The relationship of herpesvirus to carcinoma of the prostate

A laboratory based epidemiologic study was done to determine the possible relationship of herpesvirus type 2 to carcinoma of the prostate. A total of 305 patients (224 with benign prostatic hypertrophy and 81 with prostatic carcinoma) who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate was studied. Viral cultures were obtained from urethral swabs and urine preoperatively. Prostatic tissue removed at operation was grown as tissue explants, using a monolayer cell culture technique, and examined by specific immunofluorescence and electron microscopy for evidence of herpesvirus type 2. The sera of the patients also were tested for specific antibody to herpesvirus type 2 by the indirect hemagglutination inhibition test. Although herpesvirus was not isolated 5 per cent of the patients had evidence of herpesvirus type 2 antigen in prostatic tissues by specific immunofluorescence. Electron microscopy failed to reveal the presence of viral particles. There was an increased prevalence of herpesvirus type 2 antibody in patients with carcinoma of the prostate compared to the controls with benign prostatic hypertrophy (p less than 0.05). Although marital status was similar the patients with prostatic cancer tended to marry at an earlier age, have more children, more sexual partners and more exposure to prostitutes than their counterparts with benign prostatic hypertrophy. The demonstration of specific herpesvirus type 2 antibody in patients with prostatic cancer supports an etiologic role for herpesvirus type 2 but further studies are needed to describe more definitively the relationship since the indexes of sexual activity are remarkably high in both groups.

Cell cycle kinetics of uninfected and feline leukemia virus-infected canine lymphoma cell lines: effects of methotrexate treatment

The cell cycle kinetics of uninfected and feline leukemia virus-infected canine lymphoma cell lines were determined by autoradiography (PLM method) as follows: DT-5: generation time (TC), 15.2 h; pre-synthetic gap phase (TG1), 3.2 h; DNA-synthetic phase (TS), 8.2 h; post-synthetic gap ph se (TG2), 3.3 h; visible mitotic phase (TM), 0.5 h. 11028: TC, 13.6 h; TG1, 1.9 h; TS, 7.7 h; TG2, 3.4 h; TM, 0.6 h. 11028+FeLV (11028 productively infected with feline leukemia virus): TC, 11.2 h; TG1, 0.2 h; TS, 8.3 h; TG2, 2.1 h; TM, 0.6 h. Exposure of the lymphoma cell lines to methotrexate (MTX) in vitro produces dose-related increases in cellular volume, associated with reductions in cellular proliferation. The relative sensitivities of these cell lines to MTX, measured by the ID50 MTX concentrations for DT-5, 11028, and 11028+FeLV are 118 nM, 122 nM, and 28 nM respectively. The cell kinetic effects of the ID50 MTX concentrations added to cultures of lymphoma cells pulse-labeled with tritiated thymidine are an approximately 2-h prolongation of TC, attributable to a lengthening of TS, with other cell cycle phases not significantly altered. These cell lines are highly tumorigenic when transplanted into the cheek pouches of immunosuppressed hamsters, with inocula of 10(4) cells producing rapidly growing, well vascularized tumors.

Effect of sulphur, sulphuric acid and gypsum on the yield of rice on the Cununurra soils of the Ord Irrigation Area, Western Australia

A field experiment was conducted at Kimberley Research Station near Kununurra, Western Australia, to compare elemental sulphur, sulphuric acid and gypsum as soil ameliorants for drill-sown rice on the Cununurra clay of the Ord Irrigation Area. The application of sulphur (0.5-4 t ha-1) and concentrated sulphuric acid (800-1 600 1 ha-1) to Cununurra clay temporarily decreased soil pH, improved seedling establishment and increased the mean grain yield of Bluebonnet 50 and IR661-1-170-1-3 rice from 4.27 to 5.32 t ha-1. Plant growth during the first 6 weeks was better and the transient iron chlorosis, which often develops after permanent flooding, was largely eliminated. Gypsum (1-4 t ha-1) had no significant effect on soil pH, seedling establishment, early growth or grain yield. Mean pH of the flooded soil (0-5 cm) one month after permanent flooding was 6.60, 6.56, 6.07 and 5.52 in the untreatad, gypsum, sulphur and sulphuric acid plots, respectively. Mean grain yield increased linearly as the pH of the flooded soil (0-5 cm) one month after permanent flooding decreased over the range of 6.5-5.5. The pH values of air dried soil samples takgn at 3, 6, 9 and 11 weeks after sowing and determined at the saturation moisture content fell by 0.5 to 2 units after the addition of sulphur and sulphuric acid. The decrease in pH at 3 weeks after the application of 800 l ha-1 sulphuric acid was five times greater than that due to an equivalent amount of elemsntal sulphur, but the effect of the acid was short-lived. Calcium and magnesium concentrations in the saturation extracts of the air-dried soil samples taken at 3 and 6 weeks after sowing were increased by the application of sulphur and gypsum. All ameliorants increased the nitrogen concentration in the plant tops at 3 weeks after sowing but only sulphur and sulphuric acid increased phosphorus, potassium, manganese, zinc or iron concentrations at one or more sampling dates.

Scanning electron microscopy of bronchiolar neuroepithelial bodies in neonatal mouse lungs

Scanning electron microscopy of the bronchiolar neuroepithelial bodies (NEB's) in the neonatal mouse lungs was undertaken and correlated with the accompanying transmission electron microscopy. The NEB's appeared as isolated organoids along the entire length of the bronchioles, and often were located at the branching points. The boundary of the NEB's was outlined by the ciliated and Clara cells. Both granulated cells and modified Clara cells participated in the formation of the NEB. The modified Clara cells covered most of the surface of the NEB leaving only small oval areas for the exposed surfaces of the specialized cells which contained numerous cytoplasmic granules. Short and regular microvilli projected from the exposed surfaces of the granulated cells, while only sparse microvilli of irregular length were seen on the surfaces of the modified Clara cells. This scanning electron microscopy of the NEB's further established these organoids as separate morphological entities. In addition, the findings that the NEB's could be easily identified with the scanning electron microscope and subsequently dissected out for further studies would help future investigations of their functions which are not clearly known.

Transformation of human embryo cells with the use of cell-free extracts of a human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (HUS-2): brief communication

Cell-free extracts of the human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line HUS-2 caused the transformation of human embryo fibroblasts. This transformation included morphologic alteration, karyotypic change, and an increase in culture longevity. With the use of sex markers, multiple karyotypes confirmed that the human embryo fibroblasts were transformed, and the use of cell-free material further suggested the presence of a transforming virus. RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity in a particle with a specific gravity of 1.16 g/cm3 indicated the presence of an RNA type C virus. Evidence also suggested that the known mammalian type C viruses, routine cytopathic effect-inducing viruses, or mycoplasma were not the agents responsible for the transformation. That both the donor (HUS-2) and converted (HUE-T) cell lines cross-reacted with antisera prepared against HUE-T indicated a common antigen arising in the process of conversion of HUS-2 cells to HUE-T cells.

Growth of a heterologous tumor cell line in neonatal rats with graft-versus-host disease

The ability of a hamster tumor cell line (T20) to grow and exhibit type H virus particles was significantly enhanced in neonatal DA rats with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Tumor growth peaked on days 4 and 7 in control littermates receiving adult syngeneic cells or no cells at birth, respectively, and then subsequently disappeared. However, tumor nodules in animals with GVHD became significantly larger than those in controls by day 7 and continued to grow until death. In addition, a marked plasma cell infiltration was noticed in such rapidly growing tumors from animals with GVHD only. In the light of previous studies, evidence is discussed for an environment within animals with GVHD conducive for tumor cell growth because of a depletion of T-cell areas within their tissues.

Effects of zinc and iron fertilizers on a disorder in rice on the calcareous soils of the Ord Irrigation Area, Western Australia

A field experiment was conducted at Kimberley Research Station near Kununurra, Western Australia to study the effects of urea and ammonium sulphate fertilizers, previous cropping history and method of sowing on the incidence of a long-standing disorder in rice on the calcareous soils of the Ord Irrigation Area, and to determine whether the disorder could be ameliorated by means of zinc and iron fertilizers. Symptoms of the disorder resembling those of zinc deficiency appeared within four weeks after seedling emergence in plots not treated with zinc. The mean concentration of zinc in the tops of affected plants sampled at 2, 7 and 11 weeks was 18 p.p.m. The combination of fallow land, urea and water-sowing resulted in the most severe symptoms. Where 20 kg Zn ha-1 was applied as zinc sulphate, the zinc concentration in the plant tops averaged 66 p.p.m. over the three sampling dates, and zinc deficiency symptoms did not develop. Other symptoms resembling those of iron deficiency also occurred, especially when the level of applied zinc was 20 kg ha-1. The application of both zinc sulphate and ferrous sulphate fertilizers resulted in a significant increase in the grain yield of IR665-24-1 rice. Overall there was no response to zinc sulphate above the level of 10 kg zinc ha-1. The curve of best fit for the overall response to ferrous sulphate was parabolic with a maximum near 240 kg ha-1 ferrous sulphate. The mean yield from plots that received three foliar sprays of 0.1 per cent ferrous sulphate was not significantly different from that of plots fertilized with 200 kg ha-1 ferrous sulphate. There was no significant interaction between zinc and iron.

Establishment of two canine sarcoma cell lines: productive infection with feline leukemia virus

Two canine sarcoma cell lines (11028, 11031) were established in vitro and have been transferred 213 and 306 times, respectively, since 1970. These cell lines had a chromosome pattern consistent with their canine origin. Both cultures were infected with feline leukemia virus (FeLV), which caused a morphologic and karyotypic changes. The cells became rounded after infection with FeLV and both cultures showed the presence of a single, large, acrocentric chromosome considered to be a marker chromosome. All tumors were transplanted into newborn beagle pups, but only the 11028-FeLV formed metastatic tumors. No helper or focus-forming activity or virus particles were found in the uninfected cultures. Helper activity and virus were demonstrated in both sarcoma lines after infection with FeLV, though no focus-forming activity was noted. Helper activity of progeny virus could be assayed on either cat or dog embryo cells.

Human and primate poxviruses: I. Growth characteristics of cytolytic and tumor variants

The dual potential of poxviruses to be cytolytic and tumorgenic has been extended. Yaba monkey tumor virus formed foci on monkey and human embryonic cells. Cytolytic or plaque-forming virus was isolated from Yaba tumor homogenates by selective sucrose centrifugation and passage through monkey or human embryonic cells. Monkey pox virus (MPV) was cytolytic for monkey cells or human embryonic cells, but upon passage onto young monolayers of human carcinoma cells, HeLa, produced a restricted cytopathic effect on first transfer, foci on second transfer and cytolysis after the fourth transfer. If HeLa monolayers were compact, the rapid growth precluded overt expression of cytolytic MPV. Electron micrographs of cytolytic Yaba indicated that Yaba development was similar to vaccinia and MPV but not totally organized. Growth curves of vaccinia, MPV and cytolytic Yaba were essentially identical in monkey and human embryonic cell lines.

Aberrant viruses in cells infected with murine sarcoma virus-feline leukemia virus

This study describes an unusual type of virus seen when a feline leukemia virus (FeLV) pseudotype of murine sarcoma virus (MuSV) obtained by cocentrifugation procedures infected feline embryo cells (FEF) and two Crandell cat cell lines (CrFK1, CrFK2). When all three cell cultures were infected with MuSV-FeLV, only FEF and CrFK2 were transformed and only these showed normal and aberrant virus. The CrFK1 infected with MuSV-FeLV did not transform but did replicate normal type-C virus with a 50-A intermediate coat. The virus replicated in the two transformed lines showed three particles; a normal particle with a 50-A intermediate coat, a normal particle with a 100-A intermediate coat, and an aberrant particle with a 100-A intermediate coat.

Infection and transformation of dog cells with a modified sarcoma virus

Dog-embryo cell cultures were infected with a mixture of feline leukemia virus (FelLV) and a modified murine (Moloney) sarcoma virus MSV(FelLV). Morphological alteration of the cells was observed 3 days post infection. Virus progeny from the infected cultures increased 50- to 100-fold in foci of cellular alteration on dog cell cultures pretreated with diethylaminoethyl-dextran, but only twofold on cat embryo cultures similarly treated. The numbers of foci produced corresponded to a dual infection with the MSV(FelLV) and endogenous FelLV and could be increased by simultaneous infection with exogenous FelLV. After five serial passages in dog cell cultures, the virus mixture still had a superior focus-inducing capacity on cat cells as compared with dog cells. Electron microscopic examination of infected dog cultures showed typical C-type virions. FelLV alone propagated in dog cell cultures without inducing morphological alteration, and progeny virus, capable of promoting focus formation by MSV(FelLV), could be detected 48 hours post infection.

Cellular transmission of canine lymphoma and leukemia in beagles

Thirty-four neonatal beagles were inoculated with cells obtained originally from 2 adult beagles, 1 with lymphocytic leukemia, the other with generalized malignant lymphoma. Most of the puppies were irradiated before inoculation; a few were inoculated in utero and were not irradiated. Of the 11 puppies inoculated with buffy coat cells of the blood from the leukemic donor, 2 developed leukemia. Of the 23 pups inoculated with cells of lymph nodes from the spontaneous lymphoma or positive passages, 13 developed lymphoma. Time of measurable onset of leukemia or lymphoma in the recipients varied from 12-60 days after inoculation. One passage was achieved with the leukemia and three serial passages with the lymphoma. A female karyotype was obtained from a neoplastic lymph node in a male recipient of the lymphoma. Since the donor was female, this suggests that the passages of the lymphoma were transplants.