Layer-specific Loss and Compensation of Parvocellular Response in Subcortical Pathways of Adult Human Amblyopia

AbstractAbnormal visual experience in critical period causes amblyopia or lazy eye, reducing visual abilities even with corrected optics. A long-standing question is where in the human visual system does the amblyopic deficit arise. In particular, whether amblyopia induces selective deficits of the magnocellular (M) or the parvocellular (P) geniculostriate pathways, and whether the more ancient retinotectal pathway is also affected. Technical limitations to non-invasively measure layer-specific activity in human lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and superior colliculus (SC) hampered efforts in addressing these questions. In the current study, using lamina-resolved 3T and 7T fMRI and visual stimuli selectively activating the M and P pathways, we investigated layer-specific response properties of the LGN and the SC of amblyopia patients and normal controls. With stimuli presented to the amblyopic eye, there was a stronger response loss in the P layers than in the M layers of the LGN. Compared to normal controls, amblyopic eye’s response to the P stimulus was selectively reduced in the superficial SC, while the fellow eye’s response was robustly increased in the deep SC. Selective P response deficits of amblyopia were also observed in the visual pulvinar, early visual cortex, and ventral but not dorsal visual streams. These results provide strong in vivo evidence in adult amblyopic patients for selective deficits of parvocellular functions in the visual thalamus, and additionally reveal response deficits to the amblyopic eye and neural compensation to the fellow eye in the retinotectal pathway.HighlightsParvocellular response loss in the LGN P layers, visual pulvinar and ventral visual streamSelective amblyopic deficits of the parvocellular pathwayAmblyopic eye’s response decreased in the superficial SCFellow eye’s response increased in the deep SCAmblyopic deficits and neural compensation in the retinotectal pathway

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THE IN VIVO STABILITY OF ANTIBODY

Journal of Experimental Medicine ◽

10.1084/jem.110.3.355 ◽

1959 ◽

Vol 110 (3) ◽

pp. 355-368 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Justine S. Garvey ◽

Dan H. Campbell

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Antibody Production ◽

Liver Tissue ◽

Specific Activity ◽

Specific Radioactivity ◽

Antigenic Stimulation ◽

Specific Response ◽

Antigenic Stimulus ◽

Circulating Antibody

When rabbits were fed S35-labelled amino acids and simultaneously injected with antigen at the peak of antibody production, the circulating antibody became rapidly labelled within a few hours with the isotope. The specific radioactivity of antibody was measured as antibody was allowed to decline in the absence of antigenic stimulation. At various times, in different animals, antigen was reinjected and circulating antibody was measured for specific radioactivity. The initial antibody which appeared after the antigenic stimulus always had a higher specific activity than antibody circulating just prior to the reinjection. The appearance of antibody of higher specific activity was demonstrated to be a specific response to the antigen which was reinjected. It was concluded that there is a reservoir of antibody which is stabilized in tissue and which is not in equilibrium with that in circulation. A mechanism for this stabilization is suggested and discussed from previous investigations demonstrating the long retention of antigen in liver tissue.

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Soluble Thrombomodulin Purified from Human Urine Exhibits a Potent Anticoagulant Effect In Vitro and In Vivo

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1653872 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 73 (05) ◽

pp. 805-811 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Yasuo Takahashi ◽

Yoshitaka Hosaka ◽

Hiromi Niina ◽

Katsuaki Nagasawa ◽

Masaaki Naotsuka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Urine ◽

Specific Activity ◽

Anticoagulant Activity ◽

Rabbit Lung ◽

Soluble Thrombomodulin ◽

Molecular Weights ◽

Dose Dependent Fashion ◽

Dose Dependent

SummaryWe examined the anticoagulant activity of two major molecules of soluble thrombomodulin purified from human urine. The apparent molecular weights of these urinary thrombomodulins (UTMs) were 72,000 and 79,000, respectively. Both UTMs showed more potent cofactor activity for protein C activation [specific activity >5,000 thrombomodulin units (TMU)/mg] than human placental thrombomodulin (2,180 TMU/mg) and rabbit lung thrombomodulin (1,980 TMU/mg). The UTMs prolonged thrombin-induced fibrinogen clotting time (>1 TMU/ml), APTT (>5 TMU/ml), TT (>5 TMU/ml) and PT (>40 TMU/ml) in a dose-dependent fashion. These effects appeared in the concentration range of soluble thrombomodulins present in human plasma and urine. In the rat DIC model induced by thromboplastin, administration of UTMs by infusion (300-3,000 TMU/kg) restored the hematological abnormalities derived from DIC in a dose-dependent fashion. These results demonstrate that UTMs exhibit potent anticoagulant and antithrombotic activities, and could play a physiologically important role in microcirculation.

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Effects of Heparin Oligosaccharides with High Affinity for Antithrombin III in Experimental Venous Thrombosis

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1657178 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 47 (03) ◽

pp. 244-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

D P Thomas ◽

Rosemary E Merton ◽

T W Barrowcliffe ◽

L Thunberg ◽

U Lindahl

Keyword(s):

Antithrombin Iii ◽

Specific Activity ◽

High Specific Activity ◽

Factor Xa ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Thrombin Time ◽

High Affinity ◽

Very High

SummaryThe in vitro and in vivo characteristics of two oligosaccharide heparin fragments have been compared to those of unfractionated mucosal heparin. A decasaccharide fragment had essentially no activity by APTT or calcium thrombin time assays in vitro, but possessed very high specific activity by anti-Factor Xa assays. When injected into rabbits at doses of up to 80 ¼g/kg, this fragment was relatively ineffective in impairing stasis thrombosis despite producing high blood levels by anti-Xa assays. A 16-18 monosaccharide fragment had even higher specific activity (almost 2000 iu/mg) by chromogenic substrate anti-Xa assay, with minimal activity by APTT. When injected in vivo, this fragment gave low blood levels by APTT, very high anti-Xa levels, and was more effective in preventing thrombosis than the decasaccharide fragment. However, in comparison with unfractionated heparin, the 16-18 monosaccharide fragment was only partially effective in preventing thrombosis, despite producing much higher blood levels by anti-Xa assays.It is concluded that the high-affinity binding of a heparin fragment to antithrombin III does not by itself impair venous thrombogenesis, and that the anti-Factor Xa activity of heparin is only a partial expression of its therapeutic potential.

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In vivo Production of Soluble Inorganic Pyrophosphatases in Two Strains of Vibrio cholerae

Bangladesh Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.3329/bjm.v24i1.1235 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 38-41

Author(s):

Taslima Taher Lina ◽

Mohammad Ilias

Keyword(s):

Vibrio Cholerae ◽

Specific Activity ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Environmental Strain ◽

Cell Extracts ◽

Atcc Strain ◽

The Family ◽

Effects Of Ph ◽

Vibrio Cholerae O1

The in vivo production of soluble inorganic pyrophosphatases (PPases) was investigated in two strains, namely, Vibrio cholerae EM 004 (environmental strain) and Vibrio cholerae O1 757 (ATCC strain). V. cholerae is known to contain both family I and family II PPase coding sequences. The production of family I and family II PPases were determined by measuring the enzyme activity in cell extracts. The effects of pH, temperature, salinity of the growth medium on the production of soluble PPases were studied. In case of family I PPase, V. cholerae EM 004 gave the highest specific activity at pH 9.0, with 2% NaCl + 0.011% NaF and at 37°C. The strain V. cholerae O1 757 gave the highest specific activity at pH 9.0, with media containing 0% NaCl and at 37°C. On the other hand, under all the conditions family II PPase did not give any significant specific activity, suggesting that the family II PPase was not produced in vivo in either strains of V. cholerae under different experimental conditions. Keywords: Vibrio cholerae, Pyrophosphatases (PPases), Specific activityDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjm.v24i1.1235 Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 24, Number 1, June 2007, pp 38-41

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LACK OF EFFECT OF CORTICOSTEROIDS ON THE IN VIVO DISAPPEARANCE OF SULFHYDRYL-INHIBITED AND ANTIBODY-COATED ERYTHROCYTES

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.047s028 ◽

1964 ◽

Vol 47 (3_Suppl) ◽

pp. S28-S36

Author(s):

Kailash N. Agarwal

Keyword(s):

Red Cells ◽

List Type ◽

Red Cell

ABSTRACT Red cells were incubated in vitro with sulfhydryl inhibitors and Rhantibody with and without prior incubation with prednisolone-hemisuccinate. These erythrocytes were labelled with Cr51 and P32 and their disappearance in vivo after autotransfusion was measured. Prior incubation with prednisolone-hemisuccinate had no effect on the rate of red cell disappearance. The disappearance of the cells was shown to take place without appreciable intravascular destruction.

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STUDIES IN CONGENITAL GENERALIZED LIPODYSTROPHY

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.0720495 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 72 (3) ◽

pp. 495-505 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Oddmund Søvik ◽

Svein Oseid

Keyword(s):

Biological Activity ◽

Insulin Response ◽

Epididymal Adipose Tissue ◽

Large Individual ◽

Immunoreactive Insulin ◽

List Type ◽

Glucose Load ◽

Congenital Generalized Lipodystrophy ◽

The One

ABSTRACT The biological activity of plasma insulin from 4 cases of congenital generalized lipodystrophy has been studied, using rat diaphragm and epididymal adipose tissue in vivo. The results are compared with previous data on plasma immunoreactive insulin obtained in these patients. 2 of the 4 cases exhibited unusually high biological insulin activities during the fasting state as well as after an intravenous (iv) glucose load. In the fat pad assay activities as high as 10 000 μU insulin per ml were observed. During childhood the biological insulin activities were generally high, although there were large individual variations. However, in the one case studied after the age of puberty, the insulin response to a glucose load was negligible. Taken together, the biological and immunological activities observed strongly suggest the presence of pancreatic insulin in these patients. It appears that the circulating insulin has a fully biological activity. The decreasing insulin activities after cessation of growth are in agreement with the appearance of frank diabetes at this time.

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The Individual Effects of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors on Head and Neck Cancer Cells—A Systematic Analysis

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13102396 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 2396

Author(s):

Nina Schoenwaelder ◽

Inken Salewski ◽

Nadja Engel ◽

Mareike Krause ◽

Björn Schneider ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Combination Therapy ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Kinase Inhibitors ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Specific Response ◽

Cyclin Dependent Kinase ◽

Systematic Analysis ◽

Mhc I ◽

Oncological Treatment

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKi´s) display cytotoxic activity against different malignancies, including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). By coordinating the DNA damage response, these substances may be combined with cytostatics to enhance cytotoxicity. Here, we investigated the influence of different CDKi´s (palbociclib, dinaciclib, THZ1) on two HNSCC cell lines in monotherapy and combination therapy with clinically-approved drugs (5-FU, Cisplatin, cetuximab). Apoptosis/necrosis, cell cycle, invasiveness, senescence, radiation-induced γ-H2AX DNA double-strand breaks, and effects on the actin filament were studied. Furthermore, the potential to increase tumor immunogenicity was assessed by analyzing Calreticulin translocation and immune relevant surface markers. Finally, an in vivo mouse model was used to analyze the effect of dinaciclib and Cisplatin combination therapy. Dinaciclib, palbociclib, and THZ1 displayed anti-neoplastic activity after low-dose treatment, while the two latter substances slightly enhanced radiosensitivity. Dinaciclib decelerated wound healing, decreased invasiveness, and induced MHC-I, accompanied by high amounts of surface-bound Calreticulin. Numbers of early and late apoptotic cells increased initially (24 h), while necrosis dominated afterward. Antitumoral effects of the selective CDKi palbociclib were weaker, but combinations with 5-FU potentiated effects of the monotherapy. Additionally, CDKi and CDKi/chemotherapy combinations induced MHC I, indicative of enhanced immunogenicity. The in vivo studies revealed a cell line-specific response with best tumor growth control in the combination approach. Global acting CDKi’s should be further investigated as targeting agents for HNSCC, either individually or in combination with selected drugs. The ability of dinaciclib to increase the immunogenicity of tumor cells renders this substance a particularly interesting candidate for immune-based oncological treatment regimens.

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A novel PET tracer 18F-deoxy-thiamine: synthesis, metabolic kinetics, and evaluation on cerebral thiamine metabolism status

EJNMMI Research ◽

10.1186/s13550-020-00710-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Changpeng Wang ◽

Siwei Zhang ◽

Yuefei Zou ◽

Hongzhao Ma ◽

Donglang Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Performance ◽

Specific Activity ◽

High Accumulation ◽

Metabolic Kinetics ◽

Thiamine Metabolism ◽

Pet Tracer ◽

The Status ◽

The Brain

Abstract Background Some neuropsychological diseases are associated with abnormal thiamine metabolism, including Korsakoff–Wernicke syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. However, in vivo detection of the status of brain thiamine metabolism is still unavailable and needs to be developed. Methods A novel PET tracer of 18F-deoxy-thiamine was synthesized using an automated module via a two-step route. The main quality control parameters, such as specific activity and radiochemical purity, were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Radiochemical concentration was determined by radioactivity calibrator. Metabolic kinetics and the level of 18F-deoxy-thiamine in brains of mice and marmosets were studied by micro-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). In vivo stability, renal excretion rate, and biodistribution of 18F-deoxy-thiamine in the mice were assayed using HPLC and γ-counter, respectively. Also, the correlation between the retention of cerebral 18F-deoxy-thiamine in 60 min after injection as represented by the area under the curve (AUC) and blood thiamine levels was investigated. Results The 18F-deoxy-thiamine was stable both in vitro and in vivo. The uptake and clearance of 18F-deoxy-thiamine were quick in the mice. It reached the max standard uptake value (SUVmax) of 4.61 ± 0.53 in the liver within 1 min, 18.67 ± 7.04 in the kidney within half a minute. The SUV dropped to 0.72 ± 0.05 and 0.77 ± 0.35 after 60 min of injection in the liver and kidney, respectively. After injection, kidney, liver, and pancreas exhibited high accumulation level of 18F-deoxy-thiamine, while brain, muscle, fat, and gonad showed low accumulation concentration, consistent with previous reports on thiamine distribution in mice. Within 90 min after injection, the level of 18F-deoxy-thiamine in the brain of C57BL/6 mice with thiamine deficiency (TD) was 1.9 times higher than that in control mice, and was 3.1 times higher in ICR mice with TD than that in control mice. The AUC of the tracer in the brain of marmosets within 60 min was 29.33 ± 5.15 and negatively correlated with blood thiamine diphosphate levels (r = − 0.985, p = 0.015). Conclusion The 18F-deoxy-thiamine meets the requirements for ideal PET tracer for in vivo detecting the status of cerebral thiamine metabolism.

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Drosophila Hormone Receptor 38 Functions in Metamorphosis: A Role in Adult Cuticle Formation

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/149.3.1465 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 149 (3) ◽

pp. 1465-1475 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

T Kozlova ◽

G V Pokholkova ◽

G Tzertzinis ◽

J D Sutherland ◽

I F Zhimulev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pupal Stage ◽

Transcription Unit ◽

P Element ◽

Specific Response ◽

Orphan Receptors ◽

Mrna Isoforms ◽

A Cell ◽

In Vivo Analysis

Abstract DHR38 is a member of the steroid receptor superfamily in Drosophila homologous to the vertebrate NGFI-B-type orphan receptors. In addition to binding to specific response elements as a monomer, DHR38 interacts with the USP component of the ecdysone receptor complex in vitro, in yeast and in a cell line, suggesting that DHR38 might modulate ecdysone-triggered signals in the fly. We characterized the molecular structure and expression of the Dhr38 gene and initiated an in vivo analysis of its function(s) in development. The Dhr38 transcription unit spans more than 40 kb in length, includes four introns, and produces at least four mRNA isoforms differentially expressed in development; two of these are greatly enriched in the pupal stage and encode nested polypeptides. We characterized four alleles of Dhr38: a P-element enchancer trap line, l(2)02306, which shows exclusively epidermal staining in the late larval, pre-pupal and pupal stages, and three EMS-induced alleles. Dhr38 alleles cause localized fragility and rupturing of the adult cuticle, demonstrating that Dhr38 plays an important role in late stages of epidermal metamorphosis.

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