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Biomedical subjects

N C Jain

Publications and source records attributed to N C Jain.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Bluetongue virus infection in India: a review.

The history and epizootiology of bluetongue (BT) in India are reviewed. BT has become endemic in India. The first outbreak of BT in sheep and goats in the country was recorded in 1964 in Maharashtra State. Since then, several outbreaks of BT have been reported in sheep. Exotic sheep are more susceptible than indigenous and cross-bred sheep. A serological survey has indicated the presence of bluetongue virus (BTV) antibodies in cattle and buffalo in several states in India. However, clinical BT has not been observed in cattle or buffalo to date. Of the 24 known serotypes of BTV, 18 have been reported in India. Although BTV has been isolated from Culicoides midges, the particular species responsible for transmission has not yet been identified.

Animals

Dot immunobinding assay for the detection of bluetongue virus antibodies in sheep experimentally inoculated with bluetongue virus type 1.

Dot immunobinding assay (DIA) was evaluated for the detection of bluetongue virus (BTV) antibodies in sheep experimentally inoculated with BTV 1. Serum samples collected on 14, 21, 28, 43 and 60 day post infection (dpi) were positive for precipitating antibodies by the agar gel precipitation test (AGPT) while antibodies could be detected as early as 7 dpi by DIA and ELISA. Virus neutralizing antibodies were detected first at 14 dpi. The sensitivity of the four tests was compared on the same serum samples collected at different intervals. The results indicated that DIA was more sensitive than AGPT and the serum neutralization test and as sensitive as ELISA. Thus due to sensitivity simplicity and economy, DIA could replace AGPT for diagnosis and serological survey for BTV infection in animals.

Animals

Detection of equine antiplatelet and antineutrophil antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was standardised and applied for the detection of antiplatelet and antineutrophil antibodies using a heterologous system consisting of equine platelets or neutrophils and antisera raised in rabbits. The standardised technique consisted of using Immulon type 3 plate, 1 per cent gelatine as a blocking solution, poly-L-lysine buffer as a coating solution, unfixed antigen, 90 microliters test serum, horseradish peroxidase conjugated antibody and o-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride as a substrate. The number of unfixed platelets or neutrophils required for optimum detection of antibodies was 250,000 per well. Unfixed cellular antigens were as good as their extracts and superior to paraformaldehyde-fixed antigens in detecting specific antibodies. Microtitre plates coated with platelet or neutrophil antigens could be stored at 4 degrees and -70 degrees C for four to five weeks without significant loss of antigenicity. The ELISA was very sensitive in that antiplatelet antibody was detected up to a titre of 1:204,800 and antineutrophil antibody to a titre of 1:51,200. Some cross-reactivity (1:1600) was detected in antiplatelet and antineutrophil sera for neutrophil and platelet antigens, respectively. Platelet-associated antibody was also detected in extracts from platelets pretreated with 1:2 and 1:8 dilutions of antiplatelet serum. Standardised ELISA detected antiplatelet antibodies in nine and antineutrophil antibodies in three of 100 isologous equine blood typing sera.

Animals

Ultrastructural and biochemical observations on antineutrophil antibody- and complement-induced immuno-injury to equine neutrophils.

Antibody-induced damage to neutrophils was studied to elucidate processes associated with destruction of neutrophils in immune-mediated neutropenias. Cytomorphological changes and release of certain cellular constituents were determined for neutrophils treated with an antineutrophil serum in the presence or absence of rabbit complement. Neutrophils exposed to the antineutrophil serum alone showed endocytotic vacuoles and degranulation. In contrast, neutrophils exposed to the antineutrophil serum and complement showed marked morphologic changes. The plasma membrane developed numerous vesicles, villous processes and minute areas of bilayer discontinuity. Highly damaged cells exhibited cellular and nuclear swellings, disruption of cytoplasmic integrity and disordered distribution of lysosomal granules. Cytoplasmic constituents (K+ and lactate dehydrogenase) were released extracellularly from neutrophils exposed to the antineutrophil serum with or without complement. Cytological changes induced by the antineutrophil serum and complement were analogous to those reported for leucocytes exposed to the activated complement components C5b-9 (the membrane attack complex) and bacterial toxins. It was concluded that the cytological abnormalities observed were most probably associated with immune-mediated damage to the cell membrane, leading to leakage of cytoplasmic constituents like K+, colloidal osmotic swelling, and disruption of the cytoskeletal system.

Alkaline Phosphatase

Detection of anti-equine neutrophil antibody by use of flow cytometry.

Flow cytometric and conventional fluorescence microscopic methods were compared to detect heterologous (rabbit) neutrophil antibody bound to equine neutrophils. Unfixed and paraformaldehyde-fixed neutrophils were treated with normal rabbit serum or various dilutions of an antineutrophil serum. The cells were then reacted with fluorescein conjugates of goat anti-rabbit IgG, staphylococcal protein A, and streptococcal protein G. Antibody binding was evaluated by use of fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Unfixed neutrophils treated with normal rabbit serum did not fluoresce, whereas many of the fixed neutrophils had distinct cytoplasmic and some membranous (nonspecific) fluorescence. Unfixed cells treated with the antiserum had localized areas (capping) of intense membrane fluorescence, whereas fixed cells had bright uniform membranous fluorescence. The intensity of specific fluorescence varied with the antiserum dilution and the conjugate. On flow cytometry, over 80% of unfixed cells treated with antiserum dilutions up to 1:1,024, 1:2,048, and 1:256 fluoresced, respectively, with anti-IgG, protein-G, and protein-A conjugates. Fixed cells generally had similar percentages of fluorescent cells, but at a higher (1-step) antiserum dilution. It was concluded that flow cytometry is more sensitive than conventional fluorescence microscopy to detect antibodies associated with equine neutrophils.

Animals

Heterogeneity in phagocytic and nitroblue tetrazolium reductive properties of neutrophils from cows.

Phagocytic and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reductive activities of blood neutrophils from 19 Holstein heifers were measured by light microscopic and spectrophotometric methods, respectively. These functional properties of neutrophils correlated well (r = 0.64) and varied significantly (P less than 0.05) among animals studied. Variations in phagocytosis and NBT reductive activities attributable to the source of sera were determined in experiments in which cells from the same cows and zymogen particles opsonized with heat-inactivated autologous or homologous sera were used. Variations attributable to the source of cells were determined in experiments in which cells from different cows and particles opsonized with pooled sera from all the cows were used. Most of the variation in phagocytic properties and NBT reductive activities was attributable to the source of cells (ie, each cow). The source of sera contributed slightly to the variation in NBT reductive activities, but not to the phagocytic properties. These results support the concept of functional heterogeneity of neutrophils among cows.

Animals

Use of flow cytometry for determination of differential leukocyte counts in bovine blood.

A flow cytometric method was developed to perform differential leukocyte counts on bovine blood. Blood specimens from 50 healthy Holstein cows were analyzed by use of a flow cytometer. The method entailed diluting blood with phosphate-buffered, hypotonic saline solution containing acridine orange, and performing a step-wise, 3-parameter analysis on the bases of cell size, cellular granularity, and granulocyte fluorescence. Initially, proportions of monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes were determined by creating appropriate windows on dot plots of cell size (determined by forward light scatter) vs cellular granularity (determined by the logarithm of side light scatter). Eosinophils were resolved by analysis of granulocytes as dot plots of logarithms of green vs red fluorescence ascribed to acridine orange. Proportions of eosinophils and neutrophils were computed from data so generated. Microclumps of platelets spuriously affected counts of some granulocytes, particularly eosinophils. Differential leukocyte counts determined by flow cytometry generally compared favorably with those obtained by use of the conventional microscopic method, using Wright-stained blood films. Mean neutrophil and eosinophil counts determined by the 2 methods did not differ significantly, but lymphocyte counts determined by flow cytometry were significantly higher than those determined by microscopy (P less than 0.01). Correlation coefficients for counts of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes determined by the 2 methods ranged from 0.519 to 0.833. Correlation between monocyte counts was low (r = 0.147), although mean monocyte counts determined by the 2 methods did not differ significantly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Arthrodesis of the wrist by a new technique.

Twenty-eight arthrodeses of the wrist were carried out for various indications using an ulnar graft. The results were evaluated and it was found that the obliquely resected lower end of the ulna gave a longer graft for better fusion between the distal end of radius and the base of the 3rd metacarpal. There was no instability of the inferior radio-ulnar joint, and rotation of the forearm was improved whenever it had been previously limited.

Adolescent

Dot immunobinding assay in comparison with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of bluetongue virus antibodies in sheep.

A total of 384 sheep serum samples collected from two organised sheep farms was tested by dot immunobinding assay (DIA) and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) for the presence of bluetongue virus (BTV) antibodies. The results of both these assays were compared to find a sensitive, specific, rapid, easily performed and economical test for the diagnosis of bluetongue disease. DIA detected BTV antibodies in 210 samples (54.94%) and I-ELISA detected 157 positive samples (40.88%). Competitive ELISA (C-ELISA) was performed to check the discrepancies in I-ELISA and DIA. On the basis of these tests the overall agreement, relative specificity and sensitivity between ELISA and DIA were 75%, 87.6% and 100%, respectively. DIA was found to be a rapid, sensitive, easily performed and economical test as compared to ELISA.

Animals

Methods for detection of immune-mediated neutropenia in horses, using antineutrophil serum of rabbit origin.

Equine neutrophil antibody was raised in rabbits inoculated with equine neutrophils isolated to purity greater than 99.0%, using Percoll density-gradient sedimentation. Neutrophil antibody was detected by use of agar gel diffusion, leukoagglutination, indirect immunofluorescence, staphylococcal protein A and streptococcal protein G binding, and phagocytic inhibition techniques. Precipitin lines and leukoagglutination were seen in antiserum dilutions of 1:4 and 1:64, respectively. The specific nature of leukoagglutination was characterized by the formation of rosette-like clumps of neutrophils. Specific bright membranous fluorescence was seen in neutrophils treated with the antiserum and exposed to fluorescein-conjugated goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin, and staphylococcal protein A and streptococcal protein G. Whereas the indirect immunofluorescence and protein G-binding tests were equally sensitive and resulted in titer of 1:256, the protein A-binding test was less sensitive and resulted in titer of only 1:32. Nonspecific binding of protein A and protein G was noticed as uniform or patchy cellular fluorescence in a small number of neutrophils. Treatment of neutrophils with antiserum up to dilution of 1:8 resulted in a significant (P less than 0.05) suppression of phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan particles. Thus, protein G-binding and indirect immunofluorescence tests are highly sensitive to detect neutrophil antibody and may be used to diagnose immune-mediated neutropenias in horses and, possibly, in other animal species.

Agranulocytosis

Cytochemical studies of normal feline blood and bone marrow cells.

Blood and bone marrow cells of ten clinically healthy cats were stained for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), peroxidase (PO), chloroacetate esterase (CAE), alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase (NBE), sudanophilia, and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction. Mature neutrophils in blood and bone marrow were devoid of ALP and NBE, but exhibited modest to strong PO, CAE, sudanophilia, and PAS reaction. In bone marrow, sudanophilia, PO, and CAE were prominent at the promyelocyte stage and diminished with cellular differentiation and maturation, while PAS reactivity increased with cell maturation usually from the myelocyte stage onwards. Myeloblasts were negative for all cytochemical reactions, but some large unidentifiable cells reacted strongly for ALP. Eosinophils were slightly reactive for ALP, CAE, and PAS, but not for PO, sudanophilia, and NBE. Basophil granules stained strongly for CAE, revealed PAS positivity, and stained negatively for PO, NBE, ALP, and sudanophilia. Slight ALP activity was detected in the intergranular cytoplasm of basophils. Lymphocytes and monocytes, with few exceptions, stained negatively. An occasional lymphocyte revealed slight globular NBE activity (NaF-resistant) and diffuse PAS reaction, while an occasional monocyte contained a few PO-positive and sudanophilic granules. Monocytes reacted modestly, whereas bone marrow macrophages reacted strongly for NBE (NaF-sensitive). Cells of the erythroid series stained negatively for all cytochemical reactions, megakaryocytes were PAS-positive, and platelets gave positive reactions for PAS and CAE.

Alkaline Phosphatase

Ultrastructural analysis of platelets and megakaryocytes from a dog with probable essential thrombocythemia.

Blood platelets and bone marrow megakaryocytes from a dog with essential thrombocythemia were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and compared with those of control dogs. Platelets varied in size and shape and contained enlarged and dilated open canalicular systems. Megakaryocytes were dysmorphic and had evidence of abnormal maturation, with large numbers of megakaryoblasts containing alpha granules and poorly organized and reduplicated demarcation membranes. The fewer, more mature megakaryocytes lacked normal cytoplasmic organization. Most notable was the absence of well-demarcated "platelet fields," due to the excessive and disorderly array of demarcation membranes.

Animals

Mechanisms of platelet destruction in immune-mediated thrombocytopenia: in vitro studies with canine platelets exposed to heterologous and isologous antiplatelet antibodies.

Normal canine platelets coated with heterologous or isologous antiplatelet antibody were interacted with viable canine neutrophils in vitro. Platelet phagocytosis was assessed by detecting nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, measuring uptake of opsonised 51Cr-labelled platelets, and electron microscopy. The NBT reduction and uptake of 51Cr-labelled opsonised platelets were markedly increased. Electron microscopy revealed phagocytosis of antibody-coated platelets and their degradation intracellularly. Exposure of canine platelets to rabbit anti-canine platelet antibody in vitro produced morphological changes in platelets and caused serotonin release. Serotonin was not released in the absence of antiplatelet antibody or in the presence of normal rabbit gamma-globulin. Morphological changes in the platelets included disappearance of alpha and dense granules and exaggeration of the open canalicular system. These observations indicate that circulating platelets may be vulnerable to an antiplatelet antibody and that antibody-mediated phagocytosis of platelets is an important mechanism in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia.

Animals

Effects of glycolytic and cytoskeletal inhibitors on phagocytic and nitroblue tetrazolium reductive activities of bovine neutrophils.

Phagocytic and oxidative metabolic activities of bovine blood neutrophils were determined in the presence of glycolytic (NaF) and cytoskeletal (colchicine, cytochalasin B, and prostaglandin E1) inhibitors. Phagocytosis and post-phagocytic oxidative metabolic activity, measured by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, were determined using zymosan, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus agalactiae. Sodium fluoride (1.25 microM to 1.25 mM concentrations) did not significantly (P greater than 0.05) inhibit phagocytosis of S aureus and Str agalactiae, whereas phagocytosis of zymosan and E coli was significantly (P less than 0.05) inhibited only at 1.25 mM concentration. Colchicine at 1.25 nM to 1.25 microM concentrations significantly inhibited phagocytosis of zymosan and E coli, but not of S aureus and Str agalactiae. Cytochalasin B at 1.25 nM to 1.25 microM concentrations significantly inhibited phagocytosis of zymosan and all 3 bacteria, whereas prostaglandin E1 was noninhibitory at similar concentrations. Nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, in general, was not significantly affected by NaF and cytoskeletal inhibitors.

Alprostadil

Haematological changes in buffalo calves inoculated with Escherichia coli endotoxin and corticosteroids.

Haematological studies were conducted on 10 clinically normal water buffalo calves to determine leucocytic responses to Escherichia coli endotoxin, prednisolone and dexamethasone. Intravenous injection of 10 micrograms endotoxin induced minimal decreases in leucocyte numbers, whereas 20, 50 and 100 micrograms produced a marked leucopenia within one hour. Moderate to marked leucopenia, neutropenia and lymphopenia persisted for three to 14 hours. Significant rebound neutrophilia was evident at six to eight hours after inoculation in calves given only 10 and 20 micrograms. Intramuscular injection of prednisolone (100 mg) and dexamethasone (5 mg) produced increases in total leucocyte counts and neutrophil numbers within two hours. Moderate to marked leucocytosis and neutrophilia persisted for eight to 24 hours. Lymphocyte response was unlike that in other species in that lymphopenia was not a consistent feature of the corticosteroid response. A transient monocytosis was seen following administration of prednisolone but not of dexamethasone, while eosinopenia and basopenia developed in both cases. In conclusion, endotoxin and corticosteroid induced changes in total and differential leucocyte counts in water buffalo were largely similar to those seen in cattle.

Animals

Phagocytic and nitroblue tetrazolium reductive properties of mature and immature neutrophils and eosinophils from blood and bone marrow from cows.

Functional capabilities of morphologically mature (segmented) and immature granulocytes (neutrophils and eosinophils) from bone marrow from cows were studied and compared with similar activities of segmented granulocytes from blood. Phagocytosis of Escherichia coli and postphagocytic oxidative metabolic stimulation, measured by nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, were evaluated simultaneously. Phagocytosis was observed readily in segmented neutrophils, neutrophilic bands, and metamyelocytes and rarely in myelocytes. Phagocytosis was not seen in promyelocytes and myeloblasts. Neutrophilic bands and metamyelocytes were phagocytically less active than were segmented neutrophils. Washed segmented bone marrow neutrophils possessed phagocytic activity similar to that of blood neutrophils, whereas the activity of unwashed segmented bone marrow neutrophils was markedly less than that of blood neutrophils. Reduction of NBT was observed only in blood segmented neutrophils and bone marrow segmented neutrophils; the magnitude of NBT reduction was significantly (P = less than 0.005) less in bone marrow neutrophils than in blood neutrophils. Eosinophils were phagocytically less competent than were neutrophils. The NBT reduction was observed only in eosinophils from blood, but not in eosinophils from bone marrow.

Animals

Nonspecific esterase of acute promyelocytic leukemia (M3).

Leukemic cells of 43 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (M3) were investigated morphologically and cytochemically to determine the percentage of aberrant enzymes and whether or not the presence impacts on the clinical outcome. Twelve patients (27.9%) showed alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity in their leukemic cells, and two of these cases revealed remarkably low myeloperoxidase (MPO) positivity, a pattern seen in monocytic precursors. However, further cytochemical evidence for this monocytic feature, the inhibition of naphthol AS-D acetate esterase (NASDA) activity with sodium fluoride (NASDA-F), was found in only five of these nine patients. In 31 cases (72.1%), there was minimal ANAE activity. Of interest, two of these were devoid of naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterase (CAE), which is prominently displayed in neutrophilic granulocytes, even though these leukemic cells were 100% intensely positive for MPO activity. Between the two groups with and without ANAE activity, there were no remarkable differences in the distribution of sex and age, hematological findings, and rates of complete response. Our study has confirmed the cytochemical heterogeneity of M3 with no obvious relationship between this heterogeneity and early therapeutic outcome.

Adolescent