antibiotic groups; every single or "implicit" resistance is connected to a "gregarius" status, expressing the plasmidic nature of resistance . Applied to Staphylococcus aureus, the expert system is able to detect the inconsistencies of the antibiotic sensitivity test and to identify required knowledges . It therefore allows phenotypic interpretation of results. J Bacteriol, 1988 May, 170(5), 2409 - 11 Structural analysis of staphylococcal bacteriophage phi 11 attachment sites; Lee CY et al.; The lysogenization of bacteriophage phi 11 in Staphylococcus aureus occurs by site-specific recombination . The DNA segments containing the attachment sites on the host chromosome, the phage genome, and the two junctions created by insertion of the prophage were cloned, and the nucleotide sequences were determined . The attachment sites share a very short common sequence of 10 base pairs. J Immunol, 1988 May 1, 140(9), 3233 - 6 Induction and regulation of CD2 mRNA in human lymphocytes; Malter JS et al.; Herein we studied the accumulation and decay of CD2 mRNA in human PBMC stimulated with PHA . The data show that CD2-specific messages are present in low quantities in resting PBMC and are rapidly increased by five- to sevenfold within 24 h of addition of optimal amounts of PHA . Similar induction of CD2 mRNA was seen after stimulation of PBMC with anti-CD3 mAb and PMA . Peak levels of CD2 message were maintained until 72 h post-stimulation and declined gradually thereafter . Despite stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus and PMA, purified B cells failed to demonstrate any CD2 mRNA . Unlike transferrin or IL-2R mRNA, Il-2 had no effect on the accumulation of CD2 messages in resting or PHA-stimulated PBMC . The time course of CD2 mRNA accumulation preceded lymphocyte proliferation and the appearance of additional cell surface CD2 Ag . The decay of CD2 mRNA was very rapid, with a t 1/2 of approximately 45 min . The protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, increased its half-time by fourfold to 3.5 h . The data imply the existence of a labile factor, dependent on protein synthesis that is important in the regulation of CD2 mRNA . Compared to other PHA-inducible lymphocyte genes, the kinetics of CD2 transcript accumulation are most reminiscent of the oncogenes N-ras and c-abl. Cell Immunol, 1988 May, 113(2), 423 - 34 Influence of human T lymphocytes identified by antibodies to dipeptidyl peptidase IV on differentiation of human B lymphocytes stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I and pokeweed mitogen; Gruber M et al.; The influence of human T lymphocytes expressing the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) was investigated with respect to human peripheral B-lymphocyte differentiation . B cells stimulated with pokeweed mitogen in the presence of DPP IV-positive T cells produced high amounts of immunoglobulin . Moderate amounts of immunoglobulin could be measured when B cells were cultured in the presence of DPP IV-negative T cells . DPP IV defines a T-cell subset partially overlapping the subsets characterized by the differentiation antigens Leu 3a (helper/inducer) and Leu 2a (suppressor/cytotoxic) . DPP IV-positive T cells exert, in contrast to DPP IV-negative T cells, high interleukin-2 activity after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen . To further functionally characterize DPP IV-positive and DPP IV-negative T cells, the helper effects of Leu 3a-positive T-cell subsets, differing in DPP IV expression, were investigated in pokeweed mitogen- and Staphylococcus aureus-driven B-cell differentiation systems . After pokeweed mitogen stimulation, immunoglobulin production was markedly reduced when B cells were cultured in the presence of Leu 3a-positive T cells expressing DPP IV (DPP IV+/Leu 3a+) . In contrast, high amounts of immunoglobulin were produced in cultures with Leu 3a-positive but DPP IV-negative T cells (DPP IV-/Leu 3a+) . This difference in immunoglobulin production of B cells cultured with DPP IV+/Leu 3a+ and DPP IV-/Leu 3a+ T cells could not be observed in Staphylococcus aureus-stimulated cultures . Here, both T-cell subsets supported terminal differentiation of B cells . We conclude that in the pokeweed mitogen-driven culture systems, DPP IV+/Leu 3a+ and DPP IV-/Leu 3a+ T cells may differ in the production of growth and/or differentiation factors distinct from interleukin-2. Am J Vet Res, 1988 May, 49(5), 682 - 6 Effects of infection with parainfluenza-3 virus and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus on neutrophil functions in calves; Briggs RE et al.; Calves were challenge exposed in separate experiments with parainfluenza-3 (PI-3) virus or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus . Blood neutrophils were assayed for functional activity every other day for at least 3 weeks by random migration, Staphylococcus aureus ingestion, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, cytochrome-c reduction, iodination, and native chemiluminescence . Exposure to PI-3 virus resulted in a brief febrile response and no other clinical signs . Alterations in total or differential WBC counts were not detected . Chemiluminescence and iodination activities were reduced from activities before exposure . Exposure to IBR virus resulted in mild clinical signs and a febrile response of several days' duration . Total WBC and mononuclear cell counts were reduced . Random migration was reduced, whereas S aureus ingestion was enhanced . We concluded that infection of calves with IBR virus and PI-3 virus might directly or indirectly result in alterations of neutrophil function . The functional alterations apparently are different for each virus . These virus-induced alterations in neutrophil function might predispose calves to secondary bacterial pneumonia. Vopr Virusol, 1988 May-Jun, 33(3), 305 - 9 {Interferon production and natural killer activity induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin in mouse spleen cells}; Shcheglovitova ON et al.; After a single intraperitoneal inoculation of C57BL/6 mice with enterotoxin A of Staphylococcus aureus (SEA) the activity of natural killers (NK) increases and phase change of interferon production by spleen cells upon reinduction in vitro occurs . Multiple daily inoculations of mice with SEA maintain the activity of splenic NK at a similar high level . With an adequate control (multiple administration of the medium) NK activity was maintained at the same high level . Interferon production by spleen cells of mice which were multiply inoculated with the medium upon reinduction in vitro was the same as in the control animals, whereas after multiple inoculations of mice with SEA, spleen cells in vitro produced lower amounts of interferon. Biokhimiia, 1988 May, 53(5), 853 - 5 {ATP synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus cells during induction of membrane potentials and proton gradient}; Vinnikov AI; The dynamics of ATP synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus cells was studied during membrane potential induction and K+ gradient generation in the presence of valinomycin . The starting level of intracellular ATP was 0.05 mM . Valinomycin (30 micrograms/ml) caused an increment of the intracellular ATP level up to 0.25 mM . The protonophore uncoupler, m-chlorinecarbonylcyanidephenylhydrazonium, and the H+-ATPase inhibitor, N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, effectively suppress ATP synthesis induced by valinomycin . No ATP synthesis occurs at K+ concentration of 200 mM . The transmembrane gradient formation results in the synthesis of a smaller amount of ATP (0.10 mM). Ann Allergy, 1988 May, 60(5), 423 - 8 Factors influencing pseudomonas colonization in cystic fibrosis; Kulczycki LL et al.; In order to assess the relationship between various factors influencing Pseudomonas (Ps) colonization of the respiratory tract of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and the appearance of various strains of Ps, two groups of CF patients were studied during a 5-year period . Group A consisted of 24 Ps-negative patients, and Group B consisted of 32 Ps-positive patients, including eight patients who expired . Several clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated . Although the precise mechanism causing the appearance of Ps in the respiratory tract of CF patients remains elusive, we analyzed several biologic characteristics of both host and organism . This study indicates that frequent use of antibiotics combined with the eradication of Staphylococcus aureus from the respiratory tract heralds the onset of persistent Ps colonization and a subsequent downhill course for CF patients. Biochemistry, 1988 Apr 19, 27(8), 2815 - 20 Complete amino acid sequence of ovine salivary carbonic anhydrase; Fernley RT et al.; The primary structure of the secreted carbonic anhydrase from ovine salivary glands has been determined by automated Edman sequence analysis of peptides generated by cyanogen bromide and tryptic cleavage of the protein and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, trypsin, and alpha-chymotrypsin subdigests of the large cyanogen bromide peptides . The enzyme is a single polypeptide chain comprising 307 amino acids and contains two apparent sites of carbohydrate attachment at Asn-50 and Asn-239 . The protein contains two half-cystine residues at 25 and 207 which appear to form an intramolecular disulfide bond . Salivary carbonic anhydrase shows 33% sequence identity with the ovine cytoplasmic carbonic anhydrase II enzyme, with residues involved in the active site highly conserved . Compared to the cytoplasmic carbonic anhydrases, the secreted enzyme has a carboxyl-terminal extension of 45 amino acids . This is the first report of the complete amino acid sequence of a secreted carbonic anhydrase (CA VI). Biochem J, 1988 Apr 15, 251(2), 461 - 6 Purification and characterization of diacetyl-reducing enzymes from Staphylococcus aureus; Vidal I et al.; A method was developed to purify diacetyl-reducing enzymes from Staphylococcus aureus . Two enzymes capable of catalysing diacetyl reduction were isolated, neither of which turned out to be a specific diacetyl reductase . One of them is a lactate dehydrogenase similar to the one from Staphylococcus epidermidis, which accepts diacetyl, although poorly . The other one uses as coenzyme beta-NAD and reduces uncharged alpha-dicarbonyls with more than three carbon atoms (especially the alpha-diketones diacetyl and pentane-2,3-dione), producing the L(+) form of the corresponding alpha-hydroxycarbonyls . This enzyme has an Mr of 68,000 and is, most probably, a monomer . Its optimum pH is 6.0 . Its shows a high affinity for NADH and a rather low one for diacetyl, which, at least in vitro, does not seem to be as good a substrate as pentane-2,3-dione . We propose for it the systematic name L-alpha-hydroxyketone:NAD+ oxidoreductase and the recommended name of alpha-diketone reductase (NAD) . We also suggest that the diacetyl reductase entry in the I.U.B . classification be suppressed. J Biol Chem, 1988 Apr 15, 263(11), 5348 - 55 Interactions in platelets between G proteins and the agonists that stimulate phospholipase C and inhibit adenylyl cyclase; Brass LF et al.; Platelet responses to agonists are believed to be mediated by at least two pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide-binding (G) proteins: Gi which inhibits adenylyl cyclase and Gp, which stimulates phospholipase C . The present studies compare the properties of Gi and Gp and examine their interactions with the receptors for various platelet agonists . In permeabilized platelets and platelet membranes, pertussis toxin {32P}ADP-ribosylated a protein(s) (alpha 41) which migrated on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis fractionally below rabbit and bovine alpha i (Mr = 41,000) . Prior exposure of the platelets to an agonist inhibited the {32P}ADP-ribosylation of alpha 41 to an extent which correlated with the pattern of responses to that agonist . Thrombin, which elicited responses that were mediated by both Gi and Gp, decreased radiolabeling by greater than 90% . Epinephrine, which was functionally coupled only to Gi, decreased radiolabeling by 50%, as did vasopressin and platelet-activating factor (PAF), which were coupled only to Gp . U46619, a thromboxane analog which neither inhibited cAMP formation nor caused pertussis toxin-sensitive phosphoinositide hydrolysis, had no effect on 32P-ADP-ribosylation . These results suggest that either G alpha 41 regulates more than one enzyme or that alpha subunits from more than one G protein comigrate within alpha 41 . Two-dimensional electrophoresis was used to test the latter possibility . Upon isoelectric focusing, alpha 41 resolved into two distinct subspecies . However, these appear to be minor variants rather than functionally distinct alpha subunits since: 1) both proteins produced the same proteolytic fragments after digestion with chymotrypsin or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and 2) preincubation of the platelets with agonists, including those which appear to interact in intact platelets solely with Gp (PAF and vasopressin) or solely with Gi (epinephrine), inhibited the {32P}ADP-ribosylation of both proteins to the same extent . The pattern of functional responses produced by some of the agonists was found to depend upon the conditions used for the assay . Although unable to inhibit cAMP formation in intact platelets, both PAF and vasopressin caused pertussis toxin-sensitive inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in isolated membranes . Collectively, these observations suggest that 1) in platelets a single pertussis toxin-sensitive, alpha 41-containing G protein may be involved in the regulation of both adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase C and 2) additional constraints which are altered during membrane isolation may help to determine which enzyme is coupled to which agonist. Nucleic Acids Res, 1988 Apr 11, 16(7), 2897 - 912 Intermediates in plasmid pT181 DNA replication; Majumder S et al.; Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pT181 is thought to replicate via an asymmetric rolling-circle mechanism . By studying pulse labeled replicative intermediates, here we report that pT181 replication involves: (1) a post-replicative hypersupercoiled monomer and (2) a partially replicated intermediate which lacks superhelicity but is unlike a typical rolling-circle intermediate in that only nascent strands of less than unit length are released by alkali denaturation . A model for pT181 replication is proposed to accommodate this apparent discrepancy. J Biol Chem, 1988 Apr 5, 263(10), 4795 - 800 Incorporation of single dinitrophenyl-modified proteins into the 30 S subunit of Escherichia coli ribosomes by total reconstitution; Olah TV et al.; In this first of two consecutive papers, the main objective of which is to present a new approach to the systematic localization of individual proteins located in the Escherichia coli ribosome by immunoelectron microscopy, we describe the derivatization of several purified 30 S proteins (S12, S21, S14, S19, S18, S17) with 2,4-{3,5-3H}dinitrofluorobenzene at pH 7.4 and 8.4 and the uptake of each dinitrophenylated protein in place of the corresponding unmodified protein into totally reconstituted 30 S subunits . Reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography is used to purify the proteins, to separate and characterize the products of 2,4-{3,5-3H}dinitrofluorobenzene modification, and to analyze the protein composition of the reconstituted subunits . The extent of dinitrophenyl (DNP) modification is estimated by both radioactivity and integrated peak areas, using dual wavelength monitoring at 214 and 360 nm . DNP derivatives of each of the six proteins are efficiently incorporated into reconstituting 30 S subunits . Incorporation of any of the six DNP-modified proteins does not interfere with binding of Phe-tRNA(Phe) in a poly(U)-dependent manner . This result, as well as data showing that unmodified protein competes with DNP-protein for uptake during reconstitution, provide evidence that each DNP-protein occupies the same position in 30 S subunit as does unmodified protein . In general, for a given protein, unmodified and/or less modified forms are incorporated in preference to more modified forms . Modification of protein S19 at pH 7.4 proceeds with selective formation of one derivative in high yield . Reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography analysis of acid hydrolysates of a purified sample of this derivative, as well as of peptides derived from it by digestion with Staphylococcus aureus protease, show the N-terminal proline to be the predominant site of DNP-derivatization. Chemioterapia, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 86 - 8 Activity of xibornol against Staphylococcus aureus; Fabbri A et al.; The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of xibornol against 100 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, clinically isolated, have been evaluated . Xibornol has shown very good in vitro activity and a significant uniformity of the results . In fact the inhibitory and bactericidal activity range was between 2 micrograms/ml and 8 micrograms/ml. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1988 Apr, 268(2), 277 - 93 {Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from 1974 to 1983 in West Germany with respect to the results of lysotyping}; Lenz W et al.; A total of 594 methicillin-resistant (MER) S . aureus strains originating from the Federal Republic of Germany were both tested for their susceptibility to a number of selected antimicrobial agents, and lysotyped with the international set of S . aureus typing phages . Control groups of methicillin-sensitive, but penicillin- (PER) and gentamicin-resistant (GER) strains were tested for comparison . A group of S . aureus strains susceptible to all of the agents tested was included in the statistical evaluation of the lysotyping results . 98% of the MER and 72% of the GER S . aureus strains were cross-resistant towards at least five of the other agents tested . 84 to 97% of the MER strains were resistant to erythromycin, tetracycline, kanamycin and gentamicin . The in vitro susceptibility towards lincomycin and amikacin was in the range of 50 to 60% . The strongest in vitro efficacy--both against the MER and the GER strains--was shown by vancomycin and fusidic acid . 52.9% of the MER and 47% of the GER strains, but only 12.3% of the non-resistant strains and no more than 15% of the PER strains belonged to phage-group III; a higher proportion of these latter groups reacted with phage-group I, which was rare among the MER and the GER strains (3.2% and 7.8% respectively) . The most frequent phage-patterns of the MER strains were as follows: 47/75/77, 47/54/75/77/84/85, 77/84/85, 47/54/75/77/85, 6/47/54/75/77/84/85, and 55/83A . Most of the phage-group III lysotopes occurred at numerous places across the country, while mixed lysotypes were apparently more confined to certain areas . A relatively high percentage of the MER strains, but notably also of the sensitive strains was non-typable (22.1% and 24.1% respectively), whereas the PER and the GER strains had a considerably lower rate of non-typability (9.3% and 4.8% respectively) . A correlation between non-typability and multiresistance was not evident. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 Apr, 21 Suppl C, 57 - 65 Epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Cookson BD et al.; We contrast the experiences, in our Health Authority in South-East London, with the particular epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (the EMRSA) strain that has recently spread widely around London and South-East England, and with the other MRSA (OMRSA) strains encountered there . Our isolates of the EMRSA were identical by chromosomal restriction enzyme analysis, and the chromosomal and plasmid phenotypes were similar to those described in North London and Eastern Australia . Experimental phage-typing distinguished them from OMRSA encountered in 1984 to 1986 . Between 1984 and 1985, the EMRSA caused increased infection and patient colonization compared to the years 1969 to 1983 . A change in infection control procedures was usually required to control the EMRSA and in 1986 isolates had returned to their pre-1984 levels . Between 1984 and 1986 OMRSA were still encountered, but did not spread or require changes in infection control procedures . The distribution of other resistant isolates was examined; c 94% of neomycin-resistant isolates were in-patients or clinic patients . Forty-five different phage-type/antibiogram patterns were found in 88 isolates from 66 patients between 1982 and 1985, and patient clusters were uncommon . The ability of the EMRSA to spread is discussed and is probably not purely organism related . Our experience supports the contention that some MRSA are truly epidemic, whilst others do not behave in this manner. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 Apr, 21 Suppl C, 157 - 65 Septicaemia due to gram-positive cocci in cancer patients; Del Favero A et al.; Episodes of septicaemia caused by Gram-positive bacteria in five separate investigations of empirical antibiotic treatment for fever in patients with neoplastic disease have been analysed according to the antimicrobial agents administered and the outcome . The results suggest that the addition of an 'anti-staphylococcal agent', such as co-trimoxazole, vancomycin or teicoplanin, to the standard two-drug regimen (a beta-lactam antibiotic and an aminoglycoside) may be advantageous in improving the prognosis, particularly in Staphylococcus aureus septicaemia. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 Apr, 21(4), 461 - 9 Comparative efficacies of imipenem-cilastatin and vancomycin in experimental aortic valve endocarditis due to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Chandrasekar PH et al.; Activities of imipenem and vancomycin against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were compared in vitro and in a rabbit model of aortic valve endocarditis . Against 25 MRSA clinical isolates, imipenem was bacteriostatic (MIC90/MBC90, mg/l 8/32) in vitro while vancomycin was bactericidal (MIC90/MBC90, mg/l 2/4) . Rabbit endocarditis was produced with a MRSA isolate against which both drugs were bactericidal . Imipenem-cilastatin had better efficacy than vancomycin by the following criteria, the number of survivors (9/13 vs 7/13), clearance of bacteraemia (9/9 vs 3/7; P = 0.019), sterility of cardiac vegetations (9/9 vs 1/7; P = 0.001) and sterility of distant organs (8/9 vs 2/7; P = 0.035) . Thus, imipenem-cilastatin may be a potentially useful alternative agent to vancomycin in the therapy of MRSA endocarditis in the occasional situations when the drug demonstrates in-vitro bactericidal activity against the pathogen . Efficacy against MRSA strains with higher MBCs remains to be proved. Br J Exp Pathol, 1988 Apr, 69(2), 235 - 44 An experimental model of post-traumatic osteomyelitis in rabbits; Worlock P et al.; An experimental model of a contaminated open fracture, using the tibia of male New Zealand white rabbits, is described . Post-traumatic osteomyelitis can be reliably induced in this model, with no systemic ill-effects . The characteristic bacteriological, radiological and histological findings are described . Inoculation of the fracture site with Staphylococcus aureus in a concentration of 10(6) bacteria caused osteomyelitis in two out of five rabbits . When the concentration of inoculum was increased to 10(7) organisms, osteomyelitis was seen in four out of five rabbits . No cases of infection were seen in the control animals . This is a simple and reliable model for studies into the prevention and treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 Apr, 32(4), 513 - 7 Effect of temperature on inoculum as a potential source of error in agar dilution plate count bactericidal measurements; Woolfrey BF et al.; The effect of increased temperature on Staphylococcus aureus during the inoculation step of the agar dilution plate count method was investigated as a possible cause of artificially high persister counts . For some isolates, exposure of the inoculum to increased temperature resulted in higher persister counts and diminution or loss of the paradoxical effect . The persister patterns for three representative S . aureus isolates are presented to illustrate the strain- and temperature-dependent nature of the phenomenon . For any isolate, the net effect appears to be caused by an interplay of temperature-induced inoculum loss and temperature-induced cell division cycle blockage . A modification of the agar dilution plate count inoculation step to circumvent such problems is described. J Med Microbiol, 1988 Apr, 25(4), 261 - 8 Fingerprinting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the immunoblot technique; Lee W et al.; A series of 133 isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was fingerprinted by the immunoblot technique . Extracts were prepared by lysostaphin degradation of overnight cultures and peptides were separated by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The peptides were transblotted on to nitrocellulose membranes and probed with (1) a hyperimmune rabbit serum raised against a methicillin-resistant S . aureus isolate, (2) a hyperimmune rabbit serum raised against an isolate of S . epidermidis, and (3) serum from a patient who had recovered from an infection with a methicillin-resistant S . aureus . This typing method confirmed the existence of an epidemic strain that accounted for 102 of the isolates . The remaining 31 isolates were grouped into a further seven types which correlated with the results of phage typing and antibiograms. Arch Biochem Biophys, 1988 Apr, 262(1), 189 - 98 Proteolysis of the protein inhibitor of calcium-dependent proteases produces lower molecular weight fragments that retain inhibitory activity; DeMartino GN et al.; The specific inhibitor of calcium-dependent proteases was purified from soluble extracts of bovine heart . The protein had a molecular weight of 125,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels and migrated on gel filtration chromatography with an apparent molecular weight of 250,000 . The inhibitor specifically blocked the action of the two calcium-dependent proteases, CDP-I and CDP-II, but did not influence a variety of other proteases including trypsin, chymotrypsin, or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . These latter enzymes extensively degraded the inhibitor to discrete lower molecular weight peptides as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and by gel filtration chromatography . Under the conditions studied, proteolysis of the inhibitor had little or no effect on its inhibitory activity; isolated peptides with molecular weights as low as 17,000 retained inhibitory function . A number of various-sized inhibitor fragments were isolated by gel filtration chromatography and by SDS-PAGE . These fragments were compared with the intact inhibitor for their ability to inhibit CDPs . As suggested previously by us and others, one molecule of intact inhibitor appears to inhibit up to five molecules of calcium-dependent protease . The inhibitor fragments of decreasing size inhibited correspondingly fewer molecules of protease . These results suggest that the inhibitor protein contains multiple functional domains and may explain some of the discrepancies in reported molecular weights for this protein. J Vasc Surg, 1988 Apr, 7(4), 524 - 30 Bacterial infectibility of chronically implanted endothelial cell-seeded expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vascular grafts; Keller JD et al.; Vascular prosthetic grafts become more resistant to infection as the interval between implantation and bacteremic challenge increases . Endothelial cell (EC) seeding of such grafts has been shown to improve measurably their ability to resist a bacteremic challenge several weeks after implantation, presumably by reducing the amount of thrombus-free area (TFA) on their luminal surface . However, no investigators have reported the impact of EC seeding on the ability of chronically implanted vascular prostheses to resist a late bacteremic challenge . Bilateral common carotid interposition grafts were placed in 15 adult mongrel dogs with a 4 mm internal diameter, experimental, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) prosthesis . One animal died shortly after operation and the grafts in two dogs thrombosed, thereby leaving 12 animals with at least one patent graft for subsequent study . At a mean interval of 45 weeks after implantation, five dogs (seven patent grafts) were challenged with an intravenous infusion of 3 X 10(8) radiolabeled Staphylococcus aureus; bacterial adherence and the TFA of the graft's luminal surface were determined for each of the patent grafts . There was no statistically significant difference in bacterial adherence or TFA between EC-seeded and control grafts . At a mean interval of 53 weeks after implantation, the remaining seven dogs (14 patent grafts) received a similar bacterial infusion and the animals were allowed to recover . Five days later, the grafts were harvested and cultured . Once again, there was no significant difference in the infectibility of EC-seeded vs . control grafts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Clin Invest, 1988 Apr, 81(4), 1292 - 6 Proposed heparin binding site in antithrombin based on arginine 47 . A new variant Rouen-II, 47 Arg to Ser; Borg JY et al.; Antithrombin Rouen-II, a new inherited variant of antithrombin-III, was found in two members of a family with no definite history of thrombosis . The subjects had normal antigenic concentrations of antithrombin and normal progressive inhibitory activity . However, the variant had defective heparin and heparan sulfate cofactor activities, and was not activated by a synthetic pentasaccharide representing the minimum heparin sequence . The abnormal antithrombin was isolated using heparin-Sepharose chromatography, and on electrophoresis at pH 8.6 migrated more anodally than normal . Two-dimensional peptide mapping of tryptic and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digests was performed and the abnormal peptide was located by tryptophan staining . Amino acid sequence studies demonstrated a substitution of arginine at residue 47 by a serine . Evidence strongly suggests that arginine 47 is a prime heparin binding site in antithrombin and that it forms part of a proposed positively charged linear site (to which heparin binds) that stretches across the surface of the molecule from the A to the D helix. Plast Reconstr Surg, 1988 Apr, 81(4), 554 - 60 Effects of phenylephrine on tissue gas tension, bleeding, infection, and lidocaine absorption; Canepa CS et al.; In an attempt to find a vasoconstrictor with less detrimental local and systemic effects than epinephrine, the effects of phenylephrine, a pure alpha agonist, on tissue gas tension, bleeding, infection rates, and lidocaine absorption were studied . All concentrations of phenylephrine significantly reduced tissue PO2 within 10 minutes of injection, and reduction of PO2 was dose-dependent . Phenylephrine 1:10,000 produced significant bacterial growth when simultaneously injected with 6 X 10(6) Staphylococcus aureus . Bacterial growth was insignificant with 1:20,000 phenylephrine and absent with 1:40,000 phenylephrine . Blood loss from a standard wound was significantly reduced at all concentrations of phenylephrine . Lidocaine absorption was significantly reduced with 1:20,000 and 1:40,000 phenylephrine . In a rat model, 1:40,000 phenylephrine significantly reduced blood loss and lidocaine absorption, produced minimal reduction of tissue PO2, and did not enhance bacterial invasion. J Infect Dis, 1988 Apr, 157(4), 749 - 56 Staphylococcus aureus induces tissue factor expression in cultured human cardiac valve endothelium; Drake TA et al.; In vitro infection of cultured human cardiac valve endothelium (HCVE) with Staphylococcus aureus was used as a model to study potential mechanisms of vegetation formation in infective endocarditis . S . aureus was observed to adhere to and be ingested by HCVE . Infection for 8 h resulted in increased levels of procoagulant activity in HCVE, shown to be tissue factor by a specific assay . Mean activity in infected HCVE was 662 +/- 149 (mU/10(5) HCVE +/- 1 SD) versus 221 +/- 78 in control HCVE; surface-expressed activity was 57 +/- 25 in infected monolayers and undetectable (less than or equal to 10) in controls . Bacteria alone had no activity . These results suggest that endothelium may have a functional role in the pathogenesis of S . aureus endocarditis and may provide one potential mechanism for activating coagulation to initiate vegetation formation on a colonized cardiac valve. Infect Immun, 1988 Apr, 56(4), 998 - 9 Protection of rabbits in an infection model of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) by a TSS toxin-1-specific monoclonal antibody; Best GK et al.; An anti-TSST-1-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb 8-5-7) was tested for its protective capacity in a rabbit infection model to toxic shock syndrome (TSS) . The challenge strain of Staphylococcus aureus (RN4710), which contained a plasmid encoding TSS toxin-1, was introduced into previously implanted chambers . Purified monoclonal antibody (1.25 mg of immunoglobulin G) administered parenterally 1 day before and 1 day after initiation of infection provided complete protection against the TSS-like syndrome and the mortality which occurred in unprotected rabbits. Chemioterapia, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 79 - 85 Importance of inoculum growth phase when using an in vitro pharmacokinetic model to evaluate beta-lactam antibiotics; Xerri L et al.; The bactericidal activity of cefuroxime, cephaloridine and cephalexin is evaluated in an in vitro model . The inocula are derived from an overnight static culture, or after a pre-incubation period of 1 or 2 hours to allow cell re-growth . The early bactericidal effect of the antibiotics is more evident using pre-incubated cells, especially for Staphylococcus aureus 663 . At hour 8, with Escherichia coli 851/E, there is re-growth using the static inoculum, while the antibiotic effect is still evident using the pre-incubated one . The importance arises therefore for considering the phase of growth of the inoculum as a critical parameter when using in vitro models with varying concentrations of beta-lactam antibiotics. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 Apr, 21 Suppl C, 115 - 31 Osteomyelitis: options for diagnosis and management; Gentry LO; The bacterial aetiology of osteomyelitis is best determined by bone biopsy under radiographic control . While Staphylococcus aureus is still the most common cause of osteomyelitis, Gram-negative bacteria occur more frequently than they did in the past . The prognosis of antibiotic treatment is made worse by chronic infection and by underlying conditions, such as diabetes mellitus or peripheral vascular disease . Treatment for six weeks with single broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents can give success rates similar to those obtained with combination therapy, including aminoglycosides, and with less toxicity . Newer diagnostic methods (radionuclide scans and radiographic techniques) and treatment options (antibiotic-containing acrylic beads and microvascular grafts) may offer improved management if used discriminatingly. Comput Biomed Res, 1988 Apr, 21(2), 137 - 57 Time series analysis of rhythmic bacterial resistance development to antibiotics; Nicolelis MA et al.; The sensitivity data of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to a large set of antibiotics have undergone time series procedures of analysis in order to highlight possibly periodical behavior in time . These oscillational patterns have been characterized through the use of FFT and cross-correlational and variance analysis and were proved to be species-specific and drug-independent . S . aureus was shown to have a large period of oscillation (40 months) when compared to E . coli (from 7 to 11 months) . A perfect species distinction was only possible through cross correlation . These results may reflect the influence of the local environment, since this finding was not referred to in the literature. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1988 Apr, 85(8), 2763 - 6 Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor enhances neutrophil function in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients; Baldwin GC et al.; We conducted a clinical trial of human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) in leukopenic patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and analyzed neutrophil function before, during, and after in vivo administration of rGM-CSF . Prior to GM-CSF infusion, AIDS patients' neutrophil superoxide generation and neutrophil antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity were enhanced normally by in vitro exposure to GM-CSF . Neutrophil phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus were also normal in the majority of these patients . Two patients, however, had discrete neutrophil functional defects: one in phagocytosis and one in intracellular killing . During the period of GM-CSF infusion, these abnormalities were corrected . The number of circulating neutrophils increased in all patients treated with GM-CSF in a dose-dependent manner . Neutrophils produced in vivo in response to GM-CSF administration functioned normally and there was evidence for neutrophil priming and activation in vivo . We conclude that GM-CSF treatment of AIDS patients leads to the production of functionally active neutrophils, suggesting therapeutic potential for GM-CSF in the treatment of patients with impaired host defense. J Infect Dis, 1988 Apr, 157(4), 697 - 704 Analysis of C3 deposition and degradation on bacterial surfaces after opsonization; Gordon DL et al.; C3b and iC3b, opsonic fragments of C3, interact with specific receptors on phagocytic cells . After bacterial opsonization, C3 fragments were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, western blotting, and immunodetection . For bacteria opsonized in 50% pooled human serum (PHS), C3 deposition and cleavage to iC3b occurred rapidly . C3b, iC3b, and C3d made up 17%, 64%, and 19%, respectively, of the C3 on Staphylococcus aureus and 53%, 44%, and 2% respectively, on Escherichia coli . Residual C3b was refractory to factor I cleavage, an occurrence enabling alternative pathway activation to continue . C3 deposited was quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; with 50% PHS, greater than 50% and 90% of total C3 deposition occurred within 5 and 10 min, respectively . With a lower percentage of PHS, maximal deposition required up to 60 min and was not achieved in less than 10% PHS . Ester-bound fragments represented 34% and 82% of covalently bound C3 on S . aureus and E . coli, respectively. Biochem J, 1988 Apr 1, 251(1), 73 - 9 Complete amino acid sequence of p453-plasmid-mediated PIT-2 beta-lactamase (SHV-1); Barthelemy M et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of the p453-plasmid-mediated PIT-2 beta-lactamase (SHV-1) was determined . The protein contains 265 residues . Peptides resulting from digestions with trypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase, chymotrypsin and Lys-C proteinase and cleavage with CNBr were separated and purified by using reverse-phase h.p.l.c . The amino acid sequence of each peptide was manually determined with the dimethylaminoazobenzene isothiocyanate/phenyl isothiocyanate double-coupling method . The primary structure of PIT-2 beta-lactamase was compared with those of two closely related enzymes, namely TEM-1 beta-lactamase and the beta-lactamase of Klebsiella pneumoniae strain LEN-1 . The PIT-2 beta-lactamase amino acid sequence was strongly retained, with respectively 68% and 88% homology . Thus PIT-2 enzyme could represent an evolutionary step between a chromosomally encoded beta-lactamase and the plasmid-mediated TEM beta-lactamases. Aust Vet J, 1988 Apr, 65(4), 114 - 7 The effect of a staphylococcal cell wall factor on the early inflammatory response to staphylococcal infection of the lactating bovine udder; Mattila T et al.; The effect on the early inflammatory response in the bovine mammary gland of a factor extracted from the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus was studied . The insoluble factor was extracted from a 3h-culture, and was mixed with S . aureus from an overnight culture (OF) for experimental infection of a lactating quarter . Other quarters were infected with a 3h or an overnight culture (O) . Five cows were used in the experiment . The O-quarters showed more severe clinical signs than seen in the 3h-and OF-quarters . Antitrypsin levels and NAGase concentrations were much reduced in the 3h-and OF-quarters . While the cell wall factor profoundly reduced the early inflammatory response, the effect on the final outcome of the infection was not determined. Cell Immunol, 1988 Apr 1, 112(2), 251 - 61 Inhibitory effect of anti-class II antibodies on human B-cell activation; Tanaka Y et al.; The role of class II antigens for B-cell activation was analyzed using purified human B cells and anti-class II monoclonal antibodies . The stimulation of purified B cells with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I induced proliferation and differentiation into immunoglobulin-producing cells in the presence of interleukin-1 and T-cell-derived factors (B-cell growth factor and B-cell differentiation factor) . The addition of anti-class II monoclonal antibodies inhibited B-cell responses . However, anti-class I monoclonal antibody did not inhibit B-cell responses . When mitomycin C and cycloheximide-treated B cells were added to the induction culture of B cells as the stimulator, B-cell responses were enhanced in a dose-dependent manner . Furthermore, the stimulator B cells also partially restored the suppressed B-cell responses which were induced by the pretreatment of B cells with anti-class II antibody . This enhancing effect of stimulator B cells on B-cell responses was inhibited by the pretreatment of stimulator B cells with anti-class II antibody . The treatment of B cells with anti-class II antibody and complement depleted the activity of both responder B cells and stimulator B cells . These results suggest that cellular interaction among B cells exists in the B-cell activation induced with Staphylococcus aureus, Cowan I and anti-class II antibody inhibits B-cell activation by interfering in this cellular interaction. J Immunol, 1988 Apr 1, 140(7), 2382 - 8 Leukotriene C4 produced by a human T-T hybridoma suppresses Ig production by human lymphocytes; Ambrus JL Jr et al.; Multiple signals are involved in the regulation of Ig production by human B lymphocytes . Leukotrienes, especially LTB4, have been shown to inhibit Ig production by increasing the number and function of suppressor lymphocytes . Production of leukotrienes has been demonstrated by mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes, and macrophages . In this paper we demonstrate that a human T-T hybridoma grown at 5 x 10(5) cells/ml constitutively produces 5 ng/ml of LTC4 . Furthermore, we demonstrate that either the supernatant from this hybridoma containing 0.5 to 10 ng/ml LTC4 or purified LTC4 in the range of 0.5 to 5 ng/ml can suppress 50 to 70% of Ig production by unfractionated human mononuclear cells, by normal human cells stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I and B cell differentiation factors, and by the EBV-transformed B cell line SKW.6 in the presence of B cell differentiation factors . Thus, LTC4 can have direct effects on B cells and may have a role in normal B cell regulation. Surgery, 1988 Apr, 103(4), 463 - 9 The influence of long-term protein deprivation on in vivo phagocytic cell delivery to inflammatory lesions; Tchervenkov JI et al.; The effect of long-term protein deprivation and refeeding was assessed on the in vivo delivery of phagocytic leukocytes (PHAGS) to delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction and a bacterial abscess . Male inbred Lewis rats sensitized to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) were fed either a normal diet or a 2% protein diet for 1, 6, and 10 weeks . Two additional groups were fed a 2% protein diet for 10 weeks but were refed with a normal diet for 1 or 4 weeks . At the end of each diet period rats were injected intradermally with KLH, Staphylococcus aureus 502A, and saline solution at different sites at from 1 to 24 hours . Technetium-99m-colloid labeled PHAGS (99PHAG) were injected intravenously and used to assess in vivo PHAG cell delivery . In normally fed rats the peak influx of 99PHAG was at 2 to 4 hours . After 1 week of protein-deficient diet there was a significant drop in early (2 to 4 hours) 99PHAG influx to both the DTH and bacterial reactions . After 10 weeks of protein deprivation (severe malnutrition) there was a further drop and a delay in the peak 99PHAG influx (from 2 to 4 hours, to 8 hours) . A return to normal 99PHAG influx occurred only after 4 weeks of refeeding, and it coincided with a return to normal body weight and a normal DTH reaction . There was a direct correlation between total 99PHAG delivery to a DTH reaction and a bacterial abscess (rs = 0.87, Spearman rank; p less than 0.001) . We conclude that both moderate and severe protein deprivation is associated with reduced in vivo phagocytic cell delivery to both a DTH reaction and a bacterial skin abscess, which can be restored with refeeding. Ophthalmology, 1988 Apr, 95(4), 463 - 72 Inflammatory diseases of the peripheral cornea; Mondino BJ; Immunologic differences exist between the peripheral and central cornea . The peripheral cornea is closer to the conjunctiva, which has all of the immunologic machinery necessary to generate an immune response . The peripheral cornea has more Langerhans' cells and IgM than the central cornea . The peripheral cornea also has more C1, the recognition unit of the classic pathway of complement, than the central cornea so that antigen-antibody complexes, whether formed in the cornea itself or whether derived from the tears, aqueous humor, or limbal vessels, may activate complement more effectively in the peripheral than central cornea . Autoimmune diseases that involve the peripheral cornea include Mooren's ulcer and collagen vascular diseases . The humoral- and cell-mediated autoimmune phenomena that are associated with Mooren's ulcer and its response to immunosuppressive therapy suggest that it is an autoimmune disease directed against the cornea itself . Collagen vascular diseases may be associated with peripheral corneal ulcers with or without scleritis . In these diseases, circulating immune complexes may lodge in the limbal vasculature causing an immune vasculitis or deposit in the peripheral cornea setting off the complement cascade . Peripheral corneal diseases that probably represent a hypersensitivity reaction to exogenous antigens include catarrhal infiltrates and ulcers and phlyctenules . In the United States today, these corneal lesions are generally associated with staphylococcal blepharitis . Experimental models suggest that hypersensitivity to Staphylococcus aureus cell wall antigens may be important to their immunopathogenesis. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 300 - 2 Heat treatment to increase phage typability of Staphylococcus aureus; Lundholm M et al.; Heat treatment was used to reduce the number of Staphylococcus aureus strains that were not typable with the basic set of phages . All strains were phage typed according to the standard method after growth in broth at 37 degrees C or 48 degrees C . Forty-eight of 72 nontypable strains could be phage typed after heat treatment of the bacterial cultures . The page lysability increased with the higher incubation temperature of the broth, but the mean variability in the phage pattern of a strain was not significantly affected . The phage typing results of strains sampled over a period of several months were in accordance with the epidemiology, suggesting that phage typing after incubation at 48 degrees C is a stable and useful epidemiological tool. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1988 Apr, 66(4), 708 - 14 Studies of the effect of suppressor T lymphocytes on the induction of antithyroid microsomal antibody-secreting cells in autoimmune thyroid disease; Iitaka M et al.; The suppressor function in CD8 (suppressor/cytotoxic) T lymphocytes from patients with autoimmune thyroid disease and normal subjects has been studied . CD8 and CD4 (helper/inducer) cells were separated by the panning method . Patient's non-T cells and autologous CD4 cells were cultured with or without autologous or allogeneic CD8 cells in the presence of either pokeweed mitogen or Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowan 1 plus human thyroid microsomal antigen . Antithyroid microsomal antibody (AMA) and total immunoglobulin G (IgG)-secreting non-T cells were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay . With pokeweed mitogen stimulation, the suppressor effect of CD8 cells from patients with serum AMA on the induction of AMA (of IgG type)-secreting cells was significantly less than that of CD8 cells from normal subjects . CD8 cells from patients with no serum AMA suppressed the induction of AMA-secreting cells as much as did normal CD8 cells . CD8 cells from both patients and normal subjects suppressed the induction of IgG-secreting cells equally well . On the other hand, with the combination of S . aureus strain Cowan 1 and human thyroid microsomal antigen (1 mg/L) stimulation, CD8 cells from both normal subjects and patients only slightly suppressed the induction of IgG-secreting cells . However, under these circumstances, once again, CD8 cells from both normal subjects and patients with no serum AMA suppressed the induction of AMA-secreting cells, whereas CD8 cells from patients with serum AMA suppressed the induction of the AMA-secreting cells significantly less . Higher TMc concentrations enhanced the suppressor effect of CD8 cells from patients with serum AMA on the induction of AMA-secreting cells . Furthermore, Concanavalin A, when added to the stimuli described above, further inhibited the induction of both AMA- and IgG-secreting cells by CD8 cells from patients with serum AMA . There thus appears to be a relative defect of antigen-specific suppressor T lymphocyte function in CD8 cells from patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, which may result in the presence of autoantibody-secreting cells in those patients. J Hosp Infect, 1988 Apr, 11(3), 244 - 52 Computer assisted analysis of wound infection in neurosurgery; Mehta G et al.; The effect of 10 variables on the development of postoperative infection in 536 clean elective neurosurgery patients was calculated using correlational, regression and discriminant analyses . The time of shaving the operation site, type of theatre ventilation and duration of operation were found to have a highly significant effect on the infection rate . The influence of season and age of patient was not evident on simple analysis, but both were found to be significant factors using regression analysis . The sex of patient, carriage of Staphylococcus aureus, airborne bacterial count, presence of bacteria in the wound and the use of prophylactic antibiotics did not have a significant effect on infection rates. J Hosp Infect, 1988 Apr, 11 Suppl B, 15 - 9 Preoperative whole body disinfection--a controlled clinical study; Hayek LJ et al.; Preoperative whole body washing with chlorhexidine scrub was compared with soap for its effect on prevention of wound infection in clean surgery . Two thousand and fifteen patients were studied using chlorhexidine scrub, placebo or plain soap . The overall infection rate in the control and placebo groups was 12.8% (p less than 0.05) and 11.7% as opposed to 9% (p less than 0.05) in the treated group . Three per cent fewer infections were found in treated 'clean surgery' patients, and the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus infections was reduced from 6% (bar soap) to 3% (chlorhexidine) . The saving in bed occupancy from prevention of infection is a significant cost-saving. Mol Pharmacol, 1988 Apr, 33(4), 370 - 7 Somatostatin receptor subtypes in the clonal anterior pituitary cell lines AtT-20 and GH3; Thermos K et al.; The functional and biochemical characteristics of somatostatin (somatotropin release-inhibiting factor) (SRIF) receptor subtypes were examined in the clonal pituitary cell lines AtT-20 and GH3 . SRIF inhibits evoked calcium influx into each of these cell lines . The rank order of potencies of structural analogues of SRIF to inhibit calcium influx into GH3 versus AtT-20 cells was different . Inhibitory actions of SRIF on calcium influx desensitized in AtT-20 cells but not GH3 cells . The biochemical properties of the SRIF receptor subtypes in AtT-20 and GH3 cells were assessed by photoaffinity labeling of each receptor with the nonreducible SRIF analogue {125I}CGP 23996 and the photocrosslinking agent n-hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate . The covalently labeled receptors in both cell lines had the same size, 55 +/- 5 kDa, as assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The covalent binding of {125I}CGP-23996 to GH3 and AtT-20 cell membranes was blocked by 1 microM SRIF, somatostatin 28, Trp8-SRIF and was GTP sensitive . Analysis of the labeled receptors in GH3 and AtT-20 cell membranes by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that they were of similar charge (pI = 6-6.5) and that they comigrate when applied together . Proteolysis of the GH3 and AtT-20 cell SRIF receptors with Staphylococcus aureus V-8 and thermolysin revealed similar peptide maps . Pretreatment of AtT-20 cells with different stable SRIF analogues abolished the subsequent equilibrium or covalent labeling of the SRIF receptor with {125I}CGP-23996 . Similar treatment of GH3 cells did not reduce the covalent labeling of the SRIF receptor by {125I}CGP 23996 . These studies indicate that the functional characteristics of SRIF receptors in GH3 and AtT-20 cells are different . However, clear differences in the biochemical properties of these receptor subtypes were not observed . Subtle variations in the structure of the SRIF receptors may therefore be responsible for the functional differences. Infect Immun, 1988 Apr, 56(4), 751 - 5 Effects of adenylate cyclase toxin from Bordetella pertussis on human neutrophil interactions with Coccidioides immitis and Staphylococcus aureus; Galgiani JN et al.; Bordetella pertussis extract that contained adenylate cyclase toxin produced large increases in human neutrophil cyclic AMP levels and inhibited their oxidative burst, as reflected by luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence and superoxide release . The adenylate cyclase toxin-containing extract blocked neutrophil-mediated inhibition of N-acetylglucosamine incorporation by arthroconidia of Coccidioides immitis in a dose-dependent fashion but had no effect on neutrophil phagocytosis of Candida glabrata and only a slight inhibitory effect on arthroconidial attachment . Neither purified pertussis toxin nor extracts from Bordetella mutants lacking the adenylate cyclase toxin affected neutrophil-mediated inhibition of arthroconidial N-acetylglucosamine incorporation . These studies indicate that adenylate cyclase toxin, alone or in concert with other B . pertussis-elaborated toxins, blocks neutrophil inhibition of arthroconidia, primarily by affecting neutrophil responses other than attachment or phagocytosis. J Clin Lab Immunol, 1988 Apr, 25(4), 201 - 6 Impaired neutrophil killing in a patient with defective degranulation of myeloperoxidase; Edwards SW et al.; A case of recurrent, superficial abscesses in an 18 year old girl, is described . Staphylococcus aureus was the pathogen most often implicated and on several occasions the abscesses required surgical drainage . Defects in humoral immunity, neutrophil chemotaxis or opsonophagocytosis were not observed . However, her neutrophil's ability to kill ingested S . aureus in vitro was impaired . This was associated with impaired luminol-dependent chemiluminescence in response to stimulation by either latex beads, or the chemotactic peptide FMLP plus cytochalasin B . Oxygen uptake and superoxide anion production were normal but release of myeloperoxidase by this patient's neutrophils occurred more slowly and to a lower extent than in control cells . These data suggest that the recurrent infections and diminished in vitro neutrophil bactericidal activity observed in this patient are associated with impaired degranulation of myeloperoxidase. Inflammation, 1988 Apr, 12(2), 161 - 7 Small increases in pH decrease uptake of Escherichia c