Identification of major classes of cholinergic neurons in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) is specifically synthesized by the enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Subsequently, it is loaded into synaptic vesicles by a specific vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). We have generated antibodies that recognize ChAT or VAChT in a model organism, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, in order to examine the subcellular and cellular distributions of these cholinergic proteins. ChAT and VAChT are found in the same neurons, including more than one-third of the 302 total neurons present in the adult hermaphrodite. VAChT is found in synaptic regions, whereas ChAT appears to exist in two forms in neurons, a synapse-enriched form and a more evenly distributed possibly cytosolic form. We have used antibodies to identify the cholinergic neurons in the body of larval and adult hermaphrodites. All of the classes of putative excitatory motor neurons in the ventral nerve cord appear to be cholinergic: the DA and DB neurons in the first larval stage and the AS, DA, DB, VA, VB, and VC neurons in the adult. In addition, several interneurons with somas in the tail and processes in the tail or body are cholinergic; sensory neurons are generally not cholinergic. Description of the normal pattern of cholinergic proteins and neurons will improve our understanding of the role of cholinergic neurons in the behavior and development of this model organism.

[Observation on effect of double filtration plasmapheresis on patients with active rheumatoid arthritis in active stage].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) on blood contents of rheumatoid factor (RF), C reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in active stage, and to appraise the therapeutic effect of DFPP on RA. METHODS: The changes in contents of blood RF, CRP, ESR before and after DFPP were compared. The treatment was given for 2-3 times, and the activity of RA and the appearance of filtrate plasma were compared before and after the treatment. RESULTS: There were dramatic reductions of the levels of RF, CRP, ESR after single DFPP by 22.55%, 57.08% and 50.48%, respectively, compared with those before the treatment (all P<0.001). The color of the filtrate was green in RA in active stage. The cases with dark green filtrate had higher active indexes (pain, tenderness, swelling) and blood contents of CRP and ESR than those with green or yellow-green ones (all P<0.001). CONCLUSION: DFPP can remarkably reduce the level of RF, CRP, ESR of blood. The filtrate of RA in active stage appeared green. There is a relationship between the activity of RA and the color of filtrates.