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Propionibacterium acnes has been implicated as an etiologic agent of sarcoidosis since the isolation of this bacterium from sarcoid lesions. We experimentally produced a murine pulmonary granuloma model using P. acnes with several features that simulate sarcoidosis. Mice were sensitized with heat-killed P. acnes and complete Freund's adjuvant and were subsequently challenged with heat-killed P. acnes at 2-week intervals. P. acnes-challenged mice developed epitheloid cell granulomas in the lungs. These mice showed a pulmonary immune response characterized by an increased number of T-lymphocytes, especially CD4 cells, and the ratio of CD4/CD8 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid also increased. Furthermore, significant elevations in both angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) serum levels and antibody titers against P. acnes were observed. Mice sensitized with P. acnes without complete Freund's adjuvant were capable of forming pulmonary granulomas, which appeared to be caused by indigenous P. acnes. The genome of P. acnes was found in the lungs, BAL cells, hilar lymph nodes, liver, and spleen in non-sensitized mice, which were thought to be germ-free. These results suggest that the immune response against indigenous P. acnes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of granuloma formation in a murine model.

The body wall of the cercaria of Schistosoma japonicum is covered with a thin integument which is connected to epithel cells located under the uscle layer. On the outer and the basal surfaces of the integument are seen thin limiting membranes. In the matrix of the integument are distributed numerous dense granules, vacuoles and spines. The rootlet of the spine is attached to the basement membrane of the integument. The circular and longitudinal muscle layers, both underlying the integument, have smooth muscle fibers composed of thick and thin myofilaments. The cercaria possesses five pairs of secretion gland cells which are divided into two groups of three anterior and two posterior pairs. Both gland cells are filled with secretion balls. The tail of cercaria is likewise covered with a thin integumen t, whose structure is identically the same as the body integument. Beneath the integument are located thin circular and longitudinal muscle layers. The circular muscle cells have smooth muscle fibers, but the longitudinal muscle cells have striated muscle fibers. These muscle cells contain many large mitochondria. On observing the cross-sections of the tail at the flame cell level the arrangement of these muscle can be divided into four muscle groups and each muscle group reveals four or five muscle cells. The excretory system is well developed and has flame cells, excretory canal and bladder.

In the present experiment, it has been noted that clonizing epithelial-like cells of the intestine 407 were more susceptible to SV-40 virus than normal fibroblasts in primary human cell cultures. In the early stage of the infection the cell growth was enhanced by the inoculation of DNA virus but many cells died, showing lysis characterized by CPE, clumping of chromatin and formation of inclusion bodies. On the other hand, the cells surviving infection have given rise to virus-free long term cultures and cellular responses to the virus characterized by cell proliferation which is. classified in four phases. (Phase. I: infection and cell alteration. Phase. II: crisis. Phase. III: fibro-reticulum cell formation. Phase. IV: recovery and proliferation). The most remarkable morphological characteristic was fibroblastic cell alteration from epithelial cells at 5 weeks of virus inoculation. By this study an interesting generalization of human epithelial-like cells can be made about the differentiation of the transformed cells in relation to SV-40 virus and it has been shown that an established human cell line is still susceptible to the reverting action of the SV-40 virus.

T cell concerned with cell mediated immunity and B cell concerned with humoral antibody are classified by scanning electron microscopy of the surface structure of lymphocytes using E binding lymphocytes and EAC (sensitized sheep erythrocytes treated with complement) binding lymphocytes. For the purpose to elucidate morphological differences between T cell and B cell the scanning electron microscope observations were carried out with the blast forming lymphocytes incubated in the presence of PHA. As a result it has been demonstrated that T cells have short microvilli on the cell surface, but the reason for the difference in the number of the microvilli is unclarified. Even T cells have sometimes long microvilli in the younger stage, they are longer and more slender than those of untreated peripheral B cells.

Southern blot hybridization was used to detect the rearrangement and amplification of five proto-oncogenes (bcl-2, bcl-1, c-myc, c-myb and c-Ha-ras) and one tumor suppressor gene (RB-1) in 55 Japanese patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; 16 with T-cell lymphomas and 39 with B-cell lymphomas (7 follicular and 32 diffuse lymphomas). Genetic abnormalities of the proto-oncogenes were detected in 7 of the 55 (13%). Genetic abnormalities of bcl-2 plus other genes were detected in 5 of 7 cases of follicular lymphoma (71%), rearrangements of bcl-2 and c-myc, rearrangement of bcl-2 and amplification of c-myb. Genetic abnormalities were observed in only three cases of diffuse lymphoma. In each of 3 cases of B-cell lymphoma, one of the genes, blc-2 mbr, bcl-2 mcr and c-myc, was rearranged respectively. The incidence of genetic abnormalities in diffuse lymphomas (6.3%) was lower than that in follicular lymphomas. None of diffuse lymphomas had double oncogene abnormality. No abnormalities were found in RB-1, bcl-1, and Ha-ras. These findings suggest that follicular lymphomas are associated with some abnormalities of oncogenes not restricted to bcl-2 that facilitate growth which may be associated with their clinical features.

Effect of ATP and substrates on 2,4-dinitrophenol-induced adenosine triphcsphatase (E. C. 3.6. 1. 4.) activity and respiration of isolated rat liver mitochondria has been investigated. 1. The oxidation of sodium succinate inhibited the action of 2, 4-DNP on the induction of adenosine triphosphatase activity in the mitochondria. 2. A moderately large amount of sodium succinate restored the suppressed mitochondrial respiration due to 2, 4-DNP. 3. Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) restored quantitatively the released and inhibited mitochondrial respiration due to 2,4-DNP, and its prior addition prevented also quantitatively the action of 2,4-DNP on the mitochondrial oxygen up-take. These ATP effects were oligomycin sensitive, and they were considered to manifest their actions through the phosphorylation system.