Nippon Rinsho, 1992 May, 50(5), 1016 - 9 {The structure and function of the mecA gene in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus}; Kanno H; Penicillin binding protein (PBP) 2' is the most important mechanism of the resistance to beta-lactams in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) . And the mecA gene is the coding gene of PBP2', and located in the SmaI fragment G of the chromosome map by Pattle P.A., . A part of the structure of mecA is similar to that of the penicillinase gene . The resistance of MRSA to beta-lactams were influenced by the presence of penicillinase plasmid and the alternation of femA gene. Nippon Rinsho, 1992 May, 50(5), 1010 - 5 {An attempt to control nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection}; Miyachi N et al.; A strain of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first isolated in our hospital in March 1986 . Since then, MRSA has become a difficult pathogen and a cause of sepsis, bacterial endocarditis, and pneumonia in 1988 . Rigorous hospital-wide control measures have been planned . The major control measures, based on the various investigations reported, consist of the following three points; improvement of environmental control, reinforcement of handwashing practices during care and control usage of antibiotics . The frequency of isolation of MRSA among the S . aureus isolates was 43.3% in 1988 and this was further reduced to 31.7% in 1990 . The total number of MRSA isolates from decubitus, bile, and blood samples have also declined . This decline resulted in a reduction of cases of severe MRSA infection . As yet, MRSA strain are still isolated on incubation . There may be a limit to complete control by measures in a single hospital . It is desired that regional measures and national consensus on nosocomial infection be established. Nippon Rinsho, 1992 May, 50(5), 1004 - 9 {An epidemiological study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from medical staffs, inpatients and hospital environments at our hospital}; Nishijima S et al.; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important microorganisms which is causative of the nosocomial infections . Recently the incidence of isolation of MRSA is increasing from year to year in Japan . Especially MRSA isolated from inpatients are much higher than from outpatients . Therefore we have done epidemiological studies about MRSA isolated from medical staffs, inpatients and hospital environments in our hospital . Thereafter we examined phage typing and coagulase typing of those MRSA . MRSA were isolated more frequently from anterior nares of inpatients in compare with doctors and nurses . MRSA were isolated more frequently from the environments of MRSA carriers . Coagulase type II and phage type N.T . (not typable) were dominant type of MRSA in our hospital (69% and 61%) . Our studies have revealed that the isolation frequency of MRSA is very high in our hospital . It seems to suggest that inpatients who are carrying MRSA are spreading MRSA out hospital environments and medical staffs. Intern Med, 1992 May, 31(5), 678 - 81 Lupus nephritis associated with bacterial panperitonitis and lung alveolar hemorrhage; Yano N et al.; A 36-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome due to lupus nephritis . The patient had panperitonitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus as a complication, and an emergency laparotomy was performed . After the operation, the patient developed a massive lung alveolar hemorrhage . Methylprednisolone pulse therapy showed a marked effect on the lung hemorrhage . It is known that lung alveolar hemorrhages associated with systemic lupus erythematosus have a very high mortality; the present case is relatively rare because of the good response to steroid pulse therapy. Cytokine, 1992 May, 4(3), 227 - 31 Interleukin 2 treatment of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis; Reddy PG et al.; A study was conducted in dairy cows to evaluate the efficacy of recombinant bovine interleukin 2 (rBoIL-2) as an adjunct to antibiotic therapy in Staphylococcus aureus mastitis . In normal, non-mastitic cows, intramammary infusion of rBoIL-2 caused a tenfold increase in somatic cell counts (SCC) in milk . Co-administration of 2 mg of rBoIL-2 and sodium cephapirin in cows with established S . aureus mastitis decreased SCC and shedding of S . aureus compared with values from cows that were given only sodium cephapirin or 10 mg rBoIL-2 with sodium cephapirin . Cows in the 2 mg rBoIL-2 group cleared the infection earlier and at 2 weeks after treatment had not relapsed with staphylococcal mastitis . These data suggest that rBoIL-2 may be useful as an immunotherapeutic agent in controlling mastitis. J Struct Biol, 1992 May-Jun, 108(3), 238 - 44 The three-dimensional structure of trypsin-treated Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin; Olofsson A et al.; Trypsin treatment of staphylococcal alpha-toxin cleaves the molecule into two roughly equally sized parts, which results in inactivation of the toxin . Tetragonal arrays of oligomers, closely resembling the native ones, can however be formed on lipid layers . From tilted views of negatively stained crystals a 3D structure to 23 A resolution has been determined by electron microscopy and image processing . On comparison with the 3D structure of the native alpha-toxin (Olofsson et al., J . Mol . Biol . 214, 299-306, 1990) the subdomains are more separated, confirming the differences found when comparing the projection maps (Olofsson et al., J . Struct . Biol . 106, 199-204, 1991) . The tryptic cleavage takes place in a postulated hinge region . The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the conformational change required for inducing the membrane permeabilizing property takes place in this region . Furthermore, we present a refined projection map at approximately 10 A resolution based on the analysis of a large number of crystals using unbending methods. G Ital Cardiol, 1992 May, 22(5), 567 - 71 {Sepsis and endocarditis: two rare complications following pacemaker implantation . Description of a case and review of the literature}; Vecchi MR et al.; A case of Staphylococcus aureus tricuspid valve endocarditis in a patient with permanent transvenous VVI pacemaker and recurrent febrile episodes is described . Medical treatment was not effective, and only with surgical removal of the lead was the infection successfully treated. Ann Acad Med Singapore, 1992 May, 21(3), 354 - 60 Infection in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD): aetiology, complications and risk factors; Lee GS et al.; Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) was started in the Singapore General Hospital in 1980 . Peritonitis and exit site infections have been the major cause of morbidity and catheter loss in CAPD . In 1990, 130 patients were on CAPD and the peritonitis rate was one episode in 20.4 patient months . Gram positive organisms accounted for 54% of the infections of which Staphylococcus epidermidis was the commonest (24%) . Catheter removal was required in 14% of the cases and 9% of the patients discontinued CAPD as a result of peritonitis . The exit site infection rate was one episode in 27.5 patient months and the commonest organism was Staphylococcus aureus (54%) . Twenty-three (47%) of the cases of exit site infection required catheter removal and 83% of the cases were the result of S . aureus infections . Patients with preexisting exit site infections experienced more episodes of peritonitis . Patients above the age of 50 years experienced more episodes of peritonitis and exit site infection . Sex, diabetes and the duration on CAPD did not influence the frequency of infections . Patients using the UV Germicidal Exchange Device had fewer episodes of peritonitis than those using the conventional spike system. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo), 1992 May, 40(5), 1309 - 12 Relationship between the effects on bacterial activity of selected disinfectants and the hydrophobic characters of dibasic acid diesters; Furuta T et al.; We prepared test solutions which contained 80% (v/v) ethanol and 0.2% (w/v) chlorhexidine (CH) or benzalkonium chloride (BC) with or without a dibasic acid diester . After complete evaporation of the ethanol from the solution on filter paper, an overnight broth culture (Staphylococcus aureus) was repeatedly inoculated onto the filter paper, and viable bacterial counts were measured at 5 min after the last inoculation . By comparison with viable counts for CH or BC alone, we estimated the potentiating effects of dibasic acid diester on the bactericidal activity of CH or BC, and confirmed that this activity of the two disinfectants was potentiated in the presence of certain compounds in the homologs of di-n-butyl esters of aliphatic dibasic acid, and di-alkyl esters of adipic and phthalic acid . Diisobutyl adipate, one of the most effective diesters, substantially enhanced the bactericidal activities of benzethonium chloride, cetyl pyridinium chloride and didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, as well as CH and BC, but not those of polyhexamethylene biguanide or alkyldiaminoethyl glycinate . The potentiating effects of dibasic acid diesters observed for both CH and BC seemed to be affected by the hydrophobic character of these diesters themselves and are also expressed well by a particular quadratic equation as a function of these characters: namely, capacity factors, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Br Heart J, 1992 May, 67(5), 409 - 11 Endocarditis with aneurysm involving an aortic homograft used to correct a truncus arteriosus: medical-surgical salvage; Engle MA et al.; An aneurysm of an aortic homograft conduit, used to correct a type I truncus arteriosus anomaly in a four month old infant, developed when the patient was 15 . Blood cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus . The aneurysm was detected by magnetic resonance imaging and digital subtraction angiocardiography . An emergency open heart operation, guided by these investigations, was performed to remove the original homograft and replace it with another valved aortic homograft . Postoperative antibiotic treatment had to be stopped when profound neutropenia developed . This responded to treatment with recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor . Three years later she was symptom free and did not require medication . Chest x rays and echocardiograms showed a normally functioning heart and conduit valve. J Hosp Infect, 1992 May, 21(1), 15 - 28 Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus associated with nosocomial infections in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur; Hanifah YA et al.; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a hospital pathogen has presented many clinical problems in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia since 1978 . The need for control of spread of these organisms became evident by 1985 when it was noted that the incidence of MRSA among S . aureus isolated from hospital inpatients had increased from 11.5% in 1979 to 18.8% in 1985 . The characteristics of 50 MRSA isolates associated with nosocomial infections in the hospital are described here . The predominant strains produced Type IV coagulase and 84% of isolates studied showed moderate to high resistance to methicillin with MIC values of 25 mg l-1 or higher . All the MRSA isolates that could be phagetyped were susceptible to Group III phages, with 76.6% of the isolates being susceptible to phage 85 . At least 10 different patterns were distinguishable by plasmid typing, the majority of isolates harbouring up to four small plasmids. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol, 1992 May-Jun, 2(3), 146 - 53 Functional evaluation of human neutrophils . Is the bactericidal activity correlated with nitroblue tetrazolium reduction? Bellinati-Pires R, Carneiro-Sampaio MM, Colletto GM. The cytochemical nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test continues to be used in clinical laboratories to detect defects in the oxidative metabolism of phagocytes . However, the specificity of the test is controversial, and it is not clear whether NBT reduction really reflects the microbicidal activity of these cells . In the present study, we evaluated the killing of Staphylococcus aureus by neutrophils from healthy adult individuals and from patients with phagocyte dysfunctions using a fluorochrome phagocytic assay, and compared the results with those obtained with a cytochemical NBT test performed simultaneously . The ability of neutrophils to reduce NBT (expressed as percent reducing neutrophils) with or without a lipopolysaccharide stimulus was not correlated with the bactericidal activity of these cells (expressed as percent killed bacteria per 100 neutrophils) . The age and sex of the healthy adults did not influence the results of either assay . It seems that the superoxide anion played a small role in NBT reduction by normal neutrophils, since superoxide dismutase did not significantly inhibit this reaction . Only the absolute absence of NBT reduction reflected the low bactericidal activity of neutrophils, as seen in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) . We conclude that the only clinical usefulness of the NBT test is for the screening of CGD, and that bacterial phagocytic assays are more appropriate for assessing the microbicidal function of neutrophils. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol, 1992 May-Jun, 2(3), 141 - 5 The ability of granulocytes to absorb latex particles and Staphylococcus aureus in patients hypersensitive to aspirin; Matusiewicz R et al.; An examination of the ability of granulocytes to absorb latex particles and Staphylococcus aureus was performed in 32 patients with atopic asthma, 27 patients with atopic asthma and hypersensitive to aspirin, and 20 patients hypersensitive to aspirin only . The control group included 20 healthy subjects . The results of our investigation demonstrate a defect of the ability of granulocytes to absorb latex particles and S . aureus in patients with atopic asthma and hypersensitivity to aspirin. Eur J Med, 1992 May, 1(2), 113 - 5 Comparative study of community versus hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia; Maradona JA et al.; OBJECTIVES: We prospectively investigated 274 consecutive Staphylococcus aureus septicaemias in adult patients between January 1983 and December 1989 to evaluate outcome in hospital acquired and community acquired episodes . METHODS: Epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory and therapeutic parameters were analyzed with univariate and multivariate statistical tests . RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Ninety episodes of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia were acquired in the community and 184 in hospital . Diabetes mellitus and renal failure were accompanied by a clear increase in bacteraemia related death in the community-acquired category . Correct antibiotic therapy showed a better response in the community-acquired group . Bacteraemia related death was 22.6% for episodes acquired in the hospital and 18.8% for those originating in the community. Arq Bras Cardiol, 1992 May, 58(5), 383 - 5 {Infection of polytetrafluorethylene prosthesis in modified Blalock-Taussig anastomosis}; Thome LG et al.; A 16 month-old baby submitted to systemic-pulmonary shunt with a polytetrafluorethylene prosthesis, who presented hyperthermia, radiologic signs of pulmonary opacifications and positive culture for staphylococcus aureus . Reoperation disclosed a prosthesis pseudoaneurysm, with disconnection of the anastomosis and evidences of infection . This complication has a low diagnostic rate and a high mortality and should always be suspected when signs of systemic infection become apparent in the postoperative period of polytetrafluorethylene systemic-pulmonary shunt. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1992 May, 36(5), 1109 - 14 Pharmacokinetics and bactericidal rates of daptomycin and vancomycin in intravenous drug abusers being treated for gram-positive endocarditis and bacteremia; Rybak MJ et al.; The pharmacokinetics and bactericidal killing rates (BR) of daptomycin (D) and vancomycin (V) in 12 intravenous drug abusers (6 treated with daptomycin and 6 treated with vancomycin) were evaluated . Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined from multiple serum samples drawn at steady state over a 12-h dosing interval after intravenous infusions of 3 mg of D per kg of body weight and 1,000 mg of V . The BRs were determined from the 1- and 6-h serum samples by using four isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (three methicillin susceptible and one methicillin resistant) obtained from the patients enrolled in the study . Peak serum daptomycin concentrations were lower and volumes of distribution were higher than reported in healthy volunteers . Although not statistically different, D clearance was 22% higher than reported in healthy volunteers . V pharmacokinetics were similar to those reported in previous studies . Daptomycin's BRs, although comparable to those of V in patients' serum, were significantly decreased compared with those found in broth . This may be related to the high degree of protein binding of D (93% versus 50% for V) . Conversely, the BRs of V in serum were significantly greater than those in broth . The BRs of D and V in broth were greater when killing curves were performed with test strains in logarithmic versus stationary-phase growth . The ability to kill organisms in stationary phase may be an important factor in determining the performance of an antibiotic in deep-seated infections such as endocarditis.3+ Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1992 May, 36(5), 1053 - 6 Uptake and intracellular activity of sparfloxacin in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and tissue culture cells; Garcia I et al.; The penetration of sparfloxacin into human neutrophils (PMN) and different tissue culture cells (HEp-2 and McCoy) was evaluated . The cellular to extracellular concentration ratios (C/E) of sparfloxacin were always higher than 4 at extracellular concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 25 mg/liter . The uptake of sparfloxacin by PMN was rapid, nonsaturable, reversible, not energy dependent, and significantly reduced at pH 8 . The penetration of this agent into PMN was similar when viable and Formalin-killed cells were used and was not affected by environmental temperature . Ingestion of opsonized zymosan significantly increased the amount of PMN-associated sparfloxacin . Sparfloxacin at a concentration of 0.5 mg induced a significant reduction in the survival of intracellular Staphylococcus aureus . It is concluded that sparfloxacin reaches intracellular concentrations within leukocytic cells much higher than extracellular concentrations, while remaining active intracellularly. Nippon Rinsho, 1992 May, 50(5), 1042 - 8 {Characterization of the Staphylococcus aureus norA gene, which confers resistance to hydrophilic quinolones}; Yoshida H; The norA gene cloned from chromosomal DNA of a quinolone-and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain conferred resistance to hydrophilic quinolones such as norfloxacin, enoxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, but no or less resistance to hydrophobic ones such as nalidixic acid, oxolinic acid, and sparfloxacin in S . aureus and Escherichia coli . Nucleotide sequence analysis of the cloned DNA fragment revealed that the norA gene could code for a protein consisting of 388 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 42,265, which was consistent with the experimental value of about 49,000 obtained on DNA-directed translation . The deduced NorA polypeptide has 12 hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions and is partly homologous to tetracycline resistance protein and sugar transport proteins . The uptake of a hydrophilic quinolone, enoxacin, by S . aureus harboring a plasmid carrying the norA gene was about 50% of that by the parent strain lacking the plasmid, but it increased to almost the same level as that by the latter strain with carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone . On the other hand, the uptake of a hydrophobic quinolone, sparfloxacin, was hardly affected by the norA gene . These results suggest that the NorA polypeptide may constitute a membrane-associated active efflux pump of hydrophilic quinolones. Nippon Rinsho, 1992 May, 50(5), 1036 - 41 {Aminoglycosides resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus}; Okamoto R et al.; In the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the isolation frequency of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Japan . Especially, a high incidence of multiple resistant MRSA strains has been reported . These strains are resistant not only to beta-lactams but to aminoglycosides and macrolides . About 90% of MRSA strains were resistant to gentamicin (GM) and/or tobramycin (TOB), producing an aminoglycoside modifying enzyme, mainly, APH (2")/AAC (6) and/or AAD (4',4") . Based on these modifying enzymes produced, MRSA strains were classified into three groups; group 1 produced APH (2")/AAC (6), belonging to phage group I and coagulase IV, group 2 produced AAD (4',4"), belonging to phage group III and coagulase II, and group 3 produced APH (2")/AAC (6) and AAD (4',4"), belonging to phage group III and coagulase II . The epidemiological results suggest that MRSA strains changed from group 1 to group 2, and then to group 3 . Recently, arbekacin (ABK), a new anti-MRSA aminoglycoside, has been introduced into clinical practice . ABK shows a potent activity to GM-resistant strains, due to poorly modification by APH (2")/AAC (6') . However, there were few ABK- and GM-resistant strains in clinical isolates . These strains produced a higher amount of the enzyme than ABK-susceptible and GM-resistant strains . This observation suggests that ABK-resistant strains might be derived from GM-resistant strains by mutation of the gene coding APH (2")/AAC (6'). Nippon Rinsho, 1992 May, 50(5), 1026 - 35 {Multiple resistance to drugs by MRSA}; Inoue M et al.; Most methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates are multiply resistant to various antimicrobial agents . Therefore, MRSA strains have become a serious problem in the clinical setting . However, it should be noted that the frequency of isolation of strains resistant to aminoglycoside and minocycline was not significantly different between low- and high-MRSA isolates and the isolation frequency of high-MRSA strains, less susceptible to not only beta-lactam antibiotics but also to macrolide antibiotics and quinolones, was significantly higher than the corresponding values for low-MRSA strains . These results suggest that high-MRSA strains were selected by antimicrobial agents for the treatment with the patients. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1992 May-Jun, 15(4), 307 - 11 The utility of restriction endonuclease analysis and phage typing in the epidemiologic investigation of a Staphylococcus aureus outbreak in a neonatal nursery; Pekkala DH et al.; Outbreaks of Staphylococcus aureus infections in neonatal units require prompt investigation and implementation of control measures . From January to March 1990, a marked increase in the number of S . aureus infections was observed in a neonatal nursery . Twenty-seven S . aureus isolates from 23 patients were analyzed by phage typing and restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) . Only nine strains were differentiated by phage type . However, REA with HindIII, CfoI, and ClaI differentiated 20 strains . The REA results indicated that the outbreak was due to several different S . aureus strains and did not represent transmission of a single epidemic strain . REA may enable more accurate determination of the presence or absence of an epidemic strain during an outbreak than would traditional methods such as phage typing. Scand J Immunol, 1992 May, 35(5), 561 - 7 B lymphoblasts show oxidase activity in response to cross-linking of surface IgM and HLA-DR; Furukawa K et al.; Human B lymphocytes express components of the superoxide generating system of phagocytes, NADPH oxidase . We studied regulation of this 'B-cell oxidase' during in vitro blast transformation, using Lucigenin-amplified chemiluminescence (CL) to detect superoxide release . While freshly isolated tonsil B lymphocytes showed no CL responses, culture with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin induced susceptibility to CL triggering by anti-IgM and anti-HLA-DR . Maximal effects were observed after 3 days of culture with 0.4 ng/ml PMA + 1 microgram/ml ionomycin . Cells from such B lymphoblast cultures showed no CL responses to opsonized zymosan . In contrast, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, where monocytes are the predominant oxidant source, showed CL responses to opsonized zymosan but not to anti-IgM and anti-HLA-DR, either before or after culture with PMA + ionomycin . Culture of B cells with the surface immunoglobulin cross-linking agent staphylococcus aureus Cowan I also led to emergence of a CL, response to anti-IgM, which was enhanced by interferon-gamma . Interestingly, markedly fewer B blasts than freshly isolated B lymphocytes expressed cytochrome b-558 surface antigen . Thus, the B-cell oxidase is up-regulated during blast transformation and can be triggered via surface IgM and HLA-DR; however, this appears to be restricted to a subset of B lymphoblasts. Protein Sci, 1992 May, 1(5), 654 - 66 Reversible unfolding and refolding behavior of a monomeric aldolase from Staphylococcus aureus; Rudolph R et al.; Thermal and GdmCl-induced unfolding transitions of aldolase from Staphylococcus aureus are reversible under a variety of solvent conditions . Analysis of the transitions reveals that no partially folded intermediates can be detected under equilibrium conditions . The stability of the enzyme is very low with a delta G0 value of -9 +/- 2 kJ/mol at 20 degrees C . The kinetics of unfolding and refolding of aldolase are complex and comprise at least one fast and two slow reactions . This complexity arises from prolyl isomerization reactions in the unfolded chain, which are kinetically coupled to the actual folding reaction . Comparison with model calculations shows that at least two prolyl peptide bonds give rise to the observed slow folding reactions of aldolase and that all of the involved bonds are presumably in the trans conformation in the native state . The rate constant of the actual folding reaction is fast with a relaxation time of about 15 s at the midpoint of the folding transition at 15 degrees C . The data presented on the folding and stability of aldolase are comparable to the properties of much smaller proteins . This might be connected with the simple and highly repetitive tertiary structure pattern of the enzyme, which belongs to the group of alpha/beta barrel proteins. Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi, 1992 May, 30(5), 270 - 1, 316 {Topical use of lysostaphin for Staphylococcus aureus infection of burn wounds in mice}; Huan JN; The effect of lysostaphin on the burn wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus was studied in mice . The results showed that the mortality and incidence of bacterial isolation in wounds were 17.2% and 8.3%, respectively, in mice treated by lysostaphin, and the figures were significantly lower than that treated by SD-Ag (40.6% and 100%) or base (44.1% and 94.7%) . In lysostaphin group the bacterial count of subeschar tissue was 1325 cfu/g, compared with more than 10(9) cfu/g in both SD-Ag and base groups . The results demonstrate that lysostaphin has powerful killing effect on S . aureus, and may be used as atopical antimicrobial to control burn wound infection with S . aureus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1992 Apr 30, 184(2), 640 - 6 Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of leukocidin F-component gene (lukF) from methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Rahman A et al.; A lukF gene encoding F-component of Staphylococcal leukocidin from methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was cloned . The nucleotide sequence of lukF gene was determined . The sequence data have revealed an open reading frame, which encodes a polypeptide with 323 amino acid residues . Inspection of the amino acid sequence deduced from nucleotide sequence of lukF and that from F-component of leukocidin from S . aureus V8 clarified that pre-matured F-component contains a typical signal peptide at the NH2 terminus and ATG starting codon for pre-matured F-component was present one base downstream to the TGA which is translation termination codon for S-component of leukocidin {A . Rahman et al . (1991) Biochem . Biophys . Res . Commun . 181, 138-144} . The nucleotide sequence of 5'-flanking region of lukF showed the presence of the consensus sequence of ribosome binding site in the internal region of the structural gene of S-component . The lukF was transcribed in the same direction as that of lukS . No Pribnow box can be discerned in the intercistronic region between the lukS and lukF genes . The amino acid sequence homology between S- and F-components was 31% . F-component was expressed in Escherichia coli DH5 alpha harboring plasmid pFRK92 which contained lukF gene. Biochemistry, 1992 Apr 21, 31(15), 3738 - 50 Mapping the lipid-exposed regions in the Torpedo californica nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; Blanton MP et al.; To identify regions of the Torpedo nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AchR) interacting with membrane lipid, we have used 1-azidopyrene (1-AP) as a fluorescent, photoactivatable hydrophobic probe . For AchR-rich membranes equilibrated with 1-AP, irradiation at 365 nm resulted in covalent incorporation in all four AchR subunits with each of the subunits incorporating approximately equal amounts of label . To identify the regions of the AchR subunits that incorporated 1-AP, subunits were digested with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and trypsin, and the resulting fragments were separated by SDS-PAGE followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography . N-terminal sequence analysis identified the hydrophobic segments M1, M3, and M4 within each subunit as containing the sites of labeling . The labeling pattern of 1-AP in the alpha-subunit was compared with that of another hydrophobic photoactivatable probe, 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(m-{125I}iodophenyl)diazirine ({125I}TID) . The nonspecific component of {125I}TID labeling {White, B., Howard, S., Cohen, S . G., & Cohen, J.B . (1991) J . Biol . Chem . 266, 21595-21607} was restricted to the same regions as those labeled by 1-AP . The {125I}TID residues labeled in the hydrophobic segment M4 were identified as Cys-412, Met-415, Cys-418, Thr-422, and Val-425 . The periodicity and distribution of labeled residues establish that the M4 region is alpha-helical in nature and indicate that M4 presents a broad face to membrane lipid. Biochem J, 1992 Apr 15, 283 ( Pt 2), 385 - 9 The complete sequences of trout (Salmo gairdneri) thymosin beta 11 and its homologue thymosin beta 12; Yialouris PP et al.; Two forms of beta-thymosins, designated thymosin beta 11 and thymosin beta 12, were isolated from trout (Salmo gairdneri) spleen . This suggests that the presence of two beta-thymosins, previously thought to be a property of mammalian tissues only, is a more general phenomenon in vertebrate species . Both trout beta-thymosins were found to be N-terminally blocked by a group identified as acetyl by m.s . Automated protein sequencing of tryptic, thermolytic and Staphylococcus aureus in 41-residue V8 proteinase fragments revealed that one of the two beta-thymosins corresponds to the previously reported 41-residue-long sequence of thymosin beta 11 with two substitutions at positions 5 and 7, i.e . Asn instead of Asp, and Glu instead of Gln, whereas the other beta-thymosin, designated thymosin beta 12, was found to be a 42-residue polypeptide closely similar in sequence to thymosin beta 11, with five substitutions (i.e . at positions 5, 7, 10, 11 and 41, with Asp, Ala, Ser, Asn and Thr instead of Asn, Glu, Ala, Ser and Ser respectively) and one addition at position 42 (Ala) . Comparison of the known six sequences of beta-thymosins together with the sequences reported here showed that the sequence similarity of the two beta-thymosins in trout (86%) is greater than that of the two beta-thymosins in mammalian species (74%) and that residues at 28 positions are identical in all beta-thymosins, the longer conserved segments located at positions 16-26 and 31-38. Eur J Biochem, 1992 Apr 15, 205(2), 653 - 60 Amino acid sequence of calmodulin from Euglena gracilis; Toda H et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of calmodulin from Euglena gracilis was determined by isolation and sequence analyses of peptides derived from calmodulin by digestion with trypsin and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease . Euglena calmodulin consists of 148 amino acid residues; it lacks tryptophan and cysteine and contains one tyrosine, three histidine and two NE-trimethyllysine residues/molecule of the protein . Its N-terminus was blocked with an acetyl group and C-terminal lysine was trimethylated . Euglena calmodulin is the first calmodulin so far examined in which the C-terminal lysine is trimethylated . The comparison of amino acid sequences between Euglena and human brain calmodulins indicated 17 amino acid substitutions in Euglena calmodulin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1992 Apr 15, 89(8), 3185 - 9 Targeted cleavage of mRNA in vitro by RNase P from Escherichia coli; Li Y et al.; External guide sequences (EGSs) complementary to mRNAs that encode beta-galactosidase from Escherichia coli and nuclease A from Staphylococcus aureus can target these RNAs for cleavage in vitro by RNase P from E . coli . Specific cleavage occurs at locations predicted by the nucleotide sequences of the EGSs . EGSs with regions complementary to the mRNAs that are as short as 13 nucleotides function efficiently and turn over slowly during incubation with the target substrate and the enzyme . EGSs composed of deoxyribonucleotides as well as those composed of ribonucleotides are effective, but cleavage of the targeted substrate with DNA as an EGS is about 10-fold less efficient than that with RNA as an EGS . An RNA EGS inhibited the formation of beta-galactosidase activity in a crude extract (S30) of E . coli that was capable of catalyzing coupled transcription-translation reactions. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1992 Apr 14, 1138(4), 297 - 304 Proteolytic susceptibility of the central domain in chicken gizzard and skeletal muscle dystrophins; Augier N et al.; We investigated proteolytic susceptibility of the central domain in dystrophin molecules from chicken smooth and skeletal muscles . Dystrophin-enriched preparations from both muscles were made as described in Pons et al . (Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . USA (1990) 87, 7851-7855) . These preparations contained other protein components in addition to dystrophin . Three enzymes (Staphylococcus aureus proteinase, chymotrypsin and trypsin) having different proteolytic specificities were used . Time-courses of proteinase degradation were examined by the Western immunoblot technique using a specific polyclonal serum directed against a fragment (residues 1173-1728) of the dystrophin central domain . We observed accumulation of some major proteinase-resistant fragments, in the 110-160 kDa range originating from that central region of the molecule . Cleavage patterns of the smooth and skeletal muscle preparations were quite similar, but molecular weights of the breakdown products differed slightly . Interpretation of the results was based on two predictive structural models of the dystrophin central domain (Koenig and Kunkel (1990) J . Biol . Chem . 265, 4560-4566 and Cross et al . (1990) FEBS Lett . 262, 87-90) . Skip residues at the end of repeat 13 (around the 1740th residue of the dystrophin amino acid sequence), as hypothesized in the Cross model, constitute probably the most sensitive site within the dystrophin central domain for any exogenous (or even endogenous) proteinase . Variations observed between dystrophins from skeletal and smooth muscles also suggest that the structures of both dystrophins differ slightly even within the dystrophin central domain . This precise identification of proteinase-resistant dystrophin fragments of variable lengths is a first step towards further physicochemical studies on the very large and rare dystrophin molecule. Med Clin (Barc), 1992 Apr 11, 98(14), 527 - 30 {Septic arthritis induced by pyogenic germs in patients without parenteral drug addiction . Analysis of 44 cases}; Rozadilla A et al.; BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical-microbiological characteristics presented in the area of influence of the Hospital de Bellvitge-Princeps d'Espanya, of articular infection induced by pyogenic germs in patients without intravenous drug addiction . METHODS: All the cases of microbiologically confirmed articular infection in patients without intravenous drug addiction diagnosed during the period of 1981-1990 were evaluated by protocol . RESULTS: Five cases (11%) with gonococcal arthritis and 39 cases (89%) of non gonococcal arthritis were observed with Staphylococcus aureus being the causal germ in 27 cases . Sixty percent of the patients presented one or more predisposing factors for the appearance of infectious arthritis . Monoarticular involvement was seen in 84% of the cases . At the time of diagnosis fourteen patients presented radiological signs compatible with septic involvement, with the isotopic study with 99mTc being positive in the 27 cases in which it was carried out . Delay in diagnosis was of 20 +/- 25 days . Functional results were considered as satisfactory in 57% of the cases . CONCLUSION: In the area of influence of the Hospital de Bellvitge-Princeps d'Espanya, the prevalence of gonococcal arthritis is low . Gram positive germ are the most frequent causal agents in all the age groups studied . Gammagraphy with 99mTc presented high profitability in the diagnosis of articular infections . The functional results observed were not optimal and improvement of the same probably requires a shortening in the time of delay in diagnosis. Med Clin (Barc), 1992 Apr 11, 98(14), 521 - 6 {Infective endocarditis in heroin addicts in the province of Cádiz . A multicenter study of 150 cases}; Torres Tortosa M et al.; BACKGROUND: Given the progressive increase in infectious endocarditis (IE) in intravenous drug addicts (IVDA) in the province of Cadiz the present study was designed with the aim of studying the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of this disease in our environment . METHODS: One hundred fifty episodes of IE occurring in 133 IVDA admitted to 6 hospitals in the province of Cadiz were studied in an open, multicentric study with a protocol of gathering of common data . Well known diagnostic criteria were used for this process and a univariant technique was employed in the analysis of prognostic factors . RESULTS: Fifty-three percent of the episodes occurred in the county of Campo de Gibraltar and 32% in the area of the Bay of Cadiz . The increase of the disease has been progressive since 1984 and marked over the last two years . All the patients presented fever, abnormal chest radiography in 90% and the process was produced by Staphylococcus aureus in 88% . Echography was abnormal in 85% of the episodes and vegetation was identified in 75% . The IE was located as right in 90%, mixed in 5% and left in 5% . Surgical treatment was required in 4 patients . Mortality was of 9% . Mixed or left location (p = 0.00003) and the development of the respiratory distress syndrome of the adult (p = 0.00001) were significantly associated with greater mortality . CONCLUSIONS: Infectious endocarditis in intravenous drug addicts maintains a well defined pattern of clinical expressivity and presents identifiable factors of prognostic influence . The increase in its prevalence in the province of Cadiz is probably due to a parallel increase in the addiction to intravenous heroin in this area. J Biol Chem, 1992 Apr 5, 267(10), 7148 - 53 Purification of uridine diphosphate-galactose:glucosyl ceramide, beta 1-4 galactosyltransferase from human kidney; Chatterjee S et al.; A galactosyltransferase that transfers galactose from UDP-galactose to glucosylceramide was purified 440-fold to apparent homogeneity from normal human kidney "buffy coat" preparation employing detergent extraction, ultrafiltration, and Sepharose Q column chromatography . On reducing and nonreducing gels, the enzyme resolved into two bands with apparent molecular weights on the order of 60,000 and 58,000, respectively . The activity of the enzyme was also associated with these two bands following separation on polyacrylamide gels . Analytical isoelectric focusing revealed that the pI of this enzyme is approximately 4.55 . Product characterization and substrate specificity studies employing chromatography, enzymatic digestion with various glycosidases, and use of a variety of glycosphingolipid substrates revealed that the major product synthesized by this enzyme was Cer1-1 beta Glc4-1Gal, and Cer1-1 beta Glc was the preferred substrate . Digestion of the 60- and 58-kDa proteins with Staphylococcus aureus (V-8) protease revealed at least six peptides having identical electrophoretic migration . This finding suggests that the two proteins may be related to each other . Western immunoblot assays revealed that the antibody against UDP-galactose:GlcCer, beta 1-4 galactosyltransferase (GalT-2) but not galactosyltransferase UDP-Gal:N-acetyl-D-glucosaminyl-glycopeptide 4-beta-D-galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.38) (B-GT) immunoprecipitated (recognized) the kidney GalT-2 . In contrast, antibody against B-GT did not immunoprecipitate GalT-2 . Thus our data indicate that GalT-2 and B-GT are two distinct enzymes . The availability of the enzyme GalT-2 and corresponding antibody will allow functional studies in the near future. Pathology, 1992 Apr, 24(2), 99 - 101 Comparison of Roche blood culture bottle with an in-house conventional blood culture system; Phua RT et al.; A comparison was made of the in-use performance of an in-house broth blood culture in a general hospital during 8 mths in 1988 with that of a commercial biphasic culture (BCB system, Roche Products Pty Ltd, Sydney) for the corresponding period in 1989 . The clinical services and the number of blood samples tested were comparable . The yields of organisms after 48 hrs incubation were similar in both systems . Staphylococcus aureus showed up 3 times as often after 24 hrs incubation in the conventional system as in the BCB system . Agitation of the BCB facilitated macroscopic detection of growth in the initial 24 hrs incubation. Pathology, 1992 Apr, 24(2), 102 - 8 Detection of teichoic acid antibodies in Staphylococcus aureus infections; Wise KA et al.; A commercially available agar gel diffusion (AGD) assay was used to investigate the teichoic acid antibody (TAA) response in 183 patients with proven Staphylococcus aureus (SA) infections . Two control groups were also investigated . One consisted of 100 hospitalized patients with a variety of medical and surgical conditions other than SA infection and the other consisted of 116 healthy hospital staff members . The sensitivity of the AGD assay varied markedly depending on the site of infection in the patients with proven SA infections . All patients with SA endocarditis developed positive TAA titres (greater than or equal to 1:4), although more than one third of these were initially negative . In patients with chronic osteomyelitis or septic arthritis, 41% had positive TAA titres, whereas no positive titres were detected in patients with acute osteomyelitis or septic arthritis . Lower rates of positive TAA titres were found in patients with deep abscesses (27%), pneumonia (14%) and post-operative infections (9%), but no positive titres occurred in patients with acute uncomplicated bacteremia, cellulitis or meningitis . In 100 hospitalized control patients, no positive titres were detected, and only 1 of 116 (0.9%) healthy hospital staff controls was positive . Suggested guidelines for the use of the AGD assay are discussed. Hum Antibodies Hybridomas, 1992 Apr, 3(2), 93 - 106 Characterization of an antibody to the integrin beta 3 subunit (GP IIIa) from a patient with neonatal thrombocytopenia and an inherited deficiency of GP IIb-IIIa complexes in platelets (Glanzmann's thrombasthenia); Jallu V et al.; Patient A.F . is a 28-year-old polytransfused woman with an inherited bleeding disorder, Glanzmann's thrombasthenia . An abnormal platelet function is linked to severe decreases in the platelet content of the integrins GP IIb and GP IIIa . In 1987 the patient gave birth to a child with severe anemia and thrombocytopenia . Serological tests revealed the presence of anti-platelet antibody together with an anti-Rhesus D . Western blotting identified a major antibody that reacted with a protein of 90-95 kDa present in platelets and endothelial cells . This was identified as the beta 3 integrin subunit (GP IIIa) . Antibody-binding required intact disulfides, while controlled digestion with proteases showed the determinant(s) to be retained within chymotrypsin- (50, 63 kDa) and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease-derived (25-38 kDa) fragments of GP IIIa . Direct binding assays performed in the presence of monoclonal antibodies specific for different epitopes on GP IIb-IIIa complexes confirmed that the epitope was exposed on intact platelets and revealed a specific inhibition of A.F . IgG binding by the monoclonal antibody, AP-3 . Other tests confirmed that the antibody reacted independently of the PlA or Pen polymorphisms carried by GP IIIa . IgG purified from A.F . plasma by adsorption and elution from paraformaldehyde-fixed normal platelets or electrophoretically separated GP IIIa was an inhibitor of ADP-induced platelet aggregation . Unexpectedly, Western blotting showed trace amounts of abnormally migrating GP IIIa in A.F . platelets, which retained an ability to react with her antibody . This suggests that the patient has formed an autoantibody reactive with an active site of the beta 3 integrin subunit and linked to the development of neonatal thrombocytopenia. Microb Pathog, 1992 Apr, 12(4), 289 - 98 Evidence for three different fibrinogen-binding proteins with unique properties from Staphylococcus aureus strain Newman; Boden MK et al.; Binding of extracellular components of Staphylococcus aureus strain Newman to fibrinogen and prothrombin was investigated . Affinity-purified material from fibrinogen- and prothrombin-Sepharose was analysed on immunoblots, and two proteins with coagulase activity were identified . The two coagulases were produced in a sequential manner during staphylococcal growth . An 87 kDa fibrinogen-binding coagulase was produced mainly during the exponential growth phase and was replaced by a 60 kDa fibrinogen- and prothrombin-binding coagulase which was produced mainly during the post-exponential growth phase . In addition, a 19 kDa fibrinogen-binding protein was constitutively produced . Analyses of immunogenic properties and NH2-terminal sequences suggested that the 19, 60 and 87 kDa fibrinogen-binding proteins are not closely related . The NH2-terminal sequence of the 87 kDa protein is identical to a previously described coagulase from Staphylococcus aureus strain 8325-4 . The 19 kDa fibrinogen-binding protein, which spontaneously aggregates into dimers and larger molecular weight complexes, had a unique NH2-terminal sequence. J Chemother, 1992 Apr, 4(2), 67 - 71 Frequency and transferability of trimethoprim and sulfonamide resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis; Then RL et al.; A total of 374 Staphylococcus aureus and 126 Staphylococcus epidermidis strains from 14 countries were studied for their resistance to methicillin, trimethoprim (Tp) and sulfonamides (Su), alone and combined (TpSu) . The frequency of resistance to Tp, Su and TpSu was much higher in methicillin-resistant S . epidermidis (MRSE) than in methicillin-resistant S . aureus (MRSA) . Considerable differences, however, existed in isolates from different countries . Resistance to Tp, Su or TpSu in MRSA was low or absent in isolates from Switzerland, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Argentina and Chile, but high in isolates from Germany and Brazil . High level Tp resistance mostly resided on large plasmids . It could be transferred in 17 out of 97 strains . Su resistance was never cotransferred . Strains cured of their large Tp resistance plasmids remained Su-resistant, which suggests a chromosomal location of Su resistance. Acta Paediatr Jpn, 1992 Apr, 34(2), 151 - 6 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus empyema in children; Fujita K et al.; Over a 14 year period, there were 20 patients who presented with staphylococcal empyema from whom methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was isolated . Twelve cases were community-acquired and 8 were hospital-acquired infections . Patients were treated with penicillinase-resistant penicillin, cephalosporin or carbapenem in combination with or without aminoglycoside . They were also treated with drainage or thoracentesis . However, they were refractory to treatment and 7 patients, 6 of whom were suffering from bacteremia, died . One bacteremic patient was treated with vancomycin and was cured . In an area of endemic MRSA, vancomycin may be the first choice in the initial treatment of staphylococcal empyema until antimicrobial susceptibility can be determined. Proteins, 1992 Apr, 13(2), 152 - 7 Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of staphylococcal enterotoxin type C; Bohach GA et al.; The Type C staphylococcal enterotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus strain FRI-909 has been crystallized using a combination of two precipitants, ammonium sulfate and polyethylene glycol 400, with the addition of small amounts of detergent . Two related crystal forms have been obtained, one triclinic, and one tetragonal, both with one toxin molecule per asymmetric unit . These crystals are stable for at least 75 hr in the X-ray beam and diffract to at least 2.2 and 2.6 A, respectively . The triclinic crystals have unit cell parameters a = 38.5 A, b = 43.7 A, c = 36.9 A, and interaxial angles alpha = 99.9 degrees, beta = 95.8 degrees, and gamma = 98.5 degrees . The tetragonal crystals are of space group P4(1)22 with unit cell parameters a = 43.4 A and c = 278.0 A. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1992 Apr, 111(4), 537 - 45 Primary structure and disulfide bridge location of arrowhead double-headed proteinase inhibitors; Yang HL et al.; Two arrowhead proteinase inhibitors (inhibitors A and B) were characterized and their primary structures were determined . Both inhibitors A and B are double-headed and multifunctional protease inhibitors . Inhibitor A inhibits an equimolar amount of trypsin and chymotrypsin simultaneously and weakly inhibits kallikrein . Inhibitor B inhibits two molecules of trypsin simultaneously and inhibits kallikrein more strongly than does inhibitor A . The amino acid sequences of inhibitors A and B were determined by sequencing the reduced and S-carboxamidomethylated proteins and their peptides produced by cyanogen bromide or proteolytic lysylendopeptidase or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease cleavage . Inhibitors A and B consist of 150 amino acid residues with three disulfide bonds (Cys 43-Cys 89, Cys 110-Cys 119, and Cys 112-Cys 115) and share 90% sequence identity, with 13 different residues . Since the primary structures are totally different from those of all other serine protease inhibitors so far known, these inhibitors might be classified into a new protease inhibitor family. Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1992 Apr, 276(4), 487 - 92 Characteristics of bovine Staphylococcus aureus with special regard to clumping factor activity; Hummel R et al.; The occurrence of the following groups of bovine Staphylococcus aureus with characteristic patterns of biochemical reactions and sensitivities to phages was confirmed by the present investigation of 662 isolates from the udders of cows in 53 dairy herds: (1) host-specific variety (v) bovis, (2) not alloted strains with the basic marker, crystal violet type A (group na CV A), (3) group na CV C . The latter was split into three subgroups clearly differing in phage susceptibility patterns: I/119, I without 119 and III, respectively . Lack of clumping factor activity occurred in 323 out of 346 (93%) phage pattern I/119 strains examined while most or all isolates of the other groups of bovine strains proved to be clumping-positive. Hybridoma, 1992 Apr, 11(2), 239 - 43 Chicken anti-protein A for the detection and capturing of protein A from Staphylococcus aureus in the presence or absence of mammalian IgG; Larsson A et al.; A sandwich-ELISA for the detection of protein A from Staphylococcus aureus (SpA) is described, using chicken anti-protein A as a capture antibody and its alkaline phosphatase conjugate for the detection of bound protein A . Traditionally, protein A is detected by its binding to the Fc part of a detector antibody . This binding will be influenced by the presence of other IgG in the protein A solution . However, SpA does not react with the Fc part of chicken IgG, and it is thus possible to detect protein A in IgG containing solutions, such as eluates from protein A-columns . The method can be used to detect 1 x 10(-7) g protein A/l in the presence of serum . The method is more sensitive if no serum or IgG is present in the solution. Microbiologica, 1992 Apr, 15(2), 191 - 5 Antibiotic resistance and plasmids of some human nasal isolates of Staphylococcus aureus; Salamah AA; The Staphylococcus aureus isolates were all susceptible to vancomycin . More than 90% of the isolates were susceptible to rifampicin, ampiclox, methicillin, erythromycin and clindamycin . The isolates were highly resistant to the beta-lactamase-sensitive penicillins, that is 91, 93.2 and 70.4% of the isolates were resistant to penicillin, ampicillin and carbinicillin . Twelve plasmids were found in the isolates, the 35 and 11 Mdal plasmids coded for aminoglycosides and tetracycline resistances, respectively. Microbiologica, 1992 Apr, 15(2), 125 - 33 Production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) by Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from humans, animals and foods in Nigeria; Adesiyun AA et al.; The production frequency of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) amongst Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from humans, animals and foods in Nigeria was investigated . Of 1015 strains tested, 120 (11.8%) were positive for TSST-1 . Thirty one (16.0%) of 194 strains from human diarrhoea and wounds were positive compared to 47 (7.1%) of 666 isolates from eight animal species . Goat strains were most often positive for this toxin (17.0%) . A total of 42 (27.1%) of 155 strains from foods were positive for TSST-1 . Regardless of source, phage non-typable strains (48.3%) were most common amongst TSST-1 producers followed by strains sensitive to phages in several groups (mixed), 18.3%, and phage group III strains (17.5%) . Only 6 were phage group I strains (5.0%) . TSST-1 producing strains were mostly resistant to penicillin . Eighty-four (70.0%) TSST-1 producers were also enterotoxigenic with staphylococcal enterotoxin C (SEC) most frequently elaborated as 46 (38.9%) strains were positive . However, 42 (35.5%) and 39 (32.5%) strains producing TSST-1 were also positive for SEA and SEB, respectively . It was concluded that TSST-1 producing strains of S . aureus are widespread in humans, animals and foods in Nigeria and such distribution may play some role in the epidemiology of toxic shock syndrome, the prevalence of which is currently unknown in the environment. Rinsho Ketsueki, 1992 Apr, 33(4), 532 - 6 {Sick sinus syndrome caused by amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma}; Kirito K et al.; A 65-year-old man, who had been treated for multiple myeloma (MM) since 1986, was admitted because of loss of consciousness in September 1989 . An electrocardiogram taken just before admission showed a sinus arrest, junctional escaped rhythm, and marked bradycardia . The diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome (SSS) was made . Soon a temporary pacemaker was inserted, and the dyspnea ameliorated . However on the second day in the hospital, he had a high fever and Staphylococcus aureus was detected in the cultured blood . A diagnosis of septicemia was made, and the pacemaker was removed . He was then treated with beta-stimulants, but died in November 1989 . Necropsy revealed cardiomegaly and microscopic examination showed amyloid deposits in the sinoatrial node, and the walls of the ventricles and coronary arteries . Although amyloidosis is often a complication of MM and the heart is frequently affected, SSS caused by amyloidosis associated with MM is quite unusual . In such patients, the use of a pacemaker is controversial, because amyloid deposits are occasionally accelerated by insertion of a pacemaker and for patients with hematological disorders, septicemia associated with pacemaker insertion may prove fatal. J Wildl Dis, 1992 Apr, 28(2), 215 - 22 Starvation, staphylococcosis, and vitamin A deficiency among mallards overwintering in Saskatchewan; Wobeser G et al.; During January to March 1991, 38 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) found dead from a group of approximately 600 overwintering on the South Saskatchewan River were examined . Thirty birds died from starvation, four had disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection, and the cause of death of four birds was not determined . All six birds from which the esophagus was examined microscopically, including the four birds with staphylococcosis, had squamous metaplasia of the submucosal glands, a lesion pathognomonic for vitamin A deficiency . Vitamin A deficiency may occur in mallards and other waterfowl that overwinter north of traditional wintering areas and rely on grains deficient in carotenoids. Eur Heart J, 1992 Apr, 13(4), 446 - 52 Clinical relevance of vegetation localization by transoesophageal echocardiography in infective endocarditis; Rohmann S et al.; Infective endocarditis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, with valvular destruction and congestive heart failure being more common in patients with echocardiographically discernible vegetations . The transoesophageal approach affords consistently high quality images with excellent structural resolution . Two-hundred and eighty-one patients with clinically suspected infective endocarditis were studied, to evaluate the prognostic value of ascertaining the site of vegetations . Among them were 118 patients with vegetations attached to the aortic or mitral valve . These patients were followed for a mean period of 14 months . Mitral valve vegetations were associated with a significantly higher incidence of embolic events than vegetations on aortic valves (25% vs 9.7%) . The incidence of abscess formation was higher in aortic than in mitral valve endocarditis (6% vs 0%), as were the need for surgical intervention (11% vs 5.5%) and mortality (1.6% vs 0%) respectively) . Bivalvular endocarditis was associated with an increased rate of complications: embolism (50%), abscess formation (15%), surgery (35%) and mortality (10%) . By multivariate analysis, echocardiographically accessible risk factors for subsequent embolism were a vegetation size of more than 10 mm and mitral valve involvement . Risk factors associated with in-hospital fatality were embolism, a vegetation size of more than 10 mm, and Staphylococcus aureus infection . Our data suggest that the site influences both the rate and the type of complications . Precise echocardiographic visualization of vegetations helps to stratify patients into a high-risk sub-group, perhaps warranting early prophylactic surgical intervention . Transoesophageal echocardiography may play an important role in assessing the clinical outcome for these patients. Clin Podiatr Med Surg, 1992 Apr, 9(2), 425 - 42 Vancomycin, metronidazole, and tetracyclines; Ellison MJ; Over the last 30 years, the impurities in the vancomycin product have been reduced, perhaps resulting in a lower rate of adverse reactions . Vancomycin is bactericidal against most susceptible organisms, but is bacteriostatic against the enterococcus . Vancomycin is the drug of choice for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Vancomycin attains good tissue and bone penetration and must be administered intravenously for systemic infections . It is eliminated renally with a half-life of about 6 hours; this half-life is prolonged with advanced age and reduced renal function . Significant adverse reactions can be minimized with careful attention to administration technique . Metronidazole has excellent tissue penetration; its antibacterial site of action is within anaerobic bacterial cells . Metronidazole is cleared by hepatic metabolism with a half-life of about 7 to 8 hours . The half-life is unchanged with renal dysfunction but is prolonged in patients with hepatic function impairment . Although adverse effects are relatively minor, there is an important interaction with warfarin . For podiatric infections, metronidazole can be used in skin- and soft-tissue infections; anaerobes in bone and joint infections are rare . Topical metronidazole has been used successfully in the treatment of decubitus ulcers, and this needs further evaluation . The most commonly used tetracyclines are tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline . The tetracyclines are broad spectrum antimicrobial agents, but their usefulness is limited by resistant strains . Tetracycline's absorption is significantly impaired by food, and it is cleared renally and fecally . Doxycycline has the highest protein binding and the longest half-life; it is cleared both renally and fecally without hepatic metabolism . Minocycline has the best absorption and tissue penetration; the unchanged drug is cleared renally and fecally, and it also undergoes hepatic metabolism . All tetracyclines have important adverse reactions with respect to teeth and bones, and they are contraindicated during pregnancy and for children under age eight. Am J Vet Res, 1992 Apr, 53(4), 585 - 91 Arthrotomy versus arthroscopy and partial synovectomy for treatment of experimentally induced infectious arthritis in horses; Bertone AL et al.; To evaluate the clinical, laboratory, and histologic effects of 2 methods of treatment for infectious arthritis in horses, Staphylococcus aureus (3.4 to 3.9 x 10(3) colony-forming units) was inoculated into the tarsocrural joints of 8 horses on day 0 . Each horse was treated with phenylbutazone (2 g, PO, q 24 h) and gentamicin sulfate (2.2 mg/kg of body weight, IV, q 8 h) for 14 days . On day 2, general anesthesia was induced, and each horse had 1 tarsocrural joint treated by arthrotomy, with removal of accessible fibrin and lavage with 3 L of sterile balanced electrolyte solution . An indwelling plastic drain was placed in the standing horse to provide a means for lavage with 3 L of balanced electrolyte solution twice daily for 72 hours . The contralateral tarsocrural joint was treated via arthroscopic debridement, synovectomy, and lavage with 3 L of balanced electrolyte solution . Arthrotomy and arthroscopic portals were allowed to heal by second intention . Lameness and thermographic examinations, analysis and bacteriologic culture of synovia, CBC, and WBC differential count were performed prior to inoculation and on days 1, 3, 6, 8, and 13 . On day 14, each horse was euthanatized, and the joints were measured, opened, and photographed . Synovium and articular cartilage were obtained for semiquantitative histologic (H&E stain) and histochemical (safranin O fast green stain) evaluation . Lameness and joint circumference were significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in limbs treated by arthroscopy, synovectomy, and lavage . Arthrotomy with lavage eliminated the S aureus infection significantly (P less than 0.05) earlier than arthroscopy, synovectomy, and lavage, however, both treatments eliminated the infection in all but a single joint.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Epidemiol Infect, 1992 Apr, 108(2), 287 - 98 An epidemic methicillin-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus in Spain; Aparicio P et al.; During 1990, a strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus became epidemic in Spain and spread in a manner analogous to that of EMRSA-1 in England . Isolates of this strain produced little protein A and were resistant to a number of antibiotics including ciprofloxacin . Beta-lactamase production was encoded by a c . 39 kb plasmid, which also conferred resistance to mercury, cadmium, ethidium bromide and propamidine isethionate . Investigation showed that two variants, separable by supplementary and Fisk phage typing, were circulating . The B variant appeared to spread more readily than the A variant . The opportunity was taken to compare the discriminatory power of traditional typing methods with molecular techniques . The discriminatory power of the molecular techniques used only reached the same level as the traditional methods when double enzyme digestion of total cellular DNA by EcoR I and Cla I was performed. Arch Dermatol, 1992 Apr, 128(4), 530 - 4 An unusual presentation of secondary syphilis in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection . A case report and review of the literature; Glover RA et al.; BACKGROUND--Syphilis has been reported to assume unusual clinical appearances and to exhibit unusual courses in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 . We recently observed a distinct manifestation of syphilis in an HIV-infected patient with features not previously described . OBSERVATIONS--A 38-year-old HIV-seropositive homosexual man presented with fever, chills, malaise, and a cutaneous eruption consisting of indurated, shiny, erythematous plaques that were confluent on the face and scalp leading to alopecia and extreme tautness of the skin . Initial clinical diagnoses included lymphoreticular malignancy and infection . Although cultures yielded Staphylococcus aureus, a skin biopsy specimen was diagnostic of syphilis . CONCLUSIONS--This case demonstrates an unusual clinical manifestation of syphilis in a patient with HIV infection and emphasizes the importance of considering cutaneous secondary syphilis in the differential diagnosis of virtually any inflammatory cutaneous disorder in HIV-seropositive individuals. J Clin Microbiol, 1992 Apr, 30(4), 967 - 73 DNA fingerprinting by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis is more effective than ribotyping in distinguishing among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates; Prevost G et al.; Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) after SmaI restriction of DNA from 239 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates (from 142 patients) produced 26 different fingerprints . The deduced chromosome sizes ranged from 2,200 to 3,100 kb (+/- 100 kb) . A total of 81 isolates taken from 65 patients were then typed by PFGE and ribotyping with ClaI, EcoRI, and HindIII . Ribotypes were less discriminating than PFGE . Ribotyping did not discriminate isolates from a given PFGE fingerprint into different subsets . PFGE may be a more effective epidemiological tool than ribotyping for the typing of methicillin-resistant S . aureus strains. Clin Nucl Med, 1992 Apr, 17(4), 269 - 73 Diagnosis of musculoskeletal infection using combined In-111 labeled leukocyte and Tc-99m SC marrow imaging; Palestro CJ et al.; Seventy-three patients with various underlying disorders that could potentially alter distribution of bone marrow underwent In-111 labeled autologous leukocyte and Tc-99m SC marrow imaging to exclude musculoskeletal infection . There were 22 cases of infection among the 73 patients studied . When interpreted in isolation, labeled leukocyte images were considered positive for infection when uptake of labeled cells in the region of interest exceeded uptake in the corresponding contralateral side . The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the study using this criterion were 86%, 12%, and 34%, respectively . When interpreted in conjunction with sulfur colloid marrow images, studies were considered positive for infection when uptake in the region of interest on leukocyte and marrow images was spatially incongruent . The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of this dual tracer modality were 100%, 94%, and 96%, respectively . Three patients with infection and abnormal leukocyte/marrow images underwent repeat imaging after appropriate therapy . Images were interpreted as normal in two of them; both were infection free at subsequent surgery . Images of the third patient were interpreted as consistent with persistent infection, and operative cultures grew out Staphylococcus aureus . In summary, combined leukocyte/marrow imaging is a highly accurate method for diagnosing musculoskeletal infection and overcomes certain inherent limitations of labeled leukocyte imaging alone. Clin Exp Immunol, 1992 Apr, 88(1), 23 - 8 Impaired phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus by granulocytes and monocytes of AIDS patients; Pos O et al.; In the present study the microbicidal activities of granulocytes and monocytes from AIDS patients (CDC group IV) were assessed and compared with those of healthy controls . The phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus by patient and control cells were measured using a method in which the rate of intracellular killing can be assessed independently of the rate of phagocytosis . Both granulocytes and monocytes of AIDS patients showed a decreased phagocytosis of S . aureus in comparison to phagocytes of healthy individuals . The rates of intracellular killing of S . aureus by granulocytes and monocytes did not differ significantly between these patients with late-stage HIV infection and controls. J Med Microbiol, 1992 Apr, 36(4), 293 - 8 Modification of bactericidal fatty acids by an enzyme of Staphylococcus aureus; Mortensen JE et al.; Certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus produce an enzyme capable of inactivating the bactericidal fatty acids produced in staphylococcal abscesses by esterification to various alcohols . The enzyme, called FAME (fatty acid modifying enzyme), has a pH optimum between 5.5 and 6.0 and a temperature optimum of about 40 degrees C . Enzyme activity is not affected by edetic acid or by the presence or absence of sodium and potassium ions . Although FAME can utilise methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol or cholesterol as substrates, cholesterol appears to be the preferred substrate . FAME esterifies without being an esterase operating in reverse . Strains capable of producing the enzyme can synthesise it in trypticase soy broth and in a chemically defined medium, but not necessarily in equal amounts . FAME production is correlated with the ability of a strain to grow and survive within the tissues. J Med Microbiol, 1992 Apr, 36(4), 288 - 92 The production of bactericidal fatty acids from glycerides in staphylococcal abscesses; Shryock TR et al.; Staphylococcal abscesses contain two types of lipids which are bactericidal for Staphylococcus aureus . These include a group of long chain unsaturated free fatty acids and another as yet unidentified lipid with unique properties . When abscess homogenates are incubated with S . aureus culture filtrates, the amount of bactericidal activity is increased . This phenomenon is called activation . To determine the source of increased bactericidal activity during activation, individual types of lipid were isolated from abscess homogenates and examined for their ability to be activated . Activation was found to result from the release of long chain unsaturated fatty acids from glycerides, presumably by the action of staphylococcal lipase. J Bacteriol, 1992 Apr, 174(8), 2711 - 6 Staphylococcus aureus osmoregulation: roles for choline, glycine betaine, proline, and taurine; Graham JE et al.; Choline, glycine betaine, and L-proline enhanced the growth of Staphylococcus aureus at high osmolarity (i.e., they acted as osmoprotectants) on various liquid and solid defined media, while an osmoprotective effect of taurine was shown only for cells growing on high-NaCl solid medium that lacked other osmoprotectants . Potassium pool levels were high, and there was little difference in levels in cells grown at different osmolarities . Glycine betaine accumulated to high levels in osmotically stressed cells, and choline was converted to glycine betaine . Proline and taurine also accumulated in response to osmotic stress but to lower levels than glycine betaine. J Bacteriol, 1992 Apr, 174(8), 2702 - 10 Proline transport in Staphylococcus aureus: a high-affinity system and a low-affinity system involved in osmoregulation; Townsend DE et al.; L-Proline enhanced the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in high-osmotic-strength medium, i.e., it acted as an osmoprotectant . Study of the kinetics of L-{14C}proline uptake by S . aureus NCTC 8325 revealed high-affinity (Km = 1.7 microM; maximum rate of transport {Vmax} = 1.1 nmol/min/mg {dry weight}) and low-affinity (Km = 132 microM; Vmax = 22 nmol/min/mg {dry weight}) transport systems . Both systems were present in a proline prototrophic variant grown in the absence of proline, although the Vmax of the high-affinity system was three to five times higher than that of the high-affinity system in strain 8325 . Both systems were dependent on Na+ for activity, and the high-affinity system was stimulated by lower concentrations of Na+ more than the low-affinity system . The proline transport activity of the low-affinity system was stimulated by increased osmotic strength . The high-affinity system was highly specific for L-proline, whereas the low-affinity system showed a broader substrate specificity . Glycine betaine did not compete with proline for uptake through either system . Inhibitor studies confirmed that proline uptake occurred via Na(+)-dependent systems and suggested the involvement of the proton motive force in creating an Na+ gradient . Hyperosmotic stress (upshock) of growing cultures led to a rapid and large uptake of L-{14C}proline that was not dependent on new protein synthesis . It is suggested that the low-affinity system is involved in adjusting to increased environmental osmolarity and that the high-affinity system may be involved in scavenging low concentrations of proline. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 1992 Apr, 118(4), 392 - 6 Ciprofloxacin . Use as a topical otic preparation; Brownlee RE et al.; Most common topical otic preparations have been shown to cause sensorineural hearing loss and hair-cell damage in experimental animals . Ciprofloxacin is a relatively new fluoroquinolone with excellent activity against Pseudomonas and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Recent studies have shown oral ciprofloxacin to be effective in the treatment of chronic serous otitis media and malignant external otitis . However, this drug has never been used as a topical otic preparation . Thirty-five albino female guinea pigs were used to investigate the ototoxicity of topical ciprofloxacin hydrochloride . Bilateral transbullae drug delivery tubes were placed and auditory brain-stem response thresholds were recorded at 20, 16, 8, and 4 kHz before treatment and 21 days after the completion of treatment . Two groups of guinea pigs were used . In group 1 (positive controls), five guinea pigs had 0.1 mL of neomycin sulfate administered in one ear while the opposite (control) ear received 0.1 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride solution; in group 2, 30 guinea pigs received 0.75% ciprofloxacin ophthalmic solution and 0.9% sodium chloride solution in the control ear . All drugs were given twice a day for 7 consecutive days . All results were evaluated with paired, two-tailed t test and Hotelling's T2 test, and calculation of power was performed on all nonsignificant results . No significant ototoxic reaction was observed; small increases in hearing thresholds occurred at 4 (5.65 +/- 8.25 dB {mean +/- SD}) and 8 kHz (3.70 +/- 6.63 dB {mean +/- SD}) in the ciprofloxacin-treated ears; however, no significant hair-cell loss was seen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Infect Dis, 1992 Apr, 165(4), 749 - 53 Staphylococcus aureus microcapsule expression attenuates bacterial virulence in a rat model of experimental endocarditis; Baddour LM et al.; The virulence of the Staphylococcus aureus strains that differed only in capsule expression was compared in a rat model of catheter-induced experimental endocarditis . The ID50 of all the strains was low (less than 3 x 10(3) cfu of S . aureus), suggesting that this model may be more sensitive than other animal models to differences in bacterial virulence . Compared with the wild-type strains that expressed type 5 or type 8 capsular polysaccharides, mutant strains devoid of capsule had significantly lower ID50 values . In contrast, a mutant that produced scant amounts of the type 5 polysaccharide had an ID50 similar to that of the parental type 5 isolate . As the bacterial inoculum was increased, each of the S . aureus strains reached final concentrations of 10(10)-10(11) cfu/g of vegetation; however, the nonencapsulated mutants colonized the left-sided vegetations at lower inocula than did the wild-type strains . This study indicates that microcapsule expression attenuates bacterial virulence in a rat model of catheter-induced endocarditis. Eur J Immunol, 1992 Apr, 22(4), 1007 - 11 Expansion and clonal deletion of peripheral T cells induced by bacterial superantigen is independent of the interleukin-2 pathway; Gonzalo JA et al.; Injection of the bacterial superantigen Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB) into mice provokes a rapid expansion and subsequent contraction of the pool of SEB-reactive T cells bearing T cell receptor (TcR) V beta 8 gene products . Given that interleukin 2 (IL-2) stimulates proliferation, abolishes anergy, and counteracts apoptotic cell death in T cells in vitro, we tested whether the IL-2 synthesis inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA) or a vaccinia virus recombinant releasing high amounts of human IL-2 modulate SEB responses in vivo . Surprisingly, neither IL-2 nor CsA were able to change the in vivo kinetics and magnitude of SEB-induced expansion, unresponsiveness to SEB, and peripheral clonal deletion of T cells expressing products of the SEB-reactive TcR V beta 8 gene family . In accord with these in vivo observations, IL-2 is incapable of reversing "anergy" and apoptotic cell death of V beta 8+ SEB-reactive T cells isolated from SEB-primed mice in vitro . Accordingly, upon SEB injection V beta 8+ T cells expand rapidly, without expressing IL-2 receptor (IL-2R)alpha chains in vivo, although SEB induces IL-2R alpha in vitro . Altogether, these results indicate that the IL-2/IL-2R-mediated pathway is not involved in T cell repertoire modulation by bacterial superantigens . Moreover, the data suggest that unresponsiveness of V beta 8+ T cells from SEB-primed mice is not a reversible process, but involves an unreversible commitment to programmed cell death . Absence or presence of IL-2 responsiveness could be a hallmark to distinguish truly reversible anergy and peripheral clonal deletion. Infect Immun, 1992 Apr, 60(4), 1642 - 7 Anti-infective effect of poly-beta 1-6-glucotriosyl-beta 1-3-glucopyranose glucan in vivo; Onderdonk AB et al.; Mice challenged with Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus were protected against lethal peritonitis by the intravenous administration of 10 micrograms of poly-beta 1-6-glucotriosyl-beta 1-3-glucopyranose (PGG) glucan per animal 4 to 6 h prior to bacterial challenge . Subsequent studies with the rat model for intra-abdominal sepsis indicated that intramuscular doses of 10 to 100 micrograms per animal 24 and 4 h prior to surgical implantation of the bacterial inoculum reduced the early mortality associated with the peritonitis phase of this experimental disease process . Quantitative cultures of blood obtained from challenged rats showed that significantly fewer organisms were present in the blood of PGG glucan-treated animals than in that of untreated animals . Quantitative studies of leukocytes of rats and mice following a single injection of PGG glucan showed a modest transient increase in the total leukocyte count . The possible mechanisms by which protection occurs in the animal model system are discussed. Infect Immun, 1992 Apr, 60(4), 1514 - 23 Genetic evidence that bound coagulase of Staphylococcus aureus is not clumping factor; McDevitt D et al.; Staphylococcus aureus Newman cells carry a surface receptor for fibrinogen called clumping factor . The bacteria also express coagulase, an extracellular protein that binds to prothrombin to form a complex with thrombinlike activity which coverts fibrinogen to fibrin . We have confirmed a recent report (M . K . Boden and J.-I . Flock, Infect . Immun . 57:2358-2363, 1989) that coagulase can bind to fibrinogen as well as to prothrombin and also that a fraction of coagulase is firmly attached to the cell . A mutant with a deletion in the chromosomal coa gene was isolated by allelic replacement . Allelic replacement either was directly selected by electrotransformation of S . aureus R3N4220 with a nonreplicating suicide plasmid, pCOA18, carrying the delta coa::Tcr mutation or occurred after transduction of the integrated pCOA18 plasmid . The coa mutant was completely devoid of coagulase activity but interacted both with soluble fibrinogen and with solid-phase fibrinogen with the same avidity as the parental strain . This strongly suggests that the bound form of coagulase is not clumping factor and is not responsible for the adherence of S . aureus Newman to solid-phase fibrinogen . The fibrinogen binding determinant of coagulase was located in the C terminus of the protein, by analyzing truncated fusion proteins, in contrast to the prothrombin-binding region which was located in the N terminus. Infect Immun, 1992 Apr, 60(4), 1358 - 62 Phagocytic killing of encapsulated and microencapsulated Staphylococcus aureus by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Xu S et al.; Phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) is an important host defense against infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus . Using an in vitro assay, we compared the opsonic requirements for phagocytic killing of prototype strains of encapsulated (type 1) and microencapsulated (type 5 and type 8) S . aureus by human PMNs . More than 85% of broth-grown, logarithmic-phase type 5 and 8 S . aureus organisms were killed by PMNs incubated with fresh normal human, rabbit, or guinea pig serum with complement activity . Under similar conditions, the highly encapsulated type 1 strain was not killed . Both encapsulated and microencapsulated strains were opsonized for phagocytosis by heat-inactivated serum raised in rabbits to killed bacteria . Opsonization by homologous serum was required for phagocytosis of the type 1 strain . In contrast, microencapsulated type 5 and 8 S . aureus organisms were killed by heat-inactivated rabbit serum raised to type 5, type 8, or nonencapsulated isolates; this result suggested that antibodies to the capsule or to cell wall components other than the capsule could opsonize these organisms for phagocytosis . The specificity of the assay was confirmed with capsule type 5-specific monoclonal antibodies, which were opsonic only for the type 5 S . aureus isolate . These studies indicate that, unlike the highly encapsulated type 1 strain, broth-grown microencapsulated S . aureus strains do not resist opsonophagocytic killing in vitro by normal serum. Cell Immunol, 1992 Apr, 140(2), 331 - 44 Functional properties of human germinal center B cells; Butch AW et al.; Germinal centers (GCs) are histologically defined areas where B cells undergo extensive proliferation and maturation, or die of apoptosis . GC B cells isolated from human tonsils can be phenotypically identified by expression of peanut agglutinin (PNA)-binding sites and can be further divided into subpopulations based on their expression of CD77 . To assess the functional potential of GC B cells, we studied CD77+ PNA+ B cells isolated from tonsils by examining their differentiation status and their ability to proliferate in vitro to various cytokines and costimulants . We found that CD77+ GC B cells are less differentiated than CD77- GC B cells; GC B cells less frequently express cytoplasmic IgG and IgM, and spontaneously secrete less Ig compared to CD77- GC B cells . To identify conditions capable of inducing GC B cell proliferation, we examined IL-4, IL-2, IFN-gamma, low molecular weight BCGF (LMW-BCGF), and an MLR supernatant along with costimulants such as anti-IgM antibody, Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC), PMA, and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) . While non-GC B cells proliferate strongly in response to these stimuli, GC B cells did not proliferate . However, CD77+ as well as CD77- GC B cells mounted a rapid and strong proliferative response upon stimulation with IL-4, but only in the presence of anti-CD40 antibody . Moreover, although nine additional cytokines were examined, only IL-4 was capable of supporting CD77+ GC B cell proliferation in the presence of anti-CD40 antibody . When cells were stimulated with IL-4 and anti-CD40 antibody, we also found that IFN-gamma consistently decreased the proliferative response of CD77+ GC B cells without affecting the response of non-GC B cells . Taken together, these data indicate that GC B cells have characteristic growth requirements and that IL-4 may be important for GC B cell growth in vivo. FEMS Microbiol Immunol, 1992 Apr, 4(4), 193 - 200 Interaction of staphylococcal fibronectin binding protein (FnBP), TSST-1 and alpha-toxin with murine lymphocytes; Rozalska B et al.; The most restrictive factor in the inductive phase of immune response is the contact and adhesion of antigen-presenting cells and responding lymphocytes . We report the in vitro formation of aggregates (clusters) of murine T lymphocytes and dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with highly purified staphylococcal toxins (TSST-1, alpha-toxin) and gene-cloned surface fibronectin binding protein (gal-FnBP) . A high percentage of T lymphocytes were involved in clustering with TSST-1-pulsed DC . Lymphocytes of mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus (strain Cowan 1) 21 days before testing, clustered with the same ability as cells of mice infected 3 days before . Dendritic cells pulsed with alpha-toxin formed a moderate number of clusters only when co-cultured with T lymphocytes of mice infected 3 days before the test . FnBP-pulsed DC aggregated strongly with T lymphocytes . This response peaked at 3-4.5 h-cultures and increased again after 24 h . We concluded that at the beginning of co-culture, FnBP amplified the cells' adhesion process on antigen-independent way . This conclusion is supported by the observation that DC pulsed with formalin-modified FnBP (with a 65% decreased ability to bind fibronectin) formed fewer clusters with T-immune cells than dendritic cells pulsed with native, non-treated FnBP. Immunol Invest, 1992 Apr, 21(2), 123 - 42 Phenotypic and functional analysis of mucosal lymph node T cell subpopulations proximal and distal to chronic staphylococcal antigen challenge; Dobrzanski MJ et al.; We investigated the functional and subset surface marker characteristics of supramammary lymph node T cell populations at sites proximal and distal to the mammary region of goats repeatedly injected with heat-treated Staphylococcus aureus antigen (HK-SAC) . Flow cytometric studies showed quantitative differences in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets among large and small lymphocyte populations in ipsilateral and contralateral supramammary lymph nodes of these animals . Although ipsilateral (draining) lymph nodes were enriched with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD4/CD8 ratios were comparatively lower than those of contralateral (non-draining) lymph nodes (2.30 vs 2.60, respectively) . Cell size analysis by flow cytometry showed that nearly 70% of the lymphocytes in ipsilateral nodes were of large cell phenotype with CD4/CD8 ratios of 2.52 . In contrast, there were only 56.1% large lymphocytes in contralateral lymph nodes but with similar CD4/CD8 ratios of 2.55 . The number of large lymphocytes in corresponding nodes of uninoculated control animals was significantly lower (50%) with much lower CD4/CD8 ratios (2.08) . Alloantigenic responses of both ipsilateral and contralateral lymph node T cells were greater than those of uninoculated controls . Antigen-specific proliferation studies showed that ipsilateral lymph node T cells greatly enhanced both primed and non-primed lymph node B cell responses to HK-SAC, whereas those from contralateral lymph nodes were less stimulatory . In contrast, contralateral lymph node T cells had greater enhancing effects on PWM-induced polyclonal B cell responses . These studies indicate that repeated local infection with bacterial antigen induce changes in the numbers, ratios and antigen-specific and non-specific responses among ipsilateral (draining) and distal contralateral (non-draining) lymph node T cell populations in mucosal-associated immune systems such as the mammary gland. J Appl Bacteriol, 1992 Apr, 72(4), 289 - 93 Nucleotide sequence and structural relationships of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase encoded by the plasmid pSCS6 from Staphylococcus aureus; Cardoso M et al.; The 4.6 kb chloramphenicol resistance (Cm) plasmid, pSCS6, isolated from a naturally occurring Staphylococcus aureus biotype C encoded an inducible chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) . The respective cat gene and its regulatory region were cloned . Sequence analyses revealed two open reading frames: one for a 9-amino acid leader peptide and the other for the 215-amino acid CAT monomer . Comparisons of the predicted CAT amino acid sequences revealed a high degree of similarity between CAT from pSCS6 and the CAT variants encoded by Cm plasmids of the pC221 family . These close structural relationships suggested an intraspecific exchange of Cm-determinants between Staph . aureus of human and bovine biotype. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo), 1992 Apr, 38(2), 221 - 5 Effect of intraperitoneally administered nucleoside-nucleotide on the recovery from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain 8985N infection in mice; Adjei AA et al.; The effect of intraperitoneally administered nucleoside-nucleotide on the recovery from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain 8985N infection was studied in mice . Mice fed nucleic acid-free 20% casein diet were administered intraperitoneally with a nucleoside-nucleotide mixture or with saline (control group) daily for 30 days . On the tenth day on this treatment, mice were challenged with the bacteria . The survival rates were 25% and 72% for the control and nucleoside-nucleotide groups, respectively . The recovery of the survived mice from the infection was confirmed by the increment of body weight and the reduction of the bacteria in the organs . The results show the effectiveness of the intraperitoneal administration of the nucleoside-nucleotide mixture for the recovery from the MRSA strain 8985N infection in mice. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1992 Apr, 36(4), 876 - 8 Tet determinants provide poor protection against some tetracyclines: further evidence for division of tetracyclines into two classes; Oliva B et al.; Atypical tetracyclines were active against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains containing determinants that mediate resistance to typical tetracyclines by efflux (Tet B and Tet K) or ribosomal protection (Tet M) mechanisms . The results support recently published data that tetracyclines are divisible into at least two classes on the basis of their modes of action. Indian J Med Res, 1992 Apr, 96, 109 - 11 In vitro effect of intravenous immunoglobulin supplementation on serum opsonic activity in tracheostomised patients; Chandra RS et al.; An in vitro study of the effect of immunoglobulins (mainly IgG) on opsonophagocytic activity of polymorphs was carried out in 17 tracheostomised patients admitted in medical intensive care unit of our hospital . The opsonic and phagocytic activities were tested against Staphylococcus aureus by modified polymorphonuclear leucocyte overlay method; and serum IgG and serum IgM levels were estimated by single radial immunodiffusion technique . As compared to healthy volunteers, opsonophagocytic activity was significantly lower in tracheostomised patients . However, this activity improved markedly after immunoglobulin supplementation (P less than 0.01) . The same degree of enhancement was also observed in normal controls. Protein Eng, 1992 Apr, 5(3), 267 - 71 A new protein conjugate that replaces the use of secondary antibodies engineered from the two staphylococcal enzymes protein A and 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase; Witt E et al.; The lacG gene encoding the 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase (E.C.3.2.1.85) of Staphylococcus aureus was fused to the protein A gene in the plasmid pRIT2T . Escherichia coli cells containing this plasmid produce a fusion protein with both IgG binding and 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase activities after heat induction . The recombinant gene was overexpressed and the hybrid protein was purified to homogeneity in high yield . The chimeric protein was shown to have almost identical enzymatic characteristics to pure 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase . This result leads to the conclusion that a free N-terminus of the 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase is not required for biological activity . The hybrid protein of protein A and 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase was used as an enzyme conjugate in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) . The experiments presented demonstrate that the 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase is a suitable fusion partner in various diagnostic applications where an unique biological activity is required. Int Angiol, 1992 Apr-Jun, 11(2), 113 - 6 Interaction between vascular prostheses and rifampicin in the prevention of the grafts infection . An experimental study; Freyrie A et al.; Infections caused by synthetic prostheses are relatively rare (1.5-6%) but serious complication in vascular surgery . There is no doubt that during and immediately after surgery bacterial contamination may occur . An in vitro study was carried out in the Vascutek laboratories, which revealed a high affinity between prostheses in Dacron gel and Rifampicin . This affinity, the result of an ionic bond, was demonstrated by the fact that after 5 days Rifampicin was still present on the prostheses . Encouraged by this result, an experimental study was carried out in sheep . Five sheep were operated on making a prosthetic graft in both of the common carotid arteries: on one side a Gelseal Dacron prosthesis was implanted after being soaked for 15 minutes in a solution containing 1 mg/ml Rifampicin . A Knitted Dacron prosthesis was implanted in the contralateral carotid artery, again after pretreatment with Rifampicin . Explants were made after 2, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours, and the concentration of Rifampicin on the prostheses was assessed on the basis of the diameter of the inhibition area on Staphylococcus aureus cultures . The results showed that the Gelseal Dacron prostheses maintained Rifampicin concentrations with an antibacterial activity up to 72 hours; this property disappears with the Knitted Dacron prostheses after only 24 hours . These results confirm the high affinity of Gelseal Dacron and Rifampicin also in in vivo experimental models. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1992 Apr, 11(4), 364 - 71 Activity of cefpirome combined with beta-lactamase inhibitors and affinity for the penicillin-binding proteins of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Piddock LJ et al.; The susceptibility of 47 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to cefpirome, ceftazidime and methicillin was determined with Isosensitest media, with/without 5% NaCl and incubation at 30 degrees, 37 degrees and 44 degrees C for 24 and 48 h . At 24 h the MIC50 of cefpirome was 8 mg/l compared to 64 mg/l ceftazidime; at 48 h this increased to 32 mg/l cefpirome . The addition of 10 mg/l clavulanic acid or sulbactam lowered the MIC of cefpirome (at 48 h) by greater than four-fold in 23% and 11% of the strains, respectively . Cefpirome had primary affinity for penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 1 and 2 in five MRSA and one methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus . PBP 2a was present in all MRSA and was not saturated by 64 mg/l cefpirome . Clavulanic acid at a concentration of 10 mg/l bound to PBP 2 by greater than 50% in all strains, and when combined with cefpirome, the density of PBP 2a was also reduced but not completely abolished . The data from this study suggests that the mechanism of synergy of a beta-lactamase inhibitor plus a cephalosporin for MRSA may be due to an additive effect against PBPs and not just inhibition of a beta-lactamase . No cefpirome-resistant mutants could be selected from a methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, but mutants were selected from an MRSA (expressing homogeneous methicillin resistance) for which MICs of cefpirome were 8 to 32 mg/l. Cent Afr J Med, 1992 Apr, 38(4), 161 - 5 Neonatal septicaemia in Calabar, Nigeria; Antia-Obong OE et al.; In a twelve-month prospective study of 132 neonates suspected of having septicaemia in the Special Care Babies Unit (SCBU) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, 79 were confirmed by positive blood cultures . Forty (50.6 pc) of these were preterm infants . The incidence was 19.3 per 1,000 hospital live births, while the mortality rate was 30.3 pc . The main predisposing factors were birth asphyxia, birth outside hospital, prolonged rupture of membranes, prolonged labour and poor water supply in hospital . The predominant pathogens were coliform organism and Staphylococcus aureus . The antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the pathogens suggest the use of gentamicin as a sole agent in the initial treatment of septicaemia while awaiting culture results . In view of the role of inadequate antenatal care, poor water supply and unhygienic delivery practices in the aetiology of newborn septicaemia, it is suggested that improved antenatal care, water supply and childbirth practices will reduce the incidence of septicaemia. Cent Afr J Med, 1992 Apr, 38(4), 136 - 9 Empyema in children: a review of 52 cases; Mahalu W et al.; A prospective study was undertaken to assess the clinical pattern, management and outcome in children admitted with empyema at Harare Hospital . Fifty-two children were seen and followed up during the three-year period, 1984-1987 . All patients were managed with intrapleural drain and antibiotics . Two needed decortication . The predominant pathogen isolated from the pleural cavity was Staphylococcus aureus . All survived and on follow up only one child was found to have persistent radiological abnormality and poor exercise tolerance . Early intrapleural drainage and appropriate antibiotics should be the mainstay of treatment for empyema for the majority of children in Zimbabwe. Cell Immunol, 1992 Apr, 140(2), 381 - 9 The major rheumatoid factor cross-reactive idiotype is dominantly expressed by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I-activated CD5+ control B cells; Bonagura VR et al.; Some seropositive (RF+) and seronegative (RF-) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients selectively express high concentrations of the major RF cross-reactive idiotype (RCRI) in their sera and generate high frequencies of RCRI+ pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced plasma cells from their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) . To determine if normal individuals can express RCRI in vitro, B cells from controls were activated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC) bacteria to identify RCRI and RF production . In addition, we studied the relationship of RCRI expression with the subset of B cells bearing CD5 . Control CD5+ B cells are responsible for RCRI expression following SAC activation . We also observed that RCRI is dominantly expressed by control SAC-induced B cells in frequencies comparable to that expressed by some RA and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients' PBM activated by PWM . Therefore, the frequency of RCRI+ B cells in control and arthritis patients' PBL may be similar, or the selection and/or regulation of RCRI+ B-cell expression in vitro and in vivo may be different in arthritis patients compared to normal individuals. Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 1992 Apr, 32(1-2), 1 - 11 Local immunity in the mammary gland; Lee CS et al.; The mammary glands of pregnant and non-pregnant sheep were stimulated by infusion of killed Staphylococcus aureus, and the lymphoid cell response delineated with a panel of monoclonal antibodies . Seven days after antigen infusion, the mammary glands of both pregnant and non-pregnant sheep displayed a striking feature, characterised by the presence of numerous CD45R+ MHC class II+ B cells in the periductal connective tissues . These cells were seen to be clustering around blood capillaries with very prominent endothelial cell lining . Some CD5+ CD4+ lymphocytes were scattered among the B-cell clusters, whereas a few CD8+ lymphocytes were seen mainly at the periphery of the B-cell clusters . Fourteen days after antigen infusion, numerous plasma cells were observed, most of them being of the IgA isotype . Seven days after parturition (approximately 40 days after antigen infusion) the number of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the infused glands had declined dramatically . These data indicate that B cell and helper T-cell interaction can take place at the local sites of antigen stimulation in the mammary gland. J Hosp Infect, 1992 Apr, 20(4), 233 - 45 Typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with an M13 repeat probe; Wei MQ et al.; A bacteriophage M13 tandem repeat has been used to probe EcoRI digested genomic DNA of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) . The patterns generated were found to be useful in typing MRSA and generally confirmed the relationships that had previously been recognized in other studies based on antimicrobial resistance and plasmid profiles . The epidemic MRSA of London hospitals (EMRSA) and the majority of the epidemic MRSA of eastern Australian hospitals (EA MRSA) gave the same pattern . However, two isolates previously classified as EA MRSA gave a different pattern and a third another pattern . One isolate from Dublin, two isolates from Nuneaton and two isolates from Singapore gave the same pattern as the two EA MRSA . With the exception of the early or classic MRSA all the other isolates examined gave their own distinctive patterns . With one exception the classic MRSA belonged to a separate group . The exception was of particular interest because it gave the same pattern as the majority of the EA MRSA . This suggests that there may be an evolutionary relationship between some of the classic MRSA and the EMRSA of London and the EA MRSA of Australia. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1992 Apr, 36(4), 894 - 7 Relative beta-lactamase- and transpeptidase-inhibitory activities of the new quinolone WIN-57273 in Staphylococcus aureus; Furet YX et al.; The new quinolone WIN-57273 was shown to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus beta-lactamase activity noncompetitively in vitro with an apparent Ki value of 0.5 mM . MICs of penicillin G for a highly quinolone-resistant, beta-lactamase-negative strain in the presence of exogenous beta-lactamase decreased considerably when subinhibitory concentrations of WIN-57273 were added . Furthermore, the attachment transpeptidase reaction, investigated on whole cells of S . aureus, was impeded by WIN-57273 concentrations of greater than or equal to 30 microM . While these interactions suggest a novel mechanism of action for this compound, they are probably not relevant to the overall antibacterial potency of WIN-57273. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1992 Apr, 36(4), 883 - 5 Lack of effect of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone on KB-5246 accumulation by Staphylococcus aureus; Kotera Y et al.; The accumulation of KB-5246 in a quinolone-susceptible strain of Staphylococcus aureus was about 70 times that of norfloxacin . Carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone increased the accumulation of norfloxacin about eightfold, but it did not influence that of KB-5246 . The low efflux of KB-5246 from S . aureus may contribute to its potent antibacterial activity. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1992 Apr, 49(4), 241 - 9 {Intrahospital infections at a neonatal service}; Larracilla-Alegre J et al.; This study is about the importance and mechanisms of the nosocomial infections, specially in newborn babies of the "Hospital General del Centro Medico La Raza del IMSS" . We studied 461 newborns of which 53 (11.49%) developed one or more intrahospitalary infections . The rate of intra-hospital infections was 18.40%, mainly due by septicemia, infections of the surgical wounds, and respiratory tract infections . The gramnegative bacterias were predominant . Also were found Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis frequently . We give some preventive advice. Rev Argent Microbiol, 1992 Apr-Jun, 24(2), 73 - 80 {Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from subclinical bovine mastitis in dairies of the city of San Luis}; Puig de Centorbi ON et al.; In order to detect subclinical mastitis by means of California Mastitis Test and recounting of somatic cells, 163 cows from the dairies of San Luis city, Argentina, were examined . Seventy six individuals (46.6%) exhibited an inflammatory response ranging > or = 2+ grade and a cellular recounting value of > or = 5 x 10(5), data compatible with those of subclinical mastitis . Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 39 (51.3%) cultures as estimated by the sum of the two last values listed in Table 1 . Organisms were isolated by plating on brain heart infusion agar with 5% of sheep blood and on Baird-Parker media . One hundred and three S . aureus isolates recovered from 51 of 63 cows were characterized by coagulase activity by the tube method using human and bovine plasma; clumping factor; glucose and mannitol fermentation; thermonuclease (TNase), pigment, gelatinase, fibrinolysin, acetoin, hemolysin production; egg yolk, tellurite and catalase reaction and crystal violet types . All isolates were susceptible to cephalothin, clindamycin, methicillin, gentamycin and vancomycin; 94.1% were susceptible to chloramphenicol and 53.8% to G penicillin . Sixty three isolates (61.1%) were classified according to Hajek and Marsalek scheme as biotype C (bovine and ovine ecovar), 33 isolates (32.0%) were classified as biotype B (swine and poultry ecovar); 1 isolated (0.9%) as intermediate between B and D; 5 isolates (4.8%) as biotype A (human ecovar) and 1 isolated (0.9%) as biotype D (ecovar silvestres spp) (Table 2) . Production of enterotoxins A to E and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) was determined by the optimal susceptibility plate method on 27 isolates (26.2%) which were coagulase 3+ to 4+ and TNase highly positive . None of them produced enterotoxins including TSST-1 . The subclinical mastitis data and the prevalence of S . aureus coincide with those of other authors, both from Argentina and from other countries. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1992 Mar 23, 1105(1), 125 - 30 Calcium ion-mediated regulation of the alpha-toxin pore of Staphylococcus aureus; Tokunaga H et al.; The water-soluble alpha-toxin monomers of Staphylococcus aureus become hexamers forming the transmembrane pore when exposed to the membranes . This pore is freely permeable to small hydrophilic molecules, e.g . carboxyfluorescein, and becomes less permeable in the presence of calcium ions . Calcium ion-mediated decrease of the carboxyfluorescein leakage could not be eliminated by EDTA added in the medium, but the carboxyfluorescein could be freed by EDTA added in the intraliposomal space . This result suggests that the alpha-toxin pore changes its conformation as the calcium ion is bound and that the binding site is exposed to the intraliposomal side of the membrane . The interaction between the alpha-toxin hexamer and 8-anilino-1-naphthalene-sulfonic acid (ANS) was monitored by determining the fluorescence in the presence and absence of calcium chloride . The mean distances between the tryptophan residues of the alpha-toxin hexamer and the bound ANS were calculated to be 1.90 and 1.80 nm in the absence and presence, respectively, of calcium ions . The results showed the calcium ion mediated conformational change of the membrane-embedded alpha-toxin hexamer. Harefuah, 1992 Mar 15, 122(6), 369 - 71, 406 {Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis}; Avraham S et al.; Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis is a rare complication of facial infections, particularly of the dangerous triangle (nose and upper lip) and less often of the orbit, middle ear, pharynx or teeth . Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent causative agent . Prompt diagnosis and early aggressive antibiotic therapy, with or without anticoagulants, is required . A 49-year-old woman developed this complication following multiple nasal abscesses . Despite intensive antibiotic and anticoagulant therapy she became permanently blind . We present this case to stress the fact that this disease is still fraught with high morbidity, and even mortality. J Immunol, 1992 Mar 15, 148(6), 1797 - 803 Regulation of cell division of mature B cells by ionomycin and phorbol ester; Kim KM et al.; The growth of a human B lymphoma cell line B104, an experimental model for mature B cells, was inhibited by ionomycin but not 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) . Ionomycin inhibited B104 cells from entering into the M phase of the cell cycle without affecting DNA synthesis . The inhibition of cell division of B104 cells by ionomycin occurred within 24 h after stimulation . Because such a mode of action resembles that of anti-IgM antibodies, signals transduced by Ca2+ may be responsible for the inhibition of cell division of B104 cells by anti-IgM antibodies . Indeed, EGTA suppressed the inhibition of cell division of B104 cells caused not only by ionomycin, but also by anti-IgM antibody . Although TPA itself did not have any ability to promote the growth of B104 cells, it could cancel the inhibition of cell division of B104 cells by ionomycin and increase the proportion of B104 cells entering into the M phase of the cell cycle . Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I causes the greatest proliferation of normal human peripheral blood B cells during the period from 48 to 72 h after stimulation . When ionomycin was added to S . aureus Cowan I-stimulated peripheral blood B cells at 48 h of culture, it inhibited cell division during this period without affecting DNA synthesis . In the presence of TPA, this activity of ionomycin was suppressed, and the proportion of M-phase cells increased . These results suggest that cell division of mature B cells is regulated by the signals mediated by Ca2+ and protein kinase C in a mode quite different from that of regulation of DNA synthesis. J Immunol, 1992 Mar 15, 148(6), 1759 - 63 Synthetic peptides of human CD4 enhance binding of Ig to monocyte/macrophage cells . I . Characterization and mapping studies; Lenert P et al.; Human T cell glycoprotein CD4 binds to class II MHC molecules and to HIV envelope protein gp120 . We have shown that CD4 and synthetic peptides corresponding to amino acid residues 21-49 of the first extracellular domain of CD4, also bind Ig and, with greater avidity, antibody:Ag complex . We investigated the effect of CD4 synthetic peptides on the binding and uptake of human Ig b