Staphylococcus aureus

Biochem J, 1985 Mar 15, 226(3), 853 - 8
Discontinuities in the topography of alcohol dehydrogenase-sodium dodecyl sulphate complexes revealed by mutagenesis and proteolysis; Ferl RJ; Experiments utilizing proteolytic mapping of maize Alcohol dehydrogenase-1 protein (EC 1.1.1.1; ADH) showed that, in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), two discrete areas of the protein molecule were hypersensitive to digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase . These areas were mapped to points 11 and 27 kDa along the 41 kDa polypeptide . Furthermore, ADH1 proteins isolated from the ethyl methanesulphonate-induced mutants U725 and W586 showed both a change in electrophoretic mobility in SDS gels, and an altered V8 proteinase digestion pattern . Protein from U725 migrated in SDS gels as though it was 2 kDa smaller than wild-type ADH protein and lacked the 11 kDa cleavage site . Protein from W586 lacked the 30 kDa cleavage site and migrated as if it was 3 kDa smaller than wild type . The possible relationships between proteinase cleavage sites, mutations and SDS gel mobilities are discussed.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Mar 10, 260(5), 2670 - 4
The ompA signal peptide directed secretion of Staphylococcal nuclease A by Escherichia coli; Takahara M et al.; The hybrid pre-enzyme formed by fusion of the signal peptide of the OmpA protein, a major outer membrane protein of Escherichia coli, to Staphylococcal nuclease A, a protein secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, is translocated across the cytoplasmic membrane of E . coli with concomitant cleavage of the signal peptide . A DNA fragment containing the coding sequence for the ompA signal peptide was initially ligated to a DNA fragment containing the coding sequence for nuclease A, with a linker sequence of 33 nucleotides separating the coding sequences . When this fused gene was induced, an enzymatically active nuclease was secreted into the periplasmic space; sequential Edman degradation of this protein revealed that the ompA signal peptide was removed at its normal cleavage site resulting in a modified version of the nuclease having 11 extra amino acid residues attached to the amino terminus of nuclease A . The 33 nucleotides between the coding sequences for the ompA signal peptide and the structural gene for nuclease A were subsequently deleted by synthetic oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis . The nuclease produced by this hybrid gene was secreted into the periplasmic space and by sequential Edman degradation was identical to nuclease A . Thus, the ompA signal peptide is able to direct the secretion of fused staphylococcal nuclease A, and signal peptide processing occurs at the normal cleavage site . When the hybrid gene is expressed under the control of the lpp promoter, nuclease A is produced to the extent of 10% of the total cellular protein.

J Mol Biol, 1985 Mar 5, 182(1), 91 - 107
Analogs of cyclic AMP that elicit the biochemically defined conformational change in catabolite gene activator protein (CAP) but do not stimulate binding to DNA; Ebright RH et al.; We have measured the effects on catabolite gene activator protein (CAP) of 22 synthetic analogs of cAMP . Each analog was assayed to test three parameters: (1) binding to CAP; (2) induction of the conformational change in CAP; and (3) activation of transcription . Thus we have identified seven cAMP analogs that bind to CAP as well or better than does cAMP, cause the assayed conformational change in CAP, yet exhibit no ability to activate transcription . We designate these analogs class D . The conformational change elicited in CAP by the class D analogs was further investigated by: (1) sensitivity to the proteolytic enzymes chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, subtilisin and trypsin; (2) formation of inter-subunit covalent crosslinks by 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid); and (3) degree of labeling of cysteine by {3H}N-ethylmaleimide . These experiments failed to detect a conformational difference between the CAP-class D and CAP-cAMP complexes . Filter binding and nuclease protection experiments indicate that the class D analogs do not efficiently support the binding of CAP to DNA . From these results, we suggest that there exists a hitherto undetected event dependent on cAMP, and required for CAP to bind to DNA . We suggest that this event involves a change that takes place in proximity to the N6 atom of cAMP . Three possible interpretations are discussed.

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1985 Mar, 16(1), 15 - 21
Brugia malayi: serum dependent cell-mediated reactions to microfilariae; Chandrashekar R et al.; Sheathed and exsheathed microfilariae of Brugia malayi are killed by normal rat cells in the presence of immune serum in vitro . Immune serum heated at 56 degrees C for 1 hour lost this activity which was largely restored by the addition of fresh normal rat serum . EDTA but not EGTA abolished this activity indicating the operation of complement by alternate pathway . Fresh normal rat serum alone promoted cellular adherence without exerting cytotoxicity to the microfilariae . The activity in the immune serum could be removed with Staphylococcus aureus cells containing Protein A or anti-IgG antiserum . The activity could also be absorbed to and eluted from Protein A--sepharose CL-4B suggesting the involvement of IgG . Neutrophils and macrophages participate in the antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity phenomenon . Eosinophils while adhering to the microfilariae exert cytotoxicity only to the exsheathed parasites.

Ann Inst Pasteur Microbiol, 1985 Mar-Apr, 136A(2), 241 - 5
Gelatin and collagen binding to Staphylococcus aureus strains; Carret G et al.; An interaction between the staphylococcal surface and gelatin is described . Out of 98 Staphylococcus aureus strains, 2 clumped in gelatin solution . Binding of collagen on the Staphylococcus aureus surface was also observed.

Res Vet Sci, 1985 Mar, 38(2), 167 - 73
Electron microscopic study of leucocytic infiltration of the mammary teat duct during infection with Staphylococcus aureus; Nickerson SC et al.; Leucocytic response to Staphylococcus aureus infection was observed in the bovine mammary teat duct using transmission electron microscopy . Leucocytes migrating across the stratified squamous epithelium were observed in close association with areas colonised by cocci . Leucocytes gained access across the epithelium to the teat duct lumen by: passage as luminal cells desquamated; migration through degenerate cell cytoplasm; and penetration of cell junctions . The results provide evidence of marked leucocytic infiltration into ductal tissue which may participate in the cellular response to mastitis.

Acta Paediatr Scand, 1985 Mar, 74(2), 219 - 25
Defective leukocyte interferon response in children with recurrent infections accompanied by arthralgia; Bondestam M et al.; Children with recurrent and/or unusually severe infections were investigated for possible defects in the interferon (IFN)-natural killer (NK) cell system . Two series, each of 13 children, were examined, one in 1982 and one in 1983 . Healthy children, seven in 1982 and eight in 1983, served as controls . Peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes were examined for IFN production induced by the IFN-alpha inducers Sendai virus and Escherichia coli and by the IFN-gamma inducers Concanavalin A and Lens culinaris lectin . None of these inducers discriminated patients from controls . However, the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SACol), inducers of atypical IFN in null lymphocytes, yielded significantly lower IFN production in infection-prone children than in controls, particularly in children with recurrent infections accompanied by arthralgia . No differences in basal NK activity or in the in vitro enhancement of such activity by IFN-alpha were found between patients and controls.

Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1985 Mar, 14(3), 275 - 81
In vitro translation of mRNA from Toxocara canis larvae; Sugane K et al.; 300 micrograms of total RNA was extracted from 1 ml of packed Toxocara canis larvae by centrifugation through a 5.7 M cesium chloride cushion . 60 micrograms of polyadenylated messenger RNA was separated from 300 micrograms of total RNA in an oligothymidylic acid-cellulose gel column . The in vitro translation of the mRNA, isolated from T . canis larvae, was carried out using the rabbit reticulocyte cell-free translation system . Incorporation of {35S}methionine into trichloroacetic acid precipitable material in the lysate containing mRNA was 4-5 times greater than that of control . Translation products were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by autoradiography . Many polypeptides ranging in molecular weight from 10000 to 100000 were synthesised in the lysate . A T . canis positive human serum was mixed with translation products to form antigen-antibody complexes, which were then absorbed by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 strain and analysed by the autoradiography of SDS-PAGE . Three antigenic polypeptides with molecular weights of 49000, 27000 and 22000 which reacted specifically with IgG antibody in T . canis positive human serum, were demonstrated . The 27000 MW polypeptide reacted particularly strongly with the IgG antibody.

J Dairy Sci, 1985 Mar, 68(3), 726 - 31
Evaluation of protein A and a commercial bacterin as vaccines against Staphylococcus aureus mastitis by experimental challenge; Pankey JW et al.; Protein A and a commercial staphylococcal bacterin were evaluated by experimental challenge with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29740) . Thirty cows in first lactation were in three treatment groups, protein A, bacterin, and nonvaccinated controls . Studies were through three lactations and included bacteriological and cytological analyses of quarter milk samples . Rate of intramammary infection with Staphylococcus aureus was similar for vaccinated and unvaccinated cows . Rates of spontaneous cure within each lactation were significantly higher for vaccinated cows . For all three lactations, spontaneous cure rates were 83, 73, and 47% for protein A, bacterin, and control cows . Somatic cell counts were significantly lower for vaccinated cows for quarters infected with Staphylococcus aureus, but no differences were demonstrated for milk production by lactation . Incidence of clinical mastitis was higher in unvaccinated cows, but too few developed for a valid comparison.

Clin Rheumatol, 1985 Mar, 4(1), 90 - 2
Staphylococcus aureus infection complicating haemarthroses in elderly patients; Helliwell M; The case histories of 3 elderly patients who developed haemarthrosis of osteoarthritic joints with subsequent infection with staphylococcus aureus, are described . Trauma to the affected joints was a predisposing factor in 2 patients and, while only one patient developed clinical signs of sepsis, all had marked elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate . Although suspicion of joint sepsis was obscured by the presence of a coexistent haemarthrosis, routine culture of joint aspirates showed infection with staphylococcus aureus and all patients recovered well with antibacterial therapy.

Can J Biochem Cell Biol, 1985 Mar, 63(3), 195 - 203
The cross-linking of human Met-hemoglobin with {14C}dimethyl adipimidate; Ferris RJ et al.; Met-hemoglobin, cross-linked with {14C}dimethyladipimidate (cross-linking span 9 A; 1 A = 0.1 nm), yields four distinct molecular weight products (monomer, dimer, trimer, and tetramer) as observed on sodium dodecyl sulfate - polyacrylamide gels . The dimer species was purified to homogeneity by gel filtration . It was proteolytically degraded using a combination of Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin . The resultant peptides were fractionated using gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography methods . Two cross-links were unambiguously identified: (i) alpha 1Lys7-alpha 1Lys11 and (ii) beta 1Lys82-beta 2Lys82 . The identified cross-links correlated well with the known structure of hemoglobin . However, attempts to isolate and identify a greater number of cross-linked peptides were unsuccessful owing to the complexity of the peptide mixtures . The complexity was a direct result of the chemical modification of the hemoglobin molecule . Therefore, attempts to employ chemical cross-linking as a means of examining sites of protomer contact within large oligomeric proteins should be approached with caution.

J Bone Joint Surg Br, 1985 Mar, 67(2), 229 - 31
Infection in experimental hip arthroplasties; Southwood RT et al.; The relationship between the route of inoculation, the dose of inoculum and the development of infection after prosthetic replacement has been determined in an animal model . The rabbit hip served as the model and a Staphylococcus aureus isolated from an infected human hip arthroplasty was introduced using different protocols . The 50% infective dose (ID50) was determined for comparative purposes . Contamination of the wound site with only a few bacteria was likely to result in infection . It was considerably more difficult to induce infection when the operation was performed without inserting the prosthesis, which suggests that the implant inhibits the body's mechanism for dealing with the insult . It was difficult to produce infection by inoculating the organisms into the bloodstream: if this inoculation was delayed till three weeks after operation the animals were often grossly septicaemic by the time the arthroplasty was infected . The results emphasise the importance of minimising intra-operative contamination and the efficacy of antibiotic cover.

Plast Reconstr Surg, 1985 Mar, 75(3), 394 - 6
Cellular and bacterial toxicities of topical antimicrobials; Lineaweaver W et al.; Cellular and bacterial toxicities of four commonly used topical antimicrobials (1% povidone-iodine, 3% hydrogen peroxide, 0.25% acetic acid, and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite) were assayed in vitro using cultures of human fibroblasts and Staphylococcus aureus . All agents tested at full strength killed 100 percent of exposed fibroblasts . Fibroblast toxicity exceeded bacterial toxicity with serial dilutions of hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid . Dilutions of povidone-iodine (1:1000) and sodium hypochlorite (1:100) were identified where no fibroblast toxicity occurred while full bactericidal activity persisted.

J Am Geriatr Soc, 1985 Mar, 33(3), 170 - 4
Septic arthritis in the elderly; McGuire NM et al.; The clinical and microbiologic features of septic arthritis in 23 elderly patients are reviewed . Fifteen patients had pre-existing joint diseases, predominantly osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis . Eight patients had underlying systemic illnesses, and eight patients were receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy prior to the development of septic arthritis . The knee was the joint most commonly infected . Although Staphylococcus aureus was the major pathogen (52.2 per cent of patients), enteric gram-negative bacilli were found in seven of 23 patients (30.4 per cent) . Five patients died (21.7 per cent mortality), two as a result of their infection and three of nosocomial Pseudomonas sepsis . Eight of the 18 survivors (44.4 per cent) developed osteomyelitis in the contiguous bone . Return of joint function was slow in all patients . Septic arthritis in the elderly is difficult to treat and has a poor outcome, possibly because pre-existing joint disease is very common and enteric gram-negative bacilli are often the causative organisms.

Infect Immun, 1985 Mar, 47(3), 710 - 2
Effect of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 on chicken embryos; de Azavedo JC et al.; Staphylococcus aureus strains associated with toxic shock syndrome produce toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST1) . This toxin has a variety of biological effects, including enhanced lethality in rabbits in the presence of sublethal amounts of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) . Because chicken embryos are highly susceptible to LPS, the synergistic effect of TSST1 and LPS was examined in this system . Although TSST1 per se had no effect on chicken embryos, it potentiated the lethal effect of LPS . The 50% lethal dose of LPS was greatly reduced in the presence of up to 10 micrograms of TSST1 per ml . However, at high doses of TSST1 (greater than 100 micrograms/ml), no enhanced lethality was observed . The lowest dose of TSST1 tested which potentiated lethality was 10 ng/ml.

Infect Immun, 1985 Mar, 47(3), 581 - 6
Model of experimental chronic osteomyelitis in rats; Rissing JP et al.; We describe here a Sprague-Dawley rat model for chronic osteomyelitis . Staphylococcus aureus and sodium morrhuate were implanted by either microdrilling or direct needle injection into the tibiae of rats . Of 107 rats, 87 (81%) developed osteomyelitis when a high-speed drill was used for implantation, and 27 (51%) of 53 rats developed osteomyelitis by direct needle inoculation (chi square = 9.81, P less than 0.01) . Demonstrated histopathological changes included the presence of resorption bays filled with osteoclasts . Quantitative microbiological monitoring of tibial count confirmed disease chronicity, yielding stable numbers of CFU (10(6.29 +/- 0.27) ) of S . aureus over 70 days . Infected animals became anemic and lost weight . The erythrocyte sedimentation rates and leukocyte counts were not elevated . Roentgenograms provided the best correlation with the number of organisms in infected tibiae (r2 = 0.80) . Rats with infected tibiae were treated with either oxacillin (120 mg/kg per day) or ceftriaxone (50 mg/kg per day) . Treatment over 14 or 28 days reduced S . aureus counts in tibiae but did not reliably sterilize infected bones, suggesting that this model was resistant to prolonged antimicrobial therapy.

Cancer Res, 1985 Mar, 45(3), 1263 - 9
Effects of plasma treatment with purified protein A and Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I on spontaneous animal neoplasms; Klausner JS et al.; Eleven dogs with spontaneous neoplasms were intensively treated with an immunoadsorption system consisting of a continuous flow centrifuge, Protein A-Sepharose columns, and a semi-automatic elution system . Despite consistent and substantial lowering of immunoglobulin G levels, tumor regression was noted in only one of 11 dogs . In contrast, infusion of small volumes of plasma after incubation with heat and formalin-treated Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I resulted in a tumoricidal response in five of six animals . These results suggest that tumor necrosis is probably not induced by Protein A-mediated removal of humoral "blocking" factors.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Mar, 15(3), 353 - 63
Ceftazidime plus mezlocillin as initial antibiotic therapy in febrile neutropenic patients with haematological malignancy; Clough JV et al.; Sixty episodes of fever in neutropenic patients with haematological malignancy were treated with ceftazidime and mezlocillin . Improvement or temporary improvement was seen in 76% of patients with microbiologically or clinically documented infection . Fifty-seven per cent of episodes due to bacteraemia improved with the antibiotics . Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the commonest pathogens isolated; bacteraemia due to Staph . epidermis was not encountered . The toxicity of ceftazidime plus mezlocillin was acceptable . Diarrhoea developed in 12% and a skin rash in 10%.

J Exp Med, 1985 Mar 1, 161(3), 490 - 502
Human interleukin 1 . Purification to homogeneity; Kronheim SR et al.; We have purified human interleukin 1 (IL-1) to homogeneity by a simplified procedure that results in excellent yields of pure material that retains a high level of biological activity . IL-1, secreted by human peripheral blood macrophages that have been stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus, was purified by ion exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography on Procion Red agarose . The pure protein has a specific activity of 3.2 X 10(8) U/mg in the thymocyte mitogenesis assay, and is pyrogenic . No molecular weight heterogeneity was observed, in contrast to findings for mouse IL-1 and earlier reports of human IL-1 . Purified IL-1, as analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis/electrofocusing gels, exhibited a series of charged species with isoelectric points ranging from 6.0 to 4.9, all with a molecular weight of approximately 17,500 . Amino acid analysis indicated an abundance of acidic residues, in agreement with the low isoelectric points . There is little or no cysteine in the molecule . No evidence was found for the presence of carbohydrate moieties . The overall yield for this procedure was approximately 31% of the activity contained in the initial culture supernatant.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Mar, 151(3), 514 - 22
Induction of human interleukin-1 by toxic-shock-syndrome toxin-1; Parsonnet J et al.; Strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients with toxic shock syndrome (TSS) make a characteristic protein known as toxic-shock-syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), but the role of this protein in the pathogenesis of TSS is not certain . We have purified TSST-1 by using a combination of alcohol precipitation, isoelectric focusing, and gel chromatography . TSST-1 has an isoelectric point of 7.2 and a molecular weight of 23,100, in accordance with previously published determinations for this protein, and is serologically identical to pyrogenic exotoxin C and staphylococcal enterotoxin F . In highly purified form, TSST-1 is a potent inducer of interleukin-1 production by human monocytes, as quantitated in a thymocyte-proliferation assay . This capability is not attributable to contamination by other staphylococcal products or gram-negative endotoxin and can be blocked by hydrocortisone . Many features of TSS suggest that induction of interleukin-1 by TSST-1 in vivo may play a central role in the elaboration of this disease.

J Immunol, 1985 Mar, 134(3), 1690 - 701
The roles of T cell factors in activation, cell cycle progression, and differentiation of human B cells; Jelinek DF et al.; The relationship of the T cell influences involved in human B cell activation and differentiation into immunoglobulin-secreting cells (ISC) was investigated . T cell supernatants (T supt) generated by stimulating T cells with phytohemagglutinin and phorbol myristate acetate contained activities capable of augmenting DNA synthesis and the growth of mitogen-stimulated B cells and supporting the differentiation of ISC . To examine the role of T supt in B cell activation and the progression through the cell cycle, T cell- and monocyte-depleted B cells were stimulated with formalinized Cowan I strain Staphylococcus aureus (SA), and the percentages of cells in G1, S, and G2 + M were determined by acridine orange staining and analysis . In all experiments, a similar percentage of cells entered G1 during the first 24 to 36 hr of culture when stimulated with SA or SA + T supt . Similar results were seen when B cell activation was analyzed by acquisition of a number of other markers of cell activation . Analysis of cell cycle progression with mithramycin staining of cellular DNA in the presence or absence of vinblastine to arrest mitosis indicated that SA-activated B cells were able to complete S and divide in the absence of T supt . Although an effect of T supt on the progression of B cells through the S phase was evident during the first cell cycle, the major effect only became apparent after the first round of cell division . Although T supt was not necessary for initial B cell activation, T cell influences were absolutely necessary for the differentiation of ISC . T supt did not need to be present during the initial 24 to 36 hr of incubation to permit subsequent generation of ISC . However, when T supt was present initially, an increased number of ISC were produced . Hydroxyurea elimination of cells traversing the G1-S interphase indicated that reception of the differentiation signal occurred before the S phase, but that the generation of ISC required subsequent DNA synthesis and/or cell division . Although precursors of ISC were entirely contained within the population triggered to divide by SA alone, there was no preferential expansion of such precursors as a result of SA stimulation . These results indicate that T cell signals are not absolutely necessary for initial B cell activation and progression through the first cell cycle, although T cell factors promote DNA synthesis by some activated B cells . In contrast, differentiation into ISC is completely dependent on T cell influences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Mar, 15(3), 291 - 5
The in-vitro activity of some antimicrobial agents against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Moorhouse EC et al.; A total of 185 strains of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was investigated for sensitivity to five other antimicrobial agents . The vast majority of these strains were also resistant to gentamicin and fusidic acid . Rifampicin was the most active drug tested (MIC90, 0.007 mg/l), while two newer compounds teichomycin and ciprofloxacin showed equal and appreciable activity (MIC90, 0.5 mg/l).

Infect Immun, 1985 Mar, 47(3), 598 - 604
Acquired ability of Staphylococcus aureus to produce toxic shock-associated protein and resulting illness in a rabbit model; Rasheed JK et al.; Staphylococcus aureus from patients with toxic shock syndrome (TSS) produce TSS toxin 1 . We transferred, by a bacteriophage, the ability to produce TSS toxin 1 from a TSS toxin 1-positive to a TSS toxin 1-negative strain of S . aureus . This recombinant strain produced TSS toxin 1 as confirmed by isoelectric focusing, immunodiffusion, radioimmunoassay, and autoradiography . The recombinant produced TSS-like illness in rabbits, and was significantly (P less than 0.001) more lethal than the recipient strain . Both strains produced fever and diarrhea, but, in addition, rabbits challenged with the recombinant also developed lowered blood pressure (P = 0.002), conjunctival hyperemia, erythroderma, and respiratory distress . Histopathological findings in rabbits challenged with the recombinant strain were remarkably similar to those described for humans with TSS, e.g., erythrophagocytosis, liver "triaditis," and vasodilatation . This study demonstrates that this protein may contribute to the pathogenesis of the TSS.

J Immunol, 1985 Mar, 134(3), 1397 - 402
Graft-vs-host reactions (GVHR) across minor murine histocompatibility barriers . I . Impairment of mitogen responses and suppressor phenomena; Holda JH et al.; In our laboratory, we have developed a murine model to examine GVHD across minor histocompatibility antigens . In our model, GVHD is induced by injecting B10.D2 spleen cells into irradiated BALB/c recipients . Seven to 10 days after irradiation and injection of cells, there are significant changes in cell function in the recipient spleens . In the B10.D2----BALB/c (600 rad) model, recipient spleen cells are profoundly unresponsive to Con A and LPS stimulation but show increased B cell activity measured by Staphylococcus aureus protein A plaque-forming activity . Spleen cells from such GVH mice profoundly suppress the mitogenic responses of normal BALB/c or B10.D2 spleen cells to Con A and LPS . The degree of impairment of the mitogenic response and the ability to suppress normal cells is proportional to the dose of cells used to induce GVH reactions . Both the inability to respond to mitogens and the capacity to suppress are also related to the dose of irradiation given to the recipients . In addition, immunosuppression across minor histocompatibility antigens shows an unevenhandedness . If we inject parental B10.D2 or BALB/c cells into F1 recipients (P----F1), there is greater inhibition of mitogenic responses when B10.D2 parental cells are given than when BALB/c cells are given to the irradiated F1 recipients . These experiments show that significant immunosuppression occurs during GVH reactions across minor histocompatibility barriers . The degree of suppression varies according to the dose of cells used to induce GVH, the dose of irradiation to the recipient and the "strength" of the GVH recognition system . Such experiments provide models for GVH disease seen in humans who receive treatment for leukemia or other diseases that involves recipient irradiation and infusion of HLA-identical bone marrow.

Biochem J, 1985 Mar 1, 226(2), 369 - 77
Physicochemical behaviour and structural characteristics of membrane-bound acetylcholinesterase from Torpedo electric organ . Effect of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C; Futerman AH et al.; Quantitative solubilization of the phospholipid-associated form of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from Torpedo electric organ can be achieved in the absence of detergent by treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC) from Staphylococcus aureus {Futerman, Low & Silman (1983) Neurosci . Lett . 40, 85-89} . The sedimentation coefficient on sucrose gradients of AChE solubilized in detergents (DSAChE) varies with the detergent employed . However, the coefficient of AChE directly solubilized by PIPLC is not changed by detergents . Furthermore, PIPLC can abolish the detergent-sensitivity of the sedimentation coefficient of DSAChE purified by affinity chromatography, suggesting that one or more molecules of phosphatidylinositol (PI) are co-solubilized with DSAChE and remain attached throughout purification . DSAChE binds to phospholipid liposomes, whereas PIPLC-solubilized AChE and DSAChE treated with PIPLC do not bind even to liposomes containing PI . Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis shows that PIPLC-solubilized AChE, like unmodified DSAChE, is a catalytic subunit dimer; electrophoresis in the presence of reducing agent reveals no detectable difference in the Mr of the catalytic subunit of unmodified DSAChE, of AChE solubilized by PIPLC and of AChE solubilized by Proteinase K . The results presented suggest that DSAChE is anchored to the plasma membrane by one or more PI molecules which are tightly attached to a short amino acid sequence at one end of the catalytic subunit polypeptide.

Am J Pathol, 1985 Mar, 118(3), 367 - 78
Clinicopathologic responses in cats with feline leukemia virus-associated leukemia-lymphoma treated with staphylococcal protein A; Engelman RW et al.; Purified protein A from Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I was injected intraperitoneally or was incorporated in filters ex vivo through which plasma from cats with feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-associated leukemia-lymphoma was passed . Before treatment, 65% of the FeLV-infected cats were anemic, and 70% were thrombocytopenic . Concomitant infections, or immune-mediated disease, was common . During treatment 50% of the cats with FeLV-associated disease improved objectively with normal posttreatment hematocrits, thrombocyte and leukocyte counts, disappearance of dysplastic hematologic elements, and correction of marrow dyscrasias . A 33% response to treatment occurred in cats with unequivocal manifestations of malignant disease and was characterized by reductions in tumor size and marrow and peripheral blood neoplastic cell populations . Clearance of FeLV viremia was documented in 28% of the treated cats . The several possible mechanisms by which treatment with staphylococcal protein A causes reduction in the extent of malignant disease are considered.

J Hosp Infect, 1985 Mar, 6 Suppl A, 33 - 6
Disinfectant properties of new povidone-iodine preparations; Schubert R; Quantitative suspension tests performed with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and different preparations of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) show that the germicidal activity of a preparation depends on the content of free, non-complex-bound iodine . A comparison between the results obtained with different PVP-I preparations showed that other substances present influenced microbicidal activity.

J Hosp Infect, 1985 Mar, 6 Suppl A, 195 - 9
The management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a major hospital; Tyzack R; A reduction in the incidence and duration of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection and colonization was obtained by the introduction of a rigorous control programme . This included computerization of data, improved nursing practices and an antiseptic routine.

J Immunol, 1985 Mar, 134(3), 1609 - 18
Monoclonal antibodies to murine gamma-interferon which differentially modulate macrophage activation and antiviral activity; Schreiber RD et al.; Four monoclonal IgG antibodies to purified, recombinant murine gamma-interferon (rIFN-gamma) have been produced by fusion of immune hamster splenocytes with HAT-sensitive murine myeloma cells . Specificity was confirmed either with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that used immobilized rIFN-gamma or with a radioimmunoassay that employed soluble 125I-rIFN-gamma and heat-killed, fixed Staphylococcus aureus-bearing Protein A . Competition binding experiments suggested that the monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) displayed two distinct epitope specificities: one displayed by H1 and H2, and the other displayed by H21 and H22 . By using murine-human recombinant IFN-gamma hybrid molecules, the H1/H2 epitope was shown to depend on the amino-terminus of IFN-gamma, whereas the H21/H22 epitope was formed by the carboxy-terminal amino acid sequence . The MoAb also reacted with natural IFN-gamma . When bound to a surface, all four MoAb, but not normal hamster IgG, removed 100% of the antiviral and MAF activities present in supernatants of cultures of the murine 24/G1 T cell hybridoma . In free solution, all four antibodies inhibited IFN-gamma dependent antiviral activity, but with different efficiencies . Soluble H21/H22 also blocked all of the 24/G1-derived activity that induces nonspecific tumoricidal activity in macrophages (MAF) while H1/H2 enhanced MAF activity . The differential inhibitory or enhancing activities of H21 or H1 reflected their ability to inhibit or enhance binding of 125I-rIFN-gamma to macrophages, respectively . Soluble H21/H22 and solid-phase H1/H2 inhibited 100% of the MAF, microbicidal, and Ia-inducing activities from lymphokine preparations produced by mitogen stimulation of normal murine splenic cells . These results help to establish definitive structure-function relationships for the IFN-gamma molecule, and indicate that IFN-gamma is the primary lymphokine responsible for inducing nonspecific tumoricidal activity and Ia antigen expression, and for enhancing microbicidal activity in macrophages.

Coll Relat Res, 1985 Mar, 5(2), 181 - 91
Monoclonal antibodies against chick gp 115, a matrix glycoprotein with broad distribution; Colombatti A et al.; Hybridoma cell lines were generated producing monoclonal antibodies to chick gp 115, a 115,000-dalton glycoprotein widely distributed in the connective tissue . The specificity of the antibodies was determined by indirect radioimmunobinding: the extent of binding was a function of i) antigen and ii) antibody concentration; iii) inhibition of binding of radiolabelled antibody by unlabelled antibody and iv) among many known extracellular collagenous or noncollagenous glycoproteins tested only gp 115 gave a strong positive binding reaction . The antibodies were used for indirect immunofluorescence and a strong staining reaction was detected in all blood vessels, around smooth muscle cells in several organs, and in the connective matrix of other tissues such as the liver, and the lung . Based on the competition of binding of {125I}-labeled purified antibody by unlabeled antibodies, two separate epitopes were identified on gp 115 . Further analysis of the localization of the epitope was obtained by CNBr cleavage and partial digestion of gp 115 with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and alpha-chymotrypsin digestion . Following CNBr cleavage a major fragment of Mr = 35,000 was recognized by 4 monoclonal antibodies, and fragments of comparable Mr were detected following V8 protease and alpha-chymotrypsin digestion.

Biochemistry, 1985 Feb 26, 24(5), 1164 - 8
Amino acid sequence of the amphiphilic phosphocarrier protein factor IIILac of the lactose-specific phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus; Stuber K et al.; The lactose-specific factor III of the phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus aureus is an amphiphilic trimeric protein composed of identical subunits . It is hydrophilic in its unphosphorylated state and can be isolated from the cytoplasmic protein fraction . It becomes a constituent of the membrane-bound phosphotransferase complex upon phosphorylation of a single histidyl residue . The sequence of S . aureus factor IIILac was determined and revealed that the subunits consist of 103 residues corresponding to a Mr of 11 367 and of 34 101 for the native trimer: (sequence; see text) According to this sequence and previous work histidine residue 82 located in the C-terminal part of the polypeptide chain is phosphorylated at the N-3 position by phosphoenolpyruvate, enzyme I, and histidine-containing phosphocarrier protein . The N-terminal part of the protein comprising approximately one-third of the chain exhibits in vitro affinity toward membrane-bound enzyme IILac.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Feb 25, 260(4), 2345 - 54
Human tumor necrosis factor . Production, purification, and characterization; Aggarwal BB et al.; Human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was purified to homogeneity from serum-free tissue culture supernatants of the HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cell line induced by 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate . The purification scheme consisted of controlled-pore glass and DEAE-cellulose chromatography, Mono Q-fast-protein liquid chromatography, and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography . The purified protein was homogeneous by the criteria of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and NH2-terminal sequence analysis . The specific activity of purified tumor necrosis factor is approximately 10(8) units/mg . The protein has a molecular weight of approximately 17,000, an isoelectric point of 5.3, and contains two cysteines involved in a disulfide bridge . Approximately 50% homology between TNF and another cytolytic lymphokine, lymphotoxin, exists when the NH2-terminal 34 residues of TNF and internal sequence generated by tryptic, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and chymotryptic digests of TNF are aligned with the complete amino acid sequence of lymphotoxin.

Anal Biochem, 1985 Feb 15, 145(1), 27 - 36
Separation of complexes containing protein A and IgG or Fc gamma fragments by high-performance liquid chromatography; Das C et al.; Protein A of Staphylococcus aureus is a bivalent Fc receptor that can form complexes with immunoglobulin G (IgG) or Fc gamma fragments that activate humoral (e.g., complement) and cellular (e.g., lymphocyte) components of the immune system both in vitro and in vivo . To obtain complexes formed between protein A of Staphylococcus aureus (SpA) and rabbit IgG or Fc gamma fragments for purposes of characterizing their compositions and studying their biological activities, we have used high-performance liquid chromatography to separate complexes in 20 min . Complexes were prepared with trace amounts of 125I-SpA and 131I-IgG or 131I-Fc gamma to simplify the analyses . With excess molar amounts of IgG or Fc gamma the complexes have the molecular formulas {(IgG)2SpA}2 or {(Fc gamma)2SpA}2 . With excess SpA, complexes corresponding to (IgG)(SpA) or (Fc gamma)(SpA) are formed, perhaps with other complexes that have different ratios of components . Since SpA is a rod-shaped molecule it elutes at a molecular weight corresponding to 240,000 rather than the true value of 42,000 . This behavior is reflected in the elution of certain complexes at shorter retention times than expected on the basis of actual molecular weights, and facilitates separation of complexes from free IgG or Fc gamma . The true molecular weights and molecular formulas of complexes isolated by HPLC were verified by ultracentrifugation . This HPLC method was used to study the interconversion and stability of complexes.

Biochemistry, 1985 Feb 12, 24(4), 1029 - 35
One-step immunoaffinity purification of active progesterone receptor . Further evidence in favor of the existence of a single steroid binding subunit; Logeat F et al.; A very high capacity immunoaffinity matrix for the purification of progesterone receptor was prepared by cross-linking a monoclonal antireceptor antibody to protein A-Sepharose through the Fc fragment . The monoclonal antibody was selected for its property of losing affinity for the receptor at pH 10.5, i.e., in conditions where the receptor remains stable for extensive periods of time . This made it possible to elute active receptor form the immunosorbent . From crude rabbit uterine cytosol the steroid-receptor complexes were purified in a single step . A 1-mL column (containing 7 mg of monoclonal antibody) bound 1600 pmol of steroid-receptor complexes of which 79.5% were eluted . The overall yield of purification was 49% . The specific activity of the purified steroid-receptor complexes was 6.71 +/- 0.79 nmol of bound steroid/mg of protein (mean +/- SE of four experiments) . The purified receptor consisted of a mixture of 110 000- and 79 000-dalton forms . The latter appeared to be produced by proteolysis of the larger form during purification since immunoblot experiments showed that, at the start of purification, the 110 000-dalton form was present in overwhelming majority (80-95%) in the uterine cytosol and that the 79 000-dalton form only appeared during purification . This conclusion was also supported by the peptide analysis of both forms of receptor: the purified receptor was denatured and labeled with 125I; the 110 000- and 79 000-dalton forms were isolated by gel electrophoresis in denaturing conditions and electroelution and were then submitted to mild or extensive digestions by trypsin, chymotrypsin, and protease V8 from Staphylococcus aureus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biochemistry, 1985 Feb 12, 24(4), 903 - 10
Mechanism of inhibition of the PC1 beta-lactamase of Staphylococcus aureus by cephalosporins: importance of the 3'-leaving group; Faraci WS et al.; The hydrolysis of cephalosporins containing good leaving groups at the 3'-position {those used in this study were the chromogenic cephalosporin PADAC {pyridine-2-azo-4'-(N',N'-dimethylaniline) substituted on cephalosporin}, cephaloridine, and cephalothin}, catalyzed by the Staphylococcus aureus PC1 beta-lactamase, proceeds in two spectrophotometrically observable phases . The first involves formation of an acyl-enzyme intermediate while the second involves partitioning of this intermediate between two pathways . One path yields the normal cephalosporoate (3) from which the 3'-leaving group is spontaneously eliminated in solution to give the 3-methylenedihydrothiazine 2, while the second involves initial elimination of the 3' substituent, thus yielding a second acyl-enzyme intermediate, which then hydrolyzes to give the same final product as from the first pathway . The second acyl-enzyme is relatively inert to hydrolysis (t1/2 congruent to 10 min at 20 degrees C), and its formation thus leads to transient inhibition of the enzyme . The partition ratio between hydrolysis and elimination at the enzyme active site could be determined either spectrophotometrically from burst experiments or from measurements of residual beta-lactamase activity as a function of cephalosporin concentration . This ratio varied with the leaving group ability of the 3' substituent (acetoxy greater than N,N-dimethylaniline-4-azo-2'-pyridinium greater than pyridinium) in the anticipated fashion . The inert acyl-enzyme intermediate was isolated by exclusion chromatography and shown to contain the cephem nucleus, but not the 3' substituent, covalently bound to the enzyme . As would be expected, PADAC, cephaloridine, and cephalothin yielded the same inert intermediate . Cephalosporins with poor or no 3'-leaving groups, e.g., dansylcephalothin and desacetoxycephalothin, neither displayed the branched pathway nor yielded the long-lived acyl-enzyme.

J Biol Chem, 1985 Feb 10, 260(3), 1661 - 9
Phospholipid protection against proteolysis of D-beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, a lecithin-requiring enzyme; Maurer A et al.; D-beta-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase is a lipid-requiring enzyme which is localized on the inner face of the mitochondrial inner membrane . The apodehydrogenase, i.e . the purified enzyme devoid of lipid, has been purified from beef heart mitochondria and as such is inactive . It can be reactivated by insertion into phospholipid vesicles containing lecithin . Proteolytic digestion with different proteases has been carried out to obtain insight into the orientation of the enzyme in the membrane and to assess the extent of immersion of the protein into the phospholipid bilayer . Digestion of the apodehydrogenase with either trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus protease, thermolysin, carboxypeptidases A and Y, or Pronase (from Streptomyces griseus) leads to loss of activity, as assayed with phospholipid . Limited digestion with carboxypeptidase results in complete inactivation . Of the proteases tested, only Pronase and chymotrypsin cleave and inactivate the enzyme inserted into phospholipid vesicles (enzyme-phospholipid complex) . For the enzyme-phospholipid complex, the loss of activity with Pronase digestion follows a single exponential decay to less than 10% of the initial activity . With chymotrypsin digestion, the staining intensity of the original approximately 31,500-dalton polypeptide decreases more rapidly than the loss of enzymic activity . The enzyme-phospholipid complex, after limited cleavage with chymotrypsin, retains enzymic activity and resonance energy transfer from protein to bound NADH and an approximately 26,000-dalton polypeptide is observed . Phospholipid alters the cleavage pattern with both chymotrypsin and Pronase, and the rate of inactivation of the enzyme-phospholipid complex is slowed in the presence of NAD(H) . Moreover, the rate of inactivation of the apodehydrogenase with chymotrypsin is diminished approximately 3-fold in the presence of NAD+ . Digestion of submitochondrial vesicles with either trypsin, chymotrypsin, or Pronase rapidly inactivates D-beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase; the addition of NAD+ or NADH, together with dithiothreitol and increased salt (to 50 mM), decreases the rate of inactivation, and with trypsin, virtually eliminates inactivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1985 Feb 4, 827(2), 127 - 34
Purification and structural comparisons of the cytosolic and mitochondrial isoenzymes of fumarase from pig liver; O'Hare MC et al.; A method has been developed for the purification of cytosolic and mitochondrial isoenzymes of fumarase from total homogenates of pig liver . Separation of the isoenzymes from one another was achieved using chromatofocusing . The isoenzymes were pure as judged by production of single bands on electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate; they appeared to have identical or very similar subunit molecular weights . The isoenzymes differed in electrophoretic properties under nondenaturing conditions . One-dimensional peptide maps of fragments produced from the two isoenzymes by chemical cleavage at cysteine residues were identical; maps obtained after digestion with the V8 proteinase from Staphylococcus aureus showed small differences at short times of digestion which could have reflected variations in rates of hydrolysis rather than structural differences . However, two-dimensional peptide maps of digests obtained by treatment of the isoenzymes with trypsin followed by chymotrypsin had 58 peptides in common, but showed two peptides unique to the mitochondrial isoenzyme and five peptides unique to the cytosolic form . Using the dansylation procedure, the mitochondrial isoenzyme was shown to have N-terminal alanine and the cytosolic form to have N-terminal glutamic acid or glutamine . We conclude that the isoenzymes of fumarase are identical over nearly all of their amino acid sequences but differ at their N-termini; the extent of these differences is yet to be established . These results are consistent with the claim (Edwards, Y.H . and Hopkinson,D.A . (1979) Ann . Human Genet . Lond . 42, 303-313) that the isoenzymes are determined at the same genetic locus, but they raise interesting questions about the biosynthesis of the isoenzymes.

Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1985 Feb, 14(2), 127 - 39
Biosynthesis of two stage-specific membrane proteins during transformation of Plasmodium gallinaceum zygotes into ookinetes; Kumar N et al.; We have studied the synthesis and expression of surface proteins in zygotes of Plasmodium gallinaceum during their transformation to mature ookinetes . The cells were biosynthetically labelled in vitro using {35S}methionine and proteins were immunoprecipitated with rabbit anti-ookinete serum or monoclonal antibodies . Early zygotes (approx . 2 h post-gametogenesis and fertilization) synthesized and expressed on their surface a protein of Mr 26 000 as observed under reducing conditions on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE) (31 000 under non-reducing conditions) and continued to do so for 8-10 h; thereafter synthesis of the Mr 26 000 protein declined and little or none was synthesized in the mature ookinetes (greater than 20 h post-gametogenesis) . Between 3-5 h post-gametogenesis, zygotes also began to synthesize a protein of Mr 28 000 (34 000 under non-reducing conditions) . Synthesis and expression of this surface protein continued throughout development; and the Mr 28 000 protein was the predominant surface protein synthesized by the mature ookinete . Mr 26 000 and Mr 28 000 proteins have been designated earlier as PgO-1 and PgO-2 respectively (Carter and Kaushal, Mol . Biochem . Parasitol . (1984) 13, 235-241) . Neither protein was synthesized in the gametocytes prior to gametogenesis . Both proteins could be labelled with {3H}glucosamine or {3H}mannose . When zygotes were incubated with {3H}palmitic acid both PgO-1 and PgO-2 bound fatty acids in covalent linkage . The two proteins do not otherwise appear to be structurally related . They were differentially immunoprecipitated by different monoclonal antibodies and gave rise to distinct patterns of peptides following digestion with proteases such as Staphylococcus aureus V-8, trypsin and chymotrypsin.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Feb, 15(2), 219 - 32
Efficacy of lincosaminide antibiotics in the treatment of experimental staphylococcal mastitis in lactating mice; Yancey RJ Jr et al.; Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of bovine mastitis worldwide . A model that may predict the efficacy of antimicrobial agents in the treatment of bovine mastitis induced by Staph . aureus was developed in lactating mice . Infection was established by the inoculation of lactating CF1 mice with Staph . aureus into the mammary gland via the teat duct . At the dose of bacteria used, 85-90% of the inoculated, untreated animals developed a nonlethal, acute mastitis within 48 h . Antibiotic treatment was administered subcutaneously or by the intramammary route . Lincosaminide antibiotics including lincomycin, clindamycin, and pirlimycin were evaluated in this system . Other compounds which have been used in therapy of bovine mastitis including novobiocin, penicillin G, ampicillin, cloxacillin and rifamycin-SV were used as reference antibiotics . Pirlimycin was the most effective of the antibiotics tested in this standardized system . Depending upon the route of administration, this novel lincosaminide was 15 to 95-fold more effective than clindamycin, three- to six-fold better than lincomycin, two- to ten-fold more effective than novobiocin, 13- to 17-times more effective than cloxacillin and 8- to 22-times better than rifamycin-SV on a weight-dose comparison . Penicillin G and ampicillin were the least effective drugs tested against mastitis induced by the beta-lactamase producing strain of Staph . aureus used in these assays . Pharmacokinetic experiments suggested that the greater effectiveness of pirlimycin compared to clindamycin and lincomycin was due to increased affinity for and prolonged retention in the mammary gland.

J Virol, 1985 Feb, 53(2), 679 - 83
Virions and intracellular nucleocapsids produced during mixed heterotypic influenza infection of MDCK cells; Sklyanskaya EI et al.; Phenotypically mixed virus yields, obtained by coinfection of MDCK cells with influenza A/WSN/33 and B/Lee/40 viruses, contained both A/WSN/33 and B/Lee/40 NP proteins, as revealed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified 14C-amino acids-labeled virus . Virions were lysed with 0.6 M KCl-Triton X-100 buffer, and nucleocapsids were immunoprecipitated with antibodies against NP protein of influenza A virus . Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the immunoprecipitate revealed NP protein of A/WSN/33 but not of B/Lee/40 virus . However, in similar experiments with the lysates of doubly infected cells, the band of B/Lee/40 NP protein was revealed in the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of the immunoprecipitates . In an attempt to analyze the RNA content of the immune complexes, we absorbed the lysates of doubly infected {3H}uridine-labeled cells with protein A-containing Staphylococcus aureus covered with antibodies against the NP protein of influenza A virus . RNA extracted from the immune complexes contained genomic RNA segments of both A/WSN/33 and B/Lee/40 viruses . In control samples containing an artificial mixture of cell lysates separately infected with each virus, the analysis revealed homologous components (i.e., A/WSN/33 NP protein or RNA segments) in the immune complexes . The results suggest the presence of phenotypically mixed nucleocapsids in the cells doubly infected with influenza A and B viruses; in the course of the virion formation, the nucleocapsids lacking the heterologous NP protein are selected.

Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci, 1985 Feb, 63 ( Pt 1), 19 - 32
Regulation of immunity and tolerance to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SIII) by functionally distinct IgM anti-SIII antibodies; Kearney R et al.; When BALB/c mice and athymic (nude) mice are injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with pneumococcal type III polysaccharide (SIII), their antibodies as measured by passive haemagglutination (HA) are inhibited more easily by high doses of SIII than antibody measured by passive haemolysis (HL) . The HA activity, due mainly to a highly avid non-complement-fixing (NCF) type of IgM, was further distinguished from the HL activity (CF-IgM, or CF-IgM plus CF hybrid IgM/A anti-SIII antibodies) by the failure of the NCF-IgM anti-SIII to bind to protein-A of Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) . High-dose tolerance in the HL anti-SIII antibody response of BALB/c and athymic mice was induced only in the absence of circulating NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies . The presence of NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies formed to multiple daily increasing amounts of SIII, commencing with 0.01 micrograms SIII, decreased the magnitude of the HL anti-SIII response to subsequent daily increments of SIII antigen injected into BALB/c and athymic (nude) mice . Thus, the effect on the HL anti-SIII response was independent of T-cells . The concomitant administration of NCF-IgM anti-SIII rendered SIII less tolerogenic in primed mice . In contrast to the HL activity, the NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies were induced to low doses of SIII, conferred protection against viable pneumococci, but did not precipitate the soluble antigen in agar . It is proposed that immune paralysis (as defined by the failure of SIII-injected mice to resist pneumococcal challenge) is not necessarily a condition of total unresponsiveness but is due to an absence of protective NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies . Thus, immune paralysis can co-exist with either the presence or absence of non-protective CF-IgM or CF-IgM/A anti-SIII antibodies.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1985 Feb, 259(1), 71 - 7
Purification of oligomeric staphylococcal alpha-toxin by affinity chromatography on digitonin-sepharose; Schaeg W et al.; An effective concentration of alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus Wood 46, directly from the culture supernatant, could be achieved by adsorption on digitonin-sepharose and elution with 3 mol/l sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) . The toxin was further purified by gelchromatography . The purified product yielded 1 single protein band upon SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis . It was nonhemolytic, but reacted with anti-alpha-toxin under complement fixation . Dialysis against 0.14 mol/l NaCl with hydrophobic amino acids partially reactivated the alpha-hemolytic activity of the toxin . Ultracentrifugal analysis yielded sedimentation coefficients for the purified toxin of approximately 3,7 S when dissolved in 3 mol/l NaSCN and of about 12 S after dialysis against 0.14 mol/l NaCl (Table 1) . The spontaneous oligomerization of the alpha-toxin during dialysis against 0.14 mol/l NaCl possibly resulted from a change in configuration induced by its adsorption to digitonin-sepharose.

Immunobiology, 1985 Feb, 169(1), 11 - 20
Lipopolysaccharide significantly enhances erythrophagocytosis but marginally stimulates the phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus in mouse peritoneal macrophages; Lokesh BR et al.; The influence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on phagocytic and bactericidal functions of normal mouse peritoneal macrophages was investigated . Preincubation of macrophages with LPS enhanced their capacity for phagocytosis of antibody coated sheep red blood cells 5-fold, but phagocytosis of antibody coated Staphylococcus aureus was enhanced only 1.2-ld . Phagocytosis and intracellular killing of unopsonised or normal rabbit serum opsonised S . aureus was not affected by the LPS treatment of macrophages.

Contraception, 1985 Feb, 31(2), 185 - 94
In vitro amplification of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 by intravaginal devices; Tierno PM Jr et al.; Super-absorbent tampons and an exotoxin of Staphylococcus aureus have been associated with the recent emergence of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) . In the majority of cases, when a TSS strain of S . aureus was cultivated in the presence of various tampons and a contraceptive sponge, increased amounts of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) were observed to be produced into the blood medium by the bacterium . The amplification of toxin by these products adds support to the epidemiologic data in establishing the causal link between tampons and TSS.

Burns Incl Therm Inj, 1985 Feb, 11(3), 202 - 6
Survival of an extensively burned infant following purulent pericarditis; Nakamura K et al.; This is a report of the treatment and survival of an extensively burned infant following purulent pericarditis with massive pericardial effusion due to Staphylococcus aureus . A 2-year-old boy fell into a bathtub and suffered scalds covering at least 70 per cent of the body surface area . Pericarditis with massive pericardial effusion was diagnosed on post-burn day 36 . As conservative treatment was ineffective pericardiotomy and pericardial drainage were carried out . Whole body oedema disappeared promptly and entirely and the patient was discharged from hospital with healed burns and free of cardiac symptoms.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 Feb, 27(2), 181 - 3
Once-daily ceftriaxone therapy for serious bacterial infections in children; Congeni BL et al.; Ceftriaxone administered as a single daily dose of 50 mg/kg was evaluated in the treatment of 35 children with a variety of nonmeningitic bacterial infections . In two of the patients, the drug was discontinued before the response to the drug could be evaluated . All of the remaining patients had a satisfactory response . In 22 of the patients, plasma was available for the determination of ceftriaxone levels 1 h after a dose and immediately before the next dose . All but one of these patients had trough ceftriaxone levels which exceeded the MIC of the infecting organism, although marginally so for Staphylococcus aureus . Ceftriaxone appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of a variety of bacterial pathogens in children when administered at a single daily dose of 50 mg/kg . This drug may be especially useful in those patients in whom outpatient antibiotic therapy is contemplated or in whom maintenance of intravenous access is difficult.

J Gen Microbiol, 1985 Feb, 131 ( Pt 2), 405 - 8
A comparison of the patterns of extracellular proteins produced by the high alpha-toxin-secreting organism Staphylococcus aureus (Wood 46) during aerobic and anaerobic growth; Coleman G; Staphylococcus aureus (Wood 46) was grown aerobically and anaerobically in supplemented 3% (w/v) Tryptone Soya Broth medium for 24 h at 37 degrees C . Although the bacterial density achieved was 9 times higher in the aerobic culture, the exoprotein produced per unit of bacterial dry weight was only 1.4 times higher than in the anaerobic culture . However, the SDS-PAGE patterns of extracellular proteins were quite different: the aerobic products occurred almost exclusively in the mol . wt range 15-30000 compared with 30-60000 for those produced anaerobically . The only major component common to both preparations was alpha-toxin which accounted for 2.4 times more of the total exoprotein under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions.

South Med J, 1985 Feb, 78(2), 157 - 8
Hand infections in the elderly; Stromberg BV; Diagnosis and management of hand infections in the elderly can be challenging . The general principles of rest, elevation, compresses, and drainage when appropriate apply . Antibiotics are important to therapy . Review of data from elderly patients and comparison with a younger population having identical infections show a number of important differences . Temperature, pulse, and white blood cell and differential counts were not elevated significantly enough to be useful . Culture data show fewer pure Staphylococcus aureus infections (20%) and fewer pure gram-positive infections (20%) than the 34% and 56% respectively in a younger population . On the other hand, there were significantly more mixed gram-positive and gram-negative infections (60%) . Significantly, the average number of organisms per infection is increased (2.4 vs 1.9 per infection) . Antibiotic susceptibility is significantly worse . The cephalosporins and the penicillinase-resistant antibiotics remain good choices.

Scand J Immunol, 1985 Feb, 21(2), 189 - 93
Adherence of lysostaphin to and penetration into human monocytes; van den Broek PJ et al.; The effect of lysostaphin on Staphylococcus aureus phagocytosed by monocytes was investigated . The results showed that lysostaphin adheres to monocytes by a temperature-independent mechanism, is not adequately removed from monocytes by washing, and penetrates by means of a temperature-dependent mechanism . In in vitro assays of monocyte function, phagocytosed S . aureus can be killed by lysostaphin after penetration of the cells during incubation or by adhering lysostaphin when the monocytes are disrupted.

J Cell Sci, 1985 Feb, 73, 279 - 97
Biochemical evidence for the presence of an actin protein in Tetrahymena pyriformis; Mitchell EJ et al.; A protein from an ATP extract prepared from an acetone powder of Tetrahymena pyriformis GL was identified as actin . The protein migrated slightly behind muscle actin on sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)/10% polyacrylamide gels (SDS/PAGE) with an apparent molecular weight of 47 500 (47.5 X 10(3) Mr) . Partial proteolysis of this band with Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease followed by electrophoresis revealed a pattern of peptides in which at least four peptides were similar to those observed after digestion of rabbit skeletal muscle actin . The 47.5 X 10(3) Mr protein appeared particularly susceptible to endogenous proteolytic cleavage, which was inhibited by leupeptin . An ATP extract prepared with leupeptin was applied to a DNase I-affinity column and a distinct peak was eluted with 3 M-guanidine . HCl; the DNase I-binding protein appeared as a distinct band on SDS/PAGE with an apparent molecular weight of 47.5 X 10(3) Mr . In the absence of leupeptin, the DNase I-binding protein appeared as a broad 34 X 10(3) Mr band on gels . Both the ATP extract and the DNase I-binding protein showed reactivity with commercially available antiserum raised against native chicken skeletal muscle actin as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbance assay (ELISA) . Immuno-blotting studies and affinity purification of this antiserum showed that the recognition was not specific to the 47.5 X 10(3) Mr protein . However, using affinity-purified anti-actin antibodies raised against denatured actin from chick smooth muscle, recognition of the 47.5 X 10(3) Mr protein and a 34 X 10(3) Mr protein was shown . In negatively stained preparations from an ATP extract after two cycles of polymerization and depolymerization there were filaments, 8-12 nm diameter, which did not decorate with subfragment S-1 of myosin, but which resembled intermediate filaments . Analysis of these filaments on SDS/PAGE indicated an intensely stained 54 X 10(3) Mr band . It is suggested that, in vitro, Tetrahymena intermediate filaments assemble under conditions expected to assemble actin filaments . Thus, in Tetrahymena there is a protein that resembles actin in its extractability, molecular weight, peptide pattern after partial proteolysis, DNase I-binding capacity and reactivity with anti-actin antibodies . However, this protein did not assemble into actin filaments in crude extracts.

Exp Eye Res, 1985 Feb, 40(2), 327 - 34
In vitro reassociation of EDTA-extractable proteins with calf lens fiber membranes; van den Eijnden-van Raaij AJ et al.; Nature and site of membrane binding of the EDTA-extractable proteins (EEP) from calf lens fiber membranes have been studied . Reassociation of EEP to EEP-free lens fiber membranes only occurs by means of calcium, not by magnesium ions . This EEP-membrane binding is not hindered by the cytoskeleton . The proportional distribution of the EEP protein components is not altered by reattachment of EEP to the membrane . Calcium appears to be a limiting factor in the reassociation of EEP with the membrane . The total amount of reassociated EEP increases with increasing calcium concentration and may largely exceed the quantity of naturally occurring EEP in lens fiber membranes . In addition, the latter EEP-containing membranes are able to bind an additional amount of EEP in the presence of calcium . These results indicate that most of the EEP-binding sites in lens fiber membranes are not occupied by EEP . Trypsin- or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease-treated fiber membranes retain the capacity to bind EEP in the presence of calcium . This result indicates that the small polypeptide fragment of the main intrinsic protein (MIP), which is accessible to proteolytic attack, very likely is not the membrane attachment point for EEP . It is suggested that phospholipids rather than membrane proteins are involved in the calcium-dependent binding of EEP to calf lens fiber membranes.

Exp Cell Res, 1985 Feb, 156(2), 429 - 38
Significant non-S-phase DNA synthesis visualized by flow cytometry in activated and in malignant human lymphoid cells; Neckers LM et al.; The development of a monoclonal antibody to the deoxynucleoside bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), combined with two parameter flow cytometry, has allowed us to examine large numbers of cells for non-S-phase DNA synthesis . Three human lymphoid cell populations were studied to determine the level of deoxynucleoside (dN) incorporation as a function of DNA content . In each population, non-S-phase DNA synthesis was observed . In a rapidly growing human T-lymphoblastoid cell line (CCRF-CEM), 53% of dN incorporation occurred in G0/G1 plus G2 + M . In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells stimulated with tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA), 45% of the observed burst in thymidine incorporation was found to be localized to G0/G1 cells . Non-S-phase incorporation was not, however, limited to neoplastic cells . Normal human peripheral blood B cells treated with the Cowan strain of Staphylococcus aureus (CSA) undergo a transient burst in thymidine incorporation, but do not go on to divide in the absence of other stimuli . Flow-cytometric analysis showed that 80% of this CSA-stimulated dN incorporation was into G0/G1 cells . These data are consistent with a more dynamic state of DNA synthesis than usually envisioned . Furthermore, the data show that although thymidine incorporation levels are related to incorporation of dN into DNA, they can be unrelated to cell proliferation.

Anal Biochem, 1985 Feb 1, 144(2), 522 - 6
Peptide mapping of basic proteins by proteolysis in acetic acid/urea-minislab polyacrylamide gels; Davie JR; A method to obtain peptide maps of basic proteins on acetic acid/urea (AU) -polyacrylamide minislab gels is presented . Basic proteins such as the histones are digested with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease in the stacking gel (pH 4) of an AU-polyacrylamide minislab gel . As the peptides are resolved in the AU minislab gel on the basis of charge and size, it is possible to separate peptides containing modified amino acids from the unmodified, parent peptide . The peptide(s) containing the modified residue may be identified following electrophoresis on a second-dimension sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide minislab gel . This procedure will be useful for comparing histone variants and for the study of histone modifications.

Am Fam Physician, 1985 Feb, 31(2), 131 - 7
Pneumonia in the elderly: a nursing home perspective; Roth RM et al.; The development of pneumonia is a life-threatening event in a nursing home resident . Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae are major identifiable bacterial pathogens . Some elderly patients with pneumonia can be effectively treated in the nursing home . The clinical impression of pneumonia merits radiologic confirmation . Cefuroxime, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cefaclor offer theoretic advantages in the treatment of bacterial pneumonia in elderly nursing home residents.

J Immunol, 1985 Feb, 134(2), 1153 - 9
Effect of antibodies directed against complement receptors on phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes: use of iodination as a convenient measure of phagocytosis; Klebanoff SJ et al.; Two monoclonal antibodies (Mab), designated 60.3 and 60.1, markedly inhibited the phagocytosis of serum-opsonized zymosan by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) as measured by the iodination reaction and by microscopic visualization . These antibodies also inhibited rosette formation with EC3bi without decreasing EC3b rosetting, suggesting that Mab 60.3 and 60.1 inhibit the phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan through reaction with the C3bi receptor (CR3) on the leukocyte surface . In support of this concept is the finding that the PMN of two patients with recurrent infections do not ingest opsonized zymosan, lack C3bi receptor function, and react weakly or not at all with Mab 60.3 and 60.1 . At concentrations which completely inhibited ingestion of opsonized zymosan, both Mab partially inhibited iodination with Staphylococcus aureus 502A as the particle, and did not affect iodination when Staphylococcus epidermidis was used . This presumably reflects a variable need among the opsonized particles for CR3 for ingestion . Mab 60.3 also inhibited the phagocytosis of certain unopsonized particles as measured by iodination, indicating that the antigens recognized by the Mab do not influence phagocytosis solely by functioning as a C3bi receptor . Mab 60.3 increased the phagocytosis of unopsonized, heat-killed S . aureus by reaction with the PMN via its antibody-combining site, and with the staphylococcal protein A via its Fc region (reverse opsonization) . This process required protein A-containing organisms (S . aureus 502A or Cowan 1 but not S . aureus Wood 46 or S . epidermidis), was inhibited by purified protein A, and was not seen either when the F(ab')2 or Fab fragments of the antibody, or when PMN which lack or have low levels of the antigen were employed . Thus, these studies, using iodination as a convenient method for the measurement of phagocytosis, demonstrated two effects of antibodies directed against PMN cell surface components: inhibition of phagocytosis by reaction with the C3bi receptor, and stimulation of phagocytosis by reverse opsonization.

Scand J Immunol, 1985 Feb, 21(2), 141 - 50
Abnormal production of and response to B-cell growth factor and B-cell differentiation factor in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus; Hirose T et al.; We examined the production of and the response to B-cell growth factor (BCGF) and B-cell differentiation factor (BCDF) in 21 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 23 normal subjects . T cells, 2.5 X 10(6)/ml, were cultured for 24 or 72 h with 1% phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) . After absorption of PHA by chicken erythrocytes (CRBC), they were used for BCGF and BCDF . In inactive SLE, BCGF activity was significantly lower than that in normal subjects . Active SLE contained two separate groups, one showing normal BCGF activity and the other showing lower activity than normal . In contrast, BCDF activity from initial culture in active SLE was elevated . The B-cell response both to BCGF and BCDF was elevated in active SLE without Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I antigen (SAC) preactivation . However, the B-cell response to SAC was markedly disturbed . Thus SLE B cells were shifted to the mature state in vivo . We also demonstrated pivotal abnormalities of monocytes in SLE B-cell growth and differentiation . These results may contribute to the understanding of the abnormalities of T-B interactions and the overproduction of antibody in SLE.

J Clin Invest, 1985 Feb, 75(2), 754 - 61
Effects of in vitro corticosteroids on B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation; Cupps TR et al.; The present study demonstrates the graded effect of in vitro corticosteroids (CSs) on the different phases of B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation . Early events such as activation and proliferation of high-dose anti-mu or Staphylococcus aureus-stimulated B cells are profoundly suppressed by the presence of in vitro CSs . The suppressed proliferative response may be mediated by a direct effect on B cells and/or modulation of accessory cell function . Later events in the B cell cycle such as the proliferative response to B cell growth factor after either in vivo or in vitro activation are less sensitive to the suppressive effects of in vitro CSs . The final events in the B cell cycle; namely, the differentiation to the immunoglobulin-producing state, is not suppressed by in vitro CSs . Indeed, depending on the systems employed, there is either no effect or enhancement of immunoglobulin secretion by the presence of in vitro CSs . The graded effect of in vitro CSs on the discrete phases of the B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation cycle provide new insights into the complex nature of CS-induced modulation of human B cell responses.

Eur J Immunol, 1985 Feb, 15(2), 193 - 6
B cell growth factor activity of immunoaffinity-purified and recombinant human interleukin 2; Mingari MC et al.; We investigated the effect of recombinant and affinity-purified human interleukin 2 (IL2) on human B cell proliferation . Five X 10(4) nonadherent spleen cells that had been depleted twice of T cells were activated by 3-day culture with formaldehyde-killed Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC) prior to addition of tested growth factors . Cultures were harvested 72 h later . It was found that both IL2 preparations led to optimal cell proliferation compared with a control supernatant obtained by 36 h phytohemagglutinin stimulation of spleen mononuclear cells . Moreover, the effect of such spleen supernatant on B cell proliferation correlated with the IL2 activity since its B cell growth factor activity (BCGF) was not greater than that of purified IL2 and no residual BCGF activity could be detected after absorption of all IL2 activity by the IL2-dependent cytotoxic T lymphocyte line cells . T cells, enumerated as E-rosetting cells as well as T3+ cells, represented 0.2 to 2% of the cells recovered at termination of the cultures (day 6) and there were less than 1% E-rosetting cells in freshly purified or SAC-activated (day 3) B cell populations . Therefore, we conclude that IL2 is a growth factor not only for activated T cells but also for activated human B cells.

Infect Immun, 1985 Feb, 47(2), 514 - 21
Penicillinase plasmid-linked genetic determinants for enterotoxins B and C1 production in Staphylococcus aureus; Altboum Z et al.; The genes encoding for beta-lactamase (bla+) and resistance to metallic ions (cadmium, mercury, lead, arsenate, and arsenite) were located in a 56.2-kilobase plasmid, pZA10, isolated from a clinical strain, Staphylococcus aureus 6344 . This strain produced enterotoxin B and enterotoxin C1 . Elimination of pZA10 by either sodium dodecyl sulfate or heat treatment (43 degrees C) resulted in the loss of the capability of the bacteria to produce both enterotoxin B and enterotoxin C1 . A physical map of pZA10 was constructed with BamHI, SalI and BglII restriction endonucleases . Penicillin-resistant, enterotoxin B- and C1-producing cotransformants were isolated by transformation with pZA10 DNA with either S . aureus RN450 or cured S . aureus 6344 as recipients . The transferred plasmids exhibited genetic instability shown by changes in restriction pattern and molecular size, loss of plasmid DNA, and addition of chromosomal DNA . Enterotoxin B production was related to a 18.1-kilobase pZA10 fragment carried by such a rearranged plasmid . Chromosomal cointegration of bla+ with genetic determinants for metallic ion resistance and enterotoxin B and C1 production were detected in heat-treated S . aureus 6344 . Transformation employing chromosomal DNA containing the integrated plasmid resulted in excision and reestablishment of pZA10-related plasmids in the transformants . pZA10-linked resistance to cadmium, which was lost upon the integration of pZA10 into the host chromosome, reappeared in transformants carrying the excised plasmid.

EMBO J, 1985 Feb, 4(2), 561 - 8
The use of synthetic oligonucleotides with universal templates for rapid DNA sequencing: results with staphylococcal replicon pC221; Brenner DG et al.; A rapid sequencing strategy has been devised and applied to determine the complete nucleotide sequence (4555 bp) of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pC221 . The entire replicon was cloned into phage M13mp8 in both orientations to provide 'universal templates' for primed DNA synthesis from internally-sited oligonucleotide primers . The latter were synthesized by a modification of a recently described paper disc method which employs phosphotriester chemistry . Less than 4 weeks was required for the synthesis of the required primers and for the sequencing experiments . Plasmid pC221 bears a substrate-inducible chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene that shares much homology with its counterparts in pC194 (S . aureus) and the chromosomal cat-86 gene of Bacillus pumilus, both in coding regions and upstream sequences believed to be involved in the induction phenomenon . A second plasmid-specified protein, REP D, has an 81% identity in the REP C polypeptide that has been shown to be essential for the replication of staphylococcal plasmid pT181 . The 5' flanking region of rep D shows striking similarities with its counterpart in rep C that determines copy number and incompatibility . The nucleotide sequence reveals two additional and overlapping open reading frames that may specify proteins that play roles in plasmid relaxation and transfer.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1985 Feb, 38(2), 199 - 202
{Antibiotic susceptibility of the clinically isolated staphylococcal strains resistant to cephalosporin derivatives}; Arai T; Incidence of cephalosporin-resistant staphylococcal infections is increasing recently . We tried to find out the possible first choice antibiotic for these infections . We estimated minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of each one of the broad spectrum antibiotics with different mode of actions as well as representative drugs of penicillins and cephalosporins against strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus . Trend of antibiotic susceptibility of S . epidermidis was found to be as same as that of S . aureus . MIC of minocycline was found to be the lowest in the drugs tested, and there found no resistant strains . MIC of erythromycin was next low but more than a half strains were found to be resistant to this drug . Some of the strains were thought to be treated with amikacin or sulfonamides by the MIC against them, but there also found many resistant strains . Therefore, use of these drugs should be decided after sensitivity test of the causative bacteria . Most of the strains were found not to be treated with beta-lactam antibiotics . In conclusion, minocycline could be the only one first choice drug for staphylococcal infections before antibiotic susceptibility test of the causative strains in the present moment.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Feb, 15(2), 201 - 7
Differences in ability of cell-wall antibiotics to suppress emergence of rifampicin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus; Eng RH et al.; Rifampicin resistance developed easily in methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus during an overnight incubation in broth containing 0.1 mg/l of rifampicin . Incubation of methicillin-susceptible Staph . aureus and 0.1 mg/l of rifampicin with 1 mg/l of nafcillin reduced the emergence of rifampicin resistance with only 5 of 50 strains (10%) becoming rifampicin-resistant . However, incubation of the methicillin-susceptible or methicillin-resistant strains with 0.1 mg/l of rifampicin and 1 mg/l of vancomycin did not prevent the development of rifampicin resistance . Rifampicin resistance developed in 25 of 50 (50%) of methicillin-susceptible and 32 of 50 (64%) methicillin-resistant Staph . aureus strains tested . These data would suggest that differences exist in the abilities of nafcillin and vancomycin to suppress the development of rifampicin resistance in Staph . aureus (P less than 0.01) . Caution should be exercised when the combination of vancomycin and rifampicin is used for infections caused by Staph . aureus and Staph . aureus isolates recovered during therapy should be monitored for the development of rifampicin resistance.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Feb, 21(2), 205 - 10
Effect of the source of Mueller-Hinton agar and resistance frequency on the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Hindler JA et al.; Inconsistencies in the results of disk diffusion tests of oxacillin against Staphylococcus aureus that occurred when using commercially prepared Mueller-Hinton agar from different sources led us to evaluate the ability of media from different sources to detect resistance to oxacillin, methicillin, and nafcillin in S . aureus . Mueller-Hinton agar from five manufacturers was prepared in our laboratory and used for standard disk diffusion and agar dilution tests . Ten oxacillin-resistant S . aureus isolates, of which three were definitive-resistant and seven were occult-resistant, were examined . All definitive-resistant strains were resistant to all three antimicrobial agents on four out of five agars . The occult-resistant strains were consistently detected as resistant on only one of the agars . With only slight differences, oxacillin, methicillin, and nafcillin resistance was more readily detected by disk diffusion and agar dilution when initially incubated at 30 degrees C, and extended incubation improved the detection . The frequency of resistance within a population of occult-resistant cells was low compared with the frequency within a population of definitively resistant cells . The heterogeneity of colony morphology and apparent growth rates within a population of occult-resistant cells contributed to the problem of detecting some resistant isolates . Definitive-resistant isolates were characterized by a very high and stable frequency of resistance . Occult-resistant strains were characterized by a lower frequency of resistance, although the true frequency of resistance may be difficult to ascertain because of heterogeneity in growth rates.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Feb, 15(2), 173 - 80
In-vitro activity of methicillin against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus; Frimodt-Moller N et al.; Methicillin activity against 149 penicillin-resistant, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strains from bacteraemia cases with endocarditis (n = 89) or without endocarditis (n = 60), from the years 1976-1981, was studied with broth dilution and agar dilution . While no differences in methicillin susceptibility were found in relation to the origin of the strains, Staph . aureus of the phage type complex 94,96 showed significantly higher MIC and IC50 by agar dilution than strains of other phage groups/complexes . This difference probably has no clinical importance but is of epidemiological interest . Broth dilution MIC was generally one dilution higher than agar dilution MIC, possibly explained by methodological factors . The MBC/MIC ratios never exceeded two in any of the strains, indicating a lack of tolerance in these clinically important isolates.

J Am Acad Dermatol, 1985 Feb, 12(2 Pt 1), 319 - 24
Treatment of gram-negative folliculitis with isotretinoin: positive clinical and microbiologic response; James WD et al.; Thirty-two patients with gram-negative folliculitis were treated with 0.47 to 1.0 mg/kg/day of isotretinoin . Serial microbiologic evaluations demonstrated rapid clearing of the face and nasal mucosa of gram-negative rods . The clinical response was rapid, complete, and induced prolonged remissions . Twenty-six of thirty-two patients developed Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage by the end of the 20-week treatment course . Isotretinoin has decided advantages over previously reported therapies for gram-negative folliculitis.

Infect Immun, 1985 Feb, 47(2), 502 - 7
Relationship between extracellular stimulation of intracellular killing and oxygen-dependent microbicidal systems of monocytes; Leijh PC et al.; Human monocytes require serum components immunoglobulin G, C3/C3b, and B/Bb to exert optimal microbicidal action against ingested microorganisms . The present study was performed to find out whether these factors act by enhancing oxygen-dependent antimicrobial mechanisms . Serum enhanced oxygen consumption and superoxide production by monocytes before phagocytosis, but did not further increase these processes in monocytes that had recently ingested bacteria . Furthermore, serum did not boost iodination during intracellular killing by monocytes . Phorbol myristate acetate, N-formyl-methyonyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, concanavalin A, and concanavalin A-Sephadex all stimulated the conversion of O2 to H2O2 by monocytes, but only concanavalin A augmented intracellular killing . Reactive oxygen intermediates generated by cell-free enzymes (xanthine oxidase or glucose oxidase) in concentrations comparable to those accumulating extracellularly during incubation of monocytes containing bacteria with phorbol myristate acetate did not promote intracellular killing . The presence of catalase during phagocytosis inhibited killing, but had no effect on killing in the postphagocytic state . Monocytes deprived of glucose for 24 h showed markedly impaired O2 consumption, O2- generation, and bacterial killing; all of these effects were rapidly reversed by restoration of glucose . It is concluded that both an intact respiratory burst and extracellular serum factors are necessary for optimal killing of intracellular Staphylococcus aureus by human monocytes . Serum does not appear to act by enhancing the respiratory burst, but rather to have a separate, synergistic role, the biochemical basis of which is unknown.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1985 Feb, 82(3), 638 - 42
Plasmid pT181 replication is regulated by two countertranscripts; Kumar CC et al.; A transcription map of the replication control region of the Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pT181 has been constructed . Two major leftward transcripts, RNA III and RNA IV, start at positions 339 and 413, respectively . These two RNAs can serve as mRNAs for a plasmid-specific replication protein RepC . Two short rightward transcripts, RNA I and RNA II, approximately 85 and 150 nucleotides long, respectively, start at position 246 . These rightward transcripts (referred to as countertranscripts) do not appear to be translated but act directly as negative regulators of plasmid replication, probably by interfering with translation of the RepC mRNAs . There is no significant base sequence homology among the countertranscripts of pT181, ColE1, and R1/NR1/R6-5, suggesting that the structural parallelism has risen by convergent molecular evolution.

Biochemistry, 1985 Jan 29, 24(3), 776 - 81
Inhibition of monoclonal antibody binding and proteolysis by light-induced phosphorylation of rhodopsin; Molday RS et al.; Light-induced phosphorylation of rhodopsin in bovine rod outer segment disk membranes inhibits the binding of three carboxyl-terminal-specific anti-rhodopsin antibodies and the cleavage of the carboxyl-terminal region of rhodopsin by trypsin and Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease . Two monoclonal antibodies, rho 3A6 and rho 1C5, which previously have been shown to preferentially bind to the 8'-12' and the 9'-18' carboxyl-terminal segments of rhodopsin, respectively, are both highly sensitive to phosphorylation . When an average of one phosphate is incorporated per rhodopsin, the binding reactivity of rhodopsin for these antibodies decreases to 30% that of nonphosphorylated rhodopsin as measured in radioimmune competition assays . Reactivity of the rho 1D4 antibody whose primary binding site is localized in the 1'-8' C-terminal segment of rhodopsin is unaffected at this level of phosphorylation but decreases to 30% when three phosphates on average are incorporated per rhodopsin . Direct binding studies using 125I-labeled antibodies indicate that phosphorylation of rhodopsin decreases the maximum extent of rho 3A6 and rho 1C5 binding to rhodopsin . For rho 1D4, the maximum extent of binding is unaffected by phosphorylation, but the dissociation constant is increased by 10-fold . Phosphorylation of rhodopsin also inhibits cleavage of the 1'-9' and 1'-7' carboxyl-terminal peptides by trypsin and S . aureus V-8 protease, respectively . When an average of one phosphate per rhodopsin is incorporated, cleavage decreases to 40% that of nonphosphorylated rhodopsin as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography . Phosphorylation of rhodopsin had no effect on S . aureus cleavage of rhodopsin into the F1 (Mr 25 000) and F2 (Mr 12 000) fragments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Biol Chem, 1985 Jan 25, 260(2), 834 - 40
The amino acid sequence of Acanthamoeba profilin; Ampe C et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of Acanthamoeba profilin was determined by aligning tryptic, chymotryptic, thermolysin, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease peptides together with the partial NH2-terminal sequences of the tryptophan-cleavage products . Acanthamoeba profilin contains 125 amino acid residues, is NH2-terminally blocked, and has trimethyllysine at position 103 . At five positions in the sequence two amino acids were identified indicating that the amoebae express at least two slightly different profilins . Charged residues are unevenly distributed, the NH2-terminal half being very hydrophobic and the COOH-terminal half being especially rich in basic residues . Comparison of the Acanthamoeba profilin sequence with that of calf spleen profilin (Nystrom, L . E., Lindberg, U., Kendrick-Jones, J., and Jakes, R . (1979) FEBS Lett . 101, 161-165) reveals homology in the NH2-terminal region . We suggest, therefore, that this region participates in the actin-binding activity.

Med J Aust, 1985 Jan 21, 142(2), 138 - 9
Hospital outbreak of multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus in Victoria, 1979-1984; Bennett NM; The outbreak of nosocomial infection caused by multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains in Victoria has been monitored by a continuing programme of collecting monthly statistics from all hospitals on new patients who have been either colonized or infected by these strains . Data collected during the period from November 1980 to September 1984 have been plotted on graphs . Whereas the prevalence of MRSA strains has remained virtually unchanged, the number of infections attributed to them appears to have gradually decreased since November 1982.

Med J Aust, 1985 Jan 21, 142(2), 108 - 11
Genetics and epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated in a Western Australian hospital; Townsend DE et al.; Strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated in the Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) in Western Australia have been analysed genetically and three main types were characterized: (i) strains similar to those isolated in Europe before 1973 . These strains caused small outbreaks in the RPH during the period 1966-1974, but have not been isolated in recent years, except from one patient with reactivation of osteomyelitis after 16 years; (ii) strains of the type prevalent in eastern and northern Australia, one of which caused a difficult-to-control outbreak in the RPH in 1982 . Strains of this type have previously been isolated only from patients who had been in hospitals in eastern and northern Australia, but recently were isolated also from other patients--which indicates that this type of MRSA is now present in the Western Australian community; and (iii) strains, which are genetically different from either of the above two types, were isolated from patients who had been in hospitals in Southeast Asia, but have not yet caused an outbreak in the RPH.

Med J Aust, 1985 Jan 21, 142(2), 103 - 8
Control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in an Australian metropolitan teaching hospital complex; Pearman JW et al.; In April 1982, a patient infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was transferred to the Royal Perth Hospital from the Royal Darwin Hospital . Within three months, 19 patients and four staff members had become infected or colonized with MRSA . The outbreak was terminated only after all colonized inpatients were transferred to a separate isolation unit . After the outbreak, all new patients and new employees who had been in hospitals outside Western Australia in the previous 12 months were screened . From June 1, 1982, to June 30, 1984, 28 of the 649 patients (4.3%) screened on admission to the Royal Perth Hospital were found to be harbouring MRSA . During the same period only one of the 468 persons (0.2%) screened on application for employment at the Hospital was found to be colonized with MRSA . Since the policy of screening new patients and staff from hospitals outside Western Australia was introduced, no serious outbreak of MRSA has occurred.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1985 Jan 16, 126(1), 199 - 205
Amino acid sequence of an invertebrate FBP aldolase (from Drosophila melanogaster); Malek AA et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of FBP aldolase from Drosophila melanogaster has been determined . The enzyme contains four identical subunits of 360 amino acid residues . The primary structure of the monomer was established using automated Edman degradation on fragments prepared by CNBr-cleavage, by partial acid cleavage at the unique Asp-Pro bond and by oxidative cleavage at the three tryptophan residues . Manual Edman-Chang degradation was used on smaller peptides obtained by digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, trypsin or chymotrypsin . The primary structure of Drosophila aldolase exhibits very extensive homology with the sequence of rabbit muscle aldolase (71% identity), thus explaining the early observation that Drosophila and mammalian aldolases form active interspecies hybrid quaternary structures (Brenner-Holzach, O . and Leuthardt, F., Eur . J . Biochem . (1972) 31, 423-426).

Biochem J, 1985 Jan 15, 225(2), 543 - 7
Mannose 6-phosphate-specific receptor is a transmembrane protein with a C-terminal extension oriented towards the cytosol; von Figura K et al.; The portion of the mannose 6-phosphate receptor (nominal Mr 180000 under nonreducing conditions) protruding at the external side of the plasma membrane of fibroblasts and HepG2 cells is susceptible to trypsin . A series of membrane-bound fragments smaller in Mr by 20000-65000 is obtained after incubation of cells with trypsin . When membranes from fibroblasts and HepG2 cells are incubated with trypsin or Staphylococcus aureus proteinase, the receptor is degraded to a single membrane-bound product smaller in Mr by about 9000 . In the presence of 0.1% Triton X-100 extensive degradation of the receptor by trypsin is observed . Furthermore, the receptor in isolated membranes is sensitive to carboxypeptidase Y, which causes a decrease in Mr by about 5000 and 9000 in the absence or presence of detergent, respectively . Mannose 6-phosphate receptor appears to be a transmembrane protein with multiple trypsin-sensitive sites within its larger external (luminal) and smaller C-terminal (cytosolic) portions of the molecule.

Virology, 1985 Jan 15, 140(1), 125 - 34
Monoclonal antibodies to the P protein of Sendai virus define its structure and role in transcription; Deshpande KL et al.; Four monoclonal antibodies specific for Sendai virus nucleocapsid protein P were used to examine both the antigenic structure of P and its role in transcription . Three distinct antigenic regions were delineated on P by competitive radioimmunoassays (RIAs), and through Western blot analysis all three sites were mapped to a 40,000-MW (40K) Staphylococcus aureus protease V8-digestion fragment, which remains associated with the neucleocapsid structure . To study the function of P, nucleocapsids were treated with saturating amounts of anti-P monoclonal antibodies and it was found that transcription in vitro was inhibited by 60-90% . Data, therefore, are consistent with the conclusion that the P protein is required for transcription and that the 40K protease-resistant core contains the functionally important portion of the molecule . Further analysis of the P structure showed that some of the 40K fragments were linked by disulfide bonds . These results suggest that the protease-resistant 40K fragment is in the carboxyl-terminal half of P, since the three cysteine residues of P are found there (C . Giorgi, B . M . Blumberg, and D . Kolakofsky (1983), Cell 35, 829-836).

J Emerg Med, 1985, 3(3), 227 - 32
Abscess incision and drainage in the emergency department--Part I; Halvorson GD et al.; Superficial abscesses are commonly seen in the emergency department . In most cases, they can be adequately treated by the emergency physician without hospital admission . Treatment consists of surgical drainage with the addition of antibiotics in selected cases . Incision is generally performed using local anesthesia, with intraoperative and postoperative systemic analgesia . Care must be taken to make a surgically appropriate incision that allows adequate drainage without injuring important structures . Postoperative care includes warm soaks, drains or wicks, analgesia, and close follow-up . Antibiotics are usually unnecessary . Complications of incision and drainage include damage to adjacent structures, bacteremic complications, misdiagnosis of such entities as mycotic aneurysms, and spread of infection owing to inadequate drainage . The infectious agents responsible for abscess formation are numerous and depend largely on the anatomic location of the abscess . Staphylococcus aureus accounts for less than half of all cutaneous abscesses . Anaerobic bacteria are common etiologic agents in the perineum and account for the majority of all cutaneous abscesses . Abscesses at specific locations involve special consideration for diagnosis and treatment and may require specialty consultation.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1985, 33(4), 589 - 94
Phagocytic and bactericidal activities of neutrophils in duodenal ulcer patients during cimetidine treatment; Markiewicz K et al.; Phagocytic and bactericidal activities of neutrophils relative to Staphylococcus aureus 209 P strain were studied in 16 duodenal ulcer patients who were intravenously administered cimetidine in doses of 4 X 200 mg for 8 days and in a group of untreated healthy subjects . The investigations were made before the treatment on the last day of cimetidine administration, and one week after drug withdrawal . The bactericidal activity of neutrophils was found to be higher in duodenal ulcer patients than in the healthy controls . Cimetidine does not have a significant effect on the phagocytic activity of neutrophils and it has a moderately inhibitory effect (p less than 0.05) on the bactericidal activity relative to the ingested intracellular bacteria . This shows that cimetidine may modify some of the neutrophil functions in duodenal ulcer patients.

Microbiol Immunol, 1985, 29(8), 709 - 23
Detection of antibody to M protein of measles virus in patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: a comparative study on immunoprecipitation; Ohara Y et al.; Consistent results have not been obtained yet on the presence of antibody to the M protein of measles virus in the sera of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) . We performed a comparative study on various immunoprecipitation systems which appeared in the literature and found that the difference in the composition of the solubilizing buffer produced a large variety of results on the immunoprecipitation . {35S}Methionine-labeled Vero cells infected with the Edmonston strain of measles virus were solubilized by 10 different buffers and reacted with hyperimmune rabbit serum to whole virus, monospecific antisera to H, NP, and M proteins of the virus, normal adults' sera, and the sera from 16 SSPE patients . The immune complex was absorbed by protein A and both solubilization and precipitation rates were compared with each viral protein . Although viral proteins were solubilized by all buffers, the solubilization rate varied considerably . M protein was solubilized and was not coprecipitated nonspecifically with any of the other viral proteins . Purified protein A conjugated to Sepharose was preferable to Staphylococcus aureus for absorption of the immune complex since the latter absorbed both viral and host proteins nonspecifically . The precipitation rates of the viral proteins also varied according to the buffers . Better solubilization of the viral proteins seemed to reduce their rate of precipitation for which the presence of SDS may be responsible, and the presence of the protease inhibitors may also affect the results of immunoprecipitation . Detection of M protein in the immunoprecipitates was largely influenced by the kind of buffer used: some buffers could detect it clearly, but others could not defect it at all . Among the solubilizing buffers tested, Saleh's buffer (Virology 93: 369-376 (1979)),, which contains 0.5% DOC and 0.5% Triton X-100, was most reliable for detection of the anti-M antibody in the rabbit serum, because it showed a high solubilization and high precipitation rates of viral proteins without nonspecific absorption by protein A or coprecipitation of M proteins with any of the other proteins . Using this buffer, we could definitely detect M proteins in the immunoprecipitates from the sera of all six healthy adults and 15 out of 16 patients with SSPE . It was found, however, that the amount of M proteins in SSPE patients was lower than that in healthy adults and varied considerably.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1985, 32(2), 201 - 4
Staphylococcus aureus Tour, a selectively mouse-pathogenic strain for experimental chemotherapeutic study (a note); Uri JV et al.; Staphylococcus aureus Tour is a unique strain . It is highly pathogenic to mice but not to other laboratory animals and primates . This selective pathogenicity makes it useful for experimental chemotherapeutic studies . Since it is highly specialized for mice, it imitates the natural course of infection and produces death after intraperitoneal infection of a relatively few cells even when suspended in isotonic saline . This strain has been found to be very sensitive (MIC's) to various beta-lactams and gentamicin as well as useful for infection-protection studies in mice (ED50's) with a series of cephalosporins.

Ultrastruct Pathol, 1985, 8(2-3), 155 - 63
Tubuloreticular inclusions and paired cisternae induced in human lymphocytes cultured with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1; Kuyama J et al.; Tubuloreticular inclusions (TRI) and paired cisternae (PC) were induced in lymphocytes of normal individuals after incubation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 . TRI were initially detected in lymphoid cells on day 2 (48-h culture) . The frequency of TRI-positive cell sections on day 5 increased about twofold over those on days 2-4 . On day 7, TRI were predominantly seen in lymphoplasmacytoid cells or plasmacytoid cells, with an incidence of up to 18% of sections . The regions in these cells were most extensive and anastomosed with the cisternae of adjacent well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) . TRI formation appears not to be essential for mitogen-induced B-cell differentiation to plasmacytoid cells, because pokeweed mitogen (PWM) failed to induce TRI . The diverse expressions of TRI induction between these two mitogens may be due to a difference in B-cell activation mechanisms . Paired cisternae were observed in a great majority of mitotic cells at various stages . These were encountered most frequently on day 4 . PC were also seen in the PWM-stimulated culture . Our observations suggest that PC formation may be related to new formation of RER as well as to reconstruction of the nuclear envelope.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(3), 251 - 7
Serodiagnosis of acute B hepatitis: comparison between a competitive binding radioimmunoassay and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen; Liaw YF et al.; The standard radioimmunoassay for anti-HBc (CORAB) was modified for the differential detection of anti-HBc IgM by incorporation of a step in which anti-HBc IgG was preferentially absorbed by Staphylococcus aureus cells (Protein A) . The ratio (R) of anti-HBc IgM to total anti-HBc was evaluated by computing the ratio of sample cpm's after and before protein A absorption . The R values of acute B hepatitis ranged from 0.9 to 2.1 (mean 1.3 +/- 0.3) while those of chronic HBsAg carriers ranged from 3.1 to 8.3 (mean 4.9 +/- 1.1) . Adopting 2.1 as the upper limit of R value for acute B infection, this modified CORAB was shown to have excellent correlation with enzyme immunoassay, and to be capable of differentiating acute from persistent HBV infection in HBsAg positive patients, and discriminating acute B hepatitis from non-A, non-B hepatitis in HBsAg negative but anti-HBc positive acute hepatitis.

Respiration, 1985, 48(2), 103 - 7
Reactivity of cat tracheal smooth muscle to histamine under conditions of experimentally induced inflammation; Banovcin P et al.; The reactivity of cat tracheal smooth muscle to histamine in vitro was studied at various degrees of inflammation of the airways induced experimentally by the intratracheal administration of turpentine oil or Staphylococcus aureus, both in aerosol form . Tracheal smooth muscle preparations from the control animals did not respond to histamine in doses of 10(-9)-10(-3) mol X 1(-1) . In tracheal preparations from three groups of cats with turpentine oil inflammation induced 24 h, 48 h and 15 days previously, histamine caused contractions in 20, 70 and 24% of the cats, respectively, according to the degree of inflammation . All tracheal preparations from cats with staphylococcal inflammation responded to histamine by contraction . Atropine, acetylosalicylic acid and phentolamine did not abolish histamine contractions in tracheal preparations, but clemastine did.

Postgrad Med J, 1985, 61 Suppl 1, 5 - 21
Toxic shock syndrome in Britain--epidemiology and microbiology; de Saxe MJ et al.; By 30 June 1984, only 99 confirmed and probable cases of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) had been reported in the British Isles . Sixty-three were related to menstruation in women aged 14 to 54 years who used tampons of various brands and absorbencies; 33 (52%) of these cases were in girls under 20 . Five women died (8%) and 19 (30%) reported at least one other possible episode . Thirty-six cases associated with a variety of clinical conditions occurred in men aged 17 to 74 years (9), women aged 20 to 54 years (15) and 12 children aged 10 months to 10 years; six patients (17%) died . Strains of Staphylococcus aureus which produced toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) were isolated from 53 of 58 (91%) menstrual, but only from 18 of 33 (54%) non-menstrual patients . The frequency of toxin production was highest (93%) for 56 vaginal isolates and lowest (33%) for 9 isolates from blood culture . Ninety-six percent (68 of 71) of strains that were TSST-1-positive were sensitive to lytic-group I phages at one of the three concentrations tested; 82% were lysed by phage 29 . Nineteen percent of 339 strains from a variety of sources other than TSS, produced TSST-1, and 35% of the strains lysed by group I phages were positive . Antibody to TSST-1 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at a serum dilution of 1:100, in 232 of 320 (82%) healthy individuals aged 14 to 56 years, but in acute-phase sera from only four of 37 (18%) TSS patients . A rise in antibody levels during convalescence was noted in two menstrual and 5 non-menstrual patients . These results show that the epidemiology of TSS is similar in Britain and the United States and provide further evidence of the importance of TSST-1-producing strains in the aetiology of the disease.

Postgrad Med J, 1985, 61 Suppl 1, 39 - 43
Toxic shock syndrome: the effect of solid phase materials on the physiology of Staphylococcus aureus; Holland KT et al.; Rayon and chemically modified cotton were compared for their effects in vitro on the physiology of a strain of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a patient with toxic shock syndrome . Two types of experiment were carried out . The materials were used to pretreat the medium before culturing in the absence of the materials . Chemically modified cotton was either added or removed from three hour cultures and incubation continued . The rayon treated medium had little effect on growth or exoenzyme/toxin production by S . aureus . The chemically modified cotton greatly reduced growth of S . aureus and decreased exoenzyme/toxin production when added to three hour cultures . However, pretreated medium and cultures grown for three hours with the material present followed by incubation in its absence increased the exoenzyme/toxin production by S . aureus . The in vitro data suggests large effects of chemically modified cotton on the physiology of S . aureus by in some way, at present unknown, altering the growth medium.

Infection, 1985, 13 Suppl 1, S9 - 13
Experience with cefotaxime in infections caused by gram-positive pathogens, especially Staphylococcus aureus; Fujii R; Cefotaxime (CTX) was the first third-generation cephalosporin to be launched . According to my classification of cephalosporins for practitioners, in contrast to old beta-lactamase-labile cephalosporins (Group I-III), CTX is beta-lactamase-stable and belongs to Group V with anti-pseudomonas activity . A critical review of about 90 patients with Staphylococcus aureus infections, found among analyzable subjects treated with CTX for gram-positive infections, demonstrates that CTX can be expected to be bacteriologically and clinically effective against this pathogen . Moreover, CTX had excellent efficacy against gram-positive organisms compared with other so-called third-generation cephalosporins . CTX is comparable to or more effective than conventional antibiotics in the treatment of respiratory tract infections, soft tissue infections, and neonatal and pediatric infections caused by gram-positive organisms, S . aureus included, if used after taking the susceptibility of the pathogen into account.

Infection, 1985, 13 Suppl 1, S50 - 5
Bone and joint infections caused by gram-positive bacteria: treatment with cefotaxime; LeFrock J et al.; Cefotaxime treatment was evaluated in 41 patients with serious bone and joint infections . Septic arthritis and bursitis (8), acute and chronic osteomyelitis (33) were treated with 3 to 12 g of cefotaxime per day for three to 52 days . The diagnosis of osteomyelitis or septic arthritis was made on the basis of clinical and roentgenographic evidence of infection . The diagnosis of a joint infection was confirmed by a positive culture of a joint aspirate sample . The diagnosis of a bone infection was confirmed by either a positive culture of a bone biopsy or of blood in combination with a positive bone scan or roentgenogram . Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated pathogen . Overall, 36 of 41 patients, who met all criteria for evaluation, had satisfactory responses to cefotaxime . The drug was well tolerated by all patients . However, six patients had a direct Coomb's test, two patients were noted to be neutropenic and two patients developed a macular rash . It is concluded that cefotaxime is a useful and safe antibiotic for the treatment of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis.

Infection, 1985, 13 Suppl 1, S14 - 7
The use of cefotaxime in the treatment of gram-positive pneumonias; Jenkinson SG; A single-blind, prospective, randomized comparison of cefotaxime and cefazolin was conducted in 356 patients with gram-positive pneumonias . Clinical cure was achieved in 95.9% of patients receiving cefotaxime and 94% of patients receiving cefazolin . In a sub-group of patients with Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia, clinical cure was obtained in 31 of 37 patients treated with cefotaxime and all of six patients treated with cefazolin . Cefotaxime was well tolerated, safe, and efficacious . These data support the use of cefotaxime as an initial single antibiotic in treating patients with gram-positive pneumonias due to susceptible organisms.

Prog Clin Biol Res, 1985, 189, 419 - 32
Gram-negative endotoxins and staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome; de Azavedo JC et al.; Strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from toxic shock syndrome (TSS) produce toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST1) which causes a shock-like illness in rabbits with many features similar to TSS in humans . TSST1 is lethal per se in rabbits and also acts synergistically with endotoxin to potentiate lethality . The mode of action of TSST1 is as yet unknown; it has been suggested that it may act by inhibiting the reticuloendothelial system thus allowing endotoxic shock to occur . Rabbits pretreated with polymyxin-B, which prevents the effect of endotoxin, were found to be protected from death by TSST1 indicating that endotoxin is indeed implicated in the pathogenesis of TSS . Specific pathogen-free rabbits which presumably have negligible levels of circulating LPS were susceptible to TSST1 suggesting that very small amounts of endotoxin are sufficient to potentiate lethality . The ways in which TSST1 may allow shock to occur is discussed.

Clin Allergy, 1985 Jan, 15(1), 61 - 6
In vitro IgE-secreting cells in man . I . Mitogen-independent and -dependent subpopulations; Matsumoto T et al.; In vitro IgE secretion by atopic and normal peripheral-blood lymphocytes was examined in culture with pokeweed mitogen or Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowan-I (StaCw) or without mitogen . IgE secreted in culture supernatants was measured with double antibody radioimmunoassay . Enumeration of IgE-secreting cells was made by a protein-A plaque assay . IgE was detected in increasing quantities in supernatants of cultured lymphocytes without mitogen up to the 12th day . IgE-plaque-forming cells were formed by the lymphocytes in large numbers on days 4-7 in cultures with mitogen . These results suggest that not only mitogen-independent but also mitogen-dependent subpopulations may exist in the IgE-secreting cells.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Jan, 46(1), 287 - 93
Effect of vitamin A deficiency on mammary gland development and susceptibility to mastitis through intramammary infusion with Staphylococcus aureus in mice; Chew BP et al.; Weanling mice were fed 0 or 150 micrograms retinol equivalent/kg of diet for 5 weeks, were bred, and allowed to complete gestation . On day 3 of lactation, all mice were separated from their litters for 1 hour and were then anesthetized . The 4th right or left mammary gland was inoculated with 0.1 ml of S Aureus (10(10) colony-forming units/0.1 ml) . Exactly 24 hours after inoculation, the mice were euthanatized and the mammary glands were removed and fixed for histologic evaluations . Vitamin A-deficient dams had smaller litter size and lower liver stores of vitamin A; however, deficiency was not severe enough to produce external signs of vitamin A deficiency in the dams . Morphologic studies showed large areas of adipose tissue, greatly reduced ductal and lobule-alveolar development, and decreased total secretory activity in mammary glands from vitamin A-deficient females . On the other hand, mammary glands from vitamin A-supplemented mice had extensive lobule-alveolar development and highly distended alveoli . Extensive necrosis of alveolar tissue was observed in staphylococcus-infused mammary glands of all mice . Large numbers of leukocytes and cell debris were present in the lumen of alveoli and ducts . However, mammary glands from vitamin A-deficient females had more extensive pathologic damage compared with corresponding glands from vitamin A-supplemented mice . Results indicted that vitamin A-deficient mice had reduced mammary development and increased pathologic damage to the mammary gland after intramammary challenge with staphylococcus.

Vutr Boles, 1985, 24(1), 69 - 71
{Mycoplasma as the causative agent of kidney infections}; Angelova I et al.; A total of 185 patients were investigated for M . hominis and mycoplasmal infection was established in 28 patients . In 2 of the patients mixed infection with E . coli was established and I with Staphylococcus aureus . Fifteen had pyelonephritis and 6--arterial hypertension, without positive data for pyelonephritis . The patients were treated with gentamycin and tetracycline according to the data of antibiograms of the isolated microorganisms . The criteria for admittance of the presence of mycoplasmal pyelonephritis are discussed.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(2), 179 - 87
Unfavourable prognostic factors in Staphylococcus aureus septicemia and endocarditis; Julander I; Factors predictive of a fatal outcome were retrospectively studied in 248 patients admitted with Staphylococcus aureus septicemia during 1965-1982, 78 of whom had endocarditis . 77 patients were intravenous drug addicts and 47 of them had endocarditis . 48 patients (19.4%) died . The fatality rate in addicts and non-addicts from septicemia was 0% and 17.9% and from endocarditis 8.5% and 61.3%, respectively . After analyzing clinical and laboratory data available early in the course of the disease 4 risk factors were found both in septicemia and endocarditis: age greater than or equal to 60 yr, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, prior hospitalization within 30 days of onset of illness, and neurological symptoms and/or signs . In addition, in endocarditis a platelet count before therapy less than 100 X 10(9)/l and left-sided involvement were unfavourable prognostic factors.

Microsurgery, 1985, 6(2), 113 - 5
An experimental study of the effect of infection on microvascular anastomosis; Luk KD et al.; The effect of penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection on the patency of microvascular anastomosis was studied in an experimental model . Histological and SEM studies were also performed . It was found that the presence of infection did not significantly lower the patency rate of rat femoral artery re-anastomosis.

J Orthop Res, 1985, 3(2), 185 - 8
Antibiotic absorption from infected and normal joints using a rabbit knee joint model; Schurman DJ et al.; An understanding of the absorption of antibiotics from joints was investigated comparing intraarticular (i.a.) absorption with intramuscular (i.m.) absorption in a rabbit knee model . The antibiotics investigated were methicillin, cephalothin, cefazolin, cefoxitin, amikacin, neomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin . Absorption was measured both in animals in which the knee joint was infected with Staphylococcus aureus and in normal animals . The pattern of absorption was similar among different antibiotics . On an average, antibiotics are absorbed from infected joints 37% slower than from an i.m . injection . In animals that are not infected i.a . antibiotics are actually absorbed 12% faster than i.m . antibiotics . Thus, i.a . antibiotics are absorbed rapidly and similarly to i.m . injection and should be included in total dose calculations for antibiotic regimens, especially with regard to their potential toxicity.

Int Urol Nephrol, 1985, 17(1), 79 - 83
Purulent pericarditis caused by Staphylococcus aureus in two patients undergoing haemodialysis; Mako J et al.; Two cases of purulent staphylococcal pericarditis successfully treated in the course of chronic haemodialysis (HD) are reported . Pericardiac fenestration was carried out in both . In the second case the first pericardiac fenestration had yielded a sterile fluid and bacterial pericarditis developed only later . The significance of local therapy, side by side with surgery and chemotherapy, is stressed.

Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 1985, 27(6), 713 - 9
Pharmacokinetics and distribution of flucloxacillin in pacemaker patients; Anderson P et al.; The pharmacokinetics of flucloxacillin in plasma and tissue fluid after i.v . infusion of 1 g was analyzed according to an open two-compartment model in 19 patients with bradyarrhythmias (mean age 70.8 years) admitted for implantation or replacement of a permanent pacemaker system . After the first infusion of flucloxacillin (5 min), the distribution phase was rapid (t 1/2 alpha = 0.13 h) . The plasma half-life of elimination (t 1/2 beta) was 1.51 h, which is almost twice as long as reported in healthy volunteers . Total plasma clearance (93.1 ml/min) was also lower than is usually found in healthy individuals, due to low renal clearance of flucloxacillin (60.2 ml/min) . The total apparent volume of distribution during the beta-phase (Vdarea) was 0.172 l/kg and distribution in the central compartment (Vc) 0.064 1/kg . In each patient plasma protein binding and drug distribution to plasma water, proteins and blood cells in whole blood were determined . Binding in plasma to proteins was 91.0% and distribution to blood cells in whole blood 13.8% . The mean distribution volume of free flucloxacillin during the beta-phase (Vd beta free) was 2.18 1/kg, which exceeds total body water, suggesting possible intracellular distribution and substantial tissue binding . Plasma concentrations of flucloxacillin after the fourth dose (1 g t.i.d.) were very similar to those obtained after the first infusion and those predicted from the single dose kinetics . The concentration of flucloxacillin in fluid from the pacemaker pockets in 5 patients averaged 12.1 micrograms/ml and 9.5 micrograms/ml at 1 and 5 h, respectively, which was more than ten times the MIC-values for Staphylococcus aureus and S . epidermidis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Pediatr Orthop, 1985 Jan-Feb, 5(1), 59 - 64
Deep, late infections associated with internal fixation in children; Highland TR et al.; Deep, late infection associated with internal fixation is well known in adults, but has not been previously reported in children . We report here six cases of deep, late infection in children associated with internal fixation of the proximal femur . All patients had cerebral palsy and had undergone a proximal femoral osteotomy for hip subluxation or dislocation . The patients presented with infection between 7 and 24 months after a period of total recovery . The clinical presentation was variable, although many patients had increasing hip pain . Radiographs showed radiolucency around the lag screw . The bacteriologic finding was usually Staphylococcus aureus, and patients responded to wound debridement, hardware removal, and intravenous antibiotics . In light of these cases of deep, late infection, we strongly urge routine removal of metallic implants as soon as bony healing will allow.

Int J Pept Protein Res, 1985 Jan, 25(1), 9 - 14
Evidence for the existence of {Gln9}-beta-lipotropin in human pituitary glands; Chung D et al.; The isolation of two peptides similar in amino acid composition to that of human beta-lipotropin is presented . Peptide patterns after enzymatic digestions of these two peptides by Staphylococcus aureus protease and by trypsin were nearly identical . Paper electrophoresis and amino acid analyses of acidic peptides generated from the enzymatic digestions of these two peptides indicate that there is an amide difference between the two peptides . It is proposed that this amide difference is in amino acid residue number nine, and that one is the human beta-lipotropin and the other its {Gln9} analog.

Dermatologica, 1985, 170(3), 114 - 20
Immune response to Staphylococcus aureus in atopic dermatitis; Hauser C et al.; The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is severely colonized with Staphylococcus aureus . Therefore, a study was conducted to assess some basic features of the S . aureus-specific immune response in patients with AD and healthy nonatopic individuals . Some particular features were found: a selective hyporesponsiveness to purified S . aureus cell walls (PCW) in delayed skin reactivity; half of our AD patients showed serum IgE to PCW and soluble S . aureus protoplast antigens; elevated PCW-IgE did not correlate with positive immediate skin reactions to whole S . aureus and their cell walls; regional lymphadenopathy but not impetiginization was associated with increased PCW-IgE and high total IgE . It is suggested that these changes in the immune response to S . aureus are related to the chronic S . aureus colonization of the skin.

Klin Padiatr, 1985 Jan-Feb, 197(1), 65 - 7
{Spinous process osteomyelitis of the thoracic vertebrae 10 and 11 in a newborn infant}; Bode H et al.; A case of a newborn with osteomyelitis of the spinous processes 10 and 11 is presented . The first clinical sign was a dorsothoracal abscess . Radiologically a destruction of the 10th, later also the 11th spinous process could be demonstrated . Staphylococcus aureus was isolated . The clinical course was mild . The pathogenesis of the disease is discussed . Such a case of newborn osteomyelitis has apparently not been described in the literature.

J Neurol, 1985, 231(6), 343 - 4
Acute spinal epidural abscess; Bouchez B et al.; An anterolateral cervical epidural abscess occurred in the course of a septicaemia caused by Staphylococcus aureus . Early diagnosis, before permanent neurological signs developed, was provided by CT scan without myelography . Total recovery occurred with antibiotic therapy alone.

Immunology, 1985 Jan, 54(1), 173 - 80
Effects of vitamin E and selenium deficiencies on rat immune function; Eskew ML et al.; The effects of dietary restriction of vitamin E and selenium were studied in male Long-Evans hooded rats . Weanling animals were maintained for 5-6 weeks on torula yeast-based diets, with or without the addition of vitamin E (150 IU/kg) or selenium (0.5 mg/kg), to form the following dietary groups: +E, +Se; +E, -Se; -E, +Se; -E, -Se, and a fifth group pair-fed with the -E, -Se group . This latter group exhibited a decreased rate of growth similar to the -E, -Se group . Lymphocyte blastogenesis in response to mitogens was decreased in animals fed the diets deficient in either vitamin E or selenium, and also in the pair-fed group . Very marked suppression of mitogen responses was seen in the doubly deficient group, as well as a greater loss of viability during culture . Spleen cell-mediated antibody-dependent lysis of chicken erythrocytes was increased in the doubly deficient group, although this difference could be abolished by the addition of catalase, but not indomethacin, to the culture medium . Dietary deficiency of vitamin E and selenium had no discernible effects on alveolar macrophage function, as measured by cell-mediated antibody-dependent cytolysis, killing of Staphylococcus aureus or regulation of T-lymphocyte blastogenesis.

Dermatologica, 1985, 170(1), 35 - 9
Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization in atopic dermatitis patients; Hauser C et al.; A study was conducted to compare the Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization of 21 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 22 healthy controls . It was found that the total aerobe count (total CFU/cm2), the S . aureus fraction thereof and the S . aureus carrier frequency were significantly higher in apparently normal skin of AD patients than in healthy individuals . In addition, compared to normal skin of patients S . aureus density was 100 to 1,000 times higher in the 3 different kinds of lesional skin (dermatitic, lichenified and impetiginized sites) . 190 S . aureus strains isolated from the skin of AD patients were tested for sensitivity to 5 topically used antibiotics and the results reported . Besides the biological consequences for the person affected by AD this severe colonization with S . aureus is of epidemiological importance . Several outbreaks of S . aureus infections by dispersal from dermatitic skin have been described . Therefore some preventive and therapeutic aspects are discussed.

Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(1), 40 - 9
Chemotherapy of systemic murine infection due to beta-lactam antibiotic 'tolerant' and non-'tolerant' Staphylococcus aureus; Traub WH; Two in vitro beta-lactam antibiotic (oxacillin, cefotaxime) 'tolerant' (MBC:MIC ratios = greater than 32) strains of Staphylococcus aureus served to intraperitoneally infect cyclophosphamide-pretreated (leukopenic) NMRI mice . With larger bacterial inocula (approximately 5 X 10(8) CFU) neither oxacillin nor gentamicin or netilmicin yielded optimal chemotherapeutic results . Only combination chemotherapy, in particular oxacillin combined with netilmicin, consistently reduced mouse mortality significantly (p less than 0.001) . In contrast, moderate 'tolerant' staphylococcal inocula (approximately 2 X 10(8) CFU) were amenable to chemotherapy with either oxacillin or netilmicin, but not with cefotaxime or gentamicin . Oxacillin combined with either gentamicin or netilmicin resulted in significantly lowered murine mortality rates (p less than 0.001) . Cefotaxime combined with either aminoglycoside antibiotic gave less satisfactory results . Systemic murine infections due to three non-'tolerant' strains of S . aureus were amenable to chemotherapy with oxacillin, cefotaxime or netilmicin alone and to combination chemotherapy . It is recommended that cases of life-threatening S . aureus infection, not complicated by acute endocarditis, initially be treated with oxacillin plus netilmicin until availability of laboratory results (antibiogram, documentation of 'tolerance').

Cancer Chemother Pharmacol, 1985, 14(2), 135 - 8
In vivo protection by protein A of hepatic microsomal mixed function oxygenase system of cyclophosphamide-treated rats; Dohadwala M et al.; At a high dose, cyclophosphamide (Cy, 200 mg/kg) causes depression of the enzyme activity of the hepatic mixed function oxygenase (MFO) system in Sprague-Dawley rats . The present report provides evidence for the early regeneration of the depleted enzyme activity in Cy-treated rats by purified protein A (P) of Staphylococcus aureus . Enzymes of the MFO system, such as aminopyrine demethylase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, were assayed and the content of cytochrome P-450 was determined . Inoculation of P (60 micrograms/kg) prior to Cy inoculation provides a better effect than P administration after Cy . The exact mechanism of P action is unknown . P-treated animals appear to have an ability to repair the damage caused by the toxic metabolites of Cy earlier than those in the Cy group . This property of protein A may become useful in accelerated regeneration of the enzyme activity in the hepatic MFO system following the toxic insult of Cy metabolites.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Jan, 46(1), 53 - 7
Enhancement of lymphocyte blastogenesis and neutrophil function by avridine in dexamethasone-treated and nontreated cattle; Roth JA et al.; The lipoidal amine, N,N-dioctadecyl-N',N'-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) propanediamine (avridine or CP 20,961), formulated in liposomes, was evaluated for its effect on leukocyte kinetics, lymphocyte blastogenesis, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function in dexamethasone-treated and nontreated cattle . In the 1st experiment, cattle were given avridine in a single IM injection of 0.1, 1.0, or 10 mg/kg of body weight . All doses induced swelling at the injection site, a febrile response, and a leukocytosis due to a neutrophilia . Mononuclear cell numbers were normal . All 3 groups of avridine-treated animals had a higher mean lymphocyte blastogenic response to mitogens on the 4 days after administration than did the control nontreated animals . Avridine administration was associated with an enhanced ability of PMN to ingest Staphylococcus aureus and to mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) . The highest dose (10 mg/kg) was associated with a depression of the ability of PMN to iodinate protein . An effect of avridine on PMN random migration under agarose or nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction was not observed . In a 2nd experiment, cattle were given no treatment, 0.04 mg of dexamethasone/kg IM, or 10 mg of avridine/kg IM followed 24 hours later by 0.04 mg of dexamethasone/kg . Dexamethasone administration caused a leukocytosis due to a neutrophilia with normal mononuclear cell numbers, an enhancement of PMN random migration under agarose, and an inhibition of NBT reduction, iodination, and ADCC activity of PMN . Dexamethasone did not have a detectable effect on lymphocyte blastogenesis or on ingestion of S aureus by PMN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Am J Dis Child, 1985 Jan, 139(1), 66 - 7
Cystic fibrosis and gastroesophageal reflux in infancy; Thomas D et al.; Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was initially diagnosed in two black infants, aged 5 and 9 months, as a cause of their chronic lung disease and failure to thrive . Both infants were treated with bethanechol chloride as part of the management of their GER, but respiratory failure developed in both patients and they required ventilatory support . Both infants had severe air trapping, CO2 retention, difficulty in being weaned from mechanical ventilation, and Staphylococcus aureus cultured from their respiratory tract secretions . These factors led to the suspicion of cystic fibrosis (CF), and this diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by sweat test . The condition of both infants improved substantially on withdrawal of bethanechol therapy and the institution of a regimen of CF care . The early diagnosis of GER in these infants may have led to a delay in diagnosis and treatment of CF.

Am J Dis Child, 1985 Jan, 139(1), 29 - 32
Peritonitis in children undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Powell D et al.; During a four-year period there were 77 episodes and 15 recurrences of peritonitis in 30 children treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for periods of one to 39 months (mean, 15.3 months) . The incidence was one episode per 6.0 patient-months . Organisms cultured included Staphylococcus epidermidis (17 episodes), Staphylococcus aureus (15 episodes), and fungi (four episodes) . Special culture techniques were needed to ensure a high yield of positive cultures . Peritonitis was usually treated with intraperitoneal administration of cefazolin sodium, and 61% of the episodes were treated at home . There was one death, from Candida peritonitis, and catheters were removed in 11 children because of resistant or recurrent peritonitis (eight cases) or fungal peritonitis (three cases) . Peritonitis rates were highest in children who had difficulty performing bag changes aseptically but who could not be transferred to hemodialysis and in hospitalized patients.

Pediatr Infect Dis, 1985 Jan-Feb, 4(1), 27 - 31
Ceftriaxone in the treatment of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus in children; Nelson SJ et al.; Ceftriaxone is a new parenteral cephalosporin with a prolonged half-life and an expanded Gram-negative spectrum . Before it can be used as a single agent for infections of unknown etiology, its efficacy in treating infections caused by Gram-positive organisms, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, must be proven . Ceftriaxone was administered to 12 children for treatment of infections due to S . aureus alone or in the presence of other organisms . Sites of infection included soft tissue, respiratory tract, bone and joint . Patients received ceftriaxone at 68 to 100 mg/kg/day in two doses for 3 to 20 days . Clinical and bacteriologic responses were satisfactory in all patients . One patient experienced abdominal pain during infusion and another developed a skin rash . Five patients had platelet counts of 500,000/mm3 or greater; four had an eosinophil count of 7% or greater and one patient had transient neutropenia . These abnormalities resolved during or after therapy . Ceftriaxone was a safe and effective single antibiotic for the treatment of infections caused by S . aureus in children.

Neurology, 1985 Jan, 35(1), 110 - 1
Staphylococcal meningitis: a complication of psoas abscess; Spotkov J et al.; A previously healthy 59-year-old woman presented with fever, neck stiffness, and localized back tenderness . Spinal fluid and blood cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus . A diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis was made, but further investigation revealed that the meningitis arose from a clinically occult psoas abscess.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Jan, 151(1), 23 - 32
Effects of maternal protein deprivation on the nutritional status and neutrophil function of suckling neonatal rats; Nwankwo MU et al.; An animal model of neonatal protein deprivation was developed to examine the effects of maternal malnutrition on growth and development and on the host defense system of the suckling offspring . Adult rats were fed either a protein-deficient (3% casein) or normal (25% casein) diet beginning one day after parturition . Offspring of the protein-deprived animals showed biochemical signs of nutritional imbalance such as changes in serum acid hydrolase levels as early as the second day of life; growth retardation and hypoproteinemia developed by day 4 . When malnourished and control sucklings were infected at 12 days of age with Staphylococcus aureus, it was noted that protein deprivation did not influence neutrophil mobilization . However, malnourished animals responded to infection with larger perturbations in neutrophil counts than did the controls, were unable to control the infection, and ultimately showed neutrophil depletion . These studies suggest that protein deprivation affects the quantity and quality of milk and that the offspring of a protein-deficient animal are not only growth retarded but are also compromised in their ability to deal with infection.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Jan, 151(1), 157 - 65
Efficacy of vancomycin plus rifampin in experimental aortic-valve endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: in vitro-in vivo correlations; Bayer AS et al.; Studies of in vitro and in vivo bactericidal interactions of vancomycin plus rifampin against Staphylococcus aureus have yielded conflicting results . In this study the efficacy of this drug combination in experimental endocarditis due to a methicillin-resistant strain of S . aureus was investigated . Left-sided endocarditis was induced in 84 rabbits by an infecting strain that had been found to be synergistically killed by vancomycin plus rifampin in vitro when tested by the timed-kill curve technique; in contrast, the checkerboard technique had indicated that the two drugs were antagonistic against this strain . Infected animals received no therapy, vancomycin alone (30 mg/kg per day), rifampin alone (20 mg/kg per day), or both drugs (in the same doses) . The combination was significantly more effective than the single-drug regimens in terms of (1) reduction of mean methicillin-resistant S . aureus vegetation titers (P less than .05-.0005), (2) rate and incidence of sterilization of vegetations (P less than .0005), and (3) rate of "radical" cure of endocarditis (P less than .005) . Vancomycin alone and vancomycin plus rifampin were equally effective in reducing mortality and sterilizing renal abscesses . The use of vancomycin prevented the in vivo development of resistance to rifampin . No evidence that rifampin exerted an antagonistic effect on the in vivo bactericidal activity of vancomycin was found.

J Clin Invest, 1985 Jan, 75(1), 191 - 8
Human monocyte-derived mucus secretagogue; Marom Z et al.; Human peripheral monocytes were stimulated with opsonized zymosan or protein A-containing Staphylococcus aureus to examine whether factors might be released that were capable of stimulating mucous glycoprotein release from cultured human airways, as has recently been described with human pulmonary macrophages . While the supernatant from monocytes exposed to opsonized zymosan or protein A-containing S . aureus caused an impressive activity was found in the control samples that were cultured in parallel and exposed to nonactivated zymosan or S . aureus that was deficient in protein A . The responsible factor was termed monocyte-derived mucus secretagogue (MMS) . The maximum MMS release was reached 4-8 h after stimulation, and the amount of MMS released was dependent on the dose of opsonized zymosan added . Chromatographic analyses of MMS indicate that its molecular weight was approximately 2,000 and that the isoelectric point (pI) was 5.2, with a smaller second peak of 7.4 on isoelectric focusing . MMS itself was not detected in monocyte lysates, nor was it formed by monocytes treated with the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, before exposure to activating particles . MMS was not a prostaglandin, could not be extracted into organic solvents, and is probably not an eicosanoid . Based on these observations, we conclude that stimulated human peripheral monocytes synthesize a small, acidic molecule, termed MMS, that is capable of stimulating human airways to secrete mucus and in nearly every respect is identical to pulmonary macrophage-derived MMS.

Infect Immun, 1985 Jan, 47(1), 47 - 51
Isolation and partial characterization of staphylococcal decomplementation antigen; Bhakdi S et al.; A substance with potent decomplementation activity was isolated from staphylococcal culture supernatants by polyethylene glycol precipitation, DEAE-ion-exchange and Sephacryl chromatography, and preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The purified substance exhibited all the characteristics of the decomplementation antigen (DA) previously detected in unfractionated culture supernatants . It contained glucosamine and phosphorus and was provisionally identified as extracellular, water-soluble teichoic acid of Staphylococcus aureus . DA was entirely resistant towards the action of proteases, DNase, RNase, or lysostaphin and withstood boiling for 30 min . Its electrophoretic mobility in agarose gels at pH 8.7 was approximately double that of human serum albumin . The molecule eluted in a molecular-weight region of 70,000 to 120,000 on Sephacryl S-300 and sedimented as a symmetrical 3 to 4 S moiety in sucrose density gradients . It migrated near the dye front on 12.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and remained undenatured after boiling in sodium dodecyl sulfate . DA formed a symmetrical immunoprecipitate upon crossed immunoelectrophoresis against pooled human immunoglobulin G . It was identified as the major extracellular antigen present in unfractionated S . aureus culture supernatants that is precipitable by naturally occurring human immunoglobulin G antibodies . Immune complexes forming between DA and human immunoglobulin G exhibited an extraordinary capacity to activate the classical complement pathway . Micro- or nanogram amounts of purified antigen added to antibody-containing human serum effected rapid and complete consumption of C3, C4, and C5 . The biochemical and biological properties of DA single out this molecule for an important role in suppressing the opsonizing activity of host complement through induction of abortive complement consumption in the fluid phase.

Cancer Chemother Pharmacol, 1985, 14(1), 59 - 62
Rescue of rats from large dose cyclophosphamide toxicity using protein A; Ray PK et al.; Cyclophosphamide (Cy) is widely used as an effective cytotoxic drug, but its use is limited because of its toxicity . In this report, we describe for the first time the ability of purified protein A (P) of Staphylococcus aureus to reduce Cy-induced toxicity in rats . Protein A-treated animals recover quickly from the toxic effects of Cy . The antitumor property of Cy is not reduced in the P + Cy group . In fact, the latter showed a persistent decrease in tumor volume compared with the Cy group . Protein A may prove to be an effective agent in increasing the therapeutic index of Cy.

Can Med Assoc J, 1985 Jan 1, 132(1), 39 - 40
Vancomycin-induced neutropenia; Mackett RL et al.; Although rare, neutropenia associated with long-term vancomycin therapy may occur . A 67-year-old woman with cellulitis and sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus was treated initially with cefazolin . Despite in-vitro susceptibility of the organism to this drug, the patient remained febrile, and therapy was changed to vancomycin . On day 17 of therapy with this medication neutropenia was noted; it progressed over the next 3 days, and therapy with the drug was stopped . A rise in the neutrophil count occurred within 5 days of discontinuation . Periodic monitoring of the leukocyte count during longterm vancomycin therapy is recommended.

Acta Anthropogenet, 1985, 9(1-3), 48 - 62
Interindividual phenotypic variations in CLL B lymphocyte maturation indication of different maturation blocks; Rozynkowa D et al.; Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 8 patients with B-derived chronic lymphocytic leukaemia were stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria strain Cowan 1 with T cell mitogens PHA or PWM in 5-7 day suspension cultures . For the first group of patients proliferation and maturation tests were performed on T cell enriched and T cell depleted subpopulations, obtained from harvested lymphocytes at the end of cultures by the sheep red cell rosette technique . To re-examine mutual influences of cultivated T and B cells in the second group of experiments, lymphocytes from CLL patients and from 5 healthy individuals were investigated by the use of transmembrane cocultivation system after Feldman and Basten . The proliferative responses to lectin and to bacteria were assessed by 3HTdR-blastic and mitotic indices . The maturation process of B lymphocytes was examined by cytoplasmic Ig, studied by FITC-conjugated antisera . Results obtained with cocultivation system support the view that T cell replacing factor(s) were required for inducing prolonged growth and development of maturation of more numerous B lymphocytes in response to Staphylococcus aureus, a T cell independent, B specific polyclonal stimulator . Results analysed in different patients indicate various degrees of maturation of B cells including their differentiation towards a plasmacytoid cell, accompanied by various proliferative capacities of B and T lymphocytes . This functional analysis reflects the heterogeneity of B-CLL patients group.

Biochem Soc Symp, 1985, 50, 247 - 64
Cell damage by viruses, toxins and complement: common features of pore-formation and its inhibition by Ca2+; Pasternak CA et al.; Haemolytic paramyxoviruses interact with cells in the following way: a potentially leaky viral envelope fuses with the plasma membrane, creating a hydrophilic pore of approximately 1 nm in diameter; this allows ions and low molecular weight compounds, but not proteins, to leak into and out of cells . Other viruses act similarly if the pH is reduced to 5 . Leakage (measured by collapse of membrane potential, by movement of monovalent cations and by loss of phosphorylated intermediates from cells) is prevented by extracellular Ca2+ . Ca2+ does not affect binding or fusion of virus to cells . It inhibits leakage as well as preventing it, and it aids in the recovery (i.e . the restoration of non-leakiness) of cells . Certain 'anti-Ca2+' drugs have an opposite effect . Experiments with the bee venom protein melittin, with the alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus and with activated complement, show that the lesions produced by these agents, too, are sensitive to extracellular Ca2+ and to 'anti-Ca2+' drugs . The mechanisms of these effects are discussed.

Acta Biochim Pol, 1985, 32(4), 285 - 93
The serine proteinase inhibitor from summer squash (Cucurbita pepo): some structural features, stability and proteolytic degradation; Otlewski J et al.; The serine proteinase inhibitor from summer squash seeds (CPTI-II) with Mr of about 3250 contains three disulphide bridges and is unusually resistant to denaturing agents (e.g . 10% trichloroacetic acid at about 100 degrees C), thermolysin and proteinase V8 from Staphylococcus aureus . The inhibitor is digested by pepsin; the digestion of the virgin form proceeds more rapidly than when the peptide bond of the reactive site is broken . The inhibitor is not specifically reduced by sodium borohydride at pH 8.8, and almost full reactivation of the inhibitor reduced by dithiothreitol takes place at pH 8.15 in the presence of EDTA and the reduced + oxidized glutathione system . The inhibitor was crystallized from methanol . CD spectra point to the occurrence of beta-turns in the secondary structure of the inhibitor.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1985, 64(4), 274 - 80
Staphylococcus aureus: characters associated with its pathogenicity and sensitivity to antibiotics; Savoia D et al.; A hundred staphylococcus strains recently isolated from hospital specimens of various kinds were first divided into two groups: mannitol-positive (90 strains) and mannitol-negative (10 strains) . Their ability to produce protein A was then correlated with the presence of other metabolic and enzymatic characters typical of S.aureus . The results showed that satisfactory identification of S . aureus in clinical practice requires assessment of other more species-specific characters in addition to the mannitol fermentation, though this is useful as a preliminary screening measure . Evaluation of protein A production would seem as good or even better than evaluation of coagulase for this purpose . It was also found that the strains examined displayed an increased resistance to methicillin, particularly the part of non-aureus (mainly S.epidermidis) strains . Nearly all strains displayed resistance to the penicillins through the production of penicillinase.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Jan, 15 Suppl A, 233 - 9
Bactericidal activity of phenoxymethylpenicillin in an in-vitro model simulating tissue kinetics; Sous H et al.; The antibacterial efficacy of phenoxymethylpenicillin (Pen-V-K) against strains of Staphylococcus aureus was assessed in an in-vitro kinetic model . Simulation was based on human serum levels and tissue water curves obtained after a single oral dose of 392.2 mg of the drug . Differences in bacterial elimination kinetics were noted depending upon the type of curve (serum or tissue water) being simulated.

Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 1985 Jan, 8(1-2), 107 - 18
Humoral and cellular factors affecting the neutrophil response of the locally immunised mammary gland to staphylococcal infection; Colditz IG et al.; Locally immunising the non-lactating ovine mammary gland by infusing killed Staphylococcus aureus enhances neutrophil accumulation in mammary secretion during subsequent staphylococcal infection . Immunological factors influencing this increased neutrophil response were studied in the present experiments . Glands locally immunised with killed Brucella abortus supported a greater neutrophil response to staphylococcal infection than did glands immunised with killed S . aureus . An enhanced neutrophil response to staphylococcal infection was recorded in 3 of 7 ewes locally immunised with zymosan . Passive immunisation by intramammary infusion of secretions from immunised glands conferred an enhanced neutrophil response during staphylococcal infection . Absence of haemolytic complement in secretions of immunised glands suggested complement was not implicated in the response . Secretions of immunised glands contained elevated concentrations of mononuclear cells . When exudates rich in mononuclear cells were established by infusion of endotoxin into non-immunised glands there was no increase in the neutrophil response to subsequent staphylococcal infection . However, when the mononuclear cell concentration was elevated by intramammary infusion of staphylococcal antigens in systemically immunised ewes there was an increase in the neutrophil response to subsequent infection . Thus humoral and cellular characteristics of the locally immunised mammary gland influence the kinetics of the neutrophil influx during staphylococcal infection.

Arch Biochem Biophys, 1985 Jan, 236(1), 176 - 84
Microsomal monooxygenase system in Morris hepatoma: purification and characterization of cytochromes P-450 from Morris hepatoma 5123D of 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats; Ohmachi T et al.; Two forms of cytochrome P-450 (hepatoma P-450MCI and P-450MCII) were purified from hepatoma 5123D microsomes of tumor-bearing rats treated with 3-methylcholanthrene . Hepatoma P-450MCI had a specific content of 18.4 nmol/mg protein and showed a main protein band with a minimum molecular weight of 56,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel . Hepatoma P-450MCII had a specific content of 7.38 nmol/mg protein and a minimum molecular weight of 50,000 . The carbon monoxide-reduced difference spectral peak of hepatoma P-450MCI was at 446.5 nm, whereas the peak of hepatoma P-450MCII was at 451 nm . In the reconstituted system, hepatoma P-450MCI catalyzed 3-hydroxylation of benzo{a}pyrene and O-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin, but showed low activities for N-demethylation of benzphetamine and aminopyrine, O-demethylation of p-nitroanisole, and p-hydroxylation of aniline . On the other hand, hepatoma P-450MCII did not catalyze hydroxylation of any of the substrates tested . By Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis, hepatoma P-450MCI was immunologically indistinguishable from rat liver cytochrome P-450c, but hepatoma P-450MCII was distinct from hepatoma P-450MCI and rat liver cytochrome P-450c . Peptide maps of hepatoma P-450MCI and rat liver cytochrome P-450c after proteolysis with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease demonstrated the similarity of the two cytochromes P-450.

Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1985, 11(1), 63 - 8
Cigarette smoke and N-acetylcysteine: interference with the bactericidal properties of serum; Marca G et al.; The bactericidal properties of normal serum are an important feature in host defence; it has been suggested that they are depressed by cigarette smoke . The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro depressant effect of cigarette smoke on antibacterial activity of rabbit serum and its interaction with the well-known antioxidant agent, N-acetylcysteine . Escherichia coli was used to study the bactericidal activity of the complement-dependent system and Staphylococcus aureus was used to study the thermostable bactericidal system . It was found that exposure of serum and bacteria to cigarette smoke significantly decreased the bactericidal powder of serum; when N-acetylcysteine was added to the incubation mixture, however, a marked inhibitory effect on the toxic action of smoke on rabbit serum was observed.

Childs Nerv Syst, 1985, 1(6), 346 - 8
Nonsurgical cure of brain abscess in a neonate; Daniels SR et al.; A 7-day-old girl was found to have meningitis due to Staphylococcus aureus and a left parietal brain abscess . Six weeks treatment with intravenous methicillin resulted in resolution of her right hemiparesis and brain abscess . This is one of the youngest patients successfully treated by medical therapy alone . The case suggests that in carefully selected, closely monitored infants, medical therapy alone can be successful.

Immunol Lett, 1985, 11(2), 101 - 5
Recombinant interleukin 2 induces immunoglobulin secretion in Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I activated human B-cells; Devos R et al.; Human B-cells, exhaustively depleted for T-cells, were activated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC) and responded to recombinant human interleukin 2 (rIL2) by secretion of immunoglobulin (Ig), as measured by a protein A hemolytic plaque assay . The rIL2, however, had to be present early, since addition later than 24 h after SAC-activation of the B-cells reduced the response to background levels . No clear dose response was observed and Ig-secreting cells (ISC) could be induced even with rIL2 at 0.5 U/ml . The monoclonal antibody anti-TAC prevented the rIL2-promoted induction of ISC . Ig production could be induced in SAC-activated cultures with supernatants of Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with sucrose-gradient-fractionated poly(A+) RNA derived from a stimulated human spleen cell culture . This activity coincided with the IL2 mRNA activity and was well separated from the interferon-gamma mRNA activity . Our results suggest that IL2 is not only a B-cell growth factor but also promotes the differentiation of activated human B-cells towards Ig secretion.

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol, 1985, 4(2), 103 - 24
Protein A and staphylococcal products in neoplastic disease; Terman DS; Tumoricidal responses and tumor regressions have been observed after plasma perfusion over Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC), or purified protein A immobilized on solid supports . This system was initially studied in a single human patient and then extended to dogs with spontaneous mammary carcinoma, an excellent model of human breast cancer . In the single patient and dogs with mammary tumors, perfusion of plasma over protein A bearing staphylococcus resulted in tumor necrosis and tumor regression . Tumor reduction or growth retardation with similar perfusion systems has been noted in various feline and rodent tumor models . Tumoricidal responses were also observed in canine tumors after perfusion over commercial protein A which was immobilized in a collodion charcoal matrix (PACC) . These responses were amplified when a subtherapeutic and nontoxic dose of cytarabine was given after perfusion . Similar tumor reduction in murine and feline tumor models has been noted after perfusion of autologous serum over protein A immobilized on various other solid supports . The PACC perfusion system was extended to five consecutive patients with advanced breast adenocarcinoma . Four of five patients showed tumor regression after perfusion of small volumes of autologous or homologous plasma over PACC . Patients also experienced pyrexia, nausea, vomiting, and significant cardiopulmonary toxicity . Detailed hemodynamic studies of these effects showed that the major pathophysiology involved a decline in total peripheral resistance associated with an increase in cardiac output . With reduction of immobilized protein A quantity and diminution in plasma perfusion rate, the cardiopulmonary toxicity associated with treatments was diminished . Chemotherapy given as FAC to a single patient shortly after concluding perfusion therapy resulted in rapid regression of residual large tumor masses . Studies focusing on the mechanism of the tumoricidal responses have examined changes in sera after incubation or perfusion over immobilized SAC or PACC . Major findings include (1) the identification of protein A leaching from PACC and SAC after serum perfusion and appearing in the effluent as Clq binding oligomers composed predominantly of IgG and protein A but also containing IgA, IgM and C3 with a molecular weight range of 600,000 to 2,000,000; (2) the identification of C3a anaphylatoxins in serum perfused over PACC or SAC; (3) the recognition that several enterotoxins, in particular enterotoxin B are present in commercial protein A preparation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Biomed Pharmacother, 1985, 39(4), 177 - 86
Cancer treatment with Staphylococcus aureus protein A; Solal-Celigny P et al.; For 3 years, Protein A of Staphylococcus aureus has been used in cancer treatment, initially because of its potential for removing serum blocking factors in the case of patients with malignancies . Extracorporeal adsorption of plasma over immobilized Protein A has produced beneficial effects on experimental animal cancers and some human tumors . The authors review various aspects of this apparently new form of immunotherapy: the basis of Protein A treatments according to the known effects of Protein A on the immune system; different techniques of plasma adsorption and especially the various Protein A carriers that have been used; the toxic effects which complicated the treatment course in several studies and their mechanisms; treatment results in animal models; and the results of phase I and II trials in patients.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(3), 303 - 10
Experimental hematogenous infection of subcutaneously implanted foreign bodies; Zimmerli W et al.; Implanted foreign bodies are highly susceptible to pyogenic infection . Whereas infection up to 3 months after surgery is probably due to perioperative bacterial contamination, little is known about the pathogenesis of late prosthetic infections . We employed an animal model to determine whether subcutaneously implanted foreign bodies were susceptible to experimental bacteremia . Tissue cages were implanted into guinea pigs, which were infected at the earliest 4 weeks later by intracardiac injection of Staphylococcus aureus Wood 46 . The injection of 2 X 10(6) cfu did not result in any infection . Inoculation of 5 X 10(7) cfu resulted in a bacteremia of 10(2)-10(3) cfu/ml after 5 min and led to 11/26 selective tissue cage infections with no microbiological evidence of infection elsewhere . Higher inocula caused systemic infections with foci in different organs . Rifampin (7.5 mg/kg b.i.d.) was administered for 48 h, starting at different times after infection to establish the best timing for efficacious short-term therapy . When treatment was begun 1 h before or 3 h after inoculation, complete protection was observed, whereas 1/12 and 3/15 tissue cages remained infected when the first dose was not given until 24 h and 48 h, respectively, after inoculation . These experiments illustrate that implanted prostheses are highly susceptible even to bacteremias with low density of microorganisms . Prophylaxis can prevent such infections, whereas delayed short-term treatment may fail.

Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg, 1985, 19(1), 81 - 5
Muscle transposition for treatment of osteomyelitis of the tibia; Thomsen PB et al.; A series of 24 consecutive patients with osteomyelitis of the tibia and soft tissue defects were treated according to the principle of radical excision of the infected bone together with transposition of muscle flaps and primary skin cover as a one-stage procedure . External fixation was used for stabilization of bone . The mean duration of osteomyelitis before radical operation was 72 weeks and the previous stay in hospital averaged 15 weeks . Twenty-one patients had previously undergone 3.7 operations because of the infection . Staphylococcus aureus was cultured in 50% of the patients, while no bacteria could be identified in six patients . Appropriate antibiotics were given for an average of eight weeks . In four patients a secondary bone transplant and in three patients another skin transplant was necessary . One patient refusing further reconstructive surgery insisted on an above-knee amputation because of persisting infection . After an average observation time of 2 1/2 years no infection or instability of the tibia could be demonstrated, but one patient showed two small skin defects . These results indicate that radical excision of infected bone in combination with muscle transposition and primary skin cover is effective in the treatment of posttraumatic osteomyelitis of the tibia.

J Immunoassay, 1985, 6(1-2), 1 - 9
Synthesis of human immunoglobulins in vitro: comparison of two assays of secreted immunoglobulin; Jokinen I et al.; One consequence of B-lymphocyte activation is immunoglobulin production, which can be quantitated by various techniques . We have compared assay of plaque forming cell (PFC) and determination of immunoglobulins by ELISA in culture supernatants of human lymphocytes stimulated with pokeweed mitogen and with Staphylococcus aureus . These assays correlated well (r greater than 0.77) in all major immunoglobulin classes studied . The close correlation suggests that determination of secreted immunoglobulins by ELISA may be substituted for the PFC assay.

Vet Med Nauki, 1985, 22(1), 58 - 62
{Modified rapid method for the quantitative determination of S . aureus in food products and washings}; Gogov I; Suggested is the use of a modified rapid method for the quantitative determination of Staphylococcus aureus in food products and washings, worked out on the basis of the method described by Lachica {8} . In the modified method a yolk-salt agar is substituted for Baird-Parker's medium . Provided is inactivation of the thermolable nucleases at 65 degrees C for one hour and additional incubation at 37 degrees C for 2 hours following the overlaying of the agar with toluidineblue DN-ase agar . Comparative investigations on the quantitative determination of Staphylococcus aureus in experimentally and naturally contaminated food samples and washings showed that there were no essential differences between the microbial counts as established by the two methods . The modified method made it possible to shorten the investigation by 2 hours . It proved specific and readily applicable for rapid laboratory diagnostics.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 Jan, 27(1), 79 - 83
Cloning and expression of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid-mediated quaternary ammonium resistance in Escherichia coli; Tennent JM et al.; The Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pSK1 carries Tn4001, a 4.7-kilobase (kb) transposon which specifies resistance to gentamicin, tobramycin, and kanamycin . In addition, pSK1 mediates resistance to trimethoprim and linked resistance to ethidium bromide (Ebr) and to quaternary ammonium compounds (Qar) . Restriction endonuclease analysis of pSK1 and a deleted derivative of pSK1 revealed that the gene(s) responsible for Ebr Qar lies within a 5.2-kb HindIII fragment . This fragment has been cloned into the Escherichia coli plasmid vector pBR322, and transformants of an E . coli K-12 strain exhibited Ebr Qar . Subcloning of the 5.2-kb insert, combined with data from electron microscopic analysis of deleted derivatives of pSK1, located the Ebr Qar determinant(s) on a 2.3-kb segment of pSK1 DNA.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jan, (1), 49 - 51
{Detection of antibodies to the teichoic acids of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall in the sera of osteomyelitis patients}; Vaneeva NP et al.; The comparative analysis of serum samples from patients with hematogenic and post-traumatic osteomyelitis for the presence of antibodies to the teichoic acids of the cell wall of S . aureus has been carried out by means of ELISA . The investigation has shown that the test system developed on the basis of teichoic acids can be used for confirming the diagnosis of osteomyelitis . An attempt to use this system for the dynamic observation of the disease has been made.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jan, (1), 33 - 5
{Comparative immunoenzyme analysis of sera for the presence of antibodies to a preparation of Staphylococcus aureus teichoic acids and DNA}; Vaneeva NP et al.; The comparative analysis of the titers of antibodies to the preparations of S . aureus teichoic acids and DNA in the sera of healthy donors and patients with infectious endocarditis and rheumatic carditis was made by means of ELISA . The sera of patients with infectious endocarditis and rheumatic carditis, in contrast to the sera of healthy donors, showed the presence of antibodies to DNA in 23.5-76.2% of cases . The correlation between the presence of antibodies to S . aureus teichoic acids and DNA in the sera of the patients was weakly pronounced.

Z Parasitenkd, 1985, 71(1), 41 - 51
The relationship to knobs of the 92,000 D protein specific for knobby strains of Plasmodium falciparum; Vernot-Hernandez JP et al.; A 92,000 D protein was identified associated with the membrane of host erythrocytes infected with the FCB1 Plasmodium falciparum strain from Colombia . The same protein was identified in the knob-forming Gambian (and the Malayan Camp) strain, but was not present in all the corresponding knobless strains . In the FCB1 strain as well as in the FCR3 strain the protein is synthesized during the ring-stage period . The cleavage products of the 92,000 D protein were investigated by peptide mapping following limited proteolytic digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . The 92,000 D protein cleavage products from both the Colombian and the Gambian strains were identical . Moreover, both the proteins were sensitive to trypsin and chymotrypsin and also to treatment with neuraminidase . Enzymatic removal of the protein from the erythrocyte membrane by trypsin or chymotrypsin did not affect parasite maturation . The merozoites thus produced were fully invasive and the morphology of the knobs was unaltered . When the erythrocyte membrane was treated with trypsin before the time of synthesis of the 92,000 D protein, it was not possible to identify the protein in membranes of later stages of infected erythrocytes, indicating that the protein cannot be inserted into the membrane cytoskeleton compartment . Knobs, however, were formed more or less normally, suggesting that it is not the accumulation of this protein which products the knobs.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1985 Jan, 89(1), 42 - 9
Effect of hemothorax on experimental empyema thoracis in the guinea pig; Mavroudis C et al.; An experimental model for empyema thoracis in the Duncan-Harley guinea pig is introduced . Empyema thoracis development and early death (less than 14 days after bacterial inoculation) were noted after various concentrations and species were inoculated into the pleural space with a piece of umbilical tape, which was used as a cofactor . The effect of concomitant hemothorax was also tested . Group I (N = 90) had intrapleural inoculation of umbilical tape and various concentrations (10(4), 10(6), 10(8) organisms/ml) of various bacterial species, which included Staphylococcus aureus (N = 30), Escherichia coli (N = 30), and Bacteroides fragilis (N = 30) . Group II (N = 90) had intrapleural inoculation of umbilical tape, 1 ml of autologous blood, and the same varying concentrations and species of bacteria as Group I . The observation period was 14 days, during which time early deaths were noted . Fifty-eight percent of the staphylococcal group of animals, 37% of the E . coli group of animals, and none of the B . fragilis group of animals developed empyema . Animals with empyema developed significant weight loss (p less than 0.05) and roentgenographic evidence of empyema, which was supported by postmortem pleural reaction and pneumonia scores (p less than 0.05) . Higher concentrations of inoculated bacteria produced a higher incidence of empyema in the S . aureus and E . coli groups (p less than 0.05), but concomitant hemothorax did not increase the already high incidence of empyema and early death in the E . coli group . Empyema caused by B . fragilis did not develop, even with cofactors of umbilical tape and blood . Anaerobic infections in this model may require the presence of other aerobic or facultative organisms, the presence of necrotic lung, prior malnutrition, or a combination thereof.

J Vasc Surg, 1985 Jan, 2(1), 92 - 8
The role of the lymphatic system in acute arterial prosthetic graft infections; Rubin JR et al.; No experimental data have been published that evaluate the role of lower extremity lymphatics in the pathophysiology of arterial graft infection . Bilateral interpositional femoral artery graft (PTFE) replacements were performed in 21 greyhounds, accompanied by unilateral limb ischemia-rendering operations and ipsilateral bacterial inoculations with standardized inocula of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Inguinal lymphatics in the ischemic leg were either simply transected (group I), carefully preserved (group II), or excised and ligated (group III) at the time of femoral graft implantation . The grafts were harvested 48 hours later and graft and blood cultures obtained . There was an 87.5% incidence of positive graft cultures in groups I and II, but both organisms were cultured significantly more often in group II than in group I (62.5% vs . 12.5%; p less than 0.01) . Blood culture data were similar . The incidence of positive graft and blood cultures in group III was only 20%, and no cultures obtained were positive for both organisms . Cultures of contralateral control grafts yielded both organisms in all group II dogs compared with only 25% of group I and 0% in group III (p less than 0.01) . These results suggest that the lymphatics probably contribute to the development of acute graft infection by absorbing bacteria, and either transporting them to the systemic circulation via lymphatic-venous communications when the lymphatics are intact, causing hematogenous contamination of a graft, or by directly bathing the implanted graft when the lymphatics are disrupted proximal to a septic focus . Careful isolation, transection, and ligation of the inguinal lymphatics at the time of arterial reconstruction might minimize acute graft sepsis.

J Neurosci, 1985 Jan, 5(1), 175 - 80
Inhibition of choline acetyltransferase by monoclonal antibodies; Strauss WL et al.; Four monoclonal antibodies were obtained to rat brain choline acetyltransferase (CAT) . The enzyme was purified 95,000-fold from rat brain by precipitation with acetic acid at pH 4.5, fractionation with 40 to 60% (NH4)2SO4, CM-Sephadex chromatography, and affinity column chromatography on agarose-hexane-coenzyme A . The enzyme preparation was applied to the affinity column in the presence of 10 mM acetylcholine to increase the affinity of CAT for coenzyme A; the enzyme then was eluted with 10 mM acetyl coenzyme A . Fusion of P3X63 Ag8 myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from a BALB/c mouse that had been immunized with affinity-purified CAT with a specific activity of 29.4 mumol of ACh synthesized/min/mg of protein resulted in the isolation of four hybridomas synthesizing antibodies to CAT that inhibit the activity of the enzyme . Anti-CAT 1 or 2 inhibits CAT activity 100% . At the highest antibody concentration tested, anti-CAT 3 inhibited acetylcholine synthesis 80% . Hybridoma antibody-dependent inhibition of CAT activity was reversed by dissociation of immune complexes via dilution, demonstrating that antibody binding does not irreversibly alter the structure of the enzyme . When bound to {rabbit anti-mouse IgG . protein A Staphylococcus aureus} complexes, anti-CAT 1, 3, and 4 each were effective reagents for the precipitation of CAT activity from solution . Thirty-one to 53% of the precipitated enzyme was recovered following the dissociation of immune complexes . Anti-CAT 1, 2, and 3 inhibit CAT from 18-day chick embryo brain, NS20-Y mouse neuroblastoma cells, and rat brain.

Gene, 1985, 37(1-3), 163 - 9
Cloning and expression of the alpha-amylase gene from Bacillus stearothermophilus in several staphylococcal species; Thudt K et al.; The plasmid-coded alpha-amylase gene of Bacillus stearothermophilus (amy) was cloned in Staphylococcus carnosus using plasmid pCA43 as a vector . The amy gene was located on a 5.4-kb HindIII DNA fragment of the hybrid plasmid pamy7 . When transformed into other staphylococcal species, plasmid pamy7 exhibited marked differences in the production of alpha-amylase (alpha Amy) . Most active for heterospecific alpha Amy production was Staphylococcus aureus . In its culture supernatant nearly half as much alpha Amy activity was found as for the donor strain B . stearothermophilus . All staphylococcal species were able to secrete alpha Amy, since more than 80% of the enzyme activity was found in the culture supernatant . The extracellular alpha Amy of S . aureus {pamy7} was purified to homogeneity . The enzyme exhibited an Mr of approx . 58 000, an optimum activity at pH 5.3-6.3 and at 65 degrees C . Although the enzyme was stable at 65 degrees C for at least 3 h, its thermostability was not unusual . The enzymatic properties of the alpha Amy from S . aureus were similar to those previously reported for various B . stearothermophilus strains.

Cell Immunol, 1985 Jan, 90(1), 52 - 64
Role of class II histocompatibility antigens in Staphylococcus aureus protein A-induced activation of human T lymphocytes; Romagnani S et al.; The capacity of peripheral blood monocytes and B lymphocytes to support staphylococcal protein A (SpA)-induced proliferation of autologous and allogeneic T cells, as well as the role of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules in this activation process, were investigated . Highly purified peripheral T lymphocytes did not proliferate in response to SpA, but their response was reconstituted by both irradiated (or mitomycin C-treated) monocytes and B lymphocytes . The effect of B cells on the SpA-induced T-cell response could not be explained by a contamination of residual accessory cells because long-term continuous B-cell lines restored SpA-induced T-cell DNA synthesis as effectively as did monocytes . Support of SpA responsiveness by B cells could not be accounted for by polyclonal binding of SpA to cell surface immunoglobulins, since the ability of SpA-unreactive and SpA-reactive B cells was comparable . The cells from two human leukemic lines--K562 and Raji--showed the same ability in supporting the pokeweed mitogen-induced T-cell response, but the class II-positive Raji cells were much more effective than class II-negative K562 cells in restoring the T-cell responsiveness to SpA . Monoclonal antibodies specific for monomorphic determinants of MHC class II antigens, as well as their F(ab')2 fragments, consistently inhibited the SpA-induced proliferative response, whereas antibodies specific for MHC class I antigens were without effect . The antibodies specific for class II antigens appeared to act at the level of accessory cell, since pretreatment with these antibodies inhibited the ability of SpA-pulsed monocytes or Raji cells to present SpA to autologous or allogeneic T lymphocytes, respectively . These data indicate that either monocytes or normal and lymphoblastoid B cells can act as accessory cells for the proliferative response of human T cells to soluble SpA and that monomorphic determinants of MHC class II molecules play an important role in this activation process.

Cell Immunol, 1985 Jan, 90(1), 32 - 40
The reactivity of frozen B lymphocytes to B cell mitogens and human B cell growth factor: a study of step 1 and step 2 activators; Bertoglio JH et al.; Human B lymphocytes, purified from the peripheral blood of several different donors can be pooled, frozen, and stored in liquid nitrogen to provide an easy and reproducible source of cells for mitogenic assays . These B cell preparations did not show any reactivity to T cell mitogens, but responded to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain 1 (SAC) and anti-IgM antibodies to the same extent as freshly purified B cells . When stimulated with either anti-IgM antibodies or SAC, these B cells became responsive to B cell growth factor (BCGF), allowing a quantitative measurement of this important lymphokine activity . In addition, we have studied the reactivity of frozen B lymphocytes to various combinations of activators . We have confirmed that phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was a very potent mitogenic agent for preactivated human B cells and shown that bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), although not mitogenic by itself, could synergize with anti-IgM antibodies to yield increased levels of stimulation . Furthermore experiments using the lysosomotropic agent leucine methyl ester showed that the action of LPS on anti-IgM-stimulated B cells did not require the presence of functional monocytes . Neither PMA nor LPS could induce BCGF responsiveness and thus these two compounds can be considered exclusive step 2 activators for human peripheral blood B cells.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Jan, 151(1), 65 - 72
Toxic-shock-syndrome toxin 1-induced proliferation of lymphocytes: comparison of the mitogenic response of human, murine, and rabbit lymphocytes; Poindexter NJ et al.; Toxic-shock-syndrome toxin 1 (TSST 1) produced by Staphylococcus aureus induced in vitro proliferation of lymphocytes isolated from rabbit spleens, murine spleens, and both human peripheral blood and cord blood . This mitogenic response was nonspecific in all three systems . In the mouse and human systems, proliferation depended upon the presence of macrophages in the responding lymphocyte population . Inability to remove macrophages from rabbit splenocyte suspensions made it impossible to determine the contribution of this cell in rabbit splenocyte proliferation . Kinetic analysis of TSST 1-induced mitogenicity showed that proliferation of lymphocytes was maximal between days 4 and 6 in each of the three systems examined . Sensitivity to TSST 1 was similar in each system, with maximal proliferation achieved at TSST 1 doses as low as 0.1 ng/5 X 10(5) murine splenocytes or 2 X 10(5) rabbit splenocytes, and 0.01 ng/3 X 10(5) human mononuclear cells from human peripheral blood . Study of separated populations of mouse splenocytes and mononuclear cells from human peripheral blood showed that the TSST 1-induced proliferative response resided solely in the T cell populations.

J Clin Invest, 1985 Jan, 75(1), 26 - 34
Immunoglobulins in the hyperimmunoglobulin E and recurrent infection (Job's) syndrome . Deficiency of anti-Staphylococcus aureus immunoglobulin A; Dreskin SC et al.; Patients with the hyperimmunoglobulin E and recurrent infection syndrome (HIE) characteristically have frequent skin and respiratory infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus . We have developed a set of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays that use whole S . aureus (Wood's strain) immobilized on 0.22-micrometers filters and highly specific, affinity-purified enzyme conjugates of goat anti-human IgE, anti-human IgD, anti-human IgG, anti-human IgA, and anti-human IgM . These reagents were used to determine S . aureus-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) levels . As previously published, 10 patients with HIE had markedly higher levels of anti-S . aureus IgE than did 5 patients with eczema and recurrent superficial S . aureus infections (P less than 0.001) . The HIE patients were also found to have a deficit of anti-S . aureus serum IgA as compared with 12 normal subjects, 12 patients with chronic granulomatous disease, 5 patients with chronic eczema and recurrent superficial S . aureus infections, and 3 patients with the Chediak-Higashi syndrome (P less than 0.01 for each comparison) . In addition the HIE patients had an excess of anti-S . aureus IgM as compared with normal subjects (P less than 0.01) . An expected excess of anti-S . aureus IgG was absent . These abnormalities cannot be explained by variations of total serum Ig levels or by a general inability to produce antigen-specific IgA because levels of naturally occurring IgA antibody against Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide and the antigens of the pneumococcal vaccine are normal . Parotid saliva from patients with HIE contained less salivary IgA per milligram of protein (P less than 0.01) and less salivary anti-S . aureus IgA per milligram of protein (P less than 0.05) than did normal controls . The incidence of infection at mucosal surfaces and adjacent lymph nodes correlated inversely with serum anti-S . aureus IgA (r = -0.647, P = 0.034), serum anti-S . aureus IgE (r = -0.731, P = 0.016), total serum IgE (r = -0.714, P = 0.020), and total serum IgD (r = -0.597, P = 0.049) . These findings are evidence of a previously undescribed immunoregulatory defect in patients with HIE, which may contribute to the increased susceptibility to infection in this syndrome.

Rev Argent Microbiol, 1985, 17(2), 69 - 73
{Enterotoxigenicity and biochemical features of strains of Staphylococcus aureus of different origins }; Rivas M et al.; A total of 118 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from routine sampling, samples from food poisoning outbreaks and human clinical specimens were examined for the production of enterotoxins A, B, C, D and E . The toxic properties of strains were compared with other biochemical characteristics and with the sensitivity to antibiotics . Of the total strains examined, 17.8% (21 strains) produced enterotoxins, and of the toxigenic strains, 81% (17 strains) produced just one type of enterotoxin and 19% (4 strains) two types . Enterotoxin A production was found in 52.4% strains, the other enterotoxins detected in decreasing order of frequency were: C; B; AD; D; AB and BD . All the strains examined produced catalases, coagulases, thermonuclease and fermented glucose; 81 and 89.7% for toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains, respectively, fermented mannitol; 47.6 and 54.6% hydrolyzed casein and 47.6 and 52.6% gelatin; 85.7 and 92.8% produced yellow or orange pigment . Mixed acid fermentation was carried out in 100% and in 96.9%; acetoin was produced by 57.1 and 47.4%; one or more hemolysins were released by 85.7 and 92.8% of the toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains, respectively . Sensitivity to antibiotics was widespread among all the strains . No relation was found between enterotoxin B production and methicillin and tetracycline resistance . Neither the biochemical properties nor the sensitivity to antibiotics has been shown to correlate reliably with toxin production.

Rev Argent Microbiol, 1985, 17(1), 27 - 32
{Kinetics of the bacteriostatic activity of natural and synthetic chalcones on a strain of Staphylococcus aureus}; Pappano NB et al.; The bacteriostatic action exerted by natural chalcones (2',4'-dihydroxychalcone and 2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxychalcone) and by synthetic chalcones (chalcone, 2'-hydroxychalcone, 2'4-dihydroxychalcone and 2'-hydroxy-4-methoxychalcone) on Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25 923 Strain) was investigated . In addition, the influence of the concentration, nature and position of the substituents of the mentioned drugs on the specific growth rate of the germ was determined . Qualitative tests made on nutritive agar plates showed the inhibitory action of chalcone and its dihydroxyl derivatives . Quantitative experiments were made in nutritive broth at 33 degrees C, with permanent stirring (200 rpm), measuring the microbial growth by turbidimetry at 720 nm . The results distinguish the strong bacteriostatic effect of 2',4'-dihydroxychalcone and 2',4-dihydroxychalcone, which at low concentrations caused complete inhibition of microorganism growth, from the other chalcones studies which only reduced the up to a limiting value . The presence of an hydroxyl group in the A or B ring of 2'-hydroxychalcone increases its bacteriostatic activity, being this effect stronger at position 4' (ring A) than at position 4 (ring B) . The introduction of a methoxy group into the 2'-hydroxychalcone structure causes a decrease of its inhibitory power.

Acta Derm Venereol Suppl (Stockh), 1985, 114, 61 - 6
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for isotype-specific quantitation of antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus in patients with atopic dermatitis; Gabrielsen TO et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to study the serum antibody response against Staphylococcus aureus within four immunoglobulin classes (IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE) in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and in normal controls . Soluble antigens released from S . aureus Wood 46 (protein A deficient) were partially purified by gel filtration of supernatant culture fluid . Median ELISA activity against S . aureus antigens within the IgG and IgE classes was significantly higher in patients than in controls (IgG, p less than 0.005; IgE, p less than 0.05) . Patients with severe disease had significantly higher (p less than 0.05) IgG antibody levels than those with mild AD . No such clinical association was found for IgE activity . The antibody levels showed no relation to the serum concentrations of total IgE.

FEBS Lett, 1985 Jan 1, 179(1), 101 - 6
Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene of staphylococcal plasmid pC221 . Nucleotide sequence analysis and expression studies; Shaw WV et al.; The nucleotide sequence of the inducible chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene (cat) of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pC221 has been determined . The deduced primary structure for the 215 residue polypeptide (25.9 kDa) is in agreement with partial amino acid sequence data on the purified protein, previously designated as the type C variant of CAT . In common with the inducible cat elements of pC194 and B . pumilus, the 5' non-coding region of the cat of pC221 contains an inverted complementary repeat ('stem-loop' or 'hairpin') which may sequester the predicted ribosome bonding site of the mRNA . The likely transcription initiation site has been determined in vitro using purified B . subtilis RNA polymerase . Recombinant plasmids carrying the cat of pC221 on a 1156 bp TaqI fragment are expressed inefficiently in Escherichia coli, wherein induction is both poor and orientation-specific.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1985, 32(2), 155 - 65
Pathogenicity and virulence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus: slime layer production; Rozgonyi F et al.; Nine methicillin-resistant (MR) mutants and three methicillin-sensitive (MS) substrains, all derived from naturally occurring heteroresistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were examined for slime production . All strains showed an increased mucoid character when cultured on a modified Staphylococcus Medium No . 110 . The uranic acid content of the slime layer ranged from 2% to 6% in the MR mutants and from 1.3% to 5.1% in the MS substrains . The amount of uronic acid per g of dry bacteria ranged from 82.5 mg to 143.8 mg in the MR mutants, and between 51.4 mg and 98.8 mg in the MS substrains . In 3 pairs of MR mutants and MS substrains originating from the same parents, the MR cells possessed more of uronic acid than their MS counterparts . The partially purified polysaccharide part of the slime contained D-galactose, D-mannose, D-xylose, D-galacturonic acid, D-galactosamine and D-glucuronic acid in all strains studied . Its quantitative composition was identical in each pair of the MR mutant and MS substrain; there were, however, considerable differences among the strains and between the pairs . Methicillin resistance and slime formation seem to be independent properties in S . aureus . The presumable significance of the readiness of slime production by MR cocci during infections is discussed.

Infection, 1985, 13 Suppl 1, S76 - 80
Bactericidal activity of cefotaxime and fosfomycin in cerebrospinal fluid during the treatment of rabbit meningitis experimentally induced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Kazmierczak A et al.; The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of cefotaxime (CTX) and fosfomycin (FOS), alone or in combination, in an experimental meningitis, with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the two antibiotics reproducing those obtained in human CSF during bacterial meningitis . With a dose of 50 mg/kg of CTX and 100 mg/kg of FOS injected i.v . (CTX over 0.5 h and FOS over 3 h), CSF concentrations were comparable to those observed in man . In a series of five rabbits per treatment group, the bacterial population was counted before and after treatment (two doses with a six-hour interval) with CTX, FOS or CTX + FOS (CTX over 0.5 h before the end of FOS infusion) . By the 12th hour of treatment, the percentage of bacteria surviving in CSF compared to the initial population was 4.35% for CTX, 0.20% for FOS and 0.19% for CTX + FOS . Thus, it seemed that CTX + FOS was not more active than FOS alone . In another series of four rabbits per group, the bactericidal effect was followed at T0, T6, T12, T24 and T48 after treatment (two doses with a six-hour with a six-hour interval) . With CTX, a variable drop in bacterial count from one rabbit to the other occurred during the first 12 h, and then a bacteriostasis followed . With FOS, a quick bactericidal effect was observed during the first 12 h, becoming slower during the following 36 h (0.03% of bacteria surviving at the 48th hour) . With CTX and FOS in combination, a quick bactericidal effect was achieved, remaining steady over a 48-hour period (0.001% of bacteria surviving at the 48th hour).

Ciba Found Symp, 1985, 112, 215 - 29
Staphylococcus aureus delta toxin as an enterotoxin; Kapral FA; The classical enterotoxins are known primarily for their ability to cause emesis and diarrhoea in cases of staphylococcal food poisoning but they also exhibit other biological activities . The seven antigenic types of toxin have molecular weights in the range 25 000-35 000 . All types induce emesis in man and monkey and are of comparable potency . The enterotoxins seem to induce emesis by stimulating neural receptors in the intestine rather than acting on the medulla directly . The mechanism whereby diarrhoea is produced is unclear . Another product of Staphylococcus aureus which meets the more recent definition of an enterotoxin is the delta toxin . This toxin is an amphipathic peptide having an Mr of 2977 and possessing the ability to interact with a variety of hydrophobic substances . It is cytotoxic, can increase vascular permeability in guinea-pig skin, and can increase cellular cyclic AMP levels in guinea-pig ileum . In the ileum delta toxin also inhibits water absorption, apparently by increasing the bidirectional movement of Na+ and Cl- across the mucosa . This response does not appear to be mediated by cyclic AMP since the changes in ion fluxes precede the increases in cellular cyclic AMP levels . In high doses delta toxin also elicits a positive response in the neonatal mouse after intragastric inoculation.

Infection, 1985 Jan-Feb, 13(1), 35 - 8
In vitro activity of combinations of antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus resistant to gentamicin and methicillin; Dixson S et al.; Twenty clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, resistant to both gentamicin and methicillin, were tested in vitro for sensitivity to rifampicin, novobiocin, fusidic acid, vancomycin, teicoplanin and an extended range of aminoglycosides . Rifampicin was the most active compound tested, having an MIC of less than 0.02 mg/l . All the strains were inhibited by 1 mg/l of novobiocin, vancomycin and teicoplanin, and only one strain was resistant to fusidic acid . 50% of the strains were inhibited by less than 1 mg/l of amikacin and netilmicin, but other aminoglycosides were of poor activity . Resistant mutants were selected when strains were grown in the presence of rifampicin, novobiocin or fusidic acid alone, but this did not occur when rifampicin was combined with either novobiocin or vancomycin . Pharmacokinetic and other considerations suggest that a combination of rifampicin and novobiocin deserves further assessment for the treatment of infections caused by this type of organism.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Jan, 15(1), 61 - 7
A rapid bioluminescent method for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonies; Barton AP; A rapid method for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is described . A bioluminescent technique was used to compare the amounts of extracellular adenosine triphosphate released by methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive strains . When tested by this method 29 Staph . aureus strains of known methicillin susceptibility were correctly identified.

Arch Intern Med, 1985 Jan, 145(1), 146 - 8
Rifampin resistance . Development during the therapy of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection; Eng RH et al.; The incidence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcal infections, for which vancomycin hydrochloride remains the only active cell-wall antibiotic therapy, is rising . Some physicians have been combining other antibiotics with vancomycin in hopes of obtaining a more effective regimen for the therapy of these infections . Rifampin has been advocated as a concurrent second antibiotic because of its extraordinary potent bactericidal activity for Staphylococcus aureus . When rifampin is used in combination with a cell-wall antibiotic, suppression of the development of rifampin resistance has been thought possible . We report a case of infection caused by a methicillin-resistant S aureus in which the rifampin resistance occurred during therapy with vancomycin and rifampin . The rifampin resistance was stable and was present after ten serial broth and agar passages . Physicians are cautioned against the indiscriminant or routine use of rifampin as a second antibiotic in combination with vancomycin for the therapy of infections caused by S aureus.

Braz J Med Biol Res, 1985, 18(4), 519 - 26
Detection of IgG-bearing erythrocytes by a sensitive Staphylococcus aureus protein A-binding radioassay: possible usefulness for the differential diagnosis of connective tissue diseases; Pontes-de-Carvalho LC et al.; We describe a sensitive radioassay for detecting erythrocyte-associated immunoglobulin employing the immunoglobulin-specific reagent Staphylococcus aureus protein A . The assay was used to determine the extent to which erythrocytes from patients with different connective tissue disease bind radiolabelled protein A . Increased amounts of protein A were bound by erythrocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or with progressive systemic sclerosis when compared to a control group, whereas there was no significant binding to erythrocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis or with polymyositis-dermatomyositis . The assay, because of its high sensitivity and of the availability of the reagent in pure form, should be useful for the investigation of cell-bound antibodies and for the differential diagnosis of connective tissue diseases.

Auris Nasus Larynx, 1985, 12 Suppl 1, S126 - 8
The ciliary activity of the middle ear lining in some pathological states; Kihara S et al.; The ciliary activity in some pathological middle ear lining was discussed with special reference to the morphology of the epithelial cells in this paper . The changes in ciliary activity due to in vitro Staphylococcus aureus injection did not practically show any differences between the sites . On the other hand, the time-course changes in ciliary activity after in vivo S . aureus injection were found to differ between the sites . Ciliary activity was rather accelerated at the proximal site, while it was decelerated at the distal site . Few changes but for sporadic small compound cilia were observed at the proximal site, and some inflammatory changes were noted at the epithelium of the distal site . SO2 exposure affected the middle ear lining of rabbits . Fourteen days after 4 week's exposure to SO2, the middle ear lining displayed declined ciliary activity and many signs suggestive of secretory asthenia . In addition, the middle ear lining of rabbits given about 600 mg carbocysteine, both during and 2 weeks after the exposure displayed excellent ciliary activity and normal morphology of the epithelial structure.

Contemp Top Immunobiol, 1985, 15, 147 - 211
Immunosuppressor control as a modality of cancer treatment: effect of plasma adsorption with Staphylococcus aureus protein A; Ray PK; In tumor-bearing hosts both cellular and humoral tumor-growth-enhancing factors are present . They cause immunosuppression and facilitate the growth of tumors . Very early during tumor growth these factors are either elicited by the tumor cells or induced by the host immunocytes . Among these immunosuppressive agents, circulating immune complexes appear to play a predominant role . They also activate suppressor cell activity . Plasma adsorption of CIC and IgG by protein A of Staphylococcus aureus has been reported to cause tumor regression . Plasma adsorption with protein A-collodion charcoal, protein A-silica, or protein A-Sepharose also induced tumorilytic reactions . Even direct infusion of protein A induced tumor regressions in rat mammary tumors . Recent studies showing tumor regressions following S . aureus Wood 46 plasma adsorption or infusion of normal plasma adsorbed over S . aureus indicate that specific blocking factor removal by plasma adsorption may not be the mechanism for causing tumor destruction . Results indicate that S . aureus plasma adsorption leaches a number of staphylococcal agents . Thus, it appears that staphylococcal agents, protein A, enterotoxin, and other factors are responsible for the induction of reactions leading to tumor destruction . A unified mechanism explaining the results obtained with plasma adsorption using protein A of S . aureus, or S . aureus Wood, or direct protein A infusion, was presented.

Crit Rev Microbiol, 1985, 12(1), 1 - 44
Animal studies of toxic shock syndrome; Quimby F et al.; Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) was first described in 1978 and since that year over 2990 cases have been reported to the Communicable Disease Center . The estimated case-fatality rate is 5.6% . The disease is characterized by fever, hypotension, rash, desquamation, and involvement of at least three other organ systems . Approximately 85% of the cases are menstrually related and tampon use has been identified as a risk factor . The remaining 15% of the cases occur in both sexes and are not specifically related to age or geographic location . In all cases where sought there is evidence for infection by Staphylococcus aureus . Nearly all S . aureus isolates are phage type 52/29 and elaborate a unique exotoxin (toxic shock toxin) . This review explores both the successful and unsuccessful attempts to induce toxic shock or a TSS-like syndrome in animals other than man . The review identifies the baboon as an animal model of TSS and discusses the clinical and pathologic sequellae, in this species, after exposure to purified toxic shock toxin.

Immunol Lett, 1985, 10(1), 13 - 7
The activation of T cells with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 (SAC); Ishizaka A et al.; We reported our findings on the activation and functional capacity of human T cells stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 (SAC) . Serial determinations of surface markers on T cells stimulated by SAC showed that OKT4+ T cells remained relatively constant with the decrease of OKT8+ T cells and that Tac antigen was predominantly expressed on OKT4+ T cells . When the mixture of OKT4+-depleted T cells and OKT8+-depleted PBL was stimulated with SAC or PWM, PWM-stimulated OKT4+-depleted T cells suppressed immunoglobulin production by OKT8+-depleted PBL in a dose-dependent fashion, but SAC-stimulated OKT4+-depleted T cells did not show suppressive activity.

Annu Rev Med, 1985, 36, 337 - 47
Staphylococcal toxin syndromes; Todd JK; Staphylococcus aureus produces many extracellular products often referred to as toxins, some with definite disease-causing potential . The enterotoxins A through E are common causes of acute food poisoning characterized by a short incubation period after ingestion of performed toxin followed by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea . The epidermolytic toxins (A, B) are absorbed from a local site of colonization or infection and affect the granular cell layer of skin to cause the painful erythroderma and desquamation of the scalded skin syndrome . Other unique S . aureus strains produce one or more products that appear to be formed at sites of focal infection (wound infection, vagina during menstruation and tampon use) with systemic absorption and generalized effects resulting in toxic shock syndrome.

Mol Cell Biochem, 1985 Jan, 65(2), 159 - 70
Complexes prepared from protein A and human serum, IgG, or Fc gamma fragments: characterization by immunochemical analysis of ultracentrifugation fractions and studies on their interconversion; Langone JJ et al.; Protein A of Staphylococcus aureus is an Fc receptor for IgG that has been used as a therapeutic reagent to treat cancer in humans and experimental animals . We used ultracentrifugation combined with analysis of isolated fractions by radioimmunoprecipitation and competitive radioimmunoassay with chicken antibodies that bind free protein A or protein A in complexes but do bind free immunoglobulin reagents to localize and characterize the types of complexes formed with different molar ratios of 125I-protein A and human 131I-IgG alone or in serum, and 131I-Fc gamma fragments . This approach offers a distinct advantage over direct counting of radioactivity in the fractions because resolution of complexes and free reagents is much improved . With excess 131I-IgG or 131I-Fc, all the 125I-protein A is present only in complexes that contained 4 molecules of immunoglobulin reagent and 2 molecules of protein A (4:2 complexes), whereas with excess 125I-protein A the stoichiometry of the complexes was 1:1 . We have also shown the preformed 4:2 and 1:1 complexes will interconvert in the presence of added excess protein A or IgG, respectively, and that fresh IgG will exchange with IgG or Fc gamma in preformed complexes . Because protein A has been found to elute from an immobilized reagent used in serotherapy of human cancer and is present in a large excess of IgG, the 4:2 complexes may play an active role in the tumoricidal or toxic reactions observed.

Dermatologica, 1985, 170(1), 27 - 30
Immunological alterations in a case of Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome with recurrent cutaneous infections; Borroni G et al.; An immunological study was performed in a 16-year-old boy affected with Papillon-Lefevre syndrome (PLS) and recurrent staphylococcal cutaneous infections . A defect of neutrophil intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus and a decreased lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohaemagglutinin were detected . The possible role of these alterations in promoting recurrent infections in PLS is discussed.

J Bacteriol, 1985 Jan, 161(1), 91 - 5
Generation of transducing particles in Staphylococcus aureus; Dyer DW et al.; Transduction of plasmid pC194 and bacteriophage phi 11de varied inversely with the multiplicity of infection . As the multiplicity of infection decreased from 10(-1) to 10(-5) PFU/CFU, the transduction frequency of pC194 increased 10(4)-fold; the transduction frequency of phi 11de increased 300-fold with a 100-fold decrease in multiplicity of infection . Physical and genetic analysis of the transduced DNA showed that pC194 resided in the phage particle as a random, circularly permuted linear concatemer . In DNA prepared from phage that cotransduced pC194 and phi 11de, pC194 resided in the transducing phage primarily as a linear multimer of 15.8 kilobases, or about 5.4 pC194 monomers . The pC194 multimer was randomly inserted into the phi 11 genome.

Arch Surg, 1985 Jan, 120(1), 71 - 5
The application of antibiotic bonding to the treatment of established vascular prosthetic infection; Greco RS et al.; We used surfactant-mediated antibiotic bonding to treat established vascular prosthetic infections in an animal model . The infrarenal aorta of dogs was replaced with a polytef (PTFE) graft locally contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus . Infected grafts were then replaced with control polytef or polytef bonded with benzylkonium chloride and penicillin G tagged with radioactive carbon, or polytef bonded with tridodecylmethylammonium chloride and penicillin G tagged with radioactive carbon . Both types of antibiotic-bonded grafts had significantly fewer infections than control grafts did . The labeled penicillin G remained bound to both groups of antibiotic-bonded grafts for at least three weeks . In a second group of studies, surfactant-treated polytef adsorbed parenterally administered labeled penicillin G in highly significant concentrations compared with control grafts . These studies suggest the possibility that human vascular prosthetic infection may be treated with an antibiotic-bonded graft.

Mol Gen Genet, 1985, 200(1), 33 - 9
Nucleotide sequence of a spectinomycin adenyltransferase AAD(9) determinant from Staphylococcus aureus and its relationship to AAD(3") (9); Murphy E; The nucleotide sequence of the spc determinant of the Staphylococcus aureus transposon Tn554 has been determined . This gene encodes a spectinomycin adenyltransferase, AAD(9), that mediates resistance to spectinomycin but not to streptomycin . The sequence predicts a 260 amino acid protein of molecular weight 28,943 . A spectinomycin-sensitive mutant (spc-1) contains a G----A transition resulting in substitution of threonine (ACA) for alanine (GCA) at residue 165 . The predicted amino acid sequence is 36% homologous to that of a widely distributed, gram-negative streptomycin/spectinomycin adenyltransferase, AAD(3") (9), specified by the aadA determinant (Holingshead and Vapnek 1985).

Mol Gen Genet, 1985, 199(3), 452 - 64
Comparative sequence and functional analysis of pT181 and pC221, cognate plasmid replicons from Staphylococcus aureus; Projan SJ et al.; The nucleotide sequence of pC221, a 4.6 kb Staphylococcus aureus plasmid is presented . The replication region of the plasmid is identified and compared with the corresponding region of pT181, a compatible but related plasmid . Both plasmids encode trans-active replicon-specific initiator proteins, RepC for pT181 and RepD for pC221 . Plasmid replication rate is controlled by regulation of the rate of synthesis of the initiator protein by means of inhibitory 5' countertranscripts . Key elements of the control system are closely conserved between the two plasmids whereas less critical elements show extensive divergence . Overall architecture is also conserved, suggesting functional parallelism . The replication origin for both plasmids is contained within the N-terminal region of the initiator protein coding sequence; the two coding sequences are highly homologous but have two important areas of divergence, one within the origin region, the other near the C-terminus . In vivo recombinants between the two plasmids isolated previously (Iordanescu 1979) have crossover points within the initiator gene, between the two divergent regions . The recombinant plasmids have hybrid initiator proteins and are defective for replication, requiring the simultaneous presence of the parental plasmid from which their origin is derived . They are able to complement replication-defective mutants of the other parental plasmid, suggesting that the recognition specificity of the hybrid initiator protein resides in its C-terminal end and that the specific recognition site for the protein corresponds to the divergent region within the origin.

Basic Life Sci, 1985, 30, 299 - 320
Replication control for pT181, an indirectly regulated plasmid; Novick RP et al.; PT181 is a fully sequenced Staphylococcus aureus plasmid whose size is 4,437 bp . It specifies tetracycline resistance and has a copy number of about 22 per cell in exponentially growing cultures . The functional organization of the pT181 replicon is centered around the coding sequence for a 35-kd protein, RepC, that is absolutely required for replication of the plasmid . The replication origin is contained within the repC coding sequence and the region immediately 5' to the RepC start is involved in control of the plasmid replication rate . PT181 replication is controlled at the level of RepC synthesis by a negative regulatory system that is functionally similar to that of the Co1E1 and IncFII plasmids of Escherichia coli . The pT181 control circuit involves 2 short transcripts, RNA I and RNA II, that are transcribed from the region specifying the 5' end of the untranslated repC mRNA leader and in the opposite direction . These are referred to as countertranscripts . The countertranscripts regulate RepC synthesis by a mechanism that probably involves interaction with the repC mRNA leader in a manner that interferes with translation . Both of the countertranscripts seem to be necessary for normal replication control; their separate roles remain unclear . Unlike plasmids of the Co1E1 and IncFII groups, plasmids such as Co1E1 are considered to have direct regulation of replication because the inhibitory element of the copy control circuit directly inhibits the initiation of replication . Plasmids such as pT181 are considered to have indirect regulation of replication because the product of the regulated step, RepC, is trans-active . Plasmids of the IncFII type are considered to have direct regulation of replication because the product of the regulated step, RepA is cis-active The analysis of pT181 replication physiology has illustrated 2 important differences between directly and indirectly regulated plasmids: a) for directly regulated plasmids, copy mutants specifying a normal inhibitor substance but an inactive target site exclude the wild-type or recessive mutants by directly interfering with their replication . Analogous mutants of indirectly regulated plasmids coexist readily with the wild-type and all mutants (although they do manifest segregational incompatibility) because the Rep protein is always shared by all plasmids in the cell, regardless of its source . b) Mutations of directly regulated plasmids in the region where target transcript and countertranscript overlap may give rise to totally new incompatibility groups because they engender independently self-correcting copy pools.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

J Recept Res, 1985, 5(1), 1 - 26
Structural similarities between the plasma membrane binding sites for L-thyroxine and 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine in cultured cells; Cheng S; Using 125I-labeled L-thyroxine (T4), the binding of {125I}T4 to GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells was studied . At 15 degrees C, the binding of {125I}T4 to cells is saturable and specific . Least squares analysis of binding data showed two classes of binding sites with apparent dissociation constants of 4.3 +/- 0.3 nM and 350 +/- 30nM and binding capacities of (3.8 +/- 0.5) X 10(4) and (9.1 +/- 0.35) X 10(6) sites/cell, respectively . Affinity labeling of cells or purified plasma membranes with N-bromoacetyl-{125I}T4 (BrAc{125I}T4) showed a major specifically labeled protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 55 kilodaltons (kDal) . Digestion of the 55-kDal protein from cells and plasma membrane by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease or elastase gave similar peptide fragments . Thus, the 55-kDal protein labeled from intact cells is the same protein as that from purified plasma membranes . Peptide mapping was further used to compare the 55-kDal protein specifically labeled by either N-bromoacetyl-3,{125I}3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (BrAc{125I}T3) or BrAc{125I}T4 in intact cells and highly purified plasma membranes . Very similar patterns were obtained . These results indicate that plasma membrane T3 and T4 binding sites have similar hormone binding domains . In addition the plasma membrane T3 and T4 binding sites of Swiss 3T3-4 mouse fibroblasts and A431 human epithelioid carcinoma cells are structurally similar to the T3 and T4 binding sites of GH3 cells.

Biochem J, 1985 Jan 1, 225(1), 167 - 76
The crystal structure of beta-lactamase from Staphylococcus aureus at 0.5 nm resolution; Moult J et al.; The preparation, crystallization and low-resolution structure determination of beta-lactamase (EC 3.5.2.6, 'penicillinase') from Staphylococcus aureus is described . The enzyme crystallizes in space group I222 with 1 molecule per asymmetric unit and cell dimensions a = 5.45(1), b = 9.39(1) and c = 13.87(2) nm . The structure was determined at 0.5 nm resolution by using phases calculated from (NH4)2Pt(CN)4 and KAu(CN)2 derivatives . The mean figure of merit mean value of m, for the 1106 reflexions used was 0.70 . Difference Fourier syntheses for data collected from crystals soaked in platinum D-methionine and in 6-(4-hydroxy-3,5-di-iodobenzamido)penicilloic acid revealed the likely position of the active site of the enzyme.

J Exp Med, 1985 Jan 1, 161(1), 181 - 97
Interleukin 2 receptors on human B cells . Implications for the role of interleukin 2 in human B cell function; Muraguchi A et al.; In the present study, we examined the expression of interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptors on normal human B cells as well as established B cell lines . Anti-Tac monoclonal antibody did not bind to freshly separated normal human B cells . Unexpectedly, with the appropriate activation of the normal B cells by anti-mu antibody, phorbol myristate acetate, or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC), Tac antigen was induced on the activated B cells . Anti-Tac antibody showed consistent reactivity with two B cell lines that were infected by human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV) and some reactivity with two out of eight Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell lines established from normal adult donors . Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that antigens of similar size with a molecular weight of 50,000-60,000 can be precipitated with anti-Tac antibody from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated normal T cell blasts and normal activated B cells, as well as a cloned B cell line . Binding assays of IL-2 on normal activated B cells and on the cloned B cell (HS1) revealed that B cells have significantly fewer sites and lower-affinity IL-2 receptors compared with phytohemagglutinin-stimulated normal T cell blasts . Finally, biological properties of the IL-2 receptor on B cells were examined by incubating B cells with recombinant IL-2 . It was found that moderate concentrations of IL-2 induce significant enhancement of proliferation and differentiation in SAC-activated normal B cells . These results suggest that normal B cells may express functional IL-2 receptors or closely related proteins and thus IL-2 may play a significant role in the modulation of B cell function.

Arch Surg, 1985 Jan, 120(1), 36 - 42
Inhibition of beta-lactamase-induced resistance in soft-tissue infections; Nichols RL et al.; Sulbactam ({CP45,899} penicillanic acid sulfone) inhibits many of the beta-lactamases commonly found to be the cause of penicillin resistance . This agent was combined with either penicillin G potassium or ampicillin sodium in the treatment of 97 patients admitted with serious soft-tissue infections . Fifty-one of the infections were caused by at least one bacteria resistant to the antibiotic alone . Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (48 isolations) followed by the coliforms (30 isolations) . Ninety percent of the isolates that were tested produced beta-lactamase . Susceptibility studies showed a high degree of resistance to the penicillin alone that was significantly lowered by the addition of sulbactam . The overall clinical results showed 81% of the infections to be either well controlled or cured . Three patients failed to show improvement . Thirteen patients showed transitory increases relatively safe and efficacious in the treatment of soft-tissue infection caused by penicillin-resistant and penicillin-susceptible organisms.

Arch Biochem Biophys, 1985 Jan, 236(1), 11 - 6
Effect of deoxyribopolymers and ribopolymers on the sensitivity of the cyclic-AMP receptor protein of Escherichia coli to proteolytic attack; Angulo JA et al.; The cAMP receptor protein (CRP) is an allosteric protein in which binding of cAMP effects a conformational change with a consequent increased affinity for DNA . Unliganded CRP is relatively resistant to attack by a variety of proteases (trypsin, subtilisin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, clostripain, chymotrypsin) which cleave cAMP-CRP, producing N-terminal cores which have lost DNA binding activity . Binding of double-stranded deoxyribopolynucleotides and calf thymus DNA by cAMP-CRP confers protection against attack by trypsin, subtilisin, S . aureus V8 protease, and clostripain . Such cAMP-CRP-DNA complexes remain sensitive to attack by chymotrypsin . Of the single-stranded deoxy- and ribopolynucleotides tested, only r(I)n and r(A)n gave significant protection against attack by these proteases (with the exception of chymotrypsin) . Since the cutting sites for trypsin (Lys 130) and subtilisin (Leu 116) are not part of the C-terminal DNA binding domain, it would appear that binding of DNA may confer conformational changes on other regions of cAMP-CRP.

Infect Immun, 1985 Jan, 47(1), 211 - 6
Pulmonary macrophage function during experimental cytomegalovirus interstitial pneumonia; Miller SA et al.; Since cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections may alter host defense against a variety of pathogens, phagocytosis, oxygen uptake, and H2O2 release by pulmonary macrophages obtained from guinea pigs with acute CMV interstitial pneumonia were evaluated . Experimental animals were inoculated subcutaneously on day zero with 10(7.5) 50% tissue culture infective doses of virulent guinea pig CMV . Control animals received an uninfected salivary gland suspension . The animals were sacrificed on day 7; the tissues were cocultivated for virus isolation, and the lungs were lavaged to obtain pulmonary macrophages . CMV was isolated from buffy coat cells (96%), bone marrow cells (71%), whole lungs (77%), pulmonary macrophages (60%), and pulmonary granulocytes (49%) . There was no significant difference between groups at sacrifice in the total number of macrophages obtained by pulmonary lavage or in the phagocytic activity of the macrophages in vitro . However, in CMV-infected animals, the maximum rates of O2 consumption in response to the soluble stimulus, phorbol myristate acetate, and the particulate stimulus, Staphylococcus aureus, were 47 and 55%, respectively, of the rates in uninfected controls . Total macrophage O2 consumption in CMV-infected animals was 32 and 37%, respectively, of control values in response to the same stimuli . In CMV-infected animals, the maximum rates of H2O2 release were 22% of those in simultaneous controls for both stimuli, and total H2O2 release was 30 and 25%, respectively, of that in controls in response to these stimuli . Such alterations in macrophage oxidative function may contribute to superinfection during CMV pneumonia.

Clin Immunol Immunopathol, 1985 Jan, 34(1), 84 - 93
Immunoregulation in severe generalized periodontitis; McAnulty K et al.; Severe generalized periodontitis (SGP) is an inflammatory disease which leads to extensive alveolar bone loss in young adults . Peripheral blood lymphocytes from SGP patients have been previously reported to exhibit an in vitro hyperproliferative response when exposed to B cell mitogens derived from Staphylococcus aureus and Actinomyces viscosus . Therefore hyperresponsiveness to B-cell mitogens could be an important pathogenic factor in the susceptibility to and progression of SGP . We have tested whether the hyperproliferative response of lymphocytes from SGP patients was due to (i) a functional deficiency of suppressor T cells, or (ii) to numerical alterations of lymphocytes . Supernatant fluids from concanavalin A-stimulated T cells from 14 SGP patients and 14 normal subjects were compared for their ability to suppress the IgM synthesis of B-cell mitogen-stimulated mouse splenocytes . No significant differences were noted in suppressor T-cell function between control subjects and SGP patients . However, SGP patients had significantly higher lymphocyte counts than control subjects, and there was a positive correlation between high lymphocyte counts and high mitogen-stimulated proliferation . SGP patients also had higher lymphocyte:monocyte ratios than control subjects, suggesting that a defect in macrophage-mediated suppression might be involved in the hyperproliferation phenomenon . Our data do not support the hypothesis that a suppressor T-cell defect is the cause of mitogen-induced hyperproliferative responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes from SGP patients . Rather, hyperproliferation may be due to an expansion of the lymphocyte pool which responds to mitogens, or/and a regulatory disturbance which arises because of altered lymphocyte:macrophage ratios.

Scand J Immunol, 1985 Jan, 21(1), 55 - 62
Human peripheral blood null lymphocytes stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I produce atypical acid-labile interferon in vitro; Funa K et al.; Peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes (PBLs) stimulated in vitro by heat-killed formaldehyde-fixed Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SACoI) produced acid-labile alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) and, to various extents, also IFN-gamma . The IFN producers resided in nylon wool-nonadherent cells, and monocytes suppressed SACoI-induced IFN responses . Further separation of nonadherent PBLs in accordance with expression of surface antigenic markers was performed with a 'panning' technique . The SACoI induced production of IFN in cells that carried neither surface immunoglobulins nor OKT3-defined antigens . These cells were also characterized as OKM1- and OKT10-negative . In contrast, cells with natural killer (NK) activity against K562 erythroleukaemia cells were located in both OKM1- and OKT10-positive and -negative cells . At centrifugation on Percoll density gradients, cells with NK activity and IFN response against SACoI were recovered from light gradient fractions that contained mainly large granular lymphocytes (LGL) . Furthermore, the IFN producers were enriched by removal of sheep erythrocyte-rosetting T cells from the Percoll fractions . These SACoI-induced IFN-producing PBLs are LGL but lack certain antigens that are frequently found on NK cells.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Jan, 21(1), 43 - 5
Specific and cross-reacting antigens of Staphylococcus aureus of human and canine origins; Live I; Biotype -specificity of Staphylococcus aureus of human and canine origins has been found to be associated with thermolabile agglutinogens represented in S . aureus strains 17 and 61218, respectively . Both strains also have exhibited a common thermostable antigen . On that basis, absorbed antisera have been developed for the differentiation of S . aureus of the two biotypes . In the present study, still another thermostable agglutinogen was established, shared by strain 17 and some S . aureus strains of canine origin, as represented by S . aureus strain 887 . These findings led to modification and enhanced specificity of the serological method of distinguishing S . aureus of the human biotype from S . aureus of the canine biotype.

Infect Immun, 1985 Jan, 47(1), 112 - 7
Effect of phenethyl alcohol on Staphylococcus aureus alpha-lysin production; Lee KY et al.; Phenethyl alcohol, at the maximum concentration which did not inhibit growth (0.3% {vol/vol}), inhibited the production of alpha-lysin and exoproteases but not that of delta-lysin in Staphylococcus aureus Wood 46 . The inhibition of alpha-lysin was reversible, and transient accumulation of cell-associated alpha-lysin occurred in the presence of PEA . A precursor of alpha-lysin ca . 3,000 daltons larger than extracellular alpha-lysin was immunologically detected in the sodium dodecyl sulfate extracts of membranes and whole cells of phenethyl alcohol-treated S . aureus cultures . Also, a degraded form of alpha-lysin was detected in membranes prepared from cells lysed by lysostaphin but not in membranes from cells lysed with an X-press.

Acta Derm Venereol, 1985, 65(5), 413 - 8
Protein content of comedones from patients with acne vulgaris; Bladon PT et al.; Characteristic early lesions in acne vulgaris are the open and closed comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) which are well known to contain a "plug" of cornified material . Histological analysis of these lesions has indicated that their protein content, presumed in part to be keratin, may be degraded, possibly by bacterial action, though this has never been adequately demonstrated biochemically . We have analysed the keratin content in a pool of material taken from a number of open comedones (approximately 200-500 mg by weight) . Using a highly sensitive silver stain technique which can detect minute quantities of protein we have also been able to analyse individual lesions . In normal keratin extracted from human stratum corneum using a Tris-urea-mercaptoethanol buffer, SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals the presence of a group of polypeptides with molecular weights in the range 66 000-44 000 . Comedonal material contained bands of the same molecular weight but in addition to these undegraded keratin polypeptides, showed bands corresponding to molecular weights in the region of 15 000-10 000 and 30 000-25 000 indicating that the keratins in this material are partially degraded . Similar groups of low molecular weight polypeptides were observed when keratin was digested with purified V8 protease from Staphylococcus aureus . It is possible that inflammation around the follicle could involve the leakage of keratin digestion products into the dermis.

Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 1985, 242(2), 135 - 9
A randomized clinical trial of two topical preparations (framycitin/gramicidin and oxytetracycline/hydrocortisone with polymyxin B) in the treatment of external otitis; Wadsten CJ et al.; In a randomized trial, 55 patients with acute external otitis were treated with either topical framycitin/gramicidin (Sofradex) or oxytetracycline/hydrocortisone (Terracortril) with polymyxin B (TPB) ear-drops for 1 week . Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas pyocyanea were the bacteria most frequently found in the ear canal; 78% of the patients were cured . However, no significant differences in therapy were found when either of the preparations was used . S . aureus seemed to be most resistant to treatment, while P . pyocyanea was less of a therapeutic problem . Additionally, previous episodes of external otitis or other skin diseases did not seem to influence any treatment given.

Acta Microbiol Pol, 1985, 34(2), 145 - 54
Chromosomal localization of resistance to fosfomycin and aminocyclitol antibiotics in hospital strains of Staphylococcus aureus; Mlynarczyk A et al.; The chromosomal localization of fosfomycin resistance genes in three hospital Staphylococcus aureus strains and in the standard strain NCTC 8507 was shown . Moreover, the chromosomal locus of the gene determining resistance to three aminocyclitol antibiotics: gentamycin, kanamycin and tobramycin in the one of hospital strains was determined . The possibility of transducing this resistance and the absence of plasmid DNA in the obtained transductants, suggest transposomal nature of the gene determining gentamycin, kanamycin and tobramycin resistance in the investigated strain.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1985, 77(1-2), 26 - 31
Regulation of human IgE response by T cells and their products; Suemura M et al.; An in vitro experimental system for the induction of human IgE production has been established with human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) . For the assessment of IgE produced in vitro, a sensitive ELISA method has been developed by employing monoclonal anti-IgE antibodies . The stimulation of PBL with pokeweed mitogen plus Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowan I induced polyclonal IgE response . T cells from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, after activation with purified protein derivative and/or IgE, suppressed selectively IgE response, and the suppressive activity was found to be mediated by IgE-specific suppressor factor with affinity for IgE molecules . The suppressive activity was effective both on spontaneous IgE production as well as on mitogen- or antigen-induced IgE response in the PBL culture from atopic patients . The affinity of the suppressor factor for IgE was suggested to be due to the structural similarity with Fc epsilon R on B cells . Absorption experiment suggest that the factor may bear class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, although its effect was not MHC-restricted.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1985, 77(1-2), 213 - 5
Activation of human basophils by bacterial products; Marone G et al.; Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (Cowan Staph A+), which synthesizes protein A (Staph A), induced histamine release from human basophils . In contrast, S . aureus Wood 46 (Wood Staph A-), which does not synthetize Staph A, did not induce histamine secretion . Soluble Staph A and Cowan Staph A+ induced histamine release by interacting with the alternative F(ab')2-binding site of IgE and/or IgG present on human basophils . Pepstatin A, a pentapeptide synthetized by various actinomycetes, induced histamine secretion by activating a specific membrane receptor, which is also activated by synthetic formylmethionine-containing peptides.

JAMA, 1984 Dec 28, 252(24), 3399 - 402
Corticosteroid therapy for patients with toxic shock syndrome; Todd JK et al.; A comparative retrospective analysis of 45 patients with toxic shock syndrome (TSS) was designed to evaluate the effect of corticosteroid therapy on outcome . All patients satisfied the collaborative strict case definition for TSS, were hospitalized, had shock or postural hypotension, had a potential focus of Staphylococcus aureus infection, and received appropriate antistaphylococcal antimicrobial therapy . Twenty-five patients received corticosteroid therapy during the acute phase of illness and 20 did not . The groups were comparable for age, sex, weight, year of admission, day of illness hospitalized, minimum systolic and diastolic blood pressure, severity of illness, co-intervention with antimicrobials and antipyretics, and amount of intravenous fluid received . Corticosteroid-treated patients had a significantly reduced severity of illness and duration of fever if treated within two to three days of onset of TSS.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1984 Dec 19, 778(3), 449 - 56
Evidence for a highly asymmetric arrangement of ether- and diacyl-phospholipid subclasses in the plasma membrane of Krebs II ascites cells; Record M et al.; (1) Krebs II ascites cells were taken as a model of the neoplastic cells to investigate the transverse distribution of phospholipids in the plasma membrane . The experimental procedure was based on non-lytic degradation of phospholipids in the intact cell by Naja naja phospholipase A2 and Staphylococcus aureus sphingomyelinase C and on phospholipid analysis of purified plasma membranes . It was shown that the three major phospholipids, i.e., phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin, are randomly distributed between the two halves of the membranes, whereas phosphatidylserine remains located in the inner leaflet . (2) The membrane localization of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine subclasses (diacyl, alkylacyl and alkenylacyl) was also examined, using a new procedure of ether-phospholipid determination . The method involves a selective removal of diacyl species by guinea pig pancreas phospholipase A1 and of alkenylacyl species by acidolysis . This analysis revealed a 50% increase of ether phospholipids in the plasma membrane as compared to the whole cell (36.5 and 23.1% of total phospholipid, respectively) . Furthermore, a strong membrane asymmetry was demonstrated for the three phosphatidylcholine subclasses, since 1-alkyl-2-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (alkylacyl-GPC) was entirely found in the inner leaflet, whereas both diacyl- and alkenylacyl-GPC displayed an external localization . The same pattern was observed for phosphatidylethanolamine subclasses, except for 1-alkenyl-2-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, which was found randomly distributed . These results are discussed in relation to the process of cell malignant transformation and to the biosynthesis of platelet-activating factor (PAF-acether or 1-alkyl-2-acetyl-GPC).

Biochemistry, 1984 Dec 18, 23(26), 6544 - 9
Localization of binding sites for carboxyl terminal specific anti-rhodopsin monoclonal antibodies using synthetic peptides; MacKenzie D et al.; The binding sites for four monoclonal antibodies, rho 1D4, rho 3C2, rho 3A6, and rho 1C5, have been localized within the C-terminal region of bovine rhodopsin: Asp18'-Glu-Ala16'-Ser-Thr-Thr-Val12'-Ser-Lys-Thr-Gl u8'-Thr-Ser-Gln-Val4'-Ala-Pr o -Ala1' . Antibody binding sites were localized by using synthetic C-terminal peptides in conjunction with solid-phase competitive inhibition assays and limited proteolytic digestion of rhodopsin in conjunction with electrophoretic immunoblotting techniques . Binding of the rho 1D4 and rho 3C2 antibodies to immobilized rhodopsin was inhibited with peptides of length 1'-8' and longer . Antibody rho 1D4 binding was not inhibited by peptides 2'-13' or 3'-18', indicating that the C-terminal alanine residue of rhodopsin was required . Similar competitive inhibition studies indicated that the antibody rho 3A6 required peptides of length 1'-12' and longer whereas rho 1C5 required peptide 1'-18' . Peptide 3'-18' was as effective as 1'-18' in inhibiting rho 3A6 binding to rhodopsin, but replacement of glutamic acid in position 8' with glutamine abolished competition . This substitution had little effect on the binding of antibody rho 1C5 . Thus, Glu8' was essential for rho 3A6 binding but not for the binding of the rho 1C5 antibody . Cleavage of the seven amino acid C-terminus from rhodopsin and further cleavage to F1 (Mr 25 000) and F2 (Mr 12 000) fragments with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease abolished binding of rho 1D4 antibody to the membrane-bound rhodopsin fragments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Nature, 1984 Dec 13-19, 312(5995), 641 - 3
Human interleukin-2 promotes proliferation of activated B cells via surface receptors similar to those of activated T cells; Mingari MC et al.; Human interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a glycoprotein of relative molecular mass (Mr) 15,000, which is released by T lymphocytes on stimulation with antigen or mitogen and functions as a T-cell growth factor (TCGF) by inducing proliferation of activated T cells . It is generally accepted that resting or activated B cells do not respond directly to IL-2 but require for their proliferation other T-cell-derived lymphokines usually referred to as B-cell growth factors (BCGFs) . Recently, however, a monoclonal antibody reacting with the IL-2 receptor molecules expressed by activated T cells (anti-Tac) was shown to react also with certain B tumour cells; in addition, murine B cells proliferate in response to pure human IL-2 . We now show that recombinant IL-2, derived from Escherichia coli expressing the human gene, is able to promote strong proliferation of human B cells activated with protein-A-rich Staphylococcus aureus Cowans strain I . Moreover, we demonstrate that the anti-Tac antibody also reacts with S . aureus-activated normal B cells and inhibits sharply the proliferative response of such cells to IL-2 . Finally, immunoprecipitation experiments reveal that anti-Tac defines similar molecules on activated T and B cells.

S Afr Med J, 1984 Dec 8, 66(23), 891 - 3
Staphylococcus aureus tricuspid valve endocarditis in young women after gynaecological events . A report of 3 cases; Swift PJ; Three cases of Staphylococcus aureus tricuspid valve endocarditis are reported; each was preceded by a gynaecological event . In 2 cases there was no overt pelvic sepsis and there had been no operative or instrumental intervention, but in the 3rd pelvic inflammatory disease was present, probably not as a result of interference . There are few reports in the recent literature of gynaecological events precipitating this condition; in contrast, intravenous narcotic abuse is well documented . In the literature there is insufficient stress laid on the fact that non-septic gynaecological events may cause the endocarditis . The difficulties in diagnosing tricuspid endocarditis, especially in a milieu where intravenous narcotic abuse is virtually unknown, are noted . When endocarditis is present in women known not to abuse narcotics, the absence of signs of pelvic inflammation may also cause difficulties in diagnosis.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Dec, 26(6), 829 - 32
Responses of tolerant and nontolerant Staphylococcus aureus strains to methicillin treatment in an experimental infection in mice; Goessens WH et al.; Staphylococcus aureus strains can be divided into tolerant and nontolerant strains on the basis of their survival in vitro in the presence of high concentrations of methicillin (greater than or equal to 64 micrograms/ml) . A strain is defined as tolerant if more than 2% of the inoculum survives under these conditions . The response of five susceptible and five tolerant S . aureus strains to treatment with methicillin was studied in an experimental thigh infection in mice . Animals were treated with one and two injections of methicillin (2.5 mg per mouse) . At the end of treatment, the number of CFUs in the thigh muscles infected with the susceptible strains was found to be significantly lower than that in the thigh muscles infected with the tolerant

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Dec, 26(6), 815 - 8
Lack of reproducibility of macrodilution MBCs for Staphylococcus aureus; Pelletier LL Jr; MBCs of methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin G, cephalothin, vancomycin, and gentamicin were determined by a standard broth macrodilution technique for 101 clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus . Increased killing (more than 99.9%) was observed after 48 versus 24 h of incubation for many strains, and cross tolerance to antimicrobial bactericidal activity (less than 99.9% killing) was frequently observed among antimicrobial agents . However, these in vitro measurements of bactericidal activity against S . aureus were not reproducible.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 20(6), 1068 - 75
Detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by microdilution and disk elution susceptibility systems; Boyce JM et al.; To determine whether methicillin-resistant (MR) Staphylococcus aureus from different geographic areas are detected reliably by various commercially available microdilution broth and disk elution systems, 73 such isolates obtained from hospitals in 13 cities were tested by a reference method (agar dilution) and by the Microscan, API 3600S, Autobac I, and MS-2 systems . Both Eugonic broth and Low Thymidine Eugonic broth were used in the evaluation of the Autobac I, and two versions of the MS-2 were used . The proportions of isolates categorized as MR by the various methods were: agar dilution method, 99%; Microscan, 100% (if the suggested cut-off of the manufacturer was used); API 3600S, 96%; Autobac I, 84 to 93%; and MS-2, 54 to 68% . With the MS-2 system, isolates from Jackson, Miss., were classified as susceptible to methicillin more often than were strains from other cities . With the Autobac I (Eugonic broth), only 55% of isolates from Houston, Tex., were classified as MR, whereas 89% of isolates from all other cities were correctly classified as MR . With the API 3600S, strains from some cities were categorized as nafcillin susceptible, whereas strains from other cities were classified as resistant to nafcillin . The results of this study suggest that future evaluations of antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems should include MR strains of S . aureus from several geographic areas.

Fam Pract, 1984 Dec, 1(4), 222 - 3
Problems of venereal disease in Nigeria . 2 . Staphylococcus aureus as a possible cause of non-gonococcal urethritis; Oboho KO; The incidence of non-gonococcal urethritis has increased more than four-fold in the last decade and is now one of the most common of the sexually transmitted diseases . In a study of 429 cases of male urethritis presenting to a health centre in Nigeria, 202 (41%) of the cases had Gram-positive cocci present . Culture grew Staphylococcus aureus in 178 (53.7%) of the cases . The sensitivity of the organisms to antibiotics was tested, enabling effective antibiotics to be identified . It is suggested that Staphylococcus aureus may be a major cause of non-gonococcal urethritis.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1984 Dec, 92(6), 325 - 30
Monoclonal antibodies to the h1 agglutinogen from Staphylococcus aureus 17A . Serological testing with type strains; Haaheim LR et al.; Four monoclonal antibodies to the h1 agglutinogen were produced by conventional means, and slide agglutination of S . aureus type strains was performed with protein A affinity purified IgG1 antibodies . In accordance with Oeding's serotype system the type strains 17A and 670 were strongly and consistently agglutinated . In addition, however, several of the remaining twelve type strains investigated showed varying reaction patterns . Our results indicate that the h1 agglutinogen may be more widely distributed among S . aureus strains than previously assumed.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1984 Dec, 92(6), 311 - 7
Effect of human IgG and fibrinogen on Staphylococcus aureus intraperitoneal infection in mice; Espersen F et al.; Human serum and plasma have been demonstrated to enhance mortality in Staphylococcus aureus intraperitoneal infection in mice . Two different mechanisms seem to be involved . The effect of serum could be removed by adsorption to S . aureus protein A coupled to Sepharose 4 B and could be reconstituted by the addition of human IgG to IgG-depleted serum . Plasma diluted 1/10 in combination with purified fibrinogen also enhanced mouse mortality . Both effects could be demonstrated, when a coagulase-free variant of S . aureus was used . The results of viable counts of S . aureus in blood and peritoneum of the mice indicate that the enhancing effect of IgG alone and the enhancing effect of fibrinogen in combination with diluted plasma have different mechanisms.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1984 Dec, 92(6), 305 - 10
Human serum and plasma increase mouse mortality in Staphylococcus aureus intraperitoneal infection; Espersen F et al.; The influence of human plasma, serum, purified fibrinogen, and fibronectin on Staphylococcus aureus intraperitoneal infection in non-immune mice was studied . Mouse mortality was used as a measure of staphylococcal virulence . Both human plasma and serum were shown to enhance the virulence of S.aureus strain E 2371 and strain E 2476 when added to the bacteria before challenge . This effect of serum was unaffected by storage for 24 h at 37 degrees C or complement-inactivation for 1 h at 56 degrees C . Purified fibrinogen and fibronectin did not influence the S . aureus virulence . It is suggested that the effects of plasma and serum described here might play a role in the establishment of S.aureus infections in humans.

J Lipid Res, 1984 Dec 1, 25(12), 1368 - 79
Extrahepatic synthesis of apolipoprotein E; Driscoll DM et al.; Apolipoprotein E (apoE) synthesis has been examined in rat and guinea pig tissues using in vitro translation and {35S}methionine labeling of tissue slices . A number of tissues not involved in lipoprotein synthesis synthesize a protein very similar to apoE, including the spleen, adrenal, kidney, testis, ovary, heart, and lung . Although the intestine is involved in lipoprotein synthesis, apoE synthesis could not be detected in intestinal mucosa . The protein synthesized by the extrahepatic tissues was identified as apoE by its electrophoretic mobility, its immunologic reactivity with a monospecific antibody and by limited proteolysis mapping with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . ApoE represented between 0.02 and 0.7% of the total protein synthesized in the extrahepatic tissues, indicating that apoE mRNA is a fairly abundant mRNA in these tissues . ApoE mRNA was also detected by hybridization with a rat apoE cDNA clone, which hybridized to a single mRNA 1250 nucleotides in length in rat liver and in extrahepatic tissues . Hybridization of the apoE clone to rat genomic DNA demonstrated that the apoE gene was more heavily methylated in intestinal mucosa, which did not synthesize apoE, than in liver, testis, or kidney . 35S labeling of peritoneal macrophages revealed that both rat and guinea pig macrophages synthesized and secreted apoE in vitro . Rhesus aortic smooth muscle cells also synthesized and secreted apoE . The possible functions of apoE synthesized in the peripheral tissues are considered.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Dec, (12), 20 - 4
{Action of baliz on the ultrastructure and toxin formation of Staphylococcus aureus}; Konstantinova ND et al.; The effect of the antibacterial preparation Balysum on the ultrastructure of S . aureus, as well as on the process of the formation of alpha-toxin and the secretion of plasmacoagulase in this organism, has been studied . Balysum at a concentration of 8% (as used in clinical practice) has been found to induce changes in the ultrastructure of S . aureus as early as within the first 10 minutes . The maximum effect of the preparation is manifested in 60 minutes . At an early period of incubation damages occur in the cell-surface structures and, to a certain extent, in the membrane-ribosomal apparatus . The increased time of incubation leads to more profound changes in these structures and even to the death of the cell . In a highly toxic strain of S . aureus Balysum has proved to decrease the formation of alpha-toxin 4 times, while having no effect on the results of the plasma coagulation test.

Biokhimiia, 1984 Dec, 49(12), 2041 - 4
{Formation of differences in the electric potentials of the membrane vesicle in Staphylococcus aureus}; Vinnikov AI; Membrane vesicles isolated from Staphylococcus aureus cells by ultrasonication possess the NADH-, succinate-, and malate oxidase activities, contain cytochromes a and b and have the lipid/protein ratio of 0.12-0.24 . Energized membrane vesicles absorb permeant anions of tetraphenylborate and phenyldicarbaundecaborane . This results in the electric field generation with a "plus" sign on the inner side of the membranes . The generation of the membrane potential occurs in response to the addition of a respiratory substrate (NADH, malate, or succinate) and is inhibited by electron transfer inhibitors, such as rotenone, 2-N-nonyl-4-oxyquinoline-N-oxide, cyanide and the protonophore uncoupler, M-chlorinecarbonylcyanidephenylhydrazonium . The generation of the membrane potential takes place during ATP hydrolysis and in the course of the transhydrogenase reaction . The data obtained suggest the similarity of energization systems of St . aureus and those of animal mitochondria.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Dec, 45(12), 2525 - 31
Pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis: bacteriologic, histologic, and ultrastructural pathologic findings; Gudding R et al.; Three lactating cows were experimentally infected with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29740 (Newbould 305 strain) . Cows were euthanatized 2 to 216 hours after inoculation . Bacteriologic and microscopic examinations showed that S aureus attached to epithelial cells of the mammary gland in vivo . The histopathologic changes observed were progressive swelling, vacuolar degeneration of epithelial layers, and multiple foci of epithelial erosions and ulcers throughout the ductal system . The cellular response of the infected glands was demonstrated by a rapid increase in the number of somatic cells in the secretion and by accumulation of neutrophils below, within, and on the epithelium of the teat and lactiferous sinuses . The inflammatory response did not prevent infection nor subsequent pathologic changes in the inoculated glands.

J Reprod Immunol, 1984 Dec, 6(6), 365 - 76
The effect of local and parenteral vaccination on the response of the guinea pig mammary gland to staphylococcal challenge; Nonnecke BJ et al.; Preparturient guinea pigs vaccinated locally (orally and intramammarily) or parenterally (intradermally) with killed Staphylococcus aureus (KS), were challenged intramammarily (IMM) with KS or viable S . aureus during the next lactation . The number and types of leukocytes emigrating into the milk were determined before and after IMM challenge . The milk leukocytosis after challenge with KS was the greatest in the intradermally (ID) vaccinated animals, moderate in the IMM vaccinated animals, and insignificant in the unvaccinated or orally vaccinated animals . The polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte predominated in the milk of the IMM and ID vaccinated animals during the initial 30 h after challenge with KS . Later (30-102 h postchallenge), the mononuclear leukocyte (macrophage and lymphocytes) was the major cell-type . No significant changes in the number or types of leukocytes occurred in the milk of the unvaccinated or orally vaccinated animals after challenge . Intramammary challenge with viable S . aureus caused a large increase in the number of leukocytes in the milk of all animals . The milk leukocytosis occurred more rapidly in locally vaccinated guinea pigs than unvaccinated or ID vaccinated guinea pigs . The PMN leukocyte predominated in the milk of all animals during the period of maximum response . The incidence and severity of staphylococcal mastitis were less in guinea pigs vaccinated locally than ID vaccinated or unvaccinated animals.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1984 Dec, 14 Suppl D, 27 - 34
The incidence and development of resistance in Staphylococcus aureus from three European countries; Wiedemann B et al.; In a multicentre study conducted by the Paul Ehrlich Society we tested 3482 Staphylococcus aureus strains, isolated in different hospitals in West Germany, Austria and Switzerland, against 12 antibiotics with standardized techniques between 1976 and 1982 . In order to avoid mistakes in the classification of the strains into sensitive, intermediate and resistant, we adapted breakpoints to the population distribution . There were no marked changes in the incidence of sensitive strains during the period . Striking differences from one hospital to another were observed . The percentage of strains sensitive to penicillin remains low (27%) . The other antibiotics studied show activity against 80-100% of strains.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1984 Dec, 14(6), 619 - 31
Integration of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methicillin in curative treatment of experimental endocarditis; Gengo FM et al.; The rabbit model for Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis was used to compare cure rate and pharmacokinetic profile of four dosing regimens of methicillin . Equal daily doses (120 mg/kg) in five day treatment periods were given to 40 rabbits . Doses were given by bolus 20 mg/kg every 4 h (q 4 h), 40 mg/kg every 8 h (q 8 h), 60 mg/kg every 12 h (q 12 h) or by continuous infusion . The methicillin pharmacokinetics resulting from each regimen were monitored along with the course of the infection in each rabbit . For each regimen, time above MBC, peak height, area under the curve (AUC) above MIC and MBC were measured . Post antibiotic effect (PAE) duration and log growth time (LGT) values were obtained from the literature . Significantly more rabbits treated by q 4 h and q 8 h (P less than 0.05) survived 14 days after cessation of methicillin treatment than did rabbits treated q 12 h or continuous infusion . The four regimens differed in peak concentration and time above MBC . Despite producing the highest peak concentrations, the q 12 h regimen was the least effective . The duration above MBC was 2.0, 1.5, and 0.6 hours for q 12 h, q 8 h and q 4 h regimens, respectively . Continuous infusion produced methicillin concentration just above MBC over the entire five day treatment period, but was not as effective as q 4 h or q 8 h regimens . The most successful intermittent bolus regimens were those in which the sum of time above MBC, the duration of PAE, and one LGT were approximately equal to the actual dosage interval.

Inflammation, 1984 Dec, 8(4), 445 - 57
Modulation of phagocytosis and intracellular bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells by cationic proteins from human granulocytes: alternative pathway of phagocytic enhancement; Pruzanski W et al.; Cationic lysosomal proteins from human polymorphonuclears (PMN) were isolated by column chromatography and divided into five fractions . On acrylamide gel electrophoresis, fraction I had four bands slower than lysozyme (LZM) mobility; fraction II had five or six bands slower than LZM; fraction III had at least seven bands slower and two bands faster than LZM; fraction IV contained LZM, two bands faster and a few faint bands slower than LZM; fraction V was composed of almost pure LZM . Partial characterization of the fractions showed presence of neutral protease in fractions I-IV, chymotrypsin in fraction III, lysozyme in fractions IV and V, and phospholipase A2 mainly in fractions II and III . Modulatory activity of fractions I-V were tested at concentrations up to 50 micrograms/ml . Enhancement of phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus was observed by fractions I, IV, and V, whereas phagocytic index was enhanced by all but the fraction II . Intracellular bactericidal activity (ICBA) was markedly enhanced by fractions I, II, and V . Addition of DNA or cytochalasine B inhibited or abolished phagocytosis-enhancing activity of cationic fractions . Their influence on ICBA was much less pronounced . Fraction III enhanced phagocytic index and phagocytosis of E . coli, whereas fractions I and II enhanced intracellular bactericidal activity against this bacteria . Enhancement of phagocytic activity of monocytes has also been observed . The data suggest that some cationic lysosomal fractions from human PMNs enhance phagocytosis and phagocytic index by human PMNs and monocytes and intracellular bactericidal activity of human PMNs . This alternative pathway of phagocytic enhancement is unrelated to the previously described enhancers of phagocytosis and may play a role in defense mechanisms against infection.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 48(6), 1171 - 5
Production of monoclonal antibodies to staphylococcal enterotoxin A; Edwin C et al.; Spleen cells from mice immunized with staphylococcal enterotoxin A were successfully fused with NS-1 mouse myeloma cells . Two of the four clones studied produced monoclonal antibodies to staphylococcal enterotoxin A in growth medium which showed titers of greater than 10(6) to 10(7) when tested by the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . These monoclonal antibodies showed reactivity with enterotoxins A and E in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . However, the reactivity was higher with enterotoxin A than with enterotoxin E . Nanogram quantities of crude staphylococcus enterotoxin A from Staphylococcus aureus growth were detected by the monoclonal antibodies in electroimmunoblots via autoradiography.

J Hyg (Lond), 1984 Dec, 93(3), 505 - 29
Infection and sepsis after operations for total hip or knee-joint replacement: influence of ultraclean air, prophylactic antibiotics and other factors; Lidwell OM et al.; Operating in ultraclean air and the prophylactic use of antibiotics have been found to reduce the incidence of joint sepsis confirmed at re-operation, after total hip or knee-joint replacement . The reduction was about 2-fold when operations were done in ultraclean air, 4.5-fold when body-exhaust suits also were worn, and about 3- to 4-fold when antibiotics had been given prophylactically . The effects of ultraclean air and antibiotics were additive . Wound sepsis recognized during post-operative hospital stay was, however, reduced by these measures only when it had been classed as major wound sepsis . This was reported after 2.3% of operations done without antibiotic cover in conventionally ventilated operating rooms . Joint sepsis was much more frequent after wound infection and especially after major wound sepsis, although most cases of joint sepsis were not preceded by recognized wound sepsis . This was particularly noticeable after major wound sepsis associated with Staphylococcus aureus; after 37 such infections the same species was subsequently found in the septic joint of 11 patients . The sources of wound colonization with Staph . aureus, when this was not followed by joint sepsis, appeared to differ widely from those where joint sepsis occurred later . Operating-room sources could be found for most of the latter and the risk of infection appeared to be similar with respect to any carrier in the operating room whether a member of the operating team or the patient . For wound colonization that was not followed by joint sepsis, operating-room sources could only be inferred for fewer than half and of these more than one half appeared to be related to strains carried by the patient at the time of operation . During the follow-up period, which averaged about 2 1/4 years with a maximum of four years, there were, in addition to the 86 instances of deep joint sepsis confirmed at re-operation, 85 instances in which sepsis in the joint was suspected during this period but was not confirmed, because re-operation on the joint was not done . The incidence of suspected joint sepsis was, like that of confirmed joint sepsis, less after operations done in ultraclean air: 1/2.5, or with prophylactic antibiotics, 1/2.3 Although re-operation was more frequent on the knee-joint than on the hip, and pain after the initial operation was more frequent after knee operations, there was no evidence that this was the result of any increased risk of infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Exp Hematol, 1984 Dec, 12(11), 856 - 62
Inhibition of phagocytosis by monoclonal antibodies to human myeloid differentiation antigens; Bjerknes R et al.; The influence of eight antimyeloid monoclonal antibodies on human leukocyte phagocytosis was investigated using flow cytometry . A granulocyte-specific monoclonal antibody, VIM-D5, inhibited the phagocytosis of both zymosan particles and Staphylococcus aureus in a dose-dependent fashion . In the presence of 5 micrograms/ml, the numbers of phagocyte-associated zymosan particles and bacteria were reduced by about 35% and 40%, respectively . Another monoclonal antibody, VIM-12, reacting with granulocytes, monocytes, and null lymphocytes, inhibited both granulocyte and monocyte phagocytosis of S . aureus . The inhibition was dose dependent, and in the presence of 10 micrograms/ml, the number of phagocyte-associated bacteria was reduced by about 40% . VIM-12 did not influence the phagocytosis of zymosan particles . Both VIM-D5 and VIM-12 inhibited the internalization phase of phagocytosis, whereas the attachment to the phagocyte surface was unaltered . The combined effect of VIM-D5 and VIM-12 was additive, amounting to about 70% reduction of phagocytosis of bacteria . The remaining six antimyeloid antibodies had no effect on leukocyte phagocytosis . The combined use of antimyeloid monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry appears to be a promising tool for the study of phagocyte functions.

J Immunol, 1984 Dec, 133(6), 3303 - 7
Flow cytometric quantitation of oxidative product formation by polymorphonuclear leukocytes during phagocytosis; Szejda P et al.; Stimulation of the oxidative metabolic burst of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) may occur by an all-or-none trigger mechanism or by a graded response to increasing stimulation of an individual cell . If the proposed all-or-none mechanism occurred during phagocytosis, a PMNL would expend all of its metabolic potential at once, yet PMNL can proceed to ingest multiple organisms . This study employed dual laser flow cytometry to correlate the number of cell-associated organisms with oxidative product formation in individual PMNL . Intracellular oxidation of nonfluorescent 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) to highly fluorescent 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) provided a quantitative assay of H2O2-dependent oxidative product formation generated by the cell's oxidative metabolic burst . Staphylococcus aureus were fixed and stained with Texas red to allow simultaneous monitoring of bacteria (red fluorescence, greater than 580 nm) and DCF (green fluorescence, 510 to 550 nm) content of each cell . Computer correlation of bacterial and DCF fluorescence allowed determination of the DCF formation by PMNL containing specific numbers (0 to 15) of bacteria . Oxidative product formation was directly related to the number of bacteria ingested in a time-dependent manner (mean per cell of 6.4, 12.8, 19.1, and 24.4 attomoles (amol) DCF formed per cell per bacterium after 15, 30, 45, and 60 min, respectively . Opsonization of bacteria with fresh normal serum (primarily C3b opsonization) or with specific IgG demonstrated qualitatively similar responses, except that the response per IgG-opsonized organism was, on the average, more than twice the response to bacteria opsonized with serum . Thus, sequential phagocytosis of multiple bacteria elicits an incremental oxidative response of human PMNL.

Biken J, 1984 Dec, 27(4), 195 - 8
Reduced resistance to experimental viral and bacterial infections of mice treated with polychlorinated biphenyl; Imanishi J et al.; When mice given diet containing 100, 200 or 400 micrograms of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) per g, or PCB-free diet for 21 days were inoculated intranasally with influenza virus, the mortality was higher in some groups given PCB than in the control group . When Staphylococcus aureus was inoculated intraperitoneally into mice given a diets with or without PCB, a significant difference was observed in the mortalities in the groups . Subcutaneous injection of S . aureus also caused a larger subcutaneous abscess in the mice given diets containing PCB than in those given control diet . Thus, it is suggested that PCB ingestion reduces host resistance to systemic or local infection with viruses or bacteria.

J Immunol, 1984 Dec, 133(6), 3062 - 7
Demonstration of the involvement of interleukin 2 in the differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I-stimulated B cells; Teranishi T et al.; The effect of IL 2 on Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC)-driven IgG production of human B cells was examined by utilizing chromatographically purified IL 2 (R-IL 2) and the transcription product of the cloned cDNA for human IL 2 purified from recombinant E . coli (G-IL 2) . Both preparations of IL 2 by themselves were not enough to induce optimal IgG-production in the SAC-stimulated tonsillar B cell fraction, which was highly enriched for B cells, but effectively induced IgG production in the presence of a subeffective number of T cells or a late-acting B cell differentiation factor (BCDF) . In addition, the activity that induced IgG production in the presence of a subeffective number of T cells was absorbed with an IL 2-dependent mouse T cell line . These results clearly indicate that IL 2 has a definite effect on B cell differentiation in this system . Although the mechanisms of this effect remain to be elucidated, a direct effect of IL 2 on B cells may be involved, because the addition of IL 2 along with SAC induced a limited but significant increase of 3H-TdR incorporation in the highly enriched B cell population, which showed very little response to PHA and Con A even in the presence of IL 2, and, as mentioned above, IL 2 induced IgG production in the B cell preparation without any supplement of T cells provided the late-acting BCDF fraction was present in the culture.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1984 Dec, 258(4), 464 - 71
Rapid detection of positive blood cultures with bioluminescence assay in comparison to Gram staining; Lang HR et al.; A bioluminescence assay for the rapid detection of bacteria in blood culture bottles was developed and the results compared with the findings of microscopic examination . For this purpose 50 culture bottles supplemented with blood were inoculated with bacteria . After 4, 6 and 7 h of incubation at 37 degrees C samples were removed and examined microscopically and with bioluminescence technique measuring bacterial ATP in whole blood . Colony counts were performed at each interval . The limit of detection in bioluminescence assays was reached at a bacterial density of 1 X 10(5) CFU/ml (p less than 0.001) using Escherichia coli ATCC 25923 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25922 . At the ame time 19 out of 20 microscopic examinations were positive . The results indicate that the bioluminescence technique has an equal sensitivity in detecting bacterial growth in blood culture bottles as the microscopic examination using stained smears . The bioluminescence technique has the potential of automation.

Gene, 1984 Dec, 32(3), 381 - 8
Identification of bacterial clones encoding bovine caseins by direct immunological screening of the cDNA library; Ivanov VN et al.; A sensitive immunoassay was used to identify recombinant plasmids carrying cDNA fragments of bovine caseins in the cDNA library from bovine mammary gland mRNA . Colonies grown on nitrocellulose filters were lysed in situ and proteins from the lysates were blotted onto CNBr-activated cellulose filter paper . Antigens covalently bound to CNBr-activated paper or bound to nitrocellulose filters were detected by reaction with antiserum to caseins, followed by 125I-labelled Staphylococcus aureus protein A and autoradiography . Six clones were found positive among 5400 of the cDNA library: 3-A1, 3-B2, 3-B5, 3-H7, 2-A5 and 2-C9 . The molecular weights of chimeric pre-beta-lactamase: casein proteins synthesized in Escherichia coli were estimated by immunoblotting . Colony hybridization and nucleotide sequence analysis showed that clone 3-B5 contained a cDNA fragment of bovine chi-casein, clone 3-H7 contained a cDNA fragment of beta-casein, while clones 2-A5 and 2-C9 carried cDNA fragments of alpha s1-casein.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Dec, 45(12), 2518 - 24
Quantitation of bovine immunoglobulin G2 antibodies binding Staphylococcus aureus, using a murine monoclonal antibody; Mathison BA et al.; A murine monoclonal antibody specific for bovine immunoglobulin (Ig) G2 was used to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure serum antibodies against the bovine pathogen Staphylococcus aureus . Anion exchange chromatography was used to prepare IgG2 from serum taken from a mastitic cow infected with S aureus . Specific-IgG2 antibodies binding S aureus were purified with an affinity column, using a heat-killed, low protein A strain of S aureus (M-10) . Purified antibodies did not contain IgG1 or IgM and were composed of greater than 95% heavy and light chains determined on the basis of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Purified IgG2 anti-S aureus antibody was used as a reference in an ELISA that (i) could detect 5.0 ng of IgG2, (ii) was specific for IgG2 antibodies binding S aureus, (iii) was precise within and among different assays, (iv) yielded 112% recovery of the purified standard, and (v) when diluted in nonspecific IgG2, generated a curve that was parallel to the standard when a sample was serially diluted . A field study with cows having elevated California mastitis test scores showed evidence of infection with S aureus, as judged by a 59% increase (P less than 0.01) in IgG2 S aureus-specific antibodies and a 25% increase (P less than 0.05) in total IgG2 antibodies . There were no differences in IgG1 concentrations in plasma . Using indirect immunofluorescence, we also confirmed that bovine polymorphonuclear cells bound IgG2 preferentially over IgG1 or IgM . Measurement of antigen-specific IgG2 antibodies may therefore be useful as an index of specific antibody immunity to mastitis-causing organisms.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Dec, 45(12), 2504 - 6
Bacterial growth in whey from mastitic and nonmastitic quarters; Mattila T et al.; Growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was analyzed by turbidometry in 456 selected whey samples . The samples had been graded mastitic or nonmastitic as determined by antitrypsin assay and bacteriologic examination . Whey samples from inflamed quarters (antitrypsin increased) and infected quarters significantly promoted bacterial growth as compared with whey samples from control quarters . The growth-stimulatory effect was limited to the diseased quarters, since control quarters from the same animals did not support enhanced bacterial growth . The observations indicate that in chronic mastitis, the inflammatory process leads to changes in the whey that promote bacterial growth in vitro.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1984 Dec 1, 114(48), 1756 - 7
{Hematogenous infection of prostheses in man and in an animal model}; Zimmerli W; A case is reported which suggests a hematogenous route of infection in orthopedic prostheses . Furthermore, in a foreign body animal model the hypothesis was tested that implanted prostheses may be endangered during episodes of bacteremia . These experiments confirm the clinical impression that foreign bodies can be selectively infected during experimental bacteremia with Staphylococcus aureus.

Pediatr Res, 1984 Dec, 18(12), 1361 - 6
Adherence of bacteria to pediatric intravenous catheters and needles and its relation to phlebitis in animals; Ashkenazi S et al.; The adherence of bacteria to pediatric IV catheters and needles was studied . Scanning electron micrographs showed that bacteria adhered well to the catheters and needles, mainly to non-smooth surface areas . In vitro quantitative determination, with the use of radiolabeled bacteria, revealed differences in the affinity of bacteria for the various IV cannula materials . The adherence per square area was greatest for plastic catheters, less for steel needles, and least for siliconized needles . Mean values for the adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to these cannulae were 37.9-40.3 X 10(5) bacteria/cm2 for the plastic catheters; 10.2 X 10(5) bacteria/cm2 for the steel needles, and 7.2-7.6 X 10(5)/cm2 for the siliconized needles . Removal of the glutaraldehyde-fixed bacteria adhered to the cannulae, after their placement in veins of rabbits, was lower for the plastic catheters than the IV needles . The appearance and severity of venous phlebitis produced by the various cannulae was determined in an animal model . The degree of the inflammatory response elicited correlated with the in vitro bacterial adherence, indicating that bacterial adherence plays a role in the appearance of cannula-associated phlebitis . In view of our results and other previous observations of lower rate of infections with the use of IV needles, it is suggested that needles should be preferred to plastic catheters whenever possible . The described in vitro assay for bacterial adherence can be used to determine the adherent properties of IV cannulae, which should be considered in any future cannula design.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 20(6), 1114 - 21
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for Staphylococcus aureus exfoliative toxins A and B and some applications; Piemont Y et al.; Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were developed for detection of staphylococcal exfoliative toxins A and B (ETA and ETB) with a double-antibody sandwich protocol . Antibodies against both toxins were purified by affinity chromatography from sheep antisera raised against purified ETA and ETB . These affinity-purified antibodies were free of detectable amounts of antibodies to other staphylococcal antigens and neutralized the actions of ETA and ETB . Alkaline phosphatase was conjugated to these antibodies . The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which could detect at least 3 ng of ETA and ETB per ml, was used to quantitate the toxins in the culture supernatant fluids of staphylococcal strains . Thus, the kinetics of ETA and ETB synthesis and of ETA and ETB release into the supernatant fluids were determined; other determinations included the roles of carbon dioxide concentration, pH, glucose concentration, temperature, and agitation on the production of ETA and ETB.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1984 Dec, 14 Suppl D, 1 - 5
Vancomycin use--an historical review; Griffith RS; In the early 1950s the increase of antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus in hospitalized patients with infection stimulated a screening program to develop an effective new agent . A soil sample found in the jungles of Borneo contained a microorganism, Streptomyces orientalis, that produced a substance later called vancomycin . Vancomycin was shown to have antistaphylococcal activity and to be relatively safe when administered to patients . With the resurgence of staphylococcal infections resistant to the newer antistaphylococcal antibiotics, there has been a corresponding increase in the use of vancomycin . Vancomycin is also being used for prophylaxis in patients with reduced renal function undergoing dialysis, for the treatment of patients with antibiotic-induced enterocolitis, and in combination with other antibiotics for 'sterilization' of the intestinal tract in patients with cancer.

Am Surg, 1984 Dec, 50(12), 663 - 5
Staphylococcal lysate fails to elicit nonspecific immune enhancement in a simulated surgical infection; Brown GL et al.; Staphylococcus aureus produces a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction, which results in some degree of nonspecific immune enhancement . The authors chose to observe the effects of staphylococcal vaccine (staphage lysate) as a possible potentiator of nonspecific immunity . The experiments were performed in a well-known model simulating surgical infection . The experimental results do not support the previously proposed hypothesis that staphylococcal vaccine improves the immune response to a bacterial challenge.

J Bone Joint Surg Am, 1984 Dec, 66(9), 1393 - 9
The infected hip after total hip arthroplasty; Canner GC et al.; We studied the cases of fifty-two patients with an infection at the site of a prosthetic total hip replacement, and are reporting the significant clinical features, infecting organisms, methods of treatment, and results at long-term follow-up . Forty-eight per cent of the hips had had an operation prior to the index arthroplasty, and 42 per cent had a wound complication . All patients had pain in the infected hip, but only 54 per cent had an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of more than thirty millimeters per hour, 44 per cent had fever, and 15 per cent had leukocytosis . In 88 per cent of the patients a single organism was grown on culture, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were present in about 75 per cent . When antibiotic therapy alone was the initial treatment, the infection was eradicated in only one patient . Excisional arthroplasty was the definitive surgical procedure in thirty-three patients and the infection was eradicated in twenty-seven of them, but the clinical result was satisfactory in only twenty . Of ten patients who had a true Girdlestone arthroplasty, none had recurrence of the infection and all had a clinically satisfactory outcome.

Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci, 1984 Dec, 62 ( Pt 6), 701 - 9
Serum IgM/A, IgA and functionally distinct IgM anti-type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SIII) antibodies in BALB/c and athymic (nude) mice; Kearney R et al.; The influence of hereditary absence of thymus upon the synthesis of IgA, complement-fixing (CF) hybrid IgM/A, CF-IgM and non-CF-IgM antibodies to pneumococcal type III polysaccharide (SIII) injected into BALB/c and athymic nude mice was studied . Techniques involved the differential absorption of the serum antibodies by protein-A of Staphylococcus aureus (Sa), coprecipitation in gels with 125I-SIII and autoradiography . IgM/A anti-SIII activity was not demonstrable in nude mice but was produced in significant amounts, by day 5, in BALB/c mice injected with SIII . By day 8, nude mice produced more IgA anti-SIII antibodies than BALB/c mice injected with the same antigen . IgA anti-SIII antibodies were not detected in either strain 5 days after SIII administration . The absence of hybrid IgM/A anti-SIII antibodies in athymic mice, prior to the appearance of monotypic IgA anti-SIII antibodies at day 8, suggests that IgM/A and not IgA synthesis is largely T cell-dependent . The evidence also implies that hybrid IgM/A antibody production, maximal on day 5 in BALB/c mice, and absent from nude mice, is not an essential product in the switching from IgM to IgA synthesis . Both strains of mice produced comparable amounts of complement-fixing (CF)-IgM and NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies, with the production of non-complement-fixing (NCF)-IgM anti-SIII in athymic mice being delayed . Results indicate that attempts to quantitate the levels of IgA by assays incorporating anti-IgA anti-sera may be complicated by the presence of IgM/A hybrid antibody.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Exp Med, 1984 Dec 1, 160(6), 1919 - 24
Selective inhibition of growth factor-dependent human B cell proliferation by monoclonal antibody AB1 to an antigen expressed by activated B cells; Jung LK et al.; A monoclonal antibody, AB1, was established with activated human B cells as immunogen . AB1 stained activated B cells but not activated T cells . Its selective reactivity to activated B cells was further documented by its nonreactivity to activated T cells, resting T and B cells, monocytes, granulocytes, bone marrow cells, leukemic cells, and cells from cell lines of T, B, and myeloid lineages . Upon activation, the antigen appeared on B cells as early as 3-4 h after stimulation and was fully expressed by 38 h . The expression of this antigen was not dependent on the presence of B cell stimulatory factor(s) . Anti-IgM antibodies by themselves induced its expression . AB1 inhibited B cell proliferation that was induced by a low dose anti-IgM antibody and conditioned medium containing B cell stimulatory factor . It did not inhibit B cell proliferation induced by either high doses of anti-IgM antibodies or by formalinized Staphylococcus aureus . It also failed to inhibit T cell mitogenesis . The possibility exists that this antigen is related to the receptor for B cell stimulatory factor.

J Pediatr Surg, 1984 Dec, 19(6), 818 - 22
Surgically induced immunologic alterations in the child; Mollitt DL et al.; Surgery is generally believed to be an immunodepressant . This assumption is based, in part, upon studies of compromised patients undergoing major operation . Similar studies in normal adults following elective procedures are contradictory and little information is available regarding the pediatric surgical patient . This paper presents a study of immune function in children undergoing elective operation . Fifty healthy preoperative children (mean age: 20 months) were randomly selected . Ninety-five percent underwent inguinal herniorrhaphy . Operative time averaged 45 minutes (range: 30 to 90 minutes) . Anesthesia consisted of Halothane and Nitrous Oxide in all cases . Approximately 2.5 cc of heparinized blood and 0.5 cc of serum were obtained immediately prior to and 2 hours following operation . Half of the children underwent assays of neutrophil function including absolute count, random migration, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and bacterial killing . Serum was examined for opsonization of Staphylococcus aureus using the chemiluminescence method . The remaining children underwent lymphocytic quantitation including absolute count, total T cells, total B cells, T-helper cells, T-suppressor cells, and T-helper/suppressor ratio . Absolute neutrophil count increased 2.4 times preoperative values (P less than 0.01) . There were, however, no significant alterations in neutrophil functional capabilities . Similarly, there was no alteration in serum opsonic capacity . There was a significant decrease in absolute lymphocyte count (6560-4013, P less than 0.01) postoperatively, and T cells, T-helper, T-suppressor, and B cells were all significantly affected (P less than 0.01 to 0.02) . There was no change in the T-helper/suppressor ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Clin Exp Immunol, 1984 Dec, 58(3), 557 - 65
Effect of concanavalin A on intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus by human phagocytes; Leijh PC et al.; This study concerns the influence of concanavalin A (Con A) on phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus by human monocytes and granulocytes . Con A binds to S . aureus, monocytes, and granulocytes, and is not opsonic . Con A stimulates the killing of intracellular serum opsonized S . aureus by monocytes, but not by granulocytes . This stimulation of intracellular killing was inhibited by alpha-methyl-mannoside, indicating that the process occurs via Con A specific membrane binding sites . Unlike (tetravalent) Con A, divalent succinyl-Con A does not stimulate intracellular killing, indicating that the lectin valency is important for this stimulation . Con A bound to Sephadex particles, that can not be ingested by monocytes, does not stimulate intracellular killing of S . aureus either, although it, like free Con A, stimulates H2O2 production . Pre-incubation of monocytes with Con A inhibited Fc gamma and C3b-mediated ingestion of S . aureus as well as stimulation of the killing by serum . Divalent Con A had no effect on these functions . This inhibition by Con A is in all probability due to a steric impedance of Con A with respect to the interaction of IgG and C3b with their membrane receptors . Fluorescence techniques showed that Con A was localized on the membrane and in the cytoplasm of the monocytes, whereas granulocytes had only membrane bound lectin . Taken together, these findings suggest that cell penetration by the lectin is obligatory for the stimulation of intracellular killing.

Clin Immunol Immunopathol, 1984 Dec, 33(3), 293 - 300
The use of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I for evaluation of suppressor-T-cell activity in hypogammaglobulinemia: evidence for two functionally distinct suppressor T cells; Pryjma J et al.; In coculture experiments with normal lymphocytes, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of 10 boys with hypogammaglobulinemia were screened for the presence of cells able to suppress Pokeweed mitogen (PWM)- and Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I-induced immunoglobulin production in vitro . PBL and T lymphocytes of two patients were shown to suppress reproducibly PWM-induced immunoglobulin production of control PBL and of control B + T lymphocytes . PBL of three other patients were also able to suppress but their activity was expressed only in combination with some but not other normal lymphocytes . In neither case was the Cowan I-induced response suppressed . PBL and T lymphocytes of one other patient were able to suppress both PWM- and S . aureus Cowan I-induced immunoglobulin production of normal lymphocytes . These data provide evidence for two functionally distinct suppressor T lymphocytes in hypogammaglobulinemic patients.

Infect Immun, 1984 Dec, 46(3), 710 - 4
Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan induces histamine release from basophil human leukocytes in vitro; Espersen F et al.; Whole killed cells, cell walls, and peptidoglycans of Staphylococcus aureus were found to release histamine from human leukocytes and isolated rat mast cells in vitro . The histamine-releasing capability increased in the order of whole bacteria, cell walls, and peptidoglycans . Peptidoglycan was found to release histamine by a nonimmunological mechanism, as demonstrated by release in cells deprived of surface immunoglobulins, whereas whole bacteria and cell walls seemed to operate both by immunological and nonimmunological mechanisms . Histamine release was not a specific property of S . aureus; a wide range of whole bacterial species had this activity . We suggest that peptidoglycan may be a common factor responsible for histamine release by different bacteria.

Cell, 1984 Dec, 39(2 Pt 1), 283 - 93
Kinetics of transit of transferrin and epidermal growth factor through clathrin-coated membranes; Hanover JA et al.; The kinetics of association of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and diferric-transferrin (TF) with clathrin-coated membranes of KB cells were examined using anti-clathrin antibody bound to Staphylococcus aureus . The ligands were bound to cells at 4 degrees C and after warming to 30 degrees C for 5 min, both ligands were found concentrated in a membrane fraction immunoadsorbed with anti-clathrin antibody . Fifteen minutes after entry both ligands moved to a non-clathrin-associated compartment . Twenty to 25 min after entry, EGF, but not TF, appeared in a second clathrin-associated compartment . In parallel morphologic experiments, EGF-horseradish peroxidase (EGF-HRP) and TF-HRP were both found at 6 min in coated pits associated with the plasma membrane . At 22 min EGF-HRP, but not TF-HRP, was localized in Golgi-associated coated pits . These studies provide biochemical and morphological evidence suggesting that coated membranes in the Golgi region are involved at some stage in the transfer of EGF to lysosomes . The method should be of general utility in the study of receptor-mediated endocytosis.

What Is Bioreactor?, What Is Molecular Biology?, What Is Genome?, What Is Functional Genomics?, What Is Amino Acid?, i, Microbe, r, Microbiology, o, Microorganisms, e, Microbes, o, Microorganism, n, Bacillus subtilis, s, S. cerevisiae, s, Salmonella, o, S. cerevisiae, o, Salmonella typhimurium, o, Bacteriological, a, Candida albicans, c, Escherichia coli, a, Antimicrobial, n, Yeasts, n, Campylobacter, n, Enterobacteriacea, e, S. cerevisiae, o, S. cerevisiae, a, Prokaryotes, s, Antibiotic treatment, c, Agrobacterium, a, Microbiological, i, Paracocci, e, Microorganism, n, Photobacteria

Scientific Publications - Work Done by Microbiology Reader Bioscreen C
Agricultural Microbiology Anaerobic Microbiology Antimicrobial Susceptibility Artificial Atmosphere Bioassay of Antibiotics Biofilm Microbiology Bioreactor Technology Biotechnology Cell Biology Clinical Microbiology Environmental Microbiology Experiments with Yeast	Fermentation Food Microbiology Functional Genomics Gene Technology Growth Media Development Growth Rate and Lag Time Industrial Microbiology Medical/Pharmaceutical Field Microbiological Assay Microbiological Research Microbiology of Cosmetics go to a specific theme...	Military Microbiology Molecular Microbiology Mutagenicity and Genotoxicity Oral Microbiology Patents Postantibiotic Studies Soil Microbiology Spore Microbiology Veterinary Microbiology Waste/Wastewater Treatment Water Microbiology Wine Microbiology

� 2005 Transgalactic Ltd (manufacturer of Bioscreen C software) | Privacy Statement | P.O. Box 1393, 00101 Helsinki, Finland, phone: +358 9 85172920, fax: +358 9 8749481, e-mail: microbiology@bionewsonline.com

Last modified: May 25, 2005