Cytotoxicity of the Bacillus thuringiensis Crystal Protein against Mammalian Cells

The crystal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp, israelensis (Bti) and subsp. coreanensis A1519 strain were examined for the cytotoxicity against MOLT-4 and HeLa cells by MTT assay and LDH assay, The A1519 crystal proteins processed by proteinase K exhibited the specific cell-killing activity toward MOLT-4 with little damage to the cell membrane, On the other hand, the Bti crystal proteins processed by proteinase K caused the substantial damage to the cell membrane of both MOLT-4 and HeLa, leading to the cell lysis. The non-digested crystal proteins of both strains exhibited no cytotoxicity, These data suggested that while the Bti crystal proteins caused the colloid-osmotic swelling and cell lysis of MOLT-4 and HeLa, the proteinase K-digested A1519 crystal proteins induced the specific cell death of MOLT-4 through a mechanism other than that of Bti

Influence of Parathion-poisoing on the Function of Reticulo-endotherial System

The function of reticulo-endotherial system was examined by means of the carbon black phagocytosis (Sugiyama) and the congo-red test (Adler and Reimann). 1. The decrease of phagocytosis and the increase of congo-red index take place 2-3 days after subcutaneous injection of parathion (8 mg/kg for rabbits, 1-3 mg/kg for dogs). 2. Daily injecting the small dose of parathion (1 mg/kg for rabbits, 1-2 mg/kg for dogs), the disturbance above mentioned is also proved, and it goes on longer. 3. At the onset of parathion-poisoning in man, the congo-red index shows very high and returns to normal after 10-20 days. It is concluded that the function of reticulo-endotherial system is out of order by the parathion-poisoning, and it remains after 10-20 days

Influence of Parathion-poisoning on Respiratory and Circulatory Function and the Effects of some Therapeutics

Respiratory movement and blood pressure were recorded on the dog with parathion-poisoning. 1. After a few minutes of increasing of rate and amplitude, the respiratory movement go down weaker and irregular. Thus the movement ceases by a single intravenous injection of 10 mg/kg parathion. Blood pressure shows transitory rise, then it falls gradually and is attended by a marked slowing of the heart beats after respiratory failure. 2. The changes caused by parathion injection are protected by 5 mg/kg atropine i. v. 3. The atropine- like effects are displayed, too, by 1 mg/kg Tropin, 4 mg/kg Finalin and 3 mg/kg Pro-banthin i. v. 4. Intravenous injection of 100 mg/kg Theraptique, 20 mg/kg Guronsan and 300 mg/kg Sod. thiosulf. are of no use, besides the former display a brief period of strong respiratory stimulation

On Inorganic Salt content in the Cat's Brain with Latent Cerebral Local Anaphylaxis. PART Ⅱ. Natrium, magnesium and chlorine contents in the cat's brain with latent cerebral local anaphylaxis.

The toxicity of emulsified methylparathion was examined in comparison with ethylparathion. i) The LD(50) of methylparathion given orally to mice was 19.4-30.5 mg/kg and its mean value was 25.4mg/kg. (LD(50) of ethylparathion was 11.5mg/kg) The approximate LD(50) of methylparathion (ethylparathion) for the rabbit was 40-50 (8-10) by subcutaneous injection, 50-60 (20) by oral route and 200-400 (50-100) by dermal application. Thus, methylparathion was about 1/2-1/3 as toxic as ethylparathion. ii) The manifestations produced by methylparathion administration for rabbits were similar to those by ethylparathion. In addition, it was noted that the rabbits Ìn moderately poisoned cases were led to death after a week from malnutrition accompanied with anorexia and diarrhea. iii) The inhibitory action of methylparathion on the rabbit blood cholinesterase in vitro, was about 1/2-1/3 as great as that of ethylparathion. iv) In the laboratory rabbit there occurced leucocytosis, mainly occupied by pseudoeosinophils, and the deflection of Arneth count to the left as well as relative lymphocytopenia was observed

Granulysin Produced by Uterine Natural Killer Cells Induces Apoptosis of Extravillous Trophoblasts in Spontaneous Abortion

Immune changes are known to occur in recurrent spontaneous abortion, but it is unclear whether either maternal natural killer (NK) cells or T cells attack fetus-derived trophoblasts. To clarify the immunological causes of spontaneous abortion, we examined the relationship between cytotoxic granule proteins in decidual lymphocytes, such as granulysin, granzyme B, and perforin, and the induction of apoptosis in extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). The number of granulysin-positive CD56bright NK cells increased significantly in the decidua basalis during spontaneous abortion compared with normal pregnancy; however, granzyme B- and perforin-positive cells did not change. Interestingly, the expression of granulysin was also detected in the nuclei of EVTs in spontaneous abortion samples. When IL-2-stimulated CD56bright NK cells were cocultured with EVT cells (HTR-8/SV40neo), granulysin was found initially in the cytoplasm and then accumulated in the nuclei of the HTR-8/SV40neo cells. Furthermore, transfected cells expressing a GFP-granulysin fusion protein induced apoptosis in HTR-8/SV40neo cells independently of caspases. Our results suggest that granulysin-positive uterine NK cells attack EVTs; subsequently, the uNK-derived granulysin actively accumulates in the nuclei of EVTs, causing the death of EVTs due to apoptosis. These data support a new apoptosis pathway for trophoblasts via uNK-derived granulysin, suggesting that granulysin is involved in spontaneous abortion