Staphylococcus

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988, 11(1), 21 - 6
Staphylococcal protein A (SpA): a potent in vivo chemotactic agent for rat leucocytes; Onyia KA; Staphylococcal protein A had strong chemotactic attraction in vivo to rat leucocytes . Doses as small as 5 micrograms attracted net leucocytes into experimental pellets in 6 h . 50 micrograms Staphylococcal protein A showed maximum chemotactic activity and does greater or less than 50 micrograms attracted less net leucocytes into experimental pellets . The effect of time on the chemoattraction of 50 micrograms Staphylococcal protein A showed that it was an early chemoattractant . Chemotactic activity for this dose, shown by the chemotactic index, reached a peak at 6 h followed by maximum leucocytic infiltration, and almost disappeared completely at 12 h . Leucocytic migration into control pellets rose from 3 h and reached a peak at 12 h (later than the chemotactic peak) . Staphylococcal protein A also showed in this study a "later reaction" from 24 to 36 h, resulting in local inflammation of the test site and rise in cellular response.

Avian Dis, 1988 Jan-Mar, 32(1), 140 - 2
Staphylococcus-induced gangrenous dermatitis in broilers; Cervantes HM et al.; An infectious bursal disease (IBD)-vaccinated flock of 23,900 broilers, 17 days of age, experienced sudden onset of depression, dermatitis, and mortality . Postmortem examination showed extensive subcutaneous serosanguineous fluid accumulation over the pectoral muscles, discrete hepatic whitish foci, fluid-filled intestines, and small, flaccid bursae of Fabricius . Gram-stained impression smears from the affected areas revealed numerous gram-positive cocci . Aerobic culture of liver and subcutaneous tissue consistently produced heavy growth of penicillin-sensitive Staphyloccus aureus . Histopathologically, subcutaneous tissue showed diffuse hemorrhage and large numbers of gram-positive cocci with severe congestion and hemorrhage of the underlying skeletal muscle . Liver sections showed multiple, randomly scattered areas of acute coagulation necrosis with numerous gram-positive cocci . Bursal lesions were characterized by extensive follicular necrosis and collapse . A diagnosis of staphylococcal gangrenous dermatitis secondary to IBD was made . Mortality returned to preinfection levels within 72 hours after penicillin was added to the drinking water.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1988 Jan, 267(3), 363 - 6
A modified ELISA for the detection of toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) in staphylococcal isolates; Fey H et al.; A modified ELISA for the detection of S . aureus strains producing toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) is described . Polystyrene balls are coated with specific sheep antibody and incubated with an over-night culture of suspected colonies . Biotinylated second antibody and an Avidin/biotinylated enzyme system are used to obtain an easily readable qualitative reaction.

Ther Drug Monit, 1988, 10(1), 85 - 90
Comparison of serum sampling methods for determining vancomycin dosage regimens; Albrecht LM et al.; The predictive ability of a four-point sampling method versus a two-point sampling method for vancomycin was assessed in 11 patients with various staphylococcal infections . All steady-state predictions were based on first-dose pharmacokinetic parameters . The mean vancomycin serum concentrations achieved at 4 and 8 h postinfusion were not significantly different from the predicted concentrations derived from either the four- or two-point method . Also, there was no significant difference between the two methods in predictive ability or accuracy . Both methods underpredicted the steady-state concentration to the same degree, 2.9 micrograms/ml at 4 h and 3.1 micrograms/ml at 8 h, which would appear to be clinically acceptable . A one-compartment pharmacokinetic model, which uses two serum concentrations, appears to be adequate for adjusting vancomycin regimens.

J Infect, 1988 Jan, 16(1), 73 - 6
Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis and mitral valve prolapse; Ferreira AC et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis is an infrequent cause of native valve endocarditis . We describe two cases associated with mitral valve prolapse, and discuss the significance, diagnosis and management of this condition.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Jan, (1), 49 - 51
{Enhancement of antitoxic immunity in newborn infants by peroral administration of donor antistaphylococcal immunoglobulin}; Manolova EP et al.; The possibility of enhancing specific immunity by the oral administration of homologous antistaphylococcal immunoglobulin in a dose of 50 I . U./kg b . w . before the first feeding was shown in 75 newborn infants with a high risk of staphylococcal infection . 24 hours after the first administration of Ig the titer of staphylococcal anti-alpha toxin in the blood rose from 0.68 +/- 0.05 I . U./ml to 2.9 +/- 0.14 I . U/ml, on day 7 this titer persisted at the level of 2.86 +/- 0.12 I . U./ml, and 3 months later the titer was 1.5 +/- 0.05 I . U./ml . No side effects were observed . In the reference group (50 infants) antitoxic titers remained low . No suppurative-septic diseases were observed in the test group within 3 months, while in the controls, focal forms of staphylococcal infection (12 cases) and sepsis (1 case) were registered.

Infection, 1988, 16(1), 46 - 8
The role of staphylococcal lectins in human granulocyte stimulation; Beuth J et al.; The anti-staphylococcal activity spectrum of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) is widely ranged . Using chemiluminescence measurements, the opsonin-independent stimulation of PMNs from eight healthy humans towards two Staphylococcus saprophyticus strains (S 1 and S 35) was investigated . Strain S 1 was shown to have surface lectins with N-acetylgalactosamine specificity, whereas strain S 35 had N-acetyl-neuraminic acid specificity . Three different PMN-reaction patterns could be demonstrated: PMN stimulation was either sensitive to N-acetylgalactosamine-or N-acetylneuraminic acid-blocking, or resistant to both . These results point to the importance of lectins for staphylococcal-PMN interactions.

J Pediatr Surg, 1988 Jan, 23(1 Pt 2), 60 - 3
The role of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis; Mollitt DL et al.; Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus has emerged as a prominent pathogen in the neonatal intensive care unit and a recent report has implicated this organism in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) . This same study suggests that Staphylococcus epidermidis is most commonly associated with a "mild form of enterocolitis." This prompted a review of the role of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in the surgical complications of NEC . Between 1982 and 1986, 86 newborns underwent operation for perforation or intestinal necrosis secondary to NEC . Blood cultures, obtained within 72 hours of surgery, were positive in nine of 71 infants (13%) . One third of these grew coagulase-negative Staphylococcus . Peritoneal cultures obtained at the time of operation were positive in 71 neonates . The incidence of Staphylococcus epidermidis was 30% . In a third of these cases, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the only organism covered . Overall mortality within the group was 33% . Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the single most frequent organism recovered from those infants who expired (35%) . This data clearly indicates that Staphylococcus epidermidis must be considered as a significant pathogen in NEC . It is associated with both morbidity and mortality and, therefore, warrants appropriate aggressive therapy when recovered from the neonate with enterocolitis.

J Trauma, 1988 Jan, 28(1), 121 - 3
Post-traumatic toxic shock syndrome; Knudson P et al.; Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) associated with Staphylococcus occurs most commonly in menstruating women, although cases in both sexes have been reported . This report describes a severe case of TSS after a relatively minor stab wound . The male patient exhibited all of the major characteristics of this multisystem disease including anuric renal failure . TSS, which can be fatal, may result from surgical and traumatic wound infections and demands prompt recognition and treatment.

Mutat Res, 1988 Jan, 193(1), 1 - 10
Characterization of Staphylococcus epidermidis mutants sensitive to ultraviolet radiation; Guillobel H et al.; Five UV-sensitive mutants obtained by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) treatment of the Staphylococcus epidermidis W5 strain were characterized phenotypically by assaying their UV- and MNNG-sensitivities, lysogenic inducibility, host-cell reactivation and Weigle reactivation capacities . The results were compared with those of well-characterized Escherichia coli strains, permitting the identification of: 2 mutants that behave as Uvr- Umu-; 1 mutant that appears analogous to Uvr-; 1 mutant that resembles LexA- and 1 mutant that exhibits a RecA- phenotype . The study of these mutants can contribute to the understanding of the repair mechanisms in S . epidermidis.

J Bacteriol, 1988 Jan, 170(1), 84 - 8
Mode of action of the staphylococcinlike peptide Pep 5: voltage-dependent depolarization of bacterial and artificial membranes; Kordel M et al.; The cationic staphylococcinlike peptide Pep 5 is shown to depolarize bacterial and planar lipid membranes in a voltage-dependent manner . An artificial valinomycin-induced potassium diffusion potential across the cytoplasmic membrane of Staphylococcus cohnii 22 was sufficient to promote Pep 5 action . Thus, evidence is provided that a membrane potential of sufficient magnitude is the only prerequisite for Pep 5 activity . The voltage dependence was elucidated by macroscopic conductance measurements with black lipid membranes . A threshold potential of about -90 to -100 mV, which was deduced from experiments with bacterial cells, could be confirmed . Single pores were resolved which often occur as short-lived bursts and fluctuate among different conductance levels . Pore diameters were calculated ranging from 0.1 to 1 nm . Succinylation of the lysine residues of Pep 5 resulted in prolonged pore lifetimes and maintenance of distinct conductance levels . However, the succinylated peptide required a higher threshold potential, approximately -150 mV, than the native peptide, which is probably the reason for the reduced activity of the modified peptide against intact gram-positive bacteria.

J Orthop Res, 1988, 6(1), 63 - 72
Acute staphylococcal septic arthritis: the effect of cloxacillin therapy in an avian model; Patel H et al.; An experimental model of acute staphylococcal septic arthritis in chickens was used to study the effect of different therapeutic regimens of the antibiotic cloxacillin on the natural history of the disease . Three different therapeutic regimens were used in order to assess the effect of increasing the frequency and of delaying the commencement of administration . The results were assessed by measurement of animal growth rate, clinical condition, bacterial and leukocyte counts in synovial fluid, and histological appearance . An inadequate dosage regimen (a single daily dose) prevented spread of bacteria but did not control abscesses . Delay in commencing treatment permitted persistence and spread of abscesses with destruction of the secondary (epiphyseal) ossification center and even transphyseal spread into metaphyseal bone . Repair by fibroblasts was mainly seen in articular and epiphyseal cartilage but was not seen in the epiphyseal ossification center during the duration of the experiments (up to 18 days) . Synovial fluid sampling with measurement of leukocyte and bacterial concentrations appears to be a useful guide to the effectiveness of treatment, because the numbers of cells correlate with the pathological process.

Toxicon, 1988, 26(1), 55 - 65
Staphylococcal alpha toxin--recent advances; Thelestam M et al.; The elucidation of the amino acid sequence of alpha toxin in 1984 has greatly promoted our understanding of the basic biochemistry and interaction of this toxin with membranes . These aspects are discussed and the concept of alpha toxin as a channel forming protein is critically evaluated . The lethal action of alpha toxin has not yet been clarified, but the previously postulated action as a neurotoxin is not supported by recent observations.

J Child Neurol, 1988 Jan, 3(1), 25 - 9
Anterior cervical epidural abscess with pneumococcus in an infant; Marks WA et al.; Spinal epidural abscess is a rare infection in childhood . We report the first documented case of pneumococcal epidural abscess in an infant and review the literature regarding this entity . In children, the signs and symptoms of spinal epidural abscess may not be as helpful as those in older patients . Furthermore, the offending organism may not be the usual Staphylococcus seen in adults . Infants may recover neurologic function even after prolonged cord compression; however, a high index of suspicion is needed to make the diagnosis in a timely fashion.

Pediatr Res, 1988 Jan, 23(1), 14 - 22
Longitudinal development of specific and functional antibody in very low birth weight premature infants; Cates KL et al.; We evaluated the formation of specific and functional antibody in preterm infants born weighing less than 1500 g (mean 1088 g) and less than 32 wk gestational age (mean 28.8 wk) . Plasma IgG antibody against tetanus and diphtheria toxoids were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . Opsonic activity of heat-inactivated plasma was measured using radiolabeled bacteria, adult polymorphonuclear leukocytes and exogenous human complement . In the presence of complement, the strain of coagulase negative staphylococcus used was opsonized by IgG antibody, and the strain of Escherichia coli by IgM . Geometric mean plasma levels of tetanus and diphtheria IgG antibody fell from birth to 4 months chronological age, but rose significantly by 9 months (approximately 2 months after the third dose of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine) . However, at 9 months they remained lower than the respective geometric mean levels in 9-month-old term infants (tetanus: p less than 0.001; diphtheria: p = 0.02) . The preterm infants' mean plasma IgG staphylococcal opsonic activity fell from birth to 2.5 months, but by 9 months was comparable to that of term infants of the same age . Mean IgM opsonic activity for E . coli was very low at birth in both preterm and term infants . It rose with chronological age, correlating with the rise in total IgM (r = 0.48, p less than 0.001) and by 9 months the mean preterm and term infants' levels of IgM opsonic activity for E . coli were comparable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 1988 Jan, 14(1), 197 - 203
Total lymphoid irradiation for multiple sclerosis; Devereux CK et al.; Although chemical immunosuppression has been shown to benefit patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), it appears that chemotherapy has an appreciable oncogenic potential in patients with multiple sclerosis . Accordingly, we developed a modified total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) regimen designed to reduce toxicity and applied it to a randomized double blind trial of TLI or sham irradiation in MS . Standard TLI regimens were modified to reduce dose to 1,980 rad, lowering the superior mantle margin to midway between the thyroid cartilage and angle of the mandible (to avert xerostomia) and the lower margin of the mantle field to the inferior margin of L1 (to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity by dividing abdominal radiation between mantle and inverted Y), limiting spinal cord dose to 1,000 rad by custom-made spine blocks in the mantle and upper 2 cm of inverted Y fields, and also protecting the left kidney even if part of the spleen were shielded . Clinical efficacy was documented by the less frequent functional scale deterioration of 20 TLI treated patients with chronic progressive MS compared to to 20 sham-irradiated progressive MS patients after 12 months (16% versus 55%, p less than 0.03), 18 months (28% versus 63%, p less than 0.03), and 24 months (44% versus 74%, N.S.) . Therapeutic benefit during 3 years follow-up was related to the reduction in lymphocyte count 3 months post-irradiation (p less than 0.02) . Toxicity was generally mild and transient, with no instance of xerostomia, pericarditis, herpes zoster, or need to terminate treatment in TLI patients . However, menopause was induced in 2 patients and staphylococcal pneumonia in one . Our data suggest that this modified TLI regimen has clinical efficacy and sufficiently low toxicity to make it suitable for investigative immunosuppressive treatment of patients with progressive MS or other non-malignant conditions.

Br J Neurosurg, 1988, 2(4), 485 - 95
Complications due to prolonged ventricular fluid pressure recording; Sundbarg G et al.; All complications in a consecutive series of 648 patients subjected to prolonged recording of the ventricular fluid pressure (VFP) during 1982-1986 were registered and analysed . The procedure did not cause permanent symptoms or deficits in any case except for one haemorrhagic complication . Definite infections caused by the VFP recording were found in 4.3% of the 540 patients (83%) surviving their disease or lesion, and in 1.9% in non-survivors . These infections were almost exclusively registered in patients treated with prolonged drainage of hemorrhagic ventricular fluid, while definite infections in other patients were found in only 1.3% . Most infections were caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis and all infections could be treated successfully . Infection did not cause or contribute to the lethal outcome in any case . In 60% of the cases with infectious complications laboratory signs of ventriculitis occurred after a surgical revision of the ventriculostomy . The duration of VFP recording was of subordinate importance for the development of infection . In 13 patients (1.9%) during the studied period a reliable VFP recording was not obtained, a fact that points to the need for alternative methods in a minority of patients with elevated intracranial pressure . It is concluded that complications caused by VFP recording can be kept at an acceptably low frequency in patients without haemorrhagic cerebrospinal fluid demanding long-term drainage.

Microbiol Immunol, 1988, 32(10), 1079 - 84
Relationship between susceptibility and immune response to staphylococcal exfoliative toxin A in mammalian species; Machida K et al.; Staphylococcal exfoliative toxin A (ETA) had a splitting effect at the granular layer of skin in humans and neonatal mice, but not in rabbits, guinea pigs, golden hamsters, or rats . Besides its splitting effect, ETA could stimulate productions of neutralizing antibody to ETA in rabbits, rats and B10D2 mice, but not in golden hamsters, guinea pigs, or ICR, HRS/J, and C57BL/10 mice . In our epidemiological investigation of human sera, the percentage of antibody to ETA in sera obtained from patients with impetigo (8%) was lower than those in sera of healthy males (23%) and females (29%) . The relationship between susceptibility and immune response to ETA in these mammalians could be divided into three groups: the possession of resistant skin and high production of antibody to ETA; the possession of resistant skin and low production of antibody to ETA; the possession of sensitive skin and various titers of antibody to ETA.

Intensive Care Med, 1988, 15(1), 46 - 8
Tunnelling of two central venous catheters inserted via a single venipuncture; Pigot B et al.; Two central venous catheters were inserted into the subclavian or internal jugular vein using a single puncture and tunnelled with two different subcutaneous pathways in 32 critically ill patients; 15 of them underwent this procedure immediately after a tracheostomy . The procedure was carried out without significant technical difficulties . Separate removal of one of the catheters was performed easily in 5 cases . Cultures were positive in 21% of 42 catheters from 21 patients; Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated from 7 catheters . Separate tunnelling of two central venous lines inserted via a single venipuncture can be used in critically ill patients needing multiple central venous access.

Ann Med Interne (Paris), 1988, 139(6), 403 - 4
{Treatment by external drainage of perirenal abscess in AIDS}; Grateau G et al.; Fever of undetermined origin in a young white heroin addict with a positive HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), serology was secondary to a staphylococcal perinephric abscess . Ultrasound examination and tomodensitometry allowed the diagnostic . Percutaneous drainage led to complete recovery . Interventional radiology associated with antibiotherapy appears to be an alternative to surgery in the treatment of perinephric abscesses.

Arkh Patol, 1988, 50(8), 82 - 4
{A method for creating an experimental model of abscess}; Mamedov LA et al.; A technique of 7-day formation of an intramuscular abscess which is clinically and morphologically similar to that frequently encountered in clinical practice has been tried on 39 rabbits . The standard model proposed involves the following stages: trauma of the spinal erector 2.5-3 cm to the right or to the left from the midline between the second and fourth lumbar vertebra which is produced by a lumbar puncture under either anesthesia with a pulp extractor brought into the muscle up to 1.5 cm and rotating at an angle of 45 degrees; 24 h after the puncture the skin at its site is to be dissected involving subcutaneous fat, superficial and lumbar fasciae, the incision being 1.4-1.6 cm long and parallel to the body axis . The operation is terminated with an introduction of ribbon gauze (10-12 mm in diameter) previously saturated with 24 h suspension culture of staphylococcus (10 ml, concentration of the microorganisms 1.5.10(6} into a pocket made by the clamp tip in the muscle's depth (1.3-1.6 cm) with the help of the handles which produced the opening of 1.2 cm wide . The endpoint is the wound tight layer-by-layer suture.

Am J Nephrol, 1988, 8(4), 334 - 43
Role of an intraperitoneal catheter implant in the pathogenesis of experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis peritoneal infection in renal failure mice; Gallimore B et al.; The influence of a permanent peritoneal catheter implant on the response of renal failure and control mice to peritoneal inoculation with 10(6) colony-forming units (CFU) Staphylococcus epidermidis was assessed 48 h after bacterial challenge . Two weeks after the surgical induction of renal failure or sham surgery, a segment of a peritoneal dialysis catheter was implanted entirely within the confines of the peritoneal cavity of mice . One month later peritoneal S . epidermidis inoculation was performed by transcutaneous injection through the abdominal wall either directly into the peritoneal cavity (i.p.) or via the catheter lumen (i.c.) . Following i.p . inoculation, minimal bacterial growth was recovered from the peritoneal structures of all mice, including the peritoneal catheter . In contrast, following i.c . S . epidermidis challenge, the catheter site remained heavily colonized while peritoneal washings and parietal peritoneum again presented minimal bacterial recoveries . S . epidermidis recovery from the catheter site of renal failure mice was significantly greater than from the respective site of sham-operated controls . Scanning electron microscopy of catheter segments recovered from mice following i.c . inoculation revealed single cocci or microcolonies associated with the catheter surface and differential leukocyte counts of fluid aspirated from the catheter lumen revealed evidence of acute inflammation . Signs of inflammatory processes in peritoneal washings and peripheral blood, however, were not observed . These results are discussed in relation to S . epidermidis peritonitis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Rheumatol Int, 1988, 8(4), 185 - 8
Colchicine treatment in a case of pachydermoperiostosis with acroosteolysis; Matucci-Cerinic M et al.; We report a case of pachydermoperiostosis with arthralgia, acroosteolysis, and recurrent staphylococcal folliculitis of the face, treated with colchicine (0.5 mg once daily for the 1st week and 0.5 mg twice daily for the next 3 weeks) . The evaluation of arthralgia, hyponchial angle, folliculitis, and pachyderma, performed at basal time and once weekly, showed improvement of symptoms and signs after 7-15 days of treatment . Neutrophilic chemotaxis, evaluated before starting the treatment and after 15 and 30 days of therapy, showed a progressive decrease of the initial very high index . Colchicine provided a beneficial therapeutic response in both inhibiting increased chemotactic activity and in reducing tissular oedema in our patient.

Microbios, 1988, 54(218), 45 - 59
Effect of ciprofloxacin on subcutaneous abscesses induced with Staphylococcus epidermidis and a foreign body implant in the mouse; Mayberry-Carson KJ et al.; Subcutaneous abscesses were induced in mice with Staphylococcus epidermidis strain G19-85 and a foreign body implant . The MIC of ciprofloxacin for this strain was 0.25 microgram/ml . The ciprofloxacin dosage, 120 mg/kg/day, was divided into three injections, administered to the mice subcutaneously at 8 h intervals . Serum concentration kinetics in normal mice (n = 50) were determined . The peak serum level of ciprofloxacin was 3.18 micrograms/ml at the 15 min sampling time; the trough level was 0.53 micrograms/ml at 8 h . Abscesses were found in 96% (n = 49) of the untreated, infected control mice . Three modes of treatment with ciprofloxacin were tested: (1) four prophylactic injections of ciprofloxacin prior to infection reduced abscess formation to 64% (p less than or equal to 0.0002, n = 50) . (2) Eleven therapeutic injections, initiated 4 days after infection, reduced abscess formation to 86% (p less than or equal to 0.17, n = 49) . (3) One prophylactic injection prior to surgery and five therapeutic injections after infection reduced abscess formation to 43% (p less than or equal to 0.0001, n = 49) . Culture results correlated with the abscess formation rates.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1988, 54(1), 89 - 93
Surface interaction of human granulocytes and lymphocytes with staphylococcal extracellular serine proteinase; Ochalek T et al.; Enzymatic activity of purified staphylococcal extracellular serine proteinase decreases as a result of incubation with granulocytes as well as with lymphocytes taken from peripheral blood of healthy donors . However, specific proteinase binding was observed only in the case of granulocytes but not in peripheral lymphocytes.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1988, 54(1), 85 - 7
Preliminary estimation of chemoattractant activity of staphylococcal serine proteinase in vitro . Chemoattractant activity of staphylococcal serine proteinase; Baran K et al.; Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes isolated from peripheral blood of healthy donors migrated toward the staphylococcal serine proteinase.

Braz J Med Biol Res, 1988, 21(5), 1013 - 4
In vivo leukocyte chemotaxis during the development of acute experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection; Abath FG et al.; Five and 15 days after T . cruzi infection, staphylococcal protein A was injected into a connective tissue air pouch of mice and the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes into the area was monitored . The PMN leukocyte response of 15-day infected mice was lower than that of uninfected mice (P less than 0.001): The 15-day infected mice also showed a lower PMN leukocyte response when compared to 5-day infected mice (P less than 0.001) . These data suggest that the chemotaxis defect developed gradually during the acute phase of infection.

Clin Nephrol, 1988, 30 Suppl 1, S45 - 8
Peritonitis prevention in CAPD; Carozzi S et al.; In 12 CAPD patients with frequent peritonitis episodes (1.6 vs 0.5/year in controls), low IgG concentrations in the effluent and reduced opsonic capacity of the dialysate were observed . Intermittent intraperitoneal IgG (dosage: 12 g/3 weeks, duration: 24 months) increased the opsonic capacity for Staphylococcus epidermidis of the effluent 3-fold, while the peritonitis rate fell to 0.2/year . During the treatment interval the effluent IgG levels and opsonic capacity of the dialysate were initially high and fell progressively thereafter . However, even at trough levels it still remained higher than in controls . Interleukin-1 levels increased 2.5-fold from the third to the eighth day . In those patients with lower clinical response, IgG levels and opsonic capacity of the dialysate were only transiently elevated; their macrophages were shown to be deficient in Fc-receptors . Intraperitoneal human recombinant interferon-alpha was able to improve Fc-receptor expression, oxygen metabolite generation of macrophages and bactericidal capacity of the dialysate in these patients . In conclusion, an unusually high peritonitis rate in CAPD patients may be treated by intraperitoneal IgG-application; in poor responders intraperitoneal interferon should be considered.

Nephrol Dial Transplant, 1988, 3(2), 194 - 7
Oral treatment of peritonitis in CAPD patients with ofloxacin; Chan MK et al.; Eighteen episodes of peritonitis in 16 CAPD patients were treated with oral ofloxacin 400 mg initially, followed by 300 mg daily for a total of 10 days . The culture-positive rate was 72.2% with Staphylococcal species as the most frequent isolates . The overall cure rate as defined by negative cultures 1 and 2 months after discontinuation of antibiotics was 83.3% . The time taken for the peritoneal effluent to clear completely was 5 days . With such a dosing regime, there was a significant increase in the mean serum trough level of ofloxacin from 2.28 mg/l on day 1 to 5.83 mg/l on day 10 (P less than 0.001) . There was no significant difference in the serum levels attained whether or not phosphate binders were concurrently given . Side-effects were nausea and non-specific dizziness . No patients had to discontinue treatment because of side-effects . Ofloxacin appeared to diffuse from the blood into the peritoneal fluid, and a highly significant correlation existed between simultaneous blood and peritoneal effluent ofloxacin levels (r = 0.88, P less than 0.0001).

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1988, 87(1), 87 - 90
Potent mitogenic activity of staphylococcal enterotoxin A requires induction of interleukin 2; Johnson HM et al.; Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), the most common cause of food poisoning, is capable of stimulating human T lymphocyte proliferation at concentrations as low as 10(-13) to 10(-16) M . SEA also induces the lymphokines interleukin 2 (IL 2) and interferon gamma (IFN gamma) at similarly low concentrations . HPL cultures were stimulated with SEA in the presence of antibodies to IL2 to determine the possible role of this lymphokine in its potent mitogenic effects . Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to human IL 2 blocked SEA-induced mitogenesis . Treatment of cultures with higher concentrations of SEA overcame the anti-IL 2 blockage, corresponding to induction of higher concentrations of IL 2 . Blockage of HPL mitogenesis by anti-IL 2 antibodies also resulted in inhibition of IFN gamma production, which is dependent on IL 2 . Neutralizing monoclonal antibody to IFN gamma failed to block SEA-induced proliferation . The data indicate that the induction of IL 2, but not IFN gamma, is a requirement for SEA induced lymphocyte proliferation . SEA food poisoning and IL 2 therapy for cancer result in similar toxic symptoms, characterized by malaise, fever, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea . The similarity between SEA and IL2 toxic effects, the fact that SEA is a potent inducer of lymphokines such as IL 2, and the fact that IL 2 induction is a prerequisite for the mitogenic effects of SEA raises the intriguing question of the role of lymphokines such as IL 2 in SEA-induced food poisoning.

Anim Genet, 1988, 19(2), 103 - 13
Characterization of class I bovine lymphocyte antigens (BoLA) by one-dimensional isoelectrofocusing; Joosten I et al.; BoLA class I antigens were characterized in a group of British and Dutch Friesian cattle by one-dimensional isoelectric focusing (1D-IEF) and the results compared with serology using alloantisera and microcytotoxicity . For IEF analysis, non-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) were metabolically labelled with 35S methionine, detergent lysates were prepared and MHC molecules precipitated with the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) W6/32 or B1.1G6 . Staphylococcus protein A precipitated antigens were separated on a vertical slab gel under denaturing conditions . The banding patterns seen for the W6/32 precipitated molecules obtained by 1D-IEF were compared with the serological specificities . Characteristic banding patterns were observed for most serological specificities as well as workshop undefined haplotypes . These patterns were seen both in families and the outbred population . In families IEF haplotypes segregated with serotypes . Additional MHC class I products were suggested by variable banding patterns for different w10 haplotypes and when using the different mAbs . A pulse chase experiment with a w12 animal also suggested more than one expressed product . The w2 and w5 specificities were not precipitated by either W6/32 or B1.1G6 and w6.2 and w6.4 were precipitated by W6/32 but not by B1.1G6 . These results show that 1D-IEF is useful for BoLA typing . For the characterization of class I antigens, however, much depends on the mAbs used.

Immunol Lett, 1988 Jan, 17(1), 35 - 9
Detection of IL-2 receptor positive tonsillar lymphocytes by monoclonal antibody and protein A coated erythrocytes; Plum J et al.; A sensitive rosette method combining staphylococcal protein A coated rabbit red blood cells and the monoclonal antibody anti-Tac was used to search for the presence of interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor-bearing T lymphocytes in tonsils from patients with chronic tonsillitis . This method revealed the presence of Tac positive T lymphocytes in the tonsils whereas a conventional immunofluorescence technique was unable to do so . To demonstrate that Tac rosette formation resulted in a selective enrichment of IL-2 receptor-bearing T cells, we measured the proliferative response of these cells to exogenous IL-2 . The response of Tac rosette positive cells to recombinant IL-2 was always higher than that of the Tac rosette negative or unselected cells, indicating that this rosette method specifically selects T cells expressing IL-2 receptor.

Pharmacotherapy, 1988, 8(6 Pt 2), 11S - 13S
Surgical prophylaxis: how far have we really come?
Kernodle DS.
Appropriate use of antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the frequency of deep wound infections after clean surgery . However, there may be important differences in the prophylactic efficacy of various cephalosporins . The results of our study of patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery indicate that cefazolin offers unreliable prophylaxis against S . aureus when compared to cefamandole . Differences in the prophylactic efficacy of these two agents may be due to differences in their stability to staphylococcal beta-lactamase.

Ter Arkh, 1988, 60(11), 63 - 4
{The importance of secondary immune deficiencies in the pathogenesis of dysentery}; Mashilov VP et al.; Some immunity indices were studied in patients with acute dysentery . The number of total and active T-lymphocytes, T mu- and T gamma-cells, T-rabbit, T-staphylococcal, B-total and B-lymphocytes forming rosettes with mouse erythrocytes were determined for assessment of the immune status . Changes in the above indices with relation to the severity of the disease were noted . Suppression of the T- and B-systems of immunity were noticeable in patients with a severe and lingering course of disease . Delayed time of complete convalescence was observed in patients with a marked imbalance of indices of the T- and B-systems of immunity during convalescence.

Neurochirurgie, 1988, 34(6), 394 - 400
{Spondylodiscitis after surgery of lumbar disk hernia . Apropos of 12 cases in 1796 operations}; Peruzzi P et al.; Discitis is a rare complication of disc operation . The incidence rate varies from 0.2 to 0.8% according to the series . During a 6 year period (1980-1986) 1,796 patients were operated for lumbar disc protrusion at our institution and twelve of them (0.66%) developed a post operative discitis . Bacteriologic verification due to the infection was ascertained in ten cases . Direct contamination during surgical time is likely far more frequent than hematogenous contamination because the liable germ was staphylococcus in 9 cases . Ascertaining the diagnosis is base upon clinical picture and some selected investigations . It may be earlier than it has been said before . Discitis may be suspected within a week after operation in two cases out of three . The most prominent clinical feature is back pain with muscle spasm but sometimes diagnosis may be misled to a psychiatric condition or a visceral disorder . Among conclusive investigations we range in the first place the needle aspiration of the disc which permitted to isolate a germ nine times out of eleven . Next the bone scan with H.M.D.P . Te 99 (8 Mbq/kg) which revealed a significant uptake pattern in eight cases out of eight . Finally the blood culture which grew five times out of ten . Risks of discitis, i.e septicemia, polysegmental infection or death justify in our opinion an appropriate antibiotherapy during at least 8 weeks . Moreover, in our experience, it is the best antalgic treatment that we can offer and back pain decreases as soon as the second day with antibiotherapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Spinal Disord, 1988, 1(2), 168 - 71
Hematogenous osteomyelitis complicating a closed compression fracture of the spine; Fellmeth BD et al.; A case of hematogenous osteomyelitis of a vertebral body following a closed compression fracture is presented . Staphylococcus septicemia developed 7 days after the injury . In spite of prompt antibiotic treatment, osteomyelitis of the compressed T12 was recognized 5 weeks later . The role of indium white blood cell (WBC) scanning in establishing the diagnosis is highlighted.

Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1988, 177(4), 229 - 33
The role of capsule as a barrier to bacteriophage adsorption in an encapsulated Staphylococcus simulans strain; Ohshima Y et al.; The polyvalent staphylococcal bacteriophage U16 failed to adsorb to an encapsulated Staphylococcus simulans strain . Partially purified cell wall and teichoic acid of this strain could, however, inactivate bacteriophage U16 to a great extent, indicating the presence of the phage receptor . It is concluded that the capsule of Staphylococcus simulans acts as a barrier for the interaction of the phage with its receptor in the bacterial cell wall.

Int J Immunopharmacol, 1988, 10(1), 81 - 91
Human gamma interferon induction by staphylococcal protein A: effector cells, kinetics and the effect of prostaglandin, indomethacin, ibuprofen and aspirin; Ducatenzeiler A et al.; Soluble staphylococcal protein A (SpA) induces the synthesis of gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) by human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) . To investigate the kinetics of this gamma-IFN induction and the effector cells involved, we used a highly purified SpA preparation, PBL from healthy volunteers, and a CPE-inhibition gamma-IFN assay with Sindbis virus in human fibroblasts . The production of SpA-induced gamma-IFN (SpA-gamma-IFN) peaked 48 h after the addition of SpA to cultures of PBL and decreased after 72 h . Subpopulations of PBL were purified by depletion using specific monoclonal antibodies and complement; CD4+ or OKT4+ (T4: helper/inducer) cells were able to produce SpA-gamma-IFN in the absence of CD8+ or OKT8+ (T8: suppressor/cytotoxic) or B-cells . PBL pre-incubated with SpA for more than 72 h inhibited gamma-IFN production by autologous fresh PBL; this inhibition segregated with the T8 subpopulation and was not due to cytotoxicity . SpA-gamma-IFN titers increased markedly when CD3+ or OKT3+ (T3) or T4 cells were incubated with a small number (2-10%) of adherent monocytes, whereas larger numbers (greater than 20%) decreased the yield of SpA-gamma-IFN . This decreased yield was probably mediated by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) of monocyte origin: the presence of PGE2 was demonstrable in these cultures by radioimmunoassay, and the addition of indomethacin reversed the inhibitory effect of large numbers of monocytes; further, treatment of T-cells with exogenous PGE2 also led to an inhibition of SpA-gamma-IFN . Ibuprofen and aspirin also had an effect comparable to indomethacin on SpA-gamma-IFN production . These observations indicate that the production of SpA-gamma-IFN is by T4 lymphocytes, is enhanced by limited numbers of accessory cells (monocytes), and is also regulated by T8 cells via monocyte PGE2.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 Jan, 32(1), 63 - 7
Comparison of cefazolin, cefamandole, vancomycin, and LY146032 for prophylaxis of experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis; Wheat LJ et al.; We evaluated antibiotic prophylaxis in the rabbit model of experimental endocarditis with three strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis of differing susceptibility patterns . For the first strain, which was highly susceptible to methicillin and cephalosporins, vegetations grew S . epidermidis for all 15 untreated rabbits compared with 1 of 20 rabbits receiving cefazolin, 3 of 20 receiving cefamandole, none of 20 receiving vancomycin, and none of 20 receiving LY146032 . For the second strain, which was methicillin resistant but cephalosporin susceptible, vegetations were positive for 14 of 15 untreated controls, 4 of 20 receiving cefazolin, 5 of 22 receiving cefamandole, none of 20 receiving vancomycin, and none of 20 receiving LY146032 . For the third strain, which was methicillin resistant and only intermediately susceptible to cephalosporin antibiotics, vegetation cultures were positive for 15 of 17 untreated controls, 14 of 21 receiving cefazolin, 11 of 20 receiving cefamandole, 5 of 20 receiving vancomycin, and 0 of 22 receiving LY146032 . In conclusion, these studies in the endocarditis model indicate that cefazolin and cefamandole have some protective value against certain strains of S . epidermidis . Vancomycin and LY146032, however, were more active than cephalosporins for all three strains included in this analysis . These findings support the need for trials of vancomycin and LY146032 prophylaxis in patients undergoing placement of prosthetic heart valves.

Acta Derm Venereol, 1988, 68(6), 468 - 73
The microbial content and complement C3 cleaving capacity of comedones in acne vulgaris; Leeming JP et al.; Complement C3 deposition around lesions is an early event in the inflammation of acne vulgaris . The aims of this study were to determine the relationship between the capacity of individual comedones to cleave complement C3 and their microbial flora . The contents of 48 open comedones were expressed from the upper back of acne vulgaris patients and each comedo was homogenized individually and assayed for microbial content and capacity to induce cleavage of complement C3 in an in vitro assay system . An association between Propionibacterium population size and extent of C3 cleavage was found, but Staphylococcus and Pityrosporum population sizes did not appear to have an appreciable influence . A strong association between the weight of expressed material and C3 cleavage was apparent, irrespective of microbial population size . This observation suggests that comedones contain non-microbial material having the capacity to induce complement cleavage and hence initiate inflammation.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1987 Dec 31, 149(3), 960 - 8
Expression of chimeric receptor composed of immunoglobulin-derived V regions and T-cell receptor-derived C regions; Kuwana Y et al.; Chimeric genes composed of immunoglobulin (Ig)-derived variable (V) regions and T-cell receptor (TCR)-derived constant (C) regions were constructed . The VL and VH genes showing anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) activity were used in this study . Two pairs of chimeric genes, VL-C beta and VH-C alpha genes, and VL-C alpha and VH-C beta genes, were inserted into an expression vector containing both Ecogpt and neo genes, and transfected into EL4 cells . Cells which express both chimeric receptor molecules were established . The activity of the transformants to the antigen was examined by using stopped-flow fluorometry . An increase in the concentration of cytoplasmic calcium ion was observed after addition of Staphylococcus pneumoniae R36A bacteria grown in the choline-containing medium which express PC molecules, but not after the PC-negative bacteria grown in the ethanolamine-containing medium.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1987 Dec 18, 916(3), 419 - 27
Inhibition of staphylococcal alpha-toxin by covalent modification of an arginine residue; Hebert TE et al.; The effects of 1,2-cyclohexanedione and phenylglyoxal on staphylococcal alpha-toxin were studied . Modification of one arginine residue in alpha-toxin was sufficient to render the toxin nonhemolytic with no conformational change . Modified alpha-toxin did not protect cells from hemolysis by native alpha-toxin . An arginine residue is therefore at or near the binding site of alpha-toxin . Trypsin digestion of modified alpha-toxin generated a 20 kDa fragment which was isolated using a boric acid gel column . Upon regeneration, this 20 kDa fragment was not recognized by a population of antibodies which prevented alpha-toxin binding . The fragment was recognized by antibodies directed against post-binding events . However, the antibinding antibodies recognized the intact modified toxin . This leads us to conclude that antibinding determinants are not found directly in the binding site or are conformationally masked.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1987 Dec 16, 149(2), 538 - 44
One-step processing of the amphibian vasotocin precursor: structure of a frog (Rana esculenta) "big" neurophysin; Michel G et al.; Vasotocin-associated neurophysin (MSEL-neurophysin) from the frog Rana esculenta has been isolated and sequenced through tryptic and staphylococcal proteinase peptides and cyanogen bromide fragments . This protein appears homologous to the mammalian vasopressin-associated neurophysin with a C-terminal glycopeptide extension homologous to the mammalian copeptin . In contrast to the two-step processing of mammalian vasopressin/MSEL-neurophysin/copeptin precursor, a single cleavage is therefore involved in the processing of the amphibian vasotocin/neurophysin precursor . It appears that the physiological release of the vasopressin-like hormone from the N-terminal end of the protein precursor is not dependent upon a previous trimming of the C-terminal copeptin-like moiety.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1987 Dec 12, 117(50), 2013 - 6
{Increased risk of bacterial colonization of intravenous catheters covered with transparent adhesive polyurethane bandages, compared to classical gauze bandages}; Meylan PR; While transparent polyurethane dressings are increasingly used for the care of intravenous catheters, concern has recently been expressed regarding their microbiological safety . We have therefore compared the rate of intravenous catheter bacterial colonization after randomly assigning intensive care patients to transparent polyurethane (n = 21) or dry gauze (n = 20) dressings . Polyvinyl chloride catheters were inserted and maintained by the nurses . No antiseptic or antibiotic ointment was used . The two groups of patients were similar regarding risk factors for catheter colonization . Colonization rate was 48% (10/21) among patients with transparent dressings versus 10% (2/20) among patients with dry gauze dressings (p = 0.008) . Colonizing bacterial species were Staphylococcus epidermidis (11 strains) and S . aureus (1 strain) . No catheter-related bacteremia was observed . These data suggest that the colonization rate of intravenous catheters is increased by the use of polyurethane dressings, possibly increasing the risk of septic phlebitis and bacteremia.

J Biol Chem, 1987 Dec 5, 262(34), 16739 - 47
Purification of topoisomerase II from amsacrine-resistant P388 leukemia cells . Evidence for two forms of the enzyme; Drake FH et al.; Topoisomerase II was purified from an amsacrine-resistant mutant of P388 leukemia . A procedure has been developed which allows the rapid purification of nearly homogeneous enzyme in quantities sufficient for enzyme studies or production of specific antisera . The purified topoisomerase II migrated on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as two bands with apparent molecular masses of 180 (p180) and 170 kDa (p170); both proteins unknotted P4 DNA in an ATP-dependent manner and displayed amsacrine-stimulated covalent attachment to DNA . Staphylococcus V8 protease cleavage patterns of p170 and p180 showed distinct differences . Specific polyclonal antibodies to either p170 or p180 recognized very selectively the form of the enzyme used to generate the antibodies . Immunoblotting with these specific antibodies showed that both p180 and p170 were present in cells lysed immediately in boiling sodium dodecyl sulfate . Comparison of the purified topoisomerase II from amsacrine-resistant P388 with that from amsacrine-sensitive P388 demonstrated that each cell type contained both p180 and p170; however, the relative amounts of the two proteins were consistently different in the two cell types . The data strongly suggest that p170 is not a proteolytic fragment of p180 . Thus, P388 cells appear to contain two distinct forms of topoisomerase II.

Science, 1987 Dec 4, 238(4832), 1401 - 3
Generation of a hybrid sequence-specific single-stranded deoxyribonuclease; Corey DR et al.; The relatively nonspecific single-stranded deoxyribonuclease, staphylococcal nuclease, was selectively fused to an oligonucleotide binding site of defined sequence to generate a hybrid enzyme . A cysteine was substituted for Lys116 in the enzyme by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis and coupled to an oligonucleotide that contained a 3'-thiol . The resulting hybrid enzyme cleaved single-stranded DNA at sites adjacent to the oligonucleotide binding site.

J Immunol Methods, 1987 Dec 4, 105(1), 133 - 7
Mitogenic activity of staphylococcal protein A is due to contaminating staphylococcal enterotoxins; Schrezenmeier H et al.; Soluble protein A from S . aureus is widely used as a polyclonal activator of human T cells . However, recombinant protein A produced in E . coli does not show any mitogenic properties, although its IgG-binding activity is identical to protein A purified from S . aureus . Antisera against the staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B are able to specifically inhibit the response of human T lymphocytes to protein A from S . aureus . Therefore, the mitogenic principle of this extensively used T cells activator is due to minute contaminations by enterotoxins that are active in picomolar concentrations.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1987 Dec, 104(12), 660 - 3
{Cardiodepressive effect of blood serum in severe forms of purulent infection}; Vornovitskii EG et al.; The effect of human blood serum from patients with purulent infections (sepsis, purulent resorptive fever) has been studied on the electrical and mechanical activities of isolated auricles of guinea pig . The intracellular resting potentials (RP), action potentials (AP) and isometric contractions elicited by electrical stimulation (1 Hz) were measured . The patient serum diluted by Tyrode solution (1:1) didn't change RP values and AP amplitude but caused a decrease in the AP plateau phase duration (P less than less than 0.05) . In 75% cases a replacement of the healthy donor serum by the serum from patients caused a decrease in the contraction amplitude . This cardiodepressive effect was reversible: washing of the preparation by the control Tyrode solution or by the donor serum restored the normal contractility . These data were compared with those obtained in studying the action of staphylococcus alpha-toxin on a preparation of guinea pig myocardium}

Arch Surg, 1987 Dec, 122(12), 1460 - 3
Positive relationship of clinical and serologic responses to vaccinia melanoma oncolysate; Wallack MK et al.; In this phase Ia/Ib trial, vaccinia melanoma oncolysate (VMO) is a virus-augmented melanoma cell membrane vaccine that has been shown to be safe and to stimulate the production of antimelanoma antibodies in high-risk melanoma patients treated in a surgical adjuvant setting . One patient with stage I and 38 patients with stage II melanoma were entered in the study between December 1984 and October 1985, with a mean follow-up of approximately 17 months . Each patient received a smallpox booster injection followed one week later by the first of 13 weekly intradermal injections of 2.0 mg of VMO . At the end of 13 weeks, injections were given every other week for 12 months or until recurrence . Clinical results show that 25 of the 39 patients had no evidence of disease as of December 1986 . Moreover and more importantly, statistical comparison of patients in this study with 39 matched controls shows a significant increase in disease-free survival for the patients treated with VMO . Serum obtained prior to treatment and at three-month intervals during treatment was tested in a Staphylococcus protein A rosette assay for reactivity with melanoma cell lines . All pretreatment samples (39/39) were negative, and 64% became positive by 12 months after appropriate dosage escalations . Moreover, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed a positive correlation between anti-melanoma IgG antibody titer and disease-free survival.

Arch Dermatol, 1987 Dec, 123(12), 1622 - 32
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated psoriasis and Reiter's syndrome; Duvic M et al.; Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes a spectrum of immunodysfunction, the most severe of which is the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) . We have followed the course of psoriasis in 13 patients over 2 1/2 years in a population of more than 1000 HIV-positive individuals . Four patients had a history of mild psoriasis that became severe and uncontrollable as symptoms of immunodeficiency developed . Psoriasis and HIV positivity, AIDS-related complex, or AIDS simultaneously developed in nine patients . In addition to psoriasis, Reiter's syndrome (arthritis, urethritis, and conjunctivitis) developed in one patient in the first group and three patients in the second group . Opportunistic infections, especially candidiasis and Staphylococcus, drugs, and an altered immune system may contribute to the development or flare of psoriasis in these patients . The appearance of severe psoriasis (especially in a patient with other risk factors for HIV) should prompt evaluation for HIV, and may be a poor prognostic indicator in HIV-positive patients, since nine of our 13 patients have died . Immunosuppressive therapy with methotrexate is contraindicated in this group of patients . Newer forms of drug therapy including etretinate show promising results for the management of AIDS-associated psoriasis.

Infect Immun, 1987 Dec, 55(12), 2933 - 9
Quantitation of monomeric and oligomeric forms of membrane-bound staphylococcal alpha-toxin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody; Hugo F et al.; A murine monoclonal antibody generated against staphylococcal alpha-toxin was shown to react only with the monomeric (native), 3S form of the toxin . A sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) constructed with this antibody permitted detection of 0.25 to 0.5 ng of native toxin per ml . Toxin oligomers formed either by heat aggregation in solution, on target erythrocyte membranes, or on phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol liposomes were unreactive in the ELISA when membranes were solubilized with the nondenaturing detergent Triton X-100 . After dissociation of the oligomers by boiling in sodium dodecyl sulfate, however, the ELISA reactivity of the liberated 3S toxin was fully restored . Parallel determinations of membrane-bound toxin with sodium dodecyl sulfate and Triton X-100 solubilization thus permitted direct quantitation of total and monomeric toxin, respectively; the difference between these two values was represented by toxin oligomers . The detection limits for membrane-bound oligomeric and monomeric toxin on erythrocyte membranes are in the order of 100 molecules and 1 molecule per cell, respectively . Using this ELISA, we show that over 90% of alpha-toxin molecules bound to target membranes at 37 degrees C are in oligomeric form . Evidence is given that the monoclonal antibody neutralizes alpha-toxin by inhibiting its binding to both rabbit and human erythrocytes . This ELISA is the first assay that quantitatively discriminates between mono- and oligomeric forms of a pore-forming protein on target cell membranes.

Am J Physiol, 1987 Dec, 253(6 Pt 1), C766 - 73
Interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor do not regulate protein balance in skeletal muscle; Moldawer LL et al.; Recent studies have claimed that interleukin 1-containing preparations increase skeletal protein degradation similar to that seen during infection and inflammation . However, preparations employed have contained other products of activated macrophages, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha . In the present report, we investigated the capability of recombinant-derived murine and human interleukins 1-alpha and 1-beta and human tumor necrosis factor-alpha to affect skeletal protein synthesis and degradation both in vitro and in vivo . Partially purified products of Staphylococcus albus-stimulated human blood monocytes increased skeletal protein degradation both in vivo and in vitro . However, none of the recombinant interleukin 1 nor the human tumor necrosis factor-alpha preparations had any impact on skeletal protein balance . Both recombinant interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulated the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) . Furthermore, a polyclonal antibody to human interleukin 1 eliminated the lymphoproliferative response to partially purified monocyte preparations (interleukin 1 activity), but failed to abrogate the increased skeletal protein degradation in vitro . This study demonstrates that although interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha induce a PGE2 response by skeletal muscle in vitro, some macrophage product distinct from either interleukin 1 or tumor necrosis factor-alpha is responsible for the accelerated skeletal protein degradation seen with partially purified human blood monocyte products . Elevated PGE2 levels do not appear to regulate skeletal protein balance in vitro.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Dec, 84(24), 9233 - 7
Purification of a human monocyte-derived neutrophil chemotactic factor that has peptide sequence similarity to other host defense cytokines; Yoshimura T et al.; Stimulated human monocytes release several proteins thought to play a role in inflammation, including interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, and plasminogen activator . We have purified another proinflammatory protein that is chemotactic for human neutrophils from conditioned medium of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes . After a series of steps that included anion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and HPLC on cation-exchange and reverse-phase columns, an apparently pure protein was obtained that migrated as a single 7-kDa band on NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gels under reducing or nonreducing conditions . The amino acid composition of this monocyte-derived neutrophil chemotactic factor was different from that of interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor . N-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 42 residues was determined . This portion of the molecule has up to 56% sequence similarity with several proteins that may be involved in host responses to infection or tissue injury . It is identical to a portion of a sequence deduced from an mRNA induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin treatment of human leukocytes . At the optimal concentration of 10 nM, 50% of neutrophils added to chemotaxis assay wells migrated toward the pure attractant . Potency and efficacy are comparable to that of fMet-Leu-Phe, which is often used as a reference . In contrast to many attractants, the protein was not chemotactic for human monocytes.

Poult Sci, 1987 Dec, 66(12), 1929 - 33
Increased sensitivity to staphylococcal beta hemolysins of erythrocytes from chickens during aflatoxicosis; Doerr JA et al.; The size of the zones of beta-hemolysis surrounding staphylococcal colonies on blood agar was found to be related to the level of dietary aflatoxin consumed by the chickens donating the blood . Zone sizes on blood from chickens fed the highest level of aflatoxin (10 micrograms/g of diet) were about six-fold larger than those on blood from control birds . The percentage of staphylococcal isolates displaying beta-hemolysis was increased from about 15% in normal blood to about 90% in blood from chickens fed aflatoxin (10 micrograms/g) whereas the time required for detection of beta-hemolysis was decreased by about one-half . The hemolytic activity of purified staphylococcal beta-hemolysin against suspensions of washed erythrocytes increased as the level of aflatoxin consumed by the donor chickens increased . These data imply a new mechanism for enhanced susceptibility of animals to infectious agents during mycotoxicoses whereby the animal is made more sensitive to the virulence factors of pathogens.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Dec, 267(2), 206 - 16
Comparison of two newly developed forms of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1); Pickenhahn P et al.; Two modifications of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to the quantitative determination of TSST-1 in culture supernatants of S . aureus strains . In both techniques, biotinylated antibodies (anti-TSST-1), obtained by means of either glutaraldehyde or N,N-dimethyl formamide were used . IgG and biotin were conjugated in various ratios and the different conjugates thus obtained were examined for their reactivity in the ELISA tests . The application of the glutaraldehyde-method resulted in more active, sensitive and stable conjugates . Furthermore, acceptable TSST-1 standard curves under fixed conditions were only obtained when the appropriate ratio of biotin to IgG had been determined before the biotinylated antibodies were employed.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1987 Dec, 31(12), 1887 - 91
Phenotypic expression and genetic heterogeneity of lincosamide inactivation in Staphylococcus spp; Leclercq R et al.; We examined the resistance phenotype and the genetic basis of lincosamide modification in 25 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus spp . inactivating lincomycin and clindamycin . The strains were resistant to high levels of lincomycin but remained susceptible to clindamycin . However, MBCs and inoculum effects showed that the activity of clindamycin was impaired . The distribution in these strains of nucleotide sequences related to linA and linA', the genes encoding lincosamide nucleotidylation in Staphylococcus haemolyticus BM4610 and S . aureus BM4611, respectively, was studied by dot blot hybridization . The genes responsible for lincosamide inactivation in Staphylococcus spp . were found to constitute a family of related sequences which are not species specific.

Genitourin Med, 1987 Dec, 63(6), 375 - 9
Immune dot blot technique for diagnosing infection with Chlamydia trachomatis; Storey CC et al.; An immune dot blot test (IDBT) to detect the genus specific lipopolysaccharide chlamydial antigen is described, in which the antigen is trapped on nitrocellulose membrane and then detected with a monoclonal antibody labelled with 125iodine . A preliminary comparison of 270 specimens obtained from the endocervix or male urethra showed that the IDBT was more sensitive (sensitivity 90%) than a commercial amplified enzyme immunoassay named IDEIA (sensitivity (60%) for detecting specimens that yielded Chlamydia trachomatis on culture . Subsequent assessment of 950 urogenital tract specimens in the IDBT and by culture confirmed the sensitivity (92%) and specificity (95%) of the IDBT . At least one of 56 specimens obtained from the eye, however, gave a false positive result, which was probably due to staphylococcal protein A in the specimen . The IDBT provides the basis for a novel simple test for detecting the genus Chlamydia.

Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 1987 Dec, 17(1-4), 389 - 400
Synergism between antibody and neutrophils in the ruminant mammary gland; Watson DL; Immunological activities of the mammary gland are important both as a means of transferring immunity from mother to young and for defending the mammary gland itself against infection . The presence of immunoglobulins G1, G2 and A, and of neutrophils, macrophages and complement in the ruminant mammary gland is described, in particular the synergistic role of antibody and neutrophils is discussed and studies of immunization against staphylococcal mastitis are outlined.

Mol Immunol, 1987 Dec, 24(12), 1243 - 54
Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to staphylococcal enterotoxins: use in immunodetection and immunopurification; Lapeyre C et al.; Four cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies were obtained by fusion of NS1 myeloma cells with splenocytes of BALB/C mice immunized with only 1 microgram of each staphylococcal enterotoxin A, B, C1 and D by a modified technique of intrasplenic boosting . This procedure was considerably more efficient than the more commonly used intravenous boosting . The antibodies EC-A1, EC-B1, EC-C1 and EC-D1, all of the IgG1 subclass, have high affinities for the corresponding enterotoxins A, B, C1 and D, with dissociation constants of 1.4, 2.8, 1.4 and 1.5 nM respectively; in addition EC-B1 showed a high affinity (2.1 nM) for enterotoxin C1 . All these antibodies recognize, by immunoblotting, the homologous purified enterotoxins as well as enterotoxins from the bacterial culture supernatants . A rapid indirect double sandwich ELISA using a pair of antibody preparations was developed, where monospecific monoclonal antibodies were used to coat plastic plates and polyspecific rabbit antibodies were used to detect the enterotoxins under field conditions . These antibodies which are capable of immunoadsorbing the enterotoxins from staphylococcal culture filtrates and from natural fluids such as milk, were used to immunopurify enterotoxins A, C1 and D . The homogeneity and integrity of the affinity purified toxins A, C1 and D was verified by direct automated Edman degradation and yielded single amino terminal sequences which were moderately homologous to those published previously for B and C1 enterotoxins.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Dec, 84(24), 9214 - 8
Antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid of some Alzheimer disease patients recognize cholinergic neurons in the rat central nervous system; McRae-Degueurce A et al.; The etiology of Alzheimer disease is unclear . However, immunological aberrations have been suggested to be critical factors in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disease . This study was carried out to investigate if cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from Alzheimer disease patients contains antibodies that recognize specific neuronal populations in the rat central nervous system . The results indicate that in a subgroup of patients this is indeed the case . The antibodies reported in this study have the following properties: (i) they recognize neuronal populations and components in the medial septum and spinal motor neurons in rats perfused with a mixture that fixes small neurotransmitter molecules; (ii) adsorption of the patient CSF with staphylococcal protein A-Sepharose and using a polyclonal antiserum against human IgG3 indicates that the immunocytochemical reaction in these brain regions is mainly due to the subclass IgG3; and (iii) the CSF immunocytochemical reaction is blocked by preincubation of the sections with a rabbit anti-acetylcholine antiserum . These results provide evidence that antibodies in the CSF of some, but not all, Alzheimer disease patients recognize acetylcholine-like epitopes in cholinergic neurons in the rat central nervous system.

Infect Immun, 1987 Dec, 55(12), 2940 - 4
Quantitative analysis of the binding and oligomerization of staphylococcal alpha-toxin in target erythrocyte membranes; Reichwein J et al.; The binding of staphylococcal alpha-toxin to rabbit and human erythrocytes was quantitated over a wide range of toxin concentrations (3 x 10(-11) to 3 x 10(-6) M) with the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that permitted simultaneous quantitation of monomeric and oligomeric toxin forms . Three basic observations were made . First, in no range of concentrations did the binding of alpha-toxin to rabbit erythrocytes display characteristics of a receptor-ligand interaction . Net binding to rabbit cells was nil at sublytic concentrations (10(-10) M or 3 ng/ml) . The onset of binding occurred at around 10 ng/ml and remained fairly constant and ineffective (5 to 8% of toxin offered) over a wide concentration range (up to 10 micrograms/ml) . Second, hemolysis of rabbit and human erythrocytes at 37 degrees C was always accompanied by the formation of toxin oligomers in the membrane . Third, overall toxin binding at 0 degree C followed a pattern similar to that at 37 degrees C . However, oligomer formation and cell lysis were retarded (but not totally inhibited) at 0 degree C . When rabbit erythrocytes were incubated with low levels of toxin at 0 degree C (0.5 microgram/ml) for 30 min, the toxin became bound exclusively in monomer form, and no lysis occurred . When cells thus treated were washed and suspended at 37 degrees C, lysis rapidly ensued, and native monomeric toxin was replaced by oligomeric toxin . The collective results directly support the oligomer pore concept of toxin action and also indicate that toxin oligomers form by lateral aggregation of bound monomers in the bilayer . They speak against the existence of specific binding sites for alpha-toxin on rabbit erythrocytes.

J Immunol, 1987 Nov 15, 139(10), 3456 - 62
A peptide secreted by human alveolar macrophages releases neutrophil granule contents; MacArthur CK et al.; A monoclonal antibody was developed against an 8,000-kDa enzyme-releasing peptide (ERP) released from human alveolar macrophages . ERP was isolated on an immunoaffinity column containing the antibody bound to staphylococcal protein A-Sepharose . Release of ERP from the macrophages is not changed by plastic adherence, phagocytosis, calcium ionophore, or phorbol esters . The peptide was not antigenically similar to interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor, or interleukin 1 alpha or 1 beta . The release of constituents from azurophilic and specific granules was the main identified biologic function of ERP . ERP was a more effective secretagogue in the untreated neutrophils and f-met-leu-phe was more effective in the cytochalasin B-treated neutrophils . Absorption of ERP from macrophage-conditioned medium removed a small amount of the chemotactic activity; however, the immunopurified peptide was not chemotactic or chemokinetic for neutrophils, and at high concentrations, it suppressed base line chemokinesis . Treatment of washed macrophages with trypsin released active ERP of approximately the same m.w . of spontaneously secreted ERP . These studies showed that human alveolar macrophages release a peptide which is a secretagogue for human neutrophils under conditions which may be encountered in the lungs during certain disease states . Proteolytic enzymes which are free in the lungs may release the peptide and lead to the secretion of neutrophil enzymes.

Pediatr Infect Dis J, 1987 Nov, 6(11), 1042 - 7
Management of septic complications associated with Silastic catheters in childhood malignancy; Hartman GE et al.; From January, 1979, to December, 1984, 63 Hickman or Broviac catheters were inserted into 50 high risk pediatric oncology patients (median age, 37 months) . Catheters remained in place for an average of 241 days . Possible catheter sepsis and exit site infection accounted for the majority (39 of 76) of the complications of long term central venous catheterization . Neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count under 500/mm3) was associated with 70% of the catheter-related infections and 75% of the non-catheter-related infections . Catheters inserted during neutropenic episodes (23) were associated with an increased risk of subsequent septicemia (60% vs . 25%), a finding apparently related to their exposure to further neutropenia (38% vs . 16% catheter days) . Of the 32 episodes of septicemia of unknown origin, 19 involved Gram-negative bacteria, 14 involved Gram-positive bacteria and 4 were caused by fungi . Five of these episodes involved multiple organisms . Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common Gram-positive organism isolated (7 of 14) . Four episodes of septicemia resolved before therapy and are considered false positive cultures . Of the other 28 episodes of septicemia, 25 (89%) were successfully treated without catheter removal including 3 episodes of fungemia and 4 of multiple organism sepsis . These data demonstrate the efficacy of antimicrobial treatment without catheter removal in the pediatric oncology population with catheter-associated infections including those associated with neutropenia, multiple organisms and fungemia.

Drug Intell Clin Pharm, 1987 Nov, 21(11), 882 - 4
Severe thrombocytopenia associated with once-daily rifampin therapy; Pau AK et al.; Rifampin-induced thrombocytopenia has been recognized as an immunological reaction associated with intermittent high-dose therapy, and rarely seen with daily low-dose regimens . Our patient was a 33-year-old male with Marfan's syndrome who was given rifampin 600 mg/d po along with intravenous vancomycin for the treatment of Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis . His platelet count dropped from a baseline of 519,000/mm3 to 4000/mm3 after four doses of rifampin . Petechiae were present on the lower extremities without the presence of other bleeding sites . Rifampin, low-dose aspirin, and dipyridamole were discontinued . His platelet count returned to normal nine days after discontinuation of therapy . With the increasing use of rifampin for the treatment of nontuberculosis infections, clinicians should recognize the possibility of this drug causing such serious immunological reactions as thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure, and shock with daily or intermittent therapy.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1987 Nov, 94(5), 770 - 2
Retained pacemaker leads; Furman S et al.; Increasingly, functionless pacemaker leads are being abandoned in place because they cannot be safely removed . One hundred eighty-nine intact or partially removed pacemaker leads were abandoned in situ in 152 patients between Jan . 1, 1965, and Dec . 31, 1985 . The leads, sometimes several leads in a single patient, were deemed uninfected at the time of abandonment in 137 patients and contaminated with Staphylococcus epidermidis in 15 patients . All of the contaminated leads have remained clinically uninfected during follow-up . One clean lead became infected early after implantation and the patient died after an open cardiac operation to remove that lead and an adjacent abandoned lead that was adherent to the subclavian vein . No other patient has had a late complication during follow-up to 256 months (mean 47.6) . Properly managed abandonment of an uninfected lead can carry a very low complication rate.

J Invest Dermatol, 1987 Nov, 89(5), 513 - 7
Low density lipoprotein receptor expression on keratinocytes in normal and psoriatic epidermis; Mommaas-Kienhuis AM et al.; Biochemical and morphologic studies on the interaction of low density lipoprotein (LDL) with cultured normal keratinocytes and squamous carcinoma cells have shown a negative correlation between LDL receptor activity and terminal differentiation of the epidermal cells {Ponec M et al, J Invest Dermatol 83:436-440, 1984 and Vermeer, BJ et al, J Invest Dermatol 86:195-200, 1986} . Whether such in vitro studies pertain to the epidermis in vivo is not known . To obtain information on the distribution of LDL receptors in the epidermis in situ, morphologic studies were performed using LDL-gold as an ultrastructural marker . When freshly isolated mouse and human epidermal cells were incubated with LDL-gold complexes, only keratinocytes with the morphologic characteristics of basal cells showed binding and uptake of LDL-gold . No LDL receptor activity was found on Langerhans cells, melanocytes or highly differentiated keratinocytes . Since cell separation techniques can destroy receptors, the staphylococcal epidermolytic toxin was utilized to produce intercellular and intra-epithelial splitting of the epidermis . In preparations of both normal mouse and human epidermis, LDL-gold binding was restricted to basal cells and a few suprabasal keratinocytes . In contrast, in psoriatic epidermis, and to a lesser extent, essential fatty acid-deficient mouse epidermis, cells in the stratum spinosum showed abundant LDL-gold binding . Thus LDL-gold may be a useful marker for epidermal differentiation.

Dig Dis Sci, 1987 Nov, 32(11), 1239 - 43
Prospective assessment of risk of bacteremia with colonoscopy and polypectomy; Low DE et al.; A prospective assessment was made of the frequency of positive blood cultures in patients undergoing colonoscopy with or without polypectomy . A total of 270 patients underwent 280 colonoscopies, of these, there were 105 patients that had 111 polypectomies . Blood cultures were taken prior to and within 15 min following each procedure . Six of 280 (2.1%) preprocedural blood cultures were positive . Seven of 169 (4%) blood cultures were positive within 15 min of insertion of the colonoscope in the colonoscopy only group . Eight of 223 (3.6%) blood cultures were positive within 10 min of the polypectomy . There was no clinical evidence of sepsis during the 24 hr following these procedures . In order to determine appropriate postprocedural sampling intervals, we induced a Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteremia with a mean of 1.16 X 10(6) colony forming units/ml on 10 occasions in seven dogs . Within 30 min of inoculation, we were able to detect only one colony forming unit/ml . The rate of positive blood cultures during colonoscopy alone and following polypectomy during colonoscopy is comparable to other gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures . The most optimal time to collect blood cultures in order to detect transient bacteremia is as soon after the procedure as is feasibly possible.

Eur J Immunol, 1987 Nov, 17(11), 1605 - 9
T cell activation by processed antigen is equally blocked by I-E and I-A-restricted immunodominant peptides; Lakey EK et al.; The T cell response to a soluble protein requires the processing of the native antigen by an antigen-presenting cell (APC) to a peptide containing an antigenic determinant, which is transported to and bound on the antigen-presenting cell surface, where it is subsequently recognized by the specific T cell in the context of the appropriate Ia molecule . Investigating the response of a pigeon cytochrome c-specific, I-Ek-restricted T cell hybrid, which recognizes a determinant present within a 10-amino acid C-terminal fragment of the protein, it was previously demonstrated that peptides homologous to the peptide from pigeon cytochrome c, but which were not stimulatory, blocked the T cell response to pigeon cytochrome c as processed and presented by APC . In this report the ability of a series of fourteen, 20-amino acid overlapping peptides, representing the entire length of staphylococcal nuclease (Nase), were assessed for their ability to block the response of a pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell hybrid to antigen-pulsed presenting cells . Only three Nase peptides blocked the I-Ek-restricted pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell response . Two of these, Nase 61-80 and Nase 91-110, function as T cell antigens in the I-Ad and I-Ab-restricted response to Nase . The third blocking peptide, Nase 101-120, has not been shown to be a T cell antigen . Two other peptides, Nase 51-70 and Nase 81-100, which are recognized by Nase-specific T cells in the context of I-Ek, have no effect on the I-Ek-restricted cytochrome c-specific T cell response . None of these peptides block the higher affinity, heteroclitic response of pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cells to tobacco hornworm moth cytochrome c . Moreover, the response of an I-Ak-restricted T cell to ovalbumin was blocked by the I-Ek-restricted cytochrome c peptides from three different species . Thus, peptides with no obvious primary amino acid sequence homology, and which are not capable of being recognized in the context of the same Ia, compete with one another for the sites on the APC necessary for presentation of processed antigen to T cells . These results suggest that there are structures on the APC surface in addition to Ia, which are necessary for effective antigen presentation following processing . One suitable candidate for such a cell surface material is the recently identified peptide-binding protein, PBP72/74 (Lakey et al., Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . USA 1987 . 84: 1659).

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1987 Nov, 102(5), 1251 - 60
Studies on algal cytochromes VI: some properties and amino acid sequence of cytochrome c6 from a green alga, Bryopsis maxima; Okamoto Y et al.; A photosynthetic c-type cytochrome, cytochrome c6, was extracted from a green alga, Bryopsis maxima, by cutting and immersing the frozen thalli in phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, and purified by acrinol treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephacel chromatography and Bio-Gel P-10 gel filtration . The ferrcytochrome c6 has absorption maxima at 553.5 (alpha), 523 (beta), 417 (gamma), 318 (delta), and 275 nm, and the ferricytochrome at 695, 528, and 411 (gamma) . The molecular weight was estimated to be about 10,000 from Sephadex G-75 gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) . The midpoint redox potential for the cytochrome was determined by equilibrium titration with a ferro- and ferricyanide system to be 0.385 volt at pH 7.0 . Isoelectric points for ferro- and ferricytochromes were determined by density gradient isoelectric focusing electrophoresis to be at pH 3.91 and 4.02, respectively . The complete amino acid sequence of the cytochrome was determined by Edman degradation and by carboxypeptidase digestions of the Cm-cytochrome, 6 staphylococcal protease peptides and 5 lysyl endopeptidase peptides . The cytochrome contained 88 amino acid residues, giving a molecular weight of 9,904 including 1 mol of heme c . The sequence is as follows: GGDLEIGADVFTGNCAACHAGGANSVEPLKTLNKEDVTKYLDGGLSIEAITSQVRNGKGAMPAWSDRLD DEEIDGVVAYVFKNINEGW . A phylogenetic tree of 13 algal cytochromes c6 was constructed by comparing the amino acid differences.

J Leukoc Biol, 1987 Nov, 42(5), 510 - 8
Inhibition of neutrophil shape change by an inhibitor of chemotaxis; Donabedian H et al.; Human mononuclear cells exposed to staphylococcal peptidoglycan in serum-free culture rapidly produce an inhibitor of neutrophil chemotaxis which we have previously described . We found that this inhibitor of chemotaxis has its most potent effect on the inhibition of neutrophil shape change from a spherical to a polarized configuration . In order to quantify this shape change inhibition, we developed an assay using flow cytometric techniques . Neutrophils exposed to a chemoattractant simultaneously change their shape and decrease their forward angle light scattering intensity (delta FLS) with a correlation coefficient of 0.886 (p less than 0.001) . In 51 experiments, neutrophils pretreated with the inhibitor of chemotaxis decreased their FLS by only 6.8 +/- 1.3 channels, while neutrophils pretreated with medium or control culture supernatants decreased theirs by 26.4 +/- 1.9 and 20.5 +/- 3.0 channels respectively (p less than 0.001) . The factor which causes inhibition of shape change was indistinguishable from the inhibitor of chemotaxis by physical properties and chromatography . We conclude that this inhibitor of chemotaxis may act by inhibiting a physiologic step at or before shape change.

Q J Med, 1987 Nov, 65(247), 895 - 8
Novel C3 nephritic factor activity in the glomerulonephritis of staphylococcal endocarditis; Craddock CF et al.; A case of glomerulonephritis complicating staphylococcal endocarditis is presented . Hypocomplementaemia and a C3-activating factor in the serum suggested that the patient might have mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis in association with C3-nephritic factor . Renal biopsy showed that this was not so and further examination of the serum factor showed that it differed from classical C3-nephritic factor because it was not an immunoglobulin . It is postulated that complement activation and glomerulonephritis in staphylococcal endocarditis may be the direct result of a bacterial product . A substance in the serum which activates C3 should be confirmed to be an immunoglobulin before the presence of classical C3-nephritic factor is assumed.

Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol, 1987 Nov, (11), 27 - 30
{Staphylococcal enterotoxin type D: isolation, purification, identification}; Naubet'iarov RB et al.; The three step scheme of isolation and purification of staphylococcal type D enterotoxin was elaborated to obtain the homogeneous protein . The scheme includes protein concentration by (NH4)2SO4 saturation and subsequent fractionation on DEAE-cellulose and Sephacryl S-200 . The yield of homogeneous protein is 25.5% . The molecular mass of the 29,600 D protein was identified by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel in the presence of SDS . The enterotoxic dose for staphylococcal type D enterotoxin is 5 mkg per kg of body mass as identified in experiments with cats . Immunological identity of the obtained protein was established to the commercial preparation of staphylococcal enterotoxin D produced by "Serva".

Int J Pept Protein Res, 1987 Nov, 30(5), 676 - 82
Guinea pig MSEL-neurophysin . Sequence comparison of eight mammalian MSEL-neurophysins; Chauvet MT et al.; The amino acid sequence of guinea pig MSEL-neurophysin has been determined using tryptic peptides derived from the performic acid-oxidized protein and staphylococcal proteinase peptides obtained from the reduced-carboxamidomethylated neurophysin . Guinea pig MSEL-neurophysin consists of a 93-residue polypeptide chain that shows 12 substitutions and 2 deletions when compared to bovine MSEL-neurophysin . It displays the highest number of variations among known mammalian MSEL-neurophysins . These variations are mainly found in the C-terminal region (residues 88-93) . Moreover guinea pig MSEL-neurophysin, like rat homologous protein, exhibits substitutions in positions 2, 5, 29 and 81 and lacks an arginine in the penultimate position . Comparison between eight mammalian MSEL-neurophysins reveals a highly conserved region (residues 1 to 88) and a hypervariable region (residues 89 to 93/95) . On the other hand the eight species examined are endowed with arginine vasopressin except pig, which has a lysine vasopressin . In the vasopressin-MSEL-neurophysin precursor, the hormonal moiety and the MSEL region of neurophysin (residues 1-9) are encoded by a common exon in ox, rat and man; it can be concluded that this exon is evolutionarily conservative in contrast to the one encoding the C-terminal region of MSEL-neurophysin.

Klin Padiatr, 1987 Nov-Dec, 199(6), 445 - 6
{Recurrent staphylodermas in marked IgE elevation: the hyper-IgE syndrome}; Huber A et al.; This is a report of a 6-year-old boy with repeated staphylococcus infections especially in the hairy region of the head . Investigating the disease an extremely elevated IgE of 10,000 KU/l was found, specific IgE in RAST only at a low level . The immunologic investigations showed a reduction of the T-suppressor-cells and an increase of IgG levels . Defects of phagocytosis or chemotaxis could not be demonstrated.

Kidney Int, 1987 Nov, 32(5), 678 - 83
Response to intraperitoneal Staphylococcus epidermidis challenge in renal failure mice; Gallimore B et al.; The role of renal failure in the pathogenesis of the Staphylococcus epidermidis (S . epidermidis) peritonitis presented by end-stage renal disease patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was investigated in a mouse model of surgically-induced renal failure . Six weeks after the surgery, an i.p . inoculum of 10(6) colony forming units S . epidermidis was administered to renal failure mice and their sham-operated and normal controls, and assessment of bacterial clearance and inflammatory response was conducted over the next 72 hours . Peritoneal clearance of S . epidermidis was complete in most animals; however, the process was significantly delayed in renal failure mice compared to sham-operated controls . Viable bacteria invariably remained associated with the peritoneum after peritoneal washings had become culture negative . Peritoneal inflammatory response was markedly diminished in renal failure mice, the early polymorphonuclear cell response being particularly affected . Peripheral response consisted of a prompt and short-lived polymorph increase which was similar in renal failure and sham-operated mice . The factors responsible for the observed impairment of local inflammatory response in association with delayed bacterial clearance in renal failure mice following i.p . challenge with S . epidermidis remain to be defined.

J Pediatr Surg, 1987 Nov, 22(11), 1036 - 8
Rhabdomyosarcoma arising in a congenital giant nevus associated with neurocutaneous melanosis in a neonate; Zuniga S et al.; The case of a newborn with a pedunculated embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma arising from a pigmented giant congenital nevus located on the posterior part of the neck and upper trunk is presented . The nevus was associated with melanosis of the leptomeninges and central nervous system . The pedunculated tumor was removed and the infant was given subsequent chemotherapy . In spite of well-tolerated chemotherapy, he died on the 30th day of life due to a staphylococcal pneumonia.

Rev Infect Dis, 1987 Nov-Dec, 9(6), 1168 - 74
Prosthetic valve endocarditis due to small-colony staphylococcal variants; Baddour LM et al.; Although Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis, little is known about the pathogenesis of this disease . In one case described herein, small-colony variant forms of S . epidermidis were isolated from clinical specimens obtained from a patient with prosthetic valve endocarditis . Data from the rat model of experimental endocarditis provide further evidence that small-colony variants may be operative in the production of prosthetic valve infection . Moreover, a review of the literature indicates that small-colony variants could account for the subtle clinical course after prolonged dormant infection that characterizes S . epidermidis prosthetic valve endocarditis . It is therefore hypothesized that small-colony variants of S . epidermidis may play a role in the pathogenesis of prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Med Clin North Am, 1987 Nov, 71(6), 1135 - 45
Vancomycin: a review; Levine JF; This article reviewed the past experience and updated the present data on vancomycin . In recent years, with the release of more purified preparations of vancomycin and new clinical problems facing the clinician (that is, increasing prevalence of serious methicillin-resistant staphylococcal infections; use of hemodialysis and CAPD; widespread use of prosthetic devices; aggressive chemotherapy), the indication for vancomycin use has increased dramatically . More information is needed on the distribution of vancomycin in body tissues and the incidence and mechanisms of toxicity . Close surveillance of in vitro susceptibility patterns will be necessary as widespread use of vancomycin continues to increase.

Am J Otol, 1987 Nov, 8(6), 519 - 23
The role of prophylactic antibiotics in middle ear surgery . A study on phenoxymethylpenicillin prophylaxis; Bagger-Sjoback D et al.; A randomized prospective double-blind study was performed testing the value of phenoxymethylpenicillin in conjunction with middle ear surgery . The patients were evaluated for clinical signs of infection and with bacteriologic cultures both pre- and postoperatively . No difference in clinical signs of infection was noted between the pre- and postoperative evaluations . A significantly larger number of patients, however, presented with postoperative positive bacteriologic cultures as compared with the preoperative cultures . This increase was particularly evident in the placebo group . The two microorganisms that were found in increased numbers postoperatively were Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas strains . The value of prophylactic antibiotic treatment and phenoxymethylpenicillin treatment in particular is discussed.

Int J Cell Cloning, 1987 Nov, 5(6), 480 - 91
Formation of lymphocyte colonies under serum-free culture conditions in normal individuals and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Dai YC et al.; This paper describes a culture system which supports the formation of B cell and some T cell colonies under serum-free conditions in peripheral blood samples of normal individuals and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) of B cell type . In this system, serum is replaced by bovine serum albumin, transferrin, cholesterol, insulin and catalase or horseradish peroxidase . In addition, it is necessary to add staphylococcus protein A, mitomycin-treated T cells as feeders and phytohemagglutinin leukocyte-conditioned medium as a source of growth factors . The plating efficiency is greatly enhanced when normal cells are incubated with galactose oxidase prior to plating and when CLL cells are exposed sequentially to neuraminidase and galactose oxidase.

Infect Immun, 1987 Nov, 55(11), 2768 - 73
Genetic control of immune response to staphylococcal exfoliative toxin A in mice; Machida K et al.; Different inbred and congenic resistant strains of mice were immunized with staphylococcal exfoliative toxin A (ETA) . In antibody responses measured in sera of mice by a passive hemagglutination technique, A/J, DBA/2, BALB/c, B10A, B10D2, B10S, and A.SW were high responders . C57BL/10 (B10), A.BY, and DBA/1 were low responders . The congenic C3H/HeJ and C3H.SW mice were, respectively, high and low responders . The observation that the immune responses of the mice to ETA were closely linked with the haplotypes of their H-2 complexes suggests the existence of an H-2-linked immune response (Ir) gene coding for the production of humoral antibodies to ETA . Four B10A recombinants were used to map this gene within the H-2 complex . The finding that B10A(2R) and B10A(4R) were high responders, whereas B10A(3R) and B10A(5R) were low responders, indicates that the gene controlling antibody response to ETA is located in the I-A subregion or the H-2K end within the H-2 complex . We wish to propose the name Ir-ETA for this gene . The function of Ir-ETA seems to be at least related to antigen recognition at the T-lymphocyte level . Neonatal mice are generally susceptible to ETA regardless of their H-2 haplotypes . However, the neonatal mice born to a high-responder mother immunized with ETA were resistant to the subcutaneous challenge of ETA, but those born to an immunized low-responder mother were susceptible to the challenge . This result suggests that if the mother is a high responder to ETA and is effectively immunized with ETA, the maternal immunity makes it possible to neutralize this toxin in neonatal mice.

Ann Surg, 1987 Nov, 206(5), 612 - 20
An in vitro study of the properties influencing Staphylococcus epidermidis adhesion to prosthetic vascular graft materials; Harris JM et al.; This study examines the influence of the properties of various vascular graft materials on the bacterial adherence process of two different strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis (mucous and normucous producing) . Dacron grafts (both knitted and woven), Teflon grafts, and Dacron grafts coated with one and two layers of silicone were studied because these materials differ significantly in porosity, hydrophobicity, and surface charge (zeta potential) . Graft segments were immersed in 3H-labeled bacteria solution for periods ranging from 5 to 180 minutes and liquid scintillation techniques were used to quantify bacterial adherence . The porous knitted Dacron material had a significantly higher rate of bacterial adherence than either the woven Dacron or Teflon (p less than 0.05) . Silicone coating (either one or two layers) reduced adherence by a factor of four for the knitted Dacron (p less than 0.05) and by a factor of two for woven Dacron (p less than 0.05) . The mucous producing strain of S . epidermidis displayed significantly better adherence to woven and knitted Dacron than the normucous producing strain, but only when 0.25% dextrose was added to the bacteria solution . These findings indicate that the highly porous knitted Dacron grafts have the highest propensity for bacterial adhesion . Graft materials with the most negative zeta potentials are more resistant to bacterial adherence . Silicone coating of Dacron material significantly changed adherence characteristics, suggesting that this may be a viable strategy for protecting implantable medical devices containing materials to which bacteria readily adhere.

J Immunol Methods, 1987 Oct 23, 103(1), 69 - 77
Monoclonal anti-peroxidase isotype switch variants . Applications in studies of protein A binding and characterization of rat monoclonal antibodies; Boot JH et al.; A series of heavy chain isotype switch variants was derived from a hybridoma cell line secreting monoclonal antibodies specific for horseradish peroxidase . By the combined use of sensitive isotype-specific ELISAs and sequential sublining IgG2b, IgG2a, IgE and Iga anti-peroxidase-producing variants were successively isolated out of IgG1-secreting parental cells . The anti-peroxidase isotype variant antibodies are particularly appropriate for use in studies of the influence of heavy chain isotype in the effector functions of immunoglobulins . The use of variant antibodies with specificity for an enzyme favors their application in immunoassays because an enzyme-conjugated second antibody is not needed . Here we describe two applications of the anti-peroxidase switch variants . First, the variants are compared with respect to their affinity for Staphylococcus protein A . While IgG1 anti-peroxidase showed weak binding, both IgG2 variants strongly bound to protein A, whereas IgE and IgA variants had no affinity for protein A . Next, the switch variants were used to determine the isotype specificity of rat monoclonal antibodies generated to murine IgE.

Lancet, 1987 Oct 17, 2(8564), 880 - 3
Selective immunodeficiency affecting staphylococcal response; Monteil M et al.; Eight patients with recurrent staphylococcal infections, necessitating up to 213 hospital admissions in one patient, gave normal results with the usual immunological investigations, including measurement of serum IgG and IgG2 . In the staphylococcal inhibition test all showed persistently subnormal results, corrected by the addition of compatible normal plasma or normal IgG therapy for 6 months to 21 years, and one died from staphylococcal septicaemia 6 months after withdrawal of treatment . The impairment in anti-staphylococcal response, with failure to produce adequate antibodies, was probably acquired in utero in four patients and inherited in two . In these six patients symptoms started soon after 4 months . In the remaining two the syndrome was acquired later in life.

Eur J Biochem, 1987 Oct 1, 168(1), 201 - 7
Complete amino acid sequence of an immunoreactive form of human pancreatic stone protein isolated from pancreatic juice; De Caro AM et al.; The primary structure of a pancreatic stone protein form has been elucidated for the first time . The protein studied was the lowest-Mr form prepared from human pancreatic juice (PSP S1) . The N-terminal sequence up to residue 65 had already been determined . The five peptides obtained after staphylococcal protease digestion of the carboxymethylated reduced and succinylated PSP S1 enabled the deduction of the entire sequence . The tryptic peptides arising from the digest of cyclohexanedione--treated PSP S1 and the amino acids released by carboxypeptidase P digestion of PSP S1 confirmed the data of the sequence . The peptides were purified by Sephadex filtration and, if required, by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose or thin-layer cellulose . The amino acid sequences of the peptides were determined with a sequencer . From the sequence data it was deduced that the PSP S1 polypeptide chain contains 133 amino acid residues and has a Mr of 15,000.

Scott Med J, 1987 Oct, 32(5), 149 - 50
Polymyositis complicating staphylococcal septicaemia; Hamilton I et al.; Inflammatory polymyositis can be precipitated by acute febrile illness of viral origin, but similar association with pyogenic bacterial illness is not recognised . We describe two cases in which recovery from staphylococcal septicaemia was complicated by a widespread inflammatory myopathy.

J Clin Lab Immunol, 1987 Oct, 24(2), 81 - 5
Reduced in vitro tuberculin reactivity of lymphocytes from patients with tuberculosis; Onwubalili JK; 29 patients with newly diagnosed tuberculosis, and matched healthy controls, were studied on the basis of 3H-thymidine incorporation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) induced in vitro by staphylococcal enterotoxin A plus tetrahydrophorbyl acetate (SEA+TPA) or tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) . PBMC from patients had normal SEA+TPA-induced, but depressed spontaneous (p less than 0.01) and PPD-induced (p less than 0.01) 3H-thymidine uptake . Their peak responses tended to occur later (p = 0.007) and with larger doses of the antigen (p = 0.02) . The group of patients with low in vitro PBMC responses to PPD were not clinically distinguishable with respect to the extent of pulmonary tuberculosis, cutaneous reactivity to PPD, nutritional status, bacillary content of sputum or time to sputum sterilization during treatment . Evidence for a plasma factor blocking lymphocyte proliferation was not found in 15 patients tested . Chemotherapy was associated with restoration of normal PPD-induced 3H-thymidine uptake, concomitant with clinical improvement and recovery of nutritional abnormalities.

Immunol Lett, 1987 Oct, 16(1), 11 - 4
Heterogeneity of binding of monoclonal IgA to staphylococcal protein A is related to the IgA polymerization state; Zikan J et al.; The human IgA2-lambda myeloma protein Fel consists of covalent dimers and monomers which are partially self-associated . Affinity chromatography of this protein on staphylococcal protein A-Sepharose revealed that approximately 8% of the protein was retained and eluted by acid buffer . Although retained protein Fel was highly aggregated, in the presence of dissociating agents mostly monomeric form was found . Affinity rechromatography and electrophoresis of both fractions from affinity chromatography revealed that the retained fraction possessed substantially higher affinity for SpA than did the nonretained one . This could be due to the multivalency of protein Fel aggregates.

Chemioterapia, 1987 Oct, 6(5), 350 - 4
Action of clindamycin-phosphate in foreign body infections due to Staphylococcus epidermidis in mice; Fichera GA et al.; The virulence of Staphylococcus epidermidis strain slime producer was examined in an experimental model of foreign body infection in mice . In the course of this experimental infection the mice were injected with two antibiotics (clindamycin and cefazolin) active in vitro toward the Staphylococcus strain used . The results obtained after a week of antibiotic therapy show that clindamycin alone has a therapeutic action against the infection caused by S . epidermidis . Cefazolin showed a very poor therapeutic effect . The results are discussed on the basis of inflammatory reaction elicited from the foreign body and the characteristics of clindamycin in connection with the host's defense mechanisms.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1987 Oct, 95(5), 283 - 92
Evaluation of a conventional routine method for identification of clinical isolates of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Micrococcus species . Comparison with API-Staph and API-Staph-Ident; Gahrn-Hansen B et al.; A collection of 138 consecutive isolates from blood primarily identified as Gram-positive, cluster-forming, coagulase-negative cocci was examined by a conventional routine method for identification of clinical isolates of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Micrococcus species . The method was based on selected reactions from the Kloos & Schleifer scheme, utilizing the conventional media of Statens Seruminstitut . Double determinations for each isolate were performed by the conventional method . The results were compared with speciation by the commercial micromethods API-Staph and API-Staph-Ident . For control, 31 Staphylococcus and 13 Micrococcus reference strains were included . Of the 31 Staphylococcus spp . (reference strains), the conventional system, API-Staph, and API-Staph-Ident correctly identified 87%, 87% and 81%, respectively . Micrococcus spp . were only identified to genus level by the conventional method as well as by API-Staph . API-Staph-Ident is not designed for Micrococcus identification . Of 138 blood isolates, 121 belonged to the genus Staphylococcus while 17 were Micrococcus spp . S . epidermidis dominated with all three methods, constituting approx . 35% of the isolates tested . In only 57% of the isolates identification by all three methods agreed . The three methods were unable to put a name on 7.5% (conventional method), 10.7% (API-Staph) and 2.5% (API-Staph-Ident) of the isolates . Reproducibility was high with the conventional method (100% for the reference strains and 91% for blood culture isolates) as well as with API-Staph and API-Staph-Ident (88%/81% and 81%/81%, respectively) . We concluded that our conventional system was able to identify most clinically significant staphylococcal species by means of relatively few tests with a high certainty and a high degree of reproducibility.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Oct, 84(20), 6970 - 4
Internal amino acid sequence analysis of proteins separated by one- or two-dimensional gel electrophoresis after in situ protease digestion on nitrocellulose; Aebersold RH et al.; We have developed a general two-step method for obtaining peptide fragments for sequence analysis from picomole quantities of proteins separated by gel electrophoresis . After separation by one- or two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, proteins are electrophoretically transferred (electroblotted) onto nitrocellulose, the protein-containing regions are detected by reversible staining and are cut out, and each protein is digested in situ by proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin or staphylococcal V-8 protease . The resulting peptide fragments are separated by narrow-bore reverse-phase HPLC, collected, and sequenced in a gas-phase sequenator . Excellent peptide recoveries and the absence of extraneous contaminants in the separation of the peptide fragment mixture allow the generation of extensive internal sequence information from picomole amounts of protein . The method thus overcomes the problem of obtaining amino acid sequence data from N-terminally blocked proteins and provides multiple, independent stretches of sequence that can be used to generate oligonucleotide probes for molecular cloning and/or used to search sequence data bases for related proteins . This method has been successfully applied to the routine amino acid sequence analysis of a wide range of proteins isolated from one- and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels.

J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1987 Oct, 80(4), 631 - 5
Recurrent infections and staphylococcal liver abscess in a child with C1r deficiency; Garty BZ et al.; Complete absence of the C1r portion of the first component of complement was found in a 2 1/2-year-old boy of Puerto Rican origin who presented with a staphylococcal liver abscess . His medical history also included two episodes of pneumonia complicated by a pneumatocele and empyema, purulent staphylococcal lymphadenitis, recurrent otitis media, and pneumococcal bacteremia . The C1s component of complement was 50% of normal, and C4 was elevated . Other immunologic tests, including nitroblue tetrazolium test, and IgE were normal . This is the tenth patient reported with C1r deficiency . The patient differs from other reported patients with C1r deficiency in that he presented with a liver abscess, an infection that has not been reported in patients with complement deficiencies, and in that he has an apparent susceptibility to staphylococcal infection.

Cell Immunol, 1987 Oct 1, 109(1), 65 - 74
Histamine acts directly on human T cells to inhibit interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma production; Dohlsten M et al.; Histamine acts directly on human T cells to inhibit lymphokine production without the involvement of accessory cells . Histamine inhibits the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by purified human peripheral T cells activated in the presence of either intact monocytes or metabolically inactive fixed Raji and U698 cells as accessory cells . Purified T cells do not respond more than marginally to staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) or phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in the absence of accessory cells . However, activation by the phorbol ester PMA in conjunction with either PHA or the calcium ionophore A23187 induces large amounts of IFN-gamma and IL-2 . Histamine suppresses the lymphokine production in these pure T-cell cultures to a similar extent as in monocyte-containing cultures . Histamine is also shown to suppress DNA synthesis by purified T cells cultivated at a low cell density, eliminating any possible involvement of small numbers of contaminating accessory cells . In vitro preactivated T cells are shown to retain their capacity to respond to histamine when stimulated by PMA and A23187 or by mitogen in the presence of Raji cells . The conclusion that histamine acts directly on T cells and does not require accessory cells to induce suppression is further confirmed by the demonstration that IL-2 production by the human T-cell leukemia line Jurkat was significantly suppressed by histamine in a H-2 receptor-restricted manner.

Clin Immunol Immunopathol, 1987 Oct, 45(1), 29 - 34
A study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen and antibody in cerebrospinal fluid and blood in tuberculous meningitis; Ashtekar MD et al.; Radioimmunoassay (RIA) techniques have been evaluated to detect specific tubercular antigen (TB Ag) and antitubercular antibody (TB Ab) in CSF and serum of patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) . A solid-phase RIA using H37RV sonicate antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, anti-BCG antibody, and staphylococcal protein A was standardized . TB Ag and TB Ab levels were noted to be significantly elevated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as well in circulating immune complexes (CIC) isolated from serum samples of TBM patients as compared to control group (P less than 0.01) . Detectability of disease by demonstrating elevated TB Ag and/or TB Ab levels in either CSF or CIC or both was 95% . There was no correlation between individual levels of TB Ag and TB Ab in CSF and in circulation . A follow-up study in patient over a period of 4-12 weeks revealed that TB antigen and/or TB Ab persisted in the majority of the cases for several weeks despite chemotherapy.

Cancer Res, 1987 Oct 1, 47(19), 5009 - 13
Markedly different antibody responses to immunized small cell and non-small cell lung cancer cells; Doyle LA et al.; Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to antigens of human small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were produced from BALB/c mice immunized with either intact cultured cells or membrane preparations from cultured tumor cells . Of 172 MoAbs produced from two NSCLC immunized mice and reactive to NSCLC cells, 137 bound staphylococcal Protein A directly, and only 11 of these 172 MoAbs were significantly reactive with cultured SCLC cells by a solid-phase radioimmunoassay . In contrast, only 16 of 99 MoAbs produced from two SCLC immunized mice and reactive to SCLC cells directly bound Protein A, and most were of an IgM isotype, but 98 of 99 of these antibodies also reacted with cultured NSCLC target plates . Twenty hybridomas producing antibodies reactive with lung cancer cells but not with a B-lymphoblastoid line were cloned . Eleven of these cloned hybridomas were from NSCLC fusions, and nine were from SCLC fusions . When representative hybridoma supernatants were tested against a broad panel of SCLC and NSCLC target plates a similar pattern was seen, with the supernatants from NSCLC-derived hybridomas only reacting strongly to the NSCLC target plates, but the supernatants from SCLC-derived hybridomas always reacting to both SCLC and NSCLC plates . We conclude that the humoral response to immunization with NSCLC cells or membrane preparations is predominantly IgG and that to SCLC is predominantly IgM . Furthermore, many IgG MoAbs reactive with NSCLC lines are poorly reactive with SCLC cells.

Mol Gen Genet, 1987 Oct, 209(3), 563 - 9
The molecular organization of the lysostaphin gene and its sequences repeated in tandem; Heinrich P et al.; The gene encoding lysostaphin of Staphylococcus staphylolyticus was cloned in Escherichia coli and its DNA sequence was determined . The complete coding region comprises 1440 base pairs corresponding to a precursor of 480 amino acids (molecular weight 51 669) . It was shown by NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the purified extracellular lysostaphin from S . staphylolyticus that the mature lysostaphin consists of 246 amino acid residues (molecular weight 26926) . Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a similar molecular weight for the most active form . By computer analysis the secondary protein structure was predicted . It revealed three distinct regions in the precursor protein: a typical signal peptide (ca . 38 aa), a hydrophilic and highly ordered protein domain with 14 repetitive sequences (296 aa) and the hydrophobic mature lysostaphin . The lysostaphin precursor protein appears to be organized as a preprolysostaphin.

Can J Microbiol, 1987 Oct, 33(10), 933 - 8
Respiratory syncytial virus fusion glycoprotein: further characterization of a major epitope involved in virus neutralization; Trudel M et al.; Competition experiments and biological assays with a panel of 15 monoclonal antibodies confirmed the presence of at least four antigenic sites on the fusion protein of human respiratory syncytial virus, three of which were involved in virus neutralization . One antigenic site, recognized by two strongly neutralizing antibodies, was conserved after reduction and denaturation and shown by immunoblotting to be localized on the F1 fragment of the fusion protein . Cleavage of this protein with staphylococcal protease V8 or papain produced a series of smaller peptides from 11 to 7 kilodaltons that retained this important neutralization determinant . Compared with the other neutralization sites, the epitope defined by monoclonal antibody 7C2 thus appears as the major neutralization epitope . Our peptide mapping results support the hypothesis that this major epitope is composed of a continuous sequence on the viral genome.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Oct, 84(20), 7114 - 8
Molecular cloning and chemical synthesis of a region of platelet glycoprotein IIb involved in adhesive function; Loftus JC et al.; Membrane glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa is a component of a platelet adhesive protein receptor . A region of the heavy chain of GPIIb, defined by the monoclonal antibody PMI-1, is involved in adhesion receptor function . We have localized and chemically synthesized this region of GPIIb . A cDNA clone that directs the synthesis of a fusion protein reactive with the PMI-1 antibody was isolated from a phage lambda gt11 expression library constructed with mRNA from an erythroleukemia (HEL) cell line . The deduced amino acid sequence of this clone indicates that it spans the light-heavy chain junction of GPIIb and contains a portion of the carboxyl terminus of the heavy chain and the amino terminus of the light chain . The PMI-1 epitope was found to be contained within a 9-kDa staphylococcal V8 protease fragment of GPIIb, and such a fragment was predicted within the putative heavy-chain sequence . A computerized antigen prediction program identified a single sequence with a high probability of containing a continuous epitope . A synthetic 17-residue peptide containing this sequence binds PMI-1 and inhibits PMI-1 binding to GPIIb-IIIa . The peptide-antibody complex has an approximate Kd of 1.2 microM, which compares to a Kd of 0.95 microM for PMI-1 binding to GPIIb . The region containing the PMI-1 epitope shows no similarity to corresponding regions of two other adhesion receptors, indicating that this portion of GPIIb may function in activities unique to the platelet receptor.

Biochemistry, 1987 Sep 22, 26(19), 6152 - 6
Reactivity of chemically cross-linked fibrinogen and its fragments D toward the staphylococcal clumping receptor; Kloczewiak M et al.; It has been established that the binding domain for the staphylococcal clumping receptor exists in fragment D of human fibrinogen {Hawiger J., Timmons, S., Strong, D . D., Cottrell, B . A., Riley, M., & Doolittle, R . F . (1982) Biochemistry 21, 1407; Strong, D . D., Laudano, A., Hawiger, J., & Doolittle, R . F . (1982) Biochemistry 21, 1414} . To examine the role of valency in the adhesive function of fibrinogen, its fragments were prepared by digestion with plasmin in the presence of calcium and purified by a two-step chromatographic procedure . Fragments D1 and E did not induce the staphylococcal clumping reaction . After they were prepared in oligomeric form by chemical cross-linking with glutaraldehyde, fragment D1 (Mr 94,000) became functionally reactive toward the staphylococcal clumping receptor, and fragment D3 (Mr 75,000) and fragment E (Mr 50,000) remained inactive . Fragment D dimer derived from enzymatic cross-linking was not reactive . Human fibrinogen cross-linked with glutaraldehyde usually reached a 250 times higher reactivity toward the staphylococcal clumping receptor, depending on the condition of the cross-linking reaction . It is concluded that the valency of fibrinogen in regard to its receptor binding domain and the availability of this domain are essential for the staphylococcal clumping reaction.

Biochemistry, 1987 Sep 22, 26(19), 6278 - 86
Site-directed mutants of staphylococcal nuclease . Detection and localization by 1H NMR spectroscopy of conformational changes accompanying substitutions for glutamic acid-43; Hibler DW et al.; The high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of staphylococcal nuclease suggests that the gamma-carboxylate group of Glu-43 is directly involved in catalysis as a general base that facilitates the attack of water on the substrate phosphodiester . We have used primer-directed, site-specific mutagenesis to generate aspartate, glutamine, asparagine, alanine, and serine substitutions for this residue . The Vmax/Km for the aspartate mutant is reduced 1400-fold and the values for the charge-neutral mutations are reduced 5000-fold relative to the wild-type enzyme . Although these reductions in catalytic efficiency might appear useful in quantitatively estimating the importance of general basic catalysis in the reaction catalyzed by the wild-type enzyme, the thermal stabilities and 1H NMR spectral properties of the mutants suggest that such interpretations are ambiguous . All five mutants have higher melting temperatures for thermal denaturation than the wild-type enzyme, suggesting that the mutants have enhanced thermal stabilities relative to the wild-type enzyme . Chemical shift changes relative to the wild type are observed in both the aromatic and upfield-shifted methyl group regions of the 1H NMR spectra of the aspartate and serine mutants, suggesting the presence of conformational differences between the wild-type and mutant enzymes . That these conformational differences may be large enough to be mechanistically relevant is suggested by comparisons of the magnitudes of nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) correlations between the aromatic and upfield-shifted methyl group regions observed via two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect correlation spectroscopy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Nature, 1987 Sep 17-23, 329(6136), 266 - 8
Proline isomerism in staphylococcal nuclease characterized by NMR and site-directed mutagenesis; Evans PA et al.; Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies have shown that two distinct folded conformations of staphylococcal nuclease coexist in solution and that these two states can interconvert directly without passing through an unfolded state . These experiments have also revealed that the two forms have very different folding kinetics, although the possibility that one component is an obligatory intermediate for the folding of the other form could be discounted . Here we report NMR data which show that alternative unfolded states are also distinguishable . These observations led us to hypothesize that cis/trans isomerism at a single peptide bond between a proline and its preceding residue might be the origin of the conformational multiplicity . Proline 117 was identified as a likely candidate for the site concerned and a mutant protein, in which Pro 117 was replaced by Gly, was constructed in order to test this . Alternative conformations are not observed in the spectrum of this mutant, lending powerful support to this hypothesis.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1987 Sep, 31(9), 1332 - 7
Relationship between cefamandole and cefuroxime activity against oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis and oxacillin resistance phenotype; Woods GL et al.; The activity of cefamandole and cefuroxime against oxacillin-resistant staphylococcus epidermidis was studied in vitro to determine whether there was any relationship between oxacillin resistance phenotypes and cephalosporin activity . Oxacillin resistance phenotypes were determined by efficiency-of-plating studies on Mueller-Hinton agar containing oxacillin, with and without NaCl, and incubated at 30 and 35 degrees C . On the basis of MIC and MBC determinations, cefamandole was more active than cefuroxime against oxacillin-resistant S . epidermidis . Although temperature had minimal effect on the activity of either cefamandole or cefuroxime, NaCl significantly decreased the activity of cefuroxime but not of cefamandole . Neither cephalosporin consistently produced greater than or equal to 99.9% bactericidal activity within 24 h in timed killing-curve studies . No consistent relationship was observed between cefamandole or cefuroxime activity and oxacillin resistance phenotype.

Plast Reconstr Surg, 1987 Sep, 80(3), 423 - 7
The effect of established infection on microvascular surgery; Luk KD et al.; The success of microvascular anastomoses in the presence of staphylococcal infection was studied using rat femoral arteries . There was a spontaneous thrombosis rate of 19 percent in normal vessels that traversed the area of infection . Vessels with an anastomosis outside the area of infection had a similar thrombosis rate, but if the anastomotic site was within the infected area itself, the thrombosis rate increased to 75 percent . Inflammatory changes with subsequent fibrosis in the media and adventitia appeared responsible for the thrombosis . The intima was unaffected by the presence of infection . This study suggests that when a microvascular anastomosis is necessary in the presence of infection, the anastomosis should be placed outside the area of infection with a pedicle to traverse the infected area.

J Lab Clin Med, 1987 Sep, 110(3), 322 - 9
Primary structure of amyloid fibril protein AA in azocasein-induced amyloidosis of CBA/J mice; Dwulet FE et al.; Secondary amyloidosis was induced in CBA/J mice by subcutaneous injections of azocasein after priming with amyloid-enhancing factor . Amyloid fibrils were isolated from spleens and the subunit amyloid A (AA) protein purified by gel filtration on a column of Sepharose CL6B . The AA protein was fragmented with trypsin, cyanogen bromide, and Staphylococcus protease, and the peptides were purified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography . This protein is composed of 73 amino acid residues arranged in a single polypeptide chain with homogeneous amino and carboxyl terminals . Sequence homology with protein AA from other species is quite high with near identity for residues 31 through 54 . This sequence is identical to the partial structures for CBA/J mouse AA and serum amyloid A (SAA) previously reported . It is also an exact match to a predicted 73-residue segment from one form of mouse SAA complementary DNA.

Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol, 1987 Sep, 23(9), 1371 - 7
Immunomodulation of natural killer activity in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; Jermy A et al.; Modulation of NK activity of PBLs from ALL patients was studied following exposure to IFN-alpha, staphylococcal protein A and interleukin-2 . Only 52% of ALL patients responded to IFN-alpha stimulation, where the majority of controls showed positive enhancement of NK activity . Protein A failed to cause a significant stimulation of ALL patient PBLs whereas all controls showed a positive response . The majority of ALL patient and child control PBLs were however able to produce significant levels of IFN-gamma (protein A stimulation) and IFN-alpha (Sendai virus stimulation), although significantly more of both types of interferon could be induced in adult PBL samples . The ability of IL-2 to activate NK activity of ALL PBL samples showed a similar trend to IFN-alpha stimulation; thus, not all ALL patients showed positive augmentation of NK activity upon IL-2 stimulation . It is clear from these results that interferons and IL-2 may not necessarily lead to activated NK cytolytic activity, and in the present study approx . 50% of ALL patients failed to respond to lymphokine stimulation.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1987 Sep, 8(1), 57 - 9
Vertebral osteomyelitis due to Staphylococcus warneri attributed to a Hickman catheter; Bryan CS et al.; A patient with a long-term right atrial (Hickman) catheter developed vertebral osteomyelitis due to Staphylococcus warneri . Documentation of this event--to our knowledge previously unreported--was made possible by use of special studies including plasmid profiles of the coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates.

Vopr Virusol, 1987 Sep-Oct, 32(5), 538 - 40
{Protective action of remantadine in experimental influenzal-staphylococcal infection}; Medvedev ML et al.; The effect of remantadine on the course of influenzal-staphylococcal infection was studied in white mice . When the drug was injected to the mice infected with remantadine-sensitive strain of influenza A virus and Staphylococcus the lethality decreased from 93.3% to 26.7%, the survival time increased from 3.8 to 10.1 days, the incidence of pneumonia decreased from 85.7% to 48.7%, the average intensity of pneumonia decreased from 66.4% to 9.9%, and virus titres in the lungs decreased by 3.5-4.0 lg EID50 (p less than 0.05) . In the groups of mice infected with remantadine-resistant strain of influenza virus and Staphylococcus remantadine showed no significant effect on these parameters: the lethality decreased by 6.7% only, the average survival time increased only by 0.33 days, the incidence of pneumonia decreased by 9%, its intensity by 19.2%; influenza virus titres in the lung tissue did not change significantly.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1987 Sep, 102(3), 551 - 7
Induction of histidine decarboxylase in non-mast cells in the spleen of mice by injection of staphylococcal enterotoxin A; Kawaguchi-Nagata K et al.; Injection of Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) into WBB6F1-W/WV mice genetically deficient in mast cells resulted in a 10-fold increase in the histidine decarboxylase {HDC, L-histidine carboxylase, EC 4.1.1.22} activity of their spleen . The nature of the spleen cells responsible for this increased HDC activity was studied . The HDC induction by SEA was abolished on day 1 after X-ray irradiation of the mice at 400 rad and restored by transplantation of bone marrow cells from normal WBB6F1-+/+ littermates into the X-ray irradiated WBB6F1-W/WV mice . Transplantation of cells from other organs of the normal mice, such as the thymus, mesenteric lymph node and spleen, did not restore the HDC increase significantly . Transplantation of cultured mast cells also did not restore the increase . Moreover, the high HDC activity of spleen cells induced by SEA was not affected by their treatment with anti-Thy-1,2 antibody and complement . Depletion of phagocytes from the spleen by treatment with carbonyl iron resulted in decrease in HDC activity . These results suggested that phagocytic cells derived from haemopoietic stem cells of the bone marrow were responsible for the increase in HDC activity induced by SEA.

Biochem Int, 1987 Sep, 15(3), 667 - 75
Amino acid sequence of the NAD (H)--binding region of the mitochondrial nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase modified by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide; Wakabayashi S et al.; Purified mitochondrial energy-linked nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (TH) is inhibited by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), and NAD(H) protects the enzyme against this inhibition {Phelps, D.C., and Hatefi, Y . (1984) Biochemistry 23, 4475-4480} . The tryptic digest of TH treated with {14C}DCCD showed a single radioactive peak upon FPLC chromatography . This radioactive peak was absent from tryptic digests of TH treated with {14C}DCCD in the presence of NADH . Sequence analysis of the radioactive peak showed that it contained two peptides, one derived from the other as a result of incomplete cleavage by trypsin of a lysyl-glutamyl bond . After further digestion with Staphylococcus V8 protease, the smaller radioactive fragment was isolated and sequenced . The amino acid sequence of this fragment, as determined by manual Edman degradation, was Ala-Glu-Met-Lys . The second residue was modified . Amino acid analysis and sequence studies on the radioactive tryptic peptide mixture indicated that the sequence around the DCCD-modified residue was Glu-Met-Ser-Lys-Glu-Phe-Ile-Glu-Ala-Glu-Met-Lys . In other studies, this sequence has been found in the amino acid sequence of TH as predicted from the corresponding cDNA . The DCCD-modified peptide is near the site of NAD(H) binding, as labeled with radioactive p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl-5'-adenosine . Furthermore, there is a high degree of homology in this region between the amino acid sequences of the bovine heart TH and the alpha subunit of the Escherichia coli TH.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Sep, (9), 71 - 4
{Immunoenzyme test system for the quantitative determination of tetanus antitoxin in vaccinated persons using horseradish peroxidase-conjugated staphylococcal protein A}; Ponomareva AM et al.; An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) system for assays of tetanus antitoxin in vaccinees has been developed . As conjugate, staphylococcal protein A labeled with horse-radish peroxidase is used in this system . The possibility of using the newly developed EIA system in seroepidemiological surveys of the population is shown.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Sep, (9), 40 - 3
{Determination of ovalbumin-specific IgG antibodies in mouse sera by immunoenzyme analysis using horseradish peroxidase-conjugated staphylococcal protein A}; Popov AN et al.; The article deals with the possibility of using staphylococcal protein A conjugated with horse-radish peroxidase for the detection of specific IgG-antibodies to ovalbumin in mice by the indirect and competitive EIA techniques . Studies on specifying the parameters of the EIA system for the detection of specific IgG-antibodies are in progress.

Am J Med, 1987 Sep, 83(3), 581 - 3
Successful long-term catheter drainage in an immunocompromised patient with purulent pericarditis; Bouwels L et al.; A case of extensive staphylococcal pericarditis following renal transplantation is described . Purulent pericarditis resolved after 18 days of continuous catheter drainage from the pericardium combined with antibiotic therapy . This case illustrates that life-threatening purulent staphylococcal pericarditis after renal transplantation in an immunocompromised patient may respond to medical therapy.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {A}, 1987 Sep, 95(5), 239 - 44
Immunohistochemical characterization of intraepidermal in vivo IgG deposits in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome; Oxholm P et al.; 68% of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome have previously been found to have intra-epidermal in vivo IgG deposits in clinically unaffected skin . In this investigation, we examined immunohistologically skin biopsies from 5 patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome and from 5 normal controls in order to characterize further the intra-epidermal IgG deposits . Employing direct immunofluorescence and peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) techniques, IgG was localized to epidermal cell surfaces . Double-labelling immunofluorescence experiments showed IgG to be bound to OKT6-positive Langerhans cells, and to some degree also to keratinocytes . Only IgG1, IgG3 and in one patient IgA were deposited, whereas IgG2, IgG4, IgM, IgD, IgE, C1q, C3c, C3d, C4, beta-2 microglobulin, albumin, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein were not found deposited in the intra-epidermal area . The epidermal IgG deposits were reactive with anti-Fc-fragment antibodies and with staphylococcal protein-A . These results are compatible with, although not definitive proofs of, the hypothesis that the in vivo deposited IgG is found in the form of IgG-containing immune complexes.

J Neurochem, 1987 Sep, 49(3), 764 - 70
Further characterization of dopamine release by permeabilized PC12 cells; Ahnert-Hilger G et al.; Rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) permeabilized with staphylococcal alpha-toxin release {3H}dopamine after addition of micromolar Ca2+ . This does not require additional Mg2+-ATP (in contrast to bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells) . We also observed Ca2+-dependent {3H}-dopamine release from digitonin-permeabilized PC12 cells . Permeabilization with alpha-toxin or digitonin and stimulation of the cells were done consecutively to wash out endogenous Mg2+-ATP . During permeabilization, ATP was removed effectively from the cytoplasm by both agents but the cells released {3H}dopamine in response to micromolar Ca2+ alone . Replacement by chloride of glutamate, which could sustain mitochondrial ATP production in permeabilized cells, does not significantly alter catecholamine release induced by Ca2+ . However, Mg2+ without ATP augments the Ca2+-induced release . The release was unaltered by thiol-, hydroxyl-, or calmodulin-interfering substances . Thus Mg2+-ATP, calmodulin, or proteins containing -SH or -OH groups are not necessary for exocytosis in permeabilized PC12 cells.

Vopr Virusol, 1987 Sep-Oct, 32(5), 595 - 7
{Trial of a staphylococcal reagent containing protein A in the coagglutination reaction for identifying enteroviruses}; Spynu KI et al.; The results are presented of identification in the neutralization (NT) and coagglutination tests (CT) of 90 enterovirus strains isolated from patients with aseptic meningitis and from water bodies . In CT, a staphylococcal reagent sensitized with type-specific sera to enteroviruses and mixtures of these sera was used . Comparison of the results obtained in NT and CT showed the rate of coincidence to be 66.7% and 78.9%, respectively.

J Med Microbiol, 1987 Sep, 24(2), 181 - 4
The partitioning of Staphylococcus epidermidis in aqueous two-phase systems; Bruce DL et al.; The surface properties of two isolates of Staphylococcus epidermis were compared by cell partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems . Strain K805 was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a child with a shunt infection and strain 1105 was obtained from human faeces and not known to have caused infection . Strain K805 was significantly more negatively charged than strain 1105 but there was no significant difference in hydrophobicity when cultures were grown for 18 h . However, prolonged incubation of strain K805 caused the production of extracellular slime and a marked increase in surface hydrophobicity . Both strains showed enhanced growth in biphasic cultures.

J Exp Med, 1987 Sep 1, 166(3), 702 - 10
Human rheumatoid factors bear the internal image of the Fc binding region of staphylococcal protein A; Oppliger IR et al.; The binding specificity of rheumatoid factors (RFs) to human Fc resembles that of some microbial Fc-binding proteins, suggesting conformational similarities in their Fc-binding regions . Using polyclonal chicken antibodies against SPA, we have detected a crossreactive determinant shared by human RFs from different individuals, but not by non-RF IgM and IgG . Chicken anti-SPA was shown to bind to 18 of 19 IgM RFs and 2 of 2 IgG RFs isolated from different individuals . This binding was inhibitable with SPA, fragment D of SPA, human IgG, and Fc fragment of IgG . The binding site for RF was located on the Fab' fragment of chicken anti-SPA . The antigenic mimicry of RFs by a protein of microbial origin suggests that the immune response to infectious agents could induce or modulate RF production through an internal image autoantiidiotype mechanism.

J Biol Chem, 1987 Aug 15, 262(23), 10907 - 10
Diffusion coefficients of quenchers in proteins from transient effects in the intensity decays; Lakowicz JR et al.; We used 2-GHz frequency-domain fluorometry to examine the intensity decays of N-acetyl-L-tryptophamide (NATA) and the protein staphylococcal nuclease in the presence and absence of quenching by oxygen or acrylamide . When analyzed with a multiexponential model, the decays of NATA and nuclease both become more heterogeneous in the presence of quenching . We attribute the increased complexity to transient effects in quenching or equivalently a time-dependent rate constant for quenching . The frequency-domain data were analyzed using the Smoluchowski model (exp(-t/tau-2b square root t)) and the radiation model, which is known to correct some flaws in the more approximate Smoluchowski model . The radiation model provides improved fits to the data, as evidenced by average 10-fold decreases in chi R2 . The radiation model also provides an estimate of the sum of the diffusion coefficients and the specific rate constant for quenching . The apparent diffusion coefficients for acrylamide and oxygen in nuclease, as seen by its single tryptophan (residue 140) are 15- and 11-fold lower than in water, respectively . The apparent values of the oxygen diffusion coefficient in water, as seen by NATA, are 2- to 3-fold larger than expected from earlier steady-state measurements . The ability to recover the detailed form of the intensity decays by the frequency-domain method should allow comparison of experimental results with calculated trajectories of quenchers in proteins.

J Immunol, 1987 Aug 15, 139(4), 1268 - 72
Regulation of hepatic acute phase protein synthesis by products of interleukin 2 (IL 2)-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Mier JW et al.; Cancer patients injected with recombinant human IL 2 develop marked changes in serum concentrations of hepatic acute-phase proteins . To determine if this acute-phase response involves a change in the rate of hepatic protein synthesis and if it is due to a direct effect of IL 2 on hepatocytes, human hepatoma-derived hepatocytes (Hep-3B cells) were incubated in medium containing IL 2 or in culture supernatants from IL 2-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) . The rate of synthesis of two acute-phase proteins, complement protein factor B and albumin, was determined by the incorporation of a radiolabeled amino acid precursor into newly synthesized protein as measured by analytical gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitates . IL 2 in concentrations from 1 to 1000 U/ml had no effect on the synthesis of factor B or albumin; conversely, there was a dose-dependent increase in the rate of synthesis of factor B and decrease in albumin synthesis mediated by culture supernatants of IL 2-activated PBMNC . The magnitude of the effect of acute-phase protein synthesis was dependent on the IL 2 concentration used for the activation of PBMNC . The rate of factor B synthesis increased approximately 4.0-fold in the presence of culture supernatants of PBMNC activated with either opsonized heat-killed Staphylococcus albus or with 1000 U/ml IL 2 . Preincubation of the IL 2-activated PBMNC culture supernatants with an antiserum specific for recombinant IL 1-beta completely neutralized the capacity of the supernatants to stimulate factor B synthesis, whereas antisera specific for human IL 1-alpha or for tumor necrosis factor had no effect . These results indicate that the indirect effect of IL 2 on hepatic acute phase protein synthesis is mediated by IL 1-beta.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1987 Aug, 63(2), 165 - 9
Protective antibodies in human sera against encapsulated strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis; Ichiman Y et al.; Passive protective antibodies in 100 samples of normal human sera against challenge with three representative capsular type strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis in mice were examined . Six of them passively protected mice against capsular type I; 17 protected against capsular type II; one against capsular type III; and one against both capsular types I and II . The activities were sensitive to 2-mercaptoethanol and were absorbed out either with rabbit anti-human IgG serum, rabbit anti-human IgA serum or rabbit anti-human IgM serum . Also, the sera activities absorbed out with cell surface polysaccharide extracted from three representative capsular type strains . These results indicate that the protective activities were specifically related to three major immunoglobulins against the above cell surface polysaccharides.

Arthritis Rheum, 1987 Aug, 30(8), 940 - 2
Medical management of pneumococcal arthritis involving a knee prosthesis; Sublett KL et al.; Septic arthritis involving prosthetic joints has been frequently reported, with Staphylococcus species being the pathogen most commonly noted . We report a case of septic arthritis of a prosthetic knee caused by Pneumococcus, a previously unreported pathogen in this condition, which uniquely responded to treatment with antibiotics.

J Clin Microbiol, 1987 Aug, 25(8), 1424 - 7
Effect of dialysate fluids on phagocytosis and killing by normal neutrophils; Harvey DM et al.; Inadequate host defenses may partly explain the problem of recurrent peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis . It has been suggested that these defenses may be adversely affected by the fluids used for dialysis, and so we examined the effects of unused, effluent, and infected peritoneal dialysis fluids on phagocytosis and killing by normal neutrophils . We used a clinical isolate of Staphylococcus epidermidis as the test organism, as this organism is the most commonly cultured in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis peritonitis; we also used a fungal species, Candida guilliermondii . There was no phagocytosis of either organism in unused dialysate because of lack of opsonins and low pH . Phagocytosis in effluent dialysate did not occur because of inadequate opsonin levels and was variable in infected effluents, depending on quantities of immunoglobulins present . Intracellular killing of both test organisms was normal in unused dialysate in the presence of 5% normal serum, but was reduced in effluent and infected dialysates because of factors inhibiting killing by neutrophils . These factors adversely affected the killing of S . epidermidis more than that of C . guilliermondii . These results may explain why peritonitis recurs, particularly peritonitis due to S . epidermidis, because organisms could be sequestered within the neutrophils and thus be protected from antibiotic action . Reinfection of the peritoneal cavity would then take place following neutrophil breakdown, causing a clinical relapse.

Infect Immun, 1987 Aug, 55(8), 1906 - 13
Distribution of 3H-labeled staphylococcal alpha-toxin and a toxin fragment in mice; Blomqvist L et al.; Staphylococcal alpha-toxin and a toxin fragment were labeled with N-succinimidyl{2,3-3H}propionate . The labeled compounds retained greater than 95% biological activity . The distribution of labeled staphylococcal alpha-toxin and alpha-toxin fragment after intravenous administration to BALB/c mice was studied with whole-body and microautoradiography . The animals were divided into three groups that received (i) labeled alpha-toxin only, labeled alpha-toxin after prior injection of unlabeled fragment, or labeled fragment only . After 5 min, the distribution patterns were similar in groups 1 and 2, with the highest amounts of radioactivity found in the blood vessels, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, whereas the labeled fragment alone showed no initial accumulation in the lungs . The kidneys continued to show a high concentration of radioactivity, whereas the levels at 60 min had decreased in the other organs . The toxin showed continued stable binding to the proximal tubuli, whereas the toxin fragment seemed to dissociate and was found only in small amounts in the glomeruli . No radioactivity was found in the central nervous system.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Aug, (8), 53 - 6
{Immunological reactivity of patients with acute infectious destruction of the lungs in vaccination with a staphylococcal vaccine}; Sukhovskaia OA; The work presents the results of the study of the immune status in 32 patients with acute infectious destructions of the lungs; of these, 17 patients were immunized with staphylococcal vaccine, which made it possible to achieve a positive clinical effect in 16 patients, thus shortening their sick-leave . The injection of the preparation was shown to increase the number of E-rosette-forming cells, "active" E-rosette-forming cells, theophylline-resistant and theophylline-sensitive lymphocytes.

Br J Ophthalmol, 1987 Aug, 71(8), 614 - 7
Post-traumatic and postoperative endophthalmitis: a comparison of visual outcomes; Nobe JR et al.; We retrospectively studied 50 consecutive cases of exogenous endophthalmitis treated between 1972 and 1985 . Twenty-two of these cases occurred after penetrating ocular trauma and the remaining 28 followed ocular surgery . Thirty-two (64%) of the cases were culture-positive . A wide variety of organisms were identified in the post-traumatic cases, while the isolated agent in the majority of postoperative cases was Staphylococcus epidermidis . Twenty-nine of the 50 patients received treatment with vitrectomy and intraocular antibiotics; of these, 14 (48%) achieved final visual acuities better than or equal to 20/400 . Of the 21 patients who were treated with parenteral, topical, and subconjunctival antibiotics alone eight (38%) reached this same final visual acuity . Culture-negative cases, postoperative cases, and cases treated with vitrectomy and intraocular antibiotics were associated with improved visual outcomes.

Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 1987 Aug, 25(4), 334 - 40
Osteomyelitis of the mandible in metastatic staphylococcal infection; Brown AM et al.; A case of osteomyelitis of the mandible of haematogenous origin is presented . The possible causes for such a fulminant infection are discussed, including the circumstantial evidence for the possible role of anaerobes in the infection.

Mol Cell Biochem, 1987 Aug, 76(2), 113 - 21
ATP as an alternative inhibitor of bacterial and endogenous nucleases and its effect on native chromatin compaction; Rosenberg NL; The studies reported here demonstrate that ATP may be used in lieu of EDTA to inhibit nuclease digestion of DNA and chromatin . Because ATP is a milder chelator than EDTA and is a biochemical common to the cellular microenvironment in vivo, critical studies of cellular processes that require native structure to be maintained are more feasible without the presence of strong chelators . During the digestion of chromatin into its components by nuclease treatment, ATP assures the retention of nucleoprotein compaction, particularly for large to intermediate-sized oligosomes (2400bp-1000bp in length) . ATP used at a concentration of 3.3 mM appears to be somewhat better than EDTA, 1.0 mM, for minimizing degradation of nuclease-treated chromatin . However, termination of nuclease digestion of chromatin and minimization of further degradation by the addition of ATP to a concentration of 1.0 mM was almost equivalent to the addition of EDTA to a concentration of 1.0 mM . Slightly more degradation was observed for the latter condition . In addition, ATP can be used to inhibit endogenous nuclease activity when specific restriction enzymes are needed . Standard low ionic strength DNP, deoxyribonucleoprotein, and DNA electrophoresis of proteinized and deproteinized chromatin oligomers, respectively, indicated that ATP effectively inhibits staphylococcal nuclease . Low ionic strength nucleoprotein electrophoresis to resolve staphylococcal nuclease-digested chromatin indicates that as little as 10(-4) M EDTA can promote structural unfolding resulting in changes in apparent mobilities for chromatin oligomers 250 and 600 bp in length . Comparative digestion of chromatin with staphylococcal nuclease followed by reaction termination by ATP or EDTA showed that this observation was not merely the result of degradation due to inefficiency of ATP enzyme inhibition.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1987 Aug, 102(2), 369 - 76
Tetrahymena histone H1 . Isolation and amino acid sequence lacking the central hydrophobic domain conserved in other H1 histones; Hayashi T et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of a single H1 histone of the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis was determined, following previous determinations of the sequences of histones H2B, H2A, H3, and H4 . Only a single H1 species was obtained by fractionation of a 0.5 M HClO4-soluble fraction from the whole histone extract and further purification . This starting material for sequencing contained 1.1 mol/mol phosphate and showed a single electrophoretic band after dephosphorylation . The sequence determination was performed by Edman degradation of BrCN fragments, staphylococcal protease peptides, and tryptic peptides, as well as secondary peptides from one BrCN fragment and one staphylococcal protease peptide . Phosphorus analysis of the tryptic peptides, containing serine or threonine, showed that five sites of the sequence were phosphorylated to various extents (5-30%) . Thus, the total sequence, consisting of 165 amino acid residues and having a molecular weight of 17,942 in the unmodified form, was completely determined . This unusually small H1 sequence differs substantially from the human spleen H1 sequence of 218 residues, having larger proportions of hydrophilic residues and smaller proportions of hydrophobic residues . Comparison of the distribution pattern of hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues, between the protozoan and human sequences, showed that the protozoan sequence lacks the central hydrophobic domain that is conserved in the known vertebrate and other H1 histones . The implications for the function of H1 are discussed from the evolutionary viewpoint.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1987 Aug, 20(2), 233 - 7
Teicoplanin and rifampicin singly and in combination in the treatment of experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis in the rabbit model; Tuazon CU et al.; Teicoplanin and rifampicin were evaluated as single and combined agents in the treatment of endocarditis due to Staphylococcus epidermidis in the rabbit model . Rabbits were treated for ten days and the number of bacteria in vegetations determined . At the end of ten days the geometric mean number of bacteria in the vegetations were 5.53 X 10(8), 6.68 X 10(6) . 1.10 X 10(4), 2.57 X 10(1) cfu/g of vegetation for control, teicoplanin, rifampicin, and teicoplanin plus rifampicin groups respectively . The MIC and MBC values of the S . epidermidis isolates were 0.78 mg/l for teicoplanin and less than or equal to 0.10 mg/l for rifampicin . In the rifampicin treated group three post-treatment isolates of S . epidermidis tested exhibited marked resistance to rifampicin with MIC and MBC values greater than or equal to 200 mg/l . Teicoplanin and rifampicin were both effective as single agents in the clearance of S . epidermidis from the bloodstream . Rifampicin was more effective than teicoplanin in the clearance of S . epidermidis from vegetations but teicoplanin in combination with rifampicin was more effective than either drug alone.

CMAJ, 1987 Jul 15, 137(2), 121 - 5
Septicemia due to coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in a community hospital; Righter J; The experience with septicemia due to coagulase-negative Staphylococcus at a 623-bed primary care hospital between 1980 and 1984 was reviewed . A total of 38 episodes in 37 patients were documented; data were available on 37 episodes in 36 patients . The organism accounted for 3.8% of all cases of septicemia and 6.7% of cases of nosocomial septicemia and was associated with 0.03% of all admissions . The incidence remained stable over the 5 years . The rate of survival 28 days after the episode was 78% . Most of the episodes (31) originated from infected vascular access sites . Of the 37 isolates 15 (41%), all S . epidermidis, were slime producing . S . epidermidis accounted for 33 of the isolates; of the 33, 5 were methicillin-resistant and slime producing . Various in-vitro susceptibility testing methods and testing for beta-lactamase production yielded conflicting results . Methicillin resistance, slime production and speciation as S . epidermidis were not confirmed as virulence markers . Five patients with methicillin-resistant organisms were treated with cephalosporins, and all recovered . These findings as well as examination of the literature do not support the recommendations that laboratories report such isolates as resistant to all beta-lactam agents and that vancomycin be given in all such infections . The different case mix in community hospitals as compared with university centres results in different patterns of nosocomial infection . Since the community hospital patient population is much larger, more information on the patterns of infections in these centres is needed.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Jul, 265(3-4), 360 - 8
Induction of human neutrophils chemotaxis by staphylococcal lipase; Tyski S et al.; Influence of highly purified staphylococcal lipase on chemotactic activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), has been studied . Staphylococcal lipase exhibited both chemotactic and chemokinetic properties . Chemotactic response was stimulated at concentration as low as 10(-9) M and was dose-dependent . Pretreatment of PMN with lipase, strongly enhanced chemotactic response toward casein . At the same time, spontaneous migration of these PMN was inhibited . It has been demonstrated that staphylococcal lipase binds to the leukocyte surface . Several possible mechanisms of lipase-induced chemotactic response of human PMN are discussed.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1987 Jul, 31(7), 1075 - 8
Altered pharmacokinetic disposition of ciprofloxacin and vancomycin after single and multiple doses in rabbits; Barriere SL et al.; The pharmacokinetic disposition of vancomycin and ciprofloxacin was assessed in rabbits before the efficacy of these compounds in experimental staphylococcal endocarditis was compared . Ciprofloxacin was given in single intravenous bolus doses of 25 and 35 mg/kg and also in a multiple-dose regimen of 35 mg/kg every 6 h . Vancomycin was given in a similar manner in single doses of 17.5 and 25 mg/kg and in a multiple-dose regimen of 17.5 mg/kg every 6 h . Serum was sampled frequently after injections and analyzed by microbiologic assay for drug concentration . The pharmacokinetic parameters of clearance and steady-state volume of distribution were calculated by compartment-independent methods . These studies revealed that clearance of ciprofloxacin was reduced significantly after multiple doses (7.42 +/- 0.85 {standard deviation} versus 6.09 +/- 0.71 liters/h, P less than 0.01) . Although the half-life and volume of distribution increased after multiple dosing, the differences were not statistically significant . The disposition of vancomycin following single doses was significantly altered after the 25-mg/kg dose compared with the 17.5-mg/kg dose . Half-life, clearance, and volume of distribution changed from 1.27 +/- 0.2 to 1.60 +/- 0.21 h (P less than 0.05), 0.54 +/- 0.05 to 0.39 +/- 0.04 liters/h (P less than 0.01), and 0.37 +/- 0.04 to 0.31 +/- 0.03 liters/kg (P less than 0.05), respectively . The disposition of ciprofloxacin was not altered with increases in dose size, and the disposition of vancomycin was not altered after multiple doses . If such alterations in the pharmacokinetic disposition of antimicrobial agents are unanticipated, the higher and more prolonged than expected serum concentrations may have an effect on the outcome of experimental infections.

Arch Dis Child, 1987 Jul, 62(7), 696 - 9
Purulent pericarditis; Sinzobahamvya N et al.; Eleven children under 16 years of age with purulent pericarditis were seen in one hospital in one year . The condition was always secondary to a septic focus elsewhere, usually staphylococcal pneumonia; its incidence after pneumonia was 0.64%, but this may be an underestimate . Clinical diagnosis can be difficult in patients with pneumonia as the heart is not always enlarged . Persistent or progressive liver enlargement was an important diagnostic feature . The presence of excess pericardial fluid was easily confirmed by echocardiography . Early diagnosis and drainage followed by continuous irrigation with 0.1% povidone iodine solution usually resulted in rapid recovery, but two patients died.

Diabetes Care, 1987 Jul-Aug, 10(4), 478 - 82
Acute cutaneous complications and catheter needle colonization during insulin-pump treatment; Chantelau E et al.; Forty unselected type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with insulin pumps were examined three times for cutaneous complications and bacterial colonization of their subcutaneous catheter needles . Fifty-eight of the 120 needles were contaminated, 42 of them with Staphylococcus epidermis . Cutaneous complications, i.e, erythema of greater than or equal to 1-mm diam at the needle-insertion site, were seen with similar frequency . Significantly fewer (P less than .001) cutaneous complications and contaminated needles were found when a disinfectant was sprayed on the skin before insertion of the needle . The results indicate that infection along the indwelling subcutaneous needle contributes substantially to cutaneous complications during continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and that these complications can successfully be prevented by appropriate antiseptic measures.

J Hand Surg {Am}, 1987 Jul, 12(4), 605 - 7
Microbiologic flora of human fingernails; Rayan GM et al.; The incidence of and nature of fingernail flora was studied in 20 patients . These patients underwent routine preoperative hand scrubbing in a clinical setting, without nail trimming or cleaning . Nineteen (95%) of 20 had a moderate to heavy growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis . These isolates were very susceptible to antibiotics . Thirteen (65%) of 20 patients had fungi (molds and yeast) . In spite of adequate preoperative hand scrubbing, the fingernails were heavily contaminated . Such organisms may become pathogens and should not always be considered contaminants . This study also confirmed the importance of preoperative fingernail trimming and cleaning.

J Clin Microbiol, 1987 Jul, 25(7), 1338 - 40
Cell surface antigen of encapsulated Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 31432; Ohshima Y et al.; The cell surface antigen (CSA) from encapsulated Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 31432 was isolated and fractionated by DEAE-Sephadex ion-exchange chromatography . It yielded a single precipitin line against rabbit antiserum and was composed of galactose, glucosamine, and two (so far) unidentified carbohydrates linked to a protein backbone . Glycerol could not be detected . In an experimental mouse infection, CSA showed some protective activities, enhancing the stimulation of granulocytes as well as the immunoglobulin M response . Apparently, CSA is different from teichoic acid.

Surgery, 1987 Jul, 102(1), 96 - 8
Toxic shock syndrome and multiple-system organ failure after breast biopsy; Landercasper J et al.; Toxic shock syndrome may result from postoperative staphylococcal wound infection . A case that occurred following a breast biopsy procedure for benign disease is reported . There was progressive multiple-system organ failure, and the patient was near death within 24 hours after a biopsy specimen of a benign fibroadenoma was obtained during an outpatient procedure . Early recognition and aggressive resuscitation are essential to prevent mortality after outpatient surgery complicated by toxic shock syndrome.

Vet Surg, 1987 Jul-Aug, 16(4), 278 - 82
Use of a double hook plate for treatment of a distal radial fracture in a dog; Bellah JR; Attempted stabilization of open, distal radius and ulnar fractures in a 3-year-old German shepherd dog using intramedullary pins and a Schroeder-Thomas splint resulted in malalignment of the limb and osteomyelitis . A double hook plate was used to rigidly stabilize the distal radial fracture after anatomical realignment . An autogenous cancellous bone graft was used where a lateral architectural defect remained after reduction . Culture of the fracture site showed Staphylococcus sp., which responded to chloramphenicol therapy . Fracture union and resolution of osteomyelitis occurred by 9 weeks after surgery, and the dog had no lameness and a normal muscle mass 22 weeks after surgery . The double hook plate provided rigid internal fixation of the radial fracture, allowed a rapid return to function during osteosynthesis, and minimal interference of antebrachiocarpal joint function occurred.

Z Rheumatol, 1987 Jul-Aug, 46(4), 198 - 200
Adult septic arthritis with Hemophilus influenzae; van Linthoudt D et al.; Two cases of Hemophilus influenzae septic arthritis are reported, one in a rheumatoid patient and the other in a healthy young woman after meningitis . The evolution of this rare infectious arthritis was not as good as usual in spite of early therapy . The first patient later presented a Staphylococcus albus bacteriemia and the other a post-infectious persisting arthritis.

J Clin Invest, 1987 Jul, 80(1), 101 - 6
Expression of c-myc proto-oncogene in normal human lymphocytes . Regulation by transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms; Reed JC et al.; Aberrant expression of the c-myc gene results from nonrandom chromosomal translocations involving the transcriptionally active antigen receptor gene loci, in particular lymphocytic leukemias and lymphomas, and is believed to contribute to the etiology of these neoplasms . In addition to its expression in abnormal lymphocytes, increased accumulation of c-myc mRNA occurs rapidly in normal B- and T-lymphocytes after stimulation with appropriate mitogens . The mechanisms that mediate these mitogen-induced elevations in c-myc mRNA levels, however, have not been determined for normal B and T cells . By using enriched populations of B- and T-lymphocytes obtained from freshly isolated human tonsils and stimulated with Staphylococcus-A or with phytohemagglutinin, respectively, we observed marked elevations (20-40-fold) in the steady state levels of accumulated c-myc messenger RNA (mRNA) within 1 h of exposure of cells to mitogens; modest increases (three- to fivefold) in the relative rate of transcription of the c-myc gene through protein synthesis-independent (cycloheximide-insensitive) mechanisms; and rapid rates of degradation of mature c-myc mRNAs through protein synthesis-dependent (cycloheximide-sensitive) mechanisms . These findings corroborate previous studies in other cell types and provide evidence for both transcriptional and posttranscriptional control of c-myc proto-oncogene expression in normal human lymphocytes.

J Bacteriol, 1987 Jul, 169(7), 3082 - 7
Translational fusion with a secretory enzyme as an indicator; Wang PZ et al.; A novel type of translational fusion system has been developed by using a secretory protein, staphylococcal beta-lactamase, as an indicator . The beta-lactamase structural gene was modified to provide N-terminal extensions of 13 and 162 amino acids, and in both cases, the fusion protein was processed and the mature active enzyme was secreted; thus, the expression of a particular upstream gene can be analyzed by monitoring the beta-lactamase activity.

Arch Surg, 1987 Jul, 122(7), 777 - 80
Culture of abdominal aortic aneurysm contents . An additional series; Schwartz JA et al.; We evaluated the microbiologic nature of aneurysm contents . Aerobic and anaerobic cultures were taken from non-blood fluid, laminar thrombus, or ulcerated plaque within aortic aneurysms operated on during an eight-year period . Positive bacterial cultures were obtained from 22 (10.4%) of 211 aneurysms . Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common organism recovered (12/22, 54%) . Bacterial colonization of the arterial wall has a possible role in the pathophysiology of prosthetic graft sepsis . These data are valuable not only in choosing appropriate prophylactic antibiotics for aneurysm repair, but also in experimental efforts to develop an infection-resistant vascular graft by directing the antimicrobial characteristics of agents selected for binding to various prosthetic flow surfaces.

Cell Immunol, 1987 Jul, 107(2), 340 - 7
Macrophage activation factor from EL-4, a murine T-cell line: antigenic characterization by hamster monoclonal antibodies to murine interferon-gamma; Meltzer MS et al.; A cloned variant of the EL-4 murine T-cell line treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) releases a factor that activates macrophages for nonspecific tumor cytotoxicity . This macrophage activation factor (MAF) is both physicochemically (Mr 25,000; pH 2 stable) and biologically different from interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) . However, EL-4 MAF may represent a breakdown product or otherwise altered fragment of IFN-gamma . We examined this possibility with a unique pair of hamster monoclonal antibodies against different epitopes of murine IFN-gamma . Both antibodies inhibited IFN-gamma-induced fibroblast antiviral activity; H21 but not H1 antibody also inhibited lymphokine (LK)-induced macrophage-mediated tumor cytotoxicity . Neither antibody, however, had any effect on the EL-4 MAF throughout a broad dose response . Moreover, passage through a H21 immunoaffinity chromatography column or addition of staphylococcal protein A and antibody completely inhibited LK-induced macrophage tumoricidal activity but did not affect the activity in EL-4 MAF . Identical effects in both fluid and solid phase were observed with polyclonal rabbit antisera to murine IFN-gamma . Results with all of these antibodies strongly suggest that the EL-4 MAF and murine IFN-gamma are antigenically distinct.

J Virol, 1987 Jul, 61(7), 2336 - 8
Two phosphorylated subclasses of polyomavirus large T antigen that differ in their modes of association with the cell nucleus; Humphrey GW et al.; Two classes of polyomavirus large T antigen were distinguished, differing in their modes of association with the cell nucleus . A weakly associated class, the nucleoplasmic T antigen, representing 30 to 40% of the total, was solubilized when cells were lysed isotonic buffer at pH 7.2 . A more tightly bound class retained in isolated nuclei, the retained T antigen, was extractable either at pH 9.0 or in 2 M NaCl . The retained T antigen contained an additional mole of phosphate, 4 mol of PO4 per mol of T antigen, compared with the nucleoplasmic T antigen (3 mol of PO4 per mol of T antigen) . Limit digestion with staphylococcal V8 protease yielded equivalent amounts of five peptides ranging in size from 7.5 to 20 kilodaltons . Additional phosphorylation within a 12-kilodalton peptide accounted for most of the difference in phosphate content between retained and nucleoplasmic T-antigen classes.

J Immunol, 1987 Jul 1, 139(1), 250 - 6
Induction of mRNA for a serine protease and a beta-thromboglobulin-like protein in mitogen-stimulated human leukocytes; Schmid J et al.; Two cDNA clones corresponding to genes that are induced at least 10-fold in peripheral human blood leukocytes by staphylococcal enterotoxin A were isolated and sequenced . Clone 1-3E encodes a 247-residue protein that comprises a putative signal sequence, and resembles a serine protease; the cognate mRNA is expressed in T lymphocyte clones but in none of the other human cell lines tested . The deduced protein sequence is most closely related (68% homology) to that of the postulated protease CCPI from activated murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes and to that of rat mast cell protease II (47% homology) . The other cDNA, 3-10C, encodes a protein of 99 residues that resembles human beta-thromboglobulin (42% homology); the cognate mRNA was also found in SEA-stimulated U937 cells, a histiocytic lymphoma-derived cell line.

Ukr Biokhim Zh, 1987 Jul-Aug, 59(4), 35 - 41
{Immobilization of urease from Staphylococcal saprophyticus L-1 on activated silica}; Liubinskii GV et al.; The paper deals with immobilization of urease obtained from Staphylococcus saprophyticus L-1 on the organic silica surfaces . The process completion time (4-5 h) and the optimal pH of binding (7-8) are practically independent of the chemical nature of the carrier surface . The value of the specific activity of urease grafted to silica depends not only on the type of the enzyme-carrier bond, but also on the macromolecule protein-to-silica distance . The extent of the retained enzyme activity is shown to be 26% after sorption on the initial silica . It grows to 100% with an increase of the organic radical length which separates the biocatalyst and the carrier.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Jul, 84(13), 4408 - 12
Cell lines and peripheral blood leukocytes derived from individuals with chronic myelogenous leukemia display virtually identical proteins phosphorylated on tyrosine residues; Huhn RD et al.; An aberrant p210BCR-ABL protein that possesses constitutive protein-tyrosine kinase activity is presumed to be involved in the development of the neoplastic phenotype in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) . Using a highly specific antibody against phosphotyrosine, we have isolated the tyrosine-phosphorylated p210BCR-ABL and several other proteins containing phosphotyrosine from a variety of CML cell lines . p210BCR-ABL isolated by the monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine antibody possessed protein-tyrosine kinase activity in vitro comparable to that of the p210BCR-ABL isolated by antibody to a specific peptide sequence in the ABL protein-tyrosine kinase . Other prominent proteins containing phosphorylated tyrosine residues were observed at 185, 150, 120, 105, 63, 56, 36, and 32 kDa, and less prominent proteins were observed at 195, 155, 94, 53, 40, and less than 29 kDa . Staphylococcal V8 peptide mapping indicated that proteins of similar molecular weights were highly homologous to each other across cell lines, despite the diverse hematopoietic lineages of these cells and the genetic heterogeneity of the patients from whom the CML cell lines were derived . Phosphopeptide mapping also revealed that these proteins were distinct from each other as well as from p210BCR-ABL . Because virtually identical phosphotyrosine-containing proteins were found in peripheral blood leukocytes taken directly from CML patients, these proteins are not an artifact of long-term tissue culture but appear to be an integral part of the CML phenotype.

J Immunol, 1987 Jun 15, 138(12), 4534 - 8
Characterization of a mouse/human chimeric monoclonal antibody (17-1A) to a colon cancer tumor-associated antigen; Shaw DR et al.; Mouse monoclonal antibody 17-1A is specific for an antigen expressed on cells of human gastrointestinal malignancies and has been used in radioimmune imaging and therapy trials for patients with colon and pancreatic cancer . The cell line SG3/5 was generated by transfection of a nonproducing mouse myeloma line (SP2/0) with a chimeric gene construct composed of variable regions from the mouse 17-1A immunoglobulin (gamma 2a, kappa) and constant regions of human k and gamma 3 immunoglobulin genes . The secreted immunoglobulin was bound by mouse monoclonal antibodies to human IgG(Fc) and IgG3 but not by staphylococcal protein A . Gel filtration HPLC profiles of purified chimeric antibody were similar to normal human IgG3 but quite different from native 17-1A and normal human IgG1, 2, and 4 . Native and chimeric 17-1A had similar patterns of reactivity with colon cancer, other adenocarcinoma, and leukemic cell lines . Competitive inhibition documented that native and chimeric 17-1A had identical capacities to inhibit radiolabeled native 17-1A binding to colon cancer cell lines . Thus, the chimeric 17-1A exhibits molecular characteristics of normal human IgG3 but retains the specificity and binding affinity of the native 17-1A murine monoclonal antibody . The native and chimeric 17-1A mediated similar modest degrees of human lymphocyte and monocyte ADCC in a 4-hr 51Cr release assay, and both failed to mediate complement lysis of colon carcinoma cell lines in the presence of human complement . This human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody may be a good candidate for use in clinical trials because it retains the tumor antigen specificity and human effector cell recognition of the native 17-1A, would presumably have a fivefold to 10-fold longer circulating half-life in man, and should be considerably less immunogenic as compared with native murine immunoglobulins.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Jun, 265(1-2), 218 - 26
Prevalence of staphylococcal zoonosis in pyogenic skin infections; Rao PN et al.; S . aureus aetiology was found in 76.47% of the 102 pyoderma cases under study, with a high frequency of incidence in children below 5 years of age . The majority of the S . aureus isolates was nontypable (50.0%) and among the typable strains, phage group-III (31.0%), Group-I (20.7%) and a mixed phage group (34.5%) were predominant . 28.2% of the isolates were S . aureus var . bovis and 2.6% were S . aureus var . canis subgroups . Zoonoses in staphylococcal pyogenic skin infections were proved in 9 of the cases, which showed the history of direct animal contact supported by the isolation of S . aureus of animal host origin . Dogs, cattle and poultry were found to be the most important reservoirs transmitting S . aureus to humans, with folliculitis, furunculosis, impetigo as the frequent clinical manifestations.

Scand J Gastroenterol, 1987 Jun, 22(5), 539 - 42
Modulatory effect of the gastrointestinal tract (gut) on fibrinolysis and fibrinogen derivatives; Stadnicki A et al.; We have investigated some components of the fibrinolytic system and fibrinogen derivatives in blood samples taken simultaneously from the human portal and cubital veins . In the first series the blood was drawn during laparotomy from 12 cholecystectomized, otherwise healthy patients . The mean value of euglobulin lysis time was significantly lower in the portal than in the cubital vein . The values of the fibrinogen, plasminogen, serial dilution protamine sulfate, and ethanol gelation tests in both samples were quite similar . In the second series blood was taken from eight patients with cancer of the gut and from six cholecystectomized patients . The staphylococcal clumping test (SCT) in serum was performed for fibrin degradation products (FDP) in samples from both veins . In patients with cancer the mean FDP level was significantly higher in the portal than in the cubital vein . In cholecystectomized patients the SCT was negative in samples from both veins . We conclude that fibrinogen pathway metabolism does not differ in the portal and cubital veins under normal conditions, whereas in neoplastic disease fibrinogen degradation is greater in the portal vein . We also suggest that the gut probably modulates fibrinolytic activity in normal conditions.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1987 Jun, 62(6), 543 - 50
Model for combined effect of temperature and salt concentration/water activity on the growth rate of Staphylococcus xylosus; McMeekin TA et al.; The combined effect of temperature and NaCl concentration/water activity on the growth rate of a strain of halotolerant Staphylococcus is described by the square-root models which had been used previously to model temperature dependence only . The model square root r = b(T-T min) is shown to be a special case of the Belehradek temperature function which is given by r = a(T-alpha)d . The constant alpha is the socalled 'biological zero' and equivalent to T min in the square-root models . This and the exponent d = 2 were unaffected by changing NaCl concentration/water activity . The Belehradek-type equations are preferable to the Arrhenius equation in that their parameters do not change with temperature . The constancy of T min allows derivation of a simple expression relating growth rate of strain CM21/3 to temperature and salt concentration/water activity within the range of linear response to temperature predicted by the square-root model.

Gastroenterol Jpn, 1987 Jun, 22(3), 303 - 11
A diagnostic marker of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis: liver plasma membrane antibody in the serum absorbed with particulate fraction of kidney homogenate; Toda G et al.; The sera absorbed with the particulate fraction of rabbit kidney homogenate (RK) were tested for the antibody against liver plasma membrane (LPM-Ab) by the radiometric assay method . After incubation of the isolated rabbit liver plasma membrane (RLPM) with appropriately diluted serum, IgG bound to RLPM (IgG-RLPM) was determined using 125I-labelled Staphylococcal protein A . IgG-RLPM in each subject tested was expressed in arbitrary units, that is, the multiple of the mean radioactivity associated with RLPM in 35 control subjects . Thus IgG-RLPM was 1.00 (mean) +/- 0.23 (SD) in the control subjects, 1.13 +/- 0.30 in 9 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), 1.13 +/- 0.52 in 15 with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 1.34 +/- 0.38 in 23 with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 3.45 +/- 0.73 in 5 with autoimmune CAH . F(ab')2 fragments from a patient with autoimmune CAH and a control subject decreased IgG-RLPM by 86.4 +/- 6.35 and -5.2 +/- 14.9%, respectively, in four patients with autoimmune CAH . LPM-Ab was detected in 0, 20.0 and 17.4% in the patients with CPH, CAH and LC, respectively . All of the patients with autoimmune CAH were positive for LPM-Ab . The absorption of the sera positive for LPM-Ab with RK decreased IgG-RLPM in various extents . In two of five patients with autoimmune CAH and two of seven patients with CAH or LC, the majority of LPM-Ab was cross-reactive with RK.

Monatsschr Kinderheilkd, 1987 Jun, 135(6), 329 - 35
{Hyper-IgE syndrome}; Gahr M et al.; The Hyper-IgE-syndrome (Job-, Buckley-) is characterized by recurrent staphylococcal infections of the skin, the ears and the lungs, by an eczematoid dermatitis from early infancy on, and by extreme elevation of serum IgE . The inconstantly found decreased chemotaxis of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes seems to be a secondary sign of a so far unknown deficiency possibly of the T-cell mediated immunity . Thus, therapy is restricted to antibiotic and surgical treatment . Many patients have a typical coarse face and some involvement of the bones (osteoporosis, craniosynostosis).

Br J Surg, 1987 Jun, 74(6), 469 - 70
Review of a hospital experience of breast abscesses; Scholefield JH et al.; A retrospective review of breast abscesses during a 10-year period was performed . Only 8.5 per cent (6/72) of patients were in the puerperium . Peripherally sited abscesses were predominantly staphylococcal in origin, incision and drainage was effective treatment in all . By contrast, a subareolar abscess yielded a higher proportion of anaerobic bacteria and 46 per cent (13/28) of these patients had duct ectasia . We conclude that in present day practice a breast abscess is more likely to be related to duct ectasia than to the puerperium, and that patients with anaerobic infection or subareolar abscesses should be assumed to have duct ectasia and may require excision of the major duct system (Hadfield's procedure).

Immunology, 1987 Jun, 61(2), 117 - 23
Characterization of a factor in leprosy serum that inhibits the growth of mitogen-stimulated normal human lymphocytes; Kerr MA et al.; A factor that inhibits the growth of mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes from normal donors has been detected in the sera of patients with chronic leprosy . The inhibitory activity was detected with similar frequency in patients with tuberculoid or lepromatous leprosy, although higher levels of activity were detected in the latter . The factor reduced the growth in volume of the lymphocytes in the first 24 hr after stimulation, the synthesis of RNA during the first 3 days of culture and the replication of DNA in 72-hr cultures . All the inhibitory activity co-purified with IgG on gel filtration, ammonium sulphate fractionation and ion exchange chromatography . The activity was stable to heating at 56 degrees but labile at 100 degrees and was absorbed from serum or from purified IgG preparations by staphylococcal protein A . On gel filtration of the sera on Sephadex G-200, none of the activity appeared in the void volume, indicating that it is not due to immune complexes . We conclude that the activity is due to an IgG antibody and suggest that it is an autoantibody since the sera inhibited the growth of all donor lymphocytes tested.

Epidemiol Infect, 1987 Jun, 98(3), 337 - 44
Comparative evaluation of the immediate and sustained antibacterial action of two regimens, based on triclosan- and chlorhexidine-containing handwash preparations, on volunteers; Bartzokas CA et al.; The degerming effect of a 3 min handwash with 2% triclosan, or 4% chlorhexidine, in detergent and enhanced efficacy of either antiseptic in isopropyl alcohol, was evaluated in volunteers . Handwashing with either antiseptic preparation reduced the normal flora by a factor of 10; alcohol rubbing by approximately a factor of 1000 . Both regimens eliminated Micrococcus roseus, artificially inoculated before every procedure . The sustained action of the same detergent preparations was further studied in gloved and ungloved hands by the Vinson's 'finger imprint test' . In the gloved hand both antiseptics inhibited Staphylococcus epidermidis for 4 h . In the ungloved hand however, triclosan remained active longer than chlorhexidine . Whilst the activity of chlorhexidine was short-lived against a clinical isolate of S . aureus, particularly in the ungloved hand, the sustained effect of triclosan against the same strain persisted for 4 h on either hand.

Clin Orthop, 1987 Jun, (219), 278 - 82
Gentamicin-loaded plaster of Paris as a treatment of experimental osteomyelitis in rabbits; Dahners LE et al.; In this study, implantation of gentamicin-loaded plaster of paris after a debridement of the marrow cavity was tested in rabbits with established Staphylococcal osteomyelitis . The animals were observed for clinical and roentgenographic signs of infection after killing . The infections were evaluated by bone cultures and antibiotic levels . The implanted antibiotics alone resulted in only two of ten culture-proven cures . However, clinical and roentgenographic data showed overall improvement in the treated group as compared to controls . A valuable feature of gentamicin-loaded plaster of paris, warranting further investigation, is the elimination of dead space while the antibiotic is locally absorbed by the tissue fluids.

Clin Orthop, 1987 Jun, (219), 214 - 20
Torulopsis glabrata osteomyelitis . A case report; Imahori SC et al.; Skeletal infection involving Torulopsis glabrata is extremely rare . A 66-year-old woman developed Torulopsis glabrata osteomyelitis during a course of prolonged antibiotic therapy for staphylococcal pneumonia that occurred as a postoperative complication of a total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis . Roentgenograms and a biopsy sample revealed a destructive inflammatory lesion of the vertebrae . The presence of the yeast organism in the lesion was demonstrated definitively by culture and tissue pathology, removing any doubt about the pathogenicity of the organism . The disease was successfully treated with 5-fluorocytosine, and the patient recovered without functional impairments.

Chemioterapia, 1987 Jun, 6(3), 234 - 40
The evolution of antibiotic production and public health problems; Mansford KR et al.; Antibiotic evolution is closely paralleled by the evolution of bacterial resistance . Prior to wide usage of penicillin G, resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics as a consequence of beta-lactamase production had been recognized, and has been an increasing clinical problem ever since . Discovery of antibiotics other than beta-lactams, such as macrolides, tetracyclines and aminoglycosides, has also resulted in the eventual selection of bacteria resistant to these agents . Synthesis of novel beta-lactam derivatives from 6-APA, such as methicillin and isoxazolyl penicillins, resistant to staphylococcal beta-lactamase, overcame the clinical problem of penicillin-resistant S . aureus . Likewise, the isolation of cephamycins and monobactams, and further exploitation of the cephalosporin nucleus, led to the development of derivatives which display a high degree of stability to a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial beta-lactamases, thus rendering organisms producing these enzymes susceptible to these agents . Analogous modification of the penicillin nucleus, to give 6 alpha-substituted penicillins, also resulted in derivatives with exceptional stability to beta-lactamases . An alternative approach to the problem of beta-lactamase was the isolation or synthesis of substances able to inhibit the activity of enzymes, thus protecting the unstable beta-lactams from inactivation by beta-lactamase . In this way the activity of beta-lactamase-labile agents was effectively restored against a wide range of beta-lactamase-producing bacterial pathogens . The wide diversity of new antibacterial agents, together with an increasing knowledge and understanding of mechanisms of resistance, indicates that further advances against resistant bacterial pathogens is ensured.

Clin Pharm, 1987 Jun, 6(6), 464 - 75
Recognition and importance of Staphylococcus epidermidis infections; Blum RA et al.; The bacteriology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, antimicrobial susceptibility, and therapy of Staphylococcus epidermidis infections are reviewed . Staph . epidermidis is often regarded as a culture contaminant, but its importance as a pathogen has been recognized in recent years . Except for native-valve endocarditis, most Staph . epidermidis infections are hospital-acquired . Staph . epidermidis is a common cause of infections involving indwelling foreign devices, surgical wound infections, and bacteremia in immunocompromised patients . The occult nature of these infections and low virulence of the organism make diagnosis and treatment difficult . Staph . epidermidis isolates from nosocomial infections frequently are resistant to methicillin; however, resistant isolates often appear to be susceptible to methicillin unless reliable methods of susceptibility testing are used . Cross-resistance between methicillin and cephalosporins occurs in vitro . Virtually all Staph . epidermidis isolates are susceptible in vitro to vancomycin and rifampin . Penicillin G, semisynthetic penicillinase-resistant penicillins, and cephalosporins are effective for the treatment of methicillin-sensitive Staph . epidermidis infections . Vancomycin is the drug of choice for infections caused by methicillin-resistant organisms . Vancomycin, combined with rifampin or gentamicin, or both, is recommended for therapy of serious infections caused by methicillin-resistant strains . Staph . epidermidis is an important pathogen in immunocompromised patients and patients who develop nosocomial bacteremia; treatment usually consists of antimicrobial therapy and removal of indwelling catheters or devices.

Bioorg Khim, 1987 Jun, 13(6), 760 - 72
{Extracellular guanyl-specific ribonuclease Sa from the actinomycete Streptomyces aureofaciens . Primary structure and homology with ribonucleases from bacteria and fungi}; Shliapnikov SV et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of a guanyl-specific RNAse from Streptomyces aureofaciens has been established using a rapid method of primary structure analysis which eliminates the peptide fractionation . The automated Edman degradation of the carboxymethylated RNAse Sa and of non-fractionated peptide mixtures produced by tryptic and staphylococcal protease digests of the modified protein were used . The RNAse contains 96 amino acid residues, Mr 10,566 . The secondary structures of RNAse Sa and microbial RNAses have been calculated using a modified Chou--Fasman procedure . A comparison of the primary and secondary structures of the RNAses revealed different degrees of sequence homology and a similar distribution of predicted structural regions (alpha-helices, beta-structure and beta-turn) . The predicted secondary structure patterns are discussed in the light of the RNAse X-ray analysis date.

Virology, 1987 Jun, 158(2), 427 - 30
DNA processing in temperature-sensitive morphogenic mutants of HSV-1; Sherman G et al.; The anatomy of DNA synthesized by five HSV-1 mutants previously shown to accumulate predominantly empty capsids at the nonpermissive temperature (NPT) was analyzed with Bg/II restriction digestion . At the NPT, all five generated DNA lacking termini, indicating that in the absence of packaging, viral DNA is not processed to unit length . One mutant, F18, was able to process DNA made at the NPT to unit length molecules during a 6-hr period after shift to the permissive temperature . The appearance of unit length molecules correlated with the appearance of staphylococcal nuclease-resistant F18 DNA.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1987 Jun, 265(1-2), 57 - 61
Phage patterns of Staphylococcus hyicus subsp . hyicus isolated from chickens, cattle and pigs; Shimizu A et al.; Bacteriophage typing was performed on 285 strains of Staphylococcus hyicus subsp . hyicus isolated from pigs, chickens, and cattle, using the 5 S . hyicus subsp . hyicus phages, S9, S13, S39, S188 and CH11 . One hundred and twenty-eight (64.3%) of the 199 swine strains, 62 (100%) of the 62 chicken strains, and 24 (100%) of the 24 cattle strains were typable at either routine test dilution (RTD) or 100 X RTD . Most (124/128) of the typable swine strains showed phage patterns consisting of lytic reactions with one or more of the phages S9, S13, S39 and S188 . Phage patterns including phage CH11 were detected in only 4 swine strains . All of the typable chicken strains showed phage patterns consisting of lytic reactions with phage CH11 . Cattle strains had the phage patterns that were found most frequently in swine and chicken strains . This study suggested that phage typing might be a useful marker for distinguishing ecovars within S . hyicus subsp . hyicus.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Jun, (6), 15 - 8
{Ultrastructure of Staphylococcus in disruption of the integrity of the cell wall}; Konstantinova ND et al.; The effects of penicillin, lithium chloride and homologous antiserum with complement on S . aureus after a single exposure to these agents and in subsequent subculturing were studied . The viability of the altered forms obtained in these experiments was evaluated by the number of colony-forming units per ml . The action of all above-mentioned agents resulted in the appearance of staphylococcal forms with the altered cell wall . The lesions in the submicroscopic organization of the cell wall, produced by the action of the above-mentioned agents, differed in the appearance of porosity and ruptures in the wall under the action of penicillin and antiserum, thinning and peeling-off of the wall under the action of lithium chloride . The damage of the cell wall is accompanied by the disorganized septal development and mitosis, and sometimes by the formation of elementary bodies in the cytoplasm.

J Biol Chem, 1987 May 25, 262(15), 7006 - 13
Complete amino acid sequence of staphylococcal enterotoxin A; Huang IY et al.; The amino acid sequence of staphylococcal enterotoxin A is presented . Staphylococcal enterotoxin A is a single-chain polypeptide which consists of 233 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 27,078 and has the amino acid composition Cys2, Asp17, Asn19, Thr16, Ser13, Glu15, Gln12, Pro4, Gly15, Ala7, Val13, Met2, Ile10, Leu23, Tyr18, Phe8, His6, Lys24, Arg7, Trp2, with serine as both amino- and carboxyl-terminal amino acids . Automated sequence analysis of intact enterotoxin A, as well as characterization of the peptides obtained from cyanogen bromide treatment and trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion, led to the elucidation of the complete primary structure of this protein . Less structural homology is observed among staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B (Huang, I-Y., and Bergdoll, M . S . (1970) J . Biol . Chem . 245, 3518-3525), and C1 (Schmidt, J . J., and Spero, L . (1983) J . Biol . Chem . 258, 6300-6306) than that seen between enterotoxins B and C1.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1987 May 9, 117(19), 712 - 5
{Demonstration of the toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) in S . aureus using a modified ELISA procedure and antibody demonstration in gamma globulin preparations}; Fey H et al.; A modified ELISA for the detection of toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) from staphylococcal isolates is described . It displayed 100% correlation with the procedure based on isoelectric focusing and microslide precipitation . Commercially available immunoglobulins exhibited high antitoxin titres and it is suggested that they be used therapeutically.

Cancer, 1987 May 1, 59(9), 1635 - 9
Mortality-associated factors in infected lymphoma patients; Shaikh BS et al.; Three hundred eighty-eight medical records of patients with lymphoma seen between 1971 and 1980 were analyzed for factors related to infection-associated mortality . Infection occurred in 100 patients (36 Hodgkin's lymphoma {HL}, and 64 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma {NHL}) . The overall mortality with infection was 17% (6 of 36) for HL and 52% (33 of 64) for NHL . In patients with NHL mortality correlated with infection in the respiratory tract (P less than or equal to 0.0001), blood (P less than or equal to 0.003), and multiple sites (P less than or equal to 0.0004) and with the following factors: granulocytopenia (P less than or equal to 0.05), thrombocytopenia (P less than or equal to 0.035), and cytotoxic therapy (P less than or equal to 0.034) . Patients with HL showed a positive correlation only with staphylococcal infections (P less than or equal to 0.001) and monocytopenia (P less than or equal to 0.01) . The above data may be used to generate a risk factor profile of patients at greater risk of mortality associated with such infections . Advance knowledge of such a profile may assist in the clinical management of these high-risk patients.

No Shinkei Geka, 1987 May, 15(5), 575 - 9
{Liver abscess secondary to ventriculoperitoneal shunt}; Kohno K et al.; Liver abscess is a rare complication following the ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt operation . There has been only one case reported in the literature . We present a case of liver abscess developed about 3 months after V-P shunt operation . A 31-year-old female was admitted to our hospital in comatose condition due to second bleeding from an aneurysm of the right internal carotid artery on January 1, 1984 . Obliteration of the aneurysm was performed on the following day . She received V-P shunt operation for the marked hydrocephalus on February 4, but she developed low spinal fluid pressure syndrome . She was able to walk by herself after the replacement of shunt valve on March 4 . In the middle of April, she suffered from abdominal pain with a pyrexia for about 5 days . On May 13, a new peritoneal tube was placed in another part of the peritoneal cavity because of the recurrence of hydrocephalus . On the following day, she developed severe abdominal and back pains with a high fever . Abdominal CT scans and ultrasonogram were performed on May 22, showing a well-defined, cystic mass lesion in the liver and the peritoneal tube lying just beneath the mass lesion . Approximately 100 ml of white creamy pus was aspirated from the cystic mass by ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncture, and a 8.3 French pigtail nephrostomy catheter was left in place for 9 days until purulent drainage stopped . Microbiologic examination demonstrated staphylococcus epidermidis in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the shunt tube but was negative in the abscess fluid . The ventricular fluid was drained externally with the V-P shunt tube for a while, but the new ventricular drainage was instituted because of continuous positive cultures in the CSF from the shunt tube . Thereafter, the cultures of the CSF became negative and ventriculoatrial (V-A) shunt operation was performed on July 2 . Postoperative course was uneventful . It is considered that the formation of the liver abscess seems to be caused by the focal injury to the liver surface by the insidiously infected peritoneal tube with St . epidermidis, and by the decrease in systemic resistance to infection . Percutaneous aspiration and drainage under the guidance of abdominal computed tomography or ultrasonography are very useful and efficient for the diagnosis and the treatment of liver abscess . When patients show signs of infection to the V-P shunt, we should remove the shunting system and place a new external ventricular drainage, and institute a V-A shunt after confirming negative cultures of the CSF.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 May, (5), 80 - 3
{Comparative characteristics of the diagnostic properties of staphylococcal allergens in an experiment}; Spiricheva NKh et al.; The diagnostic value of five staphylococcal allergens prepared from a single S . aureus strain by different methods and in different institutions has been tested on the experimental models of delayed, immediate and mixed (immediate and delayed) hypersensitivity in guinea pigs . The advantages of the allergens prepared in Kazan (USSR) for the detection of delayed hypersensitivity and the ultrasonicated allergen, as well as the allergen made in Czechoslovakia, for the detection of immediate hypersensitivity have been noted.

Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol, 1987 May-Jun, 23(3), 299 - 302
{Stabilization of native and immobilized urease}; Kurtinaitene BS et al.; The stability of native and immobilized urease isolated from Staphylococcus saprophyticus was studied at 4 degrees and 25 degrees C . The activity yield was 20% and 1.4% on the enzyme immobilization in albumin gel and latex membrane, respectively . Inactivation of native microbial urease proceeded 10 times slower in the solution containing 1 mM EDTA and 30 mM sodium sulfite . This solution contributed to a great extent to stabilization of immobilized urease both during storage in the phosphate buffer solution and in case of lyophilization.

Biol Reprod, 1987 May, 36(4), 1069 - 77
Correlation of conformational changes in the acrosome stabilizing factor (ASF) with its biological activity; Wilson WL et al.; The rabbit Acrosome Stabilizing Factor (ASF) is a glycoprotein synthesized in the corpus epididymis that reversibly decapacitates sperm . The effects of altering the conformation of ASF were evaluated by using a competitive enzyme-linked immunoabsorption assay (ELISA) with monoclonal antibodies that recognized either sequential or conformational determinants and/or an in vivo decapacitation assay . Heat denaturation (80 degrees C for 30 min) of affinity-purified ASF resulted in destruction of its native conformation concurrent with its loss of biological activity . Acid pH treatment of ASF also resulted in a conformational change in ASF, which caused a shift from the dimeric form (MW = 260,000) to the monomeric form (MW = 130,000) . This manipulation allowed the biological activity of the monomeric form of ASF to be assayed separately from the dimer . The monomer was found to be biologically inactive . Proteolysis with trypsin or Staphylococcus-V8 treatment resulted in loss of the native conformation of the molecule, but Staphylococcus-V8 did not destroy the sequential determinant recognized in this analysis . This work indicates that conformation of the ASF macromolecule is important for its biological activity, and also provides a rapid means to evaluate potential decapacitation activity of purified ASF.

Br J Haematol, 1987 May, 66(1), 137 - 40
An evaluation of empirical antibiotic therapy in febrile neutropenic patients; Barnes RA et al.; A prospective study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of an empirical antibiotic therapy regimen in 34 neutropenic patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation or remission-induction chemotherapy for leukaemia . Throughout the study period a total of 90 pyrexial episodes were monitored in which organisms designated to be pathogens were isolated from blood cultures on 38 occasions . The response rate to the combination of a ureidopenicillin with gentamicin fell sharply from 50% during patients' first pyrexial episodes to zero during the third and subsequent episodes . The preponderance of Gram-positive bacteria and the high overall resistance of bacterial isolates to these antibiotics have led us to reconsider our approach to empirical therapy and to include antibiotics with greater activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis . The emergence of fungi as a major cause of morbidity in patients with prolonged neutropenia underlines the necessity to introduce early empirical antifungal therapy in this group of patients.

Am J Vet Res, 1987 May, 48(5), 758 - 62
Phagocytic function of equine neutrophils exposed to Mycoplasma felis in vitro and in vivo; Rosendal S et al.; Neutrophils were isolated from the peripheral blood of adult equids (group 1) and were purified on a density gradient of polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silica gel . A bactericidal assay was developed, using an equine skin isolate of Staphylococcus epidermidis as target bacterium in medium containing pooled fresh equine serum for opsonization . Significant (P less than 0.05) killing was observed after 60 or 120 minutes' incubation . Reduction in bactericidal function of blood neutrophils was not found after incubation with a virulent strain of Mycoplasma felis for 30 or 60 minutes . Similarly, the function of blood and pleural neutrophils of ponies with M felis-induced pleuritis (group 2) was not different from the function of similar neutrophils from sham-inoculated control ponies (group 3) . The number of viable M felis organisms was markedly reduced in the presence of fresh equine serum and equine-specific antibodies, but not when the serum was heat inactivated . Equine neutrophils did not phagocytize M felis . Seemingly, M felis did not impair bactericidal activity of equine neutrophils . Therefore, this mechanism does not predispose equids to bacterial pleuritis.

Gynecol Oncol, 1987 May, 27(1), 34 - 43
Treatment of a syngeneic rat tumor with magnetically responsive albumin microspheres labeled with doxorubicin or protein A; Rettenmaier MA et al.; The tumoricidal activity of magnetically responsive albumin microspheres tagged with either doxorubicin or Staphylococcal protein A was tested against an induced mammary adenocarcinoma, 13762, implanted subcutaneously in the tail of female Fischer-344 rats . Magnetically responsive albumin microspheres containing Fe3O4 particles were prepared by an emulsion polymerization method incorporating either doxorubicin or protein A into the albumin matrix . Microspheres were produced with an average diameter of 1 micron (0.2 to 1.5 micron) in a concentration of 10(9) microspheres/mg . Microspheres were injected either directly into the tail artery and localized to the implanted tumor using a permanent bipolar adjustable gap magnet with a field strength of 8000 Oe, or directly into the femoral vein with no magnetic localization . Control groups consisted of animals treated with intravenously or intraarterially administered microspheres containing no active agent, and a no-treatment group . Survival was significantly greater in both the doxorubicin- and protein A-treated animals than in the control groups . First appearance of local metastases was prolonged in only the intraarterial magnetically localized doxorubicin-treated group of animals . Tumor growth rate was significantly depressed in both intraarterially magnetically localized treatment groups when compared to intravenously administered nonlocalized treatment groups . Magnetically responsive albumin microspheres appear to be an effective delivery system for cytotoxic agents and biologic response modifiers . Significant tumoricidal activity can be produced with a one-time administration of these agents utilizing this drug delivery system.

Blood, 1987 May, 69(5), 1294 - 9
Measurement of platelet-associated IgG in animal models of immune and nonimmune thrombocytopenia; Arnott J et al.; Platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG) is elevated in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), but it also is elevated in other thrombocytopenic disorders traditionally considered to be nonimmune . Consequently it is possible that elevated PAIgG is a nonspecific finding secondary to thrombocytopenia . To study this issue we developed a rabbit model of immune and nonimmune mediated thrombocytopenia . The mechanism of the thrombocytopenia was validated by platelet survival studies . Immune thrombocytopenia was produced by injection of antirabbit platelet serum that was raised in guinea pigs . Nonimmune aregenerative thrombocytopenia was produced by irradiation of the animals; nonimmune consumptive thrombocytopenia was produced by injection of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) . PAIgG was measured in a direct binding assay using 125I-labeled staphylococcal protein A (SpA) . Washed platelets from normal, nonthrombocytopenic rabbits bound an average of 81 molecules of SpA per platelet (81 +/- 168, mean +/- 2 SD, n = 39) . Infusion of the antiplatelet antiserum produced thrombocytopenia with a rise in PAIgG that was closely correlated with the level of PAIgG (r = 0.86, n = 12) . The thrombocytopenia was consumptive, as shown by a very short platelet life span using 111In-labeled platelets . In contrast, both nonimmune thrombocytopenic states resulted in an equal or greater drop in the platelet count but no change in the level of PAIgG . The animals with aregenerative thrombocytopenia had normal or only moderately reduced platelet life spans; however, in every animal the level of PAIgG was not different from the nonthrombocytopenic controls, irrespective of the platelet count . Similarly, the level of PAIgG was unchanged in those rabbits with nonimmune consumptive thrombocytopenia following infusion of ADP (82 +/- 55 molecules of SpA per platelet, mean +/- SD, n = 6) . These studies indicate that elevated PAIgG is a specific finding of immune thrombocytopenia and is not secondary to thrombocytopenia itself . Indirectly these results support our hypothesis that immune mechanisms contribute to more thrombocytopenic disorders than was once thought likely.

Infect Immun, 1987 May, 55(5), 1058 - 62
Serum-mediated suppression of lymphocyte transformation responses in coccidioidomycosis; Cox RA et al.; Lymphocyte transformation (LT) responses to coccidioidin (CDN) and spherulin were suppressed in 11 (73%) of 15 patients with active coccidioidomycosis when their mononuclear cells were assayed in autologous serum as compared to serum from healthy, CDN skin test-positive subjects . Suppressed LT responses were specific for Coccidioides immitis antigens in 7 (64%) of the 11 patients . Immunoaffinity chromatography of patient sera with Staphylococcus protein A adsorbed the suppressor component(s) and thereby established that suppression was attributed to immunoglobulin G, either alone or complexed with antigen . The possibility that suppression was mediated by immune complexes was examined by adding complexes formed in vivo or in vitro to mononuclear cell cultures of healthy CDN-reactive persons before LT assays . Although complexes prepared in this manner were reactive in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay designed to detect Coccidioides antigen-specific immune complexes, no suppression of LT responses was observed . We conclude that serum-mediated suppression of LT responses in coccidioidomycosis is attributed to monomeric and not immune-complexed immunoglobulin G antibody.

Ann Emerg Med, 1987 May, 16(5), 585 - 7
Endophthalmitis associated with intravenous drug abuse; Kreeger R et al.; Endophthalmitis is an inflammation of the interior of the eye . We describe an IV drug abuser with endophthalmitis who initially was diagnosed as having an acute conjunctivitis . During the next 12 hours fulminant endophthalmitis developed . The patient failed to respond to treatment, and on the second hospital day underwent subtotal exenteration of the right orbit . The only organism obtained from numerous cultures was Staphylococcus epidermidis . We suspect the causative organism was not isolated.

Vet Microbiol, 1987 May, 14(1), 47 - 52
Proteolytic zymograms of Staphylococcus hyicus subsp . hyicus isolated from pigs, chickens and cows; Takeuchi S et al.; The extracellular proteases of Staphylococcus hyicus subsp . hyicus were assayed by a zymogram showing caseinolysis and gelatinolysis . Four bands were associated with caseinolysis or with gelatinolysis . The patterns shown by strains isolated from pigs, chickens and cows were compared; isolates from pigs differed from those isolated from chickens or cows but strains isolated from diseased and healthy pigs could not be differentiated.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1987 May, 35(5), 603 - 7
{Treatment of septicemias and skin infections in burn patient by teicoplanin . Study of its skin diffusion}; Rio Y et al.; In this study, teicoplanin was administered to burnt patients by IV and IM route in monotherapy or in association with other antibiotics . 12 cases of septicaemia and 8 severe cutaneous cocci Gram + infections were treated . Dosage varied from 5 mg/kg to 14 mg/kg . Clinical cure was observed in 89% of cases, and eradication of cocci Gram + in 83% . The MICs of Staphylococcus were between 0.25 micrograms/ml and 4 micrograms/ml, with a majority of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus at 1 . Average through serum concentrations were 7.4 micrograms/ml, and peak serum concentrations were 26 micrograms/ml (1 hour after injection) . Tolerance was good in 19 of the 20 cases (95%) . Skin levels of teicoplanin were found to be 1.6 times the through serum level . It was noted that in burnt patients whose UBS is superior to 100, the dose should be increased by about 50%.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1987 Apr 23, 898(3), 257 - 65
Membrane-damaging action of staphylococcal alpha-toxin on phospholipid-cholesterol liposomes; Watanabe M et al.; The mechanism of membrane damage by staphylococcal alpha-toxin was studied using carboxyfluorescein (internal marker)-loaded multilamellar liposomes prepared from various phospholipids and cholesterol . Liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine or sphingomyelin and cholesterol bound alpha-toxin and released carboxyfluorescein in a dose dependent manner, when they were exposed to alpha-toxin of concentrations higher than 1 or 8 micrograms/ml, respectively . In contrast, the other liposomes composed of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol or phosphatidylinositol plus cholesterol were not susceptible to the toxin even at high concentrations up to 870 micrograms/ml . The insensitive liposomes containing either phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol were made sensitive to alpha-toxin by inserting phosphatidylcholine into the liposomal membranes . In addition, phosphorylcholine inhibited the toxin-induced marker release from liposomes . These results indicated that the choline-containing phospholipids are required for the interaction between alpha-toxin and liposomal membranes . Susceptibility of liposomes containing phosphatidylcholine or sphingomyelin increased with the increase in cholesterol contents of the liposomes . Based on these results, we propose that the choline-containing phospholipids are possible membrane components or structures responsible for the toxin-membrane interaction, which leads to damage of membranes . Furthermore, cholesterol may facilitate the interaction between alpha-toxin and membrane as a structural component of the membrane.

Biochemistry, 1987 Apr 21, 26(8), 2374 - 82
Separate domains of the insulin receptor contain sites of autophosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activity; Goren HJ et al.; We have studied the structure and function of the solubilized insulin receptor before and after partial proteolytic digestion to define domains in the beta-subunit that undergo autophosphorylation and contain the tyrosine kinase activity . Wheat germ agglutinin purified insulin receptor from Fao cells was digested briefly at 22 degrees C with low concentrations (5-10 micrograms/mL, pH 7.4) of trypsin, staphylococcal V8 protease, or elastase . Autophosphorylation of the beta-subunit was carried out before and after digestion, and the {32P}phosphoproteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, detected by autoradiography, and analyzed by tryptic peptide mapping by use of reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography . Mild trypsin digestion reduced the apparent molecular mass of the beta-subunit from 95 to 85 kDa, and then to 70 kDa . The 85-kDa fragment was not immunoprecipitated by an antibody directed against the C-terminal domain of the beta-subunit (alpha Pep-1), indicating that this region of the receptor was lost . The 85-kDa fragment contained about half of the {32P}phosphate originally found in the beta-subunit, and tryptic peptide mapping showed that two major tryptic phosphopeptides (previously called pY2 and pY3) were removed . Three other tryptic phosphopeptides (pY1, pY1a, and pY4) were found in the 85- and 70-kDa fragments . Treatment of the intact receptor with staphylococcal V8 protease also converted the beta-subunit to an 85-kDa fragment that did not bind to alpha Pep-1, contained about 50% of the initial radioactivity, and lacked pY2 and pY3 . Elastase rapidly degraded the receptor to inactive fragments between 37 and 50 kDa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cancer Res, 1987 Apr 15, 47(8), 2002 - 7
Correlation between antitumor activity of protein A and in vivo formation of defined high molecular weight complexes with immunoglobulin G in BALB/c mice; Das C et al.; The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that antitumor activity of staphylococcal protein A (SpA) is related to the composition of complexes formed in vivo with IgG . BALB/c mice were inoculated intradermally with 10(6) Meth A fibrosarcoma cells on day 0 and treated i.v . on days 3 and 7 with between 1 and 405 micrograms of SpA . The 45- and 15-micrograms doses significantly inhibited tumor growth and enhanced survival time compared to saline controls in four of four and two of four experiments, respectively . Sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation was used to show that serum from tumor-bearing or normal mice given 45 or 15 micrograms of 125I-labeled SpA contained only high molecular weight {(IgG)2SpA}2 complexes for up to 24 h after injection, whereas serum from mice given higher ineffective doses (135 and 405 micrograms) contained low molecular weight (IgG)(SpA) complexes over the first 1-4 h . Serum from mice undergoing successful therapy with 45 micrograms of unlabeled SpA also contained only {(IgG)2SpA}2 complexes . In contrast, when mice with large tumors (120-150 mm2) were treated on days 16 and 20, only the 135- and 405-micrograms doses significantly inhibited further tumor growth . Serum from mice with 16-day tumors contained only {(IgG)2SpA}2 complexes even after 5 min and when 135 or 405 micrograms of 125I-SpA was given . This result is consistent with significantly higher (2.7-3.4-fold, P less than 0.0001) levels of total and SpA-reactive IgG in serum from these mice compared to normal mice or mice with 3-day tumors . Our results demonstrate a correlation between antitumor activity of SpA and in vivo formation of {(IgG)2SpA}2 complexes in an established animal model, and help to define the mechanism of SpA action at the molecular level.

Klin Wochenschr, 1987 Apr 15, 65(8), 353 - 8
In vitro adsorption of colon cancer sera over staphylococcus protein A: lymphocyte stimulation by leakage of adsorbance; Richner J et al.; Serum factors may be responsible for reduced host-anti-tumor defence . Although there is still confusion about their origin, attempts have been made to immobilize serum components by Protein A columns as a therapeutic modality . In our study the in vitro adsorption of 90% of the IgG from cancer sera on "immobilized protein A" did not influence the inhibitory serum activity as measured in a mixed lymphocyte culture . Therefore, IgG or immune complexes do not seem to be the suppressive serum factor in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma . There is evidence for leakage of small amounts of protein A from the columns which have immunostimulatory activity . Perhaps this may explain necrosis after a therapeutic immunoadsorption.

Clin Exp Rheumatol, 1987 Apr-Jun, 5(2), 165 - 6
Staphylococcus epidermidis septic arthritis post arthroscopy; Toye B et al.; A 61 year-old man developed painful swelling of his right knee shortly after arthroscopy of the joint . Synovial fluid analysis revealed a polymorphonuclear leukocytosis of 51,600 X 10(6) cells/litre and culture grew Staphylococcus epidermidis . He responded favorably to 4 weeks of intravenous therapy with cloxacillin . S . epidermidis, an important cause of prosthetic joint infection, must be considered a potential pathogen in other joint infections.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Apr, (4), 44 - 7
{Etiology of acute pneumonias in an organized collective}; Vasil'eva VI et al.; In this work the immune structure of an organized group with respect to acute respiratory infections and the etiological structure of cases of acute pneumonia was studied . The sera taken from 602 persons were tested for the presence of antibodies to 14 infective agents of the viral, bacterial and mycoplasmal nature . The data indicate that all these agents circulate in the group under study with the prevalence of influenza A (H3N2), influenza B and group III parainfluenza viruses . Among etiological agents of acute pneumonia, the combination of Staphylococcus with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and adenovirus was noted . The Legionella etiology of some group cases of acute pneumonia among young persons was established on the basis of the increased titers of L . pneumophila antibodies in the indirect hemagglutination, indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme immunoassay . The source of this infection was highly dispersed water aerosol, containing the infective agent, in shower baths . This was bacteriologically confirmed by the isolation of three Legionella strains . The study showed that no transfer of Legionella infection in the group through contacts was possible.

Scott Med J, 1987 Apr, 32(2), 41 - 5
Admissions of drug addicts to a general hospital: a retrospective study in the northern district of Glasgow; Horn EH et al.; Medical and surgical admissions of drug addicts to Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow in the period 1980-1984 were reviewed . Admission numbers, which totalled 123, rose markedly over the period of the study, particularly in the final year . The mean age of addicts was 21 years . Ninety-two per cent abused heroin but many abused combinations of drugs . Inadvertent narcotic overdosage was the commonest diagnosis amongst medical admissions followed by deep venous thrombosis . A small number of cases of staphylococcal endocarditis presented particular problems in diagnosis and management . The commonest reason for surgical admission was abscess formation . Whilst 85% of addicts showed markers of past infection with hepatitis B, chronic carriage of surface antigen occurred in only 10% . Few addicts had withdrawal symptoms although the practice of narcotic and/or tranquilliser prescribing varied . Many admissions were of short duration with 36% ending in patients taking their own discharge . Only 16% of addicts were notified to the Home Office.

Arch Fr Pediatr, 1987 Apr, 44(4), 283 - 5
{Endocarditis of the ventricular septum . Echocardiographic diagnosis}; Chantepie A et al.; A 5 year-old child presented with prolonged fever, severe impairment of general condition and a pleuro-pericardium effusion . Echocardiography revealed a "bell-clapper-like tumor" in each ventricle, developed from the ventricular septum . Presence of a staphylococcal sepsis and early disappearance of the echocardiographic signs after antibiotic treatment allowed for diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis with abscess of the ventricular septum . Sinusitis and IgA deficiency were later found to be also present.

Br J Ophthalmol, 1987 Apr, 71(4), 295 - 300
Ophthalmia neonatorum: study of a decade of experience at the Mount Sinai Hospital; Jarvis VN et al.; We reviewed the charts of neonates who received a diagnosis of conjunctivitis or ophthalmia neonatorum during a 10-year period at the Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City . Ninety-five cases were discovered, four of these were born elsewhere and were not subject to our protocol, which at present consists of intramuscular penicillin and topical tetracycline ointment (1%) . The 91 cases represent an incidence of 3.1 cases per 1000 live births (9.1/year), an incidence approximately equal to that reported in other published studies . The clinical characteristics examined were: age, sex, race, birth weight, gestational age, Apgar scores, presence or absence of fever or other systemic illnesses, complications, type of delivery, time of year, incubation period, presence and type of discharge, uni- or bilaterality, Gram stain, Giemsa stain, culture results, antibiotic disc sensitivities, cervical culture, antibiotic therapy, sequelae, and type of prophylaxis received . Seven aetiological diagnostic categories were established: gonococcal (3%), chlamydial (3%), staphylococcal (30%), other pathogens (25%), chemical conjunctivitis (7%), culture negative/normal flora (22%), and unobtainable (10%) . This distribution differs from others published . In contrast with other studies, moreover, we found few gonococcal and no chlamydial cases in neonates subject to the Mount Sinai Hospital treatment protocol . Correlation of clinical characteristics and aetiological categories showed no statistically significant trend . So far there have been no cases of ophthalmia neonatorum, treated as on our protocol, caused by penicillin resistant gonococci or chlamydiae.

Am J Infect Control, 1987 Apr, 15(2), 59 - 74
Staphylococcus epidermidis: a significant nosocomial pathogen; Hamory BH et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis is an organism formerly believed to be nonpathogenic . It is now recognized as a pathogen, causing infections on implanted devices and among immunosuppressed patients . Further, it has been involved in the development of resistance to a number of antibiotics . The epidemiology of this organism, its pathogenesis, and its treatment are important to infection control practitioners.

Cancer Treat Rep, 1987 Apr, 71(4), 411 - 3
Clinical trial of plasma perfusion over immobilized staphylococcal protein A in metastatic breast cancer; Ventura GJ et al.; Nineteen patients with metastatic breast cancer refractory to conventional therapy were treated with plasma perfusion over 200 mg of staphylococcal Protein A immobilized on a silica matrix . Fever and chills (33%), pain at the site of tumor (18%), and dyspnea (16%) were the most frequent toxic effects encountered . Four patients (21%) developed a disseminated rash which necessitated cessation of treatment . Of 16 patients evaluable for response, one achieved a minor response of chest wall disease and two had no change in hepatic metastases for 4 and 5 months' duration . Potential mechanisms of antitumor effect are discussed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Apr, (4), 63 - 6
{Effect of staphylococcal toxin on lymphocyte receptors and function}; Novikov DK et al.; Staphylococcal toxin at a concentration of 10(-3) inhibits in vitro the rosette-formation of lymphocytes, taken from healthy donors and patients with purulent septic diseases, with sheep and mouse red blood cells, changes the ratio of lymphocyte subpopulation, modifies the spontaneous antigen- and mitogen-dependent migration of leukocytes . The latter phenomenon is not linked with disturbances in the lymphokine-producing activity of lymphocytes, but results from changes in the migration properties of granulocytes.

Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 1987 Apr, 14(4), 319 - 34
Effect of serum on lymphocyte blastogenesis . 2 . Characterization of disease-induced immunosuppressive factors by chromatography and molecular weight determination; Barta O et al.; Numerous infectious and noninfectious diseases are associated with the appearance of suppressive serum lymphocyte immunoregulatory factors (SLIFs) . The suppressive SLIFs in sera from clinically healthy dogs and from dogs with bacterial (staphylococcal, brucellar) or mycotic (blastomycotic) infections were further characterized by dialysis, fractionation by ultrafiltrations and HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) sieving, by affinity chromatography on protein A-Sepharose columns, and by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography . Factors of various molecular weights and of various elution patterns from DEAE-cellulose and affinity chromatography columns were taking part in the suppressive action of the whole serum . The 'common' inhibitors present in all sera were in the molecular weight range of 28 to 35 Kd, whereas the disease-induced suppressive SLIFs were present in various molecular weight categories . 'Common' suppressor SLIFs and some SLIFs from dogs with staphylococcal infections were partially dialysable; suppressive SLIFs induced in dogs with generalized brucellosis and blastomycosis were not dialysable . Protein A bound suppressive SLIFs from two of three dogs with staphylococcal pyodermas . DEAE-cellulose chromatography gave variable elution patterns with different animal sera . It is concluded that various suppressive SLIFs contribute to the immunosuppressive effect of the whole serum and no disease-specific suppressive SLIF could be identified.

Mol Gen Genet, 1987 Apr, 207(1), 60 - 7
The Inc3B determinant of plasmid pT181 . A mutational analysis; Iordanescu S; A region encompassing the origin of replication of staphylococcal plasmid pT181 has previously been shown to express an incompatibility effect denoted Inc3B, when cloned into another replicon (Novick et al . 1984) . In an attempt to understand the mechanism of this incompatibility effect, and its relationship with the function of the replication origin, mutants deficient in this property were isolated and characterized . The results obtained suggest that the Inc3B effect is due to the competition for replication between the replication origin cloned in a hybrid and the origin of an autonomous plasmid . The Inc3B-deficient mutants isolated expressed different degrees of residual incompatibility . The inc3B mutations which did not express any incompatibility were found also to inactivate the function of the replication origin . All the other mutants which expressed residual Inc3B had a functional origin but presented a significantly reduced ability to use this origin when coexisting with a plasmid using a wild-type pT181 origin . It is suggested that these inc3B mutations represent a new type of origin mutation which affects the ability of the origin to compete with other origins using the same replication system, though the function per se of the origin is not significantly impaired.

J Interferon Res, 1987 Apr, 7(2), 185 - 93
In vivo hyperthermia enhances plasma antiviral activity and stimulates peripheral lymphocytes for increased synthesis of interferon-gamma; Downing JF et al.; The effect of in vivo hyperthermia on plasma interferon (IFN) activity and on the induction of IFN-gamma by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in isolated leukocyte cultures was investigated . Adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were placed in a climatic chamber maintained at 45 degrees C until their core body temperatures increased 2 degrees C above control levels . Peripheral blood samples were withdrawn both prior to core temperature elevation and at the time of peak body temperature . Plasma IFN-alpha increased slightly from a control value of 12 U/ml to 16 U/ml at the elevated core temperature . However, this alteration of plasma IFN levels appears to be a complex process that includes the loss of certain circulating IFN-alpha subtypes and the influx of acid-labile (Type II) IFN-alpha . Additionally, a non-IFN antiviral factor present in the plasma was elevated 10-fold at the higher body temperature . When mononuclear cells were isolated and cultured at 37 degrees C in the presence of PHA or SEB, those cells isolated from animals at the peak of body temperature showed a 4- to 16-fold increase in IFN-gamma activity relative to cells isolated from the same animal before the temperature increase . Similar results were obtained with cells isolated when fever was induced by the systemic injection of nonviable Escherichia coli . These results demonstrate that increased body temperature results in a circulating lymphocyte pool which is "primed" for the production of elevated levels of IFN-gamma activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Interferon Res, 1987 Apr, 7(2), 133 - 43
Influence of monoclonal antibodies against HLA class I and class II antigen on interferon-gamma and -alpha induction; Ausiello C et al.; The effects of several monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against different epitopes of HLA class I and class II antigens on interferon (IFN)-gamma and IFN-alpha production were studied . The results indicate that: these MAbs have a marked inhibitory effect on the production of IFN-gamma induced by alloantigens and microbial antigens; they influence only to a lesser extent staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)- and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced IFN-gamma production; such effects parallel inhibition of lymphoproliferation except for PHA-induced blastogenesis, which is not affected; on the other hand, these MAbs have no effect on the production of IFN-alpha induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or viruses.

Immun Infekt, 1987 Apr, 15(2), 62 - 5
{Effect of factor VIII, factor IX and immunoglobulin preparations on mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation}; Glockel U et al.; The influence of therapeutic dosages of factor VIII, factor IX and immunoglobulin preparations on the proliferative capacity of mitogen-activated lymphocytes from patients with hemophilia or idiopathic thrombocytopenia was investigated . Addition of protein preparations in vitro led to inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation, predominantly with the mitogen staphylococcus enterotoxin B . After intravenous application of proteins also stimulatory effects were seen . Since long-term treatment with protein preparations might impair immune functions, their application should be considered carefully.

J Trauma, 1987 Apr, 27(4), 379 - 83
Suppressor cells generated in mice late after thermal injury; Suzuki F et al.; A second suppressive state (S-SupS) in interferon (IFN) response was demonstrated when mice with third-degree burns of approximately 30% of the body surface area (TI-mice) were stimulated in vivo by Staphylococcal enterotoxin A, a gamma IFN inducer . The first suppressive state in IFN production, appearing 3 to 7 days after thermal injury, was mediated by the generation of splenic suppressor macrophages . The S-SupS was demonstrated approximately 3 weeks post thermal injury . It persisted for almost 3 weeks and gradually disappeared by 7 weeks . Spleen cells from mice during the S-SupS produced less IFN in vitro than normal mouse splenic mononuclear cells (MNC) when stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) . Splenic MNC of mice during the S-SupS inhibited IFN production when they were co-cultured with normal mouse splenic MNC in the presence of Con A . Since this suppressor cell activity could not be removed from TI-mice splenic MNC by carbonyl iron treatment, or by a technique of adherence to a plastic surface, it is suggested that two different cell populations which are capable of suppressing the IFN response of TI-mice exist at different time periods following burn injury.

J Chromatogr, 1987 Mar 25, 390(2), 307 - 27
Reversed-phase liquid chromatography of site-specific mutagenized staphylococcal nuclease . Gradient retention and correlations with amino acid-based predictive scales; Ford JC et al.; Comparison of the gradient reversed-phase chromatographic retentions of twelve Staphylococcal nuclease mutants and the naturally occurring protein showed that the chain location and the chemical nature of the substituted amino acid(s) were equally significant in determining the retention . Correlations between the retention times of these nuclease mutants and of previously published data for interleukin 2 mutants and insulin variants with nineteen amino acid-based predictive scales revealed retention time to be significantly correlated to several scales . The use of mutagenized proteins allowed a more sensitive analysis of the individual amino acid contributions to retention than can be achieved by utilizing a more diverse set of proteins.

Biochemistry, 1987 Mar 10, 26(5), 1289 - 300
Kinetic and magnetic resonance studies of active-site mutants of staphylococcal nuclease: factors contributing to catalysis; Serpersu EH et al.; To determine the origin of the overall approximately 10(16)-fold rate enhancement of DNA hydrolysis catalyzed by staphylococcal nuclease, the effects of single mutations that alter the amino acid residue at each of the essential positions Asp-21, Asp-40, Thr-41, Arg-35, and Arg-87 have been examined . Metal ion and substrate analogue binding were quantitated by EPR, by the paramagnetic effects of Mn2+ on 1/T1 of water protons, and by fluorescence titrations, yielding the six dissociation constants of the ternary enzyme-Mn2+-3',5'-pdTp and enzyme-Ca2+-3',5'-pdTp complexes . The kinetic parameters kcat, KACa, KMCa, KSDNA, KMDNA, and KIMn were determined by monitoring the rate of DNA hydrolysis . By thermodynamic and kinetic criteria, Mn2+ binds tightly to the Ca2+ binding site of the enzyme but is at least 36,000-fold less effective than Ca2+ in activating the enzyme . Alterations of the liganding residues in the D40G, D40E, T41P, D21E, and D21Y mutants generally weaken the binding of Ca2+ less than or equal to 12.7-fold and of Mn2+ less than or equal to 5.4-fold, exert little effect on the KSDNA or KMDNA (less than or equal to 3.2-fold), and raise the affinity of the enzyme and its metal complexes for 3',5'-pdTp by factors less than or equal to 13.5-fold . Small changes in the ligand geometry are also reflected in the Mn2+ complexes of the liganding mutants (i.e., those in which the metal-liganding amino acids have been altered) by decreases in the electron-spin relaxation time of Mn2+ . Inhibitory effects on kcat are noted in all of the liganding mutants with D40E, D40G, T41P, D21E, and D21Y showing 12-, 30-, 37-, 1500-, and greater than or equal to 29,000-fold reductions, respectively . The greater than or equal 10(3)-fold larger inhibitory effects on kcat of enlarging Asp-21 as compared to enlarging Asp-40 are ascribed to the displacement of the adjacent water molecule which attacks the phosphodiester . Mutations of each of the essential Arg residues to Gly (R35G and R87G) reduce kcat by factors greater than or equal to 35,000 but weaken metal binding less than or equal to 9-fold.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

J Biol Chem, 1987 Mar 5, 262(7), 3086 - 91
Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase . Functional regions and a structural model of the enzyme; Yang CY et al.; The amino acid sequence of human lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase has been determined by degradation and alignment of peptides obtained from tryptic and staphylococcal digestions and the cleavage with cyanogen bromide and consisted of 416 amino acid residues . All of the tryptic peptides of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase were isolated and sequenced . Peptides resulting from digestion by staphylococcal protease, cyanogen bromide cleavage, or the combination of the two methods were employed to find overlapping segments . The N terminus of human lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase was determined to be phenylalanine by sequencing the whole protein up to 40 residues while the C terminus was identified as glutamic acid through carboxypeptidase Y cleavage . Cys50 and Cys74 and Cys313 and Cys356 were identified as the two disulfide bridges while the free sulfhydryl groups were located at positions 31 and 184 . The N-glycosylated sites of the protein were assigned to asparagines at positions 20, 84, 272, and 384 . The active site of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase was identified as serine on position 181 according to its homology with other serine-type esterases which have a common structure of glycine-variable amino acid-active serine-variable amino acid-glycine (Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly) with the variable amino acids disrupting the homology . No long internal repeats or homologies with apolipoproteins were found . The secondary structure is consistent with the results of predictive algorithms . A simple model of the enzyme is proposed on the basis of available chemical data and predictive methods.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1987 Mar, 87(3), 408 - 10
Native-valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis . A histologically confirmed case; Littenberg B et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis is among the most common organisms isolated from blood cultures . Conversely, it is rarely a well-documented cause of natural-valve endocarditis . However, several authors have reported series of patients with the clinical picture of endocarditis and S . epidermidis bacteremia . Most of these cases have not been confirmed by examination of the valve . The authors present a case of natural-valve endocarditis caused by S . epidermidis with pathologic documentation of the offending agent.

Infect Immun, 1987 Mar, 55(3), 839 - 42
Mediation of Staphylococcus saprophyticus adherence to uroepithelial cells by lipoteichoic acid; Teti G et al.; Treatment of uroepithelial cells with lipoteichoic acid from Staphylococcus saprophyticus resulted in a decrease in the adherence of this organism . Similar effects were observed when bacteria were pretreated with the lipoteichoic acid ligands albumin and anti-polyglycerophosphate monoclonal antibodies . Lipoteichoic acid might behave as an adhesin of S . saprophyticus.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Mar, (3), 34 - 8
{Antigen-specific and antigen-nonspecific reactions of the immunity system in vaccination with a purified concentrated staphylococcal anatoxin}; Katkhanov AM et al.; Immunization with purified and concentrated staphylococcal toxoid leads to the rapid 12-fold rise of the level of anti-alpha-toxin and to the 17-fold rise of the titres of antibodies to extracellular staphylococcal products . At the period of immunization phasic changes in cell-mediated and humoral immunity characteristics, indicative of the state of the nonspecific resistance system, can be observed . These changes consist in the transient suppression of phagocytosis, including a decrease in the activity of intraleukocytic bactericidal systems (myeloperoxidase and cation protein), a decrease in the activity of the complement and the bactericidal activity of the blood serum, which should be taken into account when using this immune preparation for therapy.

J Foot Surg, 1987 Mar-Apr, 26(2), 141 - 8
Hallux amputation for diabetic osteomyelitis; Johnson MK et al.; Digital amputation for infection in the diabetic patient requires accurate assessment of wound healing potential as a function of clinical and noninvasive studies of cutaneous blood flow . The diabetic propensity for staphylococcal infection, microangiopathy, and delayed wound healing may be questionable in light of recent literature . X-rays, xeroradiographs, and bone scans are useful guides to osseous infection involvement . Amputation technical planning is mandatory . Proper assessment results in a dynamic functional amputation stump with little impact on gait.

Eur J Pediatr, 1987 Mar, 146(2), 199 - 200
Acute epidermal necrolysis or Lyell syndrome; Sluysmans T et al.; Acute epidermal necrolysis may be caused by staphylococcal toxins (staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome and toxic shock syndrome) or may be related to usually drug-induced hyper-sensitivity mechanisms (toxic epidermal necrolysis) . Diagnostic certainty can only be obtained by histologic localisation of a cleavage plane which is intraepidermal in staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome but situated at the dermo-epidermal junction in toxic epidermal necrolysis . Steroid therapy is indicated in toxic epidermal syndrome . This report of two cases of acute epidermal necrolysis emphasizes the importance of an early skin biopsy for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1987 Mar, 32(3), 210 - 3
{The adhesive capacity of representative intestinal microflora in the continuous and split oral administration of cephalexin and erythromycin}; Gorskaia EM et al.; When cephalexin and erythromycin were administered intragastrically with intervals, adhesion of facultative pathogenic bacteria such as Klebsiella, Staphylococcus and E . coli to enterocytes of the small intestine in vitro was more pronounced than with their continuous administration with drinking water . The adhesive capacity of the staphylococcal strains resistant to the antibiotics was higher than that of the sensitive ones.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1987 Mar, 84(5), 1127 - 31
Cloning, sequence, and expression of the lysostaphin gene from Staphylococcus simulans; Recsei PA et al.; A 1.5-kilobase-pair fragment of DNA that contains the lysostaphin gene from Staphylococcus simulans and its flanking sequences has been cloned and completely sequenced . The gene encodes a preproenzyme of Mr 42,000 . The NH2-terminal sequence of the preproenzyme is composed of a signal peptide followed by seven tandem repeats of a 13-amino acid sequence . Conversion of prolysostaphin to the mature enzyme occurs extracellularly in cultures of S . simulans and involves removal of the NH2-terminal portion of the proenzyme that contains the tandem repeats . The high degree of homology of the repeats suggests that they have arisen by duplication of a 39-base-pair sequence of DNA . In S . simulans, the lysostaphin gene is present on a large beta-lactamase plasmid.

J Immunol, 1987 Mar 1, 138(5), 1447 - 56
Studies on the molecular nature of human interleukin 1; Auron PE et al.; Adherent human blood monocytes were stimulated with heat-killed Staphylococcus albus or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide in the presence of 35S-methionine-, {3H}leucine-, or 14C-labeled amino acids . After incubation, interleukin 1 (IL 1) activity in the supernatant medium was purified over an anti-human IL 1 immunoadsorbent followed by gel filtration and chromatofocusing . The purity of the IL 1 was assessed by fluorography of one- and two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Isoelectric and chromatofocusing of low m.w . proteins (less than 20,000 m.w.) revealed three charged 18,000 m.w . species of IL 1 with approximate pI's of 7, 6, and 5, with the most abundant form at pI 7 . During the purification procedures, lymphocyte co-mitogenic activity, fever in rabbits, and prostaglandin E2 release from dermal fibroblasts co-eluted in the same fractions . In addition, these fractions were active when injected into endotoxin-resistant C3H/HeJ mice for the production of fever, the induction of serum amyloid A protein, a decrease in serum iron concentration, and an increase in the number of circulating neutrophils . Fluorography revealed homogeneous bands with an m.w . of about 18,000 which correlated with these biological activities . The specific activity of the pI 6 or 5 IL 1, as judged by the ratio of T cell co-mitogenic activity to incorporated radiolabeled amino acid, was at least 10-fold greater than that observed for the pI 7 form . This result suggests that the amino acid compositions of the two 18,000 m.w . acidic forms are unrelated to the pI 7 species . These results also demonstrate that the pI 7 human monocyte IL 1 is the predominant 18,000 m.w . form synthesized and, furthermore, that homogeneous pI 7 IL 1 exhibits multiple biological properties on various tissues by modulating immunologic, inflammatory, metabolic, and neurologic functions . Data are also presented for the existence of a high m.w . (32,000) human pro-IL 1 molecule as the predominant monocytic intracellular form . This pro-IL 1 is degraded artifactually during isolation to lower m.w . forms in the presence of an extracellular serine protease activity . These data are consistent with a model for IL 1 secretion in which pro-IL 1 is first synthesized within the cell and is processed during or after extracellular transport.

Vopr Virusol, 1987 Mar-Apr, 32(2), 168 - 72
{Use of immunoenzyme analysis employing a staphylococcal protein A conjugate with peroxidase in the serodiagnosis of influenza}; Egorenkova EM et al.; A test-system was developed on the basis of solid-phase enzyme-immunoassay using protein A/peroxidase conjugate for the determination of antibody levels to influenza virus in sera of humans who had experienced a natural infection or received a live influenza vaccine . The accurate observation of the test conditions was demonstrated to give the results well correlating with those of the HI test . The use of isolated hemagglutinin as the antigen considerably increased the specificity of the enzyme-immunoassay and in a number of cases detected a 4-fold or higher rise of antibody titres to hemagglutinin in paired sera of the vaccinees where the HI test showed no rise in antibody titres.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1987 Mar, (3), 55 - 7
{Quantitative characteristics of human antibodies to the peptidoglycans of different Staphylococcus species}; Astaf'ev DG et al.; The content of antibodies to peptidoglycans of 13 staphylococcal species was studied in the ELISA with the IgG fraction isolated from commercial human immunoglobulin . The content of antibodies to S . aureus peptidoglycan (calculated per mg of protein) was 3.0 micrograms and that of antibodies to peptidoglycans of other species amounted to 1.8-4.1 micrograms . The maximal value was obtained for S . xylosus and the minimal value, for S . lentus . No relationship between the content of antibodies to peptidoglycans and the degree of their antigenic affinity to S . aureus peptidoglycan was noted: the scatter of the values in species with relatively low and even minimal affinity did not exceed the range of variance in the group with a high degree of homology (2.2-2.4 micrograms) . The production of antibodies to staphylococcal peptidoglycans was supposed to result from the action of a complex of antigenic determinants, both common and specific for each staphylococcal species.

Int J Artif Organs, 1987 Mar, 10(2), 77 - 82
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD): experience with the first 100 patients in a Hong Kong centre; Chan MK et al.; We treated 100 Chinese patients age 16 to 83 years by CAPD, using three 2-litre exchanges per day . The treatment was self-financed in 69 patients, by charitable organisations in 25 patients, and by government funds in 6 patients . Satisfactory biochemistry was maintained and there was no gross hyperlipidaemia, renal osteodystrophy, or loss of ultrafiltration capacity of the peritoneum . Rehabilitation was good and 62% of patients returned to full-time employment . The average duration of hospitalization was 11.3 days per patient year . Peritonitis usually due to Staphylococcus pyogenes occurred at a frequency of one episode per 12.3 patient-months . Sixteen patients were transplanted and had a 2-year graft survival of 78.5% . The cumulative patient survival was 97% at 1 year and 84% at 2 years . The corresponding technique survival rates were 87% and 76% respectively.

JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 1987 Mar-Apr, 11(2), 159 - 62
Junctional care: the key to prevention of catheter sepsis in intravenous feeding; Stotter AT et al.; Investigation of an outbreak of infection related to intravenous feeding catheters, predominantly with Staphylococcus epidermidis, suggested that the probable origin was the connections in the delivery system . Equipment and policy changes were then instituted: a catheter with integral hub was used, the connections were reduced from two to one, and improved antisepsis at the connection was devised . These actions resulted in a sustained, significant reduction in the catheter sepsis rate, supporting the hypothesis that junctional care is vital to the avoidance of catheter infection.

J Immunol Methods, 1987 Feb 11, 96(2), 239 - 46
Comparison of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to cotinine in nonisotopic and isotopic immunoassays; Bjercke RJ et al.; Monoclonal antibodies (McAb) were used to develop nonisotopic and radioimmunoassays (RIA) for quantitative determination of the major nicotine metabolite, cotinine, in physiological fluids . ELISAs and fluorescence immunoassays were carried out in microtiter plate wells coated with a conjugate of cotinine 4'-carboxylic acid bound covalently to poly-L-lysine . The detection systems were horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled staphylococcal protein A, HRP-streptavidin-biotin, and biotinylated alkaline phosphatase-4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate . With the three McAb tested, I50 values ranged between 0.024-0.063 ng cotinine and as little as 0.005-0.015 ng gave 15% inhibition . These assays were 5-20 times more sensitive than similar assays using six rabbit antisera . With McAb the standard inhibition curves were steeper and complete inhibition of immune binding was achieved with approximately 1 ng cotinine . In contrast, 100-500 ng cotinine failed to give greater than 80-90% inhibition with rabbit antibodies either in the plate assays or in RIA using a 125I-labeled tyramine derivative of cotinine as the tracer . In this RIA, the sensitivity with McAb (mean I50 of 0.55 ng cotinine) was over three-fold greater than with rabbit antisera (mean I50 of 1.84 ng) . The presence of antibodies directed to the amide linkage group common to the polylysine conjugate . 125I-tyramine derivative and the immunogen likely accounts for the inferior quality of assays using rabbit antisera . Consistent with this conclusion, superimposable inhibition curves were obtained in the RIA when monoclonal or rabbit antibodies were used with {3H}cotinine . Cotinine levels in saliva, serum and plasma from smokers and non-smokers determined with McAb-based assays showed a strong correlation with values obtained by RIA using rabbit antisera or by gas chromatography . Properly selected McAb offer distinct advantages over conventional antisera in nonisotopic immunoassays and RIAs for cotinine as a biochemical marker of active or passive smoking.

FEBS Lett, 1987 Feb 9, 212(1), 98 - 102
Primary structure of the biotin-binding site of chicken liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase; Takai T et al.; Limited proteolysis of chicken liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase by staphylococcal serine proteinase yielded a fragment of 31 kDa which contained the biotinyl active site . This polypeptide was purified by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and characterized . The complete amino acid sequence of this polypeptide has been deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cloned DNA complementary to the chicken liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase mRNA . A highly conserved sequence of Met-Lys-Met was found in the biotin-binding site . Appreciable homology was observed among the sequences in close vicinity of the biotin sites of chicken liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase and other biotin-dependent carboxylases including biotin carboxyl carrier protein of Escherichia coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase.

Toxicol Lett, 1987 Feb, 35(2-3), 261 - 8
Microsomal phospholipase A2 is activated by surfactant toxins in 3T3 mouse fibroblasts; Kawaguchi H et al.; In 3T3 mouse fibroblasts that were treated by surfactant toxins such as staphylococcal delta toxin, melittin from bee venom and lysolecithin, microsomal phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was activated . However, these toxins did not activate PLA2 when added to cell-free homogenates or microsomal preparations . The maximal activation was achieved at 1 mM Ca2+ pH 8.5 . The microsomal PLA2 stimulated by these toxins had a high fatty acid specificity (C-2 position) toward arachidonic acid.

J Clin Microbiol, 1987 Feb, 25(2), 207 - 10
Bacterial concentration correlations in experimental endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis; Baddour LM et al.; Using 13 strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis to produce catheter-induced experimental endocarditis in rats, we found that bacterial concentrations in blood cultures obtained at the time of sacrifice correlated significantly with the number of organisms per gram of endocardial vegetation (P less than 0.001) and the total number of organisms per vegetation (P less than 0.001) . Furthermore, blood culture concentrations correlated with vegetation weights (P less than 0.001) and sizes of infecting inocula (P less than 0.0001) . Mean bacterial concentrations in vegetations more than doubled as bacterial concentrations in blood rose from less than 10 to greater than 100 CFU/ml . Mean values for vegetation weights, total organisms per vegetation, and sizes of infecting inocula were also reflected by the intensity of bacteremia . Moreover, intracardiac catheters were more likely colonized as bacterial concentrations in blood cultures increased, with all catheters culture positive in the 25 animals that exhibited high-grade bacteremia (greater than or equal to 100 CFU/ml) . Slime production by the bacteria did not influence the above-mentioned correlations . These data indicate that the blood concentration of bacteria reflects the microbiologic status of infected vegetations in experimental infective endocarditis.

Blood, 1987 Feb, 69(2), 529 - 36
Antibodies to granulocyte precursors in selective myeloid hypoplasia and other suspected autoimmune neutropenias: use of HL-60 cells as targets; Currie MS et al.; Patients with syndromes of autoantibody-mediated hematocytopenias may manifest signs of increased cell destruction and/or decreased cell production, depending on the maturity of the target cell and the effects of antibody binding . The purpose of this study was to use a cultured human cell line of hematopoietic origin for in vitro assays of antibody binding to overcome the relative inaccessibility of natural human marrow progenitor cells . This report describes the detection, using radioiodinated staphylococcal protein A (SPA), of antibodies binding to a human promyelocytic cell line (HL-60) in sera from three patients with chronic idiopathic granulocytic hypoplasia ("pure white cell aplasia," PWCA) and 22 patients with other syndromes of suspected immune neutropenia . Bone marrow from patients with increased IgG binding to HL-60 cells showed less than 15% granulocytic lineage cellularity in 11 of 17 cases . In vitro differentiation of HL-60 cells by retinoic acid resulted in increased IgG binding for sera that had shown increased IgG binding to mature granulocytes but not undifferentiated HL-60 cells; in contrast, for sera with antibodies to untreated HL-60 cells and for normal serum, in vitro differentiation had little effect on IgG binding . Antibodies eluted from mature granulocytes were similar to the parent serum regarding the ratio of IgG binding to mature cells v HL-60 cells . No sera from 19 patients with febrile transfusion reactions showed increased IgG binding to HL-60 cells in the absence of increased IgG binding to mature granulocytes, although two sera had antibodies to both cell types . The use of HL-60 cells as targets may permit measurement of serum antibodies associated with granulocytic hypoplasia . In combination with assays to detect antibody binding to mature granulocytes, these techniques may discriminate among autoantibody specificities for antigens that are gained, conserved, or lost during myeloid maturation.

J Rheumatol, 1987 Feb, 14(1), 46 - 51
Comparative toxicity of total lymphoid irradiation and immunosuppressive drug treated patients with intractable rheumatoid arthritis; Sherrer Y et al.; Outcomes were compared between consecutive patients who had received either total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) or immunosuppressant treatment for intractable rheumatoid arthritis (RA) . There were 33 TLI and 32 immunosuppressive recipients; all patients had failed standard therapy . Average followup from the start of therapy was 2.7 years for TLI and 5.9 years for immunosuppressive recipients . Final disability levels were the same in both groups; mortality was equal in both groups as well . There were more hospitalizations for infections in the TLI group and the infecting organisms tended to be staphylococcus or gram negative organisms . Apart from infections, there were more adverse effects reported in the immunosuppressive therapy group.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1987 Feb, 156(2), 407 - 13
Congenital and nosocomial sepsis in infants born in a regional perinatal unit: cause, outcome, and white blood cell response; Ohlsson A et al.; The incidence, cause, and outcome of sepsis and the white blood cell response were studied in 6315 infants born in a regional perinatal unit . The incidence of neonatal sepsis was 6.5 per 1000 live births . Congenital sepsis (12 cases) was overwhelming, with associated maternal infection (92%), neutropenia (75%), and high rate of mortality (50%) . The most common organism was Escherichia coli (58%) . Gestational age and birth weight were similar in survivors and nonsurvivors . There was a strong correlation between total white blood cell count and both mature and immature neutrophil counts in survivors but this correlation decreased substantially in neonates that died . Analysis of variance indicated that the means for polymorphonuclear leukocyte and immature neutrophil counts were significantly higher in survivors . Nosocomial sepsis (38 cases) occurred in premature low birth weight infants receiving invasive, intensive care . The most common organism was Staphylococcus epidermidis (76%) . Total white blood cell, polymorphonuclear leukocyte, and immature neutrophil counts rose significantly in response to sepsis . None died . Prevention of congenital sepsis requires methods to detect early maternal-fetal infection . Providing granulocytes to neutropenic neonates with congenital sepsis might improve outcome.

Protein Eng, 1987 Feb-Mar, 1(2), 107 - 13
A synthetic IgG-binding domain based on staphylococcal protein A; Nilsson B et al.; A synthetic IgG-binding domain based on staphylococcal protein A was designed with the aid of sequence comparisons and computer graphic analysis . A strategy, utilizing non-palindromic restriction sites, was used to overcome the difficulties of introducing site-specific changes into the repetitive gene . A single mutagenized gene fragment was polymerized to different multiplicities, and the different gene products were expressed in Escherichia coli . Using this scheme, protein A-like proteins composed of different numbers of IgG-binding domains were produced . These domains were changed to lack asparagine--glycine dipeptide sequences as well as methionine residues and are thus, in contrast to native protein A, resistant to treatment with hydroxylamine and cyanogen bromide.

J Gen Microbiol, 1987 Feb, 133 ( Pt 2), 253 - 7
Lack of pleiotropic compensation in extracellular protein production by hypoproducing variants of Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus; Robinson JM et al.; The changes in bacterial density, total extracellular protein and activities of three extracellular enzymes were monitored during growth of wild-type Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus, a representative pleiotropic variant that produced decreased levels of the three extracellular enzymes, and a variant that produced only 5 of the 14 extracellular proteins secreted by the wild-type organism . Both variants produced less total extracellular protein than did the parental organism . SDS-PAGE of the proteins secreted by these hypoproducing variants showed that all of the extracellular proteins were produced in decreased amounts . No pleiotropic compensation in extracellular protein production was observed for these hypoproducing variants of S . simulans biovar staphylolyticus.

Am J Hematol, 1987 Feb, 24(2), 177 - 88
Immunogold staining of microtubules in resting and activated platelets; Escolar G et al.; A circumferential microtubule is known to support the discoid form of resting platelets, but its fate following exposure of the cells to aggregating agents is uncertain . The present study has employed an immunocytochemical approach to follow the fate of the circumferential microtubule in activated platelets . Monoclonal antibodies to tubulin and to vinculin and a polyclonal antibody to actin were incubated with isolated microtubule coils and stained with staphylococcal protein A coupled to immunogold in order to test their specificity . Thin sections of glycolmethacrylate embedded platelets before and after exposure to thrombin for 15, 30 and 60 s were stained with antibodies to tubulin and actin . Immunogold particles showed a high specificity for isolated MT coils stained for tubulin, modest intensity for actin, and none for vinculin . Gold particles were randomly distributed in thin sections of resting and activated platelets stained for actin . Immunogold was limited to the circumferential microtubule in resting platelets and constricted coils in thrombin-activated cells . The number of gold particles in areas of cytoplasm away from microtubules in platelets stained with antitubulin antibody increased slightly following thrombin activation, but the change was not significant . Results support the concept that microtubule coils supporting the discoid form of resting platelets do not dissolve following exposure of the cells to potent agonists.

Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 1987 Feb, 184(2), 179 - 85
Evaluation of the in vitro production of interferon gamma and other lymphokines in uremic patients; Yousefi S et al.; It has been suggested that a deficient immune response can be responsible at least partially for the high risk of infections and neoplasia in uremic patients . Since interferon (IFN) is critical to the immune response, we have evaluated the in vitro production of IFN-gamma and other lymphokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) drawn from patients with end-stage renal disease and appropriate controls . We have correlated production of lymphokines by these cells with proliferative response to different mitogens . It was found that the secretion of IFN-gamma in response to all three mitogens was elevated in these patients compared with the control group . This elevation was significant with both phytohemagglutin and staphylococcal enterotoxin A, but not with Con A . No significant difference was observed in production of lymphotoxins, IL-2, and leukocyte migration inhibition responses . In contrast the proliferative response appeared diminished in the PBMC of uremic patients . We concluded that defective lymphokine generation is not a major immunological problem in patients with end-stage renal disease . Indeed, they appear to release excess amount of IFN-gamma which is known to be a macrophage-activating factor . It is suggested that high IFN-gamma activity could enhance the secretion of IL-1 or endogenous pyrogen and result in development of febrile reactions in dialysis patients.

Biochem J, 1987 Feb 1, 241(3), 711 - 20
Complete amino acid sequence of the A chain of human complement-classical-pathway enzyme C1r; Arlaud GJ et al.; The amino acid sequence of human C1r A chain was determined, from sequence analysis performed on fragments obtained from C1r autolytic cleavage, cleavage of methionyl bonds, tryptic cleavages at arginine and lysine residues, and cleavages by staphylococcal proteinase . The polypeptide chain has an N-terminal serine residue and contains 446 amino acid residues (Mr 51,200) . The sequence data allow chemical characterization of fragments alpha (positions 1-211), beta (positions 212-279) and gamma (positions 280-446) yielded from C1r autolytic cleavage, and identification of the two major cleavage sites generating these fragments . Position 150 of C1r A chain is occupied by a modified amino acid residue that, upon acid hydrolysis, yields erythro-beta-hydroxyaspartic acid, and that is located in a sequence homologous to the beta-hydroxyaspartic acid-containing regions of Factor IX, Factor X, protein C and protein Z . Sequence comparison reveals internal homology between two segments (positions 10-78 and 186-257) . Two carbohydrate moieties are attached to the polypeptide chain, both via asparagine residues at positions 108 and 204 . Combined with the previously determined sequence of C1r B chain {Arlaud & Gagnon (1983) Biochemistry 22, 1758-1764}, these data give the complete sequence of human C1r.

Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 1987 Feb, 14(1), 49 - 72
Mixed enzymic reaction--internal diffusion kinetics of nonuniformly distributed immobilized enzymes . The system agarose-micrococcal endonuclease; Guisan JM et al.; Two types of (CNBr-activated) Agarose-staphylococcal endonuclease derivatives have been prepared, one with the enzyme uniformly distributed in the support, and the other with the enzyme preferentially bound in the most external part of the support particles; the latter were obtained using agarose of very small pores and a high degree of activation . Quantitative enzyme distribution has been determined by scanning fluorescence microscopy . With these insoluble enzyme derivatives, a kinetic study for the hydrolysis of a mononucleotide has been carried out . A simple theoretical model for nonuniformly distributed insoluble enzyme derivatives, which considers only the case of mixed enzymic reaction-internal diffusion kinetics, is proposed . The experimental data agree very well with the predictions of the model.

Arch Surg, 1987 Feb, 122(2), 170 - 5
Surgery in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Robinson G et al.; Between 1982 and 1985, 21 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (20 men and one woman; mean age, 36 years) underwent 31 surgical procedures at the Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, or the UCLA Medical Center (skin, lymph node, and endoscopic biopsies were excluded) . The operations included seven emergencies and 24 elective operations (eight major and 16 minor) . Pathologic findings included cytomegalovirus colon perforation (two), disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of the small and large bowel (one), cystic duct obstruction by KS (one), poorly differentiated gastrointestinal lymphoma (one), Candida acalculous cholecystitis (one), central nervous system toxoplasmosis (two), amebic encephalitis with abscess (one), staphylococcal botryomycosis of the pericardium (one), pulmonary KS (one), and cytomegalovirus (one) . The overall operative (30 days) mortality rate was 48% (10/21) . The emergency surgery rate was 57% (4/7), elective, 43% (6/14) . The high operative mortality rate in these patients was usually due to progression of opportunistic infections or malignancy.

J Infect Dis, 1987 Feb, 155(2), 187 - 91
Early termination of a prospective, randomized trial comparing teicoplanin and flucloxacillin for treating severe staphylococcal infections; Calain P et al.; In a prospective, randomized trial, teicoplanin (at a 400-mg intravenous loading dose followed by 200 mg/day intravenously or intramuscularly) was compared with flucloxacillin (8 g/day) in patients with severe staphylococcal infections . Teicoplanin proved unsatisfactory for the following reasons: failures or relapses were more frequent in the teicoplanin group, and blood levels were difficult to predict and tended to be low 24 hr after the loading dose . Future trials with this agent should use much-higher doses.

J Virol, 1987 Feb, 61(2), 239 - 46
Functional and antigenic domains of the matrix (M1) protein of influenza A virus; Ye ZP et al.; The membrane- and ribonucleocapsid (RNP)-binding domains of the matrix (M1) protein of influenza A virus (WSN strain) were partially mapped and characterized by reactivity with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) as well as by proteolytic cleavages and amino acid sequencing of the resulting peptides . Of two peptides formed by formic acid hydrolysis, a 9-kilodalton fragment at the amino-terminal third of the M1 protein was recognized by MAb M2-1C6 (to epitope 1), and a 15-kilodalton fragment at the carboxy-terminal two-thirds was recognized by MAb 289/4 (to epitope 2) . Partial cleavage by staphylococcal V8 protease gave rise to a 16-kilodalton peptide, mapping to amino acid 8, which was recognized by MAbs to all three epitopes but rather weakly by MAb 904/6 to epitope 3 . These studies suggest that epitope 1 of the M1 protein resides between amino acids 8 and 89, whereas epitopes 2 and possibly 3 are located between amino acids 89 and 141 or somewhat more carboxy distal . The intact M1 protein and its N-terminal 9- and 10-kilodalton peptides generated by formic acid or V8 protease cleavage, respectively, reconstituted with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles, but these N-terminal peptides had little effect on in vitro transcription of the RNP core . In sharp contrast, both intact M1 protein and the C-terminal 15-kilodalton formic acid fragment were able to inhibit viral transcription markedly . Moreover, MAb 289/4 (to epitope 2) reversed this inhibited transcription significantly . These studies suggest that the lipid-binding domain of the M1 protein is located within the amino-terminal third, whereas the site involved in the interaction of the M1 protein with RNP cores is located within the carboxy-terminal two-thirds.

FEBS Lett, 1987 Jan 26, 211(2), 127 - 32
Characterization of domain borders and of a naturally occurring major fragment of staphylococcal alpha-toxin; Blomqvist L et al.; A naturally occurring staphylococcal alpha-toxin fragment with an apparent membrane-binding capacity but without toxic activities is shown to be derived from the C-terminal half of the intact polypeptide chain by cleavage between position 134 and 135 in the parent molecule . The resulting N-terminus is slightly ragged with a fragment start not only at position 135 but also at the adjacent position 136 . Another naturally occurring fragment starts at position 9, derived from an original cleavage between position 8 and 9 in the parent molecule . Analysis of non-purified fragment mixtures confirmed these positions and established that only one further region, at positions 71-72, is partly sensitive to proteolysis under natural conditions . Trypsin treatment has limited effects on the native toxin molecule, giving essentially only two initial cleavages with resultant large fragments . One of these cleavages is at the peptide bond between position 131 and 132, thus only three residues away from the position of the major naturally occurring cleavage . The other bond sensitive to trypsin is between position 8 and 9, thus identically positioned to the cleavage occurring naturally . Together, all the cleavages define a region in a central segment of the polypeptide chain that has all the properties of an inter-domain segment . The C-terminal half appears to constitute a membrane-binding domain, and the N-terminal half a structure needed for full biological activity, functionally subdividing the parent polypeptide chain.

J Biol Chem, 1987 Jan 15, 262(2), 649 - 53
Identification of the 37-kDa protein displaying a variable interaction with the erythroid cell membrane as glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; Allen RW et al.; In previous studies from this laboratory we isolated and characterized a 37-kDa protein that was associated with the membrane of erythroid cells . The polypeptide appeared to undergo a lineage-specific alteration in its interaction with the membrane during erythroid development and migrated as a family of isoelectric focusing variants during analyses on two-dimensional gels . We report here that the 37-kDa protein is homologous to the enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12) . This conclusion was reached from the results of several experimental approaches comparing the biochemical and genetic properties of the 37-kDa protein (p37) with authentic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase . Peptide maps of highly purified p37 and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, generated with Staphylococcus V8 protease, were identical . The nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone encoding p37 was nearly identical to the published sequence for genes encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase . These results suggest that the interaction of the enzyme with the red cell membrane is more complex than previously envisioned . The existence of subpopulations of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase molecules is envisioned that exhibit different levels of enzyme activity and bind to the red cell membrane with varying affinities.

Biochemistry, 1987 Jan 13, 26(1), 128 - 34
Comparison of the precursor and mature forms of rat heart mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase; Grant PM et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from rat heart has been determined by chemical methods . Peptides used in this study were purified after digestions with cyanogen bromide, trypsin, endoproteinase Lys C, and staphylococcal protease V-8 . The amino acid sequence of this mature enzyme is compared with that of the precursor form, which includes the primary structure of the transit peptide . The transit peptide is required for incorporation into mitochondria and appears to be homologous to the NH2-terminal arm of a related cytoplasmic enzyme, pig heart lactate dehydrogenase . The amino acid differences between the rat heart and pig heart mitochondrial malate dehydrogenases are analyzed in terms of the three-dimensional structure of the latter . Only 12/314 differences are found; most are conservative changes, and all are on or near the surface of the enzyme . We propose that the transit peptide is located on the surface of the mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase precursor.

Eksp Onkol, 1987, 9(1), 30 - 4
{Effect of a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction on the cytotoxic activity of macrophages, natural and antibody-dependent killer cells}; Gordienko SM; It is established that preparations which cause the delayed type hypersensitivity reaction (DTHR), such as old tuberculine of Koch (OTK) and staphylococcal phagolysate (SPL), being administered to mice sensibilized preliminary by BCG vaccine or staphylococcus, lead to considerable reinforcement of natural cytotoxicity of peritoneal macrophages and natural killer cells (NK-cells) and killer cells (K-cells) to a small extent . In the course of DTHR there is an increase in the ability of effector cells to bind with target ones (especially in macrophages) as well as in the quantity of cytolytic effectors . The cultural medium from macrophages of mice with DTHR which have internalized the opsonized particles of zymosan or have interacted with target cells P815, intensifies the activity of NK- and K-cells while the same medium from macrophages of intact animals possesses a depressed action on the NK- and K-cells activity . The cultural medium from spleen lymphocytes which mediated the NK- and K-cells activity of the intact animals as well as mice with DTHR does not influence cytotoxicity of macrophages.

Transfusion, 1987 Jan-Feb, 27(1), 15 - 8
Status of the MNSs antigens on human platelets; Simpson MB et al.; A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay was used to determine whether human platelets possess antigens of the MNSs blood group . Mouse monoclonal IgG anti-M and anti-N were purified by Staphylococcus protein A chromatography, labeled with 125I, and incubated with platelet pellets from donors of various MN phenotypes . Human IgG anti-M, -S, and -s were purified by absorption-elution, incubated with platelet pellets from donors of different MNSs phenotypes, washed, and incubated with 125I-labeled mouse monoclonal anti-human IgG . In both assays, the platelet pellets were centrifuged through phthalate ester oils and the radioactivity in the pellets was counted . Dose-response curves and ligand bound per cell indicated no significant difference in the binding of mouse or human anti-M and anti-N to platelets from donors of the MM, MN, or NN phenotype or of human anti-S and anti-s to platelets from donors of the Ss or ss phenotype . Contrary to many previous studies, our data indicate that the MNSs antigens are not expressed on the circulating human platelet . Therefore, antibodies to these antigens probably do not play a role in refractoriness to platelet transfusion.

Parasitol Res, 1987, 73(1), 57 - 65
Alterations in the internal defence system of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis induced by infection with the schistosome Trichobilharzia ocellata; van der Knaap WP et al.; In order to investigate whether the schistosome Trichobilharzia ocellata interferes with defence activities in its snail intermediate host Lymnaea stagnalis, aspects of the immune system of infected snails and of non-infected controls were compared . The elimination of injected live Staphylococcus saprophyticus bacteria starts at a lower rate in infected snails 1 and 5 weeks after exposure to the parasite, but then proceeds faster than in control snails . During the first 3 weeks of infection, when only mother sporocysts are present, the haemocytes of the infected snails have an increased capacity to phagocytose rabbit red blood cells in vitro . From 5 weeks onwards, when mother and daughter sporocysts are present but cercariae are not yet mature, the phagocytic activity decreases to below control level . The number of circulating haemocytes is also higher in infected snails than in controls at this time . Moreover, the cells are larger, have more inclusions and an increased surface area with many long, branched, spiked pseudopods . The development of the parasite is retarded in a subpopulation of snails in which the haemolymph plasma agglutinates erythrocytes with high titres, compared to a subpopulation with low haemagglutinating activity . The haemagglutinating activity in infected snails of the first decreases significantly from 6 weeks onwards.

Arch Surg, 1987 Jan, 122(1), 44 - 7
Biliary bacteria, antibiotic use, and wound infection in surgery of the gallbladder and common bile duct; Lewis RT et al.; That clinical risk groups predict postoperative infection in biliary operations has recently been challenged . To reevaluate the risk of infection, we studied 215 patients stratified by clinical risk factors . Of 100 patients having simple "low-risk" cholecystectomy, 11 had positive bile cultures (90% pure), and one with sterile bile got a staphylococcal wound infection (WI) . Among 92 "high-risk" patients with acute cholecystitis, obstructive jaundice, or choledochal stones, 42 had positive bile cultures (44% pure, 12% anaerobes) . One of 52 patients who received preoperative cefazolin got a staphylococcal WI, but ten of 40 patients without antibiotic therapy developed WIs, nine caused by organisms that also grew from the bile . Of 23 patients with obstructive cholangitis, 22 had positive bile cultures (88% mixed, 23% anaerobes) . Despite antibiotic therapy, four developed WIs caused by these organisms . The concept of clinical risk factors is validated.

Intensive Care Med, 1987, 13(6), 390 - 4
Early evaluation of coagulase negative staphylococcus in blood samples of intensive care unit patients . A clinically uncertain judgement; Dominguez-de Villota E et al.; Of 2160 intensive care unit patients, 36 patients with positive blood cultures had coagulase-negative staphylococcus in one blood bottle, whereas the organism was present in two or more bottles in 38 cases . The groups were not significantly different in 27 clinical variables, obtained at the time of their first positive blood culture . There was also no significant difference in the antimicrobial sensitivities . No initial clinical data supported the classification of coagulase-negative staphylococcus as either pathogen or contaminant . When the 74 patients with blood culture positive coagulase-negative staphylococcus were compared with three "control groups" ("absent septicemia," "probable septicemia" and "proven septicemia") they were not different from those with "probable septicemia." A discriminant analysis was performed comparing patients with "absent septicemia" and with "proven septicemia" in an attempt to classify patients with isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococcus in one of these groups at an early stage . Patients with two or more positive blood cultures were not statistically classified more frequently as septicemic than patients with one blood bottle positive for this organism . However, patients categorized as septicemic had a significantly higher mortality (59%) than those classified as non-septicemic (35%) (p less than 0.05).

J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris), 1987, 16(4), 467 - 9
{Vaginal ulceration induced by abuse of tampons}; Raudrant D et al.; A large vaginal ulcerated area which came about because super-absorbant tampons had been worn for three years is reported . Cure was obtained when the area was excised and sutured . There was no recurrence after the patient stopped using the tampons . There are 36 cases reported in the literature . Ulceration occurs in young women (25 years), nulliparous or primiparous (79%), who use tampons abnormally during the periods and between the periods (75%) . The ulceration is always characteristic in appearance: it is a punched-out area, round or oval in shape, and is situated in the upper third of the vaginal barrel near where the tampon presses on to the vagina . Spontaneous cure occurs in 75% of cases when the tampon is no longer used . Physio-pathological hypotheses as to the causation are given . A suggestion is made as to the relationship between this syndrome and the staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome . The discovery of vaginal ulceration is not usually due to use of menstrual tampons . One has to think of adenosis of the vagina, herpetic ulceration, a syphilitic chancre or cancer, the diagnosis depending a little on the age of the patient . In our case that we report, continuous usage of super-absorbant tampons was accompanied by a large vaginal ulcer . Because of this case we have reviewed the literature about the cases that have been reported and have collected 36 cases.

Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1987, 13(3), 133 - 6
In vitro antibacterial activity of E-3604, a new 6-fluoroquinolone, on clinical isolates; Xicota MA et al.; From a series of pyrrol-containing antibacterial agents, E-3604 was selected for development and compared with nalidixic acid, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin against strains of clinical isolates . The in vitro activity of E-3604 was greater than that of nalidixic acid, similar to that of norfloxacin and lower than that of ciprofloxacin, except in the case of Staphylococcus where E-3604 showed the best in vitro activity of all the studied compounds, with a MIC range of 0.25-0.03 mg/ml . E-3604, like the other quinolones, presented a pH-dependent variation of activity, greater activity being observed in slightly acidic pH values.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1987, 19(2), 211 - 4
Bacterial contamination in cerebrospinal fluid shunt surgery; Stromblad LG et al.; Infection is a major complication of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt treatment with a reported incidence of 8-27% . In the present study, comprising 64 patients operated under strictly defined preoperative and peroperative hygienic measures and without use of prophylactic antibiotics, the infection rate was 3.1% . Out of the 2 cases of shunt infection recorded, 1 was probably caused by peroperative contamination and 1 by postoperative, hematogenous spread . Bacterial cultures from the operation area before incision and during operation were negative in 95% and 78%, respectively, and when positive yielded low numbers of organisms . Specimens taken after skin closure revealed growth in 59% and high bacterial numbers in 20%, mostly of Staphylococcus epidermidis and other resident skin bacteria . In addition, cultures of irrigation solutions, kept in open bowls during operation, yielded bacterial growth in 65% with a predominance of S . epidermidis . Thus, the strict hygienic measures did not prevent bacterial recolonization of the wound during operation . It is conceivable that endogenous as well as exogenous spread may be of importance in this context . The contamination of irrigation solutions indicates that closed irrigation systems should be used in this type of surgery.

Am J Nephrol, 1987, 7(2), 137 - 9
Henoch-Schönlein purpura complicating staphylococcal endocarditis in a heroin addict; Montoliu J et al.; A 21-year-old heroin addict with right-sided staphylococcal endocarditis developed skin purpura, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, proteinuria and microscopic hematuria . Skin biopsy showed leukocytoclastic vasculitis with IgA deposits in dermal vessels and renal biopsy disclosed proliferative glomerulonephritis with granular mesangial IgA and fibrinogen deposition . These features are typical of Henoch-Schonlein purpura . Symptoms abated spontaneously . Since the syndrome appeared during cloxacillin therapy, both this drug or the infectious disease itself could have triggered the immune response . Henoch-Schonlein purpura is a distinct clinical entity that can complicate the course of staphylococcal endocarditis.

Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1987, 13(2), 75 - 7
In vitro antibacterial activity of irloxacin (E-3432) on clinical isolates; Coll R et al.; Irloxacin (E-3432) is a new quinolone derivative . In this study, the activity of irloxacin was compared with that of nalidixic acid, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin against strains of clinical isolates . Irloxacin showed greater in vitro activity than nalidixic acid, similar activity to norfloxacin and lower activity than ciprofloxacin . Against Staphylococcus, the MIC range of E-3432 was 0.06-1 mg/l, better than the other compounds studied.

Avian Dis, 1987 Jan-Mar, 31(1), 85 - 8
Staphylococcosis of turkeys . 5 . Large-scale control programs using bacterial interference; Nicoll TR et al.; Staphylococcus epidermidis strain 115 was used as an interfering agent to reduce the incidence of staphylococcosis in turkeys . In 1984, the entire Utah turkey population of about 3 million turkeys was exposed at 1 to 10 days and at 4 to 6 weeks of age to aerosols of strain 115 . Some staphylococcosis was still observed in range turkeys but appeared to be at a lower rate than in previous years . At processing, about 30% of the turkeys were still colonized with strain 115 . A control study was carried out in 1985 to quantitate the level of reduction of staphylococcosis in turkeys treated with strain 115 . About 1 million turkeys were treated, and 2 million remained untreated . Flocks from both groups were examined periodically for existing cases of staphylococcosis . Of 174,250 treated turkeys examined, 90 had staphylococcosis on the days examined, whereas 255 of the 183,500 untreated turkeys that were examined had staphylococcosis . Turkeys housed in range sheds had five times the incidence of staphylococcosis that turkeys in enclosed coops had . The gross mortality rate of 200,636 treated turkeys was 2.7% lower (P less than 0.001) than that of 189,450 untreated control turkeys that were monitored.

Avian Dis, 1987 Jan-Mar, 31(1), 80 - 4
Staphylococcosis of turkeys . 4 . Characterization of a bacteriocin produced by an interfering Staphylococcus; Wilkinson DM et al.; A Staphylococcus epidermidis isolate designated strain 115, which is used as an interfering agent against staphylococcosis of turkeys, produces a bacteriocin that was partially purified and characterized in this study . This bacteriocin diffused through agar media, but it was not found in appreciable quantities in the supernatant fluid of broth cultures . Extraction of the bacterial cells with 7 M urea, 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, or 1% Triton X-100 caused considerable amounts of the bacteriocin to go into solution . This substance was partially purified by selective chemical extraction and by gel filtration chromatography using a Sephacryl S-300 column . This bacteriocin had two active forms: an aggregate, and a small-molecular-weight form estimated by gel filtration chromatography to be less than 6500 . Activity was not affected by heat, repeated freeze-thaw cycles, pH 2 and pH 10, or a variety of proteolytic enzymes, nucleases, a lipase, and lysozyme.

Avian Dis, 1987 Jan-Mar, 31(1), 74 - 9
Staphylococcosis of turkeys . 3 . Bacterial interference as a possible means of control; Meyers CM et al.; Two Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates from turkeys were used as interfering agents to help control staphylococcosis . Both isolates adhered to tissues of the turkeys' respiratory tract, interfered with attachment of virulent S . aureus, produced bacteriocins bacteriocidal to S . aureus, and were avirulent for turkeys . About 200,000 turkeys in commercial flocks were exposed to aerosols of these interfering isolates between 1 and 6 weeks of age, and many became colonized with these bacteria . The aerosol-treated turkeys had lower levels of colonization with S . aureus and had a 3% higher gross survival rate than untreated control turkeys.

Bioorg Khim, 1987 Jan, 13(1), 122 - 4
{Structural similarity and functional activity of molecular fragments of staphylococcal enterotoxin B and thymopoietin II}; Vegner RE et al.; Structural similarity between Staphylococcus enterotoxin B and a thymus hormone, thymopoietin, has been revealed concerning thymopentin, one of active centres of thymopoietin . Fragments of enterotoxin B homologous to thymopoietin and their analogues were synthesized their immunological activity studied . Acetyl derivative of the fragment 225-229 of enterotoxin B increased infectional resistance and stimulated delayed type of hypersensitivity reaction.

Arkh Patol, 1987, 49(2), 32 - 7
{Morphological changes in the internal organs in experimental staphylococcal sepsis}; Tepliakov VG et al.; In 200 albino rats pathomorphological changes of different organs were studied during experimental staphylococcal sepsis (from 3 to 45 days of the disease), caused by intramuscular injection of 0.15-0.20 ml suspension of microbes (10(15) per ml) in 10% CaCl2 solution . Local piemic focus occurred first, followed by bacteremia and generalized sepsis manifest with secondary piemic foci in the viscera . In the cytologic imprints early stages of piemic metastatic focus formation in liver, kidneys and other organs were demonstrated . Microcirculatory, dystrophic changes, as well as lymphoid system suppression were revealed . The authors come to the conclusion that all the signs are similar to general morphologic criteria of sepsis in humans.

Nephron, 1987, 45(2), 126 - 8
Staphylococcal epidermidis infection of a hemodialysis button-graft complex controlled by vancomycin for 11 months; Gault MH et al.; A 54 year old woman had a Bentley DiaTAP button implanted in her thigh for hemodialysis access . She had been started on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) because of intractable vascular access problems . Unfortunately, CAPD had to be discontinued because of fungal peritonitis . Transplantation had not been possible because of circulating cytotoxic antibodies . The prosthetic complex soon became infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis and blood cultures were intermittently positive for 11 months . However, with continuing vancomycin therapy she remained in her usual state of health, without side effects from vancomycin, until venous thrombosis resolved and it became possible to remove the infected prosthetic complex and implant a button in an arm . As a last resort, it may be possible to maintain a patient on dialysis in reasonable health with a DiaTAP button graft complex infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis and intermittent positive blood cultures using long term vancomycin therapy . Such management probably would not be appropriate for any other organism.

Indian J Ophthalmol, 1987, 35(5-6), 89 - 90
Glucose oxidase as an adjunct to penicillin on penicillin resistant staphylococcal isolates; Sharma GK et al.; The study was carried out to find out the efficacy of glucose oxidase as an adjunct to penicillin and its comparison with cloxacillin on fifty penicillin resistant staphylococcal isolates . There is an unequivocal evidence that the combined use of glucose oxidase and penicillin is superior in controlling penicillin resistant coagulase positive staphylococcal infections in comparison to cloxacillin.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1987, 35(6), 877 - 85
Evaluation of the effect of staphylococcal serine proteinase on phagocytosis; Miedzobrodzki J et al.; Correlations between values of phagocytosis index and values of concentrations of staphylococcal serine proteinase were analysed . Preincubation of granulocytes with the proteinase stimulated phagocytosis of three bacterial strains: S . saprophyticus, S . aureus VS and S . aureus Smith diffuse . Significant correlations were also observed for S . saprophyticus strain in phagocytosis performed with or without bovine serum . Specific rabbit IgG anti-serine proteinase effected the increase of phagocytosis index only in the case of S . aureus Smith diffuse . Summary statistical analysis for all experimental conditions exhibits significant correlations also for S . aureus VS strain . No significant correlations were noted for the three remaining strains taken from patients.

Scand J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1987, 21(2), 149 - 52
Mediastinal drainage blood . Potentialities for autotransfusion after cardiac surgery; Solem JO et al.; The rate of postoperative bleeding was studied in 32 patients with aortocoronary bypass surgery and in 18 with aortic valve replacement . In 12 of the 50 patients, more than 500 ml of shed mediastinal blood could be saved within 8 postoperative hours . Aerobic and anaerobic cultures of such blood were obtained from the suction reservoir in 20 cases 2, 4 and 6 hours postoperatively . The results were negative, apart from Staphylococcus albus in one 6-hour sample . The blood, which was in some degree hemolyzed, contained acceptable amounts of red cells and albumin . Alterations of the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems indicated massive proteolysis with degradation of the proteins to an extent that precluded coagulation . This proteolysis had taken place in the mediastinum, resulting in total defibrinogenation of the blood . The authors conclude that in about one-fourth of cases in cardiac surgery, postoperatively shed blood is worth saving for red cell and volume substitution.

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