Iodination of murine thyroglobulin enhances autoimmune reactivity in the NOD.H2 mouse.

Autoimmune thyroiditis in humans has been linked to excess iodine intake. A causative relationship between dietary iodine and thyroiditis has been clearly established in animal models of thyroiditis, including the NOD.H2(h4) mouse strain, which develops enhanced thyroiditis spontaneously after supplementation of drinking water with sodium iodide. To assess the mechanisms by which iodine may contribute to disease pathogenesis, we have purified hypoiodinated thyroglobulin (Lo-I Tg) from the thyroids of mice fed methimazole and potassium perchlorate. This preparation contained only a trace of iodine and was poorly reactive to monoclonal antibody 42C3, which has been shown previously to distinguish hypoiodinated from normal Tg. A cloned T cell line 2D11 from a diseased NOD.H2(h4) mouse proliferated in response to normal Tg, but not to Lo-I Tg. Serum antibodies from NOD.H2(h4) mice with thyroiditis were poorly reactive to Lo-I Tg. To determine that these changes were due specifically to iodine content, Lo-I Tg was reiodinated in vitro. Reiodination of Lo-I Tg partially re-established the reactivity of NOD.H2(h4) serum antibodies. The data demonstrate that the reactivity of thyroglobulin-specific antibodies and certain T cells are dependent on the iodine content of thyroglobulin. These findings suggest that iodine contributes to autoimmune thyroiditis in the NOD.H2(h4) mouse by directly enhancing the antigenicity of thyroglobulin.

Investigation of children with chronic diarrhoea.

OBJECTIVE: To study the lower G.I. endoscopic and histopathological findings in children with chronic diarrhoea. DESIGN: Prospective analysis. SETTING: Hospital based. SUBJECT: 83 children with age up to 14 years admitted in Umaid Hospital, Jodhpur including 33 subjects with chronic diarrhoea and 50 normal children in control group. METHODS: All 83 children including study (33) and control group (50) underwent lower G.I. Endoscopy using FUJINON-SIG-ET sigmoidoscope in older children and PENTAX FG-23H gastroscope in younger children after proper preparation. Rectal biopsies were taken in all the subjects except one and was sent for histopathological examination. RESULTS: Majority (90.8%) were in 0-5 year age group with median age of 3.8 years. We could finally reach to definitive diagnosis in 13% patients with chronic diarrhoea. Over all, colitis was the most common cause. CONCLUSION: Both, endoscopy and biopsy are needed to reach final diagnosis.

T-lymphocyte subsets in the contralateral testis after unilateral blunt testicular trauma in pre-pubertal mice.

Although spermatozoa express antigens, they normally do not produce an immunological response because of the blood-testis barrier and the predominance of CD8(+) T-lymphocytes in the rete testis. Unilateral blunt testicular trauma (UBTT) has been reported to decrease fertility. The present study was designed to evaluate the sub-populations of T-lymphocytes in mice with testicular trauma. Twenty male mice aged 20 days were randomized into control and test groups. At about 70 days of age the contralateral testis was harvested, cell suspensions were prepared, and immunofluorescence staining was performed for detection of CD4(+ )and CD8(+) T-lymphocytes by flow-cytometry. The ratio of CD8(+) and CD4(+) lymphocytes was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the control mice compared to the UBTT group (1.3 +/- 0.3 vs 0.5 +/- 0.01). The results suggest that UBTT alters the CD8(+)/CD4(+) ratio in the contralateral testis, which may have an important bearing on the pathogenesis of infertility in cases of testicular injury.

Comparison of scholastic performances of left handed and right handed students.

An attempt was made to compare the scholastic performance among left and right handed students. Both academic and extra curricular areas were studied among 3608 students from 6th to 12th class, from 10 schools in a rural subdivision of north east Rajasthan. General incidence of left handedness was 8.6% among students, higher in females (12.4%) as compared to males (8.1%). Right handed students performed better in aggregate as well as in individual academic areas (p < 0.05). Left handed students were extreme performers as far as sports and games area was concerned, while right handed students tended to be average performers. Overall handedness affected both the academic and extra-curricular activities except behavior and discipline area (p > 0.05).

Prostaglandin endoperoxides 21. Covalent binding of levuglandin E2 with proteins.

Levuglandin E2 (LGE2), a gamma-ketoaldehyde produced by rearrangement of the prostaglandin endoperoxide PGH2 under the aqueous conditions of its biosynthesis, binds covalently with ram seminal vesicle microsomes. Totally synthetic 5,6-ditritio-LGE2 was prepared and used to determine that rapid covalent binding of LGE2 (initially 800 microM) occurs with 6.4 microM bovine serum albumin (greater than 10 equiv within 1 min) which approaches saturation (approximately 16 equiv) after 40 min at 37 degrees C.

Nature of hepatic damage induced by culture filtrates of seed-borne fungi in the laboratory rat.

Oral intubation of culture filtrates of Aspergillus flavus and A. terreus produced hepatocellular damage in albino rats in the form of perilobular hypertrophy of the parenchymal cells and vacuolar degeneration of cytoplasm. Focal necrosis and early periportal fibrosis were also evident.

Toxicity of fungal metabolites to albino rats.

The oral intubation of culture filtrates produced nephrotoxic damages in the form of marked capillaritis, shrinkage and early fibrosis of glomeruli. Hypertrophy and degeneration of tubular epithelium were also evident. The spleen of treated animals revealed subacute splenitis in the form of congestion of the splenic sinuses.