Modulation of TNF-alpha-priming and stimulation-dependent superoxide generation in human neutrophils by protein kinase inhibitors

Human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (HPPMN) from healthy individuals are not primed and, hence, weak stimulation-dependent responses are induced by certain stimuli which bind to membrane receptors. When HPPMN were exposed to recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha (rHuTNF-alpha) or recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rG-CSF), they underwent priming and the rate of superoxide anion (O.-2) generation was increased by subsequent exposure to formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) or opsonized zymosan (OZ). However, the degree of enhancement was very small upon exposure to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or dioctanoyl glycerol (DOG). The oxygen burst induced by FMLP or OZ was inhibited by genistein and alpha-cyano-3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-5-phenylthiomethylcinnamamid (ST638), which are inhibitors of tyrosine kinase (TK), and was enhanced by 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulfonyl)-3-methyl-piperazine (H-7) and staurosporine, which are inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC). Without priming, however, O.-2 generation from HPPMN by high concentrations of FMLP was not inhibited strongly by genistein or ST638. On the contrary, the oxygen burst induced by PMA or DOG was stimulated by genistein or ST638 and was inhibited by H-7 or staurosporine. Furthermore, O.-2 generation by guinea pig peritoneal neutrophils, which are already primed in vivo, was induced markedly by FMLP by a mechanism which was stimulated by a low concentration of genistein or ST638. Thus, FMLP-mediated O.-2-generation of HPPMN is coupled with rHuTNF-alpha- or rG-CSF-priming and is inhibited by TK inhibitors, whereas PMA- or DOG-induced O.-2 generation is not coupled with TNF-alpha or G-CSF-priming and is inhibited by PKC inhibitors. These results suggest that both PKC and TK play critical roles in the regulatory mechanism of priming and NADPH-oxidase activation in neutrophils.

Nonsteroidal antiestrogen suppresses protein kinase C--its inhibitory effect on interaction of substrate protein with membrane

The mechanism by which nonsteroidal antiestrogen inhibits Ca(2+)- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC) activity was investigated. Antiestrogenic agents, clomiphene and tamoxifen, inhibited the PKC-dependent phosphorylation of histone and r-annexin I in a dose-dependent manner. Ki values for the agents were different for two substrate proteins. The inhibitory action of the agents depended on the membrane-substrate protein interaction. Phosphorylation of cytoplasmic proteins obtained from rat uterus and mammary gland, including annexin I, by endogenous PKC was also inhibited by low concentrations of these agents. These results suggest that the inhibitory action of nonsteroidal antiestrogens occurs through their inhibitory effect on the membrane-substrate protein interaction.

[Partial liver transplantation techniques for future clinical application]

Using grafts from brain-dead donors for liver transplantation is a very controversial subject in Japan and those candidates for transplantation who have received livers outside of Japan have been harshly criticized. Under these circumstances, a partial liver transplantation is an attractive method in terms of preserving the donor's life, freshness of the graft and easier donor availability. In other words, for adults with non-cancerous incurable liver disease the donor's left lobe can be transplanted after the recipient has had a left lobectomy, and for children with biliary atresia the whole liver and vena cava can be replaced with a parent's left lobe and iliac vein. Our report concerns the procedures of orthotopic partial liver transplantation for canines and humans.

Peritoneovenous shunting for intractable cirrhotic and cancerous ascites using different types of shunting tubes

A total of twenty six peritoneovenous shuntings were performed in our department between 1978 and 1984, on twelve cirrhotic and ten cancerous patients with intractable ascites, using Pudenz, LeVeen or Denver type shunting tubes. Reduced ascites was noted postoperatively with statistical significance in both the cirrhotic group (p less than 0.05) and the cancerous group (p less than 0.01), of whom eight cirrhotic and seven cancerous patients exhibited an abdominal girth reduced by 9.7 cm (a 10.9 per cent reduction) in two weeks. A larger urinary output was noted in 13 patients, with a mean increase of 587 ml/day compared with the pre-shunting output. These patients lost a mean weight of 6.13 kg in two weeks, while the nonreduced ascites group gained weight. The post-shunting serum albumin level was higher in the reduced ascites group. The mean functioning periods of the shunts were 5.1 and 2 months, respectively for the cirrhotic and cancerous patients whose shunts were patent. The patients' outcome was shown to depend on the disease itself, with the exception of one patient who died of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy following shunting. In comparing several types of shunting systems, the Denver-type was proven as being the most unlikely to plug or malfunction because of its simpler structure.

DNA amplification of the c-myc and c-erbB-1 genes in a human stomach cancer

High-molecular-weight DNAs from 43 human primary tumor tissues were examined by Southern blot hybridization for possible rearrangement and/or amplification of the following protooncogenes: the c-myc, c-erbB-1, N-myc, c-mos and c-fos genes. In an adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the stomach, the c-myc and c-erbB-1 genes were found to be simultaneously amplified 5- and 30-fold, respectively. Cooperative expression of the amplified c-myc and c-erbB-1 genes might be involved in the genesis or progression of the gastric cancer.

[In vivo evaluation of cellular immunity in melanoma patients against melanoma]

Evaluation of cellular immunity against human melanoma was performed in an in vivo model using Balb/c nude mice bearing the human melanoma. Intraperitoneal injection of 1 X 10(7) melanoma cells produced peritonitis carcinomatosa which lead to death of the mice at 23.8 +/- 2.6 days (N = 12). Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from healthy donors and the melanoma cells cultured on the back of the nude mouse were given to nude mice intraperitoneally, and survival times of 22.0 +/- 2.3 days were observed (N = 8). PBL from four of the five healthy donors which have been presensitized on monolayers of the melanoma tissue culture cells in flask failed to prolong host survival times. In contrast, PBL from 15 of 20 melanoma patients were found to prolong the survival of the tumor bearing nude mice. Of these 15 patients, 8 were treated with specific active immunotherapy, but 7 had not been sensitized except by the disease process. The ability of PBL from patients to prolong survival of the melanoma bearing nude mice did not seem to correlate with either the stage of the disease or the clinical course. The possible mechanisms for the prolonged survival and the usefulness of this in vivo model were discussed.

Subcutaneous portal reservoir for chemotherapy of metastatic carcinoma of the liver

A subcutaneous portal reservoir system has been developed for infusing chemotherapeutic agents intraportally to treat nonresectable metastasis to the liver. We have discussed the clinical use and effectiveness of the system.

In vivo evaluation of cell mediated immunity against human melanoma

Evaluation of cell mediated immunity against human melanoma target cells was performed in an in vivo model using human tumor xenografts growing in Balb/c athymic mice. Intraperitoneal inoculation of 1 x 10(7) human melanoma cells produced carcinomatosis which lead to death of the animals at 23.8 +/- 2.6 days (N = 12). Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from normal donors were administered to tumor bearing mice, and survival times of 22.0 +/- 2.3 days were observed (N = 8). Peripheral blood lymphocytes from the four of five normal donors which had been presensitized on monolayers of melanoma tissue culture cells in vitro failed to prolong host survival times. In contrast, PBL obtained from 15 or 20 melanoma patients were found to prolong survival of the tumor bearing nude mice. Of these 15 patients, 8 were undergoing specific active immunotherapy, while 7 had not been sensitized except by the disease process. The ability of PBL obtained from patients to prolong survival of tumor bearing animals did not appear to correlate with either the stage of the disease or the patient's clinical course. The possible mechanisms for the prolonged survival and usefulness of this model are discussed.

Influence of mouse hepatitis virus on the growth of human melanoma in the peritoneal cavity of the athymic mouse

Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) infection was found in 15 of 40 athymic mice (Balb/c nu/nu) used in an experimental model designed to study the effect of cell mediated immunity on target human melanoma cells growing in the peritoneal cavity. Most non-MHV-infected mice died of peritoneal tumor within predictable periods following injection of the melanoma cells. Twelve of 15 MHV-infected mice which showed either poor or no tumor growth died of MHV infection, whereas only 3 showed good tumor growth. Peritoneal macrophages in the ascites from the MHV-infected mice were greatly reduced in number compared to those in the ascites from the non-MHV-infected mice. Although the fibrohistiocytic reaction was more prominent in the MHV-infected mice, other aspects of spleen and lymph node lymphocytic reactions exhibited no remarkable differences between the two groups. The possible mechanisms whereby MHV infection influences tumor growth in nude mice are discussed.

Human melanoma growth in the peritoneal cavity of the athymic mouse--a model for in vivo study of cell-mediated immunity

Intraperitoneal injections of 2 X 10(7) SH-Me cells (human metastatic melanoma cells)( to 20 Balb/c nu/nu mice (Group A) and 1 X 10(7) cells to 20 mice (Group B) were performed. All animals were studied clinicopathologically. Five animals in Group A were sacrificed serially, revealing marked tumor growth of the melanoma within the peritoneal cavity. These tumors grew in multiple nodular configurations and tumor ascites was present by the third week. The remaining 15 animals in Group A were allowed to progress and seven subsequently died with mouse viral hepatitis (MVH). These animals had suppressed tumor growth. The remaining eight animals died of peritoneal carcinomatosis with survival time of 24.1 +/- 5.0 days. Eight of the animals in Group B died of mouse viral hepatitis while the remainder died of peritoneal tumor without distant metastasis. Survival time in these animals was 23.8 +/- 2.6 days. Both 2 X 10(7) and 1 X 10(7) tumor cells injected intraperitoneally will constantly produce tumor nodules in non-MHV-infected nude mice with similar survival. This experimental model has proven useful for in vivo study to assess the immunoreactivity of melanoma patient cells reactive against target tumor cells.