A novel resin glycoside, merremin (tuguajalapin X dimer), from Merremia hungaiensis.

A novel resin glycoside, merremin (1), has been isolated from the root of Merremia hungaiensis (Convolvulaceae). The structure has been determined to be an ester-type dimer of tuguajalapin X (2) on the basis of chemical and spectral data.

Possible involvement of dihydrofructosazine in the DNA breaking activity of D-glucosamine.

Dehydrochlorination of D-glucosamine (2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose) hydrochloride with an anion exchange resin made its DNA breaking activity in plasmid pBR322 much higher, especially in the presence of Cu2+. The sample of anion exchanger-treated D-glucosamine hydrochloride, i.e., HCL-free D-glucosamine sample, showed an absorption maximum at 274 nm on the UV absorption spectrum in water as seen in the case of fructosazine [2,5-bis(D-arabino-tetrahydroxybutyl)pyrazine] one of the dimers of D-glucosamine. On a positive-ion fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrum, the sample showed an ion peak at m/z 323 as a base peak, corresponding to dihydrofructosazine [2,5-bis(D-arabino-tetrahydroxybutyl) dihydropyrazine], which was a precursor of fructosazine, as well as those of D-glucosamine itself (m/z 180) and fructosazine (m/z 321). The DNA strand breaking activity of HCL-free D-glucosamine sample was directly proportional to the peak intensity of m/z 323 ion, while the DNA breaking activity of fructosazine was much weaker than that of HCL-free D-glucosamine sample. 2,5-Dihydro-3,6-dimethylprazine and 2,3-dihydro-5,6-dimethylpyrazine having a dihydropyrazine skeleton the same as dihydrofructosazine showed the same extent of DNA strand breaking activity as did the HCL-free D-glucosamine sample. These results indicated that dihydrofructosazine produced during the dehydrochlorination is closely involved in the DNA breaking activity of HCL-free D-glucosamine sample.

Studies on the constituents of Luffa acutangula Roxb. I. Structures of acutosides A--G, oleanane-type triterpene saponins isolated from the herb.

From the herb of Luffa acutangula ROXB. (Cucurbitaceae), seven oleanane-type triterpene saponins, acutosides A--G, were isolated and their structures were determined. Acutoside A is oleanolic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Acutosides B, D, E, F and G have a common prosapogenin structure, acutoside A, and only differ in the structures of the ester-linked sugar moieties. Acutoside B is a 28-O-[O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1----4)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2) -alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl] ester, D is a 28-O-[O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1----3)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1----4)-O- alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl] ester, E is a 28-O-[O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1----3)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-( 1----4)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl] ester, F is a 28-O-[O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1----3)-[O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1----4)-O -alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl] ester, and G is a 28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1----3)-[O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1- ---3)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1----4)]-O-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl] ester. Acutoside C is a machaelinic acid (=21 beta-hydroxyoleanolic acid) saponin having the same sugar moiety as that of acutoside B.

Seroconversion to virus-specific pre-early nuclear antigens in infants with primary cytomegalovirus infection.

Antibodies to human cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific antigens were determined in sera serially collected from 10 infants with primary CMV infection. Antibodies to pre-early nuclear antigens (PENA), which are detectable in human embryonic lung cells within 3 h of CMV infection by anticomplement immunofluorescence staining, developed in all the patients. However, in contrast to the early response of anti-early antigens (EA), anti-late antigens (LA), and immunoglobulin M antimembrane antigens (MA), seroconversion or the maximum antibody response to PENA was usually observed 1 or more months later. Immunoglobulin M antibody to MA became undetectable soon after recovery from illness, followed by a decrease in anti-EA, anti-PENA, and then anti-LA titers. Results indicated analogy of the clinical significance of anti-PENA in CMV infection to that of anti-Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen in infectious mononucleosis and support the idea that parallel determinations of anti-PENA and IgM anti-MA antibodies can be useful for identifying the acute or chronic phase of primary CMV infection.

Humoral and cellular immune response to varicella-zoster virus in children inoculated with live attenuated varicella vaccine.

Twenty-seven hospitalized children without a history of varicella were vaccinated with 500 plaque forming units of live attenuated varicella vaccine (Oka strain) and followed for four to five weeks at weekly intervals for the development of virus-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and neutralizing (NT) antibody activity. These children had suffered from heterogeneous underlying diseases, such as acute leukemia, lymphoma, the nephrotic syndrome, and other chronic illnesses and were in various immunological states. Development of specific CMI, detected by lymphocyte transformation (LTF), was observed in 23 of the 27 children. The appearance of LTF activity in immunologically handicapped patients was delayed and/or rather suppressed compared with that of immunologically normal patients. An antibody response was detected in 26 of the 27 children. All of the vaccinated patients were protected effectively against a subsequent outbreak of varicella in the ward.

Development and characteristics of the cellular immune response to infection with varicella-zoster virus.

Techniques for assay of in vitro lymphocyte transformation (LTF) were used with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) as the antigen to study the temporal characteristics of the VZV-specific cellular immune response in children with varicella and in normal subjects with a history of the illness. The LTF response in children with only vesicular eruptions was prompt, and individual peak activity was detected within one to two weeks after the onset of illness, followed by a gradual decrease of the activity to lower levels. Patients with a complication of meningoencephalitis showed a marked delay in the development of peak activity. No consistent defference in the development of complement-fixing antibody to VZV was observed in these patients with different clinical manifestations. The LTF response of normal subjects with remote clinical evidence of varicella was characterized by occasional high activity, a finding that suggests reinfection with VZV. These observations provide additional evidence that the specific cellular immune response is heavily involved in the pathogenesis of VZV infection.

Stomach cancer of a 14-year-old boy with ataxia-telangiectasia.

A 14-year-old boy with ataxia-telangiectasis died of pneumonia, stomach cancer and its diffuse metastasis. The onset of walding gait was noticed from 3 years of age. Immune globulin including IgA was normal or slightly increased. Main autopsy findings were: old cancerous ulcer of 1.4 X 2.3 cm at the lesser curvature, and diffuse cancer infiltration over ulcer surface to serous membrane. The tumor was diagnosed histologically as adenocarcinoma tabulare mucocellulare.