Corynebacter

J Med Microbiol, 1990 Aug, 32(4), 247 - 53
Detection of diphtheria toxin in culture supernates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and C . ulcerans by immunoassay with monoclonal antibody; Hallas G et al.; Monoclonal antibody (MAb) to diphtheria toxin was produced in mouse hybridomas, and shown by ELISA to be of sub-class IgG1 . Hybridomas were inoculated into mice to produce ascitic fluid from which MAb was purified by caprylic acid . The MAb was shown by immunoblotting to be directed against the A fragment of the toxin and also against the intact toxin molecule . After conjugation with fluorescein isothiocyanate, it was used in an immunoassay to detect toxin in culture supernates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and C . ulcerans . The assay correlated well with the Elek test and with virulence in guinea-pigs; but it gave occasional false positive results, probably by binding of MAb to defective toxin.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1990 Aug, 87(15), 5968 - 72
Molecular cloning and DNA sequence analysis of a diphtheria tox iron-dependent regulatory element (dtxR) from Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Boyd J et al.; Although the structural gene for diphtheria toxin, tox, is carried by a family of closely related corynebacteriophages, the regulation of tox expression is controlled, to a large extent, by its bacterial host Corynebacterium diphtheriae . Optimal yields of tox gene products are obtained only when iron becomes the growth-rate-limiting substrate . Previous studies suggest that regulation of tox expression is mediated through an iron-binding aporepressor . To facilitate molecular cloning of the tox regulatory element from genomic libraries of C . diphtheriae, we constructed a tox promoter/operator (toxPO)-lacZ transcriptional fusion in Escherichia coli strain DH5 alpha . We report the molecular cloning and nucleic acid sequence of a diphtheria tox iron-dependent regulatory element, dtxR, and demonstrate that expression of beta-galactosidase from the toxPO-lacZ fusion is regulated by dtxR-encoded protein in an iron-sensitive manner . In addition, we show that expression of the toxPO-lacZ fusion is not affected by the E . coli iron-regulatory protein Fur and that the dtxR protein does not inhibit expression of fur-regulated outer-membrane proteins.

J Hosp Infect, 1990 Aug, 16(2), 123 - 32
Antigenic cross-reactivity among isolates of group JK corynebacteria; Moore MK et al.; Using rocket and rocket-line immunoelectrophoresis and immunoblotting it was demonstrated that a group of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including several authenticated Corynebacterium jeikeium strains, shared many cross-reacting antigens . Only weak cross-reactivity was demonstrated with representatives of three other skin corynebacteria, C . bovis, C . hofmanii and C . minutissimum or with non-coryneforms . Differences within C . jeikeium are sufficient to permit the use of immunoblotting as an epidemiological tool.

Eur J Immunol, 1990 Aug, 20(8), 1761 - 5
Corynebacterium parvum (Propionibacterium acnes): an inducer of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and monocytes in vitro; Rossol S et al.; The present study investigates the potential capacity of the immunostimulant Corynebacterium parvum (C.p.) to induce tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and blood monocytes (BMo) in vitro . Both at the mRNA and protein level, stimulation of PBMC and BMo upon C.p . induces TNF-alpha . Compared to the hitherto used TNF-alpha inducers in vitro such as Sendai virus, phytohemagglutinin or lipopolysaccharide the C.p . stimulus displayed a threefold stronger induction of TNF-alpha production (p less than 0.001) . Using C.p . as an inducer it was possible to demonstrate that TNF-alpha production is regulated by prostaglandin E2; preincubation of the cells with prostaglandin E2 resulted in a reduced C.p.-mediated TNF-alpha production (p less than 0.001) . Coincubation of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) together with C.p . led to an enhanced release of TNF-alpha, supporting the assumption that C.p . is a potent TNF-alpha inducer . The additive effect of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha on the receptor level was demonstrated by addition of IFN-gamma antibodies to the PBMC cultures . Under these conditions TNF-alpha production, stimulated by C.p . and IFN-gamma, was decreased by 30%, compared to the production in assays supplemented with C.p . alone . From these data we conclude that C.p . is a new inducer of TNF-alpha in vitro and a useful tool to study TNF-alpha production of PBMC and BMo from either healthy donors or from patients.

Cancer, 1990 Jul 15, 66(2), 220 - 7
Evaluation of the worth of corynebacterium parvum in conjunction with chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment for primary breast cancer . Eight-year results from the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-10; Fisher B et al.; During the 1970s, information obtained from animal tumor models and from patients with a spectrum of solid tumors indicated the worth of a variety of immunostimulating agents . These findings provided a biological and clinical rationale for conducting randomized trials to evaluate the worth of those agents . Consequently, in May 1977 the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) implemented a randomized trial to determine whether Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum, CP) plus chemotherapy would be more effective than chemotherapy alone in prolonging the disease-free survival (DFS) and survival (S) of patients with primary operable breast cancer and positive axillary nodes . The results of that trial through 8 years of follow-up fail to indicate that treatment with CP used in conjunction with l-phenylalanine mustard (L-PAM) plus 5-fluorouracil (PF) results in a better DFS and S than that observed after chemotherapy alone . Use of the immunomodulator has instead resulted in a poorer, but not statistically significant, outcome . Despite adjustments made to account for any imbalance in distribution of prognostic factors between the two treatment groups and despite considering treatment compliance as a factor, the unfavorable outcome persisted . A high incidence of fever and chills was associated with the administration of CP . The administration of hydrocortisone before each CP treatment reduced the frequency of those and other systemic effects . The failure to demonstrate a benefit from CP is in keeping with the failure of other nonspecific stimulating agents to contribute to the creation of a new paradigm for the treatment of breast cancer.

Infect Immun, 1990 Jul, 58(7), 2198 - 203
Vaccination of humans against cutaneous leishmaniasis: cellular and humoral immune responses; Nascimento E et al.; Brazilian army conscripts were vaccinated against American cutaneous leishmaniasis by using nonliving polyvalent promastigote Leish vaccine 5 or Leish vaccine 6 (vaccines with five or six Leishmania stocks) with or without Corynebacterium parvum . No statistically significant differences in lymphocyte stimulation indices were found between vaccinated groups with or without C . parvum, but lymphocyte stimulation indices of all vaccinees were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) than those of the placebo group . A correlation of 90% was found between positive skin test results and positive lymphocyte stimulation indices . Eight major antigens with estimated molecular masses of 13.5, 25, 40, 63, 73, 85, 97, and 160 kilodaltons were recognized by Leish vaccine 5 sera . Our finding also demonstrated the predominance of immunoglobulin M antibody in sera of vaccinated subjects and that a component of Leish vaccine 5, gp63, was immunogenic in humans both at the T-cell level and at the antibody level.

Sb Lek, 1990 Jul, 92(6-7), 212 - 8
{New aspects of intolerance of the aqueous iodinated x-ray contrast medium, adipiodone--fatal interaction of adipiodone-Ultrabil with the immunomodulators Corynebacterium parvum (CP) and Shigella dysenteriae endotoxin (LPS)}; Klein O et al.; The authors assume a new type of interaction of the aqueous X-ray contrast substance type adipiodone (Ultrabil 50% Spofa) with immunomodulators of Corynebacterium parvum (CP) and the endotoxin of Shigella dysenteriae (LPS) . The fatal type of interaction developed regularly as a result of the concurrent i.v . administration of the X-ray contrast substance adipiodone with the endotoxin of Shigella dys . (LPS) to laboratory animals (mice) which had five days previously a single dose of Corynebacterium parvum (CP) . The effect of the interaction was evaluated using LD50 of adipiodone (Ultrabil Spofa) which in interaction with the immunomodulators of CP and LPS was identical as the dose used in diagnostic practice . The authors considered the possible development of "oxygen stress" as a consequence interacting processes and complement activation.

Mycopathologia, 1990 Jul, 111(1), 9 - 15
Antimicrobial activity of naphthoquinones from fusaria; Baker RA et al.; Twenty-two naphthoquinone compounds isolated or derived synthetically from culture extracts of Fusarium solani and F . oxysporum were examined for antimicrobial activity . Fifteen exhibited antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and 12 were active against Streptococcus pyogenes, but none were active at the highest rate of 128 micrograms/ml against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Proteus vulgaris, Serratia marcescens, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Of 8 plant pathogenic bacteria tested against 11 naphthoquinones, Corynebacterium poinsettiae was inhibited by 6 compounds, and Pseudomonas viridiflava was weakly inhibited by one . Only one of a group of 6 fluorescent soil pseudomonads was inhibited by one naphthoquinone . Antifungal activity of 10 compounds against 8 fungal plant pathogens was limited to inhibition of Phytophthora parasitica by one naphthopyran.

Nippon Saikingaku Zasshi, 1990 Jul, 45(4), 785 - 95
{Studies on immunity to Babesia gibsoni in dogs immunostimulation by Bordetella bronchiseptica}; Ohgitani T et al.; Four species of bacteria, Corynebacterium anaerobium 578, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae G-4, Mycobacterium bovis BCG, and Bordetella bronchiseptica A-2, were injected intravenously into mice (5 weeks old, ICR-SPF) . The clearance of carbon from the blood stream and the weights of the spleen and liver were determined as indicators of RES stimulation . Mouse footpad reaction was assessed as an indicator of delayed-type hypersensitivity to each species of bacteria . The immuno-stimulative activity of each species of bacteria against bovine serum albumin was monitored by passive hemagglutination assay and the macrophage migration-inhibition test in guinea pigs . Based on the results of the experiments described above, B . bronchiseptica was selected as an immunostimulator (Ims) for immunization trials of the hemo-protozoan parasite, Babesia gibsoni, with inactivated merozoites of B . gibsoni (BgK) . Twelve dogs, pointers about 6 months old, were divided into four groups of three dogs each . Group 1 dogs were initially injected with Ims, and later injected with BgK and Ims (BgK+Ims) after a 3-week interval . Group 2 and Group 3 dogs were injected twice, at a 3-week interval, with BgK+Ims and BgK, respectively, and Group 4 served as a control . As the results, the serum antibody titres of Group 1 and 2 were several times higher than that of Group 3, and the cell-mediated immunity to parasites was noticeably stimulated by immunization with BgK+Ims . The peak level of parasitemia following the challenge were over 10% for Group 4 and 4.5% for Group 3, while levels for Group 1 and 2 were 2.5% and less than 1%, respectively . No such major clinical signs of babesiosis as jaundice and anemia were observed in Group 1 or 2.

Br J Clin Pract, 1990 Jul, 44(7), 285 - 7
Diphtheritic polyneuritis in an elderly woman: clinical and neurophysiological follow-up; Roche S et al.; A 71-year-old English lady initially presented with a bulbar paralysis and, six weeks later, developed a generalised sensori-motor neuropathy . Corynebacterium diphtheriae mitis was cultured from her throat swab . Despite a good clinical recovery at one month, nerve conduction velocity was at its lowest . As far as the authors are aware, this is one of the few cases of neurophysiological and clinical follow-up in a British subject with diphtheritic peripheral neuropathy . This case emphasises the importance of giving antitoxin early.

Clin Microbiol Rev, 1990 Jul, 3(3), 227 - 46
Coryneform bacteria in infectious diseases: clinical and laboratory aspects; Coyle MB et al.; Coryneform isolates from clinical specimens frequently cannot be identified by either reference laboratories or research laboratories . Many of these organisms are skin flora that belong to a large number of taxonomic groups, only 40% of which are in the genus Corynebacterium . This review provides an update on clinical presentations, microbiological features, and pathogenic mechanisms of infections with nondiphtheria Corynebacterium species and other pleomorphic gram-positive rods . The early literature is also reviewed for a few coryneforms, especially those whose roles as pathogens are controversial . Recognition of newly emerging opportunistic coryneforms is dependent on sound identification schemes which cannot be developed until cell wall analyses and nucleic acid studies have defined the taxonomic groups and all of the reference strains within each taxon have been shown by molecular methods to be authentic members . Only then can reliable batteries of biochemical tests be selected for distinguishing each taxon.

J Clin Microbiol, 1990 Jul, 28(7), 1586 - 90
Comparative evaluation of nonradiometric BACTEC and improved oxoid signal blood culture systems in a clinical laboratory; Daley C et al.; The BACTEC NR660 blood culture system, which uses infrared spectroscopy to detect carbon dioxide generated by bacterial growth, was compared with the new medium formulation of the Oxoid Signal system . Two trials were conducted: a comparative study of 88 organisms in simulated blood cultures and a clinical trial of 3,321 paired patient blood culture samples . Both trials showed that overall the BACTEC system performed better in the recovery of organisms . The Oxoid system was unable to detect by signal the growth of the majority of yeasts, nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli, Neisseria meningitidis, Nocardia spp., and Corynebacterium jeikeium . There were no significant differences in the yield of Staphylococcus spp., members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus spp., or anaerobic organisms . BACTEC detected growth more quickly than did the Oxoid system; 61% of the isolates were detected by BACTEC at 24 h, while 49% of the isolates were detected by Oxoid . The Oxoid system had a high proportion (58.5%) of false-positives, compared with 7.7% for the BACTEC system . Despite the new medium formulation of the Oxoid system, its performance is still not equivalent to that of the BACTEC system.

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1990 Jul, 70(1), 96 - 108
The risk of intentional dissolution of the smear layer after mechanical preparation of root canals; Gutierrez JH et al.; The root canals of 27 caries-free human cuspids were divided into 3 groups of 9 teeth each . Group I was mechanically prepared with reamers and files . Alternate irrigation with 5.25% NaOCl and 3% hydrogen peroxide was used between each instrument . The group II root canals were prepared with the use of alternate irrigation with the same concentrations of NaOCl and hydrogen peroxide and finally flushed with 17% EDTA and NaOCl solution . Group III was prepared mechanically with the use of sterile distilled water as an irrigant followed by a final flush with 17% EDTA solution . The root canals of all specimens were obturated with gutta-percha points and Tubliseal by means of the lateral condensation technique . After the root canals were obturated, samples of each of the three groups were immersed in separate flasks containing Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Corynebacterium hofmannii . All the microorganisms tested invaded the coronal dentin--where the access cavity had been sealed with Fynal--and/or the main foramen.

Int Endod J, 1990 Jul, 23(4), 196 - 202
Penetration of dentine by three oral bacteria in vitro and their associated cytotoxicity; Meryon SD et al.; Three common oral bacteria, namely Streptococcus sanguis, Actinomyces viscosus and Corynebacterium spp . were studied with regard to their ability to penetrate etched and unetched dentine and for their effect on underlying cell cultures . The test organisms were grown in cylinders above dentine slices 100 and 500 microns thick for 72 hours . The slices were in contact with tissue culture medium covering a layer of fibroblasts . Penetration of 100 microns slices was most rapid with S . sanguis, followed by A . viscosus and Corynebacterium . The pattern was similar but slightly delayed when 500 microns slices were used, but in most cases penetration had occurred by 72 hours . The presence of a smear layer had no effect on the results obtained . Following penetration, cell destruction was most extensive with S . sanguis, the most cytotoxic organism, followed by Corynebacterium and A . viscosus . In the limited number of dishes where no penetration occurred there was little effect on cell numbers.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1990 Jul-Aug, 84(4), 589 - 92
The bacteriology of brain abscess: a local experience in Malaysia; Puthucheary SD et al.; 31 cases of intracranial abscess seen over a period of 10 years showed a peak incidence in the second and third decades of life with a male preponderance . Tetralogy of Fallot and other congenital cyanotic heart diseases were the predominant associated factors (32%) . The commonest site of infection was the frontal lobe . Gram-stained smears of pus proved to be extremely useful . The majority of the organisms (82%) were either microaerophilic or anaerobic bacteria with Streptococcus milleri being the most frequent isolate . With the exception of Corynebacterium species, all isolates were susceptible to penicillin or chloramphenicol, most being susceptible to both.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1990 Jun, 64(6), 661 - 7
{A clinical study of bacteremia in urology}; Tokunaga S et al.; We investigated 32 patients with bacteremia that occurred in the Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University between April, 1983 and March, 1989 . This incidence represented 1.9% of the total number of inpatients . The study group comprised 29 males and 3 females, and their age varied from 25 to 82 years with a mean age of 61.7 years . Twenty-two (75%) of the 32 patients had urologic malignancies . The majority of patients were compromised hosts who had one or more (average, 3.8) factors that promoted bacteremia . Urinary tract infections existed in 26 (86.0%) patients before the bacteremic episode and urine cultures revealed a species identical to that simultaneously isolated from the blood in 19 (73.1%) of the 26 patients . Out of the 26 patients, there were 22 (84.6%) with complicated pyelonephritis and 22 (84.6%) with an indwelling urinary tract catheter . In blood cultures, the most common isolate was Staphylococcus epidermidis and gram-positive cocci were cultured at a rate of 43.9% which was higher than that (39.0%) of gram-negative rods . In contrast, in urine cultures, gram-negative rods were isolated predominantly . S . epidermidis and Corynebacterium spp . isolated less frequently in blood than in urine, indicated contaminants . However, Enterococcus spp . and Candida albicans were recognized as causative organisms of bacteremia via the urinary tract, because the urine culture demonstrated a species identical to that obtained from blood in these bacteremic patients . Antibiotic sensitivity tests demonstrated that isolates from blood tended to show tolerance to beta-lactam antibiotics, but had good sensitivity to aminoglycosides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Am J Vet Res, 1990 Jun, 51(6), 874 - 7
Alterations in the phospholipid composition and morphology of ovine erythrocytes after intravenous inoculation of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis; Brogden KA et al.; Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis produces a sphingomyelin-specific phospholipase D exotoxin that is a major determinant in the pathogenesis of caseous lymphadenitis . The effect of this exotoxin on erythrocytes was assessed during experimentally induced infection of sheep . Blood was drawn at timed intervals, and the phospholipid composition of erythrocytes was determined by use of high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of membrane extracts . Erythrocyte morphology was determined by use of transmission electron microscopy . Significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) decreases in erythrocyte membrane sphingomyelin content and significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) increases in phosphatidylglycerol content were observed 30 minutes after IV inoculation of C pseudotuberculosis . The concentration of other phospholipids remained unchanged . Initially, spherostomatocytes were formed that later became pitted at the cell surface . These pits or invaginations appeared as numerous vacuoles at the periphery of thin-sectioned cells . Pitting became progressively worse, leading to an extensive scalloped cell surface . Alterations in the phospholipid composition and morphology of ovine erythrocytes may contribute to pathophysiologic findings in sheep with acute infection induced by C pseudotuberculosis.

Genetika, 1990 Jun, 26(6), 990 - 9
{Cloning and expression of the gene for diphtheria toxin and its subunits in Escherichia coli}; Garaev MM et al.; The results of cloning Corynebacterium diphtheriae phi 984 tox gene and its A and B subunits in Escherichia coli are presented . Regulatory sequences of tox gene are capable to promote effective expression in E . coli cells . A set of recombinant plasmids has been obtained which can determine the synthesis of A and B individual subunits and are suitable for constructing immunotoxins by gene engineering . The diphtheria toxin of 62 kDa synthesized in E . coli has enzymatic activity and reacts with antitoxin sera . Some sites for E . coli proteases are present in tox-specific polypeptides.

Chem Phys Lipids, 1990 Jun, 54(3-4), 215 - 20
Mass spectrometric analysis of O-peracetylated derivatives of 1-monomycoloylglycerol isolated from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Rhodococcus rhodochrous and R . lentifragmentus; Ioneda T; 1-Monomycoloylglycerols from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Rhodococcus rhodochrous and R . lentifragmentus were reacted with acetic acid ahydride in the presence of pyridine . On infrared spectra the reaction products showed a sharp characteristic absorption of the acetyl ester group at 1235 cm-1; the hydroxyl group absorption (3400 cm-1) was absent . O-Peracetylated monomycoloylglycerols were analyzed by mass spectrometry under electron impact mode . The most common and representative peaks were associated to the following remarkable fragments: (a) peak at m/z 159 represented the backbone of the glycerol unit of peracetylated monomycoloylglycerols; it constituted the diagnostic and base peak of that group of compounds; (b) peak representing the glycerol moiety together with the alpha-subunit of the mycolic acid moiety; it gave the size of the chain length of the hydrocarbon side chain of that mycolic acid; and (c) a series of peaks of acylium ions minus 60 mass units (acetic acid) indicated the size of the chain length of the esterified mycolic acid . Therefore, acetylation of monomycoloylglycerol becomes the derivatized compound suitable for mass spectrometry . Moreover, the derivatives are more thermostable and resistant to pyrolysis . By associating these properties, separation and identification of homologs of monomycoloylglycerols are further expected.

Immunobiology, 1990 Jun, 180(4-5), 405 - 18
Modulation of Forssman glycosphingolipid expression by murine macrophages: coinduction with class II MHC antigen by the lymphokines IL4 and IL6; von Kleist R et al.; In contrast to murine spleen M phi, resident peritoneal M phi from health mice express very little Forssman glycolipid antigen (Fo) . The following experiments suggest that Fo expression by peritoneal M phi may be associated with inflammation . Balb/c and CBA/J mice were given inflammatory stimuli by i.p . injection of live BCG, thioglycollate (TG), Corynebacterium parvum (CP), proteose peptone (PP), or LPS . Control animals received pyrogen-free saline . Expression of Fo and Ia antigen by peritoneal M phi was determined by immunofluorescence after 4 d . Application of TG or CP led to an up to 30-fold increase in Fo+, Ia+ double positive M phi over that in control animals . LPS caused mainly an increase in the percentage of double-positive M phi, whereas no effects were seen in BCG or PP treated animals . To clarify the possible involvement of cytokines in this process and to identify these, the effects of LPS and various cytokines on in vitro induction of Fo and Ia expression were studied in further experiments . LPS, IL6, and IL4 caused induction of up to 15% Fo+ and Ia+ M phi after a 4 d culture period . M phi colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) from lung-conditioned medium was also moderately active . IL1, TNF, and IL2 had no influence, whereas IFN-gamma only induced Ia . For a successful in vitro induction of Fo and Ia, a prior priming of the mice with PP appeared mandatory . This suggests that only M phi of a certain developmental stage can acquire Fo under the influence of the appropriate cytokines . The data may provide the first evidence for cytokine-mediated modulation of a glycolipid antigen of known chemical structure.

J Bacteriol, 1990 Jun, 172(6), 3409 - 16
Membrane alteration is necessary but not sufficient for effective glutamate secretion in Corynebacterium glutamicum; Hoischen C et al.; We showed recently that secretion of glutamate in biotin-limited cells of Corynebacterium glutamicum is mediated by carrier systems in the plasma membrane (C . Hoischen and R . Kramer, Arch . Microbiol . 151:342-347, 1989) . In view of the generally accepted hypothesis that glutamate efflux is directly caused by alterations of the membrane, it was necessary to examine the kind of correlation between changes in lipid content and composition of the bacterial membrane and glutamate secretion activity . Two new experimental approaches were used . (i) Changes in lipid content and composition were analyzed in glutamate-producing cells which were forced to switch to nonproducers by addition of biotin in a short-term fermentation . (ii) The time courses of both the fatty acid or phospholipid composition and the efflux activity were analyzed within the first minutes of the switch from high to low secretion activity . The following results were obtained . (i) The time course of the change in fatty acid or phospholipid content and composition was not related to the change in secretion behavior . (ii) There was no specific fatty acid or phospholipid compound which regulated glutamate efflux . (iii) High efflux activity could only be induced when the total lipid content of the membrane was reduced . (iv) Although consistently correlated to high secretion activity, membrane alteration was never a sufficient prerequisite for glutamate efflux in C . glutamicum.

Agric Biol Chem, 1990 Jun, 54(6), 1491 - 8
Leucine dehydrogenase from Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum: purification and characterization; Misono H et al.; Leucine dehydrogenase {EC 1.4.1.9} was purified to homogeneity from Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum ICR 2210 . The enzyme consisted of a single polypeptide with a molecular weight of about 34,000 . Stepwise Edman degradation provided the N-terminal sequence of the first 24 amino acids, and carboxypeptidase Y digestion provided the C-terminal sequence of the last 2 amino acids . Although the enzyme catalyzed the reversible deamination of various branched-chain L-amino acids, L-valine was the best substrate for oxidative deamination at pH 10.9 and the saturated concentration . The enzyme, however, had higher reactivity for L-leucine, and the kcat/Km value for L-leucine was higher than that for L-valine . The enzyme required NAD+ as a natural coenzyme . The NAD+ analogs 3-acetylpyridine-NAD+ and deamino-NAD+ were much better coenzymes than NAD+ . The enzyme activity was significantly reduced by sulfhydryl reagents and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate . D-Enantiomers of the substrate amino acids competitively inhibited the oxidation of L-valine.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1990 May 16, 168(3), 1034 - 40
Inducible cytosolic enzyme activity for the production of nitrogen oxides from L-arginine in hepatocytes; Billiar TR et al.; The in vivo conditions needed for the induction of nitrogen oxide synthesis by hepatocytes were determined . Hepatocytes obtained from rats injected with killed Corynebacterium parvum spontaneously produced NO2(-)+NO3- in culture and were found to contain cytosolic enzyme activity for nitrogen oxide synthesis . The enzyme activity required both L-arginine and NADPH, and was not found in hepatocytes obtained from normal rats or rats injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone . In contrast, nonparenchymal cells were stimulated to synthesize NO2(-)+NO3- by LPS . These results show the presence of inducible cytosolic enzyme activity for nitrogen oxide synthesis in hepatocytes, which is distinct from nonparenchymal cell NO . synthesis.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1990 May 15, 196(10), 1609 - 13
Differential antibody responses to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in sheep with naturally acquired caseous lymphadenitis; Ellis JA et al.; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis cell wall and bacteria-free supernatant with exotoxin preparations as antigens, and hemolysis inhibition tests were used to detect antibodies in the sera of adult range sheep with naturally acquired caseous lymphadenitis (CL) . The extent and severity of lesions were quantitated on the basis of a lesion score, derived from an examination of the carcass (peripheral lymphoid tissue) and viscera (including internal lymphoid tissue) at the time of slaughter . The overall prevalence of C pseudotuberculosis-positive CL lesions in 104 sheep was 31.7% . The cell wall ELISA detected antibodies in 96.9% (32/33) of sheep with C pseudotuberculosis-positive CL lesions . The exotoxin ELISA detected antibodies in 84.8% (28/33) of positive sheep in the same group . Both ELISA resulted in a high number of apparent false-positives, with 64.7% and 49.2%, respectively, positive optical density (OD) values in sheep with no gross CL lesions and no apparent C pseudotuberculosis infection . There was no significant relationship between the extent of lesion development (lesion score) and OD values in both cell wall (r = 0.472) and exotoxin (r = 0.464) ELISA . Similarly, there was no significant relationship between the titer of antitoxin antibodies, as measured by the hemolysis inhibition test, and the extent of disease . These investigations indicate that those ELISA that use crude C pseudotuberculosis antigens are of questionable utility in the field, where C pseudotuberculosis infection is endemic in many sheep populations . Furthermore, these studies suggest that antibodies that are reactive with components of C pseudotuberculosis and that develop in response to infection may have little impact on the recovery of the host.

Med J Aust, 1990 May 7, 152(9), 458, 461 - 3
Endocarditis associated with prosthetic cardiac valves; Chen SC et al.; Clinical features, microbiology, therapy and outcome of 26 episodes of prosthetic valve endocarditis occurring at Westmead Hospital from 1979 to 1989 were examined retrospectively . Presentation with a new or changed cardiac murmur was associated with early onset infection (within 12 months of prosthetic valve insertion; P = 0.0033) . Corynebacteria were the commonest cause of early onset endocarditis (4 of 11 episodes) and Streptococcus viridans of late onset endocarditis (4 of 15 episodes) . Nine of 11 episodes responded to antimicrobial therapy and 12 of 15 to medical-surgical therapy . There was a trend towards increased mortality in patients with early onset endocarditis presenting with a new or changed cardiac murmur (4 of 9 v . 1 of 17, P = 0.068), suggesting early surgery should be considered in this group . Analysis of antibiograms and published reports indicated that vancomycin and an aminoglycoside should be recommended as empirical therapy for endocarditis occurring 12 to 18 months after prosthetic valve insertion.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 May, 38(5), 355 - 7
{Activity of cefuroxime against bacterial strains isolated from acute otitis media}; Simonet M et al.; The acute otitis media is a frequent infantile disease and, in 80% of cases, a bacterial strain can be isolated from the otorrhoea . Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae are the two major species isolated from auricular exudate, and represent two thirds of all isolated strains, with the others comprising Staphylococcus aureus, Branhamella catarrhalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae and corynebacteria . The treatment of this disease is based principally on beta-lactams (aminopenicillins, cephalosporins) administered by the oral route . Cefuroxime is a cephalosporin which is absorbed via the digestive tract in the form of cefuroxim-axetil . The activity of this compound was studied against 210 strains isolated from otorrhoea, collected from children who presented an acute otitis media during the first half of 1989 . These strains were: 112 strains of H . influenzae, of which 23 produced a beta-lactamase; 21 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae; 3 strains of Streptococcus pyogenes; 10 strains of Branhamella catarrhalis of which 9 produced a beta-lactamase; 18 strains of S . aureus; 14 strains of Enterobacteriaceae, and 32 strains of corynebacteria . The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cefuroxime-axetil was measured by dilution in agar . The MICs of cefuroxime against H . influenzae were low and similar (MIC 50 = 1 mg/l; MIC 90 = 1 mg/l) regardless of whether the strain secreted a beta-lactamase . Overall, 90% and 98% of the 210 strains tested here were inhibited by 1 and 4 mg/l of cefuroxime respectively . These results show that the antibacterial spectrum of cefuroxime-axetil appears to be ideally suited to the bacterial strains isolated from acute otitis media.

Rev Infect Dis, 1990 May-Jun, 12(3), 412 - 5
Unusual pathogens in narcotic-associated endocarditis; Szabo S et al.; We report the cases of three adults with a history of intravenous drug abuse who developed endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium xerosis, Neisseria subflava, and Neisseria flavescens, respectively . No cases of endocarditis caused by C . xerosis or N . flavescens and only one case caused by N . subflava have previously been reported in association with narcotic addiction . The prominent clinical features in all patients included poor response to antibiotic therapy, persistent fever, and major embolic events . Stigmata of infection with human immunodeficiency virus, as manifested by oral candidiasis, cervical lymphadenopathy, and serologic evidence, were present in two of the three patients . At our institution, where Staphylococcus aureus remains the most frequent etiologic agent of narcotic-associated endocarditis, the occurrence of these three cases in a 9-month period is striking . We speculate that infection with human immunodeficiency virus may play a role in the pathogenesis of endocarditis caused by these unusual organisms.

Mol Biol Evol, 1990 May, 7(3), 247 - 54
Contrasting evolutionary histories of chloroplast thioredoxins f and m; Hartman H et al.; Fourteen thioredoxin sequences were used to construct a minimal phylogenetic tree by using parsimony . The bacterial thioredoxins clustered into three groups: one containing the photosynthetic purple bacteria, Escherichia and Corynebacterium; a second containing the photosynthetic green bacterium, Chlorobium; and a third containing cyanobacteria . These groupings are similar to those generated from earlier 16s RNA analyses . Animal thioredoxins formed a fourth group . The two thioredoxins of chloroplasts (f and m) showed contrasting phylogenetic patterns . As predicted from prior studies, spinach chloroplast thioredoxin m grouped with its counterparts from cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae, but, unexpectedly, thioredoxin f grouped with the animal thioredoxins . The results indicate that, during evolution, thioredoxin m of contemporary photosynthetic eukaryotic cells was derived from a prokaryotic symbiont, whereas thioredoxin f descended from an ancestral eukaryote common to plants and animals . The findings illustrate the potential of thioredoxin as a phylogenetic marker and suggest a relationship between the animal and f-type thioredoxins.

J Clin Microbiol, 1990 May, 28(5), 913 - 21
Protein G-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for anti-MPB70 antibodies in bovine tuberculosis; Harboe M et al.; MPB70 is a highly species specific protein which is secreted from Mycobacterium bovis during culture . To investigate whether antibodies against MPB70 can be used as an indicator of infection with M . bovis, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed, based on the use of biotinylated protein G, to provide a common indicator for antibody formation in different species . During experimental infection with M . bovis in cattle, a characteristic pattern of anti-MPB70 antibody production was observed with an initial flat plateau followed by a marked rise 18 to 20 weeks after infection . Skin testing with bovine tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), which was shown to contain antibody-reactive MPB70, was a potent stimulator of antibody production in infected animals . In experimentally infected cattle, we observed an inverse relationship between antibody activity and delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test reactions . In natural M . bovis infections, skin testing with PPD was also a potent stimulator of anti-MPB70 formation . Comparison between the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies to MPB70 and that for antibodies to the widely cross-reacting M . bovis BCG antigen 85B in animals with M . bovis, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections showed that formation of antibody to MPB70 was highly specific for infection with M . bovis . The use of an MPB70-containing PPD preparation for skin testing followed by this anti-MPB70 assay is a highly specific indicator of M . bovis infection . Adjustment of the test conditions is expected to provide an increased sensitivity of the procedure for the diagnosis of natural M . bovis infections.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 May, 38(5), 420 - 5
{Sensitivity curves of multiply resistant corynebacteria JK and D2}; Rauturier M et al.; Corynebacteria groups JK and D2 are opportunistic pathogens . They are sometimes responsible for severe infections, especially in immunocompromised patients . They are resistant to many antibiotics . Under these conditions it seemed important to discover which antibiotics among those regularly active, have a killing effect, what their bactericidal speed is, and how they react to combination with other antibiotics . Glycopeptids have a killing effect within 24 hours . Pristinamycin, rifampin, fusidic acid, when active, are bacteriostatic . Their combination with vancomycin is indifferent but in one case the combination vancomycin + rifampin is synergistic.

J Dent Res, 1990 May, 69(5), 1131 - 7
pH regulation of urease levels in Streptococcus salivarius; Sissons CH et al.; Potential mechanisms for regulation of urease levels in Streptococcus salivarius were examined, including: induction by urea, nitrogen or carbon source repression, and effects of pH and CO2 (because CO2 enrichment enhanced urease detection on urea agar plates) . Regulation by either pH or CO2 was confirmed by comparison of the urease accumulation pattern during anaerobic growth under CO2 with that under N2 . Under CO2, there was an initial buffering plateau at pH 6.2 and a rate of Streptococcus salivarius urease accumulation three-fold that under N2, with a pH 7.6 plateau . With both gas phases there was also an increase in the rate of urease appearance coincident with the decrease in medium pH following the pH plateau . The effects of pH, CO2, and HCO3- on urease levels and on growth were separately assessed by culture in media containing 0, 25, 100 mmol/L KHCO3 buffered at different pH levels . There was an inverse relationship between the logarithm of the urease level after 24-hour growth and the pH during growth-the urease specific activity was 100-fold higher at pH 5.5, compared with pH 7.0 and above . HCO3-/CO2 (100 mmol/L) had little effect on urease levels, but was essential for growth at pH 5.5 . There was no significant urease induction by urea, or repression by ammonia or glucose . There was also evidence of pH regulation of urease levels in some staphylococci, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Corynebacterium renale, but not in Actinomyces naeslundii and several other species . We conclude that the external pH is a major factor regulating urease levels in S . salivarius and possibly some other species-a mechanism equivalent to urease repression by OH-.

Cas Lek Cesk, 1990 Apr 20, 129(16), 498 - 500
{Monitoring natural killer cell activity in the blood of patients with malignant pleural effusion after intrapleural administration of Corynebacterium parvum}; Marel M et al.; In a group of 14 patients with a malignant pleural effusion treated by intrapleural administration of Corynebacterium parvum, in addition to other treatment of the generalized malignant process the activity of Nk cells was investigated before administration, on the 7th and 21st day after instillation of the vaccine . The mean rise of this activity was significant at the 5% level of significance . The activity of Nk cells was equally significantly influenced by age . The survival of patients, although longer in patients who responded positively, was not significantly correlated with the increased activity of Nk cells . Its increase was observed more frequently in the group of patients given the English preparation Coparvax . In the discussion some aspects of the relationship of Nk activity and anti-tumourous immunity are discussed.

Br J Ophthalmol, 1990 Apr, 74(4), 247 - 8
Mixed haematogenous endophthalmitis caused by Candida albicans and CDC fermentative corynebacterium group A-4; Barker C et al.; We report a case of mixed haematogenous endophthalmitis in which Candida albicans and Centres for Disease Control (CDC) corynebacterium group A-4 were isolated together from an aspirate of vitreous humour.

Am J Infect Control, 1990 Apr, 18(2), 82 - 5
Efficiency of skin sterilization for a venipuncture with the use of commercially available alcohol or iodine pads; Choudhuri M et al.; Skin sterilization for a venipuncture is routinely done with commercially available alcohol or iodine pads . Selection of the antiseptics, alcohol or iodine, however, in most situations has been made on the basis of very little scientific data . With many patients with granulocytopenia who are undergoing venipunctures, the choice of antiseptic may be an important factor in preventing infections . We investigated two widely and commercially available disinfectant pads, alcohol and iodine, in the efficacy of skin sterilization . Seventy subjects (35 adults and 35 children) were randomly selected for this study . A designated area of the right and left forearm was sterilized either with alcohol or with an iodine pad in a predetermined uniform fashion . Specimens were obtained for cultures before and after sterilization . The bacterial cultures were performed with the use of blood agar plates and trypticase soy broth . For data analysis growth of any organisms on agar plates or trypticase soy broth after sterilization was interpreted as a sterilization failure . The iodine swab was significantly more efficient than the alcohol swab; the former yielded an 80% sterilization rate whereas the latter resulted in a rate of 61% (p less than 0.02) . If, however, the growth only in agar plates was compared, the alcohol wipe yielded no growth in 83% and iodine in 84%, virtually identical success rates . Bacillus spp . predominated the residual organisms after either the alcohol or the iodine wipe . A variety of other organisms, however, including Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium spp., grew after alcohol but not after iodine sterilization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Immunol, 1990 Apr 1, 144(7), 2725 - 9
Microbiostatic effect of murine-activated macrophages for Toxoplasma gondii . Role for synthesis of inorganic nitrogen oxides from L-arginine; Adams LB et al.; Recent studies show the importance of a single amino acid, L-arginine, as a necessary substrate for activated macrophage-mediated cytotoxic activity for tumor target cells and microbiostatic function for Cryptococcus neoformans . The present studies were carried out to determine the role of the L-arginine-dependent macrophage effector function on the microbiostatic effects of activated macrophages on the obligate intracellular protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii . A guanidino methylated derivative of L-arginine, NGmonomethyl-L-arginine (NGMMA), a competitive inhibitor of the L-arginine-dependent effector pathway, virtually abolished the normally potent microbiostatic effect of macrophages for Toxoplasma gondii after activation of the macrophages in vitro by IFN-gamma and LPS or in vivo by i.p . injection of killed Corynebacterium parvum . Addition of supplemental L-arginine to the culture medium overcame the capacity of NGMMA to block activated macrophage-mediated microbiostasis of Toxoplasma . The ability of NGMMA to inhibit the microbiostatic capacity of activated macrophages for Toxoplasma gondii correlated with almost total inhibition of synthesis of nitrite, nitrate, and L-citrulline from L-arginine . Therefore, as is the case for tumor target cells and C . neoformans, the synthesis of inorganic nitrogen oxides from a terminal guanidino nitrogen atom of L-arginine appears to be essential for murine cytotoxic activated macrophage mediated microbiostatic capacity for T . gondii.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 Apr, 38(4), 302 - 6
{Antibiotherapy in the patient with granulocytopenic cancer}; Van Der Auwera P et al.; Granulocytopenia is the leading alteration of the natural host defense mechanisms, whether caused by an underlying disease or associated with anticancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy . Severe granulocytopenia predisposes to septicemia which is now more often due to Gram positive than to Gram negative bacteria . The empiric therapy of febrile episodes with rapidly bactericidal antibiotics has dramatically modified the prognosis of septicemia . The optimal treatment remains controversial although the usual regimen include both a cephalosporin (or a large spectrum penicillin) with an aminoglycoside . The empiric treatment with a specific anti-Gram positive antibiotic such as vancomycin does not modify prognosis, adds significant side-effects and increases the cost . Monotherapy has been associated with the need for treatment modification in 30-80% of the episodes depending on the type of infection (fever of unknown origin, clinically or microbiologically documented infection) . The patients who remain febrile despite adequate antibacterial empiric treatment beneficiate of an empiric antifungal treatment . Care should be taken about the recent emergence of vancomycin-resistant Staph . haemolyticus, Corynebacterium JK and non-JK, and non-aeruginosa pseudomonas (only susceptible to cotrimoxazole) . More fungal infections are observed with a significant emergence of non-albicans Candida, dermatophytes and filamentous fungi (P . boydii, Fusarium, ...) associated with disseminated infections.

J Bacteriol, 1990 Mar, 172(3), 1256 - 61
Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression in Escherichia coli of the phospholipase D gene from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis; Hodgson AL et al.; The phospholipase D (PLD) gene from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis has been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli . Analysis of DNA sequence data reveals a major open reading frame encoding a 31.4-kilodalton protein, a size consistent with that estimated for the PLD protein by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Comparison of these data with the amino-terminal protein sequence indicates that the mature PLD protein is preceded by a 24-residue signal sequence . Expression of the PLD gene in E . coli is initiated from the corynebacterial promoter, and the resulting protein has sphingomyelinase activity . Primer extension mapping localized the 5' end of the PLD gene mRNA to a site 5 to 7 base pairs downstream of a region similar to the consensus sequence for E . coli promoters . Northern and Southern blot analyses suggest that the gene is transcribed from mRNA approximately 1.1 kilobases in length and that it is present in a single copy within the C . pseudotuberculosis genome.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1990 Mar 1, 196(5), 760 - 2
Hypertrophic osteopathy in a dog with a chronic lung abscess; Hesselink JW et al.; A 2-year-old dog was examined because of gradual lameness of all 4 limbs and weight loss . Hypertrophic osteopathy was diagnosed . Radiography revealed a mass in the caudal lobe of the right lung . At necropsy, the mass was determined to be a chronic abscess . Corynebacterium pyogenes was cultured from the lesion . Although hypertrophic osteopathy in dogs is commonly associated with a thoracic lesion, most often neoplastic, the chronic lung abscess in this dog might have been formed as a result of a paralaryngeal abscess that was treated 3 months before the onset of the lameness.

J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Mar, 136 ( Pt 3), 515 - 9
Characterization and partial purification of L-asparaginase from Corynebacterium glutamicum; Mesas JM et al.; A high L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amidohydrolase: EC 3.5.1.1) activity was found under conditions of lysine overproduction in cultures of Corynebacterium glutamicum . L-Asparaginase was purified 98-fold by protamine sulphate precipitation . DEAE-Sephacel anion exchange, ammonium sulphate precipitation and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration . The asparaginase protein was subjected to PAGE under non-denaturing conditions, identified by an in situ reaction and eluted from the gel in an active form . The estimated Mr from gel filtration and SDS-PAGE was 80,000 . The L-asparaginase activity was inhibited by the L-asparagine analogue 5-diazo-4-oxo-L-norvaline . Neither D-asparagine nor L-glutamine was a substrate for the enzyme . L-Asparaginase was produced constitutively: its role may be that of an overflow enzyme, converting excess asparagine into aspartic acid, the direct precursor of lysine and threonine.

Taehan Chikkwa Uisa Hyophoe Chi, 1990 Mar, 28(3), 299 - 301
{A microbiologic study on anaerobic bacteremia after dental extraction}; Lee JG et al.; It has been known for many years that tooth extraction can cause bacterial dissemination into blood stream, that is, bacteremia . Besides endocarditis--causing bacteria, alpha-hemolytic streptococci, anaerobes are involved in the post- extraction bacteremia . They are of clinical importance because they can cause abscesses in the various parenchymatous organs such as the liver, lung, and brain through anachoresis . The purpose of this study is to establish the types of species of anaerobes associated with post--extraction bacteremia, and to give the baseline to the succeeding study of sensitivity tests of various antibiotics, thus clinicians can chose the right ones . 10ml of blood was sampled pre- and post- operatively from 32 patients and incubated in anaerobic chamber . The followings are the results of this study . 1 . All the preoperative blood samples showed negative culture . 2 . Postoperative blood samples from 8 out of 10 patients (80%) in group 1, from 1 out of 15 (73.3%) in group 2, and 2 out of 7 (28.6%) in group 3 yielded anaerobic and facultative species . 3 . Organisms detected were species belonging to the genera Streptococcus, Bacteroides, Actinomyces, Staphylococcus, Peptostreptococcus, Peptococcus, Propionebacterium, Fusobacterium, nonenterococcus, and Corynebacterium.

Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1990 Mar, 24(2), 77 - 9
{Survey of microbes in hospital environment}; Duan FR; Bacterial count and species distribution in hospital ward was investigated . It was shown that the in air total bacterial count was maximum in the second season of the year and the number of Streptococcus above the standard was in the first season . Bacteria in the air of the ward by number was in this order: Micrococcus tetragenus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus and Corynebacterium . According to the number of bacteria on the equipment and door handle of the ward, the order, was B . subtilis, Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus . Disinfectant solution used for tools and instruments was proved to be effective . The observation is useful to hospital administration.

J Bacteriol, 1990 Mar, 172(3), 1663 - 6
High-frequency conjugal plasmid transfer from gram-negative Escherichia coli to various gram-positive coryneform bacteria; Schafer A et al.; We report on the mobilization of shuttle plasmids from gram-negative Escherichia coli to gram-positive corynebacteria mediated by P-type transfer functions . Introduction of plasmids into corynebacteria was markedly enhanced after heat treatment of the recipient cells . High-frequency plasmid transfer was also observed when the restriction system of the recipient was mutated . On the basis of our data, we conclude that efficient DNA transfer from gram-negative to gram-positive bacteria, at least to coryneform bacteria, is conceivable in certain natural ecosystems.

J Biotechnol, 1990 Mar, 13(4), 257 - 66
Microbial glycolipid production under nitrogen limitation and resting cell conditions; Kim JS et al.; Rhodococcus erythropolis is able to synthesize an anionic trehalose-2,2',3,4-tetraester during cultivation on n-alkanes . Preconditions for an overproduction are nitrogen limitation, temperature- and pH-shift . The optimum carbon source was technical grade n-C-10, which led to 0.35 g g-1 of glycolipid per n-alkane . Electron microscopical observations showed that n-C-14,15 (technical grade) grown cells contained numerous lipid inclusions in contrast to n-C-10 (technical grade) grown cells . Nocardia corynebacteroides synthesizes a novel pentasaccharide lipid and as size products small amounts of trehalose-corynomycolates . Optimum precursors for overproduction are n-alkanes from n-tetradecane to n-hexadecane with yields in the range of 0.17 g g-1 of glycolipid per carbon source.

Microb Pathog, 1990 Feb, 8(2), 157 - 62
Changes in ovine erythrocyte morphology due to sphingomyelin degradation by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis phospholipase D; Brogden KA et al.; Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis produces a sphingomyelin-specific phospholipase D exotoxin that is a major determinant in the pathogenesis of caseous lymphadenitis . We assessed the changes induced in the morphology and sphingomyelin concentration of ovine erythrocytes after incubation with broth culture filtrates or purified exotoxin . Sphingomyelin was hydrolysed nearly in parallel with shape change . Morphologically, spherostomatocytes were seen initially, and later these contained numerous vacuoles at the periphery . Vacuoles seen in thin sections with transmission electron microscopy appeared as pits with scanning electron microscopy . Pitting became progressively worse with time, leading to extensive scalloping of the membrane surface . Chemically, significant decreases (P less than or equal to 0.05) in erythrocyte membrane sphingomyelin content and significant increases (P less than or equal to 0.05) in the content of glycerophospholipids (i.e . phosphatidylglycerol) were observed in erythrocytes incubated with broth culture filtrates or purified exotoxin . These alterations may contribute to the pathophysiology of acute infections induced by C . pseudotuberculosis.

Immunobiology, 1990 Feb, 180(2-3), 124 - 37
Effects of stimulated or immunologically activated macrophages on the induction of immune responses to Listeria monocytogenes; Yoshikai Y et al.; The influences of peritoneal macrophages induced by proteose peptone, Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum) or Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) on the initiation and development of immune responses and protection against Listeria monocytogenes infection were studied in mice . Mice treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with proteose peptone 4 days previously showed much the same level of protection against an intraperitoneal infection with Listeria as untreated mice . Mice treated i.p . with C . parvum 4 days previously, of which peritoneal macrophages had increased abilities for intracellular killing of Listeria and O2- generation as compared with peptone-elicited macrophages, exhibited an enhanced resistance against the listerial infection . The degree of immune responses, as assessed by delayed footpad reaction (DFR), was rather depressed in these mice because C . parvum-activated macrophages acting as scavenger cells reduced the amount of effective antigenic stimulation . BCG-activated peritoneal macrophages from mice treated i.p . with BCG 14 days previously showed a strong ability for antigen presentation in correlation with increases in the number of Ia-bearing macrophages and in the level of interleukin 1 (IL 1) production . These mice showed an early appearance of DFR response and a markedly enhanced resistance against the listerial infection . These results suggested that the differences in macrophage activities as scavenger cells, cytokine-secreting cells and antigen presenting cells may account for the differences in the responsiveness against listerial infection in peptone-, C . parvum- and BCG-treated mice.

J Dairy Sci, 1990 Feb, 73(2), 351 - 6
Growth of Corynebacterium bovis in mammary secretions during physiological transitions of the bovine mammary gland; Oliver SP et al.; An in vitro microassay was used to evaluate growth of five strains of Corynebacterium bovis in mammary secretions collected from quarters of five Holstein cows at 0, 14, and 28 d of involution, at parturition, and 14 d after parturition . Variation in growth among different strains of Corynebacterium bovis was observed . Corynebacterium bovis grew well in mammary secretions obtained at the last milking of lactation, at parturition, and 14 d after parturition . However, growth of four strains of Corynebacterium bovis in mammary secretions obtained at 14 and 28 d of involution was reduced significantly . In contrast, a streptomycin-resistant strain of Corynebacterium bovis grew well in mammary secretions obtained during involution . These data suggest that mammary secretions support growth of Corynebacterium bovis during lactation but inhibit growth during the nonlactating period . Inhibition of growth in secretions collected during the nonlactating period may be associated with the high rate of spontaneous elimination of Corynebacterium bovis intramammary infection from cessation of milking to parturition . Conversely, enhanced growth in milk may be related to persistent Corynebacterium bovis intramammary infections during lactation.

Histopathology, 1990 Feb, 16(2), 187 - 9
Diphtheria with a difference--a rare Corynebacterium fatality with associated apoptotic cell death; Leek MD et al.; A case of infection with Corynebacterium ulcerans (C . ulcerans), resulted in the sudden death of a previously healthy 73-year-old woman . Death from Corynebacterium diphtheriae (C . diphtheriae) infection is well-documented . Fatalities following infection with C . ulcerans are unreported; this would appear to be the first documented death due to such infection.

Eur Respir J, 1990 Feb, 3(2), 240 - 2
Human pulmonary infection with Corynebacterium equi; Egawa T et al.; A 28 year old man with no underlying disease developed a cavity and multiple nodules in the lung from which Corynebacterium equi was isolated . He experimented with organic solvents and microorganisms including Corynebacterium species for several years . Computed tomography of his pulmonary lesions revealed that these nodules were related to the bronchial tree . Histologically, the lesions were compatible with nonspecific inflammatory changes . The clinician must suspect the pulmonary infections with Corynebacterium species even if the patient has no underlying disease.

Am J Vet Res, 1990 Feb, 51(2), 200 - 2
Effect of muramyl dipeptide on immunogenicity of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis whole-cell vaccines in mice and lambs; Brogden KA et al.; Colostrum-deprived lambs and CF1 mice were vaccinated with water-in-oil emulsion vaccines containing nonviable whole cells (WC) of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis with and without muramyl dipeptide (MDP) . Efficacy of vaccines was determined from the survival of mice and lesions in lambs after IV injection of 10(4) colony-forming units of C pseudotuberculosis . In mice, protection was related to the concentration of WC in the vaccine . At 50, 100, or 150 micrograms of WC, protection was good (78.8%) . At 10 or 25 micrograms of WC, protection was considerably less (54.7%) . At high WC concentrations, protection could only be moderately increased to 82.3% with high (50 and 100 micrograms) concentrations of MDP or increased to 90% protection with low (5 and 10 micrograms) concentrations of MDP . At low WC concentrations, protection significantly decreased to 32% (P less than 0.025) with high concentrations of MDP, but significantly increased to 72.5% (P less than 0.025) with low concentrations of MDP . Therefore, the amount of protection with lower concentrations of WC and MDP was comparable with the amount of protection with higher concentrations of WC without MDP . In lambs, high prechallenge antibody titers (geometric mean titers from 5.1 to 5.4 by day 35) were observed after vaccination with WC . Protection and vaccination site abscesses in lambs were related to the concentration of WC and MDP . Pulmonary or vaccination site abscesses were not observed in 4 of 4 lambs vaccinated with 1 mg of WC + 50 micrograms of MDP.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1990 Feb, 25 Suppl B, 1 - 5
The antimicrobial activity of fusidic acid; Verbist L; Fusidic acid, a fusidane that interferes with protein synthesis via the translocase enzyme, is mainly notable for its activity against staphylococci, coagulase-positive and negative, whether or not they are resistant to methicillin and related penicillins . It is also active against corynebacteria and against many genera of strict anaerobes and microaerophiles . Mutants showing resistance, by more than one mechanism, may readily be selected in vitro . Combination of fusidic acid with other antibiotics generally gives addition or indifference, but also delays emergence of resistant mutants.

Chem Phys Lipids, 1990 Feb, 52(3-4), 259 - 62
Effect of low mole fraction of trehalose dicorynomycolate from Corynebacterium diphtheriae on water permeability and electrical capacitance of lipid bilayer membranes; Imasato H et al.; The effect of incorporation of different proportions of trehalose dicorynomycolates (TDC) into lecithin bilayer membranes was studied . It was found that TDC, induces a 14% decrease of water osmotic permeability (42.6 +/- 3.9 to 36.8 +/- 2.7 microns/s) at 1.6 mole%, suggesting that this substance leads to an increase of the degree of packing of the constituent lipid molecules . A condensing effect of TDC was also apparent from membrane electrical capacitance (Cm) measurement . By incorporating TDC into bilayer membranes, the value of Cm experienced a decrease of 29% at 1.6% mole fraction . This finding was taken to reflect an increase in membrane thickness, known in many examples, to be related to the condensing effect.

J Med Microbiol, 1990 Feb, 31(2), 137 - 49
A pyrolysis-mass spectrometry study of Corynebacterium spp; Hindmarch JM et al.; Clinical (66) and collection (38) strains of Corynebacterium spp., including C . jeikeium and CDC group D2, and of Listeria monocytogenes were examined . Conventional characters used in species identification were assessed by a microbiochemical method, and pyrolysis-mass spectrometry (Py-MS) was performed with a Horizon Instruments PYMS 200X . Classification based on Py-MS data yielded clusters that corresponded with species identification and classification groups from conventional data . One small group of clinical strains, homogeneous in conventional tests and Py-MS, comprised isolates from sputum samples from patients undergoing ventilation; they were similar to collection strains of C . renale and C . striatum; the latter species has been implicated in chest infection . Another group, similar to C . minutissimum in both systems, comprised clinical strains isolated from urogenital specimens . L . monocytogenes strains were clearly distinct from Corynebacterium spp . Groups comprising CDC D2 strains and C . jeikeium were resolved, and were similar to other Corynebacterium spp . Two collection strains of C . xerosis were distinct in conventional tests and Py-MS.

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1990 Feb, 8(2), 88 - 90
{Corynebacterium jeikeium septicemia}; Sanz JC et al.; An adult male with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, who had been admitted to the hospital for more than one month and had received previous antibiotic therapy, developed Corynebacterium jeikeium septicemia . The organism was isolated in four blood cultures and it was multirresistant, being only sensitive to vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and rifampin . The patient improved clinically and was bacteriologically cured with intravenous vancomycin therapy.

Nippon Juigaku Zasshi, 1990 Feb, 52(1), 11 - 8
Cloning and expression of a pili gene of Corynebacterium renale in Escherichia coli; Abe S et al.; A plasmid gene library of Corynebacterium renale piliated strain No . 109P+ was prepared in Escherichia coli in order to study the chemical structure of the pili of C . renale . Of 3,000 recombinant clones tested, 5 reacted with anti-pili anti-serum . The gene products of these clones reacted with anti-pili monoclonal antibodies 8/4, 5/2 and B20/3 but lacked the reactivity with 13/4 . SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the expressed protein had a molecular mass of 48 kilodalton and deletion analysis showed that the encoding region for this protein was localized within a 1.4 kilobase gene including a promoter sequence . Immunoelectron microscopy showed that mouse antibodies raised to the expressed protein bound to the entire surface of the pili of C . renale . These results indicate that the cloned gene encodes a major structural protein of C . renale pili.

J Immunol, 1990 Jan 15, 144(2), 699 - 706
Characterization of two proteins from Leishmania donovani and their use for vaccination against visceral leishmaniasis; Jaffe CL et al.; Two proteins from Leishmania donovani, dp72 and gp70-2, have been previously utilized to specifically serodiagnose patients with visceral leishmaniasis . The proteins were shown by ELISA and Western blotting with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to be present in both stages of the parasite . Antibodies to gp70-2 recognize in promastigotes multiple discrete bands of similar m.w . which are common to several isolates of L . donovani . The total amount of Ag and number of bands observed per isolate is not constant . Lectin blots with Con A show gp70-2 to be a glycoprotein . Dp72 shows pronounced microheterogeneity between isolates of L . donovani . The Brazilian isolates examined appear to possess a lower m.w . form (64,000 or 68,000) of this molecule . No reactions were observed with dp72 and lectins in Western blots; and neither tunicamycin, N-glycanase, endoglycosidase H nor F affected the migration of {35S}-methionine-labeled protein on SDS-PAGE . A mAb against dp72 also cross-reacted in Western blots with a 60-kDa protein in Leishmania major, Leishmania aethiopica, and Leishmania tropica . No reaction was observed between the purified promastigote surface protease (gp63) and either monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies produced to dp72 or gp70-2 . The ability of the pure proteins to provide protection against a challenge by L . donovani amastigotes was examined . BALB/c mice were immunized with gp70-2 and/or dp72 by using Corynebacterium parvum as an adjuvant . Mice immunized with gp70-2 were not protected; however, mice receiving dp72 showed a 81.1% reduction in the liver parasitemia compared with the adjuvant controls.

Infect Immun, 1990 Jan, 58(1), 131 - 6
Cloning and expression of the phospholipase D gene from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in Escherichia coli; Songer JG et al.; A toxic phospholipase D (PLD) is putatively involved in pathogenesis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections . We report here the cloning and expression of the PLD gene (pld) in Escherichia coli . A cosmid library of DNA from C . pseudotuberculosis biovar ovis isolate Whetten 1 was constructed and screened for PLD-producing recombinants by plating them on LB agar containing sheep erythrocytes and equi factors . One recombinant, designated pCpO1, yielded a gene product which displayed synergistic hemolytic and sphingomyelinase D activities, both of which are characteristic of PLD . Subcloning into pUC19 yielded a recombinant, pCpO50, which contained a 1.8-kilobase insert . Analysis of supernatant fluids and cell extracts of cultures of E . coli(pCpO50) revealed sphingomyelinase activity and a protein of about 31,000 Mr, neither of which were detected in E . coli(pUC19) . The 31-kilodalton protein also reacted with antibodies in serum from a sheep naturally infected with C . pseudotuberculosis, serum which also contained PLD-neutralizing antibodies . When Southern blots of BamHI digests of DNA from biovar ovis and biovar equi isolates of C . pseudotuberculosis were probed with pCpO50, bands of 4.8 and 1.9 kilobases, respectively, were seen, suggesting that the genome organization of pld is different for isolates from the two biovars.

Can J Vet Res, 1990 Jan, 54(1), 195 - 7
In vitro susceptibility of selected veterinary bacterial pathogens to ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and norfloxacin; Prescott JF et al.; The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and norfloxacin were tested for approximately ten clinical isolates of each of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Actinobacillus suis, Actinomyces pyogenes, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Haemophilus parasuis, Haemophilus somnus, Pasteurella haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Rhodococcus equi, Streptococcus equi, Streptococcus suis and Streptococcus zooepidemicus . Ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin had similar activity and were more active than norfloxacin . All isolates had an MIC of 1.0 microgram/mL or less for ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin, and these drugs had particularly marked activity against the gram-negative bacteria tested.

Oncology, 1990, 47(1), 62 - 4
Malignant pleural effusions: meaning of pleural-fluid pH determination; Foresti V et al.; In 36 patients with malignant pleural effusions, we determined the pH and the glucose concentration of the pleural fluid . Twenty-one of 36 patients (58.3%) had a low pH (less than 7.30) and 15 had a normal pH (greater than or equal to 7.30; 7.13 +/- 0.12 vs . 7.37 +/- 0.05; p less than 0.0005) . The patients with low pH had significantly lower glucose concentrations than those with normal pH (2.7 +/- 1.4 vs . 6.3 +/- 2.9 mmol/l; p less than 0.0005) . Twenty-one of 34 patients (61.7%) had a glucose concentration lower than a cut-off value of 4.4 mmol/l; of these, 17 (81%) had a low pH . The mean survival in the low-pH group was 4.8 +/- 4.4 months, whereas the mean survival in the normal-pH group was 5 +/- 8 months (p greater than 0.4) . Twelve of 36 patients (33.3%) were treated with intrapleural Corynebacterium parvum (CBP) injections . Fourteen of 21 low-pH patients (66.6%) survived more than 2 months, and 4 of them are still alive . Six of 15 normal-pH patients (40%) survived more than 2 months, and 1 of them is still alive . Three of the 5 living patients were treated with CBP (2 in the low-pH group and 1 in the normal-pH groups) . Our results confirm that pH and glucose concentrations in the pleural fluid of patients with malignant effusions are frequently low . However, the survival and the response to CBP pleurodesis in patients with low-pH malignant effusions are the same as those in patients with normal-pH malignant effusions.

J Clin Microbiol, 1990 Jan, 28(1), 8 - 10
Native valve endocarditis caused by an organism resembling Corynebacterium striatum; Markowitz SM et al.; An organism resembling Corynebacterium striatum was isolated from the blood of a patient with acute aortic valvular insufficiency and no history of valvular heart disease . At autopsy, histopathologic examination of the aortic valve revealed pleomorphic gram-positive bacilli and destruction of valvular tissue . Our isolate differed from other nondiphtherial corynebacteria, including the type strain of C . striatum (ATCC 6940), in its ability to reduce nitrite . Nitrite reduction may be useful for distinguishing strains of corynebacteria.

Arteriosclerosis, 1990 Jan-Feb, 10(1), 8 - 16
Effects of activation on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in murine macrophages; Kraemer FB et al.; The effects of activation on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism were examined in resident murine macrophages, inflammatory cells elicited by thioglycolate, primed cells elicited by pyran copolymer, and activated cells elicited by Corynebacterium parvum . Low density lipoprotein receptors were reduced by 70%, while scavenger receptors were reduced 60% in activated cells . Basal cholesteryl ester and triglyceride synthesis were increased fourfold in activated cells, whereas the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase was high in resident cells and progressively declined by greater than 80% in activated cells . Activities of neutral cholesteryl esterase and neutral triglyceride lipase were increased two- to fourfold in inflammatory, primed, and activated macrophages . These results demonstrate the diverse changes in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism that occur with activation and emphasize how the behavior of macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions can be altered by activation.

Arch Ophthalmol, 1990 Jan, 108(1), 107 - 12
Pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba and a Corynebacterium in the rat cornea; Badenoch PR et al.; Acanthamoeba keratitis is a sight-threatening disease that is difficult to treat . The development of an animal model is necessary for many of the studies required to improve visual outcome in human patients . A rat model is proposed that is dependent on coinoculation of amebae and corynebacteria into the corneal stroma . The infective dose was determined for a virulent Acanthamoeba isolate and was used to screen 17 other isolates, including 7 from the human cornea . A total of 6 were infective in the rat cornea . The model should be useful for controlled in vivo studies of this intractable condition.

Mikrobiyol Bul, 1990 Jan, 24(1), 79 - 87
{Immunotoxins}; Gedikoglu S; An immunologic approach besides surgical, radiotherapeutic, chemotherapeutic methods in the treatment of cancer was proposed for the first time by Paul Ehrlich in 1906 . The structure, produced by conjugating the antibodies against the tumor cells with a toxin molecule by Moolten and Cooperband (1970) was named as Immunotoxins . Producing antibodies with the desired amount and purity was achieved by improving the Hybridoma technology, Immunotoxins were tried to be produced by conjugating the monoclonal antibodies with the different toxic agents . Removing the receptor binding region of the toxin molecule was demonstrated to be more effective although good results were obtained from the studies utilising the toxin of Corynebacterium diphtheriae . Toxin production with the desired amount and structure was accomplished by the improved genetic methods . Although in vivo applications of the immunotoxins are still limited, it is believed that they will be important therapeutic agents in the future.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1990, 37(2), 201 - 6
Revision of the validity of CAMP tests for Listeria identification . Proposal of an alternative method for the determination of haemolytic activity by Listeria strains; Vazquez-Boland JA et al.; The validity of CAMP tests with Staphylococcus aureus and Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi as defined for Listeria identification was revised . This characterization method appeared to be unreliable for two reasons: first, a positive CAMP test with R . equi is not specific for Listeria ivanovii as Listeria monocytogenes (and Listeria seeligeri) give also a clear positive reaction; second, doubtful reactions could be observed with S . aureus when assaying haemolytic and non-haemolytic Listeria strains (possibility of false negative and false positive results; subjectivity of the interpretation) . The use of a Microplate technique previously described instead of CAMP tests is proposed for the reliable demonstration of the haemolytic character of Listeria in the routine identification of these organisms.

Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol, 1990, 12(3), 457 - 77
Augmentation of host defense against bacterial infection pretreated intraperitoneally with an alpha-glucan RBS in mice; Takeda Y et al.; Protection against Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli in mice was enhanced by an intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of polysaccharide "RBS" . Peritoneal macrophages from mice administered i.p . with 30 mg/kg doses of RBS 4 days earlier exhibited increased scavenger functions as assessed by in vivo phagocytosis, in vitro intracellular killing and generation of superoxide anion . When cytokine production of the macrophages was assessed by biological assay and Northern blotting analysis, interleukin (IL)-1 production and IL-1 alpha gene expression were significantly increased in macrophages from RBS-treated mice . On the other hand, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha gene was expressed in macrophages from RBS-treated mice at a much reduced level as compared with those in mice treated i.p . with Corynebacterium parvum on 4 days earlier . In correlation with expression of TNF gene in the macrophages, RBS-treated mice were less susceptible to the lethal toxicity of LPS than C.parvum-treated mice . In RBS-treated mice, in vivo elimination of bacteria was enhanced at the early phase of infection with L.monocytogenes or E.coli, resulting in augmentation of host defense against these bacterial infection . These results suggest that adequately enhanced activities of macrophages acting as scavenger phagocytes play important roles in the enhanced resistance against bacteria in mice treated i.p . with RBS.

Semin Surg Oncol, 1990, 6(6), 364 - 8
Immunotherapy of gynecologic malignancies; Foon KA et al.; Systemic Corynebacterium parvum and BCG have limited activity in gynecologic malignancies . Although intraperitoneal C . parvum is active, its toxicity is prohibitive . Intraperitoneal alpha-interferon is an active second line agent for minimal residual disease following combination chemotherapy . Intraperitoneal interferon trials are ongoing . Alpha-interferon is also active against lower genital tract condyloma acuminata . Sufficient numbers of patients have not been evaluated to determine the activity of interleukin-2(IL-2) in gynecologic malignancies . Radioisotope labeled monoclonal antibodies can image gynecologic malignancies and may have a future therapeutic role . The last decade has witnessed a substantial growth in immunotherapy and has demonstrated a role for biologic agents in cancer therapy . Continued improvement in biologic therapies should lead to major advances in gynecologic cancer diagnosis and therapy.

J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol, 1990 Jan-Apr, 10(1-2), 41 - 4
Antimicrobial action of roquefortine; Kopp-Holtwiesche B et al.; Roquefortine, a secondary metabolite of Penicillium roqueforti, was investigated with regard to its effect on microorganisms . The growth of gram-positive bacteria was inhibited by roquefortine, whereas gram-negative bacteria were not influenced at all . The minimal inhibitory concentrations for gram-positive organisms were about 80 micrograms/mL cells on the average . The sensitive bacterium Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens was chosen for characterizing the antimicrobial action of the mycotoxin . Addition of low roquefortine concentrations at the beginning of bacterial growth resulted in prolongation of both the lag and logarithmic phases . High toxin concentrations (100 micrograms/mL cells) added to growing cells caused prolongation of logarithmic growth and decreased maximum cell density . This effect could be abolished when the cells, inhibited during the logarithmic growth, were centrifuged, washed, and transferred into fresh nutrient medium . In that case a second prolonged lag phase occurred, but the following logarithmic growth was comparable to normal cell growth . These results indicate that the antimicrobial effect of roquefortine is bacteriostatic but not bactericide . The growth inhibition might be a consequence of a roquefortine influence on bacterial respiration . The uptake of oxygen was reduced to 50% at a toxin concentration of 100 micrograms/mL cells.

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol, 1990, 228(5), 458 - 60
External eye flora as a nutrient source for Acanthamoeba; Larkin DF et al.; Certain bacteria cause excystment of Acanthamoeba from cyst to trophozoite form and are then ingested by migrating trophozoites . We studied the response of Acanthamoeba cysts to inoculation on agar seeded with three types of commensal eye bacteria and Escherichia coli . Amoebae excysted on all bacteria tested, and the migration rate of Acanthamoeba trophozoites on each was compared . Acanthamoeba migrated with equal speed on E . coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis . Migration was observed, but was more slow on Micrococcus and Corynebacterium . Commensal bacteria on the eyelids, conjunctiva and tear film may have a role in pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop, 1990, 42(4), 512 - 4
Prevalence of mastitis in imported Friesian cows in Sudan; Abdelrahim AI et al.; Three hundred twenty-two lactating Friesian cows were examined for mastitis by different diagnostic techniques . The predominant pathogens encountered were Staphylococci, Streptococci, Corynebacterium and Escherichia coli spp.

Med Lab Sci, 1990 Jan, 47(1), 36 - 41
Corynebacteria: incidence among samples submitted to a clinical laboratory for culture; Marshall RJ et al.; Over the period of one year, 83 corynebacteria isolates were identified in our laboratory, and their clinical relevance assessed by reference to patients whose clinical notes were available . Eleven species of corynebacteria were identified including four biotypes of C . jeikeium; six organisms were non-typeable; C . jeikeium and C . xerosis predominated . Species identified in the literature as causing clinical infection were also isolated--though in smaller proportions--as were strains of C . jeikeium which were not multi-resistant to antibiotics . Immuno-compromised patients and those with renal impairment had an increased frequency of corynebacteria . The isolation of C . jeikeium from the blood of a neonate suggests that this may be a potential pathogen in these patients . Antibiotic susceptibility of an organism was not a reliable marker of significance, and a reliable biotyping scheme should be adopted.

Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol, 1990, 12(3), 363 - 87
Characterization of Corynebacterium parvum-induced suppressor cells of mouse NK and ADCC activity; Santoni A et al.; Treatment of mice with Corynebacterium parvum (Cp) resulted in a substantial decrease in natural killer activity in the spleen at 10 days . The decrease in cytotoxicity was associated with the presence of splenic nonadherent (NA) suppressor cells, capable of inhibiting natural as well as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) . The nonadherent suppressor cells appeared to be null cells, lacking detectable expression of Thy 1, L3T4 (CD4), Lyt 2 (CD8), or asialo-GM1 and could be physically separated from cells with NK activity by centrifugation on Percoll discontinuous density gradients . Our results indicate that Cp can negatively modulate cytolytic functions of NK cells by inhibiting the effector phase of cytotoxicity.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1990, 31(2), 121 - 7
Cyclophosphamide and abrogation of tumor-induced suppressor T cell activity; Hoover SK et al.; Previously we have demonstrated that the in vitro generation of P815-specific anti-tumor cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) was suppressed by splenic suppressor T cells from late tumor-bearing hosts (TBH) . Suppression is not caused by in vitro growth of P815 from splenic metastases, since suppression was also seen with spleen cells from late TBH mice bearing a hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine-sensitive subline (PHS-5) of P815 in the presence of HAT . Cyclophosphamide has been shown to inhibit the induction of suppressor cells selectively in a number of immune responses, but evidence that it can inhibit active tumor-induced suppressor T cells is limited . We have found that suppressor T cells already induced by P815 in syngeneic late TBH are sensitive to low doses of cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg) given 1 day before spleen harvest, but the in vitro CTL response of late TBH spleen cells could not be restored by pretreating the mice with cyclophosphamide, even when exogenous interleukin-2 was added to the cultures . Although 50 mg/kg cyclophosphamide did not inhibit the CTL response of spleen cells from mice immunized with P815 + Corynebacterium parvum, the same dose of cyclophosphamide eliminated the CTL response of spleen cells from early TBH . Interleukin-2 (IL-2) did not overcome this effect of cyclophosphamide, suggesting a direct effect on CTL . "Ultra-low" -dose cyclophosphamide (10 mg/kg) did not adversely effect early TBH CTL but was still able to eliminate suppressor T cell activity from late TBH . Nevertheless, late TBH CTL remained unresponsive after pretreatment of mice with ultra-low-dose cyclophosphamide, even when exogenous IL-2 was added in vitro . CTL precursor frequency analyses demonstrated that cyclophosphamide pretreatment had little or no effect on the numbers of CTL precursors from early TBH . Late TBH CTL precursor cells were not detectable in these studies, with or without suppressor T cell inhibition by cyclophosphamide pretreatment . Thus, it appears that most CTL precursor cells may be lost or irretrievably inactivated in the spleens of late TBH mice.

Immunology, 1990 Jan, 69(1), 127 - 33
Relation between locomotion, chemotaxis and clustering of immune cells; Wilkinson PC; Experiments were designed to discover whether locomotor or chemotactic events are needed for clustering of lymphocytes with accessory cells or, conversely, whether clustering precedes the activation of lymphocyte locomotion . The time-courses of clustering and locomotor activation were compared and the behaviour of moving cells during cluster formation was filmed . Human lymphocytes direct from blood were activated by culture for 24-48 hr with anti-CD3 antibody or in allogeneic mixed leucocyte reactions (AMLR) . The proportion of clustered and locomotor lymphocytes was low at the beginning of culture . Clusters appeared during the first few hours, before the increase in numbers of locomotor lymphocytes . Filming gave no evidence that the cells attracted one another chemotactically to form clusters . Rather, cells made chance contact by random locomotion and then remained adherent, though lymphocytes very close (less than or equal to 10 microns) to clusters did show increased pseudopod formation towards the cluster . However, the behaviour of motile lymphocytes responding to monocytes or macrophages given a phagocytic stimulus was different . Human monocytes which ingested opsonized zymosan released a material during but not following phagocytosis which caused an immediate increase in polar shape-change in lymphocytes . Macrophages from Corynebacterium parvum-induced mouse peritoneal exudates, given a phagocytic stimulus (opsonized Candida albicans), acted as sources of chemotactic gradients which attracted nearby lymphocytes to form clusters . This was due to brief release of a material immediately following phagocytosis, but after 15 min or so the macrophages no longer attracted nearby cells . These experiments suggest that, during induction of an immune response to a non-phagocytic stimulus, clusters form slowly by random contact followed by preferential adhesion . However, after phagocytosis, there may be a chemotactic response to the ingesting macrophage . This may help to focus lymphocytes onto macrophages which present microbial antigens.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1990 Jan, 9(1), 30 - 3
Comparative in vitro activity of the new erythromycin derivative dirithromycin against gram-positive bacteria isolated from cancer patients; Rolston KV et al.; The in vitro activity of dirithromycin (LY-237216), a new macrolide erythromycin derivative, was compared to that of four other agents (clarithromycin, erythromycin, roxithromycin, clindamycin) against 334 gram-positive isolates obtained from cancer patients . Dirithromycin was similar in potency and antimicrobial spectrum to the other agents tested . It was very active against beta-haemolytic streptococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and moderately active against penicillin and methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Corynebacterium jeikeium . Erythromycin resistant organisms were also resistant to dirithromycin.

Pol Arch Weter, 1990, 30(3-4), 155 - 61
{Changes in the aortic arch of calves with bacterial infections}; Balbierz H et al.; The autopsy and histopathological changes in the wall of aortic arch were presented in calves died of pulmonary and intestinal disorders . The bacteriological examinations of the internal organs demonstrated: E . coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Corynebacterium et al . Gelatinous edematous++ and hemorrhagic inflammatory centers of aortic arch adventitia were distinctly visible during thorax examination . In aortic arch the diagonal fissures of endothelium and deeper layers of the wall were found . In microscopical examination the heavy degenerative changes in the arch endothelium and deeper layers were observed . The fissures were from 0.5 to several millimeters in length and penetrated 1/3 to 1/2 thickness at the wall . The authors suggested that starting point of this changes are Gram-negative bacillary inflammatory centers in lungs . The bacterial endotoxins and vasoactive substances liberated by altered cells penetrated the aortic arch by the tissues continuity and in contact way.

Chemotherapy, 1990, 36(6), 403 - 6
In vitro activity of fleroxacin against aerobic gram-positive bacteria including Corynebacterium jeikeium; Hohl P et al.; Fleroxacin (Ro 23-6240, AM-833), a new fluoro-4-quinolone, was tested in vitro against 273 gram-positive clinical isolates . Norfloxacin, a quinolone mostly used in urinary tract infections, was included as a standard . Overall, in vitro activities of fleroxacin and norfloxacin were superposable, but interestingly, fleroxacin was two- to fourfold more active against Staphylococcus aureus, and 1 mg/l of fleroxacin inhibited all 5 multiply resistant Corynebacterium jeikeium tested . While both quinolones were similarly active weight by weight, fleroxacin with its more favorable pharmacokinetic properties harbors the added promise of clinical usefulness in systemic infections against susceptible isolates.

Vopr Med Khim, 1990 Jan-Feb, 36(1), 27 - 31
{Deoxyribonuclease from Corynebacterium diphtheriae: dynamics of synthesis and properties}; Iusupova DV et al.; Diphtheritic bacteria of PW-8 Massachusetts strain produced into cultural medium only one nucleotidase--endoDNAase . The enzyme was synthesized by the cells during the exponential phase of growth . The DNAase was purified 500-fold and exhibited properties specific to neutral-alkaline DNAases (pH optimum about 7.5, absolute requirements for Me2+, single-step mechanism of substrate hydrolysis) . The following properties were typical for the enzyme: absence of distinct specificity to structure of bases surrounding the hydrolyzed bond, formation of 5'-end phosphate groups and slightly higher preference to denatured DNA.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1990 Jan 1, 54(1-3), 299 - 301
DNA sequence homology between attB-related sites of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium ulcerans, Corynebacterium glutamicum, and the attP site of gamma-corynephage; Cianciotto N et al.; Chromosomal restriction fragments of Corynebacterium ulcerans and C . diphtheriae, containing an integration site for corynephages of the beta family, show homology on Southern blots . Homologous DNA in also found in the soil isolate C . glutamicum, although this strain is not susceptible to beta-corynephages . Three of these DNA fragments, one for each bacterial strain, and a fragment of gamma-corynephage DNA previously shown to contain the phage integration site, were cloned and sequenced . Alignment of the 3 bacterial sequences shows a very high degree of homology in a stretch of ca 120 nucleotides, whereas the rest of the sequences is generally non-homologous . Within this common bacterial portion, a segment of ca . 96 nucleotides (core sequence) is also highly homologous to the phage sequence . The first half (ca . 50 bp) of the core sequence is identical in all aligned sequences whereas the second half, which is largely occupied by a stem-and-loop structure, contains point mutations peculiar to each clone . The described sequences are likely to be involved in phage integration/excision processes.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1990 Jan 1, 54(1-3), 119 - 23
Localization of an origin of replication in Corynebacterium diphtheriae broad host range plasmid pNG2 that also functions in Escherichia coli; Serwold-Davis TM et al.; Subcloning and protoplast transformation studies identified a 2.6 kb fragment of Corynebacterium diphtheriae plasmid pNG2 which contains an origin of replication (oriR) . Molecular combination of the 2.6 kb oriR cartridge with Escherichia coli plasmid pUC18CmR enabled the E . coli cloning vector to replicate within several species of Corynebacterium host cells . A 2.6 kb plasmid formed from the oriR cartridge alone is capable of replicating in E . coli . This suggests that a single origin could be used in vectors shuttling between Corynebacterium spp . and E . coli.

Acta Vet Hung, 1990, 38(4), 231 - 8
Survey of Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) pleuropneumoniae infection in swine by different methods; Molnar E; Lung and serum samples from pigs that died or were emergency-slaughtered in a pooled, conventional fattening herd were examined to survey Actinobacillus pleuro-pneumoniae infection and to compare the sensitivity of different testing methods . A total of 110 lungs were used for cultural isolation of the agent and direct immunofluorescence (IF) of impression smears . Boiled lung suspensions were tested by coagglutination (Co-A) and agar gel precipitation (AGP) . Eighty-seven sera were tested along with lung samples from the same pigs . The lungs yielded a varied bacterial flora most often containing Pasteurella multocida and less frequently Actinomyces (Corynebacterium) pyogenes, E . coli and Salmonella . A . pleuropneumoniae was isolated from 30 lungs: from 22 lungs it grew out in pure culture, from 7 as mixed culture with P . multocida and from 1 as mixed culture with A . pyogenes . The number of positive samples obtained by the different methods was as follows: coagglutination test (with boiled lung suspensions): 63 (57.3%); immunofluorescence: 43 (39.2%); AGP test (with serum): 31 (35.6%); AFP test (with boiled lung suspension): 25 (22.7%) . A total of 23 samples (20.7%) were negative by all serological tests and by cultural isolation . Most samples gave positive results by two or more tests while 26 samples only by one test (most often, on 13 occasions, by the Co-A test) . The Co-A test detected antigenic components of serotypes that have not been isolated in Hungary so far . This indicates that it is not enough to test one strain from a given lung sample: several colonies must be cultured and serotyped.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Nat Immun Cell Growth Regul, 1990, 9(6), 387 - 96
Nonspecific stimulation of host defense by Corynebacterium kutscheri . II . Isolation of the active moiety; Kita E et al.; The isolation and determination of biological activities of the active component of Corynebacterium kutscheri were attempted in the present investigation . The antitumor effect was confined to the subcellular particle fraction of this bacterium and was associated with a molecule of glycoprotein nature (40,000-38,000 Daltons) isolated from this fraction by affinity chromatography with concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B . This substance exerted mitogenic activity on C3H/HeJ splenocytes and T cells, stimulatory activity on macrophages, and further exhibited antitumor effect on P388 leukemia in CDF1 mice . The Winn assay disclosed that the antitumor effect induced by this substance was dependent on L3T4+ T cells . Furthermore, both the mitogenic and antitumor activity of this moiety were resistant to heating at 100 degrees C for 30 min or RNase digestion, but sensitive to trypsin digestion, or low or high pH . These results indicate that the antitumor effect of C . kutscheri is attributable to the heat-stable glycoprotein moiety which can directly stimulate T cells and macrophages.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1990, 42(3-4), 178 - 83
{Milk chloride level as an indicator of bovine mastitis}; Sender G et al.; The aim of this study was to determine an influence of udder infection on milk chloride level and on milk productivity of cows of black and white race . Bacteriological analysis was performed by bacterial isolation from milk collected in sterile conditions from single lobes of mammary gland . The study was aimed to detect the following bacteria: Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Actinomyces pyogenes, Enterobacteriaceae rods, Corynebacterium bovis, and Micrococcus sp . Milk chloride level was determined by burette method in 1250 milk samples collected from entire udder . Milk productivity was determined on the day of bacterial isolation . Statistical analysis of the results of the study on udder infection, milk chloride level, and milk productivity of mammary gland did reveal lack of a simple correlations between those parameters and in the indirect manner indicated an influence of inappropriate maintenance conditions of tested cows on the health condition of their udder . It seems possible that alkalosis and acidosis in cows, taken into consideration in discussion section, could constitute a factor influencing the frequency of mastitis incidence.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 1990 Jan, 32(4), 443 - 8
Cloning of a DNA fragment from Corynebacterium glutamicum conferring aminoethyl cysteine resistance and feedback resistance to aspartokinase; Thierbach G et al.; The Corynebacterium glutamicum/Escherichia coli shuttle vector plasmid pZ1 was used to clone the S-(2-aminoethyl)-D,L-cysteine (AEC)-resistance gene from a lysine-excreting, AEC-resistant strain of C . glutamicum, the aspartokinase activity of which was released from feedback inhibition by mixtures of lysine and threonine or AEC and threonine respectively . A recombinant plasmid designated pCS2 carrying a 9.9-kb chromosomal insert that conferred AEC resistance and the ability to excrete lysine to its host was isolated . The aspartokinase activity of the pCS2-carrying strain was resistant towards inhibition by mixtures of lysine and threonine or AEC and threonine respectively . By deletion analysis the DNA region conferring AEC resistance to the host and feedback resistance to its aspartokinase activity could be confined to a 1.2-kb DNA fragment.

J Biol Chem, 1989 Dec 5, 264(34), 20438 - 47
Glutaredoxin from rabbit bone marrow . Purification, characterization, and amino acid sequence determined by tandem mass spectrometry; Hopper S et al.; A glutaredoxin was purified from rabbit bone marrow, and its amino acid sequence was determined by high performance tandem mass spectrometry . The sequences of peptides generated by digestion with trypsin alone or in combination with thermolysin were determined from their collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra . Alignment of these sequences and additional sequence information were obtained from the collision-induced dissociation mass spectra of peptides obtained from digestion of the intact protein with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and alpha-chymotrypsin . The resulting sequence of 106 amino acids is as follows: Ac-Ala-Gln-Glu-Phe-Val-Asn-Ser-Lys-Ile-Gln-Pro-Gly-Lys-Val-Val-Val-Phe- Ile-Lys-Pro-Thr-Cys-Pro-Tyr-Cys-Arg-Lys-Thr-Gln-Glu-Ile-Leu-Ser-Glu-Leu- Pro-Phe - Lys-Gln-Gly-Leu-Leu-Glu-Phe- Val-Asp-Ile-Thr-Ala-Thr-Ser-Asp-Met-Ser-Glu-Ile- Gln-Asp-Tyr-Leu-Gln-Gln-Leu-Thr-Gly-Ala-Arg- Thr-Val-Pro-Arg-Val-Phe-Leu-Gly-Lys-Asp-Cys-Ile- Gly-Gly-Cys-Ser-Asp-Leu-Ile-Ala-Met-Gln-Glu-Lys- Gly-Glu-Leu-Leu-Ala-Arg-Leu-Lys-Glu-Met-Gly- Ala-Leu-Arg-Gln . This glutaredoxin strongly resembles the corresponding calf and pig proteins (known as glutaredoxin and thioltransferase, respectively) with respect to its primary structure and enzymatic activity as a GSH:disulfide thioltransferase, an activity also found for the glutaredoxin from Escherichia coli . However, rabbit glutaredoxin was not active as a hydrogen donor for the reduction of ribonucleotides in the presence of the ribonucleotide reductases from rabbit bone marrow, Lactobacillus leichmannii, and Corynebacterium nephridii.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Dec, 53(3), 299 - 303
High efficiency electroporation of intact Corynebacterium glutamicum cells; Liebl W et al.; High-frequency electroporation of whole Corynebacterium glutamicum cells without enzymatic pretreatment was achieved . Under optimized conditions concerning growth stage, washing of cells, cell concentration and pulse parameter transformation efficiencies of far more than 10(7) transformants per microgram pWST4B plasmid DNA were reached . Using electroporation, linearised and subsequently religated plasmid as well as chimeric ligase reaction products were directly introduced into C . glutamicum with reasonable efficiencies . Electrotransformation efficiency was reduced about 10(5)-fold for plasmid DNA cycled through E . coli JM83 . Restriction deficient mutants of C . glutamicum were isolated which could be efficiently transformed with foreign DNA.

Immunology, 1989 Dec, 68(4), 520 - 5
Systemic administration of IL-2 induces lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells capable of killing macrophages in various tissues; Kamitani T et al.; Murine lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells induced by systemic high-dose recombinant human interleukin 2 (IL-2) administration lysed fresh syngeneic peritoneal macrophages (M phi) . LAK cells lysed resident peritoneal M phi and M phi activated in vivo with thioglycollate (TG), Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum), or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) . The induction of anti-M phi cytolytic activity was seen in the spleen, liver, lung, lymph nodes and peritoneal cavity, but was not observed in the thymus . Fluorescence analysis revealed that the majority of infiltrated cells in the peritoneal cavity of IL-2-administered mice were Thy-1+, asialo GM1+, L3T4-, Ly2- . Surface marker analysis on peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) from IL-2-administered mice with depletion techniques using antibody (Ab) and complement (C) indicated that Thy-1+, asialo GM1+, L3T4-, Ly 2- cells were responsible for anti-M phi lysis . These studies indicate that the in vivo administration of IL-2 induces LAK cells capable of killing M phi in various tissues.

Nippon Juigaku Zasshi, 1989 Dec, 51(6), 1173 - 8
Studies on route of immunization with a mixture of killed parasites and adjuvants against Babesia rodhaini infection in mice; Saeki H et al.; A series of experiments were undertaken to determine the most effective route of immunization with a mixture of killed Babesia rodhaini antigen (S antigen) and formalin-fixed Corynebacterium parvum (Propionibacterium acnes) bacterin (CPB) against challenge infection with B . rodhaini 3 weeks later . The mice pretreated with S antigen and CPB mixture intraperitoneally, but not intramuscularly, were significantly resistant to intraperitoneal (IP) or intravenous (IV) challenge with 10(6) organisms . The survival rates were 70.0 (IP challenge) and 60.0% (IV challenge) respectively . Fairly protective activities were equally produced in mice intravenously pretreated with S antigen and CPB with survival rates of 60.0% against IV challenge, but 30% against IP . These results indicated that the IP injection of S antigen and CPB mixture is desirable route for immunization against subsequent IP or IV challenge with B . rodhaini . On the other hand, lower protective effect was reconfirmed in the mice treated with S antigen and Freund's Complete adjuvant, regardless of immunization routes in the additional experiment . The survival rates were 33.3, 14.3 and 11.8% in the intraperitoneally, intramuscularly and subcutaneously-treated mice respectively against IP challenge with 10(6) organisms.

Gynecol Oncol, 1989 Dec, 35(3), 378 - 82
Second-look laparotomy in the patient with minimal residual stage III ovarian cancer (a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study); Creasman WT et al.; One hundred eighty-six patients with minimal residual Stage III ovarian cancer (tumor mass less than or equal to 3 cm) were treated in a prospective randomized protocol (melphalan with or without Corynebacterium parvum) . As per protocol 84 patients were eligible and underwent a second-look laparotomy with 41 (49%) having negative findings for persistent malignancy . Factors which affected survival after second look were presence or absence of macroscopic disease, age, and grade . Depending upon these prognostic factors, survival at 4 years after second look ranged from 31 to 100% . The role of second-look laparotomy is examined relative to these results.

J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Dec, 27(12), 2869 - 70
Corynebacterium xerosis as a cause of vertebral osteomyelitis; Krish G et al.; We report a patient who developed Corynebacterium xerosis vertebral osteomyelitis 6 months following a decompressive laminectomy . Prolonged parenteral and subsequent oral therapy for 11 months resulted in apparent cure . This is the first reported case of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by C . xerosis.

J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Dec, 27(12), 2736 - 43
Comparison of the nasal bacterial floras in two groups of healthy subjects and in patients with acute maxillary sinusitis; Jousimies-Somer HR et al.; The nasal bacterial flora was studied in 183 healthy men entering military service (entry group), 103 healthy recruits in service (service group), and 185 recruits with acute maxillary sinusitis . The 267 nasal and ipsilateral sinus aspirate findings in the same patients with acute maxillary sinusitis were compared pairwise . In the entry group presumed sinus pathogens were only rarely isolated from the nasal cavities: Haemophilus influenzae in 4%, Streptococcus pneumoniae in 1%, Branhamella catarrhalis in 3%, and Streptococcus pyogenes in 0% . The corresponding isolation frequencies in the service group were 19, 13, 3, and less than 1%, respectively, and those in the group with acute maxillary sinusitis were 61, 25, 7, and 6%, respectively . Suppression of the major components of the normal nasal flora, Corynebacterium sp., coagulase-negative staphylococci, Propionibacterium acnes, and Staphylococcus aureus, was seen in the group with acute maxillary sinusitis and also occasionally in the service group . When a sinus aspirate culture yielded a presumed sinus pathogen, the same pathogen was found in the nasal samples in 91% of the cases . The predictive value of a pathogen-positive nasal finding was highest (93.8%) for S . pyogenes, followed by 77.7% for H . influenzae and 68.7% for S . pneumoniae, and lowest (20%) for B . catarrhalis.

J Immunol, 1989 Dec 1, 143(11), 3641 - 6
Regulation of macrophage physiology by L-arginine: role of the oxidative L-arginine deiminase pathway; Albina JE et al.; The L-arginine content of the extracellular fluid in sites of predominant macrophage infiltration is reduced below plasma levels due to the activity of macrophage-derived arginase . Investigation of the effects of altered L-arginine availability on macrophage physiology reveals that culture of rat peritoneal macrophages in media containing L-arginine in the concentrations present in inflammatory lesions (less than 0.1 mM) enhances activation-associated functions . In contrast, culture in the higher L-arginine concentrations found in standard tissue culture media (0.4 to 1.2 mM) suppresses most macrophage functions (superoxide production, phagocytosis, and protein synthesis) . An exception is the tumor cytotoxicity of Corynebacterium parvum-elicited macrophages which is enhanced by culture in supraphysiologic concentrations of L-arginine . Work reported here investigated the mechanisms for these L-arginine-dependent effects and, more specifically, the role of the recently described oxidative L-arginine deiminase pathway in the regulation of macrophage physiology . Overnight culture of resident or C . parvum-elicited peritoneal macrophages in media containing increasing concentrations of L-arginine (6 microM to 1 mM) resulted in: inhibition of electron transport chain activity (resident and C . parvum-elicited macrophages), increased lactate production (resident macrophages), and decreased ATP content (resident and C . parvum-elicited macrophages) . In line with these findings, viability was markedly decreased after 2 days of culture when the initial L-arginine concentration was greater than or equal to 0.1 mM . As shown before, increasing media concentrations of L-arginine were associated with suppression of superoxide production and cytotoxicity in resident macrophages, and with reduced superoxide production and increased cytotoxicity in C . parvum-elicited macrophages . All L-arginine-dependent metabolic and functional alterations, as well as the loss of viability, were prevented by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, a specific inhibitor of the oxidative L-arginine deiminase pathway . These results demonstrate that flux of L-arginine through the oxidative L-arginine deiminase pathway results in the inhibition of oxidative metabolism in rat macrophages . This metabolic inhibition may, through alterations in the macrophage high energy phosphate stores, mediate the suppression of cell functions and result ultimately in cell death.

Inflammation, 1989 Dec, 13(6), 673 - 80
Role of peptide-leukotrienes in liver injury in mice; Nagai H et al.; The role of peptide leukotrienes (p-LTs), especially LTC4 and LTD4 in liver disease, was investigated in mice experimental liver injury models . The liver injury was induced by the injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into Corynebacterium parvum pretreated mice . Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in mice was used as a standard model . In both injury models, extensive liver parenchymal cell damage was observed by the elevation of glutamate transaminase (GOT and GPT) activity and confirmed by significant histopathological changes in the liver . Moreover, significant elevation of LTC4 in the liver was observed in both models 1 and 6 h after the onset of disease . Administration of AA-861, a selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor (0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg) and LY-171883, a p-LT receptor antagonist (50 and 200 mg/kg) suppressed the elevation of serum GOT and GPT levels and histopathological changes in both experimental liver injury models . In addition, when authentic LTC4 or LTD4 was injected into the mouse, clear elevation of serum GOT and GPT and histopathological changes of the liver were observed . These results suggest that p-LTs play a role in the onset of liver diseases in mice.

Epidemiol Infect, 1989 Dec, 103(3), 587 - 93
Immunity against diphtheria in adults in Poland; Galazka A et al.; The diphtheria immunity status was determined with the passive haemagglutination technique in 503 sera of 10-90-year-old persons from Warsaw and Olsztyn Provinces . Donors of sera were students, teachers, pregnant women, employees of industry and medical service . The immunity was highest (90% of titers 0.1 IU/ml or higher) in persons below 20 years of age and in persons above 60 years of age (55%) . Between these two groups, gaps in immunity exist, the proportion of those immune varying from 36-50% in the 20- 60-year-old groups . Since a large pool of susceptible persons creates an epidemic potential it was suggested that the adult type of tetanus-diphtheria toxoid (Td) should be introduced into the routine immunization schedule for high risk groups . These groups might include professional or age groups who are vulnerable to reintroduction of virulent Corynebacterium diphtheriae such as kindergarten and creches personnel, teachers, students, military service personnel and persons travelling to developing countries.

An Med Interna, 1989 Dec, 6(12), 641 - 2
{Corynebacterium D2-induced encrusted cystitis}; Molina M et al.; Two cases of patients with cystitis cystica secondary to urine infection, caused by resistant corynebacterium D2, are presented . The clinical features were important dysuria and frequency, alkaline urine Ph (Ph 8 and 9) . The urine cultures were obtained with the standard techniques, after 72 hours of incubation . They were treated with vancomycin, ciprofloxacin and hydroxinamic acid with good response.

Biochem Int, 1989 Dec, 19(6), 1427 - 36
Characterization of interferons produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy subjects in response to Corynebacterium parvum or poly I: poly C; Hertzog PJ et al.; The biological significance of acid labile interferon alpha is presently unknown . We examined the putative production of acid labile interferon in vitro from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced with Corynebacterium parvum or poly I: poly C . Both agents induced up to 1200 IU/ml interferon, and the interferon was 80 to 90% acid labile . The interferons were typed by antibody neutralization of their antiviral activity . Contrary to previous reports, C . parvum induced predominantly interferon gamma, which is normally acid labile, whereas poly I: poly C induced an acid labile interferon alpha activity with characteristics similar to those of acid labile interferon alpha reported in serum in certain human diseases.

Infect Immun, 1989 Nov, 57(11), 3349 - 56
Evidence of T-cell recognition in mice of a purified lipophosphoglycan from Leishmania major; Moll H et al.; We have previously reported that a Leishmania major lipophosphoglycan (LPG), given with killed Corynebacterium parvum as an adjuvant, can vaccinate mice against cutaneous leishmaniasis . In order to analyze whether T cells are able to recognize this important parasite antigen, we have studied both humoral and cellular immune responses to L . major LPG that had been isolated from promastigotes by sequential solvent extraction and hydrophobic chromatography . The data show that immunization of mice with highly purified LPG induced an increase in frequency of L . major-reactive T cells and the production of immunoglobulin G antibodies to LPG . Furthermore, genetically resistant mice infected with L . major were able to develop a specific delayed-type hypersensitivity response in the ear to L . major LPG . These findings strongly suggest that T cells can recognize and respond to glycolipid antigens, in this case a host-protective Leishmania LPG, even though such antigens appear not to be potent T-cell stimulators in mice.

Mikrobiol Zh, 1989 Nov-Dec, 51(6), 75 - 9
{The mitogenic activity of the glycopolymers from Clavibacter (Corynebacterium) michiganense and Pseudomonas solanacearum}; Varbanets LD et al.; A comparative study of the mitogenic activity of glycopolymers has shown that the activity of polysaccharides isolated from Clavibacter michiganense is higher than that of lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas solanacearum and mefenaminic acid (the synthetic mitogen) . Lipid A and the core oligosaccharide fraction are established to be responsible for the mitogenic activity of the P . solanacearum lipopolysaccharide . O-specific chains and fractions of KDO-phosphates do not manifest the mitogenic activity.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Nov, 72(11), 3091 - 7
Prevention of bovine mastitis by a postmilking teat disinfectant containing chlorous acid and chlorine dioxide in a soluble polymer gel; Oliver SP et al.; A natural exposure study was conducted in a herd of 150 lactating dairy cows for 18 mo to determine the effectiveness of chlorous acid and chlorine dioxide in a soluble polymer gel as a postmilking teat disinfectant for the prevention of bovine mastitis . Right quarters of cows were dipped in the experimental teat dip after milking machine removal . Left quarters were not dipped and served as within-cow negative controls . The experimental teat dip reduced Staphylococcus aureus infections 67.4%, Streptococcus dysgalactiae infections 63.8%, and Streptococcus uberis infections 27.8% . Overall efficacy of the chlorous acid and chlorine dioxide teat dip against major mastitis pathogens was 52.2% . The experimental teat dip reduced Corynebacterium bovis infections and coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections also by 45.8 and 38.7%, respectively . Overall efficacy against minor mastitis pathogens was 43.4% . Under conditions of this trial, the experimental teat dip containing chlorous acid and chlorine dioxide was effective in preventing new intramammary infections against a variety of mastitis pathogens.

Aust N Z J Ophthalmol, 1989 Nov, 17(4), 413 - 6
Microbial investigations in keratitis at the Sydney Eye Hospital; McClellan KA et al.; We investigated 107 cases of presumed microbial keratitis amongst patients presenting to the Sydney Eye Hospital between October 1986 and August 1988 to determine the frequency of infection, the common causative organisms and those factors that predispose to corneal infection . We found that 95% of culture-proven cases were caused by bacteria and that Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium sp . accounted for 42.5% of these cases . All bacteria (except Staphylococcus epidermidis and Mycobacterium chelonae) were sensitive to gentamicin . In 62.6% of cases, cultures for bacteria and fungi were negative . Retrospective review of the clinical records of these patients showed that herpes simplex virus, contact lens wear, staphylococcal marginal keratitis and recurrent erosion were important causes of keratitis in this group.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Nov, 50(11), 1952 - 6
A new bacteriophage of Corynebacterium glutamicum isolated from swine waste; Bourque D et al.; A bacteriophage for Corynebacterium glutamicum strain LP-6 was isolated from swine waste . It belongs to the Siphoviridae family or Bradley morphologic group B, has a narrow host range, and is sensitive to chloroform and resistant to carbon tetrachloride . The phage is unstable (96% inactivation) in swine waste stored for 4 months at 22 C . The DNA has a molecular weight of approximately 20 Md, cohesive ends, and numerous restriction endonuclease sites . The phage differs from other known C glutamicum phages.

Mol Microbiol, 1989 Nov, 3(11), 1625 - 37
Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence and fine-structural analysis of the Corynebacterium glutamicum fda gene: structural comparison of C . glutamicum fructose-1,6-biphosphate aldolase to class I and class II aldolases; von der Osten CH et al.; The Corynebacterium glutamicum fda gene encoding fructose-1,6-biphosphate (FBP) aldolase has been isolated by complementation of an Escherichia coli mutant . The nucleotide sequence of a 3371 bp chromosomal fragment containing the C . glutamicum fda gene was determined . The N-terminal amino acid sequence of C . glutamicum FBP aldolase identified the correct initiation site for the fda gene, and a molecular weight of 37,092 was predicted for the fda polypeptide . S1 nuclease mapping identified the transcriptional start site, and Northern hybridization analysis indicated that the fda gene encodes a single 1.3 kb transcript . The primary structure of C . glutamicum FBP aldolase shows strong homology to class II FBP aldolases . Conservation of primary structure was observed between class I and class II aldolases, but several residues essential for catalytic activity in class I aldolases were absent from class II aldolases.

Pediatr Infect Dis J, 1989 Nov, 8(11), 787 - 91
Infective endocarditis in black South African children: report of 10 cases with some unusual features; Berkowitz FE et al.; Ten black South African children with infective endocarditis seen over a 2-year period are reported . In five cases, including two neonates, the infection was nosocomial and in five cases it occurred in children with previously normal hearts . Of the bacteria isolated from nine cases, five were Staphylococcus aureus (all from nosocomial cases), one was Haemophilus influenzae and three were corynebacteria . The unusual aspects of this series are discussed, with an emphasis on preventing nosocomial cases and on making the diagnosis in children without underlying heart disease.

Neurosurgery, 1989 Nov, 25(5), 709 - 14
Effect of intracerebrally injected Corynebacterium parvum on the development and growth of metastatic brain tumor in mice; Kennedy JD et al.; Using KHT tumor in a mouse metastatic tumor model, we examined the effect of intracerebral and/or intraperitoneal injections of Corynebacterium parvum on the growth of metastatic brain tumor and the development of an inflammatory response in the central nervous system (CNS) . C . parvum given intraperitoneally had no effect on the development and growth of CNS tumor, but did prolong the survival of mice by inhibiting the growth of systemic metastatic tumor, which was the cause of death in our tumor model . Mice that received intracerebral injections of C . parvum exhibited significantly decreased growth of metastatic brain tumor, as compared with mice that received intracerebral injections of saline, whether or not they had received C . parvum intraperitoneally . In addition, the brains of mice that received C . parvum intracerebrally exhibited an inflammatory response that was minimal or absent in the brains of control mice . Our results suggest that if immunotherapeutic agents can be delivered to the CNS and cause an inflammatory response, they can be effective against CNS metastases.

Community Med, 1989 Nov, 11(4), 316 - 9
A report of the investigation and control measures instituted after the isolation of toxin-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae mitis from a child in Leeds; Hatton P; This report describes the control measures instituted and further investigations undertaken after the isolation of toxin-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae from a throat swab taken routinely from a nine-year-old boy, recently returned from Pakistan, who had been admitted to hospital in Leeds with hepatitis A infection . Four of his siblings were subsequently shown to have identical Corynebacterium diphtheriae on throat swabbing, except that in one child the organism did not produce toxin . All the children were asymptomatic carriers.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Nov, 53(1-2), 193 - 8
Production of diphtheria toxin CRM228 in B . subtilis; Hemila H et al.; The gene coding for a nontoxic diphtheria toxin (DT), tox228, was isolated from lysogenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae and cloned into pBR322 . A mature form of the tox228 gene, lacking its signal sequence, was expressed in Bacillus subtilis using a B . amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase secretion vector . To test the possibility of producing partially deleted DT molecules, which could be used for cell-directed toxin conjugates, a truncated form lacking 151 amino acids from the C-terminus of the DT was generated by oligonucleotide mutagenesis . Both the truncated and intact DT were efficiently secreted into the culture medium . During prolonged cultivation, the truncated form was less stable than the intact DT molecule.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1989 Oct 15, 195(8), 1108 - 13
Cause, occurrence, and clinical signs of mastitis and anorexia in cows in a Wisconsin study; Jones GF et al.; Microbiologic culture revealed the following cause of mastitis and anorexia in 145 cows in Wisconsin to be Escherichia coli, 66 cows; Klebsiella spp, 3; Corynebacterium pyogenes, 27; streptococci, 21; staphylococci, 20; yeasts, 1; and no bacterial growth, 7 . Mastitis was detected with approximately equal frequency throughout the year . Escherichia coli was isolated throughout the year, but was more common and was the predominant organism during the summer . Corynebacterium pyogenes was isolated most often in winter and spring; streptococci in fall, winter, and spring; and staphylococci throughout the year . Corynebacterium pyogenes caused most of the mastitis in nonlactating cows . Escherichia coli, C pyogenes, streptococci, and staphylococci were isolated with about equal frequency at parturition, whereas E coli was the predominant cause of mastitis in early and late lactation . Of cases of mastitis, 27% were seen 10 days before and after parturition . Local and systemic clinical signs of infection were similar for all causes, except that C pyogenes caused more (P less than 0.01) malodorous and purulent milk than did other organisms and was isolated more commonly from quarters with injured teats . Recovery was significantly (P less than 0.01) higher in cows with E coli infections, compared with recovery in cows with gram-positive organism infections . Cows with C pyogenes infections frequently had quarters that ultimately ceased lactation . A few cows were recumbent at initiation of antimicrobial therapy and a few were not eating 24 hours later; however, 50% of these cows recovered . Criteria such as season of year, stage of lactation, appearance of milk and udder, and appetite permitted the cause (gram-negative or gram-positive organisms) of the mastitis to be predicted with 77% accuracy.

Vet Rec, 1989 Oct 7, 125(15), 393 - 6
Intramammary infections and risk factors for clinical mastitis in herds with low somatic cell counts in bulk milk; Schukken YH et al.; Ten herds with low somatic cell counts in bulk milk had an incidence of clinical mastitis of only 2.2 per 100 cows whereas 10 other herds with similarly low cell counts had an incidence of 53.6 per 100 cows . The major pathogens in the herds with a high incidence were Escherichia coli, Streptococcus uberis, Staphylococcus aureus and the coagulase-negative staphylococci . The percentage of uninfected quarters in the herds with a high incidence of clinical mastitis was 21.4 per cent compared with 12.2 per cent in the herds with a low incidence of clinical mastitis . The prevalence of coagulase-negative staphylococci, Corynebacterium bovis and Micrococcus species was higher in the herds with a low incidence of clinical mastitis . There was a significant linear relationship between the percentage of uninfected quarters and the incidence of clinical mastitis in the herds with a high incidence of clinical mastitis . In herds with a low incidence of clinical mastitis significantly less teat disinfection after milking was practised . The results suggest that infections with minor pathogens tend to protect cows against mastitis, and that teat disinfection after milking may increase the percentage of uninfected quarters and lead to an increased risk of clinical mastitis in herds with low somatic cell counts in bulk milk.

Minerva Med, 1989 Oct, 80(10), 1069 - 72
{Anatomical study of the fibrosing action of Corynebacterium parvum in malignant pleural effusion}; Foresti V et al.; Intrapleural injection of Corynebacterium parvum (CBP) has recently been used for the treatment of recurrent neoplastic pleural effusions and its mechanism of action has been suggested to be either a local fibrosis-stimulating effect or immunostimulation . The case is reported of a patient with pleuritis secondary to metastases of mammary carcinoma, treated with CBP plus methylprednisolone, who died five days after the treatment because of an acute myocardial infarction . The pathologic examination showed fibrinous pleuritis with an interconnecting network between the visceral and parietal pleura.

Avian Dis, 1989 Oct-Dec, 33(4), 787 - 91
Suppression of resistance to Salmonella typhimurium in young chickens inoculated with Corynebacterium parvum; Corrier DE et al.; The effect of Corynebacterium parvum on resistance to Salmonella typhimurium infection was evaluated in young chickens . One-day-old chickens were inoculated subcutaneously (SC) or intraperitoneally (IP) with 1.4 mg killed C . parvum and challenged by IP injection with 5.0 X 10(7) S . typhimurium 4 days later . Spleen and bursa of Fabricius weights were not altered in the C . parvum-inoculated chickens . A transient increase in thymus weight occurred 3 days after inoculation with C . parvum . Phytohemagglutinin-elicited cutaneous hypersensitivity was significantly suppressed in the C . parvum-inoculated chickens . Morbidity due to Salmonella infection increased significantly from 15% and 21% in the control groups to 43% and 46% in the chickens inoculated IP or SC with C . parvum . The results indicated that inoculation of 1-day-old chickens with C . parvum suppressed cell-mediated immune responsiveness and decreased resistance to peritoneal infection with S . typhimurium.

Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 1989 Oct, 101(1), 95 - 105
Bronchoalveolar leukocyte response in experimental silicosis: modulation by a soluble aluminum compound; Brown GM et al.; The biological properties of quartz have been related to its surface reactivity . We have addressed the role of particle surface reactivity in mediating the biological activity of quartz in mixed dusts, by treating the quartz with aluminum lactate . Intratracheal instillation of untreated quartz in rats caused a rapid, sustained alveolitis and bronchoalveolar leukocytes obtained from these animals had enhanced activity in degrading fibronectin, but reduced ability to mount a respiratory burst . Quartz pretreated with aluminum elicited a markedly reduced inflammatory response; the reduced activity of the treated quartz was also reflected in the attenuated change in the key functional parameters, oxidant production and proteolysis of fibronectin . Late intratracheal dosing with aluminum after the quartz-induced alveolitis was well established reduced the inflammatory response and abrogated the effect of quartz on the respiratory burst, but did not alter fibronectin degradation by the leukocytes . Aluminum did not affect the inflammatory response to Corynebacterium parvum and thus the effect was on the quartz particles and not on the inflammatory leukocytes . These findings have implications for the likely pulmonary responses to mixed dusts containing quartz and aluminum silicate clays.

Morphol Embryol (Bucur), 1989 Oct-Dec, 35(4), 275 - 7
Microscopic changes of the urinary bladder in patients with primary tumors locally treated with Corynebacterium parvum; Raica M et al.; The study covered 34 patients with tumors of the urinary bladder treated surgically by transurethral resection and, as an adjuvant therapy, with Corynebacterium parvum intravesically administered . Microscopic observations were performed on smears stained with blue polychrome-tannin and the histologic study used preparata stained with hematoxylin-eosin and van Gieson . After the second series of instillations, many biopsies from the same patient were taken . The investigation revealed the negativity for malignant cells on the cytologically studied smears, and histologically a chronic infiltrate formed of lymphocytes and plasma cells along the basement membrane could be observed; sometimes the infiltrate was follicularly organized . The morphologic changes of the urinary bladder mucosa were correlated with the immunostimulation potential of Corynebacterium parvum.

Nippon Juigaku Zasshi, 1989 Oct, 51(5), 887 - 91
Seroepidemiological survey of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in sheep in Japan using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunodiffusion; Chikamatsu S et al.; Sera from 1186 apparently healthy sheep in Hokkaido were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunodiffusion (ID) for the presence of antibodies against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis . ELISA-positives were 466 (39.3%) while ID-positives were 330 (27.8%) . Spread of caseous lymphadenitis in sheep in Hokkaido was thus clarified . Although ID was less sensitive than ELISA in detecting the antibodies against C . pseudotuberculosis it did not give any non-specific reaction . From the results and in view of the simplicity of the test procedure, ID was found to be of practical diagnostic value . Distribution by age group of anti-C . pseudotuberculosis antibodies in 758 sheep in a herd detected by both tests showed that the ratio of positives was low in sheep aged less than 1 year, and the ratio increased significantly in those aged 1 year and continued to increase with age until it reached a plateau at the age of 4-5 years.

Jpn J Pharmacol, 1989 Oct, 51(2), 191 - 7
Effect of OKY-046 and ONO-3708 on liver injury in mice; Nagai H et al.; The effects of OKY-046, a selective thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthetase inhibitor, and ONO-3708, a novel TXA2 receptor antagonist, on liver disease were investigated in mice . The liver injury was induced by either an injection of antibasic liver protein (BLP) antibody into DBA/2 mice that had been previously immunized with rabbit IgG or by an injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum) pretreated DDY mice . 1) In both injury models, clear elevation of glutamate transaminase (GOT and GPT) activity due to extensive liver parenchymal cell damage was observed; this was confirmed by significant histopathological changes in the liver . 2) Typical histopathological changes in the liver were submassive hepatocellular necrosis in the anti-BLP antibody-induced injury model and focal necrosis in the LPS-induced model . Inflammation and increased cell infiltration in portal connective tissue were observed in both cases . 3) Administration of OKY-046 (50 mg/kg) and ONO-3708 (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) suppressed the elevation of serum GOT and GPT levels and histopathological changes in both experimental liver injury models . 4) Indomethacin inhibited the development of liver disease caused by anti-BLP antibody but not by bacterial LPS . Prostaglandin I2 inhibited the elevation of serum GOT and GPT levels and histopathological changes of the liver in the mice treated with anti-BLP antibody and showed the tendency to inhibit the development of liver injury caused by bacterial LPS.

Infect Immun, 1989 Oct, 57(10), 3221 - 5
Evidence for direct regulation of diphtheria toxin gene transcription by an Fe2+-dependent DNA-binding repressor, DtoxR, in Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Fourel G et al.; Previous studies provided indirect evidence that in Corynebacterium diphtheriae regulation of diphtheria toxin gene (tox) transcription by iron is mediated by a bacterial repressor . By performing in vitro protein-DNA binding experiments, we establish that a corynebacterial Fe2+-sensitive protein, named DtoxR, can bind to a palindromic motif present in the tox promoter region . Binding of this factor prevents the interaction of the transcription initiation machinery with presumptive critical promoter elements, providing evidence that DtoxR is responsible for the repression of toxinogenesis observed in iron-containing growth medium.

Am J Ophthalmol, 1989 Sep 15, 108(3), 251 - 4
Diphtheroids as ocular pathogens; Rubinfeld RS et al.; Unlike Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Propionibacterium acnes, the pleomorphic gram-positive rods known as diphtheroids are generally regarded as nonpathogenic contaminants of the human external eye . We reviewed five years of microbiology records at Wills Eye Hospital and studied a series of eight cases of apparently infectious keratitis associated with heavy growth of diphtheroids on cultures of ulcer scrapings . All of these cases included indolent ulcers that occurred almost exclusively in elderly patients (mean age, 72 years; range, 11 to 92 years) . All patients had preexisting ocular conditions that compromised the corneal surface such as exposed corneal sutures, eyelid surgery, aphakic extended wear contact lenses, viral keratitis, and diabetes mellitus . No other pathogens were isolated . All infections responded well to antibiotic therapy with all organisms sensitive to cefazolin and all but one sensitive to gentamicin.

Res Vet Sci, 1989 Sep, 47(2), 190 - 4
Comparison of the exotoxins of four strains of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis; Sutherland SS et al.; The activity of exotoxins produced by four strains of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis were compared by their ability to kill white mice, their haemolytic activity, staphylococcal haemolysin-inhibiting effect and activity in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . Exotoxins with a haemolytic titre of 1 in 256 or more killed all mice and had the most inhibitory effect (1 in 64 or more) on staphylococcal haemolysin . The haemolytic test and staphylococcal haemolysin inhibitory test of exotoxin activities were highly correlated (P less than 0.001) with the mouse toxicity of the four exotoxins examined . No significant correlation was evident between the ELISA and relative toxicity of the exotoxins.

J Neurooncol, 1989 Sep, 7(3), 261 - 7
Toxicity of IL-2 and Corynebacterium parvum following direct intracranial injection; Sutton RC 3rd et al.; The toxicity of IL-2 and/or C . Parvum when injected directly into the mouse brain was examined by survival and histopathology using different numbers of injections, different doses of IL-2, different solvents for the IL-2, and different doses and routes of administration of C . Parvum . Two injections was found significantly to increase mortality (19%) over a single injection (4%) . Mortality from two injections of 30,000 U (23%) or 60,000 U (20%) was higher than from two injections of 15,000 U (12%) . The mortality from two injections with normal saline as solvent was much higher (29%) than from two injections with sterile water (19%) or D5W (9%) . Two injections of IL-2 given simultaneously with C . Parvum showed a much higher mortality (26%) than other doses and routes of C . Parvum administration . Mice dying acutely (6-24 days) of toxicity showed an extensive mononuclear infiltrate at the site of injection . The brains of surviving mice (sacrificed at 30 days) showed a mild residual mononuclear cell infiltrate with the exception of mice which had received IL-2 and C . Parvum simultaneously . Brains from this latter group had an extensive residual mononuclear cell infiltrate.

Biofizika, 1989 Sep-Oct, 34(5), 830 - 2
{The role of Ca2+ ions in a phage infection of Corynebacterium glutamicum}; Manukian RR et al.; It was shown that neither uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation, nor lack of Ca2+ ions affected the normal MC-2 phage absorption on Corynebacterium glutamicum cells, while the phage development was repressed under these conditions . Simultaneous measurement of Ca2+, K+ and H+ ion flows, as well as measurement of membrane potential showed that the addition of the phage into the experimental medium led to significant depolarization of the membrane from -160 mV to -100 mV due to the penetration of Ca2+ ions into the cells followed by K+ and H+ efflux . The (Ca2+) to (K+ + H+) ratio was shown to be 1 : 1 . Phage DNA is supposed to be injected into the host cells as a positively charged (Ca2+-DNA) complex.

Nippon Hifuka Gakkai Zasshi, 1989 Sep, 99(10), 1121 - 3
{Group JK (Corynebacterium jeikeium sp . nov.) isolated from Japanese skin flora}; Nishijima S et al.; In many parts of the world, the emergence of multiple antibiotic resistant Group JK has been recognized as an important cause of nosocomial infection in immunosuppressed and neutropenic patients . Group JK infections have not been reported from Japan . We studied 20 Japanese who had recently come to the United States and recovered Group JK from 7 of 20 . These results suggest that Group JK may be prevalent in Japanese . Previous failure to identify these organisms may reflect their poor growth on agar not supplemented with lipid and their resemblance to bacteria considered to be commensals and non-pathogenic.

Arerugi, 1989 Sep, 38(9), 1109 - 16
{The inhibitory effect on passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in guinea pigs of oral administration of Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi}; Haga K et al.; We studied the inhibitory effect on the PCA reaction of BSA-rabbit anti-BSA (BSA-anti-BSA) system in CP-sensitized and CP-unsensitized guinea pigs by the oral administration of C . equi . Strain Ko-85 (Ko-85) cells . The results were as follows: 1) Guinea pigs were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection with the CP . Nine days later, the animals were administered with an oral dose of 80 mg (W.W.) of Ko-85 cells . The animals were submitted daily to PCA reaction tests using BSA and rabbit anti-BSA serum . The inhibition of PCA reaction of BSA-anti-BSA system in CP-sensitized guinea pigs was shown from 4th day to 10th day after administration of Ko-85 cells . The PCA reaction of 9th day was recognized strong inhibition by the oral administration of Ko-85 cells . 2) CP-unsensitized guinea pigs were given an oral dose of 80 mg of Ko-85 cells, and the animals were submitted every other day to PCA reaction tests of the BSA-anti-BSA system . PCA elicited in these animals on the 9th, 15th and 17th days Ko-85 administration were inhibited compared with those in the control animals (which were not given an oral dose of Ko-85 cells) . The strongest inhibition was shown in animals challenged on the 15th day after Ko-85 administration . The inhibitory effect of PCA reaction of BSA-anti-BSA system by the oral administration of an oral dose 80 mg (W.W.) of Ko-85 cells was recognized in CP-sensitized and CP-unsensitized guinea pigs.

Zhonghua Bing Li Xue Za Zhi, 1989 Sep, 18(3), 207 - 10
{Flow cytometric analysis of the effect of activated macrophages on alveolar cell carcinoma of lung in vitro}; Wang BM; Evidences have shown that activated macrophages were cytotoxic to tumor cells but the mechanism of this killing effect is not well understood . Flow cytometry was used to study the effect of activated macrophages on cell proliferation cycle of alveolar cell carcinoma of lung (A 549) . Among 74 C57BL/6J mice, 30 as experimental group were given corynebacterium parvum 0.5 ml (1 mg)/mouse intraperitoneally, and 44 as control group were given normal saline 0.5 ml/mouse instead . Peritoneal macrophages of both groups were co-cultured with A 549 in the ratio of 10:1 and 20:1 for 24 and 48 hrs respectively . Specimens were assayed with LXJ-Laser flow cytometer and relative % of tumor cells in G1/O, S and G2 + M phased were calculated by morphometry using Baisech's mathematical model and Zeiss OPTON Video plan . Results indicated that in the experimental group with E/T 20:1, co-cultured for 24 hrs., the % of tumor cells in S phase was markedly decreased (28.44%) and those in G1/0 phase was increased (60.18%) (P less than 0.01); while those of the control group were 40.41% and 49.99% respectively . Changes present in S and G1/0 phase tumor cells of the experimental group indicate that activated macrophages may block tumor cells from the G1/0 to S phase and thus affect their proliferation.

J Infect, 1989 Sep, 19(2), 177 - 83
Diphtheria in Stockholm, with a theory concerning transmission; Christenson B et al.; Since 1984, diphtheria has been diagnosed in Sweden, mainly among men abusing alcohol . During the first half of 1986, eight cases of diphtheria were discovered in the city of Stockholm . The first three were among men abusing alcohol . The following five cases had no connection with them . These five persons were employed in two companies housed in the same building . The only connection between them was that they ate their lunch at the same restaurant . One alcohol-abusing man had worked temporarily in the kitchen of this restaurant during the week before the five cases of diphtheria arose . He knew one of the first three patients well . A throat swab taken from him a month after the five cases had been diagnosed was negative . It was suspected however, that this man might have been a carrier of Corynebacterium diphtheriae during the week that he worked in the kitchen . Tests for C . diphtheriae antitoxin revealed that the kitchen staff had high antitoxin titres although they lacked a history of basic immunisation . Even so, C . diphtheriae could not be isolated from their throats and it has not been possible to establish the mode of transmission . The most reasonable theory of transmission is that the organism was introduced into the kitchen by the man employed there temporarily and that it was spread by food served in the restaurant . This theory has not been proved but is discussed in order to facilitate future investigations of a similar outbreak.

Exp Eye Res, 1989 Sep, 49(3), 377 - 88
A superfamily of NADPH-dependent reductases in eukaryotes and prokaryotes; Carper DA et al.; Aldose reductase (AR) is implicated in some of the disabling complications of diabetes, including neuropathy, retinopathy and cataracts . Our studies are aimed at further clarifying the role of AR in diabetes and facilitating the design of new classes of potent, specific AR inhibitors by gaining an understanding of the protein structure of AR . To this end, we have determined the complete protein sequence of rat lens AR using cDNA analysis and primer extension of mRNA . By comparing protein sequences, we have found that the structural relatedness (41% to 57%) among the vertebrate proteins, aldose reductase, aldehyde reductase, prostaglandin F synthase and the frog lens protein rho-crystallin can now be extended to prokaryotes by the inclusion of Corynebacterium 2,5-diketo-D-gluconate reductase . This more distantly related protein shares 30-40% identity with the vertebrate enzymes . Sequence alignments reveal that 18% of the amino acids are completely conserved in all members of the superfamily, many of them in clusters, suggesting that they mark important structural features such as the nucleotide binding site and substrate binding site . rho-Crystallin, which is structurally related to this superfamily of NADPH-dependent reductases, does not appear to reduce PGH2, PGD2, xylose or glyceraldehyde to any appreciable extent . It does, however, bind NADPH.

Cas Lek Cesk, 1989 Aug 18, 128(34), 1071 - 4
{Comparison of the effectiveness and adverse effects of a Corynebacterium parvum vaccine made in Czechoslovakia with Coparvax, a British preparation made by Wellcome, in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions}; Marel M et al.; Malignant pleural effusion complicates various malignant diseases, most frequently lung and breast cancer . A group of 20 patients with this complication were treated with the Czechoslovak vaccine Corynebacterium parvum and the English preparation Coparvax, and their effects and side-effects were compared . Within 4 weeks following the application, 7 patients died . In 9 surviving patients, the exudate ceased to be replenished and in 4 persons, after intrapleural application of the preparation, it had to be evacuated one more time, but then its formation ceased . The therapeutical effect of both the Czechoslovak and English preparations was satisfactory . The side-effects of both preparations were comparable except for a significantly higher temperature elicited by the Czechoslovak vaccine . Both preparations Corynebacterium parvum are suitable for palliative treatment of malignant pleural exudates.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Aug, 50(8), 1319 - 22
Purification of the phospholipase D of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis by recycling isoelectric focusing; Egen NB et al.; Recycling isoelectric focusing was investigated as a method for purification of phospholipase D (PLD) from cultures of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis . Supernatant fluids from cultures of equine isolate 155 in brain-heart infusion broth were dialyzed against distilled water, concentrated by lyophilization, and fractionated by preparative isoelectric focusing in free solution in a pH 3 to 13 gradient with 6M urea . Protein concentration, pH, and PLD activity of the 10 resulting fractions were determined . Two PLD activity assays were used: release of 14C choline from labeled sphingomyelin and synergistic hemolytic activity with Rhodococcus equi factors . Enzyme activity focused in 2 fractions at pH 8.5 to 9.8 . The synergistic hemolytic assay was simple and rapid for detecting PLD in partially purified fractions . Electrophoretic examination of the fraction containing the highest concentration of PLD activity revealed protein bands at 14, 21, and 31.7 kD Mr, suggesting purification to near-homogeneity . Proteins from the 31.7-kD band were labeled by antibodies in serum from a goat with chronic C pseudotuberculosis infection.

Mol Gen Genet, 1989 Aug, 218(2), 330 - 9
The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum: molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression; Eikmanns BJ et al.; The ppc gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum encoding phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase was isolated by complementation of a ppc mutant of Escherichia coli using a cosmid gene bank of chromosomal C . glutamicum DNA . By subsequent subcloning into the plasmid pUC8 and deletion analysis, the ppc gene could be located on a 3.3 kb SalI fragment . This fragment was able to complement the E . coli ppc mutant and conferred PEP carboxylase activity to the mutant . The complete nucleotide sequence of the ppc gene including 5' and 3' flanking regions has been determined and the primary structure of PEP carboxylase was deduced . The sequence predicts a 919 residue protein product (molecular weight of 103 154) which shows 34% similarity with the respective E . coli enzyme.

South Med J, 1989 Aug, 82(8), 1046 - 7
Corynebacterium equi peritonitis in a patient receiving peritoneal dialysis; Franklin DB Jr et al.; Our patient represents the first reported case of peritonitis due to C equi . He had no known exposure to farm or domestic animals, and no evidence of underlying systemic immunodeficiency . After relapse, the patient was successfully treated with vancomycin, and catheter removal was not necessary . We suggest that C equi be added to the growing list of organisms not typically thought to be human pathogens that can cause peritonitis in patients receiving CAPD and recommend intraperitoneal vancomycin as primary therapy . Catheter removal may be necessary to clear the infection . Identification of the organism is important, as it may not respond to treatment with antibiotics such as cephalosporins or penicillins, which are commonly used to treat peritonitis.

Inflammation, 1989 Aug, 13(4), 443 - 53
Effects of products from inflammatory pulmonary neutrophils on alveolar macrophage chemotaxis, spreading, and thymidine incorporation; Donaldson K et al.; Since macrophages and neutrophils are found together in the alveolar region of the lung during alveolar inflammation, we assessed whether neutrophil products could influence three key functions of alveolar macrophages: chemotaxis, spreading, and thymidine incorporation . Neutrophils were obtained from the lungs of rats treated by intratracheal instillation of heat-killed Corynebacterium parvum and cultured overnight, alone or in the presence of zymosan, PMA, an inert particulate (titanium dioxide), or a toxic dust, (quartz) . Supernatants were collected from these cells and a lysate, obtained by freeze-thawing neutrophils, was also used . Neutrophil supernatants caused a slight reduction in chemotaxis and a significant loss of ability to spread on glass which varied depending on the in vitro treatment of the neutrophils . In addition neutrophil supernatants also had a substantial effect in stimulating uptake of thymidine which was, once again, very dependent on the treatment of the neutrophils during preparation of the supernatants, with unstimulated and TiO2-treated neutrophils producing maximum stimulation . The increases in thymidine uptake were not matched by increased proliferation, suggesting that another signal may be necessary for expanison of alveolar macrophage numbers during alveolar inflammation.

J Leukoc Biol, 1989 Aug, 46(2), 103 - 8
Chemiluminescence in a macrophage cell line modulated by biological response modifiers; Tosk J et al.; We have studied a murine macrophage cell line, J774, and found these cells capable of a zymosan-triggered chemiluminescent oxidative burst . Such activity was enhanced by preincubation with Corynebacterium parvum (CP), bacillus Calmette-Guerin, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) . Under similar conditions, CP and LPS were shown to enhance J774-mediated tumor cell lysis . We have also demonstrated that murine interferon alpha + beta rendered J774 cells more sensitive to the actions of CP and LPS . These results indicate that J774 cells may be useful for the in vitro evaluation of biological response modifiers as well as the study of oxygen radical production by macrophages.

Pract Odontol, 1989 Aug, 10(8), 55 - 6
{Tonsillitis}; Miranda Villasana JE et al.; The tonsils, paired structures which protect the pharynx, are frequently the target of infections, most often in pediatric patients . Etiology of tonsillitis may be viral (Adenovirus) as well as bacterial (Corynebacterium diphtheria, among others) . Clinically, the disease may manifest congestive disturbance and exudative membranes, it may have local or systemic complications, and its treatment is symptomatic.

J Cell Sci, 1989 Aug, 93 ( Pt 4), 623 - 30
Differential expression of membrane sialoglycoproteins in exudate and resident mouse peritoneal macrophages; Rabinowitz S et al.; Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) has been used to define biochemical differences between exudate and resident macrophages in the peritoneal cavity of mice . Western blotting with 125I-WGA identifies a restricted set of glycoproteins in elicited peritoneal macrophages (M phi) (recruited with thioglycollate or periodate) and fully activated M phi (recruited with live Bacille Calmette-Guerin, or heat-killed Corynebacterium parvum); the major species migrates with Mr 89-115 kDa in 10% acrylamide gels . These glycoproteins are not detected in resident peritoneal M phi, nor in thymocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and a variety of non-M phi cell lines . The binding of WGA is sensitive to neuraminidase, which exposes binding sites on these proteins for peanut agglutinin and reduces their electrophoretic mobility; these features are typical of O-linked sialo-oligosaccharides . In culture, exudate M phi increase their WGA-binding content over 48 h, and continue to display a phenotype distinct from that of resident peritoneal M phi . The stable differential expression of these sialoglycoproteins, by elicited and activated versus resident peritoneal M phi, suggests that biochemical modification during the synthesis and expression of membrane glycoproteins accompanies M phi recruitment to an inflammatory focus.

J Immunol, 1989 Jul 15, 143(2), 740 - 8
Lymphocytes generated by in vivo priming and in vitro sensitization demonstrate therapeutic efficacy against a murine tumor that lacks apparent immunogenicity; Shu SY et al.; The adoptive transfer of sensitized lymphocytes is an effective means to mediate the regression of established tumors . However, successful therapy can only be demonstrated in animal models where tumors are intrinsically immunogenic, capable of eliciting systemic immunity . To explore the potential of this therapeutic approach to tumors of less immunogenicity, we have selected and used a murine tumor, MCA 102, for the current study because all attempts to immunize syngeneic mice failed . We report here that inoculation of mice with a mixture of tumor cells and a bacterial adjuvant, Corynebacterium parvum led to the production of sensitized, but not fully functional, lymphocytes in the draining lymph nodes (LN) . These cells, termed pre-effector cells, could nevertheless further differentiate to acquire full immunologic function by an established in vitro sensitization culture method . In adoptive immunotherapy experiments, transfer of as few as 1.5 X 10(7) in vitro sensitized cells not only reduced established pulmonary MCA 102 metastases but also prolonged survival and cured tumors in a majority of the treated animals . In order to elicit pre-effector cells in vivo, inoculation with both tumor cells and C . parvum was essential . Although a broad range of numbers of MCA 102 tumor cells appeared to be effective, generation of pre-effector cells was dependent on the dose of C . parvum . We have found that a C . parvum dose of 25 micrograms was optimal, whereas higher doses of the adjuvant had suppressive effects . Analysis of the kinetics of their appearance revealed that the generation of pre-effector cells was transient . They were detectable 7 days after in vivo priming followed by a rapid decline . Furthermore, pre-effector cells were detected only in the regional draining LN . No reactivity was demonstrable in the spleen, mesenteric LN, PBL, or bone marrow . Taken together, these results expand the scope of immunotherapy by demonstrating the feasibility of manipulating a limited and obscure immune response to the MCA 102 tumor for therapeutic efficacy.

J Biolumin Chemilumin, 1989 Jul, 4(1), 267 - 71
Opsonophagocytosis of bacteria studied by chemiluminescence in microtitre plates; Hastings JG et al.; A protocol for polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemiluminescence (PMN CL) assays of opsonophagocytosis was developed for a microtitre-plate luminometer . The complete procedure was performed in a single microtitre plate and was simpler and more efficient than previous protocols . The kinetics of the PMN CL response were best when microtitre plates were incubated on a shaking incubator between readings . The new protocol was used in a study of the pathogenicity of Corynebacterium jeikeium, an organism found in association with infection in the immunocompromised . No differences were found when PMN CL induction by 15 strains of C . jeikeium were compared with 15 isolates of other corynebacteria . Both groups of organisms required complement for efficient opsonophagocytosis; C . jeikeium strains showed no requirement for specific antibody . Resistance to opsonophagocytosis does not appear to be an explanation for the increased pathogenicity of C . jeikeium . Microtitre-plate luminometers are particularly well suited to bacterial opsonization studies where large numbers of strains often need to be assessed.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Jul, 72(7), 1886 - 92
Isolation and identification of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species from bovine body sites and streak canals of nulliparous heifers; White DG et al.; Heifers (n = 103) ranging in age from 1d to 2 yr were sampled to determine the coagulase-negative staphylococcal flora of haircoat, nares, vagina, teat skin, and streak canal . A total of 2706 staphylococal strains were identified from 3612 bacterial isolates . Other genera or groups identified included Bacillus, Micrococcus, Corynebacterium, and coliforms . Staphylococci were identified utilizing a simplified biochemical scheme . Staphylococcus xylosus, S . chromogenes, and S . warneri were the predominant species recovered from anatomic sites and streak canal . Staphylococcal strains identified from specific body sites (expressed as percentage of heifers harboring these species) were: nares 74% S . xylosus and 48% S . warneri; haircoat, 70% S . xylosus and 57% S . chromogenes; vagina, 60% S . chromogenes and 54% S . xylosus; teat skin 62% S . chromogenes and 61% S . warneri; streak canal 53% S . chromogenes, and 43% S . warneri . The prevalent staphylococcal strains identified differed from heifers in confined housing compared with heifers on pasture . Differences observed in distribution of Staphylococcus species among body sites, particularly those between teat skin and streak canal, suggest that establishment of staphylococcal microflora depends on the ability of a species to adapt to and colonize anatomic sites as well as on environmental conditions present.

Can J Vet Res, 1989 Jul, 53(3), 313 - 8
The use of a microagglutination assay for the detection of antibodies to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in naturally infected sheep and goat flocks; Menzies PI et al.; Two goat flocks comprising 326 animals and four sheep flocks comprising 343 animals, all with a previously recognized problem of abscesses due to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, were examined for the presence of abscesses and antibody titers to C . pseudotuberculosis as detected by direct microagglutination assay . In sheep there was a strong positive relationship between age and titer (p less than 0.0001) . However, the relationship in goats between age and titer could not be determined due to a strong interaction between flock and age . When the relationship between abscesses and titer was examined, it was found that goats with abscesses had higher titers than those that did not (p less than 0.05), whereas there was no difference in titer between sheep with abscesses and those without (p = 0.5753) . The sensitivity of the microagglutination test was poor to good for both species (52.3% for goats and 89.7% for sheep) . The specificity of the test was fair to poor (64.9% for goats and 21.7% for sheep) . Given a disease prevalence of 13.5% for goats and 8.5% for sheep the predictive value of the positive test was very poor (18.9% for goats and 9.6% for sheep) but the predictive value of the negative test was good to excellent (89.7% for goats and 95.8% for sheep) . The poor specificity of the test and therefore the positive predictive value may be due in part to the criterion of classification of presence of disease, i.e . presence of an abscess at the time of sampling.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Infect Immun, 1989 Jul, 57(7), 2098 - 106
Phenotypes of infiltrating cells in trehalose dimycolate-induced interstitial pneumonitis; Sakamoto Y et al.; Trehalose dimycolate is a glycolipid component of the cell walls of mycobacteria, nocardia, and corynebacteria . When trehalose dimycolate is injected into certain strains of mice, they develop interstitial pneumonitis that is characterized by mononuclear cell infiltration of the alveolar walls, intra-alveolar hemorrhages, and in some animals, granuloma formation . The disorder is seldom fatal, and in approximately 4 weeks, the lungs are normal . There is strong evidence that T lymphocytes are essential for production of interstitial pneumonitis by trehalose dimycolate, but little is known about the mechanisms of lung injury in this model . The experiments described in this report were conducted to identify the roles of the various cells that accumulate in the lungs of mice with this form of interstitial pneumonitis . We found that Mac3+ macrophages were the first cells to appear in the alveolar walls . Increases in the number of L3T4+ T lymphocytes, Lyt2+ T lymphocytes, and surface-immunoglobulin-positive lymphocytes followed, but significant increases in the number of lymphoid cells were not observed until day 7, when the pulmonary lesions were well developed . Treatment of the mice with cyclophosphamide or anti-T-cell sera significantly reduced the number of lymphoid cells in the alveolar walls but did not affect the number of Mac3+ cells and did not affect development of intra-alveolar hemorrhages . Treatment with poly(I.C) significantly decreased the number of Mac3+ cells in the lungs, and these mice did not develop pulmonary hemorrhages . We conclude that although development of pulmonary lesions in trehalose dimycolate-treated mice is a T-cell-dependent process, macrophages are also essential and are more directly involved in production of the lung injury . We postulate that the lung lesions are the direct effect of macrophage-produced cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor.

Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1989 Jul-Sep, 34(3), 241 - 7
{The aerobic air microflora in airplanes on various international routes}; Nastoiu I et al.; Aerobic microflora (bacteria, fungi), in the cock pits of the TAROM company (Boeing 707 and Il 62 M) airships flying on various international routes and airports was studied during November 1988-January 1989 . 157-8,800 bacteria and 78-1,336 fungi per m3 air were recorded . Except for Staphylococcus aureus (hemolytic and non hemolytic) the greatest part of the isolated microorganisms was nonpathogenic for man: Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Neisseria, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Sarcina, Aspergillus, Penicillium etc . Several airships on the Asian airports contained a higher amount of bacteria and fungi but not higher than in the living rooms . Likewise, in high altitude flights, the microorganism amount was less than on the ground . The taxonomic spectrum of the bacteria and fungi isolated was almost identical on all the 9 international airports, thus suggesting the homogeneous and international character of saprophyte and pathogenic air microflora by means of the passenger and goods air flights.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 Jul, (7), 28 - 30
{The use of DNA fingerprint analysis for the differentiation of populations of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae}; Bobkova MR et al.; 13 C . diphtheriae strains were used as a model to establish the conditions of making the fingerprint analysis of chromosomal DNA . These strains, subdivided into 7 groups in accordance with the character of their restriction splitting, were mostly isolated from territorially close sources and belonged to the same phagotype . Probably, C . diphtheriae DNA has strain variations manifested by an unequal number and location of the sites of the recognition of specific endonucleases, which may be used for the intraspecific differentiation of C . diphtheriae.

Chem Phys Lipids, 1989 Jul, 51(1), 31 - 8
Structure determination of mycolic acids by using charge remote fragmentation; Savagnac A et al.; The collision-induced remote site fragmentation process of closed-shell ions, such as carboxylate anions, is a very potent analytical tool for the structural determination of fatty acids . This leads to an easy location of branch points, double bonds, cyclopropane rings and other functional groups . Although corynomycolic acid mixtures from Corynebacterium diphtheriae can be directly analyzed by negative-ion fast atom bombardment combined with collisionally activated decomposition spectra, mycolic acid mixtures from mycobacteria need a preliminary chemical cleavage . They are oxidized to beta-keto esters and then submitted to a retro-Claisen reaction . The resulting fatty acids were then converted into pentafluorobenzyl derivatives and introduced directly into a high pressure ion source working in the negative ion mode . The resulting gas phase carboxylate anions are activated to decompose by collision with helium atoms . When applied to M3-mycolic acids from Mycobacterium fallax, this method allows for the characterization of a new tri-unsaturated mycolic acid, which has the middle and the remote double bonds separated by two methylene groups.

Parasite Immunol, 1989 Jul, 11(4), 371 - 83
Analysis of Propionibacterium acnes-induced non-specific immunity to Trypanosoma brucei in mice; Black SJ et al.; Mice treated with dead Propionibacterium acnes (previously called Corynebacterium parvum), up to 30 days before infection with any of three strains of Trypanosoma brucei, were more able to limit the level of first-wave parasitaemia than untreated controls . Reduced parasitaemia was not due to enhanced phagocytosis of input parasites and was associated with a dramatic reduction in the proportion of multiplying T . brucei in the blood of treated as compared to control mice . For 4 days after P . acnes treatment, T . brucei growth-inhibitory molecules, assayed by their effect on T . brucei multiplication under axenic culture conditions, were detected in the serum of recipient mice . The molecules were released by macrophages collected from the peritoneal cavity of P . acnes-treated mice, and similar molecules were produced in vitro by macrophages from normal mice after incubation with P . acnes . Accessory studies suggested that the molecules were breakdown products of P . acnes and were unlikely to be responsible for the long-term in-vivo effects of the P . acnes treatment . It was also shown that monokines and lymphokines which are likely to be induced by in-vivo P . acnes treatment, i.e . IL-1, IL-2, TNF alpha, INF alpha, INF beta, INF gamma, PGE1, PGE2, PGF2 alpha and biological mediators present in Con-A and LPS-induced spleen cell supernatants (collected 20, 40, 60 or 80 h after mitogen stimulation) had no influence on T . brucei growth under axenic culture conditions over a wide range of concentrations . The studies suggest that the P . acnes effect was not due to a direct interaction of these biological mediators with the T . brucei . We suggest that the reduction in T . brucei parasitaemia in P . acnes-treated mice reflects secondary physiological effects of one or more unidentified biological mediators.

Ann Intern Med, 1989 Jul 1, 111(1), 71 - 82
Diphtheria among alcoholic urban adults . A decade of experience in Seattle; Harnisch JP et al.; Three outbreaks of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection occurred in Seattle's Skid Road from 1972 through 1982 . The first involved a single toxigenic, intermedius biotype clone, whereas the second and third outbreaks involved nontoxigenic mitis and gravis strains . Of 1100 total infections, 947 (86%) were cutaneous . The incidence was highest in winter and spring . In Skid Road, the estimated attack rate during 17 months in 1974 to 1975 was 5% for whites and 27% for native Americans . Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated from 73% of diphtheritic and 41% of nondiphtheritic skin lesions (P less than 0.001) . Skin infection and environmental contamination by C . diphtheriae were correlated . Complications occurred in 21% of symptomatic nasopharyngeal and 3% of cutaneous toxigenic intermedius infections (P less than 0.001), and were significantly correlated with ages 60 years or more . Preferential use of erythromycin for diphtheria and pyodermas preceded plasmid-mediated resistance to erythromycin in C . diphtheriae . Diphtheria outbreaks in urban alcoholic persons are associated with poor hygiene, crowding, season, contaminated fomites, underlying skin disease, hyperendemic streptococcal pyoderma, and introduction of new strains from exogenous reservoirs.

Biochemistry, 1989 Jun 13, 28(12), 5145 - 54
Bacterial sarcosine oxidase: identification of novel substrates and a biradical reaction intermediate; Zeller HD et al.; Corynebacterial sarcosine oxidase contains both covalently and noncovalently bound FAD and forms complexes with various heterocyclic carboxylic acids (D-proline and 2-furoic, 2-pyrrolecarboxylic, and 2-thiophenecarboxylic acids) . 2-Furoic acid, a competitive inhibitor with respect to sarcosine, selectively perturbs the absorption spectrum of the noncovalent flavin, suggesting that the enzyme has a single sarcosine binding site near the noncovalent flavin . Several heterocyclic amines have been identified as new substrates for the enzyme . Similar reactivity is observed with L-proline and L-pipecolic acid whereas L-2-azetidine-carboxylic acid is less reactive . Turnover with L-proline is slow (TN = 4.4 min-1) as compared with sarcosine (TN = 1000 min-1) . Anaerobic reduction of the enzyme with heterocyclic amine substrates at pH 8.0 occurs as a biphasic reaction . A similar long-wavelength intermediate is formed in the initial fast phase of each reaction and then decays in a slower second phase to yield 1,5-dihydroFAD . The slow phase is not kinetically significant during aerobic turnover at pH 8.0 and is absent when the anaerobic reactions are conducted at pH 7.0 . EPR and other studies at pH 7.0 show that the long-wavelength species is a half-reduced form of the enzyme (1 electron/substrate-reducible flavin) containing 0.9 mol of flavin radical/mol of substrate-reducible flavin . This biradical intermediate exhibits an absorption spectrum similar to that expected for a 50:50 mixture of red anionic and blue neutral flavin radicals . A similar long-wavelength species is observed during titration of the enzyme with sarcosine and other reductants . Studies with L-proline suggest that reduction of the enzyme involves initial transfer of two electrons to the noncovalent flavin . The covalent flavin is not required and can be complexed with sulfite without affecting the rate of electron transfer . The initial half-reduced form of the enzyme appears to be rapidly converted to the biradical form via comproportionation of the reduced noncovalent flavin with the oxidized covalent flavin.

J Biol Chem, 1989 Jun 5, 264(16), 9547 - 51
The aldo-keto reductase superfamily . cDNAs and deduced amino acid sequences of human aldehyde and aldose reductases; Bohren KM et al.; Aldehyde reductase {EC 1.1.1.2} and aldose reductase {EC 1.1.1.21} are monomeric NADPH-dependent oxidoreductases having wide substrate specificities for carbonyl compounds . These enzymes are implicated in the development of diabetic complications by catalyzing the reduction of glucose to sorbitol . Enzyme inhibition as a direct pharmacokinetic approach to the prevention of diabetic complications resulting from the hyperglycemia of diabetes has not been effective because of nonspecificity of the inhibitors and some appreciable side effects . To understand the structural and evolutionary relationship of these enzymes, we cloned and sequenced cDNAs coding for aldose and aldehyde reductases from human liver and placental cDNA libraries . Human placental aldose reductase (open reading frame of 316 amino acids) has a 65% identity (identical plus conservative substitutions) to human liver and placental aldehyde reductase (open reading frame of 325 amino acids) . The two sequences have significant identity to 2,5-diketogluconic acid reductase from corynebacterium, frog rho-crystallin, and bovine lung prostaglandin F synthase (reductase) . Southern hybridization analysis of human genomic DNA indicates a multigene system for aldose reductase, suggesting the existence of additional proteins . Thus, the aldo-keto reductase superfamily of proteins may have a more significant and hitherto not fully appreciated role in general cellular metabolism.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 Jun, 37(5 Pt 2), 553 - 9
{Comparative in vitro bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect of 5 macrolides: roxithromycin, erythromycin, oleandomycin, josamycin and spiramycin against 284 hospital bacterial strains}; Le Noc P et al.; The bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of five macrolides (roxithromycin, erythromycin, troleandomycin, josamycin and spiramycin) were tested against 284 bacterial strains belonging to various species of Gram positive (staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci, Listeria sp, Corynebacterium sp, Bacillus sp) and Gram negative bacteria (Neisseria sp, H . influenzae, P . multocida) . The activity of these compounds on the whole strains showed near results: 71.8% of susceptible strains to erythromycin and spiramycin, 70% to josamycin, 67.6% to roxithromycin, 65.5% to troleandomycin . Resisting strains were MLSB resistant cocci Gram positive, H . influenzae and P . multocida strains . Species usually less studied (nongroupable streptococci, Corynebacterium sp, Bacillus sp) were very susceptible to macrolides with MICS equal or inferior to 1 mg/l for the two last genus . A bactericidal effect was observed for 38.8% of 72 tested strains (erythromycin), 36.1% (josamycin), 34.7% (spiramycin), 31.9% (roxithromycin), 20.8% (troleandomycin) . Among various tested species, this bactericidal effect concerned especially group A streptococci, N . meningitidis and Corynebacterium (except D2 and JK species).

J Leukoc Biol, 1989 Jun, 45(6), 546 - 57
Hematologic interactions of endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin 1, and adrenal hormones and the hematologic effects of TNF alpha in Corynebacterium parvum-primed rats; Ulich TR et al.; Endotoxin reduces the release among other cytokines of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) and causes peripheral lymphopenia and a dose-response-dependent initial neutropenia followed by a monophasic neutrophilia . TNF alone induces lymphopenia and an initial neutropenia followed by a biphasic neutrophilia . IL-1 alone induces lymphopenia and a monophasic neutrophilia . TNF-plus-IL-1 caused a greater lymphopenia than either monokine alone, suggesting that both monokines contribute to LPS-induced lymphopenia . TNF-plus-IL-1 induced neutropenia similar in magnitude to that induced by TNF alone and induced a neutrophilia significantly greater than that induced by either monokine alone, suggesting that LPS-induced neutropenia is caused by TNF, while LPS-induced neutrophilia is due to the combined effects of TNF and II-1 . TNF and IL-1 were administered together with LPS to simulate the in vivo condition of endogenous monokine release during gram-negative bacteremia . TNF combined with LPS increased both the duration and magnitude of LPS-induced lymphopenia, LPS-induced neutropenia, and LPS-induced neutrophilia . TNF-plus-LPS treated rats at 2 hours after injection exhibited a striking 93% decrease in bone marrow neutrophils even though no peripheral neutrophilia was yet apparent, suggesting that the subsequent neutrophilia was due to demargination and recirculation of neutrophils sequestered in the peripheral vasculature immediately after their release from the bone marrow . Epinephrine, which causes neutrophilia by demargination but not by release of marrow neutrophils, reversed the initial neutropenia in TNF-plus-LPS-treated rats and increased the neutrophilia . IL-1 combined with LPS increased LPS-induced neutrophilia, suggesting that endogenous IL-1 also contributed to LPS-induced neutrophilia . Corynebacterium parvum-primed rats with hyperplasia of the monocyte-macrophage system and treated with TNF differed from naive rats treated with TNF in that the second peak was as great as the initial peak of neutrophilia, supporting the hypothesis that the second peak of TNF-induced neutrophilia is due to the release of endogenous monokines . In conclusion, exogenous TNF, IL-1, and adrenal hormones affect circulating numbers of lymphocytes and neutrophils in a fashion consistent with their postulated endogenous role in the regulation of leukocyte trafficking during bacterial infection.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 Jun, 37(5 Pt 2), 681 - 4
{Treatment of peritonitis under continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis using intraperitoneal ceftazidime}; Ragnaud JM et al.; Management of peritonitis related to chronic ambulatory peritoneal ceftazidime . In 15 patients under CAPD, 22 cases of bacterial peritonitis were observed with clinical manifestation in 14 . The mean cell count in peritoneal dialysis fluid was 3 580/mm3 with 3 040/mm3 polymorphonuclear leukocytes . Causative pathogens were: Staphylococcus in 11 cases, Streptococcus in 3, Sarcines in 2, Corynebacterium in 2, Micrococcus varians in 1, Gram negative in 3 . First choice treatment was a intraperitoneal injection of 1 g of ceftazidime every 48 hours, 54.5% of patients recovered within 5 days . Failures were due to 4 Staphylococcus aureus, 3 Staphylococcus epidermidis, 1 Sarcine, 1 Streptococcus liquefaciens, 1 Corynebacterium hofmanii . Mean ceftazidime concentrations 48 hours after the intraperitoneal injection were 35 mg/l (range = 14-54 mg/l) in serum and 5.5 mg/l (E: 2.8,8 mg/l) in dialysate . These concentrations in dialysate, are not greater than most of ceftazidime'S CMI for susceptible bacteria . A single daily intraperitoneal injection of ceftazidime is desirable.

J Immunol, 1989 Jun 1, 142(11), 3803 - 8
Spontaneous cytotoxicity of macrophages against pancreatic islet cells; Appels B et al.; Activated peritoneal macrophages were found to lyse syngeneic {3H}leucine-labeled pancreatic islet cells or rat insulinoma cells after 15 h of coculture at 37 degrees C . Lysis was verified by electron microscopic analysis . Islet cell lysis was dependent on the T:E ratio and was comparable with P815 and L929 tumor cells used as targets . The cytotoxic activity was localized in the adherent fraction of Corynebacterium parvum activated peritoneal cells and was destroyed by incubation of cells with macrophage-toxic silica particles . Syngeneic thyrocytes and hepatocytes were found to be resistant to the cytolytic action of activated macrophages . It has been shown previously that macrophages contribute to pancreatic islet inflammation . The present in vitro analysis demonstrates that macrophages can function as effector cells in islet destruction.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 Jun, (6), 66 - 70
{Detection of toxin and evaluation of the degree of toxin-formation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae using immunoenzyme analysis}; Mazurova IK et al.; Toxin production and the intensity of toxin formation in 265 C . diphtheriae strains circulating in different areas of the USSR have been studied by the method of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . This study has been carried out with the use of the assay system consisting of monoclonal antibodies to the COOH-area of the B-fragment of the toxin molecule adsorbed onto the surface of polystyrene plates, affinity-purified polyclonal antidiphtheria antibodies labeled with horse-radish peroxidase and substrate indicator mixture (5-aminosalicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide) . Some specific features of using ELISA for the detection of C . diphtheriae toxin directly in liquid culture medium are presented . High sensitivity, specificity and good reproducibility of this method permitting the detection of C . diphtheriae toxin and the determination of the intensity of toxin formation in the C . diphtheriae strains under study are shown . The method may be recommended for practical use at health institutions.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 Jun, 8(6), 521 - 3
Mycobacterium chelonei infection of a Broviac catheter insertion site; Engler HD et al.; Mycobacterium chelonei infection developed at the insertion site of an indwelling Broviac catheter in a child with erythroleukemia . Direct adherence to and colonization of the intra- and extra-luminal surfaces of the catheter, with extension to the adjacent subcutaneous tissue, by this rapidly growing mycobacterium may have been the primary factor underscoring the infection . Nontuberculous mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium chelonei grow readily on routine bacteriologic media and resemble Corynebacterium spp . (diphtheroids) in their Gram staining and microscopic characteristics . The persistence of the infectious process and a diphtheroid-like microorganism despite antimicrobial therapy should raise the suspicion for a mycobacterial species.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Jun, 33(6), 944 - 50
Antimicrobial activity of Ro 23-9424, a novel ester-linked codrug of fleroxacin and desacetylcefotaxime; Jones RN et al.; Ro 23-9424 is a novel ester-linked codrug of fleroxacin (Ro 23-6240; AM-833) and the cefotaxime metabolite desacetylcefotaxime . Its potency was determined against over 1,000 organisms and found to be intermediate between those of the two components . More than 99% of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were inhibited by greater than or equal micrograms of Ro 23-9424 per ml; its MIC for 50% of strains tested ranged from greater than or equal to 0.06 to 1 micrograms/ml . Staphylococci, streptococci, Branhamella catarrhalis, Corynebacterium jeikeium, Bacillus spp., Haemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, and the pathogenic Neisseria spp., including oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, beta-lactamase-producing strains, and penicillin-resistant pneumococci, were also inhibited by Ro 23-9424 . Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus spp., and Bacteroides fragilis group isolates were more refractory to Ro 23-9424 (the MIC for 90% of strains tested was less than or equal to 32 micrograms/ml) . Overall, Ro 23-9424 inhibited 97% of the aerobic strains, compared with 90% for ceftazidime and 92% for cefoperazone . Ro 23-9424 was bactericidal, was relatively stable to inoculum effects on MICs at 10(7) CFU/ml, and was determined to be highly active against organisms resistant to fluoroquinolones or ceftazidime . Preliminary quality control guidelines were determined, and a 30-micrograms disk concentration appears to be the most usable form.

Orv Hetil, 1989 May 21, 130(21), 1115 - 7
{Isolation of Corynebacterium JK from the blood of neutropenic patients with septic diseases}; Ban E et al.; The authors report on the isolation of Corynebacterium JK from the blood of two neutropenic patients with hematological malignancy . In Hungary this paper is the first to discuss the microbiology of the organism and clinical manifestations of the group JK Coryneform infection . The clinical significance of this organism in the nosocomial infections of compromised patients and the association of the infection with the use of plastic devices has been emphasized . The sensitivity of the multiresistant coryneform bacterium to vancomycin may help to make the microbiological diagnosis and to select the drug for therapy.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3), 265 - 8
Corynebacterium jeikeium (group JK diphtheroids) endocarditis . A report of five cases; Vanbosterhaut B et al.; Corynebacterium jeikeium is the name recently given to a group of coryneform rods, formerly known as the JK group, and associated with a wide range of serious infections . We describe five patients with C . jeikeium endocarditis observed in two Belgian hospitals over a period of 5 years . In three cases, the infection occurred on prosthetic heart valves between 1.5 and 5 months after surgery . The two other patients, with known mitral insufficiency, presented with endocarditis on native valves . In four patients, bacteriologic and clinical cure followed treatment with vancomycin . The fifth patient died despite eradication of the coryneforms by combination antibiotic therapy . We know of no previous reports of C . jeikeium endocarditis on native heart valves.

Cell Immunol, 1989 May, 120(2), 419 - 29
Distinct immunologic specificity of tumor regression mediated by effector cells isolated from immunized and tumor-bearing mice; Chang AE et al.; Sensitized T lymphocytes can mediate potent antitumor effects when transferred to tumor-bearing animals . Employing the MCA 105 and MCA 106 sarcomas, we were able to generate antitumor effector cells by immunization of syngeneic mice with tumor cells admixed with Corynebacterium parvum . These immune splenocytes could be further sensitized and expanded in culture by the in vitro sensitization (IVS) method utilizing tumor stimulator cells and IL-2 . Adoptive immunotherapy of pulmonary metastases mediated by noncultured splenocytes from immunized mice or immune IVS cells showed exquisite specificity between the two sarcomas . These results demonstrate the presence of tumor-specific antigens on MCA 105 and MCA 106 tumor cells which can serve as target molecules for immunotherapy . Recently, we have generated therapeutic T lymphocytes from mice bearing progressively growing tumors by the IVS method . However, IVS cells from tumor-bearing mice showed cross-reactivity between the MCA 105 and 106 sarcomas in adoptive immunotherapy experiments . Since these IVS cells did not affect other control tumors, the limited cross-reactivity suggests the presence of common tumor-associated antigens on MCA 105 and MCA 106 tumor cells which can also serve as the target for tumor rejection . Therefore, immune responses to progressive tumor growth and to immunization are distinct with respect to antigen recognition by T lymphocytes.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1989 May, 91(5), 616 - 9
Pathology of culture-proven JK Corynebacterium pneumonia . An autopsy case report; Waters BL; The first description of the pathologic characteristics of JK Corynebacterium pneumonia is presented . Occurring in a profoundly neutropenic patient, the pneumonia was characterized by massive fluid exudation in the alveoli with acute hemorrhage, significant proliferation of the bacteria beginning along the alveolar walls, and eventual alveolar wall necrosis . Other cases of JK Corynebacterium pneumonia are reviewed . This report emphasizes that JK Corynebacterium pneumonia has a high mortality and should be considered in patients with pulmonary deterioration and blood cultures positive for diphtheroids.

Reg Immunol, 1989 May-Jun, 2(3), 169 - 75
Restoration of prostaglandin E2-producing splenic macrophages in 89Sr-treated mice with bone marrow from Corynebacterium parvum primed donors; Shibata Y; Administration of Corynebacterium parvum (CP), 56 mg/kg ip to CBA/J mice effected the induction of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) producing macrophages (M phi) in the bone marrow and the spleen . Maximal release of PGE2 from M phi cultured in vitro with calcium ionophore A23187 for 2 h was reached by marrow M phi removed on 5 days after CP (450 ng/mg cell protein), and by splenic M phi 9 days after CP (400 ng/mg) . Neither M phi population, however, yielded more than 6.0 ng/mg leukotriene C4 . To assess ontogenic relationships mice were depleted of bone marrow and blood monocytes by iv injection of the bone-seeking isotope, 89Sr . CP was given at several points before or after bone marrow cell depletion . PGE2 production by splenic M phi harvested on day 9 after CP was profoundly impaired when CP was administered either concurrently with or 3 days after 89Sr . When CP was administered 1, 3, 5, and 7 days before 89Sr, however, the induction of PGE2-producing M phi in the spleen was unaffected . To determine whether bone marrow cells from CP-injected donors can restore PGE2-producing splenic M phi (PGSM) in 89Sr-mice, recipient mice which had and had not received CP 3 days after 89Sr were transfused with 5 x 10(6) syngeneic bone marrow cells from donor mice prepared at varying intervals after CP administration . The results clearly indicate the capacity of bone marrow cells harvested on either day 1 or 2 following CP to restore PGSM in CP-primed, but not unprimed, recipients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Infect Immun, 1989 May, 57(5), 1535 - 41
Genetic relationships among Mycobacterium leprae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and candidate leprosy vaccine strains determined by DNA hybridization: identification of an M . leprae-specific repetitive sequence; Grosskinsky CM et al.; Comparative DNA hybridization studies of genomic DNA indicated that, while different isolates of armadillo-derived Mycobacterium leprae have a high degree of homology, binding of M . leprae genomic DNA to DNA of other species of mycobacteria or to corynebacteria was low, establishing that M . leprae is only remotely genetically related to any of the species examined . Several candidate leprosy vaccine mycobacterial strains were similarly found to have little genetic similarity to M . leprae . In contrast, the DNAs of the slow-growing mycobacteria M . tuberculosis, M . africanum, M . bovis, and M . microti were found to be very closely related . In the course of these studies, an M . leprae-specific repetitive sequence, greater than 15-fold per genome equivalent, was identified that might be useful for diagnostic and epidemiological studies.

J Pathol, 1989 May, 158(1), 67 - 71
In situ evaluation of the stimulatory state of hepatic macrophages based on their ability to produce superoxide anions in rats; Mochida S et al.; When a liver perfusion with nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was performed in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated rats, formazan deposition was remarkable in macrophages in the necrotic areas of the liver, its intensity varying with the extent of injury . The deposits almost disappeared after addition of Cu(Lys)2, a scavenger of intra- and extracellular superoxide, but were not affected by superoxide dismutase (SOD), which acts extracellularly . The formazan content after incubation with NBT and PMA was higher in macrophages isolated from CCl4-intoxicated liver than in those from normal liver, though their PMA-induced chemiluminescence did not differ . In Corynebacterium parvum-treated liver, both Cu(Lys)2 and SOD reduced the deposits . This method can estimate in situ the ability of hepatic macrophages to produce superoxide and the cellular sites of its production.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 May, (5), 38 - 42
{The epidemic process of diphtheria infection in the RSFSR during the introduction of epidemiological surveillance}; Markina SS et al.; In this work the characterization of the epidemic process of diphtheria infection on the territory of the RSFSR under the conditions of epidemiological surveillance (1983-1986) is presented . In comparison with the period of 1979-1982, an increase in morbidity rate occurred, which accounts for more complete detection of patients with mild forms of diphtheria, including persons found to be carriers of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae . Beginning from 1983, the leveling out of seasonal morbidity rises is observed . In the total number of persons affected by this infection the prevalence of adults is noted . Among them, a decrease in the morbidity rate was registered in 1986 (the maximum decrease was observed in age and professional groups of risk), which confirms the effectiveness of measures carried out for the protection of the adult population from diphtheria . Among children, a tendency towards a decrease in morbidity rate was noted in all age groups . The existing system of epidemiological surveillance on the territory of the RSFSR is capable of stabilizing diphtheria morbidity on a sporadic level and minimizing the number of fatal outcomes . The intensification of the epidemic process in some areas of the RSFSR is due to shortcomings in the realization of different measures of epidemiological surveillance.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 13S - 16S
In vitro activity of lomefloxacin against multiply resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae, and Staphylococcus epidermidis; DiVincenzo CA et al.; Lomefloxacin is a promising new difluorinated quinolone with good antimicrobial activity and favorable pharmacokinetic properties . The in vitro activity of lomefloxacin was compared to other quinolones, expanded spectrum beta-lactams, and gentamicin . The lomefloxacin MIC90 against multiply resistant strains of P . aeruginosa was 4 mcg/ml, comparable to norfloxacin and ofloxacin . Lomefloxacin was also active against methicillin-resistant S . epidermidis and JK corynebacteria . The role of lomefloxacin in the treatment of infections caused by multiresistant organisms remains to be determined in clinical trials.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3), 279 - 82
In vitro evaluation of ramoplanin (A16686 or MDL62198) . A new depsipeptide complex for potential topical use; Jones RN et al.; Ramoplanin, a new depsipeptide complex, was found to be 4- to 8-fold more active than vancomycin against all Gram-positive species (500 strains) . Similarly, ramoplanin was both more active and had an additional spectrum compared to mupirocin (formerly pseudomonic acid) against Bacillus spp., Corynebacterium jeikeium, enterococci and Listeria monocytogenes . Mupirocin-resistant Staphylococcus spp . strains (less than 1%) were identified in these organisms collected from over 40 medical centers in the United States . These strains (S . capitis and S . saprophyticus) were susceptible to ramoplanin at 0.25 micrograms/ml or less . The three tested antimicrobial agents were not effective against Gram-negative organisms (20 species tested) . Ramoplanin was bactericidal and MICs were not adversely influenced by high (greater than or equal to 10(7) CFU/ml) inoculum concentrations . Because ramoplanin has previously shown promise as a topical drug, these in vitro results further substantiate its wide spectrum, potency, and potential clinical usefulness as mupirocin-resistant staphylococci and other Gram-positive species become more prevalent.

J Neurooncol, 1989 May, 7(1), 89 - 101
Effect of intracerebrally injected Corynebacterium parvum on implanted brain tumor in mice; Kennedy JD et al.; Experiments were performed to determine the effectiveness of Corynebacterium parvum on resistance to growth and development of tumor in the central nervous system . A syngeneic sarcoma was injected intracerebrally into C3H/HeN/MTV-negative female mice that had received intraperitoneal injections of C . parvum or saline prior to tumor inoculation or that received intraperitoneal C . parvum or saline after tumor inoculation . Groups then received an intracerebral injection of C . parvum or saline . Our results reveal that intracerebral C . parvum elicited an intracerebral inflammatory reaction which was enhanced by prior systemic priming with C . parvum . Any inflammatory reaction which was enhanced by prior systemic priming with C . parvum . Any inflammatory reaction produced by C . parvum retarded the growth of intracerebrally-implanted sarcoma and significantly increased the survival of mice bearing such tumors . These results suggest that C . parvum may be an effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of neoplasia of the central nervous system.

Gene, 1989 Apr 30, 77(2), 237 - 51
Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase-coding gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13032; O'Regan M et al.; As a first step in determining the importance of the anaplerotic function of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) in amino acid biosynthesis, the ppc gene coding for PEPC of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13032 has been cloned by complementation of an Escherichia coli ppc mutant strain . PEPC activity encoded by the cloned gene is not affected by acetyl-CoA under conditions where the E . coli enzyme is strongly activated, whereas acetyl-CoA is able to relieve inhibition by L-aspartate used singly or in combination with alpha-ketoglutarate . Amplification of the ppc gene in a C . glutamicum lysine-excreting strain resulted in increased PEPC-specific activity and lysine productivity . The nucleotide sequence of a DNA fragment of 4885 bp encompassing the ppc gene has been determined . At the amino acid level, PEPC from C . glutamicum presents overall a high degree of similarity with corresponding enzymes from three different organisms . The location of some strictly conserved regions may have important implications for PEPC activity and allostery.

Surgery, 1989 Apr, 105(4), 523 - 8
Development of antitumor reactivity in regional draining lymph nodes from tumor-immunized and tumor-bearing murine hosts; Stephenson KR et al.; With use of the weakly immunogenic MCA 105 tumor of the C57BL/6 mouse, the antitumor reactivity of lymphoid cells derived from the regional draining lymph nodes (RLN) of tumor-immunized and tumor-bearing mice was examined . Mice were immunized with an inoculation of viable tumor admixed with Corynebacterium parvum . Excision of tumor immunization sites within 4 days abrogated the development of systemic immunity to reject a tumor challenge . However, excision of the immunization site on day 6 did not interfere with the development of systemic antitumor immunity . In subsequent experiments, tumor immunization sites were excised on day 6 in all mice and the RLN either left intact or excised on day 6 or day 14 . The development of systemic tumor immunity was severely impaired if RLN were excised on day 6, indicating the pivotal role of the RLN . Excision of the RLN on day 14 had no impact on the development of systemic immunity, thus indicating that the requirement for the RLN was time dependent . In mice bearing progressively growing tumors, lymphoid cells derived from RLN were examined for therapeutic efficacy in adoptive immunotherapy experiments . Although fresh RLN cells harvested 6 and 14 days after tumor inoculation did not demonstrate inherent therapeutic efficacy, after in vitro sensitization with irradiated tumor cells and interleukin-2, these RLN cells acquired significant antitumor activity in adoptive immunotherapy experiments . These data indicate that RLN are essential in the development of tumor immunity and may be used as a source of therapeutic effector cells for adoptive immunotherapy.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Apr, 72(4), 1045 - 51
Leukocytic infiltration of bovine mammary parenchymal tissue in response to Corynebacterium bovis colonization; Sordillo LM et al.; Morphological changes and local leukocyte response to prolonged Corynebacterium bovis colonization were studied in lactating bovine mammary glands . Morphometric analysis of parenchymal tissue demonstrated no adverse effects of colonization on the synthetic and secretory activity of mammary epithelium . Numbers of macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells were higher in tissue from C . bovis-colonized quarters . However, there were no differences in numbers of neutrophils between colonized and uninfected quarters . Results suggest persistent C . bovis colonization may elicit effector cell populations in lactating mammary tissue where leukocyte concentrations tend to be lower.

Scand J Gastroenterol, 1989 Apr, 24(3), 293 - 8
Intravascular coagulation in the development of massive hepatic necrosis induced by Corynebacterium parvum and endotoxin in rats; Yamada S et al.; When Escherichia coli endotoxin was intravenously injected into rats given killed Corynebacterium parvum 6 days previously, fibrin deposition and endothelial cell injury occurred in hepatic sinusoids at 1.5 h and were intensified thereafter . Serum alanine aminotransferase values were increased along with prothrombin time and decreased plasma levels of antithrombin III and coagulation factor VIII:C at 5 h . Antithrombin III concentrate (plus heparin) or superoxide dismutase infused concurrently with injection of endotoxin significantly attenuated the derangements of these variables and the histologic extent of liver injury at 5 h . Intravascular coagulation, probably developing through the action of superoxide anion, may contribute to the development of massive hepatic necrosis induced by C . parvum and endotoxin in rats.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1989 Apr 1, 194(7), 953 - 5
Pyelonephritis in cows: 15 cases (1982-1986); Rebhun WC et al.; Medical records of 15 adult cows with a final diagnosis of pyelonephritis were evaluated retrospectively . Only 3 cows had obvious clinical signs that indicated urinary tract disease . Physical examination, including rectal and vaginal examinations, and urine chemical reagent strip screening detected abnormalities in all 15 cows and allowed subsequent confirmation by culture results of urine samples obtained using a catheter . Bacteriologic cultures of urine revealed Corynebacterium renale infection in 6 cows and Escherichia coli infection in 9 cows . Long-term treatment with antimicrobial drugs resulted in recovery in 9 of 11 treated cows . Of these, 4 of 4 cows with C renale infection and 5 of 7 cows with E coli infection recovered; the remaining 2 cows with E coli infection died.

Cornell Vet, 1989 Apr, 79(2), 143 - 9
Nephrolithiasis resulting in intermittent ureteral obstruction in a cow; Divers TJ et al.; Bilateral nephrolithiasis with intermittent ureterolithiasis was diagnosed in a 7-year old Holstein cow . Two episodes of ureterolithiasis resulted in severe azotemia which resolved after spontaneous movement of the stone . A third episode of obstruction one year after the initial episode resulted in rupture of one kidney, necessitating euthanasia . The histopathological examination of the kidney was diagnostic for chronic pyelonephritis . Corynebacterium sp . was cultured from a nephrolith . In this case it is believed that the chronic pyelonephritis predisposed to the calculi formation.

Postgrad Med J, 1989 Apr, 65(762), 247 - 8
Septicaemia in a granulocytopenic patient caused by Corynebacterium striatum; Dall L et al.; A 64 year old woman with metastatic endometrial carcinoma was admitted to the hospital after three grand mal seizures . Blood cultures yielded Corynebacterium striatum . The patient responded to parenteral ampicillin therapy . This is believed to be the first case of sepsis caused by this organism.

Arch Biochem Biophys, 1989 Apr, 270(1), 255 - 66
A peptidyl dipeptidase-4 from Pseudomonas maltophilia: purification and properties; Dasarathy Y et al.; A peptidyl dipeptidase-4 (bacterial PDP-4) was purified to near homogeneity from a supernatant of Pseudomonas maltophilia extracellular medium . Bacterial PDP-4 is a single-polypeptide-chain enzyme, 82 kDa, with an alkaline isoelectric point . Peptides susceptible to hydrolysis by bacterial PDP-4 include angiotensin 1, bradykinin, enkephalins, atriopeptin 2, and smaller synthetic peptides . N-acylated tripeptides are hydrolyzed, but free tripeptides are not . A free carboxy terminus is required for hydrolysis . Peptides with ultimate and penultimate Pro residues are not hydrolyzed . The enzyme does not require an anion for activity . Bacterial PDP-4 was inhibited by EDTA and the dipeptide Phe-Arg . Thiorphan was an inhibitor only at levels well above those required for inhibition of neutral metalloendopeptidase (NEP), an enzyme for which thiorphan is specific . A second NEP and thermolysin inhibitor, phosphoramidon, did not inhibit bacterial PDP-4 . The potent angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor lisinopril was not inhibitory . Bacterial PDP-4 is distinguished from a similar enzyme from Escherichia coli, which is not susceptible to EDTA inhibition, and one from Corynebacterium equi, which hydrolyzes free tripeptides . These data indicate that the bacterial PDP-4 catalytic site is unlike those of other enzymes that function either wholly or in part as peptidyl dipeptidases.

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, 1989 Apr-Jun, 84(2), 241 - 3
{Isolation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae from sperm fluid}; Machado TL et al.; The isolation of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae from sperm is reported . The organism was identified through the investigation of fluorescence under the UV light, the presence of pirazinecarboxilamidase enzyme (Pyz), in vitro and in vivo and virulence methods (single radial immunodiffusion, cell culture, guinea pig intradermic test) . The strain was initially considered nontoxinogenic by single radial immunodiffusion, but its virulence was observed afterwards, when we applied the tests already mentioned . The strain could be considered a "Diphtheroid" without adequate specification.

Microb Pathog, 1989 Apr, 6(4), 287 - 95
Different sensitivity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A and diphtheria toxin to enzymes from polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Doring G et al.; We demonstrate that exotoxin A (ExoA) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one to two orders of magnitude more sensitive than diphtheria toxin (DT) of Corynebacterium diphtheriae to lysosomal enzymes from polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) . It is especially sensitive to PMN elastase which inactivates its cell free enzymatic activity and its cytotoxicity as measured with the Chinese hamster ovary cell assay and the rabbit skin test . Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed a rapid fragmentation of ExoA into small peptides at low PMN elastase concentrations, whereas DT remained largely uncleaved at PMN elastase concentrations 10 times higher . PMN elastase also removed the cell surface receptors for ExoA and DT on Chinese hamster ovary cells, suggesting that both toxins may be ineffective at local sites of severe inflammation . A comparison of fibroblasts from cystic fibrosis patients and normal healthy individuals revealed no differences in susceptibility to either DT or ExoA; this tends to exclude a genetic defect as an explanation for the absence of ExoA effects in cystic fibrosis patients.

J Infect Dis, 1989 Apr, 159(4), 670 - 9
The molecular epidemiology of three biotypes of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in the Seattle outbreak, 1972-1982; Coyle MB et al.; Between 1972 and 1982 Seattle experienced a diphtheria outbreak involving 1,100 cases, primarily adults with cutaneous lesions . Biotyping revealed three consecutive overlapping outbreaks including 433 toxinogenic intermedius cases . Isolates from each quarter year were examined for DNA restriction fragment patterns and hybridization patterns with three DNA probes . All intermedius outbreak isolates appeared identical in all analyses and most stock cultures had the outbreak DNA fragment pattern, but DNA probes detected six patterns within 11 intermedius stock cultures . The mitis outbreak was heterogeneous, involving at least five restriction fragment patterns . In contrast, DNA restriction fragment analyses indicated that 22 of 25 gravis outbreak isolates belonged to a single strain, whereas there were seven strains within eight gravis stock cultures . DNA probe analyses of gravis outbreak isolates detected seven different patterns, five involving copy numbers of the toxB fragment and attB sites that presumably reflected lysogenic events that occurred during the outbreak.

Vaccine, 1989 Apr, 7(2), 132 - 6
Expression of a poliovirus type 1 neutralization epitope on a diphtheria toxin fusion protein; Phalipon A et al.; The diphtheria toxin (DT) secreted by Corynebacterium diphtheriae is used after formolization as an efficient vaccine against diphtheria . In an attempt to evaluate its capacity to present heterologous peptide sequence in a recognized form, we created in-phase insertion in the gene encoding the non-toxic mutant protein CRM228 of DT . The sequence chosen for insertion was the synthetic DNA fragment encoding a poliovirus neutralization epitope . Tripartite fusion proteins comprising the mutant DT, the poliovirus peptide and beta-galactosidase were obtained in E . coli and purified by affinity chromatography . These fusion proteins reacted both with antibodies directed against the DT and a poliovirus specific monoclonal antibody . Moreover, these hybrid toxins induced protective antibodies against the lethal effect of DT and neutralizing antibodies against poliovirus . We conclude that the modification of highly immunogenic DT may provide a means for the presentation of foreign peptide sequences to the immune system.

Urology, 1989 Mar, 33(3), 230 - 5
Modulation of hematoporphyrin derivative-sensitized phototherapy with corynebacterium parvum in murine transitional cell carcinoma; Myers RC et al.; The interaction of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) and immunotherapy with Corynebacterium parvum (CP) was studied in a murine transitional cell carcinoma (MBT-2) model . C3H/He mice were transplanted subcutaneously in the hind limb with 2.5 X 10(5) tumor cells . One day after transplantation, mice were randomized into groups to receive saline (control), PDT, CP 25 micrograms, CP 250 micrograms, CP 25 micrograms + PDT, and CP 250 micrograms + PDT . PDT was administered by intraperitoneal (IP) injection of Hpd (12.5 micrograms/g body weight), followed twenty-four hours later by photoirradiation . CP was given intralesionally at the same time as IP injection of Hpd (24 hours before photoirradiation) . A low dose of CP (25 micrograms) was shown to enhance the effect of PDT while PDT reduced the benefit obtained with high dose of CP (250 micrograms) . In a second series of experiments, CP (250 micrograms) treatment after photoirradiation was shown to give significantly greater benefit than CP treatment before photoirradiation . The study thus indicates that the effectiveness of combined immunophototherapy is dependent on the sequence of the combination and its intricate relationship with the dosage of CP . The enhancement of PDT by low dose of CP in this model suggests the usefulness of this combined immunophototherapy in enhancing tumor control and in lessening deleterious side effects.

Br Vet J, 1989 Mar-Apr, 145(2), 148 - 58
Infection following challenge of the lactating and dry udder of dairy cows with Actinomyces pyogenes and Peptostreptococcus indolicus; Hillerton JE et al.; Challenge of 12 mammary glands of cows in mid-lactation with 10(7) colony forming units (cfu) of Peptostreptococcus indolicus on two occasions led to clinical mastitis in only four quarters . The bacteria were rarely recovered and disappeared from the secretion within 14 days . In challenges 7 days prior to drying off eight of 12 quarters became infected and at drying off all quarters challenged became infected . The infections established at drying off persisted well into the dry period . P . indolicus infection was also established in all of 12 dry glands challenged, but usually eliminated at calving or early in the next lactation . Isolation of P . indolicus was accompanied in about one-third of cases by changes in the appearance of the secretion . Intramammary challenge with Actinomyces (formally Corynebacterium) pyogenes led to clinical and subclinical infections in nine of 12 lactating glands and in all of six dry glands . Dry period infections with A . pyogenes were more severe and rarely eliminated even by antibiotic therapy . Infections during lactation were often eliminated either naturally or by antibiotic therapy . Intermittent recovery of A . pyogenes from the lactating mammary gland, without clinical signs of infection, was possible for up to 90 days after challenge . Combined infections with A . pyogenes and P . indolicus were clinically more severe with a higher frequency of systemic involvement . It was shown that in the non-lactating gland an acute mastitis, similar to 'summer mastitis' could be established either by simultaneous inoculation with A . pyogenes and P . indolicus or by subsequent inoculation of quarters excreting P . indolicus with A . pyogenes.

Vet Pathol, 1989 Mar, 26(2), 129 - 35
Renal medullary amyloidosis in Dorcas gazelles; Rideout BA et al.; Between January 1976 and September 1987 renal medullary amyloidosis (RMA) was diagnosed in 17 Dorcas gazelles; the necropsy prevalence rate was 17/32 (53%) . The most severe amyloid deposits were in the renal medulla; glomeruli were spared . Renal cortical lesions of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy and dilatation significantly correlated with RMA (P less than 0.01) and were considered to be secondary changes . There were varying degrees of lymphoplasmacytic inflammation and tubular cast formation which did not significantly correlate with RMA . Amyloid was confirmed histochemically and by electron microscopy and was identified as AA type by the permanganate method . Progressive renal failure was the cause of death or necessitated euthanasia in 7/17 (41%) gazelles . RMA in Dorcas gazelles does not appear to be familial . A high prevalence of chronic or recurring Actinomyces (Corynebacterium) pyogenes infections may be an important factor.

Anticancer Res, 1989 Mar-Apr, 9(2), 293 - 7
Autocytotoxic activity of lymphokine-activated killer cells: characterization of effector cells and susceptible targets; Suzuki H et al.; The specificities and surface markers of murine autocytotoxic cells induced by in vitro culture with interleukin 2 (IL2) were studied . Culturing murine spleen cells with recombinant human IL2 resulted in the generation of cytotoxic cells which killed syngeneic lymphoblasts and syngeneic activated macrophages (M phi) . Both lectins and protein antigens were capable of inducing lymphoblasts recognized by lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells . B-lymphoblasts as well as T-lymphoblasts were sensitive to lysis by these effector cells . In addition, peritoneal M phi activated in vivo with Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCB), Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum), thioglycollate (TG) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were shown to be susceptible to lysis by LAK cells . In contrast, neither unstimulated T cells nor resident peritoneal M phi were sensitive to lysis by LAK cells, suggesting that normal cells have to be activated in order to be sensitive to lysis by these effector cells . Surface marker analysis indicated that majority of effector cells which killed syngeneic lymphoblasts and activated M phi were Thy1+, asialo GM1+, L3T4-, Ly2-.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 Mar, (3), 68 - 71
{The coagglutination reaction for detecting diphtheria toxin}; Mazurova IK et al.; High-titer antidiphtheria antitoxic rabbit serum has been obtained, and on the basis of this serum a coagglutinating diagnosticum has been developed . The sensitivity of the test has been found to depend on the content of antitoxic antibodies in the serum and on its purity . Diagnostica prepared from native serum containing 500 I . U./ml (a titer of 1:51, 200 in the passive hemagglutination test) permit the detection of 0.02-0.03 Lf/ml of diphtheria toxin . A decrease in antibody titer to 5-25 I . U./ml leads to a drop in sensitivity to 0.2-2 Lf/ml . The use of LgG fraction and pure antibodies increases the sensitivity of the test to 0.002-0.003 Lf/ml . The possibility of detecting toxin in Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains is shown.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 Mar, (3), 20 - 1
{Evaluation of the efficiency of a new dried nutrient medium for isolating Corynebacterium diphtheriae}; Margulis IL et al.; Tellurite blood media prepared on a new dried base with amino peptide have been found to have advantages, when used for the bacteriological diagnosis of C . diphtheriae infection, over Buchin's selective quinosol medium with respect to the rate and time of the isolation of C . diphtheriae; besides, these new media have been found to possess pronounced differentiating properties with respect to the concomitant microflora.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1989 Mar, 55(3), 684 - 8
Influence of increased aspartate availability on lysine formation by a recombinant strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum and utilization of fumarate; Menkel E et al.; Aspartate availability was increased in Corynebacterium glutamicum strains to assess its influence on lysine production . Upon addition of fumarate to a strain with a feedback-resistant aspartate kinase, the lysine yield increased from 20 to 30 mM . This increase was accompanied by the excretion of malate and succinate . In this strain, fumaric acid was converted to aspartate by fumarate hydratase, malate dehydrogenase, and aspartate amino transferase activity . To achieve the direct conversion of fumarate to aspartate, shuttle vectors containing the aspA+ (aspartase) gene of Escherichia coli were constructed . These constructions were introduced into C . glutamicum, which was originally devoid of the enzyme aspartase . This resulted in an aspartase activity of 0.3 U/mg (70% of the aspartase activity in E . coli) with plasmid pZ1-9 and an activity of up to 1.05 U/mg with plasmid pCE1 delta . In aspA+-expressing strains, lysine excretion was further increased by 20% . Additionally, in strains harboring pCE1 delta, up to 27 mM aspartate was excreted . This indicates that undetermined limitations in the sequence of reactions from aspartate to lysine exist in C . glutamicum.

Carcinogenesis, 1989 Mar, 10(3), 501 - 7
Epithelial dendritic cells and connective tissue macrophages in oral carcinogenesis and the effects of systemic Corynebacterium parvum; Pitigala-Arachchi A et al.; Epithelial dendritic cells (EDC) and connective tissue macrophages were examined during the induction and growth of oral squamous cell carcinomas in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO) and the immune potentiator Corynebacterium parvum . Splenomegaly was induced in all animals receiving C . parvum . Acetone-fixed frozen sections of the palate and tongue were stained using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique and monoclonal antibodies to rat Ia (MRC OX-6) and macrophage subpopulations (ED1, ED2, ED3) . EDC were predominantly Ia+, ED1-, ED2- and ED3- . The lamina propria contained Ia+, ED1+ and ED2+ cells; ED3-reactive cells were rare . ED2+ cells predominated in the interstitial connective tissue of deeper muscle . In the non-invasive tissues, the number of positive cells (Ia+EDC and connective tissue Ia+, ED1+ and ED3+ cells) increased significantly throughout the experimental period (0-9 months), were significantly more prevalent in the test tissues (4NQO, 4NQO + C.parvum, C.parvum) compared to untreated controls and, at 9 months, the carcinogen-treated rats (4NQO, 4NQO + C.parvum) had significantly more Ia+ EDC and connective tissue Ia+ cells than C.parvum controls . Irrespective of the marker under study, there were no significant differences between rats treated with 4NQO or 4NQO + C.parvum at any time during the experimental period . Similarly, intra-epithelial Ia+ and ED1+ cells increased significantly throughout the experimental period in all test groups compared to untreated controls, but no significant differences were evident between carcinogen-treated animals (4NQO, 4NQO + C.parvum) and C.parvum controls . Significant positive correlations between connective tissue Ia+ and ED1+ cells and also intra-epithelial Ia+ and ED1+ cells were present in all experimental groups; connective tissue ED2+ and ED3+ cell numbers did not correlate with any of the other phenotypes and intra-epithelial ED2+ and ED3+ cells were rare/absent . Palatal and/or lingual tumours developed in 80% of carcinogen-treated rats by 9 months and the tumour incidence was similar in rats treated with either 4NQO or 4NQO + C.parvum . There were no significant differences in the number of Ia+ EDC between the infiltrating and the non-invasive overlying epithelium of the lingual carcinomas and the non-invasive lingual epithelium treated with either 4NQO or 4NQO + C.parvum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Eur J Biochem, 1989 Feb 1, 179(2), 389 - 98
Purification, characterization and revised amino acid sequence of a second thioredoxin from Corynebacterium nephridii; McFarlan SC et al.; A second thioredoxin, distinct from the one reported by Meng and Hogenkamp in 1981 (J . Biol . Chem . 256, 9174-9182), has been purified to homogeneity from an Escherichia coli strain containing a plasmid encoding a Corynebacterium nephridii thioredoxin . Thioredoxin genes from C . nephridii were cloned into the plasmid pUC13 and transformants were identified by complementation of a thioredoxin negative (trxA-) E . coli strain . The abilities of the transformants to support the growth of several phages suggested that more than one thioredoxin had been expressed {Lim et al . (1987) J . Biol . Chem . 262, 12114-12119} . In this paper we present the purification and characterization of one of these thioredoxins . The new thioredoxin from C . nephridii, designated thioredoxin C-2, is a heat-stable protein containing three cysteine residues/molecule . It serves as a substrate for C . nephridii thioredoxin reductase and E . coli and Lactobacillus leichmannii ribonucleotide reductases . Thioredoxin C-2 catalyzes the reduction of insulin disulfides by dithiothreitol or by NADPH and thioredoxin reductase and is a hydrogen donor for the methionine sulfoxide reductase of E . coli . Spinach malate dehydrogenase (NADP+) and phosphoribulokinase are activated by this thioredoxin while glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (NADP+) is not . Like the thioredoxin first isolated from C . nephridii, this new thioredoxin is not a reducing substrate for the C . nephridii ribonucleotide reductase . The complete primary sequence of this second thioredoxin has been determined . The amino acid sequence shows a high degree of similarity with other thioredoxins . Surprisingly, in contrast to the other sequences, this new thioredoxin contains the tetrapeptide -Cys-Ala-Pro-Cys- at the active site . With the exception of the T4 thioredoxin, this is the first example of a thioredoxin that does not have the sequence -Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys- . Our results suggest that, like plant cells, bacterial cells may utilize more than one thioredoxin.

J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 27(2), 343 - 5
Corynebacterium aquaticum urinary tract infection in a neonate, and concepts regarding the role of the organism as a neonatal pathogen; Tendler C et al.; Corynebacterium aquaticum urinary tract infection developed in a neonate 8 days after uncomplicated vaginal delivery . Prior to definitive identification, the isolate was thought to be Listeria monocytogenes because of its microscopic morphology, catalase positivity, and tumbling motility . The infant responded to intravenous ceftriaxone . Because the presentation of C . aquaticum in this patient suggested systemic involvement, C . aquaticum may be regarded as a bona fide neonatal pathogen.

Wei Sheng Wu Xue Bao, 1989 Feb, 29(1), 15 - 9
{Thin-layer chromatography of mycolic acids methanolysates of whole-cell in Mycobacterium and related bacteria}; Zhuang YH et al.; Mycolic acid methanolysates of whole-cell in Mycobacterium and related bacteria were analysed by thin-layer chromatography . The experimental results show that five of twenty-two species, M . tuberculosis, M . bovis, M . kansasii, M . marinum and M . gastri have similar pattern of mycolates, composed of alpha-mycolates, methoxymycolates, ketomycolates and two unknown components . M . gilvum, M . phleri, M . avium, M . intracellulare, M . xenopi and M . nonchromogenicum contain alpha-mycolates, ketomycolates and wax-ester . The patterns of TLC for other tested species were different from each other . Nocardia, Rhodococcus and Corynebacterium show a relatively simple pattern which principally contain alpha-mycolates . The four genus can be differentiated . Spots of mycolic acids of nine strains Mycobacterium sp . isolated from patients in this hospital were similar to M . tuberculosis . These strains were also identified to the same result as above by traditional methods . The method is of value in the classification and identification of Mycobacterium.

Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi, 1989 Feb, 27(2), 206 - 13
{The pathogenesis of trehalose dimycolate-induced hemorrhagic pneumonia induced in mice as animal model of human alveolar hemorrhagic syndrome}; Sakamoto Y; Trehalose dimycolate (TDM) is a glycolipid contained in the cell walls of Mycobacteria, Nocardia and Corynebacteria . An intraperitoneal injection of TDM into mice has been known to produce hemorrhagic pneumonia without affecting any other organs . Thus, it provides a unique experimental model for studies of the mechanisms of alveolar hemorrhagic syndrome, including idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis . It has been reported that T lymphocytes are essential for the production of TDM-induced hemorrhagic pneumonia, however, the overall cellular mechanism is not yet clear . The purpose of this study is to re-examine and clarify the role of T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of TDM-induced hemorrhagic pneumonia . To achieve it we considered 1) the dynamics of infiltrating lymphocytes to find out if there is a certain T lymphocyte subpopulation infiltrating predominantly into the lung, 2) the effect of in vivo depletion of T lymphocyte subpopulation by monoclonal antibodies, and 3) the effect of transfer of T lymphocytes into nude mice . The analysis of the dynamic change of the number of lymphocytes showed that the number of L3T4+ cells as well as Lyt2+ cells decreased on day 2 or 3 after TDM injection, thereafter increased, however, neither subpopulation infiltrated predominantly into the lung . Alveolar hemorrhages occurred in L3T4+ cell-depleted and/or Lyt2+ cell-depleted mice, and hemorrhages were enhanced in Lyt2+ cell-deplete mice . Alveolar hemorrhages occurred even in nude mice, and the intensity of hemorrhages or the cell numbers in the lung did not differ from those in T lymphocyte-reconstituted nude mice, however, hemorrhages were enhanced in L3T4+ cell-reconstituted nude mice . These results suggested that T lymphocytes are not primarily involved in the cellular mechanisms of the pathogenesis of TDM-induced hemorrhagic pneumonia, however, L3T4+ cells modify the process of the production of hemorrhagic pneumonia secondarily and enhance it.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Feb, 50(2), 267 - 70
Duration of experimentally induced Corynebacterium bovis colonization of bovine mammary glands during the lactating, nonlactating, and peripartum periods; Sordillo LM et al.; Bovine mammary glands were inoculated intracisternally with a streptomycin-resistant (SR) strain of Corynebacterium bovis to determine the number of colony-forming units (CFU) required to induce colonization and to maintain persistence of C bovis colonization throughout lactation and involution . Streptomycin resistance was used as a strain marker . Uninfected quarters in cows during midlactation were challenge exposed with successively higher numbers of SR C bovis until all quarters became colonized . Inoculum containing 790 CFU of SR C bovis established colonization in only 7 of 38 quarters . Colonization persisted in only 4 of these quarters by 23 days after inoculation . Eleven quarters were reinoculated with higher numbers of SR C bovis, and all became colonized by the time challenge-exposure inoculum contained 8 X 10(4) CFU . Colonization persisted throughout the 93-day experimental period . Somatic cell counts were significantly (P less than 0.01) higher in SR C bovis-colonized quarters after inoculation than before . Sixteen additional quarters were inoculated with a mean number of 8 X 10(4) CFU of SR C bovis 7 days before suppression of lactation . All quarters became colonized, and SR C bovis was shed during the experimental period; throughout the nonlactating and peripartum periods, high numbers of SR C bovis in pure culture were shed from 13 of 16 quarters.

Planta Med, 1989 Feb, 55(1), 13 - 7
The effect of gomisin A on immunologic liver injury in mice; Nagai H et al.; The hepatoprotective effect of Gomisin A (TJN-101), which is a lignan compound isolated from Schizandra fruits, was studied on three immunologic liver injury models in mice . The first liver injury model was produced by the injection of anti-basic liver protein (BLP) antibody into DBA/2 mice which had been previously immunized with rabbit IgG (RGG) . Other models were effected by injection of anti-liver specific protein (LSP) antibody into DBA/2 mice or by the injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into ddY mice pretreated with Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum) . TJN-101 inhibited the elevation of transaminase (GOT and GPT) activities and showed the tendency to inhibit the histopathological changes of the liver in all models . Moreover, TJN-101 inhibited deoxycholic acid-induced release of transaminase from cultured rat hepatocytes in vitro, but did not affect the formation of hemolytic plaque forming cells in immunized mice spleens and hemolytic activity of guinea pig complement in immunohemolysis reaction . These results, therefore, suggested that the hepatoprotective effect of TJN-101 could be related to the protecting effect of hepatocyte plasma membrane rather than the inhibiting effects of the antibody formation and complement activity.

J Comp Pathol, 1989 Feb, 100(2), 129 - 36
Immunohistochemical localization of immunoglobulins in bovine granulomatous lesions; Momotani E et al.; The immunohistochemical distribution of IgG, IgA and IgM in granulomatous lesions caused by Actinomyces bovis, Actinobacillus lignieresi, Actinomyces (Corynebacterium) pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium bovis was studied . Numerous IgG-containing cells (plasma cells) were distributed in the peripheral connective tissue layers, but not in the epithelioid cell layer . A few scattered IgA- and IgM-containing cells were found in all the lesions examined . Mycobacterial granulomas contained fewer IgG-cells than did non-mycobacterial granulomas . Eosinophilic club-shaped bodies were found in A . bovis, A . lignieresi, P . aeruginosa and S . aureus, but they were generally negative for IgG, IgA and IgM.

Wei Sheng Wu Xue Bao, 1989 Feb, 29(1), 20 - 5
{The effect of 3',5'-cyclic adenylic acid (cAMP) on the growth of bacteria}; Yan RX et al.; The effect of intracellular cAMP level on the growth of bacteria was studied with E . coli AS 1.797, Corynebacterium pekinense AS 1.299 and Bacillus megaterium AS 1.217 . The experimental results show that the growth of E . coli AS 1.797 was decreased with increasing cAMP level in cell . With glucose as the sole carbon source, intracellular cAMP is low, and growth of E . coli AS 1.797 was inhibited by exogenous cAMP, but the analog metabolite of cAMP-5'-AMP had no effect on growth . When E . coli AS 1.797 was grown in media containing lactose, maltose and glycerin respectively, intracellular cAMP level is high, and exogenous cAMP did not inhibited the cell growth . When Corynebacterium pekinense AS 1.299 took glucose as carbon source the growth of this bacterium was also inhibited by exogenous cAMP, but the inhibition of cAMP was not specific, its role can be exchanged by 5'-AMP . B . megaterium AS 1.217 cultivated in different carbon source (include glucose) do not contain cAMP in cell, and its growth was not inhibited by exogenous cAMP . 5'-AMP had also no effect on the growth of this bacterium . Thus, the conclusion seems that the cAMP is not essential for the growth of bacteria, and it is a regulator that act a negative regulation in cell growth, but this regulator is of no effect for the growth of B . megaterium AS 1.217.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1989 Feb, 63(2), 118 - 24
{Role of normal microflora in the throat in inhibition of adherence of pathogenic bacteria to host cells: in vitro competitive adherence between Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum and Branhamella catarrhalis}; Rikitomi N et al.; Our previous study showed the occurrence of Branhamella catarrhalis (B . catarrhalis) pulmonary infections which varies seasonally . To investigate the role of normal throat microflora in this seasonal variation of the occurrence of B . catarrhalis infection, seventy seven throat cultures were done in 45 patients with chronic pulmonary diseases from January to December in 1985 . The isolation rate of Corynebacterium species as normal microflora was relatively higher in summer than in winter . Therefore in vitro competitive adherence to human epithelial cells between Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum (C . pseudodiphtheriticum) and B . catarrhalis was done to examine bacterial interference . Preincubation or simultaneous incubation of C . pseudodiphtheriticum reduced the number of B . catarrhalis adherent to epithelial cells (p less than 0.02) . The mean number of adherent C . pseudodiphtheriticum (average; 13.86) was higher than that (average; 1.22) of adherent B . catarrhalis . There was no antagonism in the growth on blood agar between C . pseudodiphtheriticum and B . catarrhalis . These findings suggest Corynebacterium species as normal throat microflora may interfere the adherence of B . catarrhalis to human epithelial cells and may protect against colonization and infection with B . catarrhalis . Bacterial interference of Corynebacterium species may be associated with the low occurrence of B . catarrhalis pulmonary infections in summer.

Ann Rech Vet, 1989, 20(1), 111 - 5
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis: biochemical properties, production of toxin and virulence of ovine and caprine strains; Pepin M et al.; Twenty-two strains of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, the causative agent of caseous lymphadenitis, were isolated from typical abscesses in sheep and goats from flocks in 6 different regions of France and were characterized . These strains were uniform in biochemical characteristics, susceptibility to 8 antimicrobial agents, and virulence for OF1 mice . All these strains produced an exotoxin, identified by inhibition of staphylococcal beta-hemolysin . Moreover, this study showed that strain 19R, a streptomycin-resistant mutant used in experimental infection in sheep, possessed the same characteristics as the field strains of C . pseudotuberculosis, except for its resistance to streptomycin (500 micrograms/ml).

Br Vet J, 1989 Jan-Feb, 145(1), 73 - 6
A retrospective study of hepatic abscesses in goats: pathological and microbiological findings; Rosa JS et al.; Post-mortem examination of 658 goats showed that 17 (2.5%) exhibited hepatic abscesses . The following bacteria were isolated: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (58.9%), Escherichia coli (11.8%), Corynebacterium sp . (11.8%), Pasteurella haemolytica (5.9%), Proteus sp . (5.9%) and Staphylococcus aureus (5.9%) . Hepatic abscesses occurred more frequently in adult animals . Eleven of the 17 goats (64.7%) were older than 12 months of age . Four goats (23.5%) were 12 months of age and only two (11.8%) were less than 1 year of age . All of the goats with hepatic abscesses were in poor nutritional condition and the abscesses were invariably associated with accompanying pathological disorders at other body sites.

Int J Immunopharmacol, 1989, 11(6), 607 - 13
Immunological mechanisms of antitumor activity of some kinds of crude drugs on tumor necrosis factor production; Xu QA et al.; Previously, we described the antitumor activity of four crude drugs, A . capillaris, S . doederleinii, A . macrocephala and S . subprostrata . Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) can be produced in animals by injecting Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) or Corynebacterium parvum (CP) as priming agents and endotoxin (LPS) as an eliciting agent . However, because of their severe toxic action, it is inappropriate to use these agents to induce intrinsic TNF in cancer patients . In the present paper, we began with the investigation of a fluorometric method using ethidium bromide (EB) to assay TNF activity in serum in vitro, and then examined whether the four crude drugs displayed the priming and eliciting activities for TNF production . The TNF activity in a serum sample could be titrated using the fluorometric method in addition to a method using 3H-thymidine . The fluorometric method was superior to the radio-method as regards simplicity, safety and reproducibility . A . capillaris, S . doederleinii and S . subprostrata showed priming activity for TNF production in mice without the liver and spleen hyperplasia seen in the case of CP, S . subprostrata showed an eliciting activity in CP-primed mice . These results suggest that the crude drugs might be useful as inducers of intrinsic TNF in cancer patients.

Chir Narzadow Ruchu Ortop Pol, 1989, 54(1), 44 - 8
{Effect of Corynebacterium parvum preparation on selected immunologic indicators and clinical results in patients with chronic post-traumatic osteomyelitis}; Perner T et al.; Nineteen patients with chronic post-traumatic staphylococcal osteitis++ of a mean 5-years-clinical course were given intramuscularly 3.5 mg of Coparvax for two weeks . An increase of IgG concentration in the serum, starting from the 8th week of observation, and a marked increase of the ability of absorbtion and destruction of staphylococci by the neutrophils of the peripheral blood have been found . It has been accompanied by subsidence of clinical symptoms of ostitis in 13 patients and a marked decrease of intensity of the inflammatory process in 4 other patients . No effect has been found in two patients.

Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop, 1989, 42(1), 27 - 31
Observations on Sudanese camel nasal myiasis caused by the larvae of Cephalopina titillator; Musa MT et al.; Forty-four camels slaughtered at Nyala abattoir, western Sudan, were examined for infection with the larvae of Cephalopina titillator . The infection rate was found to be 100 p . 100 . The parasitic burden ranged between 8-243 per animal . They were recovered throughout the year . The first stage larvae were noticed from December to May, indicating the breeding season of the fly . The larvae were found to cause visible pathological lesions on the nasopharynx . These were also demonstrated histopathologically . Bacteriological examinations revealed the presence of Pasteurella haemolytica and Klebsiella ozaenae as possible causes of pneumonia, and Corynebacterium species which could possibly cause pyogenic infections locally . Organisms from the camel environment like Bacillus and Proteus species were also isolated.

Arch Microbiol, 1989, 151(3), 238 - 44
Transport of branched-chain amino acids in Corynebacterium glutamicum; Ebbighausen H et al.; The transport of branched-chain amino acids was characterized in intact cells of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 . Uptake and accumulation of these amino acids occur via a common specific carrier with slightly different affinities for each substrate (Km{Ile} = 5.4 microM, Km{Leu} = 9.0 microM, Km{Val} = 9.5 microM) . The maximal uptake rates for all three substrates were very similar (0.94 - 1.30 nmol/mg dw.min) . The optimum of amino acid uptake was at pH 8.5 and the activation energy was determined to be 80 kJ/mol . The transport activity showed a marked dependence on the presence of Na+ ions and on the membrane potential, but was independent of an existing proton gradient . It is concluded, that uptake of branched-chain amino acid transport proceeds via a secondary active Na+-coupled symport mechanism.

Invasion Metastasis, 1989, 9(1), 46 - 68
Depression of nonadaptive immunity after surgical stress: influence on metastatic spread; Zoller M et al.; The question of increased tumor cell dissemination after surgical stress was addressed in the model system of the spontaneously metastasizing rat adenocarcinoma BSp73ASML, wherein amputation of the hind leg 7 days after intrafootpad implantation of tumor cells cured the animals, while surgical stress by laparotomy 2 days prior to amputation resulted in lung metastases in 80% of rats . A detailed in vitro analysis of natural killer (NK) and macrophage (Mo) activity in different lymphatic compartments revealed the following impacts of surgery: splenic NK cells displayed unaltered activity . Yet, there was a considerable decrease in the number of lymphoid cells during the first 4 days after surgery, being followed by an overshooting repopulation . In the peripheral blood, activity levels of NK cells dropped significantly during the first 24 h after surgery; later on, NK cells appeared activated with an over 2-fold increase in lytic units (LU), 4 days after surgery, NK activity had returned towards normal levels . Most dramatic changes were observed in the peritoneal cavity, being directly involved in the surgical intervention . Six hours after surgery the peritoneal cavity was nearly depleted of NK cells and Mo, the few remaining cells being highly activated . Within 2 days the peritoneal cavity was repopulated with a 3-4 fold excess of lymphoid cells and Mo, but the repopulating cells were extremely low in lytic activity . It is concluded that depression of nonadaptive immunity after surgical stress is mainly due to traffic and repopulation with immature cells, i.e . there was no indication of suppressor cell activity . This was confirmed by a combined treatment consisting in a systemic application of Corynebacterium parvum 2 days before surgery and a local application of C . parvum after surgery, which counter-balanced the stress-induced depression of NK and Mo activity . Accelerated and increased metastatic spread could be prevented concomitantly.

Geogr Med Suppl, 1989, 5, 117 - 34
Different species of corynebacteria in human investigations in Cairo; Sixl W et al.; In investigations undertaken in Cairo of ocular smears the following Corynebacteria were isolated: Corynebacterium A4, Corynebacterium A5, Corynebacterium bovis, Corynebacterium aquaticum, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium equi, Corynebacterium F2, Corynebacterium kutscheri, Corynebacterium minutissimi, Corynebacterium renale, Corynebacterium xerosis, Corynebacterium Group I, Corynebacterium spec . (at present not classified) . In this study the hitherto isolated species and possible human pathogenesis are discussed . Studies will be continued.

Genetika, 1989 Jan, 25(1), 49 - 56
{Cloning and study of Corynebacterium glutamicum genes complementing ilvA and thrA2 mutations in Escherichia coli}; Beskrovnaia OIu et al.; Molecular cloning and expression of Corynebacterium glutamicum genes complementing Escherichia coli mutations thrA2 and ilvA was performed . It was demonstrated that the thrA2 gene of C . glutamicum is located close to thrB on EcoRI DNA fragment 4.1 kb long . The fragment was cloned in pUC18 vector . The thrA2 gene is expressed in the recombinant plasmid pOBT3 under control of the vector pUC18 Plac promoter . In E . coli minicells, the genes thrA2 and thrB determined synthesis of proteins of Mr 43kD and 25 kD, respectively . A gene complementing ilvA mutation of E . coli was identified in a library of EcoRI C . glutamicum DNA fragments . This library was constructed using plasmid vector . It was shown that the ilvA gene of C . glutamicum is located inside the 3.6 kb EcoRI fragment and is expressed using its own promoter.

Tierarztl Prax Suppl, 1989, 4, 12 - 3
{Neutrophil defense against bovine uterine infections}; Morris TH; The killing ability of bovine peripheral blood neutrophils did not vary during the oestrous cycle . Administration of sex steroids to ovariectomised cows reduced the intrinsic killing ability of neutrophils but enhanced the opsonising ability of serum . Exudate from experimental uterine infection with Corynebacterium pyogenes and Fusobacterium necrophorum impaired neutrophil function, probably as a result of the action of bacterial leucotoxins.

Ann Pediatr (Paris), 1989 Jan, 36(1), 26 - 32
{Infective endocarditis in children . Apropos of 13 cases}; Challier P et al.; From 1978 through 1987, thirteen pediatric patients aged 14/12 years to 16/12 years were hospitalized for infective endocarditis (IE) . Ten cases presented as acute septicemia with modification or development of a murmur and/or heart failure . Three patients had subacute endocarditis . Prior to the endocarditis, ten patients had recognized heart disease, whereas three had no known cardiac abnormality . The organism was recovered in seven cases, from blood cultures in six cases (3 Staphylococcus aureus, 1 group D streptococcus, 1 Staphylococcus albus, and 1 Salmonella typhi) and from a prosthesis in one case (Corynebacterium) . Echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis in every patient except the one that had a prosthesis . Although all the patients received parenteral antimicrobial therapy, selected according to bacteriologic data when available, complications developed in every case, including heart failure in nine patients . Three children died, eight underwent valve replacement or repair once the infection was under control, and two have residual valvular disease . This study confirms that, in pediatric patients, the prognosis of IE remains severe despite advances in antimicrobial therapy and the contribution of echocardiography.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Jan, 171(1), 70 - 3
Characterization and taxonomic implications of the rRNA genes of Mycobacterium leprae; Sela S et al.; The number of rRNA genes of Mycobacterium leprae was determined by restriction analysis of M . leprae total chromosomal DNA . A single set of rRNA genes was found . This set was subcloned from a cosmid library of M . leprae DNA into pUC13 and was characterized by restriction analysis and hybridization with Escherichia coli rRNA genes . The 16S, 23S, and 5S genes of M . leprae were clustered on a 5.3-kilobase DNA fragment . On one hand, restriction analysis of the set of rRNA genes showed the uniqueness of M . leprae among mycobacteria, but on the other hand, it suggested that M . leprae strains of several origins are very much alike . Quantitative hybridization studies between M . leprae rDNA and total DNA of various bacteria demonstrated a close relatedness between M . leprae and corynebacteria, nocardia, and mycobacteria, especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1989, 37(3-4), 421 - 30
The effect of Corynebacterium parvum in influenza infected mice; Bialek J et al.; This paper is the continuation of earlier studies on the effect of the killed suspension of Corynebacterium parvum in influenza virus infected mice . Our investigation showed the normalized effect of these drugs on disturbed function of cell mediated immunity during experimental influenza infection especially in phagocytic and bactericidal activity of granulocytes . The present experiments concern the explanation of these infection mechanisms . Intraperitoneal injection of Corynebacterium parvum stimulated spleen index . Foot pad test is higher than in comparatively treated BCG group . The pathomorphological analysis of the spleen, thymus and peritoneal lymph nodes points out to the multiplication of multiple lymph nodes sinus cells . Generally, C . parvum possessed protective effect in experimental influenza infection . We tested the following parameters: phagocytic and bactericidal activity of granulocytes, liberation of leukocytes migration inhibition factor (LIF).

Exp Clin Immunogenet, 1989, 6(3), 225 - 35
Sheep major histocompatibility (OLA) complex: apparent involvement in a flock endemic infection by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis; Millot P; In a Prealpe flock with endemic infection by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, some sires seem to have transmitted some resistance traits not yet genetically defined . In sire progenies including offspring with and without abscess, abscesses occurred independently of the transmitted sire's OLA haplotype . However, in all considered offspring, some OLA antigens were positively or negatively associated with the delayed occurrence of abscess . The three antigens OLA-A4, A10, B6 were positively associated with delayed abscess and negatively with early abscess . Conversely, antigen OLA-A2 was negatively associated with delayed abscess and to a less extent positively with early abscess . When the three following groups of offspring without abscess (a), with late abscess (b) and with early abscess (c) were compared, frequencies of genes OLA-A4, A10, B6 on the one hand, OLA-A2 on the other hand, varied inversely, which shows that the OLA complex is linked to, at least, one locus from which the genes are implied in the delay of abscess formation (or precocity) . Similarly, antigen OL-X5, loosely linked with the OLA complex, appeared to be positively associated with recurrent abscess and negatively with unique abscess . The observed associations were probably caused by linkage disequilibria between OLA (and OL) genes and genes influencing either the abscess delay or recurrence.

Medicina (B Aires), 1989, 49(1), 62 - 4
{Endocarditis due to Corynebacterium xerosis}; Gomez MA et al.; Corynebacterium sp . are found as normal flora in skin and mucosal sites . They have been isolated in empyemas, brain abscesses, blood cultures and ventricular shunts . About 9-10% of early-onset and 4-5% late-onset prosthetic valve endocarditis are due to different species of the so-called "diphteroids" . A 30 year-old white female was admitted after 30 days with fever of undetermined origin . A mitral prosthesis had been fitted in 1977 . On physical examination a protomesosystolic mitral murmur, petechiae, retinal hemorrhages and hepatosplenomegaly were detected . Laboratory tests showed 37% hematocrit, 14,800/mm3 white blood cells, 78 mm ESR, urinary sediment: less than 30/h.p.f . red blood cells . A new first-degree A-V block was detected . Blood cultures were negative . Due to persistent fever, progressive anemia, leukocytosis and new vegetations on echocardiogram, surgery was performed . A mitral valve ring abscess was found . Corynebacterium xerosis was isolated from surgical specimens . The strain was found susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, oxacillin, ticarcillin, piperacillin, cephalotin, cefoxitin, cefoperazone, rifampin, gentamicin, amikacin, and norfloxacin . Studies with clindamycin, disclosed MIC and MBC = 0.25 mg/l . The patient received 1800 mg/day clindamycin for 4 weeks . Serum cidal studies showed a peak concentration 1/128 and a titre of trough 1/4 . Negative control blood cultures were obtained . She has remained well for nine months after treatment . Corynebacterium sp . can cause "apparently" negative blood cultures . Blood samples should be incubated for more than 15 days before they can be considered negative . Almost 50% of previously described cases have been detected during the six months after cardiac surgery . Mortality has been high (48%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acta Vet Scand, 1989, 30(3), 285 - 93
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in goats . IX . The effect of vaccination against natural infection; Holstad G; A vaccination trial was carried out in 10 infected herds . The trial included 247 female kids, the number of animals in each herd varying from 15 to 38 . About half of the animals in each herd were vaccinated twice at 3 to 4 week intervals, the first vaccination being carried out before the age of 4 months . A combination of a crude filtrate of C . pseudotuberculosis toxoid with whole organisms, was used . Overall, the prevalence of animals with superficial swellings was higher in the unvaccinated than in the vaccinated group during the first 1-2 years following immunization . However, in some herds superficial swellings were as common in vaccinated as in unvaccinated animals . An antibody response following vaccination was demonstrated in the hemolysis inhibition test, but not in the bacterial agglutination test . Superficial swellings were more common in vaccinated animals which were negative than in animals which were positive in the hemolysis inhibition test at 1 1/2 months after vaccination . The vaccine used in the present study, was not sufficiently efficacious to be recommended as the only protective measure against caseous lymphadenitis in Norwegian goat herds.

Acta Vet Scand, 1989, 30(3), 275 - 83
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in goats . VIII . The effect of vaccination against experimental infection; Holstad G et al.; The effect of an inactivated vaccine against C . pseudotuberculosis infection was tested on castrated male kids from a herd free from caseous lymphadenitis . The animals were divided into 3 groups with 8 animals in each . Group 1 was immunized with crude filtrated C . pseudotuberculosis toxoid and whole killed organisms, while Group 2 in addition was given levamisole . The kids were vaccinated twice at an interval of 4 weeks . Group 3 consisted of unvaccinated animals . All groups were challenged subcutaneously with live bacteria 4 weeks after the last vaccination . Unvaccinated animals showed the most severe course of illness after challenge . Development of abscesses in the regional lymph nodes (Inn . subiliaci) was significantly more common in unvaccinated than in vaccinated kids at necropsy 2 months after challenge . There was, however, no such difference between the vaccinated groups, and there was no difference between any of the groups as regards abscess formation at the inoculation site . In each of the 2 vaccinated groups, there was a titre rise following vaccination in the hemolysis inhibition test, whereas no such rise was seen in the bacterial agglutination test . The titre values in both tests increased significantly after challenge in all the groups, the increase being most rapid in the vaccinated animals . The present investigation indicates that development of caseous lesions in lymph nodes in goats, following subcutaneous inoculation with C . pseudotuberculosis, can be reduced by an inactivated vaccine containing whole organisms and crude toxin.

Nat Immun Cell Growth Regul, 1989, 8(6), 313 - 24
Nonspecific stimulation of host defense by Corynebacterium kutscheri . I . Antitumor effect; Kita E et al.; The effect of local injection of formalin-killed Corynebacterium kutscheri (FK.CK) on mouse survival after the intraperitoneal inoculation of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in outbred ddY mice or P388 leukemia cells in inbred CDF1 mice was investigated . Treatment of mice in the dose range of greater than 10(6) organisms per mouse conferred the substantial protection on both mice . The initial phase of antitumor effect consisted of the marked increase in the number of peritoneal exudate cells and the enhanced cytotoxicity of peritoneal exudate cells . The Winn assay disclosed that antitumor effect by which tumor-burden mice could survive was attributable to nonadherent splenocytes whose activity was impaired by treatment with anti-T cell serum and complement . A single injection of FK.CK induced the cytotoxicity to three different murine tumor cells in serum of treated mice without a boosting injection of endotoxin . Furthermore, the generation of effector cells and serum cytotoxicity seemed to be paralleled by that of the delayed-type hypersensitivity to this organism . Thus, the antitumor resistance induced by C . kutscheri is considered to be in part T cell mediated.

Vox Sang, 1989, 57(3), 193 - 8
Characterization of a neuraminidase from Corynebacterium aquaticum responsible for Th polyagglutination; Sondag-Thull D et al.; Th polyagglutinability is characterized by the agglutination of the red blood cells (RBC) by Arachis hypogaea, Medicago disciformis, Vicia cretica but, in contrast to the T phenomenon, not by Glycine max (Glycine soja) . Because Th transformation of RBC has been obtained in vitro, the mechanism of Th polyagglutinability expression has been studied and reproduced experimentally . An enzyme with neuraminidase specificity has been isolated from the culture supernatant of Corynebacterium aquaticum, and further characterized (MW = 55,600 kDa, pH = 5.5, Km = 0.138 microM, Kcat = 0.22 micrograms) . Reversely, Th transformation of RBC could be obtained by using other neuraminidases but in very mild conditions of hydrolysis . From our results, it can be concluded that by the release of less than 20 micrograms of sialic acid per 10(10) RBC, Th reactivity can be induced whereas hydrolysis of greater amounts of sialic acid (greater than 20 micrograms/10(10) RBC) give the classical T polyagglutinability.

Acta Oncol, 1989, 28(6), 903 - 6
Prolonged adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer . The Scandinavian Adjuvant Chemotherapy Study 2; Nissen-Meyer R et al.; Eleven hundred and sixteen primary female breast cancer patients received one short perioperative chemotherapy course . The node negative patients were randomised between immunotherapy (corynebacterium parvum s.c . around the scar 2 weeks after mastectomy), or no further adjuvant therapy . A moderate, but significant delaying effect was observed, without side effects . The node positive patients were randomised to four groups: 1) the same immunotherapy as in the node negative patients, 2) CMF for 1 year, 3) combination of these two treatments, or 4) no further adjuvant therapy . The prolonged chemotherapy had a significant positive effect, but also considerable and distressing side effects . The immunotherapy had a non-significant negative effect in the node positive patients, but without side effects.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1989, 41(2), 92 - 9
{Studies of the effects of BCG and Corynebacterium parvum vaccines in experimental infection of mice with influenza virus . Foot pad test, splenic indicator and histologic changes in the thymus gland, spleen and lymph nodes}; Ciebiada I et al.; Evaluation of the influence of BCG and Coparvax on reticulo-endothelial system in mouse was performed . Mice were stimulated i.p . with BCG vaccine and Coparvax vaccine . Spleen index and histological changes in thymus, spleen and lymph nodes were evaluated after 14 days in mice vaccinated with BCG and after 7 days in mice vaccinated with Coparvax . Foot pad test was also performed by giving vaccine into three feet . Tuberculin was injected into mouse foot pad on the day 7th and 14th and a lysate of Coparvax vaccine on the day 7th . Spleen index and foot pad test showed higher values in mice vaccinated with Coparvax than with BCG . Histological changes of thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes showed morphological differences depending on the type of vaccine used . Both preparations were characterized by stimulating effect on reticuloendothelial system, which was much more pronounced after giving Coparvax vaccine.

Geogr Med Suppl, 1989, 3, 85 - 92
{The significance of detecting Corynebacterium equi in the conjunctiva of children in Cairo}; Sixl W et al.; The probable correlations between certain Corynebacterium are discussed . Carpenter et al . (1976) describes a Corynebacterium equi-pneumonia in a patient with Hodgkin's disease; Gardner et . al . (1976) also reports on a case of pneumonia . Golub et . al . (1967) demonstrates a lung abscess resulting from Corynebacterium equi . Williams et . al . (1971) demonstrates a thoracic infection in an immunosuppressed patient . Although, our findings have been demonstrated only in conjunctivitis of children, hitherto descriptions of Corynebacterium equi in diseases of the lungs, especially in the case of a low immune response in certain sections of the population should be taken into account . Further investigations of the numerous dead donkeys with severe clinical symptoms of lung sequela are necessary.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1989, 36(2-3), 321 - 5
Phospholipase C in Listeria; Mencikova E; The cooperative and antagonistic effect of extracellular bacterial proteins of Streptococcus agalactiae, Rhodococcus equi, Corynebacterium ovis, and Corynebacterium haemolyticum with proteins of listerial strains of various sources, species and serovars of the membrane of sheep erythrocytes was investigated . Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii produce, beside listeriolysin, further proteins . Their specific effect on the sheep erythrocyte membrane becomes apparent after the appearance of substances produced by the organisms under study . Ten strains of L . ivanovii produced phospholipase C responsible for the zone of incomplete haemolysis . It was inhibited by the non-haemolytic sphingomyelinase D of C . ovis and C . haemolyticum . Chromatographic analysis revealed that phospholipase C splits sphingomyelin in the membrane of sheep erythrocytes . The inhibition of double haemolysis of L . ivanovii by sphyngomyelinase D of C . ovis on agar plates with washed (!) sheep erythrocytes can be utilized as a specific and rapid identification test of L . ivanovii.

Cornell Vet, 1989 Jan, 79(1), 11 - 24
Effect of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, Corynebacterium parvum and mycobacterium cell wall extract on in vitro blastogenic responses of bovine blood lymphocytes; Archambault D et al.; In vivo inoculation of three-month-old calves with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC), killed Corynebacterium parvum or mycobacterium cell wall extract (MCWE) resulted in an enhancement of in vitro peripheral blood lymphocyte blastogenic responses to mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and Concanavalin A (Con A) in the first three days after treatment . In a separate experiment, blood lymphocytes isolated from a healthy nontreated calf were incubated in vitro in presence of each of the same immunostimulating agents and tested for their blastogenic responses to PHA and Con A . The results showed that all immunostimulants, excepting DTC, enhanced the in vitro blastogenic responses of lymphocytes to PHA and Con A . Finally, addition of MCWE to cultures of blood lymphocytes isolated from calves vaccinated intramuscularly with bovine rotavirus and adjuvant resulted in an enhancement of the in vitro lymphocyte transformation to rotavirus . Our study demonstrated that DTC, killed Corynebacterium parvum and mycobacterium cell wall extract were able to enhance bovine T cell proliferation in vitro.

Life Sci, 1989, 45(24), 2275 - 83
The deconjugation ability of bacteria isolated from the jejunal fluids in the blind loop syndrome with high 14CO2 excretion--using the breath analysis technique and thin-layer chromatography; Shindo K et al.; Five patients with blind loop syndrome (Billroth II) were examined by measuring 14CO2 specific activity of expired breath samples taken at intervals after a meal containing glycine-1-14C cholate . The 5 patients tested showed a marked increase of 14CO2 specific activity . Furthermore, the ability of deconjugation of bacteria isolated from the jejunal fluids in the efferent loop of these patients was tested by thin layer chromatography . The bacterial species identified from the samples were as follows: enterococcus, Lactobacillus (L) buchneri, L . bifidus, L . brevis, Eubacterium (E) lentum, Bacteroides (B) vulgaricus, B . filamentosum, Corynebacterium (C) granulosum, Escherichia (E) coli, Staphylococcus (S) epidermidis, and Aerobacter (A) aerogenes . These species of bacteria, except E . coli and A . aerogenes, showed the deconjugation ability by which conjugated bile acids in ox gall was hydrolyzed . Administration of chloramphenicol (1g per day for 14 days orally divided doses) to the 5 patients reduced 14CO2 specific activity significantly . On the other hand, 9 healthy men (control subjects) who were tested showed a flat curve, and 8 of the 9 had no growth of bacteria isolated from the jejunal fluids . The remaining healthy man showed an overgrowth of E . coli and Pseudomonas (P) aeruginosa, but the species did not have the ability of deconjugation . Thus, we concluded that the patients with blind loop syndrome(Billroth II) had the bacterial overgrowth in the efferent loop that contained species with deconjugation ability, and, as a result the bacterial overgrowth contributed to causing abnormalities (increased deconjugation) in the metabolism of bile acids in the small intestine . When the concentration of conjugated bile acids in the small intestine was reduced to levels below the critical micellar concentration by several factors, fat malabsorption and subsequent steatorrhea were induced (1,-4) . Furthermore, H . Fromm and A . F . Hofmann presented in vivo that the patients with blind loop syndrome had fat malabsorption and the patients who had a high 14CO2 output after oral administration of glycine-1-14C cholate showed a low 14CO2 output after oral administration of antibiotic drug (5,6) . However, there has been no report on the deconjugation ability of bile acids of bacteria isolated from the jejunal fluids in the efferent loop of patients with Billroth II who had positive breath tests.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Gynecol Obstet Invest, 1989, 28(3), 156 - 60
Bacterial vaginosis is not a simple ecological disorder; Fredricsson B et al.; Eighty-four patients with bacterial vaginosis were examined in an open randomized trial, the aim of which was to define clinical results and the microbiological panorama after topical treatment for 1 week with either an acetic acid jelly (A), an estrogen cream (B), a fermented milk product (C) or metronidazole (D) . After exclusion because of chlamydia infection (15 cases) or for other reasons, 61 cases remained for complete evaluation 4 weeks after the start of treatment . Clinical cure was obtained in 3 cases out of 17 on regimen A, in 1 out of 16 on regimen B, in 1 of 14 on regimen C, and in 13 out of 14 on regimen D . The patients were conclusively either symptomless or symptomatic when examined on 113 occasions . Statistically significant reduction after treatment resulting in relief of symptoms was observed in the numbers of corynebacteria and anaerobic cocci, whereas lactobacilli increased in numbers . The instillation of high numbers of Lactobacillus acidophilus (C) into the vagina cured only 1 patient and did not influence the predominance of lactobacilli in the vagina at the follow-up examination . The difference in microbiological profile of women in symptomatic and asymptomatic conditions becomes still more apparent when the results of the present and previously published studies on the subject by the present group of investigators are combined . The symptomatic woman is significantly more often harboring corynebacteria, Gardnerella vaginalis, peptostreptococci, peptococci, eubacteria and Bacteroides species . Lactobacilli are significantly reduced in numbers . However, only 51% of our previously symptomatic, but now symptomless women show predominant growth of lactobacilli, which is less than expected for healthy women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mikrobiol Zh, 1989 Jan-Feb, 51(1), 82 - 7
{Antagonistic action of corynebacteria and bacilli of a skin ecotype on staphylococci}; Sytnik SI; 582 strain of corynebacteria and 235 cultures of bacilli isolated from the skin surface of mammary glands of 120 nursing women were studied for their antagonistic action on staphylococci . It is established that bacilli, especially Bacillus subtilis, B . firmus and B . alvei exert more pronounced inhibitory effect on staphylococci . Representatives of the family Corynebacteriaceae possess a weak antagonistic action both on coagulase-positive and on coagulase-negative species . The ability of coryneform bacteria to retain the colonization resistance is supposed to be due to other factors . Antagonistic properties of B . subtilis are shown expedient to be used for elimination of hospital strains of Staphylococcus aureus from the skin of mammary glands.

Arch Microbiol, 1989, 151(1), 49 - 53
Purification and characterisation of an inducible beta-galactosidase from Corynebacterium murisepticum; Priyolkar M et al.; The beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.32) of Corynebacterium murisepticum (inducible by lactose and galactose) was purified by successive column chromatography on Sephadex G-200, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and DEAE-cellulose (DE52) . The enzyme was found to be a dimer of identical subunits of molecular mass 100,000 daltons . The Km values of the enzyme for the substrates lactose and o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) are 16.7 mM and 4.4 mM, respectively, indicating, its low affinity for the substrates . The Ouchterlony immunodiffusion method exhibited immunological homogeneity of the enzyme preparation . The catalytic site of the enzyme does not take part in antigen-antibody reaction.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1989, 68(1), 62 - 6
Modulation of macrophage functions by corynebacterium parvum preparations; Bonina L et al.; Corynebacterium parvum has been used as an anti-tumor agent in both animal experiments and clinical trials; nevertheless it is not well established the mechanism of action, since both T-dependent and T-independent ways of action have been proposed . On the other hand, mononuclear phagocytic system activation cannot be ruled out in the immunomodulation carried out by C . parvum . In the attempt to better understand the effects of C . parvum on macrophage functions, experiments were carried out on tumor-bearing rats with a decline of peritoneal macrophage activities as a result of the tumor development . For this purpose three different preparations of C . parvum were investigated: a) the first preparation was obtained by heat-inactivation of bacteria at 60 degrees C for 1h; b) the second by formalin-treatment of bacteria; c) the third obtained from Burrough Wellcome as a formaline-killed suspension in 0.01% w/v thiomersal saline . Each preparation was used at 7 mg/ml dry weight and administered subcutaneously, three days after tumor grafting . The results showed that all three preparations were capable to hinder the tumor mass growth . Macrophage functions as phagocytosis, intracellular killing, intrinsic and extrinsic anti-Herpes Simplex Virus activities, were restored to normal values by each of the preparations used . Nevertheless, concerning the chemotactic activity a discrepancy was noted among the three preparations, since the heat-inactivated one was able to carried out a complete restoration.

Cancer Commun, 1989, 1(6), 373 - 9
Induction of macrophage tumoricidal activity, major histocompatibility complex class II antigen (Iak) expression, and interleukin-1 production by swainsonine; Grzegorzewski K et al.; Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that the reported antitumor activity of systemically administered swainsonine, an indolizidine alkaloid, is due at least in part to immune modulation involving effector cells (Humphries, M.J.; Matsumoto, K; White, S.L.; Olden, K . Cancer Res . 48:1410-1415; 1988 and White, S . L.; Schweitzer, K.; Humphries, M.J.; Olden, K . Biochem . Biophys . Res . Commun . 150:615-625; 1988) . In this report, studies are presented to show that swainsonine was effective in activating peritoneal macrophages to cytotoxicity against tumor cells . Stimulation of tumoricidal activity of macrophages was associated with increased secretion of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and expression of the Iak major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen on the cell surface . The 3-fold stimulation of cytotoxicity observed in these in vivo studies was comparable to that obtained with Corynebacterium parvum, a commonly used in vivo activating agent . The in vitro incubation of thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages with swainsonine consistently resulted in levels of activation (6- to 8-fold) comparable to that obtained by treatment with known in vitro macrophage activating agents such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or recombinant gamma-interferon (rIFN-gamma) . The stimulation observed by using swainsonine in combination with LPS was additive, suggesting different mechanisms of action . These studies have important implications not only for treatment of cancer, infectious diseases, and immune suppressive disorders, but also for elucidation of the mechanism of macrophage activation.

Folia Haematol Int Mag Klin Morphol Blutforsch, 1989, 116(3-4), 577 - 80
Germ monitoring of patients, staff and environment in reverse isolation; Hoffmann FA et al.; To estimate the efficiency of germ-poor for patients who underwent BMT or ABMT in reverse isolation we investigated the staff, patients and the environment of the BMT unit bacteriologically and mycologically between 1/85 to 3/87 . On patient's body surface gram-negative germs were not estimated but coagulase negative staphylococci persisted . Only in few cases aerobic spores were detectable, seldom enterococci, corynebacterium and fungi . Staff members had a distinct higher grade of contamination inside the BMT-unit but outside of isolation rooms . We found sporadically staphylococcus aureus and germs of the mouth cavity on hands and fore head . Although gram negative rods were seldom detected in environmental studies, humid regions of the ward remain to be problematic zones.

Lab Delo, 1989, (8), 62 - 4
{A comparative study of nutrient media for isolating Corynebacterium diphtheriae}; Shepilova RG et al.; The diagnostic characteristics of 8 nutrient media most frequently employed at practical bacteriologic laboratories for the isolation of C . diphtheriae have been under study . Clauberg-2 medium and blood-tellurite agar have been found the most suitable for the diagnostic studies . Addition of extra ingredients to the standard recipe deteriorates the diagnostic potentialities of the media . Tinsdal's medium is characterized by the lowest diagnostic efficacy . The schemes of using these media are presented, with due consideration for their diagnostic potentialities.

Am J Reprod Immunol, 1989 Jan, 19(1), 17 - 20
Comparison of Corynebacterium parvum and Bordetella pertussis with Freund's complete adjuvant as immunopotentiators for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin linked to an atoxic fragment of tetanus toxin; Covey DC et al.; Corynebacterium parvum and Bordetella pertussis were compared with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) for their abilities to potentiate the immune response to haptenic beta-human chorionic gonadotropin covalently coupled to an atoxic 54,000-molecular-weight fragment of tetanus toxin (beta-hCG-TTII) . The ability of each adjuvant to enhance production of antibodies to hCG in rabbits was measured by 125I-hCG radioimmunoassay . At sera dilutions of 1:10,000, analysis of variance for the 8-week postimmunization course showed that the mean 125I-hCG binding capacities of the C . parvum group was significantly greater overall than the B . pertussis group (P = .0002) and that the FCA-treated group had the greatest binding capacity overall (P less than .018) . The mean binding capacities at 1:40,000 dilution again showed the FCA-treated group to have significantly higher anti-hCG titers overall (P less than .0015), with C . parvum potentiating a greater overall antibody response than B . pertussis (P = .001) . These results indicate that FCA is the most efficacious of the three tested adjuvants in potentiating antibody production to the hapten component of beta-hCG-TTII . C . parvum was also effective at promoting an anti-beta-hCG response, although not to the same degree as FCA . B . pertussis had only minimal potentiating effect compared to FCA or C . parvum.

Lab Delo, 1989, (4), 69 - 70
{A new modification of Pizu's medium for the rapid identification of Corynebacterium diphtheriae based on the AGV medium}; Fel'dman IuM et al.; Various nutrient bases (dry nutrient agar, erythrol agar, medium for toxigenicity determination, casein-yeast and AGV media) have been examined to choose a base for Pizu's medium instead of agar D that is no longer manufactured . AGV medium has been found the best nutrient base . The method for the preparation of Pizu's medium has been simplified . The modified Pizu's medium permits the detection of cystinase in C: diphtheriae in 3-5 hrs both in pure and mixed cultures.

Radiother Oncol, 1989 Jan, 14(1), 19 - 26
A randomized trial of intracavitary bleomycin and Corynebacterium parvum in the control of malignant pleural effusions; Ostrowski MJ et al.; Fifty-eight patients with malignant pleural effusions were entered into a prospectively randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of a local instillation of bleomycin or corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum) in controlling fluid reaccumulation after simple needle aspiration (thoracentesis) . The response was assessed at 30 days by chest X-ray and clinical examination . There were 44 evaluable patients; 18 of 25 (72%) of those receiving bleomycin and 9/19 (47%) of those who had C . parvum gained a complete or partial response . This difference in response rate was not statistically significant (p = 0.13) . The majority of patients had an effusion from a primary breast carcinoma and the response in this group was almost statistically significant (p = 0.06) with 74% of bleomycin patients and 43% of C . parvum patients responding . Fever following instillation was more common with C . parvum (53% of patients compared with 24% after bleomycin, p = 0.02), whereas nausea was more common after bleomycin (28% vs . 10.5%, p = 0.16) . Local chest pain after aspiration occurred in 52% of the bleomycin group and 47% of the C . parvum subjects . There was no significant difference between the groups in age, sex, tumour type, presenting symptoms, volume of aspirate, systemic therapy or number of previous aspirations . Both of these agents appeared to be active in the control of malignant pleural effusions although the response rate was higher with bleomycin and overall, both have acceptable levels of toxicity.

Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1988 Dec 15, 113(24), 1362 - 5
{Caseous lymphadenitis in goats in Gelderland: prospects for its control}; ter Laak EA et al.; An ELISA was developed for the detection of antibodies to the exotoxin of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis . Experience with the test for control of caseous lymphadenitis in goats in the province of Gelderland is discussed.

Acta Med Okayama, 1988 Dec, 42(6), 301 - 10
Eradication of syngeneic tumor (Meth A fibrosarcoma) from mice by adoptive immunotherapy of immunized spleen cells induced by Corynebacterium parvum-pyridine extract residue; Mukai K et al.; Eradication of immunologically-syngeneic tumors was achieved by adoptive chemotherapy using effector cells induced by Corynebacterium parvum-Pyridine Extract Residue (CP-PER) . A mixture of 2 X 10(6) Meth A cells and 0.1 mg CP-PER was subcutaneously inoculated into the back of donor BALB/c mice, with the result that their spleen cells showed an antitumor effect 10 to 13 days after the inoculation . These cells were used as immune cells . Recipient mice were inoculated with 1 X 10(6) Meth A cells, and 2 days later were administered cyclophosphamide . On the following day, 1 X 10(8) immune cells were adoptively transferred into the recipient mice . As a result, the tumor began to regress 7 to 12 days after the adoptive transfer . An immuno-histochemical study of the donors' spleens and the recipients' regressing tumors revealed that the ratio of L3T4+ T cells to Lyt-2+ T cells in the donors' spleens was increased and that the infiltrating cells in the recipients' tumors were mainly composed of L3T4+ T cells . This confirmed that the transfer of L3T4+ T cells led to the infiltration of L3T4+ T cells into the recipients' tumors, causing their eradication.

Am J Vet Res, 1988 Dec, 49(12), 2038 - 40
In vitro susceptibility of bacteria to a ticarcillin-clavulanic acid combination; Sparks SE et al.; In vitro testing of bacterial susceptibility to a combination of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid was done, using 406 aerobic gram-positive and gram-negative isolates (considered to be pathogens) cultured from equine and small animal specimens . A microdilution broth technique of susceptibility testing was performed, using trays with wells containing a range of doubling concentrations of dehydrated ticarcillin (range, 0.50 to 128 micrograms/ml) with fixed concentration of clavulanic acid (4 micrograms/ml) . The following isolates of equine origin were (90%) susceptible to concentrations of ticarcillin and clavulanic acid combinations of less than or equal to 16 and 4 micrograms/ml, respectively: Staphylococcus aureus, S intermedius, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Ent agglomerans, Ent cloacae, Escherichia coli, Actinobacillus sp, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Rhodococcus equi, Proteus vulgaris, and Bordetella bronchiseptica . Isolates of small animal origin (90%) susceptible to less than or equal to 16 and 4 micrograms of ticarcillinclavulanic/ml included S aureus, S intermedius, Ent aerogenes, Ent agglomerans, Pasteurella multocida, B bronchiseptica, Pr mirabilis, and Serratia sp.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1988 Dec, 41(12), 1745 - 51
Lysobactin, a novel antibacterial agent produced by Lysobacter sp . II . Biological properties; Bonner DP et al.; Lysobactin, an antibiotic isolated from a strain of Lysobacter, is 2 to 4-fold more active than vancomycin against aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria . Included in the spectrum of lysobactin are Staphylococci, Streptococci, corynebacteria, clostridia and various other Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria . The activity of lysobactin against aerobic and anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria is poor . When given parenterally the compound was efficacious in systemic staphylococcal and streptococcal infections in mice . Similarly, when applied topically lysobactin was also curative in a staphylococcal wound infection in mice . Some studies on the mode of action of lysobactin are presented.

Infect Immun, 1988 Dec, 56(12), 3272 - 9
Membrane glycoprotein M-2 protects against Leishmania amazonensis infection; Champsi J et al.; Previous passive antibody transfer experiments have indicated that immunity to a 46-kilodalton membrane glycoprotein (M-2) of Leishmania amazonensis may protect against infection with this parasite . In the studies described in this paper, we investigated the ability of the purified M-2 molecule to elicit a protective immune response in conjunction with Freund incomplete and complete adjuvants, saponin, and Corynebacterium parvum . Both relatively susceptible (BALB/c and CBA) and resistant (C57BL/6) strains of mice were examined . C . parvum appeared to be the most effective adjuvant in the three mouse strains tested . The level of protection varied with the mouse strain, although all animals received identical preparations of antigen and adjuvant . Immunization of CBA mice with the M-2 glycoprotein and C . parvum resulted in complete protection against a challenge infection of 10(4) and 10(6) late log-phase promastigotes of L . amazonensis . In the BALB/c strain, complete protection was observed in some of the immunized animals (28 to 50%); in the rest of the mice the onset of infection was significantly delayed . Protective immunity for C57BL/6 mice was observed only at the low infecting dose (10(4) L . amazonensis organisms) . The level of protection observed is reflected by increased antibody response (immunoglobulins G1 and G2) developed to the M-2 molecule . The relationship of pure T-cell (nonantibody) immunity to this protection remains to be elucidated.

J Gen Microbiol, 1988 Dec, 134 ( Pt 12), 3221 - 9
Regulation of enzymes of lysine biosynthesis in Corynebacterium glutamicum; Cremer J et al.; The regulation of the six enzymes responsible for the conversion of aspartate to lysine, together with homoserine dehydrogenase, was studied in Corynebacterium glutamicum . In addition to aspartate kinase activity, the synthesis of diaminopimelate decarboxylase was also found to be regulated . The specific activity of this enzyme was reduced to one-third in extracts of cells grown in the presence of lysine . Aspartate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, dihydrodipicolinate synthase, dihydrodipicolinate reductase, and diaminopimelate dehydrogenase were neither influenced in their specific activity, nor inhibited, by any of the aspartate family of amino acids . Homoserine dehydrogenase was repressed by methionine (to 15% of its original activity) and inhibited by threonine (4% remaining activity) . Inclusion of leucine in the growth medium resulted in a twofold increase of homoserine dehydrogenase specific activity . The flow of aspartate semialdehyde to either lysine or homoserine was influenced by the activity of homoserine dehydrogenase or dihydrodipicolinate synthase . Thus, the twofold increase in homoserine dehydrogenase activity resulted in a decrease in lysine formation accompanied by the formation of isoleucine . In contrast, repression of homoserine dehydrogenase resulted in increased lysine formation . A similar increase of the flow of aspartate semialdehyde to lysine was found in strains with increased dihydrodipicolinate synthase activity, constructed by introducing the dapA gene of Escherichia coli (coding for the synthase) into C . glutamicum.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Dec, (12), 100 - 3
{Characteristics of the serologic antibacterial response of patients with diphtheria and of bacterial carriers}; Shmeleva EA et al.; The enzyme immunoassay system for the detection of specific antibacterial antibodies to Corynebacterium diphtheriae membrane protein (mol . wt . 64 KD) has been used . The physicochemical nature of these antibacterial antibodies has been established and their quantitative characteristics have been determined . The analysis of the dynamics of the formation of antimicrobial IgG- and IgM-antibodies in diphtheria patients (on days 3-28 of the disease) has shown that by the time of convalescence the antibody level increases about 200-fold (p less than 0.0001) . The possibility of using the dynamics of the formation of specific antimicrobial IgM-antibodies for the serodiagnosis of carrier state is shown, even if the increase of the level of antimicrobial IgG-antibodies is insufficient for this purpose (not more than twofold).

Gastroenterology, 1988 Dec, 95(6), 1588 - 94
Effect of endotoxin on release of reactive oxygen intermediates by rat hepatic macrophages; Arthur MJ et al.; Reactive oxygen intermediates released by activated hepatic macrophages have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a rat model of liver injury induced by sequential administration of Corynebacterium parvum and endotoxin . In this model, C . parvum causes extensive infiltration of the liver with activated macrophages, but severe liver injury occurs only after subsequent exposure to endotoxin . We have therefore investigated the effects of endotoxin on the release of reactive oxygen intermediates by C . parvum-activated hepatic macrophages . After in vitro exposure to zymosan, opsonized zymosan, or phorbol myristate acetate, hepatic macrophages isolated from C . parvum- and endotoxin-treated rats demonstrated significantly (1.5-2-fold) increased release of superoxide and oxidation of {1-14C}glucose via the hexose monophosphate shunt compared with hepatic macrophages isolated from C . parvum- and saline-treated control rats . These results indicate that endotoxin enhances the state of activation of hepatic macrophages already partially activated by C . parvum . We suggest that the increased release of reactive oxygen intermediates by these cells promotes liver injury in this model.

Anal Biochem, 1988 Nov 1, 174(2), 374 - 80
Microbial synthesis of L-{15N}leucine L-{15N}isoleucine, and L-{3-13C}-and L-{3'-13C}isoleucines studied by nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; Kahana ZE et al.; The preparation of leucine and isoleucine labeled with 15N and of site-specific 13C-labeled isoleucines is described . This method is based on the induction of the biosynthetic pathways specific for branched chain amino acids in glutamic acid producing bacteria, and controlled provision of stable isotope labeled precursors . Corynebacterium glutamicum (ATCC 13032), a glutamic acid overproducer, was incubated in leucine production medium which consisted of a basal medium supplemented with {15N}ammonium sulfate, glucose, and sodium alpha-ketoisocaproate . production of L-{15N}leucine reached 138 mumol/ml at an isotopic efficiency of 90% . It was purified and checked by proton NMR and GC-MS . The electron impact (EI) spectrum showed 95 atom% enrichment . The cultivation of C . glutamicum in a similar medium containing alpha-ketobutyrate yielded L-{15N}isoleucine at a concentration of 120 mumol/ml . The GC-MS EI and chemical ionization (CI) spectra confirmed enrichment of 96 atom% 15N as that of the labeled precursors . The biosynthesis of L-{13C}isoleucine was carried out by induced cells which were transferred to a similar medium in which {2-13C}- or {3-13C}pyruvic acid replaced glucose . 13C NMR of the product isoleucine revealed single-site enrichment at C-3 or at C-3' respective to the precursor {13C}pyruvate; i.e., C-3 was labeled from {2-13C}pyruvate and C-3' from {3-13C}pyruvate . Mass spectrometric analysis confirmed that all molecules were labeled only in one carbon . This site-specific incorporation of {13C}pyruvate is contrasted with the labeling pattern obtained when producing cells were supplied with {2-13C}acetate, instead of pyruvate, when most label was incorporated into carbons 3 and 3' of the same isoleucine molecule.

Am J Vet Res, 1988 Nov, 49(11), 1789 - 93
Frequency of isolation of environmental mastitis-causing pathogens and incidence of new intramammary infection during the nonlactating period; Oliver SP; Quarter samples (n = 6,328) of mammary secretions were collected from 160 cows during physiologic transitions of the udder to determine the frequency of isolation of mastitis-causing pathogens and the incidence of new intramammary infections (IMI) during the nonlactating period . None of the cows in the herd was infected with Streptococcus agalactiae, and the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus was low . Cows were not treated with antibiotics at cessation of milking . A threefold increase in the percentage of quarters infected with major mastitis-causing pathogens developed from late lactation to early involution . Coliforms and streptococci other than Str agalactiae accounted for 94% of major pathogen infections . The number of quarters infected with coagulase-negative staphylococci increased slightly from late lactation to early involution, whereas the number of quarters infected with Corynebacterium bovis decreased markedly . Major pathogens caused 101 of 153 IMI at parturition and greater than 90% were caused by streptococci and coliforms . At parturition, 51 of 52 minor pathogen IMI were caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci . During early lactation, there was a marked decrease in quarters infected with major pathogens; however, the number of quarters with major pathogen IMI during early lactation was 2.3 times higher than the number of quarters infected before cessation of milking . The number of quarters with minor pathogen IMI during early lactation was the same as at parturition, but a marked decrease in quarters infected with coagulase-negative staphylococci and a marked increase in C bovis IMI developed from parturition to early lactation.

Rev Infect Dis, 1988 Nov-Dec, 10(6), 1204 - 7
Cutaneous manifestations of infection with Corynebacterium group JK; Dan M et al.; Multiple necrotic soft tissue lesions were observed in the groin of a granulocytopenic patient with Corynebacterium group JK septicemia . Complete healing followed vancomycin therapy . Review of the English-language literature disclosed that skin and soft tissue manifestations were seen in one-quarter of the patients with Corynebacterium group JK septicemia, all of whom were granulocytopenic; in no case of endocarditis were similar findings reported . The majority of lesions consisted of local infections at sites of previous bone marrow biopsy, intravascular catheter insertion, or perianal fissure; they preceded septicemia and were designated primary lesions . Less often, skin and soft tissue manifestations--including papular skin rash, soft tissue abscesses, and necrotic soft tissue lesions--developed in patients with established septicemia and were considered secondary.

J Clin Microbiol, 1988 Oct, 26(10), 2216 - 7
Cavitating pneumonia caused by Corynebacterium group JK; McNaughton RD et al.; Corynebacterium group JK organisms were isolated from lung fluid aspirated with a fine needle from one of four thick-walled cavitary lesions in a 72-year-old female . Cultures and stains for mycobacteria and fungi were negative . The patient was successfully treated with an 8-week course of vancomycin.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Oct, (10), 6 - 8
{A new dried nutrient medium for the isolation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae (its development and experimental study)}; Margulis IL et al.; A new dried diagnostic medium for the isolation of C . diphtheriae has been developed on the basis of aminopeptide . This new aminopeptide-based medium compares favorably with Buchin's medium in its growth and inhibitory properties.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Oct, 7(5), 675 - 8
Identification of Corynebacterium jeikeium and Corynebacterium CDC group D2 with the API 20 Strep system; Tillotson G et al.; A total of 170 strains of Corynebacterium jeikeium and 23 strains of Corynebacterium group D2 were examined in three British laboratories using the API 20 Strep identification system and three supplementary tests (catalase production, urease production and nitrate reduction) . The isolates were collected from clinical specimens in various laboratories over a three-year period . The two species produced consistent reactions in these tests after 24 h . Two tests were highly discriminatory, with positive reactions for ribose fermentation seen for Corynebacterium jeikeium while urease production was observed with Corynebacterium group D2 . This method allows routine clinical laboratories to rapidly identify these emerging pathogens.

Clin Invest Med, 1988 Oct, 11(5), 341 - 6
Differential effect of inflammatory stimuli on murine plasma C4 and factor B concentrations; Garlepp MJ et al.; The in vivo effects of a variety of inflammatory stimuli on complement C4 and factor B plasma levels have been examined . MRL/++ (H-2k) mice were given intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide, turpentine, Corynebacterium parvum pyridine extract residue or high doses of indomethacin . All of these treatments induced an increase in plasma factor B concentrations, which in the case of C . parvum was dose dependent and persisted for at least 7 days . Lipopolysaccharide, turpentine and indomethacin produced decreases in plasma complement C4 . C . parvum, however, produced an increase in plasma complement C4 to approximately 240% of controls which was independent of gender . It was also independent of major histocompatibility complex haplotype, since the same effect was seen in C57B1/6J-bg/bg and C57B1/6J-bg/+ mice . The gross increment in complement C4 was, however, related to the major histocompatibility complex . H-2K mice ("low complement C4") had smaller increments than H-2b ("high complement C4") . Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) also produced a transient increase in C4 in the H-2b mice as well as a prolonged increase in factor B levels . These data (i) suggest that different inflammatory stimuli induce different mediators which may have differential effects on factor B and complement C4 synthesis, and (ii) emphasize the independent regulation of complement C4 and factor B . Qualitative variations in the mediators elaborated during chronic inflammatory diseases may help determine complement C4 fluctuations in systemic lupus erythematosus and the wide range of complement C4 concentrations seen in MRL/1 pr mice with active immune complex disease.

Lab Anim Sci, 1988 Oct, 38(5), 580 - 3
The effect of selected viruses on Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in rats; Barthold SW et al.; The influence of selected viral pathogens on rats that were previously infected with Corynebacterium kutscheri was investigated . A series of three separate experiments were performed to test the effect of sialodacryoadenitis virus, Sendai virus and rat virus . In each experiment, weanling rats were divided into three groups (C . kutscheri-inoculated, virus-inoculated and C . kutscheri plus virus-inoculated) . Two groups were inoculated oronasally with C . kutscheri to establish subclinical infections . Two weeks later, two groups were inoculated intranasally with virus . At 5 weeks, the prevalence of C . kutscheri recovery from oral cavity and submaxillary lymph node and the prevalence of overt pseudotuberculosis was compared between treatment groups . Seroconversion of rats to C . kutscheri was measured by microagglutination and viruses by indirect immunofluorescence assays . Infection of rats with sialodacryoadenitis virus, Sendai virus or rat virus had no discernable effect on C . kutscheri-infected rats.

J Immunol, 1988 Oct 1, 141(7), 2388 - 93
Release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha from macrophages . Enhancement and suppression are dose-dependently regulated by prostaglandin E2 and cyclic nucleotides; Renz H et al.; PGE2 has previously been shown to suppress various leukocyte functions . In this study, we examined whether PGE2 would affect release of TNF-alpha from rat resident peritoneal macrophages . Two different, dose-dependent effects were observed: low PGE2 concentrations (0.1 to 10 ng/ml) stimulated, whereas higher concentrations (greater than 10 ng/ml) suppressed TNF-alpha release . PGE2-stimulated TNF-alpha production was dependent on de novo protein synthesis and was associated with an intracellular rise of cGMP . The importance of cGMP as an intracellular messenger for PGE2 was confirmed by the following evidence: (1) low PGE2 concentrations preferentially increased cGMP and not cAMP and (2) cGMP, either exogenously added or endogenously generated by sodium nitroprusside, were efficient stimulators of TNF-alpha production . In contrast, agents increasing intracellular cAMP concentrations such as PGE1, higher PGE2 doses, isoproterenol, and theophylline, all suppressed TNF-alpha synthesis . Only resident, but not casein-elicited or Corynebacterium parvum-activated macrophages, were stimulated by low PGE2 concentrations to increase TNF-alpha production . In tumor cytotoxicity assays, PGE2-activated macrophages were active only against TNF-alpha-sensitive target cells . These findings demonstrate that TNF-alpha synthesis in macrophages is up-regulated by cGMP and down-regulated by cAMP, which indicates that cyclic nucleotides act as intracellular messengers for extracellular signals of macrophage activation.

Int J Cancer, 1988 Sep 15, 42(3), 464 - 9
RNA polymerase activity and protein synthesis in mouse tumor-host liver compared to benign para-neoplastic reactions; Ternell M et al.; Elevated protein synthesis in mouse tumor-host liver is the net result of both stimulatory and inhibitory responses . This study compares the directional change in transcription and synthesis of liver and plasma proteins in tumor-host liver as compared with para-neoplastic conditions, such as malnutrition, inflammation, benign cell proliferation and protein deficiency . A methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma was used in weight stable mice (C57BI/6J) . Inflammation was induced by s.c . turpentine injection, and benign cell proliferation by injection of heat-killed Corynebacterium parvum . DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase activity (I, II and III) (EC2.7.7.6) was measured in isolated hepatic nuclei . Protein synthesis was measured by labelling of hepatic and plasma proteins following the injection of a "flooding dose" of the labelled amino acid . Benign hepatic cell proliferation and sterile inflammation caused increased rates of transcription, while malnourished and healthy control animals had lower hepatic transcription than animals bearing a malignant tumor . Inflammation was associated with increased activities of free (nonchromatin engaged) RNA polymerase, which was not found in any other para-neoplastic condition or in the tumor-host liver . A protein- and calorie-deficient state was associated with depressed hepatic and plasma protein synthesis compared with the tumor condition . Tumor-host livers had a nonsecretory protein synthesis rate equal to that of normal livers, but 45% higher plasma protein synthesis . Animals with inflammation and benign cell growth had liver protein synthesis rates which were approximately 50% higher than in tumor-bearing animals, but plasma protein synthesis in tumor-bearing animals was comparable with that of animals which had inflammation . Benign cell growth was not associated with an overall elevated plasma protein synthesis . The translation rate per transcription activity was highest in normal animals and decreased in animals suffering from either tumor, protein deficiency or benign cell proliferation . Hepatic protein synthesis in tumor-host livers is high considering the degree of anorexia and malnutrition, although not as high as in livers from animals with pronounced inflammation . This counter-regulation in tumor-host livers may indicate a compensatory state to maintain protein synthesis against attenuating factors such as the declining food intake . Protein metabolism in tumor-host livers represents an unusual combination of findings.

J Urol, 1988 Sep, 140(3), 660 - 3
Phagocytic and natural killer cytotoxic responses of murine transitional cell carcinoma to postsurgical immunochemotherapy; Woolley JL et al.; Postsurgical immunochemotherapy with Corynebacterium parvum (CP) and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP) was evaluated in mice with transitional cell carcinoma (MBT-2) . C3H/He mice were transplanted subcutaneously in the hind limb with 5 x 10(5) tumor cells . Ten to 14 days later when the tumor reached a diameter of five to seven mm., it was surgically removed . Mice were then randomized into four groups to receive a total of three treatments on days 1, 3 and 5 after surgery: 1) saline (control group); 2) CP, 250 micrograms . into the surgical site; 3) CDDP, 5 micrograms./gm . body weight intraperitoneally; and 4) combined CP and CDDP . Recurrence of tumor occurred in 70%, 52%, 55% and 28% of mice receiving surgery only, CP, CDDP, and combined CP and CDDP respectively . In the second part of the experiment, phagocytic activity using chemiluminescence assay and natural killer (NK) activity using chromium-51 release assay were determined with cells from the peritoneum, spleen and inguinal lymph nodes . CP or CDDP alone enhanced the phagocytic and NK activity . The most significant enhancement was obtained with cells from the inguinal lymph nodes of mice receiving combined CP and CDDP, the group with the lowest tumor recurrence . These results suggest that combination of CP and CDDP may be useful in control of postsurgical recurrence of bladder cancer.

Immunobiology, 1988 Sep, 177(4-5), 339 - 51
Interleukin 1 as a tumor cytostatic mediator released from tumor ascites-treated macrophages; Gong JH et al.; Peritoneal macrophages from DBA/2 mice, elicited by injection of Corynebacterium parvum (C.p.), were in vitro activated to Eb tumor cytostasis by incubation with tumor-induced ascites that was harvested 7 days after intraperitoneal Eb injection . The active cytostasis-mediating compound was found to be interleukin 1 (IL 1) . When tumor ascites was fractionated according to molecular weight size, the most active IL 1-inducing fraction was found to comprise molecules of greater than 100,000 daltons . The data show that tumor-bearing hosts are capable of producing compounds that induce a high IL 1 secretion which may enable macrophages to mount an antiproliferative effect against tumor cells.

J Gen Microbiol, 1988 Sep, 134 ( Pt 9), 2457 - 61
Influence of Tween 80 on the mycolic acid composition of three cutaneous corynebacteria; Chevalier J et al.; Changes in the mycolic acid composition of three cutaneous strains of corynebacteria were caused by the addition of Tween 80 to the culture medium . Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that the carbon chain length and the degree of unsaturation had been affected: the levels of corynomycolic acid with 36 carbon atoms and two double bonds increased significantly.

Biochem Int, 1988 Sep, 17(3), 577 - 83
Presence of AMP binding sequence in subunit B of Corynebacterium sarcosine oxidase; Suzuki H et al.; Corynebacterium sarcosine oxidase is composed of A, B, C, and D subunits . To characterize these subunits, we analyzed their N-terminal sequences by automated Edman degradation . We identified 20 residues of subunit A, 58 of B, 31 of C, and 33 of D . There was no homology among these sequences according to secondary structure predictions and hydrophilicity profiles . But we found that subunit B contained a sequence homologous to that of the AMP-binding site of other flavoproteins.

J Dairy Sci, 1988 Sep, 71(9), 2520 - 5
Rate of environmental mastitis in quarters infected with Corynebacterium bovis and Staphylococcus species; Hogan JS et al.; Rates of environmental streptococcal and coliform intramammary infections were compared among quarters uninfected and infected with either Corynebacterium bovis or Staphylococcus species . Rate of environmental streptococcal intramammary infections was 3.9 times greater in C . bovis-infected quarters than in uninfected quarters . Rate of environmental streptococcal infections was 2.6 times greater in quarters infected with Staphylococcus species than in uninfected quarters . Rate of coliform intramammary infections did not differ among quarters with differing bacteriological infection statuses . Quarters infected with either C . bovis or Staphylococcus species had higher milk SCC than did uninfected quarters . Intramammary infection with either Corynebacterium bovis or Staphylococcus species did not protect quarters against coliform infection . Rate of environmental streptococcal infections was enhanced in quarters infected with either C . bovis or Staphylococcus species.

J Clin Microbiol, 1988 Sep, 26(9), 1878 - 80
Skin colonization by Corynebacterium groups D2 and JK in hospitalized patients; Soriano F et al.; To determine the prevalence of Corynebacterium group D2 and JK organisms on the skin of different types of patients, 200 hospitalized subjects, half of them admitted to a university hospital and the others in a chronic care institution, were surveyed . Samples were taken from the axilla, groin, and abdominal wall . Corynebacterium group D2 and JK organisms were isolated from at least one of the three skin sites in both groups of patients . Only five patients harbored groups D2 and JK at the same time but a different skin sites . The rate of colonization by group D2 organisms was higher in females (43.3%) than in males (17.7%); on the contrary, group JK organisms were isolated more frequently from males (32.1%) than from females (13.5%) . All these differences were statistically significant . Corynebacterium group D2 and JK organisms are widely distributed on the skin of hospitalized patients, and the prevalence is sex related.

Mol Biol Evol, 1988 Sep, 5(5), 549 - 59
Pseudomonas aeruginosa diaminopimelate decarboxylase: evolutionary relationship with other amino acid decarboxylases; Martin C et al.; The lysA gene encodes meso-diaminopimelate (DAP) decarboxylase (E.C.4.1.1.20), the last enzyme of the lysine biosynthetic pathway in bacteria . We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the lysA gene from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of the lysA gene product revealed extensive similarity with the sequences of the functionally equivalent enzymes from Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium glutamicum . Even though both P . aeruginosa and E . coli are Gram-negative bacteria, sequence comparisons indicate a greater similarity between enzymes of P . aeruginosa and the Gram-positive bacterium C . glutamicum than between those of P . aeruginosa and E . coli enzymes . Comparison of DAP decarboxylase with protein sequences present in data bases revealed that bacterial DAP decarboxylases are homologous to mouse (Mus musculus) ornithine decarboxylase (E.C.4.1.1.17), the key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis in mammals . On the other hand, no similarity was detected between DAP decarboxylases and other bacterial amino acid decarboxylases.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1988 Sep, 85(17), 6310 - 3
Interferon gamma induces the myristoylation of a 48-kDa protein in macrophages; Aderem AA et al.; The lymphokine interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) induces the selective myristoylation of a macrophage protein with an apparent molecular mass of 48 kDa . The myristic acid-protein bond is resistant to treatment with hydroxylamine, suggesting that the fatty acid moiety is in an amide linkage . As little as 1 unit of IFN-gamma per ml induces the myristoylation of the 48-kDa protein, with half-maximal myristoylation being observed with 4 units/ml . The effect is observed within 1 hr after exposure to IFN-gamma and is maximal by 3-4 hr, after which it declines . IFN-alpha does not induce the myristoylation of the 48-kDa protein, and IFN-beta does so very poorly . Neither IFN-alpha nor IFN-beta has any effect on IFN-gamma-induced myristoylation of the 48-kDa protein . The 48-kDa protein is constitutively myristoylated in murine macrophages that have been activated in vivo by intraperitoneal injection of Corynebacterium parvum, suggesting that it may be an early intermediate in the activation of macrophages.

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