The ownership memory self-reference effect shifts recognition criterion but not recognition sensitivity.

Information referenced to the self is retrieved more accurately than information referenced to others, known as the memory self-reference effect. It is unclear, however, whether social context (identity of the other) or task factors alter decision-making processes. In a virtual object allocation task, female participants sorted objects into their own or another's (stranger or mother) basket based on a colour cue. Subsequently, they performed a recognition memory task in which they first indicated whether each object was old or new, and then whether it had been allocated to themselves or to the other. We obtained owner-specific hit rates and false-alarm rates and applied signal detection theory to derive separate recognition sensitivity (d') and recognition criterion parameters (c) for self- and other-owned objects. While there was no clear evidence of a recognition self-reference effect, or a change in sensitivity, participants adopted a more conservative recognition criterion for self- compared with other-owned objects, and particularly when the other-referent was the participant's mother compared with the stranger. Moreover, when discriminating whether the originally presented objects were self- or other-owned, participants were biased toward ascribing ownership to the 'other'. We speculate that these findings reflect ownership-based changes in decisional processing during the recognition memory self-reference paradigm.

The use of flow cytometry as a tool for monitoring filament formation of fungi.

Flow cytometry (FC) has the ability to discriminate a variety of cell parameters including cell size and complexity, and fluorescence intensity. As yeast cells or fungal spores germinate they undergo a morphological transformation from round oval shaped cells to elongate filamentous forms. To date, monitoring these events has been performed using microscopic examination. Microscopic examination is a labor intensive process that examines a very small percentage of the total cell population. We have developed a method using FC that is rapid, simple to perform, and reproducible. The major advantages of FC include analysis of a larger number of cells, increased objectivity due to nonselective measurements of all cells in the population studied, and the computer related data analysis capability of the flow cytometer.

Comparison of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)--mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells and G-CSF--stimulated bone marrow as a source of stem cells in HLA-matched sibling transplantation.

HLA-identical bone marrow or stem cell transplantation from a sibling is the preferred treatment for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia, bone marrow failure syndromes, relapsed acute leukemia, and specific inborn errors of metabolism. Several groups have shown that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)--mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) obtained from HLA-matched siblings are effective in reconstitution of marrow function after marrow ablative conditioning therapy. To evaluate whether G-CSF treatment before bone marrow harvest leads to enhanced recovery of PBPC counts and recovery from limited graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), we assessed the outcome of a sequential cohort of patients treated identically and then given either G-CSF--mobilized PBPCs or G-CSF--stimulated bone marrow from HLA-identical siblings. We show that the time to neutrophil engraftment is identical in the 2 cohorts, whereas platelet engraftment is earlier with the use of PBPCs. The incidence of acute GVHD was decreased, and that of chronic GVHD significantly decreased, in the group receiving bone marrow. Overall survival was not different between the 2 groups. Thus, G-CSF--stimulated bone marrow offers a source of stem cells that allows for early neutrophil engraftment with a decreased risk of GVHD.

Cryptococcus neoformans differential gene expression detected in vitro and in vivo with green fluorescent protein.

Synthetic green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used as a reporter to detect differential gene expression in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Promoters from the C. neoformans actin, GAL7, or mating-type alpha pheromone (MFalpha1) genes were fused to GFP, and the resulting reporter genes were used to assess gene expression in serotype A C. neoformans. Yeast cells containing an integrated pACT::GFP construct demonstrated that the actin promoter was expressed during vegetative growth on yeast extract-peptone-dextrose medium. In contrast, yeast cells containing the inducible GAL7::GFP or MFalpha1::GFP reporter genes expressed significant GFP activity only during growth on galactose medium or V-8 agar, respectively. These findings demonstrated that the GAL7 and MFalpha1 promoters from a serotype D C. neoformans strain function when introduced into a serotype A strain. Because the MFalpha1 promoter is induced by nutrient deprivation and the MATalpha locus containing the MFalpha1 gene has been linked with virulence, yeast cells containing the pMFalpha1::GFP reporter gene were analyzed for GFP expression in the central nervous system (CNS) of immunosuppressed rabbits. In fact, significant GFP expression from the MFalpha1::GFP reporter gene was detected after the first week of a CNS infection. These findings suggest that there are temporal, host-specific cues that regulate gene expression during infection and that the MFalpha1 gene is induced during the proliferative stage of a CNS infection. In conclusion, GFP can be used as an effective and sensitive reporter to monitor specific C. neoformans gene expression in vitro, and GFP reporter constructs can be used as an approach to identify a novel gene(s) or to characterize known genes whose expression is regulated during infection.

Establishing a pure lymphocyte gate for subset analysis by flow cytometry.

Development of a more cost-effective and efficient method of performing lymphocyte subset analysis is of continuing importance in clinical flow cytometry laboratories. Current two-color methods utilize forward and right angle light scatter and multiple tubes per sample and are thereby liable to gate contamination. Methods using three-color analysis with CD45 vs. right angle light scatter (RALS) gating cannot always exclude a contaminating nonlymphoid population. We have established a two tube approach to directly measure total T cells, T suppressor, and T helper subsets, total B cells and total natural killer cells. The technique involves staining of whole blood with a mixture of five monoclonal antibodies conjugated to three fluorochromes: CD4+CD19 fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), CD3+CD33 phycoerythrin (PE), CD45 peridin chlorophyll alpha protein (PerCP), CD8+CD16 FITC, CD3+CD33 PE, and CD45 PerCP. Analysis is performed using a single laser flow cytometer. This method has equivalent recovery to and improved purity of the lymphocyte gate when compared to well-established methods. These antibody combinations additionally allow clear separation of lymphocytes from other leukocytes and debris as well as separation of the T cell helper and suppressor subsets, natural killer cells and B lymphocytes. We additionally provide preliminary data that an accurate lymphocyte subset analysis can be performed on a single tube containing five antibodies (CD4+CD19 FITC, CD3+CD33 PE, and CD45 PerCP), although some measurements are performed deductively.

Detection of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase by flow cytometry: a three color method.

This short communication describes a three-color flow cytometric analysis procedure for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). The method combines CD45-gating principles and a new permeabilization method based on a commercially prepared lysing reagent. While traditional permeabilizing fixatives are often cumbersome to use, distort cell light scatter, and fail to retain the fluorochrome peridin chlorophyll alpha protein (perCP), this simple method retains light scatter and does not affect perCP, making it ideal for three-color analysis. The procedure simply involves staining whole blood or bone marrow with CD45 perCP and an appropriate phycoerythrin (PE) conjugated monoclonal antibody (MoAb) and lysing with FACS lysing solution (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA). After washing the cells, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated anti-TdT is added. The cells are washed, fixed with formaldehyde, and acquired on a flow cytometer compensated for three-color analysis. Display of CD45 perCP vs. right angle light scatter (RALS) allows identification of blasts. Dual color expression of anti-TdT FITC and a PE conjugated MoAb identifies TdT expression on blast populations defined by specific lineage associated antigens. This method is not only useful for TdT analysis but may also prove to be a valuable tool for looking at expression of other cytoplasmic antigens in combination with surface antigens on CD45-defined blast populations.