Acta Medica Okayama 22巻 1号

The synthesis of nuclieic acids in the liver and the lymphoid tissues of adult mice was studied during the restitution period after the 6-day starvation. The results obtained indicate that there occurs an unexpected rapid synthesis of DNA in the hepatic parenchymal cells during the restitution period without significant increase in the total amount of DNA in the liver. Most rapid DNA-synthesis in the liver appears to occur one day after refeeding. With respect to RNA in the liver as well as to both RNA and DNA in the lymphoid tissnes, on the other hand, there is a good parallelism between the rate of their synthesis and that of increase in their amounts, without apparent dissociation between both rates as seen in the liver DNA.

For the purpose to reveal the characteris6cs of the synovial fluid of the chronic rheumatoid arthritis the proteins of the synovial fluid and blood serum have been analysed by employing the methods of electrophoresis, gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 column and ultracentrifugation. Waaler-Rose test and latex fixation test have also been made on each protein fraction, and the following results were obtained. 1) The total protein level of synovial fluid, which is 3/5 of that of the serum, is slightly higher than that of control. 2) Fractionation of the synovial proteins by electrophoresis revealed nearly the same protein contents in each fraction in percentage as that of comparable fraction of the serum protein, with a slight increase in γ-globulin fraction. 3) The fractionation by Sephadex column G-200 give three peaks both in serum and synovial fluid, 19 S, 7Sand 4S. 4) 19S fraction of the synovial fluid, which is mainly of γ-globulin, showed a higher level than that of the synovial fluid from the controls. 5) Rheumatoid tests gave positive reaction in the 1st peak containing 19S γ-globulin from the synovial fluid and blood serum.

For the purpose of revealing the role of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) for the antibody formation, the rats which received the repeated intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injections of a vast amount of PVP were challenged by bovine serum albumin (BSA) introducing through 2 routes of intramuscular and intravenous, and then antibody formation was observed. Blood cell count and clearance rate of radiogold were observed for the purpose of obtaining the information of blockade grade of the RES by PVP. Phagocytic activity of macrophages ingesting PVP against iron colloid were also observed in vitro. 1. A severe anemia was induced by the administration of a vast amount of PVP, 15 ml of 3% solution daily or every other day for 63 days. Histological picture indicated the suppressed erythropoiesis probably by iron deficiency or the lowered iron transporting activity of the RES, as the anemia recovered after intraperitoneal iron injections. 2. With the generalized and marked swelling of the RES, the cells in germinal center of spleen and lymph nodes were extremely swollen and lymphocytes disappeared completely, suggesting that the macrophages in germinal center play an important role in reproduction and differentiation of lymphocytes. 3. The phagocytic activity of the RES as understood from the clearance rate of radiogold was suppressed only slightly even by a heavy deposition of PVP after the repeated injections. The state of blockade or the suppressed phagocytic activity persisted for 48 hours or more after the several PVP injections. However, complete blockade of the RES or inactivation of the phagocytic activity by PVP injection was not attained. 4. A prolonged treatment of animals with PVP caused delay in the appearance of circulating antibody but the final titration reached the same level as that of control. The data suggest that the blockade of the RES by PVP induces the delay in the transmittance of the information for the antibody formation from the macrophages to the immunologically competent cells but no delay in the ingesting antigen by the macrophages.

1. The studies of structure and function of the plasma membranes of cancer cells is extremely important for the elucidation of specificity of phenotypes of cancer cells. In order to bring this subject to light, plasma membranes, mitochondria, microsomes and nuclei have been isolated from the AH 130 ascites carcinoma cells and rat liver cells. The electron cytochemical observations and biochemical assays of M g²+-Na+-K+-ATPase, ADPase, AMPase, and β-glycerophosphatase activities have been carried out before and after the fixation with glutaraldehyde. 2. M g²+-ATPase and Mg²+-N a +-K +-ATPase are present in the isolated plasma membranes, mitochondria and microsomes in both AH 130 cells and rat liver cells. ADPase and AMPase of the mitochondria and microsomes show far lower activities than those of the corresponding enzymes found in rat liver plasma membrane. ADPase and AMPase of AH 130 cell fraction exhibit activity much lower or zero. Generally, enzymatic activity of the AH 130 cell fraction is much lower than that of rat liver cell fraction. 3. Mg²+-Na+-K+-ATPase is completely abolished by 5% glutaraldehyde fixation while it shows less effect on Mg²+-ATPase in the plasma membrane. ADPase and AMPase activities of the mitochondria and microsomes are completely inhibited by glutaraldehyde fixation. AMPase of the plasma membrane of rat liver is completely abolished while ADPase activity is not affected in any way. 4. Only Mg²+-ATPase can be demonstrated electron cytochemically. Cytochemical reaction products of Mg²+-ATPase are located at the outer layer of the plasma membrane of the AH 130 cells and rat liver tissue. In the isolated membrane fractions it is located at the inner layer. 5. ρ-Chloromercuribenzoate has only a slight effect on Mg²+-ATPase and Mg²+-Na+-K+-ATPase activities of the rat liver membrane, while it inhibits these enzyme activities in the AH 130 cell membrane. NaF (1 mM) and NaN3 (1 mM) inactivate ADPase of the rat liver plasma memo brane. 6. In these experimental conditions, nonenzymatic hydrolysis of ATP by lead ions is not recognized. 7. It seems most reasonable to conclude that cytochemical electron microscopic demonstration of Mg²+-ATPase after fixation with glutaraldehyde may serve as the absolute marker for the plasma membrane of ascites hepatoma and liver cells.