Isozyme patterns in erythrocytes from human fetuses

Starch gel electrophoretic patterns of 26 enzymes (corresponding to 36 gene loci) were examined in hemolysates of erythrocytes from 11 first-trimester and mid-trimester human fetuses (65-138 gestation days). The zymograms of 16 enzymes were identical in fetal and control adult red cells. Six enzymes (enolase, guanylate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, nucleoside phosphorylase, phosphofructokinase, hexokinase) showed differences in the staining intensity of certain isozyme zones as compared with the controls. Also, the fetal red cell zymograms, in contrast to those of adults, contained the mitochondrial forms of isocitric dehydrogenase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase as well as more definite zones of phosphoglucomutase-3. Finally, some of the isozymes of uridine diphosphate kinase in the fetal cells had slightly retarded mobility. These observed differences between fetal and adult red cells could reflect the expression of a different program of protein synthesis in red cells of the fetuses or the epigenetic modifications of isozymes in immature red cells.

Quasi-elastic light scattering from structured particles

We present a formulation by which the scattered field correlation function of a nonstationary structured particle can be calculated. Specifically, we consider the case of micron-size bacteria, where the Rayleigh- Gans-Debye approximation may be used to evaluate the correlation function. We show that the width of the intensity correlation spectrum (as measured, for example, by the photon correlation technique) exhibits I an oscillatory behavior which is characteristic of the interference pattern produced by the internal structure. Two cases are of interest: diffusion and motility are considered in detail, and some evidence of the predicted behavior is shown from the photon correlation measurement of E. coli bacteria.

The results of surgical treatment combined with intra-arterial infusion of anti-cancer agents in osteosarcoma

Since 1963, regional intra-arterial infusion of anti-cancer agents combined with surgery has been used in the treatment of 56 patients with osteosarcomas. The histologic examination of amputated limbs after prolonged intra-arterial infusion therapy showed remarkable degeneration and necrosis throughout wide areas of tumor tissue. The overall estimated 5-year survival rate improved from 4 to 31.4 per cent. In cases where the infusion period was of more than 3 weeks duration, the estimated 5-year survival rate was 43.8 per cent. The period from operation to pulmonary metastasis was prolonged and the incidence of pulmonary metastasis within the first year was markedly decreased. The use of intra-arterial infusion prior to surgery coupled with postoperative bronchial arterial infusion and systemic chemotherapy improved the prognosis in osteosarcomas.

Human erythrocyte pyrimidine nucleoside monophosphate kinase. Partial purification and properties of two allelic gene products

Human pyrimidine nucleoside monophosphate kinase is a polymorphic enzyme having two allelic gene products, UMPK 1 and UMPK 2, in several populations. A procedure is described for the partial purification of this enzyme from human red blood cells resulting in a 1500-fold purification of the enzyme for UMPK 1 and 583-fold for UMPK 2. The purified enzyme preparation catalyzed the phosphorylation of UMP, CMP, and dCMP, and used ATP as the preferred phosphate donor. The heavy metals, mercury, and copper, were found to be strong inhibitors of pyrimidine nucleoside monophosphate kinase activity. EDTA was found to protect the enzyme from inactivation by the heavy metals, and 2-mercaptoethanol stabilized the enzyme during purification. UMPK 1 and UMPK 2 were found to have similar kinetic properties; however, UMPK 2 had a slower electrophoretic mobility and greater thermolability than UMPK 1.

Characterization of phosphoglycerate kinase from human spermatozoa

We have confirmed the presence of a unique electrophoretic isoenzyme of phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) in homogenate extracts of human sperm. No genetic variation was found in 30 individual specimens tested. However, immunologic neutralization studies indicate that the sperm PGK is different from red cell PGK.

Enolase: human tissue distribution and evidence for three different loci

Four different cellogel electrophoretic patterns of enolase were found in human tissue extracts. They consisted of: (A) one strongly stained band (I) and two minor bands (II and III) found in haemolysates, white cell, skin fibroblast and kidney extracts; (B) a three-banded pattern in brain resembling that of haemolysates except for heavier concentrations of bands II and III; (C) a single component corresponding to band I, found in liver, heart, intestine spleen and placenta; (D) a single band with slightly faster mobility than band I, found in adult muscle extracts. The haemolysate of an individual with the heterozygous ENO1/ENO2 genotype had a triple banded pattern replacing band I, a double-banded pattern replacing band II and a single weakly staining band III. This finding, as well as the results of dissociation and recombination experiments, supports the hypothesis that the enzyme is a dimer formed by random interaction of two polypeptide chains (alpha and beta) synthesized by two independent gene loci (ENO1 and ENO2). Evidence for a third locus, ENO3, is supplied by the electrophoretic pattern of muscle extracts.

Liver alcohol dehydrogenase in Japanese: high population frequency of atypical form and its possible role in alcohol sensitivity

Electrophoretic and quantitative studies reveal that 85% of Japanese carry an atypical liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). The frequency of ADH polymorphism is identical with the reported frequency of alcohol sensitivity in the Japanese population. This identity in population frequencies points to a causative relationship between the two phenomena and suggests that alcohol sensitivity might be due to the increased acetaldehyde formation in individuals carrying the atypical ADH gene.

Heterogeneity for adenosine deaminase deficiency: Expression of the enzyme in cultured skin fibroblasts and amniotic fluid cells

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) could be quantitated and the isozyme pattern characterized in cultured amniotic fluid cells. In 20 amniotic fluid cell cultures the mean specific activity was 14.3 U/g protein +/- 6.7 (SD) and compared favorably with values of 14.6 U/g protein +/- 6.8 (SD) observed in 26 cultures of skin fibroblasts. In cultures of skin fibroblasts established from two obligate heterozygotes for ADA deficiency, the specific activity of ADA was 7.0 and 7.7 U/g protein. The ADA isozyme pattern that existed in cultures of amniotic fluid cells was the same as that observed in cultured skin fibroblasts. This identification of the same apparent enzyme may permit the prenatal diagnosis of that form of combined immunodeficiency disease caused by ADA deficiency. Residual enzyme activity of less than 1% and 10% of the mean of normal fibroblasts could be measured in cultured fibroblasts from two unrelated children with ADA deficiency and combined immunodeficiency disease. The tissue-specific enzyme from cultured skin fibroblasts from the child with 10% residual activity had a faster electrophoretic mobility and greater heat stability than normal ADA. This enzymatic evidence indicates that at least two mutant alleles exist at the locus for ADA which predispose to combined immunodeficiency disease when present in the homozygous state.

Uridine monophosphate kinase: A new genetic polymorphism with possible clinical implications

Images

Detection of the carrier state in combined immunodeficiency disease associated with adenosine deaminase deficiency

A large pedigree containing a child with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (CID) associated with adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency was investigated to ascertain if heterozygotes could be detected by measuring red cell ADA activity. 9 of 17 individuals in three generations who were at risk for being heterozygous had decreased red cell ADA activity. This genetic information establishes one form of CID as an autosomal recessive disorder. The identified heterozygote population had a mean ADA value of 19.2 U/g hemoglobin (0.95 confidence interval; 14.0 to 24.4 U/g hemoglobin), which was approximately one-half the mean, 36.1 U/g hemoglobin, of a randomly selected control population (0.95 confidence interval; 22.5-58.1 U/g hemoglobin). Statistical comparisons of the heterozygotes to the normal population indicates that within a high-risk family heterozygotes may be identified with 90% confidence.

Adenosine deaminase: demonstration of a "silent" gene associated with combined immunodeficiency disease

Images

Phosphoglyceric acid mutase: rare genetic variants and tissue distribution

Images