Formation of a photoreversible phycocyanobilin-apophytochrome adduct in vitro

Avena seedlings grown in the presence of the plant tetrapyrrole synthesis inhibitor 4-amino-5-hexynoic acid contain less than 10% of the spectrally detectable phytochrome levels found in untreated seedlings, but continue to accumulate phytochrome apoprotein (Elich, T. D., and Lagarias, J. C. (1988) Plant Physiol. 88, 747-751). Using such tetrapyrrole-deficient seedlings, we have previously reported that phycocyanobilin, the cleaved prosthetic group of C-phycocyanin, can be incorporated into phytochrome in vivo to yield spectrally active holoprotein (Elich, T. D., McDonagh, A. F., Palma, L. A., and Lagarias, J. C. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 183-189). Here we show that addition of phycocyanobilin to soluble extracts of inhibitor-treated seedlings results in a rapid increase in spectrally active phytochrome holoprotein. The newly formed photoactive species displays a blue-shifted absorbance difference spectrum similar to that observed in the previous in vivo studies. The increase in spectral activity is consistent with conversion of all of the preexisting phytochrome apoprotein to functionally active holoprotein. The formation of a covalent phycocyanobilin-apophytochrome adduct is shown by an increase in Zn2+-dependent bilin fluorescence of the phytochrome polypeptide. A photoreversible, covalent adduct with a similar optical spectrum also forms when immunopurified apophytochrome is incubated with phycocyanobilin. ATP, reduced pyridine nucleotides, or other cofactors are not required for adduct formation. When biliverdin IX alpha is substituted for phycocyanobilin, no spectrally active covalent adduct is produced. These results indicate that an A-ring ethylidene-containing bilatriene is required for post-translational covalent attachment of bilin to apophytochrome and that apophytochrome may be the bilin C-S lyase which catalyzes bilin attachment.

Long-term safety and efficacy with Fibrel in the treatment of cutaneous scars--results of a multicenter study. Multicenter study group

Three hundred patients were treated with Fibrel (Serono Laboratories, Randolph, MA) for the correction of cutaneous scars. Fibrel treatment was restricted to four scars with one or two treatments following a negative skin test. The scar corrections were evaluated by the physician, the patient, and also via an objective photogrammetric method. At the end of 1 year, the percentages of scars with moderate, marked, or complete correction were 65.0%, 63.3%, and 85.8% according to physician, patient, and photogrammetric evaluations, respectively. A cohort of 111 patients from the 1-year study were followed for up to 2 years postimplantation to evaluate safety and efficacy. These patients had similar demographic and scar characteristics as the total patient population in the initial study. The efficacy evaluation at the end of 24 months indicated that successful correction was maintained in 64.4%, 58.9%, and 78.9% of scars for physician, patient, and photogrammetric evaluations, respectively. There were no severe hypersensitivity reactions following treatment with Fibrel. The data from these patients demonstrate that one or two Fibrel treatments are effective in maintaining the correction of depressed cutaneous scars for up to 2 years with negligible adverse sequelae.

Metabolic behavior of cell surface biotinylated proteins

The turnover of proteins on the surface of cultured mammalian cells was measured by a new approach. Reactive free amino or sulfhydryl groups on surface-accessible proteins were derivatized with biotinyl reagents and the proteins solubilized from culture dishes with detergent. Solubilized, biotinylated proteins were then adsorbed onto streptavidin-agarose, released with sodium dodecyl sulfate and mercaptoethanol, and separated on polyacrylamide gels. Biotin-epsilon-aminocaproic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (BNHS) or N-biotinoyl-N'-(maleimidohexanoyl)hydrazine (BM) were the derivatizing agents. Only 10-12 bands were adsorbed onto streptavidin-agarose from undervatized cells or from derivatized cells treated with free avidin at 4 degrees C. Two-dimensional isoelectric focusing-sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis resolved greater than 100 BNHS-derivatized proteins and greater than 40 BM-derivatized proteins. There appeared to be little overlap between the two groups of derivatized proteins. Short-term pulse-chase studies showed an accumulation of label into both groups of biotinylated proteins up until 1-2 h of chase and a rapid decrease over the next 1-5 h. Delayed appearance of labeled protein at the cell surface was attributed to transit time from site of synthesis. The unexpected and unexplained rapid disappearance of pulse-labeled proteins from the cell surface was invariant for all two-dimensionally resolved proteins and was sensitive to temperature reduction to 18 degrees C. Long-term pulse-chase experiments beginning 4-8 h after the initiation of chase showed the disappearance of derivatized proteins to be a simple first-order process having a half-life of 115 h in the case of BNHS-derivatized proteins and 30 h in the case of BM-derivatized proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Conservative replacement of methionine by norleucine in Escherichia coli adenylate kinase

Escherichia coli grown in limited methionine and excess norleucine media accumulate cyanogen bromide-resistant species of proteins after the methionine supply is exhausted. Bacteria, transformed by recombinant plasmid pIPD37 carrying the adk gene and grown under limiting methionine and excess norleucine, synthesize 16-20% of adenylate kinase molecules having all 6 methionine residues replaced by norleucine. Species showing only partial replacement of methionine residues by norleucine are identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after cyanogen bromide treatment of pure enzyme. Norleucine-substituted adenylate kinase shows structural and catalytic properties similar to the wild-type protein as indicated by circular dichroism spectroscopy and kinetic experiments but exhibits a much higher resistance to hydrogen peroxide inactivation under denaturing conditions.

Comparison of the interaction of methionine and norleucine-containing peptides with phospholipid bilayers

Norleucine is a structural analog of methionine with a methylene group replacing the thio ether. Despite the close structural similarity of these two amino acids, norleucine-containing peptides have markedly different behaviour with phospholipids compared with methionine-containing peptides. For example, HCO-L-Ahx-L-Leu-L-Phe-OMe behaves as a hydrophobic peptide when mixed with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine. This peptide lowers the enthalpy of the lipid phase transition. The effect is independent of the rate of heating. With the homologous peptide, HCO-L-Met-L-Leu-L-Phe-OMe, the results are markedly dependent on scan rate with a higher enthalpy observed at faster scan rates. Only at a scan rate of 0.2 K min-1 do the two peptides approach similar behaviour. The higher enthalpy observed for samples with the methionine peptide at higher scan rates can be explained assuming that the peptide aggregates at low temperature. As the phase transition temperature is approached, the more hydrophilic methionine peptide partitions more slowly into the membrane than the norleucine peptide. Partitioning of the peptides between aqueous and lipid phases was measured at 37 degrees by centrifuging down the lipid-bound fraction. At a peptide concentration of 15 microM and a lipid concentration of 1.4 mM, 89% of the HCO-L-Ahx-L-Leu-L-PheOMe and 97% of the HCO-L-Met-L-Leu-L-PheOMe remained in the supernate; indicating a greater tendency of the norleucine-containing peptide to partition into the lipid phase. The peptides Ac-L-Phe-L-Met-L-Arg-L-Phe-NH2 and Ac-L-Phe-L-Ahx-L-Arg-L-Phe-NH2 are readily soluble in water.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Novel chemical method for the preparation of nucleic acids for nonisotopic hybridization

A novel chemical method was used to prepare biotin-labeled nucleic acids for nonisotopic hybridization. The method involves the transamination of unpaired cytosine residues in polynucleotides with sodium bisulfite and ethylenediamine. Primary amino groups on the cytosine derivatives are then reacted with biotinyl-e-aminocaproic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester. Biotinylated probes hybridized with 1 to 2 pg of nitrocellulose filter-bound DNA and were visualized with a colorimetric detection technique. This method is simpler and less expensive than other methods for the preparation of nonisotopic probes. In addition, it is more versatile since the chemically modified bases can potentially react with other "indicator" molecules or proteins such as an enzyme. The specificity for unpaired cytosine residues is another advantage which could allow for the selective labeling of a specific region of a double-stranded nucleic acid. This improved labeling method should lead to the wider application of hybridization techniques in diagnostic microbiology and basic research in infectious diseases.

Substitution of norleucine for methionine residues in a crustacean pigment-dispersing hormone

In order to evaluate the structural/functional roles of Met residues in an octadecapeptide pigment-dispersing hormone (PDH: Asn-Ser-Gly-Met-Ile-Asn-Ser-Ile-Leu-Gly-Ile-Pro-Arg-Val-Met-Thr-Glu-Ala- NH2), first described as light-adapting distal retinal pigment hormone (DRPH) from Pandalus, three analogs were synthesized: Nle4-PDH, Nle15-PDH, and Nle4,15-PDH. When tested for melanophore pigment-dispersing activity in destalked Uca, all three Nle-analogs were more potent than unsubstituted PDH. Performic acid oxidation caused a marked loss of potency of PDH, Nle4-PDH, and Nle15-PDH. The analog Nle4,15-PDH was resistant to oxidation and displayed 6-fold higher potency than PDH. Thus Met4 and Met15 are not essential for the PDH activity. The oxidation-induced loss of activity of unsubstituted PDH may result from introduction of oxygen (in methionine sulfone) and a consequent conformational change in the octadecapeptide.

The AH-site of plasminogen and two C-terminal fragments. A weak lysine-binding site preferring ligands not carrying a free carboxylate function

Glu-plasminogen [native plasminogen (Glu-1-Asn-790)], Lys-plasminogen [plasmin-cleaved fragment of plasminogen (Lys-77-Asn-790)] and miniplasminogen [fragment of plasminogen (Val-440-Asn-790)] were all found to interact specifically with immobilized 6-aminohexyl ligands. The interactions apparently are mediated by a single weak lysine-binding site, termed the AH-site, as seen from the patterns of inhibition obtained from frontal-quantitative-affinity-chromatography experiments with 6-aminohexanoic acid and alpha-N-acetyl-L-lysine methyl ester as competing ligands. The AH-site, in contrast with the strong lysine-binding site of Glu-plasminogen and Lys-plasminogen, may prefer ligands not carrying a free carboxylate function and therefore may interact with lysine side chains of proteins. In Glu-plasminogen the AH-site is present, but is apparently only partially free to react. It is suggested that it participates in an intramolecular complex and that an equilibrium state between two Glu-plasminogen forms exists. It is further suggested that binding of the plasminogens to fibrin is mainly determined by the AH-site.

Plasmid-determined enzymatic degradation of nylon oligomers

The nylon oligomer (6-aminohexanoic acid cyclic dimer) degradation genes on plasmid pOAD2 of Flavobacterium sp. KI72 were cloned into Escherichia coli vector pBR322. The locus of one of the genes, the structural gene of 6-aminohexanoic acid linear oligomer hydrolase, was determined by constructing various deletion plasmids and inserting the lacUV5 promoter fragment of E. coli into the deletion plasmid. Two kinds of repeated sequences (RS-I and RS-II) were detected on pOAD2 by DNA-DNA hybridization experiments. These repeated sequences appeared five times (RS-I) or twice (RS-II) on pOAD2. One of the RS-II regions and the structural gene of the hydrolase overlapped.

Affinophoresis of trypsins

We devised a new separation technique for the protein, "affinophoresis," which is based on its specific affinity and utilizes electrophoresis. This technique requires a carrier macromolecule, "affinophore," which contains both an affinity ligand for a certain protein and many charges, either positive or negative, in order to migrate rapidly in an electric field. When a mixture of proteins is electrophoresed in the presence of the affinophore, the protein having an affinity with the ligand will form a complex with the affinophore. This results in a change in the apparent electrophoretic mobility. If the protein is sufficiently accelerated, we can separate it from other materials. A cationic affinophore for trypsin was prepared. Soluble dextran MW approximately 10,000) was coupled with a DEAE-group and m-aminobenzamidine, a competitive inhibitor of trypsins. Electrophoresis of trypsins from several origins on agarose gel plates in the presence of the affinophore showed that affinophoresis actually occurred. The electrophoretic mobilities of trypsins increased towards the cathode, the same direction as the affinophore movement. The presence of leupeptin and treatment of the trypsins with TLCK suppressed the effect of the affinophore. Streptomyces griseus trypsin, contained in Pronase, was easily separated and detected. This procedure is distinct from affinity chromatography and so-called affinity electrophoresis in that the support of the affinity ligand moves, and has advantages especially for analytical purposes: for example, the detection of specific molecules regardless of their isoelectric points.

Adaptation of Prostatic-Group-Label Homogeneous Immunoassay to reagent-strip format

The Prostatic-Group-Label Immunoassay (PGLIA) technique has been incorporated into a reagent-strip format. We report use of flavin N6-(N'-2,4-dinitrophenyl-6-aminohexyl)adenine dinucleotide (DNP-FAD) as the prosthetic group derivative and 6-N-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)aminohexanoic acid (DNP-caproate) as the competing ligand. DNP-FAD not bound by antibody combines with glucose oxidase apoenzyme, which then reacts with glucose and oxygen, and gives color through a peroxidase-linked system. The rate of color generation is thus a function of the DNP-caproate concentration. PGLIA reagent strips are prepared by sequential impregnations of filter paper with an acetone solution of indicator (3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine); an aqueous solution containing glucose oxidase apoenzyme, the rest of the color generation system, stabilizers, and antibody to DNP; and a solution of DNP-FAD in n-propanol. This preparation permits effective antibody binding, and prevents premature interaction of immunoassay components. A quantitative color response to concentrations of DNP-caproate in the range of 1 to 8 mumol/L was demonstrated with these reagent strips. Prototype PGLIA reagent strips for theophylline and phenytoin have been successfully developed by substituting the appropriate FAD derivative and antibody for the corresponding reagents in the DNP model system.

Microbial production of vitamin B12 antimetabolites. IV. Isolation and identification of 4-keto-5-amino-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid

4-Keto-5-amino-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid was isolated from Bacillus cereus 102804 fermentations and found to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, when grown in a chemically defined medium. The mechanism appeared to be the inhibition of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase. The Ki value of 4-keto-5-amino-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid in an enzyme preparation of Propionibacterium shermanii was 0.72 microM. Similar test conditions with 4-keto-5-aminohexanoic acid resulted in Ki of 12.1 microM. In both cases competitive inhibition was found. The structure of 4-keto-5-amino-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid was determined.

Selective inhibition of collagen breakdown by proteinase inhibitors in granulation tissue in rats

A rapid breakdown of collagen was found in granulation tissue induced by carrageenin in rats; the half-life of collagen in both growing and resorbing tissues was about 3.5 days, whereas that in non-resorbing tissue was about 7 days. On the other hand, the half-life of noncollagen protein in the growing, resorbing and non-resorbing tissues was about 2-3 days. epsilon-Amino-n-caproic acid n-hexyl ester, an inhibitor of plasmin and trypsin, selectively inhibited collagen breakdown in vivo without affecting the degradation of noncollagen protein or the syntheses of collagen and noncollagen protein in granulation tissues. A similar selective inhibition of collagen breakdown was also found upon treatment with soybean trypsin inhibitor. Collagenase activity was assayed directly in the insoluble 6,000 X g pellet of granulation tissue homogenates. epsilon-Amino-n-caproic acid n-hexyl ester and soybean trypsin inhibitor markedly inhibited the collagen breakdown in granulation tissue pellets in vitro. The results are consistent with those from in vivo experiments and suggest that both the inhibitors indirectly inhibit the collagen breakdown in granulation tissue through the inhibition of a latent collagenase-activating proteinase(s), because none of the inhibitors directly inhibit collagenase. It may be argued, therefore, that a proteinase(s) which activates a latent collagenase plays an important role in the rapid breakdown of collagen in granulation tissues.

Primary in vitro immunogenicity of liposomal model membranes in mouse spleen cell cultures

Neither 2,4-dinitrophenyl-6-N-aminocaproylphosphatidylethanolamine (DNP-Cap-PE) nor fluoresceinthiocarbamylphosphatidylethanolamine (F1-PE) induces hapten-specific plaque-forming cells (PFC) when incubated with suspensions of spleen cells from unimmunized C57BL/6J mice. However, PFC are produced after incorporation of these synthetic lipid antigens into liposomal model membranes. The in vitro response is characterized by the following: a) it is time and dose dependent; b) the frequency of IgM PFC exceeds IgG PFC; c) both nonadherent and adherent cells are required (2-mercaptoethanol can replace the requirement for adherent cells in some experiments); d) depletion of thymus-derived cells by treatment with anti-theta antiserum plus complement does not diminish the response; e) spleen cells from nude BALB/c mice also produce PFC. Thus, the essential features of the in vivo immunogenicity of DNP-Cap-PE and F1-PE sensitized liposomes, which have been previously described, can be replicated in an in vitro cell culture system.

Effects of experimental embolization of superior mesenteric artery branch on the intestine

A primary mesenteric branch of the superior mesenteric artery was embolized with Amicar-mixed clots in seven dogs and with gelatin sponges in five dogs. All of the dogs embolized with Amicar-mixed clots survived the experimental period and no mesenteric damage was found with postmortem studies. Three of the five dogs embolized with gelatin sponges showed a local stricture within the embolized segment of intestine. Collateral blood supply to the strictured segment of bowel in these three dogs developed via arterial arcades, mural branches of the vasa recta and omental arteries.

Mechanism of the stereospectific irreversible inhibition of bacterial glutamic acid decarboxylase by (R)-(--)-4-aminohex-5-ynoic acid, an analogue of 4-aminobutyric acid

4-Aminohex-5-ynoic acid inhibits bacterial glutamic acid decarboxylase in a time-dependent irreversible manner. The inhibition is stereospecific and requires the abstraction of the propargylic hydrogen from 4(R)-(--)-4-aminohex-5-ynoic acid. This leads to the generation of a reactive alkylating agent in the active site which can react with a nucleophilic residue. At complete inhibition, there is incorporation of one molecule of inhibitor per pyridoxal binding site. If the decarboxylation of glutamate occurs with retention of configuration, the irreversible inhibition of this enzyme by the 4-(R) isomer can be rationalized on the basis of reversibility of the protonation step in the normal catalytic mechanism.

[Water-tight closure of spinal dura with a new clot suture technique (author's transl)]

A new clot-suturing Technique (using high-concentration fibrinogen solutions) for water-tight closure of the dura is reported. Six dogs underwent laminectomy of the thoracic spine with medial longitudinal incision in the chordal dura. After the dural split had been sealed with natural tissue adhesive and closure of the wound in layers, the animals were sacrificed at intervals of 1 to 21 days postoperatively and the chordal segments involved were removed and histologically examined. Early fibrinolysis of the clot was prevented by adding a natural proteinase inhibitor and factor XIII concentrate to the clotting substances. Histological analysis showed that healing was almost complete after 2 weeks, with delicate connective tissue overgrowing the dural split. After complete reabsorption of fibrin, the originally abundant absorbent granulation tissue had largely disappeared. Among the satisfactory results of fibrin suturing are optimum healing tendency in the fibrin-sutured region, absence of tissue irritation and neurotoxicity, which are known attributes of the synthetic alkl-cyano-acrylate tissue adhesives.

Purification and properties of 3-keto-5-aminohexanoate cleavage enzyme from a lysine-fermenting Clostridium

The lysine-fermenting Clostridium SB4 is shown to contain a new type of beta-keto acid-degrading enzyme that converts 3-keto-5-aminohexanoate and acetyl-CoA reversibly to L-3-aminobutyryl-CoA and acetoacetate. Following the development of a sensitive radiochemical assay the enzyme was purified 175-fold to about 90% homogeneity in 44% yield. The specific activity of the purified enzyme is 44 IU/mg of protein at 30 degrees. The equilibrium constant for the forward reaction was found to be 0.68 at 30 degrees and pH 7.0, corresponding to a deltaG0' of 0.23 kcal/mol. The enzyme is highly substrate-specific. Of several substrate analogs tested in the forward and back reactions only beta-alanyl-CoA and D-3-aminobutyryl-CoA are utilized about 130% and 1.7% as fast as L-3-aminobutyryl-CoA, respectively. The product formed from beta-alanyl-CoA and acetoacetate is a neutral beta-keto acid, presumably 3-keto-5-aminopentanoic acid; its borohydride reduction product was partially characterized as a hydroxy-amino acid by various chromatographic and ion exchange methods. The activity of the purified enzyme is increased about 5-fold by addition of 0.1 mM Co2+ and to a lesser extent by Mn2+. Activity is inhibited by orthophosphate, thiol reagents, and EDTA; however, exposure of the enzyme to the latter compound prior to addition of Co2+ increases activity, presumably by removing competing divalent cations. Tracer experiments have shown that carbon atoms 1 and 2 of acetoacetate are derived from carbon atoms 1 and 2 of 3-keto-5-aminohexanoate whereas carbon atoms 3 and 4 are derived from acetyl-CoA. The amino acid moiety of 3-aminobutyryl-CoA is derived from carbon atoms 3 to 6 of 3-keto-5-aminohexanoate. Since no evidence for covalent enzyme-substrate intermediates could be obtained by the study of four possible group exchange reactions, a concerted reaction between 3-keto-5-aminohexanoate and acetyl-CoA is considered. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 97,000 and probably contains four identical subunits. The relatively high specific activity of the enzyme in extracts of Clostridium SB4 indicates it functions in the main pathway of lysine degradation. This relatively stable enzyme provides a convenient and specific method for the quantitative estimation of nanomolar amounts of L- and D-3-aminobutyryl-CoA and beta-alanyl-CoA.

Fractionation of of proteolytic enzymes by affinity chromatography on sepharose aminocaproyl proflavin

The serine proteinases trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, and acrosin bind to the proflavin resin, the sulfhydryl proteinases ficin, bromelain, and papain are retarded by the resin, whereas most proteins and enzymes tested are not bound. Elution of the bound activities is accomplished NaCl or by variation from the pH optimum of the enzyme. Commercially available enzymes that are bound or retarded are easily further purified by the column. The acrosin activity of sperm acrosomal extracts is separated into bound and unbound activities. Acrosin is purified 120-fold from sperm acrosomal extracts in a single step, yielding a specific activity of 96.

The accessibility of protein-bound dinitrophenyl groups to univalent fragments of anti-dinitrophenyl antibody

A series of N-(N-dinitrophenylaminoalkyl)maleimides were sythesized with alkyl-chain lengths of two, four and six carbon atoms. When these compounds reacted with the thiol group of mercaptalbumin, the tryptophan fluorescence of the protein was quenched. This change in fluorescence was used to determine the rate of reaction of the Dnp (dinitrophenyl)-maleimides with mercaptalbumin. The second-order rate constants were similar to those observed in reactions between low-molecular-weight thiol compounds and maleimides. When N-(N-Dnp-aminoalkyl)succinimidomercaptalbumins were added to univalent fragments of anti-Dnp antibody the antibody fluorescence was quenched. Florescence-quenching titrations showed that the protein-bound Dnp groups were fully available to the antibody even when the alkyl chain was short. The apparent dissociation constants were significantly greater than that of the interaction between anti-Dnp antibody and the free hapten, 6-(N-Dnp)-aminohexanoate. The antibody fluorescence was quenched efficienty by [dnp-Lys41]ribonuclease A, also with an increased dissociation constant. It could be concluded from the increase in dissociation constant that the Dnp group spent no more than 0.1% of its time in the dissociated state, available to antibody. The second-order rate constants for the association between the Dnp-mercaptablumins and the antibody were determined and were similar in magnitude to those observed in other interactions between protein and anti-protein antibody.

Conditions for collection of serum samples for the measurement of fibrin(ogen) degradation products by radioimmunoassay of fragment E

A number of conditions have been assessed for the collection of serum samples for the measurement of fibrin(ogen) degradation products using a radioimmunoassay for degradation fragment E, which permits precise quantitation of differences. Blood should be collected using minimal venous occlusion into glass tubes containing 10 mg/ml of epsilon amino caproic acid and allowed to clot at 4 to 20 degrees C for at least 4 hours before centrifugation. The serum may be stored at 4 or -20 degrees C. Samples from patients receiving anticoagulant therapy should be treated with 10 IU of thrombin per ml.

Selective arterial embolization for control of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding was controlled in 11 of 15 patients by the use of selective injected arterial emboli. Embolization is most successful in the treatment of patients with demonstrated arterial bleeding sites at angiography. This group of patients generally has ulcers and it is this group in whom vasopressin infusion has the lowest success rate. At the same time we were successful in controlling only 1 of 4 patients who were bleeding from diffuse hemorrhagic gastritis, those patients in whom vasopressin infusion is very successfu, We, therefore, now embolize only patients in whom arterial bleeding sites are demonstrated at angiography or in whom vasopressin infusion has failed to control the bleeding from hemorrhagic gastritis. Our experience also indicates that short acting occlusive agents, such as autogenous blood clot mixed with aminocaproic acid, are as successful in controlling bleeding as the more permanent types of embolic material.

IgE-induced blood coagulation alterations in the rabbit: consumption of coagulation factors XII, XI, and IX in vivo

Intravenous administration of BSA into 3-month-old rabbits producing detectable anti-BSA antibody only of the IgE class of immunoglobulin induced a variety of intravascular blood coagulation alterations observed in the plasma 15 min after antigen challenge included: a) the intravascular consumption of intrinsic blood coagulation factors XII, XI, and IX and possibly the reduction in clottable fibrinogen; b) a significant prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time but not the prothrombin time; and c) the production of an inhibitor affecting the last stage of blood coagulation. The observed blood coagulation alterations were not caused by the manipulative procedures utilized, the presence of anti-BSA, IgG or IgM antibody, histamine-induced alterations in the vascular endothelium or the development of hypotensive shock. It is proposed that specific IgE antibody can induce directly or indirectly the activation of intrinsic blood coagulation in vivo.

Determination of antibody avidity at the cellular level by the plaque inhibition technique: effect of valence of the inhibitor

Inhibition of plaque formation by multivalent and univalent ligands was compared as an assay of avidity of antibody produced by PFC. Multivalent ligands are much more effective as inhibitors and their use tends to impart an appearance of lack of heterogeneity and high avidity to the PFC populations being studied. It is thus probably generally advisable to employ univalent ligands in such studies.

Thrombin-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation in the dog. II. Cardiorespiratory changes during spontaneous and controlled ventilation

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was induced in anaesthetized dogs by the infusion of a fibrinolytic inhibitor followed by thrombin. The occurrence of DIC was confirmed by haematological and histological examinations. After the thrombin infusion there was a progressive reduction in cardiac index and systemic arterial pressure, only four of the 14 dogs surviving for 4 hr. Pulmonary artery pressure increased after the thrombin infusion, but decreased subsequently in seven animals allowed to breathe spontaneously. In these animals, there was an increase in respiratory rate, minute volume and deadspace/tidal volume ratio, but there were no changes in the arterial-to-alveolar PCO2 difference. Arterial PCO2 and PO2 decreased, but there were no significant changes in total venous admixture. In seven dogs submitted to controlled ventilation, arterial PO2 decreased to the same extent, but there were no significant changes in arterial PCO2, deadspace/tidal volume ratio or venous admixture.