Gene rearrangement of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Gene Rearrangement is considered to be a helpful tool for diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In this study five patients with clinical diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma were reviewed for their clinical presentation, skin biopsies and surface marker phenotypes. Southern blot analysis of DNA extracted from their skins revealed that rearrangement of T-cell receptor beta chain (TCRB) genes happened in three patients but rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes was absent. TCRB rearrangement could also detect lymphoma involvement of lymph nodes, peripheral blood and bone marrow in our patients. In these conditions, systemic therapy is suggested.

Complications of bone marrow transplantation in Chinese

Forty-three patients with hematopoietic disease were treated with intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from 28 HLA-identical and 10 one to two antigen haploidentical sibling donors and autologous BMT (5 cases). Of these cases, there were 21 with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL), 5 with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), 6 with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), 2 with Hodgkin's disease (HD), 8 with severe-form aplastic anemia (SAA) and 1 with thalassemia. Complications of BMT were evaluated including acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), interstitial pneumonia (IP), veno-occlusive liver disease (VOD), abnormalities of liver function (LF), and alteration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers. In thirty-three patients who were followed up for more than 3 months, we found that the incidence of moderate to severe acute GVHD (9.1%) and IP (two cases, 4.7%) were low. No VOD occurred in our series. During the follow-up period, 27 out of 35 patients (77%) had high alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, even up to 1000 U/liter; however, only one patient succumbed to a hepatitis-related complication. Previous hepatic damage from HBV infection before BMT does not appear to increase the risk of posttransplant morbidity and mortality.

Effect of intracerebroventricular injection of thyrotropin-releasing hormone on the nociceptive discharges in mesencephalic reticular formation in the rat

Extracellular recording method was used to examine the effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on 71 unit discharges of pain-excited neurons (PEN) in mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF) in 58 rats. Intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of TRH (10 micrograms/10 micrograms) produced significant decrease of pain discharge rate of PEN. TRH potentiated the inhibitory effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on nociceptive discharges when application of EA at bilateral "Zusanli" was coupled with icv injection of TRH. Both of these inhibiting effects of TRH were completely offset or strikingly decreased by icv preinjection of the cholinergic M-receptor blocker atropine. The results mentioned above and the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of TRH on pain discharges were discussed in this paper.

[Second primary cancer in hematological malignancy experience in VGH-Taipei]

Seven patients of hematological malignancy with second primary cancer had been found at Veteran General Hospital from 1983 to 1988. The second primary cancers either developed subsequently or concurrently with the hematological malignancies. Four patients were diagnosed to be non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and three of them developed squamous cell carcinoma of lung(2) and hepatocellular carcinoma (1) at 44, 20 and 45 months after the initial diagnosis of on-Hodgkin's lymphoma. All three had received chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Another one was found to have liposarcoma in the retroperitoneum concurrently. Three patients had chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Two of them were found to have skin squamous cell carcinoma at the same time. Another one developed cervical squamous cell cancer ten months after treatment with oral leukeran and prednisolone. Literature about synchronous and metachronous neoplasms was reviewed.

The chromosomal location of a third set of malate dehydrogenase loci, Mdh-3, in wheat, barley and related species

A third set of malate dehydrogenase loci have been identified and located on the short arms of homoeologous group 5 chromosomes in wheat. Allelic differences have been found at each of the three Mdh-3 loci. However, Mdh-D3 appears to be least variable, with a second allele found only in Sears' 'Synthetic' among a survey of 42 varieties. Homoeoloci were identified on chromosome 7 (5H) of Hordeum vulgare, the short arm of 5E in Agropyron elongatum and 5U in Aegilops umbellulata.

Ibf-1 (Iodine binding factor), a highly variable marker system in the Triticeae

Isoelectric focusing of extracts from the endosperm of mature grains of hexaploid wheat and related species was used to study the genetic control of 'Iodine binding factor' (IBF). Ten IBF bands were present in "Chinese Spring" ("CS") and analysis of the nullisomictetrasomic and ditelosomic lines of "CS" showed nine of them to be controlled by genes on the long arms of the homoeologous group 5 chromosomes. Five alleles were detected at Ibf-A1 locus, four at Ibf-B1 and four at Ibf-D1 among a sample of 46 wheat genotypes. Homoeoloci were found on chromosome 5R of Secale cereale, 5E of Agropyron elongatum, 5U of Aegilops umbellulata, 5Ag(i) of Agropyron intermedium, 5S(1) and 4S(1) of Aegilops sharonensis and 4H of Hordeum vulgare.

Treatment of severe aplastic anemia: comparison of bone marrow transplantation to immunotherapy

Between February 1985 and May 1988, sixteen patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) post multitransfusion were treated with either allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) (9) or immunosuppression (7). The latter group was further divided into two subgroups: horse anti-human thymocyte-lymphocyte globulin (ATG-ALG) (2) and high dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) (5). There were 8 males and 8 females, age ranged from 10 to 35 years for the BMT group and 19 to 56 for the immunosuppression group. As of analysis, 9 patients in the BMT group had been followed from 1 to 31 months after transplant (median,24). Graft rejection was noted in 2, both had positive mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) index. Seven had full recovery of hematopoiesis. Of these 7 survivals, none developed acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), whereas 2 had chronic GVHD which resolved completely after a 9-month treatment with azathioprine and prednisolone. Kaplan-Meier survival probability at 31 month was 75%. In the immunosuppressive therapy group 2, who received ATG-ALG both failed the treatment, died 7 and 29 months later, respectively. There were 3 responders in the HDMP subgroup, 1 complete, 2 partial. The 1-year survival probability for this group was 42.9% compared with 75% in the BMT group (p greater than 0.10). However, the hematologic reconstitution and Karnofsky performance were complete in all 7 transplant survivals vs one of 3 in the immunosuppression group (p less than 0.01). This experience supports that for patients with SAA under the age of 40, BMT is the treatment of choice if an HLA-identical MLC-nonreactive marrow donor is available, if not, immunosuppression is an alternative approach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Glutamate-like immunoreactivity revealed in rat olfactory bulb, hippocampus and cerebellum by monoclonal antibody and sensitive staining method

Although there is good evidence favoring L-glutamate as a major excitatory amino acid transmitter, relatively little is known about the distribution of nerve terminals using this substance. A method visualizing glutamate-like immunoreactivity at the light microscopic level by means of a monoclonal antibody, mAb 2D7, is described. --The antigen used for immunization was a glutaraldehyde-linked glutamate-BSA conjugate, and hybridomas were differentially screened by ELISA for production of antibodies recognizing glutamate- but not aspartate-BSA. The crossreactivity of 'anti-glutamate' mAb 2D7 as estimated in absorption tests was low even with conjugates closely related to glutamate-BSA.--Semithin sections from rapidly perfusion-fixed, plastic-embedded rat brain tissues were etched and stained by a combination of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method and silver enhancement of the diaminobenzidine reaction product. Only this amongst several other immunohistochemical methods tried produced labeling patterns which showed terminal-like elements in brain regions such as olfactory bulb, hippocampus and cerebellum, and which were mostly consistent with already available information on systems using glutamate as neurotransmitter. Particularly striking was the staining of elements reminiscent of mossy fiber terminals in hippocampus and cerebellum as well as of cerebellar parallel fiber terminals.

Multiple molecular forms of β-amylase in seeds and vegetative tissues of barley

The molecular forms of β-amylase present in developing, mature, germinating and malted grains of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and in vegetative tissues, have been studied using Western-blot analyses and isoelectric focusing of isoenzymes. Five isoforms with different relative molecular masses (Mrs) could be recognised. The major isoform present in the mature grain, called isoform B, had an Mr of about 60 000. This was converted on malting or germination to two lower-Mr forms called C and D. Previous work (R. Lundgard and B. Svensson, 1986, Carlsberg Res. Commun. 51, 487-491) has shown that these result from partial proteolysis of isoform B. Isoenzyme analyses showed complex patterns of bands, with pIs between about 5.0 and 6.0. Two allelic types were present in the eight lines. A number of new bands with a range of pIs appeared during germination and malting.An isoform with the same Mr as D and a minor low-Mr isoform (E) were present in young developing whole caryopses (8-12 d after anthesis), but not in older developing endosperms (14-21 d after anthesis). Isoenzyme analyses also showed different patterns of bands in these two tissues, while hybrid-dot analyses indicated the presence of separate populations of mRNAs. It is suggested that the early endosperm isoforms (D and E) are "green" β-amylases present in the pericarp and-or testa of the young caryopses.Roots but not shoots or leaves also contained an isoform with the same Mr as D, although the pattern of isoenzymes differed from that present in the seed tissues.The fifth isoform, A, was a diffuse high-Mr form present in small amounts in all seed and vegetative tissues, and may correspond to a constitutively expressed form.These multiple molecular forms of β-amylase are discussed in relation to the recent report that β-amylase is encoded by two structural loci, with a total copy number of two to three per haploid genome (Kreis et al, 1988, Genet. Res. Camb. 51, 13-16).

Studies in monkeys of attenuated hepatitis A variants

Three HAV variants, H2M20(35 degrees C), H2M20(35 degrees C) and H2M20K5(32 degrees C), were developed by passage in different tissue culture cells and at different temperatures. Virulence for monkeys was assessed by inoculating each of the variants into four monkeys. Weekly bleeding through 16 weeks post-inoculation was assayed for anti-HAV titers and SGPT as well as LDH5 activities. And in some monkeys liver biopsies were also studied. Seroconversion was induced in all of the inoculated monkeys. The anti-HAV titers tested at 16 weeks post-inoculation were: 40-640 with H2M20(35 degrees C), 40-160 with H2M20(32 degrees C) and 20-40 with H2M20K5(32 degrees C). These variants showed different levels of virulence/attenuation for monkeys. Variant H2M20(35 degrees C) showed no evidence of attenuation, variant H2M20(32 degrees C) retained slight virulence and variant H2M20K5(32 degrees C) showed no evidence of virulence for monkeys. Criteria are proposed for assay of HAV virulence tested in monkeys.

[Establishment of epithelial cell line TBC-27 from a human bladder transitional cell carcinoma and its biological characteristics]

The cell line TBC-27, from a human bladder transitional cell carcinoma Grade II, was established and maintained for 8 months through 27 passages. TBC-27 cells have the epithelioid cell morphology during culture. The population doubling time of the 14th generation cells was 27 hours by growth curve. The chromosome karyotype of the 12th generation cells consisted mainly of hypodiploid (mode 40-45). Ultrastructurally, there was a great deal of freeribosome and vesicle in the cytoplasm and a great number of atypical microvilli on the surface of the 21st generation cells. The heterotransplantation test revealed that the xenografted tumor in the immunosuppressed suckling rats was similar to the initial bladder carcinoma in histology.

Characterization and structure of genes for proteases A and B from Streptomyces griseus

Protease A and protease B are extracellular proteins which are secreted by Streptomyces griseus. The genes encoding protease A (sprA) and protease B (sprB) were isolated from an S. griseus genomic library by using a synthetic oligonucleotide probe. Fragments containing sprA and sprB were characterized by hybridization and demonstration of proteolytic activity in Streptomyces lividans. Each DNA sequence contains a large open reading frame with the coding region of the mature protease situated at its carboxy terminus. The amino terminus of each reading frame appears to encode a 38-amino-acid signal peptide followed by a 76- or 78-amino-acid polypeptide, a propeptide, which is joined to the mature protease. Strong homology between the coding regions of the protease genes suggests that sprA and sprB originated by gene duplication.

[Cultivation of urologic and male genital tumor cells]

Thirty specimens from 30 patients with urologic and male genital system tumors were cultured. Eighteen (60%) showed initial cell growth. Four (13%) were successful in primary culture. In a renal cell carcinoma and a bladder transitional cell carcinoma, the subcultures were successful after the primary culture. In eight months, having transferred the former for twelve generations and the latter for twenty-seven generations, these two cell lines are established. The morphological characters of the cultured cells, eradication of fibroblasts, conditions of culture and prevention of contamination are discussed.

The route of incorporation of nitrogen atom into rifamycin during its biosynthesis

In this paper, it was first shown that under various conditions of nitrogen supply the rifamycin yield was positively correlated with the mycelial specific activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), then the enhancing effect of glutamine, the product of GS, on rifamycin biosynthesis was demonstrated with resting cell system. The stimulatory effect of glutamine was more pronounced than that of glutamate, and not reduced by a GS specific inhibitor, DON. However, the increase in yield brought about by glutamate, and by asparagine was strongly inhibited by this inhibitor. Glutamine-CO15NH2 amd glutamate-alpha-15NH2 were synthesized and compared for the incorporation of 15N into rifamycin. It was found that the amide nitrogen was incorporated to a much greater extent than the alpha-amino nitrogen, showing that glutamine was a direct precursor of the nitrogen atom in rifamycin. In addition, synthesis of A-32 (C7N), an intermediate secreted by an inactive mutant rif 1, was also greatly stimulated by glutamine, and the synthetic C7N was found to be able to stimulate the biosynthesis of rifamycin. Based upon the above results, the route of incorporation of nitrogen atom into rifamycin is summarized as follows: (Formula: see text).