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Biomedical subjects

F C Jensen

Publications and source records attributed to F C Jensen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Anti-RNP monoclonal antibodies derived from a mouse strain with lupus-like autoimmunity.

systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related rheumatic and connective-tissue diseases are often associated with the production of antibodies directed against a variety of specific cellular components. Recent evidence indicates that two such autoantigens, the Sm and RNP antigens recognized by SLE sera, exist in small ribonucleoprotein complexes found in the nuclei of higher eukaryotes. Studies of the structure and function of these autoantigenic particles with human sera used as probes have been limited because of the multiplicity of autoantibodies often found in an individual serum. Through this communication, we report that MRL/Mp-+/+ (MRL/n) mice, which spontaneously develop a disease exhibiting many of the characteristics of human SLE, possess anti-RNP antibodies in addition to anti-Sm and anti-DNA as previously reported. Spleen cells from one such autoimmune mouse were used to produce a stable hybridoma secreting antibodies that react simultaneously with a protein of Mr 40,000 and a doublet of approximately 70,000, a pattern of reactivity identical to and characteristic of human SLE anti-RNP autoantibodies.

Animals↗

Induction of lymphoma in antigenically stimulated athymic mice.

Athymic mice infected with pinworms or carrying human tumor xenografts frequently develop a lymphoproliferative disorder which eventually leads to lymphoma. By immunofluorescent analysis of involved tissues, the lymphomas appear to be mixtures of null cells, B-cells, and T-cells. When each lymphoma is established in tissue culture, a predominant cell type grows out. We have now established lymphoma lines of null cells, B-cells, and T-cells. Lymphoma development is preceded by the secretion into the bloodstream of large amounts of murine leukemia virus M.W. 70,000 glycoprotein antigen; however, very little virus is produced. In vivo, the expression of viral envelope antigen appears within a few days after human tumor transplantation and precedes the development of lymphoma by about a month. Cells expressing viral antigens are first seen in the diffuse cortex of lymph nodes and the periarteriolar white sheath of the spleen, the tissue domains in which lymphomas also first appear.

Animals↗

Low-calorie diet selectively reduces expression of retroviral envelope glycoprotein gp70 in sera of NZB x NZW F1 hybrid mice.

The effect of dietary restriction on the expression of retroviral envelope glycoprotein, gp70, and the formation of gp70-anti gp70 immune complexes was investigated in lupus-prone NZB x NZW F1 hybrid mice. Restricting total calorie intake from the usual 20 to only 10 calories per day after weaning markedly reduced serum levels of both free and antibody-complexed gp70, prevented renal disease, and increased the life spans of these mice. The reduction in serum gp70 was evident after only 2 wk of feeding these animals the low-calorie diet, and the concentration remained virtually unchanged throughout the course of 10 mon experimentation. However, serum concentrations of the major structural protein, p30, of endogenous retroviruses were not altered by restricting calories. Amounts of the serum glycoprotein, haptoglobin, decreased parallel to those of gp70 but amounts of albumin did not. These results suggest that the expression of gp70 in serum is controlled independently of the production of complete viral particles, and regulated by a mechanism similar to that for other serum glycoproteins, such as haptoglobin.

Animals↗

Immunochemical delineation of an oncofetal antigen on normal and simian virus 40-transformed human fetal melanocytes.

Human melanoma cells of uveal origin shed 94,000- and 240,000-dalton glycoproteins in common with most melanoma cell lines of dermal origin. Normal human melanocytes derived from fetal uvea shed a 90,000-dalton glycoprotein that was found to be immunologically identical with the 94,000-dalton glycoprotein of melanoma cells. Expression of this 90,000-dalton molecule was confined to fetal cells of ectodermal origin. After simian virus 40 (SV40) transformation of human fetal melanocytes, there was an apparent increase in molecular size of this component to 94,000 daltons. In contrast, the 240,000-dalton glycoprotein was not synthesized or shed by uninfected or SV40-transformed fetal melanocytes. These data suggest that the 94,000-dalton glycoprotein is an oncofetal antigen of ectodermal origin.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Induction of high serum levels of retroviral env gene products (gp70) in mice by bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

In the present study, mice each given a single intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) responded with increased serum levels of the major envelope glycoprotein, gp70, of endogenous retrovirus. Concentrations of gp70 in their sera began to increase 4 hr after LPS injection, reached maximal 5- to 15-fold increases after 12--24 hr, and returned to the preinjection levels within 3 days. This response occurred only in the strains characterized by high base line levels of serum gp70 (greater than 10 micrograms/ml) such as NZB, NZB X NZW F1, BXSB, MRL, NZW, DBA/2, LG, 129(GIX+), and C57BL/6(GIX+). However, strains such as DBA/1, C3H/St, BALB/c, C57BL/6(GIX-), and 129(GIX-) with lower base line levels of serum gp70 (less than 5 micrograms/ml) made little or no response. This serum gp70 induced by LPS was structurally similar to the gp70 of NZB xenotropic virus that is dominantly expressed in sera from virtually all strains of mice. However, (i) the induced gp70 was virion-free; (ii) xenotropic virus was not isolatable from BXSB, MRL/1, or 129(GIX+) mice injected with LPS; and (iii) amounts of the major structural viral protein, p30, did not increase correspondingly in sera. All of these findings indicate that the increased expression of serum xenotropic viral gp70 in response to LPS did not result from activation of replication-competent xenotropic virus. In addition, the serum gp70 response to LPS was abolished by simultaneous inoculation of an inhibitor of protein synthesis, D-galactosamine. These results strongly suggest that LPS selectively stimulates synthesis of the env gene product, gp70, of NZB xenotropic virus but other viral gene products.

Animals↗

Physiologic concentrations of normal human plasma lipoproteins inhibit the immortalization of peripheral B lymphocytes by the Epstein-Barr virus.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced immortalization of adult human B lymphocytes is suppressed by physiologic concentrations of human plasma lipoproteins. Several inhibitory mechanisms appear to be operative. First, low density lipoproteins (LDL) directly reduce the ability of EBV to transform human B cells. Second, LDL as well as intermediate and very low density lipoproteins modulate early inductive events rendering the B cell refractory to transforming signals from EBV. Third, LDL also selectively inhibit an EBV-inducible step that occurs within 24 h after transformation. Finally, very low density lipoproteins can abrogate the ongoing, cellular proliferation of EBV-transformed, established B cell lines. The plasma lipoproteins may therefore prevent the emergence of EBV-transformed malignant B cell clones in vivo. Conceivably, on this basis, environmental and genetic influences on plasma lipoprotein concentrations may affect the global distribution of Burkitt's lymphoma, a lymphoid malignancy putatively caused by EBV.

Animals↗

Highly efficient induction of type C retroviruses by a human tumor in athymic mice.

We have found that 1 of 20 human tumors transplanted and passaged in nude mice was associated with a massive induction of endogenous murine leukemia virus (MuLV). Separation and growth of these viruses on various substrates indicated that both ecotropic and xenotropic MuLV were present in the induced mixture. Tryptic peptide fingerprints of the p30 and gp70 structural elements of the viruses indicated that all of the known endogenous muLVs of BALB/c mice were present in the mixture. In addition, a new xenotropic MuLV was identified. The human tumor that induced the viruses was an oat cell carcinoma. The oat cell carcinoma possibly produced a specific hormone or factor that acts as a potent inducer of endogenous type C retroviruses.

Animals↗

In vitro construction of a B-tropic virus by recombination: B-tropism is a cryptic phenotype of xenotropic murine retroviruses.

A B-tropic virus was isolated in vitro from the progeny of mouse cells doubly infected with N-tropic and xenotropic murine leukemia viruses. Biological and structural evidence is presented suggesting that the phenotypically silent structural marker for B-tropism, expressed by the xenotropic virus p30, was transferred to an N-ecotropic virus via recombination, thus resulting in the expression of a B-ecotropic murine leukemia virus.

Animals↗

Induction of lymphoma in athymic mice: a model for study of the human disease.

A murine lymphoma, designated L1, was produced in immunologically deficient nude mice after chronic antigenic stimulation by infection with the pinworms Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata. In vivo, L1 involves primarily the spleen and lymph nodes, with infiltration of liver, kidney, and bone marrow also observed. It is characterized by large clusters of B cells and null cells, and by rare T cells. The lymphoma cells express murine leukemia virus antigens (gp70 and p30) on the surface. L1 can be passaged successfully both in vivo and in vitro. The lymphoblasts that proliferate in vitro are null, but injecton back into the mouse produces a similar pattern of B cells, null cells, and occasional T cells as seen in the mouse-to-mouse transfers. Infectious viruses have been isolated from L1 cells and from tissue culture supernates and have been identified as a B-tropic murine leukemia virus and a xenotropic virus. The possibilities of this model for studying the etiology of human lymphoma are discussed.

Animals↗

Disassembly of viral membranes by complement independent of channel formation.

We have compared the effects of the complement membrane attack complex (MAC), nystatin, and melittin on the envelope of murine leukemia viruses to determine if channel formation alone is sufficient to cause membranolysis. Nystatin is a channel former and mellitin is not, although both are hemolytic. Whereas MAC and melittin disintegrated the viral membrane, nystatin had no effect on morphology, integrity, and infectivity of the virus. Incorporation of the antibiotic into the viral membranes was demonstrated by measurements of the characteristic fluorescence of nystatin in membranes and the dose-dependent increase in viral density after uptake of the antibiotic. The density of nystatin was measured to be 1.26-1.27 g/cm3. Proof for the formation of functional nystatin channels was obtained by light scattering measurements. Exposure of untreated virus to hypotonic conditions increased viral light scattering because of osmotic swelling but otherwise had no effect on the integrity of the virus. Nystatin channel formation abolished the light scattering change, showing that the antibiotic had impaired the viral permeability barrier. We interpret these results to indicate that virolysis by MAC is not caused by channel formation and, conversely, in the absence of colloid-osmotic effects, channel formation by itself is not sufficient to disassemble a viral membrane.

Animals↗

In vitro effects of Epstein-Barr virus on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and normal subjects.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 9 control subjects were cultured in vitro for 30 days with and without infection by Epstein-Barr virus. All cultures showed polyclonal stimulation of B cells as indicated by rising levels of IgM in the culture supernates, reaching maximal at 18-24 days, and with no quantitative or kinetic difference between the RA and control cells. IgM anti-IgG was also produced in both groups and maximally at 18-24 days, but in greater quantity by the RA lymphocytes. The anti-IgG made by the RA lymphocytes was more easily absorbed by solid phase IgG than was the anti-IgG made by the normal lymphocytes and thus was judged to be of higher affinity. RA lymphocytes uninfected with EBV had higher transformation scores than did the normal controls and developed spontaneously into permanent cell lines in six instances.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

Lymphocytes transformed by Epstein-Barr virus. Induction of nuclear antigen reactive with antibody in rheumatoid arthritis.

Sera from approximately two-thirds of patients with rheumatoid arthritis contain an antibody which is reactive with a nuclear antigen present in human B-lymphocyte tissue culture cells. The immunological reaction can be demonstrated by precipitation and immunofluorescence. Evidence is present that the reactive nuclear antigen is associated with Epstein-Barr (EB) virus-transformed lymphocytes. Normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes did not contain the nuclear antigen reactive with rheumatoid arthritis sera, but after infection with EB virus, they showed increasing amounts of reactive nuclear antigen as the cells were transformed into continuous lines. Several established human and simian lymphocyte cell lines known to carry EB viral genomes were shown to contain rheumatoid arthritis-associated nuclear antigen. Evidence is presented which suggests that the rheumatoid arthritis-associated nuclear antigen is different from the previously described EB nuclear antigen.

Antibodies↗

B-tropic oncornavirus production by BALB/c methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma cells.

Six oncogenic cell lines were established from primary sarcomas that had been induced in thymectomized, aged, BALB/cSt mice by the injection of 3-methylcholanthrene. Of these lines, three produced B-tropic murine leukemia virus (MuLV), i.e. MuLV that would patently infect fibroblasts of BALB/c origin but not those from NIH Swiss mice. One of these lines, M-138, produced large quantities of virus, permitting the isolation of milligram quantities of B-tropic MuLV. Neonatal BALB/c mice injected with the M-138 MuLV developed high plasma levels of the species-specific virion antigen p30, but during 9 months of observation failed to manifest clinical signs of leukemia. Plasma p30 levels of NIH Swiss mice (non-permissive host) that were inoculated also as neonates with the same virus preparation, remained undetectable by radioimmunoassay. Xenotropic MuLV, i.e. that which infects cells of species other than the species of origin, was released by one of the three remaining cell lines. Two of the six original lines have remained free of detectable oncornavirus production. Our results suggest that cell lines that are stable sources of large quantities of B-tropic MuLV may be easily obtainable by the described manipulations. Equally important, however, is the fact that these data re-emphasize the danger that is inherent in assuming that a cell line is virus-free simply because it was isolated from a chemical carcinogen-induced neoplasm

Animals↗