Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in cervical cancer tissue by the polymerase chain reaction

A method for detecting HPV DNA in cervical cancer tissue was developed without using isotopes. The DNA samples from the cancer tissues were first subjected to amplification by PCR, followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to identify the specific amplified fragment. The specificity and sensitivity of the PCR method are described. Compared with the dot hybridization technique, it is shown that the method is able to detect HPV DNA in cervical cancer tissues.

Immunological mechanisms of antitumor activity of some kinds of crude drugs on tumor necrosis factor production

Previously, we described the antitumor activity of four crude drugs, A. capillaris, S. doederleinii, A. macrocephala and S. subprostrata. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) can be produced in animals by injecting Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) or Corynebacterium parvum (CP) as priming agents and endotoxin (LPS) as an eliciting agent. However, because of their severe toxic action, it is inappropriate to use these agents to induce intrinsic TNF in cancer patients. In the present paper, we began with the investigation of a fluorometric method using ethidium bromide (EB) to assay TNF activity in serum in vitro, and then examined whether the four crude drugs displayed the priming and eliciting activities for TNF production. The TNF activity in a serum sample could be titrated using the fluorometric method in addition to a method using 3H-thymidine. The fluorometric method was superior to the radio-method as regards simplicity, safety and reproducibility. A. capillaris, S. doederleinii and S. subprostrata showed priming activity for TNF production in mice without the liver and spleen hyperplasia seen in the case of CP, S. subprostrata showed an eliciting activity in CP-primed mice. These results suggest that the crude drugs might be useful as inducers of intrinsic TNF in cancer patients.

Solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-sheep erythrocyte antibody in mouse serum

The solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure IgM and IgG anti-SRBC antibody titers in mouse serum. Sheep erythrocytes, which have a surface negative charge, were attached directly to the bottom of an aminoplate well (96-well flat bottom, Sumitomo Bakelite Co.) which is charged positively to provide a solid phase for the ELISA antigen. Serum samples titrated were obtained from mice 5 and 10 days after SRBC immunization. Alkaline phosphatase-labeled goat anti-mouse IgM and/or IgG preparations were used as second antibody. Alkaline phosphatase activity in a well was measured by the Kind and King method [Kind, P. R. N. & King, E. J. (1954). J. clin. Path., 7, 322-326]; the optical density (OD) value of quinone as a final product was measured at 492 nm. (1) A linear relationship was observed between the antiserum concentration and OD value over a wide enough dilution range to assay antibody titers of serum samples; (2) IgM and IgG fractions from antiserum showed almost the same antibody titer as did the reconstituted samples; (3) a good correlation was observed between the serum IgM titer and the number of IgM hemolytic plaque-forming cells (PFCs) in spleen 5 days after the immunization, and was also observed between serum IgG antibody titer and the number of IgG PFCs 5 and 10 days after. Therefore, the ELISA described here requires no fixative for preparation of cell-coated plates, and serum IgM and IgG anti-SRBC antibody titers can be measured without any fractionation technique.

Immunological mechanisms of antitumor activity of some kinds of Chinese herbs: Meth A-induced delayed type hypersensitivity

In the present paper, we confirmed that a delayed type hypersensitivity response can be elicited against Meth A tumor (Meth A-DTH) in BALB/c mice bearing the primary tumor. This response was augmented by lipopolysaccharide. We examined the effects of 4 kinds of Chinese herbs including A. capillaris, S. doederleinii, A. macrocephala and S. subprostrata on the Meth A-DTH, and the results were compared with that of the herbs on picryl chloride-induced delayed type hypersensitivity (PC-DTH). All of the herbs examined augmented the Meth A-DTH 10 days after the primary tumor transplantation, and S. doederleinii, A. macrocephala and S. subprostrata prevented the decay of the response on the 20th day, but A. capillaris did not. On the other hand, none of the herbs affected the PC-DTH. When both DTH responses were caused simultaneously in the same mouse, Meth A-DTH decayed 20 days after the transplantation but PC-DTH did not. In this case, the effects of these 4 herbs on Meth A-DTH and PC-DTH were essentially the same as those seen in the case of separate experiments. The previous and present results suggest that A. capillaris shows antitumor activity mainly through a direct cytotoxicity, although this herb might have certain components to enhance Meth A-DTH, and the other herbs display the activity through the enhancement of T cell-mediated tumor immunity, particularly tumor specific DTH.

Effects of different drugs on passive cutaneous anaphylaxis elicited in the mouse ear at 1.5 hours

IgG1, antibody-mediated homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis at 1.5 h (1.5-hour PCA) was elicited in the ears of mice and the effects of different drugs were studied. The reaction, as measured by the amount of extravasated dye, was inhibited by antihistamines, antiserotonins, cyclic AMP-elevating agents, tranilast and ketotifen, but not by an SRS-A antagonist (FLP 55712), lipoxygenase inhibitors, cyclooxygenase inhibitors and disodium cromoglycate. These results suggest that the pharmacological profile of 1.5-hour PCA resembles that of 48-hour PCA mediated by IgE antibody in the mouse ear.