Hypothyroidism due to ectopy in siblings

Two families each had two siblings with hypothyroidism due to ectopy and hypoplasia of the thyroid. A genetic factor controlling normal thyroid development and descent may be responsible, and the importance of plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone estimation in borderline hypothyroid cases is emphasized. We suggest screening of siblings of patients with ectopic thyroid for hypothyroidism.

Establishment of a continuous tumor-cell line (panc-1) from a human carcinoma of the exocrine pancreas

An epithelioid cell line, started from a human pancreatic carcinoma of ductal cell origin, has been maintained in culture for over 2 years and has been subcultured more than 40 times. The PANC-1 cell line has a doubling time of 52 h and G6PD activity of the slow mobility of B type. Chromosome studies show a modal number of 63 with three distinct marker chromosomes and a small ring chromosome. The malignant nature of the PANC-1 cell line was verified by: (1) the ready growth of PANC-1 cells in soft agar and on top of a fibroblast monolayer; and (2) the formation of a progressively growing anaplastic carcinoma after injection of a nude-athymic mouse with PANC-1 cells.

Preparation and characterization of rabbit IgG fractions

Rabbit IgG has been purified and further fractionated by deae-cellulose column chromatography to yield three fractions, Fr-I,-II and -III-1 that span a broad range in the heterogeneous molecular population of IgG. Immunodiffusion established that these fractions are free from contamination by IgA, IgM, transferrin, and hemopexin. The three fractions were assayed for neutral hexose and sialic acid; Fr-III-1 and Fr-I yielded the highest and lowest values for these components, resepctively. The order of elution from DEAE-cellulose and the electrophoretic mobilities of the fractions correlate with their content of sialic acid. Digestion of Fr-I with papain is much more rapid and complete than that of Fr-III-1. Treatment with neuraminidase to remove sialic acid from each fraction does not affect the comparative susceptibility to digestion by papain. The fractions can also be distinguished by the relative amounts of H-L half molecules and H chains formed under identical conditions of reduction with cysteine and by differences in their ability to bind with IgG receptors on the fetal rabbit yolk sac membrane. The results are discussed in the context of the structures of IgG in the heterogeneous population of molecules and the possible relation to the oligosaccharide moieties of the IgG molecules in that population.

A nonfatal case of intentional scopolamine poisoning

Scopolamine, a drug not usually found in poisoning, was found to be the cause of toxicity in three persons. This paper stresses the need to confirm any unusual iodoplatinate spots that may occur in emergency drug screening. Gastric lavages appear to be the most useful source for recovering belladonna compounds as no scopolamine was found in the urine, either at admission or the day after. Atropine and scopolamine are easily separated from each other by TLC and GLC but homatropine separates poorly from atropine.

Alkaline phosphatase. Possible induction by cyclic AMP after cholera enterotoxin administration

The present studies were undertaken to determine the role, if any, of cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) as a chemical inducer of rat liver alkaline phosphatase. Cholera enterotoxin, given intravenously to rats, led to a rapid rise in the activity of hepatic adenyl cyclase that was 7(1/2) times greater than control values in 6 h. Cyclic AMP levels were also significantly increased above control values while the activity of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase was unchanged. Hepatic alkaline phosphatase activity was increased 5(1/2) times above control in 12 h, but its rise followed that of adenyl cyclase and cyclic AMP by several hours. Cycloheximide inhibited the rise of hepatic alkaline phosphatase but not that of adenyl cyclase. The administration of glucagon, a known stimulator of hepatic adenyl cyclase, and of dibutyryl cyclic AMP, led to similar striking increases in hepatic alkaline phosphatase activity. This alkaline phosphatase increase was blocked by the prior administration of cycloheximide. Bile duct ligation, a known stimulator of hepatic alkaline phosphatase activity, failed to produce any significant changes in adenyl cyclase or cyclic AMP. Concomitant treatment of rats with bile duct ligation and cholera enterotoxin or bile duct ligation and glucagon, had no additive effect on the increase in hepatic alkaline phosphatase activity, although the increase occurred earlier. These results suggest that: (a) cyclic AMP may act as an inducer of hepatic alkaline phosphatase: (b) the stimulation of hepatic alkaline phosphatase by cholera enterotoxin is mediated by cyclic AMP; (c) the rise in hepatic alkaline phosphatase following bile duct ligation is not mediated by cyclic AMP; (d) the same alkaline phosphatase in rat liver may be induced by two (or more) mechanisms, only one of which requires cyclic AMP.