PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

P Metezeau

Publications and source records attributed to P Metezeau.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Trophoblast-like cells sorted from peripheral maternal blood using flow cytometry: a multiparametric study involving transmission electron microscopy and fetal DNA amplification.

Three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against trophoblast (GB17, GB21, and GB25) and flow cytometry were used to sort trophoblast-like cells (TLCs) from peripheral blood of pregnant women. Sorted TLCs were processed for electron microscopy and fetal DNA amplification of the Y-specific sequences from mothers carrying male fetuses. At the ultra-structural level, most of the nucleated cells had the morphology of leucocytes, suggesting maternal contaminants, and we did not find the characteristic features of the free intervillous trophoblast cells. Nevertheless, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed an amplification of Y-specific sequences in two out of three samples of sorted TLCs. These results suggest that besides the maternal leucocytes, sufficient trophoblast nucleated fetal cells can be obtained using cell enrichment by sorting. This sensitive method holds promise for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal sex and if sufficient Y(positive) nuclei are found, for the diagnosis of selected numerical chromosome abnormalities.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Modulation of the binding and endocytosis of concanavalin A by guinea pig keratinocytes: reversible antagonistic effects of cholesterol and phospholipid-liposomes.

Alteration of guinea pig keratinocyte membrane microviscosities (eta) by liposomes of varying composition was determined by fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene. Measurements performed either with whole cell suspensions or Percoll-separated cell subpopulations, indicate a similar membrane microviscosity (eta = 3.37 poise +/- 10%) compared to those microviscosities reported for other cell types. Our findings show that treatment of guinea pig keratinocytes with liposomes composed of phospholipids results in a decreased membrane microviscosity (1.95 poise), whereas treatment of the cells with an emulsion of cholesterol hemisuccinate, or liposomes composed of cerebrosides, causes an increase in membrane microviscosity (3.85 poise and 5.55 poise +/- 10%, respectively). Changes in membrane fluidity had no significant effect on cell viability. A reduced membrane microviscosity resulted in a decrease in the binding of Concanavalin A to keratinocytes, whereas an increased microviscosity resulted in an increased binding of Concanavalin A. Furthermore, endocytosis of Concanavalin A bound to keratinocytes plasma membranes was not significantly affected by a reduced membrane microviscosity, whereas an increased membrane microviscosity completely blocked the endocytosis of Concanavalin A. Another novel observation was that membranes "fluidified" by phospholipid liposomes could be "rigidified" by treatment with cholesterol hemisuccinate and vice versa. Moreover, these alternate changes in membrane microviscosity resulted in simultaneous alternate changes in the binding of Concanavalin A to the keratinocyte surface.

Animals

Characterization of a panel of somatic cell hybrids for subregional mapping along 11p and within band 11p13. Subdivision of the WAGR complex region.

The short arm of chromosome 11 carries genes involved in malformation syndromes, including the aniridia/genitourinary abnormalities/mental retardation (WAGR) syndrome and the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, both of which are associated with an increased risk of childhood malignancy. Evidence comes from constitutional chromosomal aberrations and from losses of heterozygosity, limited to tumor cells, involving regions 11p13 and 11p15. In order to map the genes involved more precisely, we have fused a mouse cell line with cell lines from patients with constitutional deletions or translocations. Characterization of somatic cell hybrids with 11p-specific DNA markers has allowed us to subdivide the short arm into 11 subregions, 7 of which belong to band 11p13. We have thus defined the smallest region of overlap for the Wilms' tumor locus bracketed by the closest proximal and distal breakpoints in two of these hybrids. The region associated with the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome spans the region flanked by two 11p15.5 markers, HRAS1 and HBB. These hybrids also represent useful tools for mapping new markers to this region of the human genome.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

The gene for catalase is assigned between the antigen loci MIC4 and MIC11.

Genetic analysis of the cells of a WAGR patient (W, predisposition to Wilms tumor; A, aniridia; G, genitourinary abnormalities; R, mental retardation), bearing a partial deletion of band 11p13, was performed with biochemical and antigenic 11p markers by using gene dosage, somatic hybridization, molecular hybridization, and indirect immunofluorescence techniques. These studies allowed the regional assignment of the gene for catalase, which is linked to the Wilms tumor locus, between MIC4 and MIC11, two loci encoding for membrane antigens previously mapped to band 11p13.

Antigens

Cell subpopulations within proliferative and differentiating compartments of epidermis.

The heterogeneous population of newborn rat keratinocytes was separated into different subgroups according to their cell size. The relation between cell size, position in the cell cycle, RNA content, and proliferative potential in culture was examined. A reserve stem cell population of Go/G1 cells, low in RNA, giving rise to colonies of undifferentiated phenotype in cell culture, has been separated from more differentiated transit basal cells. In the fractions of the larger cells, several subgroups, probably corresponding to different stages of differentiation, were identified: G2M cells with low RNA content, large S-phase cells rich in RNA, and small Go/G1 cells low in RNA. The clonogenic cells from these fractions have limited growth potential and give rise to moderately or terminally differentiated colonies. The selective sorting of stem cell populations may be useful for elucidating the mechanism of carcinogenesis in epidermis and other proliferative tissues. Analysis of the relative proportions of cell subpopulations represents a novel approach leading to the refinement of the concepts of epidermal structure in physiological and pathological states. It also could, by extension, shed new light on the behavior of other proliferative tissues.

Animals

Immunoregulatory functions of paf-acether. II. Decrease of CD2 and CD3 antigen expression.

Paf-acether (platelet-activating factor) is a phospholipid initially described as a potent platelet-aggregating compound. It is produced by numerous cell types and is now considered as an important mediator of cell-cell interactions. The effect of paf-acether on the expression of CD2 and CD3, two human T cell surface glycoproteins, was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Paf-acether partially down-regulated, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, CD2 and CD3 but not HLA class I antigen expression on peripheral human T cells and Jurkat cells. Lysophosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid closely related to paf-acether, had no detectable modulatory effect on CD2 and CD3 expression. In addition to CD2/CD3 modulation, paf-acether markedly inhibited T cell proliferative response not only to phytohemagglutinin or concanavalin A but also to anti-CD3 or a stimulatory combination of anti-CD2 monoclonal antibodies. These data demonstrate for the first time that lipid mediators such as paf-acether might be involved in the regulation of the expression of cell surface glycoproteins that are essential in the execution of T cell function.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Repopulation of spleens of irradiated mice after injection of spleen cell subpopulations.

Haemopoietic stem cells present in the spleen of adult mice were analysed by grafting X-irradiated animals with polystyrene-nonadherent (NABS) and polystyrene-adherent (ABS) B-enriched splenocytes from syngeneic donors. The progeny of the haemopoietic stem cells present in NABS and ABS subsets were studied with respect to size, surface markers, and response to mitogens and antigens. Ninety-six per cent of the precursors of the myeloid cell lineage (CFU-S) were present in the NABS fraction (50-fold enrichment). The presence in NABS of progenitors of functional T and B lymphocytes was also demonstrated. Twelve days after grafting with NABS, more than 80% of the recipient splenocytes were large and nonadherent granulocyte-like cells. These cells had surface similarities with NABS from normal mice, since both populations reacted with peanut agglutinin and with a rabbit anti-NABS (RAN) serum.

Animals

Flow cytometry: technical description and some applications in France.

After reviewing basic technical considerations, we discuss some applications of flow cytometry in French laboratories. This methodology is used in several areas: oncology, cellular pharmacotoxicology, molecular biology and genetics, immunology, as well as cellular biology and physiology. We also examine the evolution of this technique in two directions: on the one hand, the appearance of increasingly sophisticated instruments; on the other, the development of less expensive and less complicated apparatuses principally directed at clinical applications.

Allergy and Immunology

Modulation of membrane receptor endocytosis by chemical effectors of membrane fluidity.

Several chemical effectors were used to induce changes in spleen B cell membrane fluidity. Membrane fluidity was monitored by fluorescence polarization analysis of the hydrophobic probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and cell viability was checked not to be affected by the treatments. Membrane immunoglobulin (Ig) endocytosis by the living B cells with modified or unmodified membranes was quantitatively measured by flow cytometry, using a previously described method (Métézeau et al., 1982, 1984). The kinetics of endocytosis of membrane Ig was not affected by chemical effectors increasing membrane fluidity. On the contrary, increasing membrane microviscosity resulted in the slowing down and eventually the blocking of membrane Ig endocytosis. It is suggested that a step depending on membrane microviscosity is involved in the process of endocytosis; this step may become rate limiting when membranes are artificially rendered or naturally become (i.e. for pathological or particularly differentiated cells) more viscous.

Animals