A comparative study of Sephadex, glass wool and Percoll separation techniques on sperm quality and IVF results for cryopreserved bovine semen

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of spermatozoa separation techniques on sperm quality and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) results for cryopreserved bovine semen. Sephadex, glass wool and Percoll gradient separation techniques were used for sperm separation and sperm motility, morphology and membrane integrity were evaluated before and after separation. Also, cleavage and blastocyst developmental rate were investigated after IVF with sperm recovered by each separation technique. The motility of samples obtained by the three separation techniques were greater compared to the control samples (p < 0.05). The percentage of spermatozoa with intact plasma-membrane integrity, identified by 6-carboxyfluoresceindiacetate/propidium iodide fluorescent staining and the hypo-osmotic swelling test, was highest in the glass wool filtration samples (p < 0.05). The cleavage and blastocyst rate of total oocytes produced from glass wool filtration samples were also higher than the control and Sephadex filtration samples (p < 0.05), but were not significantly different from Percoll separation samples. However, a significantly greater number of cleaved embryos produced by glass wool filtration developed to blastocyst stage than those produced by Percoll separation (p < 0.05). These results indicate that spermatozoa with good quality can be achieved by these three separation techniques and can be used for bovine IVF. In particular, it suggests that glass wool filtration would be the most effective method of the three for improving sperm quality and embryo production for cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa.

Detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus by amplification on polycation-treated cells followed by enzyme immunoassay / Detección del virus de la diarrea viral bovina por amplificación sobre células tratadas con policationes seguida de enzimoinmunoensayo

A bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) amplification method combined with an enzyme immunoassay was developed to detect BVDV antigens in seropositive cattle. Reconstitution assays conducted by adding decreasing amounts of BVDV (Singer strain) to Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells showed that the sensitivity threshold of the combined assay was 10-7 TCID50. BVDV amplification was carried out in polycation (DEAE-Dextran and polybrene)- treated MDBK cells. Treated cells were able to replicate both ether-treated virus and neutralizing antibody-coated virus. Ammonium chloride decreased virus replication in polycation-treated cells, suggesting viral penetration by endocytosis. BVDV detection was tested in leukocytes from 104 seropositive cattle from 2 unvaccinated commercial closed dairy herds with high seroprevalence. Lysates and co-cultures of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) were tested, directly or after up to 6 blind passages in normal or polycation-treated cells. BVDV was detected in 10/104 cattle after only one co-culture of PBL in treated cells. No virus was detected in whole blood or plasma samples. BVDV positive and negative cattle were retested three times, achieving consistent results. The finding of immune carriers supports the possibility that these animals may constitute an epidemiological risk.

Se desarrolló un método de detección de antígenos del virus de la diarrea viral bovina (BVDV) combinando amplificación viral con enzimoinmunoensayo. El método combinado presentó una sensibilidad de 10-7 TCID50 en ensayos con diluciones decrecientes de BVDV cepa Singer sobre la línea celular MDBK. La amplificación del título viral se efectuó sobre células MDBK tratadas con policationes Estas células replicaron tanto el BVDV tratado con éter como el unido a anticuerpos. La replicación viral en las células tratadas disminuyó ante la presencia de cloruro de amonio, lo que sugiere la penetración viral por endocitosis. El BVDV se determinó en leucocitos de 104 bovinos seropositivos de dos rodeos en producción, cerrados y con alta seroprevalencia. Los leucocitos de sangre periférica (LSP) fueron lisados y analizados directamente o luego de hasta 6 pasajes ciegos sobre células normales o tratadas con policationes. El BVDV se detectó en 10 de los 104 animales después de solamente un cultivo de LSP en células tratadas. No se pudo detectar presencia viral en las muestras de sangre o plasma. Los estudios se repitieron tres veces en animales BVDV positivos y negativos, con resultados consistentes. El hallazgo de bovinos seropositivos portadores del virus indica la posibilidad de que estos animales puedan significar un riesgo epidemiológico.

Improving purification of coagulation F IX using heparin affinity chromatography and its comparison with ion exchange chromatography

Hemophilia B is a genetic disorder due to deficiency or complete absence of factor IX coagulation factor. Treatment of choice for these patients is use of factor IX concentrates. Therefore, purification of plasma proteins and separation of factor IX have been major objectives for scientists involved in this field. In this respect, purification procedure using ion exchange chromatography is widely used, but in the past decade affinity chromatography was also introduced. The objective of the present study has been to apply both techniques for the purification of factor IX and compare the quality and yield of the product. For the purification procedure, chromatography columns [XK-16], containing DEAE sepharose and Heparin sepharose were used. Factor IX coagulation activity was measured using a one-stage coagulation assay and factor IX antigen was quantified using ELISA technique. The specific activity and relative increase in purity of factor IX was calculated and it was demonstrated that specific activity improved from 3.1 IU/mg using DEAE ion exchange to 29 IU/mg when affinity chromatography was added and purity was increased from 155 to 1450 respectively. The present study demonstrates that addition of an affinity chromatography step using heparin sepharose is a major improvement in the purification of factor IX, where both specific activity and purity are increased considerably

Construction and identification for cell strain of anti-human seminal plasma phospholipase A2 monoclonal antibody / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To establish and evaluate the anti-human seminal plasma phospholipase A2 (PLA2) monoclonal antibody (McAb).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>After having been separated and purified from human seminal plasma by PEG precipitation, Sephacryl S-300 column chromatography, DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography and HA column chromatography, PLA2 was regarded as an antigen to immune BALB/C mouse to produce anti-human seminal plasma PLA2 McAb. The PLA2 McAb sensitivity and specificity were performed by ELISA technique and Western-blot analysis, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The molecular weight of PLA2 depurated with 245 fold purification from human seminal plasma was about 34,900, while the sensitivity and typing of its McAb were 1:5(6)-1:5(8) and IgM (kappa) with a satisfied Western-Blot results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The PLA2, which had not been reported in international and domestic papers, may be a new type of PLA2. The establish of its McAb will provide significant tools for the research of the relationship between PLA2 in human seminal plasma and male fertility.</p>

Effect of Class 2 Transactivator on Expression of Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 in FRTL-5 Cells / 대한내분비학회지

BACKGROUND: Gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) is known to suppress thyroperoxidase (TPO), thyroglobulin (Tg), thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) mRNA expression via unclarified mechanism. Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is a nuclear protein involved in the maximal expression and tissue specific expression of thyroid-specific antigens (TPO, Tg, TSHR, NIS) in thyrocytes. Although It's plausible that gamam-IFN induced suppression of thyroid-specific antigen expression may be mediated by decrease of TTF-1 expression, such an effect has not been documented yet. In this study we investigated the effect of gamma-IFN on the expression of TTF-1 in the rat thyroid cell, FRTL-5, and determined whether such an effect is mediated by sclass 2 transactivator (CIITA). METHEODS: The mRNA expression of TTF-1 was quantitated by northern blot analysis after treatment of gamma-IFN, and after expression of CIITA in FRTL-5 cells. Four different promoter constructs were made by cloning into the pRSV-luciferase vector, each contained 5'flanking sequence of different lengths (-5.18 kb, -4.11 kb, -1.94 kb, -1.15 kb) of rat TTF-1 gene. Effects of gamma-IFN and CIITA on promoter activities were analyzed by luciferase assay in FRTL-5 cells into which each promoter construct had been transfected by DEAE-dextran method. RESULTS: Steady state TTF-1 mRNA level at 48 h after gamma-IFN treatment (100 U/mL) was significantly decreased from that of the pre-treatment level (1.65+/-0.16 vs. unit, p<0.05). In all 4 promoter constructs gamma-IFN significantly suppressed promoter activities compared to the vector only transfected cells. CIITA expression in FRTL-5 cells significantly decreased the steady state TTF-1 mRNA level when compared to that in mock-transfected cells (1.69+/-0.31 vs. 1.17+/-0.44 arbitrary unit, p<0.05). CIITA expression in FRTL-5 cells caused suppression of promoter activities in -5.18 kb and -4.11 kb constructs, but had no effects on those activities in -1.94 kb; and -1.15 kb constructs. CONCLUSION: gamma-IFN, directly and indirectly via CIITA expression, suppressed the transcription of TTF-1 gene in the FRTL-5 cells. It may be one of the mechanisms involved in the gamma-IFN-induced suppression of thyroid-specific protein expressions in thyrocytes 1.25+/-0.27 arbitrary

Effects of overexpression of stimulatory G proteins on the expression of the other G proteins in COS-1 cells

To investigate the interaction of stimulatory GTP binding protein (G(s)) pathways with others, we overexpressed wild type alpha subunit of G(s) (G(s) alpha), constitutively activated R201E G(s) alpha, and dominant negative G226A G(s) alpha in COS-1 cells by transfection with DEAE-dextran, respectively, The expression of various G proteins in the transfected cells was analyzed after 72 h by quantitative Western blots, and cAMP production by stimulation with isoproterenol and forskolin was quantitated using cAMP binding proteins, The expression of Gs alpha increased about 5-fold in the transfected cells, with concomitant increase in the small forms. However, there was no significant alteration the in the level of the alpha subunit of inhibitory G protein (G(i)) and G(q), and the beta subunits of G proteins. The cAMP level without stimulation increased in the cells transfected with G(s) alpha regardless to the type of mutation, Treatment with either isoproterenol or forskolin resulted in comparable increase of the cAMP level in all the transfected cells, though the ratio to its respective basal level was smaller in the G(s) alpha-transfected cells, From this experiment, we found that the expression of the other G proteins and the signaling pathway producing cAMP did not change significantly by transiently expressing wild type, constitutively activated type, and dominant negative type of G(s) alpha. Analysis of the effects of long-term expression of Gs alpha would contribute to better understanding on how the G(s) alpha signaling system interacts with other signaling pathways and how it adapts to the changed environments.

A Study for Culture Condition of Chlamydia pneumoniae / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae, a new species of the obligate intracellular Chlamydia, has been recognized as a significant pathogen that causes infection of the human respiratory tract and has recently been associated with coronary atherosclerosis. Diagnosis of infections with C. pneumoniae is problematic, because the syndrome usually presents few distinguishing features and culture of the organism is far more difficult than other Chlamydia species. To further improve the cell culture isolation and passage of C. pneumoniae organisms. we have studied several chemical and physical factors that might affect their viability and growth. METHODS: C. pneumoniae strain (TW-183) was obtained from the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta. Ga. First we compared McCoy HeLa-229, and HEp-2 cells in the search for a more efficient and practical cell culture system. The growth rate of C. pneumoniae was assessed by the effects of diethylaminoethyl-dextrin, by the adequate centrifugation force and time, by the growth promoting effect of cycloheximide, and by the optimal incubation time. All of the results were evaluated by the indirect immunofluorescent stain using the genus-specific monoclonal antibody(HYMo 1-1) to Chlamydia. RESULTS: The HEp-2 cell was the most efficient for culturing C. pneumoniae and the inclusion bodies in monolayer were increased with DEAE-dextran pretreatment at 30microgram/ml. Also application of a centrifugal force of 1.500 xg for at least 15 minute during inoculation enhanced the growth of C. pneumoniae. The best concentration of cycloheximide in the culture medium for host cell cytostasis was 1microgram/ml. The yields of organisms were greater when the cultures were harvested at 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that this system may make it more practical for laboratories to culture for C. pneumoniae.

Adjuvant effect of DEAE-dextran and tetanus toxoid on whole cell heat inactivated phenol preserved typhoid vaccine.

Active mouse protection test (AMPT) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to determine the immunogenicity of whole cell typhoid vaccine when administered in conjunction with either tetanus toxoid (TT) or DEAE-Dextran (DD). Immunization of mice with whole cell typhoid vaccine showed enhanced potency either when administered in conjunction with TT or DD and values were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in comparison to conventional or standard typhoid vaccines. For ELISA, the mice were immunized with 2 different schedules, one in which a single dose of 0.25 ml subcutaneously (s/c) was administered and in another two doses of 0.25 ml each s/c, 14 days apart. In case of single dose schedule of immunization D vaccine (Whole cell typhoid + 5 mg/ml DD) showed significant increase of immune response (3.201 log10) as compared to plain vaccine (2.550 log10). Two dose schedule further increased the titres to 3.856 log10. DD adjuvanted vaccine showed higher potency by AMPT as compared to the TT adjuvanted vaccine or plain vaccine. The present study clearly demonstrates that a single dose of 0.25 ml which is equivalent to half of the conventionally used single human dose of typhoid vaccine adjuvanted with DD can significantly improve the immunogenicity of the vaccine.