Effect of Anti-Glutamate Antibodies in Modeled Parkinsonian Syndrome.

We studied the effect of single and repeated intranasal administration of antibodies to glutamate in experimental parkinsonian syndrome induced by injections of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) to C57BL/6J mice. Intranasal administration of anti-glutamate antibodies to mice in parallel with administration of MPTP over 10 days alleviated parkinsonian symptoms (oligokinesia and rigidity). In the serum of mice injected with antibodies to glutamate and/or MPTP, the titers of autoantibodies to glutamate and dopamine were higher than in control animals receiving saline. Single intranasal administration of anti-glutamate antibodies to mice with established parkinsonian syndrome did not affect the severity of parkinsonian symptoms.

[Immunosupressive effect of hypokinetic stress and sensitization of thymus to glucocorticoids].

24-hour hypokinetic stress expressed in decrease of sensitivity of cellular and humoral immu nity to subsequent immunization with sheep erythrocytes was studied. The development of this phenomenon is associated with sensitization of lymphoid tissue to hypoplasia effect of glycocorticoid hormones. In introduction of glycocorticoid stress, the animals revealed a more pronounced depression of proliferative activity of thymocytes compared with non stressed animals.

Severe hypokinesis caused by paraneoplastic anti-Ma2 encephalitis associated with bilateral intratubular germ-cell neoplasm of the testes.

We report a 40-year-old man with severe hypokinesis as paraneoplastic manifestation of a microscopic "carcinoma in situ" of the testis. The young age of the patient, along with progressive neurologic deterioration, detection of anti-Ma2 antibodies, and ultrasound findings of bilateral microcalcifications, led to bilateral orchiectomy, revealing the tumor in both testes. After orchiectomy, neurological symptoms stabilized, but the patient eventually died of systemic complications caused by his severe neurological deficits. Anti-Ma2 paraneoplastic encephalitis should be considered in patients with severe hypokinesis, and intensive investigation and aggressive approach to treatment is encouraged to prevent progression of the neurological deficits.

Responses of guinea pig pups during isolation in a novel environment may represent stress-induced sickness behaviors.

When guinea pig pups are isolated in a novel environment, they show an initial active phase of behavioral responsiveness characterized by vocalizations and locomotor activity. One earlier study found that after about an hour, pups began to exhibit a second, passive stage of responsiveness marked by a crouched stance, eye-closing, and extensive piloerection. The present experiments tested the hypothesis that the responses during the second, passive stage result from the isolation experience activating pathways underlying the acute phase response, i.e., that behaviors of the second stage represent "stress-induced sickness behaviors". We found the following: (1) the passive stage did not emerge if pups remained with the mother during exposure to a novel cage; (2) injection of lipopolysaccharide, which induces an acute phase response, also led pups to exhibit crouching, eye-closing, and piloerection; and, (3) isolation in the novel cage produced a rise in rectal temperature, but did not affect peripheral or central levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-immunoreactivity. Overall, these results are consistent with the notion that stress-induced sickness behaviors can account for some of the behaviors of isolated guinea pig pups, though if this is the case, cytokines other than IL-1beta appear to be involved.

[The effect of hypokinesia on the development of allergic reactions in an experiment]. / Vliianie gipokinezii na razvitie allergicheskikh reaktsii v éksperimente.

434 mature and immature guinea pigs were divided into two groups. Test animals were kept under hypokinesia for 72 days. Control animals were not exposed to hypokinesia. Sensitization was made on day 60 in both the groups. On sensitization day 10, blood count was made, on day 12 anaphylactic shock was induced in all the animals. Allergological and immunological tests have shown that hypokinesia contributes to development of immediate allergy in animals of different age and therefore can be considered as a risk factor of allergy of immediate type.

[Stress increases the population of splenic macrophages, permissive for Langat virus, in mice]. / Stress uvelichivaet u myshei subpopuliatsiiu permissivnykh dlia virusa Langat selezenovhnykh makrofagov.

As shown in experiments on BALB/c mice, stress caused by hypokinesia is associated with a 3- to 8-fold increase in the number of splenic macrophages, permissive to Langat virus. No changes in the proportion of T and B lymphocytes in the spleen of the animals occur under the influence of the stress. Simultaneously with an increase in the subpopulation of permissive splenic macrophages, the stressed mice have exhibited an increase in sensitivity to intraperitoneal infection with Langat virus.