Secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein by an ovarian germ cell tumor of apparent yolk sac origin

alpha-Fetoprotein (alpha FP) and four placental proteins, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human placental lactogen (hpL), pregnancy specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1), and placental protein 5 (PP5), were measured in a 17-year-old patient with endodermal sinus tumor of the ovary. The circulating levels of alpha FP were consistently high (more than 14 mg/ml), and alpha FP was localized in tissue sections using immunohistochemical techniques. None of the four placental proteins was detectable in serum samples, but hCG was detected in urinary concentrates in an episodic manner. This ectopic hCG resembled placental hCG in its physicochemical and immunological characteristics. Unlike alpha FP, hCG was not detected in the tumor by immunohistochemical methods. This study indicates that the neoplasm elaborated both hCG and alpha FP. Whether pure endodermal sinus tumor of the ovary is capable of secreting hCG cannot be answered by this study because of limited histologic sampling. The likelihood that this represents a mixed germ cell tumor in which only the endodermal sinus tumor element was sampled remains a possibility. This study also indicates that the 24-hr urinary concentrate is far more sensitive than serum samples for hCG detection.

Reactivation of Chlamydia trachomatis lung infection in mice by cortisone

To study the latency, chronicity, and recurrent nature of chlamydial infection, we attempted to reactivate Chlamydia trachomatis lung infection in mice by immunosuppressive therapy with cortisone. Mice were treated with subcutaneous injections of cortisone acetate (125 mg/kg) every other day, starting on day 14 after intranasal inoculation of C. trachomatis serotype B (TW-5). C. trachomatis was recovered from the lungs beginning day 6 after the start of cortisone treatment until the end of the observation period on day 12 of treatment. Overall, the reactivation was successful in 8 of 55 mice treated with cortisone, in contrast to 0 of 41 inoculated, untreated mice (P = 0.009) and 0 of 35 uninoculated, treated mice. Cortisone treatment affected the ability of peritoneal exudate cells to respond to migratory inhibition after exposure to purified whole organisms of C. trachomatis serotype B (TW-5) but had little effect on serum antibody titers, indicating a possible role for cellular immunity in resistance against C. trachomatis infection in the lung.