Massive intramedullary globules in IgA monoclonal gammopathy associated with gastric carcinoma

The bone marrow of a patient with IgA monoclonal gammopathy associated with gastric carcinoma was massively infiltrated with extracellular globules of varying sizes from 2 to 110 micron. These exposed globules were not found in the metastatic lesions heavily infiltrated with plasma cells, but were exclusively confined to the bone marrow. They were indistinguishable from Russell bodies and composed of monoclonal immunoglobulin (IgA, lambda). Of interest is the fact that, despite a small number of plasma cells, there was an intramedullary extensive infiltration of exposed globules. The following conditions may be related to these changes. (1) The globules were not removed rapidly by effectual phagocytosis. (2) The environment of the bone marrow may be favorable for their remaining. In our case, however, the possibility that the plasma cells around the tumor were not of the same clonal origin as the marrow plasma cells cannot be ruled out. (3) The marrow plasma cells may produce immunoglobulin more vigorously, whereas their survival time be shorter than usual. As a result, these exposed globules released on the death of the cells accumulated massively in the bone marrow.

Screening for primary immunodeficiencies associated with purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency or adenosine deaminase deficiency

A screening method has been established for PNP deficiency. This enzyme activity in dried blood absorbed on filter paper can be detected by the formation of a blue insoluble formazan with a gel containing inosine, xanthine oxidase, MTT-tetrazolium, and phenazine methosulfate. The color change is very clear and definite and no false results have been obtained in the testing of 256 enzyme-positive and 107 enzyme-negative samples. The enzyme activity in dried blood on filter paper is so stable at room temperature that samples can be mailed. A screening method for ADA deficiency was developed, also depending on the color change of MTT-tetrazolium. Although the test is slightly more expensive than that developed by Moore and Meuwissen, its accuracy is greater. A common screening method for detecting deficiencies of either PNP or ADA is described.

Effects of phenobarbital and endotoxin on the lethality and metabolism of 6-mercaptopurine in male BALB/c mice

In male BALB/c mice, a combination of individually non-lethal doses of 6-mercaptopurine and endotoxin was significantly lethal. In contrast, mice treated with phenobarbital were resistant to this lethal effect. The high levels of thioinosinic acid in mice that were treated with endotoxin contrasted significantly with the levels in phenobarbital-treated mice. On the other hand, the concentration of hypoxanthine was increased by the administration of phenobarbital and decreased by the administration of endotoxin. The sleeping time and levels of pentobarbital hydroxylase found in endotoxin-treated mice were consistent with the lethality and levels of thioinosinic acid. After mice were treated with endotoxin, their sleeping time was prolonged, which agrees with the course of the stimulatory effects of 6-mercaptopurine anabolism. However, there were no significant differences in hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase. Furthermore, contrary to expectation, there were significant increases in xanthine oxidase after treatment with endotoxin. Thus, the metabolism of 6-mercaptopurine might be modified by hepatic microsomal enzyme activity.

Comparative study of 6-mercaptopurine metabolism in human leukemic leukocytes and L1210 cells

Leukocytes from patients with leukemia and L1210 cells from mice were examined for the rate of formation and cellular concentration of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate, the rate of thioinosinic acid formation, and a number of selected enzymes involved in purine nucleotide synthesis. The amount of thioinosinic acid formed in L1210 cells was much higher than that in human leukemic leukocytes. In cell extracts, the synthesis of thioinosinic acid was similar in both cell types, and the amount of purine phosphoribosyltransferase was not rate limiting in either case. Much higher concentrations and rates of formation of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate were found in L1210 cells than in human leukemic leukocytes. The difference in response to 6-mercaptopurine between L1210 cells and human leukemic leukocytes might be attributed to their difference in supply of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate. Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate-amidotransferase was found to be high in L1210 cells, but was not detected in human leukemic leukocytes.

RNA-reverse transcriptase complex from cultured human myeloma-leukemia cells

A high molecular weight RNA-reverse transcriptase complex in the culture media of peripheral leukocytes obtained from two Japanese patients with myeloma-leukemia was detected by demonstration of a 3H-uridine peak and a peak of DNA polymerizing activity banding at a density of 1.15-1.19g/ml. The enzyme in the complex was able to utilize poly(rA)-d(pT)10 or poly (rC)-d(pG) 12-18, but not poly (dA)-d(pT) 10 or (dT) 12-18 as template-primers. The sucrose density sedimentation analysis revealed that RNA in the complex sedimented at a location of approximately 50s and 20-30s.

Preleukemic states in atomic bomb survivors in Japan

Cytologic and cytogenetic studies were performed on the bone marrow cells in atomic bomb-exposed patients who had prolonged periods of blood disorders with termination of acute leukemia (group I, 6 cases) and without the termination (group II, 6 cases), and survivors who were in apparent good health (group III, 85 cases). All but one patient in group I, who were examined at the preleukemic state, had abnormal clones. In 4 out of 6 of group I patients, morphologic abnormalities of bone marrow cells taken 3-10 years before leukemic development were found, such as giant neutrophils or basophils, binucleated granulocytes or megakaryocytes, and bridge formation of chromatid in metaphases. All patients in group II had stable types of chromosome aberrations. The types of cytologic abnormalities were similar to those in group I, but the frequencies were a little less than those in group I. In group III, 14 persons were found to have stable types of chromosome aberrations, of which 11 persons had apparent but transient clone formations. Cytologic and clinical abnormalities were not observed in the group. The persistent and high percentages of cytologic and cytogenetic abnormalities in patients with prolonged periods of blood disorders, regardless of history of radiation exposure, would suggest a preleukemic state, and also give some clue to the problems of leukemogenesis.

Caffeine potentiation on lethality of L-1210 cells treated with neocarzinostatin

The caffeine potentiation on lethality of L-1210 cells treated with Neocarzinostatin was studied. Colony formation of L-1210 cells treated with Neocarzinostatin was significantly decreased by incubation of the cells for 48 hr with 0.5 mM of caffeine which alone did not affect the growth rate and colony-forming ability of the cells. These results indicate that Neocarzinostatin may induce repairable damage in DNA of L-1210 cells.

Control of pyrimidine biosynthesis in human lymphocytes. Inhibitory effect of guanine and guanosine on induction of enzymes for pyrimidine biosynthesis de novo in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes

Human peripheral lymphocytes were incubated with Phaseolus vulgaris phytohemagglutinin. The induction of glutamine-utilizing carbamyl phosphate synthetase (EC 2.7.2.5) and aspartate transcarbamylase (EC 2.1.3.2) for pyrimidine biosynthesis de novo and the induction of uridine kinase were observed as described previously (Ito, K., and Uchino, H. (1971) J. Biol. Chem. 246, 4060-4065; Ito, K., and Uchino, H. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 389-392; Lucas, Z.J. (1967) Science 156, 1237-1240). By the addition of 1 mM guanine to the culture, the induction of the former two enzymes was inhibited, while that of uridine kinase was not, and even accelerated. An increase in the rate of [14C] bicarbonate incorporation into the acid-soluble uridine nucleotides via the de novo pathway for pyrimidine biosynthesis after phytohemagglutinin stimulation was inhibited by guanine, the incorporation rate being almost at the level of the control culture without phytohemagglutinin. Guanosine had a similar effect on pyrimidine biosynthesis. The induction of the three enzymes mentioned above was completely inhibited by adenine (1 mM). Guanine and guanosine seem to have a unique inhibitory effect on the induction of glutamine-utilizing carbamyl phosphate synthetase and aspartate transcarbamylase.