Regulation of IL-2 beta receptor expression and beta-chain mRNA by human thymocytes

The high affinity form of the human IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) has two known components, the IL-2R alpha (p55) and the IL-2R beta chain (p75). We have previously shown that recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) could induce the expression of the alpha-chain (p55) on T cells and thymocytes, and increase this expression following suboptimal activation with concanavalin A (Con A) in combination with IL-2. An increase in the accumulation of IL-2R alpha-specific mRNA induced by rIL-2 in T cells and thymocytes had also been documented. We report here that the expression of IL-2R beta on the cell surface can be demonstrated on human thymocytes by the binding of Mik beta1, a MoAb directed against an epitope of the beta-chain. The IL-2R beta chain is constitutively expressed on freshly isolated thymocytes; this expression can be increased in thymocytes activated with Con A in combination with IL-2 or tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). Blocking the formation of high affinity receptors with a MoAb directed against the alpha-chain of the receptor results in an increase in the display of IL-2R beta as evidenced by binding of MoAb Mik beta1. The accumulation of IL-2R-beta-specific mRNA is observed in freshly isolated thymocytes and it is increased in thymocytes cultured with rIL-2 alone, with Con A, and further enhanced by the addition of rIL-2 in combination with Con A or with TPA. Cyclosporine (CsA), which inhibits the accumulation of lymphokine-specific mRNA of thymocytes, does not inhibit the induction of the accumulation of IL-2R beta-specific mRNA. This is analogous to its effect on the expression of the alpha-chain (p55), and the accumulation of alpha-chain-specific mRNA.

[Continuous observation of the electrocardiogram following experimental cerebral hemorrhage]

An intracranial injection of 5 ml of heparinized autoblood was made into 14 healthy domestic dogs. Model of experimental cerebral hemorrhage was made. 7 dogs of a control group were not injected with the blood. Electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded before operation, 6 hours after operation and once a day from the first to the seventh day after operation in order to observe the changes of ECG after cerebral hemorrhage. The result indicated that 11 dogs (78.57%) among the dogs of the hemorrhage group had abnormal ECG after operation, but only 2 (28.57%) of the 7 dogs of the control group were so. Comparison between the two groups showed significant difference, P less than 0.01. Abnormal ECG displayed the earliest during the postoperation 6 hours. These abnormal phenomena, mainly obvious in T wave changes and prolongation of the Q-T interval, were transient and began to disappear on the third day.

XH1--a new cervical carcinoma cell line and xenograft model of tumour invasion, 'metastasis' and regression

A new cell line, XH1, has been derived from an invasive focally keratinising adenosquamous carcinoma of the cervix in a 32 year old patient. It has been maintained in long term monolayer culture for 26 months, and passaged over 100 times (much greater than 300 population doublings). It is aneuploid with a mean chromosome number of 78. Examination using two minisatellite hypervariable DNA probes has shown it to be different from other cell lines maintained in this laboratory and from HeLa. Two sublines, XH1a and XH1b, show marked differences in monolayer culture, growth in soft agar, and xenograft formation. XH1 and XH1a cells readily form subcutaneous xenografts, and lung colonies can be established by their intravenous injection. Subcutaneous injection of XH1b cells results in rapid cell growth for a few days after which the tumour undergoes degeneration and then regresses completely. The XH1 karyotype has many rearranged chromosomes. Parental XH1 cells and both sublines show integration of HPV16 into the genome.

[Dietary factors and esophageal cancer: a case-control study]

A hospital-based case-control study of 112 patients with esophageal cancer was conducted to explore the association of dietary factors with cancer of the esophagus. Each case was matched to one non-cancerous patient from surgical department in the hospital of the same sex, age (+/- 5 years), occupation (farmer or nonfarmer), and residence as control. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the consumption of moldy grains (odds ratio (OR), 4.08), pickled vegetables (OR, 2.57), tea drinking habit (OR, 5.65), and hot food consumption (OR, 2.53) were significant risk factors for esophageal cancer. Intake of eggs (OR, 0.30) and higher proportion of flour and rice in the grain ration (greater than 30% vs. less than or equal to 30%) (OR, 0.43) were protective factors. Relations between factors were also discussed in the paper.

[Studies on the quality standards of huaijiao wan]

TLC and PC have been used in the qualitative study of huaijiao wan. The contents of the total flavones and volatile oils in huaijiao wan have been determined. The proposed method can be used to control the quality of huaijiao wan.

[Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral nerve tumors]

Flow cytometric DNA analysis was performed on formalin fixed paraffin-embedded samples taken from 43 cases of peripheral nerve tumors. Fourteen samples were taken from benign tumors, 11 from actively proliferative tumors and 12 from malignant tumors. Ploidy pattern and proliferative index of tumors were estimated. All samples of benign tumors showed a diploid model of DNA content whereas DNA aneuploidy was encountered in 75% (12/16) of the malignant tumors and 25% (4/16) of the actively proliferative tumors. The proliferative index (PI) of benign tumors (medium: 24.8%) was lower than that of proliferative tumors (medium: 42.7%). The proliferative index of malignant tumors was the highest in the experimental group (medium: 51.2%). These results were conformable to the malignant degree of histologic grading and prognosis.

Microskin grafting. I. Animal experiments

This article reports a new grafting technique--microskin grafting. These experiments were carried out in rabbits, and used a small amount of autograft minced into tiny pieces and then spread on a piece of homograft. The combined autograft plus homograft was then transplanted onto the wound of a rabbit. In 12 rabbits, the microskin grafts took well and covered the wound completely in 8 rabbits. The expansion ratios of the micrografts were from 7:1 to 15:1. The healing time of the wound was from 19 to 35 days. The operation failed in 4 rabbits because of the homograft moving. Histological sections revealed that microskin grafts orientated upwards can grow well and those orientated in a lateral or downward direction can grow too. This technique is an effective procedure for repairing extensive wounds with smaller donor sites.

Microskin grafting. II. Clinical report

A technique for microskin grafting for treating extensively burned patients is presented. Eight extensively burned patients were treated in this way with encouraging results. The recipient area covered by microskin grafts ranged from 2.5 per cent to 44 per cent of the total body surface area (TBSA). The expansion ratio of the micrografts was 15:1 maximum. The micrografts took well in seven patients with the healing time ranging from 22 to 45 days post-operatively. One case failed because of sloughing of the homograft. The advantages of the microskin grafting are: (1) economical use of autografts, (2) the procedure is simple, (3) there is less scar on the recipient site. This new technique is effective, simple and feasible in extensive burns.